I didn't tell Lana until the next day. Maybe I'll call her back later, during my lunch break. Besides, I'll be back in San Francisco in three days, then Mr. Shaw will forget me ... and I will forget him.A little regret enveloped my heart. Ugh, Ella don't be stupid. Maybe Mr. Shaw has only been polite so far to me, he just happened to help me and change my shoes.... and take me to lunch, and drive me home.I pulled the corners of my mouth down. He's just being polite, right? It looks like he already has a partner though. I looked at my reflection in the hotel mirror, today I was wearing a blood red blouse, a gift from Lana and a black pencil skirt. I rarely wear this blouse. I love the color and the silk, it's just that this blouse looks a little too flashy. Perhaps more suitable for formal dinners than work.I straightened my slightly wavy auburn hair. I used to plan to dye my hair brown but unfortunately I never got around to it. My amber eyes looked back at my reflection in the mi
"Actually ... I found a slight discrepancy in the financial statements a few months ago."Mr. Shaw turned back to me. He brushed his right hand through his dark brown hair and gave a small nod, telling me to continue."There were about ten rather suspicious outflows, all sent to different accounts at the Bank of Rotterdam, some to Thompson&Thompson-""Thomson&Thompson?" all attention Mr.Shaw turned to me when I said the name. "Are you sure, Eleanor?"I nodded "That stream of funds wasn't sent directly to the Thompson&Thompson company, but was transferred to an offshoot company owned by Thompson&Thompson. If all the funds were totaled it would probably be about 4 or 5 percent of the value of your company, Mr. Shaw.Four or five percent is an awful lot if the company is as big as Shaw&Partner. Maybe enough to buy a small office building.I studied the expression on his face in the dim light of his SUV's headlights, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening. Which means only one; So far he
Everything happened so fast, my brain had not finished processing what was happening when his lips touched mine which was still slightly wet from Wine. Then the whole system in my head stopped, my brain turned to jelly.He kissed me carefully at first, then slowly his kisses turned deeper. Strangely all the nerves in my body seemed to gather in my lips, making them a hundred times more sensitive. I've never felt a better kiss than this.His lips traced mine gently, slowly, as if he didn't want to rush. I could smell his mint and expensive aftershave distinctly, smells I'm usually only able to smell faintly around him.My heart was beating so fast I could almost hear it pounding in my ears. Then suddenly he pulled himself away from me. I opened my eyes and looked at him. The blue color of his eyes looked darker than before. But I didn't have time to observe him further because the next second I heard the sound of my flash drive hitting the floor again, his big hands cupped my face and
"I didn't know I would meet you here." He met Lana's gaze then nodded politely at her, before looking back at me."You're working on a case in San Francisco?" I asked in a formal tone. Mr. Shaw frowned slightly when he heard my question."No, I was just visiting a friend. Ele-Miss Heather, I haven't thanked you for what you did. We caught the embezzler."Oh yes? And you just thanked me a week later? Too late, Shaw.I pulled the corners of my mouth up with some force, "That's my job, Mr. Shaw. You don't need to thank me. Ah, Mr. Shaw, this is Alayna Morrel. Lana, this is Mr. Nicholas Shaw." I introduced them both."Morrell ... " he muttered under his breath,"Are you related to Christopher Morrel?""My father." Lana replied with a smile, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Shaw." She added while giving me an accusing look again at the mention of the 'Mr. Shaw'."We met while I was auditing his company." I explained to her."Miss Heather, how about I take you to dinner as my thanks? Do you have time
"You drove yourself from Manhattan?" I asked without being able to prevent it. He glanced at me then back to the street ahead. "No, I'm on a plane. It's Greg's car."Oh."He's in San Francisco ... too?""Yeah, he was ahead of me two days ago." Reply Mr. Shaw looked at me in the rearview mirror. I realized we were headed for the western part of San Francisco, which I knew was a high-rise residential area perched on top of hills and groves. Forest Hill.Fifteen minutes later we arrived at a house, or villa, at the top of Forest Hill. This house is the only building here, the other closest neighbors are a kilometer from here. And like all the other houses we've passed before, this place is extraordinarily …luxurious. Modern architecture represents every inch of this house, dominated by very large glass windows. I imagined how many people and how long it would take to wipe the windows.Mr. Shaw stopped his car in a very large yard. Two other cars parked next to us. One is a black Porsche
One of my hands traced the side of my seat which feels very soft, I'll bet the interior of this car using genuine leather. Mr. Shaw got in next to me and drove his car, it was the first time I saw him driving alone.He was wearing jeans and a black shirt with the band's logo, the jean jacket he had previously worn had been taken off. A beard will grow to cover his jaw. With an appearance like this he doesn't look like an expensive lawyer anymore. Maybe more like a Men's Health magazine cover model?"Gregory ... Have you gone mad?" Alice's voice sounded strange, so I turned back to her. She leaned against the kitchen counter and folded her arms across his chest. "Nicholas will kill you." She muttered under her breath. I looked at them alternately, what are they talking about?"This is none of your business." Gregory replied curtly.Alice shrugged her shoulders with a smile, "You're right." then she tilted her head slightly, "But I can't wait to see the response.""I didn't know He was-
