The date of the wedding was fast approaching, and she could feel the giddiness forming in her stomach, yet a nagging thought kept creeping back; it felt as though she was playing a game without knowing its rules. The child she carried would be Antonio and she would stop at nothing to ensure that her tomorrow was safe. She was prepared to seize her future and the wedding was just the first step.Luca was arching back and slouching against the wall of the barely lit room watching the commotions that were going on around him. There was a palpable tension in the room, inserting oneself into any form of business was a tension that dealt with the backstreets. He turned his head toward De Silva, who occupied a large, wooden mahogany table; several of his men, including some who had just come back from different missions, were also around him.“Doesn’t Ma’am Tasha look weird to you today?” Lucas asked when he turned his focus to the door Tasha had just walked out of, his voice containing more
Tasha laughed painfully, but it did not reach her eyes. “I am well. Just… I have had such a long day, I can tell you. I mean the wedding plans are kind of too much.” She opened the car slightly and used it to keep off Lucas, thinking it would put some space between them.Lucas frowned, unmoved. “Uh-huh. Stressful. But you’ve just been at the hospital, right? What’s the matter? You can’t just ignore that.”Tasha’s heart thumped again, but it was this time more out of anger than fear. “It’s none of your business. I’m simply taking a few tests in preparation for my wedding. I just want to look good for Fabian, that is all.”“Uh, okay,” Lucas answered, his voice laced with doubt. “But I have watched you when you are trying to cover up something. And you are the worst at trying to do that Tasha.”She gave him a look that could kill, annoyance barely contained. “What do you expect of me, Lucas? I don’t belong to you. I’m not your responsibility. Now, let me be.”“Not just yet,” he said, the
Tasha’s heart raced. “What do you mean?” She asked earnestly, dreading that he would say something creepily personal.“Let us just say that I have been listening,” he said.“I am simply helping you weigh your options and preventing any rash moves on your part.”“Appreciate it, but I will be okay. I am marrying Fabian, whether you like it or not,” she snapped, trying hard to be firm for her own sake.“Really? You think that’s going to solve everything?” Julian pressed further. “This is not just a wedding; there are issues of power, loyalty, and even more importantly, survival.”Tasha felt as if the walls were closing in. “I can manage it,” she asserted, and yet, his statement resonated.“Good. But don’t come crying to me when your plans turn out to be messier than you imagined,” he warned her before ending the call.Tasha remained standing in the middle of her apartment. Her heart was racing and she was furious, hiding it underneath the surface. Why cannot he just leave me alone? She u
Julian’s grin widened, fingers continuing to explore the small of her back. “We will see,” he said softly with his warm breath against her skin. “But remember, you can’t hide from your feelings for too long.”Those were the last words he spoke before letting her go, stepping back and regarding her with an infuriating look that seemed to know too much. Tasha gritted her teeth, fists on either side, trying not to lose her cool as she pulled her gaze from him and saw him exit her house. Frustration and a rush of anger coursed within her as she heard the door close behind him.Why is it that he always manages to irritate me?Tasha was paralyzed, looking at the walls of her apartment, unable to decide whether to respond to what she was feeling. She knew she had to pull herself together. A wedding was two days away, and Julian’s history with her was so troubling that she knew it would not bring everything down. But as the woman pondered, heart in disarray because of the man, there was also
Lucas paused, obviously conflicted. He was still quite faithful to De Silva. However, Tasha was now playing a different type of game that he did not see coming. He could read the steel in her gaze, the kind of rage that warned him that she was not one to mess with.After a brief, tense silence, however, he finally nodded. “Alright. I will help you look for her. But do not expect this to be easy.”Tasha smirked in satisfaction. “It won’t as long as you will comply with my demand.”As Lucas turned to exit the room, Tasha trailed after him carefully, thoughts racing in her head, Loretta. The very answer to everything. If she could just get Loretta, controlling the narrative- controlling Fabian, controlling De Silva, would be a walk in the park. Everything was beginning to fall into place, only for her to realize she had to do it quickly. It was not going to be long before the wedding and any wrong move could compromise everything.But for now, she was one step ahead.On the frigid floor,
Fear shot through her like an electric current as her heart raced within her chest. The invasive need to scream erupted within her, yet she stifled it, aware that her effort was futile, attentive to the fact that being vulnerable would be a liability. Hope was the last sane thread she clung to. And now she was even losing that.The frantic pacing that had been going on for several moments suddenly came to an abrupt halt. Nothing could be heard, not even a single word uttered. The next thing that happened was the door abated again and someone entered. The room was still dark with optimal illumination coming from a tiny prison cell window which was situated very high up. Loretta strained her eyes in an attempt to recognize the person, to no avail."Still clinging on, I see," a voice said. This time she was able to connect the voice to the person. It belongs to Lucas, who is one of De Silva's inner circle members.Loretta's body went tense at the sound of his voice. Tasha had some strang
