LUCAS'S POV“On your knees!” I ordered watching from the high chair as she did as ordered. The soft flickering sound the crackling fire made braced my ears as I chuckled.“Why did you do it? Why did you have to ruin all my sheerchard work for what? Only for the president to find out years later.” I thundered, my voice lashing through the thin silence in the air.Madame Browne moved slowly, my nails pressing hard into her flesh. She was on her knees as I had ordered, her head tilted downwards in fear. She was shaking like a winter leaf, her eyes lit up in confusion.“I still don't understand any of your words, what do you mean by I ruined all of your hardwork I promise you, I didn't do shit!” She cursed underneath her voice.The anger in me raged harder with each passing second, the sight of her filling me with irritation. “You don't still understand? Well, I'll give you a hint.” I growled, my teeth tighly.I tilted my gaze upwards, hesitating for a secondary as I stared at the guards
M ADAME BRO WNE'S POV “Hello,” I said, my voice hoarse. I could still feel the prick of glass on my palms, the soft pain but I overlooked it. The entire room reeked of sweat and alcohol. I waited a long minute before the person on the other end finally responded me. On the other end of the line, I could hear grunting and loud cursing. My patience soon waned once I checked the waiting time and saw it had been 40 seconds already.I scowl angrily, pulling the phone as I stretched my index finger to press the end call button. Before I could press it, the call was picked and a husky feminine voice beamed out from my speakers. “Hello, this is Poison speaking, if it's another loan company, I swear too God I am going to freaking come and deal with y'all myself.” I heard the familiar voice of one of my girls, Poison, my go-to actually.She was the perfect one for the role. “Hey, this ain't no loan shark company, it's Madame Browne.” I said and listened closely as a hushed silence followed m
MADAME BROWNE'S POV “We're here ma'am.” I heard the driver's voice. I pulled out of thoughts and turned my head in the direction of the car's window to stare at the impending figure of a beautician's shop. It was the best lead I could get but I was sure they'd do much good in converting Poison back into the feminine lady she used to be.I had to make her look as feminine as possible. The driver got out of the car and opened the car door for me as I stepped out, feeling the sudden gust of the evening breeze. Poison waited in the car and was also getting ready to step out of the car when I flashed her a glance.“We're about to step in there, do not say anything as I'll be doing all the talking.” I ordered, a cold frown on my face. She nodded but I could still see the few glints of mischief that glistened in her eyes. “And to make this clear, do not steal or show your god-damned kleptomaniac character over here. I'm good friends with the owner and if I here you up in there doing some
POISON'S POVIf you asked me, I'd tell you this place smelled like shit.It looked like a torn out piece of a 6 year old Disn*y princess scrapbook, colored in pink. I couldn't stand it here, everything annoyed me.The constant reek of roses in the air, the fake giggles of the lady present, everything did!I didn't mean to sound rude but who the actual fuck pays ten grand for a makeover. It's not as if the person I am going to kill is a young, important person. It's an old man who's already on his sick bed.I smirked as I watched Madame Browne spoke with the lady. I felt irritated by this— the lady's fake giggle, the malice dripping beneath the sickeningly sweet facade in the tones. I rolled my eyes reading meaning into each and every one of the words they spoke.When Madame Browne agree to pay ten grand, my jaw fell. It seemed as if the job really did mean a lot to her, I wasn't going to disappoint anyways. I grumbled as the two workers in the store led me in the direction of a door t
ELLA'S POV AT THE MCKINNEY MANSIONI watched the president sleep peacefully. Xavier was by the other end of the room, he was also watching the president like I was. The silence in the room was soft unlike any other. I couldn't take my eyes of the president so quick.What if uncle Lucas came back?The thought of that alone was enough to keep my awake. My body was sore with pain as I adjusted my seat. As the time pulled by I began feeling sleepy. I tilted my head in Xavier's eyes to check up on Xavier.He was already asleep. I had to stay awake, atleast since Xavier was asleep. Someone had to stay awake in order to alert the others in case anything happened.I stayed awake for a while until I was pulling into sleep. My eyelids were struggling to stay up and my weak body was already pulling into the charm of sleep. My back arched instinctively as I settled deeper into the chair I was seating and before I knew it, I was already falling asleep.The silence in the room eased the sleep that
ELLA' POVCaroline.Even the sound of her name made me feel anxious. I ran a finger into my hair, staring helplessly at Xavier as he guided me into our bedroom. My body was sore and the relief I felt to lay on the soft cushions was great.“I don't feel the president is safe around her, Xavier?” I mumbled, struggling to stay awake. My eyelids were already closed and it was almost midnight.Xavier, who was in the bathroom, strutted out. He was just as tired as I was and seeing him like that, I decided not to press on. I rubbed my knuckles lazily on my eyes as I bit back a yawn.I had to stay awake.Something in me still couldn't relax knowing fully well the president was left under the supervision of a total stranger. Xavier walked over to the bed and before he got on it, he patted my head softly.“The president will be just fine, the security at the hallways are guiding the room just Incase.” Xavier’s voice faltered into a yawn just after he finished.I tried to relax— to let off the t
