As soon as Ethan arrived, he went straight to Alexa’s room, expecting her to be awake. But when he came in, Alexa was already sleeping. She was curled in a fetal position, kicking the blankets off earlier, so now she was shaking. Her brows knitted, and sweat dotted her forehead.
‘Is she having a bad dream again?’ Ethan wondered. He pulled the blanket over Alexa’s body and caressed her hair. Alexa’s body eased up, her knitted brows and body relaxed.
Each time Ethan visits her at night, he notices Alexa tossing in her dreams. For some unexplained reason, his heart clenches whenever he witnesses her struggling from her nightmares.
He looked at Alexa one last time before he walked out of her room and into his. Their rooms were side so he could easily hear her at night. He was there to change his clothes and wait for Austin’s arrival. After two hours, Austin had finally arrived.
“Tell me what you found?” Ethan commanded without looking at the man who just arrived. Austin’s mouth was agape. ‘I’ve just arrived, dude.’ He thought.
“Can’t you at least allow me to sit? Or ask me if I want to drink anything?” Austin jokingly said. But Ethan glared, then he pointed to the chair in front of his table.
“Tell me what you found, NOW!” Austin hissed, then he sat on the chair.
“Chill! Dude.” Shaking his head, he took the brown envelope from his bag and handed it to Ethan.
“I haven’t found any personal information about the girl we saw. Her name doesn’t show in any of the records. Are you sure that her name is really Alexa Morgan?” Austin asked.
“I’m not sure I know either. When I asked, she told me Alexa Morgan was her name.” Ethan frowned in confusion. He opened the brown envelope and saw pictures of two different cars. The first picture shows the front of a red car, and the second the bumper of the gray car.
“What is this for?” He asked.
“Well, those two-car piqued my interest. I took those from the CCTV footage near the area where we saw the girl. Both cars headed in the direction of our hideout. Though they stopped a few miles away from our borders, they seemed suspicious. Where were they going?” Austin said. Then he took another small envelope from his bag.
“I found out who owns one of the vehicles. The gray car is unknown. The plate number was fake, and we couldn’t see who was inside because it was heavily tinted. But the red car… you will never guess who owns it.” Ethan raised his brow, waiting for him to continue.
Austin smirked. “It is owned by Max Willies.” Ethan leaned on his swivel chair.
“What is he doing in that area? He doesn’t have any property around that parameter, right?” Ethan asked.
“Well, he has.” Austin shrugged. “It is in a remote area along the way to the hideout, located in the middle of the forest. And when I searched for it, I saw an abandoned house. Here’s the thing, I saw a piece of ripped white cloth inside the house. I assume it was Alexa’s.” Ethan’s hand clenched. His eyes were burning with anger, enough to kill anyone with his own bare hands.
“That filthy asshole!” Ethan gritted his teeth.
“Woah… chill, Dude. We don’t know if that’s a fact yet. The best way to find out what really happened is to ask Alexa about it. Maybe try to show him Max’s picture. And if she reacts, it means it was Max’s doing.” Austin reminded him.
Ethan took a deep breath and nodded.
“Tell me, what kind of business is Max involved in?” He asked.
But Austin came prepared. “Here, I brought more information,” Austin smirked after handing a white folder to Ethan.
“Max Willies, 40-years old, Widowed. Ranked 2nd in the underground organization. He has a shipping line and owns several clubs around the country, to cover up his dirty deeds. He uses these businesses as a front to smuggle drugs, guns, and sometimes, even women. Those he kidnapped were sold as prostitutes to international buyers here and abroad. He is powerful and very well connected with people we can’t afford to be enemies with. The other Mafia families are praising him, and even though he may seem old, he’s very dangerous.” Austin said.
“I don’t care. If it confirms that it was him who abused Alexa, then I will help her take revenge on him.” Ethan said while holding the folder containing Max’s information.