I can't find any pictures of Nicholas with his girlfriends. And of all the photos on the internet, not a single one is smiling. His cold and intimidating face dominates the photos.I glanced at his picture in the latest article about his latest case. He was wearing the same suit when we met at the Shaw&Partner building that night in Manhattan. In the article it was written that he was attending a charity event. His dark brown hair neatly combed back exudes an intimidating aura, his slightly arrogant jawline and cold expression clearly visible on his face as he looks straight into the camera.But that night, when we met in the elevator at the Shaw&Partner building, he looked at me in a way that was different from this photo."Ells?"My hand moves automatically to hide the web I'm opening on my computer. I looked up to see Oliver standing in front of my desk, smiling at me."Are you ready?""What?" I furrowed my brow a little confused."Lunch. You owe me lunch, remember? It's already lu
I looked at Mr. Shaw, who was cutting something, was wearing an apron and was standing with his back to us, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He didn't seem to notice my arrival, or pretended he didn't."There isn't anything" I muttered as I threw my bag on the nearest sofa and then entered the kitchen.Finally He turned to me and a small smile appeared on his face "Miss Heather, I hope you don't mind me using your kitchen?"I folded my arms on my chest. Lana stood next to me smiling broadly again."No, of course not." I muttered while looking at him with a what-are-you-doing here look. He only replied to me by raising one of his eyebrows slightly before returning to his cutting job."Mr. Shaw, all this time I thought you were a very busy person ... " Lana said as she poured me a glass of white wine, her glass was half gone."Actually it's my last day in San Francisco, tomorrow I have to go back to Manhattan. My vacation is over." He turned slightly towards Lana as he spoke. He loo
My body shivered with desire at the sound of Nick's sharp voice. He grabbed my hair and pulled me back onto the bed, facing him again.His blue eyes gleamed with lust, but I'm sure my own eyes looked just as desperate.One of his hands gripped my shirt. "I'm sorry if I ruin your clothes, Eleanor," he murmured, his voice strained. I wanted to laugh, my husband was still apologizing in a situation like this. The ticklish feeling disappeared quickly as he pulled off my shirt, scattering it around me.He undressed me until I was left in just my bra and panties. His satisfied gaze on my body only fueled the fire within me. The air in the room felt thin. No matter how hard my lungs worked, I couldn't breathe normally.He lowered his face and kissed me passionately, while one hand slipped around to my back to unhook my bra. In an instant, my bra was thrown to the corner of the room, and his warm, large hands cupped my breasts.The sensation of his touch sent waves of pleasure throughout my b
I'm not sure how much time has passed. After our last conversation, Dostov said he would check on Lana and the others downstairs because he was afraid the blood cleansing process wasn't finished, so he asked me to wait in his apartment.Our previous conversation kept repeating in my head. But no matter how frustrated and worried I am now, in the end, Dostov's words are the ones that prevail in my mind. I can't change the future, even if I were to know it. All I can do is hope and pray that what Dostov saw won't happen in the future.Suddenly, the door to Dostov's apartment opens again. But it's Nick's face that appears behind it. I stand up to greet him, but both of us freeze upon realizing something. His previously warm gaze turns cold instantly. "Eleanor... Why do I smell Alastair's blood on you?" he asks as he takes a step closer to me.Damn, I forgot about Alastair's blood."Nick, I didn't realize the blood I drank was Alastair's," I explain, stepping back to distance myself from
They stared at each other for a few minutes, silently."Whose blood is it?" I asked, hoping to hear his answer.He grimaced again. "Nicholas will be later. But right now, there's nothing more effective than Volder Ella's blood."I couldn't help but feel familiar with that scent, my body already recognizing it without Dostov confirming it. Nicholas will definitely be furious later. "Ugh, Dostov," I grumbled, closing my eyes in frustration."Don't worry, he won't be mad at you. Plus, by tonight, Alastair's scent on you will fade away... with Nicholas." He sighed and shifted his gaze to the bookshelf in the room.I glared at him and sighed. His intention was good, to free me from the torment of blood lust as soon as possible, but I was still annoyed because he didn't warn me earlier. "Are you better now? Do you want blood again?" I replied curtly."Not blood again, just another blood. Not Alastair's blood," he mumbled, still looking slightly guilty with his college kid face. The frustrat
