As the standoff between Alessandra and Antonio intensified, the air crackled with anticipation. The room was filled with the scent of danger, and Josh could feel his heart pounding against his ribs. He knew that this was a confrontation that could end in tragedy, and he couldn't help but fear for his own safety.He was now regretting agreeing to come to this place. If he had known that things would get this intense, he wouldn't have agreed, he would have just stayed at home.Marco chimed in, his tone cold as he said. “I think it's time you leave Alessandra, your presence is not welcome here.” As he said that, he pulled out his gun and pointed it at Alessandra. The room fell silent, the tense atmosphere at the moment filling the air. Josh held his breath, his eyes wide with anxiety and anticipation. He was worried that a single gunshot from either Marco or Alessandra's men could unleash a storm of gunfire throughout the entire room. And he didn't want that, he feared that he could get
Alessandra's interest in Josh was more than mere flirtation. Her initial flirtation was an attempt to see his reactions and potentially exploit any vulnerabilities he might have. But Antonio figured out her manipulative tactics, and he quickly intervened to protect Josh from being entangled in Alessandra's web of influence.Not liking Antonio’s interference, Alessandra's expression abruptly darkened, her eyes flashing with annoyance as she looked at him, "Tell your old man I'm calling off the deal," she hissed, her voice dripping with icy contempt. "He couldn't deliver on time." With that, she turned on her heel and strode out of the room, her two henchmen following behind her.With Alessandra's departure, the room's atmosphere shifted once again, the tension that had momentarily enveloped the room, now going away. Josh was still thinking about Alessandra’s over friendly behavior towards him. The rapid shift from Alessandra's intimidating demeanor to a playful one while talking to hi
Josh was stunned by Mario's remark. Son of a traitor? What did he mean by that? Why did he call him that, Josh wondered.He found himself feeling offended and confused at the same time. He didn't like being called the son of a traitor, but he also didn't know why he had been called that. Could it be that maybe his father, whom he had never met had done something, that made Mario say that? “What do you mean by that?” Josh asked, his tone showing his displeasure at the undeserved accusation.The table was filled with an intense atmosphere. Antonio had a surprised expression on his face, as he didn't expect Mario to address Josh like that, the same thing could be said about Giovanni, he was just as shocked as Antonio, not having had anticipated something like this.Mario stood up, a cold look in his eyes as he glared at Josh. “Oh, you don't know? Your father…” Mario was about to say something to Josh, but he didn't finish his sentence, as Giovanni cut him off. "Mario, enough. You will
Even with the suspicion lingering, Josh still agreed to meet up with the the man who clqimed to be his dad. Although he acknowledged that it was stupid and naive of him to believe a total stranger,his curiosity was greater, as he needed to get to the bottom of this and figure out the the truth about his father.After agreeing on a location they would meet, Josh hang up the phone. Putting his cellphone into his pocket, he turned around, about to walk back to the breakfast table, when he noticed Antonio standing In Front of him. He raised an eyebrow in surprise, wondering why and how long had Antonio been standing there. “Hey, what are you doing” Antonio smiled faintly. “Hey Josh. Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing you through the phone, your phone has a perfect and loud speaker..” he said in a joking tone. Clearing his throat he continued, “Anyways, a little advice, I wouldn't meet the guy you just came from talking with.” Josh stared at Antonio with a surprised expression upon hear
Mario words hit Josh hard, like a tone of bricks. His offensive remarks cut deep, showing just how much he disliked Josh. It was even more clear to him now that Mario didn't like him, not even slightly, and the fact that he was in the family, didn't sit well with Mario. Josh stayed silent, choosing not to respond to Mario's harsh words. Well, it was not like he had a response for Mario anyways, he was at a loss of words. And honestly, a part of him agreed with Mario, he didn't belong in this family.Lost in his thoughts, he thought about the reality that not everyone in the family welcomed his presence with open arms. It became evident that navigating the dynamics within the family wouldn't be smooth, and Josh recognized the need to adapt and overcome the challenges that lay ahead.Mario eyed Josh, with a derogatory gaze, to him Josh was inferior to him, in every way. “Say something, cat got your tongue?” He asked, a smug smile playing on his lips, expecting Josh to say something aft
"I appreciate the invite, Sofia, but I'm not really into proms. Plus, we barely know each other. I'm sure you can find someone who would make a better date for you.” Josh replied to her question respectfully. Because he had no idea that she just wanted to use him as a means to fend off her boyfriend, Josh was thinking she was romantically interested in him, hence she was asking him out. But he wasn't attracted to her like that, and that's why he had turned her down.Sofia rolled her eyes, realizing that she might have come out like she was interested in him romantically. “It's not a real date, I just want you to pretend like we are dating.” She explained.Josh was taken aback by her words? Pretend that they were dating? Why would they do that? A confused frown replaced his annoyed expression, Josh enquired, "Why?” Sofia let out an annoyed sigh, not liking that Josh was asking too many questions. Her shoulders slumping slightly, she replied. "Look, my ex-boyfriend won't leave me alone
