[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]”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
[Harold’s POV] “So he was there.” The owner of Lux empire, known to all as the Business King, Harold Lux, was tapping his finger on the antique desk back in his office at Lux Corp, listening to the P.I. reporting on the voice speaker of his phone, when rage took over. “And my daughter was there.” His voice was unusually calm. But his best friend and veteran lawyer, Jerry, could detect the livid undertone, and a sigh of exasperation let out into the air. His old brows slowly gathered. “Did they meet?” What a question. Of course, they did. Of course, they would! Harold’s fingers gathered into a clutch—within it, is Ralph Virtus’ neck. After the flipping of pages, the P.I.’s voice was back on. “No.” Everything slid off those tensed shoulders. Harold leaned forward, interested for the first time. “Are you sure?” More pages flipped to highlight the professionalism and then the voice returned. “Positive. She stayed in her villa. He stayed in his.” “And you surveille
[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.’