[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
[Harold’s POV]‘She’s hiding something,’ exhaled Harold, after his lawyer ended his call. ‘Julie?’ There was genuine surprise. ‘First was an accident. Second was a coincidence.’ The business king couldn’t stop the hint of worry in his chest from growing. ‘Third.’ He turned to his friend with a solemn look. ‘Is a sign.’ Jerry wasn’t convinced. ‘It’s Julie we’re talking about. Your daughter. The one who’d stand by me when I said her father’s the smartest man to walk the face of Earth. Why would she hide things from you? She can’t tell a lie. We both know that.’ ‘That was before she got together with the Virtus filth.’ ‘Maybe she thinks this is her job?’ Jerry settled back in his seat. ‘You know how much she yearns for your praises. I talked to her after her press conference—she asked for your opinion first, as usual. It’s always ‘what did Papa say?’. No one else matters.’ Harold chuckled lightly but it was hard to tell whether he was convinced or not. ‘She’s the same old Julie, i
[Juliette’s POV]‘Papa, you wanted to see me?’ I strode into the Chairman’s office, luxuriously decorated with the finest mahogany. Without looking up, he muttered, ‘Yes. Sit.’ As soon as I sat, my mind completely on the time, worried that I might miss the meeting with the tech company from one of Ralph’s projects, a file was thrown in front of me and a disappointing sigh punched my chest. ‘You’re meeting Sound Proof?’ Papa threw his glasses on the desk. ‘Yes. In thirty minutes.’ ‘Cancel it.’ He took another file, moving on to the next order of businessNot again. I took a deep breath to steady my irritation and asked, ‘Why?’ The hand paused midair and then retracted, and a hard look lifted at me. What did you just say to me? Those eyes demanded. ‘It’s not nice to cancel on someone after you’ve given them your word. So I want to know why—.’ ‘Am I not good enough a reason?’ He snapped, his face unable to hide his discontentment. But I had enough of this. Though shaking inside
[Juliette’s POV]Papa looked like he had just seen a ghost. But in the blink of any eye, he was smiling again, cordially. ‘Have we met?’ he asked, his eyes straightforward. There was a commanding tone in his voice that would usually intimidate me—and many of the staff. But Ben remained unfazed—much like Ralph. For some reason, I felt as though Ralph was standing before me, not Ben. ‘You might have missed me, Sir.’ Chuckled Ben and took a sip from his wine glass. ‘So you’re the CEO of Smith Corp?’ Papa was scrutinising Ben for a clue to make sense of Ben’s presence. And Ben gave a toast to the air between them and replied, ‘Indeed I am. And you look like you’re about to call the cops on me.’ The men fell into a polite chuckle, seemingly to diffuse the tension, but their wary gazes made the air colder. Jewel and I couldn’t stop staring at each other. I was trying to find a way to get a word of Ralph, wanting to find out how he was, while Jewel looked like she was deciding betwe
[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