ANYA I stayed in my room, staring at the ceiling, feeling both bored and anxious. My heart kept pounding as thoughts raced through my mind. What was Hunter planning to ask me to do? What if I messed up our plan? If I failed, Evans could be in danger. And Cross... would I ever get to be with him if things went wrong? There was a soft knock on the door. "Mrs. Hunter?" Marie’s gentle voice called out. "Lunch is ready." I didn’t move. "I’m not hungry," I muttered without opening the door. "Are you sure? I can make you something special if you’d like." "No, Marie. I’m fine." There was a long pause. I thought she had left, but then she spoke again. "Please, Mrs. Hunter, if your husband finds out you didn’t eat, he might fire me." That made me sit up. I hadn’t thought of that. "Just tell him I ate," I said, trying to reassure her. "He doesn’t have to know." Marie hesitated. "I can’t lie to him. Mr. Hunter hates lies. And... there are cameras in the dining room and kitchen.
ANYA My heart pounded as I stepped out of my room. Hunter was waiting just outside, leaning casually against the wall in blue silk pajamas. He looked so relaxed, but I wasn’t fooled....there was always something calculating behind those eyes. Dinner had been tense. I barely tasted the food. After he told me earlier that I couldn’t bathe with my clothes on, I’d bolted out of his room like my life depended on it. But instead of getting angry, he’d simply called after me, telling me to join him for dinner. I had no choice but to obey. The tension was suffocating as we sat across from each other. My hands felt clammy, and I tried to act normal, but it was impossible with Hunter watching me so intently. Halfway through the meal, a car horn outside caught my attention. Hunter’s eyes lit up. "It’s here," he said with a smirk. I followed him to see my new Porsche 911; a sleek, metallic gray sports car gleaming under the outdoor lights. It looked like something out of a movie..
ANYA When I stepped out of the bathroom, the cool air from the AC was a relief against my freshly cleaned skin. The earlier stifling heat had been replaced by a soothing chill. I felt calm for a second....until I noticed Hunter watching me. He lay on the bed, his head propped up by his hand, eyes sharp and unwavering, a small smile playing on his lips. I wondered how he stayed unaffected by the heat earlier. His expression hadn’t changed at all, as if he thrived in making me uncomfortable. I walked over to the bed and lay face down, pressing my cheek into the pillow. My eyes fluttered shut as I forced myself to breathe evenly, pretending to sleep. But I could feel his gaze, heavy and unapologetic, burning into me. Still, exhaustion finally pulled me under. The dream came swiftly, vivid and terrifying. Hunter was standing a few feet away from Evans, who was on his knees, hands raised as if pleading for his life. "I warned you to stay away from my wife," Hunter’s voice r
ANYA The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, warming the room as I stretched my arms lazily. I blinked a few times, adjusting to the brightness. That’s when I felt someone's eyes on me. I turned my head slowly and nearly swallowed my tongue. Hunter stood near the window, hands casually tucked into his pockets. He was dressed in a sharp black suit that hugged his body perfectly. His hair was neatly styled, and he looked like he had just stepped out of a luxury fashion ad. His smile was slow and wicked. “Good morning, Cherie.” I swallowed and sat up, quickly rubbing my face as if that could wipe away the awkwardness. “Good morning, Hunter.” He took a few steps closer, his gaze warm and teasing. “How was your night?” There it was....that amused tone that could make anyone think he was harmless, but made me uncomfortable because I knew what he was capable of. The memories of last night hit me like a tidal wave—the nightmare, Hunter comforting me, his lips on m
ANYA I nodded and leaned closer to Hunter. My heart was racing like I’d just run a mile. I gave him a quick peck on the lips, hoping it would be enough to make him stop. He smiled, amused, as I pulled back and reached for the door handle. I twisted it, but it didn’t budge. I froze. The door was locked. I turned to him, frustration bubbling up in my chest as I thought, “Seriously, Hunter?” His grin widened. “I’m sure you can do better.” He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a low, teasing whisper. “Come on, Anya. I taught you how to kiss last night, did you forget so soon? Close your eyes this time.” I stared at him, speechless. He was unbelievable. But before I could argue, his hands gently cupped my face, brushing my cheek. Something in the way he touched me made my nerves melt away. I closed my eyes. Slowly, I leaned in and kissed him again. This time, it was different. His lips pressed against mine softly at first, then deeper, more intense. His arms wrapped around my back
ANYA Cross stared at me, his eyes wild with disbelief. "What? So the rumors are true? How could you? How could you marry someone else when you know how I feel about you, Anya?" His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt my throat tighten, but I forced myself to breathe. I turned away from him, staring blankly at the wall as I tried to find the right words. "It wasn’t my choice," I said softly. Cross's footsteps moved closer until I could feel his warmth behind me. "What do you mean?" His voice was softer now, filled with confusion and hurt. I closed my eyes, remembering every terrible moment. "Hunter showed up at my house the next day. He threatened to destroy my father’s company if I didn't marry him, Cross. He said he’d crush everything my father built. My dad almost had a heart attack. I couldn’t... I couldn’t let that happen." My voice broke, and I bit my lip to stop it from trembling. Cross’s hand gently rested on my shoulder. "Anya... I’m so sorry." I tu
