Elena's POV
My eyes scanned the room, searching not for something but someone; my next target. I was at Diamond's Bar, the most exclusive spot in the country where men of all calibers and races came to unwind. Among the sea of opulence, I was looking for more than just anyone. The place was filled with wealthy patrons, walking ATMs as I saw them. But tonight, I had my sights set on a specific individual. Turning slightly, I examined the crowd. To the far left on the stage was Adam Richmond, a fifty-five-year-old billionaire with two married daughters, indulging in an unseemly dance with a stripper. “Shameless,” I muttered under my breath. Richmond’s behavior was disgraceful, his actions more befitting a man half his age. “Not this one,” I decided. He’d be too easy, and I wasn’t looking for an easy mark. I needed someone more... elusive. My gaze shifted to another man, dressed in a dark blue suit, seated alone and observing the room with the same intensity I had. The bright lights made it difficult to see his face, but his demeanor and the way he sipped his drink suggested he was both handsome and young. There was an enigmatic aura about him that drew me in. "Alright, Elena, time to work your magic,” I said, draining my glass before setting it down with a decisive thud. Taking a deep breath, I shook off my nerves and approached Mr. Mysterious. Yup, I named him that I usually gave all my target nicknames until I got to know their real name, and right now...this guy was giving up a mysterious vibe. ' This guy better be rich' I muttered to myself, but who was I kidding? In Diamond’s Bar, it was impossible for a person to be here without having at least a billion dollars to his or her name, well maybe apart from me since I was as broke as hell right now. My presence here was due to my reputation—Elena Vasquez could get into any place she wanted. I advanced towards my Mr. Mysterious, swaying my hips deliberately. The tight red gown I wore accentuated my figure perfectly. As I neared, I finally caught a glimpse of his face, at least almost but just before I could someone rudely interrupted me. “Hello, beautiful,” a tall man in a black suit blocked my view. His beard was so unruly it almost obscured his features. Not like he would have looked better without them anyways. ‘Who keeps that much facial hair?’ I wondered, frowning. His appearance was unkempt, and the excessive beard did nothing for his attractiveness. I forced a smile as he grinned back, though his smile was almost lost beneath the beard. “I’m just wondering what a beauty like yourself is doing alone.” ‘Why is that any of your business?’ I wanted to ask with spite but held my tongue, looking around slightly. Most of the women here were strippers, and the few that weren't were already engaged in conversation, with their selves. I was indeed the only woman here without company, but that still wasn’t his concern or business. “Why can’t a man see a beautiful lady and just look away?” I replied, my tone edged with irritation. The bearded man’s grin widened and my frown deepened. “Because men are drawn to beautiful and hot things, especially one like you.” His comment was demeaning. I tightened my grip on my composure. “It’s best for you to stay away from hot things, or you might get burned.” I spat. How was this dude even qualified to be called a billionaire?! He chuckled, then glanced sideways. “Wait, are you talking to me?” he asked, his amusement fading. “Did you see anyone behind you?” I retorted, more annoyed than before. He looked taken aback, struggling to comprehend. “I was actually heading somewhere before you stopped me. Can you please move aside?” I asked, adding a forced politeness. The man looked stunned, not moving an inch. “I’ll just go around you then,” I said, stepping around him and heading back to Mr. Mysterious’s table. But he was gone. "Fucking shit!" Cursing under my breath, I blamed the bearded man for ruining my chance as I stared at where my Mr Mysterious was seated at few moments ago. Suddenly, a loud voice boomed, startling me. “Hey!” I turned to see the bearded man glaring at me, his eyes full of anger. The music had faded, and many eyes were now on us. “What the hell, you’re attracting attention,” I snapped, noticing the curious stares. “Do you know who you’re talking to?” he growled. “Is it because I’m being polite?” His anger was intense, and I was caught off guard. I was an attention seeker, but this was definitely not the kind of attention I wanted or needed right now. “Sir, you need to calm down. If anyone should be angry, it’s me,” I said, trying to defuse the situation while putting my hands out to try