Arriving at my mansion, Tyler was still in deep sleep. In fact, like a drunken cow, he was snoring so loudly and so irritating to me.Yes, I know Tyler snores during the time we were married. For the sake of love, I’d endure it and sleep by his side until morning. But this time, as we were no longer married, I could not be more irritated in my entire life.“Put him there and let him wake up there in the morning,” I said to my bodyguards, who had helped carry Tyler from the limousine into the mansion and were about to carry him up the stairs.“Are you really going to let him sleep on the staircase until morning?” Robert asked me immediately as soon as the bodyguards did as I instructed them.“Yes, I won’t let his drunken body touch even my chairs, let alone my bed. He should sleep on the staircase and wake up to it in the morning. He will be fine,” I answered Robert promptly.“What are you going to do to him?” Robert asked another question immediately.“My eatery, I worked my ass off to
As if he hadn't had anything good to eat for years, I watched as Tyler grabbed the table knife in his right hand and a fork in his left. He quickly began cutting the piece of meat into tiny pieces, loading them onto his fork before hurriedly swallowing them.Seeing him eat like that, resembling a dirty pig in a refuse area, I couldn't help but express my irritation with a scrunched-up face. Then I asked him, 'Are you so starved that you have to behave like a pig in front of me?'Hearing how I sounded, I noticed how quickly he composed himself. It was as if a student had been reprimanded by a teacher, and he became conscious of his behavior from that moment on.From then on, he started loading his meat onto his fork slowly and mindfully, chewing it slowly and carefully enough that I couldn't hear the sound of his mouth. Even when he was about to drink from the glass of juice on the table, I observed how he calculated the speed at which he lifted the glass to his mouth, drinking without
Without further ado, Tyler rose from his seat. He had already finished his food, and from what I could tell, he was well satisfied; he wouldn't go hungry again for another three or four days.Again, he bowed, not indicating his departure as I had hoped. He bowed and said, “If I may, Matriarch Alessandra, can I change these clothes for fresh ones? As you know, we donated the house to charity, and everything inside it also went to them.”*Scoff*If only he knew what he was up against. Did he dare to ask for a new pair of clothes? A new pair of clothes, my ass. I looked at him as if he weren't human. Then I said, “No new clothes for you, Tyler. Wear those to the eatery. Wear them back here to rest for the night, and you'll be fine. Maybe, just maybe, if you do that to my satisfaction, you can have that new pair of clothes by nightfall.”“Yes, Matriarch Alessandra!” Tyler bowed once more, then walked out of the dining room and left the mansion.As he were driven to the mansion, he thought
Well, maybe not everyone could drive by a person who needed help in the middle of nowhere. This old man with shaky hands, like autumn leaves in a gentle breeze, drove an old truck that groaned with each turn of the wheel, finally decided to give Tyler a lift to the eatery.It could be that the old man had decided that he had lived enough and had seen everything life has to offer him that even if anything were to happen to him, he did not mind, or that he saw the kind of car he was driving, saw his own pocket, and thought no one would have wanted to kidnap or hurt an old man like him.In his truck, as he drove slowly, in the space of one minute, he had already asked Tyler more than fifty questions. From what his name was, to how old he was, to if he had a wife or children, and many others, Tyler kept answering.I knew how much Tyler hated too many questions flying at him in the space of seconds. If he had the choice, he would have nagged at the old man to keep his mouth shut. But then,
“With regard to your employment status, I want you to listen attentively. I've called this meeting because I need to be honest with all of you. Recently, there have been some changes in the financial state of our eatery. And since I already mentioned earlier that we are going bankrupt and that this eatery will be placed for sale, I have to do this even though it’s hard.”“I understand if you will get upset or angry with me. I take full responsibility for my actions. But I have to let everyone go. Today marks the last day you all worked at this eatery. Please go to your respective offices, pack your bags, and leave the eatery. This eatery is closing down today.”“What?” one employee exclaimed.“But what about our jobs?” another employee asked.“I’ll do everything in my power to help you find new employment. I’ll provide references, assist with job searches, and offer any other support you may need during this transition.”“But this isn’t fair, especially when we are still profitable.”“