After he was done getting ready for the prom event, Josh was ready to leave. He let out a sigh as he grabbed his cellphone and key card and headed towards the door. Grabbing the door knob he was just about to open it, when he heard a knock on the door. Josh opened the door, and Sofia walked inside the room. Sofia was dressed in a stunning golden gown that accentuated her curvy body. The dress flowed effortlessly around her figure, making her look even more beautiful than she already was. Josh was stunned by her beauty when she walked in, but he quickly composed himself.As she walked in, her gaze fell on Josh, and for a moment, she seemed to lose her breath as she just stared at him. His handsomeness was undeniable, the suit made his natural good looks even more noticeable and gave him an air of sophistication she hadn't seen before. “Wow.” She said as she fixed her gaze on him, her eyes filled with admiration. “You look incredible.” She complimented. And she was spot on with that
Sofia, surprised by Josh's tone, looked over at him, asking, "What's wrong?"Josh glanced at Sofia as he asked. "What are those guys from another college doing here?" He darted his gaze back to Brian and his classmates,as he continued to ask, “Isn't this your college’s prom?’ Sofia shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, well, the two colleges decided to host the event together," she explained casually.A heavy sigh escaped Josh's lips, his mood plummeting further with the unwelcome sight of his college mates. He knew them too well, so he could already anticipate their attempts to turn his night into a living nightmare. As he and Sofia entered, a wave of attention swept through the room. His outfit, impeccably tailored and outshining a lot of the other students, inevitably drew him into the spotlight. He looked captivatingly handsome tonight, attracting nearly half the room's gaze, his presence shared with Sofia like a spotlight illuminating them both.As soon as the people who came from the
Josh moved quickly down the stairs, his heartbeat thundering in his chest as he pursued the mysterious figure. Hoping to catch up to him and ask him questions.The shadowy intruder was swift, sprinting through the mansion’s dimly lit corridors with ease, his footsteps barely making a sound. Despite Josh's best efforts, he struggled to keep up, his shoes hitting the polished floor heavily as he turned corner after corner, desperate to close the distance."Hey! Stop!" Josh called out, but the figure showed no sign of slowing down. Josh picked up pace, and he could feel frustration building up inside him, with each second, the man’s elusive speed almost mocking him. Although Josh was trying his best to run fast and catch up,his attempts were futile, he couldn't catch up with the man.They reached the grand staircase leading to the main entrance, and just as Josh rounded the last bend, he caught a little glimpse of the figure slipping out of a side door into the night. By the time Josh ma
Josh knew some people had expected him to act differently, more ruthlessly, more like a true ‘De La Cruz.’ Giovanni hadn’t said much, but the silence bothered him. It was a silence that spoke volumes, making Josh wonder if his grandfather shared the same doubts as the others.Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, Josh pulled out his phone, deciding to put the night behind him. He quickly dialed his bodyguard and driver to come and pick him up, hoping to escape the weight of the evening as soon as possible.Not long after he made the phone call, a sleek black Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of him. His bodyguard stepped out of the vehicle and silently opened the door, waiting for Josh to get in. As Josh took a step forward, ready to leave the night behind, he heard the soft but distinct sound of footsteps approaching him from behind.Josh paused on his tracks, his hand resting on the car door, and glanced back over his shoulder, catching sight of a familiar figure moving toward him. H
Lilith had no comment on Josh’s actions. She could see Mrs. Washington’s disappointment, the frustration appearing on her face as she watched the man who was supposed to be the future son-in-law of their family display complete weakness in front of more than a hundred people. Mrs. Washington shook her head in disdain, her voice dripping with scorn as she continued to speak on Josh. “What a disgrace,” she murmured, loud enough for those around her to hear. Her displeasure with Josh was justifiable according to herself. How could a soon to be son-in-law of hers act like that? He let someone who had put hands on him earlier walk away without a consequence? To her, it wasn’t just a show of weakness from Josh, it also revealed a lack of self-respect. If Josh had any, he would show no mercy and would have taught the man who dared to disrespect him a lesson. “Giovanni must be very disappointed. Total weakness from Josh. A real De La Cruz would’ve made Walton pay. No hesitation, no mercy.”
