"Never underestimate the wrath of a man who owns everything… including you."
"Who let me exist yesterday?"
My eyes cracked open like someone was stabbing light directly into my skull.
Headache. Death. Regret. Everything at once.
I groaned and dragged the duvet over my face.
Why was my head pounding like village drummers were practicing inside it?
I tried to remember yesterday.
Humiliation at the D'Angelo dinner.
Kieran standing up for me.
Me drinking whiskey to "prove a point."
Everything else was foggy.
Then I sat up.
And I froze.
My red dress from the gala was on the floor — rumpled, squeezed, wrinkled like it fought for its life.
My bra?
Thrown somewhere near the couch like it was tired of being responsible.
My panties?
…Bestie, I couldn't even find them at first.
My heart dropped.
"What the f… happened last night?" I whispered, my voice tiny.
For a second my entire soul LEFT my body.
Did Kieran—?
No. No way.
Kieran wouldn't…
But then again—
Before my brain could combust, everything from last night started rushing back in small, humiliating pieces.
Me singing at the top of my lungs.
Me diving into the fountain like a possessed mermaid.
Me telling Kieran I was hot and trying to take my dress off.
Me tugging the strap down.
Me… begging him for d..ck.
"Oh my God." I grabbed my hair with both hands.
"OH MY GOD, AURIIIIELLEEEE WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
I facepalmed myself until my hands hurt.
I actually took off my own lingerie.
I was the one undressing.
I was the one pressing my chest on him.
I was the one begging.
My life ended today.
Then another memory hit me so hard I almost passed out:
Me in the car… telling Kieran about the maid who called me a whore.
I slapped my hand over my mouth.
Oh no.
OH no no no no—
Kieran.
The man who threatened his entire family last night.
The man who doesn't tolerate anyone breathing wrong around me.
I told HIM about that maid?!
"He's going to kill her…" I whispered, horrified.
Yes, she called me a whore.
Yes, she was rude.
But still—
No one deserves Kieran-treatment over that.
I buried my face into the pillow and groaned loudly.
A knock snapped me out of my self-loathing.
I scrambled under the duvet so fast I almost broke the bed frame.
"Come in!" I squeaked.
A maid walked in — not the rude one — holding folded clothes.
"Good morning, Mrs. D'Angelo," she said with a polite bow. "Mr. D'Angelo asked me to wake you. He wants you downstairs immediately. You need to get ready."
My heart collapsed into my stomach.
Oh God.
He called for me.
Meaning he was awake.
Meaning he remembered everything too.
Meaning today was about to be a disaster.
I swallowed hard, still wrapped like a traumatized burrito under the duvet.
"Um… okay," I whispered.
My head was pounding.
My dignity was dead.
And Kieran D'Angelo wanted to see me.
Perfect.
Just perfect.
The staircase felt longer than usual, like every step was dragging me closer to my own execution. Two maids trailed behind me—quiet, stiff, acting like escorts marching a prisoner to court. My palms were sweating. My heartbeat? Loud enough to expose me.
When we reached the hall, I froze.
Kieran was sitting on the largest chair I had ever seen—no, throne—one leg crossed over the other like a king who already knew the verdict of a crime I hadn't even confessed to. His men lined the walls. The maids formed perfect rows. All of them… bowing.
Every single one.
My stomach dropped. Oh God.
That's when I realized the real reason behind this sudden gathering. It wasn't just discipline. It wasn't just authority.
It was punishment.
And then I saw her—the lemon-faced maid. The one who called me a wh..re. The one who dragged her mouth like she was sucking on bitter leaf. She was shaking. Actually trembling like a faulting generator. She couldn't even lift her head.
I swallowed. This was bad. Very bad.
Kieran's gaze slid to me, slow and dangerous like heat crawling over my skin.
"Wifey. Come here."
His voice echoed across the hall.
I swear my knees forgot how to function. I staggered forward, feeling every pair of eyes on me. They didn't see Aurielle Duval. No, they saw the woman their boss was obsessed with. And that was somehow even worse.
