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A Line Crossed, A Bond Tested
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2024-12-24 17:16:18
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Under 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-25Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Kiss
Chapter 17Thorne's POVGarrett disappeared not long after agreeing to let me return to the company. At first, I'd thought he might have gone out to cool his head. After all, my insistence on resuming my role as his assistant hadn't exactly thrilled him. But as the hours turned into longer and he did not return, unease set in.Was he mad? Hurt? Or had he just grown weary of me? I shook my head, trying to banish the thoughts. Garrett wasn't the sulky type, nor would he avoid a problem. Whatever his reason for leaving, I couldn't afford the distraction. I had to focus.If I wanted to do this-really step back into the role of his assistant-then I needed to be prepared. The last thing I wanted was to mess up and prove everyone, including myself, wrong.I decided to begin with research. First, I went through Garrett's study, where the walls were lined up and down with books: business strategy, corporate finance, leadership principles-the volume was overwhelming. Filling my arms with a pret
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-26Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Change In Routine
Chapter 18Garrett's POVThorne's first day of work started in a way I really hadn't anticipated. For the first time since I'd taken over as boss, I made it to the office on time. I wasn't running in late or making up some excuse for why I couldn't be there. Instead, I found myself actually looking forward to the day, and I knew exactly why.Thorne had set up a desk for himself on the left-hand side of my office, a position where I couldn't help but see him without trying. He was already seated as I entered, his eyes fixed intently on the screen. He was plainly keen-sorting through files, typing furiously, and then from time to time, making jottings in a notebook with that eager doggedness that brought me up short.I leaned against the doorframe for a moment, observing him. His sleeves were rolled up; his brow was slightly furrowed as he focused, and every now and then, he'd smile faintly, as if pleased with himself for figuring something out. He looked… good. Too good, if I was being
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-26Under The Mask Of My Enemy Confusion
Chapter 19: Confusion Thorne's POVA few days into working with Garrett, the façade began to crack. No matter how prepared I had gotten, all the reading, and meticulous notes taken, my gut still told me this wasn't for me. The tasks piled up higher than I could manage to handle, and no matter how hard I tried, it would feel like I was actually faking my way around being Garrett's assistant.I couldn't believe in myself: had I really been an assistant before losing my memories? A part of me knew better. While some things, like note-taking or processing schedules, felt instinctively easy, other tasks-very sensitive ones, at that, like maintaining negotiations or processing financial transactions-puzzled me completely. And this disquiet in the chest grew heavier with each passing day.In the late night, being all alone in the office, I sat looking at Garrett's desk, where usually Garrett worked, neatly kept with files and reports. It frustrated me because I hammered one hand on the desk
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-27Under The Mask Of My Enemy The Other Side
Chapter 20: The Other SideThorne's POVThe metallic tang of blood and the sharp scent of alcohol filled the dimly lit room. I stood beside Garrett, trying to suppress the unease clawing at my chest. My eyes shifted to the man suspended from a rusted chain in the center of the room, his face pale and streaked with sweat. His shallow breaths betrayed his growing panic, though he tried to appear defiant.This wasn't the Garrett who had smiled at me just that morning, teasing me over my clumsy attempts at office work. This was a man cold, calculated, and terrifyingly efficient."How did the transaction go through today?" Garrett asked calmly, an edge in his voice shivering me to the bones."Everything went fine, Mr. Cullen, no problem," the man replied with stammering voice trembling.Garrett cocked his head to one side, as if weighing the answer, but his eyes gave nothing away. Silent, he jerked his hand at his men. They moved forward, hauling the man higher on the chain, his screams re
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-30Under The Mask Of My Enemy Breaking Point
