HUDSON'S POV "So you see Madame, it's a win win situation. You help me, i help you." I said with a small smile and clapsed my hands on the table. I had just delivered a top notch offer on a platter of gold. An offer that would send all those old bastards who called themselves my investors crawling on the floor with greed and excitement. An offer she wouldn't get on a normal day, but instead of excitement all i met was the same expression that she had on ever since she got here, totally blank. I could understand though, a person of her caliber ought not to show weakness to anyone to avoid being taken advantage of. I applaud her skill to maintain But I was getting fed up at the same time. Time was not on my side and she knew that, so what's with all the silence? "So what do you say?" I asked, " Madame?" my tone a bit forceful. She cocked her head to the side at the change in my tone, but could you really blame me? I was the person in the position of need, I needed her on
HUDSON'S POV "You cannot do this! This should be illegal!" Cornels yelled, red veins popping on his forehead. "I can't do what exactly?" I asked calmly, a smirk playing on my lips. This dumb ass man thought he was the only one authorized to play the game, he had some nerves. The other investors had already filed out, leaving myself, Paul and red faced Cornels in the room that was used for the meeting, that obviously ended in my favour. None of the other idiots that had planned this whole coup with Cornels even dared to speak for him. Such traitorous old bastards! The minute I walked in, okay, maybe more like barging in since it was a supposed secret meeting to leave me stranded and then the assistant sent as Madame Joyce's representative appeared and announced her newest investments, every other person on the board of investors quickly switched sides in the blink of an eye. Could you believe that? If you didn't know, you would think Cornels was on drugs to even propose tha
Hudson POV As soon as the words left the mouth of whoever was at the door, I shot up from my seat and literally ran to the door. My legs had a mind of it's own at this point, with excitement coursing through me i flung the door wide open, causing it to bang against the wall behind as I yelled, "James! Hand over the evidence!"But instead of meeting James, I came face to face with a dark haired man. What the hell? My eyebrows knitted together as I assessed the the man's work clothes. "Errhm, Sir?" The same feminine voice that announced someone was at the door said. I let my eyes drift to her, and sure enough it was that daring brunette from down the hall.What was her name again, b...Blair?...Bendy? Beth...Ugh, whatever. I had to give it her though, the woman really was persistent. She had been actively trying to get on my bed for months now, always showing up randomly at my door when Paul was not close by. Where was Paul anyway?"Sir," she called again, straightening up, her boobs
HUDSON'S POV "Boss," he repeated, walking inside the office. "I apologize for taking so long boss, I had a bit of a err... situation..."I remained quiet, staring intensely at the nervous looking engineer seated in front of me.The man kept darting his eyes between James and I, while still holding onto his chair. "Err, boss?" James called out again, this time his tone was more skeptical. But I didn't acknowledge him.I was pretty sure I looked just about angry at this point but that wasn't the case at all. For some unknown reason my heart kept pounding loudly in my chest, Since James walked in. I had been struggling to control my quickened pulse rate, but it only seems to get worse as the brown envelope in James hand came into my line of sight.But why though? Was it excitement? I mean, I could understand if it was. I would finally be getting the info about that... that...ugh! That man, yeah, THAT man.I would be getting all the info I wanted about him. It was a thing of joy, wasn't
VALERIE'S POV "Say you will take it, mommy. Say it," Miley whined while holding on tightly to the seat belt of the Pink Ferrari. I sighed, rolling my eyes at the eagerness of my four year old daughter that wants to go to school in a pink Ferrari. What does she even know about cars? "C'mon out, you're still in your uniform and it's probably smelly by now" I responded, moving to open the door of the car. The car was absolutely closed, with no space for even an ant to crawl in so how did she get inside with the doors closed? I mentally gauged the height of the car door and Miley's height, they weren't too far apart. So the possibility of her climbing in through the windows was very high. I sighed at the realization, "Ugh, these kids..." They just keep doing the most unusual things. I pressed the door handle and it spread open like a butterfly wing revealing an awe struck brown haired Miley. Her green eyes shun with wonder and excitement the more the door opened to it's limit, i
HUDSON'S POV It has been at least a couple of weeks, if not a month since I started frequently a certain Red Bites restaurant a couple of blocks away from Val's office and at least a two hours drive away from my office.You might want to ask why I kept driving from such a distance, taking so much stress and literally coming from the one end of the city to the other just to have dinner/lunch. But honestly? Even I don't know the answer to that question. I have been asking myself over and over for the past three weeks now and somehow I still came up with nothing. This was all James fault, I asked him to deliver to me complete info of the man messing around with Val, but instead of doing that he went right ahead to take those devilishly tempting pictures of her and then delivered it to me!There has been no single info about the mysterious man till this very day. Heck! Till this very minute that I was seated at the back of my Bentley staring out through the windows to the damned Red Bi
