ELLA'S POV I lay in bed, feeling the sheets beneath me, observing the first beams of morning sunlight filter through the curtains. I had just pulled on my dress, but I really didn't feel like moving quite yet. My mind was still lost in the haze of last night. His touch remained on my skin, the possessive grip, the ease with which he took control-so naturally.A small smile teased at my lips until it quickly fell away with the emergence of a voice-a female voice-from the hallway. I frowned at the sound that invaded my thoughts. I strained to listen more intently, and what I heard was the sharp, cutting sound of her voice cutting through the air.It sounded too familiar.Then it clicked. Claudia.I sprang upright, the memory of her stinging words at the party flashing through my mind. I slipped off the bed, then moved silently toward the door, just out of sight but close enough to hear their conversation clearly."Xavier, I don't understand. Why are you wasting your time with her?" Cla
Alex's POVI watched the cityscape from the large window in my office, the world spread before me, silently mocking me. All this wealth, this power—it wasn't earned by the man who claimed it. It was simply handed down, like a spoiled child's toy. Xavier McKinney, with all his arrogance, never once understood what it meant to actually fight for something.He didn't deserve any of it. An empire, control, the fear he wielded with such carelessness-it was never his by right. It should have been mine.But no, I had to stand by his side through all these years, watching him rule, taking orders like a puppet while my hate grew deeper and festered. My fists instinctively clutched in my pockets at the thought of his smug face, so full of entitlement with every interaction, every goddamn meeting. He'd thought himself above the law, and for so long, I let that be.Patience was an art I had mastered. I had waited years for this moment. Years of playing the perfect, devoted assistant, behind the s
XAVIER'S POV My hands were clutched tightly around the wheel, while the quietness in the car spoke louder than any words either of us could utter. Ella sat beside me, her body stiff, but I still knew how hot we'd gotten just a little time ago. The memory of her body, the way she responded to me, echoed inside my head like the steady beat of a drum. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since-the feel of her, her soft moans in my ears, the way her body bent to my will. I wanted that part of her again, the raw, unguarded side-the part she showed only me when we were alone, where I could strip away her walls. As I looked over at her, I could tell she stared out the window, probably lost to her own thoughts, but all I could think about was how much I wanted her. It was carnal, deep in my bones, and something I couldn't shake. We pulled up to Ivy's school. The sudden shift from desire to fatherly duty was almost amusing, but as I parked the car and stepped out, I wasn't bot
ELLA'S POV As I stepped into the living room, tension hit me like a physical wall. Xavier stood near the door, his back to me, facing his uncle. I could feel the energy between them-strained, thick, and unnerving. I didn't know what was going on, but it certainly didn't take a genius to figure out that Xavier wasn't exactly pleased to have his uncle appear so suddenly. Ivy tugged on my hand, her face innocently devoid of the currents running underneath. Her eyes gleamed bright as she looked from me to Xavier, heedless of the chill on his face, and the fact that his body screamed control. Uncle Luke had this casual arrogance about him-threw a leg over the wall and leaned on it like he owned the place. The smile on his face was of those that sent chills down my spine, a warning that whatever conversation was going on, it wasn't a friendly catch-up. I didn't want to interrupt, but Ivy had other plans. "Mommy, Daddy! Guess what happened in school today!" she piped up, cutting the si
ELLA'S POV The morning light filtered through the curtains, falling softly across the room. I blinked against the glare, feeling the warmth of Ivy nestled up beside me. Her small body was curled between Xavier and me, still soundly asleep, her chest rising and falling with the steady rhythm of breathing. I turned to see Xavier already awake; his eyes, piercing as always, were set on the ceiling above him as if in deep reflection. His features were slack, yet there was something behind those eyes-something distant, a thousand miles away, though he lay no further than beside me.I shifted carefully, not to rouse Ivy, and then sat up. Today was the day of her school function, the one she had been so hyped about. The thought of going through all those people made my stomach twist nervously. People who had looked down at me, who have whispered behind my back. Ivy's classmates' parents that see us as less than them. But today was different. Today I had Xavier beside me.I got out of bed as
CLAUDIA'S POV As I walked away from Ella, my anger bubbled in my stomach, waiting to spill over. How dare that woman even think she could take anything that belonged to me? That was the maddening part. I fisted my hands, digging my nails into my palms as I struggled to keep at bay the surging anger.Ella had been no more than a thorn in my side. Now, apparently, she would stop at nothing to stake her claim on something that was never meant for her. In the world of Xavier, Ella was no better than a pawn, some sort of distraction with whom he'd grown bored. I knew this. I'd seen the whole thing before. Men like Xavier were never satisfied with those things that were easily within their grasp. They always reached for something new, something different.I took a deep breath, willing myself to be calm. I had to think, not let my emotions take over. But the more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Seeing them, Xavier and her, so perfect and so satisfied, wanted to make me scream. I'd be