Chapter 21: Thorne's POVThe deafening sound of the gunshot reverberated in my skull, a shockwave running across my body. I just kept staring at the body that was lying on the floor-the lifeless body of the man Garrett had just executed. I should be used to this by now. I should understand it and accept it. But there was something about the act of watching that cold and efficient death-it broke something inside of me. A shudder ran down my spine, and all at once, my body felt too heavy to carry.I couldn't breathe. My chest tightened up in pain, and the walls around me seemed to close in, pressing against my lungs, suffocating me. The smell of blood mixed with the sharp tang of alcohol filled the room, yet it did little to dissipate the fog in my mind. My hands shook, my fingers tingling with an insistent need to do something, anything, to staunch this suffocating panic. My vision blurred, and everything around me was out of focus. The figures of Garrett's men moved in and out of a f
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-30Under The Mask Of My Enemy Hope
Chapter 22: Garrett's POVI heard the clang of the knife as I caught Thorne's collapsing body in my arms. The blade slipped from his grasp, the metallic sound chilling, but it was nothing compared to the sight of blood spilling from the deep gash he'd carved into his own arm. Warm and wet, it coated my hands as I clutched him tightly, as though sheer will alone could undo the damage.His face was pale, slack, his breathing faint—but there. Barely.I laid him on the cold floor, and my heart thundered in my chest with a violence that I had not experienced in years. I couldn't turn the scene off inside my brain: the madness in his eyes, the flash of recognition when he saw me—and then the knife, plunged into his own flesh. That resolve, that desperation. What had he been thinking? Was it an act of defiance, his final way of breaking free from whatever chaos had him in its grip?Or had he done it for me?The thought hit me like a blow to the solar plexus, stopping me dead in my tracks. No
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-31Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Liar
Chapter 23: Thorne's POVThe first thing I became aware of was the faint sound of waves crashing and salted air as sea breeze wafted into a bedroom through an open window. Blinding, I fought off bright light that filtered through in from somewhere. The bed creaked with it, accommodating my shifting position underneath; so unlike normal, comfortable-smelling sheets felt silky on my skin. Thumbing in, I sat up really gingerly-my racing heartbeat was thudding strongly enough for me to hear, for sure.My gaze darted around the room. The walls were painted a soothing cream, and the decor was understated but elegant. The windows were wide, offering a breathtaking view of the ocean in the distance. But none of it was familiar.The last thing I remembered was Garrett—his face tight with concern, his voice calling my name as I lost consciousness. And before that, the chaos I'd created in the basement, the knife in my hand and the…I flexed my fists and shook off the memory.A soft knock at the
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-31
Bab terbaru
Under The Mask Of My Enemy Plan To Resign
Chapter 103: Plan To ResignThorne's POVBlood. Too much blood.It oozed on my hands, saturated the fabric of my clothing, and ran on the unforgiving earth below me. I pressed tightly against Garrett's wound, but the blood streamed on through my fingers, searing and uninterrupted. My respiration was small, gaspy.This couldn't be happening. It was happening."Get him into the car! Now!" Donovan shouted above the bedlam, stern and urgent.His usual cockiness was gone. His face was pale and his eyes wide with something I never would have thought I would ever witness: fear. Donovan, never before, looked lost, like he had no control over anything. That alone made my stomach twist. If Donovan was scared, things were more terrible than I could have ever thought.The guys rushed, scooping Garrett's slumped body into the back seat of the black SUV. I climbed in behind them, holding on tight. My hands were wrapped around his wound, holding as much pressure as I could. His breathing was sporadi
Under The Mask Of My Enemy Feelings
Chapter 102: Feelings Thorne's POVGarrett dropped in front of me, his form crashing onto the ground with a nauseating crunch. Time slowed down as I stood there rigid, observing the crimson pool of blood spreading on the ground, the dark red staining the pavement like a jesting reminder of all that had transpired to lead to this. My lungs froze as I breathed in, my body unable to move.I had waited years for this—to finally kill Garrett and to bring an end to the Cullen family.But now, standing over him, watching his blood seep into the ground, I felt no victory. No victory at all.Only a burning, intolerable pain.Garrett's breathing was shallow, his chest rising and falling in slow, irregular motion. His lips trembled as he tried to talk, and I found myself leaning forward, straining to hear what he would say."I'm sorry…"His voice was barely audible, little more than a whisper.I bristled.His eyes, cold and sharp as ever, were unfocused, filled with something indistinguishable.