to calm.the raging man. The commotion was attracting unwanted attention. I needed to leave before someone recognized me. I took a deep breath, attempting a smile. “I’ll just leave, and you...” “Don’t you dare!” His voice was filled with menace as he grabbed my hand roughly forcing me to face him again. I froze, terrified. My instincts screamed at me to run, but my legs wouldn’t move. The situation was dire. If this had been a woman, I might have handled it differently. But this was a formidable, intimidating man, not to mention he was a billionaire. ' Elena what the fuck have you gotten yourself into this time '. I had a knack for finding trouble even when I wasn't looking for it, this was a typical example of such situation. “Let me go!” I pleaded, struggling against his grip. He was strong, really strong. A new plan formed: escape as soon as I could. But his strength was formidable, and panic began to set in. “Please, let me go,” I begged, my pride taking a hit. Maybe I could have done something, flip the guy over or even twist his hands using mine, but I just I couldn't, not here. There were people watching and this was billionaires territory. There was no where I could run that he wouldn't find me if he means it, and from the looks of things, he really means me! "I'm sorry, just please let me go." As prideful as I was, I knew when I couldn't win and this was an example of such rare cases. "No, you bitch!" The bearded man smirked tightening his grip on my hands. "I'm going to shut that mouth of yours and teach you some manners." He said holding my shoulder in a tight grip with a terrifying smile on his ugly face. 'You've really done it this time Elena.' My eyes darted about and I desperately looked for a means of escape. Fuck! “Let go of her!” a deep, commanding voice cut through the tension. The bearded man hesitated, and I looked up to see my unexpected savior. What the...Elena's POV I blinked slowly, my jaw dropping in disbelief. I had expected Mr. Mysterious to be handsome, but nothing prepared me for this. The man before me was nothing short of godlike. He was tall...easily over six feet, with muscles that strained against his tight black designer shirt. His hair was a striking shade of black, brushed back with a few stray strands falling onto his forehead. His deep black eyes radiated a cold, intimidating presence. He looked like Superman come to life, but just a lot more handsome. My heart fluttered just at the sight of him. “I said, let her go,” he repeated, his voice icy and commanding. ‘Get yourself together, Elena. He’s just a man,’ I told myself, though he was undeniably stunning. I shook off my daze, pulling my hands free from the bearded man’s grasp. “He said let me go, you idiot.” The bearded man looked utterly shocked. Then, to my astonishment, he dropped to his knees and bowed, banging his head on the floor with a resounding thud
Noah's POV A Few Hours Ago He was gone again. How could he leave without any of my men noticing? He was a 70-year-old man, for crying out loud! “Find him, goddammit!” I cursed, grinding my teeth. Where could he have gone this time? The two men beside me nodded and left the bar to search for my grandfather once more. That demented old man had been a thorn in my side for months. Now he’d taken to vanishing, leaving me frantic and worried. “Boss, Old Master Reynolds can take care of himself. He’ll be fine,” Joshua, my personal bodyguard, said calmly. I snorted, shaking my head. A few years ago, I might have believed him. But not now. Not with my grandfather’s dementia worsening. He did foolish things and said nonsensical things. He might be the death of me one day. And it was all because of that one person that left a permanent scare in his life few years ago. “I swear I’ll find the bastard who did this to him and make them pay,” I vowed menacingly, a fierce glint in my eye
Noah's POV Joshua and one of the men I’d hired to find my grandfather approached me, and I quickly withdrew my hands from the bold lady, untangling them. ‘Please don’t let them see that,’ I prayed inwardly. I had a reputation to uphold, after all. I felt a twinge of pride stinging me. “Boss, we’ve found him,” Joshua said, his face a mix of delight and confusion as his eyes darted towards the bold lady. “Found who?” she asked daringly. I frowned, throwing her a sharp glare. How could a woman be so bold? It was no wonder she was able to get into trouble with Bevel Fisher so quickly. Whatever. This was my fault, anyway. If I’d kept to myself and not interfered, none of this would have happened. But I couldn’t just stand by and watch Bevel drag her away. Why was that? I pulled out a handkerchief from my inner pocket and wiped my hands. It would have been impossible for Joshua and the other guy not to notice her touch, so I had to do something to clear their suspici
