Gianna-/ I could have sworn I heard the sound of shattering glass but I wasn't exactly sure where it was coming from. I just wanted to leave this place. Get under my bed and sleep off everything, including this feeling of being trapped. I hated it. I hated every second of it. Yet every time I thought about it, how badly I needed to leave, the only thinking that came to my mind were those hurt honey brown eyes. It was just food! Mere breakfast! Yet he looked at me as if I broke him. I didn't even want to think about his face when I mentioned the divorce. I wasn't even thinking at that point. I was just angry and desperate. I wanted to get back at him. Yet it didn't make me feel half as good as I thought it would. Seeing him look at me like that. The girl returned with some cleaning equipments just like as she promised. I excused myself and walked back inside the mansion. I wanted to find Maxmillian and have him take me home but I was unfortunate enough to bump into Dante and he p
Gianna/ Maxmillian rushed to me and caught me in his arms just before my legs gave out. “What happened to you?” The worry in his voice was the same as that on his face. I couldn't tell him. I just couldn't. “I… I just feel weak and dizzy. I think I'm sick…” It wasn't totally a lie. I did feel sick. I just wanted everything to end already. “Don't worry, baby. I'm going to get you a hospital. They will fix this, I promise,” Max assured me, rushing me to the car. But I knew no hospital could fix the way I was feeling now. I was just sick and tired of living like a puppet. Being under everyone's control. Why couldn't they just let me go? Why couldn't they understand that I am human too. I have feelings! I let myself drift off because it was depressing to even think about those things at this moment. If I'm lucky, this pain in my chest will knock me out. Just as I finished the thought, the darkness enveloped me. I don't know how long I slept but I woke up with a splitting headache
/-Kesley-/“We've given you more than enough time to pay your loans, Kes. The boss is getting impatient!” Ordell stated.He was a big muscular man and almost twice taller than I was.I proceeded to serve him a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, pretending that his presence didn't terrify me.“And I have told him to give me more time. It is only thirty million left. I already paid him fifty, he should know that I will pay him. I do not intend to owe him longer than necessarily,” I said.“It's been over three years, Kesley and all you could manage to pay was fifty million. Thirty million is still a huge amount of money to just throw away,” he said and I resisted the urge to glare at him.In his worthless miserable life, has he ever earned fifty million? He was just a mere debt collector, not even the owner of the money and he was running his mouth as if fifty million was easy to cough out.He picked up the glass and drank the juice of course. I sucked in a deep breath to calm mysel
Dante-/In a one-on-one fight, I knew I was no match against Maxmillan. He would crush me even before I thought of making a step and that was what made this whole thing annoying.I needed to get him out of my way and the only way to do that was through the one person he would never suspect.Gianna.He was so stupidly in love with her that I was certain he would give his life for her if it ever came down to that.I rolled my eyes. I still didn't see what was so special about her anyways. I have used and dumped that woman and I could confidently say that she was trash and deserved everything I did to her.She wa naive, stupid and gullible. That was all I needed to bring Max down. Instill a little fear in her and I could get whatever I wanted.“I know that mischievous smile. What have you done this time, Dante,” Piper appeared at the doorway.My smirk grew even wider.“After so long, we are finally on the verge of achieving everything we've ever wanted,” I announced, opening my arms wild
Gianna-/“You know you don't need to pack a thing,” Maxmillian said. “We can simply buy everything we need when we get there.”“I know, but I don't think there's a need of waste so much money when we could just pack everything we need,” I said.I knew he had the money and spending wouldn't really be a problem for him but I didn't really like the idea of lavish spending just because the money was there.“That's twelve suitcases,” Maxmillan muttered. “Way more than we need.”He got off where he was sitting and before I knew what was happening, he hugged me from behind, burying his face in my neck.“This is such a long boring process,” he whined. “Can't we just pack the necessities and get clothes over there? Besides, it's Hong Kong, it will be a lot more fun dressing like the residents than wearing outfits that scream tourists. That way, we won't get too much attention on us.”I smiled. “I must admit, your methods of persuasion is quite effective.”I dropped the cloth I was holding. “Yo
