DARIO

The enemy’s territory…

I just have to charm my way, and I'll be fine.

Yes, I want to see them crumble down. I want them in ashes. Or rather, I want to see them in pain until they beg for their deaths. But if I act now, that won't do any good. I'll be digging my own grave. Their precious VRE might be going down, but whatever lurks behind their closed doors is something else.

Hugo Vargas is capable of ending my life in a way that nothing would be traced back to him.

So it's better to stick to the plan. Fidel's words come rushing into my mind. They calm me down one more time, and at least this time I feel better.

I drive through the entrance of the Vargas manor, but the guards stop me.

“I need to verify your identity.” One of them says when I roll down the window.

Oh, they don't know who I am?

“Luciana's boyfriend,” I say, earning a skeptical look.

A short while later, they confirm with Luciana, and I get in. I make a mental note to torture them in the future, reminding them how they wasted my time. Oh, and because they’re loyal to my enemy.

I step into the enemy’s territory, taming my anger again, thinking of how well they sleep after what they did years ago. They don’t deserve peace. They deserve all the torture in the world.

A maid walks me to the living room, where I remain deep in thought as I examine the manor.

“Who do we have here?” A woman's voice snaps me back to reality.

A woman I know. She’s in her mid-fifties. That I know, because I have been looking into her for a very long time. Her wavy brown hair, brown eyes are the striking resemblance she and Luciana have. One might think it’s a genetic inheritance.

Lara Vargas. I've seen pictures of her. I've even followed some of her moves. We’ve never had a conversation, unless she talked to me when I was too young to understand a single word. I’ll ask Fidel about that.

Right now, she has no idea who I am. It’s been years, and maybe she only saw me when I was barely a toddler.

She doesn't know whom she's playing the welcoming act for. And I prefer it that way. For now. I can't break the news to her. Not yet. My plan is still in motion. Slowly. Maybe she would have escaped my wrath if she were guilty by association. But not only is she Hugo Vargas’s wife, but she’s also her accomplice. And I'm back for all of them!

“I know what you're about to say. I get that a lot,” she says.

Do I have any idea of what she's talking about? I must have stared at her for longer than usual, but it's not what she thinks. I want to kill her.

“All the features come from her mother. Some say her father wasn't involved in her conception,” she explains.

I force a smile. That's some bullshit story they have been fooling everyone with.

This woman doesn't need to wear a mask; she's a mask herself. No one would imagine the heartlessness behind that smile. And right now, I'm trying all I can to hold it in.

“Enough about my family drama. I got a notification that we had a visitor.” She motions for me to take a seat. I'm not in the mood for an interrogation from her. She eyes the flowers in my hand. I almost forgot about their existence, even though they have been in my hand all this time.

These are not for you, woman!

“Those are for her, I presume,” she says, pointing at them.

“My daughter is lucky tonight,” she adds.

“I'd be the lucky one, but she would rather pour hot coffee on me than drink it with me,” I say, eyeing the door where Luciana has silently announced her presence with her beauty.

Her beauty leaves me speechless. She's in a straight black dress with a length slightly above the knee. It hugs her tight, revealing her luscious curves that make my hands itch for a touch. Her wavy, brown hair frames her pretty face, which charms my heart. My eyes trail to her neck and then lower, to the V-shape, where her cleavage peeks. The sight makes my dick twitch. She’s a fucking temptress.

“I'm sure you're overthinking it. Just look at you. No woman can resist your charm unless she isn't straight,” Lara proceeds.

“Urgh, mum.” Luciana walks in.

“What? I had to see who was taking you out and welcome him with open arms. From what I’m seeing,” she scrutinizes me from top to bottom. “You just won a jackpot.”

This is not interesting at all. Luciana leads me out of the house as quickly as possible before Lara continues with her ridiculousness.

“I'm sorry about that,” she says as soon as we're in my car.

“She's a charmer, though,” I tease. It's the pretense that counts.

She shoots me a sharp glare.

“Actually, I take back my apology.'”

“Jealous much? Sweetheart, you have no reason to worry. You’re the only Vargas who keeps my cock alert.”

Her cheeks flush pink as her lips part. But then she says nothing.

Nothing doesn’t look good between those lips. But I know of something that might look good between them. Something in my pants that hasn’t calmed down since my eyes landed on her a few minutes ago.

I find something else to talk about before I lose my mind.

“These are for you,” I present the flowers.

She looks at them for a few seconds and then back at me. “I hate red roses,” she says.

“Well,” I shrug, “poor flowers.” I throw them in the backseat.

“You should tell me what you like so I’ll bring it on our next date, before I propose.

She turns to me with narrowed eyes. “Propose?”

“Yes. Or do you prefer we move in first? Maybe we should have kids first, before the wedding,” I suggest and wink.

In return, she rolls her eyes.

A sudden smile spreads across her face. A beautiful smile, might I add.

“Do you know what I want?” She crosses her arms in front of her chest.

“What?” I drawl, wondering if she’s considered my words.

“Your signature on this fucking deal.”

“Fucking deal, I like the sound of that,” I grin.

She blushes, but that only lasts a few seconds before she gives me a warning glare.

Her expression now turns serious. “You know, while we’re talking about deals, I’d like to know if you’re just here to waste my time.”

I have no damn clue what she’s talking about, so I speechlessly stare at her.

“Don’t pretend like you don’t know what I'm talking about, Mr. Morata.

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about, Miss Vargas.”

“Comfort Real Estate. Do you have anything to say about that?” She asks.

Oh, that.

I shouldn’t have said I was a hot commodity in the market. I blame that on Rex. It was his idea to put it out there that I was in urgent need of a house, so real estate companies would come running to me, and then I’d choose VRE.

It’s all part of a bigger plan, but the Comfort have been a pain in the ass, sending me deals after deals even though I’ve been ignoring them.

Somehow, Luciana found out about it, and now she’s annoyed.

How dare they!

Nobody gets to upset Luciana…apart from me.

I smile when a brilliant idea crosses my mind. CRE is VRE’s worst nightmare. Any nightmare of Hugo is a dream come true for me. With this new idea, I’ll be getting back at Hugo, at the same time punishing CRE for upsetting Luciana. Win-win.

Fidel was right. This is going to be fun.