Rose never imagined that she would be sold by her own stepfather for personal gain. However, her job at the brothel unexpectedly brought her face-to-face with a handsome drug dealer named Antonio. Their feelings changed, but their lives did not. Can Rose withstand Antonio, who has a dark side to his life?
Chapter 1
The sound of gunshots heard from outside the building startled everyone. They scattered, searching for alternative exits, while the tall iron door was being forcefully breached by the special police unit. Most of the new members chose to hide in the place and resign themselves, as they had no prior experience in this field.
However, Matt was different. He was one of the most alert individuals, running towards the boss, Antonio, and standing behind him.
"I will protect you," he said as he pulled out his pistol.
Antonio nodded in agreement and immediately ran to another corner of the building, where he had already prepared an escape route in case unexpected events like this occurred. It was truly unfortunate that this incident happened so abruptly.
Matt continued to trail behind Antonio as they finally managed to open the main gate. The commotion could be heard from behind them. And, of course, some of the special police units deliberately targeted Antonio as their primary target and continued to pursue him. Thinking they would pass through a narrow secret passage, Matt took the initiative to stop there, causing Antonio to turn around instantly.
"What's going on?! Why did you stop, Fool? Hurry up!"
However, with his firm stance, Matt planted his feet firmly and stood guard, pointing his gun forward while squinting one eye. "You're the one who will go, I'll stay here to protect you."
The man in the white shirt and shimmering charcoal black jacket attempted to grab Matt's collar and said, "You're insane, huh?! Come on, quickly."
Unfortunately, Matt had already made up his mind. He dedicated himself to saving Antonio until the end, like a loyal dog. He brushed off Antonio's hand on his clothes and pushed him towards the secret door on the left side. "They're coming, you must leave here immediately."
And without further ado, Matt shifted his gaze and began firing at the pursuing police officers in front of him.
Antonio had managed to pass through the door but hadn't closed it yet. He fervently hoped that Matt would follow his words and escape during the exchange of gunfire.
Unfortunately... fortune was not on Antonio's side.
In the next gunshot, Antonio witnessed with his own eyes that a bullet from one of the police officers pierced deep into Matt's head, causing him to fall backward. Like a slow-motion scene in a movie, Antonio and Matt exchanged glances before Matt collapsed to the floor. His eyes rolled upwards, marking the last time Antonio saw him.
Antonio desperately wanted to stop and embrace Matt, his loyal assistant who had stood by his side for years. At the very least, he wanted to express his gratitude and bid farewell. However, the sound of footsteps heard from behind made him abandon that intention.
Antonio closed the door and pressed the buttons next to it, causing the iron door to close instantly. The chase finally came to a halt, but the 40-year-old man felt no relief whatsoever.
Matt's death had pierced his perpetually darkened heart, worsening his feelings of the devastation caused by betrayal from his closest allies.
In the midst of mourning, Antonio had to continue his journey. He used the car stored in the secret chamber and exited through the prepared underground route. All these ideas originated from Matt during the construction process and were implemented. Who would have thought that all these secret passages would truly come in handy for him, even though Antonio had to spend more money in the end?
He successfully escaped and blended in with other vehicles on the bustling outskirts of New York City. The simple appearance of his unremarkable black car kept Antonio from drawing attention. He even managed to elude the special police who intentionally surveilled him from a distance, cautious of his small black vehicle.
He changed direction and headed towards the Brooklyn Bridge. Regardless of the time it would take or the amount of fuel consumed to reach that destination, Antonio continued driving.
The Brooklyn Bridge may be famous for its age, but Antonio remembered this place as the spot where he first met Matt Octo, a friend, companion, brother, and the only person he could trust. Their encounter could be considered quite terrifying because, at that time, Matt was near death, beaten by another mafia. He was entangled in business debts, he said. However, Matt's condition at that moment reminded Antonio of his own past, and without hesitation, Antonio decided to help Matt.
