Confrontations

DAVID’S POV

Something felt off.

I’d been keeping an eye on Elena ever since I returned from my business trip in Chicago, and no matter how hard she tried to put on a calm face, and tend to pretend, her eyes showed this heavy weight. And whenever Drego was around, she seemed more perturbed.

At first, I figured it was nothing; maybe they just didn’t get along. But then I saw them at the party in the hallway… they were in the heat of an argument, she looked shaken, and him strutting away with that annoying grin, looked suspicious.

I wanted to confront her right then and there. Ask her what on earth was going on behind my nose. But on a further note, I decided to go straight to Drego.

I needed to know why he was now frequenting my house since I got married. We had kept our distance over the years that most people didn’t know I was a twin, then why the sudden amity?

Drego was said to be mischievous but to me, he was as predictable as I could remember. That’s why we never got along, because I could see through him even when others didn't.

I knew exactly where to find him. If he wasn’t getting into trouble or arguing with the cops, he was in that fancy gambling lounge down at Santa Monica —the only reasonable property to his name.

It had these high ceilings, gold trim, and velvet chairs. The sort of place that makes you feel poor just walking in, if you aren’t there to squander thousands of dollars on gambling, like the others. The ambiance reeked of whiskey, cheap colognes, and the smell of cigarettes.

When I stepped inside, I spotted him right away. Seated on a corner table. Whiskey glass in hand and cards laid out in front of him.

He glanced up, smirked, and leaned back as if he’d been waiting for me.

“David,” he drawled. “To what do I owe this unsolicited visit?”

I took a seat across from him. “Cut the crap. I want to know what’s going on between you and Elena.”

He swirled his drink slowly. “Why don’t you ask your wife? She should be able to say a thing or two…”

“I’m asking you,” I replied, my voice sharper than I intended.

That annoying smirk of his grew wider. “You always were the perfect one, weren’t you? Perfect grades, perfect colleges, perfect businesses. And now, the perfect little wife.”

I frowned, confused. “What does that have to do with anything?”

He leaned in, lowering his voice. “You can’t have it all, brother. And you know what’s sad? You don’t even know how to handle her.”

I blinked. “What?!”

“You’re not even man enough to touch her, or isn’t that the truth?” he smiled maliciously.

My stomach twisted, and my pulse raced.

“How the hell would you know that?”

He chuckled, taking his time. “Because, dear brother, you’re boringly predictable. And Elena? She’s gorgeous… untouched… frustrated. It’s obvious. Can’t you see?”

“Don’t talk about her like that,” I snapped.

“Why not? You think she hasn’t noticed? You think she hasn’t wondered what it’s like to be with a man who actually wants her? A man who adores her body?”

I clenched my fists under the table, fuming with rage “What are you implying…”

“I’m not implying anything,” he interrupted hastily, taking another sip of his whiskey. “I’m saying you’re wasting her. And if you keep it up… someone else would fill that space.”

His words hit hard. I wanted to pick up the glass and smash it on his smug face, but instead, I stood up abruptly trying not to cause a scene. I wasn’t ready for the unnecessary media headlines;

“Business Mogul David Knights was seen fighting in a renowned Gambling house, with an identical-looking man who we just discovered was his twin”

I wasn’t ready to give him and his little shady business such recognition.

“This conversation’s over,” I said instead and turned to walk away.

He chuckled again. “It’s only just got started, dear brother!”

I told my driver to drive me home way too fast. I could see his stare from the rear mirror, wondering if I was okay.

When I walked through the front door, Elena was in the living room, engrossed in a novel she was reading.

I didn’t even let her greet me.

“Did you tell Drego I can’t… I can’t… make out with you?” I stuttered.

She looked up, clearly startled. “What? No! Where’s this coming from?”

“Don’t lie to me, Elena!” My voice came out louder than I meant it to. “He knew! He knew things that only you could’ve told him. Things that shouldn’t be discussed with a third party.”

“I didn’t…”

“Save it,” I interrupted, anger boiling in my chest. “If you didn’t tell him, then how the hell does he know?”

“I don’t know!” she shouted, now standing, her voice shaking with frustration.

But I was too far gone to hear her out.

