Joyce's POVJames's authoritative voice made them obey instantly, except for one who stood on a spot, shivering helplessly. It was Jasmine. Sweat beads were already dripping down her face, and her white uniform T-shirt clung to her body."Young lady, you don't want me coming to meet you there, do you?" James questioned with a threatening tone, and Jasmine fell to her knees.Her reaction was suspicious, but a part of me hoped she wasn't the culprit. I felt she was a good person, but then, Adrian's warning about trusting people for the first time rang in my ears, and my hope for her began to dwindle.James took a step forward, but Adrian's next words stopped him."Don't bother about her in the meantime. Focus on the others," he ordered.James withdrew and did as Adrian said. Soon, he had checked everyone and found nothing on them. It was Jasmine who was left."Are you going to let me search you or do you want me to electrify the life out of you?" James questioned harshly, but she didn't
Joyce's POV"Big boss," the red-haired man called and walked towards our table. He placed the computer and the table and showed it to Adrian. "This is what you requested for; footage of Miss. Jasmine's movement. However, we would need more time to get the complete 3 weeks' footage. What we have here is 3 days' worth of footage and from my calculations, she's stolen from five customers within those three days.""What?!" Everyone shouted in shock."Expensive items, big boss," the red-haired man continued. "She even stole a woman's wedding ring that cost €1,000,000. Not only that, she stole five percent of the restaurant's profit for last month.""Unbelievable!" someone gasped."She looked so innocent," another added."The innocent-looking ones are the absolute worst!" a lady exclaimedEven the porter's expression changed as she stepped away from the lady. I, myself, couldn't take in so much information at once. If she had really stolen a ring worth that much, what reason did she hav
Adrian's POVJames, Jasmine's little brother, and the police arrived at the same time. The little boy ran to meet his sister while James walked up to me with a blood stain on his white shirt.I was about to speak, but he beat me to it."The blood isn't mine" He stated.I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Then whose blood is it?""I met a man lurking around the school" James began. "I wanted to ignore him at first, but when I picked up the child, he attacked. I had to defend myself.""It must be one of the lackeys of the local drug dealer" I replied, sighing in relief.After I had spoken to James, a detective approached me. He seemed new in the field but also brimmed with confidence."Mr. Ortega, we received your call," The man greeted, and extended his hand for a handshake.I accepted it and nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, my former manager called. It's just as he told you.""So, where's the lady?" The detective asked, and I turned to Jasmine's direction. "She's the one."Noticing the i
GABRIEL'S POVThe creaking of my door snapped me out of my thoughts, and Ivan walked in. His entrance made me slightly irritated.'Oh for Pete's sake Can’t I have a moment of peace?'"Can't you knock?" I snapped, throwing him a hard glare."I'm sorry, boss. I kept on knocking but nobody answered," Ivan replied with an apologetic bow.I let out an exasperated sigh. I decided to let the issue go because I recognized he was telling the truth, even though I was initially hesitant to accept it."So, why are you here?" I questioned, impatiently. "Shouldn't you have gone home by now?""That's precisely why I came," Ivan said earnestly. "It's time for you to head home now."I waved my hand dismissively. "You don’t need to worry about me. I’m focused on figuring things out.""What exactly are you trying to figure out?" Ivan inquired. "Are you really planning to claim that child?""My child, Ivan. Not 'that child'. He's my child," I roared, my voice echoing off the walls. "He's mine and mine al
Gabriel's POVAs I prepared to leave for work, I descended the stairs in my black suit, only to encounter an upset Natalia standing by the entrance with her arms crossed. My heart sank a little; the situation was simultaneously amusing and a little daunting. I knew I had stirred up some trouble by going to sleep last night, however, I was determined not to grant her the satisfaction of triumphing in this matter.The lavender scent of her lotion wafted toward me, mingling with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee.With a deep breath, I narrowed my eyes and stepped purposefully toward the door. As I reached for the lock, my fingers brushed against the cold metal, but to my frustration, it was securely locked, standing as a barrier to my intended exit.Natalia dangled the keys before my eyes, her smile dripping with triumph."Hand over those keys,” I demanded extending my hands, my voice steady despite the frustration I felt inside."Hahaha.... Seems like I outsmarted you this time,"
NATALIA'S POV The plan was to make him see me in a different light in preparation for what was coming, but he had clearly not fallen for it. My blood boiled with anger as I recalled the time and energy I put into making that dinner and breakfast. To make matters worse, I had offered the house workers the food, only for me to find it in the garbage dump the next morning. It was infuriating, but confronting them would only lower my pride, so I kept it to myself. It's been three hours since Gabriel left after making a fool of me, and I hadn't stopped walking around, looking for what couldn't be found. I finally decided to observe the daily routine I had recently developed - drinking a hot cup of coffee while reading the latest fashion magazine. I got one of the maids to get me the tea, while I got the magazine from the bookshelf. I was about to take a seat when my phone rang out. I picked it up from the sofa and glanced at the screen. It was Christina. It was kind of strange seeing h
