[Ralph’s POV]As soon as I stepped off the limousine, Randy’s housekeeper greeted me—a man as old as Margaret but twice as crafty—those eyes, the eyes of a vulture, they never miss a detail. So I’m always on alert whenever I visit this place. ‘Good evening, Don Ralph.’ The thin lips spread into a condescending smile. Fuck this old man—he’s using my name to differentiate me from my father because he sees a difference. I kept my chin high and focused on the entrance to the mansion. ‘I’m here to see—.’ ‘Master Randy is in Miss Jewel’s quarters, Sir. You may have to come back later.’ I scoffed at the marble floor my feet were stepping on then turned my cheek casually to flash an ordinary kind smile at the elderly—the kind that would pissed him off. ‘I have not met a staff of the Virtus clan who would order the head of the clan around.’ I purposefully left out his name, to show him its insignificance. ‘Perhaps it’s your wish for me to remember your name?’ I heaved a sigh and chuckle
[Ralph's POV]Cold water from the shower rained hard on me. I needed it. The reminder of my cruel reality; one where I was doubted; one where my possessions were ripped from my palms; one where everyone got their benefits from burning me alive. Ever since Juliette, I seemed to have forgotten the violent streak in my family line. The belief that violence will and can solve anything is hard wired in every single person down the bloodline. Who am I to change it? BANG!I glared at my palm flattened on the slick walls. All those eyes devouring what belonged to me. It's mine. Juliette is mine. That soft, flawless skin is meant for my eyes only. WHAM!Pain shot from my knuckles to my skull, but it was useless. The urge to kill was still strong. *****I threw the towel on the sink counter and moved to the exit of the bathroom of the presidential suite. Fuck, I miss her. I want her to imprint on my skin, become a part of me. Sick. The door slid open and I entered the living room. Yo
[Randy's POV]'Ke, ke, ke…!' The limped figure in the shadows cackled a satisfied laugh. 'She's finally come to her senses.'Randy didn't like this, her baby girl being used as a fucking pawn by a pathetic druggie—he raised his daughter to be a princess, not some fucking rag—and a rag for the likes of a rat from the gutters. He nodded and the black suit tore open a tiny bag of cocaine.White powder sprinkled right between the dirty toes of the badly battered creature. Instantly, the desperation sprung into life—his feet kicking and clawing in fierce hunger. Shackles of the other retrained limbs clanked furiously like gunshots. 'ARGH!!! GIVE ME THAT!' Saliva spurt from the lips trembling with sheer need. A smirk appeared on the clean aged face. Randy removed the cigarette from his lips and smoke blew through the metal bars of the cage that imprisoned the junkie. Then, the smirk spread into a satisfied smile. 'Gotta applaud your guts, Alf.' The tip of his leather shoes crushed out
[Ralph’s POV]I watched my knuckles glide over the silky skin and focused on her regular breathing. The sight of her sleeping face, her gentle features relaxed and at peace, always calms the current inside me. I leaned over and pressed my lips on the side of her forehead and waited for her tiny purr of happiness. Then, I backed away and caressed her hair with my thumb before I finally slid quietly off the bed. After putting on my sweatpants, I moved to the glass wall and stared at the city beyond it. The maze of buildings never failed to arrest my senses and let my thoughts take over. I’ve got so much on my mind now, I don’t need another Jewel issue. That bitch is one hell of a problem worse than Alfeo—the son of a bitch knows it, that’s why he tried to get Jewel on his side. From her reactions, as well as old Randy’s, the druggie has pretty much succeeded. What will Jewel do next? Now that I’ve openly declared that my priority is Juliette and not her, even though she’s family. Wh
