Frida's library

♠️Shadows of Desire 📌

[ His obsession. His fire ]

Genre: Billionaire romance

Tags: mafia, forbidden love, power, wealth, billionaire, revenge, betrayal, kidnap.

Written by: Chacha tren.

Warning: No part of this book should be copied, published else where without my permission or Authorization.

💘 Chapter 11 💘 12 💘

But before she could respond, a knock sounded on her door. "Ariella". Her father's voice called, firm and commanding. Panic jolted through her.

She shoved the phone beneath her pillow, forcing her voice steady. "Yes?" The door creaked open, and the senator stepped inside. He studied her carefully, his eyes sweeping the room before resting on her face. "You've been distracted," he said quietly. "Different."

She swallowed hard. "I'm just tired."

He stepped closer, his presence suffocating. "You know i would do anything to protect you. Which means i need the truth, Ariella. Who have you been with?"

Her breath caught. He knows. He doesn't have proof, but he knows. ''i__i told you, no one."

His gaze hardened. He reached into his jacket, pulling out a small black device___a phone. Her phone. Her blood ran cold. "I had it checked," the senator said, his voice razor _sharp.

"Encrypted messages. A number i don't recognize. Care to explain?"

Ariella's stomach twisted, the world tilting beneath her. Her father had her secret in his hands.

And for the first time, she realized the cage she lived in wasn't just gilded__it was unbreakable.

Ariella's heart thudded violently against her ribs as her father held up her phone like a damning piece of evidence. "I asked you a question, Ariella," senator Charles said, his voice calm but edged with steel. "Who have you been speaking to?"

She fought to keep her face composed. ''it's just....a friend. Someone from school."

"School?", His eyes narrowed. "Then why hide the number? Why encrypt your conversations?"

Her throat tightened. "Because you monitor everything i do."

The words slipped out sharper than she intended, and instantly she regretted them. The senator's gaze darkened. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You think i don't have reason to? You carry the Montgomery name.

Every choice you make reflects on me. On this family?"

Ariella clenched her fists at her sides, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. Don't let him see your fear. "It's no one important," she whispered

He studied her in silence, the air in the room heavy and suffocating.

For a moment, she thought he might strike her with his words, or worse, his silence.

Then slowly he placed the phone on her desk. "I'll find out,"he said coldly. "Whoever this person is, whatever game you're playing___i will uncover it. And when i do, God help them."

Her blood froze.

He turned to leave, his shoes clicking against the polished floor. At the door, he paused and looked back, his eyes sharp as glass. "Don't mistake my love for weakness, Ariella. Everything i do....is to protect you. Remember that."

The door shut, and she collapsed onto her bed, her whole body trembling. She waited until the sound of his footsteps faded before grabbing her phone.

Her fingers flew across the screen. "He has my phone. He knows something. Dominic, what do i do?"

Minutes stretched like hours, finally the reply came. "Stay calm. Don't admit anything. I'll fix this."

She bit her lip hard, tears burning her eyes. How could he fix this? Her father wasn't just a politician__he was a man who thrived on control. Who destroyed anyone who dared challenge him.

And if he ever learned the truth......Her phone buzzed again. "Meet me tomorrow. Same place. Midnight."

Her pulse quickened. It was reckless. Dangerous. But the thought of seeing him again was the only thing that steadied her trembling hands.

••••

The next day crawled by in agonizing slowness.

Ariella played the dutiful daughter, sitting through her father's meetings, smiling politely at his colleagues, pretending nothing was wrong. But she felt his eyes on her constantly, sharp and probing, as if he were dissecting her every breath.

By evening, she was suffocating. When the estate finally settled into silence, she slipped into a simple black coat and tucked her phone into her pocket.

Her heart hammered as she crept down the hall, her shoes barely making a sound. But just as she reached the side door, a voice cut through the stillness. "Going somewhere?"

Ariella froze.

Her cousin brother, Marcus leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed. His smirk was infuriating, but his eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"Out for a walk," Ariella said quickly.

"At midnight?",he raised a brow. "Come on, Ariella. I'm not stupid."

She swallowed, panic tightening her throat. "Don't tell father."

Marcus tilted his head, studying her. "Depends. What's in it for me?"

Her hands clenched at her sides. "What do you want?"

He grinned. "I don't know yet. But when i do, you'll owe me."