ANYA I exhaled slowly and tucked my phone into my bag. My nerves felt frayed, but I didn’t have time to waste. I said goodbye to Cross and left the library quietly, keeping my head down as I walked toward the exit. Once outside, I pulled out my phone again and called Evans. He picked up after a few rings. "Anya? I saw you earlier but kept my distance. Is it safe to speak now and are you okay?" he asked, sounding concerned. "I’m going to Hunter’s office," I told him. "I have to talk to him... and I might not get this opportunity again. Perhaps I should go ahead and plant the cameras like you mentioned. The only problem is that there may be cameras in Hunter's office and bedroom. I don't want to get caught before our plan even begins." "About that....I thought of it and came up with something to take care of that." I sighed in relief, "Really, thank you so much, Evans." Evans was silent for a second. "You’re sure about this today?" "Yes. I shouldn't waste such a good opp
ANYA Hunter took a step closer to me, "Are you already so eager about our plans for tonight?" he whispered, his voice low and teasing.My heart sank as I recalled what lay in store for me. The lightness in his tone felt sharp, almost mocking. I forced a smile, but it slipped away before I could catch it. Hunter’s eyes narrowed as he chuckled. "What happened? Didn’t you come here to tell me your decision? Go ahead and do it. Will it be a blowjob or a bath?" I stepped back again as if his words had pushed me. My chest tightened, and I felt the air grow thicker. I shook my head. "I’ll tell you later... at home." He frowned, confused but still curious. "So why did you want to speak to me?" I swallowed hard, feeling the words stick in my throat. I had practiced this speech in my head over and over, but now that it was time, everything felt wrong. "I have a friend," I began, my voice quieter than I intended. "Her name is Bernice." Hunter crossed his arms, watching me carefull
Afterward, Ruby dragged both Eduardo and Selena's unconscious bodies into the kitchen, and shut the door behind her, locking them away from sight. She took a deep breath and immediately set to work, beginning her next move with calm efficiency. She combed through every room in the house, one after the other, scanning the walls and corners until she successfully located all the surveillance cameras hidden throughout the property. Before destroying them, she made her way to the small security room tucked behind a closet door near the study. Inside, the monitors blinked with silent images of the house's interior. With practiced hands, she accessed the system’s core, deleted every piece of recorded footage from the last twenty-four hours, then traced the backup drive and wiped that too. Just to be sure, she didn't stop there—she physically dismantled every camera in the house and crushed every piece of recording equipment she found. Even though her face had been covered since she en
As Ruby stood in front of the mirror, her reflection was as cold and calculated as the mission she was about to undertake. Dressed in a fitted pair of black pants and a sleek black top, she adjusted the black cap over her head, ensuring not a single strand of hair was out of place. She looked herself over one final time, silent rage burning beneath calm eyes. Her bag was already packed with weapons and tools, everything she needed for the night’s job. She flung it over her shoulder. At the door, she paused and lowered a hand gently to her stomach. Her fingers lingered there, almost uncertain. “I’m sorry, child,” she murmured, her voice low and shaky. “That your mother has become this kind of person.” Then she stepped out into the night. No sooner had she locked the door behind her than her phone began to ring. She picked it up immediately. “It’s done,” came the voice on the other end, one of the people she had hired to carry out a different plan. “Your stepmother just chec
Ruby sighed deeply, glancing toward the end of the parking lot as if searching for the right words in the distance. “To be honest,” she said at last, “that’s the least of my worries right now.” “That’s better,” Camila said, but her gaze lingered on Ruby, suspicious of her sudden shift in tone. Ruby turned toward the car, reaching for the door handle. But just as her fingers brushed the metal, someone caught her eye from the corner of the street. She froze, her hand slipping away from the door as her gaze sharpened. Standing a short distance away, half-hidden by the shadows, was a man. His posture, the way he stood, the tilt of his head—it was all familiar. Too familiar. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, her breath caught in her throat. She took a step forward, her chest tightening as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. But in the blink of an eye, he was gone. He turned and disappeared behind the building before she could move closer. Ruby stood there, s
Camila's phone vibrated on the bedside table, interrupting the momentary silence between them. She picked it up absentmindedly, but the moment she answered the call, her eyes widened and her face changed. “Shit,” she cursed, her tone sharp and frustrated as she stood up quickly. “I almost forgot it's tomorrow. Damn it!” Ruby, who had been lying back against the pillows with her hands on her belly, turned to her with concern. “What happened?” she asked, her brow furrowed. Camila exhaled loudly and ran her fingers through her hair. “I have something important to do,” she said, already pacing as she spoke. “It’s a training course. Mandatory. A three-day police course that I completely forgot about because of… everything going on.” Ruby nodded slowly, understanding creeping into her expression. “It’s okay,” she said quietly, sitting up straighter on the bed. “I get it. You should go and start getting ready. I mean, it starts tomorrow, right? I’m sure there’s a lot you need to do.”
