Zain looked around to make sure no one was listening. “Bryden,” he said in a low voice, “we need to talk.”Bryden nodded, his eyes narrowing. “I know, Father. At this rate, if we let things play out as they are, we’ll wake up to find that Aiden has three children and the Patriarch has willed his shares to them. Aiden and his offspring will continue to hold the majority shares, and we’ll never get the chance to run the company or own it.”Zain’s face hardened. “What do you suggest we do?”Bryden leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “We need to plant a flea in his ear. Someone he’d never suspect. We need a spy among them.”Zain considered this, nodding slowly. “I agree. But that’s just the beginning. We need to eliminate Aiden and Silvana as soon as possible. Their presence is a threat to our plans.”Bryden frowned. “How do we do that with the Patriarch still around? He keeps a close eye on everything.”Zain’s lips curled into a sly smile. “It’s not as difficult as you th
Amelia sat in her dimly lit living room, the curtains drawn tightly to keep out the late afternoon sun. Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. She stared at the ultrasound image on the coffee table, the small, blurry shape that was her unborn child. Her child with Aiden.She had been torn for weeks now. Part of her wanted to coerce Aiden into taking her back using the baby as leverage. She could picture herself living a life of luxury, the Romanov wealth and power within her grasp. But another part of her, the part that clung to a shred of sanity and integrity, whispered that she should tell Aiden and Bryden the truth. She didn’t love Aiden anymore; she had moved on, and so had he.But the thought of admitting the truth terrified her. If she did, she would lose everything she had schemed for. Zain had promised to support her, and her parents were pushing her to secure her position by any means necessary. Could she really go through with it? Could she gamble with the future
As she left the palace estate, she couldn’t help but feel awestruck by its grandeur. It was a world so far removed from her own, a world she desperately wanted to be a part of.On getting home, Amelia relayed the details of her visit to Alex and Ruby.“You did well, Amelia,” Alex said, his voice filled with pride. “Now we wait for the results.”Ruby hugged her daughter. “Everything will work out, you’ll see. Just stay strong.”Amelia nodded, trying to believe their words. She had come this far. There was no turning back now.The days that followed were filled with anxiety and anticipation. Amelia tried to distract herself, but her thoughts always returned to the DNA test. What if something went wrong? What if they got caught?Finally, the call came. Aiden’s voice was on the other end, calm and composed.“Amelia, the results are in. Can you come to the palace?”Amelia’s heart skipped a beat. “I’ll be there.”Back at the palace, Amelia was once again escorted to the hospital wing. Aiden
Aiden chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. “Well, after I left for my master’s, life took some unexpected turns. You know about my parents’ crash, right?”“Yeah, I heard. I’m really sorry about that,” Jace said, his face sincere.“Thanks,” Aiden nodded. “After that, I discovered my grandfather was the head of the Romanov family. It was a shock, but it gave me a new purpose.”Jace leaned in, intrigued. “So, you’re part of the Romanov dynasty now. That’s huge.”“It is,” Aiden admitted. “But it’s not been an easy ride. For one, my marriage to Amelia ended in disaster.”Jace’s eyes widened. “Amelia? What happened there?”Aiden sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Where do I start? Amelia and I had our differences, but things took a turn for the worse when I realized that she was cheating on me with other men of her status. Her family didn’t help either, we were maltreated including Zia, and I was made to sign the divorce papers and we were threwn out of the house. Gladly, that was when luc
Her fiancé approached, greeting both women warmly. “Hey, ladies. Ready to go, Ash?”“Yep,” Ashley said, turning to Silvana. “Thanks for today, Sil. It was perfect.”“Anytime, Ash. Have a great weekend,” Silvana said, hugging her sister.As she watched Ashley drive away, Silvana felt contentment at it’s peak within her. She loved seeing her sister happy. With a smile, she headed to her car and drove to the orphanage where she had volunteered to teach the children.At the orphanage, Silvana spent the next few hours teaching the children. Their bright faces and eagerness to learn always filled her with joy. By the time she finished, the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink.As she walked to her car, she noticed something was wrong. Both her front tires were flat. She sighed, pulling out her phone to call for assistance. Before she could dial, a taxi pulled up in front of her.Without much thought, she opened the back door and climbed in. “To 14th Avenue,
Aiden was beside himself with worry, pacing up and down his office, his mind racing with thoughts of Silvana. The house was abuzz with activity as he mobilized every resource and contact he could think of to find her. He dialled the number of his closest friend and confidant, Jace, who picked up on the second ring. "Jace, it's Aiden. I need your help. My fiancée’s been kidnapped," Aiden said, his voice tight with tension. "What? When did this happen? How can I help?" Jace responded, his voice laced with concern. "Yesterday evening. She was at the orphanage teaching the kids. Her car was found with flat tires, and she never made it home. I've got my private investigator on it, but we need more eyes and ears. Can you reach out to your contacts in the city and see if anyone has heard anything?" "Absolutely. I'll start making calls right away. Hang in there, Aiden. We'll find her." Aiden ended the call and immediately dialled another number, this time for his chief of security. "Mr.
"Thank you, you have been of great help." Greg handed the pay for his coffee, "you can keep the change," and walked out of the coffee shop grateful that he came back to check again. Greg headed back to where Silvana’s car was parked outside the orphanage and inspected the car again, noting the three flat tires. "This wasn't an accident," he muttered to himself. "Someone did this on purpose." Greg took out his phone, dialling Aiden’s number to report his findings from the coffee shop. Aiden answered almost immediately, his voice a mix of hope and tension. “Greg, any news?” “I spoke to the coffee shop owner near the orphanage. He mentioned a man who spent most of the day there, sitting by the window and watching through binoculars. He described him as mid-thirties, average build, with a scruffy beard and always wearing a scarf and head warmer. Do you know anyone like that?” Greg explained. Aiden sighed heavily. “No, I don’t know anyone who fits that description.” Greg paused for
Zia sat on her bed, clutching her favorite stuffed bear, Charlie, as she stared at the empty chair by her bedside. Silvana had always been there to read her bedtime stories, her soothing voice weaving magical tales that carried Zia into a world of dreams. But for the past several nights, Silvana had been conspicuously absent. "Daddy," Zia called out as she heard footsteps approaching her room. Aiden opened the door and stepped inside, forcing a smile despite the fatigue etched on his face. "Yes, sweetheart?" "Where's Mommy Silvana?" Zia asked, her wide eyes filled with concern. "She hasn't been here to read me my bedtime stories." Aiden sighed, kneeling beside Zia's bed. "Silvana had to go away for a little while, Zia. But she will be back soon, I promise. There's nothing to worry about." Zia frowned, unconvinced by her father's words. "But why did she have to go? Where did she go?" Aiden hesitated, searching for the right words. "It's a little complicated, honey. But she’ll be