Claudia’s POVI stood there, hidden in the throng of guests, my gaze locked on Ella and Xavier. The sight of them, so close and intimate, was like a splinter in my mind. I had imagined myself in Ella’s place countless times, but seeing them together, so effortlessly at ease, ignited a storm of irritation within me. I was supposed to be the one by his side, not her. The way Xavier looked at her, the way he spoke to her—it was as if she had cast a spell over him.I wanted to understand it. What was it about Ella that had captured Xavier’s attention so thoroughly? What made her special enough to make a powerful CEO lose control? Was it her perfect smile, her seemingly effortless charm? I couldn’t comprehend it, and that frustration gnawed at me like a relentless beast.As I watched them, an idea began to form in my mind. If I couldn’t have Xavier, then I’d make sure everyone knew just how much I was willing to disrupt his perfect little life. I needed to draw attention, to remind everyon
Claudia's P.O.V.I stormed out of the event, my blood boiling beneath my skin like I was about to explode. That was supposed to be me there, standing next to Xavier and not that pathetic excuse for a woman, Ella. What did she have that I didn't? How had she managed to get a man like Xavier all wrapped up in her finger?It was sickening; every time I saw them together, my stomach would turn. She had Ivy-that little mistake of a child-and suddenly she was some saint in Xavier's eyes. I clasped the steering wheel tightly as I drove-my knuckles white, vision blurry from my rage. I could feel my heart pounding, pulsing in my chest as if it was going to burst through my rib cage any second.Why her? Why not me?I deserved to be there. I put in the time. I'd known Xavier for years-hell, I'd been there while he was still building his empire, when he was just a name and not the god everyone bowed to now. But somehow, she'd just waltzed into his life and claimed the throne that should've been m
MR MCKINNEY'S POV She heard me.I could tell. If there was anything I was sure of more than anything, it was this. The still silence in the air already gave out the fact that she was standing close to the door with her ears pressed close to it. I had just finished talking to Xavier and as he turned to leave, I heard it.That sound.It fled as quickly as it sliced through the air. It was obvious Xavier didn't catch it but I surely did and I knew that it was hers. Following that, I flashed my gaze at Xavier instead as I flashed him a worried smile.“Are we clear?” I asked and he paused in his tracks.“I still don't get it Grandpa. Why do you want us to leave? If anyone should leave, it should be my wife and daughter not me, okay! He caused all of this and now that we’re this close to catching him, you want me to back down.” Xavier hurled out the words with rage rolling in his electrifying green eyes. His voice was thick and heavy like it carried the weight of the discomfort and rage i
MADAME BROWNE'S POV After Lucas hung up on me, I was halfway through changing my dress and taking a rose bath when my phone rang. With my fingers wrapped around the doorknob, I paused slowly as my phone's haunting ringing tone sliced through the air.My senses furrowed as I turned in the direction of my bed where utvs lying and I arched my brow in confusion. “Who could that be?” I asked no one in particular as I released my grip on the doorknob and squinted off in the direction of my bed. From where I was, I tried to catch a glimpse of the caller id displayed on my phone but the privacy screen didn't allow that. I reached for it and as my deft fingers brushed against its texture, I took a deep sigh before turning it on.In all sincerity, I wasn't sure what to expect. It could either be that Lucas’s brain has just snapped back into his head and he had hurriedly called me back or it was something else.Something totally different.Tension blended in sleekly with my expression as I flu
LUCAS’S POVWhen Madame Browne's call came in, I was halfway through getting my dick sucked by two prostitutes. The ringing sound of my phone cleared through the fog of sexual tension between the ladies as one of them slid closer to me. Her fingers stroked my hair as she pulled me in for a kiss while the other trailed her finger over my trousers.“Mmm…” A blasting shot of adrenaline surged down my veins as I ignored my phone's ringing as I concluded it was regarding a business deal or from my workers. I never expected it to be from her. Madame Browne.I waited patiently for the call to end before I pulled out of the kiss and turned to the stripper rubbing her hands over my groin. The instant our eyes met, my deft fingers gripped her neck as I watched her stifle a gasp. Her lids pulled close as I pulled her up slowly to kiss her roughly.Her tongue clicked at the roof of my mouth as the strawberry sweetness of her lipstick raked down my throat as I deepened the kiss even more. While
