Chapter 3

Chapter 3

How could one's own kith and kin be the backstabbers? Mollie often turned blue eyed when she looked at Collins. She should have taken the hint. No doubt she happened to be the witch of her Cinderella story. 

"Is everything okay with you?" The doctor asked her with sympathy. His information seemed to be like a suspense thriller movie. The doctor looked compassionate but helpless. “This is the hospital run by Sherlyn. I am nobody to have a say in your family matters. But being your friend and well-wisher I may have to add though it would sound painful to you, the rights Mollie has in this hospital, you don't. She can command anything from anyone and they have to oblige her if they want to keep their jobs. Many even don't know you are the real owner. If you don't mind and call me an intruder, I would add you better sort out your ownership rights with this hospital through law before it's too late.

Dr Hector doesn't know the whole story. There in the will of her grandfather, Travis Greenfield already knew his daughter was in troubled waters. So he did not directly transfer the hospital rights to her mother, Renee. She only was the custodian until Juliet turns twenty one or gets married whichever comes first. But because Renee is in prison and Juliet is unmarried the hospital functionality went into the hands of Sherlyn.

Juliet knows she needed to be alert before Sherlyn snatched away everything from her. But for that she needed to wait for another year as marriage was out of cards. She will be twenty one only by next September.

"I'm fine Dr. Hector." Her voice was too small, hardly reaching her own ears. She was angry, agitated and devastated. 

Juliet took a long staggered breath and walked out of the hospital determined to challenge the music she was facing.

However her test wasn't yet over. Before reaching the cab a flamboyantly dressed red-haired woman stopped her. "Ms Juliet Greenfield?" She did not wait for her to reply. "Please come with me and fill the surrogacy contract."

Juliet was confused but she listened to her because she wanted to see where this evil master plan of Mollie was leading her to. Until she reaches the root she will not be able to find the medicine to destroy it. "Your stepsister Mollie informed me that you got successfully pregnant with the artificial insemination."

Juliet only nodded to her because she wanted to know more. "I have already paid one million dollars to her for it. Now the only thing left for you is to give birth and hand over the child to me." She added smugly.

"What?" Juliet's patience broke after her last sentence. The anger in her was uncontrollable. "Who is Mollie to give away my child to you? The child is mine." Juliet's statement came out established and with rule. "The decision to keep the child or give it away stays with me." Juliet blew her ears like the gospel truth in her ears.

"Remember young lady, you are going against Ries Holdings." She sneered, giving her an ultimatum. 

"Ries Holdings?" Juliet’s eyes narrowed. “Who are Ries?”

The lady looked at her like she was seeing an Egyptian mummy from the museum and handed her mobile. “Type the name and you will know.”Juliet swiped through the computer and two seconds later she wished the earth swallowed her away. 

Ries are the most reputed billionaire business family all over Central America. They have a chain of hotels, pubs and Casinos. But it's not the end of their story. Under the table they are the most dangerous mafia empire who are no less than deathly vampires. Even toddlers know how pernicious they are because when the mothers have to narrate stories to their children about evil doers, the Ries are the first in the list. 

Among the Ries brothers, Nickolas Ries, CEO of Ries family wines, is the most maleficent. He is noted as the most notorious, cold hearted businessman, playboy and a heartless monster of the American mafia, Black eagles. He rules the mob empire with an iron fist and kills people with not an iota of compunction. Nevertheless not a single case is filed against him till date which is an enigma. 

Goosebumps rolled on her skin in trepidation, no sooner did she hear the name 'Ries'. The lady's looks stated she wasn't playing. Casually, she slipped her business card into her pocket. "Think about it carefully. He is the man you are going to deal with. Be in Ries Holdings headquarters tomorrow morning by nine." She cautioned her and walked away before gesturing to the card.

Juliet took the business card into her sweaty hands and then everything around her went to a standstill. "Nickolas Ries, CEO Ries Holdings." 

****

Abandoned. Deserted. Unwanted. All those words ran through Juliet’s head as she dragged her suitcase to the apartment of her only friend available in the city. 

“Jules? You here? Weren't you going to be engaged to Collins tonight? Or, have I messed up with the dates?” Savannah asked her flabbergasted. Her eyes immediately on the calendar hung on the wall beside her.

Juliet burst into a cry hugging Savannah. She told her everything starting from cancelation of the engagement to her suspenseful pregnancy.  

“Oh my God you are carrying the baby of Nikolas Ries?” Savannah asked, horrified. “The one who kills within a blink of the eye?”

Juliet gulped heavily. “Do not frighten me more than I already am.” She plodded back to the living area and slumped down on the sofa. 

“Maybe you could try to convince him that you had no involvement with the dirty game Mollie played with you.” Savannah suggested 

“I don’t think he will agree to it. He had already paid one million to Mollie. If she wanted Collins, she could have just lured him into the engagement but why did she pull me into this Mafia shit?” 

It is the worst period of her life. Juliet realized she was so out of touch and wrapped up in her own problems that she didn't recognize a known face when she saw one.

“Don’t do anything stupid! You're not here to accept defeat because he is a mobster. Go and find out from Ries on why he got you pregnant? He can’t take your baby against your wishes.” Savannah was the only person who supported her and stayed with her in her damp time.

However Juliet does not know that once she fell in the eyes of Nikolas Ries, nothing about her life was in her hands.