'You all must be kidding me right now.' Tasha thought to herself with a bewildered face as she watched the family carrying on without her and exchanging greetings with each other, forgetting that she was still standing where Fabian left her to go and have his seat.Mrs Sandra looked back at her and urged her to come and take her seat and stop standing in one place."Come and have your seat Tasha darling, you can't keep standing there, the meeting is about to start I guess." She said as she called out to Tasha who was still surprised at how she was treated by her so-called boyfriend, Fabian.As Fabian's mother had called her, she had no choice but to adhere and take her seat first before getting to do anything else. They all have to listen to what he has to say first before she says whatever is on her mind."Okay, mother." She said to Mrs. Sandra reluctantly as she folded her arms, pouted her lips, and moved towards her space on the table which was beside the tigress.'Something is wro
"A pet? Is that true brother? That is amusing though." Robert, Fabian's brother said with a scoff as he was both surprised and elated by the news.Uncle Rodrigo was also initially surprised but he kept his facial expression to himself as it was none of his concern, he could not even understand what he was doing there in the first place."Stop right there Robert, let the adults talk, you can see we are talking about something serious can't you?" Mrs Sandra asked as she shot Robert a look which made him recoil and backed out from talking and he decided to watch as the drama continued.Fabian looked at Tasha with a glare as he shot daggers at her, knowing she was the one who would have told his mother about the pet issue.'What is Tasha up to exactly? What is she trying to do? First, she attacked Loretta and lied against her by making me punish her and now she has gone ahead to tell my mother about her. What is she thinking?'Fabian thought to himself in anger as he fumed and still shoot
"What could be going on outside right now? Is Fabian finally dead or what? Why does it look like everywhere is silent and the whole world has come to a standstill?" Loretta said weakly as she tried to picture what could be happening at the moment in the Mafia's house.'Are they planning how to take me out or they are waiting on the go-ahead to end my life?' Loretta thought further as she tried to navigate and make a picture of the outside world from where she was locked.It was the basement and it was scary as heck in there but Loretta knew it was big as scary as what she would have to go through when a decision finally is reached by Fabian on what to do with her.In real fact, she even preferred to remain in that basement for as long as she could, even if it was for the months she would be there, that's if she would even be allowed to leave with her life after all that she had done."I miss Father so much, I wonder what he is doing right now. I know he would be waiting to hear from m
"Slave? What slave Tasha?" Mrs Sandra asked Tasha in confusion as she could not understand what she meant by that word.Fabian could be seen looking on with anger at Tasha who he could see knew exactly what she was doing. He could not wait to lay her off if not because it was his mother who connected both of them all because of their connections too which he could not give a damn about.Tasha recoiled in her seat as she wasn't sure if it was about that but she knew that it was the only thing she could remember doing and she wondered if Fabian had found out the real truth behind everything and how she only made up a lie to get Loretta punished."I mean Fabian's new pet, mother. That's who I'm referring to." Tasha finally said after a long pause and looking at how Fabian seemed to be infuriated by what she said."How dare you call her a slave? What right do you have to call her that when I didn't give you the power to?" Fabian thundered as he fumed and almost hurt himself as he felt a s
The tension between both mother and son could be seen by the rest as they looked on in terror of what might happen. Tasha was already aware that she had caused a huge problem and the fact that Fabian had found out about what she did."What has she done exactly that is so bad Fabian? That is what I want to know right now." Mrs Sandra asked Fabian as she creased her brows awaiting an answer from him."Mikel, explain the situation to her, I am so pissed right now that I don't know what I might do next," Fabian said with a sigh to Mikel, who was on guard the whole time as he stood on standby.He was supposed to be at the drug house as the underboss and second in command of the place but he could not do that as he was the only person Fabian trusted just like a friend and a brother.Mikel stepped forward without fear as he prepared to expose what Tasha had done as he was the one who made the findings and discovered it and then told the boss.He had been given the secret task of putting an e
"What happened to my son? Why was he bleeding out so much?" The tigress asked Mikel with so much fury in her eyes that was enough to burn down a whole building.Mikel was confused and at a loss for words as he wondered how to respond to everyone's questions as they were asking him both left and right after his boss was rushed to the hospital when he had fainted.He was still in the intensive care unit getting treated by the doctors while they were all outside waiting for an outcome and dragging Mikel for an answer.They had never seen anything like that before, that was the first time they all saw Fabian physically hurt and to top it all, he fainted.Earlier that morning…Fabian could feel what was about to happen to him but he prayed silently that he could get up the stairs and go to his room first before he collapsed."Please, not now. Just wait a little bit more. Not now." He said silently as though he was begging a living person while clutching his stomach as he made his way towar
Mikel was so confused about what to do next as he was very sure the boss would never allow him to disclose what happened to him that led to his unfortunate incident.But at the same time, he was standing in front of the tigress who was dead serious and meant what she said as she was pissed and wanted to know exactly what happened.He cleared his throat and stuttered as he responded to the tigress who listened attentively and wanted nothing but the truth."I am sorry madam, the boss had asked me not to disclose any information about what happened to any living soul," Mikel said in response to Fabian's mother, who looked completely angry by now and he could tell that she could do and undo at that moment.He knew how she must be feeling as a mother who would love to desperately know what happened to her son, but then his hands were tied as much as he would like to let them know the reason."What? Do you mean that the living soul includes his mother and his family? What exactly are you co
Everyone rushed towards the doctor as they saw him coming out of the intensive care ward with the nurses who all went in together with him.He had an expression that could not be read nor explained by anyone as no one could guess the outcome of the whole thing rather than just wait for some information from him."Doctor, how is my son? Is he alright? Is he awake now?" The tigress asked in worry as she quickly got to the doctor's front and posed the question before anybody could get ahead of her.She was hoping and praying so badly at that moment to hear some good news coming out of the doctor's mouth as she could see that his expression was nothing to write home about. She was hanging onto the last thread of hope as she did not know what to think or how to react.'Please, please be alright son.' She begged inwardly as her insides shook and she eagerly waited for the news that would slide through that mouth.The doctor looked at everyone and for a moment he was dumbfounded and didn't k
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