Chapter 1 Betrayal

(Anna POV )

“Anna, you’ve been on your feet since morning. Go home.”

I looked up from the espresso machine, blinking at my boss like I hadn’t heard him right. “Mr. Darius, it’s fine. I can close.”

He shook his head, already reaching for a cloth to wipe the counter. “No, it’s not fine. Today is your sister’s birthday, isn’t it? Thirteen, right?”

A small smile tugged at my lips despite the exhaustion weighing on me. “Yeah… Lily turns thirteen today.”

“Then why are you still here?” he said, giving me a pointed look. “Go. Get her something nice. Cake, maybe. A girl only turns thirteen once.”

My chest tightened slightly at that, cake, I hadn’t even thought about it, between rent, food, and everything else, birthdays had quietly become just another day we survived.

“Thank you,” I said softly, already pulling off my apron.

“Don’t thank me,” he waved me off. “Just don’t come back tomorrow telling me you missed her birthday because of work.

I laughed lightly, though it didn’t quite reach my eyes. “I won’t.”

The evening air was cool as I stepped out of the coffee shop, the familiar streets of our small town stretching quietly before me, this place used to feel safe, now it just felt small, small dreams, small chances, small life, I adjusted my bag on my shoulder, my thoughts drifting as they always did to my dad.

It had been eight months since the accident at Cole Industrial Holdings, eight months since toxic chemicals took him and eleven other men with him, eight months of fighting for compensation that never came, Mr. Cole refused to pay, said it wasn’t his responsibility and the workers signed documents, legal words that meant nothing when your father was buried in the ground, I clenched my jaw, mum tried to stay strong, but I saw it, the fear in her eyes every time the landlord came around, every time bills stacked up, every time we had to pretend things were okay for Lily, thinking about her brought a soft smile to my lips, she deserved something good today, something normal that didn’t feel like loss.

“I’ll get her a cake,” I whispered to myself.

Even if it meant spending money we didn’t really have.

The town bakery came into view, warm lights glowing through the glass windows, the scent of fresh bread and sugar drifting into the street, just perfect, I pushed the door open, the small bell chiming softly above me and then my heart dropped.

There, near the display counter, stood William, my boyfriend, laughing looking relaxed and happy and beside him was Vanessa Cole, my childhood nemesis and the daughter of my late father's boss, with her hand laced with his, my fingers went cold, for a second, I couldn’t move, think or breathe, then something sharp and painful pushed me forward.

“William?”. My voice cut through the air.

They both turned, Vanessa’s eyes lit up instantly with amusement, William looked annoyed like I was the problem.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice steadier than I felt.

Vanessa let out a soft laugh, squeezing his hand. “Wow. This is awkward.”

I ignored her, my eyes locked on William. “Answer me.”

He sighed like I was stressing him. “Anna, not here.

“Not here?” I repeated. “Then where? Because clearly I’ve been the only one taking this relationship seriously.”

Vanessa stepped forward slightly, her expression smug. “Relationship?”

The way she said it made my stomach twist.

“Don’t tell me he hasn’t told you,” she added, placing a hand lightly on her stomach.

Something inside me went still, William ran a hand through his hair.

“Anna, it just happened”

“I am pregnant,” Vanessa cut in smoothly.

I felt cold all over me, the world blurred around the edges.

“What?” I whispered.

She smiled, slow and proud. “I’m pregnant. And yes, it’s William’s.”

My chest tightened painfully, I looked at him, searching for denial, for guilt, for anything, but all I saw was distance, this was the same man who promised to stand by me when my dad dead, he was my first boyfriend and I have been with him since high school.

“It wasn’t planned,” he said quickly. “You wouldn’t understand.”

A hollow laugh escaped me. “You’re right. I don’t understand how you cheat and stand here like I’m the inconvenience.”

Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Oh please. Don’t act like he lost something valuable.”

I stiffened.

