Chapter One Hundred And Eighty-One.Lana turned sharply and looked into the darkness behind her. It seemed as though she'd heard something scream. Or was it her imagination?Imagination or not, it was definitely the cue she needed to open the fucking trapdoor. Luckily, the trapdoor wasn't locked and opened up easily before her to reveal another darkness below.Lana swallowed hard as a sudden rush of cold air hit her face. She shivered uncontrollably and willed her beating heart to calm down.This was just the same as walking into the passageway, she reminded herself, Everything will be fine. There are no snakes waiting down there.The way the wind whistled from below made her wonder how far the drop was.She laid down the trapdoor, and peered down into the hole with her torchlight. The beam flashed on a slab of wood below her, then another and another all connected with a rope.A ladder!She allowed the light of the torch to travel down until she finally saw the ground.It was not ve
Chapter one "We're here, Madam" The driver's clear voice, interrupted Lana's thoughts and her eyes snapped open. She had been lost in thoughts and didn't realize they were already home. "Oh thanks Diego" Lana said as she snapped out of her thoughts as the driver went round the side of the car to open the door for her. She gave him a charming smile which slowly faded as she stared at the huge mansion which stood in front of her. Placing her bag on her shoulder, she wearily walked into the house, the full skirts of her white dress, almost sweeping the floor. Maids bowed and greeted her as they held the door open for her. Lana failed to see the concerned looks they gave her and themselves. She wearily made her way up the grand stairs that led to her bedroom. Her head was filled with various thoughts but the one that stood out the most were the words she heard about an hour ago. At the doctor's office. "Congratulations, Mrs Romero. You're pregnant!" The doctor had said
Chapter Two Rina. "Y..you?" Her hands shook with rage as she took a step closer to the bed "what's going on? What the hell are you doing in my husband's room?!" Her fists clenched as she glared at Rina and remembered how Laura had admonished her to keep Rina away from her grandson. And now, Damien had gone and brought her into their home. She had failed Laura. Rina stared at Lana mischievously, her rosy pink lips curving into a smirk. Lana's palm itched to wipe that smirk off her face. She looked around the room, taking in the sight, slowly. The room was dimly lit from the chandelier above, which cast a faint glow around the room. Rina's hair looked disheveled and her complexion was flushed. There were clothes strewn about the floor of the room and a faint musty smell hung in the air. As Lana tried to make her brain understand whatever it is that was going on, Damien walked out of the bathroom. His golden locks, was wet and stuck to his forehead. He stopped when he saw Lan
Chapter ThreeWhen Lana opened her eyes again, she was lying on her back on a hard surface.She sat up quickly and fell back to the bed immediately as her head felt like it would split in half.She gasped in pain and grabbed her head with both hands. She realized that it was wrapped round with bandage, and there was a needle on her hand connected to a bag above her.She was at the hospital.What happened?She remembered the crash and her hands immediately went to her stomach"My baby" she breathed frantically just as the curtains were pulled aside and a doctor appeared."I see you're awake, Miss" he smiled at her as he checked he vitals "And you're doing well, I can see.""Doctor, my baby" Lana whispered softly "Is my baby fine?"The doctor's smile faded slowly as he looked down at Lana. Slowly, he shook his head."I'm sorry" he breathed softly, staring deep into her eyes.Lana's eyes burned with tears, but somehow they did not spill over."It's dead?" Her voice was void of emotion an
Chapter FourStunned, Damien stared at her.Her head was wrapped completely in a bandage, her face was white and her lip pale, and there were cuts on it.He was puzzled.He thought she had been in a minor accident so why is she looking like she just survived world war 2?When Diego had called him that she had been involved in an accident, he wanted to go to the hospital because if his grandma gets wind of Lana beibg hospitalized, all hell will let loose.But Rina had held on to his cloth at that moment."Please Dami, don't go. I'm scared" she had said, softly and feverishly. Her eyes were closed but tears still dripped out of them to soak her pillows.She was a very fragile person and had been seriously shaken when Lana had behaved like a rogue towards her.His heart hardened and he decided to stay with her. After all, he was sure Lana was just involved in a minor accident."Just take her to the hospital! The doctors would take care of her" he had spoken harshly into the phone "Do no
Chapter Five Damien paced up and down the hallway, outside the hospital room. He could not understand why he was so agitated but there was something about seeing your wife, unconscious, in a dead faint and also in another man's arms. It rattled him. Her white face and limp body had scared him as he watched the man carry her in his arms, bridal style. He stopped pacing and looked ahead, his brows coming together in a huge frown and a sour taste came into his mouth, as he stared at the man who had saved his wife. Zaire Ludovic. C.E.O of SERENE, A MultiBillion-dollar Fashion and Entertainment Company and one of the top rated fashion company in Emerald City. He was Damien's biggest Rival. The Romero family owned MAGIC, another top rated fashion and Entertainment company in the City. It had been in the family for years and was the source of all their wealth. The MAGIC group had other subsidiaries in other industries - Retail, Education, Manufacturing, Sports etc but MAGIC Touch,