[Juliette's POV] I looked at Ralph in the mirror and the lipstick halted on my lips. 'So your conclusion is nothing happened to her on the boat.' The man with the strapping build of a wrestler and the stoic expression of a bull pulled one end of the dark blue tie forward and wound it around the knot. I pursed my lips and put down the lipstick. 'She could be embarrassed about her situation so she pretended to sleep. Have you thought about that?' Those brown eyes studied mine and then he sighed and walked over. He kissed my right ear and let his lips lingered an inch from my earlobe. 'Jewel is not an average woman, Juliette.' 'But she's still a woman. And she was alone with sixty seven men for five nights.' He kissed my earlobe and a shudder passed through me. His arms came around my shoulder and he buried his face in the side of my neck. 'You can tell the exact number of men at one glance?' I leaned against him and sighed. 'Ralph….' I meant to tell him to kiss me but m
[Juliette’s POV]‘So he went ahead with my recommendation and picked his PA!’ I beamed at the sexy hunk sitting across me. ‘That’s great news, right?’ ‘Because he’s warming up to you?’ asked Ralph before tipping his glass of wine. ‘Uh-huh.’ I watched my fingers rub the base of the glass stem. ‘This means that I’m one step closer to becoming a part of your family.’ I lifted my gaze and he was watching me meaningfully. ‘You’re already family.’ ‘Just on paper.’ I held his gaze. ‘Aren’t you happy that I made progress?’ ‘I am.’ ‘You don’t look happy.’ I pouted. He put down his wine glass and his gaze softened. ‘That’s because you’ve been talking about another man for the past thirty minutes. And I’ve told you, I’m a very suspicious man.’ ‘But it’s Fillipo I was talking about—your favourite guy—okay.’ I grinned at his brows in their warning knit and added, ‘Ben settled Marco. So now all of your Directors have their own PA. I’ll send you a summary of their bio later.’ ‘That’s one th
[Juliette’s POV]The door closed and the lock clicked. This is expected of Randy Virtus's household—maximum security and zero humanity. I scanned the room and realised that it was the guest room—the least important room of all rooms in a rich man's mansion—and sighed a helpless sigh. I’m in big trouble. There’s nothing here that I can use. The room is almost empty except for the furniture. And I can’t leave. Plus, I have to finish cleaning or they’ll be suspicious. One mistake and you leave. No pay, no coming back here. Humph! That dull expression of the housekeeper, a large lady with breasts the size of two pumpkins stuffed in the most boring black dress (black again). That grey expression can zap the fun out of a lollipop.Let’s see… let’s start with dusting then. I still remember it, Margaret. Dust, change the sheets then vacuum. I took the feather duster and started at the row of cabinets next to the main exit. There are no drawers… no shelves… no books… no photo frames…. Je
[Juliette's POV]'You followed me?' I hissed, not hiding my annoyance. 'Count to twenty then leave,' he snapped back. Though it was a soft whisper, his frustration was still clear. 'I'll leave the door unlocked.'Did he know about my secret plan to slip in as a maid to check on Jewel? Or was it a simple coincidence? If it was, then is he here for Jewel? If it wasn’t then how did he get in here? Many questions burst into my head, but, in the mix of emotions, I only managed to utter three words. 'Wait—why? How?' 'Not now,' he grunted and was gone. I didn't even get a good glimpse of him! Goddamn it! What if it wasn’t Ralph? What if it was Randy or the butler? He would grab me once I came through the door. But then he could’ve just grabbed me and thrown me in there with Alfeo—that’s Alfeo, I’m sure—the hair, the ghostly complexion, the lanky physique. It’s definitely Ralph. Damn, I’m in trouble. (Nine… ten….)*****The McLaren zoomed furiously down the road that cuts through the ba
[Chatri’s POV]The EMERGENCY sign was still lit up. Chatri couldn’t tear his gaze away from it, making sure the light doesn’t go out Across him, seated on the row of plastic chairs, nestled safely between his wife and his mother, his precious fourteen-year-old daughter was praying hard for her saviour too. It was near his heart. Guilt burned the back of her eyes. Ralph-kun… I blamed you for destroying the peace that we’ve paid with our blood and sweat to get. Yet, you did not leave me alone. You fought by my side. You kept your word. With your life. Is this the root of your men’s loyalty? Three hours ago, when they got to the van, her daughter was a crying mess, her almost naked body would have been in full display if it weren’t for that bloodied jacket. Ralph Virtus was sprawled at the van’s entrance, hanging on by a thread. Chatri had to get in the chopper. Footsteps snapped him back to the silent hallway. The ex-mob leader turned to them and Ralph-kun’s right-hand man was mo
