2024-04-26 06:35:36“How dare you speak to Mr Andrews in that manner?” A middle aged woman suddenly appeared and slapped Aiden across the face. “Do you know who he is? Do you think you both share the same status?”
“Mother-” Aiden stared to speak but another slap on his face interrupted him.“And who are you calling mother? I don’t have a son like you. Instead of being rude you should grovel at his feet and hope that he favors you but no, you simply have to cause a scene.” Ruby Reyes, Aiden’s supposed mother in law who appeared at the scene looked enraged, not even giving him a chance to speak. “Why should I beg for his favor, I don’t need it?” There was an unyielding expression on Aiden’s face, he didn’t not intend to back down.Everyone burst into laughter, Amelia most especially. “Did I hear you correctly?”“Yes!” Aiden replied.“You couldn’t even afford to get my aunt a proper present, your presence here was just because we didn’t want it to seem like you were being cast aside.” Amelia rolled her eyes as she placed one of her hands on Blaise chest. “Amelia-” A petite, short woman approached them, as she walked over the crowd parted to make way for her. “No matter what, Aiden here is still your husband, you shouldn’t look down on him irrespective of his status.”“Aunt Bella,” Amelia called out softly before walking to the woman, holding one of her hand. “He doesn’t seem to understand, he doesn’t even have a proper job and he’s living off my money but then he’s being arrogant.”“Shhh, don’t let it become public that we don’t take proper care of members of our family,” Aunt Bella chastised her niece gently, in her heart, she couldn’t help but feel repulsed. If she had her way, she wouldn’t have let her only niece get tied to a marriage that she never wanted. “Aiden, there is a lot of food, you can help yourself to some and even ask the waiters to pack some for you on your way out.” Someone in the crowd said, a lot of people snickered at his words.“Yes! You don’t have to pay for it, it’s completely free.”Aiden felt his face burn in embarrassment, it was continuously made known to him how he doesn’t fit in upper society lifestyle. A lot of people who were present wore professional suit while sitting in their offices strategizing, making huge amount of money every passing minutes, but also sometimes changed into elegant clothes in order to hold up a wine glass, chat cheerfully and wittily under mutual deception or make alliances with people of the similar social status. “I don’t need freebies, thanks for the offer.” Aiden lets out after a moment of silence. “Mother, Aunt Bella, I would take my leave now.” He nodded at both women, pretending not to notice his mother in law’s darkened face. It was a big party and a lot of people who were invited to the party took this chance to show off their wealth, in order to impress others. “Not so fast, I think you should first apologize to Mr Andrews for your earlier words.” Amelia had a smile on her face but it didn’t reach her eyes, she was indeed a beauty, the blue gown she was wearing had a long train behind it, it hugged her figure greatly, the V neck was deep enough to reveal real sight of her breast.She was an actual model to every lady who saw her at the party and a real sight for the men to behold. Ladies tend to fawn around her, giving compliments each minutes to get in her good side. “Yes, I’m sure Andrews would give me some face and not hold it against you.” Aunt Bella smiled at Blaise.“Anything for you auntie, just an apology would suffice.”“And what if I say no? I don’t think I need to apologize to him.”“Such arrogance.” Blaise commented as his eyes darkened in anger, it was obvious that he won’t let Aiden off so easily.“My arrogance is a type of self protection while yours is practically digging your own grave.” With that, Aiden started to walk away, his daughter Zia was ignorant of the commotion and had already fallen asleep in his arms.“Wait!” Amelia called out to him.Aiden stopped walking midway. “I suppose its time I told you that our marriage would be ending soon.”“Really?” There was no emotions in Aiden’s voice, and no change in his expressionless face as if he was expecting it. “Yeah. So I hope you are prepared to sign the divorce papers and finally let me have my freedom.”“Your grandfather-”“My grandfather has already agreed to this so there’s no need to bring him up.” Amelia rudely interrupted him.“Finally, the queen of our hearts would be single once again.” “Hurry up and get rid of this gold digging bastard!”“Amelia would you give me a chance, I promise to get you a diamond ring!” Most of Amelia’s admirers who were present in the crowd were overjoyed by this announcement. “Are you serious about this, Dearest Amelia?” Blaise asked once again for confirmation.“Yes. My daughter would finally have a chance to choose a man of her choice. No one would be allowed to interfere this time.” Ruby, Amelia’s mother responded. Her words were clearly heard by everyone present. “Aiden if you need anything in the future, you can always come to me, I’ll be happy to assist you in any way I can.” Aunt Bella said, she seemed to be concerned about his welfare but Aiden knew that she was actually rejoicing that he would be out of the picture soon.Aiden chuckled coldly, his heart hardened against the Reyes family. “Good luck, I hope you don’t regret your decisions in the future.” He slowly exhaled before he sauntered off without a backward glance.
