Damien 105.I was not surprised when old kishimoto told me it was Hattori. I knew something was up the moment I did not spot at the front of the house. What surprised me was that missed. The Hattori back at in the military would have made the kill.Or was I just lucky? I asked."He is still holding a grudge after all those years," I said."Such a disgrace! With all I ever gave him! Laundering money!" Kishimoto said distastefully. Like the whole thing was ridiculous."Easy old man," I said."I did not want to see you immediately because I was afraid that Hattori would do something like this," He said as he flicked the cigarette away."You did the best you could," I replied."He has only sped up the process of this merger, my board of directors are in support," He said."Are your board of directors safe?" I asked."Well if they cannot protect themselves, then they are not fit to be call directors are they?" Kishimoto said.We quietly watched the Koi fishes swim
Isabella 106.I heard him creep into my room very late at night. Out of respect for the Kishimotos, we had taken separate rooms but then here he was and I was a little worried about it."Are we not breaking some etiquettes?" I asked him as he cuddled close to me, the feeling of his hot body was soothing."I almost lost you today, My Cara, every moment with you is worth it," He proclaimed and held me tightly.I snuggled against him hungrily. "I almost lost you too today, I can not imagine a life without you, Damien," I said. "How soon can I learn how to use a gun?" I asked.He kissed the nape of my neck. "In due time, but first let's get a good night rest so we can be mentally fit for whatever comes tomorrow," He replied."I am too jumpy to fall asleep, especially in the house of the person behind it," I told him. "What if he comes back?" I asked."He is no longer allowed here, after the shot he took at me, he was unanimously banished by the members of the great family," I told her.I
Damien 107I was provided with the most pristine suits the Kishimotos could provide while my wife was dressed in a white elegant dress suit. A Beige blazer jacket over a turtle neck and pant suit with matching heels. Her hair flowed freely. She was ready for battle. I knew this because I could see how clear her eyes were.We had made a secret pact in the heat of passion yesterday. Even the news of Natasha coming was not enough to stop our love making. I had promised her with a vow as she rode me to oblivion.I had asked her to if I could do anything to assure her that I was hers and she did. Since it was a family decision, Kishimoto wore his traditional Japanese garb. His wife did the same but his three daughters did not. They wore pristine designer dresses and held handbags.The security was heavy especially on the road. In our private discussion, Hashirama had been very concerned about being ambushed on the way by his son's supporters."How many cars do you
Isabella 108.There was a prominent scar that ran across the fade of the man that I came to know as Hattori. The scar was long and jagged. It started from the top of his eyebrow on the left side of his face down over his eye, barely missing it before stopping at the top of his upper lip.This was the face of the man who had shot at us.When Hattori's father had raised a vote for the merging of his company with Renaissance, nobody moved or said a word."A raise of hands if we should destroy what we have built through years of patience and hard work," Hashirama said and again, nobody moved nor did anybody raise their hands.Hattori's face was a mask of confusion."It seems like we have reached an impasse," Hashirama said.It was a puzzling turn of events at the conference."Why should we merge with you?" An elderly woman in a jade dress asked me. It was so abrupt and it almost caught me by surprise."We at Renaissance..." Damien began."Do the women not speak for t
Damien 109.I had done a thorough and lengthy research on Blue Mountains and I knew what was making their company crash with gradual effect. He betrayed the army and he still betrayed his family.Hattori shot up and advanced towards me but Jackson was ready. It was like he had been waiting for this his whole life.Hattori had made it personal when he shot at us. When he lunged at me, he had not count on Jackson who had been watching him like a hawk.Jackson blocked his way, ran forward and pivot into a crouch delivering a powerful blow into Hattori's midsection and twisted his fist on impact, drilling his knuckles into Hattori's solar plexus.Hattori was hurled back violently, gasping for breath and holding onto his chest, spit drooling from his mouth. He fell back on his chair, looking wildly in pain at Jackson."Decorum, please," Jackson uttered firmly. The whole ordeal had happened so fast, it had startled the whole board of directors."It is okay, this is j
Isabella 110.I was glad we left that awful conference room. The scream was still fresh on my mind. I did not see much of what happened because it had happened so fast. Hattori's father was very fast for his age. All I saw was a blinding arc and the smell of blood followed.I had worked as an hospital clerk before and during emergencies, the smell of methylated spirits and blood was the constant smell.I begrudgingly respected Natalia for being outspoken. The helicopter had since dropped us at the airport and I was too upset to enjoy the view from the copter.We were already on the private jet that was currently nestled among the clouds. I had held on to Damien throughout the flight. The business vacation was a short and dangerous one. I hoped that it was the last time we came here to do business."It seems like I did not miss much except for the bloody family drama," Natalia said. I could not understand how she could be so calm. Then I remembered that she was
