Chapter 57 Julian's POV I walked into my restaurant, which was bustling with people, and was immediately enveloped by the warm, inviting atmosphere. The laughter and chatter of patrons filled the air, blending with the rich aroma of freshly prepared dishes. It felt surreal to own this place—my dream realized after years of hard work and dedication. I scanned the room, looking for Isabella, but I couldn’t spot her among the crowd. I took a seat at a table in a corner as I gestured for a waitress. She approached, bowing slightly. "Where is Isabella?" I asked, trying to keep my tone steady. "She's in the kitchen," she replied. "Get her for me," I commanded, my voice sharper than intended. The waitress bowed again and hurried off. I waved over another waitress to order wine for two. The minutes felt like hours as I waited. When Isabella finally appeared, she was wearing her apron, her hair pulled back tightly. She looked around, her gaze searching, and when it landed on me,
Chapter 58 Marcus POV FLASHBACK BEGINS The living room was empty. Julian, my boss, was away on a business trip with his best friend, Ethan. Victoria, Julian's wife, had summoned me. Should I wait downstairs or go up to her? After much contemplation, I opted to wait, settling onto the plush sofa. Moments later, I heard footsteps descending the stairs. I turned, my gaze locking onto Victoria as she appeared at the top of the stairs. My breath hitched. What. In. The. Hell. Was she wearing? My eyes, despite my better judgment, devoured her from head to toe. A ridiculously short pair of denim shorts barely concealed her flawless thighs, and a tiny crop top, more revealing than concealing, showcased her perfectly pierced navel. The sight stole my breath. I desperately wanted to look away, to regain control, but my eyes were magnetized, unwilling to break their gaze. “You’re here,” she said, her voice a soft, and melodious, as she paused at the last staircase. I scrambled to
Chapter 59Victoria's POVIt had been two weeks since Sophie was sent packing from Julian's house, and for the first time in a long while, things felt promising. Julian and I had grown closer during this time. His laughter came more easily now, and the tension that once filled the space between us had faded. No longer did he ignore my calls or flinch away from my touch. Instead, he welcomed my presence with a warmth that made my heart race.I entered his house and found him in his living room, hunched over his laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard. The soft glow of the screen illuminated his features, casting a shadow that emphasized the determined set of his jaw. I leaned against the doorframe, watching him for a moment, a smile creeping onto my face."Hey," I called softly, not wanting to startle him.He looked up, his expression transforming from concentration to delight. "Hey, Victoria! You're here!" He closed the laptop and stood, stretching slightly, revealing the muscles b
Chapter 60Julian's POV"I will take care of it, ma'am," Jaxon said, and the phone went dead.He dropped the phone on the table and turned to me. "So?" he asked.I had asked Marcus to set up a meeting with Jaxon; to look for a moment when Jaxon was alone, but he hadn't been able to find a suitable time because Jaxon was always with Victoria. Today, however, he called me while I was with her—just in time to save me from the unwanted kiss she had leaned in for. Marcus had finally managed to found when Jaxon was alone, and I had rushed over."I want you to work with me," I stated firmly."Why should I work with you? Victoria is the one paying me. Are you planning to pay me more?" he replied, a smirk dancing on his lips."Why would I pay you more? I will be doing you a favor if you work with me," I shot back.The smirk vanished from his face. "What do you mean, doing me a favor? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?""I don't really have much time here. You have two choices: one,
Chapter 61Julian's POV "I don't know what to do. I can send Jenkins away, but do I have to kill Alex? I know he's a murderer who killed an innocent woman, but it's hard to..." Jaxon said, his voice trailing off. "Do you drink?" I asked, trying to distract him from the heavy burden he was carrying. "Yes, I do," he replied. "Should we go and have some drinks?" I suggested, hoping a little alcohol courage might help him get away from his guilts even if it's just for a while. "No, i can't drink tonight. The deadline is tonight. I need to kill Alex and Jenkins, or better yet, find a way to do it that will make Victoria believe I have killed them," he said, urgency creeping into his voice. I fell silent, my mind racing as I considered the implications of his words. The weight of the situation settled heavily on my shoulders, and then an idea crept into my mind. "You know what?" I said, and Jaxon looked up, his eyes locking onto mine. "First, let's get a hold of Jenkins. I hav
Chapter 62 Julian's POV "I will only forgive you on one condition: whenever I need your help in exposing Victoria, you will surely help," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil in my mind; everything felt so unreal. "I will surely do, sir. I've learned my lesson; after everything I did for Victoria, I can't believe she wanted to kill me," Jenkins replied, his voice shaking, the weight of fear palpable in his tone. He looked as if he might burst into tears at any moment. "Well... now to the plan. We'll send you far away for now, and then your wife and children will join you after we've succeeded in exposing Victoria. We can't send your family away with him; it would look suspicious. Right, Jaxon?" I turned to Jaxon, who was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "You’re right, but we need to inform his wife about this. Victoria is cunning; she might decide to pay his family a visit to gauge their reactions to the supposed death of their breadwinner," Jaxon said, his brow f
