Semua Bab Love and deceit : Bab 121 - Bab 130

🌹 Aurora 🌹 The cold metal chair dug into her back, but it was the least of her concerns. The chill of the stone walls, the dampness in the air, the way her fingers twitched with the desperate need to escape—none of it mattered when compared to the real enemy in front of her.Victoria.The woman paced in front of her, each step calculated, each movement deliberate. Her heels echoed off the cold stone floor, punctuating the silence that had settled between them. The air in the dungeon felt heavy, oppressive, and Aurora could taste the tension that rolled off Victoria in waves.“You’re very stubborn, you know that?” Victoria’s voice was low, dangerous. She stopped in front of Aurora, her gaze sharp like a predator sizing up her prey.Aurora didn’t answer. She didn’t give her the satisfaction. If she didn’t speak, then Victoria would have to be the one to break the silence.Victoria’s smile was cruel, her eyes gleaming with malice. “I’ve tried to be patient with you, Aurora. But you’re

🌹 Aurora 🌹The sound of water dripping echoed through the damp, cold dungeon. The air was thick, heavy with the stench of decay and mildew. Aurora’s body ached, every muscle screaming with the strain of her restraints. But the worst of it wasn’t the pain—it was the endless uncertainty. She had no idea how long she’d been here, how many hours or days had passed since Victoria’s revelations. All she knew was that her resolve, her will to hold on, was being tested in ways she hadn’t imagined.Her thoughts drifted, even in the midst of the pain. The story Victoria had told her about Damien’s grandfather—about the destruction of her family’s company—still rattled in her mind. It felt impossible, unbelievable. But the venom in Victoria’s voice, the way she had looked at Aurora like she was nothing but a tool to be used, made Aurora question everything she had ever known.Was it true? Could Damien’s grandfather really have been that ruthless?No. Aurora shook her head, trying to clear the

Damien paced the length of the dimly lit safehouse, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. It had been three days since Aurora and Bruce were taken, and he had nothing—no solid leads, no actionable intelligence, nothing but dead ends and his own growing frustration.Lena watched him from the corner, arms crossed, exhaustion etched into her features. "You need to rest."Damien whipped around, his eyes dark with fury. "Rest? Aurora is out there, suffering God knows what, and you want me to rest?"She sighed, stepping forward cautiously. "You're no good to her like this. You're burning yourself out."He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "We should have never split up. I should have gone myself.""You couldn’t have known this would happen," Lena reasoned, though her voice lacked conviction. They both knew the risk, but that didn't make it any easier.A knock at the door had them both reaching for their weapons. One of Damien's scouts entered, his face grim.

The first wave of leaks was subtle. News outlets ran short pieces, headlines that hinted at corruption, whispers of an influential figure, but they never directly named Victoria Fontaine. The key was to keep it vague but compelling, drawing enough attention without exposing the full scope of the operation. But even in its mildest form, it was enough to cause a ripple across the city.Damien sat in the war room of the safehouse, his eyes fixed on the large screen mounted on the wall. It displayed a live feed from a local news station, the anchor’s face tight with uncertainty as she reported the breaking story.“This morning, an anonymous whistleblower sent us a series of documents revealing what seems to be an intricate web of corruption involving high-profile business leaders. The documents allege several under-the-table dealings, financial manipulations, and other illegal activities that stretch across the business world and into the highest levels of government.”Damien’s lips curle

🌹 Aurora 🌹 Aurora sat in the damp, cold dungeon, her chains rattling as she shifted uncomfortably on the stone floor. The shadows in the corners seemed to press in on her, but she didn’t mind. The darkness no longer felt like a threat—it felt like a promise.Victoria’s words had stung, but they hadn’t shaken her. The older woman’s attempts to break her had failed, and Aurora knew that nothing Victoria could say or do would ever make her doubt her own strength.She wasn’t afraid of death. No, it was something else that made her pulse quicken, something that had nothing to do with fear. It was the anticipation. The knowledge that Damien was coming.She could feel it in her bones.Damien had always been her anchor. He’d always been the one to fight for her, even when things seemed impossible. And now, even though she was locked in the dungeon of the woman who had caused so much pain and suffering, she couldn’t help but smile. She knew Damien would come.The flicker of light that had i