Chapter 20%
My hands pressed against Ethan’s chest, the heat of his body seeping through his dress shirt. I could feel the steady, controlled rise and fall of his breathing, the way his fingers curled ever so slightly against my waist as if he wasn’t sure whether to hold me tighter or let me go.3
And then–his lips crashed against mine.
The world tilted. My heart stopped.
His grip tightened, one hand sliding up my back, the other cradling my jaw as he kissed me like he had been waiting for this moment forever. Like he had finally lost control.
It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t careful. It was raw, hungry, full of unspoken words and emotions neither of us had dared to acknowledge.!! And God–I kissed him back.
For a split second, nothing else existed, Not Jason. Not Lily. Not revenge. Just this. Just Ethan.
But then my phone rang. Loud. Sharp. Jarring
The spell shattered.
I ripped away from him, breathless, eyes wide in disbelief. Ethan’s gaze was dark, stormy, a thousand things swirling inside them. He didn’t move, didn’t speak, just watched me as if trying to read what the hell was going through my head
But I didn’t give him the chance. I turned and ran &
Straight to my room, locking the door behind me as if that flimsy lock could keep out what just happened.
I pressed my fingers to my lips, my chest rising and falling too fast. My heart was pounding, my mind a mess. 5 What the hell was that?!
Everything was falling perfectly into place. Jason was spiraling. Lily was losing her mind. Ethan… Ethan kissed me. And now, all I had to do was keep playing my game–slowly unraveling every single one of them until nothing remained.
That was the plan. That was supposed to be the plan. Until everything went black. One moment, I was stepping out of my office, the cool night air brushing against my skin. I barely had time to register the sound of footsteps behind me when I felt it a sharp sting against my neck. A whisper of pain before my body betrayed me, my limbs going numb. My vision blurred, the world tilting, the ground rushing up to meet me. Then, darkness.
When I woke up, the first thing I felt was cold. It seeped into my bones, biting at my skin like a cruel reminder that I was no longer in control. My wrists ached. Cuffs. Tight. Unforgiving. I blinked, my vision swimming, my head pounding from whatever the hell they drugged me with. The air was thick, suffocating, the scent of cigar smoke curling through the room like a ghost #
Slowly, my vision adjusted to the dim light, revealing a space that was eerily empty–an expanse of marble floors and darkened walls, save for the massive wooden desk against the far end of the room. And the man sitting in the chair across from me.3
Edward Moretti. My father. The man who never gave a damn about me. He was leaning back, a cigar between his fingers, the tip glowing red as he took a long, slow drag. His expression was unreadable, but his dark eyes were sharp, calculating–the way a man like him always was. Cold. Ruthless. A predator sizing up his prey.
I exhaled, forcing my breathing to stay steady. So this was how it was going to be.ll
“Awake already?” His voice was deep, smooth, laced with amusement. “Good: I hate dealing with unconscious people.”
I shifted in my chair, testing the cuffs. Tight. No give. Figures.
“I would say it’s nice to meet you,” I murmured, tilting my head. “But considering the circumstances… I’m guessing this isn’t a social visit, Mr. Moretti?7
He smiled, slow and dangerous. “Ah,” he mused. “So you know who I am.”
I raised a brow “Should I pretend I don’t?“%
His jaw tensed, but his smirk didn’t fade. “You’re a bold one,” he murmured, tapping ash onto the floor. “I can see why Jason is so distracted these days.”
Jason. Lily. This was about them. Of course it was.X
“Let me guess,” I said, my voice steady. “You think I’m his mistress. You think I’m n some desperate little slut ruining your precious daughter’s marriage.”
His smirk disappeared. “You are,” he said simply
I let out a laugh. Loud, sharp, amused. “My God,” I muttered, shaking my head. “You really don’t know, do you?”
Edward’s gaze darkened. “Know what?”
I smiled, slow and taunting “That Lily was never Jason’s wife. That she was the one who ruined a marriage, not me.“X
His expression didn’t change, but I saw it–the brief flicker of tension, the way his fingers tightened around his cigar
“You speak too much,” he said coldly
“You ask too little,” I shot back. “Tell me, Mr. Moretti–do you always come to your daughter’s rescue, or is it just because Lily was always your favorite?”L
His eyes flashed. “Careful, girl.”E
12.38 PM C
His eyes flashed. “Careful, girl
I smirked. “Why? Are you going to hit me?”
The slap came so fast I barely saw it.
Pain exploded across my cheek, my head snapping to the side. A sharp, metallic taste filled my mouth–blood. I spat onto the floor. laughing as tears slipped down my cheeks.!
It hurt. But not as much as everything else..
Edward exhaled harshly. “You don’t know when to shut up, do you?”
I lifted my gaze to him, eyes burning. “I learned from the best didn’t I?“%
His expression flickered Just for a second. And then, he sighed
“You know,” he mused, almost thoughtful, “you remind me of someone.”
I stilled. My pulse jumped
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, staring at me like he was trying to solve me. “You have her eyes,” he murmured. “That fire. That recklessness..
I forced a smile. “Who?”
Edward leaned back, taking another drag of his cigar. “Emma“!
I stopped breathing. The world namowed. My heart pounded so hard i swore he could hear it!
He couldn’t know. He didn’t know. He thought I was dead. And I had to keep it that way.
I forced myself to exhale, tilting my head with a smirk. “Emma? You mean Lily’s dead sister?”
His eyes narrowed, “Funny,” I continued, my tone light, mocking. “I heard she was a disappointment. That you didn’t give a damn about her when she was alive.”
His jaw ticked.
