Chapter One Hundred And SixHenry’s phone buzzed, displaying an address to a hotel in the upscale district of the capital. The message was short, simply, “Meet here at 8 PM.” Henry sighed, glancing around at the last patch of grass he had yet to cut. Work had kept him grounded, his mind clear, and now this request from Lea felt intrusive, like a whisper from a past he’d tried to leave behind.He shook off the thought and returned to work, feeling the burn in his arms as he swung the scythe with rhythmic precision. As the evening shadows began to stretch across the mansion grounds, he heard his phone ring again. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he picked it up.“Hello?”“Mr. Henry?” came a formal voice. “I am your driver. I’m here to take you to meet Miss Léa.”Henry sighed. Jasmine was still at work, and he doubted she’d be back anytime soon. He showered, letting the hot water soothe his muscles, and then changed into a crisp shirt and dark pants, something that looked respectabl
Chapter One Hundred And Seven Henry shook his head firmly, his voice low but resolute. “Léa, I can’t do this. I’m married, and I respect my wife too much to betray her.”Léa’s smile only widened, a glint of amusement in her eyes as she leaned in closer. “Oh, Henry, it doesn’t have to matter. Your wife doesn’t have to know, does she? I mean, it looks like you haven’t had… a little excitement in a while, handsome.”He flinched at her words, a pang hitting him because she was partially right. But his resolve was unshakable. “It’s not about that. I’m against cheating, Léa. Infidelity goes against everything I believe in. If this is why you called me here, then I’ll be taking my leave.”Léa’s face faltered, just for a split second, as his words struck a nerve. Her lips tightened, and for a brief moment, a flash of disbelief crossed her face. Never before had a man refused her. She cleared her throat, her tone suddenly sharper, masking her embarrassment with a cold, detached edge.“Well
Chapter One Hundred And Eught Henry shifted uneasily, his mind racing with doubts as he eyed the towering structure in front of them. Just as he was about to voice his concerns, Léa glanced over her shoulder, rolling her eyes in exasperation.“Relax, Henry,” she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. “I’m not going to kidnap you. Frankly, you’re too useless for that. Do you even have anyone who’d bother to bail you out? With the way your father-in-law treats you like garbage?”Henry flinched, her words hitting harder than he cared to admit. Before he could respond, Léa placed her palm on a seemingly empty section of the wall, and with a low mechanical hum, a hidden door slid open. A blast of cool air hit them, carrying the scent of polished metal and money.They stepped into a high-ceilinged chamber, and Henry’s eyes widened. Everywhere he looked, rows upon rows of neatly stacked money filled metal racks, each bundle pristine and secured. The sheer scale of wealth was overwhelm
Chapter One Hundred And Nine “Father," Léa insisted, her voice sharp but laced with reassurance. "Everything will be fine. I trust Henry."The older man’s gaze hardened, his lips curling slightly. "And if I don’t get a good feeling about him, or if anything goes wrong?"Léa shrugged casually. "Then you can just kill him off. No big deal. He’s trash. I doubt anyone will give a damn about his whereabouts, especially since we’re in a foreign country."Henry stiffened, the cold indifference in her tone slicing through him. The father turned, fixing Henry with a chilling, scrutinizing look."And don’t think we’re in France just because we speak French," he sneered, taking a step closer, his expression full of disdain. Henry held his breath, his mind racing.With a dismissive wave, the older man gestured for him to approach. "Come here."Henry hesitated, his legs stiff but obedient as he stepped forward. The man handed him a pair of black, delicate gloves."Put these on," he commanded. "Ex
Chapter One Hundred And TenThe father’s face twisted with fury. “What nonsense!” he roared, his voice booming across the marble room, filling it with venom. Before Henry could react, a sharp slap landed on his cheek, the force of it sending him reeling back a step. Pain shot through his face, radiating from the stinging mark. He tasted blood on his lip but forced himself to stay steady, unwilling to let his fear show.“My best art collector assured me this was the original!” the father spat, his eyes blazing with anger. He turned to Léa, disgust plain on his face. “Where did you find this dumb beggar?” His voice was laced with contempt, his gaze bearing down on her.Léa flinched, a flicker of fear crossing her face. She opened her mouth, but no words came. Instead, she lowered her head, her confidence stripped away under her father’s harsh gaze. He sneered, watching her silence with satisfaction.“Kill him for wasting my time,” he ordered with cold finality, his hand dismissing Hen
Chapter One Hundred And Eleven Lea’s dangerous and bossy father’s eyes blazed with a fury that could have scorched the room itself. Without a second thought, he raised his walking stick high and brought it down on the art collector’s shoulder with a sickening thud.“You know what you’ve nearly cost me today?” he roared, striking the man again, this time across the back. The collector stumbled, crashing onto the polished marble floor.“What will the Hexagon Consortium boss think if he realizes I gave him a fake collection?” he demanded, his voice dripping with venom. “Are you trying to ruin me? Are you… a fraud?”The art collector, now crumpled and broken on the floor, clutched at the edge of his coat, shaking his head frantically, tears streaming down his face. “Please… please, sir, I didn’t know. I swear… I thought it was real…”But Léa’s father sneered, towering over him like a merciless god. “Save your pathetic excuses. I don’t want to hear them.”He glanced at his men, his voice
Henry’s gaze flickered between Léa and the glinting gold bar on the table, his expression unreadable. She leaned closer, the playful smirk on her face twisting into something more calculating, more dangerous. It was a look he recognized well—a look that said she was holding all the cards and daring him to play. “Henry, don’t tell me you’re backing down,” she whispered, her voice dripping with mock disappointment. Her fingers toyed with the gold bar, tapping it rhythmically as if each tap was meant to break down his restraint, test his limits. “I thought you were different from the others. I thought you could handle a little… challenge.”He chuckled softly, not breaking eye contact. “Challenge? Or manipulation?”“Oh, I don’t manipulate,” she replied, her voice smooth as silk. “I simply… present opportunities.”“Opportunities?” He let the word hang in the air, his tone laced with skepticism. “Is that what this is to you?”Léa’s gaze was steady, unwavering. “Call it what you want, but y
Henry’s fingers lingered on the gold bar, the cold metal sending a shiver up his arm. He wasn’t sure if it was the chill of the gold or the heat of Léa’s gaze that had his pulse racing. His jaw tightened, his breathing steadying as he leaned back into the plush seat. The hum of the jet’s engines reverberated beneath him, a steady reminder of how high the stakes had suddenly risen.“So, Henry,” Léa began, her voice smooth and teasing. She placed the gold bar down, letting it hit the table with a muted thud. “Tell me, what exactly are you afraid of?”“I’m not afraid,” he said firmly, his tone sharper than he intended.Her lips curled into a dangerous smile. “Then why the hesitation? A man like you should know when to act. Or are you second-guessing yourself?”His fists clenched at his sides, his nails biting into his palms. She was baiting him, digging into his pride, and it was working. “Léa, don’t confuse caution with weakness,” he replied, his voice low, almost a growl.“Oh, please,”