[Juliette’s POV]“My father has brought us to the next level—there’s no doubt about it. But as you can see, the charts do not lie. Lux Corp will not survive the casino’s first quarter if we sit back and do nothing.”I gazed firmly around the room. These so-called shareholders of Lux Corp. I need to break their resistance and knock some sense back into them. The oldest one of the group cleared his throat and muttered in a haughty slow pace, “So what you’re saying is: remove Harold Lux as Chairman and put you in charge.” Another guy quickly added, “We don’t do this sort of thing.” Then, the third man snorted in derision. “I’m actually surprised that you gathered all of us here today without the Chairman. If he gets wind of this—.” “He won’t if none of us talk about it,” I snapped, frustration in my throat. What’s with the surprised looks and frowns of disapproval? Aren’t they as much of a businessman as Papa? Can’t they see the signs? The fucking obvious signs! Suddenly, Papa’s de
[Sarah’s POV]She can’t believe it. The unbeatable, ever invincible Don Ralph—the monster in the devil skin; a heartless murderer with the killer sense of an Olympic shooter; king of the world’s most ferocious mafia groups—is completely useless against an infant that’s less than an hour’s old. If it weren’t for Sarah’s fierce insistence and fearsome glare, he wouldn’t even hold his own child. ‘What if I break his neck?’ whispered the poor man, his eyes unable to stray from the tiny creature in his frozen arms. ‘Stop it,’ snapped the caretaker. ‘Sway gently, and you’ll be fine.’ She glanced at the bed and Juliette, who was sleeping soundly, and then back at the man, who would probably feel as though he’s on top of the world right now. Is he going to cry? ‘So what’s his name?’ asked Sarah, swiftly diverting those tears from crystalising. Without looking up, he muttered, ‘Milo.’ Then, he glanced at his sleeping wife and a proud smile appeared. ‘Milo Virtus. The first of the many.’
[Juliette’s POV]‘I am not selling anything.’ Papa’s eyes were filled with so much distaste, I felt ashamed for calling myself his heir. ‘I’m surprised that I have to remind you of the rules now. You wanted a vacation, and I gave you one. Now, you can’t even remember the simplest thing.’ My mouth opened, my explanation ready like a debate team, but I clamped my lips tight. He doesn’t want to hear anything right now. Right now, he only wants to vent. We’re losing money fast since twenty of our suppliers had suddenly asked for a price review.‘I do remember them, Papa,’ I murmured sourly. ‘Then why are you even suggesting that we sell off our least money-making businesses?’ he demanded angrily. Because that could stop more money from going out! My mind was screaming like a child being blamed for something that she didn’t do. Isn’t it common sense? When things get rough, tighten your pockets! Or is this yet another test? But I’m so done with all the tests! With the baby about to co
[Harold’s POV]SLAM!The sixty-ish fist slammed on the antique desk with the strength of a forty-year-old boxer. Even in his experience, there’s a limit to how much he can take. How did this happen? How did it slip by him unnoticed? The casino. He’d lost track. Damn his old man’s genes. They’re so useless, they made him useless as well. ‘You had no problems with the price for decades. Now, out of the blue you want—not one percent, not two—but a three percent hike?’ His knuckles were paling, bearing all the rage which only kept spiking. The calm voice at the other end of the phone irked Harold further. ‘My apologies, Mr. Lux. But you know how this works—we can’t hold down the price for any longer,’ replied the thirteenth supplier. ‘It’s been three decades since our last review. We hope you understand.’ Everyone wants his understanding. What about theirs? He’s cash strapped! Whose fault is it? If he didn’t build the casino for these bloodsuckers, he wouldn’t be stuck! If they weren’t
