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
CAROLINE'S POVWhen that lady, Ella walked towards me back then in the room, my heart skipped a beat. I had to do something, anything. I tried to mask my anxiety and I used that bitch fell for it.I was expecting her to walk out of the room and never show her face again but she stood her ground, her gaze holding mine. She really did have some courage from what Madame Browne told me. I thought I'd meet a feeble, easily manipulated lady but she was different.Ella Rocci really did have an eye for catching details, an hard nut to crack if you asked me but like all the others, I'd get over her. She smiled softly at me for what felt like a minute before she spoke about giving me an interview. My heart skipped a beat as fear lit up in my eyes but I immediately hid it.I followed her with a soft gaze until she was back to the door before I said, “That'll be fine by me. When is going to take place?” She spun around, a daring look into her eyes. “I'll let you know when the time comes Carolin
ELLA'S POV I woke up to the soft sounds of Xavier pulling out of the bed. His soft footsteps pulled me out of sleep as I flustered my lids open. I was welcomed by the sight of him getting dressed and checking out his outfit in the mirror of the dressing room. I still hadn't made It up to him about what happened last night.His silence and the absence of his early morning hums hinted that he was mad at me. I stood up from the bed, putting on the robe as I walked in his direction. From where I stood, I could see him standing by a side of the dressing room. He was adjusting his tie while staring at his own reflection in the mirror. Xavier's jaw was well clenched as I made my way into the dressing room.I walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder from behind. “Hello handsome.” I said, laughing as I teased. Xavier was able to hold himself from laughing but I had other plans to make him laugh.I reached forward and hugged from behind feeling the soft texture of his shirt. The soft s
POISON'S POV Never in my life had I expected to be met by Ella's question. It crashed into me like a ton of bricks, the haunting sound of her voice filling my insides with dark, poignant fear.I felt the air passing through my lungs hitch as I clenched my fists to my sides. The silence that followed her question stretched endlessly as little beads of desperation clung to my forehead.“What is your name, really?” She repeated the question again but this time, it didn't seem as if I had the luxury of picking whether I was going to answer or not, it was a command. Her tone was driven by an authority that seemed unquestionable even for someone like myself.I fixed my face into a frown, my eyes darting over to hers as I clenched my jaw. I wasn't going to leave any gaps for suspicion, I had to act as clean as possible. Considering the low amount of time I was given to go over the role as Caroline, a poor caretaker to the president. I took a long breath and opened my lips to speak, “Caroli
POISON’S POV If Madame Browne hadn't stepped in, my entire cover would've been blown. It would have all gone down the drain and I'd get spotted out for being suspicious and once suspicious steams in, the entire plan gets ripped apart.I released a low gasp the instant Ella's gaze left my body. She turned her gaze in the direction of the other end of the room where Madame Browne stood. “What is that about?” She asked Madame Browne so calmly as she stood up from the chair and paced towards the door's frame. “It is regarding the interview, I heard you needed information to give you clarity on her background?” Madame Browne said the words, strolling into the room with the soft sound of her heels clicking against the marbled tile seeping into the air.At the sound of her voice, I felt a gaze lingering on me. It was from her, Ella. She tilted her gaze swiftly in my direction and held my gaze for what felt like forever, suspicion glistening in her eyes.I froze, anticipation creeping into
ELLA'S POV Something wasn't right.I could feel it in my bones. At first, it came as a simple feeling of uncertainty but now, I was certain. Something about the information didn't add up. The names, her back stories, the stutters, you can find it weird but those are hints.I had to take note of those.The slick dampness that clung to my palms grazed the edges of the paper as I exhaled. There had to be a clue here— something must be out of place. Humans are liable to mistakes but this time, the information was perfectly aligned, yet something still felt off. I inspected the paper in my hands for a moment, my eyes moving frantically as I tried to get out a detail from it that stood against what Caroline had told me.Speaking of the devil, where was she? I jerked out of thoughts and darted my gaze across the room as I searched for her thin figure but to my shock, she was nowhere to be found. “Where did she go?” I asked, tilting my head as I faced Madame Browne.Madame Browne's smirk