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The next day, Aiden tried to avoid everyone in the house, some of the people who he unfortunately came across gave him strange looks and threw harsh comments at him but he was completely indifferent about this, ignoring their words and trying not to act on his emotions. He knew that something was brewing and decided to go with the flow of things. He spent the day in his daughter’s room, telling her stories and playing with her, he only left when he had to get breakfast and lunch for the both of them which led to encounters with Amelia’s cousins.“Look who’s here?” A young boy in his teens laughed boisterously and extended his arm out, blocking Aiden as he was stepping out of the kitchen. “So you are Aiden, my cousin’s husband?” His tone was condescending. “I am. Liam A good dog doesn’t block the path, if there’s nothing else, please step aside.”“How dare you speak to me that way, you are nothing but my family’s servant.” Liam leaned forward, wanting to mock him more but this was
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Aiden frowned at her words, but it quickly disappeared before it was seen. It was dark and raining heavily, there was no way he could leave since he didn’t have a car and hasn’t thought of place to stay, there was only one place he could run to but he wasn’t sure if it was still safe. He turned to the patriarch who was still looking in his direction with indifference. “I have to leave right away?” Aiden inquired.The man nodded his head. “The five years are up and from now onwards, you would no longer be a part of our family so it is only right that you leave immediately. I won’t pursue what you did to my grandson.”Aiden felt conflicted. “But it’s late-”“And what does that got to do with us, why don’t you hurry out of here, we don’t have forever.” Ruby, his ex mother in law interrupted him. She couldn’t wait for him to leave.“My mother is right. Could you take your daughter and leave my house, and you must never return here.” Amelia said. “Okay, I hope you don’t regret your ac
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Aiden opened the door, the room was clean but it was very obvious that no one had lived there for a long time but it was very warm and cozy. Aiden helped Zia out of her wet clothes and wrapped her up in a clean blanket. “Sweetie, I’m going to run you a hot bath, do not move an inch from here.”“Yes Daddy.” Zia had already stopped crying, she was shivering from the cold and Aiden had wrapped her up like a burrito to warm her up. Her eyes were red and swollen and she was in a daze, completely traumatized by what had happened earlier. Nothing went wrong and soon Aiden tucked Zia in bed for the second time. “Daddy, are you okay?” She finally asked. Throughout the time Aiden bathed and dressed her up, she was still in a daze, like a puppet. Aiden didn’t know what to say or how to reassure her. “Yes honey, I’m fine,” She lied to her once again and she seemed to buy it. “We would stay here for a while and wait-” “Mummy isn’t coming.” Zia announced all of a sudden, catching her father unaw
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The nurse gave him an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry but there’s nothing I can do about it.”“Is this your hospital policy? That anyone who comes here should be refused treatment?” Aiden’s face was expressionless but on the inside he was breaking. He glanced at his daughter who was still unconscious and pale in his arms, clearly she was in a lot of pain. “Please do something, I can foot the bills.” “Are you sure about that?” A familiar person said in a sarcastic tone of voice, Caspian returned with a smirk on his face. “Do you think you’ll be able to pay for your daughter’s treatment now that you have no money?”Aiden was itching to throw a punch at him to wipe the sarcastic smile off his face but he restrained himself. “What did you do?”“Nothing much, just spoke to some people here, that’s all,” Then he burst into laughter. “Do you think I was simply going to let you off after what you did, it’s unfortunate that it’s a little girl’s life that’s on the line now. Tsk.”“I would take
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The detective would cough blood in anger if he heard how the old man referred to him. “Aiden Romanov. That’s my name” Aiden smiled, for years he had been searching for his true identity, even though he had limited means. “I’m Lorenzo Romanov, the CEO and chairman of Romanov conglomerate.” Aiden was stunned, he blinked his eyes a few times. Even though he didn’t watch the news, Aiden had heard a few things about the prestigious families in New York, with Romanov as the number one. “Cool right?” The old man laughed in happiness, seeing the stunned expression on his grandson’s face. “I guess that’s why he needs a lot of bodyguards.” Aiden thought out loud, seeing the darkened expression on Lorenzo’s face, he gasped. “Oops. I didn’t mean-”“You brat!” Lorenzo was fuming as he got to his feet. “Since I’ve found you, I can now retire to my private island and leave all the responsibilities to you.” The way Lorenzo’s expression could change in seconds amused Aiden. One minute he could be
