The aroma of fresh spices and sauce wafted across the kitchen, proclaiming the deliciousness getting ready for the special Italian dinner. And the provoking sweet goods that baked inside the oven had me salivating.
The hunger of my tummy spiked more at that. The result of not eating the whole day. And how could I when all my mind was spiraled with one suddenly vanished man's thoughts?
"I'm happy that you came here, Em. In all the preparations of the marriage, we couldn't get enough time to spend," said Tess, adding some basils in the spaghetti.
I nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry. I'm not going anywhere for sometime. So we've a lot of time to fix that."
Something flickered over her eyes, but then she smiled. "Right. Anyway, how was your day?"
"It was good."
Not good. At all. After last night I hadn't got any peace. What Caleb said, about their relationship, about her involvement with A
Turning to another turn, I took the car through an almost empty street, my gaze continued their connection with the GPS tracker of my phone. I'd never heard of that bar's name before, and after tracing Beth's phone, I found it was at Northern Avenue. The street infamous for old buildings, illegal casinos, small cafes and bars. And most importantly, hundreds of alleys.I'd no idea what the hell she was doing here at nine of the night!And seeing the eerie silence around, I felt people of this area called it a night much earlier than others.Once I was finally outside at the destination at the middle of a narrow road, I double checked the location and the bar's name. A big 'Dakota's Bar' was written on a white board, red fairy lights lit at the edges. And the wobbly two rugged men that stumbled out of the bar rose the scale of my discomfort higher.I'd just pick her up and flee out of this uncanny area.
Stepping out of the VIP elevator, I blew out a breath eyeing the doors of the penthouse. And the big guards stood at the both sides of the elevator like a statue, statues with dark glasses.My heart drummed down my chest as I approached the entrance, standing before the fingerprint scanner. I still couldn't know how he got my fingerprint.Though the nervousness of meeting him after that night was overwhelming, the eagerness to see him and find out if he was alright won over my hesitation.Once I was inside the doors, to my surprise, it automatically closed behind me. And the feeling of getting locked with the devil of my dreams was knee weakish. But I walked ahead, the memories of my last visit here rushed into my mind.When I entered the living area, I stopped at my track.There he was. Sitting onto the grand couch, his form was bent over, elbows resting on his knees
"What?" I gasped. "How? How did this happen?"She shook her head, wiping her tears. "I don't know. I just got a call from the police station a while ago. And since then I was calling Achilles non-stop, but he wasn't picking up his phone! Even our lawyer called him. Where's he?"A while ago, means we were in his bedroom then…Blinking away those thoughts from my mind, I said, "Don't worry, Tess. Everything will be fine. He's in his penthouse right now.""Alright, let's…"The ring of her phone cut her off. Receiving it, she listened to whatever the other person said and then cut the call."It was him. He's waiting for me outside in the car. I gotta go!""Wait! I'll come with you!" I insisted. I didn't want to leave her alone right now.She nodded, sniffling. "Alright, let's go!"Once we were outside, we found him in the driver's seat
That means… Liza?My suspicion was right. She did it. She was the one who put drugs in Caleb's car and maybe, leaking information outside.My shoulders slumped as disappointment washed over me. How could she do it? She was such a nice person and worked with Caleb for years. What could make her betray all of a sudden?I've to inform Ace about it.Getting up, I clutched the packet tight in my hand and rushed to his cabin. My heart thumped in my chest.As I approached his cabin, I found Carter outside on his desk."Is he inside? I've to see him right now."Looking up, he smiled. "He is. Though he's a little busy, as ordered, you're always free to go in and out without any permission."Huh? I could just walk in just like that?Not wanting to waste anymore time, I threw a thanks at him and barged inside.But I was
We'll see?This infuriating man!"I'm just letting you hug me because you needed it. Don't think of something else. I'm still mad at you for what you did up at your penthouse…" My cheeks flamed at my slip of tongue. Why did I need to mention it right now?My lips tingled recalling the earth-shattering kiss on his bed.He put his nose into my hair. "And don't think I forgot what you did last night. It was a really reckless move. And about kissing you," he rasped, arms tightening around me, "I don't regret a second of it. I'll do it again and again even if you don't like it!"A gasp slipped through my parted lips as he placed an open-mouthed kiss on my neck and then on my throat."And I know, you loved it," the deep husky voice of his said, brushing his lips on my jaw.My heart raced down my chest as hot desire shot through my veins the touch of his scorching mo