“That is our assumption. For now, we don’t have any evidence yet. So you better ask.” Austin advised as he noticed Ethan looked furious. He is afraid that Ethan might do something unjustifiable to Max even before he gathered his facts.
The next day, Ethan decided to stay at home. It was time to ask Alexa about what really happened to her, and if she knew the person responsible. He knocks on her door before entering. A sweet fragrance welcomed him. ‘Damn, why does her room smell so good? Did she just take a bath?’ He thought. Alexa’s fragrance gave him images of her in the shower. ‘Stop it, Ethan... You know nothing about her.’ He reminded himself while staring at her, sitting in front of the vanity, combing her long wavy hair. Her creamy white skin was enhanced by the blue button-down long sleeve dress that reached below her knees.
Ethan gulped. “Good morning!” He greeted.
From the reflection in the mirror, Alexa finds him standing behind her. She turned around and smiled sweetly. “Good morning,”
“Don’t you have work today?” She asked, noticing Ethan still wearing his jogger pants and white shirt.
He shook his head. “I took the day off.” He smiled as he sat on the edge of the bed. ”Alexa,” He started. “Can I ask you something?”
Alexa could sense what Ethan wanted to ask, and she was ready. ‘I will tell him everything he wants to know. I will not hold back.’ She thought.
Alexa slowly nodded. “Sure, what is it?” She said, smiling.
“Remember that day…,” He started, referring to the time they found her. “Can you tell me what happened?” Ethan took a picture from his pocket and showed it to Alexa. “Do you happen to know this guy?” Watching how Alexa reacts to the photo.
Alexa clenched her fists, and tears streamed down to her face. She bit her lips to prevent them from shaking. Ethan understood how Alexa was feeling. And it gave him the answer that he wanted. He knew it. The guy in the photo was the one who tried to rape her. “It’s okay if you don’t want to…,” He was stunned when Alexa shook her head.
“No, I am ready. I am willing to tell you everything.”
“Do you happen to know him?” He asked again. Alexa nodded. “Yes, he is Max Willies, my father’s business partner. I always see him come to our house to talk about their business. My dad told me that he owed him an enormous debt, so he wanted me to marry that old guy in exchange. I did not agree, but he forced me by shoving me at the back of his car, with my hands and feet tied up and my eyes blindfolded.” Alexa sobbed as she told Ethan her sad tale. “He brought me to this creepy place and said that if I marry Max, I will have the freedom that I wanted. Then he left me alone in that abandoned house, tied up to the post to wait for Max. As soon as he arrived, the harassment started.” She became furious. Ethan could see her eyes were full of anger. “I was ready to give up hope, let him get what he wants, and just kill myself after.” Gritting her teeth, she clutched the lower part of her dress as she remembered how Max kissed her. Alexa couldn’t help but resent M
That night, after he ended the call with Austin, Ethan went to the wine bar and opened a bottle of whiskey, not bothering with a glass, he drank straight from the bottle.‘Damn that bastard, is he trying to annoy me? Well, I’m pissed now.’He thought as he drank again. ‘I was controlling myself here… And why is that Alexa taunting my mind? Damn…’Remembering Alexa’s innocent face while kneeling between his thighs had him aroused again. “Damn it. Cool down, boy… Cool down.” He rubbed his member, willing it to soften, but it had the opposite effect. Never in his life had he felt this kind of affection towards other women. Though sometimes he bought women to give him pleasure, none of them made a lasting memory. They were always forgettable, there to satisfy his needs and nothing more. But with Alexa, she just had to be in the same room, and his cock saluted her presenc
“What the hell are you doing here, Ina?!” Ethan’s voice thundered inside his room.He woke up with a nasty headache not remembering what happened last night. And as soon as he got up he realized, that there was a naked woman sleeping in his bed.‘What the fuck, Ethan? What the hell happened last night?’ He lifted the sheets and saw he was naked too. ‘Fuck! I drank too much!’ He frowned in confusion, trying to remember what had happened last night.“Out! Get out of my room!” He stood up and pointed his finger at the door, not minding that he was fully naked. He walked towards his closet and got a new pair of clothes.“But master I can’t stand up. My legs are still sore. You were so rough last night.,” Ina wept, pretending something happened between them last night.“I said out!” He yelled while he dragged Ina out of bed. “You