Ariella's stomach twisted. But she had no choice. She nodded, pushing past him into the night.

To be continued. You people should please drop your thoughts. Like, share, comment.

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♠️Shadows of Desire 📌

[ His obsession. His fire ]

Genre: Billionaire romance

Tags: mafia, forbidden love, power, wealth, billionaire, revenge, betrayal, kidnap.

Written by: Chacha tren.

Warning: No part of this book should be copied, published else where without my permission or Authorization.

💘 Chapter 9 💘 10 💘

Finally, she broke the silence.

Those men....they knew who i was. My father's daughter. Dominic's grip on the wheel tightened. Of course they did.

The senator's name carries weight in this city. "That's why i told you this was dangerous."

She bit her lip. "Then maybe we should__"

"Don't say it,"he cut her off, his voice sharp.

Her head snapped toward him. "What?"

"Don't tell me we should stop seeing each other. Don't pretend you want to walk away. " His eyes flicked to her, dark and burning. "Because we both know you won't."

Her pulse stumbled. She turned to the window, unable to deny the truth. When the car stopped outside her estate, Dominic killed the engine but didn't move to open the door. Instead he leaned back, studying her with an unreadable expression.

"Go inside," he said quietly. "Be the perfect daughter again. Pretend you weren't with me tonight."

Her heart twisted. "And if i don't want to pretend?"

His hand brushed her cheek, rough knuckles against soft skin. "Then you'll end up destroyed. And I'll be the one who ruins you."

Their faces were inches apart, the air thick with everything they hadn't said.

For a moment, Ariella thought he might kiss her. She wanted him to. Needed him to.

But Dominic pulled back first, jaw tight, eyes stormy. "Good night, princess."

The word burned into her as she slipped from the car, her legs unsteady.

Inside the estate, the walls felt colder than ever. And lying awake in her bed hours later, Ariella realized something terrifying.

Her father's world was a cage. Dominic's world was fire. And she was walking willingly into the flames.

••••

The morning sun poured through the high windows of the senator's estate, gilding the marble floors in golden light. She sat at the long dining table, staring blankly at her untouched breakfast.

She hadn't slept. Not really. Everytime she closed her eyes, she saw Dominic's bloodied hands, heard the echo of his words. *Because the thought of you walking out of my life feels worse than any bullet aimed at me*.

Her heart still fluttered at the memory__and sank with fear at what it meant.

"Late night, sweetheart?", the voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Her father, senator Charles Montgomery, folded his newspaper and set it aside.

His sharp eyes__always calculating, always watching__fixed on her. Ariella forced a smile. "Just.... studying."

He arched a brow. "Studying? At the library, i suppose?"

"Yes", the lie rolled too easily off her tongue.

The senator leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled. "Funny. I called your driver to check, and he told me.... you dismissed him yesterday evening."

A chill ran down her spine. "I__i wanted some air. Went for a walk."

His eyes narrowed. "A walk. In this city. Alone."

Ariella looked down quickly, hiding the tremor in her hands as she gripped her coffee cup. *Don't give yourself away. Don't let him see.

Her father studied her in silence, the weight of his gaze unbearable. Then finally he said, "Be careful, Ariella. The Montgomery name makes you a target. I won't have my daughter wandering into danger."

She nodded, throat tight. "I understand".

But even as the conversation ended, she knew he wasn't convinced.

••••

Ariella walked through the manicured gardens of the estate, phone clutched tightly in her hand. She shouldn't text him. Shouldn't risk it.

But the need to hear from Dominic gnawed at her like an ache that wouldn't fade. Her screen lit up with a single message. "Are you safe?.

Her breath caught. She typed back quickly. *Yes. But my father is suspicious.

The reply came almost instantly. *Then we need to be smarter. No risks. No mistakes.

Her fingers hesitated before she typed. *Does that mean we stop seeing each other?*
The typing dots appeared.....then vanished. For a long moment, there was no answer.

Finally it did. "It means I'll come for you when it's worth the risk.

Ariella closed her eyes, her chest tightening. Even when he tried to be distant, his words pulled her deeper.

√√√

At evening, a formal dinner gathered political allies in the estate's grand hall. Crystal chandeliers sparkled over head. Laughter and conversation filling the air.