I knew that he knew what I was asking. He knew really well what I wanted to know.His feelings couldn't grow just in these days. It had to be from our past. And if he really did feel something for me, then why did he do that? Why did he push me away like that?"I want to know, Ace. Will you tell me?"Not only about the night years ago I wanted to know about, what happened to his mom and his hatred for his old house also nagged at the back of my mind. I didn't forget the venom and pain reflected in his eyes when he stared at the doors of his mom's former room at Tess's engagement.There were so many things I'd questions about. But the answers weren't anywhere in my sight.Taking a deep breath, he took my hands and brushed his lips against my knuckles. "I will. I will tell you everything you want to know. You've every right to. But not now. At least not today."Suddenly a heavin
"God, girl! You should seriously dump that ass boyfriend of yours! I thought he was a nice guy, but I didn't know what a mommy's boy he is!" cursed Casie, shaking her head while Beth grabbed another tissue from the tissue box on her lap and blew her nose."It's not that easy, Cass. I love him. We've been together for three years." Beth sniffled, wiping her cheeks."Just because you guys have been together for three years, doesn't mean you'll take his mother's shit! You deserve much more than this!" Casie snapped.After getting the early leave, I came directly to Casie's place. And though I didn't find Beth in the same state I found her last night, she wasn't any better. She was still a mess.After asking Casie of what happened to her, she told me everything.Beth and her boyfriend, Mason, were happy in their little world. Until his conservative Catholic mother stepped into the pictur
When I was finally outside, I was frozen in my place. And the cold breeze wasn't the main culprit for it. It was him. Looking like just dived out of a magazine, he stood there leaning against his car, waiting impatiently. The crease between his brows was the proof.Even comparing him to those models printed on magazines would be an insult to his beauty. He was… beyond gorgeous.Flaunting a three piece navy blue Armani suit, paired with a charcoal black shirt beneath and a pair of polished expensive shoes, he took my breath away. As always.Noticing me, he stood straight. "You're five minutes late." And then his eyes went to the rest of my body. My skin burned under those heated stormy gaze of his as they raked over me.With shaven strong jaws clenched, nostrils flaring, he let out a curse. Grey eyes deepened two shades darker."You aren't seriously going to wear that in front o
The last time I saw him was at the police station. After that night, Ace handed him over to the police for trying to force himself on me. And as much as that night managed to send a shiver down my spine for months after that, I pressed down on my grudge against him and thought rationally. Yes, what he did was wrong, but he was drunk at that moment. Not that it gave him any excuse to do that to me, but I decided to let things end and requested Ace to withdraw his complaint.Even I did wrong to him, though it was nothing compared to the deed he tried to do. But for the sake of our years of friendship, I decided to let him out after fifteen days of his jail, much to Ace's dismay. He wanted him to rot behind the bars forever.Even though he apologized for his actions endlessly, I had told him to stay away from me and not to try to reach out in any way.But here he was today, probably with his fiance. I just hoped Ace wouldn't see
Dragging myself out of the car with some struggles, I got out the box and looked up at the enormous glass building towering before me.EMERALD ENTERPRISES was written in bold red letters at the top.A goofy smile tugged up my lips. With the warmth that surged through my chest, emotional tears burned my eyes.Valencian Corp's new branch, which he opened with my name. It was his gift for me on my birthday, passed just last week.Rolling my eyes, I let out a breath through my lips.I was getting sentimental again.Shaking my head, I closed the car door behind me with a thud and dawdled inside.Once in, my eyes took in the interior. As fancy and elegant as I remembered from a week ago. Though there weren't many people working here that day. But today, the way everyone was at their best speed, it seemed like they were working here for years.