Chapter Six "We gather here in loving memory of our beloved sister, Laura Penelope Romero..." Lana sat very straightbacked, the pew hard beneath her as the priest went on. The entire church was so silent that if a pin dropped, the sound would bounce off the walls. Laura was dead. Laura, the one person who had been in support of her marriage to Damien. Laura, who had been like a mother to her this past three years. Laura, the only reason she was still holding on. Lana took a deep breath, as she fought back tears, which stung her eyes, and threatened to fall at any moment. She was seated among the other callers, while Rina sat with her husband and his family, in the pew reserved for families. Lana didn't mind. She had deliberately separated herself from them, and even though she was occasionally receiving dark stares from Damien, she would not budge. Finally, everyone filed out of the church, and the coffin was placed in the freshly dug hole in the ground. There were sniffle
Chapter Seven "Lana, is that you?" Samuel Fernandez's deep voice came through the phone. It was filled with awe. He could not believe he was talking to his daughter, after three good years. He stood up, as though in slow motion and held up his hand. In an instant, the entire boardroom in which seventy shareholders were sitting became silent. They watched him in shock, as he walked towards a window, his face filled with glee at the call which he received. They had all been in the midst of a serious meeting when he had that call but now, he was not in the mood to listen to them anymore. However, at the sound of his voice, after so many years, something came over Lana, and she crumbled immediately. The tears fell in torrents down her face, and she made no effort to wipe them away as she walked down the Lane leading to the gates guarding Reign Estates. Bodyguards stared at her as she passed, shocked to see her crying but she did not care. She had missed her father so much. Why had
Chapter One Hundred And Eighty-One.Lana turned sharply and looked into the darkness behind her. It seemed as though she'd heard something scream. Or was it her imagination?Imagination or not, it was definitely the cue she needed to open the fucking trapdoor. Luckily, the trapdoor wasn't locked and opened up easily before her to reveal another darkness below.Lana swallowed hard as a sudden rush of cold air hit her face. She shivered uncontrollably and willed her beating heart to calm down.This was just the same as walking into the passageway, she reminded herself, Everything will be fine. There are no snakes waiting down there.The way the wind whistled from below made her wonder how far the drop was.She laid down the trapdoor, and peered down into the hole with her torchlight. The beam flashed on a slab of wood below her, then another and another all connected with a rope.A ladder!She allowed the light of the torch to travel down until she finally saw the ground.It was not ve
Chapter One Hundred And Eighty Zaire was still in his study with Aryan, who was making numerous calls.It really seemed like Romero was on his way to Moreno, due to the tip off that Rina had given them.Zaire regretted ever revealing this place to Rina. He had brought her here as well and a bitter taste filled his mouth, as he realized how her presence must have tainted his precious sanctuary."I really should have killed her a long time ago." He thought to himself as he downed the contents of his second glass of whiskey.Well, there was still time.He could still kill her and also give the same treatment to his beloved half-brother. A slight smile curved his lips as he relished the thought of Damien coming to challenge him on his own turf.He'd be able to come in easily but to go out will not be so easy.He also regretted the fact that he'd brought Lana to Moreno. He could have easily taken her to Italy or Cuba, but he figured they were too far away and he needed to still be able to
Chapter One Hundred And Seventy-NineGripping the metal torchlight to her chest, Lana hurried back into the room and climbed unto the bed once more.She glanced back at the door, her ears picking up every little sound. She expected it to open up at any moment and Zaire would walk in.She'd get caught before she even started anything and faced with more torment than she could imagine."There's no time to waste." She reminded herself as she edged closer to the wall, "Let's get out of here, Lana."Slowly, she reached out her hand to the wall and pushed it. The wall did not budge.Lana swallowed hard as her heart started beating faster once again.What the hell? Why isn't the wall opening up now?She pushed the wall again with all her might and still nothing."Okay Lana." She took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, "Remain calm and think. We have to open this wall."She closed her eyes and tried to remember how she'd had managed to open the wall earlier that day.Her memory was fuzzy w
