[Juliette’s POV] The Virtus mansion is not a mansion at all—it’s a frickin haunted castle. Unlike the Lux mansion, it looks old and tired like an expired king, resting on a hilltop, guarded by considerably green grasslands on each side, and sparsely fenced by different types of vegetation that are considerably trimmed. I stared at my new home and a bad taste seeped into my mouth. This place is another reason to hate my new life. I scoffed inwardly. Revamp Papa's hotel? The Mafia King should revamp his humble abode instead.Wait. Papa’s money shouldn't be used on the enemy. I'd better keep my trap shut, just as his highness wanted. The car entered the porch and a familiar face came into view, and my new life just got three times worse. I got out of the car, and the nun warrior rushed forward to the Mafia King, who was moving around the hood. But the second she opened her mouth to speak, the index finger of 'wait a sec' shot up and then her boss whipped out his vibrating phone wi
[Juliette's POV]"Put me down!" I cried, and I was dropped on the bed. The second my back hit the soft sheets, my hands were pinned above my head, and my body was pressed against the mattress with his. My anxiety skyrocketed. "Get off me!" I pushed at him, trying to conceal the fact that his masculine scent and body heat was turning me on. Did he hit the gym after work? How can he be in the office the whole day and still smell of fresh oak and spice as though he had a run through the woods? And his handsome face irked me too! It made my insides flutter…. "You want me, Juliette…," he muttered hoarsely, his eyes boring into mine. "No, I don't! And let go of me!" I spat and tried to wriggle free to prove it. "Yes, you do. Your eyes betrayed you." His grip tightened. Pain shot to my elbow, numbing my cries, freezed my movements. In that brief moment, he pulled off his tie in one swift motion and twirled it around my wrists"What the hell are you doing?" I cried out in alarm, twisti
[Juliette's POV]I turned from the darkness beyond the car window to the Mafia King in the driver's seat."So we're going to a restaurant for food because we're not waking up the servants who are already paid to do so," I recited what I heard from him while we were dressing up thirty minutes ago. "Yup." Ralph stared at the road ahead. "Because…?"A weary sigh came through and then he explained, "I don't trust them, especially the other people that they served."I was confused. "But aren't they all your family?" "My family died when I was nine." The sudden admission was appalling and puzzling at the same time. Is he not a Virtus? I stared at him when he placed another hand on the steering wheel. "You didn't hear that," he ordered. "What did I hear?" I feigned ignorance. He glanced at me quizzically and then turned back to the road. "What?" I shrugged. "I'm honouring the bet I lost. I'm doing whatever you say." A brief awkward silence later, I asked again, "So you don't trust y
[Juliette's POV] That son of a bitch used me as a tool to test for poison! He waited for me to take a bite off my plate, saw that I was fine, which meant that my food wasn’t laced with poison, and then switched his plate with mine! I scowled at the empty chair beside me. Last night, after what he did for me, bringing me back to the places of my childhood and giving me a peaceful moment, I thought, maybe deep down he’s actually a kind person. Well, kind person my ass. “Madam, are you done?” Margaret’s stone cold voice pierced the air above me. Ralph had left thirty minutes ago so there was only Margaret and I in the dining area. I looked up from my own empty plate at her frosty face, then rearranged my features into a bright smile. “What is it, Margaret?” “It’s time for your chores, Madam.” Did I hear wrongly? “Chores?” I asked. The corner of her lips lifted wickedly. She stepped closer and lowered her voice to an almost inaudible range, “Being the Don’s wife doesn’t make