Hector stood in front of the full-length mirror, buttoning his black shirt with practiced ease. His movements were slow but sure, each button secured with a firmness that said he had completely recovered. He smoothed his hands down the front of the fabric, adjusted his watch, and reached for his coat hanging neatly on the chair nearby. His underling, who was still recovering with his arm in a sling and faint bruising along his jawline, stood against the doorframe. He had been watching Hector quietly for a while but finally spoke when Hector reached for his gun. “Boss, do you want me to arrange for a few of the others to follow you?” the underling asked, shifting his weight carefully as he spoke. His tone was serious, but there was an undertone of concern present. Hector glanced up briefly. “No, it won’t be necessary,” he said. His voice was final, leaving no room for argument. “I’ve fully recovered, and I can take care of things on my own.” The underling exhaled slowly, saying
At this time, Ruby was at home, out in the yard, taking precise shots at the targets she had set up. The sound of each bullet firing echoed sharply, matching the determination etched on her face. Her focus was razor-sharp, but beneath it burned a restless impatience. She couldn’t wait any longer to take her revenge on Eduardo and Selena. Every pull of the trigger felt like a small release, but it wasn’t enough. Not yet. She needed to strike them down herself. The late afternoon sun was beginning to dip when Camila returned home. The sound of her car in the driveway snapped Ruby out of her trance. She unloaded her gun, secured it, and wiped the sweat from her brow as she walked toward the house. By the time she stepped inside, Camila was already locking the front door behind her, an unreadable expression on her face. But Ruby caught the faint smile on Camila’s lips. She didn’t need to hear a word yet—she already knew. “It went well,” Ruby said, her voice low but filled with a kn
During the following week, Hector dedicated himself fully to recovery. He stayed within the walls of his apartment, watched closely by his brothers, who took turns staying by his side every single day. None of them trusted the underlings enough to leave Hector unguarded. They all knew the kind of enemies Hector had made over the years, and with news of his injury already circulating through the underground, none of them were willing to take any chances. Manuel, especially, made sure he was there every second of his watch. They had already come too close to losing Hector once. They could not take chances. While Hector’s days passed slowly in pain and silence, his mind often drifted to Ruby. Despite everything, he missed her. He would catch himself staring at his phone, tempted to call his underling just to hear how she was doing. But he never did. It was better this way, he told himself. She thought he was dead, and for now, that was safer for her. At least, that was what he tried
Carlos sighed, a faint, thoughtful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Well, I guess I understand to some extent." Hunter turned toward him, his brows lifting in surprise. "Really?" There was a hint of disbelief in his voice, as if he hadn't expected Carlos to be carrying something close to his chest. "Have you fallen in love or something?" Carlos exhaled slowly, as though weighing his words before letting them out. "Well, I wouldn't really call it love," he admitted, his voice low and distant, as if he was still figuring it out himself. "There’s just... someone I can’t get off my mind these days." Hunter gave him a knowing look and nodded. "Good for you," he said simply, not pressing further, respecting whatever boundaries his brother had just drawn. Manuel, however, was less impressed. He shook his head with an exaggerated roll of his eyes and muttered, "You guys are impossible." He pushed himself away from the wall where he had been standing and crossed his arms tig
Hector slowly opened his eyes, his vision still blurry from the pain. As the world around him began to come into focus, he noticed Carlos sitting beside him, his expression calm but attentive. Hector’s mind was racing, and the first thing he needed to know was whether Ruby was okay. Weakly, he reached out and placed a hand on Carlos’s arm. “How did it go?” Hector asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “Is she safe?” Carlos nodded, his face hardening slightly. “Yes. I got to her just in time. She's fine now. We got her away from the danger.” He paused, then added, “I sent your right-hand underling to the hospital because he was shot. He'll be treated, and he'll live.” Hector closed his eyes in relief, the tension leaving his shoulders. His mind had been a blur of panic for the past few hours, but hearing that Ruby was safe helped to soothe the storm inside him. “Thank you,” Hector whispered, tapping Carlos’s hand lightly in gratitude. His eyes shifted toward Hunter, who stood n