ADAM's POVAfter the fake alarm by Richard, due to his mental health, I ordered more men to be stationed around his room. 'Boss, Brotha Patrick and Everton have been relocated to the west wing,' One of my men said.It might have been a fake alarm, but I wasn't ready to lose Richard anytime soon.'Good job, Brotha.' I said genuinely to the man who had served me fiercely.'It's an honour Boss.' He said and attempted to walk away. 'Can I speak freely sir?' He asked when he noticed my raised eyebrows.'What is the issue?' I asked. 'Remember when you said we should do a background check on Elizabeth Hugh?' He asked and my interest was further piqued.'Yes?' I said, urging him to continue.'Well, it seems like Hugh is not her surname after all,' he said.'What? What do you mean by that?' I asked, cocking my head to the side in genuine interest.'Well, we found out that she changed her name, but we can't still figure out what exactly her other name was. I must warn you to take caution, sir,
ELIZABETH’s POVI turned, expecting to see the maidservants Adam promised but saw him instead, standing in the doorway.'What the actual fuck?' I said, half screaming, while reaching for my clothes I abandoned on the bed. Thankfully, he wasn't with any guard.'I am so sorry. I didn't mean to intrude.' He said almost immediately with an embarrassed cheek. He quickly left and closed the door so that I could dress up.I was supposed to be angry with him, but I wasn't. The way he kept his eye fixed on my naked body made me feel uncomfortable and embarrassed… but his eyes… his eyes, they were so charming and alluring. Who would have thought that I'd admire my parents' murderer this way…'This is not real,' I muttered to myself, snapping out of my illusion and quickly slipping the dress up my shoulders.'You can come in,' I said after securing my belt tightly around my hip. I wasn't in for any nasty surprises.'I am sorry again, but are you sure you're not, like naked or something?' He aske
ADAM'S POV:I had to convince Elizabeth to believe that the sudden stop was due to leg cramps. I didn't want her poking around or asking me questions I couldn't answer.I dropped her off quickly in her room before returning hastly to the playroom. I see someone's imprint on the handle and my defense were up immediately.I enter inside the room and locked it behind me. The toys were scattered and the drawers were in shambles.I knew that if there was one person who had access to this room, it would be Kevin, and it was obvious he left in a great hurry. I smile inwardly as I see the condom pack ripped open. I will have to reprimand him later, but I guess he should enjoy whatever he's doing.The thoughts quickly makes me think of Elizabeth and how etheral she looked today. Maybe I should go a quick check up on her.I wanted to surprise her and quickly open the door without knocking.'What the fuck?' She yelled and quickly made a dash for her clothes. I knew I should stare but her body ca
ELIZABETH'S POV 'Oh, I'm so sorry mistress, I didn’t know you were the one standing over there. I thought it was one of the servants. You must leave this arena, my mistress. If the Don sees you here Under my watch, I will be held accountable For your actions.' A guard said and walked me to my room.'Is anybody forbidding from staying there?' I asked in genuine curiosity.'I am not allowed to answer your questions mistress, but the Don requested that you should not be by yourself in this estate.' He said and walked off.I chuckled in realization. Adam doesn't want me sniffing around the compound. How cliché because that was exactly what I resolved to do. I knew he was suspicious of me, but that could not stop me from achieving my goals.I paced around the room for a while trying to figure out Adam's weak point.I remembered how his eyes spoke thousands of lustful words in my ears before he caught himself. I remember the desires I saw in his eyes when I stepped out of the car. I knew w
ADAM'S POV 'Kevin?' I asked in shock.'Yes, boss?' He asked, bending his head in submission.'You seem like you have something to say?' I asked, looking at him expectantly. The other Brodas turned too, waiting for whatever he will say.'I'm sorry for interrupting you, but I don't think we should kill her yet. She can serve a much bigger purpose sometime later in the future,' He said, his head still bowed.'What do you suggest then?' I asked, still curious.'Let's send her to the sisterhood caven, where she'll be taught fierce loyalty. Afterwards, she will be one of ours.' Kevin answered.I looked from Kevin to Yumi and back to Yumi. My eyes lingered on her for a while. It will be very hard to get Yumi to be part of us. It will take severe torture, and she might die in the process. Well, that will be a win-win.'Just allow me to die in your hands, Adam,' Yumi said tiredly.I chuckled at her and turned to Kevin. 'Very well then. I'm sure she'll serve a much better purpose.' I said and
ELIZABETH POV:Adam watch out!' I screamed in fear.I guess he didn't hear as he swivelled to the left, right where the danger zone was. I didn't recognise any of the huge men that stood there.'Who are these people, and what do they want?' I yelled in horror. In as much as I act strong and tough, I know how to retreat from danger zones when I see one.Ignoring me and my wails, Adam turned to my maidservant. 'Lizzy, protect your mistress. Never let her out of your sight. If anything gets tensed, you know what to do.' He said protectively.Lizzy nodded curtly in understanding and locked the car after Adam went out.'What did he mean by that?' I asked tearfully after Adam got out.'I will explain later, but for now, you have to sit tight and watch them,' she said, hushing me.I watched as Adam walked closer to the men and tried to have a conversation with them. They sized him up instead and walked dangerously close to him.And that exact moment, Lizzy pressed an emergency button I never
