The next morning, news reports buzzed with the story of an anonymous man who had heroically saved all the kidnapped girls, bringing them home safely.In her room, bathed in the soft morning light filtering through her curtains, Amber was on a call with Liz. She couldn’t contain her surprise. “Wait—are you serious?! You were the one who told him I was missing?”Liz responded, “I had to. You didn’t show up at school, and as usual, he came to pick you up. Your phone wasn’t reachable, and then your dad called…”“My dad called you?” Amber asked, stunned.“Yep. He sounded really worried, and that’s when I realized something was off. I’m not even sure why I thought to call Lucian. I just had this feeling he needed to know because he seemed worried too, and he seemed to care about you. It didn't even take too long, and you're already back home. He saved you.”Amber couldn’t help but giggle, shaking her head. “The moment I saw him there… I’ve never felt so relieved. And the way he just broke o
“Boss!” Kevin’s right-hand man, Kief, burst into the office, his face tight with urgency. “Have you seen the news? The city’s buzzing—those kidnapped girls, they’ve all been freed! According to the reports, someone rescued them!”Kevin’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What? And the Brussels—have they been caught yet?” he asked, his voice tense.Kief shook his head and answered, “Not yet, boss. But it’s only a matter of time. The cops have a sketch of the suspect they’re looking for.”Kevin clenched his teeth in anger. “Damn it! And what about our asset? Has he returned?”“No, boss, he’s still out of reach. And the one who saved those girls? They’re keeping his identity under wraps—for now,” Kief replied.“Not for long,” Kevin muttered, reaching for his phone. He dialed a number and waited, tension crackling in the air. After two rings, a hushed voice answered, “Mr. Craig, can we maybe do this later? Things are happening at the precinct right now.”Kevin’s expression hardened. “I don’t c
In the spring season, it was still warm and cold in Metro City.On a straight road, an Audi commercial vehicle sped ahead.At the wheel was a woman with bright hazel eyes, radiating a cheerful smile as she occasionally glanced at her boss through the rear-view mirror. Her attire—a black blouse and blazer—accentuated her cleavage, while her tailored black skirt accentuated her toned thighs.But Lucian Stone, who was sitting in the back seat was holding a book, more focused on the pages without a care in the world. He was also dressed in black, and his aura was unique.Suddenly, the car jolted as it made a sharp turn, the abrupt movement disrupting the vehicle’s steady pace. The unexpected jolt pulled Lucian’s attention away from the pages of his book. Curiosity drew him to glance up momentarily.Sensing the disturbance, the woman quickly said with reverence, “Please forgive me, boss. Feel free to continue with your book.”Though she wanted his eyes on her, she couldn't actually say th
‘How could Dana forget to remind me to change? Damn it!’He looked so different that even his wife, Riya Stone Wellington, couldn’t stop staring at him.The man before her was almost unrecognizable compared to the disheveled, casually dressed figure she knew. While he had always been handsome, this transformation revealed a whole new level of attractiveness.Riya, too, looked stunning as she stood up from the sofa, wearing a seductive black lace outfit. Her long, straight black hair framed her beautiful face, and her fair skin and enticing figure were on full display.However, Lucian wasn’t in the mood to admire her.He had never seen her wear that lace before.The room was thick with stares, confusion, and silence.It remained that way until Madame Verna Wellington, an older version of Riya, cleared her throat to draw everyone’s attention. Pointing an accusatory finger at Lucian, she shouted, “Hey, what do you think you’re doing, dressing like that?! Who are you trying to impress wi
Madame Verna rose to her feet, glaring at Lucian, who instinctively took a step back, realizing the gravity of his words. She asked him, her voice dripping with disbelief, “What did you just say to me?”Lucian swallowed hard, casting a quick glance at Riya before responding, “You expect me to do these menial house chores and then want me out of your family? You are gonna have to change the latter to get the former. Nothing comes for free.”Madame Verna’s face contorted with rage. “You son of a bitch!” she screamed, her fury palpable. “Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? For three years, you’ve been freeloading in my house, contributing nothing! You must think you’re clever, don’t you?”Lucian nodded calmly. “Actually, I do have a high IQ. I don’t usually brag about it, but I graduated summa cum laude from one of the most prestigious—”SLAP.The sound echoed in the room as Madame Verna’s hand struck Lucian’s cheek.“Who cares about that when it hasn’t landed you a job t
The next day, Lucian rose early, determined to prepare a lavish and delicious breakfast. He hoped to mend the rift with his wife and mother-in-law after yesterday. Despite his frustration, he felt it was wise not to aggravate them further.As he was busy in the kitchen, his small phone rang. It was his father. The Godfather.Lucian sighed as he answered, “I told you not to call me on this number, Godfather.”“Lucian, you don’t carry that other phone with you all the time. What are you doing? I have something that requires your immediate attention,” the Godfather’s voice came through, insistent and urgent.“Godfather, my marriage is in a crisis right now, and I need to focus on fixing it. Ask Drake or someone else to handle whatever it is,” Lucian responded, shaking his head as he stirred the sauce simmering on the stove.“Your marriage has always been in crisis, son!” the Godfather snapped, frustration evident in his tone. “Stop being so difficult! I need you specifically for this t
“Lucian?!” Madame Verna hissed, her voice rising in a harsh whisper. “I told you to stop sleeping with him!”Riya shifted uneasily, her eyes flitting nervously to Lucian to ensure he wasn’t paying attention. He remained engrossed in his phone, oblivious to their conversation.“I did stop, Mom! It was just that one night months ago. I couldn’t help it, okay?”Madame Verna pressed her palm to her forehead, clearly exasperated. “Oh, for God’s sake, Riya. Not again. How many times have you had to terminate a pregnancy because of him? How many times have you aborted his child? I explicitly told you to take every precaution to avoid this situation. So why does it keep happening?”Riya looked down, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know.”Madame Verna sighed heavily, her tone firm as she continued, “We’ll have to change our plans for today. Forget the divorce for now, we need to take care of this. You are going to get rid of that baby. We can’t let anything jeopardize our chances of
Two weeks later.[Golden Eye System initializing…]Lucian lay half-awake on the hospital bed, his vision blurred and his senses dulled when he saw shimmering words appear before his eyes, accompanied by a monotone female voice in his head.[Host has met the requirements…][Commencing integration process…]He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling his blood surge through his veins with overwhelming intensity. A sudden, excruciating headache gripped him, as if his skull was about to split open. Clutching his head, his breaths came in heavy, labored gasps. The machines around him began to react to his distress—monitors beeped frantically, the rhythmic hum of the heart monitor escalating into a rapid, piercing alarm.The mechanical ventilator, which had been helping regulate his breathing, emitted a sharp, continuous whine, signaling a disruption. The alarms and beeps was enough to catch the immediate attention of the doctors and nurses nearby, and they rushed into the room.[Linking to host i