Chapter 63 Victoria's POV I ended the call with Jaxon, and the weight of our conversation lingered in the air like a thick fog. Sighing, I picked up my purse and headed outside, feeling a mix of anticipation and dread. The cool evening breeze brushed against my skin as I stepped into the parking lot, my heart racing with every step toward my car. I slid into the driver’s seat and turned the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life with a satisfying growl, its sound a brief comfort, a reminder that I was in control—even if only for a moment. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white as adrenaline coursed through me. I glanced at the location Jaxon had sent me, the address flashing ominously on my phone's screen. I was headed there with a singular purpose: to see Alex one last time. Just one last glimpse of his face before he disappeared from my life for good. The thought made my stomach churn, a tumultuous mix of anger and a twisted sense of closure. Al
Chapter 64 Julian's POV FLASHBACK TO AN HOUR AGO “What are we going to do?” I asked, resting my chin on my hand, my mind racing. “I don’t know. We have to get something done before she gets here in less than thirty minutes, or if we want her to burn him instead,” Jaxon replied. “Thirty minutes is too short! Is there no way to keep her occupied for at least an hour from coming here? Or better yet, to prevent her from coming at all?” I pressed, frustration bubbling inside me. “You know Victoria. If I call her back now and start giving her flimsy excuses for why she shouldn’t come, she’ll see right through it. Even if my reasons are valid, she'd be suspicious,” he said, his gaze unwavering. He was right, and it only added to my anxiety. “Fuck! Why can’t I think of anything? Why is my mind so blank?” I muttered, running my hands through my hair in desperation. “Is nothing coming to your head?” Jaxon asked, fear laced on his face. “Let me think,” I replied, my voice betraying my p
Chapter 95 Victoria's POV ******************************************* My eyes felt so heavy as I tried to open them. I attempted to move my hands and legs, but it was futile. What’s wrong? Am I tied up? I can’t seem to remember what led me to this place. As I forced my eyes to look around, every part of me ached. Something was on my nose—oxygen? Then, am I in the hospital? Why? Victoria, calm down and remember what happened to you. What was the last thing that happened? Dammit. I can’t seem to remember anything. I heard the door creaking and quickly closed my eyes. “Any improvement, doctor?” a familiar voice asked. “No, as you can see. I doubt she would survive it; the accident was a tragic one,” the voice that seemed to be the doctor said. Accident? Tragic? What accident? “Doctor, please do anything possible to save her,” the familiar voice trembled. I felt a tingling sensation in my heart. Who owns that voice? Why can’t I remember anything? Why can't i fucking remember anyo
Chapter 94 Julian's POV "Do you recognise me?" I asked Isaac. He looked at me keenly as if trying to recollect and then shook his head. "Well...you'll recognise me soon." I said, gestured to Marcus, who dropped his luggage into the car, and we drove home. Marcus brought out the envelope containing the pictures and handed it to me while I handed it to Isaac. Isaac collected them and kept looking at it. "This is me." he raised up his head to look at me as he pointed at the picture he was in with Sophie. "Yeah, that's you." I said, and he turned back to the pictures. He continued looking at the pictures, but he didn't seem to remember anything. "Let's just go to your house. If you see your families, it might help you regain your memory." I gestured as Marcus led the way outside. The drive to Sophie’s house was steeped in silence, each of us buried in our thoughts. I can't imagine how happy Sophie would be to see her long-lost father. At least, it would bridge the gap between
Chapter 93 Julian's POV It's been fucking hell of a day that Sophie left. Tomorrow was supposed to be our wedding day, but all has been ruined now. She won't even listen to me. She doesn't want to listen to anything I fucking say. And I can't fucking go to her place right now, because firstly, she would have told her mom, secondly, I'm sure they won't even want to listen to me. One is me being an assassin, the other part is me killing her father, which she supposed; which is entirely wrong. But I can't even tell them anything if I don't bring her father back. Dammit! I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. Where the hell is Marcus? I gave him a little assignment, find her father and he's not back yet. Hell everything! I banged my hand on the table. She left with my two adorable babies. She left me alone. It's been a hell of a long time I had been away from her for more than five hours not to talk of a day. A whole day. I hope I'm not gonna lose my mind before Marcus repo