ADAM'S POVAdam watch out!' She screamed in fear.I don't see it until it's too late, a black car with tinted windows stops very close to ours and I almost bump into them.Thankfully, I managed to get the car in place before loosening my seatbelt. I watched in confusion as two hefty guys came out of the car and charged towards ours.Quickly, I left Lizzy with specific instructions and left the car. I walked up to them and demanded some sort of explanation. They didn’t know who they were dealing with.‘Why did you bump into us?’ I asked the first man angrily.'You should be grateful you're not dead yet,' one of them said sarcastically and charged for me.'What is it you want?' I asked, trying to pacify them.'We received specific orders to kill you and bring the woman in the car alive,' the other one said.Elizabeth? How did they know about Elizabeth? And how did they know that we were coming that way? Something wasn't right.'We can make this easy for you. Give us the girl and we will
Elizabeth’s POV‘He has requested that you meet him in Sir Richard's private chambers. We're here to get you prepared to see your husband.' They said and I could hear a scorn from one of them. I ignored her because she knew nothing about my plans.They bathed and scrubbed me well and dressed me in the finest purple gown I had laid eyes on. I looked terrific when they were done with the light makeup, which did nothing but complement my beautiful face.'He's waiting, mistress,' Lizzy said and gestured me to follow her. We walked from the east wing to the west wing, where Richard's room was.'Leave us,' Adam said to the guards and the maidservants accompanying us.As they left, Adam gestured for me to sit beside him. 'I'm so sorry for how I treated you yesterday. I was in pain and I wasn’t thinking straight. Do you forgive me?' He asked genuinely.I looked into his eyes and saw how truthful they were. I hated the fact that I could not completely ignore him. I hated the little tingling fe
Lily's POVI didn’t talk to Lance during the whole flight. I didn’t have to. He didn’t expect me to.We sat in silence, an ocean between us despite sitting only one seat apart. In one hand he swirled a whiskey glass slowly. I had nothing. Not even sleep. I hated that I was in this position.When we landed in the States, I braced for the worst. I thought I would be taken directly to some basement then given a gun, a file and told to clean up someone else’s mess. Or even killed. But instead, Lance handed me a manila folder.Inside were fake credentials. It had given me a new name so I could not be easily tracked. New background. I was officially now Samantha Carson, federal corrections officer, Clayridge Maximum Security Prison.My stomach twisted."What is this?" I asked.Lance didn’t smile. "Your clean slate. Your one final task."I really didn't want to and I complained. "This isn’t what I do."Lance picked up and did not care. "You do now."I stared at the folder again. One of the d
Lily's POVJosh propped back on the couch, half-squinting, with sweat beaded on his brow.He took his phone from his pocket and texted someone before returning his gaze to me.“I asked you a question,” he said. His voice went deeper.“No, I didn't,” I said. He looked relieved.“So, he's blackmailing you. Why?” He asked.“Because I shot my friend. Yes, I shot Elizabeth and ran,” I confessed.“Lily,” Josh called in disbelief. “So, it was you?”“I don't know if she's dead. I checked the news. There's no record of her death. It was selfish of me, but I didn't kill her. I know that,” I said.It didn't make sense to me, but I didn't want to cry in front of him.He stared at me. None of us broke eye contact. Then the knock came.Josh sat up and pointed to the door. "That's him. Let him in."I opened it quickly to find a lanky man with a box of supplies tucked under one arm. His scruffy beard and bleary eyes belied the crispness of the white gloves he donned as he entered.“I can’t believe yo
Lily's POVThe gun didn’t move. It remained pointed toward Josh’s head.My heart raced as I leapt between them, my arms outstretched. My voice cracked, but I pushed the words out. "What do you want?"The man laughed and cocked his head, as if I’d just asked the dumbest question in the world. His lips curled slowly in a cruel smile. "It’s easy. You should have guessed it."I gulped.“You did better than I hoped bringing him here,” the man said.“You sent that message?” I asked, and he smiled.Josh sat up, and the man ticked his fingers warning him not to move.“Lily, what in the hell is happening?” Josh asked.“You'll know soon enough,” the man answered.The soft click from the black SUV behind the man caught our attention.My heart began to race. Its headlights blinked. The doors released with a muffled thump. I froze, a chill wrapping around my back.The driver's door opened.No. Please, God, no. Don't let it be him.But it was him. The first thing that hit my eye was his polished sh