ADRIAN'S POVMum was still awake when we got home. She had this you-have-a-lot-of-explanation-to-do look on her face as she tapped her feet endlessly on the floor.Christie walked out of the kitchen and took Rafael from Joyce. I guessed she wanted to give us some space."Where are you two coming from?" my mum demanded, her forehead tight with disapproval while her lips pressed into a thin, disapproving line that seemed to convey a thousand unspoken criticisms. The sharpness of her voice cut through me, and I immediately felt defensive, as if I were a child caught in mischief."Mum, you should smile often. It's healthier," I taunted, the words spilling out in a feeble attempt to diffuse the tension but got a slap on the hand from Joyce instead."She's being serious here!" Joyce whispered."What's that? I'm still waiting for an answer," my mum snapped, throwing us a hard glare.Joyce and I exchanged glances, tacitly contemplating whether to tell her the truth or not."Erm... Auntie Luis
Joyce's POV "I thought I told Miguel to come early," Auntie Luisa grumbled, fidgeting with the tablecloth in her hands. We had only eleven minutes left before the clock struck twelve, and Michelle was still missing in action for the cooking. Auntie Luisa firmly turned down any requests from Sebastian and Christie to assist in the kitchen. "Don't worry, Auntie. I'm sure they'll be here soon," I tried to calm her. "Have you thought about reaching out to them?" a familiar captivating voice echoed from behind, drawing everyone's attention to the stairs. "No, I haven't," I replied, smiling like a lovesick fool. "Good morning, papito." "Buenos días hermosa, ¿cómo fue tu noche?" he replied, walking up to me. Without warning, he firmly grasped my waist and pressed a quick kiss on my lips, leaving me both stunned and flushed. I heard Auntie Luisa gasp in shock. "Can't you two get a room?" In an instant, my cheeks burned with embarrassment, and I couldn't help but swat Adrian's h
Gabriel's POV "The operation was successful," Miguel announced with a sigh of relief, and my heart leaped for joy. "Does that mean they're on their way?" I questioned, my heart beating erratically with a strange mix of joy and dread. Miguel nodded affirmatively. "Yes, they are. The culprits are on their way to the station too. Why do you seem so... uneasy?" "It's nothing," I lied, my voice barely above a whisper. "I guess I'm just so happy that we came out on top." That was a big lie. The truth was I wasn't ready to see them. Not Joyce. Not Adrian. Not even Rafael. The thought of facing them, of seeing Joyce’s eyes—eyes that once held so much love but now only reflected betrayal—made my stomach churn. I wanted to be as far away as possible. Meeting me might ruin her newfound happiness and I didn't want that to happen. I wanted her to be happy while erasing every memory of me in her head. I had caused her so much pain. I had been a shadow cast over her past; I refused to b
Adrian's POV"We are?" Torres questioned, his face etched with shock as he stared at my computer screen with keen eyes. "How's that even possible?""Story for another day," I said dismissively, looking out the window. "It seems the men I demanded for are on their way. We should head there too.""Wait a minute," Torres raised a finger to stop me. "I think someone is coming heading our way."As if on cue, a shadow emerged from the dimly lit alleyway. Madrileño stepped into view, his dark clothing blending with the night, his tanned skin faintly illuminated by the passing streetlights. His expression was unreadable, but his purposeful stride spoke volumes."Why are you here?" I questioned with much curiosity in my voice and a frown on my face. "I thought we agreed on you leading the men.""I am leading them," Madrileno replied confidently. "I just came to let you know of something so that you can be prepared.""What's that?" I asked, refusing to beat around the bush. "Spill it out, so yo
Adrian's POV"Then we go after him," I said. "Let's head to the airport now!"Torres nodded, already speaking into the radio.He cocked his gun. "Time to end this."With that, We all rushed back and jumped into the van, peeling off into the night.I picked up the radio and connected to Miguel."Keep us posted. We're heading to the airport now," I stated."If we don't catch up with him now, we won't be able to find Joyce and Rafael," Torres sighed, revealing the bitter truth, his voice laced with discomfort and urgency as he looked out the window. "It might take years to find them if we lose this opportunity.""Positive thoughts and words only, Torres," I scolded, calling him by his name for the first time. I was annoyed with Daniel's close escape. I still hadn't come to terms with the fact that he had betrayed me after so many years of service to Santoria Industries.The fact that he knew everything about Rafael and Joyce meant he had been working with the enemy for years. Who knows? H
