LOGINShare
A Fragment Of The Past
Last Updated:
2025-01-07 13:56:14
Related chapters
Under The Mask Of My Enemy Confusion
Chapter 36: Garrett’s POVI paced the marble floor of my suite in the villa, my fists clenched and jaw tight. My phone buzzed again, another update from the men I’d sent to follow Thorne.He was in Italy.He had left New York without even a word, disappeared from the villa as stealthily as a shadow. It was worse than that. Oliver had aided him in his disappearance. I wanted to break something; anything to clear the pent-up frustration churning in my gut. But I could not. Not yet. Clarity was something I needed."Oliver," I grunted into the phone, speaking in a very low voice that bordered on menacing.There was a silence before Oliver's response came over. "Yes, sir."Care to explain why Thorne left New York under your watch? And why you disobeyed my orders?"Oliver sighed. I could hear the weariness in his tone, but it did nothing to soothe my anger. "I didn't disobey you, Garrett. I trusted Thorne's intentions.""That wasn't your decision to make!" My voice rose, sharp and cutting.
Last Updated : 2025-01-08Under The Mask Of My Enemy The weight Of Sillence
Chapter 37: Garrett's POVThe private jet touched down onto the tarmac with ease, but my mind was elsewhere, far away from the business deals I had just closed. As the wheels touched down in New York, I leaned back in my seat, blowing a sharp breath out. One person consumed my thoughts, and that was Thorne.I'd confirmed Thorne was back in the city hours ago through my men, but the usual pull to rush back to the villa and see him was noticeably absent. Or perhaps I was deliberately fighting it. My emotions had become this volatile storm of anger and longing and something treacherously close to hurt.Instead of going back home, I instructed my driver to take me to the bar I frequented. It was among the very few places I would successfully drown the noise in my head, however temporal the distraction was.The bar was dark, except for the hum of music or the murmur of strangers. The minute I stepped inside, eyes turned my way, faces tinted with interest. Some of them were bold enough to m
Last Updated : 2025-01-08Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Suprise For Garett
Chapter 38: A Surprise for GarrettThorne's POVMorning light filtered through the wide windows of Garrett's family villa in New York and spread a warm glow over the richly decorated room. It was eerily serene compared to the tension that had plagued me for days. I stood by the kitchen counter, my sleeves rolled up, chopping vegetables under the watchful eye of Garrett's mother. Her elegance was understated yet commanding, much like her son."You're holding the knife wrong, dear," she said softly, easing in to fix my grip."Ah, sorry," I mumbled under my breath, coloring slightly. The thing was, cooking wasn't really my thing, but for tonight, I wanted to be spotless-perfect. Tonight wasn't any meal; this was Garrett's birthday meal.She smiled warmly. “It’s fine. You’ll get the hang of it. Garrett always used to hold the knife wrong too. Once, he insisted he’d make breakfast for me when he was six, and he ended up nearly burning down the kitchen.”I chuckled, imagining a mischievous,
Last Updated : 2025-01-08Under The Mask Of My Enemy Surprise Birthday
Chapter 39: Garrett's POVThe voices around me at the party faded into a constant hum of background noise, grating on my nerves. I held my phone in the palm of my hand, staring at the now blank screen; Thorne had already hung up. In my head, I could still hear the warmth of his tone-a stark juxtaposition to the inane conversations buzzing around me. People came forward to congratulate me or worm their way into my good books with empty pleasantry. None of it mattered.The party, the lavish arrangements Donovan had prepared, the endless chatter of influential figures—I wanted none of it. My only thought was to leave, to see Thorne.His knife-sharp eyes followed me until I set my glass down on the nearest table and beyond. Not a word fell from his lips, but the weight of his gaze could speak volumes. I strode by him, purpose in my stride. I was prepared for him to stop me, perhaps chide me for disrespecting an effort he went out of his way to create. Instead, he was mute, only watching m
Last Updated : 2025-01-09Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Mother’s Warmth