Ariella sat at her father's right hand, smiling politely at guests while her mind drifted elsewhere. A family friend leaned toward her. "You're glowing tonight, Ariella. New romance, perhaps?"

Her cheeks flushed. "No, nothing like that."

Her father's gaze sharpened instantly, cutting through the table chatter like a knife.

Ariella forced herself to sip her wine, ignoring the heat creeping up her neck. Through out the evening, she felt his eyes on her__watching, assessing, dissecting every nervous flicker of her expression.

When the guests finally left and silence settled over the estate, Ariella retreated to her room.

She pressed her back against the door, exhaling shakily. Her phone buzzed again from Dominic.

I shouldn't have let you go last night. I should have kept you with me.

Her fingers trembled as she typed back. "And then what? What would we be now?"

His answer came, "Addicted. Both of us".

Her heart flipped, heat rushing to her cheeks. She sank onto her bed, clutching the phone like a life line.

But before she could respond, a knock sounded on her door. "Ariella".

To be continued....

♠️Shadows of Desire 📌

[ His obsession. His fire ]

Genre: Billionaire romance

Tags: mafia, forbidden love, power, wealth, billionaire, revenge, betrayal, kidnap.

Written by: Chacha tren.

Warning: No part of this book should be copied, published else where without my permission or Authorization.

💘 Chapter 7 💘 8 💘

Respect . Fear . Loyalty. Dominic placed a guiding hand at the small of her back, his touch steady, protective. "Stay close."

Her pulse raced. She obeyed. They slid into a private booth, tucked away in the shadows. Dominic poured her a drink without asking, sliding the glass toward her.

You really shouldn't bring me here,"she said, her voice low.

You wanted to see me,"he replied. "Now you do."

She stared at him across the table, the faint light catching the sharp planes of his face. "Why me, Dominic? Really. Why risk this?"

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Because you make me forget."

Her breath caught. "Forget what?"

"The blood. The oaths. The things I've done and can never take back." His voice was raw, the mask slipping for a moment. "When I'm with you, i remember I'm still human."

Silence hung between them, thick with unspoken truths. Ariella's chest tightened. "You think that makes it easier for me? To know you've done things that would horrify me?

His gaze was unflinching. "I never promised you safety, Ariella. Only honesty."

She swallowed hard, her throat dry. And yet, instead of recoiling, she found herself leaning in. "Then be honest. What do you want from me?"

Dominic's hand slip across the table, brushing against hers. The touch was electric, searing. "I want everything i shouldn't," he whispered.

Her lips parted, her heart pounding so loud she was certain he could hear it. But before she could answer, the bar's door slammed open. A man stumbled in, shouting Dominic's name. "Veyron! We've got trouble!"

The music cut. Conversations hushed. All eyes turned to Dominic. He rose instantly, his presence shifting__no longer just the man who whispered forbidden words to her, but the underboss, the predator.

What is it?,"his voice snapped like a blade. The man's face was pale.

Rivals. They're outside. Armed.

Ariella's blood turned to ice. Dominic's eyes flicked to her, dark and unreadable. "Stay here." Her voice trembled. "Dominic__"

He cut her off, his hand gripping hers for one fierce second. "I'll come back for you."

Then he was gone, striding into the storm waiting beyond the door. And Ariella, left in the shadows of his world, realized she wasn't just falling for him. She was already in too deep.

****

The muffled sound of shouting seeped through the bar's heavy doors. Ariella sat frozen in the booth, her drink untouched, her pulse pounding so hard she thought the whole room could hear it.

The speak easy's chatter hard died, the crowd now whispered nervously. Their eyes flicking toward the entrance where Dominic had vanished. Every second stretched like an eternity.

She gripped the edge of the table, tighting the urge to run after him. *Stay here, he had said. But how could she sit still knowing danger lurked. Just outside? The door burst open again. Two men dragged in. someone bleeding from the shoulder, tossing him onto the floor.

A chorus of curses followed. Ariella gasped, her stomach twisting at the sight of blood. One of the suited men glanced her way, recognition. Sparkling in his eyes. He smirked. "Well, well.... Dominic brought a guest tonight?"

Ariella's breath hitched. She tried to shrink back into the shadows, but the man stepped closer. "Pretty thing like you doesn't belong here,"he sneered. "Wonder if the senator knows where his little girl's spending her nights.