Gianna- /Maxmillan didn't let her talk. He sent her away and stormed inside. I was confused. I didn't understand what was going on.What was she trying to tell me? How deep was it that he couldn't tell me? Was it about me? So many questions were running through my mind and I was torn between going after her and going after Max.I wasn't stupid. I knew Kesley would try turn the story, whatever it was, in her favour and I didn't want that to happen.I followed him inside.“Max, wait…” I called after him but there was no response.He must be really pissed.I found Maxmillan in his office, his back turned to me as he stood by the window. His shoulders were tense, his hands curled into fists at his sides.“Max,” I said softly, stepping inside. “Talk to me.”“There’s nothing to talk about,” he muttered, his voice cold, distant.I frowned. “That’s not true, and you know it.”He exhaled sharply, still refusing to face me. “Kesley just wants to cause trouble, Gianna. That’s all she’s ever bee
/-Gianna-/“Helloooo HongKong!!!” I screamed the moment I stepped out of the jet. I was in China. My dream country. Finally!If anyone told me I would get here this soon, I would have argued with everything in me but now, it seemed like a fairytale.“I see someone is excited,” Maxmillan chuckled beside me. I looked at him with a smile that almost ripped my lips apart.All this was possible because of him.In that moment, I totally forgot about everything. The pain, the arguments, the insecurities. My whole being was just enveloped with pure happiness.This was the best thing that has ever happened to me.Maxmillan wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer as we descended the jet’s stairs. The cool Hong Kong breeze kissed my skin, and the city skyline shimmered in the distance. The rush of excitement in my veins was unlike anything I had ever felt.“I still can’t believe we’re actually here,” I whispered, looking around like a child in a candy store.“Well, believe it, baby,” M
Maxmillian-/This moment felt almost ethereal. Seeing her so happy did things to me that I didn't even believe were possible.“It's an actual pool,” she squealed, pulling her leg out of the water. She straightened, bouncing with excitement. “Somebody say diveeeeee!!”I laughed as the water splashed on me. This woman was doing things to me and she didn't even know it.“What are you waiting for? Come in!!” She yelled and I took off my bathrobe slowly. I would prefer to just stand out here and watch her but Gianna most likely wasn't going to take that.I got in the pool and swam to her. “It's surprisingly warm. It feels like a hot water bath,” I noted.“I bet that was the original idea. How did you even discover a place like this?” She asked while I circled her idly.“I don't know… the newspaper?” I asked. Her lips curled and she attacked me.“Are you trying to be sarcastic with me, huh?” She splashed the water in my face. “Say that again!”I laughed, swimming away from her but she chase
Melody-/Maxmillian rushed Gianna to the hospital with me in the car. It was a struggle to keep my smirk hidden. I wasn't bothered about getting caught because the poison I used was completely undetectable. No matter what kind of tests the doctors ran, they would never know what caused it.Which meant they would only say it was stress and all that nonsense they usually said to assure their patients.Maxmillian and I were waiting in the lobby and I could see the way he paraded the place. I felt a little bad seeing him so worried but there was nothing I could do about it.I tried to tell him countless times that Gianna was not good for him. My mother died trying to prove that to him and I wasn't going to let it go to waste like that.Even if it was the last thing I did, I would make sure that Maxmillian doesn't end up with that golddigger.“You need to calm down, Max. You are going to develop high blood pressure if you continue like this,” I said bit my words seemed to fall on deaf ea
Melody-/She must be a big fool to think that I actually wanted peace. It was all my idea to play nice inorder for my plan to work.And it was quite simple.Poison Gianna. Make her lose that stupid baby she was using to tie Max down.As I assisted with the basic things for cooking, I searched desperately for an opportunity for her to leave but she wouldn't leave. She was right there till she finished cooking.Even Max joined us.I knew then that I had only one shot left. Serve the food. Which was why I insisted on serving the food. Just so that she could leave.I returned to the kitchen and opened the top cabinet slowly, careful not to make noise. Hidden behind the neatly stacked bowls was a small vial I had tucked away days ago. It wasn’t lethal, no, that would be too obvious. Just strong enough to cause cramping, pain, and hopefully a miscarriage.I poured a few drops into one of the plates while my hand trembled slightly, not from guilt, but from adrenaline. Timing was everything.