Chapter 40: Thorne's POVThe silence in the room was deafening as Garrett stood frozen, his eyes glued to the woman before him. His face was unreadable-a mask of shock and vulnerability that had my chest constricting. He wasn't saying a word, but I did notice how his eyes didn't leave hers. It was as if he wanted to absorb every detail of her face, like he needed reassurance this wasn't some cruel joke.I did not know what to do, so I sat with him and allowed him to process. It wasn't until his mother, in her soft, quivering voice, called his name that brought a flash of recognition to his eyes. It wasn't instantaneous; as the minutes ticked by, I could see him start piecing things together.I also was quick with feelings of relief and my heart ached as he stepped forward and into the waiting arms finally. It had been a very telling moment for Garrett-it was a juncture that he needed, hoped for, and prayed would go at least this good.I stood to the side, silent, as his mother held hi
Last Updated : 2025-01-09Under The Mask Of My Enemy The Return Of Happiness
Chapter 41: The Return Of HappinessGarrett's POVThe sun had just started to rise as I stood at the airport terminal and watched my mother disappear into the security checkpoint. Neither of us had slept that night. We had spent hours catching up on all that we had missed over the years. It was a sad feeling, watching her leave this way, but I knew it had to be done. She couldn't stay long without drawing the Cullens' attention, and I couldn't risk her safety in my selfish desire to keep her near.The instant she was out of view, I wheeled around and was off towards the car. My head was such a jumble of feelings-gratitude and longing and exhaustion. My driver caught my eyes in the rearview mirror but said nothing. He must have seen the circles under my eyes, the weight of my shoulders.The villa was silent as I went back inside; the house was deathly still. Upstairs, to the bedroom I went, each step creaking out unusually loudly. Thorne lay across the bed, sleeping peacefully. His fac
Last Updated : 2025-01-10Under The Mask Of My Enemy Gentle Flames
Chapter 42: Gentle FlamesGarett’s PovThe soft light of the bedside lamp shone golden into the room and onto Thorne, who stood by the window. His shirt was loose on his lean frame, his hair tousled from his sleep. He was effortlessly beautiful, he usually was, but tonight, there was just something about him that cut a little deeper.I leaned against the doorframe, my gaze tracing every inch of him. There was no denying it: Thorne had become my haven, my source of joy, and my most significant vulnerability."Thorne," I whispered his name low.He finally turned toward me, his eyes locking on mine with this curious, tender expression. I moved closer to him, another step, until I could touch him. My hand reached out and gently cupped his cheek. He didn't pull away, just leaned into my touch and let the trust and the warmth of his wash away the walls I didn't even realize I was still nursing."You've given me so much more than I ever thought I deserved," I murmured, my thumb brushing agai
Last Updated : 2025-01-10Under The Mask Of My Enemy In Search Of Answers
Chapter Forty-Three: In Search of AnswersThorne's POVThat confirmation of our relationship had brought a temporary sense of peace, the first glimmer of stability in my mind. Garrett's love felt like an anchor in the storm, but the gaping void of my past continued to torment me. I couldn't ignore it anymore. If I was to be his-to give myself to him fully-I needed to know who I was. Fully.But intertwined in that need to uncover my past was a bitter element: feeling guilty for keeping secrets from Garrett-for hiding my pursuit of answers from the man who'd been my one constant in this uncertain existence. Yet, as much as I loved him, with each passing day the questions just boomed louder in my mind.Garrett had been slackening the reins on me of late. Perhaps it was a sign that he trusted me, or perhaps he felt I needed to become autonomous; whatever the reason, I quietly set about finding. well, finding whatever I found.Contacting GavinGavin had once been a good, trustworthy friend
Last Updated : 2025-01-11
Latest chapter
Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Prisoner
