MATURE

Life hasn’t been kind to me. One moment, I was a carefree eighteen-year-old with dreams of a bright future. The next, I was a 28 year old lady and my world went up in flames. literally. My mom died in the fire that destroyed our home, my little sister is in a coma, and my brother’s in jail for trying to keep us afloat. My dad? He left us drowning in debt and despair.

I thought I’d hit rock bottom, but then I found myself working in a place where dreams go to die, doing things I never imagined just to survive. That’s when he walked into my life, Alex Romanov. Dangerous. Mysterious. And entirely out of my league.

He’s everything I should fear, but there’s something about him that draws me in. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m more than just another broken soul. Or the way he makes me feel alive when I thought I’d forgotten how.

But Alex has secrets, dark ones that could destroy us both. And as my past collides with his world, I’m left wondering: Can I trust the man who’s slowly stealing my heart, or will his darkness swallow me whole?

This isn’t the life I wanted, but it’s the one I’ve been given.

I glanced over at Luca, who was staring out the window, his expression unreadable, but I could tell he was waiting for me to say something. I cleared my throat, trying to shake off the thoughts that had been swirling around in my head.


"Luca," I said, my voice steady but firm, "take us to Midas's palace."


Luca glanced at me, his eyebrows raised in surprise, but he quickly nodded and turned the steering wheel, guiding the car through the winding streets. Midas's palace wasn't just any place, it was my fashion house, a massive building that was both a symbol of power and luxury in this city. It was where everything about beauty took place: from couture clothing to makeovers.


Chapter 52 - It's mine