"Oh, I'm bad." Bruce smirked. "Just that you don't know how bad I've become.""I just want you to find a girl. Any girl. Just make sure she gives you a child that can inherit your property.""I can adopt a child," Bruce said as a matter of fact and Mr. Archibald frowned. "It's better you have yours.""You're not the one to tell me what or what not to do.""I mean the best for you. Get married. Don't make me force you to get married.""No lady in her right senses would be willing to marry me. She would go through hell," Bruce said"Well, Hugh Steele had indicated interest in becoming your father in law. I heard his daughter feels the same and you—""Just stop." Bruce frowned. "If I ever get married, Tricia would never be part of the list. She is pure evil.""Well that makes the both of you," Mr. Archibald said, rolling his eyes.Bruce turned to him abruptly. "Thought you said I was only pretending to be bad.""You just told me you aren't. That I don't even have an idea of how bad you ar
Bruce rushed into the building to see that the gunshots had stopped and that everyone had left the thugs.Bruce noticed that the thugs were surrounding someone and when he took a good look, he saw that the person they surrounded was Claire. They were about seven of them and Claire was sprawled on the floor looking half dead. Bruce figured that they had beaten her up.Bruce's eyes widened in terror, wondering if the thugs had targeted Claire and if they did, why did they do so?As soon as the thugs noticed his presence, one of them lunged forward."Nothing should happen to him. That was the order," one of the thugs said. "Let's just leave this place."In less than a minute, they all fled the building."Claire." Bruce placed a finger under her nose to check if she was still breathing. He wasn't.He panicked. He placed his other hand on her chest and realized that her heart was still beating. Bruce sighed, relieved to know that Claire was still breathing."Let's take her to a hospital."B
"Hugh Steele," Bruce snarled immediately he got out of the car. "Come out with Mr. Archibald this very moment.""Hugh Steele. Son of a demon.""That's not a very good way to address your father in law.Bruce scowled at both father and child as soon as they walked out of the house."Where is Mr. Archibald?" Bruce snarled."I'm with him. What would you do about that?" Hugh Steele asked."I'd make sure you rot in jail if you don't provide him this very moment," Bruce threatened. Hugh Steele laughed. "You're the richest, we get it, but are you the most powerful. I have tons of connections. You, on the other hand are hated by everyone. You can try, but you can't harm me.""Just tell me where Mr. Archibald is." Bruce gritted his teeth."I would give him to you myself," Hugh Steele said, grinning. "Well, that is if you get married to my Tricia."Tricia, who had been standing next to her father the wh
Claire stopped walking to breathe.She looked around. She was certain that there were rooms in the mansion that had been left unchecked, but she was tired already."Why would someone build a house this big for a family that isn't up to twenty?" Claire asked herself. "The maids are ten times more than the family members. What does one person need ten maids for?"It was the second time she was seeing a house as big as this. The first time was when she visited Cole at the Fulton's mansion.She frowned as soon as she remembered his name. She did not want to remember him. Claire heard loud chattering from the maids and as soon as she did, she grabbed the broom she sighted leaning on the wall and began to sweep gently. When they got closer, she looked down to avoid them getting a glimpse of her face."Did you hear what I heard?" A maid began."If you don't tell us what you heard, how would we know what you heard?" Another maid asked and the rest of the maids agreed."What did you hear?" Ano
Archibald heaved a sigh of frustration.The last thing he wanted was to be a villain in Bruce's story. Bruce needed an heir. If he didn't get one, all his hardwork and that of his ancestors would be in vain.Mr. Archibald shook his head. There was no way he would let that happen. "Claire," Archibald called out softly and walked towards her like he was about to say words that would convince her to agree with him."You have to act like you have not seen me. It's for Bruce's good.""Tricia? Bruce's good?" Claire scoffed. "I disagree."Mr. Archibald shrugged. "That's okay if you say so.""I'm glad you—" Claire fell to the ground before she could complete the sentence. Mr. Archibald looked at his left hand which he used in giving her a carotid strike slightly below her jaw."I hope I don't regret this," he muttered to himself softly. He looked at the door to the room that was widely opened, rushed to it, slammed it shut and locked it.He leaned back on the door and heaved a sigh of frust
"Stop her," Hugh Steele snarled, seeing that Claire was about to stop the wedding.Immediately, two men began to rush toward Claire."Don't you dare touch her," Bruce snarled and the men froze. Seeing that she had gotten permission from Bruce himself, Claire rushed to Bruce.Tricia threw her hand toward Claire's hair in an attempt to drag her away, but before she could, Bruce caught her hand in mid air and threw it away.Claire was very close to Bruce now. She drew closer to him and whispered something into his ear. Bruce countenance changed. He was visibly angry. Without paying attention even to the priest, Bruce rushed from the alter to the front door, then out of the building with Claire following suit, leaving behind a confused congregation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~"What are you doing?" Mr. Archibald asked, annoyed at how Rex had tricked and trapped him. "You told me that you were willing to help me. Did you not say you would take me to somewhere hidden until the wedding is over. Why are w
"Do you have anyone in mind?" Mr. Archibald frowned. His frowning face morphed to a look of frustration. "Do you even have any woman in your life apart from that nosy P. A. of yours?"Mr. Archibald turned to Claire and frowned. "Do you think you were doing him good? You only made the matter worse? Those guys out there wants the name Ace to die and you helped them.""I can always adopt a child," Bruce said dryly."Like it's that easy. Do you think these people don't keep tabs on you? Do you think they won't know if you try to adopt a child and won't try to sabotage that plan? Seems like you don't know what you're up against.""I don't need you to tell me what to do," Bruce Ace snarled and Mr. Archibald smiled sadly."You do," Mr. Archibald pointed out. "You already know how cold this world is. In a cold world like this, you need people who truly love you behind your back. Sadly, these people are rare to find. Now, you're pushing one away.""You were trying to trick me into marrying the
"Sir, I heard something about you and Claire being betrothed a long time ago. You were both in love and had almost gotten married," Rex said immediately they stepped into Bruce's compound."Why are you suddenly saying this?""I wanted to know if it's true, because if it is, are you sure your plan would work without feelings springing up—""We never loved each other. I thought I did and I thought she did but I was wrong.""So you're saying—""Just mind your business," Bruce said sternly. He looked forward to the door before him and pushed the door open."Are you done making a whore your wife?" Claire, who was seated on the sofa, asked and Bruce glared at her."The earlier you workers know your place, the better."Claire rolled her eyes."There are tons of respectable women out there, despite how you feel that all women are a bunch of deceivers. You could have picked any of them but no, you decided to go for a whore." "Why are you being stereotypical? They are humans like you, aren't t