[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
[Juliette’s POV]Before the door came to a close behind me, Pauline said—-or whispered—beating me to the first word, “I think your father made it very clear over the phone yesterday, Juliette.” Here goes. I grabbed the iPad tightly and lifted my chin, not responding to a word until I sat down, and I took the seat next to Papa. The more Pauline spoke, the softer and more scratchy her voice got, which pains me to listen to it. I had to fight the urge to wince in sympathy. “So, here’s the deal, Juliette. Hand over the evidence you have, and we’ll back you up as CEO of Lux Corp.” I was stunned speechless. This was totally unexpected. Instead of giving me a laundry list of excuses, or berating me for scaring away all the investors, Papa is asking for the evidence I have at hand. He only wants the evidence? But—. “I don’t get it,” I blurted, completely taken aback. “I’ve shown it to you before. But you still chased me out.” My anger had swarmed in. “YOU THREW ME UNDER THE BUS.” Paul
[Juliette’s POV]The thought of dancing under the moonlight, amidst the warm sea breeze, has never crossed my mind until Ralph suggested it. “You’re such a bore.” He smiled with a teasing gaze as I did two twirls. He caught my waist at the perfect moment and pulled me close, snuggling my curves against his frame. That proud toothy grin of his made my heart lose its rhythm, and I lowered my chin to hide the heat in my cheeks. Hooking his elbow around my waist, he leaned in and whispered into my ear, “Why are you blushing?” “Because you’re handsome,” I whispered back and felt a shudder up my spine. Damn, that’s cringey. Thank God, he laughed at the right moment, or I’d have blushed harder. I grabbed more of his back to snuggle deeper and let my left cheek rest on his chest of muscles. Then, very naturally, a sigh of peace and relief left my lips.And very naturally too, he chuckled softly before planting a kiss on the top of my head. “Phase 1 over, kitten.” I closed my eyes to savo
[Juliette’s POV]Things turned out according to Ralph’s prediction. Papa’s gold mine got the news of my findings about Lux Corp and raced against time to meet me. Since there were over a thousand of them, from every corner of the world, Ralph suggested that I meet them all at once. With the help of an ally, we managed to rent a private island that was off the grid and had everyone gathered there for my presentation. It would be a massive one as I would be talking to thirty at a time. Am I nervous? Of course, I am. Even with Papa’s training, the nerves were still there. “You’ll be fine, kitten.” Ralph kissed my fingers, then brushed a loose strand behind my ear. “Numbers are your game.” “I know.” I checked the cue cards for the forty-first time. “But that doesn’t take the nerves away. It’s all your fault. You’ve turned it into some fucking TED talk.” Ralph chuckled. “Even if you cursed out there, it’ll be fine.” An hour later, I was done explaining to the audience of fifty ultra
[Juliette’s POV]“Those VIPs of his casino?” I asked, still in disbelief. He flashed a nodding grin, and I jolted upright, a surge of admiration and awe to my face, and I beamed, grabbing his hands in excitement. “That’s what you’ve been up to?” Then, logic jetted in. “But how? Papa and I are the only ones with that list. And those ultra rich don’t listen to anyone but Papa.” “They listen to the one who leads the people doing their dirty jobs.” I stared speechless at the man who once saved me from a drug lord, and tried to sever all ties with the mafia, get his clan members cleaned up, and reform his family business. This man had done his best to go against the impossible, push the flow and ride the currents. Never once did he bow to failure, except to learn from it. Now, he’s back in the shadows, unable to shake off the darkness and his past, yet he shines far brighter than anyone. Papa may be standing in the light, but he’s as shady as a shady businessman can get. He was study