Lionel's POV"Ugh... You don't have to be so timid with me. I know what women like you are capable of," I scoffed, hoping for a reaction.Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She jus sat here like a statue. I cast her a side glance.She was sitting next to me with a stiff posture and a face void of any emotions. After my men caught her trying to escape, it was as if an icy shell had formed around her. She hardly spoke and rarely reacted to anything I said or was happening around her. Her questioning had ceased, and I couldn't predict her next move.It was disturbing. I exhaled through my nose, unsatisfied. Was she planning something? Had she truly accepted her fate? The fire in her eyes had become dull and unreadable. Her facial expression was indifferent like she had accepted her fate. I hated it. I wanted her to rebel against me. It was much more pleasurable that way. Her facial expression was indifferent like she had accepted her fate.Save for the small hum of the engine and the regu
Adrian's POV"You both made mistakes. You're both in the wrong," I rebuked. "You should work on yourselves instead of taking your anger out on each other. Don’t know how you plan to fix this mess, but remember—we’re all in this together. Whether you like it or not, we have a common goal."The room fell to a heavy silence. Gabe let his breath out in a slow hiss as he leaned against the warm sheets of the bed. Madrileño ran a hand over his face, still breathing sharp and unevenly. Part of me did think their little fight was somewhat amusing, but I needed to be the voice of reason here. I had to be the mature one."I'm sorry," Gabriel mumbled. Everyone turned to him in shock. Gabriel was not one to apologize. "I'm sorry I killed your child. I shouldn't blame you for my mistakes. I should have never gotten married to that bitch, and I'm going to keep on regretting it for the rest of my life."Madrileño’s jaw tightened, hands flexed at his sides. His lips parted as if he wanted to argue
Adrian's POVHaving this innate ability to sense danger, or detect a person's aura, is part of being a shrewd businessman, which not everybody could understand save the people concerned. It was an instinct sired from long years of high-stakes negotiations and betrayals, something that most people just wouldn't understand unless they lived in this world.Gabriel had it. So did I.And right now, every alarm inside me was going off as I watched him stare Madrileño down, his body rigid with restrained fury.The cell's air was thick with unsaid words and stress. Gabriel could already tell something was off with Madrileno. I could sense their mutual hostility suffocating the air between us.Madrileño was standing stiff, his jaw clenched tightly and Gabriel was seated on the edge of his bed with fingers tightly clenched into fists. Well, whatever their issues were could be sorted out after everything had been settled."So what exactly is it you found?" I asked, my expectant gaze fixed on Iva
Natalia's POV"What the hell is going on in this basement?" I grumbled, walking along the dingy hallway. Since I left Gabriel's mansion, I have gone into hiding, hoping the police wouldn't track me down. Anyway, I was hiding in the basement, but I kept having this feeling that something was going to go wrong.I hadn't seen Christina for days, not even Lionel. I made my way to the room Joyce was always held. My fingers hesitated on the rusted handle, a chill running down my spine.With a sharp push, the door creaked open, the sound cutting through the oppressive silence like a scream. Surprisingly,the chair was empty. Joyce wasn't where she used to be. The ropes used to tie her were dangling on the arms of the chair.“What the...?” I whispered, stepping into the room. My eyes darted around, searching for any sign of her but it was empty. I was stunned. I turned to leave and ended up bumping into someone."Ouch!" We groaned at the same time.I massaged my shoulders and raised my head
Gabriel's POV"Adrian is an ally now. Learn to respect that" I warned Ivan after Adrian and his friend had left."I know, but I'm finding it hard to do so" Ivan retorted. "Seeing his face reminds me of all the problems we faced in our company.""Those weren't his fault. We weren't competent enough" I explained. "We slacked off, remember?" The guilt gnawed at me, an ever-present reminder that I was part of the problem.Ivan sighed deeply. "Yes, sir. You're right," his gaze drifting towards the floor. "Good. Now, let's focus on finding the password to unlocking this file," I stated, my eyes on the computer.This was the first time I had actually laid a hand on it. She was always so very overprotective where her stuff was concerned, yet one more reason I wouldn't be trusting her anymore. I didn't."Check the hint," Ivan said, interrupting my thoughts.I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What hint?""The hint below the password box," Ivan replied, tapping the screen with his index finger,
Joyce's POVThe ride was silent. The fact that he was so clingy, even after I made it obvious that I didn't want him close to me, was so annoying that I wanted to puke. I wanted to be out of that space as soon as possible."When are we getting there?" I questioned with exasperation."When we get there," he replied with a playful smirk, obviously pleased by my discomfort. "Do I irritate you that much? You should get used to my presence because you'll be seeing me for a long time."Thinking about it made my gut churn. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, an embarrassing flush of anger and helplessness. I frowned. "What happened to handing me over to Natalia after everything is over?"Lionel leaned back, a calculated look in his eyes. "I'm quite unpredictable when it comes to deals. She broke one of the rules I love dearly," Lionel replied, his tone laced with mockery like that of an evil villain. "Right now, I see no reason why I should keep my own part of the deal."This man was t