Genevieve craned her neck to look up at the maid."They aren't looking pleased? Surely, they aren't about to call off the banquet, right?" she probed."Why don't you find that out yourself?"They got to the second floor, and Genevieve remained quiet as the maid continued to pull her down the hallway and past her parents' bedroom."We just passed—" she started to say, when the door of the next room—her own room— opened, and not one, not two, but three smiling faces popped out the threshold.They were her father’s, her mother’s, and her twenty year older brother Vince's. Genevieve sighed in relief and broke into a smile of her own. It was obvious from her parents' expressions that the banquet hadn't been called off after all.Not only were they dressed for a party it, but they were also carrying small boxes which she presumed to be her gifts. The maid who had pulled her up here immediately released Genevieve’s collar so she could bow to the Master and Madam of the household, while the l
And then, just when Genevieve thought things were finally going well, all hell broke loose.Scattered throughout the room, several guests positioned at strategic points discarded their party attire, revealing dark clothing and bulletproof vests beneath. In a synchronized motion, weapons were drawn, their cold barrels gleaming under the chandelier lights. Tables were overturned, glasses shattered against marble floors, and the once joyous atmosphere erupted into chaos as terrified guests screamed in panic.The deafening applause and cheers that filled the hall hindered everyone from finding out, the exact moment things went amiss. By the time those on stage and the guards stationed around the mansion realized it, it was already too late.Up on the stage, Genevieve watched the chaos unfold as if she were trapped in a movie trailer, unable to make sense of what was happening. Her gaze darted to her brother, who wore an equally stunned expression. Letting out a nervous laugh, she asked,
And then, it happened; right before Genevieve’s eyes. One of the huge figures clad in dark clothing leapt onto the podium, the crack of a gunshot splitting the air. The voice she thought she had lost clawed its way up her throat, unleashing in a bloodcurdling scream. “Papa!” The world slowed for her and she watched the scene playing before her in slow motion. Her dad collapsing, and the way the white t-shirt he was wearing underneath his coat darkened with blood in the twinkling of an eye. The sickening thud of his body hitting the ground coupled with the unmasked sorrow in her scream was enough to alert her brother and mother on what had happened. "Papa..." she cried out one more time. Sensing the raw pain in his sister's voice and knowing the cause of it, was enough to render Vince weak for a moment. He blinked back tears that came out of nowhere before sparing his father’s body a quick glance, just enough for him to see the man flash him one last proud but sad smile before anoth
The grand living room was not only eerily quiet, but also empty. Genevieve looked around and there was no sign of any maid, butler, or even a guard in it. Where the hell had everyone gone; and leaving everywhere in a mess at that? Knowing she had no time to dwell on it, she rushed toward the spiral staircase and began her ascent. The train of her dress tangled around her legs more than once, but she swiftly steadied herself, never pausing until she reached her door.Pushing the door open, she stepped in and was about to lock the door behind herself when her mother’s voice came, ‘’Genevieve!’’Genevieve froze, her breath catching as she peeked outside. It was indeed her mother, sprinting down the hallway toward her, a trail of blood marking her path.“Mama, where’s Vince?” she asked, her voice trembling. Her brother was nowhere in sight. She clung to the hope that her worst fear wasn’t true, but the sorrow etched on her mum's face and the tears brimming in her eyes confirmed the night
The next two years passed in the twinkling of an eye with Genevieve—or to be more exact—her aunt trying to track down any of the staff who had been working at the mansion at the time of the incident. From what she was told, Genevieve had realized that her aunt also had no idea what business her sister’s family had dabbled in that put them under the target of dangerous people. They spent each waking hours they had making research on the internet and monitoring news outlets for any suspicious news that might mention her family's name.But it never came until Anna came home one day with one of the guards who had been working in the mansion at the time of the incident.~Genevieve opened the door of the basement room she had lived in for the past two years, her eyes dilating in surprise when she saw that her aunt had company. She looked the man up and down, taking note of his amputated hand and built physique.He looked like a bodyguard, but it was impossible to work as a guard while mis
‘’What, Young Miss?!’’ Mr Rick exclaimed, his face instantly morphing into disbelief. ‘’How could you think that of your own parents? I understand that they probably kept you out of the loop in everything that had to do with the family business, but still… did they ever do anything to make you feel they are bad people?’’‘’No, they haven't,’’ Genevieve replied, shaking her head. ‘’But I still have to clear all thoughts that might make me think twice about revenge, from my mind. You mentioned the family business just now, so I presume you know everything I don’t know about them.’’The man averted his gaze from hers, causing Genevieve to probe, ‘’See, Mr Rick. I wouldn’t ask you this if there was anyone else to ask. You must know that I didn’t waste the past two years sitting around and doing nothing; i tried researching on the internet, but nothing came up when I searched my family's name." She clasped her hand together, her eyes shrouding in disappointment, "I looked through social