POISON'S POV.“Formula 9.0,” I uttered the word slowly watching as Kayla's eyes darkened. She darted a swift gaze to her surrounding check if there was someone hovering close by and after a minute or two of thorough investigation, she turned back to me.“You know you're not supposed to say that out loud, I could get sent to jail for that shit!” She yelled at me even in a whisper. I chuckled darkly, seeing how worked up she was about my words.“Calm down, I just need to get it today. It kind of an emergency,” I said, holding her shoulder as I watched her smirk before turning to open the door to her shady moveable outlet.The keys rattled as the lock snapped open. She twisted the swiftly and pushed the door open, the thud it made bracing they inner walls of my ears. The inside of the room was dark just like I expected.Kayla always insisted on it being in darkness just Incase the police comes for a search when she wasn't around. “Come in,” She said and turned to face me. I stepped into
D.P.O’S POVWhen I received the president's call, I was halfway into counting a wad of cash. My fingers paused in their calculative movements and I shifted my gaze in the direction of my phone. It laid on the table, quivering and vibrating as the heavy bass ringing tone blared into the air.I reached for it with deft fingers and just as my fingers brushed against the screen, it turned on and the caller id was displayed. Nothing in the lord's green earth could have prepared me for what was about to come.The president.He was the one calling and not just that, I felt my sixth sense engaging with me, offering shallow whispers of warning as adrenaline pulsed into my veins. My heart raced in my chest as I gripped my chin for a brief moment. Questions flowed into my mind gradually and the more I tried to counter them, the more puzzled I got.I wasn't expecting the president to call me— at least not so soon. I didn't think I could ever be prepared for his call. After the day he visited the
XAVIER'S POV I wasn't supposed to feel for her. The emotions I ended up showing crashed into me like a tidal wave. Even now, I still couldn't get myself to believe it. I was about to do it. I was about to do something I never believed would be possible.I was about to show Madame Browne sympathy. I was about to offer her the one thing she didn't offer me over the years. Sympathy. Even the thought of it I was nerving. I had to admit that. Hugging her was weird. Having her sob over my suit was weird and to say the truth, all of this was weird.Madame Browne wasn't the type of lady to cry. No. She was far different from that. She was the kind of lady who's character could be adapted into the role of a villain In a movie, a book perhaps. I was used to her being the evil person and this level of vulnerability was seemingly alarming.I couldn't bring myself to believe the one woman who single handedly made my life a living hell was about to confess to all her crimes to not just the police
THE PRESIDENT'S POV “What's the information she brought?” As Xavier said the words, my expression dimmed and I turned my gaze in Madame Browne's direction. I darted my gaze in her direction and as I caught a sight of her body frame, my face twisted into a tight frown.My jaws clenched and so did my fists. Something about all of this didn't feel right. But… I just had no choice but to believe her. Madame Browne stood at the other end of the room. Her legs were as shaky as a winter leaf and cold beads of swart clung to her forehead.Her eyes moved over to catch my gaze and as our eyes met, I tried to catch any glimpse of emotion but I found nothing. Well, nothing but the bright gleam of anticipation in her eyes. Something told me this was the beginning of a dark future. I could feel it but I just wasn't sure.Madame Browne was a trickster. It was in her nature and you never might know when she told the truth. I used to be able to read through all her tactics but this time around, it w
XAVIER'S POV I woke up to the soft warmth of Ella’s body curled against mine. For a rare moment, I allowed myself to enjoy the peace. The curve of her body against mine, the way her breathing remained steady—it filled me with calmness. But duty never slept, and neither could I.For a fleeting moment, time seemed to slow, allowing me to simply exist in the tranquillity of her presence. The delicate scent of her lavender shampoo clung to her dark hair, a familiar and soothing aroma that filled my senses. I almost didn't want to get up from her side, knowing she might be the only semblance of calmness in my life today, but I had to.Placing a kiss on her hair, I carefully untangled myself from her and slid out of bed. I headed to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and took my bathI was adjusting my tie in the mirror when a soft but firm knock sounded on the door. adjusted my tie in the mirror Who could it be so early in the morning?I padded towards the door, my feet silent on the lush
