I was the only one who went with Ezekiel when he got taken by a rival syndicate for two years.

Two years of breathing wrong air, eating worse food, and pretending every single day wasn’t a setup waiting to happen. And I stayed. I always stayed.

I checked everything before he touched it. Food, drinks, rooms, people. I stood between him and men who smiled too much, men whose hands never stayed still. I learned how to read silence because that place was full of it, heavy and dangerous. When deals went bad, I stood there while guns were drawn, forcing myself not to flinch because if I moved, even a little, it could set everything off.

At night, when things got quiet, that was when it got worse.

He couldn’t sleep. He’d sit there, tense, like he was waiting for someone to kick the door in. So I stayed awake too. I sat across from him, or beside him, talking when he needed it, staying quiet when he didn’t. Sometimes he’d snap at me. Sometimes he’d just stare.

I never left.

Winter hit hard there too.

The heating barely worked, and the place felt like concrete and ghosts. His hands were always cold, so I’d warm them between mine without thinking. One night, he caught me doing it. His fingers tightened around mine, stopping me.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked, his voice rough, like he hadn’t used it in hours. “You don’t have to stay. You don’t have to go through this with me.”

I swallowed because my throat felt tight, but I still answered him.

“Because you’re here,” I said quietly. “And if you’re here… then that’s where I belong too.”

He looked at me like he didn’t understand, like I was speaking a language he’d never learned.

Then he let go of my hands, slowly.

“When we get out of this... I’ll make sure no one can touch you. You’ll be right under me. No one will dare look down on you again.”

I nodded like that was enough.

We got out. He took everything back and more. He didn’t just survive, he rose higher than anyone expected. He became the one people feared.

A mafia boss.

And me?

He kept me close. Still his assistant and bodyguard. Still at his side. He gave me money, clothes, a life that looked like something out of a dream if you didn’t look too closely.

People started whispering. Saying I was different. Saying I was next to something bigger.

I didn’t ask. I didn’t question.

I just stayed.

Until Cassandra came. His first love.

It was raining that day.

The kind that made the sky look like it was breaking apart. Thunder rolled so loud it felt like it was inside my chest.

She stood next to him, her hand resting lightly on his arm, her voice soft but sharp underneath.

“If you really love me, then make that assistant of yours kneel outside. Let her stay in the rain. Just one day and one night.”

I felt my chest tighten.

It sounded like a joke but he didn’t even hesitate.

“Fine,” he said.

Just that.

The guards didn’t wait. They dragged me out before I could even think, forcing me down onto the ground outside. The rain hit hard, soaking through everything in seconds. My knees slammed into wet concrete, and the cold seeped in fast, heavy, unforgiving.

Thunder cracked above me, loud enough to make me flinch.

And from inside, through the glass, I could still see their mouths forming words. Yes, I can read lips without hearing a sound.

Cassadra laughed softly, tilting her head toward him. “You actually did it? Just because I asked? Aren’t you spoiling me too much?”

“I can afford to,” he said. “If I want to give you something, I will.”

Rain ran down my face, mixing with something warmer, but I didn’t wipe it away.

I just stayed there.

Hours passed. Maybe more. I lost track.

My legs went numb, then started hurting again, like pins and needles turning into something deeper. My clothes clung to me, heavy and cold. Every time thunder hit, my body jerked, but I forced myself to stay still.

Then her voice came again, softer this time.

“Why do you even like me this much?” she asked. “I don’t think I’ve done anything for you.”

“I wasn’t always like this,” he said quietly. “Back then, I had nothing. No power, no backing. People walked over me like I didn’t exist. And you… you were the one who helped me. You gave me something, a bottle of medicine, when no one else did. I remember thinking… if I ever made it out, I’d give you everything. I’d make it up to you a hundred times over.”

I felt something in my chest twist.

Bottle of medicine?

That’s all it took?

I lowered my head, staring at the ground, watching the rain hit the pavement and splash back up. Then what about me? What about everything I did?

I stood in front of him when things went bad. I stayed when anyone else would’ve run. I gave up sleep, comfort, safety… everything. I built my whole life around making sure he stayed alive.

And this… this is what mattered?

The conversation inside the glass-walled lounge didn’t stop.

Even with the storm turning violent, thunder shaking the reinforced walls and rain hammering the steel frames, they kept talking like nothing outside existed. I was still on my knees in the yard, rain pouring over me in sheets, clothes soaked and dragging against my skin, my legs numb but still aching deep inside, like the pain had settled into the bone. And I could hear her, soft, careless, certain.

“So… are you really going to put me beside you like that?” Cassandra asked, almost amused. “Make it official? Let everyone know I’m the only woman tied to you?”

A short pause.

“Don’t worry about them,” he said. “In seven days, I’m calling everyone in. Inner circle, captains, all of them. I’ll settle accounts, reward loyalty. When that happens, just say what you want. I’ll back you in front of everyone. I’ll make it clear… you’re the only one who stands with me.”