Lily's POVMy scream was loud and sharp as the closet door flew open. I didn’t think. I just reacted. I shot my fist out and into a man’s face with a sickening thud. The figure reeled back, groaning."Ow! Lily, what the hell!"Josh’s voice pierced through my mind and I opened my eyes. My heart sank the second I saw who I hit."Josh?" I asked.He held his nose with his left hand, and rubbed the spot. "Yeah, it’s me. You throw one hell of a punch. What was that?"I stumbled out of the closet, still shaking. "Jesus. Don't scare me like that. I thought you were him. I heard him. He called my name. I swear he was here.”Josh glanced around the room, his face turning a bit red. He moved fast, checking the windows, every corner, under the bed, behind the door.“There's no one here now,” he said.He glanced at me then, the concern carved deep into his face. “That’s it. I’m done playing defense.”He pulled out his phone and called someone. In less than an hour, a locksmith came and changed eve
Lily's POVJosh’s eyes were wide open; He gazed at me. It was too late, yet I turned aside."What was that?" he inquired in a low but cordial tone.I quickly got up and stuffed the phone in my pocket. "Nothing. Just an old picture."He didn’t blink. “You looked nice. Almost like a whole different person.’With trembling palms, I backed toward the sink and pretended to be occupied with a cup of water. "You need to rest. You’re not supposed to think much.”Josh sat up slowly. He moved to the side and the machines beeped next to him. "Don’t do that. Don’t deflect.""I’m not," I muttered."You are. Talk to me."I spun around and gripped the edge of the counter. My voice shook. "I can’t. Not now."He sighed and reclined back into the pillow. "Then don’t bother."I glanced at him, and swallowed. "Josh..."Gently, he looked into my eyes. “If you're not prepared to discuss it, that's fine. I’ll wait. I just want to know you’re safe. For me."I felt my knees buckle a little and moved closer to
Lily's POV"Move! Get out of the way!" I yelled.I didn’t know my own voice as I yelled at the standstill traffic, weaving in and out of cars, blowing every light.I had my fingers locked on the steering wheel. Josh lay next to me, hunched over with blood from his scalp running onto his shirt. His breathing was shallow.“ Josh, you need to stay with me. Just keep breathing. Please,” I begged as I drove.He groaned softly. That sound gave me just enough hope to bury the throttle deeper. The hospital sign eventually appeared, glowing like a beacon through my haze of panic.I parked like a lunatic, half on the sidewalk, and jumped out of the car. "Help! Somebody, please, help me!"Two nurses and a doctor ran outside. They saw the blood and got a stretcher."Head trauma. I don’t know what else,” I said, my voice trembling. "He was attacked. Outside our apartment."They loaded him in. My heart was pounding in my ears, I staggered behind, trying to catch up.The emergency room was a disaste
Lily’s POVThe scream came out of me before I even knew what I was seeing.There he was at the window.That same hooded man, lingering outside in the shadows, staring at me. Just standing there. I could feel his eyes piercing through the glass and through me, even though his face was dark.Josh leaped off the sofa as if a defibrillator had struck him by accident. "Lily! What—"I pointed, my voice breaking. "The window! He's there! Look!"Josh sprinted toward me, looking at where I pointed. But when he turned, the man had disappeared from the window.“He was just standing there,” I gasped as I retreated. My legs trembled and my skin tingled all over.Josh looked around the street below. Then he noticed something. His brow furrowed as he leaned in closer. His fingers moved deliberately toward the windowpane. "Lily... there's a crack."I rushed to his side.And there it was.A narrow, ragged line had ripped its way across the glass. Right in the center.Then I saw the note.Stuck to the
Adam’s POVAs soon as Corinth made a run for it, the chase ensued.The guards immediately shouted orders, their heavy boots echoing on the marble floor as they pursued her. Corinth moved swiftly, weaving through the crowd with a sense of urgency that gave precision to her every action. Her arms pumped, and her legs propelled her forward as she ran down the hallway, holding on tightly to the stolen gun.I followed her at a measured pace. She was driven by survival instincts, but panic often leads to mistakes. She would eventually slip up, and I intended to be there when it happened.At the end of the corridor, Corinth took a sharp turn into another hallway. A guard lunged at her, barely grazing her sleeve, but she spun around, driving her elbow into his ribs. He grunted in pain and stumbled back, crashing into a glass cabinet that shattered, sending pieces of glass everywhere.Another guard was on her quickly, reaching for her arm, but she ducked, swinging the gun to connect with his j
Corinth’s POVThe kitchen was filled with the aroma of fresh herbs and cooked meat, but it didn't give me the satisfaction I needed. I felt out of place.I stood at the shiny counter, my hands steady despite the cold surface.The head chef worked quickly and skillfully, preparing Elizabeth's dinner with pride in his work. He had no clue about my intentions.The moment had arrived. I reminded myself, "Don't mess up. Just do it and get out. It won't kill her. She'll be okay."I kept these thoughts in my head.I glanced at the spice rack. There was a small vial hidden between jars of basil and oregano, easy to miss. I had placed it there earlier to blend with the spices. My fingers brushed over it as I pretended to care about the plates.My heart was racing. There was no turning back.If I hesitated, my boss would punish me harshly. He never forgave mistakes. Failing was not an option for me.The chef turned to grab some rosemary. That was my chance.I carefully added a few drops of the