“I don’t know what else you want me to tell you before you’d finally let me be. I’m married— can't you respect something as sacred as that?” Giulia’s voice rang sharp and strained through the phone, the frustration she had been bottling up finally spilling over.This was the fifth time Greg had called her today.At first, she had ignored him, thinking that he would eventually tire himself out when she refused to respond. But now, staring at her phone, she realized just how wrong she had been. Greg wasn’t the type to give up. Not when he had set his mind on something or someone.“Would you even listen for a second before yelling at me?” Greg said, his voice frustratingly calm. That same composed tone he always used, as though he were the reasonable one, the misunderstood gentleman.“Do you even know if...”“I don’t have to know anything, Greg!” she snapped, cutting him off before he could finish. Her chest rose and fell unevenly. “What matters is that I’m married, and you should respec

Giulia, to be honest, words alone can't express how happy I am for you," Bianca's voice rang warmly as soon as she stepped into the sitting room.There was a brightness to her tone that sounded genuine.Giulia forced a smile in response, dragging the bag she had brought along onto the elevator to lift it to the second floor.Since Dante was yet to return from his trip to Bari, Giulia had decided to call Bianca over to stay with her in the house until he returns.She wanted companionship. Moreover, she wanted to stay close to Bianca to comfort her since she had just been through family stress."So, how's your husband?" Bianca asked after a moment, her eyes flicking briefly toward the bag Giulia had set down. "When is he returning?"Giulia stiffened. The question, though seemingly casual, hit her like an arrow.“Why are you so overly concerned about my husband?” she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.Bianca froze, a flicker of guilt passed across her features. She was caught of

“Boss, have you heard?”Arthur’s voice echoed as he burst into the room.The door slammed against the wall as he rushed into Greg’s chamber, his breath uneven, his pulse racing as if he had run all the way up the stairs without stopping.Greg sprang up from his chair, startled by the sudden intrusion. His eyes narrowed instantly, irritation flashing across his face. Arthur was not careless. For him to barge in like this without knocking, without permission, something had to be terribly wrong.A cold unease crept into Greg’s chest.“What is it?” he asked, his forehead creasing as he studied Arthur’s pale face.Arthur swallowed hard, his fingers trembling slightly as he clutched his phone. “A bounty has been placed on your head.”For a second, the words didn’t register. They hovered in the air, heavy and unreal.Greg blinked. “What?” His voice dropped, low and dangerous.“You’ve been declared wanted by the police,” Arthur continued quickly, as though afraid the words might lose their w

“I’m so happy about this,” Bianca said to herself, though her voice was somewhat audible, just enough for Giulia to hear. It wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t entirely private either.Giulia, who had been absentmindedly focusing on her phone, adjusted the cushion beside her before lifting her gaze at once.A soft smile formed on her face, curiosity lighting her eyes. “What’s the good news, dear?” she asked, her tone warm and genuinely excited.For a brief moment, Giulia’s mind wandered to all the possible things it could be. Perhaps Bianca had gotten a promotion, or maybe some long-awaited opportunity had finally come through for her. Whatever it was, Giulia wanted to share in that happiness.But Bianca didn’t respond immediately. Her expression shifted just for a split second. It was subtle, almost unnoticeable.The brightness in her eyes dimmed, replaced by something conflicted.Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, she masked it, forcing a faint smile onto her lips.“Haven’t you heard

“I’ve called you to this meeting to express my displeasure towards you,” Greg said, his voice low but heavy with restrained anger.The words settled over the room like a dark cloud.Somewhere deep within Dragon Hills, in an abandoned building long forgotten, Greg sat behind a large mahogany desk that looked oddly out of place in the decaying structure.Dust clung to the corners of the room, and the faint smell of damp wood and neglect hung in the air. The silence outside was unsettling, no passing cars, no distant chatter, nothing but the hollow whisper of wind brushing against broken walls.Bianca sat opposite him.Her hands were tightly intertwined on her lap, fingers pressing into each other as though trying to anchor herself to reality. Her pulse hammered violently against her ribs, each beat louder than the last.She was alone with a man she knew was capable of anything.Greg didn’t look friendly at all. There was a dangerous stillness about him, the kind that made it clear he w