Charlotte's POV "Put those roses right there, make it a heart shape." I ordered a maid closest to me."Yes Ma'am Charlotte," the maid answered quickly and got into action. Her delicate fingers forming the pattern nicely, I nodded in approval and used the opportunity to check the romantic candle lights I had ordered another maid to set up from the door of the bedroom to the bathroom, rose petals leading the way."I want everything to be perfect! No mistakes are allowed at all, otherwise you will get it from me!" I warned sternly and a few of them at the bedside trembled from fear as they cross checked the bed designs.Humph! They knew just what I was capable of, no need to explain more. The few disrespectful ones that had dared to break the rules would surely teach the rest not to cross me.Pfft! They always end up making me look like I was the bad guy but then again did they obey the rules and i still punished them? No!I was no monster after all, just a simple don't speak when I'm t
HUDSON'S POV There was only one reason as to why Grandpa was calling by this time and I knew exactly what it was. As much as I dreaded this conversation, right now I could only choose the lesser evil. Between putting up with Charlotte's plans and having the long overdue conversation with Grandpa, I was most definitely choosing Grandpa. We owed him an apology after all. But I must say that I am quite surprised he hadn't called before now or even that very day we left his mansion, looks like his housekeeper was actually a very capable woman despite her age. "Boy! Get that tramp that's hiding in your house on the phone, right now!" His voice boomed through the speakers immediately I took the call. His voice was so loud that I knew Charlotte heard it as well. Her grip on my arm had noticeably loosened if anything and now hung low by her side, her doe eyes wide with fear. I could tell she was scared of him, so I took deliberate steps away from her, sighing deeply as my ache resume
HUDSON’S POV“Do you understand now?”“First, the man you wanted left you, Amelia left you, Ethan also did, and now… your own father has abandoned you.” her voice sounded softly, almost considerate but the underlying cruelty was hard to miss. A total contrast to the nonchalant expression on her face, like even speaking to the woman on phone was not worth wasting her energy.It was enchanting, to say the very least.“No one wants you; no one wants to be with you.” She whispered slowly, “You will die alone, Charlotte. A long, lonely death. Remember that,”And just like that, the call ended. The phone sliding from her ears, every movement smooth like she had finished the deal right then and there, which she had though. The bait had been set.The bait we both agreed upon after Ethan showed up at our doorstep, with information about Charlotte. A very daring attitude from a person with his record of betrayal. Ever since he attempted to kidnap Valerie back then, he had gone off record. Which
CHARLOTTE'S POV“Oh yeah?” she sneered, sounding totally unbothered as I continued to brew with anger. “What will you do to Drake then? You see he made a deal with me; to hand over all his dealings with my family, testify against you in court, revealing all the many corpses that was buried underneath the garden in his house for you.”What?“What are you talking about you bitch, I killed no one!” I responded, my breathing shaky as memories of how so many dead bodies were used as fertilizer for the rose garden back home. Dead bodies that were as a result of several tortures and beatings given to men doing business with the heartless man that was my father!It was all him!How come this bitch was saying something else here? How did she even know about the bodies?!“Those corpses are as a result of the many murders that you have done over the years, Charlotte!”“That’s not true!” I argued angrily, losing my cool.“But Drake said it is, and he is testifying against you in court!” she insis
CHARLOTTE’S POV“What the hell are they doing?”“Why are they even together at the hospital? Just what the fuck is this?!” my voice resounded everywhere, bouncing off the walls in the apartment I currently occupied with Raymond.But could you blame me? I was pissed off!Pissed off by the stupid ass video that was been displayed on the tv screen! A video of what supposedly had happened between my man and that bitch Valerie today! Or was this some sort of trick? That bitch Valerie was pulling a stunt again?But even if she did, how did Hudson come onboard with this?! To do this with her! Act like they were all perfect and okay, when I knew they were not! They most definitely were not! They shouldn’t even be!Valerie’s schemes have been exposed! Hudson knows all about this now, I was sure of it! I watched him drive off angrily that night, away from their new place. He didn’t go home that day I sent those cameras, they had a fight. I was sure of it!So why instead of packing his things an