With his brown eyes scanning the surroundings, Antonio stepped out of the car. There was something pressing in his eyelids, although he didn't actually shed tears. He simply took in as much air as he could and exhaled heavily. Thin vapors emerged from his mouth. Coincidentally, it was Christmas Eve. Snow fell, making everyone shiver. But unlike others, Matt's body couldn't feel warmth anymore.
The man had died, sacrificing himself.
A sense of pain coursed through Antonio's chest. Somehow, he felt that it was the first time in a long while. His father's death had been the last one for him. However, Matt's departure turned out to be significant. He continued walking, gripping the sturdy and solid edges of the bridge, gazing at the calm waters of the East River on that cloudy night.
Matt once said that for him, every day was the same. His parents had already died, murdered. Matt had endured difficult and harsh days. His other family members didn't want him around. He was often abandoned and ignored. Living alone in a city as vast as New York felt excruciatingly painful for a grieving Matt. Gambling and debt became the dark companions of his life. Until Antonio came along, helping him when he himself thought he would die, giving him hope, and sharing a bitter life together. Christmas became warm enough for Matt because he finally felt like he had a family.
But on this Christmas night... it was Antonio who felt like he had just lost his only family.
Antonio clenched his
fists tightly as one face crossed his mind.
Elliot Maximus.
That wretched, ugly-faced traitor who betrayed their partnership.
His teeth gritted as he pictured Elliot, sweet-talking promises of loyalty to Antonio, only to disappear after stealing hundreds of items worth millions of dollars and putting Antonio in this dire situation.
And... Elliot was the reason Matt was shot and killed today.
"I will find you, Elliot. An eye for an eye, a life for a life."
For ten years, Beatrice had known Louis, but that day, he seemed like a stranger. This wasn't Louis. Louis would never strip naked and sleep with her best friend, Kylie. Damn it, her tears almost fell for such cruel people. "I want a divorce." Beatrice didn't mean it when she said it. She still hoped Louis would beg, at least ask her to stay and forgive him. But Louis had changed. "I agree. Let's divorce. I don't want to be with a useless woman like you."
"You're cold and untouchable. Strangely enough, I've fallen for you, Isabella." Isabella froze, speechless, unable to respond to Zach's words. His dark eyes were intense yet uncertain. But Zach pressed on, "You said your middle name is danger. And you know what? I'm ready to love danger."
Stella has friends who are loyal to her, but as time goes by, Stella doesn't realize that some of the guys are in love with her. June, Samuel and Harry, they are stuck in a real friendzone. But beyond that, Stella has to find out why her best friends changed after the death of one of their best friends, Karen and why the guys are in love with her.
Alexandra's fiancé is found tragically dead and leaves Alexandra wondering about the cause of Louis' death. But the more Alexandra finds out, the more she is seduced by the handsome and smart Detective Noel Simmons. Alexandra falls in love, but there's terror ahead.
Alicia Perth has a special ability, she has high intuition to detect things. But great terror awaits her when she is asked by Detective Nicholas to help solve a murder in the dormitory. Stuck with two handsome men, Detective Nicholas and Ace Blake, the son of the CEO of Golden Group, will Alicia be able to see the truth behind all these incidents?
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
"I, Erika Blackwood, stand before you, Alexander Robertson, with a heavy heart. I hereby reject you as my mate. The bond we once shared has grown fragile, and my soul yearns for a different path. May you find solace in the love of another, and may we both find the happiness we seek." Alexander didn't say a word and looked at me. But he refused to accept. *********** Erika Blackwood is the next Alpha in line of the Ironclaw Pack. She hides her identity and gets mated to the Alpha of the Moonforest Pack, Alexander Robertson. Three years passed, but Alexander is still unwilling to let go of his childhood sweetheart. Erika is mistreated and eventually framed by the same childhood sweetheart. Now she leaves with that humiliation, and goes back to her pack, swearing vengeance on those who hurt her. They all waited for her to return and beg, but what happens when they realize that the famous Ironclaw Pack that was going to help in the rogue war, was ruled by a woman named, Erika Blackwood. Now her Ex mates want her back. Other Alphas want this woman.. But will she accept any of them? Or will she stay independent forever?...
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.