Loretta took in a sharp breath beside Wayne as the dangerous looking men surrounded them.
But he didn't look bothered, he only handed Elsa back to her mother with a calm face.
“Elsa, can you go to your room now, Mummy will be up with you in a few minutes.” Loretta tried to get the girl away from all the chaos.
“Okay, daddy. You’ll visit us tomorrow, right.”
“Hmm.” Wayne nodded, his heart fluttering as Elsa leaned in to peck him, running off towards the lift.
Gary walked up to the stage. “Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for all inconveniences caused by this stranger and since the party is over we implore everyone to kindly take their leave.”
The guests sighed in disappointment, they were going to miss the interesting show about to unfold.
The Moore's were smart enough to handle family matters in private.
Ashton ushered all the guests out until only close relatives of the Moore family were left- Anna and her 2 sons- Gary and Jared, their wives, children and a few members of extended family.
“I have no idea who you are young man, but you're not welcome here!" Anna lashed out at him immediately.
Wayne only chuckled. “Quit the pretense, Grandma. Everyone has left. You don't need to pretend like you don't recognize me.”
“What?” Gary butted in, more confident now that no one was here to see him misbehave. “How dare you speak to my mother like that? Do you have a death wish?” He raised his hands to hit Wayne.
"You're the one with the death wish if that hand dares to touch me!” Wayne fired back, pinning Gary with an icy warning glare.
Gary felt a shiver run down his spine and couldn't dare to hit him.
The boy standing in front of him wasn't the same timid and easy going Wayne Costa of 4 years ago.
“What're you waiting for, Gary? Hit the life out of him!” Aleena yelled from behind. “You rascal! How dare you show up at Mother's party without fear, you were supposed to have died back then!”
“Who's this man anyway? Loretta's husband was quite wealthy, not like this poorly dressed and underfed man!” A young girl of about 20 years spoke up.
Wayne glanced at Fedora, Gary's loud mouthed daughter.
She still looked the same, with her short hair and big malicious eyes.
“Fedora! How dare you speak to an elder like that?” Loretta scolded her.
“What elder?” Fedora scoffed. “Do you mean this miserly mechanic?”
Loretta gasped in shock, glancing at Aleena who didn't bother to correct her daughter's lack of manners, even though she was hell bent on disciplining Elsa just now.
"Grandma," She whined, expecting Anna to help her.
"You idiot! Fedora is right, I can't believe you still choose to take this man's side after he abandoned you 4 years ago."
"That's my issue to deal with, but I won't let anyone speak ill of my husband while I’m standing here." Loretta insisted so firmly that even Wayne was shocked.
He didn't expect her to stand up for him in front of the whole family.
"Loretta, you're really getting dumber every day, aren’t you?" Aleena lashed at her. "Do you know how many ladies wish to be as pretty as you are? Why are you still calling this loser your husband?" Aleena shook her head.
“That's enough!” Anna bellowed, turning to face Wayne.
"Get out of this hall and never return. Is that clear? And I'm gonna let you go only if you kneel and apologize to me!”
“What?” Wayne scoffed.
Loretta's face paled. “Grandma, you can't do this. Wayne was only here to see me and Elsa. He didn’t mean to-”
“You saw him insult me just now, right?” Anna asked angrily.
“Grandma, please.” Loretta hurried to grab her arms. “Let him go for mine and Elsa’s sakes, please.”
“Get away from me, you unfilial child!” Anna pushed her away so violently that she tumbled to the floor.
Wayne rushed over to catch Loretta right before she hit the floor. "How dare you push my wife?" He yelled.
"Wayne." Loretta gripped his shirt to stop him. "No need to make Grandma more annoyed, I'll plead with her on your behalf, just find a way to escape without getting hurt." She whispered.
Wayne was touched by the amount of care in her eyes for him.
He helped her up and anger surged through him when he saw the scars on her arms.
Loretta must have been maltreated by this cruel family during the past 4 years.
No one knew why Anna hated Julian, her 2nd son who was Loretta’s father.
She hated Julian to the extent that she got him thrown in jail for crimes he didn’t commit, always taking out the anger on his daughter.
The only reason they still kept Loretta around was to be able to marry her off to a rich man and get all the benefits.
Wayne had discovered this, even before they got married but Loretta was just too blind to see it, thinking her family really cared about her.
