LOGINMary’s POV"How do you have the nerve to show your face here, you bastard?" I maintained my haughty tone, glaring at his reflection in the mirror. Even though the reality was that my body, clad only in black lingerie, was entirely trapped beneath his massive, imposing frame. "You won't survive if Julian sees you treating me like this."Ryder let out a low, raspy laugh that vibrated against my back. "Tell him. Let him watch. Do you really think I wouldn't dare to do something crazier than this, Baby?""Stop it, Ryder! I have nothing to do with you anymore! I am Julian's fiancée... and you have a fiancée of your own!" I snapped, my breath hitching.At those words, Ryder’s jaw clenched. He spun me around roughly, his hands slamming against the marble vanity on either side of my waist, trapping me completely. His broad chest brushed against my breasts, which were heaving in panic.His gaze darkened, sweeping over my bare skin with brutal hunger. "You
Ryder’s POVSMACK!A brutal slap landed on my jaw for the second time today. But this time, the blow came from my father, who was blindingly enraged."Ungrateful bastard!" Victor Vance's voice thundered, shattering the silence of my penthouse courtyard. My foot had barely stepped out of the car before he welcomed me with a ruthless glare and bulging veins in his neck."I bled to build this company, and because of your sheer stupidity... everything is falling apart! Half of the Vance Group assets that I fought to death to secure just fell into the hands of that bastard Richard!" he cursed, his chest heaving.I touched the numb corner of my mouth, staring at him with eyes as cold as ice. "That won't exactly make you a beggar, will it? Consider it karma for all your dirty work over the years.""Karma?" Victor laughed cynically, a sound laced with venom. "Oh... who do you think I did all this for, you idiot? I built this empire for you!""I don't
Ryder’s POVTen minutes had passed since the gavel struck, but I remained frozen in my seat. I ignored the sterile chill of the federal courtroom, the frantic buzzing of the press, and the sheer panic etched onto my father’s legal team’s faces. Victor Vance’s sleazy attempt to bribe the federal judge had imploded, but I couldn't care less.My entire world had narrowed down to a single point: the stunning woman sitting across the aisle at the plaintiff's table.Mary.A brutal wave of longing gripped my chest, setting my veins on fire. After three months of living like a hollowed-out corpse, I was finally seeing her again. She was perfect—breathtakingly elegant, yet lethal.The tension in the room spiked when Richard Collins stood. His voice echoed with cold authority. "Your Honor, I present irrefutable evidence," he declared, holding up a heavy file. "Clear proof that the Vance Group was the mastermind behind the bankruptcy of my company. Victor Vance didn't
Dante’s POV I stood frozen behind the door of Master Victor’s study. From the shadows, I could hear Maddox rushing in, clutching his tablet. "Master," Maddox’s voice sounded tense. "Our team finally managed to track the source of the leaked document. The IP address originated from Switzerland." "Switzerland?" Victor snapped, his voice laced with menace. "Explain. Who dares to do this? Who has the power to breach our security systems?" "They used military-grade encryption, Master. Our IT team couldn't even touch their firewall. They are operating under the umbrella of Kessler Holdings." Silence fell over the room. That name alone was enough to make someone like Victor freeze. "Kessler Holdings? Damn them. Why are they meddling in my affairs? I have no business with them. And why leak the Collins Group scandal to the international media? What do they gain?" I gripped the door hand
Valerie’s POVI stood in the middle of the chaotic penthouse bedroom in my silk nightgown, waiting. Ignoring the pungent stench of alcohol that stung my nose, I stepped forward slowly, watching Ryder toss and turn restlessly in the center of his massive bed. The drug Dante had given me earlier was finally taking effect; the raging lion had stopped cursing and was now trapped in a semi-conscious haze.I climbed onto the bed and gently patted his cheek. "Ryder?"Instantly, his massive hands clamped around my waist. With terrifying speed, he flipped me over, pinning me beneath his large, muscular frame. A sharp gasp escaped my lips."Mary Collins... I miss you, baby. Do you know how badly I want you tonight?" he murmured, his voice dark and intoxicating. "Even if this is just a dream... I want to ruin you, because you've driven me insane this entire month..."Before I could process his deranged confession, his teeth grazed the crook of my neck, sending a v
Ryder’s POVConsciousness hit me like a block of ice. I woke up in a suffocating silence. The space beside me on the bed was cold—empty—a brutal reminder that she was gone.I sat there, motionless. Empty. There was no explosive rage, only a hollow void slowly consuming my sanity. My eyes fixed on the safe hanging wide open in the corner, then shifted to the CCTV monitor. There, I saw her. Mary. She was fleeing my penthouse as if I were a plague she had to escape. She clutched the map, climbed into a taxi, and vanished from my sight forever.With every second the recording looped, my heart skipped a beat; it was shattered into pieces.I stood up, letting the towel wrapped around my waist fall to the floor. My body still bore the lingering traces of her—her scent, her moans, the heat of her skin that I had felt just last night. But that warmth had now turned into poison. I stood before the mirror, staring at a stranger with dead, vacant eyes.I dressed in sile
MARY'S POV"Put me down, you bastard!"I hissed sharply, pounding my fists against Ryder's hard back as he carried me over his shoulder toward the penthouse's private elevator.Instead of listening, his muscular arm clamped tighter around the back of my thighs. A low rumble of laughter vibrated in h
HENRY’S POVThat bastard's words rang in my ears on a loop, drowning out the frantic whispers of the students in the corridor.Mary Collins is mine now.My hands clenched into tight fists at my side. Nineteen years. For nineteen years, I was the only man allowed to hold Mary’s hand. I played the pe
MARY'S POVThe morning sun of Chicago pierced through the penthouse's floor-to-ceiling windows, waking me from a restless sleep on the sofa. I sat up, my eyes immediately locking onto the walk-in closet across the room.Last night, I had almost run away.But this morning, as the arrogant face of Hen
Ryder's POVThe chime of the elevator shattered the silence of my penthouse. I didn't move from where I leaned against the marble pillar, letting the damn smirk I'd been holding back since last night finally etch itself clearly onto my lips.I could barely focus on anything all day. I even had Dant