“Pleasure me, and I will help you.” Alexa’s mouth was agape as she tried to understand what Ethan said. ‘What does he mean… Pleasure him? How will I do that? Will I be his servant? I guess that’s okay?!?’ Her innocent mind deduced she would be part of the household staff.“Follow me!” Ethan said a little too abruptly as he walked to the villa. There was a sense of urgency in his pace, and Alexa had to scramble to keep up due to his long strides.“Sit!” He commanded as they entered his office, then handed her the folder containing Max’s information. Alexa frowned.“What is this?”“See for yourself.” Alexa opened the folder, and it contained all of Max’s information. From his legal businesses down to his illegal doings: drug deals, human trafficking, and illegal firearm sales. Ethan had everything listed, and she was surprised&helli
Alexa had cleaned up as directed. She stayed in the bathroom when she finished her bath, hesitant to come out. The clothing she was supposed to wear came in the form of a thin black lace nightgown that though it reached to her thighs, looked like it didn’t cover anything. This made her feel uneasy. She knew that by the time she got out of the room, there would be no turning back. ‘You should embrace your fate, Alexa. I know it’s hard but you will get through this.’She told herself while wiping the tears away. She tugged here and there trying to cover her exposed skin, but it was impossible… So she covered herself with Ethan’s bathrobe. Alexa trod lightly when she got out, except for one lamp on the bedside table, all the lights were off. The lamp gave the atmosphere an eerie vibe, and it made her tremble and knees weak. “What took you so long?” Alexa stood frozen when she heard Ethan’s cold voice. Shivers ran up and down her spine. He was sitting
“Here. Take this,” Ethan threw a new set of nightclothes in Alexa’s face. She was still lying in bed, unable to move her body because of exhaustion. Every part of her body was sore. For three consecutive days, Ethan came into the bedroom with his insatiable appetite, making sure to spend all his energy causing Alexa pain and suffering. It was like he couldn’t stop himself from touching her. And last night, they went on several rounds, in several positions, until he got tired. He didn’t care about Alexa’s pain. All he wanted was to satisfy his needs. Alexa took the silky cloth from her face and looked at it with a frown. ‘Is he serious about this? Do I need to wear this thin lingerie? I’ll probably catch a cold if he keeps making me wear them all the time. It’s so cold here.’ She thought, looking at a new set of thin lace nude-colored nightgown. “What? You don’t want to wear it? Do you want to stay naked all the time? I’m okay with t
Ethan asked Maxime to clean up his room and help Alexa when she awakened. “Feed her and call me when she wakes up.” He commanded.“Yes, Master,” Maxime answered. Then Ethan went to his office and made a phone call to Austin. “How is it going? Have you found him? Give me an update.” He asked rapidly as soon as Austin picked up his call.“I found him,” Austin answered after his questioning."Should we bring him here or do you want to take his business down first?" Austin asked."Ruin his illegal business and burn his laboratory for now. Don't do anything to him yet." He commanded."Copy that, Master." Austin felt happy when he heard what Ethan said. His hands were itching to ruin Max's business.Just like Ethan, Austin detested people who were abusing their power. He hates corruption and illegal businesses that dealt with drugs and abusing women.As the President's son, this is Austi
“Boss, we are outnumbered.” One of Austin’s subordinates informed him.They were in an abandoned building near Max’s hideout. He brought his skilled men to raid Max’s laboratory and to burn it down, as Ethan had commanded.He looked at the hideout, using his binoculars to check the perimeter. ‘Damn it!’ He hissed when he found out that they secured the hideout with armed men, and there were about eighty of them were roaming around the perimeter. “They probably have snipers too,” Austin said.“Yes, Boss. There are three snipers on the roof. At the back, twenty armed men are guarding the entrances. Both sides have at least five, plus the snipers on each side. While at the front, thirty armed men are guarding and roaming the front gate and the perimeter.”“We haven’t counted the people inside the building. The security was too tight and there were CCTV cameras all over that site.&r
