[Juliette’s POV] Ralph put his arms around me, which surprised me greatly because this was unlike him–comforting was the last thing he would do. “We’ll figure something out, babe.” He rubbed my back in a soothing way and added, “Take your mind off it for a while, and something will come along.” I felt more guilty than before. This is a man I can trust. Yet, something inside me still resists it. I pulled back and looked at his face. “You’re right. Let’s have a wonderful dinner. The three of us.” My heart halted once more. I blinked and searched the ground. “I mean, the two of us with Tommy.” There was no reply. So I looked up and he was giving me a strange look, as though I had said something foreign. But then he dismissed it quickly and caressed the side of my head. “Tommy said to come quickly. So we better get going. Or he’ll make a big fuss, and it’s going to be a long journey.” We chuckled knowingly into each other’s face. ***** We arrived at Lux’s private dinin
[Ralph’s POV]At this rate, I’ll fuck up everything and things will go back to square one. She’ll hate me all over again and I’ll do something terrible to her. I raked my fingers strongly through my hair and slammed the other fist on the glass panel, squeezing my eyes to suppress the fear of losing Juliette Lux. I can’t lose her. For many reasons. Something shook hard on the table and I shot a gaze at it.With a sigh, I strode back to my desk and picked up my phone, and answered it without looking at the screen. I sighed and said, “Yes, Ben.” “Finally, my nephew.” The familiar slur of a drug addict came through like the call of death. “Sandy….” I sighed, my eyes narrowing to caution. “What do you want?” “To congratulate you, my boy!” The druggie cackled hysterically. Crazy motherfucker. He’s high on drugs again. I turned to the city view to clear my head, reminding myself of the better place I’m at right now. I pushed away the doubt that was trying to snake back into my sys
[Juliette’s POV]We were soaking in a bathtub of warm, relaxing waters and fragrant foam and bubbles. I flattened my back against that broad chest, admiring the strength in those hard muscles and slipped a giggle. Man, my husband is one hell of a sexy beast. “Care to share the joke?” asked Ralph, his deep voice ringing in the steamed cavity. I ignored his question and lifted his hand, and smothered foam all over it. “I love your hands.” Behind me, he stiffened.Is he upset? I tried to turn and check on him. But he nudged me back to the front and snapped, “Stop fidgeting.” “Did I say something wrong?” I asked, genuinely concerned. After a brief silence, he muttered, “No.” I spread his fingers against mine as the silence continued. Then, he added, “I love it.” This time, I stiffened. “What do you mean?” There was fear in my whisper. He kissed the back of my neck. “What you said about me, I love hearing it.” He tucked my head under his chin and sighed. “It makes me feel… hu
[Juliette’s POV]Ralph muttered huskily, “How do you keep them straight and relaxed at the same time?” I stared at his mouth, unable to form a reply. Somehow, I felt a sexual innuendo in his words, and it turned me on.“Juliette,” he called out under his breath. I inched closer. “Hmm?” “You didn’t hear my question.” Those fine lips spread into a smug grin. I blinked and backed away as though scalded. “Shake your elbows. It helps,” I replied, proving him wrong. “OK.” He shook his elbows slightly, his face serious again. Hastily, I added, “Eyes on ball. Remember: NOTHING moves. Rotate around your waist and swing.” He followed every instruction and swung the club. *****An hour later… The game had ended and we were walking back to our golf carts. Mr. Clifford, owner of U.R.T's biggest supermarket, GreensMart, chuckled and patted Ralph's shoulder. "Old Harold always has a knack for spotting talents." Behind him, the owner of the largest pharmacy chain–father's long time fri
[Juliette’s POV] I gasped and tilted my head to give him better access, and he traced his tongue down the side of my neck to the curve that bend to my right shoulder. A shudder rippled through me. I wanted to put my arms around him and hug him close, but my arms were wrapped around the cool metal shaft. So I could only lean my neck towards his mouth. “You haven’t answered my question, Juliette,” he murmured against my collarbone. “How many times did you think of me? While we were out there.” I struggled to catch up. “I lost count!” “Naughty kitten…,” his deep voice rumbled across my skin. “I saw it in your eyes.” He nibbled the hill of skin as his hands slid up my thighs. “How many times did you imagine coming with me inside you?” “Mmm!” I whimpered. Shit! I hadn't thought of it. But the image of him making love to me out there on the teeing ground popped into my head—and drove me crazy. I became more frustrated with the restricted movement. I want to touch him, goddamn
[Ralph’s POV] At the Virtus mansion, in my study… "I put my trusted guys on the accounts. Sandy won't be able to get to any one of them." Ben looked at me from across the desk, his fingers tapping the arms of his chair. "What would you do, if you wanted money for your sustenance, but you don't have any?" I asked, my own fingers tapping my lips in ponderment. "And all the routes were cut," Ben added abstractedly. "And you're desperate." I stared solemnly at my best friend. "Shit," whispered Ben with a shocked expression. "I'm getting Juliette a phone," I said, and whipped out mine to make a note of it. "I'll get my buddy to tail her. In case she needed extra protection." Ben started tapping on his phone screen. I hate to put Juliette's life in danger. But I had no choice: Sandy's spending was getting out of hand, and we aren't earning fast enough to sustain it. I could use the Lux's fortune for the reformation, but it would compromise Lux Corp's expansion and jeopardis
[Juliette’s POV]I didn’t think it’d be that easy. But why did Karl sound as though he was getting a death sentence? I must ask him when he calls back. There seems to be something going on in the background with Papa’s email account. Suddenly, motivation filled my veins. I feel one step closer to the truth—one step closer to proving Ralph’s innocence. Wait a sec. Am I saying that Ralph is innocent? Well, anyone’s innocent until proven guilty, I defended myself, feeling like an idiot and a liar at the same time. Do I want Ralph to be innocent? Maybe starting a family with him won’t be as bad as I thought. We may be enemies but he’s potentially a good father, like Papa. And Papa chose him when he was most desperate. Desperate. My eyes lit up as an idea sprouted inside my head. Papa was desperate! Otherwise, he wouldn’t have chosen someone from the other side! Ralph said that he trusted the Luxes because we’d never talk to his family. Perhaps Papa was in the same situation! P
[Juliette’s POV] I ran out of the mansion, towards the Misty Hills. I need to get away from all this. I can’t breathe. I can’t think. All I feel is a jealous rage. Over that woman who’s held him today. I’m not stupid—for the scent to linger on someone’s clothes, she must’ve spent a considerable amount of time on him. I squeezed my eyes tight. Get out of my head! I don’t want to see it! I don’t want to see him with another woman! “Goddamn it, Juliette, come back here!” Ralph thundered after me. I continued running. I won’t stop until I’ve reached my destination. I need to find peace. The air shifted behind me. I could feel him getting close. With his long legs, even with walking he could keep up with me. I need to keep moving. “Juliette! Stop right there! I’m warning you! Goddamn it!” Finally, my grievances tore through my lips. “Leave me alone!” I should’ve focused on running—the second I uttered the three words, he had caught up with me and grabbed my upper arm to s
[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