Lucas offered a brief, understanding bow, already assessing the intricacies of duplicity and manipulation involved in the game. How was he not able to discern the fact that the players were all being positioned? Fabian, Loretta, Tasha, and even this woman, all quite literally, acted as mere pawns of a game much bigger than themselves, a game that the woman played with great finesse.“Do you have any other orders for me?” Lucas ventured to ask.The woman’s voice was devoid of emotion as she answered, “Monitor her. And make sure that no one gets into her personal space. If someone is capable of discerning our true purpose, dispose of that person.”Once again, Lucas inclined his head and stepped backward. “I will ensure that it is done.”And with that, he exited the enclosure, leaving the female figure in the dim-lit passage. She did, for a length of time, remain immobile, her mind entangled in her machinations. She was sure that at some point in time, Fabian would come in search of Lore
Her mum laughed affectionately and seemingly understood Tasha’s stand. "Anyway, it is, after all, your day, my sweetness, so enjoy it to the fullest." She embraced Tasha again, then drew away from her to steal another look. "Fabian is a fortunate guy, and today’s the start of something amazing."Tasha returned the smile, even if her mind was occupied elsewhere. No one suspected the truth that she carried three weeks pregnant, not with Fabian’s child. It was a fact she kept out of her consciousness, and one that she was not going to let out ever. An image of De Silva, the child’s father, entered her mind. She had not told him, and they had no way she would. This one already belonged to Antonio, whether she liked it or not. Because she had put in too much effort to get to this stage, and no one would stop her from achieving the life she desired.Once her mother exited the room, Tasha faced the mirror once again, her hands skimming the loose corset. Biting on her lip, she drew a deep bre
Chapter 163Weeks filled with anxiety and unsolved conundrums, deception, and intrigues had passed. The search for Loretta however had shifted into overdrive for Fabian in a dangerously obsessive manner. Each piece of information brought him closer to a revelation but still, every single one of them failed to prepare him for what would come.On a chilly autumn day, Fabian received a telephone call from an unknown caller. His heart raced as he picked up the call, fully aware that this could be the call he had been anxiously waiting for.“Fabian”, the voice on the other end sounded slightly familiar. It was the detective that he had hired to help him after Edward went missing. “We have a situation. We have located Loretta.”Fabian felt his heart race when a small house at the edge of the city came through after the address had been given. Without thinking, he took his keys and dashed to the door. The trip was a haze, all of it filled with thoughts of Loretta. What did they do to her? Wh
As he rode, memories came flooding his mind and brought him back to that time when all he was was Maria's assistant lingering in the shadows of her ambitions. He could remember how he would sit for hours on end and watch her enchant and flirt with Fabian; hear her laughter echo down the halls of their office.He had seen the moment of fate when Maria was wrapped in Fabian's arms, her eyes sparkling with delight, accepting him as her boyfriend. In that instant, Lucas felt jealousy mixed with frustration; how could she not see what Fabian was? He knew there was something wrong with the man she idolized depth of darkness behind the polished surface.Maria, you need to be careful," Lucas had warned her, his voice edged with concern as he faced her the next day. "I've seen the way he operates. He's not who he seems."But she had brushed him off, dismissing his worries with a wave of her hand. "You're just jealous because you're not in the spotlight, Lucas. Fabian is a powerful man. You can
As he walked down the streets of the city, he felt a surge of invincibility take over his body. He felt that no one could touch him after all, he had eliminated one of his major threats. Edward's absence would leave a huge hole, and Lucas intended to fill this vacuum with his ambition.He reached a secluded area, parked his car, and sat for a minute or so to collect his thoughts. He had to think now. Edward was out of the way; next came keeping Loretta in his grasp. She was the only way he could use both Fabian and Tasha to his advantage, and he wasn't going to let her get away from him.He whipped out his cell phone and sent a text to Maria. "Let's meet. We need to discuss the next move." In a second, he received a response: "Where?""The warehouse. I'll be there in 20."Lucas wheeled the car around and headed in the direction of the warehouse, his mind racing with possibilities. Loretta, he thought, considering how they might use her in their scheme. To be sure, she was a chip to be
