Seraphina Holland watched the chaos unfold from the shadows of the hallway, her arms crossed and a smug smile curling on her lips. She had positioned herself just out of sight, perfectly content to witness the mayhem she had orchestrated. The room was still buzzing with tension—Bjorn’s fury.No wonder Bjorn is so easy to manipulate, she thought, her eyes glinting with satisfaction. It hadn’t taken much—just a few carefully chosen words, subtle suggestions that Alora was hiding something important, something dangerous to his precious Andrine. And Bjorn, with his reckless temper, had taken the bait, just as she’d planned.Her eyes flicked to where Alora had been, now safely cradled in Maximilian’s arms as he prepared to leave with her. Good, Seraphina mused. The little headache is finally gone from the house. Alora, the one person who had seen Alysha and could have connected the dots, was now out of her way. For Seraphina, it was a perfect outcome—Alora had been a threat, one she couldn
As Bjorn stormed out, Seraphina watched his retreating figure, the satisfaction in her eyes deepening. She allowed herself a moment to revel in the control she had gained. Every move was playing out exactly as she had planned. Bjorn, so easy to provoke, was the perfect pawn to create chaos while she focused on securing her place by Armin’s side.She turned on her heel and made her way to her private office, the heels of her shoes echoing sharply against the marble floors of Rodriguez Manor. Once inside, she closed the door behind her and pulled out her phone, dialing a number from memory—Vincent Wolfe, her go-to contact for discreet operations. The man was a master at creating chaos without leaving a trace.The phone rang twice before a deep, calm voice answered. “Seraphina. To what do I owe the pleasure?”“Vincent,” she replied, her voice smooth as silk. “I have a job for you. It requires your usual finesse—discreet and efficient.”There was a pause, then the faint sound of a chuckle
As they reached the villa’s perimeter, Bjorn crouched low, scanning the area. The building was heavily guarded, soldiers patrolling in pairs and the entrances fortified. Of course, he thought. Neil would make sure she’s protected. He gritted his teeth, the thought of Neil hiding Andrine away igniting a fresh wave of anger. But not for long.Rico moved up beside him, his voice a low whisper. “Boss, we’ll have to split up to take them all down. We need to neutralize them quietly.”Bjorn nodded, his eyes calculating. “You take the left flank with the bodyguards. I’ll move in from the right with my men. We’ll converge at the main entrance.”The teams split, melting into the shadows. Bjorn and his gangsters crept along the villa’s right side, hugging the walls. The cool metal of his gun pressed against his hip, a reminder of the stakes. As they approached the guards, Bjorn gave his men a signal. Two of the gangsters leaped forward, taking out the first pair of soldiers with quick, silent s
But there was no time for anger. The military forces were converging, and their escape route was closing. Bjorn gritted his teeth, rage and frustration boiling inside him. “Fall back, everyone!” he barked. “We’re getting out of here!”With gunfire erupting outside and soldiers flooding the entrance, Bjorn and his men fought their way back, the carefully laid plan falling apart around them.Bjorn and his men moved quickly, the adrenaline coursing through their veins as the villa erupted into chaos. The blaring alarms and flashing red lights cast eerie shadows against the walls, and the once-silent camp was now a war zone. Gunfire echoed through the halls, and the shouts of soldiers closing in grew louder.Bjorn’s eyes blazed with fury as he led his men back down the staircase. Seraphina set me up, he seethed inwardly, but he couldn’t afford to let that rage consume him now. He had to think fast if they were going to escape with their lives.At the bottom of the stairs, Rico and the bod
Bjorn’s eyes burned with fury as he drove, his jaw clenched so tight it felt like it might crack. “Enough of this!” he growled, his voice echoing through the SUV’s interior. “If they want a war, they’ll get one.”Rico glanced at him, a wary look crossing his face. “What’s the next move, boss?”Bjorn’s lips curled into a sneer as he made a sharp turn, tires skidding. “We go straight for Holland Villa. That’s where Maximilian is hiding. We’ll drag him out, and we’ll force him to tell us where they took Andrine.”The air in the SUV grew tense as the gangsters exchanged glances. Rico’s eyes narrowed as he leaned forward, meeting Bjorn’s gaze. “You’re sure about this? The Holland Villa’s fortified, and you know they’ve got plenty of guards.”Bjorn’s expression was ruthless. “I don’t care. We have enough firepower and men. We’ll storm the place, and if anyone gets in our way, we’ll take them down. It’s time the Hollands learned what happens when they cross me.”Rico hesitated for a moment,
Andrine stepped outside, the night air biting against her skin as the tension from the men surrounding the villa crackled in the atmosphere. Her eyes scanned the crowd of armed men, and there he was—Bjorn, standing at the center of the chaos, his eyes ablaze with determination.Her breath caught in her throat. “Bjorn...” she whispered, frozen in shock. But before she could take another step, a roar of an engine filled the air. Her eyes snapped to the side, and she saw it—a truck barreling down the driveway, its headlights glaring like eyes of a predator, aimed directly at him.Time seemed to slow, and Andrine’s heart leapt into her throat. She felt a surge of terror. “Bjorn!” she screamed, her voice raw with urgency as she started running toward him. She could feel the pounding of her feet against the ground, each step filled with desperation. “Watch out!”Bjorn’s head whipped around at the sound of her voice, his eyes widening as he saw her. For a split second, everything else fell a
Andrine climbed into the SUV beside Bjorn, her hand gripping his tightly. “Stay with me, Bjorn,” she whispered, her voice a plea as the vehicles tore through the night toward Holland Hospital. “Armin’s coming. You just have to hold on.”The SUVs tore through the night, their engines roaring as they sped down the winding roads toward Holland Hospital. Andrine sat beside Bjorn, her eyes locked on his face as she held his hand tightly, willing him to stay conscious. The interior lights of the vehicle cast a dim glow, highlighting the streaks of blood on his face and the way his breath came in shallow, uneven gasps. Every bump in the road seemed to jolt through her, the fear in her heart tightening with every second.“Stay with me, Bjorn,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “We’re almost there. Armin’s coming.”Rico, sitting up front, spoke urgently into his phone. “We’ve got Bjorn Rodriguez coming in—condition critical,” he barked. “Prepare emergency trauma care, now!”The driver’s hand
“You were really searching for me?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper, laced with disbelief.Armin nodded, his eyes serious. “Yes. After all, you are married to Bjorn. We’ve been looking for you ever since the arrangement was made.”Andrine stood frozen, the weight of Armin’s words crashing over her like a tidal wave. Married to Bjorn? Her mind reeled, struggling to process what he had just said.The words hit her like a punch to the gut. Her breath caught in her throat, and she took a step back, eyes wide. “What?” she gasped, her heart pounding in her chest. “Married?”Armin’s expression remained steady, as if the news should not have come as a shock. “Yes, your father signed the agreement with the Suegra family. It was all arranged, Andrine. Didn’t they tell you?”For a moment, Andrine couldn’t breathe. Her mind spun, trying to make sense of it all. The truth dawned on her with a sickening clarity. This was Maximilian’s doing. And Neil Holland’s. They had kept her hidden in the