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
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
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
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
The nightclub was alive with music as I twirled and shook on the dance floor. Surrounding me were my closest friends who all came to my bachelorette party to celebrate with me. I would soon marry Gabriel Moreno, one of Madrid's most eligible bachelors and the dream of many women.In the middle of my twisting and twirling, rocking to the beat of the DJ, I felt my phone buzz in my purse. At first, I ignored it, I mean I wanted to have fun but the buzzing didn't stop and curiosity got the better of me.I pulled it out and saw a message from a private number:Head to Gabriel's house immediately! There's something you must see urgently!I was confused. Who would send such a cryptic message on my bachelorette’s night? And why would they ask me to check out Gabriel's house? He would certainly be at his bachelor's party so what exactly was going on?“I'll just ignore it.” I dropped the phone back in my purse and continued dancing. However, the more I danced, the more unsettled my mind was. I k
Adrian’s POV The chips were piled high in front of me as I puffed my smoke. Surrounding me were a bevy of women, clinging to me, laughing at my jokes, and cheering me on as I played. If only they knew I didn't fancy them. To me, they were just whores, nothing more.I glanced at my cards and then back at the other players. The dealer dealt the final card and I brought my hand to my chin, considering my next move.“All in,” I said, my confident smile didn't ever falter as I pushed my entire stack of chips onto the center of the table. The other players hesitated and I could tell that they were unsure if they should match my bet or fold.“Are you sure about this Adrian?” one of the girls, a heavily made-up blonde whispered in my ears.“Yes, I'm sure and get your mouth away from my ears.” I retorted, pushing her lips away from my ear. “I need to concentrate and your breath stinks too.”The blonde girl flushed in embarrassment and the other girls laughed at her, pointing fingers and maki
Joyce's POV“What the hell?!” I cursed out loud and woke up feeling very disoriented. My head felt like it was slammed by a ceramic baseball bat continuously and my entire body ached. Blinking my eyes, my vision cleared a bit and I saw the white paint of the room I had woken up in.“My room is not painted white,” I muttered to myself, feeling confused and trying my best to remember how I got here, but my mind was a foggy mess. “What the hell?” I realized I was naked as I moved to sit up. I never fell asleep naked so what the hell was happening? I felt a sharp pain in between my legs and suddenly fragments of memories from last night resurfaced.Gabriel and Natalia’s betrayal, the casino, the endless booze, and then the hazy image of a handsome man in an expensive three-piece suit came to mind. He was tall and lean with wild blonde hair and stormy gray eyes. “Adrian,” I whispered, remembering his name when he introduced himself to me at the bar. My cheeks burned in embarrassment
Gabriel's POVTwo years later “You are worthless!” I grabbed a vase from the side table and hurled it against the wall in fury. Natalia gasped in shock as she watched my meltdown.“What are you doing?!” She yelled.“Shut up! All this would have been avoided if you just gave me an heir.” I hissed, grabbing a glass cup and smashing it to the ground. “It’s been two years. Two fucking years and yet you can't give me an heir.”“How dare you, Gabriel!” Natalia’s eyes misted with tears which had zero effect on me. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I've been to the best doctors. Maybe, you’re the problem.”I felt my anger rising even more. Did she just insinuate I was impotent? Me?“Don't you dare turn this around!” I clenched my fists, trying my best not to lash out at her. “There's absolutely nothing wrong with me. You're the problem, you’re the one that's supposed to ensure the continuation of my legacy.”“What legacy are you talking about, Gabriel? You're just a scumbag who uses people lik
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
Madrileno's POV"Don't kill him. Burn him alive," I declared coldly, The men merely nodded, showed no hesitation, and pulled the bloodied, shaking figure from the ground. He whimpered, his lips working silent pleas, but I didn't bat an eye. Mercy wasn't currency I dealt in.Whoever dared to steal from me or betray me never saw the light of day. Yes, he was one of my closest men, but he had chosen to side with the enemy. Thanks to Barrio, we caught him sneaking out of the base with a large amount of our goods.Initially, I was furious, but I had come to understand that humans could be selfish. Selfish enough to sell their comrade off."Jefe, we've recovered the stolen goods," I heard Barrio say and I turned to him."And the enemies?" Barrio exhaled heavily. "We burned their base down, but a few of them managed to escape.""That's not my problem," I said coldly. " “Find them. All of them. If it takes their families to flush them out, so be it.”"Yes, big boss," Barrio said and turned
Joyce's POV"I want to see my son," I demanded my voice steady and unwavering. I waas determined to seemy son today no matter what.I had been waiting for when an opportunity would present itself to use his obsession to my advantage. I couldn't even tell the time I had spent in this room. It didn't help that I was stuck in one place. It was excruciatingly exhausting.The room felt stifling and claustraphobic—four white painted walls closing in on me. Time blurred into an eternal haze of waiting. The pain in my legs and back was a stark and constant reminder of where I was. I'd been eating, sleeping, then waiting again, my life going round in circles at one spot for what felt like an eternity. If I could see my son and take a walk outside, then I'd be a bit relieved."Your son, huh?" Lionel smirked, pretending to be thinking. His dark eyes glinted with satisfaction, like a predator toying with its prey. "Fine. You'll see him after agreeing to go out with me."The words sent a chill t
Adrian's POV"I can't believe I slept for this long," Miguel said, stretching his arms as he yawned loudly."You needed it, bro. You've tried a lot and I'm grateful," I sighed, leaning back in my chair.Well, after my conversation with Gabriel, I sat next to Miguel and watched as he slept like a baby."Oh, my goodness!" he exclaimed, rubbing his grumbling stomach. "I'm famished. Please tell me you thought ahead," he said sheepishly, rubbing his neck."I know, right?" I smirked, pushing one of the two white polythene bags beside me to him. "I ordered takeouts, and was waiting for you before having lunch.""Awwwnn..." Miguel drawled playfully. "How come I didn't know you cared this much about me? You’re too kind,” Miguel teased, batting his eyelashes dramatically.""You’ve got jokes, huh?” I shot back. “Eat your food before I hand it over to one of the officers outside.” I snarled.You wouldn't dare!" he exclaimed in mock horror. "I'm the brains of this operation-you'd be lost without