Max looked at Lena, then at Anastasia. He knew this was a trap. If he sided with Lena, Anastasia would claim he didn't care about Vincenzo's child. If he sided with Anastasia, he'd be undermining Lena in her own kitchen."Jenkins," Max said, choosing his words carefully. "Prepare the stew as planned. And Anastasia, if you have specific dietary needs, please discuss them with me or Vincenzo directly. We can arrange for a separate meal for you, if necessary."Anastasia's smile faltered for a moment, but quickly returned. "As you wish, Max. Though I do think it's a shame to separate the family at mealtime. But if that's how you wish to run things in your home, then so be it." She swept out of the kitchen, leaving a lingering scent of expensive perfume and a cloud of resentment.Lena looked at Max, her eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and frustration. "She's doing this on purpose, Max. She's trying to get under everyone's skin.""I know, Lena," Max sighed, running a hand through hi

Downstairs, in the sprawling, state-of-the-art kitchen, Sarah hummed a happy tune as she carefully placed the last delicate sugar rose onto the cake. It was a masterpiece, a rich chocolate fudge cake with raspberry filling, covered in smooth ganache and adorned with intricate sugar flowers. Ten years. Ten years since she and Ronald had officially become a couple. It felt like a lifetime, and yet, like yesterday."Perfect," she murmured, stepping back to admire her work. She imagined Ronald's face when he saw it. He loved her baking, and this cake was a symbol of their enduring love, a sweet celebration of their journey together.She carefully lifted the cake onto a serving platter, planning to take it to the dining room where she'd set up a small, intimate dinner for just the two of them. As she turned to leave the kitchen, her mind still lost in happy memories, she bumped into something solid.A gasp, a shriek, and then a sickening thud.The cake, her beautiful anniversary cake, slid

Max sat in his office, the heavy silence of the room a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside him. Vincenzo's words from yesterday still echoed in his head, a constant drumbeat of "The debt... it's due." He stared out the window, watching the city lights begin to twinkle, but he saw none of it. All he saw was the face of Magnus, twisted in rage, and then Vincenzo, stepping in, saving his life."Damn it," Max muttered, running a hand through his hair. He pushed away from his desk, pacing the plush carpet. Releasing the Becker twins. It felt wrong, dangerous. They were trouble, pure and simple. They had always hated this family and as been a constant thorn in Max's side, even from behind bars. Letting them out felt like opening a cage full of hungry wolves."But Uncle..." Max sighed. He owed Vincenzo. A life debt, the kind that couldn't be repaid with money or favors. Vincenzo had saved him when he was vulnerable, when his own family was tearing itself apart. And Vincenzo had been l

The scent of old leather and expensive wood usually brought Lena a sense of calm in the main conference room at Becker Corporations, but today, it was overshadowed by the acrid smell of something else: malice. She’d walked in, ready to tackle the mountain of quarterly reports on her tablet, only to find Anastasia already there, perched at the head of the long, polished table like a hawk. Anastasia wasn't one for early morning meetings, especially not at Becker Corp, which immediately set Lena's teeth on edge."Good morning, Anastasia," Lena said, her voice a little too bright, a little too forced. She moved to her usual seat, several chairs down from Anastasia, and placed her tablet on the table with a soft click.Anastasia didn't bother to respond. Her eyes, usually just cold, seemed to burn with a quiet, unsettling fire. "No need for pleasantries, Lena. This isn't a business meeting."Lena raised an eyebrow, a flicker of annoyance already starting to spark. "Then what is it? Because

"He's right, Lena," Tommy added, his voice suddenly sounding almost reasonable, which was perhaps the most unsettling thing of all. "Think about it. We're not going after your precious Max or boyfriend Nathan. We're not trying to take back Becker Corp from you. We're just dealing with a problem that's been festering for years. A problem that Max, in his infinite wisdom, decided to ignore."Lena's mind raced, a frantic hamster on a wheel. They were right. Max had promised her protection from them, and he had also secured their release under the condition that they wouldn't target him or the Lucky family. But Vincenzo... Vincenzo was a grey area, a loophole they were expertly exploiting. He was family, yes, but he was also a known schemer, and the twins had a long-standing, bitter grudge against him. And now, the pregnancy. It was a perfect storm of personal vendetta, a weapon aimed squarely at her."This is crazy," Lena breathed, the words barely escaping her lips. "You're asking me to