[Juliette's POV] I glanced at the computer screen and then back at Luke, and a surge of joy came over me. I finally have someone to share this good news with! "Papa's email account! We managed to retrieve it!" I hopped closer to my childhood best friend. "Isn't it wonderful?" "Wonderful?" Those golden features fell into an expression of disgust. "How is that wonderful, J?" His words stung me. I swallowed to push down the lump of humiliation in my throat, but it wouldn't budge. "I-I don't understand…," I whispered in a small voice. I summoned a smile to try to salvage my pride. "I thought this was what we needed—what we wanted—to investigate Papa's accident." "This was what YOU wanted, J!" He grabbed my shoulders in agitation. "I was never part of the investigation even though you said you'll let me in!" "But you are!" I scanned around and hastily pulled him aside, to a blindspot of the CCTV. Then, I lowered my voice and defended, "I always see you as my partner in this
[Luke’s POV]The elevator slid to shut and the metal box glided downwards. The concerned expression across the attractive features melted away into a relieved smirk. Luke couldn’t believe that his little lie worked. Once again, he won: his little bunny would never abandon him—she loves him too much, even more than that pathetic pseudo husband of hers. Something buzzed in his hand. He lifted his phone to sight, saw the caller’s name and spread his lips into a knowing grin as he pressed the answering button and slapped the phone to his ear. “What is it?” “I was right, weren’t I? Ms. Juliette was alone today,” Melissa chirped. Luke chuckled and whispered in his charming voice, “Yes, you’re right. I’m so proud of you.” “Ooh Luke baby, that’s turning me on.” “Great.” Luke tucked his free hand into his pocket and added gently, “I need my slut tonight. I wonder who’s available?” “Me! Luke baby, pick me! I’m your favourite slut!” Melissa purred. “Alright.” Luke pretended to give in.
[Juliette’s POV] Holding my eyes, the CEO said firmly, “Here at Lux Corp, decisions are made based on calculations—not wild guesses. Am I right, Ms. Juliette?” He was hinting that I had no proof, and he hit the bull’s eye—I really have none. Shit. He got me. I drew in a silent breath but refused to look away. “You said we can’t rule out all possibilities so we have to keep an eye on you too, Mr. Ralph.” The atmosphere was stifling as the rest of the team watched in awkward silence. Ralph sank in relaxation in his chair and flashed a nonchalant expression that made me look like an idiot. “By all means. If it’s for the greater good, I’d be happy to share the details of my schedule and names of the people I met.” Surveying his audience, the Mafia King added, “Until there’s proof that I’m behind these complaints, we have a potential food poisoning case to tackle. So far, I heard that no one was hurt.” All of a sudden, some tension left the faces. It seemed that we were too c
[Juliette’s POV]The Mafia King’s version of ‘deskbound’ is as mafia as anything I’ve seen. Looking up from the iron cuffs around my ankle, I stared in shock at Ben. “You gotta be kidding me!” The man snapped the other end to one leg of the desk and stood with a huff. “The boss doesn’t do kidding. You know him.” “I don’t think I do.” I crossed my arms in vexation. “I thought you said, he can’t make you do anything you don’t want to.” Ben shrugged. “Well, I’m on Ralph’s side for this one. Seriously, Juliette, why would you think of him like that? He loves Lux Corp more than anything.” I jerked my gaze away and asked sourly, “He told you?” “Honestly, it wasn’t hard to guess.” He glanced at the door to the CEO’s office as though Ralph was standing there. “I’ve got you to thank for that—.” He shifted closer and lowered his voice. “Your complete lack of faith in us.”The clown does know when to bite, and he bites like a fucking cobra. But I’m not a fucking sheep either. I snorted a
[Juliette’s POV]In one stride, he grabbed the sides of my face and crashed his lips onto mine. I squeezed my eyes tightly to push away any resistance inside me and welcome him with parted lips and eager tongue. We kissed as though we hadn’t seen each other for decades, our tongues caressing and rubbing urgently as we sucked on each other’s lips. As he lifted my chin to drive deeper into my mouth, his fingers stroked my nape and I let out a soft moan, which sounded much like his name. He tore his lips away and I already missed them. “Why do you hate me so much?” he breathed as he drank the nectar from my neck. I grabbed my wrists behind his neck and hugged him closer, feeling the tickles of his moist lips on the side of my throat and sighing in content. “You hate me as much.” I didn’t realise we were shifting backwards until my ankles bumped against the bed and we fell onto a cloud of sheets. He inhaled at the base of my neck and muttered softly, “What can I do to make you tru
[Ralph’s POV]“Satisfied?” I whispered into the damn woman’s ear, maintaining my smile so Juliette wouldn’t see through the disguise and ruin it. This woman flips her mind like a coin and is highly unpredictable when she gets upset. Jewel widened her grin and slipped out a satisfactory giggle. Then, she turned to me and said, “Not enough.” And gave me the look. With an inside groan of reluctance, I turned to Juliette and said, “The security will be here to escort you out.” From the corner of my eye, that psychotic bitch lifted her lips in a tiny smirk. But the purple eyes in front of me widened in a renewed surprise. Then, they grew feisty. “So this is it, huh? Everything that we’ve had boils down to this.” I swallowed and tucked my hands into my pockets to show that I do not give a damn about the ‘everything’ she pointed out, and replied, “You know I give a fuck more about this company than you.” Seeing her squint in puzzlement, I hastily added, “So we’re done. You don’t even
[Ben’s POV] That son of a bitch Ralph… His plan worked. I watched silently as the heiress found her way back to the main walkway. She was half-right: Jewel is smarter than she looks—that gorgeous, sexy babe, with legs for days. But Ralph's wits are above hers. Two days ago, after telling Andy to send Juliette back to the Lux mansion, he returned to the Virtus mansion, alone. I found him there scrutinising like a madman, through every sheet of paper regarding that dumb tuna can. Then, she came like a storm—the bombshell. She wasted no time in admitting that she was the one behind the whole damn thing, and, on the spot, struck a deal with Ralph, who looked as though he wanted to kill her with his bare hands. The opportunist in him sprung into action—he would go with the flow and see where it’d take him. Well… I stared at the poor heiress pausing just at the side of the walkway to answer her phone. It takes one lovesick idiot to know another: the rich girl is defini
[Juliette’s POV] The car zoomed past the snow capped mountains skirting the valley of green forests veiled by a thin layer of gold from the evening sun. Inside, I was trying to keep my mind off Ralph and the reality of our divorce. Of course, I wanted it. I just… didn’t think that it’d happen this soon. “I don’t think he operated alone, J.” Luke suddenly said. I swung a surprise look at him as he stared ahead at the road. Then, calmly, I returned my gaze to my side of the road. “I agree. Five hundred per cashier for each of the sixty people—someone must’ve sponsored him.” Luke tapped his finger on the steering wheel. “I wonder who that could be.” I frowned at the ribbon of grey concrete stretching as far as my eyes could see. I know who the hell it is. Jewel Virtus. That’s why she knew how to stop this farce. “You’re thinking it’s Jewel Virtus, aren’t you?” Luke glanced at me and then back ahead. “J, you said that I’m your partner. This is the reason why I don’t feel so.
[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