My fingers twitched against the flooded ground. Seven days. So it was already decided.

“But what if Elowyn asks for that place too?” she continued, softer now. “She’s been with you for years. What if she uses that? Everything she’s done?”

My breath caught.

“That place is for the woman I love,” he said without hesitation. “Why would I give it to someone I don’t?”

Something inside me went quiet.

Then the sky split open. Thunder cracked so loud it felt like it hit right beside me, my body jerking on instinct that came too late. A sharp, splintering sound followed. I looked up just in time to see the old tree at the edge of the compound, struck clean through, the trunk blackened and splitting as it started to fall.

No.

No—

I tried to move, but my legs wouldn’t respond. The moment I pushed, I collapsed forward instead.

THUD!

The impact crushed the air out of me, branches pinning me down, something sharp digging into my side, my shoulder, and my back. Pain exploded all at once. I couldn’t breathe. I tried, but nothing came out right.

“Shit! The tree fell on her!”

“Is she dead?”

“That’s the boss’s assistant—”

The lounge door slid open, light cutting through the rain, and I saw him.

“Elowyn!” Ezekiel stepped out, his figure sharp against the glow behind him.

“Ezekiel! I don’t feel right, my head, I think I'm going to pass out—” Cassandra’s voice cut in, soft and then she fainted.

“Get a medic. Now.”

He moved to her, catching her before she could fall, lifting her as if she was something fragile, careful and urgent, then turned and walked back inside carrying her, leaving me. I lay in the rain, staring at nothing, the storm pouring over me as if it wanted to erase me completely.

So this is it?

The people around me didn’t move. I recognized them. Her people. They just stood there watching until someone laughed.

“Seriously? That’s the one who followed him for two years?”

“Yeah! Look at her now. So pathetic.”

“Thought she’d make it. What a joke.”

Something struck my forehead. A stone. Then another. I couldn’t even lift my arms to block it. Warm blood mixed with the rain, running into my eyes, blurring everything.

I tried to breathe, but it hurt too much. Everything hurts. Everything felt far away. The storm kept raging, the voices fading, the world dimming, and slowly everything went dark.

…

When I woke up again, everything felt… familiar in a way that hurt. Same side hall. Same ceiling. Same smell of antiseptic and expensive wood. For a second, I thought nothing had changed, like I was still the same person who moved through this place without thinking. Then I felt it, a cool touch on my forehead, careful, controlled. Someone was tending to me.

I forced my eyes open, slow and heavy, and the world came back blurry at first. Shapes. Shadows. Then it cleared just enough to see him. Ezekiel. Sitting right beside me. His fingers steady as he applied ointment to the cut on my forehead as if nothing had happened, like I hadn’t been left outside in a storm, crushed under a fallen tree while he carried someone else away.

My chest tightened.

Why… why is he here?

I turned my head away without thinking, trying to push myself up. Pain shot through me immediately, but I forced it down. “I’m fine,” my voice was rough and dry. “Boss… I can handle it myself.”

His hand stopped mid-air.

“When did you start talking to me like that?” he asked, low and edged with something I couldn’t name. “Since when are you this distant?”

Distant?

I almost laughed, but nothing came out. I lowered my gaze instead, hiding whatever was left in my eyes. “I just don’t want to cause trouble,” I said quietly. “If Cassandra sees this, she won’t like it. And I don’t want to make things harder for you.”

There was silence. I could feel him looking at me. Really looking. When I finally glanced up, he looked surprised just for a second. Then it was gone.

He set the ointment down slowly, expression turning cold again, “Elowyn. I didn’t come this far for power. I did it so I could stand next to Cassandra properly. So no one could take her from me.”

His words were steady. “In a week, there’s going to be a formal gathering. I’ll settle everything then. She wants exclusivity. She wants a life where she’s the only one. And I’m giving her that.”

I listened. Of course I did. What else could I do?

Then his eyes moved back to me.

“As for you…” he paused, like choosing something simple, “I can give you anything else. Money. Status. Protection. Even a place in my inner circle. But don’t ask for something I can’t give.”

Something I can’t give.

I opened my mouth. I don’t even know why. Maybe I wanted to say something stupid. Maybe nothing at all. But before I could, a voice came from outside the door.

“Boss, Miss Cassandra’s awake. She’s asking for you.”

That was all it took.

He stood immediately. “Take care of yourself,” he said, already walking out. “Don’t do anything reckless again.”

And then he was gone.

I stared at the empty doorway for a long time. I thought it would hurt more. But it didn’t, i just felt quiet.

I slowly closed my eyes. I never wanted to marry him anyway. He didn’t give me a place beside him, and I didn’t hate him for that. He left me out there in the storm for her, and I didn’t hate him for that either. Because none of that mattered.

What mattered was a week from now.

I lifted my hand slowly, pressing it against my chest, feeling the small shape hidden beneath my clothes. The pendant. Old, worn, but still warm somehow.

And just like that, I saw him again. Hunter Forrester. Ezekiel's older brother.