HUDSON’S POVSilence settled between Val and I as we walked all the way to the ward. Our fingers still interlocked, until finally we reached the very door that held Miley’s excited laughs behind it. And then I stopped, facing Valerie right then.“What money?” I asked, but she simply blinked. Probably not expecting my question, but I heard the conversations between her and her aunties anyways. Or at least part of it, since they were already speaking before I arrived there. So…“The money your aunt was referring to” I explained, my voice calm as I waited. “She said something about a stolen money that was in Mason’s name, and you were going to be arrested for it if they called the cops. What was that all about?”“Oh,” was all she said, a deep sigh following right after. “It’s… it’s a bit personal,”Huh?“Personal?” I repeated, not believing she was about to do what I thought she would do. “How personal is this that I can’t even know about it? Mason is involved here, that’s my son, Valeri
HUDSON’S POVComing back home was nothing short of what I had expected. My kids gathered were together, happily playing games, absolutely oblivious of the current happenings surrounding me and their mom. As far as they were concerned; daddy had to take a little trip to check out a building site.A strategy Nanny Beth took to save them from the hassle of wondering why I wasn’t home for 2 days. But aside my kids, everything else seemed fine. The maids, Nanny (Whether or not she knew, she didn’t behave like it at all. But assuming she didn’t know anything will be highly stupid on my part cause Valerie tells her almost everything despite their huge age difference!) but above all, there was no Valerie.I wouldn’t lie to you, a part of me immediately thought of going back to the house outside the city, to check if she had still gone back there. But I just held back. Forcing myself to focus on taking a nice shower, eat a really satisfying meal and then catch up with my kids.The last time I
VALERIE’S POV“I-I’m truly sorry,”“I am- am so sorry for lying about that day,” I apologized, my voice breaking as I tried to keep my tears at bay. “I shouldn’t have lied! I should’ve… I didn’t know you and the kids were at the office, I didn’t know you guys wanted to surprise me so we could have lunch together. It’s all my fault! I’m sorry…”“Of course you are. You are sorry now, Valerie.” His voice sounded in the air, bitter but yet so calm. Unlike his explosive self that I had seen that day in the secret room. “But you weren’t sorry when you just lied to both me and the kids that day, running off to go clear evidences of your actions for fear that someone would get to it first before you do. Maybe someone already got to them-Charlotte had! She did send a few cameras after all; I’m guessing that is what got you agitated and also what had been bothering you days before the kids and I even went to your office!”“No! That’s not it at all,” I rushed to explain, “I wasn’t bothered about
CHARLOTTE’S POV“What? What did you say?”“They are still under the same roof? My Huddie is still living in that house? With her? with bitch Valerie?!"He simply nodded in confirmation, amplifying the horror I just heard. “How?!” I blasted, loosing my shit right then and there. “How is any of that even possible?! He should’ve left her by now! They should be fighting and him not forgiving what she has done! How can they still be together? That’s impossible!”“It is possible!” Raymond insisted, his tone similar to mine. “I saw him myself! I saw Hudson drive into that mini city of his- the Sky Walls! I saw him, and even waited for over an hour to see if he would come back out, but he didn’t! The man simply went home to his woman and kids, get over him kiddo. We need to leave the country before things get out of hand!”“No,” I responded, not wanting to believe a word he said.“Kiddo, You-“No! I said no!” I boomed, smashing the glass of water I was supposed to take my meds with. “I’m not
VALERIE’S POV“He just suffered from a mini panic attack, ma’am”“Given his age, attacks like this could often lead to stroke, full blown heart attacks, or even death on the spot!” The doctors voice resounded in my ears, sending yet another terrible ache throughout my temples. It has been this way since we took Papa to the hospital. And by we, I meant myself and Babara.Patricia came along too but quickly left after hearing he was still breathing and alive. Davis didn’t even come at all. Displaying their exact feelings towards their own father. Making me wonder even more that; what would have happened if I had already driven out of the estate before he collapsed today? What would have become of my Papa? Would he have- would he have really died? Just like that? Because his own children were too busy fussing over him instead of hurrying to get him to the hospital immediately?!“We have managed to stabilize his blood pressure for a bit, but I would advise no more shocking news to be brou
HUDSON’S POV“Daddy is making dinner, yay!” Miley's excited voice filled the air.“Yup!” I concurred, enthusiastic as I turned around to face the kids- my guests. “Good evening, pretty princesses and handsome princes! You can call me chef of sweet meals, and I will be preparing dinner!”“Yay!” Aby clapped happily as I introduced myself, smiling as she looked into the camera.“Since when did daddy become a chef? Do they learn that in business school too?” Mason asked curiously, looking around for answers. So typical of Mason, linking stuff around and asking questions as soon as they popped in his head.“No sweetie, no one learns cooking at business school.” Her sweet voice sounded in the air, answering Mason’s question. And in no time her face came into view, her smile flawless as she angled the camera to capture herself as well. “Daddy knows nothing about cooking, which is why I am here recording this moment! First time ever for the popular Hudson Rodriguiez to be in the kitchen! We ha