Under The Mask Of My Enemy The Plan
Chapter 101 : The Plan Thorne's POVThe plan was underway. All was set.I was standing in the shadows, watching as my guys got into place. The rundown warehouse before us was the perfect place for an illegal transaction—remote, dimly lit, and out of prying eyes. Garrett and his men thought they were safe here, that no one would ever bother them. But they were wrong.Tonight, I was going to take them down.I gripped my gun tight, my heart beating normally but my mind in the heightened state. Every breath that I took was like it was burdened with my past and the mission that was before us. It took me weeks to prepare for this, to gather information, observe movements, and wait. And now that we were here, the time had come.The Cullen regime had held the city for too long, in the shadows, pulling the strings. I used to reside in their world. I used to witness the extent of their corruption. But I was no longer the man that I once was. I could get things back to the place they had to be,
Under The Mask Of My Enemy The Trap
Chapter Fifteen: The TrapThorne's POVThe soft glow of my laptop screen was the only light in the room as I scoured page after page of files. My eyes ached with exhaustion, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. The truth was buried somewhere among these files, and I was determined to find it.For days, I'd been piecing together the clandestine activities of Garrett's family, searching for something—anything—that would expose their sins. Every trail I chased ended in a dead end, another obstacle constructed to keep people like me away from seeing the truth. But I was better than any other outsider.I knew Garrett. I knew how he operated, how secretive he was. But even the best crooks make mistakes.And tonight, I'd finally found one.I scanned a document into my computer, a document I'd been assigned to delete later—a confidential order that lay encrypted within the folders. My heart pounding, I tried to decrypt it, fingers flying across the keyboard. Try and try, and on my third attempt, I
Under The Mask Of My Enemy Looking For Evidence
Chapter Ninety EightThorne's POVThe rain poured down in sheets as I stepped out of my car, the weight of my decision bearing down on me like the storm itself. I stood outside the FBI headquarters, looking up at the skyscraper building that had been home once but now felt like a reminder of everything I had lost.This was it. The moment where I finally quit looking back and started moving forward.I clenched my fists, my breath regular but racing. I had stayed too long in between my past and present, at war with who I used to be and who I needed to become. The days of hesitation were over. Garrett and the Cullen clan had to go down, and I was the only one who could make them fall.I had existed in their realm, learned their secrets, viewed their shadows up close. I understood how they operated, how they erased their trails. That made me the most effective weapon against them. And now I was going to use all of that to destroy them.It wasn't revenge anymore. It wasn't even about what
Under The Mask Of My Enemy The One I Met At The Operation
Chapter 97: The one I met at the OperationGarett’s Point Of ViewMy mind would not take it initially. My grip on my gun tightened, and my eyes were on the man struggling with my men. He wore no mask, no disguise. Just him—Thorne.I felt as if the ground below me had disappeared. My whole body went rigid, my chest barely rising for air. I had a mask over myself, my identity hidden, but my hands shook.What the hell is he doing here?Thorne marched across the room with the stealthy, unaccustomed grace of a specter. Each step was precise, calculated, and deadly. He battled with every ounce of strength he had, sending my men crashing down with quick, killing punches. He had ever been skilled, but now he was more powerful, more ruthless.I should have reacted. I should have ordered my men to kill him. But I couldn't.My brain yelled at me to move, to do something, but I stood there, paralyzed, and watched him.And then one of my soldiers raised his weapon, pointing it directly at him.My
Under The Mask Of My Enemy The Unexpected Face
Chapter Ninety Seven : The Unexpected FaceGarrett’s POVThe night was thick with tension, the kind that settled deep into your bones. The air smelled of gunpowder, damp earth, and the unmistakable scent of blood waiting to be spilled. My fingers flexed around the grip of my gun, steady and controlled. I had done this a hundred times before. Maybe more.This was supposed to be simple. A mission like any other.Donovan had everything planned down to the last detail. He had personally overseen the setup, making sure the men were ready, the information was solid, and the execution would be flawless. The target was dangerous, but nothing we couldn’t handle. I didn’t ask questions. I didn’t need to. That wasn’t how this worked.I stayed at the back, letting my men go in first. They knew their roles, moving in perfect sync, taking their positions, and striking with practiced efficiency. The first round of gunfire echoed through the night, sharp and relentless. Shouts followed—some from my m
Under The Mask Of My Enemy Operation After A While
Chapter 96 : Operation After A WhileGarrett's POVThe underground bunker smelled of gunpowder and metal, a scent that had once exhilarated me. Now it was the only thing reminding me of what kept me grounded. I'd spent too long locked within my own head, drowning in thoughts of Thorne, and letting my emotions take control. It had made me vulnerable. I'd let myself fall, and Donovan reminded me I hadn't forgotten.But tonight was different.Tonight, I was in charge again.I moved through the base, watching the men getting ready. Some were checking their guns, loading bullets into magazines, fitting silencers. Some were tightening gear, donning bulletproof vests and checking gloves. The air was heavy with tension, but I loved it. This was what I had been thirsting for. A mission. A purpose.I pushed my hair back, breathing out slowly. It had been far too long since I'd run an op myself. For months now, I'd been in the shadows, allowing others to handle it while I worked on my own issue.
Under The Mask Of My Enemy The Ultimate Betrayal
Chapter Ninety Five : The Ultimate BetrayalLena's POVThe room felt stifling.I could hear the muffled hum of conversation in the distance, a reminder that we were not alone. But in this cold, dingy room, it felt like the world had narrowed down to the two of us—me and Damian. Or me, Damian, and the traitor.Damian's face was unreadable. His jaw was set, his fists buried at his hips. But his eyes—those dark, black eyes—reflected an emotion I had never witnessed.Betrayal."You?" His voice was smooth, deadly almost, but I could sense the storm brewing beneath it.The man standing before us—**one that Damian had trusted, one with whom he'd been friends for years—**shifted awkwardly. But their eyes didn't show any remorse. No guilt. Just cold calculation."You shouldn't be surprised, Damian," said the traitor."This was always going to happen."My stomach tightened. I had witnessed Damian rage on numerous occasions previously, but this. this was different. It was the kind of silence tha