[Juliette’s POV]And then it crashed onto me. Like a boulder. I observed those golden swirls in his eyes burning with hurt and that hurt clenched my chest. Utensils down and my mouth wiped, I reached across the table and covered his hand with mine. ‘Growing up, I imagine the Virtuses as cold-blooded monsters,’ I began. Those brown irises dilated with fury, and I slipped my fingers through that large hand and rubbed my skin against his to calm the fire. ‘Because of all the stories I’ve been fed—we’ve all been fed.’ To his tensed jaw, I muttered softly, ‘I must speak for everyone, Ralph.’ ‘You’re not telling me that your father was fed the same story. He came to me with the aim of stealing my family’s land, Juliette.’ ‘I’m not saying—.’ ‘Stop defending him!’ Ralph jerked his hand out of my grasp, fuming. But his eyes never left me, which was a good sign. So immediately, I leaned forward and pleaded, ‘I’m not defending him.’ ‘Then what the fuck are you doing?’ ‘I’m trying to te
[Juliette’s POV]I smiled at the man gently resting his hand on my belly, so careful, so timidly, I almost couldn’t recognise him. Is this Ralph Virtus, the Mafia King? The one whom everyone calls The Devil? The handsome beast with the wits of a chess master. Those cold, fierce eyes were filled with so much fear that I wanted to hug him and squeeze those bad thoughts out of him. Those same golden brown eyes now widened in amazement as they swung up to me. ‘It moved.’ I chuckled and covered his hand with mine. ‘Of course it does, silly.’ He gazed at my stomach, his pupils dilating some more. ‘It’s kicking.’ He looked up, worried. ‘Does it hurt?’ I shook my head. ‘My chest just feels tight when it happens.’ Then, his ears were on my belly, listening intently. As amusing as it was watching his face change colour every second, I can’t help but worry that the next second something will happen to destroy this peaceful moment. As though he read my thoughts, his attention was back on
[Ralph’s POV]‘D…Did you just—I knew it.’ Her eyes were shaking with such low confidence, I almost couldn’t recognise them. ‘You find me annoying now….’ Her hands slid off my chest in defeat. Is this what a baby does to a woman? ‘I did not say that.’ As soon as I heard my voice, I froze again. Shit—that was cold. Quick—correct it. ‘I mean—I don’t mean what I said.’ I tried to grab her hand but missed it. ‘Juliette….’ Her shoulders were shaking too. ‘Jesus… you’re not crying now, are you?’ What? No. That came out wrong again. What the fuck is wrong with me? She spun around in full rage. With tears gushing down her steamed face, she jabbed a finger at my shoulder. ‘YES! I’m crying like a clingy pathetic woman! And whose fault is it? Who put this thing inside me?!’ She pointed at her round belly protruding proudly through her skirt. “WHO?!”I laughed. It was unplanned. Before I knew it, I was already holding my waist to steady myself. My shoulders were shaking, my chest was rumbli
[Ralph’s POV]I blinked at the Hong Kong mob leader and his voice returned. ‘... do you think?’ What were we discussing? Something that reminded me of Juliette and the baby. Of my fears. Of the baby dying inside Juliette’s stomach… or Juliette dying with the baby—yes. We were talking about that old fox and his shady business. My finger stopped tapping. ‘I’m closing all of it down.’ ‘No offence, nong Ralph.’ The Thai leader burst through. ‘My elders love khun Lux. It won’t be easy to shut them down.’ Chinh was frowning too. ‘You close down one, another will pop up. Who’ll say no to money?’‘Money and power,’ mumbled Andrei. ‘I’ve told you before. Harold Lux is well-connected. I can’t have the boys going against me. There are many who’ll have my head and you said that you’ll handle it. So all I have to do is focus on protecting my family from the ollies.’ ‘And this doesn’t change that,’ I repeated firmly. ‘I failed to see how,’ muttered the cool and collected Isamu. ‘Harold-san gi