Chapter 78: Garrett's POVI was confined within Cullen Manor, a prisoner on Donovan's orders. Guards stood at every exit, their eyes upon me every second in passing, to make sure I didn't get away. Suffocating, knowing each second that passed I was under someone else's watchful eye, captive, not free.Last night, desperation had driven me to try an escape. In the darkness of the night, I had reached the main door silently, but two guards were there to stop me. "Going somewhere, Garrett?" one sneered as they dragged me back to my room, his grip on my arm tightening. The memory of that failed attempt still seared in my mind.Now, pacing the confines of my room, my thoughts consumed Thorne. The FBI had taken him, and the image of him in their custody gnawed at me. I had to find a way to reach him, to bring him back. Not knowing what was happening to him was more than I could stand.The door creaked open, and Dexter came in, his face a mask of concern and frustration. I seized the moment:
Under The Mask Of My Enemy Memories
Chapter 77: Thorne's POVThe car sped down the dark, empty road, but I barely noticed. My eyes were open, staring at the blurred landscape beyond the window, but I wasn't seeing the present. I was trapped in the past, reliving the memory that had resurfaced with brutal clarity.Garrett.The name echoed in my mind like a curse.The man I had trusted. The man I had chosen.And he was the one who had destroyed everything.I dug my nails into my palms, my fists clenched. My breathing was shallow, irregular, as flashes from the past kept hitting me with the force of sledgehammers. I saw my team-Lisa, Marcos, Eric. I heard their last breaths, their last screams. I saw the dock, the smoke curling in the sky, the glint of gunmetal reflecting the dying light. And then, I saw him.Garrett, standing amidst carnage, so calm, untouched, unbothered."You thought you could win?"The words still played in my head, replaying in the same way that they had on that night. I remembered a gun barrel presse
Under The Mask Of My Enemy Memory
Chapter 76: Remembrance of Past ExperiencesThorne’s PovI sat in the car and watched the villa behind us get engulfed by the fire, which seemed to burn everything that lay in its path. My eyes felt glued to the action, my body shivering down my spine at the scene and the events just experienced.I continued to stare at the fire engulfs until I saw a figure running toward us. Garrett. Anger and desperation had contorted his features, his eyes fixed on me with an unnerving intensity. A surge of fear ran through me as I watched him, my heart pounding in anticipation.But as I looked at Garrett, something weird happened. A memory flickered to life in my mind, a memory that I had thought was long gone. I saw myself, trapped in a burning building, flames licking at my skin. And I saw a figure, standing in the doorway, watching me burn.It was Garrett.It hit me like a ton of bricks, and my head simply reeled from the shock and horror of it all. Garrett, the man who had kept me captive, the
Under The Mask Of My Enemy Escaping The Flames
Chapter 75: Escaping the FlamesThorne’s PovIn an instant, my world turned to chaos. One minute I was caught in some sort of silent game of wills between Garrett and the FBI; the next, flames lanced up the walls, ravenous beasts eating upwards with terrifying speed. The air thickened in an instant, filling with smoke, heat, and the acrid smell of burning wood.I couldn't move.It was as if my body refused to process what was happening. My eyes darted from one side of the villa to the other, taking in the horror unfolding before me. The elegant furniture was being reduced to cinders in mere seconds, the luxurious curtains curling into blackened husks as fire licked at them mercilessly. Even the very floor beneath my feet felt as though it was beginning to burn.It was a fire that spread unnaturally fast, gobbling the villa down at a rate at which no escape could be entertained if we didn't act straight away.A deafening crack split the air, and a part of the ceiling collapsed, sending
Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Desperate Plea
Chapter 74: A Desperate PleaThorne's POVThe air hung heavy with foreboding as the distinct sounds of guns being cocked sliced through the area, like the ominous drumbeats of fate. My breathing hitched at the view which was shoved down my throat: Garrett in the middle of the room, his face in the stark illumination of flashlights, hands halfway up in surrender. Fully armed FBI agents surrounded him, their weapons still trained on him, fingers resting precariously close to the triggers. The sight made my stomach churn.It all had happened in such a rush: one minute, we were at that stalemate of wills, my knife pressed to him, my anger aboil; the next, the door burst open and the agents swarmed in, suffocating. The world had tilted on its axis, and suddenly Garrett wasn't my captor anymore; he was a man cornered, his life hanging in the balance.I didn't know what to do. My muscles tensed, my mind racing to process this. I had wanted freedom. I had wanted escape. But I had never wanted
Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Turning Point
Chapter 73: A Turning PointThorne’s PovI stood my ground, my eyes locked on Garrett's. He had just told me that we needed to leave, that it wasn't safe to stay here. But I knew that I couldn't keep running, couldn't keep living in fear. I had to make a stand, had to take control of my own life."I'm not going anywhere with you," I said, my voice firm. "I'd rather die at Dexter's hands than be imprisoned by you like this."Garrett's face changed; his eyes clouded with hurt. But I couldn't let that sway me. I had to think about my survival, my freedom."I won't go with you again," I repeated. "I won't be your prisoner anymore."Garrett took one step closer, hands outstretched toward me. But I was ready for him. I pulled out the knife that had been tucked away, just waiting for the perfect moment to bring it out."Don't come closer," I warned, the knife shaking slightly in my hand. "Don't try to stop me and Gavin from leaving because we are not going to leave with you "Garrett's eyes
Under The Mask Of My Enemy The Breaking Point
Chapter 73: The Breaking PointThorne's POVThe villa felt cold, colder than usual, as I was led down the stairs by Gavin. My legs were still weak, trembling slightly beneath me with every step. It had been days—maybe even weeks—since I'd been allowed to leave the small room where they'd confined me, and though the shackles were gone, I felt them still. The cold, oppressive feeling of being trapped. Memories of Garrett binding me in that room, with the injections of those accursed muscle relaxants, came surging back upon me like an oncoming tide to drown me. There is no amount of time that could ever erase it.Gavin's grip upon my arm was firm, as though he might imagine me to fall or lose my balance, but it was more than that-a physical restraint. He watched me-eyes darting from one corner of the hall to the other, his whole posture tense. I didn't blame him; it wasn't just the house that felt unsafe-it was everything. The thick air, laden with tension, seemed to close in on me as we
Under The Mask Of My Enemy Trapped
Chapter 71: TrappedThorne's PovAs soon as Garrett was gone, I lay down on the bed and stared out the window. The darkness outside pressed in on me, making me feel trapped and smothered. I have no idea how many days I had been confined to this room. Days all started to run together and time lost all meaning.I was stuck in this room day in and day out, with no means of getting out or reprieve. Not that it mattered, even on the days when Garrett would take me out for some downtime. He would handcuff me, put me in a wheelchair, and wheel me out. It was a cruel mockery of freedom, a reminder that I was still a prisoner, still under Garrett's control.The insomnia worsened and, every night, I was awake for hours staring at the ceiling and brainstorming ways of escape. From picking the lock on the door to trying to sneak past Garrett when he came to visit me, I did everything I could think of. Every attempt up until now, however, seemed to have met with failure, and I'd begun to feel quit
Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Battle On Two Fronts
Chapter 71: A Battle On Two FrontsGarrett's POVThe hum of the engine was the only sound to cut through the silence as I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. The more he spoke, the more everything clicked into place, and I felt my blood run cold with the realization.Everything was too coincidental.Dextor's call, the sudden transfer of a host of personnel, my mother's kidnapping-none of it was an accident. It wasn't just bad timing or some freakish twist of fate. No, this was calculated. Someone was pulling the strings-someone who knew me too well.And I had this sinking feeling I knew exactly who it was.My cell phone buzzed on the dash, breaking through the thick, heavier-than-air tension that seemed to have settled over me. I snatched it up, pressing the answer button before the screen could flash a second time."Talk," I ordered, my voice sharper than I meant it to be.A deep voice crackled through the speaker. One of my men, stationed at a monitoring point. "Boss, we just g
