Chapter 53: Garrett's POVThe days leading up to the wedding had been a flurry of activity and happiness. My mind was consumed with planning: confirming the flowers, finalizing the guest list, and making sure that everything was just right for Thorne. For the first time in my life, I allowed myself to dream of a future beyond power and control, of a future with him at its center.Yet in quieter moments-when I found Thorne gazing out a window or fleeing into his thoughts-I sensed there was something hovering just beyond my grasp. His smiles didn't always meet his eyes, and when laughter did come, it sounded hollow. But I overlooked it. He had said yes, hadn't he? That was all that mattered.I buried any doubts beneath the weight of my happiness.I hadn't expected Donovan to show up at my office that afternoon. He came in, his usual placid exterior sharpened, tightened. I put aside the pile of documents I was working my way through and waved him on."What's so urgent it couldn't wait?"
Chapter 54: Thorne's POVIt was less than perfect-the wedding engagement party that Garrett had turned into an over-the-top festivity that would shame royalty, down to every single last obsessive attention to detail: a grand hall chandeliers glimmered; roses, champagne-the lot. The whole evening surrounded me with congratulating people: huge, honest-to-goodness, real, teeth- showing grins on the Cullens.The world seemed to hold its breath as Garrett slipped the diamond onto my finger. Pure happiness danced unguarded in his eyes, as the force of applause burst loudly around us. He hauled me in, his mouth coming down against mine in a sure declaration of love to everyone present.For a moment-a so-tiny fraction of time-I almost managed to get myself to really believe this could be it. I could contemplate really staying in this world he'd carved out for me.But reality was relentless, and so was my mission.As the hours passed, the guests trickled out, their farewells growing softer unt
Chapter 55: Garrett's POVThe night was wearing on, the villa settling into a soft hum of quiet. Most of the guests had left, leaving only family behind. I leaned back in my chair, a glass of whiskey in hand, savoring the faint burn that seemed to dull the high emotions of the evening. The engagement had gone perfectly. Thorne was mine—officially, undeniably.The image of his face when I slipped the ring on his finger filled my mind, and I smiled to myself. I had never seen him look so captivating. For the first time, I allowed myself to believe that happiness was within reach."Garrett," Donovan's voice cut sharply through my thoughts.I turned to see him standing in the doorway, his expression solemn. My older brother had always been good at grounding me, but tonight I really wasn't in the mood for lectures. "What is it, Donovan?" I asked, waving him off with a lazy hand."Come with me," he said, his voice low, almost a command.I frowned, setting down my glass. Something in his ton
Chapter Fifty Six : No EscapeThorne's POVThe car jolted and lurched, tires skidding on dirt as it tore through the darkness, every pulse a splinter of adrenaline racing through my veins. The engine was so loud that everything else was blocked out, but my head was clear—sharp-edged, attuned to one thing alone. The road ahead was a smear of gravel and rough terrain, but I couldn't afford to look away. My hands were stiff on the wheel, knuckles white. I couldn't stop. I couldn't let myself stop.The wind howled through the cracked window, lashing my face as if the world itself tried to push me further away. Behind me, the chase was relentless. The headlights disappeared for a moment, granting a brief respite. Yet that wasn’t enough for me to feel safe. Not after what Garrett had done. His reach—his influence—stretched far beyond anything I’d ever known. Whoever was in that car wasn’t working alone.My heart thudded in my chest—a mad beat, pushing me to hurry. I bent down to check the r
Chapter 57:Thorne's POVMy head throbbed like a drum, each pulse a dull ache radiating through my skull. It was a shock to open my eyes and look at what met my gaze - an instant spasm of dread ran through me. The room was foreign, antiseptic in cleanliness but oppressive in its silence. Pale gray walls surrounded me, with only one window and heavy curtains drawn tight against the world outside.As I tried to move, the cold bite of metal against my wrist stopped me. I looked down to see my right hand cuffed to the bedframe, the unforgiving steel digging into my skin. Panic surged through me, sharp and sudden, as the realization set in: I had been caught.The memories came rushing back-the screaming engine, the guns, the crash that had rolled my car across the ground. I recalled the pain, the feeling of suffocating defeat as my body had been tossed about like a rag doll. And now… this."You're awake.The voice was soothing, almost too soothing, and made my stomach twist into knots. My
Chapter 58: Shackles Of ControlThorne's POVThe first thing I had noticed as I woke up was the old ache of my body. My ribs protested even the slightest movement, while my wrist-throbbing dully with a lingering rash from the handcuffs-protested as well. The room was the same-oppressive in its subdued shades and thick silence. It was here that I had been kept imprisoned for one week-a week of the persistent shadow of Garrett, regular visits from the doctor, and my futile plans for escaping.At first, I had tested every corner of the room, every lock, every possible weakness. But Garrett had thought of everything. The windows were reinforced, the door locked from the outside, and even the air vents were too small for any meaningful attempt at escape. It didn't help that I wasn't at full strength. My body, bruised and battered from my last futile run, betrayed me every time I tried to push it too far.Garrett, however, appeared to enjoy the situation. He was always there—sitting by the
Chapter 59: Thorne's POVI lay on my back, my eyes fixed on the ceiling as Garrett's warm breath danced across my skin. His lips wrapped around me, and I couldn't help but feel a spark of arousal, despite myself.At first, I tried to deny it, to tell myself that I wasn't enjoying this, that I was just doing it out of obligation. But as Garrett's tongue teased me, as his fingers gently caressed my thighs, I couldn't help but feel my body respond.It was as if my body had a mind of its own, my reservations betrayed, my will surrendering to his touch. I felt a flush rise to my cheeks at the truth: I was enjoying this, and I couldn't deny it.But I didn't want to like it. I didn't want to feel this way about Garrett. I didn't want to be drawn to him, to crave his touch, to need him. But my body seemed to have other plans.The more Garrett worked his magic, the weaker my resolve grew. I was being consumed by sensation, my body responding to Garrett's touch in ways I had no control over.An
Chapter 60: A Moment of WeaknessThorne's POVEarly morning light seeped through the curtains, painting obscure patterns on the wall. My body stirred before my head awoke; the soreness in muscles was a sharp reminder of what had taken place the night before. I groaned softly, shifting under the sheets, but suddenly did not move as the heat of another person lay beside me.Garrett.My breath caught in my throat as I turned my head. There he was, lying peacefully, his face relaxed in a way I rarely saw when he was awake. His dark lashes rested against his cheekbones, his features softened by sleep.For one brief moment, my mind betrayed me, telling me this was familiar, this was normal, we were just two lovers waking up after a night of passion. There were no lies, no betrayal, no chains binding me to this man.My chest constricted painfully as I stared at him. How could someone so despicable look so human? So painfully handsome? My traitorous heart clenched in a spasm of grief, mournin
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.
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,
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
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
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
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
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.
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
Chapter Ninety Four : Insisting Chapter 94Garrett's POVI swore to myself I was not going to do this. I want to avoid him. Leave him to live his own life. But I couldn't.Each day, I caught myself seeking him out, yearning for just a glimpse of him. At first, it was little things—glancing around where I knew he would go, walking by the coffee shop where he always stopped to buy his morning beverage. At first, I kept my distance, just observing. Just seeing he was still there, still alive.Then I moved in closer.I started to show up where he was, as if by chance. Bumping into him at a coffee shop, acting like I was in shock that our bodies had collided. The initial few times, he barely even looked my way. His expression remained unreadable, and he never even nodded my way. But I saw the way his fingers curled into his hand. I saw how he drew in a little bit harder of a breath when he saw me.He noticed me.And that was enough to get me back.It rained one day—one of those sudden,