Mag-log inJANICEI kept on running like my life fucking depended on it.The torn remains of the ball gown kept on tripping me up so many times it was a miracle I didn’t fall flat on my face, as I sprinted through the deeper parts of the dark gardens, heart slamming against my ribs. The gazebo. All I had to do was get to the gazebo and maybe… Well, I had an inkling of what would happen if those men got their hands on me. The gazebo was close—just past the rose bushes, half-hidden by overgrown vines. If I could reach it, maybe I could catch my breath.Maybe I could hide for just a few seconds.But I could hear them behind me. Those heavy footsteps followed by their low laughter. The three of them chased me like predators who knew they’d already won. This was nothing but a game to them.I was so close. My bare feet pounded the grass. The gazebo was right there… and then I was free falling. My foot caught on a root, causing me to trip hard, and then I crashed onto the soft earth with a startled cry
JANICEGot you, brother.I pushed through the door the masked man had disappeared behind, my heart hammering so hard against my ribs it felt like it wanted to fly out. It takes me to another dimly lit hallway, but with a door at the end that’s left ajar, cool night air slipping through.The masked man had gone to the gardens.Why did he go to the gardens? What’s happening there?I stepped outside through the open doors and into said gardens to find no one there. Alexander had some sort of gardener that came as soon as the clock stroke twelve every Thursday so it made sense that the place was so immaculate. The manicured lawns stretched out under moonlight, hedges casting long shadows. There are statues around, watching silently. I walked faster, the now heavy emerald gown swishing around my legs.“Where are you?” I whispered, searching the darkness. My skin prickled with anticipation and fear. Had I imagined the man? Was this another one of Alexander’s stupid ass tests.I moved deeper
JANICEAlexander Kane’s party for me happened to be a masked party. A masked party that was in full swing by the time I was allowed to make my entrance.I stood at the top of the grand staircase, looking down at the glittering ballroom of the mansion. There were crystal chandeliers casting golden light across hundreds of masked guests in their designer gowns and tailored tuxedos. Laughter, clinking glasses, and soft classical music filled the air.It was beautiful.Opulent.And the entire thing was completely suffocating.Nancy was locked safely in her room for the night. Alexander didn’t have any morality issue with bringing my younger sister to this party, so I had to put my foot down—she was too young to mingle with this crowd. These people, from what I had gathered from my lessons and movies, were sharks, and my little sister was never going to swim with them.Taking the girl abroad after all this nonsense.My eyes scanned the sea of masks desperately. Where are you? Where are yo
JANICEDid the women in the mafia world tend to hate their fathers as the years passed or was that only me? From what I observed in all the mafia movies I found myself watching, they seemed to love them.Calling them papa and batting their lashes whenever they needed something.Ridiculous.My skin crawled just from thinking of the one who shared DNA with me every passing day.The whole thing had started fast, and soon became a steady flame inside my chest—burning hotter every morning when I woke up in this stupid prison. But I smiled through it. I nodded. I learned everything Mr Kane wanted me to learn. Because there was only a single thought playing on repeat at the back of my mind.I will burn his so-called empire to the ground. I will make him beg for my forgiveness on his knees.Until then, all I had to do was survive the training.For the past month, my days had started with etiquette and strategy training with Madame Corinne, a seventy years old woman with the attitude of one of
AIDENOne thing about a shared space was the fact that it became very quiet when just one member was away.Without Janice keeping us company in the penthouse, it felt like a fucking graveyard.With all the work we had done within hours to get rid of everything Cassandra did, and start the process of dispersing her wealth. It was safe to say that she was actually dead this time.And spending time with Janice would have been a good reward.Calder grabbed another bottle of beer from the counter, tilted his head back, and downed the entire glass in one long gulp. He slammed the glass down enough that it was a miracle the thing didn't shatter."I don't like this," he muttered, already reaching for another. "I don't fucking like this at all.""You need to slow down."I watched the tool from across the living room, arms crossed. The city lights glittered through the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him, but none of us were in the mood to admire the view."And you should still be in the fuckin
JANICE"Hello, Janice," the older man standing in front of me had said, eyes twinkling as he took me in. "You've grown up to be such a beautiful, young woman.""Hello. Do I know you?"He chuckled. "Not really, no. But I want you to." He took another step closer, until he was standing right in my face and I could see those dark eyes of his. Dark eyes that looked exactly like the ones I saw in the mirror for the last twenty four years. "I'm your father."Those words hung in the air like smoke, thick and suffocating. I tried not to dwell on them. I couldn't afford to dwell on them.All I could focus on was the next step—seeing my sister. Everyone told me she was well and alright, but I had to see her. To touch and hold and kiss her forehead and tell her everything was going to be okay.Aiden and Calder were not in support of letting me go with the man. Both of them had given suggestions of using their houses or even the penthouse, but a simple call from who I assumed was Lucian, had th
JANICEOnce again, I had to stare at spreadsheets.I stared at this particular one until the numbers blurred together. My eyes burned. I’d been back at the office for three days, and it already felt like the vacation had happened in another lifetime.So my body was here, clicking through emails and
JANICEI was grateful Nancy was such a heavy sleeper.I slipped out the main hallway of the wing, my heart hammering against my ribs, a mix of nerves and anticipation thrumming through my veins. Lucian had told me he would be waiting for me outside the wing at midnight, and I didn’t know if I shoul
JANICE“Are you fucking Calder?”That was the last question I expected to hear from Aiden, but the man had always been horribly perceptive so I probably shouldn’t be surprised. If Calder had actually wanted to continue fucking me in secret, with only Lucian knowing then he shouldn’t have used that
AIDENI knew Lucian was lying.He was good at it—excellent, even—but I’d known the man long enough to catch the micro-expressions, just like how he had known me long enough to know when I was anxious. We knew each other, so he possibly didn’t believe I actually bought that shit he said earlier.Sti







