تسجيل الدخولAlexander Sofia pulled the trigger before I could move far enough to avoid it entirely. The bullet struck my shoulder with a force that sent me stumbling backward, and I went down onto the porch steps, pain radiating through my entire arm and chest. "Alexander!" Elara's voice reached me from somewhere close, sharp with panic and urgency. "Alexander!" she called again. I tried to push myself back up onto my feet, but my body refused to cooperate with what my mind was demanding of it. The pain in my shoulder made it nearly impossible to gather enough strength to stand. Sofia walked toward me slowly, the gun still raised, her expression carrying a satisfaction that made my stomach turn. "Alexander," she said. "You're not nearly as tough as everyone always claimed you were." "Sofia, please stop this." "This is for my father," she said, ignoring me completely. "Sofia, listen to me." She raised the gun higher, aiming directly at my chest this time. I closed my eyes, waiting for
Elara Sofia stood on our porch, a gun held steady in her hand, her expression calm in a way that frightened me more than any amount of anger could have. "Elara," she said. "It's nice to finally meet you in person." "Sofia, please—" "You have no idea how long I've waited for this exact moment." "Sofia, let's talk this through calmly." "Step aside, Alexander," she said, ignoring me completely. "Never," Alexander said, refusing to move from where he stood between us. "I will kill you both if I have to." "Then do it," he said, his voice steady despite the danger standing directly in front of him. I stepped forward, ignoring the way Alexander's hand shot out to stop me. "Sofia, please listen to me." "Don't," Alexander said sharply. "Sofia, listen to what I have to say." "Don't do this, Elara," Alexander warned again. I looked directly at Sofia, keeping my voice as steady as I could manage despite the fear coursing through me. "Sofia, I understand that you're angry. I unders
Alexander Elara was pregnant. I learned the news two weeks after everything had settled with the Commission, standing together with her in the garden while she pressed a hand gently against her stomach, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "Alexander," she said. "I'm pregnant." I stared at her, momentarily unable to find any words. "Elara, that's—" "I know it's soon," she said quickly. "I know we've already been through so much together this year, but—" "Elara, please let me finish." "I wanted to tell you as soon as I knew for certain." I pulled her into my arms before she could say anything further, holding her close enough to feel her heartbeat against my chest. "I am happy," I said. "I am so incredibly happy right now." "Alexander, truly?" "I love you," I said. "I love you too," she said, her voice breaking slightly with relief. We spent the following weeks preparing for everything ahead of us, converting one of the guest rooms into a nursery and beginning to plan for t
Elara Going to see Enzo alone was the only plan I could think of that might actually end this fight before it destroyed everything Alexander and I had built together. I left the house before dawn, unarmed and completely alone, and I walked into his estate with a confidence I did not entirely feel but refused to let show. "Elara," he said, clearly surprised to find me standing in his living room. "I did not expect to see you here today." "I imagine you didn't." "Why exactly are you here?" "I came to make a deal with you," I said. "A deal? That's an interesting choice of words for someone who arrived here completely alone." "I know what you actually want, Enzo. You want control. You want power. You want the empire Alexander built for himself." I paused, letting the words settle before continuing. "I can give you all of that." "Elara, that is not exactly your decision to make." "But you have to leave my family alone," I said, cutting off whatever objection he was about to raise.
Alexander The Commission finally made their move, though not in the way I had expected them to strike first. They sent armed men to watch the house, dangerous men who stationed themselves at the edges of our property without attempting to breach it. They did not attack directly. They simply watched, letting their presence speak for itself while we waited to see what they intended to do next. "Boss," Marco said, standing beside me at the front window. "They're sending a clear message with this." "What message are they trying to send?" "That they have no intention of going away, no matter how long this takes." I called Enzo directly that same afternoon, unwilling to let the tension stretch on any longer than necessary. "Enzo, tell me exactly what you want from us." "Alexander, I want what I have always wanted from you. Control." "You are not going to get that from me." "I already have it," he said calmly. "Your son is alive, Alexander. You lied to me directly, and you betrayed
Elara Michael returned home to his wife and children, back to the life he had built long before he ever knew our family existed. He promised to stay in touch as he loaded his bags into the car, and he promised to come back and visit again once things settled. I believed him completely. "Are you doing okay?" Alexander asked, once Michael's car had disappeared down the road. "I'm fine," I said, though the words felt hollow even as I spoke them. "Elara, you are not fine, and there's no reason to pretend otherwise with me." "Alexander, please." "It's okay if you're not fine right now," he said gently. "You don't need to hide that from me." I remained silent for a moment, letting his words settle before I finally allowed myself to speak honestly. "I have a son," I said. "A son I never knew existed, a son I apparently gave up without any memory of doing so." I looked up at him, searching his face for some kind of answer. "How am I supposed to process something like that?" "You don
ALEXANDER The club was quiet. That was the only reason I tolerated The Sanctum. It wasn't like the chaotic gambling floors of my casinos or the loud, desperate energy of the Strip. It was dark, smelled of leather and people knew better than to speak to me. I sat in the private suite, swirling a g
ELARAThe notification sound on my phone usually meant a sale on my website or an email from my agency. It was a soft ping, harmless and routine. I didn't hate the sound. In fact, I lived for it. It meant money in the bank, and money meant my parents didn’t have to sell their house in Ohio.But t
Alexander The room was dark. I knelt on the floor with my hands tied behind my back. My chest was soaked — not from the bullet wound this time, but from the beating Vincent's men had given me the moment I walked through the gate. ‘No weapons. No backup.’ ‘Just me, on my knees, bleeding twice ov
ALEXANDER David stood there with a smug grin that made my blood simmer as he looked at Elara like she was a new car he had just bought with my money. He had no idea that the woman standing next to him had already been claimed. Not by a ring, but by the memory of my hands on her skin. I kept my