LUCAS'S POV The neon glow of the city cast long shadows as I watched her disappear into the night. My cigarette burned between my fingers, smoke curling into the air like ghosts of the past. I didn’t move until she was completely out of sight. Only then did I snap my fingers as a signal.A huge tall figure emerged from the darkness, stepping under the pale streetlight. Matteo. He had been an old soldier from back when I was still young —one of the few old ones still breathing. He wasn’t a man of many words, but he was very useful.He was my eyes on the streets, my major source of information, and not for once had he ever been wrong.“Who’s running things now?” I asked, exhaling smoke as I observed his expression.Matteo’s face was lined with years of bloodshed, his dark eyes unreadable. “No one knows, boss. There's a man—he’s got a scorpion tattoo inked onto the back of his hand. Rumours have it that he might be the one.”That gave me pause. "A scorpion?"He nodded once. "We haven’t
MADAME BROWNE'S POV I sat before the gilded vanity in my dimly lit room, carefully applying a shade of crimson to my lips. The reflection staring back at me exuded power, cruelty—a woman who had long since abandoned the silly notions of weakness and kindness. Those were for fools and children. They were nothing more than shackles meant to hold me back, and I had no use for them anymore. It was a dog-eat-dog world, and I refused to be left behind.My eyes gleamed with satisfaction as I traced the outline of my lips, the colour rich like freshly spilt blood. It was fitting. Blood had been spilt before, and more would be spilt againThe world had always been my chessboard, and I had played and would continue to play my pieces well.The soft ring of my phone interrupted my musings and brought me out of my thoughts. I reached for it almost lazily, fully expecting it to be another one of my pathetic underlings grovelling for my attention. But I was surprised as I saw the name flashing on
LUCAS'S POV1 DAY AGO.When the car arrived at the front of my crib which was located deep inside an undeveloped area. I made sure it was unnoticeable. From the outside view, any random stranger would think it was some abandoned building when really it held secrets as dark as night itself.As I stepped out of the car, my men hovered beside me. When we got to the gate, the security guards who were standing at alert confirmed my identity and opened the gate for me to enter. I stepped into the compound and headed directly for the door.I made slow, casual strides towards it and as I finally approached it, I snapped my fingers and my men opened it for me. The door chimed open and I stepped into the soft scent of cherries in the air.I already knew where it was coming from.I darted my gaze in the direction of a lady standing on top of the stage with her body clinging seductively to the stripping pole. The other stripers continued dancing. I was the one who gave them that order. Even when
LUCAS'S POV 1 DAY AGO.“Is the ride ready?” I asked with a calm voice and my assistant flashed me a glance before he beamed, “Yes sir.”“Alright officer, I'll see you soon if you dare spill anything. Claim i broke out of the cell.” I ordered and got up from my chair and paced towards the door.When I got close enough, I grabbed the doorknob and pushed it open. It made a low chime as I stepped out into the hallway and without closing the door, I headed towards the door at the end of the floor. The D.P.O revealed the emergency exit that wasn't guarded to me and I was going to take that path.When I got to the other end of the door, I paused in my tracks and turned to one of my guards who rushed towards the door and opened it. The room I stepped in reeked of odor. It seemed like it hadn't been opened in a long while. I shifted my gaze to one of my men and ordered him, “Go check what's going on in there?”The guard stepped forward and took gentle strides into the room. I waited until he
LUCAS'S POV1 DAY AGOAfter making the call, I waited for a minute before I received another call from my men. They had arrived at the back gate of police station and were waiting patiently for my go ahead. “I don't want a loud hit. I want something low and coded.” I said into the speaker. “What about the people that are going to be ensuring the DPO gets the message clearly?”“They are here boss. We'll make sure he gets the message clearly.” I waited for a while before I thought about it for a while and snapped. “You know what? I'll do it myself.” “Get into his office, beat the hell out of him and then call for me. I'll do the confrontation myself.” I turned out and I heard a corresponding hum from the other end of the phone as I ended the call and turned my gaze back to the sight of the inmates in the room.They were all 3.Each of them had unruly mops of hair on their head, red eyes, shaky breath and a staggering stance. In short, they reeked of poverty, remorse, regret and fear.