Chapter 6

For a short moment, Julian rested his gaze on Victoria after staring at the city landscape, he discovered she was in deep thoughts away from the conversation. 

He stared at her and whispered, “What else would they be?” She still didn't reply, still deep in her thoughts. He gently tapped her finger which made her snap back to full reality. 

Victoria pulled herself out of the memory, her heart filled with shame. She paused a short while to remember the conversation, the moment she remembered, she parted her lips and talked. “He won’t forgive me,” she admitted softly. 

“No,” Julian agreed, his voice matter-of-fact. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t make him pay.”

Victoria nodded, her resolve solidifying.

“What about the Carter family? You said they’re tied to him. How?”

Julian wavered, his thoughts returning to Sophia. He had met her by chance during one of his schemes to gather information on Alexander. She was different—honest, kind, and utterly unaware of the war rising around her.

“They’re nothing,” he said finally, dismissing his feelings. “Just pawns in a much bigger game since she dropped me, rejecting my proposal.”

Victoria wasn’t convinced. “You hesitated. Do they mean something to you?”

“No,” Julian said firmly. “Focus on the task at hand, Victoria. Don’t complicate things.”

Victoria smirked, sensing there was more to Julian’s story than he was letting on. But she didn’t go any further. For now, they had a mutual aim: bringing Alexander Blackwood below them.

********

Victoria Sinclair was resting on her opulent chaise lounge, absently flipping through channels on her oversized flat-screen TV. The sound of a news anchor’s voice caught her attention, and she turned up the volume, her wine glass resting carefully in her manicured hand.

“Breaking news this evening: Billionaire Alexander Blackwood has announced his engagement to Sophia Carter, the daughter of late businessman Williams Carter. Sources close to the family describe this as a union to strengthen ties between the two families, though details remain scarce.”

The screen transitioned to a picture of Alexander, perfectly dressed in a tailored suit, his piercing gaze directed at the camera. Beside him was a smaller image of Sophia, her shy smile almost swallowed by the luxuriousness of his presence.

Victoria suddenly sits up , her wine glass almost falling. Her breath hitched as her mind busting to process what she was seeing.

“Engaged? To her?” she hissed, her grip tightening around the stem of her glass.

Her phone sat on the coffee table, mocking her with its silence. Without further patience, she snatched it up and dialled a familiar number.

It rang twice before Julian’s calm, calculated voice came through. “Victoria. What is it now?”

“Turn on the news,” she snapped, pacing up and down the room. “Right now.”

There was a silence, followed by the faint sound of Julian switching on his TV. She heard the anchor’s voice echo faintly through the phone before Julian spoke again, his tone laced with disbelief.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I wish I was,” Victoria said sorrowfully. She stopped pacing, her nails buried into the armrest of the chaise. “That’s her, isn’t it? Your little Sophia.”

“She’s not my anything but everything,” Julian replied, his voice colder than usual. “But yes. That’s her.”

Victoria let out a humourless laugh, her frustration foaming over. “Unbelievable. That little mouse gets to play house with him. Do you know what this means, Julian?”

Julian’s silence was answer enough.

“It means Alexander wins again,” Victoria continued, her voice rising. “And you—what were you even doing? Weren’t you supposed to be pulling her strings, keeping her on your side?”

“I didn’t expect this,” Julian admitted, nodding sorrowfully . “The collapse of Mr. Carter’s company was supposed to weaken their family, make her desperate enough to follow my lead. Instead, it’s handed over to him on a silver platter.”

Victoria’s laugh was sharp and scornful. “And now he’s creating it like some formal union. The media’s eating it up. ‘Billionaire rescues a lady in distress.’ It’s disgusting.”

Julian breathed out, his frustration clear. “This isn’t just about them. It’s about what this means for my plans. Alexander gains another asset—her family, her loyalty. And I…” He died down, his voice laced with anger.

Victoria’s voice calmed, though her anger still remained. “So, what do we do now?”

Julian leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping melodiously on the desk. “We adapt,” he said finally. “This changes things, but it doesn’t end them. If anything, this engagement gives us more opportunities to strike.” 

“How?” Victoria asked, doubtful.

“Alexander’s pride will be his downfall,” Julian said. “He’s displaying this engagement like it’s some great achievement. But it’s a pretense, Victoria. He doesn’t love her—this is a business deal, nothing more. If we can expose that, turn her against him…”

Victoria laughs scornfully, her confidence returning. “And you think she’ll fall for you instead?”

“I don’t need her to fall for me,” Julian replied sharply. “I just need her to doubt him. If we can plant the right image of Alex to her, this whole deception will dissolve”

Victoria nodded slowly, her mind already working through the possibilities. “And what about me? What’s my role in this?”

Julian’s voice turned cold. “Keep your enemies close, Victoria. Make yourself useful. Alexander doesn’t know about our partnership, and we’re going to keep it that way.”

“And Sophia?”

“She’s a pawn,” Julian said scornfully. “A means to an end. Don’t get too intensified about her. We will manipulate her mind and take her down.”

Victoria’s lips twisted into a cunning smile. “Oh, don’t worry. I don't want her near us. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying this mess. Watching Alexander squirm when his perfect little world falls apart, his position goes down… It’ll be delicious.”

Julian gloated, though his tone remained harsh. “Enjoy it all you want. Just don’t forget the goal.”

“I won’t,” Victoria promised, her voice wrecking with venom. “This time, he won’t see it coming.”

The call ended, leaving both of them in their separate corners, plotting their next moves.