"Valenciara?" Genevieve echoed, her brows pulling up into a frown. "I don't... Valenciara is such a far call from Armani. The names aren't even in any way similar so why did they change it? Are they... running from some people?"Rick shook his head at the absurdity and, at the same time, logicality of the situation."Running? Not exactly. But I think we can say they were hiding from some people," he replied."And who are those people?"A frown started to form on Rick's face, like he was just realizing the complexity of the situation and how hard it would be to explain to Genevieve that most of what she'd known about her parents had been a lie. However, the earnest and confused look in her eyes as she stared at him, made him swear inwardly that he wouldn't leave here today without providing her as much clarity and answer as many questions as he could concerning her parents dealings."I have to start from the beginning to make you understand, but I'm not sure we have enough time for
Rick nodded in affirmation.Genevieve dragged a hand down her face, a soft puff of air escaping her parted pink lips."I’m more confused than ever, Mr. Rick," she admitted, "But I suppose this is better than nothing. I still have a few questions, though. If my family was as powerful as you just implied, then their obsession with safety, the guards, even homeschooling me... it all makes sense. But on the flip side, why were they attacked? You’re saying they were more powerful than the president, yet they were harmed, and nothing was done about it. How come?""Because the one behind it was one of the people in those meetings," Rick replied flatly.Genevieve’s breath caught in her throat. "How is that possible?! Did my parents offend them?" she exclaimed.Rick let out a humorless chuckle. "Even a spotless doormat, placed on a table and mistaken for a tablecloth, will still be despised... no matter how harmless it is. Power works the same way. The moment someone gains it, they automatica
The neon-lit banner loomed over Genevieve, casting a provocative glow against the evening. A large V and A were emblazoned at its base, while the overhead lights illuminated a striking image of an intertwined man and woman, masked but otherwise not wearing anything, leaving no secrecy about the nature of the establishment. The six-story building stood like a bold declaration of indulgence and secrecy. "So, Missus," Alejandro’s voice carried a teasing edge as he stepped beside her. "What do you think of our sex club?" Genevieve’s head snapped toward him, her eyes narrowing into a glare. She knew she was to blame for not making sure of where they were bringing her to, but still... "You didn’t tell me it was this kind of place. This is even worse than The Vault." "Better than The Vault, you mean?" Adrian's smooth, familiar voice came from her other side, as he walked over to stand beside her. At the sight of his bandaged arm suspended by his side, her annoyance wavered, replac
‘’We can’t," Adrian replied almost immediately. Genevieve’s face fell.‘’What do you mean we can’t? I wan’t to go there, and you are obligated to—’’"To take you wherever you want, yes," he replied. "But The Vault is on the outskirts of town. Tell me what exactly you want to see there that we can’t find anywhere else in the city, and I’ll believe the hour and a half journey is worth it."Genevieve harrumphed. Did he have to be such a killjoy? If only she could just drop this whole plan, let Adrian be, and not feel guilty about him needing rest…But she did feel guilty. And it would only increase if she let it go.So she sighed, quickly racking her brain for a believable excuse. The real reason she chose The Vault was simple; if they went there, she could get him to stay in his office with her, making sure he rested in a familiar space. But there was no way she could tell him that. He’d never agree.So she went with the next most plausible reason. One that, unfortunately, sent heat ru
"So these men were all eliminated, and the restaurant management didn’t send reinforcements the entire time?"Genevieve lifted her gaze from the book resting in her lap, turning to Alejandro who had asked the question. He was staring into the rearview mirror, watching Adrian and the doctor who had arrived with him—both seated in the back. Unlike earlier, when she had been completely absorbed in her book, she now found it impossible to immerse herself in the fictional world.The worry pressing against her chest was too heavy for an erotica novel to distract her. Not that she had managed to read beyond three lines since they got into the car.Back in the alley, Adrian had ordered Alejandro to get her a spare T-shirt, refusing to let either of them near him until she had changed. Only after she had done so did he allow the doctor to approach and help.Once inside the car, she had taken the front passenger seat while Alejandro slid behind the wheel. Adrian and the doctor had settled in th