Elena's POV Mr. Mysterious eyes trailed around my body, going from top to bottom. He didn't really seem please... But I couldn't blame him. He thought he was going on a blind date with some rich heiress and then he got me. I wasn't saying that I lacked self-esteem and all those shit... But well, just look at him. Raising my head slowly, I looked up at Mr. Reynolds. He had his deep black eyes fixed on me, his gaze unmoving as if he was looking deep into my soul or something. Too bad for him, if he wanted to look deep into my soul, he was going to see nothing... Nothing but a black, dark empty space, a space just like those eyes of his. Pressing my lips together, I nodded. "Yeah, I know. I don't look like the rich heiress you expected do I?" I asked with a small smile. What I've known from all my years being a con... Being human in general was that, before someone would get a chance to hurt you with your insecurities, you deal with the insecurity first. I nodded again after I wa
Elena's POV Layla sat on the other chair opposite me, staring at my face as if I was an alien of some sort. She had been doing it for a while now and it was getting creepy. "Okay now Lay, stop it." I said putting my leg down from the sofa and sitting up. "I'm here, like I am here...in a real freaking body." "Yeah, that's the surprising part." Layla said with a small nod as if she didn't hear the first part and I chuckled. Her reaction was too much...she was clearly overreacting. Yeah, to be sincere, her surprise wasn't that surprising. I wasn't supposed to be back here, not now and not here. I pressed my lips together rolling my eyes. "Lay..." "I'm sorry okay." She raised her hands up, surrending. "It's just shocking. I haven't seen you in years...like three freaking years, but here you are... sitting in my new apartment." She said pointing at me and I rolled my eyes again. Yeah, speaking of that. "This place is amazing." Getting up from the sofa, I strolled around the sitti
Elena's POV Layla suddenly coughed shaking her head. "No I don't...but I've heard that name a couple of times." I wanted to think about what she said... but it could true, so I dismissed it. Leaning closer towards her I asked. "So..." It took a second before she understood and she shook her head. Standing up she said. "Give me a second." Then she turned around and began walking up the stairs. "Aish...she didn't even offer me a drink." I thought out loud after I looked at the table beside me to see nothing there. Standing up I walked towards the kitchen...or where I thought was the kitchen. "Yes! It's the kitchen." I exclaimed in excitement. I took a cup and opened the fridge picking a bottle of water before returning back to the sitting room to find Layla already sitting there with a laptop in her hand. "Really? You couldn't even offer me a drink." "Yeah because you are not a stranger in this house." She said, calming clicking away on her laptop. Not a stranger???"This is
Elena's POV "If you were to ask me, there are many ways, many reasons I think this wouldn't work. But..." Layla stopped to shrug. "How bad can the consequences be? Worse come to worse, you'll ditch the guy and leave the country again this for a few years for him to calm down." I smiled, nodding my head. "Or better, I could make him fall in love with me, and he would just forgive me."Layla raised one of her brows at me and I giggled. "Okay, making him fall in love with me is too big of a deal...but trust me when I say this, after I leave it would be hard for Noah Reynolds to forget me."This was going to be one of my biggest jobs yet, and I was going to pull it off like I always did. Nothing was going to stop me. Layla and I chatted for a few more hours, catching up with each other on things we missed in each other's lives and before I knew it, it was past 9.I needed to go back to the hotel I was lodged at. "Why common? You can just stay here, this house is big enough for both
Elena's POV My mouth hung opened as I stepped into the main room, passing through the door which was opened so widely. "And I thought Layla's house was huge." Being a con artist had its perks. I could see different beautiful mansions, houses that cost millions of dollars and maybe, if I played my cards well enough, stay for the night. But never had I seen a house as big as this one. Like hell! This house was huge!!! Actually, I saw the house when I was like 20 miles away from the place, but my eyes didn't linger. I had no idea it was the place I was heading to. But then again, what was I expecting? From everything Layla told me about this Reynolds family, this was practically nothing. I had just finished dressing when Noah called me. He said he was having someone pick me up to his house and asked for my address. And yes, as expected I panicked.I couldn't just tell him the address of an hotel, that was degrading!His real fiancee would definitely not be staying at a hotel. F