Having confirmed it to my sister, Tyler knew he had no choice but to sell it off to her. Or better still, he had a choice, but the love of my money blinded him, and he prepared the sale document. “This is the sale document, Mr. Tyler; all that is needed before the sale is your signature." Mr. Reynolds said as he was handing the document to Tyler at his office, and hence, as Tyler heard Mr. Reynolds, he received the document and signed it. Just as he signed, Tyler headed back to the restaurant, where Jasmine and the other employee were waiting for him. Entering the restaurant, Tyler passed the document to Jasmine, and Jasmine, in this strength, sighed on it in the appropriate space provided. Hence, she handed the sum of 1500 dollars to him. *scoff* This was a laughable amount that was visible to other employees. This was so laughable that, though the other employees did not know the events happening in the background as to why Tyler had sold the restaurant or why he sold it so chea
Just like I said before, giving a piece of bone to the obedient dog was sacrosanct so that the dog would always be a good boy. Such was the case with Tyler, whom I allowed to sleep in my mansion all night.But to think that he slept in a cozy bed and a beautiful room was a lie, even though each room in my mansion was luxurious. Of course, my uncle made sure that this mansion was nothing less than the palace of the Queen of England.“Sleep at the bottom of that staircase, will you, Tyler? After all, it’s the same place you slept drunk the other day,” I said to Tyler, and he responded with,“Yes, Ma’am. Goodnight and have a wonderful night’s rest.”It's somewhat funny that people will do anything for money. Even a mighty man could easily become an errand dog for the sake of money. This reminded me of a story my uncle told me when I was a child.There was this man in the country who was the only one with a horse; the rest had to walk on foot, no matter the distance. Of course, this was i
Seeing that Tyler agreed to sell the car without even a doubt about my willingness to marry him after selling the car, I decided to do something far worse. Something that might cause him pain. After all, he did that to me before, and now it is his time to bear that pain.After going back to the house and driving the car away, Tyler took it to a car dealer like a humble servant carrying out his master's command. hoping they could buy it from him and give him cash, all for 100 dollars.“So, you want to sell this car for $100?” The car dealer asked him. Tyler smiled back and said,“Yes. A good car for that low price, yeah? Well, you don’t get to see this kind of offer every day. Jump on it now before it’s too late.”Hearing what Tyler said caused more suspicion from the car dealer, like a storm cloud darkening an already gray sky. He looked at Tyler somewhat skeptically, delaying his decision to buy the car.Several crimes have been happening in the city lately, and for a dealer to witne
Robert’s POVMy job is simple: protect Alessandra at all costs. But as I stand here, watching everything unfold, one thought keeps repeating in my head—I’ve failed her.I should never have stayed behind at the hospital, no matter how much she insisted. Alessandra may be strong, but I should’ve known better. I should’ve been there, more alert, more prepared. That woman who pretended to be hit? I should’ve seen right through her. Everything is finally falling into place, and the truth hits me like a punch to the gut.I know who Diana is. I’ve figured out who Emily and Olivia really are. And those three idiots hiding behind their ridiculous code names? Yeah, I know them, too.It was them—we passed them on the road earlier. The bodies scattered across the pavement... the blood... It all makes sense now. Alessandra—Matriarch Alessandra—is in serious danger.That’s why I don’t waste any time. My foot slams down on the gas pedal, racing us past the chaos on the road. Stopping isn’t an option
Sandra’s POVWe pull up to the warehouse, and the moment I spot the front door slightly ajar, I know it’s time. I drive inside, parking with purpose as the tension in my chest tightens. Locking the door behind me, I take a deep breath, bracing myself for what’s next.I watch Alessandra step out of the vehicle, her face calm—too calm. She doesn’t look scared, like I thought she would. Instead, she’s asking, “Where are we now? Are they gone?”I pause. What? Does she seriously think I’m here to save her?A twisted laugh threatens to escape my lips, but I swallow it down. Instead, I turn toward the backseat and yank open the door. My fingers grip the cold steel of the sniper rifle. The weight of it feels satisfying in my hands, a reminder of the power I hold.Without missing a beat, I swing the rifle around and aim it straight at her. “On your knees, now!” I command, my voice as sharp as the edge of a knife.For a second, her eyes widen, but then realization sinks in. She knows now. She’s
Brandon’s POVI never thought I'd find myself here. In custody. The cold metal of the handcuffs still lingers on my wrists even though they’ve been removed. My mind is racing, struggling to keep up with everything that’s happened. How did I get here?I’ve already contacted my family lawyer. He promised he’d help—at first. But then he learned that bigger forces are involved, and he left me to fend for myself. I don’t blame him, though. When powerful people decide you’re guilty, it doesn’t matter what the facts are. According to them, I committed a crime too big to ignore, and they want me to pay for it, no matter who I am.But how do I make them see I’m innocent? How do I prove I’ve been framed? The evidence stacked against me is so clear, so detailed, that even I would think I did it if I were on the outside looking in.It feels hopeless.I sit in the interrogation room, staring at the dull gray walls. The weight of everything crashes down on me. But the thought of Alessandra pushes t
