Elijah ran a hand through his hair, trying to come up with an excuse for the grayish strands that Sophia had noticed."Maybe I brushed up against something, or it’s just some color that got in my hair," he said casually.Sophia raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile on her face."Or maybe you’re just aging, Elijah. Going gray already?"Elijah, for the first time in years, sulked and pouted slightly. He wasn’t used to being teased, especially not about something as simple as his hair. Sophia let out a soft giggle."Aww," she cooed, "look at you. Who would’ve thought that the mighty soldier could be this cute?"Elijah shot her a mock glare, though the corners of his lips turned up in a small smile."Cute, huh? That’s a first."Sophia leaned in and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. "Even tough soldiers can have their moments."They shared a quick but sweet cuddle, holding each other under the warm light of their bedroom.Sophia, content and at peace, soon drifted off to sleep i
Elijah stared at his phone screen, the message burning in his mind. It was from an anonymous source, but the content was clear. The Winters were making moves—faster than expected. Not just William, but even those loyal to him were plotting to claim everything that once belonged to the Shaws."But who can message me?" He thought in mind but it was a later concern.He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.~'They really think they can get ahead of me, huh?'He wasn’t just up against William Winter now. He was up against an entire network of people who would stop at nothing to rise to power. But that didn’t bother him. In fact, it excited him.As he continued to process the information, his phone buzzed again. This time, it was a reminder of the lunch invitation from Olivia Winter. A smirk crossed his lips when he dropped a message to her about joining a lunch with her."She’s going to play right into my hands."He rose from his chair, stepping toward the windo
Duke West stood by the large window of his study, overlooking the vast estate that spread out below. His cold gaze took in the sight of his guards patrolling the grounds, but his mind was far from focused on his security. His thoughts were consumed by one man—Elijah Norton.The rumors swirling about Elijah’s involvement in the downfall of the Shaw family had reached his ears. Duke West didn’t have all the details, but he had enough to suspect that Elijah wasn’t just interested in the Nortons’ reputation. No, it was clear that Elijah was after something far bigger. "Marshal Elijah Norton," Duke muttered, his lips curling into a bitter sneer.Standing beside him was Marcus, his most trusted advisor. A former soldier who had served under Duke for years, Marcus had always been reliable. Now, he stood silently, waiting for orders."Sir, do you truly believe Elijah Norton is behind the collapse of the Shaw family?" Marcus asked cautiously, his voice low.Duke turned his sharp gaze to Marcu
Kate paced angrily in front of her father’s desk, her hands balled into fists."I can’t believe you’re just sitting here and doing nothing!" she snapped, her voice tight with frustration."Sophia and her idiot husband embarrassed me in front of everyone, and you’re planning to collaborate with them?"William Winter sat behind his desk, calm and composed. He glanced at his daughter’s outburst but remained unfazed."Kate, you need to understand the bigger picture," he said coolly."Lando Yale is backing Sophia. His influence stretches far beyond ours, and if we want to maintain our standing, we need to play smart. Going after Sophia directly will only backfire."Kate scoffed, crossing her arms. "So, what’s your grand plan, Father? Let them walk all over us?"A small smile played on William’s lips. "No. My plan is simple: we make sure Sophia loses Lando’s favor. Once we do that, she’ll be worthless to him, and we’ll replace her." Kate’s eyes gleamed with a dark excitement."So, we kick
Elijah moved faster than lightning. In an instant, he leaped across the restaurant, tackling Olivia to the ground just as the gunshot rang out. They fell hard, but it was enough to save her from being shot.Olivia’s body shook with fear, her wide eyes brimming with tears as she looked up at Elijah, her savior. The waiter, seeing his shot missed, vanished into the crowd, slipping through the chaos before anyone could stop him.A few people tried to chase him down, but he disappeared like a ghost, leaving only confusion and panic behind.Olivia was trembling, her breath shaky."Oh my God... James," she whispered, clutching Elijah’s arm."He was going to kill me. He was really going to kill me!"Elijah, still on high alert, wrapped his arms around her."You’re safe now," he said in a low voice, his eyes scanning the room for any other threats."I won’t let anything happen to you."The restaurant manager hurried over, clearly flustered by the situation."Sir, madam, please, let me offer
Elijah blinked as Olivia’s request hung in the air."James... can I see your face? Please..." she had asked again, her voice soft and filled with curiosity. Of course, she could see his face. It was lunch, and he had meticulously prepared for this very moment.He had worked on subtle changes to his appearance, especially from the nose to the chin, tweaking his features just enough to avoid anyone recognizing him as Elijah Norton. He was about to pull the mask from his face when Olivia’s phone rang, piercing through the tension in the room.Olivia flinched, her fingers frozen in mid-air."Oh, sorry, I should get this," she mumbled, stepping away as she glanced at the screen.Her eyes widened, and the color drained from her face as she answered. "Yes... this is Olivia Winter," she said, her voice wavering slightly. Elijah listened quietly, but his senses were on high alert. Something was wrong. "Wait—what? I was attacked? It’s all over the news already?" Olivia gasped, shooting a g
Inside the opulent halls of the Winters' Palace, tension crackled in the air. The news of Olivia's near-death experience had already spread, but instead of rushing to her side in concern, the family was far more preoccupied with something else—what her death could have meant for their empire.In the grand study, Olivia’s father, Gerald Winter, sat behind an expansive mahogany desk. His graying hair was slicked back, his piercing blue eyes sharp with worry, but not for Olivia. He drummed his fingers on the polished wood, deep in thought. William, his son, leaned against the fireplace, a glass of bourbon in his hand, swirling the liquid as he brooded."If Olivia had been killed today, our stock would have plummeted," William muttered, not bothering to look at his father."Do you realize how fragile her position makes us? She holds too much sway with the board."Kate, standing by the window, crossed her arms, her face twisted in annoyance."She’s a liability," she said coldly."Always ha
Elijah’s heart pounded in his chest as he moved deeper into the dark forest, his eyes scanning every shadow, every rustle of the leaves. He wasn’t used to feeling this kind of fear—not for himself, but for her. “Sophia!” he called out, his voice echoing through the stillness. There was no answer, just the distant hum of the wind threading through the trees.He quickened his pace, the ground uneven beneath his boots. Just when his frustration was starting to boil over, he heard a faint sound. A meow.Elijah froze, his sharp eyes catching movement between the thick trees. He pushed through the underbrush, following the sound until he saw her.Sophia was crouched on the ground, a tiny, trembling kitten in her hands. Her face was lit by the soft glow of her phone, and her eyes were focused entirely on the little creature.Elijah felt both relief and a flare of anger."Sophia!" he barked, striding toward her.Sophia flinched and looked up, guilt flooding her expression. "Elijah... I’m sor