Elena's POV My mouth hung opened as I stepped into the main room, passing through the door which was opened so widely. "And I thought Layla's house was huge." Being a con artist had its perks. I could see different beautiful mansions, houses that cost millions of dollars and maybe, if I played my cards well enough, stay for the night. But never had I seen a house as big as this one. Like hell! This house was huge!!! Actually, I saw the house when I was like 20 miles away from the place, but my eyes didn't linger. I had no idea it was the place I was heading to. But then again, what was I expecting? From everything Layla told me about this Reynolds family, this was practically nothing. I had just finished dressing when Noah called me. He said he was having someone pick me up to his house and asked for my address. And yes, as expected I panicked.I couldn't just tell him the address of an hotel, that was degrading!His real fiancee would definitely not be staying at a hotel. F
Elena's POV "If you were to ask me, there are many ways, many reasons I think this wouldn't work. But..." Layla stopped to shrug. "How bad can the consequences be? Worse come to worse, you'll ditch the guy and leave the country again this for a few years for him to calm down." I smiled, nodding my head. "Or better, I could make him fall in love with me, and he would just forgive me."Layla raised one of her brows at me and I giggled. "Okay, making him fall in love with me is too big of a deal...but trust me when I say this, after I leave it would be hard for Noah Reynolds to forget me."This was going to be one of my biggest jobs yet, and I was going to pull it off like I always did. Nothing was going to stop me. Layla and I chatted for a few more hours, catching up with each other on things we missed in each other's lives and before I knew it, it was past 9.I needed to go back to the hotel I was lodged at. "Why common? You can just stay here, this house is big enough for both
Elena's POV Layla suddenly coughed shaking her head. "No I don't...but I've heard that name a couple of times." I wanted to think about what she said... but it could true, so I dismissed it. Leaning closer towards her I asked. "So..." It took a second before she understood and she shook her head. Standing up she said. "Give me a second." Then she turned around and began walking up the stairs. "Aish...she didn't even offer me a drink." I thought out loud after I looked at the table beside me to see nothing there. Standing up I walked towards the kitchen...or where I thought was the kitchen. "Yes! It's the kitchen." I exclaimed in excitement. I took a cup and opened the fridge picking a bottle of water before returning back to the sitting room to find Layla already sitting there with a laptop in her hand. "Really? You couldn't even offer me a drink." "Yeah because you are not a stranger in this house." She said, calming clicking away on her laptop. Not a stranger???"This is
Elena's POV Layla sat on the other chair opposite me, staring at my face as if I was an alien of some sort. She had been doing it for a while now and it was getting creepy. "Okay now Lay, stop it." I said putting my leg down from the sofa and sitting up. "I'm here, like I am here...in a real freaking body." "Yeah, that's the surprising part." Layla said with a small nod as if she didn't hear the first part and I chuckled. Her reaction was too much...she was clearly overreacting. Yeah, to be sincere, her surprise wasn't that surprising. I wasn't supposed to be back here, not now and not here. I pressed my lips together rolling my eyes. "Lay..." "I'm sorry okay." She raised her hands up, surrending. "It's just shocking. I haven't seen you in years...like three freaking years, but here you are... sitting in my new apartment." She said pointing at me and I rolled my eyes again. Yeah, speaking of that. "This place is amazing." Getting up from the sofa, I strolled around the sitti