/-Gianna-/I went to the kitchen to make something for him to eat. I was certain that he hadn't eaten all day.As I prepped the ingredients to cook, Melody walked into the kitchen. I groaned inwardly. I really wasn't in the mood to deal with her tantrums.“Need help?” She asked suddenly, surprising me. I blinked. I didn't expect her to ask that question out of the blue.“Why?” I blurted.“Do you need help or not?” She frowned. I nodded because I did help. I could manage on my own but an extra hand would make things faster for me.“Good! Then I'll help you!” She said.I was too stunned to speak. There has to be something wrong. Melody didn't like me for any reason. I thought with her mother's death, she might have changed especially since Maxmillian was housing her now but she proved to be nothing but a snake.Acting harmless in his face and turned to a jar of spikes when he was gone. So this… this was indeed shocking.“What do you need help with?” She asked but I couldn't even answer
/-Gianna-/Maxmillan came home with a grim expression lacing on his face and just that was already a turn off. As he walked in, my eyes hovered around his legs as they moved and then to his waist, they stayed firm and calling. I groaned in frustration as these days, I barely get any time with him—he was always chasing ghosts or more deadlier, mostly in the form of his brother.I bit my lips as I pressed my gaze just to his face when our eyes locked unto each other and in that spiraling moment, the world seemed to still and wait for our cue.I didn’t break contact, I held up as the tension reduced and there, I saw something in his body shift. His body was no longer rigid or shoulder tensed like he had come in earlier, they dropped and he softened as every peak of his eyes seemed to lit up like some crying toddler whose mom just gave in to his demand.And the way he stared — it was heaven as it suddenly made the room look magical. His gaze fell and while I tried to meet it, it felt like
/-Maxmillian-/My phone rang and I was surprised to see Doctor Ellie calling. She was the one in charge of the autopsy on the Matriarch’s corpse.Her call was the very thing I had been waiting for, for days now. This could change everything.If I could prove that the Matriarch didn’t die from a terminal disease, then the Council would be forced to investigate her death. And God help Eric if he was responsible for it. He would see a different side of hell, one he never knew existed.I swiped the answer button.“Good day, Doctor Ellie. Are the autopsy results out?” I asked. Melody, who was seated beside me, turned to look, her eyes narrowing with concern.“Yes, the results are out,” Ellie said, her voice serious but low. “Could you stop by the hospital when you’re chanced? There’s something important I’d like you to see… in person.”I didn’t hesitate. “I’ll be there in ten.”Whatever Declan needed could wait. This was what it had all come down to.“Alright. I’ll be waiting,” she said an
Chapter 110/-Eric-/“What?!” I gasped. “How could he have been stupid enough to get caught? Did he give names?”I was already on my feet, pacing the floor of my penthouse office. Jasper stood a few feet away, stiff as a soldier, eyes fixed on the floor. He didn’t answer fast enough, and I turned on him.“Well?”He cleared his throat. “No names, sir. But the Zurich server was accessed, just before the wipe was completed. Someone pulled the backup files remotely.”I cursed under my breath and shoved a stack of papers off the desk. They scattered like snow.So that was how they were doing it.Dante and that woman… Piper. I should’ve known she wasn’t just going to disappear quietly. She looked like the kind to break, not bite. I had misjudged her, and now she was back with Dante, sharpening his sword.“They know,” I muttered, more to myself than anyone. “They have enough to trace the money. The foundations. The shell companies. That’s why they’re being so damn quiet.”Jasper flinched at
/-Piper-/I returned home to find Dante waiting for me. “What happened?” I asked worriedly, hurrying to him. “I talked to Gianna and…”“This isn't about Gianna, Piper! It's about my business! My company. My manager called me this morning, he found the mole. You won't believe who has been behind the downfall of my company!” He gritted. “Maxmillan?” I guessed. “No, if it were Maxmillan, it would have been better but he doesn't have the time to go around scheming how to bring people down. It's fucking Eric North!” I was dumbfounded. Of course the man I was fucking cheating on my husband with was the orchestrator of his downfall. How the hell did I not see that coming?My jaw was literally on the floor. “I am going to have a fucking long talk with that bastard! He will pay for everything he has done to me! I was going him deceiving you slide for a while but it's obvious that he wants war!” I stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “Dante, wait. You can’t just go after him like
/-Piper-/“So what do we do now?” I asked him. “Do about what?” Dante asked me. “If this is about Eric then forget…”“I am not talking about Eric,” i spat his name in disgust. The bastard's name simply irritated me now. Thinking of it now, I couldn't believe I stooped so low to allow myself to be fooled by him. “I'm talking about Maxmillan. Remember the case with Gianna's parents? He told us to tune ourselves in and we both know we can't do that,” I said and Dante let out a sigh. “Right! I almost forgot about that. A lot of things are just happening at once. It's hard to focus,” he said and I felt a little sad I was one of the reasons for that. “You were right. I should have gotten rid of her when I had the chance now she is back to bite us in the ass.” “I think we should try begging her,” I said and he frowned instantly. “Beg who?” He huffed. “That thing? She should be the one begging me!” “Now is not the time for arrogance, Dante. Don't forget she is Maxmillian's wife. He wil
/-Piper-/I stared at Dante’s message longer than I should have. The words were harsh, meant to make me cower, but deep down, I knew Dante. I knew that no matter how furious he was, no matter how many mistakes I’d made, he still loved me.The realization hit me like a weight to the chest. Maybe I didn’t deserve it, but I had to go back. I couldn’t let everything I had with him slip away because of my confusion.I wanted to believe that the mess I’d made could still be fixed. I thought that if I apologized, if I explained the pain, the fear I had been running from, Dante would listen. He always did before, right? He would hear me out. He would understand that I was lost, that I didn’t know where to turn.I kept replaying the conversation with Eric in my head. How he had looked at me, his eyes dark with irritation when I mentioned leaving Dante. How he had shrugged me off, his smile never quite reaching his eyes when I spoke of love.Eric wasn’t the answer. I had let him be a distractio