ELLA'S POV I stepped out of the supermarket, feeling my heart in knots, that one conversation replaying itself over and over in my head with Claudia-the way she had cornered me, those smug words dripping from her lips like poison, sowing seeds of doubt I didn't want to water. But they were already growing. Damn it."Do you really think a man like Xavier is capable of love?" Claudia's words rang in my head, an echo that mocked my naivety. I had told myself that I wasn't going to let her get to me. I had convinced myself that Xavier was different-that maybe, just maybe there was more to him than the cold, domineering man he showed to the world. But Claudia's confidence had shaken something loose in me.Was I that foolish to have actually thought Xavier would choose me for anything more than some passing fling? A man who could literally have anyone. And for what? A contract? A child that, if I was honest with myself, I wasn't sure he truly loved? What if Ivy was just another of his pawn
Xavier's POVAs I stormed out of the kitchen, the anger boiling inside me was barely contained. My hands itched to hit something, but I knew better than to lash out in my own home, especially not with Ivy around. Ella's words kept echoing in my mind, the hurt and accusation in her voice piercing through me like a blade. Claudia—this was her doing.I paced up and down the hall as I reached for my phone, fingers flying across the screen.What the hell did you tell Ella? I sent the message and then waited, my chest rising and falling with every deep breath I took. Anger was simmering inside my skin, ready to spill over at any moment. This time Claudia had crossed a line, and she wasn't going to get away with it.It wasn't until a few seconds later that my phone buzzed its reply.Claudia replied: Nothing much, in a very smugly written text if that was possible. Just told her about the rough fucks we used to do and how passion would flare up between us. Thought she deserved to know,.My ho
CLAUDIA'S POVI clicked send and watched as the images were delivered to Ella. My heartbeat increased in anticipation as I awaited a response from Ella. The photos of Xavier, unconscious on the bed, his shirt undone, and hair tousled, were too perfect— they would leave her shattered, questioning everything. She would never trust him again, and it got even better: I didn't have to touch him to make that happen. It took only the right angle, the right light.A chill, smug smile curled in the corner of my lips. This phone felt heavy in my hand with the weight of its powerful ammo, and for the first time in a long time, I was on top. Ella had played innocent for far too long, but now, finally, I had her. I had something she could never take back.And Xavier. he would never set eyes on her again.Yet I was far from finished. No, this was only the beginning.I pulled out Alex's number in one swipe. He was one of the few people in Xavier's life who had any idea what game we were playing. He'
Claudia's POVI stepped out of the hotel with a sly, curling smile on my lips as my heart throbbed along with the echo of my heels against the marble floor. Thick in the hallway air was the aftermath of my sin, a twisted satisfaction rolling inside me like sweet poison. I nodded slightly at the security guard as I passed, catching his bare glance in return. Well, they might as well remain ignorant. They were nothing but backdrop-nothing more-for the Hell that I had now created.I came to the parking garage and slid into my slick black car. It was a flawless machine, perfect, as flawless as my plotting was. My palms drummed on the steering wheel with excitement, and in one moment, a manic laugh exploded from within me. This was it. I had Xavier right where I wanted him. Because, for far too long, I'd been forced to sit and suffer while he pined after that plain little nurse like some kind of lovesick fool. It was pathetic. But now? Now, the tables had turned.The pictures were out ther
Ella's POVI stood in the kitchen, absently wiping the counter as my brain had become a mess of thoughts and emotions that churned within me. I didn't know what to think or feel anymore. That conversation with Claudia still swirled in my head-twisting, nagging, like some splinter buried deep beneath my skin. She had planted seeds of doubt so effortlessly; her words circled my mind like vultures, waiting for me to break. I hated how easily she'd rattled me.Xavier was just a little too good to be true, no? The heart of it all? Every cold flirtation, every calculated look he threw my way, it all felt too perfectly set up, too staged in his head. Would a person like him ever be able to care about a person like me? I scowled at my reflection in the window. Foolish. I'd been so foolish to even hope—My phone buzzed on the counter, and I came out of my spiraling thoughts. I let out a sigh, wiping my hands with a towel that was lying nearby, and picked it up. The notification on the screen w
Xavier's POVI woke up in a start, the harsh sunlight slicing through the window, piercing through my bleary eyes. For a moment, I just lay there, disoriented-just feel the softness of sheets beneath me and the lingering scent of cheap perfume hanging in the air. Confusion clouded my mind in attempts to piece together remnants of last night. My body felt like it was made out of lead-as if I'd taken a hit from a freight train. I blinked hard, forcing the fog to clear, but the details of the previous evening danced just out of reach.I leveraged myself up onto my elbows and looked around. It was a luxurious hotel room, as one would expect; still, there was a something missing-a certain eeriness in the stillness of the air. Swinging my legs over the edge, I planted my feet onto the cool hardwood floor. A dull throbbing pulsed in my head and I groaned as fragments swam in my head. Claudia. What the hell happened?I reached to my feet, and the weight from last night came crashing down. Sta
