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?
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..."Â But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”