The room was filled with the murmur of the crowd, their astonished whispers growing louder as they wondered what Giovanni's grandson was going to do to the person who had wronged him earlier. It was no longer a secret that Chris Walton had dared to attack Josh De La Cruz at this event earlier. No doubt a foolish and dangerous move from Mr Walton. Everyone knew he was about to face serious consequences for that. So, would Giovanni's grandson exact his revenge on Mr. Walton? The anticipation filled the air, with everyone eager to see how Josh would handle the situation and what retribution Walton would face.It wasn't about if he was going to get his revenge or not? The answer was already obvious. He was A De La Cruz, so of course he was going to get his revenge from the person who had wronged him! The real question was; how was Josh going to take his revenge? What was he going to do to Mr Walton?The event attendees watched intently as their gaze shifted between Josh and Giovanni, eag
Chris Walton struggled to accept the revelation. How on earth could Josh be related to Giovanni De La Cruz, let alone be his grandson? It all sounded like a made-up lie to him. However Giovanni had no reason to deceive him, so Chris had no choice but to believe it. It had to be the truth.It wouldn't even matter whether he chose to believe it or not anyways, because either way, Giovanni was involved and he was on Josh's side.The truth was undeniable, Josh was indeed Giovanni's grandson. A wave of regret washed over Chris as he began to realize how bad this was. He had made a big mistake. Only if someone had told him that the young man who had approached him and introduced himself earlier was actually a De La Cruz, then Chris wouldn't have been so rude to him. Chris had taken the fact that Josh had been nice and humble towards him earlier as weakness. He thought Josh was just a nobody who wasn't on his level and was unworthy of his respect or attention. Plus the fact that Amelia was
Giovanni’s face darkened, his expression turning icy upon hearing Mr. Walton's disrespectful reference to Josh. He couldn't believe that someone would be bold enough to insult his grandson in front of him. Even if Giovanni hadn’t been there earlier, Giovanni wondered why anyone would disrespect his grandson in the first place. Hadn’t they realized who Josh was already? Giovanni had made a point of introducing Josh to many people that night to ensure his identity was known, so he assumed Mr. Walton was aware of who Josh was. The fact that Mr. Walton had still gone on to insult him seemed baffling to Giovanni. It was as if they were daring fate itself, how could anyone be so reckless as to insult his grandson in front of him? Were they tired of living?The insult aimed at his grandson was unacceptable, and Giovanni couldn’t stand by silently. Fixing his gaze on Mr. Walton, Giovanni’s voice was low but filled with menace. “You’ll refrain from insulting my family in my presence,” he said
After speaking with Vincenzo for a while, Antonio left him upstairs and returned to the venue. As he approached Giovanni, he appeared deep in thought.Giovanni, noticing Antonio’s preoccupied expression, asked, “Is everything alright?”Startled from his thoughts, Antonio quickly forced a smile and replied, “Yeah, everything’s fine.” He chose to lie, not wanting to reveal his encounter with Vincenzo. Antonio knew that if Giovanni discovered that Vincenzo, the traitor, was at the event, it would only lead to trouble.Meanwhile.As the night progressed, Josh and Bianca finally parted ways. However they exchanged numbers, something Josh didn't expect to happen, but he was atill very happy. He was still surprised that she had taken a liking to him. Because he wasn't used to people taking a liking to him. That was one of the reasons he never had many girlfriends in his 20 years of life, and the only girlfriend he had turned out to be the worst human being, only dating him because of a bet.
Mrs Washington looked at Lilith, her response seemed to surprise her. The indifference in her daughter’s voice and demeanor was noticeable, and Mrs. Washington’s eyebrows raised in a mixture of surprise and concern. She had expected a different reaction from Lilith, one that might have aligned more closely with her own sense of decency and respect. Mrs Washington was deeply concerned that her family’s reputation might suffer if word got out that her future son-in-law was behaving like a playboy. Though she could tell that Josh wasn’t truly a playboy, his recent actions were troubling and contradicted the image she expected him to uphold. The way he was acting at the event, instead of being with Lilith, he was with someone else and she worried what the people who knew about his engagement Lilith would think. They would probably say he didn't respect them.Knowing she had to do something and put an end to Josh's disrespectfulness of her family, Mrs Washington had no choice but to walk
As he reentered the venue, Josh decided to not think much about the mysterious caller, or about Chris Walton. He found himself trying to focus on the present. The pulsating pain was a constant, but so was his desire for revenge. He was determined to make Chris Walton regret ever crossing him, but he needed to keep his composure and look for the right opportunity. For now, he would have to navigate through the night with a balance of patience and resolve.Returning to the bar, Josh felt a mix of relief and anticipation. The evening had taken an unexpected turn with the phone call and another clue sent to him by the mysterious person in the envelope, but he didn't want to think about that for now. He was eager to return to the pleasant company of Bianca. he felt a genuine connection with her, something he hadn't expected.The brief but enjoyable conversation they’d had before the interruption had been a welcome distraction, and he found himself looking forward to continuing their chat.