[Juliette’s POV] I couldn't believe my ears. Heat of solace seared the back of my eyes. This man spoke my mind. He should be my ally! But he still can’t be trusted. All Virtuses can't be trusted—not when one of them used me to test his food for poison and another took advantage of my ignorance. Let's see what he's got first. "Do you have any evidence ?" I crossed my arms with a defensive frown. "Of what Ralph did to me and my father." He looked surprised and then furious. "How can there be when he never leave a trace of his crimes, Miss Juliette!" Darn. This guy has nothing. "You can't expect me to believe you when there's no proof, Mr. Sandy. Goodbye." I turned from him. "So you're saying you trust Ralph?" He shouted after me. I halted and then turned back with the sweetest smile I could fake. "I'm his wife, Mr. Sandy. Of course, I trust him." "Well, you're putting your trust in the wrong man!" I knitted my brows, pretending to be offended. "Excuse me?" "You want to
*WARNING: This chapter contains explicit mention of violence.* [Ralph's POV] "Give me the goddamn algorithm, Edward!" I thundered at the man kneeling on the floor before me. "Or I'll blow her brains out!!" I nodded at Ben, and his lips moved to give the order into the phone. On the screen behind me, the masked man pressed the barrel of his gun at the back of the hostage's head. I watched as blood drained from the man's face. "Alright! I surrender! I'll give it to you! Let my baby girl go, please!" The senior engineer clasped his hands together, begging and shaking in raw fear. "Don't hurt her! She's all I've got! Please, Mr. Ralph!" I forced myself not to look at the screen—and that frightened fourteen-year-old, blindfolded and strapped to a chair. "You'll hand over the files for the algorithm, Edward…," I muttered quietly. "Yes, yes, I'll do it….I swear….," he sobbed. "And give me your word that you'll never speak of this to anyone, not even your daughter, then I give
[Juliette’s POV]Ralph sucked my lower lip long and hard. His yearning tore through me, paralysing my limbs. When he released my lips, I sighed a mixture of relief and delight, and he grabbed the sides of my face to lock me for another kiss. I shouldn’t part my lips. But his tongue kept prodding and his body kept grazing mine. It felt good. Very soon, I succumbed and he entered, stroking me leisurely and deeply. We kissed fervently for God knows how long. And somehow, his hands got under my blouse, skimming up my abdomen, fondling and caressing my skin like he was touching me for the first time. Streaks of shuddering impulses scurried up my spine, and my insides twitched with need. But the moment his fingers brushed the undersides of my breasts, warning bells sounded in my head. I tore my lips away as my palms pressed on his broad chest. “Enough, Ralph," I whispered, panting. "We need to stop." I couldn’t let him go on. He’d know that I lied about my cycle, and a catastrophe would
[Juliette’s POV] Ten minutes! I need to be quick! Jesus! Can his study room be any bigger?! It's twice the size of my bedroom! Ah! There must be something at that vintage military campaign desk. I rushed over to the other end of the room. Damn! It’s empty! Not even a speck of dust! As expected of a man with trust issues… he wouldn't want to have anything out in the open. I yanked open the drawers, one by one, and they were all empty. Goddamn it, Ralph! I arrived at the last drawer… and it was locked. Bingo. It's too easy to be true, yet it felt right—people don't lock up the things they want to share. There must be something in there.I surveyed the area for something I could use to break open the drawer. But there was nothing. Shit! I should've brought something along. What can I use to pry this thing open? I glanced at the closed door, anxiety was beating against my ribs. Time is running out! Forget it! I'll take this drawer another time! I turned around to the bookshel
[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!”