The color of Arthur's face drained. With wide eyes, he watched Ace in horror."Y-you can't do that to me! I won't let you!"I grimaced at the feeling in my stomach. The world around me started to spin.Stepping back from him, Ace wrapped a hand around my waist. "I can and I will. You've seen my respect for you these years, and now you'll see my enmity. You should've thought ten times before you joined hands with Antonio and decided to go against me and tried to hurt my Rosebud. You did what you wanted, now you suffer the consequences. May God send you to hell. Goodbye, Arthur.""No! You can't do that…"Not being able to contain it in anymore, I clutched my stomach, hunched forward and threw up."Shit! Rosebud! Are you alright, baby?" Wrapping his arms around my shoulders, he pulled my hair back as the cops and Arthur jumped back from my puke."Wh
"Rosebud?" His deep voice murmured into my ear, followed by a lingering kiss on my neck. "Wake up, baby. We're here."Groaning, I moved on his lap and made myself more comfortable against him, snuggling my face into his chest. "Let me sleep."His husky chuckle sent a shiver down my sore body. Well, the reason behind my tiredness was him. After our fifteen days trip to Greece and Turkey, we were supposed to meet my family at dinner directly after landing in California. So here we were, outside my parents' home. But here I could barely move without wincing.Because this man just can't keep it in his pants.Just because a male cabin crew flashed me his biggest smile, he literally banned that man from his private jet and took me like a ragged doll in the posh cabin of his, claiming me again and again as his.As if I wasn't already his!Not that I didn't beg him for more and
His pupils darkened more in rage even if it was possible. "You remembered the accident when we were returning from the house I bought for us?"My eyes widened. "H-he was behind it?"He nodded, a muscle of his jaw ticked. "It was him. Even though I was his target, he shouldn't have involved you in this."I let out a breath.So that was the reason behind his intense hatred against Antonio. That's why he was so mad at Tess' wedding when Antonio came to meet me."When Arthur brought up the Russians offer to me, his desperation for me to sign it and his being the head of this project had me suspicious. So I had his phone tapped. To know what was brewing in his shrewd head. And I was right. I got to know about his intention behind the project while he discussed it with Ivanov on the phone. But as cunning as he was, he never unfolded his whole plan to him. Until this morning, when everything in h
Across the open field, a black car that I knew really well passed through the empty road. No other sign of vehicle or human was there.Then a truck sped through the field, going directly to the car.I tensed. The rate of my heart beat peaked up. I had to stop it.But when I tried to open my mouth to say something, yell his name, my body didn't move. A panic set in when I attempted to open my eyes but they didn't move either.No!I watched as the truck neared the car with full speed. It was going to hit it!A desperation to stop it rolled inside, making me restless. I wanted to move but as if my body got paralyzed, I couldn't move even how much I wanted to.I wanted to scream, thrash to be set from whatever that held me back. I wanted to stop that truck. But all I could do was watch as the truck went ahead and hit the car with a force that it flew
An eerie silence fell over the ambience for a moment while I stood there frozen. Only the sound of my own heavy breath reached my ears.Then I heard heavy footsteps of boots approaching from the other side of the room they were in.Oh no! They're coming!I need to hide! I wouldn't be able to run from them. They'd catch me if I ran.Looking around frantically, I searched for a place to hide.I couldn't use the flower pot this time. They'll find me.Rushing to the one of the doors lined up beside theirs, I tried to open it without making a noise, but to my utter bad luck, it was locked. I tried another, but no avail. They were locked.No, no, no! I can't get caught! I can't! I need to inform Ace about his plan.My heart pounded under my rib cage as I went to the opposite side of the hallway and pushed at a door. And this ti
Six men stood there in the middle of the room. Before Arthur, stood a man in his early fifties with short height, a thin mustache on his upper lip and a shining bald. Four more much younger men surrounded him with the same black clothes the guards wore before the VVIP entrance.The way they stood behind and around that bald man, indicated theirs being his men.And obviously working with Arthur."Pozdravlyayu, Mr. Valencian," said the man with his thick Russian accent. His mustache twitched as a smirk tugged onto his dark lips.Arthur shook his hand with his. "Congratulations to us, Ivanov. After all, it's the result of both of our hard work."I frowned.Ivanov? Why did this name sound familiar…My lips parted in shock. Ivanov, one of the partners of the Russian company Ace was going to sign the deal with.He was with Arthur? Oh
Walking through the endless corridors, I walked watching out for the room numbers not to get lost.The hotel was huge. Not just a hotel, it was a palace built in the middle age, now turned into a lavish five star hotel. With the mixture of antique architect and modern decorations, it gave out a feel of royalty. From the masterpiece paintings on the walls, to the gorgeous chandeliers shimmering with golden glow. Not to forget the huge gold plated flower pots at the both sides of the corridors, aside the red carpet down the way.As soon as I neared my destination, I found the whole area totally separated from the others by a pair of glass doors. VVIP Area was written in bold red letters on the glass. Two bulky men in black stood at the both sides of the door.Not again!I remembered Carter warning about some restrictions.Mentally groaning, I approached the VVIP conference area.