All Chapters of The Heartless Lover : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Jacqueline's POV:I slowly opened my eyes, wincing at the brightness from the fluorescent bulb as I felt a full ache spreading through my body. My throat felt dry and my limbs heavy as if I'd been trapped for a very long time. As my vision cleared, I saw two figures standing nearby… Lorenzo, his jaw tight and tense and Haze, with a more relaxed but slightly guarded expression. They looked as if they'd been in the middle of something heated, but the moment they saw me awake, everything around them stilled.“Jacqueline?” Lorenzo whispered, bending down.. he had his full attention on me the moment he saw I was awake.“What… what's going on?” I asked, confused.. my gaze drifting from Lorenzo to Haze, I didn't remember why I was in the hospital, it felt like I fell asleep and suddenly I woke up in a different scene with body ache.. and the situation at which I saw Lorenzo and Haze got me worried Lorenzo reached out, his gaze softening as his fingers lingered over mine, his touch unusually

The morning sun filtered gently through the blinds, bathing the hospital room in soft light, and I blinked awake. Just as my eyes adjusted to the light, the door opened quietly, and Haze stepped in, holding a bag that hinted at food. He was calm as ever, his eyes glancing over at me with an expression I couldn’t quite read.“Brought you something to eat,” he said, his tone surprisingly soft. He moved with a quiet sort of care, setting the bag on the tray beside me, unpacking its contents, almost… carefully. It was subtle, but I felt the change in his usual blunt manner… a softness I wasn’t used to seeing in him.I arched an eyebrow, eyeing the food spread out in front of me. He’d brought my favorites… somehow remembered them, even. “What’s this? Planning to feed me now, are you?” I teased, letting a half-smile slip out. I wanted to lighten the moment, but his reaction caught me off guard. He hesitated, his mouth twitching into a faint smirk, but there was something deeper in his eyes…

The drive back to the Hernandez mansion was silent. Lorenzo sat next to me, staring straight ahead, his jaw tight. I was finally out of the hospital after days of endless checkups and nurses hovering over me. I thought being discharged would bring me some relief, but as we passed through the heavy iron gates, all I felt was dread.The estate was as grand as ever, but it felt like a prison now. Every room had its secrets, every person their own agenda. I was part of the chaos, but I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep it all together.When we pulled up to the front steps, Lorenzo opened the car door for me. I glanced at him briefly, searching for something in his expression, but he was unreadable as always.“Take it easy,” he said softly as I stepped out.I nodded but didn’t respond.Later in the day, I found myself walking toward the east wing of the mansion. I wasn’t looking for Alexa, but I knew I’d run into her sooner or later. The tension between us had been brewing ever sinc

"Dante," I said, my voice calm, though my pulse quickened.He stepped into the clearing, his broad frame illuminated by the faint moonlight. His expression was a mix of anger and disappointment."You really are a traitor," he said, his voice cold and heavy.I crossed my arms, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me rattled. "I don't know what you're talking about.""Don't play games with me, Jacqueline," he snapped. "I’ve been watching you for weeks, putting the pieces together. You’re working with Scarface, aren’t you?"I stayed silent, knowing anything I said would only confirm his suspicions.Dante took a step closer, his hand resting on the gun holstered at his side. "You think I wouldn’t notice? I gave Lorenzo that fake cassette as bait. No real evidence, just a blank tape. I wanted to see who would take it. The very day you came to Lorenzo’s office to report Alexa’s supposed escape plan with Warren, the cassette was replaced. You’re the only one who could’ve done it."

“I have a deal” she swallowed the lump that formed in her throat.I tilted my head, intrigued. “Go on.”her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “The Matrix is falling apart. Dante’s death, the failed deals, the mounting pressure from law enforcement—it’s all crumbling. And when it does, I don’t want to be caught in the rubble. I want out.”My gaze sharpened. “Out? What are you saying?”“I’m saying I want to join you,” Cheyenne said, her tone turning serious. “I know you’re working against the Matrix. I don’t care why. What I care about is my future. When this family fall…. and it will fall… I want to be on the winning side. Help me secure that, and I’ll keep your little secret. I don’t care about loyalty to this family. What I care about is survival. And you, Jacqueline, are my ticket out of this sinking ship.”I chuckled softly, the sound dripping with mockery. “And what makes you think I’d agree to that?”Cheyenne leaned in closer, her voice a venomous whisper. “Because if yo