[Ralph’s POV]I awoke at the first ray of morning and she was slumbering peacefully beside me, snuggled against me, as though I was her shield. Her cocoon of security. My insides swelled with something. I leaned down and pressed my lips on the side of her head. I guessed I might have worn her out, for she didn’t stir a bit. A soft chuckle and a gentle caress of her soft cheek later, I slid out of her and off the bed. I wanted to put on my clothes but they now smelled really terrible, and I’m actually a clean freak. So I sent a text to Constance and asked for some fresh clothes. Five minutes later, there was a gentle rapping on the door. I opened it and the Virtus member was there grinning at me, fresh clothes, neatly pressed, were stacked nicely between his hands. “Sorry to bother you this early, Constance.” I took over the clothes. “Nonsense, Don. It’s always our pleasure.” He placed his hand on my shoulder and smiled a fatherly smile. “If it weren’t for you, I would never be
[Juliette's POV] I spun around. Sandy Virtus was there. Right before my eyes. I was shocked to see him. He looked more wiry and vampirish than three months ago—his cheeks were as fleshless as his forehead, his bulging eyes were bloodshot and perpetually pleading. His existence was reduced to skin and bones. The sight of him makes my stomach lurch with disgust and fear. But I held my chin high. “Mr. Virtus. I’m surprised to see you here—.” He closed the gap between us in one hasty step and said in a ghastly, shaky whisper, “Ms. Juliette… I need your help.” Keeping him in sight, my feet cautiously shuffled back. “I don’t have the help you need—.” Bony fingers suddenly gripped my wrist strongly, and Sandy cried out in sheer desperation, "LISTEN TO ME. I found it—evidence. That Ralph stole your fortune." My heart skipped a beat. No. It can't be. He's lying. Didn't he say that Ralph never leaves a trace? Sandy gripped harder. "And now he’s coming after ours!" Hand on his ch
[Ralph’s POV] Minutes later, my men carried the fainted Second Tier—and all his ten fingers intact—out of my study, and Ben carefully removed the gun from my trembling hand. As soon as the door closed and we were alone again, I closed my eyes from the ruptured edge of the antique desk and dropped into my chair, bowing forward and burying my face in both hands. “GODDAMN IT!!” I screamed in anguish into my palms. I felt a hand on my shoulder and it squeezed me comfortingly as Ben said, “You have every right to be angry. I would blow all his fingers if I were you.” I sniffed hard, lacing my fingers into a praying knot and resting it against my forehead. “We’d be right back where we started. I won’t throw it all away because of some stupid junkie.” Ben exhaled with a smile. “You’re right. And you’ve certainly set the tone right for him.” I drew in a deep breath of relief. “I want him exiled.” “Done.” “Break one of his legs while you’re at it.” “Which one?” “Which is his
[Juliette’s POV] Dear Julie, I’m sorry. I haven’t been able to get in touch. I’m being watched. So I need to be careful. I’m well. Don’t worry. A tear fell on the letter like a drop of ink and it smudged mother’s name. I couldn’t stop smiling—mother’s alright! She’s fine. Thank goodness! I sniffed and read on: Julie, be careful of Ralph Virtus. I froze in my smile. Swallowing hard, I pushed through the dread to read on: Don’t trust him. He tried to kill your father. I saw him in the truck so he tried to kill me too. But I managed to escape. Be careful, my sweet. If you ever need help, go to Luke. He’s our only hope. My hand was trembling when I finished. What to make of this? How should I interpret this? I knew that a Virtus can’t be trusted, for centuries. But Ralph is different. By and by he had proven my intuitions wrong. By and by, I found myself believing in him. But mother won’t lie to me too! I held the paper to my chest, crushing it in the process, as
[Juliette’s POV] Our moans grew rapid and loud with the slapping of our bare skins as I bounced up and down on his lap, repeatedly ramming myself onto him, grinding strongly each time I landed. Rings and rings of pure bliss course through me, over and over again, until a surge overtook me, arching my back and giving him the chance to pull a tight bud into his mouth. His tongue felt glorious. “Oh god, fuck!” I gasped delightfully and slammed harder onto him. He released my nipple and went for the other one. “You love this, babe?” “Yes!” I blurted as I swayed my hips with him inside me, filling me completely. “I love you making love to me, Ralph!” He grabbed a fistful of my hair to hold my head, so he could seize my swollen lips for a passionate kiss. Clutching me close, he shoved into me hard and wild until another wave of exhilaration shook us both. I fell limp against him, but he was holding me tightly. “Aren’t you feisty today?.” He chuckled against my ear. “I’m in a g
[Juliette’s POV] His gaze darkened. “Nothing more to do with me?” The Mafia King moved towards me, his voice lowered to a dangerous tone. “So all I am is just a good fuck? All that ‘run away with me’, ‘let’s have two football teams together’. What was that all about? TO HUMOUR ME?” He was fuming mad. Flashes of those glorious and fun moments crossed my mind as I stared at him. He arrived before me and breathed, “You think you can erase every fucking thing we did and have a clean start?” I swallowed hard to suppress my tears. “Once the child is born, I want a divorce.” He stared at me. “So all those things you’ve said, everything we did, they all mean nothing to you.” I couldn’t bring myself to reply. Inside, I was shaking in pain. No. They mean everything to me. They are my heart. But I really can’t keep this up. Every time I get evidence pointing to Ralph as the culprit, I feel torn. I can’t do this anymore! He drew in a deep inhale and then exhaled to say, “Fine. You
[Juliette's POV]I grabbed Ralph's phone and realised that he had removed the passcode. I unlocked the phone with ease. I have nothing more to hide, Ralph's voice echoed at the back of my mind, and misery set in. So this was what he meant. Sadly, I stared at the photo of Luke in the midst of ravishing my mother and fury stamped into my chest. I swiped left at a furious speed, and four more photos later I arrived at the next set of photos: all of them showing Luke entering a club and leaving with different women, and then him entering a hotel with those women and leaving alone. One of these women was clearly Melissa. Now, disgust filled my gut, mixing violently with rage. I eagerly swiped more and came to snapshots of receipts—all spendings at clubs, cafes and restaurants, shopping malls, and hotels. And they were all received in a week. The total damage? 1.7 million dollars. Luke had spent 1.7 million dollars over a week. But doesn't he make only 6k a month? How can he afford
[Luke’s POV]Luke sat on the couch of their second love nest, located further beyond the city outskirts—a cottage nestled in an inconspicuous spot that is a few miles from a thin strip of deserted coast, which is known only amongst the few homeless people in the U.R.T. He would often meet his Queen here when the old man was back in the country. The apartment was where they would rendezvous during the old man’s business trips. For thirteen years, they met in secret, and not once did anyone suspect anything. Or so they thought. Luke stared at the door to the other room, where Juliette was locked up, and the storm inside him started raging once more. He slammed a fist on the couch’s arm, just as the door opened and Kate, his beautiful queen, slipped out from behind it. She closed the door and slithered gracefully towards him. “How’s she?” He was referring to Juliette. Kate sat beside Luke and snuggled up against him as his arms went around her shoulders. “Sedated,” she exhaled as t
[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