Chapter One Hundred And Seventy-Eight"It seems Romero has been able to gain access into our base.""The fuck did you just say to me?!" Zaire snarled as he pulled the door to Lana's room close behind him, "He accessed our base? How the fuck was he able to do that with his weak system?!"Aryan swallowed hard as he spoke carefully, "It seems he had help from Fernandez." He informed Zaire, "The email which we sent to Miss Vermont was the key to the base, sir."Zaire immediately gripped the collars of Aryan's shirt, fiercely and drew him to him, "You said there was no way they'd be able to trace it!" Zaire said harshly, baring his teeth at Aryan, "What is the meaning of this sloppy work?!"Aryan averted his gaze from Zaire, even as the strain of his collars being gripped was making it difficult for him to breath."I'm sorry, sir." He uttered in a small voice, looking more than a trifle apologetic, "I made sure I looked through it all but Fernandez has one of the best IT teams and system i
Chapter One Hundred And Seventy-SevenLana laid perfectly still in Zaire's arms, hoping, praying silently that he falls asleep.It was still freaking daylight and if she was to get out of the house and still manage to find her way around this place, then she needed to do it during the daytime.The thought of making her way around the walls of the house at night filled her with fear, but it did not kill her determination.Besides, it would even be easier to do so when Zaire and Aryan are asleep. Zaire does not usually come to check up on her at nights, but the bastard was changing.He was getting bolder, climbing into bed with her. It was only a matter of time before he convinced her they were lovers, and there was nothing wrong with them being intimate.She had only managed to put him off for so long using the fact that she did not know him so well.Zaire had been decent all along, patiently waiting but she guessed his patience ran out with this little act of his now.The words he'd s
Chapter One Hundred And Seventy-SixLana's held her breath in fear and trepidation, as the footsteps walked closer to the bed."She's asleep." Aryan.He sounded pissed, and so he was as he looked down on Lana with contempt on the bed, "It's only four in the evening." He hissed, "I must wake her up.""Leave her alone." Oh, Zaire was back?Lana kept her eyes closed and pretended to look like someone in a sound sleep.The thought of sleeping, while two dangerous men looked down in her filled her with fear. It sent shivers down her spine, and Lana tried very hard not to shudder.Aryan stepped back from the bed, with his fists clenched. His faxe was hard as he was trying to not show how pissed he was."Its still daytime." He said, his voice a low growl. "We should wake her the fuck up and get her to sign the documents so we can leave here!"Documents?What documents?Lana's ears were fully on alert taking in every detail of their conversation. What the hell did they want her to sign on?
Chapter One Hundred And Seventy Five Lana scrambled off her bed, her eyes wide open in shock as she stared at the gaping hole in the wall.Her chest was heaving with the way she was breathing hard, and her eyes were almost bulging out of their sockets. Her hand was still covering her mouth in shock.What the hell had just happened? Is this a dream? Walls don't just open up in front of people.Why did the wall in the room suddenly open up and most importantly, what was on the other side?Lana peered tentatively inside the wall, her eyes wild with fear.The cold air emanating from inside the gaping hole, filled the room and she shivered uncontrollably.Was this some kind of passage way? A secret passageway? On the second floor?!As the idea of a secret passageway flashed through her mind, Lana's heart started beating loudly once more.She bit her lips in uncertainty and fisted her white dress in fear as she walked closer to check out the wall.Tentatively, she climbed onto the bed an
Chapter One Hundred And Seventy-FourRina inhaled deeply and then let out a ragged breath of despair. All her previous bravado had seemed to disappear as soon as Damien had mentioned how unsafe she was behind the prison walls.She seemed to shrink half in size into the chair, with fear boldly written on every of her features."Alright." She said in a small voice, "I'll tell you what I know about Zaire's location."Damien leaned back in his chair and straightened his jacket, pretending he was not relieved with Rina's decision. He suppressed the desire not to punch the air in victory, and instead schooled his expression into one of blankness as he nodded calmly at her, "Spill it.""But still..." Rina croaked uncertainly, "You have to tell me how you're going to help me with my sentence first before I say anything."She glanced up at him then and saw the flash of anger in his eyes. The muscle in his jaw twitched violently as he pushed back his chair and stood up.Seeing his action, the
Chapter One Hundred And Seventy-Three The door to the prison's visiting room made loud clanging sounds, as the metal bots and locks were unlocked.Rina was led into the room by a guard.She had huge cuffs on her hands and was dressed in the prison's orange overalls.It's been three weeks since her arrest and she was awaiting trial. She looked worse for wear with her huge black circles under her eyes, and sunken cheeks.Her black hair was pulled back from her face in a loose ponytail, and her face was guant.Damien was sitting on a metal chair in the middle of the room in a designated spot. Sitting beside him was a bespectacled middle aged man, who looked respectable in a sharp custom made suit.He was the head of Romero's legal team, and he had accompanied Damien on this trip to see Rina. Behind them, Liam stood rigid, with his hands clasped behind him like a soldier at alert.Rina's lips curved into a dry, little smile as her eyes fell on the men the room."To what do I owe this unp