Her blood turned to ice. He knows who i am. Before she could reply, the sound of heavy footsteps filled the room. Dominic stormed back inside, flanked by his men. His shirt was undone at the collar, his knuckles bloodied, but his eyes burned with lethal calm.

"Step away from her,"Dominic said, his voice deadly quiet. The man chuckled, though his bravado faltered under Dominic's stare.

"Relax, Veyron. Just making conversation." Dominic closed the distance in three strides, seizing the man by the throat and slamming him against the wall. Glass rattled. The bar fell silent.

"If you so much as breathe in her direction again, then you'll be nothing but a memory,"Dominic growled.

The man gagged, nodding furiously. Dominic released him with a shove, and he crumpled to the ground. Dominic turned then his gaze softening the instant it landed on Ariella. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head quickly, though her hands still trembled. "No. Just..... scared."

He exhaled sharply, raking a hand through his hair. "I told you to stay in the booth for a reason. This isn't your fight."

Her voice wavered. "But I'm in it now, aren't i? Just by being here ".

Their eyes locked, the truth hanging heavy between them. She wasn't just an outsider anymore__she was tethered to his world whether she liked it or not.

Dominic sat beside her, his bloodied hand covering hers on the table. The contrast of warmth and roughness sent a jolt up her arm. "You shouldn't be here,"he murmured. "Every instinct in me says to push you away, to let you go before this gets worse."

Her chest ached. "Then why don't you?"

His thumb brushed her knuckles, gentle despite the violence still etched into his skin. "Because the thought of you walking out of my life feels worse than any bullet aimed at me."

Ariella's breath caught, her throat tight. "You can't say things like that."

"It's the truth."

The weight of his confession pressed down on her, terrifying and intoxicating all at once. She should have stood. She should have left.

But instead, she whispered. "What happens now?"

Dominic's jaw clenched. "Now, i take you somewhere safe.

Minutes later

They were back in his car, the city lights flashing by in silence. Ariella stared at his profile__the cut of his jaw, the faint bruise forming along his temple.

He looked untouchable, unshakable, and yet she'd seen the flicker of vulnerability in him when he looked at her.

TBC.

Good evening Dearies.

Sorry i couldn't post tonight... due to work. Expect a chapter tomorrow.

Happy holy Saturday and happy Easter in advance

Big shout out to my new rising fans! Mhlongo Phaphama Nolwazi, Alabi Joke

Hi.

I'm not happy with the way you people acting towards this story.... You guys just read and leave the page without dropping any Comments. Likes. Shares. No page review.

It's not encouraging at all. After spending my time. energy. to write... type and post, then nothing to show for it.

Maybe i should stop writing on Facebook.... Right? That way i won't be pleading with you guys every now and then to do the needful.

I'm really sad😭😭😭😭😭😭

Big shout out to my newest top fans! Zainab Alabi, Charity Chidinma, Oluwa Toyosi, Sibongiseni Malunga, Joseph Njoroge, Rejoice Adams, Adeola Bashorun, Favour Victor, Haryo Mhidey, Sanusi Amoo Samusideen, Sekgwari QueenBee Bridget, Dominica Rufina, Pinky Stra, Happy Anwuli

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Happy new month of April

CRYSTAL'S 😍😍

♠️Shadows of Desire 📌

[ His obsession. His fire ]

Genre: Billionaire romance

Tags: mafia, forbidden love, power, wealth, billionaire, revenge, betrayal, kidnap.

Written by: Chacha tren.

Warning: No part of this book should be copied, published else where without my permission or Authorization.

💘 Chapter 5 💘 6 💘

A fight broke out at one of Veyron's clubs. Police were called, though conveniently, no charges were filed. Tell me, Ariella___why would my daughter's car be spotted near there?"

Her chest constricted. "I__i was just passing through."

Don't lie to me," his voice cracked like a whip.

Silence fell.

Her heart thudded against her ribs. Her father's eyes narrowed, calculating. "Dominic Veyron is not someone you want to be associated with. He's dangerous. His family is poison. And if you're smart, you'll stay far away from him."

Her lips parted, but no words came.

He continued, his tone icy. "Do you know what it would do to my campaign if people thought my daughter was involved with a man like him? The media would tear us apart. Everything I've built would crumble. Do you understand?"

Yes, father," she whispered,her hands trembling beneath the table. But inside her mind raced. Everything you've built....not me. Not my life. Always yours.

