Chapter 1

Greece

Rafael strode into his secluded beachfront villa after a day packed with meetings. This was his fourteenth time in Greece, and yet its impossibly blue waters and rugged islands never failed to leave him breathless.

This time, he had brought Alisha, his stunning girlfriend, to the sleepy island of Chios. Here, time seemed to slow, the air thick with the scent of olive groves and sun-warmed fig trees.

Alisha lay sprawled on the plush king-sized bed, waiting for him. Her heavy breasts were straining against the soft, crimson lingerie. When she saw his eyes roam on her barely covered sexy body, she leaned in towards him, giving him a clear view of her perfect, inviting duo. She ran her hands down her front and looked at him with those bewitching eyes.

He was bone-tired from meetings and needed a massage, but she had ignited a fire within him that could only be quenched when he sucked on those breasts until they were sore to the touch of his tongue. 

He removed his jacket and pulled the tie off, quickly unbuttoning his shirt. Grabbing her by the waist, he snapped the thin strap of her panties while smashing his lips on hers. She pressed her body against his exposed chest, snaking her arms around his broad shoulders.

His skillful hands palmed her soft mounds and took them into his mouth. Her back arched up in response to his every lick, and she moved her hand over his pulsating member, stroking it fervently. Licking and biting her skin, he traveled down and dropped his head between her legs. As his rough tongue ran over her sensitive bundle of nerves, she thrashed on the bed, moaning from uncontrollable pleasure. 

His phone, which he put on the side table before lunging at Alisha, buzzed quietly but in a nonstop manner. 

"Aahh..." Alisha's fingernails dug into his naked chest as he ignored the call and continued pleasuring her.

"Just a second, must be something important," he said and reached for the relentlessly buzzing mobile.

It was his dad, and he could not have an open conversation with him while Alisha was close by. Antonio Castelo Carvalho and Lucas de Mello were business partners for two decades and had built a diamond empire together. They were titans of the industry, their reach extending far beyond precious stones—a web of automobile companies and casinos lined their pockets.

Despite their intertwined businesses, Rafael and Alisha had only met a year ago, their paths crossing in the cutthroat world of board meetings when Alisha returned with an advanced degree from London Business School. Sparks flew, not just from the clash of ideas, but from an undeniable attraction and ambition.

Rumors were floating around that their engagement was going to be announced alongside the official launch of another sports car model—a joint venture between their families where Alisha served as Vice President. The rumors were true; they wanted to mark their one year anniversary by throwing a gala to celebrate their business partnership and taking their private relationship to the next level.

But that was all until yesterday. A dark secret about Alisha's father, Lucas de Mello, had surfaced—shady dealings with high-flying rival companies, whispers of money laundering, and more when Rafael unintentionally dug through the paperwork for a diamond mining company they owned in Australia.

Rafael knew revealing Lucas's dirty dealings to his father would unleash chaos, potentially destroying his relationship with Alisha. But he couldn't stand by and watch his father's legacy crumble. After Antonio's wife got killed, this business was the only thing he lived for. Rafael was confident he would figure something to get his relationship out of the sticky situation.

"Did you call Ruhi yet?" his father's voice boomed through the phone.

Rafael glanced at Alisha, his heart heavy. He muted the call and leaned in, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll be right back," he murmured, stepping back onto the balcony facing the Aegean Sea.

A light breeze rolled in from Turkey as he looked at the views with bitterness. He was done with his work meetings for the rest of his trip. He'd pictured his remaining days in Greece filled with lazy sightseeing with Alisha. Now, his father's demands loomed like a storm cloud.

"Dad," he said into the phone, his voice tight, "I already told you I won't call—"

"Rafael, listen to me!" his father interrupted. "Why don't you get it? You can't be with Alisha anymore. Blood runs thicker than water and this apple must have fallen real close to the tree."

"I don't care where the apple fell. She can't ruin anything even if she wants to. I haven't involved her in any of my main businesses and will put her at arm's length even in the future. But you can't tell me what to do with my personal life."

"It's not about what she's capable of. I need Samarth Bakul more than ever right now. He has leverage now, and his price is your hand in marriage to Ruhi. That bastard is a small fish, but he knows how to play this game."

Rafael scoffed. "I'm sure we can find a way to do without him or his daughter."

"We need him if you want us to be on the top for at least the next decade. Diamonds were first discovered in India, and it is the number one manufacturing hub. He is--"

"I know all about that Dad. I am not looking for a beginner's guide to diamonds. I was in the middle of something."

"Do whatever you want until tomorrow, but you are meeting Ruhi right after that. We have to move fast. Ruhi's father does not directly control the production and supply but has a stranglehold on the diamond market. If he sides with our rivals and backs that asshole de Mello, I assure you we are doomed." The threat hung heavy in the air.

Rafael sighed when he realized he couldn't keep Alisha in the dark anymore.

"Call Ruhi. Don't disappoint me. She must be waiting and wondering already."

'She can wait all her life,' he muttered under his breath.

"I will have to talk to Alisha. She's not going to disappear overnight and has a right to know what's happening."

"I don't want Alisha or her dad to know our plans. You will not tell her whose daughter Ruhi is until the wedding date is fixed."

Rafael hung up when he heard the word wedding. He was about to go back into the suite when his phone beeped, indicating a text message.

‘Hi Rafael, this is Ruhi. Call me when you get a moment. I have a plan.’ 

“The hell??” He got annoyed the minute he saw her name.