Carleon's anger and terror were evident as he whispered in disbelief, "No, Dostov, you promised me!" He tried to stand up, but Nick pushed him back down with his foot, causing him to fall by Dostov's feet again. "Carleon, consider this as you redeeming yourself for your sins all this time," Dostov said calmly. "Isn't now the right time to make amends for everything?" He whispered softly, looking down at the side of his foot. "Vlad will retaliate against you!" Carleon shouted in anger. Dostov stared at him expressionlessly. "Haven't you realized yet? Vlad has abandoned you. He knows about your plan to form your own clan. Isn't that why you were looking for the newborn Valkyrie? To gather power and break free from Vlad?" "No..." Carleon shook his head. "Dostov... You've set me up." His voice sounded shocked and trembling. Nick, who had been observing Carleon, now looked up in surprise at Dostov. "Nicholas, you should take him away. Gregory and Lana must be waiting," Dostov continue
I didn't have time to see what happened next because Volder pulled me and slammed me onto the carpet, causing my back to hit the floor hard. I quickly rolled to the side to avoid his black hands and long nails that were about to slash me.I stood up and approached the baby doll with one hand while Volder, the man in front of me, hissed angrily. He lunged at me, aiming for the baby doll I was holding, but once again I managed to dodge him. I couldn't see where I was going because all my focus was on Volder in front of me, but the sounds around me were chaotic."Don't you dare touch me," I hissed angrily, showing my own fangs. Volder smirked mockingly and lunged towards me. I tried to dodge him again, but one of his hands managed to grab my long hair and yank it forcefully, pulling my body towards him. I tried to fight back with one hand, but he yanked my hair down again and slammed his knee into my head with great force.He threw me to the floor again and reached for the bundle I was h
Chapter 132 It felt like a wave of icy water washed over my body as I heard Carleon's last question. Carleon. Nick and I looked at Dostov simultaneously, who still appeared calm. Dostov was the one who spread those rumors? I thought with horror, but Alice had said that Dostov wasn't the one responsible. On the other hand, Nick just observed both of them, even though he usually easily succumbed to anger when it involved our children. "This is the second time I'm warning you, Carleon. I'm not in the mood for small talk. If you can't respect my request, you should leave my territory quickly." Then Dostov turned to us, though he quickly winked one eye at me. The tension in my shoulders eased. Dostov walked back to his seat and sat down. "Ah, forgive me once again. I just wanted to see the reactions of the new members of your clan who are present here. Consider it as me helping you test their loyalty to you," Carleon continued. So his previous question was a provocation for us... "If
I could hear the pounding of my own heart. We walked side by side. Alice separated herself from us, as she was planning to enter after Dostov finished speaking. I had heard stories about Carleon from Greg and Lana, who had met him directly. As Vlad's right-hand man, he was incredibly loyal and always carried out his duties perfectly. According to Nick's stories, Vlad never intervened directly or displayed his powers openly because everything was done by Carleon and his subordinates. I had to remind myself repeatedly that we were safe and under the protection of the Dostov clan. We entered the ballroom of the headquarters accompanied by around eight members of other clans. However, Carleon's entourage had not yet appeared; it seemed they were still in the elevator as this headquarters was located on the top three floors of this hotel building. Dostov sat in his chair casually, wearing a yellow hoodie that contrasted with the black robe we were wearing. We stood around his chair sile
The day we have been waiting for has finally arrived. As planned, we all gathered at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel at ten in the morning. Dostov would receive Carleon in the same ballroom as our honorary clan acceptance ceremony yesterday.If Carleon does indeed come today, then some clan members designated by Dostov will also be present as witnesses, although we are also sure that Carleon will not come here alone.While I am nervous, there is someone much more nervous than me at the moment. Lana's face has been pale since we met this morning, and Greg hasn't let go of her embrace. I'm sure Greg's feelings right now aren't doing well either, but he hides his worries very well behind a calm and normal expression on his face.We have to separate to discuss what we need to do later. Greg, Lana, and Luke are waiting in one of the rooms directly connected to the ballroom. Meanwhile, me, Nick, Dostov, and Alice are talking in another room that is more private.Other clan members are waiting in
Chapter 129Dostov informed us to evacuate Elliot and Rosie from Manhattan as soon as possible, so today we planned to leave for San Francisco.Sebastian and Ludmila Moran... I don't remember them very well because we only met once, that too when I was still human. The only thing I remember from that night is Greg's confession that he was the one who bit me six months ago.But as far as I remember, the husband and wife seemed friendly and accepting of me back then, and most importantly, Nick trusted them.We had to hire a private jet because... of course, because of Elliot. He couldn't stop saying "yum yum" to every human he met. Even Nick noticed Elliot's strange behavior at the Waldorf Astoria hotel last night. We were also afraid that Elliot would show his little fangs to everyone if we took a regular plane.Almost a year and a half has passed since I moved to Manhattan, but San Francisco still looks the same. Strangely, I don't miss this place at all, even though I lived in this c