He folded his paper neatly, his voice calm again, almost pleasant. "Good. Because if i ever hear Dominic Veyron's name from your lips again, Ariella, I'll make sure he disappears. Do i make myself clear?"

Her blood ran cold. It wasn't an empty threat. Her father had power__connections in law enforcement, in government, even whispers of dealings in the dark. He could ruin Dominic with a phone call. Or worse.

Yes, father," she forced out.

***

Later that day, she wandered through the garden, needing air, space, anything but the suffocating walls of the mansion. She gripped the marble railing of the terrace, her mind replaying her father's words. Stay away from him, he's dangerous.

But wasn't my father dangerous too? A soft buzz broke her thoughts. She pulled her phone from her clutch. A new message flashed across the screen. Unknown number," You left without saying goodbye."

Her heart jumped. She knew who it was. Her fingers hovered, trembling before she typed back. " I shouldn't be talking to you.'

The reply came almost instantly." And yet, you're.'

Her lips curved despite herself. She typed again. "My father warned me about you."

Good. He's right to. I'm not the man you should want, princess," Dominic texted back.

Her pulse quickened at the word, princess. He said it like he owned the right to call her that.

Then why did you bring me to your home? , she typed.

A pause this time. Then.

Because i couldn't let you walk away," he texted.

Her breath caught. The garden around her blurred. For the first time all day, she felt alive again. Another message buzzed. "Meet me. Tonight.

Her chest tightened. Her father's voice echoed in her head, sharp and commanding. And yet,......her fingers typed before she could stop them. "Where?"

****

She stood before her mirror, slipping into a simple black dress that clung to her curves. Not a gala gown, not something her father had chosen. This was hers.

As she adjusted her lipstick, her reflection stared back___uncertain, trembling, but undeniably drawn toward danger. Her phone buzzed again. "I'll send a car."
She exhaled, pressing her hand against her racing heart. Her father's cage was closing tighter, but for once in her life she wanted to know what it felt like to break free__even if it meant falling straight into the fire.

The car pulled up to a quiet corner of the city, far from the glittering mansions and political halls she had grown up in. When the driver opened the door, the smell of rain__soaked asphalt and smoke filled her senses.

Her heels clicked nervously on the pavement. She hugged her coat tighter, glancing around at the narrow alley lit only by neon signs. This wasn't her world. She should've turned back. And then she saw him.

Dominic leaned against the sleek black car parked at the alley's end, a cigarette glowing faintly between his fingers. His dark suit looked out of place here, yet he owned the shadows around him as if the city itself bent to his presence.

You came," he said, exhaling smoke, his voice low, rough around the edges.

Her breath caught. "I shouldn't have."

No," he agreed, flicking the cigarette to the ground and crashing it beneath his polished shoe. "But i knew you would."

She frowned. "You sound so sure of yourself."

I am," he said simply, taking a step closer. "Because you're as reckless as i am, princess. Maybe even more."

Her heart thudded. "Don't call me that."

His lips curved. "Why not? It suits you. A caged princess who doesn't realize she wants to burn the kingdom down."

She shivered, though not from the cold. "My father would kill me if he knew i was here."

His eyes darkened. "Then he doesn't get to know." He reached for her hand, pulling her gently toward the car. For a moment, she hesitated, then she let him lead her.

Inside, the city lights blurred past as he drove. She tried to steady her breathing, but the silence was unbearable. Then she asked, where are you taking me? Breaking it.

He smirked, eyes flicking toward me. "Relax. I'm not about to throw you in a dungeon."

"That's not funny."

"Who said i was joking?"
Her glare made him chuckle, a low sound that curled through her chest.

***

Minutes later, the car stopped in front of a hidden bar tucked between abandoned warehouses. No sign, no neon__just a steel door guarded by a man who looked like he could snap bones with a single hand.

Dominic," she whispered, clutching his sleeve. "What's this place?"

My world," he said simply. Then softer, "Don't be afraid."

The guard opened the door at Dominic's nod, and she stepped into a dimly lit speak easy. Jazz music drifted from a corner, mingling with laughter and the clinking of glasses. The air smelled of smoke and whiskey.

People glanced up as they entered__men in Sharp suits, women in glittering dresses__but quickly looked away again.

TBC.
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