Chapter 92 Julian's POV TWO YEARS AGO "Here, the new target." Xavier, the leader of this damn organization, passed a file across the table with an air of casual indifference. I dropped the half-empty glass of whiskey I had been nursing, the ice clinking against the glass as I picked up the file. My eyes fell on the photo of a man, clearly in his fifties, with graying hair and a weary expression that suggested he had seen too much of life’s darker side. "What is his offence?" I asked. I dropped the file back onto the table, feeling the whiskey burn its way down my throat as I took a deep gulp. "You really should quit asking about people's offenses before they get killed," Xavier snapped, irritation flashing in his eyes. "It's okay if you're not telling me, then," I replied, standing up to leave. "Okay, okay. Sit down and hear me out," he said, and i glared at him and then sat. Xavier was always worried that if he did a job of eliminating people without my knowledge,
Chapter 91 Sophie’s POV "You really need to stop crying, Sophie, and explain what happened. You are getting us worried." Isabella said, her voice filled with concern. It had been an hour since we got home, yet I couldn’t bring myself to tell them the truth—that the man I loved, the man I was supposed to get married to, had killed my own father. My heart ached, and the weight of the revelation felt unbearable. "Yeah, Bella is right. You should tell us what's wrong. Today was supposed to be your bachelorette night, and your wedding is next, but everything is canceled now," my mom added. "Exactly. Julian just came outside and didn't say anything, and now you are not talking either. Do you see him in a compromising position with another woman? Or what exactly could be the matter that has you crying for an hour now? You really need to tell us so we can know what to do," Isabella pressed "Julian..." I stammered, my voice trembling. Sooner or later, they'd known. I guess i should
Chapter 90 Sophie’s POV My phone slipped from my grasp, clattering to the ground as the shock overwhelmed me. 'He was the one that killed your father' The words echoed in my mind as I grasped the iron railing of the staircase for support, my knuckles white. "Soph, are you okay?" The voice pulled me from my haze, reverberating as if from a distance. Suddenly, I felt a hand shook me gently. "Are you okay, Sophie." I looked down to see Evelyn, Isabella, and my mom’s worried gaze staring up at me. Isabella held my phone, which had fallen down. Then i saw him-Julian walking toward us. He killed my father! Julian killed my father! I yanked my phone away from Isabella and race upstairs to the room I shared with Julian. My babies were still sleeping peacefully, and I quickly locked the door behind me, leaving me trapped inside. I sanked my butt into the bed as I looked at my phone, and the message was still glaring at me. It can't be true, can it? Julian would never do such
Chapter 89 Sophie’s POV It’s been one beautiful week since I gave birth to my adorable twins, Jane and Jason. Julian is keeping his promise, announcing our wedding for just two days from now. Tonight is my bachelorette party, and the preparation is in full swing, with excitement buzzing all around. I never imagined I could feel this happy; it all seems like a beautiful dream, one I hope never to wake from. As I glance over at my little ones, peacefully sleeping in their cribs, my heart swells with love. I lean down to plant gentle kisses on each of their cheeks before heading downstairs to join the festivities. “Bride-to-be!” Isabella teases as I enter the living room, making me chuckle. “Where are my babies?” “They’re sleeping upstairs,” I reply, and she nods knowingly. “Have you tried on your outfit for tonight and tomorrow?” Isabella asks. “No, not yet,” I admit, and she gave me a mock scolding look. “Go try it on now!” she insists. “We need you ready for the party!”
Chapter 88 SEVEN MONTHS LATER Sophie’s POV "Julian, I am getting worried day by day. It's ten months already, and I still haven't given birth. I'm supposed give birth at nine months." I said, my voice trembling with anxiety. "But the doctor said it's normal. You don't have to be worried." Julian replied, his tone soothing as he reached for my hand. Everything had been going perfectly well, as Julian had reassured me seven months ago. Victoria still hadn’t woken up, and my pregnancy was becoming a source of relentless worry. It was almost eleven months now; just two weeks shy of that mark. No matter how many times the doctor or my mom insisted that some pregnancies last ten months—especially when it’s a boy—I couldn’t shake the anxiety that gnawed at me. The door opened, and Marcus entered, bowing slightly. "Boss, your meeting starts in five minutes," he announced, glancing at me as he bowed. I had followed Julian to his office every time he had work to do, eager to stay clo
Chapter 87 SEVEN MONTHS LATER Sophie’s POV "Julian, I am getting worried day by day. It's ten months already, and I still haven't given birth. I'm supposed give birth at nine months." I said, my voice trembling with anxiety. "But the doctor said it's normal. You don't have to be worried." Julian replied, his tone soothing as he reached for my hand. Everything had been going perfectly well, as Julian had reassured me seven months ago. Victoria still hadn’t woken up, and my pregnancy was becoming a source of relentless worry. It was almost eleven months now; just two weeks shy of that mark. No matter how many times the doctor or my mom insisted that some pregnancies last ten months—especially when it’s a boy—I couldn’t shake the anxiety that gnawed at me. The door opened, and Marcus entered, bowing slightly. "Boss, your meeting starts in five minutes," he announced, glancing at me as he bowed. I had followed Julian to his office every time he had work to do, eager to stay clo