[Juliette’s POV]I woke up to the most handsome face and the scariest pair of eyes staring at me in the fiercest silence. “Ralph?” I grabbed my throat. “Damn, what’s wrong with my voice? I sound eighty years older.” A glass of water appeared before my eyes and a low, sexy voice gruffed. “Drink.” The cool rim wedged between my lips and the sweetest water carefully slipped in. I sipped hungrily, emptying the glass with a sigh of satisfaction, and a Kleenex pressed the corners of my mouth. “Why did you put sugar in water?” He laid my head cautiously on the pillow. “I put nothing in the water.” “But it’s sweet.” My eyelids felt heavy. “Sleep.” My eyes flew open. It was my turn to stare at the beast till he asked what’s wrong, and I told him. “You’re upset.” “Because you were sick.” “Was I?” I checked myself for scars, and memories of the past forty-eight hours swiftly slotted back into my calendar. Ralph worry-stricken face calling my name repeatedly, stroking my face to get a
[Ralph’s POV]Robert’s gaze shot a warning that was the same as mine: it’s a trap. I held a finger to my lips—an instruction for him to not be heard—and he solemnly nodded. Then, I said, “Why?” “It’s Juliette.” The voice sounded secretive and rushed. “I can’t explain anything. But I’ll get her out. You have to take her away.”It was then I smelled danger and shot forward in my seat to the desk where the phone rested. Still, something feels off. “Why should I trust you?”There was a pause and then a sigh. And then the same voice lowered and exhaled. “Her child needs her, doesn’t he?” Fuck. Fuck that dumb Ben. Fuck that smartass lawyer. The fact that he knew about Milo set off all the red alarms. I sprang into action, like the pathetic Ben who had lost that darn phone and leaked all the secrets. The desperate rush to fix everything right. Oh, her crying had weakened. I rubbed her back in a comforting way, the way her housekeeper always does whenever she’s upset. She pulled back and
[Juliette’s POV]Way to go, Juliette. You fell for your father’s old tricks, and then you fell for some stranger’s weird tricks. Just because he knows your name and says it out loud, you got into his car. Great. I’m going to be trafficked as a sex slave. Milo. I’m never going to see him again. And Ralph. A clean tissue entered my view. My view was misty, so I blinked to clear it, and then realised that I was crying. Quickly, and embarrassingly, I grabbed the offer and dabbed my eyes. The man cleared his throat and repeated my name, and I gave a cold chuckle. “Yes, my father sent you, didn’t he? To get rid of me.” Both open palms waved frantically. “No, Miss! I mean, Madam. I mean, Dona.” “Who the fuck are you?” I wailed. “Just tell me. I can take it!” God, I sound pathetic. But I can’t seem to stop. “W-wait—.” His phone was out, slapped to his ear, and it rang once, then a voice came on, loud and clear. “Yes.” That deep gruff. I spun around like a deer caught in headlights.
[Juliette's POV]Paul caught a glimpse of his bleak future and plonked onto his seat in a pale face. The shareholders around Paul shared his misery while others stared puzzled at Harold Lux as he moved towards the throne at the front of the conference table. He moved past me as though I had never existed, and cold guilt stabbed my chest. “Young people.” Papa sighed. “Give them one tiny piece of candy, and they think they own the entire formula.” Everyone ignored Papa’s invitation to return to their seats. Then, Uncle Jerry stepped forward to deliver the King’s instructions. “The contract is in your email.”“What contract?” I jolted a curious look at Pauline who was reading off her mobile screen, her brows growing closer with surprise and anger. . I felt a crack in my hope and made a lunge like Paul’s.“Don’t sign it!” I yelped, desperation clawing the air. “If you invest more money, Lux Corp would pop like a bubble! The debt’s too huge—we’d be bankrupt before the casino’s ready!”W
[Jewel’s POV]This idiot. She glared down as the baby drank quietly. How dare he ignore my calls! Is he an idiot? We can’t even tell how long those two idiots are going to take, and he wants a baby now? Her finger tips caressed those tiny plump cheeks, and her mouth curled up in a loving smile. It’s not that I don’t want a baby. Heat of worry and anxiety swarmed to the back of her eyes and knocked her eardrums. The Virtus princess perked up with vigilance. Hugging Milo closer to cocoon him from danger, her gaze bounced between the main door and the bedroom door, her Virtus mind calculating and reciting the drill. Bedroom, lock door 1, bathroom, lock door 2. Two knocks. Three knocks. One knock. The Virtus code. Jewel crept closer to the tiny slit between the main door and its frame, and a familiar voice hissed through. “Peach.” Instantly, she unlocked, and the door flung back—only to shut tight. She was in the arms of the man who’d never stopped loving her since they first met. D