"I’m warning you for the last time, anyone that dares to lay a finger on my wife or daughter again would surely regret it!"
A shiver ran down everyone's spine at the dominant look in Wayne's eyes. He looked like he could kill anyone at that instant.
“What can a loser like you do?” Nikki, Jared’s girlfriend, spoke up for the first time, despite the fear in the atmosphere.
“You're nothing but a loser that disappeared after getting married to Loretta, only to appear now. Let me tell you, you would never be accepted into this family! Stay away from us or Mother won't be kind enough to spare you!”
“That’s right, you good for nothing! If you want to leave this hall alive go down on your knees and apologize to mother right now!” Gary ordered.
Wayne chuckled at the look on his face. “Stop acting like you're too important, Gary. You should work how to stop being an hypocrite!”
After stealing his father's assets, they dare to call him good for nothing?
“What?” Gary's face turned red from rage, he lurched forward to hit Wayne but his mother stopped him right on time.
“Are you going to apologize before I break your bones?”
Loretta grabbed her hands in anguish. “Grandma, please. For the sake of Elsa. Don't do this.”
Anna yanked her arms away, signaling a bodyguard. “Get her away from here!”
“If you dare to touch her!” Wayne faced the bodyguards head-on. “I can assure you won't be able to grip anything with those hands again!”
Anna went mad with fury. “What're you waiting for? Break his bones!”
Just then, there was a commotion at the door and several men dressed in black stormed in.
“Mr Sidney is here.” Ashton hurried to inform them.“The Brooks’ private butler is here?” Gary gasped in amazement.The Brooks were the 1st most powerful family here in Las Vegas. The patriarch, Alex Brooks was a very hard man to please.The Moore's had been trying to make deals with him all to no avail, but now he's sending his butler over.Gary was so excited that he momentarily forgot about Wayne, making his way to the front door, his mother and others trailing behind him."Hello, Mr Sidney. It's nice to have you here!" Gary greeted the man enthusiastically like they'd known each other for years.“I would have prepared a grand welcome for you if you'd informed us that you were going to attend my party, sire.” Anna added with a wide smile.“I'm not here to attend your party!” Sidney lashed out at them. “I'm only here to deliver these gifts sent to Miss Moore.”“What?” Everyone was stunned.“Mr Brooks asked me to deliver these gifts personally.” Sidney added, gesturing his men to bri
The man emanated a fierce aura that he could even snap each of their necks off without blinking. Each of the guards took fearful steps backwards.“There’s no need for all that, Mark. I was just leaving.” Wayne replied."Who said you could leave without making that apology, punk? Seems you have a death wish!" Gary hollered at him. "And who the hell is this clown you brought, he must be your lackey begging for crumbs just like you are!" Mark flew into a rage. "Wayne, who the fuck is this old idiot sprouting nonsense? Do you want me to break his neck?""Calm down." Wayne shot a fierce gaze at Gary and he cowered behind his mother."Are you willing to consider another marriage proposal?" Anna faced Loretta to ask."Y. . .Yes Grandma."Anna turned to face Wayne. "You're lucky your wife saved you today. Next time, I won't be so gracious to let you leave in one piece, hurry up and get lost!"Mark wanted to retaliate, but Wayne stopped him, deciding to leave the battle for another day.He'd
“I had no idea you were coming, Mr Costa, please forgive me for not coming to receive you right on time!” Henry cowered guiltily, bowing in front of Wayne.The guests in the lobby gasped in shock. Why would the General Manger bow down to someone dressed in mechanic clothes? Could this man be the Ghost CEO?A shiver ran down the spine of the guards at the thought that this man they just insulted could be the CEO. Thinking in the same line, Jad took the courage to walk up to Henry. “Mr Hafford, what’re you doing? He’s just a miserly mechanic that came to beg for scraps, why are you treating him so reverently?”“What?” Henry raised his fists to smack Jad across the face. The slap was so resounding that the lobby fell into silence.“Did you just call Mr Costa a miserly mechanic? Do you have an idea who he is?” Henry raged out in anger.He’d been trying his best to impress Wayne with his managerial skills and convince him, only for his staffs to end up treating him badly.“I. . .I’m sorr