“Right,” I muttered, turning toward the stairs. “Of course you don’t.”

I spiraled upstairs and slammed my bedroom door hard enough to shake the walls.

———

ELENA’S POV

My hands were trembling. Not from fear, but from rage.

He accused me without even letting me explain. And worse… Drego clearly had been feeding him information he had no business knowing.

I paced the living room, each step fueling my anger more.

Fine. If David wasn’t going to believe me, I’d make sure Drego kept his mouth shut. But first… I needed to find him.

It didn’t take long before I called my new bodyguard, Franklin, to help me check on Drego, and within 30 minutes he called back and informed me of what he found out.

“Drego wasn’t exactly subtle about where he spent his nights. A few quiet questions to one of David’s close aides confirmed it—he was at his lounge in Santa Monica.” Franklin reported through the phone.

I called Chris, and he drove me straight down to the said location.

I looked up at the building in front of me, and the name “PLAYTIME PARADISE” was boldly written at the top. The building looked even more eye-catching at night, the gold trim mixed with colorful lightning and streetlights like it was on fire. I could hear music and laughter drifting from inside.

As soon as I stepped through the doors, the sound of my heels clicking on the marble floor caught the attention of a few husky-looking men, as they murmured among themselves.

One of them approached me, but just as he stood drooling and staring at me from head to toe, like he hadn't seen a pretty lady before, Drego appeared.

“Hi trophy wife,” he said, smiling. Whiskey in hand, shirt half buttoned so that I could clearly see his bare chest and breast, and that perfectly styled wavy hair of his that always caught my attention.

His eyes took their sweet time scanning me, as if he’d been waiting for this moment.

“Well, well,” he said, leaning back casually. “What brings you here? Let’s go to my office, lots of eyes are gawking.”

I followed him reluctantly, trying as much as I could to keep my cool. And immediately we stepped into the dimly lit office, I voiced out, keeping my voice low but firm.

“You listen up, Drego. Whatever went down between us, whatever you think happened, stays between us. You don’t breathe a word of it to David. Am I making sense?”

He tilted his head, a playful glint in his eyes. “And if I don’t?”

“Then you’ll wish you had. Drego keep aside the fact I’m married to your family, I can play dirty too, and trust me I’ll make you regret ever crossing paths with me.

He chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. “You’ve got some fire in you. I like that.”

“This isn’t a game,” I shot back.

“Isn’t it?” He leaned closer, his tone shifting to something darker. “Because to me, this is the most fun I’ve had in ages.”

I shot him a glare, but my heart was racing—not just from anger, but from the undeniable pull he still had over me. The fact that I know, being this close to him still did things to me I didn’t want to admit.

I forced myself to walk away.

But the words that came out of his mouth next rang in my ears;

“Tell me, Elena… when you go back to him tonight, will you wish it was me?”

“I would never wish it were you. I only wish that you would delete that stupid video of me you have in your phone” I rasped.

“You called the most beautiful video I have ever seen stupid? Nah you shouldn’t do that.” He teased me.

“Okay I will delete it” he continued, “but can we just have one more good time, and I promise I will be out of your face, your life, and your fake marriage.”

“It will be so dumb of me to believe you when you say you promise. What do you take me for, What do you see me as? A fool?”

“No! not that. But as the woman I so desire, the one my body yearns for, the one that the thought of her makes my knees weak and my dick kick. One more time baby, and I would do whatever you ask me to!”

He walked towards me and came close to me so that I could feel his breath on my neck and perceive his alluring perfume.

Those words from him made my thick skin grow weak and the fury inside me melted like ice. Honestly, he knows the right words and knows what to say to calm a raging storm. For a moment I lost sanity and rationality. I instantly forgot the reason I was there.

He held my waist and then he kissed me passionately. My body yearned for him and I moaned subtly into his mouth. We kissed for a few minutes as he used his tongue to fumble mine while squeezing my ass. Whatever he does to me, makes me feel so good.

We were so engulfed in the pleasurable moment that we didn’t hear someone walk into the room. Suddenly a switch was clicked, and the bright light came on. I disentangled myself instantly and turned, and there she was; wide-eyed and mouth open in surprise.

Cindy.