XAVIER'S POV I strode into the office, my steps purposeful and measured. The power coursing through each cell in my body seemed to hum off me like an uncontrollable energy source. The moment I strode through the threshold, heads turned-secretaries, junior executives, all of them. Their gazes clung to me, whispers surely circulating behind my back, but I didn't care. Their petty thoughts were irrelevant. Not today.Claudia had overplayed her hand.And she was going to find out what happens when one tries to outplay me.The instant I stepped into my office, her scent, her energy, hit me-nervous. She paced by the window, her back to me. I didn't need to see her face to know she was scared. Good.I silently shut the door, the sharp click of the lock turning her to ice. It was then that she slowly turned around, and the instant our eyes met, her fear became palpable. Stiffening from head to toe, she parted her lips to say something- some weak defense, no doubt. I could almost smell the re
Ella's POVThe air felt heavy today-that kind where everything weighs one down and the whole world has come to a standstill. I sat on the couch, my arms loosely hugging Ivy, nestled against me, with her tiny frame so innocent and warm. Her laughter echoed through the room as Cocomelon played from the TV, bright colors and songs lighting up the screen.She pointed to the screen, giggling, "Mommy, look! JJ!"But I really wasn't there. My mind was elsewhere, clouded by that whirlwind of emotions spinning inside me, chaotic pieces I couldn't control, let alone make sense of.This just wasn't supposed to be this hard.The coolness of the ring on my finger touched my skin like a cold reminder of a lie that I had committed to. A contract, a deal-what was the meaning of all that? Had Xavier ever seen me-really seen me-beyond the terms and conditions of this mess that we so called a marriage?"Mommy, JJ!Ivy's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Yes, sweetheart, I see him," I said, forcing a
MADAME BROWNE'S POVWhile in my unconscious state, I felt darkness wrap around me. I saw, felt and even heard nothing. Nothing other than that ding. With each time it came, I writhed, twisted and strived to get it to stop. I was sick and tired of it and to make matters worse, I was beginning to get scared to my wits as questions pulsed through my mind. Did I die? Was this all another version of hell? I was expecting an erupting volcano, heat and a little bit of fire but all I saw was darkness. Thick, dark darkness. I was about to ponder on a question when I heard a ding. I tried to move but my body wouldn't budge.I tried again and then again but with each trial, I drew closer to the realization that maybe I had died. I mean my body wasn't going to move anymore and the signs were beginning to police together.I was about to accept the finalisation of my current dilemma when all of a sudden, I felt the elevator shake. Panic surged through me and in a fit of fear and confusion, I trie
MR MCKINNEY'S POV If you are reading this now, you must've thought Madame Browne had died. Well, I wished she was dead too but not all of our wishes came true and the acceptance of the fact was the beginning of maturity.Don't be discouraged yet. There was still a lot of things coming for her that she just didn't know yet. You see, when I planned on getting someone to do something, I made sure to leave no stones untouched. Right now, I was seated on my chair with my arm crossed and my eyes fixed on the tablet in front of me. Right there on the screen was Madame Browne, fallen and weak with sharp fearful gasps rolling out of her lips.She was afraid.Don't get me wrong this was the only time I'd seen her this shaken to fear. Her hair which you'd expect tostull be tied up in some fancy bun was now let down in rough, messy strands that draped down to her back. She was currently trying to block the dings I was letting off stop but little did she know that I, Mr McKinney, was the one beh
MADAME BROWNE'S POVThe entire walk from my room down to the elevator was long because most of the minutes were spent pondering on the invite. I bit my fingers slowly as fear pulsed throughout me in sharp jolts. The guard who was sent to call me over there led the way since I was too shaken with suspicion and fear to go alone. As I followed his lead, I still couldn't let out the gleams of suspicion that clawed at my chest.Something was in the hallway. Something was watching over me, judging maybe even cackling as I made my way to the elevator with my steps as soft as feathers. The guards' back figure filled me with relief as I rubbed my chest and sighed.Several droplets of sweat trickled down my forehead as I paused and watched as he jabbed his fingers against the controls. The buttons by the elevator beeped countlessly for a long period of seconds but the doors didn't open.It was as if someone was in it but if that were to be the case at hand, the indicator had to be flashing red