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chapter 119
Aiden leaned over the table in the safehouse, his fingers tracing the map spread out before him. The docks, the industrial warehouses, and the surrounding areas were marked with pins and annotations. The intel about the upcoming shipment was either a trap or an opportunity. Either way, Aiden couldn’t ignore it. "Here’s the play," he began, his voice low but commanding. His team—James, Katarina, and the rest of the crew—listened intently. "We’ll let Orlov think we’re taking the bait. If it’s a real shipment, we hit it hard and cripple his supply chain. If it’s a trap, we spring it on our terms." Katarina crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "And how do we ensure it doesn’t blow up in our faces? Orlov’s not stupid—he knows you’ll come for this." Aiden met her gaze, his voice steady. "That’s why we don’t go for the shipment directly. We use decoys. James, you and a small team will run a fake assault on the main route. Make it loud enough to draw their attention." James nod
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The command center hummed with quiet efficiency. Monitors displayed live feeds from across the city: surveillance cameras, drone footage, and intercepted communications. Orlov paced in front of the largest screen, his mind whirring with strategy. The explosion at the docks had sent a clear message, but it wasn’t enough. Aiden Romanov had survived worse, and Orlov knew his opponent well enough to anticipate retaliation. He turned to Viktor, who was reviewing the list of assets and potential targets. "We need to force Romanov into a position where he can’t think clearly. Fear, Viktor, is the greatest weapon. And Romanov’s greatest fear lies not in losing a fight but in losing the people he loves." Viktor hesitated. "You mean Silvana and the child?" Orlov’s smirk was cold. "Precisely. They are his Achilles’ heel. Romanov thrives on control, and nothing shatters control like the threat of harm to those he holds dear."He motioned for one of his tech operatives to step forward. The
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The docks loomed ahead, shrouded in fog and silence. Aiden led his team through the maze of shipping containers, his senses heightened by the tension in the air. Every creak of the metal structures, every distant clang of a crane, felt amplified as if the night itself were holding its breath. “Comms check,” Aiden whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the distant waves. “All clear,” James responded, perched on a container with his laptop, hacking into the dock’s security feeds. “Moving into position,” Katarina added, her tone calm yet charged with anticipation. She was leading the diversion team to draw Orlov’s men away from the cargo ship. Aiden’s team consisted of himself, James, and Nikolai—though Aiden still harbored doubts about Nikolai’s loyalty. His gut told him to keep a close eye on the man, but for now, he needed every hand he could get. They reached the edge of the dock, where the cargo ship loomed like a dark behemoth. Its lights were dim, the shad
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Aiden stood in the war room, a somber expression on his face as he traced his finger over a map of Orlov’s known operations. The team gathered around him, their wounds still fresh from the recent ambush. The air was thick with tension, but it was laced with determination. “We’ve been on the back foot for too long,” Aiden began, his voice steady but laced with anger. “Orlov thinks he’s outplayed us, but this time, we’re going to be the ones setting the trap.” James leaned forward, his laptop open. “We’ve mapped out his network,” he said, pulling up a web of interconnected nodes. “This command center he lured us to—it’s not his primary base. He has a second, more fortified location near the docks.” Katarina crossed her arms, her sharp eyes scanning the map. “So, we hit the docks? Or is that another trap?” Aiden shook his head. “If Orlov is there, we can’t wait for confirmation. We’ll need to move with precision, but not without a plan to cover every possibility. We’re done walki
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Orlov paced the dimly lit chamber of his backup command center, the faint hum of machinery filling the air. His failure to trap Aiden at the warehouse had stung more than he was willing to admit. The man had always been resourceful, but this level of persistence, this sharpness, felt almost personal. His top lieutenant, Viktor, stood nearby, reviewing the aftermath reports. "They hit us hard, sir," Viktor said, his voice carefully measured. "We lost critical supplies and several high-ranking men. The team was swift and precise, like they knew our movements beforehand." Orlov's jaw tightened. "Of course, they knew," he muttered, his voice like venom. "Romanov has someone feeding him information. It's the only explanation." He slammed his fist onto the table, rattling the nearby monitors. "This ends now," he hissed. "Enough of these games. If Romanov wants to hunt me, I’ll make him regret it. We’ll hit him where it hurts most." Viktor hesitated. "What are you suggesting, sir?"