Damien 111. Drama in the Air."Ladies," I said. "It is a long flight and I do not think that it is a good idea to start a battle, we can all be mature together," I said glancing at Jackson who was watching with the whole thing play out with a smile on his face.I squeezed Isabella's hand, gazing into her eyes with a pleading look. She had been through a lot because of me and she was also carrying my child. I did not want anything or anyone causing her harm or stress.Isabella relaxed and leaned into me. She was marking her territory and I knew that Natalia was fuming inside but I did care."Jackson," Isabella called my body guard slash assistant head or resources for Renaissance. I was curious about what she wanted to say."How many times has Blue Mountains done business Renaissance?" She asked."More than a couple of times, in fact we have a contract from them currently," Jackson replied with a smile then his face transformed into one of abj
Isabella 112 Home away from Home.Natalia was frosty throughout the flight and it was probably because she could not get Damien to herself for an alone time. I knew that Damien fought her off every day at work and I knew why he did not want to let me know.He was worried about me and the baby, so he tried to shield me away from the drama that was his entire life. It was hard to believe that we were still together after everything we had been through.He had rescued me when I had been kidnapped by my now deceased ex, he had rescued me from the literal clutches of his father Vito who almost killed me by putting his hands around my neck and squeezing the lift out of it.I had saved his life when he had been drugged with a lethal dose of meth. He was this close to overdosing and dying. What pissed me off the most was that Natalia was trying to take advantage of him while he had been dying.Damien did not know this because I had been too focused on saving his life and I had forg
Isabella As I lay on the floor, bound and helpless, a whirlwind of emotions swirled within me – fear, uncertainty, and a desperate longing for safety and freedom. But just when it felt like all hope was lost, the door burst open, and there he was – Damien, my husband, my savior.Relief flooded through me as I saw him stride into the room, his presence a beacon of strength and determination amidst the chaos. With him was Jackson, his trusted ally, who had helped orchestrate our rescue. I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude towards both of them as they quickly moved to untie me and Ava, their movements swift and efficient.As the ropes fell away and I rose to my feet, I couldn't suppress the overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude that washed over me. Damien enveloped me in his arms, holding me close and whispering words of reassurance and comfort as tears of relief streamed down my cheeks.Together, we made our way out of the room, leaving behind the nightmare that had thre
Damien My gaze never wavered from Vito's face as I listened to my arch nemesis. The gravity of the situation got more and more deadlier as the night wore on. The papers were still in Vito's hand as I kept the phone to my hear.My father had an inquisitive look on his face as he watched me closely. The line went dead and I put the phone back into my pocket. I collected the the contract and without breaking eye contact, slowly tore it up right in front of him.Vito's eyes widened in shock and utter disbelief. "What the fuck are you doing?" He yelled maniacally as he knelt on the floor trying in vain to join the piece of paper together in a futile attempt.For the first time in my life, I saw him for what he was. An empty barrel of a man, a pathetic and sorry excuse for a husband to my mother and a fucking dead beat piece of shit of a father. I felt nothing but contempt and disgust as I watched him scrambled across the whole floor."Do you know what you have done?!" He yelled at me as h
Isabella As Ava was pushed into the room, I felt a rush of relief flood through me at the sight of her, mingled with a fresh wave of fear for our uncertain future. She stumbled slightly, her eyes wide with shock and confusion, but when she saw me, her expression softened with a mixture of relief and concern."Isabella, darling, are you alright?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion as she hurried to my side.I reached out to her, my hands shaking as I clutched hers tightly, drawing strength from her presence despite the terror that still gripped me. "I'm scared, Ava," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what's going to happen to us."Ava's eyes filled with tears as she wrapped her arms around me, holding me close in a comforting embrace. "We'll get through this together, sweetheart," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."But before we could say another word, the door swung open once again, and Camilla e
