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A Heart Of Bloom
Last Updated:
2024-12-20 15:12:10
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Under The Mask Of My Enemy The Hunt For Memory
Chapter 9: The Hunt for MemoryThorne's POVTwo weeks had passed since I had moved into Garrett's penthouse, and my memory was still a hazy blur. I could hardly remember my own name without needing to double-check with someone. The memories of my life before the accident had not returned, and every day was like a walk through fog, with no clear path to be seen or any anchor to hold onto. In many ways, the apartment was empty-beautifully furnished and rich in luxuries, but it wasn't mine. Every piece of furniture felt foreign; every wall was cold, unwelcoming. I didn't recognize the space. Even the air I breathed seemed unfamiliar, as if it belonged to someone else.Despite the care Garrett showed, despite his attempts to help me recover, I couldn't shake the feeling of being lost in my own skin. At times, the emptiness of my mind was worse than the physical pain I endured. I wanted to remember. I wanted to reclaim what was mine-who I had been, who I had become. But no matter how hard
Last Updated : 2024-12-20Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Shot In The Dark
Chapter 10Garrett’s PovBefore us stretched the Cullen family hunting grounds, reaching out to attest to my family's wealth and influence, cultivated over generations. It wasn't just land; it was a sanctuary, steeped in tradition and filled with memories of my childhood outings and, later, quiet moments of solitude. But today, it wasn't my past that held my focus; it was Thorne.We then trod on the hunting grounds, having checked our rifles and gear. This part of the land was shrubland, dotted with low bushes and darting rabbits. I had chosen this area on purpose because it was much safer, without any dangerous predators or treacherous landscapes.Thorne strode ahead of me, his pace brisk with excitement. It had been weeks since he'd stepped beyond the confines of the penthouse, and I could see how much he relished the open air. His eyes scanned the landscape, sharp and focused, as if this environment was second nature to him.As he moved, I couldn't help but notice the fitted huntin
Last Updated : 2024-12-20Under The Mask Of My Enemy Sparks By The Fire
Chapter 11: Sparks by the FireThe world felt muffled as we sat in the car, Thorne's steady grip on my arm a reminder of the reality we'd just escaped. My head kept replaying the scene-Thorne stepping in front of me, his rifle steady, his movements precise as he took down the charging wild boar. That moment would have been terrifying enough, but the fact that he had done it for me left an ache I couldn't place.Thorne's voice cut through the silence, low and even. "Garrett, are you hurt?"I blinked, dragging myself back to the present. "No, I'm fine. Just… processing."He narrowed his eyes, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Processing? You just stood there. What would you have done if another boar had come at us? Do you even realize how reckless that was?Sharp, with the bite in his tone, was catching. His concern was sharp in complete contrast to his face-a mask of stoic unemotionality. "I wasn't expecting—""You weren't expecting a wild boar in hunting grounds?" Thorne interrupte
Last Updated : 2024-12-21Under The Mask Of My Enemy In Too Deep
Chapter 12Garrett’s PovThe room was quiet. Moonlight streamed in through the balcony doors, painting soft silver lines across the walls. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, trying to make sense of what had just happened. I kissed him. I crossed a line I promised myself I wouldn't.Thorne.His name was like a warning and a prayer repeating in my mind. I was supposed to protect my family, to keep him close so I could uncover the truth. But now, things were spinning out of control.I heard the sound of the door and looked up to see Thorne step inside. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, his hair just a little bit messy, as if the breeze outside had toyed with it. He looked perfect, and that was only making things a lot more difficult."Can't sleep?" he asked, his voice soft but inquiring.I shook my head. "No. Just… thinking."Thorne walked closer but stopped a few steps away, as if uncertain how close to get. His eyes scanned mine as if searching for answers."About e
Last Updated : 2024-12-22Under The Mask Of My Enemy The Search Begins
Chapter 13:Garrett's POVSince the hunting date, I had been in deep thought, and my system was really messed up- emotions everywhere, and how to handle them, no idea. I tried putting my concentration into work to sort my head out, but obviously, it wasn't quite working that way. Whichever way I tried, hard, to push thoughts of Thorne aside, they just crept inside.I had myself in the tasks at hand, but something in the back of my mind kept gnawing at me. I wasn't myself lately. The pressure from Donovan, my eldest brother, didn't make things any better. Donovan's voice echoed in my ears, reminding me to keep my eye on the ball, to remember the family. I had let myself slip too far.One of Donovan’s subordinates called to remind me of my responsibilities. “Garrett, you’ve been distracted. Remember, your loyalty to the family comes first. Donovan isn’t happy with how things have been lately.”The message was delivered. I had blown it, and Donovan wasn't one to forgive that very easily.