“You are nothing,” Vanessa added casually, glancing at William like it was a joke. “Can you imagine? What exactly were you holding onto, Anna? Dreams?”

The words hit harder than I expected, but I refused to break, not in front of her.

“We came to check cakes,” Vanessa continued, gesturing toward the display. “For our wedding.”

My head snapped up. “Your what?”

“Our wedding,” she repeated, smiling sweetly. “Daddy is handling everything. It’s going to be huge.”

Of course it was, she was Vanessa Cole, daughter of the man who destroyed my family.

“She has nothing to offer you,” Vanessa added lightly, looking at William. “No money, no future, no status, she and her family are not more than a church rat”

William didn’t argue, didn’t defend me, nothing, that hurt more than anything, I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing my spine straight.

“Congratulations,” I said quietly.

Vanessa smirked. “Thank you. Try not to cry. It’s embarrassing.”

I held her gaze, Cold and unyielding.

“I won’t,” I said calmly. “Because unlike you, I don’t need to steal someone else’s life to feel important, and my family are not murderers”

For a brief second, her smile flickered, then it returned sharper this time, I didn’t wait for another word, I turned and walked out of the bakery, the bell chiming behind me like a final goodbye.

The night air hit my face, but it did nothing to cool the storm inside me, my heart ached and my chest felt heavy, but my eyes stayed dry because I couldn’t afford to break, not now not when Lily was waiting for me, not when Mum needed me strong, I took a shaky breath, wiping my hands against my jeans.

“Get it together, Anna,” I whispered.

I turned back toward the bakery door, because no matter what happened my sister still deserved her birthday cake, and I wasn’t going to let them take that away too just like they took my dad.