The smile dropped from Adrian’s face, his expression suddenly turning serious."Exactly, Principessa. The keyword is 'some.' There are honest officials out there, just as there are dishonest ones. Would you want us to risk spending years in prison when we could just wait here for my men to arrive?"Genevieve’s face fell. Of course, he was right. He was smarter than she was and had been in this life much much longer than she was, so he knew what he should and should not do in situations like this.If it was really safe to go to the hospital, he wouldn't be here, leaning against this dirty wall and risking death by excessive blood loss... right?"So... what do you say?"She looked up, frowning at the smug expression that had taken over Adrian’s face. But as her eyes caught sight of the blood still seeping from his arm, a wave of unease washed over her again.She couldn’t just stand there and watch him bleed without doing something about it. Acting on instinct, her hands dropped to the h
Jaws clenched against the pain, Adrian watched through blurry vision as Genevieve rushed toward him. She caught hold of his injured hand, lifting it gently, likely to examine the wound. Under normal circumstances, he would have welcomed her touch—her initiative to reach out to him—but the sharp, searing pain that shot through his arm at the movement nearly made him grit his teeth harder."Did I offend you?" he asked, his voice strained but laced with a hint of dry humor, trying to mask the agony her action had caused.Genevieve kept her eyes fixed on his injured arm, her worry evident as she replied, "No, why would I be offended?" She couldn't stop tears from welling up in her eyes as she noticed the blood soaking through the sleeve of his t-shirt, the fabric beginning to cling to his skin. "Oh my God, we need to get you to the hospital. Now.""One," Adrian began, his voice calm but firm, "If I didn’t offend you, then let go of my hand before I pass out from what you’re doing." He pa
Genevieve sat huddled inside the cabinet, her legs pulled tightly to her chest, and her arms wrapped around herself in a desperate attempt to hold herself together. "I killed them... I killed them... I did... I—I killed them," she whispered in a low, trembling chant, her voice barely audible over the chaos outside. "I’ll be killed too. It—it’s my f—fault though. I deserve it."Though the air outside was rented with the sound of gunfire and angry shouts in Italian, to her, it all faded into a distant hum. All she could hear was the sound of her own shaky voice, and all she could see, even in the darkness of the cabinet, was the inside of her closet back in her parents’ mansion.The memory was vivid: the luxurious dresses, shoes, watches, jewelry, bags, and costumes that had surrounded her as she waited for her aunt in that dark room.The scene replayed in her mind like a nightmare; her father collapsing, his final words urging her to take care of her mother. Her mother, despite being
Fuck! He’d been shot.It wasn’t that Adrian hadn’t expected it. In fact, just like everything else in his life, except for Genevieve and anything that had to do with her, he had anticipated.But that didn’t make what just happened any less infuriating.Gritting his teeth, Adrian forced himself to dull the excruciating pain in his arm, reducing it to nothing more than a sting. It took only a few seconds—a few seconds in which he didn’t stop shooting.Several of the men were already down, and the hostages they had intended to use as shields were now screaming, crawling across the floor, and ducking beneath tables and chairs. With the entrance still blocked by the intruders, it made sense why they hadn’t tried escaping through the door.So he continued firing, his movements precise, his mind calculating every step the attackers took.Meanwhile, behind him, Genevieve stood frozen, her wide eyes locked onto the blood streaming from his right arm. Her breath had caught in her throat and her
Adrian tilted his head slightly, his mind racing. If his reasoning was correct, it explained why the backup that was supposed to have arrived hadn’t shown up yet. It meant they knew—or at least believed, considering the three dead bodies now sprawled on the floor—that no one would be harmed here tonight.That also suggested whoever had sent these inexperienced, bumbling mercenaries had contacted the restaurant in advance. And the only person capable of giving orders to the restaurant’s management would have to be someone from his own family.A smirk tugged at his lips, as he murmured beneath his breath, "I’ll have fun figuring out which idiot thought this was a good idea later."For now, he sighed, realizing he’d been overthinking things today. Normally, he’d act on instinct, confident that whatever consequences arose would be within his control—even if he took the wrong step. Not that that happened often.But today was different. Today, he had someone with him; Genevieve. Her presenc
The intruders exchanged quick glances, their eyes silently communicating a message that each of them—and Adrian, judging by the expression on his face—seemed to grasp."Did you hear that?" whispered the man with a scar beneath his eye, his voice low but still loud enough for Adrian to hear.Their leader shook his head, a nervous laugh escaping him. "Impossible," he muttered, though his tone betrayed his unease."You think so?" Adrian spoke up, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he noted the mix of fear and confusion flickering across their faces. He tilted his head slightly, his voice steady but laced with mockery. "You’ve been standing here for minutes now, doing nothing but tossing around empty threats and waving those guns like toys. Not a single shot fired. So, let me ask again... what are you really here for?""Shut your mouth if you know what’s good for you!" the scarred man snapped, though the tremor in his voice betrayed his fear. His gaze darted away from Adrian’s, landing