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Shadows Of The Past
Last Updated:
2024-12-31 20:23:42
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Under The Mask Of My Enemy Burdened Memories
Chapter 29: Garrett's PovIt was a long and exhausting morning; my head was still blurry from last night, for which it wasn't the least prepared to hear from Thorne what he actually had to say.The soft shuffle of footsteps hit behind my back, and without even looking further, I already knew him since his presence in my life-an anchor, welcome or not-loomed well amidst the world around me. But there was a difference in the air, surrounding him today. The feeling inside him was monumental, weighty, something that spoke of a titanic shift. I instinctively could feel the rising tension inside my body as I knew he needed to say.When he finally spoke, his voice was low, uncertain, almost like testing the waters. "Garrett," he said, his words drawing me in completely, "I remember… some things.I froze, the fork I had been holding midway to the plate of eggs in my hand. My heartbeat faltered for a moment. A memory. His memory. It was a long time since he started recovering it, but now… now
Last Updated : 2024-12-31Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Day For Us
Chapter 30: A Day for UsGarrett's POVWhat had shaken me more than it should have was Thorne's confession of his childhood-a story not so much about what happened, but how it was told in a quavering voice, the weight of years of pain apparent in every word. The memory had branded him; the scars ran so deeply that I doubted he even knew how much it still hurt.Days went by, and I just couldn't seem to get it out of my head. This little boy, Thorne, hopeful and excited as he waits for his parents and then will never see them again-that haunted me. That wasn't fair. He was too young to be forced to carry the weight of that horror with him throughout his life. Yet, he had borne it silently, without complaint, letting it color his life in ways he never should have had to endure.I couldn't change the past, but maybe-just maybe-I could give him something new to remember.It struck in the dark of night as I sat and stared out the window: an amusement park-a simple thing of innocence-but to
Last Updated : 2025-01-02Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Gift From The Heart
Chapter 31: A Gift from the HeartThorne's POVRecovery of my memories had been bittersweet all these days. These flashes of the past were small victories, which keep hinting that I am not so lost after all. Of course, each memory brought a wee bit of pain with it and more importantly, brought me a little closer to myself. No longer was this about reclaiming my past but all about building a future that I could be proud of. And the future, at the moment, included Garrett.One evening, when it was quiet, I was standing in the kitchen. Oliver was laying the silverware for dinner, very precise, as always, his movements slow and smooth. I leaned against the counter, lost in thought."Oliver," I said hesitantly into the silence."Yes, Master Thorne?" he replied, not looking up from his task."When is Garrett's birthday?The only sound that followed was the clatter of a spoon against a tray. Oliver straightened and turned to me, an inquisitive look upon his face."It's next month," he stated
Last Updated : 2025-01-03Under The Mask Of My Enemy Mission
Chapter 32: Thorne's POVWith Oliver's help, I slipped away from the villa without being noticed. Each step felt as though I was treading on thin ice, but it was something that had to be done. Garrett mustn't find out about this meeting. If he did, then it would all be over. My chest was heavy with tension, but I moved ahead, following Oliver's lead as we went along the hidden paths leading to the meeting point.After a number of turns and bends, we reached a nondescript building at the outskirts of the city, standing almost concealed by the growth of a copse of trees. It looked so nondescript, but I know by now not to look at appearances. Oliver stood at the door, impassive, as he waited for me to precede him into the room. "Remember, Thorne, you have only half an hour. Don't push your luck.".I nodded in acknowledgment, offering a tight smile before pushing open the door and stepping inside. The room was dimly lit, the air heavy with scents of wood and leather. It was a place of pri
Last Updated : 2025-01-04Under The Mask Of My Enemy Fractured Trust
Chapter 33: Garrett's POVThe moment that tracker lit up with Thorne's whereabouts, a churn of unease stirred in my gut. He was out—again. I leaned back in my chair, my fingers tapping on the desk as I weighed my options. Confrontation could wait until I had all the details. For now, I'd start with the obvious.I called for Oliver. He entered the room with his usual stoicism, but his neutral expression didn't reassure me in the least."Where's Thorne?" I asked without preamble.Oliver didn't bat an eyelid under my scrutiny. "He's back at the villa," he replied evenly. "I took him out for a short time. He wanted to see the outskirts. I didn't see any harm in it.I stared at him for a moment, weighing the veracity of his words. Oliver had been loyal for years—one of the few people I trusted with Thorne. But something about the situation felt off."Did he meet anyone?" I asked sharply.Oliver hesitated for the briefest of moments, a crack in his otherwise perfect composure. "No one suspi
Last Updated : 2025-01-05Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Silent Answer
Chapter 34: "A Silent Answer"(Thorne's POV)The villa's walls seemed closer than ever, suffocating me with their quiet elegance. Over time, Garrett's control had grown more suffocating with every glance, every unspoken rule tightening the invisible leash he kept around me. Yet, I couldn't blame him altogether. Garrett had his reasons, which came in layers of pain and fear buried beneath his overbearing need to keep me safe. But understanding didn't make it any easier to breathe.It was Oliver who saved me from utter isolation, his silent companionship soothing to my wandering spirit. It was through him that I still held any link to the world beyond, a link delicately guarded, yet rare and one that ultimately managed to help keep my sanity. Of all people, Gavin had evolved into an unexpected ally. Resources, connections, quick thinking-he had everything and was an asset to me, though his motivations could be trusted only half of the time.My heart had skipped a beat, in a way it hadn'
Last Updated : 2025-01-06Under The Mask Of My Enemy A Fragment Of The Past
Chapter 35: "A Fragment of the Past"Thorne's POVThe following morning, very little hope was left when I came to the hotel restaurant, but the stubborn part of me was ready to wait until literally the last moment. Gavin had already gone off for the day, so I was left to my thoughts once more. I sat by the window again, this time watching the city awake with its morning rush. Every clink of dishes, every murmur of conversation, felt so distant, like background noise in some dream.I told myself, with great respect and truth, that I'd done everything in my power. Now it was a decision, which, if she decided not to come-well, so be it. But a part of me just clung onto the very tiny glimmer of hope that Garrett's mother would somehow magically materialize through that doorway.It was well into noon when a movement at the doorway drew my attention. I turned, expecting yet another stranger, but froze as a woman stepped inside. She was older than what I had placed her for, her hair streaked
Last Updated : 2025-01-07Under 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 : 2025-01-08
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Under The Mask Of My Enemy Secret Revealed
Chapter 104: Secret RevealedThorne's POVThe prison was cold. Not just from the thick concrete walls or the lack of sunlight coming in through the small, barred windows, but from what this place represented. It was where the damned resided, where the people who had crossed a boundary they could never return from. And now, Donovan was there.I trudged down the lengthy corridor, my boots clanging off the stone floor. Stagnant air, perspiration, and rusting metal greeted me as I passed cell after cell of inmates, ignoring the prisoners who yelled or slammed against their doors. I wasn't there for them. I was there for him.I halted when I reached his cell.Donovan sat on the metal bench, his hands resting casually on his lap. The moment he saw me, a smirk curled at his lips. He didn’t look like a man who had lost everything. If anything, he looked amused—like he had been expecting me.“Agent Thorne,” he greeted, his voice smooth, relaxed. “I was wondering when you’d come.”I didn't sit.
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.