At the accusation, Edward's face darkened as his mind raced to concoct this verbal assault by Lucas. "And what exactly do you think I did? I was trying to protect my family, just like you should be."Lucas tightened his fists in growing frustration. "Protecting your family? By disappearing? If you knew something about Loretta's whereabouts, you should have come forward. You have no idea what I've gone through trying to find her!Believe me, I know precisely what it's like to be helpless," Edward replied in a low-intense voice. "But you don't know the whole story. I couldn't come forward. Not yet."Lucas stepped closer, his eyes locked on Edward's. "Then tell me the story. What's going on? Where's Loretta?Edward cast a look backward toward the house as if to weigh in his mind just how much he wanted to involve Lucas with the fact. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh and spoke. "I was taken captive, but I was able to escape. Those who abducted Loretta are still on the loose, keeping my ev
Maria's eyes flashed at him as her gaze narrowed. "I'm not obsessed. I just know how things work in this world. Tasha doesn't stand a chance against someone like me. I know his weaknesses. I know what he needs.""Is that why you're trying to bring her down? Because you think you can step in and show him what a real partner looks like?" Lucas asked, intrigued.Maria shrugged, and much of her confidence returned. "Exactly, I'm just helping him see the light. Tasha is just a pretty face, a distraction. I'll make sure he realizes that."Lucas watched her, impressed yet cautious. "You know this could backfire, right? If you push too hard, you might end up pushing him away for good."Not a chance," Maria shot back. "I know how to play my cards right. While Tasha's busy playing the perfect wife, I'll be working behind the scenes, turning his head. I will make Fabian remember who he is truly meant to be with."Lucas shook his head, feeling a mix of admiration and trepidation in his chest. "Ju
Maria crossed her arms, leaning in closer, a smug look on her face. "I'm just making an observation. It's just amazing to see how fast somebody can change their tune once they snag a rich husband. Isn't it, Lucas?"Lucas gave Tasha a worried look as if to say he didn't want to be part of this. Tasha drew in a deep breath, attempting to keep calm. "You don't know anything about me, Maria. This isn't about Fabian or the money. It's about being loyal to the people I care about. Something you wouldn't understand."Maria stepped back, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, please, spare me the moral high ground. You're not some saint just because you put a ring on it. Do you think marrying him makes you untouchable? I wouldn't be so sure.""Enough!" Tasha snapped, firm in her tone. "You need to stop with the petty jealousy and move on. Your constant need to undermine me is getting old.Jealousy? That's what you think this is?" Maria laughed again, her tone hard, unyielding. "I am just looking after the
She pulled her phone out and opened the contacts list before peering at the number of Lucas once again. She dialed his number and let it ring a few times before he finally picked up, his tone tired but alert. "Tasha? Is everything okay?"Not exactly," she replied, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I just spoke with De Silva, and he certainly made it clear that he's not letting go of our past. I need to know if you have any leads on Loretta. He's becoming a problem, and I can't afford to have him interfering.Lucas squirmed in his chair. "I've been doing some work trying to locate Loretta, but she's vanished into thin air. I'll keep searching; it's not concrete at this moment."Tasha felt a sense of doom. "We can't let him know we're working together. If he finds this out, he might screw everything up.I know, Lucas said his voice grave. I'm keeping a low profile, doing my best. For now, just focus on Fabian; he is your priority.I can't just sit around and wait. De Silva is unpredicta
Tasha set the glass down, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "I don't know what you mean," she said, her voice steady, though her insides were in turmoil.He smirked, a knowing glint in his eyes. "You've always been a good liar, Tasha. But remember… I can always tell."Her breath caught, but she hastily masked the fear with a small, nervous-sounding laugh. "There is nothing to tell, De Silva. I'm just… adjusting to everything. You know how stressful things have been."He raised an eyebrow. His fingers brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, a gesture that felt more possessive than affectionate. "Stress, huh?Tasha nodded, conscious of the weight of his scrutiny. She needed to be cool, needed to make him believe all was right with her world. But sitting as close as she was to him, feeling the heat emanating from his body and the intensity of his gaze, she wondered how much longer she could play the facade before he uncovered her betrayal.De Silva leaned back, taking the glass from
There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a deep sigh. "We have to be smart about this, Tasha. If De Silva's onto us, we need to figure out our next step, fast."Tasha pressed her fingers to her temples, the weight of the situation closing in around her. "You think I don't know that? I can't afford to slip up again, especially with him watching my every move."."We need to keep calm and stay according to plan," Lucas finally said, his voice much more even now. "He doesn't have proof as yet, just suspicions. We'll keep everything low-key for some time; make it appear as if all is business as usual. We still have leverage De Silva doesn't know about our deal with Vinnie."Tasha tightened her jaw. "What if Vinnie talks? What if he gets scared and tells De Silva everything?"Lucas was silent for a moment before his voice dropped to a low octave. "If it comes down to it… we'll have to take Vinnie out before he gets the chance to open his mouth."Tasha's stomach churned at