Elena's POV Mr. Mysterious eyes trailed around my body, going from top to bottom. He didn't really seem please... But I couldn't blame him. He thought he was going on a blind date with some rich heiress and then he got me. I wasn't saying that I lacked self-esteem and all those shit... But well, just look at him. Raising my head slowly, I looked up at Mr. Reynolds. He had his deep black eyes fixed on me, his gaze unmoving as if he was looking deep into my soul or something. Too bad for him, if he wanted to look deep into my soul, he was going to see nothing... Nothing but a black, dark empty space, a space just like those eyes of his. Pressing my lips together, I nodded. "Yeah, I know. I don't look like the rich heiress you expected do I?" I asked with a small smile. What I've known from all my years being a con... Being human in general was that, before someone would get a chance to hurt you with your insecurities, you deal with the insecurity first. I nodded again after I wa
Noah's POV Joshua and one of the men I’d hired to find my grandfather approached me, and I quickly withdrew my hands from the bold lady, untangling them. ‘Please don’t let them see that,’ I prayed inwardly. I had a reputation to uphold, after all. I felt a twinge of pride stinging me. “Boss, we’ve found him,” Joshua said, his face a mix of delight and confusion as his eyes darted towards the bold lady. “Found who?” she asked daringly. I frowned, throwing her a sharp glare. How could a woman be so bold? It was no wonder she was able to get into trouble with Bevel Fisher so quickly. Whatever. This was my fault, anyway. If I’d kept to myself and not interfered, none of this would have happened. But I couldn’t just stand by and watch Bevel drag her away. Why was that? I pulled out a handkerchief from my inner pocket and wiped my hands. It would have been impossible for Joshua and the other guy not to notice her touch, so I had to do something to clear their suspici
Noah's POV A Few Hours Ago He was gone again. How could he leave without any of my men noticing? He was a 70-year-old man, for crying out loud! “Find him, goddammit!” I cursed, grinding my teeth. Where could he have gone this time? The two men beside me nodded and left the bar to search for my grandfather once more. That demented old man had been a thorn in my side for months. Now he’d taken to vanishing, leaving me frantic and worried. “Boss, Old Master Reynolds can take care of himself. He’ll be fine,” Joshua, my personal bodyguard, said calmly. I snorted, shaking my head. A few years ago, I might have believed him. But not now. Not with my grandfather’s dementia worsening. He did foolish things and said nonsensical things. He might be the death of me one day. And it was all because of that one person that left a permanent scare in his life few years ago. “I swear I’ll find the bastard who did this to him and make them pay,” I vowed menacingly, a fierce glint in my eye
Elena's POV I blinked slowly, my jaw dropping in disbelief. I had expected Mr. Mysterious to be handsome, but nothing prepared me for this. The man before me was nothing short of godlike. He was tall...easily over six feet, with muscles that strained against his tight black designer shirt. His hair was a striking shade of black, brushed back with a few stray strands falling onto his forehead. His deep black eyes radiated a cold, intimidating presence. He looked like Superman come to life, but just a lot more handsome. My heart fluttered just at the sight of him. “I said, let her go,” he repeated, his voice icy and commanding. ‘Get yourself together, Elena. He’s just a man,’ I told myself, though he was undeniably stunning. I shook off my daze, pulling my hands free from the bearded man’s grasp. “He said let me go, you idiot.” The bearded man looked utterly shocked. Then, to my astonishment, he dropped to his knees and bowed, banging his head on the floor with a resounding thud
Elena's POV My eyes scanned the room, searching not for something but someone; my next target. I was at Diamond's Bar, the most exclusive spot in the country where men of all calibers and races came to unwind. Among the sea of opulence, I was looking for more than just anyone. The place was filled with wealthy patrons, walking ATMs as I saw them. But tonight, I had my sights set on a specific individual. Turning slightly, I examined the crowd. To the far left on the stage was Adam Richmond, a fifty-five-year-old billionaire with two married daughters, indulging in an unseemly dance with a stripper. “Shameless,” I muttered under my breath. Richmond’s behavior was disgraceful, his actions more befitting a man half his age. “Not this one,” I decided. He’d be too easy, and I wasn’t looking for an easy mark. I needed someone more... elusive. My gaze shifted to another man, dressed in a dark blue suit, seated alone and observing the room with the same intensity I had. The bright lig