Damien As I waited anxiously for Camilla's instructions, every second felt like an eternity. My mind raced with a thousand thoughts, each one more frantic than the last. Where was she keeping Isabella and Ava? What did she want from me? And most importantly, how could I save them from whatever danger they were in?The minutes ticked by agonizingly slow, the silence of the room weighing heavily on my shoulders. I felt a surge of frustration building within me, the urge to take action and do something, anything, to rescue my wife and mother from the clutches of their captors.Finally, the sound of my phone buzzing broke the silence, and I quickly grabbed it, my heart pounding in my chest. It was Camilla, her name flashing on the screen, and I answered it without hesitation."Damien," her voice came through the line, smooth and composed as ever. "I trust you've had some time to think about our situation."I clenched my jaw, my grip on the phone tightening with barely contained anger. "W
Isabella As consciousness slowly seeped back into my mind, I found myself engulfed in darkness. Panic surged through me as I struggled to make sense of my surroundings, the weight of my own fear pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket.My heart thundered in my chest as I became aware of the rough bindings cutting into my wrists and ankles, the coarse fibers digging painfully into my skin. Panic tightened its grip around my throat as I realized the full extent of my helplessness, the stark reality of my captivity crashing down on me with brutal force.Frantic thoughts raced through my mind as I struggled against my restraints, the panic threatening to consume me whole. Where was I? How had I ended up here? And most importantly, where was Ava?A wave of despair washed over me as I realized that I was completely at the mercy of my captors, whoever they were. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I imagined the worst, my mind conjuring up horrifying scenarios of what fate awa
Damien As I strode through the familiar corridors of the office building, my mind raced with thoughts and plans. Natalia's brazen attempts to undermine me only fueled my determination. I had come too far to let her or anyone else stand in my way.But it wasn't just about me anymore. My family – Isabella, Ava, our unborn child – they were my driving force. I would do whatever it took to protect them, to ensure their safety and security. And that meant taking down anyone who dared to threaten what was mine.And now, as I sat there, surrounded by the trappings of power, I couldn't help but feel a surge of determination. I wouldn't rest until the Founder's Association was dismantled until my family was safe until Renaissance was secure.With a steely resolve, I reached for my phone and began to formulate my next move. There was no turning back now. The game was on, and I intended to win. Immersed in the intricate details of my plan, my phone suddenly rang, jolting me out of my focused s
Isabella Chopping vegetables for the lasagna, I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort wash over me. Cooking had always been a soothing activity for me, a way to channel my thoughts and focus on something tangible amidst the chaos of life.Ava, my ever-supportive mother-in-law, stood beside me, offering gentle guidance as we prepared dinner for Damien. "Now, Isabella, remember to slice the vegetables thinly for the lasagna layers," she instructed, her voice warm and reassuring.I nodded, taking her advice to heart as I carefully wielded the knife. "Like this?" I asked, holding up a perfectly sliced zucchini for her inspection.Ava smiled approvingly. "Just like that, dear. You're a natural," she praised, her encouragement filling me with a sense of pride.As we worked side by side, Ava shared her secrets for creating the perfect steak marinade, imparting her culinary wisdom with the patience of a seasoned chef. "The key is to let the meat marinate for at least an hour," she expla
Damien I was watchful during the conference meeting. I took my time to really look at the board members sitting at the table to see if I could see a member of the Founder's Association but none were seated at this conference. Even Rose St Dumas was not present. Maybe she was preparing her cronies of corrupt businessmen and women for the final show down.Camilla Valdez was also not present but Natalia was. I could not tell what was going on in her head as she gazed at me. If her mother was one of them, did that not make her automatically part of tht fold? Was I over reaching? If the plan with the detective worked, it meant that a lot of people will inevitably get hurt. "What is the profit margin for today?" I asked as I got down to business. "Eight percent since last year," Natalia said in a professional manner. "That's lower than last two years," I said with a frown. "That was due to the Al Vegas controversy," One of the board members said. "You mean the embezzlement," I replied
Damien Returning to the office after the recent turmoil felt like stepping into a minefield, each step fraught with the risk of detonating hidden dangers lurking beneath the surface. As I walked through the familiar halls of Renaissance, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gripped me like a vice, a constant reminder of the precarious balancing act I was now forced to perform.Every interaction, every word spoken, had to be carefully calculated and measured, lest I inadvertently reveal the truth lurking beneath the facade of normalcy I presented to the world. I couldn't afford to let slip even the slightest hint of my alliance with Michael, for fear of the consequences it could bring crashing down upon us both.My colleagues greeted me with smiles and nods as I made my way to my office, their cheerful demeanor a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within me. Behind their friendly facades, I couldn't help but wonder who among them could be trusted, and who might be secretly wo