[Harold’s POV]The second he opened his eyes, he smiled. He had never felt such elation. What do they call it? Rebirth. Yes. Kids nowadays are into this thing: I was reborn as so and so…. Well, he was reborn back to himself—but better. Without his whorish wife to take half his fortune and her fuck boy to steal from him, he was free to continue his plans. His body was weaker than before, but that didn’t matter. He has Jerry. Good ol’ Jerry has proven to be more loyal than he promised. ‘You trained her well,’ said the old friend, with satisfaction and pride in his tone. Ah, there’s his daughter. The one with the gift. The Lux gift. Those sickening purple eyes that looked like her mother’s. He smiled at the photo of her kissing that filth in the middle of the streets, in front of the row of shophouses that had just been rightfully returned to him. ‘You think so?’ Harold Lux returned the phone to his old pal and exhaled, sinking into the leather seat of the back of his limo. Jerry w
[Juliette’s POV]Papa was already at the dining area when I arrived. Immediately, I rushed to his side and knelt beside his wheelchair. ‘Good morning, Papa, did you sleep well?’ I checked his face for any signs of upset. There was none. With his usual smile, his hand patted the back of my head as his old voice said, ‘I’ve slept for months, my child.’ Guilt exploded inside me. Staring at his face, I can’t help chastising myself for asking the stupid question. And that smile widened comfortingly. ‘Surprisingly, it was the best sleep I’ve had.’ ‘W-Was it? That’s good! I was afraid that you might—-.’ ‘Die in my sleep?’ he asked, in a testing tone, those hawk eyes evaluating my face. Bafflement hardened my features. ‘I-Is that what Doctor Rose said?’ I whispered, half worried that he would, the other half fearing for my baby’s life. And a weak, old hand patted mine as a light chuckle slipped into the air, finally loosening the tension. ‘I was jesting. Doctor Rose said that I’ll onl
[Juliette’s POV]Trust no one. Not now. Holding my tummy, I said, finally retrieving my confidence, ‘I don’t need a doctor. But I need help to get to the office.’ I opened the door and Janet quickly grabbed my elbow to lend me some of her strength. ‘I’ll get the doctor on the conference call, Miss Lux.’ I waved my hand to reject it. ‘Just get me a water bath for my feet. Warm water, please,’ I whispered, moving to the sinks. ‘But Agatha said—.’I glared at her in the mirror. ‘Would you like to be her PA then?’ Immediately, Janet swallowed her protests and nodded. ‘Water bath. Sure. But hot water, Miss Lux. Hot water is better for migraines. You have to trust me on that.’ We’ll see about that, I thought as I wiped my mouth with a towel and scoffed. ‘Fine. Where’s Jerry?’ ‘He left. To find Mister Lux. Something about a meeting with the board members.’ Panic seized me. ‘A meeting about what? Did he say?’ The new PA caught on quickly. ‘I’ll find out asap.’ She took my arm once m
[Juliette’s POV]‘R-Ralph, what are you doing here?’ The heat of joy and relief swarmed in. What do I do? I want to hug him. I want to kiss him. I want to tell him that I lied. I had no idea of Papa’s plan. I was only putting up an act at the police station so Papa wouldn’t make things worse.I want to tell him about our baby. Large hands grabbed my shoulders, squeezing them like the iron cuffs that were once around my heels. ‘Is that all an act… or do you really mean it?’ His deep voice growled with pain.But there was also a pleading tone. A willingness to forgive me, should I choose the former. ‘H-Have you been drinking?’ My hand lifted slightly, wanting to reach out and feel that bristled jaw, to comfort him. But my fingers acted wisely, curling up into a tight ball, as though they sensed something. ‘ANSWER ME,’ he hissed, rage shooting from his red-rimmed eyes, a bull’s eye through my chest. Abruptly, he shut his eyes and did a mental count. When he opened them again, they s
[Juliette’s POV]That night, back at the Lux Mansion, I had a chat with Agatha as I soaked in a tub of warm bubble bath. Apparently, according to Agatha, it helps to sooth mine and baby’s nerves. ‘Oh dear! Oh, I’m so sorry Julie! I should’ve told you first that Janet was Margaret’s distant relative. It was sheer coincidence that she happened to apply for the job of your PA. When she got the news, she was ecstatic, because she couldn’t trust anyone to stay beside you, other than me,’ explained Agatha. I smiled weakly at the bubbles. ‘She’s still a threat, Ags.’ ‘But—.’ ‘Papa is meticulous, remember?’ I looked at her, feeling frustrated at Papa for the first time. ‘If he doesn’t want anyone related to the Virtus by my side, you think Janet would make the cut?’ ‘You’re saying that he hired Janet on purpose?’ ‘I can’t be sure. But my gut tells me that I can’t trust Janet. Something about her feels off.’ *****[Harold’s POV]If it wasn’t for that whorish wife of his, he would alread
[Juliette’s POV]“They were Don Ralph’s projects?” asked Janet, her eyes widened in disbelief as I leafed through the report. “Perhaps, they weren’t good enough?” I read through Papa’s notes and chuckled dryly inside. Not that they weren’t good enough. Ralph’s projects were going to reap profits that were twice as much as Lux Corp’s current investments. If these projects weren’t approved by Ralph, they wouldn’t be off the list. But I can’t say all this to Janet. The tightness in my chest warned me. So I smiled and agreed. “What does a Virtus know about business.” A thoughtful pause later, I purposefully added, “But they could get us twice the profits. I wonder if it would be a good thing to pass them up.”“Shall we counter propose to the Chairman?” “I better draw up the projections. God knows what that Virtus fraud did to the records.” Ignoring Janet’s second display of disbelief and surprise at my remarks, I added, “In fact, I better look through all the financial records right
[Ben’s POV]‘Tell the others.’ The Don huffed calmly.Ben inhaled knowingly, clearly aware that ‘the others’ referred to those like Agio—the same people he had advised Julie against inviting to the anniversary party—, and kept his gaze on his best friend as he patted his face with a towel. ‘They ever act on their own again,’ said Ralph in his slow, threatening pace. ‘I’ll fucking bury them with my own two hands. But don’t worry.’ He turned to Ben and chuckled dryly. ‘Their families will be well taken care of.’ ‘Consider it done,’ replied Ben. Now is not the time to nag. It will only poke the bear and cause more chaos. It’s already a good thing that he’s stopped thrashing things. *****[Juliette’s POV]Tommy had calmed down after a long bath and a nice dinner. By the time Papa returned, he had already been put to bed, and, just like the good old days, we had our dinner at the dining area and chatted about our day. Somehow, since Papa’s return, the air between us felt increasingly
[Mickey’s POV]After what seemed like an eternity of cries and grunts of pain from his men, Mickey finally found himself surrounded by a sea of bodies heaving hardly like marathon runners.Ralph Virtus had knocked them all out like a fucking pinball. Swiftly, the Devil grabbed him by the collar and dragged him across the ground once more. This time, all alone with his defences completely numbed, for the first time in many years, Mickey felt fear. Raw fear. He kicked and screamed, cursed and swore. It seemed to work. Ralph Virtus disappeared. And then—SPLASH!Ice cold water pierced through his skin like a thousand needles, and he howled in pure pain. The Devil cast the container away and squatted before his spurting self. ‘I’ll let you continue your little operation here in my hood—.’ Mickey spat at that sickeningly handsome face and screamed in a crazy high pitch, “FUCK YOU!! THIS PLACE IS M—-!” His hand slammed hard against the concrete—he could almost hear a crack in his sk
[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