ELLA'S POV I paced backwards, a chill running through my veins. Sweat trickled down my forehead as I glared hard at the prominent figure of Caroline.Just before I could take another step backward, she stopped walking and stared at me. She glared hard at me for what felt like a minute before I saw recognition glisten in her eyes.“Ma'am, what are you doing at this odd hour, I was afraid the president was getting attacked.” My heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice.I still didn't believe her words, a few seconds ago her eyes were bloodshot, contempt rolling freely in them and now, she was acting like she'd just seen me? I calmed my heavy breathing to reply her, “I… I ac.. I.” I struggled to build the words as I stuttere making a fool of myself. Just as she'd spoken, I watched two other figures pull out from behind her.They were prominent, like that of well built men. The shadows in the hallway draped over their figures so I couldn't get a clear sight of them.I wasn't sure
ELLA'S POV Who was that?I was pulled back into the elevator and I felt my back run into the hard chest of a man. I immediately tried to move away from it— whoever he was. I had to get out of here.Just then, the elevator’s lights flickered on.My heart shook in my chest as I was met by the figure. Xavier, in his sleeping attire with a restless look on his face. “Ella, I thought I told you not to worry.” His tone was soft as his hand slid around my neck.“I'm sorry, I just—” I tried to build up words but he interrupted me halfway, “I get you're worried about the president, I am also as worried as you. Together, we'll make it work.”Following his words were the comfort of receiving reassurance from the one person I loved the most. A sexy smile made it's way to his face, the dim lights in the elevator bracing his face. I pulled closer to him as his hand gripped my waist as he pulled closer to him, his lips pausing before my ear lobe. “the president will be fine only if we can give him
XAVIER'S POV I could feel their gazes on me.I heard their soft taunting sound of sighs and mumbling trudging through the air. This wasn't the first times they acted like this but this… this was definitely going to be the last.The news of the president going missing shocked me out of my wits. After my chat with him, he asked me to leave and as I returned to the room, I passed the night on the bed with Ella. I pulled into the sheets disorientedly as waves upon waves of tiredness launched into my veins.I was just about to pull to sleep when my phone suddenly beeped with an emergency contact signal from the president. I jumped to my feet almost immediately and grabbed my phone as I sprinted out of the room.I pushed the door open and raced into the hallway like a child being chased by clowns. My case wasn't really far from that. I was being chased by my fears, my hopes and the nerving sensation that came from the thought of having something bad happen to him.I couldn't afford to loos
ELLA'S POV ~The next day~“Good morning ma'am.” The sharp, cutting voice of a female slipped into my ears as I pulled out of the hazy confines of sleep. I yawned, stretching disorientedly as my stretched my fingers and reached for the other side of the bed to check if, just if, Xavier returned back to the room that night.My fingers stroke the soft cushion of his size of the bed and a sense of worry flowed into my veins. My eyes pulled open as I pulled my back from the bed. I flashed my gaze at his side of the bed for anything that hinted his presence but all I received was the familiar whiff of him in the sheets.Did he pass the night here or was all of this just another one of my disturbing thoughts?As I asked myself the question, I shot a glancea t the figure standing at the other side of the room. It was Madeline's. My eyebrows quirked and I clench my fists and I stepped down from the bed.I put on some flip-flops before pacing towards her. Her eyes sparkled from afar like alwa
XAVIER'S POV Dear reader, if absolute shock and confusion were a person, that god-damned person would be me.As I stood there, I felt my knees buckle as I nearly lost balance. The words the president spat out echoed repeatedly against the walls of my ears and with each replay, I felt fear encircling my senses.The fact that Lucas was the leader of a powerful mafia gang leader from Russia wasn't a small thing.I still couldn't believe it. Why would I believe Lucas, my uncle whose case I used to think could be taken down by a mere court case, was actually a powerful mafia lord himself.Confusion wrapped around me like a cocoon and in it's nerving sheets, I found a haunting solace that sent chills down my spine. It revealed a lot to me even at this time when I needed it the most. I used to think I could take him down with one course case backed with evidence but it's only then I realized this battle was one that had exceeded sparing words.The little energy I was able to gather in my l