Everyone is busy preparing for the big event. It’s just a simple gathering, where they invited only the closest family members.They set the beach for the most awaited day. The wedding is finally happening. There were Chiavari chairs on both sides of the aisle, lined with pink roses placed on tall vases, requested specifically by the bride. In the center, curtains framed the altar pulled over to both sides to give the illusion that one was looking out a window into the pristine beach beyond.The guests wore pastel colors as the theme for the event. Albert and Austin wore a champagne-colored suit with white long-sleeves, while Maxime wore a halter turquoise-colored infinity dress and her son, Lucas, was wearing a suit that matched his father’s outfit.Maxime and Austin would stand as the best man and maid of honor, while their son Lucas would be the ring bearer. For their preparation, Ethan occupied the house they bought from the Scotts, while Athena checked in the hotel nearby. They
Athena’s Point of ViewI thought that… I would never feel the love and freedom that I longed for. I never thought this day would come. When I was young, all I had were the books my mom brought me to learn how to read and write. I remembered the moment I asked her… why I couldn’t live like a normal child… couldn’t do normal things like going to school, making friends with other kids, playing with them on the playground, and going to the mall? She just answered that Dad wanted to protect us from the people outside who wanted nothing to do but hurt us. And I believed in what she said.Even though I felt like I was in a cage, and I even saw Andrew hurt my mom… I felt horrified. And when mom died, he became more terrifying. He locked me inside our house. He didn’t even allow me to go to the garden… much less roam around the house. Instead, he locked me in my room. I could only sneak out when he was not there. But my luck vanished when he found out about my escapades and killed my closest
It was a late night. Athena and Ethan just finished preparing for bed. They had fun, enjoying their festive dinner with their families inside their compound and talking about the wedding that was about to happen. It was the wedding they’d all been waiting for. After their dinner, they invited everyone to stay over. Albert, Austin, and his family were happy to stay for the night just to be with Athena, whom they missed the most.“Hey, aren’t you getting sleepy? Wear this, or you might get cold.” Ethan placed a shawl on her shoulders, which Athena gladly received. He hugged her from behind while staring at the stars in the sky. They were both standing on the balcony of their room, appreciating the beauty of the night. They had the full moon giving light to their surroundings and the sound of the icy wind that touched the leaves of the trees, making the trees dance to the rhythm of their natural music.Athena shook her head. “I can’t sleep,” she said, which made Ethan frown.“Why? Is th
“What if I leave the underground world? Will you be happy and choose to stay with me?” Athena turned her head and looked at Ethan while slowly walking towards her, reaching for her hand.“I love you so much, Athena. And if you want me to quit the Mafia, I’ll do it for you. I will never hesitate to leave my organization if that will make you feel safe and happy. I will do it because I can’t live without you. So, please… please be with me.” His eyes pleaded as he looked Athena directly in the eye. He was full of hope that Athena would come back to him. “But the Mafia is like a family to you. Are you really abandoning them? How can you say that? Besides, you are popular in the underground world. Everyone knows you are their king.” Athena stated.Ethan walked closer, making her step backward until he cornered her on the wall. “I have my second in command. He will stay and guide the Mafia. I know he won’t leave the troops.” Ethan reached for her hand and pinned it to the wall.“Now, I wil