Chapter 114
Orlov was silent as he stared at the monitors in his command center. The live footage of the chaos caused by Aiden and his team flickered on the screens before him. His guards lay incapacitated, his carefully constructed defenses breached, and his lower-level systems compromised. The calm exterior he maintained belied the storm brewing beneath the surface.His lieutenant, Viktor, stood beside him, rigid and uneasy. “They’ve crippled our lockdown protocols,” Viktor said cautiously. “Our communications are exposed, and our tactical advantage has been diminished.”Orlov turned slowly, his cold eyes locking onto Viktor. “Diminished, but not lost,” he said, his voice icy yet calm. “Aiden Romanov and his merry band of fools have underestimated what happens when you provoke a wounded animal.”He leaned against the edge of the table, his fingers steepled in thought. The tension in the room was palpable as he calculated his next move. Then, with chilling resolve, he issued his commands.“Activ
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The room was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the glowing screens of laptops and tablets spread across the table. Aiden leaned forward, studying the holographic blueprint of Orlov’s command center. The building was a fortress, surrounded by high walls, multiple guard posts, and an advanced surveillance system. “This is insane,” Silvana said, her voice heavy with concern. “There’s no way we can get in without setting off every alarm in the city.” “We’re not going in through the front door,” Aiden replied, his tone resolute. “Orlov’s security is focused on keeping threats out, but every system has a weak point. We just have to find it.” Katarina, seated to his left, pointed to the blueprint. “What about the ventilation shafts? They’re narrow, but they could provide a way in.” “Too risky,” James said, his voice crackling through the comms. “Orlov’s likely installed motion sensors and heat detectors in the vents. You’d be caught before you made it ten feet.” Aiden
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The warehouse exploded in a fiery cascade, sending shockwaves through the surrounding industrial district. Aiden and his team were already several blocks away, hidden in the shadows of an abandoned alley. The force of the blast lit up the night sky, and the sound of sirens in the distance signaled the authorities were on their way. Aiden crouched behind a rusted dumpster, catching his breath. His heart pounded against his chest as he glanced at Silvana, who was busy wiping soot from her face. Katarina leaned against the wall, her expression grim, while Nikolai kept a wary eye on the road. “That was... louder than expected,” Silvana muttered, adjusting her comms. “It had to be,” Aiden replied, his voice steady but low. “We needed to send Orlov a message—and buy ourselves time.” Katarina let out a sharp breath, tossing her empty pistol magazine to the ground. “We sent a message, alright. But now Orlov knows we’re targeting his supply lines. He’ll retaliate, and it won’t be subtl
Chapter 111
Aiden paced back and forth in the dimly lit warehouse where Nikolai had parked the decoy truck. The air smelled of rust and oil, and the flickering fluorescent lights above cast long, restless shadows across the room. Silvana and Katarina stood nearby, sifting through the contents of the crates with grim determination. “This doesn’t add up,” Aiden muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Why would Orlov risk exposing these weapons just to throw us off? There has to be something we’re missing.” “He’s stalling us,” Katarina said, her voice sharp. She tapped the lid of one crate with the butt of her gun. “This whole thing is too clean. There’s no tracking, no additional intel—nothing that ties these weapons back to his bigger operations.” Silvana nodded, holding up what looked like a blueprint for the weapon designs. “These are prototypes. High-tech, yes, but not functional. Orlov’s pulling a bait-and-switch.” Nikolai, leaning against the truck, crossed his arms defensively. “