XAVIER'S POV When my lips pulled open, It was to the starry vision of a dark room. I winced sharply, fear purring in my veins as I tried my best to make out something from the background I was.The last thing I remembered was zoning out after the president told me my family were killed by the brutal hands of Lucas McKinney and Madam Browne. As the thought punched through my mind, I shook my head slowly, my face powdered with sweats.Even now, I still couldn't believe it. It had to be a joke. Madame Browne and Lucas couldn't have done that. This had to be a dream, a nightmare of some sorts.I was sure it was edged far away from reality. That was the only logical reason I was waking up in a dark room. I must be sleeping peacefully on a bed with Ella's body clinging to mine.I must be sleeping peacefully.That had to be it.This was a dream.With gentle flinches, I pulled my back from the hard ground and I felt the brushing texture of the group against my back. The sudden scratch caused
XAVIER'S POV I obeyed the president's words and took my seat. As I did that, I still couldn't get a grip over the waves of emotions soaring in my chest. I flashed him a glance and I noticed the plain glint of remorse in his eyes.For quite a long time now, the president had been hiding something. I knew that for sure but what didn't know was why. Anytime he tried to talk to me, either Madame Browne or Lucas comes in and intrudes but this time around, there's no rooms for games.My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I took my seat and my chest heaved. I stared back at the president expecting him to start an explanation but instead, he stood up and walked over to the door which he locked before walking back to where I was.I wasn't sure what it was but I could tell for a fact that something was about to go down. Something dark. Something ground shattering.I steadied the uneven gasps rippling through my lips and turned back to him. The president's eyes turned dark almost immediately a
XAVIER'S POV.I strolled into the hallway slowly with the weight of Ella's gaze still pressing against my back. Ignoring it, I continued and walked over to the elevator where I tapped the button leading in. As the doors chimed open, I stepped into it and locked my arms.I watched the doors close and yet I could feel her gaze on me. It layered over my skin, tracing delicate patterns that made it nearly impossible to keep a steady heartbeat. A cloud of sweats loomed over my forehead and upon several intervals, I'd wipe them off swiftly.The cold droplets of sweat trickled down the side of my face as I clenched my fists. My mind wasn't at ease. I had a lot of unanswered questions. First was why did the president acknowledge dying soon?What did he mean?I was just about to ponder on the questions when the thought of his mention of Madame Browne and Lucas punched through my mind. My heart palpitated but I stayed still, feeling a surge of dread in me as I thought of them.I shook my head s
ELLA'S POV I couldn't wait to get home.I had to tell him.Xavier deserved to know everything. He deserved to know that Rochelle wasn't really pregnant. He deserved to know that Cassandra worked for Madame Browne and is probably trying to kill the president and most of all, he deserved to know one thing, the one news I hadn't really told anyone else.I'm pregnant.The main reason my eyes watered in tears back there when we were walking out of the building was when I thought of the chances of losing him and the thought of Madame Browne winning over us.We couldn't allow that, at least not when we have a lot at risk. The wind from the side glasses in the helicopter jostled sharply at me as I pulled closer to Xavier and locked my arms tighter with his.As I did that, I caught the soft whiffs of his cologne in the air. I waited patiently until we finally arrived at the tall towering figure of the mansion. From the top view, I caught the sight of the maids going about doing their respecti
XAVIER'S POV.I could feel their gazes on me.It loomed over me as I strutted into the room with rage boiling in my veins. Despite the fact that I hadn't fully recovered, I had to be there. Ella had done enough for me. All through the weeks of my Coma, she stepped up into a role as demanding as the acting CEO just to secure my spot in all the meeting needed in the meeting. I balled my fists as the rippling sound of gasps braced my ears in an unsolicited welcome.I pushed forward, my feet moving gently as I traced my step into the room with my wife or should I now say, my assistant, strutting beside me. Her arms locked against mine, the soft whiffs of her perfume surging into my nostrils.I brushed off some unseen dusts on my suit as I stared back at the figure of my shocked nemesis. His electrifying green eyes stared back at me as my lips curled into a smile. I dusted off my suit again, giving him the hint that it was the exact one I wore before getting involved in the accident they
XAVIER'S POV Dear reader, I'm just as shocked as you. I couldn't believe I made it. I thought I died but when my eyes fluttered open, it was to the sight of a doctor staring back at me with a shocked look on his face. A gasp rippled through his lips as he stared at me.I stretched my hands to yawn and as I did that, I was repelled by the casts placed over my hands. I look up at the ceiling as I wondered where in god's green earth I was.Most importantly, where was he?Where was the man who was hired by Madame Browne to kill me?The doctor in front of me ran out of the room and raced out like he had seen a demon. I yawned and raced my back a little. I searched the entire room with my gaze and I immediately remembered where I was.This was an hospital.It was obvious.The ridiculously big machines surrounding me and the wires fixed to me. I arched my brow as I tugged off the wires and stepped out of the bed. As my feet touched the base of the floor, I was about to crash into it when I