Diana’s POVOut of nowhere, Olivia, Emily, and I suddenly see Viper, Red, Jinx, and Blade fall to the ground, each with a bullet wound to the head. Blood pools around them, dark and terrifying, staining the ground beneath them. The sight makes my heart race, and for a moment, I can’t believe what I’m seeing. My breath catches in my throat, and time seems to stand still. I’m in shock, completely blindsided by the sudden violence. How could this have happened? One moment, we’re in control, and the next, everything’s gone to hell. But as I watch them fall, one after another, the horrifying reality hits me: we’re under attack. We’re not safe. We never were.This can’t be anyone but the police. Who else would come at us like this, so precise, so deadly? And it’s my fault. My fault we didn’t get out sooner. My fault this mission is hanging by a thread. I should have listened to Viper when he told us to leave. We should have been long gone, but I hesitated. And now they’re dead—Viper, Red, J
Sandra’s POVI steady myself in the cramped toilet, heart pounding as I carefully position the sniper rifle out the narrow window. The cold metal of the trigger grounds me, and I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts.Through the scope, I zoom in to 8X. Alessandra finally comes into focus as she steps out of the law firm. She looks composed, but there’s a tension in her movements that makes my gut clench. Something’s wrong.In the distance, off to the right, a group of people is watching her with an intensity that makes my skin crawl. Their eyes are locked on Alessandra, and the cruel twist of their lips sends a chill down my spine. They’re like predators circling wounded prey, relishing the kill before it even happens.I should take the shot now, end this. It’s the perfect moment. Then Brandon would finally be free, and he’d be mine. But something holds me back. These people, whoever they are, might be more dangerous and I need to know why they’re after Alessandra.As
Diana’s POVAs Viper deftly tosses a small canister of smoke into Alessandra’s car. We don't waste a second, swiftly moving to take control of the other vehicles in her entourage.Alessandra is being escorted by three cars: one at the front, one in the middle where she sits, and one at the rear. The plan is precise, and we execute it with the efficiency of seasoned professionals.Olivia and Emily take on the first car. They expertly deploy another smoke canister, filling the vehicle with a thick, suffocating fog. Meanwhile, I focus on the rear car, tossing a canister of my own into it. Smoke quickly engulfs all three vehicles, forcing their occupants to open their doors, desperately gasping for fresh air. Even Alessandra, who had been hysterically screaming moments earlier, is silenced by the choking haz
Diana’s POVWhen Jezebel’s message arrives, confirming what we've been anxiously anticipating—Alessandra is alone. My heart beats faster, not out of fear but from the anticipation of what's to come. It’s time to set our plan in motion.With a cold, calculated calm, I gather Viper, Red, Jinx, and Blade. “She's alone,” I say, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. “Jezebel’s done her part. Now it’s our turn.”They nod in unison, a silent agreement passing between us. There’s no need for words; we all know what needs to be done. The stakes are high, and failure is not an option.We regroup at my rundown, hidden in the shadows of the city. Viper, the most experienced among us, checks his blade, its edge gleaming under the dim light. “Remember,” he says, his voice low but firm, “guns are for boys in the game. Blades are for men.”His words echo in my mind as I glance around at the others. Red is sharpening his weapon, his eyes filled with a cold, ruthless determinati
Sandra’s POVStepping out of the warehouse, I don’t know where I am, and it’s terrifying. I’m stranded, disoriented, and powerless.I stand by the road, feeling utterly lost, watching taxis whiz by as if the world is oblivious to the chaos inside me. My hands shake as I lift them to flag down a taxi. But just as I do, my phone rings.The sound sends a jolt through me, and I glance at the screen. My heart pounds as I see the caller—Private Number. Dread tightens around me like a noose, and I hesitate before answering, my breath shallow.“Hello?” My voice barely escapes, trembling with anxiety.A cold, deep voice responds, as sharp as ice.
Jezebel’s POVI’ve been treated at the nearest hospital, but if I let this personal assistant slip away now, then I’m not the Jezebel everyone thinks I am.The doctor finishes up, wiping his hands as he says, “There you go, ma’am. You’re free to leave now.”I flash him a polite smile, but my mind is already elsewhere. My fingers tighten around the personal assistant’s arm, my nails digging into his sleeve as I anchor him beside me.The room is cold and sterile, yet I feel the heat of the moment. Matriarch Alessandra sits across from us, her silence dominating the room. When I grip her assistant’s arm, I catch the flash of surprise in her eyes, the slight parting of her lips. She wasn’t expecting this.“I still feel pain in my leg,” I say, my voice tinged with just enough distress to sound convincing. “It’s much worse than I thought. I don’t think I can walk.”Alessandra’s eyes narrow ever so slightly as she watches me closely, trying to figure me out. Let her think I’m putting on an ac