Loretta rushed over Wilma's body, "Stay with me. Please, stay with me." Loretta immediately tore a piece from her gown so she could stop the bleeding."Someone should call 911!" Loretta shrieked.The room was scattered with people, screaming, and running around.The guards and security men had crowded the room as everyone had appeared to protect their bosses.One of Fabian's guards held Loretta back while she tried to reach out to Wilma, who was being carried away by two other guards."Let go of me!" Fabian's pet screamed, but the guard held her firmly."Let me handle this." Fabian dismissed the guard that was holding her and tried to touch Loretta, but that earned him a slap on his face."Don't you dare touch me, I'm not a project to be handled." Loretta spat and was about to leave the ball to chase after Wilma.At this point, she didn't care if anyone was looking at her or not. This was her fault.She shouldn't have agreed to come with Wilma or even come at all.Because of her stupi
"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" Loretta's eyes blinked open, waking up to the voice.Her head still throbbed from the previous night. "What happened?" She placed her hand on her head. "What are you doing in my room?" she yelled and then regretted it as her head pounded."It's time for breakfast, honey. But first, you’ve got to take these pills for the headache," the new guard assigned to her said, handing her a glass of water and a pill."I said, what are you doing in my room?" Loretta repeated, quieter but laced with suppressed anger."I'm your new Wilma.""Wait, I know you." The brown-haired lady squinted as she tried to remember where she had seen him before."Yeah, we met yesterday. I helped you out of the car.""Yeah, you're the guard that talks." Loretta smiled, remembering the incident."Guard that talks? That's rude. 'Cause we talk.""I know you guys talk. You just seem nice." Loretta was blushing. She couldn't explain how she felt around him, but her tummy could."Now can you t
"Answer me, Retta. What do you want from me?" Fabian repeated his question, this time almost spelling out the words, but the lady he was referring to was startled.She took two steps backward, and when she wanted to take the third, he grabbed her by the waist, and her heart jumped.Loretta could see the hunger in his eyes, and she regretted saying those words."I won't touch you, Retta, until you ask.""Why?""What's the fun if I just subdue you, though I want to? I think I just want to see you ask for it; that's when the fun is.""I... Umm, I think—I..."The door opened, and Mikel signaled for Fabian to come closer. "I think there's a problem," Mikel whispered but loud enough for Loretta to hear it.Loretta didn't care about what was going on; she was still catching her breath from that difficult conversation with Fabian.She felt like someone who had just run a marathon.The brown-haired lady sat on her bed and began to stare at Mikel and Fabian, but it seemed more like she was admi
"What is it?" Mikel asked, noticing the change in his boss's expression.He didn't need anyone to tell him that his boss had just received bad news, or worse.Without saying a word, Fabian handed the phone to Mikel."What the heck? Who on earth is trying to make enemies with an Antonio?" Mikel said as he sent the message to the tech guys to trace the sender."Why do you think it's a new enemy?" Fabian turned to look at him."The old ones are afraid of you. This should be someone new." Mikel maintained his stance."Yeah, but I have a feeling it's an old one. Someone I have probably forgotten." Fabian rested his chin on his hand."Fuck!" Mikel cursed."What is it?""They weren't able to trace the number.""Did you think you were going to get a location? Trust me, if we got a location, it's going to be a trap," Fabian expressed, and Mikel knew he was right. Almost immediately, another text came into Fabian's phone. It was from the previous texter."Sir, you have another message.""If it'
"How are you so good at this?" Loretta cried out in frustration after losing the game for the fifth time."Do you want me to let you win?" Lincoln snorted, staring at her with his tender eyes."Seriously? I shouldn't have to ask; you're just supposed to know that I need to win to feel happy." Loretta yelled as she laughed."Okay, don't worry, honey, I'll let you win this time.""Asshole." The brown-haired lady cursed and hit him playfully.Wait a second, why was he calling her 'honey'? Did he mean it, or was he just a fun person?"Okay, I won't let you win; I'll just try to take it slow with you. If you win this time, then you did it because you're playing with someone at your level."For some reason, Loretta took offense. "Are you trying to say that I'm dumb, so you have to stoop so low so I can win? You're pitying me.""No... Somehow, but... Come on. You know that's not what I mean. Fine, I'll play as I've been playing, and you'll fail again.""So you're calling me a failure?" Loret
"What happened here?" Mikel entered Loretta's room and found it upside down.Mikel found Fabian sitting on the bed and seeming distant, so he approached him, "The guards weren't able to explain. What happened?""Did you succeed with Roy?""Uh... I—uh. Yes, I did.""What was his price? He wouldn't do it for free, though I knew he would if you guys were still best friends.""Why would you think we are distant or not best friends anymore?""Are you the one asking me this question? I noticed you hesitated when I asked you to go meet him..."Mikel knew Fabian could read expressions perfectly, making it seem like he could read minds."Don't worry about it. I handled it. So, what happened?" Mikel had to change the conversation before he revealed more than he should."We were attacked. I'm trying to understand who the target is, me or Loretta," Mikel's boss confessed."Is the shooter dead? I need to check if I recognize him.""The shooter is held captive in the dark room. I have a nurse check
"Who was the last person that got into this room?" Fabian asked the guards but got no reply as they were afraid to mention Mikel's name.Fabian looked over the body and noticed he was stabbed in the heart, and the shooter wouldn't have been able to kill himself as both of his hands were chained at the different ends of the wall.Even if he managed to do it, they would have been able to find the knife, but there was nothing on the scene, just the lifeless body of the shooter.This only meant one thing: there was a mole in the mansion.Realizing their fears, as they were afraid of Mikel, and Fabian knew Mikel was not capable of doing this to him, he asked a simpler question, "After Mikel left the dark room, who else went in?" Fabian turned to the guard who was supposed to be guarding the entrance."The minute Sir Mikel went in, Lincoln and his men asked us to help them get the cars ready as they were transporting Loretta. On coming back, we found you calling the guards... We have no ide
It was because Loretta desperately needed to see Wilma that she followed that egotistical mafia.Who did he think he was, that he could just boss people around? It was very annoying that instead of apologizing to Loretta, he wanted to clear the air by taking her to see Wilma.If it was this easy for him, why didn't he do it earlier? Or did he just love seeing her beg? What kind of man was he?Loretta followed him reluctantly, maintaining a long distance. It seemed childish, but it was what she wanted, and that pissed Fabian off as he would stand to wait for her to get close, and rather than meeting up, she'd stand and wait for him to move before she continued."Can you walk a little faster? I have a lot of things to handle," Fabian uttered, throwing her a hard glare."If you don't want to go, it's fine. I can go back inside. It's obvious you don't want to see her anyway."The guards were looking at him, and he felt insulted. He wanted to just leave her there, enter his car, and drive
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