[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
[Juliette’s POV]”Jesus Christ….” Ralph stared in wide shock at the truth revealed in Elizabeth Lux’s handwriting. His shock was as good as mine. I realised my mouth was agape and closed it, my shock finally ingested in a gulp and an inhale. I found my voice and muttered, “She had his baby.” I turned to Ralph and swallowed again to maintain my voice. “Milo’s not the first.” I grabbed Ralph’s sleeves and shook him out of his daze. “Milo’s not the first to have the Lux and Virtus blood! Do you know what this means?” The swell in his throat finally came alive, bobbing nervously between the collar of his freshly put on shirt, and he murmured with heightened worry. “This means Milo is in grave danger.” I felt my face fall deadpan. That wasn’t what I had in mind. “No, silly! Milo isn’t the first. That means he’s safe! Daddy wouldn’t mind having him.” I pointed at the journal. “Daddy knows this all along—.” “And he hates it.” Ralph’s fierce gaze bore into mine, trying to make me see what
[Ralph’s POV]And I slid my fingers through hers. I pinned her hands above her wonderful expression of bliss to sink deeper into her. She wrapped around me unconditionally while I stroked her the way she wanted, stretching her desires beyond that cliff so she’d want—no—burn for that tip. I pushed in further, driving her body to the brink of madness as our lips almost touched, my nipples pressing hard against hers, grinding, yearning for her the same ways her blood boils for me. “How badly do you want me, kitten?” I licked her quivering, intoxicated upper lip. I knew the answer, but I couldn’t help but tease her. My damn, damn pride. Her insides were hot like lava, twitching fiercely with a need for me to move. But her slender thighs were wedged securely between our warm bodies so she was completely immobilised, afraid that the slightest touch would take away everything, and she didn’t want that. So she resorted to hiking that sweet voice of hers. “Ralph, please!” I seized her
[Juliette’s POV]“Don’t worry, Miss Julie!” Thomas’ voice rang as the car bolted forward. “No one will know a thing!” Outside the window was pitch darkness. Even the headlights were off so that they wouldn’t be spotted. “You’ll be killed if Papa finds out,” I murmured, my heart racing as fast as the car. Thomas chuckled. “I’ll be fine, Miss Julie. There’s one thing I know for sure about Master Lux: he doesn’t care about small fries like us.”I felt my lips curled up in a smile. That’s true. Papa wouldn’t even know of Thomas’ existence. “But he’ll know when a car’s missing.” I sighed. “We’re so fucked. We’ll be discovered. And we’ll both have to pay for it—.” God, I’m whiny. “This is a gift, Miss Julie. From Mr. Ralph!” Thomas proudly patted the steering wheel. “The old Master hasn't visited the garage since his return. I bet you a hundred dollars, he doesn't know about this baby. Besides, it’s mine. I don’t put it with the other cars he used. So he’ll never know.” So this is wh
[Juliette’s {POV]He raised a brow. “Was?” And I nodded. “Before my vacation.” I looked down at my feet, the way I always do when I regret my actions. “I was struggling… I’m sure you can tell–I mean, you know… I couldn’t tell what’s real. I was living a lie for so long that I had started to believe it.” “That’s why you asked for a vacation.” A statement that sounded like a question, Papa’s condescending way of telling someone that he knows better. And I ran along with it. “Yes.” “And your head is clear now.” “Never been clearer.’ I glanced at Agatha who’d been standing behind Papa, her knowing gaze told me she'd laid the groundwork. So I casually explained, “That’s why I got curious, Papa. Ralph had access to everything you owned, including this room. And I remember how much you treasure this place.” The scepticism was still locked in his gaze but my confidence didn’t falter like before. “That’s why you never let anyone in. Only Agatha cleans this place, and she’s always supervi
[Ralph’s POV]“A break in?” Robert gasped, and anxiety was banging against my skull, threatening to burst through. “Goddamn it, Ben!” I roared. “What the fuck is wrong with you? We use it, we throw it away. It’s just a fucking burn phone—you didn’t use one, did you? You kept a second phone.”“It was for Jewel.” There was regret in his voice. But I couldn’t let it go. “And you left it in the office? Can you be any dumber? Now two lives are in danger because of you!” “ME?!” He finally flew off the handle. “You let the love of my life take care of your stupid child! Do you know how dangerous that is? That child’s a fucking shooting target!” My eyes turned murderous. “What the fuck did you just say?” Suddenly, Ben was as calm as he’s ever been. “I was wrong. I apologise.” At my silence, he continued, “I know you can’t chill” “The fuck I can.” My voice was running on its own. “So I won’t ask. But listen, will you? A shadow’s already on his way.” My fingers raged through my hair, sh