2025-03-08 19:27:00Zara’s POV
I never thought I’d find myself standing in front of this door again.
It had been years since I last saw Adrian. He was a ghost from my past, a man I swore I’d never need again. But here I was, knocking on his door, my pride buried beneath layers of desperation.
The door swung open, revealing Adrian in a loose black shirt and jeans, his dark eyes scanning me with amused curiosity. He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips.
“Well, well,” he drawled, tilting his head. “Didn’t think I’d ever see you again, princess. What brings you to my humble abode?”
I inhaled sharply, keeping my expression unreadable. “I need your help.”
His smirk widened. “Of course, you do.”
Adrian was one of the best ethical hackers in the industry. I
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 80 – No More Illusions
Ethan's pov The wind howled outside the study windows, dragging tree branches across the glass like claws. I barely noticed. I was staring at the surveillance board pinned to the wall, a disorganized chaos of photos, maps, and strings that connected dots only I seemed to see. My breath was shallow, my temples pounding. There were names—some crossed out in red, others circled. And in the center, three photos: Liv. Marco. And the latest—Alfred, the quiet chauffeur who had been with us for years. His face looked wrong now, like a mask I should have ripped off long ago. I didn’t hear Zara come in until her hand slid onto my shoulder. I flinched. My nerves were raw.“You didn’t sleep,” she said softly. Not a question. A statement.“Neither did you.”She didn’t argue. Just walked past me and sat on the couch, her movements careful, calculated. Something about her energy had changed. She was always strong, always composed—but this was different. There was steel in her now. Not the polished
Chapter 79 – Echoes of a Warning
Zara’s POVI didn’t sleep. Not really. I closed my eyes, sure. But my body stayed alert, wired with tension, the kind that crept into my bones and refused to leave.Ethan had gone to meet with Marco. He didn’t say much before he left—just that he needed to “tighten security.” That meant digging through more files, more footage, more lies. And it left me here, pacing like a caged animal.Elias was asleep in his crib, but even his peaceful breathing didn’t settle the unrest that churned in my chest. Liv’s betrayal wasn’t just a fluke. It wasn’t some isolated incident. It was the first visible crack in the fragile walls of the life we’d built.And cracks always spread.I sat down at the edge of the couch in the nursery, my arms wrapped around my legs, and let the silence speak. My thoughts went back to Liv’s trembling fingers, her refusal to speak even when cornered. Was it fear? Loyalty? Or conditioning?Whatever it was, it meant we were running out of time.My phone buzzed.A message f
Chapter 78 – The Calm Before the drama
Ethan's pov I stood at the edge of the balcony, the city below me bathed in moonlight. From this height, everything looked still. Peaceful. But I knew better. I’d spent years pretending the calm was real—ignoring the storm gathering at the horizon. Now, I couldn’t afford that luxury.Behind me, the glass doors slid open with a soft hiss.“You’re not sleeping,” Zara said gently.I didn’t turn around. “Neither are you.”I heard the shuffle of her bare feet across the cold marble, felt her warmth as she stepped beside me, her presence grounding me in a way nothing else ever could. She leaned her arms against the railing, her gaze tracking the same empty streets.“Marco finished sweeping the west wing,” she murmured. “No other bugs. No other signals. Liv was alone in it… or smart enough to make it seem that way.”“Smart enough to get past all our security,” I muttered bitterly.Zara didn’t say anything, but the tension in her posture said enough. We were both angry—at Liv, at ourselves,
Chapter 77 – Secrets Among Us
Zara’s POVI used to think silence was peace. The kind that came after a storm, when everything was still and the sky hung low with gentle clouds. But the silence in this mansion wasn’t peace—it was tension, waiting to snap.I could feel it in every corner. In the way people paused conversations the moment I walked by. In the way the guards avoided eye contact. In the way Marco hesitated before giving his updates—as though he feared I wouldn’t like what I heard.And maybe I wouldn’t.It had been three days since we caught Liv sneaking into the security office. She was still locked up, under constant watch, but she hadn’t said a word. Not to me. Not to Ethan. Not to anyone. Just sat in that spare room, staring at the wall like she was waiting for something.Or someone.And that unsettled me more than anything.I stood in front of the tall windows of the library, staring out into the garden where Elias was playing under Marco’s watchful eye. His little giggles floated through the glass,
Chapter 76 – The Cost of Loyalty
Amari's povThe study was cold, colder than it should have been. Or maybe it was just the way Ethan looked at me.I hadn’t heard him enter. I’d been too focused—too desperate.“Looking for something?” he asked, his voice deceptively calm, like a hunter circling his prey.I stood slowly, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Just tidying up. Zara said—”“Don’t,” he cut in. “Don’t lie to me.”The smile faltered. For a moment, neither of us moved.I looked at the flash drive in my hand. My fingers itched to drop it, to hide it behind the nearest piece of furniture. But there was no point. The cameras had already seen everything.So I straightened my back. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”He laughed—a low, humorless sound. “That’s funny, because it looks like you were stealing from me.”“Leonard didn’t give me a choice.”“There’s always a choice.”I looked at him then, really looked. Ethan Grey—merciless, calculating, dangerous. But not heartless. Not when it came to Zara. Or El
Chapter 75 – Shifting Tides
Ethan's povI used to believe I had full control. That no matter how chaotic the world around me became, I could anchor everything with one command, one threat, one shot. But now? I wasn’t so sure anymore.Marco stood in front of me, arms crossed, his face tense.“We’ve double-checked every line of communication. Liv’s messages were routed through encrypted servers in Germany, but the signal originated from within the state. Leonard isn’t gone, Ethan. He’s watching, just like Zara said.”I rubbed my jaw, fighting the headache pressing behind my eyes. “And Chris?”“In federal custody. Already talking. He’s begging for a deal, willing to give up everything to avoid a lifetime sentence.”I scoffed, low and bitter. “Coward.”But part of me understood. Chris wasn’t built for prison. He’d fold under pressure, and honestly, that’s exactly what I needed him to do.“Keep Zara out of this,” I said sharply. “I’ll handle the fallout.”Marco’s eyes flickered with something like disagreement, but
You may also like
Secretly The Quadrillionaire's Heir
Viki West118.8K viewsDrakon of the Seven Armies
Maddy Taurus476.3K viewsThe Almighty Dominance
Sunshine623.9K viewsSecretly The Billionaire Boss
Debbie chocolate 2.4M viewsThe Long-Awaited Heir
Anderson José52.2K viewsREBIRTH TO CHANGE MY FATE
Al-Razzaq327 viewsTHE SECRET HEIR AND HIS SECRET POWER
Wednesday Adaire163.1K viewsNathan’s Revenge
Zee Writes1.2K views