His face came back so clearly it almost hurt. That easy smile. That quiet confidence. The way he looked at me like I was… worth something. Ezekiel’s older brother. The second mafia prince of the syndicate. The one who was supposed to take everything before it all fell apart.

I was nothing when Hunter found me. Just a kid sold into this life, passed around, used, stepped on. I learned early not to fight back because it only made things worse. I kept my head down, did what I was told, endured whatever came.

Until one day…

They cornered me. A few of the older staff, smiling, cruel, and bored. I remember thinking… this is it. This is how it ends.

And then he walked in.

Hunter didn’t even raise his voice. He just looked at them, and that was enough. They backed off immediately, like they remembered who he was.

He came over to me after, “You alright?” he asked, voice softer than I expected.

I couldn’t answer. I just stared at him.

From that day on… he didn’t leave me alone. Not really. He’d bring me food from outside, things I’d never tasted. He’d check on me when I was sick, sometimes showing up with medicine before I even knew I needed it. He never made it loud. He just… stayed.

And somewhere along the way, I started waiting for him. I didn’t even notice when it turned into something more. But I knew. We both knew. Even if we never said it out loud.

Because what was the point?

He was who he was.

And I was… this.

Still, one night, he held my hand. “Wyna, wait for me, okay? I’ll make a name for myself. I’ll earn it properly. And when I do… I’ll come back and ask for you. The right way.”

I believed him.

I waited. Day after day. Year after year.

And then the news came.

He died.

Gone in some deal that turned into a war. No body. No closure. Nothing left except words.

My world didn’t shatter. It just stopped.

But I remembered what I told him. That no matter what happened, I’d still be his.

In life.

Or in death.

That was when I heard it.

Ezekiel was going to be sent into enemy territory again, part of a larger mafia negotiation between families, a hostage move, nothing new in this world. But to me… it wasn’t just politics. It was a door, a thin, shaking door I could finally push open.

He wasn’t favored, not really. Third prince, lowest in standing because of his mother’s background, always treated like he was replaceable. But I knew better. I had seen him close enough. He wasn’t weak. He just hadn’t been given the chance to become dangerous yet.

And I gambled everything on that. If he rose… I could reach my own end too. So I followed him. Not because I was loyal, but because I was desperate and I won.

He did rise.

Ezekiel became the head of everything. Mafia boss. Untouchable. The kind of man people whispered about instead of speaking to directly.

And now there was going to be a formal gathering where he rewarded everyone who helped him get here. That was my moment. Not for power. Not for status. I didn’t want to stand beside him. I didn’t want his world. I wanted something else entirely.

I would kneel in front of him and ask for one thing only. An official order. A legal recognition that I could marry Hunter. Even if Hunter was dead. Even if the world moved on. Let me be recorded as his wife. Let me enter his family name properly. Let me belong to him in life and death, just like I promised.

Was that too much to ask?

I didn’t think so. For once… I felt warm thinking about it, like maybe everything I suffered wasn’t just pointless.

Then reality pulled me back.

Reed came to me.

“Miss Elowyn,” he said carefully. “Boss didn’t really eat tonight. He said his stomach’s acting up again and… he wants the soup you used to make.”

I froze for a second.

That soup.

I remembered it too clearly. Back when Ezekiel was still sent out as a hostage in enemy territories, when everything around him was unstable and he couldn’t eat anything without getting sick. I used to cook it for him every day because nothing else stayed down in his system.

Over time, it became a habit. No, worse than that. Dependence. He stopped accepting it from anyone else. Only me. Only my hands.

So I sighed quietly and forced myself up even though my body still felt heavy. My legs were sore, my head dull, but I didn’t argue. I went to the small kitchen and made it. Same recipe. Same steps. Same silence.

While stirring the pot, I thought, is this all I am now? A memory he refuses to let go of? Or just something useful?

When it was done, I held the bowl carefully and was about to hand it to Reed, but he shook his head.

“You should take it yourself,” he said. “He won’t accept it from me anyway. Boss has always been like that. He relies on you for things he doesn’t even notice. Miss Cassandra… it’s different now, but maybe he’s just confused. Maybe he’ll realize soon…”

I didn’t listen to the rest. I just tightened my grip on the bowl.

“I don’t care,” I said softly. “I don’t care who he chooses.”

And I meant it.

I walked toward his room and stopped in front of the door. My hand hovered for a second. My chest felt tight, but it shouldn’t have. So I pushed it open anyway.

And I froze.

Inside, Ezekiel was there, not alone. Cassandra was in his arms, her hair slightly messy, her clothes half undone, and his mouth was on hers like nothing else in the world existed outside that moment.

It wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t accidental. It was real.

I stood there, holding the soup, completely still.

The door barely opened before everything changed.

Cassandra jolted and she quickly pulled herself closer into Ezekiel’s arms, clinging to him as if I was some kind of threat that had just walked in uninvited.

Then she pointed at me.

“You—!”