The Porsche drove into the gates of Wayne's luxurious mansion to stop in the garage, between the Lexus and the Mercedes Benz.Wayne stepped down from the car, still a little apprehensive. His mind was still gnawing around the fact that he had a daughter with Loretta.He hadn't imagined that the brief time they stayed together before he disappeared could foster a child.But then seeing her made him want to hug her tight and protect her from all sort of pain in this life.He looked around, the house had a very big field with a fountain and a swimming pool at the back.Wayne walked up the stairs with Mark beside him.4 days ago, when he was planning his trip back, he'd contacted a real estate realtor to get a house for him with high security.This house was the only one suitable, located in BirdsView Estate, one of the most expensive housing estates in Las Vegas.Wayne hadn't had time to go in and through it but he knew it contained 20 rooms, 3 sitting rooms and others.But glancing roun
“I’m going nowhere.” Wayne replied coldly, picking up his luggage and making his way to the center of the room, pausing to glance at the artworks on the wall.None of the cushions, nor furniture, paintings of even artworks that were originally placed by his father had been changed. The Moore’s were really shameless!He thought back and wondered what his father saw in them to become friends with the then helmsman, Mathias.Mathias was a straightforward and honest man but he suddenly died of stroke and was secretly buried a day later, making Wayne wonder what else the Moore’s were hiding especially that woman.“How dare you walk into this house uninvited? Does it look like we welcome every beggar on the street? It would be better you walk out with your miserable legs before we break them for you!” Nikki was outraged when she returned and met Wayne staring down at contempt at the family pictures on the wall.Wayne paid no heed to her words, he only turned to give her a sinister smile. “Y
Wayne only chuckled and balanced Elsa on his legs. “This is my father’s house so I’m going nowhere.”“Really? Daddy? You’re going to be staying with us for a while?” Elsa raised her head up to ask.“Yes, Princess.”“Elsa!” Anna scowled immediately, a bitter sensation rising up her throat cause of the loving father daughter relationship playing out between them.“Get away from that man this instant!”“No.” Elsa looked back at Anna with teary eyes. “He’s my Daddy and I won’t leave him.”All of them stared wide eyes at Elsa, wondering when she got the audacity to talk back at her Grandma.“You can’t blame the little brat, Loretta has always been bias towards teaching her manners!” Aleena rolled her eyes angrily. “Her mother is the kind of person that wouldn’t hesitate to backbite the whole family. So I can imagine her daughter refusing to listen because of a bastard!”“Elsa, dear.” Fedora tried to coax her away from him. She was the only one that spoke softly to Elsa in the whole family,
“Aunt,” Loretta sighed tiredly. “I can’t-”“You can’t do what?” Nikki snorted aloud. “You can’t get married to Brad Brooks? Is that what you’re saying, Loretta? I can’t believe you would dare to refuse Mother’s orders. Have you forgotten I helped you keep your horrible secrets?”Loretta’s face paled. “Nikki, there’s no need for-“Anna flipped her cold gaze on Nikki. “What are you talking about?”“Loretta’s restaurant has run into loads of debt!” She spat out the secret without thinking twice. “The reason why she rushed out earlier was to try to stop Mike Taylor from vandalizing her kitchen equipment!” “What?” Everyone’s gaze zeroed in on Loretta.Before Loretta got married to Wayne, she already had a restaurant that was doing quite well, but after he left, she got affected psychologically and the business suffered. Gary offered to help her manage it and placed one of his friends there but the place only got worse because the man embezzled all the money and escaped.The news made Lore
Wayne bent to pick her up, wiping the tears that had formed at the side of her eyes, she must have been listening to the whole conversation all along. He nuzzled her hair, his daughter was the only one that wanted him.Loretta’s eyes glazed over when she saw how much her precious daughter was clinging to him. Elsa had always suffered bullying in school, wherever she went she was always accused of being the jinx that made her father abandon them.Her poor daughter wasn’t even spared by her own family members, Aleena and Nikki wouldn’t fail to lash out at her, reminding her of her father abandonment at every little occasion.Loretta felt so bitter in her heart. The best thing she could do was not take Wayne away from her again.Gray harrumphed in disgust. “Mother, what’s all these drama going on here? Why haven’t you thrown this piece of garbage out of the mansion?”“Exactly! The sight of this man makes me want to throw up,” Fedora seconded her father. “How can someone be so poorly dres