Next Chapter

Chapters

1. Chapter 1 Betrayal

2. Chapter 2 Stepping Into The Unknown

3. Chapter 3 I Met A god

4. Chapter 4 Hungry Eyes and Filthy Promises

5. Chapter 5 Eyes That Burned Gold

6. Chapter 6 The moment I stepped back behind the bar, Mara’s eyes widened dramatically. “Well?” she demanded instantly. “Why do you look like you just witnessed the gates of hell open?” I grabbed the counter for support, still trying to steady my breathing. “I…” My voice came out weak. “I think there’s something seriously wrong with Cassian Sinclair.” Lila raised an eyebrow while arranging bottles. “Sweetheart, everyone already knows that.” “No,” I whispered, shaking my head slowly. “You don’t understand.” Because how exactly was I supposed to explain what had just happened in that restroom hallway, how could I tell them his eyes had glowed like molten gold in the dark, that heat had wrapped around my body every time he stepped closer, that he had looked at me like something inside him wanted to consume me whole? My stomach tightened violently at the memory, Mara frowned now, immediately noticing the fear on my face. “Anna,” she said softer this time. “What happened?” Before I could answer, my eyes instinctively lifted toward the private VIP floor upstairs, toward the dark balcony where Cassian had been sitting earlier, it was empty, my heartbeat stumbled strangely, gone, I wasn’t sure why disappointment hit me so quickly after everything that had happened downstairs, maybe because some reckless part of me still wanted to see him again tonight despite how terrified he had made me feel, Lila noticed immediately and smirked knowingly. “You just missed them.” I blinked. “What?” “Sinclair and his people left like a minute ago,” she explained while wiping the counter. “Apparently the woman with them got drunk and started causing chaos upstairs.” Mara snorted loudly. “Not chaos.” “Oh, absolutely chaos,” Lila laughed. “Screaming at security, throwing a champagne glass, threatening somebody in Italian, honestly it was impressive.” I frowned slightly, I had forgotten about the woman, something uncomfortable twisted unexpectedly inside my chest. “That woman was with Cassian?” I asked before I could stop myself. Mara immediately gasped dramatically. “Oh my God,” she whispered loudly. “Was that jealousy I just heard?” “It was not jealousy.” Lila gave me a look that said she absolutely did not believe me, the strange tightness in my chest worsened, which was ridiculous, Cassian Sinclair was nothing to me just a mysterious billionaire with glowing eyes and a possible mental illness involving dragons, that should have been enough to erase any attraction immediately, Instead, my stupid brain kept replaying the way he had looked at me in the hallway. My dragon wants you, God, even remembering the words made heat creep across my skin again. “You’re pale,” Mara said suddenly. “I’m fine.” “You look like you’re about to pass out.” Before I could answer, Lila suddenly reached beneath the counter and dropped something thick in front of me, my eyes widened instantly, Cash, stacks of it, I stared at the money in complete shock. “What is this?” Mara burst out laughing immediately. “Oh my God.” Lila leaned casually against the bar. “Your billionaire left it.” I looked at her sharply. “Don’t call him that.” “Why? Is mysterious hot billionaire with glowing eyes too long?” My heart nearly stopped. “You saw his eyes?” “What?” Lila frowned. Relief hit me instantly. “No— nothing.” God, I needed sleep or therapy or both. Lila pushed the money closer toward me. “Sinclair told us it was for you.” I stared at the thick stacks nervously. “There’s no way I can take this.” “Anna,” Mara deadpanned, “that pile probably costs less than one of that man’s watches.” “That’s not the point.” “Then what is the point?” Lila asked. “Because if some hot billionaire wanted to throw money at me, I’d already be halfway to the bank.” I ignored her, still staring uneasily at the cash, it was too much, far too much and somehow that scared me, because nothing about Cassian Sinclair felt simple, not his attention, not his words not even the way he looked at me like he already knew something I didn’t. “You should keep it,” Mara said gently this time. I looked at her. “You told me your mom's landlord’s have been threatening your mom again.” Pain twisted quietly in my chest, right, home, the tiny house back in Maplewood, the overdue rent notices, My mother pretending everything was okay even when I caught her crying at night, Lily trying to smile through everything despite being only thirteen, guilt hit me immediately, because while I had been here obsessing over a dangerous man, my family was still struggling back home, I slowly looked back down at the money, this amount could help them breathe again at least temporarily. “We don’t even know why he gave me this,” I whispered uneasily. Mara folded her arms. “Trust me, rich men don’t drop stacks of cash unless they’re interested.” “That’s supposed to make me feel better?” “Honestly? No.” Lila laughed loudly, I exhaled shakily before carefully picking up the money, my hands trembled slightly not from excitement but from fear, because accepting this somehow felt bigger than money, it was like stepping unknowingly into something dangerous, something that would change my life whether I wanted it to or not, and deep down I already knew it had started the moment Cassian Sinclair looked at me. “You should send some home tomorrow,” Mara said quietly now. I nodded immediately. “Yes.” Emotion tightened my throat unexpectedly. “My mom’s been struggling to pay for Lily’s school supplies,” I admitted softly. “And rent is already late.” Mara’s expression softened. “Then stop feeling guilty.” I swallowed hard, blinking away sudden emotion, for the first time in weeks, maybe I could actually help them, maybe my mother wouldn’t have to pretend everything was fine anymore, maybe Lily could finally have something good happen after losing Dad, the thought alone made my chest ache painfully. “I’ll transfer most of it in the morning,” I whispered. Lila whistled softly while eyeing the cash again. “Sweetheart, with the amount he left, you might accidentally buy your entire hometown.” I almost laughed but something still unsettled me deeply, because men like Cassian Sinclair did not do things without reason and somehow… I had the terrifying feeling this wasn’t generosity. It was the beginning of something. Something dark. Something consuming. Something I was already falling too deeply into to escape. Far upstairs in the empty shadows of Inferno Club, I could still feel his presence lingering around me like invisible fire. And no matter how hard I tried pretending otherwise… A part of me was already waiting for him to come back.

7. Chapter 7 The Woman Who Wanted a King

8. Chapter 8 Monsters at the Door

9. Chapter 9 The Dragon King’s Wrath