MADAME BROWNE'S POV As I raced down the hallways, the heavy thudding sound of my heart thumping against my chest clouded my senses. My breaths came out in ragged, fractured puffs as I paced towards the elevator at the end of the hallway. I took slow strides towards it and when I finally got close enough, my fingers trailed over to the open button and as I pressed it, the doors chimed open.Before I stepped in, I felt a heavy pull from behind as I snapped my head in the direction of the dark hallway and at the president's door. His words repeated in my head and I just couldn't help but clench my fists and sigh.Lucas’s plan was about to go down hill and the fool wasn't aware. My gaze stayed frozen on the door as thoughts pulsed through my mind. Right now, there are only two things I could do. It was either I told him or I kept it to myself.Since he decided to pull me under the rug after all my years of commitment and loyalty to him, I guess that was what he deserved for being a total
MADAME BROWNE'S POVWhat the hell just happened?Did Lucas just bail on me? Did he, for the first time in a long while, pull me under the rug? Rage rolled into my veins as I nearly froze on the spot. Even now as my fingers shakily perused the hem of my dress, I still couldn't believe he would hide something from me. I used to be the one he confided in, the one he always went to whenever he had a big plan but now…Now he was hiding things from me? How dare he?I first tried to get him to break the full plan to me fully but instead of that, he waved me off skillfully like some god damned fog of smoke. How funny? My fingers stiffened slowly as thoughts started running through my mind.It was obvious there was something else to his plan? He was hiding something?Something dark, dangerous and worse still, something I wasn't aware of.With my face fixed in a frozen smile, I waited patiently until the D.P.O stepped out of the room and was escorted out by the president before I brushed off
LUCAS'S POV I was in my private quarters when my assistant raced into the room. Her footsteps echoed against the walls of the room and I immediately stopped what I was doing. The stripper whose breast I was fondling raked her gaze against my features as her thin fingers brushed over my shoulders over to my chin as she gripped it lightly.“Spare me a glance, handsome.” Her sickeningly sweet voice rolled into the air in neat, smooth beams as I brushed her fingers off me as I flung my gaze in the direction where my assistant stood.Her tall, lean figure stood out in the room. I wasn't really sure if it was the bright contrast of her red gown or the alcohol but she just stood out. The lights in the room buzzed over her features as I narrowed my gaze slowly.She stood comfortably on 6 inches and clutched a file in her hands. Her dark eyes took in the raucous sights in the room before they shimmered with urgency. She paced towards me slowly with her heels clip-claping against the marbled f
MR MCKINNEY'S POV After the interrogation was done, I opened the door and stepped in to find the police officer seated casually on the chair opposite Madame. As their eyes shifted over to my figure, I noticed a sudden stifled gasp escaping madame Browne's lips as I paced towards where she was seated.“Is anything the problem?” I asked, my voice warm as I took my seat on the chair beside Madame Browne. Xavier soon stepped into the room and as he walked over to one of the chairs sitting lazily in the room, I shoved my gaze in her direction.Her eyes shimmered with an innocence that seemed to fake to be real. For a normal person, they'd say she was just shaken by the seriousness of the interview but I knew her— in, out. She was like a viper, the moment you take your eyes off her, she rears her head in your direction with her venom riddled fangs and tongue wagging through the air.I tapped my fingers over the clear smooth table as I slowly took my eyes away from her. I moved it over to t
MADAME BROWNE'S POV “Is that really you, Lucas?” The words quivered through my pursed lips as I gripped the hem of my dress tightly. My heart raced in my chest as I tightened my fingers grip over the fabric as his voice rang out shortly.Smooth. Low. Grating.Those were the right words to use in placing how it sounded. His voice raked its way into my ears as I stiffened almost immediately. “Yes, I hope you haven't forgotten how much of a powerful figure I am. If I want something, I make sure I get it and right now, I want revenge.”My blood ran cold at the mention of the last word. Revenge. As much as I was the brain behind most of his schemes, I couldn't help but imagine how far he was going to go in getting it. He was like a wild bull.The second its tamer got out of the picture, it'd go rogue on any one that crossed its path. In this case, Lucas was the bull and I was his tamer. Without me in the picture, the McKinney mansion could as well kiss their sanity goodbye because…The to
MADAME BROWNE.A hot drop of sweat raced down my oily forehead as the police officer took his seat in front of me. “Good day officer.” I greeted him calmly but he ignored me. My heart raced in my chest as I heaved out a sigh.“So, Madame Br—” he paused halfway in his speech just to get a glance of my name on the file in his hand. He was writing my name on a file and as he raised his brow in my direction, I nearly stiffened on the seat as his gaze raked over my features.“It's Browne.. sir.” My lips quivered as I struggled to find the right word to use as the heat of his gaze braced my sides. “Okay, so Mrs Browne.” He muttered as he tilted his head up in my direction and I stiffened on the spot as my breath hitched in my chest.“I have some questions first,” The police officer said and I adjusted my back on the chair. I straightened my spine and dusted off some unseen dust off my laps as I stared right back at her.“What's that?” I mumbled as he glanced back at the file in his hands be