Beverley's eyes widened with a mix of shock and intrigue. If those two rascals, Kane and William, could pull off magic tricks, she
definitely had to learn a thing or two from them.
Springing up from the couch, she announced, “I'm off to find Kane and William.”
As her figure receded, Aurelia's lips curled into a teasing smile, “When Beverley gets wind of the truth, she's gonna be so steamed
she’ll want to take a swing at William.”
Leopold sipped his tea, his eyes contemplative. Once Geoffrey was out of the picture, William could finally drop the charade and be
himself again.
In a secluded valley, hidden from the prying eyes of the world, sat a secret estate perched on the edge of a cliff.
On the balcony, a man lounged in a wrought iron pachair, indifferently savoring his drink. He was tall and lean, with an
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtunsettling pallor. His features were devilishly handsome, exuding an air of sinister allure.
He reveled in the chilly winds that swept up from the ravine, which lent his delicate, almost effeminate visage an extra touch of icy
malevolence as if he were a vampire lord who had lain dormant for centuries.
A woman approached him, “Boss, everything is in place for the battle. We're sure to beat Leopold this time.”
The man, Geoffrey, let a sly, almost diabolical smile play across his lips, “If it weren't for that fool, Skyler, betraying us, Leopold
would have been six feet under by now.”
“Mr. Skyler got seduced by Aurelia’s silver tongue. That woman has a way of wrapping people around her finger,” the woman
remarked.
Geoffrey popped a cherry into his mouth, a shiver of murderous intent radiating from within him, “A fefatale if ever there was
one. If she had died earlier, how would Leopold have had the heart to fight me?”
"That woman is Leopold's Achilles heel." The woman said.
“Luck's always been on her side, surviving a bomb and a fall into the ocean. It's not easy to take her out. Now that AK Group is in
dire straits, we can't afford a drawn-out battle. It has to be swift and decisive.”
Ever since Tanya was confined to that isolated island, he had lost her financial backing and couldn't afford a war of attrition.
After a pause, his voice dropped an octave, “Any word on Tanya?”
“No,” the woman shook her head, “Our people have been scouring the Caribbean, searching numerous islands, but there's still no
sign of her.”
A dark, ominous glint flashed in Geoffrey's eyes. “Keep looking.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
“The sea is vast, like searching for a needle in a haystack. It would be much easier if we had exact coordinates,” the woman said.
Geoffrey was acutely aware. He was certain Skyler knew the whereabouts of Tanya. But Skyler had been bewitched by Aurelia and
had no intention of rescuing her, a fool, a blight on the family.
If he'd known Skyler would becsuch an obstacle, he'd have taken care of him when he was a child. There were many times
he'd wanted to because Skyler was born into the lap of luxury as the darling of the Heninger family, while he, like a mole, had to
hide in the shadows, almost unknown.
Subject to rigorous training, Tanya intended to mold him into a heartless assassin. From a young age, he was forbidden from
forming attachments. The pets he'd secretly nurtured were cruelly forced from him, and if he showed hesitation, he'd be locked
away without food or water.
Despite all the hardships he endured, Skyler never faced. While he lived in the shadows, Skyler basked in the carefree life,
indulging in pleasures and festivities. Every holiday, and every birthday, Skyler received gifts and money.
But he had never known the joy of receiving a gift and had never celebrated a birthday. He had never been taught what love was.