Tiodor Lison sat at his office desk, his gaze fixed on the computer screen. Yesterday’s events had made one thing clear: his victory was assured. On the monitor, he once again reviewed the report on Libia Musso. It detailed every time the young woman had seen a psychologist. He had needed some money to dig deeper into her file, but it only confirmed what he had already suspected. “Depressive disorders, anxiety, all due to a disorganized attachment in childhood,” he read aloud. “Poor fool,” he thought to himself. But her problems weren’t his concern. He was there to carry out revenge, and pity wasn’t something that defined him. The sound of someone knocking on the door pulled him from his thoughts. “Come in,” he said gruffly. “Mr. Lison, Mrs. Madison has called again,” Sarah informed him, a mocking smile on her lips. “Ericka can go to hell,” he growled through clenched teeth. The woman in question was a stunning twenty-seven-year-old he had dated a few months ago. They had enjoy
Libia wiped away her tears; it was something she had already come to terms with in the past. There was nothing to gain from dwelling on it, much less torturing herself over it.“That doesn’t matter.”Tiodor exhaled, approached her, and kissed her on the lips. This time, unlike before, it was barely a touch, slow and soft. He wasn’t good with words, especially when it came to comforting someone. As they pulled apart, Libia felt lighter. This was the first time Tiodor had stayed in the room. She couldn’t resist the urge to curl up against his chest, even though her way of sleeping was a mess, tossing and turning all over the bed.The next morning, Lison left the room. Now that he knew the awful life Libia had endured, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the poor girl. He swore to himself he wouldn’t be such a bastard. Backing down was not an option; he had never been so close to fulfilling his revenge as he was now.On the other hand, Libia couldn’t deny the obvious. Her heart raced whe
Libia blinked several times. Was she dreaming? "What are you saying?" asked the man, impatient, as several minutes had passed, and he had received no answer. The young woman nodded. Was this guy asking her to be an accomplice in her aunt’s murder? "Good, now come here," he demanded. Libia hesitated for a moment. After a long while, Lison, with dilated pupils, approached her, grabbed her cheek forcefully, and pressed his lips against hers in an intense, demanding, deep kiss. He gave her the most mind-blowing sex she'd ever had. Her panties were damp, she tossed all caution aside, and surrendered to her captor again, with overwhelming desire, as if it were their first time. Three months later… Natalia recounted for the fifth time that day the last she knew about Libia Musso. Mr. Carson wasn’t a renowned investigator, but he fit their budget. Esteban, her husband, had taken a significant loan from his job, with the sole aim of finding Libia. “You must understand it’s been a long
Emily squinted. Was this really Tiodor Lison?"That woman must be special," she said, noticing the man's thoughtful expression."Stop talking nonsense. I'm just tired; I had a terrible day," he finally responded.She let out a small laugh."If you say so," she drawled, her red lipstick drawing the gaze of a few passersby.The dinner continued, and Emily shared how her day had gone at work. This time, Tiodor listened, though with an odd look in his eyes. She wiped the corner of her mouth."Do I have something on my face?" she asked seriously, pulling a small mirror from her handbag.Lison didn’t take his eyes off Emily's face, thoughtfully comparing her every gesture to Libia’s. After spending so much time with the woman, he realized her resemblance to his ex wasn’t just physical; they also shared similar attitudes, even the same sense of humor."Nothing.""Are you really okay?" Emily asked again, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, causing the charms on her bracelet to jingle."I
"I've already said I don't want to eat!" shouted Libia."I told you, you're not in charge. Now swallow the damn soup or I'll force it down your throat," Lison growled, firmly gripping the young woman's forearm."You're hurting me, let go," she struggled, not caring if she hurt herself."What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like a fool?" he released her and glared at her."Because I don't want to be here.""Tell me what's going on," he demanded, his patience gone."It's just..." she couldn't finish her sentence, her cheeks flushed. It was pathetic; she was the only one who could fall for a sadist."What?" he demanded, frowning and clenching his fists."You leave all day and keep me locked up with nothing to do," she responded.Tiodor closed the distance."I told you I'd let you out of here, but you don't follow my orders. Now tell me the truth, what the hell is going on!?""I already answered you; I'm not going to repeat myself, I'm not a parrot.""Your stupid, childish behavior i
Libia woke up in the middle of the night, surprised to find Tiodor lying next to her. She watched him for a few minutes; his peaceful expression and the soft whistle escaping from his nose made her smile. No one would ever guess that someone like him could look so serene. He was quite handsome, though in the past, not her type at all—she had always been drawn to men with softer features. Jerks disguised as princes. She bit her lip, her foolish heart pounding. "Why do I always choose wrong?" she wondered, feeling a sharp sting of regret. Her mind betrayed her again, clinging to the idea that Tiodor could change, that he would stop being that cruel, grumpy ogre, and that after kissing him, he would transform. She closed her eyes, silently calling herself an idiot.The next morning, Lison got out of bed. He wasn’t going to work that day, but his habit of waking up early was deeply ingrained. He glanced at Libia, who was still asleep with her mouth slightly open. He exhaled heavily, grabb
"In exchange for what?" Libia asked seriously, fiddling with her hands, unable to make eye contact with him."Your help in getting closer to Elena Musso.""You don’t need my help for that.""Yes, I do. She’s very clever, and my name raises alarms."Libia looked up, noticing that Lison’s face had twisted into a hateful scowl."What did she do to you?" she asked.Tiodor closed his eyes for a few seconds, debating whether to share something so personal."She killed someone very important in my life," he finally said, his jaw clenched.The memory of Tiodor’s wedding photo album flashed before Libia’s eyes, showing that beautiful woman with dark hair and green eyes."Your wife..." Libia said with a lump in her throat, struggling to believe her aunt could be such an evil person.Lison squinted at her."No," he replied dryly. "Why would you jump to such a ridiculous conclusion?""Because I know nothing. You keep me locked up, and all you ever say is to take my clothes off." Libia furrowed he
Libia accepted the proposal, as she had no other choice.Tiodor informed her that everything would be handled as a police rescue by the São Paulo authorities. He repeated to her hundreds of times what she was supposed to say:"You came to meet with me, but something came up. My secretary couldn't reach you, and your phone’s signal was lost since you were abroad. You left the restaurant, and some men approached you. When you woke up, you were in a room. They kept you locked up, waiting to take you out of the country. When you thought everything was over, one night the police stormed the house, rescued you, and immediately recognized you as Libia Musso, the girl who had been reported missing."Libia took a deep breath, recalling Lison’s instructions. At least she would return home. She looked around at the four walls that had once been her prison but had quickly come to feel like home. Outside, she felt uneasy, and ironically, here, she had found a sense of peace. Someone knocked on the