Chapter 92 END CAME SOON
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AUTHOR’S POV
Adeline took a deep breath, steadying herself before stepping out into the chaos.
The moment she did, her eyes widened in shock.
The scene before her was a fever dream of lust, sin, and depravity.
Strippers moved fluidly across the dance floor, bodies writhing against one another, against the men watching them.
The music pounded in her ears, a deep bass that rattled through her chest, nearly suffocating her.
Her stomach twisted at the sight of half-naked women draped over men, some straddling their laps, others pressing against each other in an attempt to outshine the rest.
It was all for him.
Leonardo.
He was the center of it all.
Seated in a plush, leather chair, he looked like a king indulging in his own personal playground.
A glass of whiskey rested in his hand, his long fingers idly tracing the rim before he took a slow sip. He didn’t even look entertained—just amused, as if this was all expected.
And beside him, Elena.
Adeline’s stomach churned with revulsion as she watched her stepmother lean into him, her hands never leaving his body.
Her nails trailed over his chest, her lips dangerously close to his neck, her touch one of possession and desire.
Disgusting.
How did I ever trust this man?
She had once called him uncle.
She had once looked at him and believed he cared, believed he was a part of her family.
But now… all she saw was a monster.
As she stepped forward, her heart lurched violently when Leonardo’s gaze suddenly locked onto hers.
A jolt of panic shot through her veins.
Had he recognized her? Did he know?
She blinked quickly, fighting the instinct to run, keeping her face neutral despite the icy dread creeping up her spine.
Stay calm.
But before Leonardo could react, Elena’s lips crashed onto his.
Adeline barely held back a sigh of relief.
For once, she was grateful for Elena’s obsession with him.
The woman was too busy trying to consume him to notice anything else.
But her relief was short-lived.
A rough hand shoved her forward.
She stumbled onto the dance floor, her breath catching as a man behind her barked out,
“Show some moves, bitch. Shake that ass.”
Rage.
A dangerous, blistering rage shot through Adeline so fast she almost lost control.
She wanted to snap his wrist, twist his arm back until he begged for mercy. She wanted to shove a knife through his throat for even speaking to her that way.
But she couldn’t.
Not now.
She clenched her jaw, swallowing her fury. If she lost control, she’d lose everything.
Taking another deep breath, she forced herself to let go.
She let the music take over, let her body sway, slow and fluid, her hips moving in rhythm to the beat.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
And more importantly, she knew exactly who was watching.
Leonardo.
She felt his gaze burn into her, traveling over her body like a predator assessing prey.
Good.
She had to take this chance. She had to take this risk.
All of a sudden, her eyes met …… someone’s and her eyes widened slightly as she quickly composed herself.
Charles was there.
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There, hidden in the shadows, was Charles.
He stood just out of sight from most of the crowd, his sharp eyes locked onto hers. When their gazes met, he gave her a small, reassuring smile.
Relief flooded her.
He was here.
She wasn’t alone.
Steeling herself, she focused back on the performance. Her movements became bolder, slower, more deliberate.
She had to make it believable—she had to sell the act.
But something felt… off.
The realization hit her like ice.
The other girls were gone.
Somehow, without her noticing, every stripper had left the stage.
And now, all eyes were on her.
No, not all eyes.
His.
Leonardo’s piercing gaze burned into her, heavy, consuming. He was watching her.
Watching her alone.
Adeline felt her pulse spike, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Elena tense.
Elena wasn’t stupid—she saw it too. The way Leonardo’s intense, hungry stare never left Adeline.
Desperate to reclaim his attention, Elena’s hands slid over his chest, her lips brushing against his ear, whispering things Adeline couldn’t hear.
But Leonardo didn’t react.
His focus was on Adeline.
Elena’s frustration grew.
Her nails dug into his thigh, her movements becoming bolder, more desperate. And then—
She unbuckled his belt.
Adeline’s stomach twisted as she watched Elena pull Leonardo’s pants down, her hands working quickly, shamelessly.
And then—she freed him.
A wave of disgust and nausea hit Adeline so hard she nearly stopped moving.
Leonardo sat back, utterly relaxed, utterly in control, but his eyes—his dark, amused eyes—never left her.
Elena, now on her knees, took him into her mouth.
Adeline nearly gagged.
The music throbbed around her, the air thick with sin, but all she could feel was pure revulsion.
She needed to end this. Now.
Leonardo’s fingers tapped lazily against his glass as he tilted his head, studying her.
And then, with a slow smirk, he lifted a hand and crooked his finger.
Come here.
Adeline’s entire body went cold.
She didn’t want to go anywhere near him.
Not when Elena was on her knees, not when his eyes were filled with a twisted sense of amusement.
But she had to keep playing the game.
Her fingers curled into her palms, and she swallowed back the bile rising in her throat.
Just as she hesitated, her eyes flickered back toward the balcony.
Charles.
He nodded once.
A silent order. A silent promise.
Adeline took a step forward.
And another.
Leonardo’s smirk widened, his fingers stroking through Elena’s hair as she worked, but his focus remained on Adeline.
He was enjoying this. Enjoying making her uncomfortable, making her bend to his will.
But he wouldn’t be enjoying it for long.
Because just as Adeline stepped close enough—
Charles lifted his gun.
Adeline braced herself.
This was it.
But before Charles could pull the trigger—
The music stopped.
A dead, suffocating silence filled the room.
And then—the sound of heavy boots.
A slow, deliberate stride echoed through the room.
Adeline’s breath hitched, and she whipped her head around—
Her heart nearly stopped.
Luciano.
He stood at the entrance of the room, dressed in all black, his presence dominant, unshaken with his men holding guns aimed at everyone present.
His sharp eyes locked onto Leonardo.
And then, with a slow, dangerous smirk, he tilted his head.
“Missed me, brother?”