When I reached him, I tried to stand at a respectful distance, whispering, "Kieran, please—"
But that man only smirked. The devil would learn from him.
"Please what, hmm?" he asked softly, that mocking tone wrapping around my fear.
I barely had time to blink before his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist.
"Kieran—!"
He dragged me onto his lap like I weighed nothing. One hand locked tight around my waist. His body was solid, warm, intoxicating. My face burned instantly.
In front of the guards.
In front of the maids.
In front of her.
My breath got stuck in my throat. His fingers dug into my waist possessively, like he wanted everyone to see exactly who I belonged to.
"Kier—Kieran," I hissed quietly, mortified, unable to meet anyone's gaze.
But he leaned in, lips brushing my ear.
"Let them watch."
His voice dipped dangerously.
"They need to understand who their queen is."
My stomach dropped. Queen? No. Survivor, maybe. Terrified, definitely.
Then he cleared his throat. The air shifted. Sterling, his right-hand, was at his side, like a statue carved from ice. All eyes on Kieran.
"From now on," Kieran said, voice cold and precise, "since I've never introduced her properly… this lady is my wife."
All the guards and maids… their eyes widened. But nobody dared make a sound.
Except the lemon-faced maid, who gasped.
Kieran's dark gaze landed on her like a predator.
"She's your new Donna," he continued, scanning each of them, landing again on the culprit. "And I won't tolerate any disrespect. Anyone who calls her names will answer to me."
I whispered, panicked, pressing my hand against his chest. "K-Kieran, please…"
He didn't flinch. He rose slightly, easing me to my feet.
"Go on," he commanded, the smirk crawling over his face like a promise of chaos. "Go. Touch her."
I stiffened. My feet felt like they were glued to the floor. "No… Kieran, please—" I whispered, panic rising in my throat. "This isn't right—"
But his hand nudged me forward. The world slowed down. Every step I took felt heavy, deliberate, like time itself was holding its breath with me.
Passing the guards and maids, all eyes on me, I approached her. The maid, sensing her doom, shrank back, her lips trembling. My chest ached with conflicting fear and disbelief.
"Is that her?" Kieran's voice was low, quiet, but the power behind it made it impossible to ignore.
I swallowed, my throat dry. "K-Kieran… this isn't right…"
The maid dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face, hands clutching my leg. "I… I didn't know… I didn't know who she was… I didn't know… Please, Donna… have mercy. Please… I'll never—never speak like that again!"
I opened my mouth to argue, to tell Kieran to stop, but his eyes were fixed on me, and I could feel the storm behind them. I froze.
"Of course it won't happen again," he said, voice a low rumble that made my chest ache. "And whoever started this mistake… won't get the chance to do it again."
My breath caught. The room seemed to shrink around me. Before I could move, the doors burst open and two massive men dragged in two women. My heart dropped as I realized—these were the maid's family. Her mother, her sister, both on their knees, screaming, begging.
"K-Kieran, no! Please!" I shouted, desperate, hands trembling as I reached toward them. "Please don't—don't do this! It's just a word! It doesn't—"
Kieran's smirk didn't falter. "You'll watch," he murmured, voice cold. "You'll see exactly what happens to anyone who dares disrespect what belongs to me."
The first gunshot cracked the air. My scream froze in my throat. Blood splattered across the marble floor. I couldn't move. My legs locked, my eyes wide. The second shot followed almost instantly. Both women collapsed, lifeless, before I even had a chance to process what happened.
I wanted to vomit. To scream. My chest heaved. And then… he turned toward the maid. The one who started this. My body went rigid, my heart hammering against my ribcage. I could barely breathe as he raised the gun, aimed, and…
I couldn't even register it before it happened. The shot rang. The maid collapsed. I froze, every nerve screaming, and then—darkness.
I didn't hit the floor. I didn't even fall. My body just… shut down. My knees gave way beneath me, and everything went black.
Before I hit the cold marble, strong arms caught me. Kieran. His hands firm, unyielding, carrying me away from the carnage.