MADAME BROWNE'S POV As I stepped out of the car, the cold wind justled several strands of my hair into the air as I struggled to keep my strands down. My fingers brushed off some blocking strands as I paced towards the door leading into the mansion. Two guards stood by it with firm frowns on their faces. “Thank you.” I muttered out loud to the driver who was probably engulfed in something else to respond. I made my way to the door and as I approached it, the drivers standing by it, pulled it open as I stepped into the mansion. I walked into the mansion and walked directly to the staircase. I made sure no one was watching before I placed silent steps up the stairs. The overhead lights in the room flickered brightly as I traced my steps up it. It didn't take long for me to arrive at the hallway leading into the elevator. I tapped on the buttons and as the door chimed open, I locked my arms and inhaled deeply as I waited for the ride to come to an end. My body was aching so much I n
MR MCKINNEY'S POV I stayed at alert all through the time the guards informed me she had stepped out of the mansion down till the car that drove her out veered into the mansion. My eyes widened almost immediately as my fingers roved over to the window panes as I adjusted to me to get a clearer view of the car.Just as it parked safely in the parking lot, the door to the room pulled open and as the cracks it made slashed through the silence in the air, I paused then flashed my gaze in the direction. I tilted my head and I met the blank faces of the two security guards I gave the task of relaying every update on Madame Browne's movements to me. The golden brown lighting in the room buzzed over their cold features as one of them stepped forward. “She's here, sir.” he mumbled coldly and just then, I heard a sound. It wasn't from the room but from the parking lot.If I heard it correctly, it was the sound of her driver's voice. I wasn't able to catch the exact line of words he used but I
LUCAS'S POV The moment Madame Browne stepped foot out into the restaurant, I felt my heart thump heavily in my chest. A cold shiver trudged down my spine as a sensation sprouted within me. I didn't know how to explain it but it was there. Blossoming. Growing. With my gaze fixed on her figure, I carelessly grabbed a bottle of wine and raised it to my lips. The sour taste of grapes washed down my throat as I stared back at her. She was pacing towards the table in a black dinner gown that wasn't too flashy but still blended in with the people in the bar.They all seemed discreet enough to not even flash a glance at us. Everyone had their attention fixed on the people they came to meet and nothing else. No stolen glances, no glaring eyes… nothing. It felt like we were all alone.I had to give accolades to my assistant. She really did know what her job entailed and delivered effortlessly. My fingers curled around the wine glass as I placed it back on the table and for a split second, sho
MADAME BROWNE'S POV AN HOUR EARLIERAfter the call with Lucas, he passed the phone over to his assistant who I surprisingly caught up well with and as he did, her voice blared out. “You can come over. I've fixed a dinner reservation for you and him to talk it all out and figure out the next step to take.”I nodded softly as I asked, “What time is that going to be in?”Her reply came in quicker than I was expecting. “In about twenty minutes from now, I'll send you the address.”Just as she said that, my phone buzzed in my grip and as I paused talking just to glance at my screen, a pop-up message from her number came up. I read the letters on the card slowly and after reading it, I replied her softly. “Okay. I'll be out in a bit, it actually isn't that far from the mansion.” I uttered the words and as I finished, I ended the call and raced over to my wardrobe where I picked the first dress I saw and zipped it down as I stepped into it. Pulling the gown back up, I ran my fingers over t
MR MCKINNEY'S POVI shouldn't have chased him away. He wasn't wrong but I just couldn't stand seeing him like that. For the first time in the entire decades I'd spent raising him, my little boy was making his stand and as much as I wanted to let him flap his wings I couldn't let him go out there and lose his life to Lucas.I knew who he really was and how dangerous he was and having him contend with Xavier would crush me. Lucas could have him killed within the blink of an eye and I'd lose the one thing I promised myself I'd watch over. Just if you weren't aware, I made a promise to myself after the death of his parents to take care of him and shield him from any form of harm and now…I guess he'd outgrown my tactics buti just couldn't let him out of my grasp. At least not now. Not when everything was a standstill and each and every move we made was being closely watched by him. Lucas.My heart palpited in my chest as I watched him turn his back and leave. A part of me wanted to hold h
XAVIER'S POV As the words rolled off my tongue, the look on the president's face changed almost immediately. His eyes darkened and his expression turned cold as he tilted his head downwards. Confusion washed into my veins as I arched a brow and paced towards his chair.Did I say something wrong?If there was anything wrong with all that was happening now, it was his reaction. Why was he acting like that? Did I offend him? I inspected him with a steady gaze as my heart thumped ruthlessly against its ribcage. With each step I took towards him, fear growled at the pit of my chest “Grandpa?” I stuttered as I stretched my fingers to reach for his shoulders but before I could do that, his head snapped up and his gaze snapped in my direction. Cold droplets of sweat clung to my forehand as his head jolted up and his gaze raked mine. My breath hitched almost immediately. My fingers quivered as I clutched them tightly into a head fists. Several lumps of fear logged in my chest and as they l