Last Updated : 2024-12-23Under The Mask Of My Enemy The Unexpected Rescue
Chapter 14:Thorne's PovSince Garrett and I visited the hunting ground together for the second time, the place didn't feel usual to me. I know it sounds weird, but it didn't feel like home. The memories that should have come back to my mind didn't. All of a sudden, this place felt like I saw it for the first time in my life. How much I tried to get back my memory, just nothing clicked, and everything seemed to grow more baffling.I tried to shrug it off, but in my heart of hearts, I knew that something was not quite right. While I was desperate for answers, they remained elusive. The more I thought about it, the more disturbed I became.Garrett had left for a bit to take care of some family business, and I was left alone in the hospital. The doctors were still keeping an eye on me, especially during my rehabilitation training, but I wasn't going to sit around doing nothing. It was my first real chance to be free.Meanwhile, the protection personnel assigned to stick with me were busy
Last Updated : 2024-12-23Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Line Crossed, A Bond Tested
Chapter 15Garrett's POVThe air was thick in the family manor. Every step I made echoed off the high ceilings and empty walls, the sound a constant reminder of the pressure building inside me. Thorne lay limply in my arms, his body unnervingly still. Blood seeped through the makeshift bandages I had hastily wrapped around him, staining my shirt and hands. His skin was cool to the touch, his breathing shallow, and the longer he lay in a comatose state, the harder my heart crashed in my chest.He looked breakable, fragile-a strong contrast to the sharp man of confidence who had one-upped me at every possible occasion. Seeing him like this did something to me. It stirred deep within me something that wasn't ready to meet head-on. But I wouldn't let him die-not here, not now.I was but a few feet from the main hall when a figure emerged from the side corridor. My chest constricted as Donovan's men materialized, armed and ready to go; their faces cold, impassive. They half-circled, guns m
Last Updated : 2024-12-24Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Fragile Trust
Chapter 16: A Fragile Trust Thorne's POV The sunlight, faint and gentle, filtered through the curtains when my eyes finally fluttered open, casting a soft glow across the room. My body was heavy, my head pounding, but it wasn't that which hit me first. It was Garrett's presence. He stood at the foot of my bed, arms crossed over his chest, keen eyes pinned on me. The look in his eyes carried anger and concern in fairly equal proportions, but one thing for sure, that tensed stance did let me know he was in no mood for small talk. "Garrett," I croaked. I sounded husky from sleep, from exhaustion. "You're awake," he said firmly without much inflection. "Good. I pushed myself up slightly, wincing as the movement sent a dull ache through my side. "I—" "Don't," he interrupted, taking a step closer. "Don't even try to justify what you did." His voice wasn't loud, but it held weight. I swallowed hard and felt the guilt pool heavily in my chest. "I'm sorry," I said low and dropped my gaz
Last Updated : 2024-12-25
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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
Under The Mask Of My Enemy Garett’s Mother
Chapter 69: Garrett’s POVThe dim light from my desk lamp cast long shadows across the room as I sorted through paperwork, my mind half-occupied with thoughts of the current deal I was negotiating. Business was always a constant, a never-ending ebb and flow of power plays, acquisitions, and strategy. I was used to dealing with pressure, but nothing in my life had prepared me for the moment when my phone buzzed on the desk—interrupting the steady rhythm of my evening.I glanced down at the screen, expecting a call or perhaps a message from one of my associates, but what I saw made my heart freeze.The text was short, curt, and anonymous.“You must come to this address with enough money within twelve hours. Do not tell anyone. If you do, your mother will be killed.”My breath caught in my throat, and for a split second, the room seemed to close in around me. Panic surged, but I fought to control it. I stared at the message, my mind struggling to make sense of it. My eyes moved over the