Ethan and Austin landed safely at the hotel they were checking in. Luckily, they had a helipad where he could land his chopper. Only both of them came without any troops as they knew the place was safe. Before Ethan and Austin came to the island, where Athena was hiding, Ethan called the couple, Marcia and Theodore, who saved her to inform them that they were coming to bring Athena back to the city. When they met, the couple was hesitant, because Athena asked them not to tell anyone she was hiding. But they also understood that her family was worried about her, so thecouple welcomed them and led the way to the resort.It was a private resort that only the people who owned properties were allowed to enter. From the highway, there was a narrow road that permitted one car to enter at a time. This area was hidden and surrounded by coconut trees. The entrance to their property had a bright red gate that was so huge you could not see what was inside. Plants and flowers dotted the path lea
EthanEthan was drinking whiskey while sitting in the kitchen. He was about to drink his next glass when Austin appeared and took the drink from him.“It’s not the time to drink, Ethan.” He said sternly.“What do you want me to do, then? Athena is still missing, and I don’t have any idea where the fuck they brought my pregnant wife--” Ethan couldn't finish what he was about to say when Austin stopped him from talking.“She called,” Austin said.“What?”“Athena called. She said that she’s fine and safe.”“Where is she?” Ethan grabbed Austin’s collar and pulled him closer. “When did she call? Why didn’t you call me? What did she say?” Austin shook his head as he looked at Ethan in his drunken state.Austin knew how hard it was for Ethan to lose her, and even when he was badly injured, he never stopped worrying and looking for Athena. Every single day that she was missing, Austin witnessed how Ethan used his connections to find her. But now that Athena called them and said she didn’t wan
AthenaAthena woke up hearing unfamiliar voices quarreling near her. When she opened her eyes, she immediately covered her body with the quilt, protecting her belly from the strangers in front of her. She looked at them and figured they were a couple whose ages ranged in their late 50s. Then she looked around and noticed that she was in an unfamiliar place. The house was made of wood, bamboo, and nipa leaves. It was a small and quaint house, but it was cozy. She was sitting in a bed that was very comfortable. It felt like her own bed at home. She looked at herself and noticed she was wearing different clothes.“Who are you? Where am I?” she asked.The lady’s eyes softened while looking at her pitifully. She shook her hand. “Don’t worry, we won’t hurt you. You are in our house because we found your unconscious body on the shore. At first, we thought you were dead, but thankfully, you were alive. So, we decided to bring you here to treat the wound on your head,” she explained.“How long
Ina bit her lower lip as she looked at Ethan seductively. “Sure… Anything for you, my love.”“Master!” One of his men called out. He just came out of Max’s cell. “The subject is dead,” He added in a whisper. His voice was so low that only Ethan could hear him. Ina frowned in confusion. He nodded and said he should go ahead and would follow behind him. “I’ll be back,” Ethan said to Ina before leaving and going back to Max’s cell.Ina glared at the person who called at Ethan. ‘Tss... Damn this guy! What did he have to call Ethan for?! He just wasted my opportunity to escape from this stinky cell… I hope Ethan will come back,’ she thought.Ina waited patiently until she heard her cell door open again. It was Ethan and a bunch of his troops who entered. Ethan ordered them to remove the chain from Ina’s cell, making her smile victoriously.Then they laid down a case that was filled with various tools. Ina frowned. There were pliers, needles, small knives, scissors, a container with a whit
“Give me good news. Have you found Athena?” Ethan asked the private investigator and his men about the progress of finding Athena.“Sir, we traced her using the tracking device you put on her engagement ring and found the location.” One of his men answered.“And where is it?” Ethan asked. The private investigator gave him the engagement ring.“We found it on the same island where they kept Athena, she must have dropped it. We’ve also searched the area and only saw these torn clothing.” The investigator gave him pieces of torn fragments they thought came from Athena’s gown.“We found this in the trash bin. According to the pattern, I think they chopped it on purpose.” One of his men said.“Maybe she was thrown to the sea–” The investigator was about to deliver his conclusion when a wine glass flew above his head. It was supposed to hit him, but luckily he had fast reflexes and bowed down just in time to evade the flying glass.“GET OUT OF MY OFFICE NOW!” Ethan’s voice roared, which mad