Elegbede_Habeeb

The first time they met, it felt like fate. The second time, it felt like a warning.

She was running from a past that refused to die. He was chasing a future that seemed just out of reach. When their worlds collided, it was more than just love—it was an obsession, a wildfire that threatened to burn them both alive.

But love isn’t always salvation. Sometimes, it’s destruction in disguise.

Bound by Fire: Ashes of Desire

The mansion was a prison wrapped in luxury.

Elena stood in the center of an opulent bedroom, surrounded by silk-draped walls, gold accents, and a massive glass window overlooking the city. It was breathtaking.

Valerio always had a way of dressing up control—turning a cage into something beautiful. But a cage was still a cage.

The door behind her opened with a soft click.

She didn't turn. She already knew who it was.

Valerio stepped inside, his presence as suffocating as ever. "I trust the accommodations are to your liking."

Elena's jaw tightened. "Spare me."

He chuckled, strolling toward the window. "You always had a flare for dramatics, corazón."

She turned then, her eyes burning with fury. "Don't call me that."

Valerio sighed, as if indulging a stubborn child. "You gave yourself to me willingly, Elena." He glanced at her, dark amusement flickering in his gaze. "Did you really think there wouldn't be consequences?"

Elena crossed her arms, refusing to let him see the doubt creeping into her mind. "I made a deal. That doesn't mean I belong to you."

Valerio tilted his head, stepping closer. "Doesn't it?"

He reached out, his fingers brushing against her wrist. She yanked away.

His smirk didn't fade. "You always fight, even when you've already lost."

Elena clenched her fists. "Luca will come for me."

Valerio laughed, low and knowing. "I'm counting on it."

He took a step back, his expression calm. "I let him live."

Elena's stomach twisted. "What does that mean?"

Valerio's eyes darkened. "It means I gave him a choice—walk away, or burn."

Valerio smiled, as if reading her thoughts. "I hope you're ready, mi amor."

Because outside this gilded prison—

Luca was about to set the world on fire.

Next Chapter: Hell Unleashed—Luca and Dante rally their forces for an all-out war, but Valerio is always one step ahead. Meanwhile, Elena must decide—does she fight from inside her cage, or does she play Valerio's game?

A Cage of Gold