"Claudia, I had lots of work to do today. it's skipped my mind I'm sorry. " Mr. Roberto said moving towards her.
"Such an important issue, you've forgotten to tell me. what else do I need to know? huh!" She retorted and turned her face away from the man behind her.
"Common, you shouldn't be angry over unimportant things, I'm only having her stay for a while. Business purposes only." Mr. Roberto grabbed her waist, moving her close to himself.
Claudia smiled, then frowned when she realized he just said business.
"I hope it's not what I'm thinking?"
"What are you thinking? love." He kissed her neck seductively.
"Are you trying to make her your successor?" Her voice sounded cold when she asked the question.
"No, Claudia. That's not it."
"Then what?"
"Don't worry, I'll tell you when the time is right. okay?"
"Don't forget we have a daughter who is older and intelligent. capable of taking over your businesses. Remember how my family supported you when you hit rock bottom." She said in a threatening manner.
"Claudia, what are you implying?" He asked. provoked by her supposed treats.
"Nothing, I'm just saying you should make a wise decision. Besides, where is this daughter of yours?"
"There's a holdup, she won't make it tonight. I arranged for her to stay in a hotel."
In the hotel's reception, Ricardo finished talking with the receptionist and found out, that Mr. Roberto had already booked their rooms. He noticed there was no room booked for him. Mr. Roberto booked a room in his and Lucia's names.
A room for the both of us? what did Mr. Roberto mean by this?. He asked himself walking towards Lucia and the other bodyguards.
"Here, your room cards" He handed each card to the bodyguards.
"Miss Roberto, I'll accompany you to your room," he said, carrying her luggage with him, while she followed behind.
"He's good at pretending to be a gentleman." She thought and smiled to herself as they entered the elevator.
Then he pressed the button, indicating the floor they were going to.
In the elevator, Lucia was uncomfortable with the silence, she intends to start a conversation with Ricardo.
"You don't have to accompany me to my room, you know it's not the first time I'm staying in a hotel."
"I'm carrying out an order." He replied.
"Really? you're my bodyguard, I should be giving you orders." she continued even noticing Ricardo was uncomfortable with the conversation.
She just did want to remain silent. She puts her hands into his suit, searching.
"Where is your room card? don't tell me you booked a room close to mine"
"Miss, mind your behaviors towards me. I won't be responsible for my actions." He held her hand tightly. Almost breaking it.
"Let go of me." She pushed him off and then she rubbed her hands.
It was red and a bit swollen. he held it too tightly and he noticed how she blows on it slowly.
"I'm sorry miss, I lost my temper and did something, a which I shouldn't have" He looked sincere with his apologies.
"I'm not accepting that. instead, I want something else." She poked his chest and moved closer to him. He was a bit taller than her and she almost reached his face.
He swallowed on his dry throat and turned his face from hers. he felt her hot breath brush against his neck.
In a building, opposite the hotel, the lodge. was a man with a sniper, he adjusts the gun facing the presidential suite in the hotel. He knew the almighty mafia lord Roberto wouldn't let his daughter stay in an ordinary room. He watched his microscope closely, waiting for Lucia to be in sight so he could get his job done.
He had been following them since in the airport and then he noticed them leaving the holdup and then to the hotel. Now he was going to finish her once and for all, he was hired to assassinate Lucia that day, at all cost.
The elevator opened and Lucia hurried to come out but Ricardo stopped her.
"What is it? are you interested in me now we are leaving the elevator?" she said.
"This is a perfect spot for a sniper." He mumbled.
"What did you say? a sniper?" She said out loud. he covers her mouth immediately and she bites him.
Ricardo, ignoring the pain from the bite still had his hands holding her mouth.
She then stopped biting him and removed her mouth.
"Miss. Roberto. wait here, I'll do surveillance around the rooms." He said and left her standing in front of the elevator. which he considers to be safe for her.
He checked entered the room booked for her, First, he checked the windows. it was very exposed and many high buildings were closer to it. he then goes to check the bathroom, electrical appliances, and lights for bugging devices and hidden cameras. He pulled out everything he could find and then switched off the room's light.
"Miss." He called out on reaching the front of the elevator. he didn't find Lucia there.
"Lucia. where are you?" He called out again then he heard her calm voice answer.
"I'm here," she answered behind him.
"Where did you go? I asked you to wait here," he yelled angrily.
Instead, she smiled and made a satisfied face.
"Were you worried about me?" She asked.
"You're my boss's daughter, I must protect you." He then grabbed her hand and pulled her with him into the room.
"Why is it so dark in here?" She asked.
"I turned off the lights."
"Why?" She asked.
He expected her to be angry, instead, she sounded happy.
"Let's just manage this situation, Mr.Roberto would give you an explanation tomorrow."
"Are we being watched?" She asked and he ignored her instead he turned on his phone's flashlight."You can rest now. I'll stand guard outside." He said.
"You can't leave me in here, I'm scared of the dark." She held his hand, pressing it tightly.
"Then I'll guard you inside with the room. Go to bed, I won't go anywhere." He said, trying to persuade her.
She didn't let go of his hand, instead, she pulled him with her, bringing him to the big king-sized bed.
"I'm going to sleep here, you'll sleep here, close to me, and won't go anywhere." She said briefly.
"I'll sleep on the floor" He protested immediately.
"No, you might sneak away." She tightened her grip on his hand.
"Okay." He said and starts removing his tye.
"What are you doing? I only said to sleep on the bed. I didn't mean we should sleep together." She quickly explained to him.
He smiled, seeing the stubborn woman who annoyed him all this time frightened.
Then he used the tye to wrap their hands together.
"See, now you can confirm I won't sneak off."
This man is very unpredictable.
She thought. and breathed deeply.
"What's this? the light went off?" The assassin said, looking through his microscope. He stood upright, held his waist with both hands, and looked up."Shit" He kicked on an empty can on the floor in frustration. Then he remembers the bugging devices and plugged his earphones. "Fuck, There's no." signal. "Don't tell me the bodyguard found and disabled it? Argh, Who the tell trained that bodyguard?" He asked, rhetorically. He packed his gun into a case and wore his facemask and face cap properly, heading towards the stairs.He paused abruptly after hearing footsteps."Someone is coming up the stairs." He said to himself, hid behind the door, and brought out his shotgun.And watch the person, who seems to be Ricardo, come out to the rooftop. He waited for a while, observing Ricardo and he attempts to use his gun to hit him. instead, within a blink of an eye, Ricardo caught his hand and they exchanged a couple of blows on each other. The man, surprised by Ricardo's skills in martial ar
Lucia buried her head in between her knees. Sobbing. She started to become uncomfortable."Lucia, are you alright?" Ricardo asked.She was surprised, he didn't call her to miss. instead, he called her by her name. He did the same last night when he looked for her. It seems he becomes considerate whenever he feared something that happened to her.She looked up at him."we..We're going to die here right?" she trembled."No, we are not going to die. Why do you think so?""There's no fucking ventilation in here, we'll die once the Little air runs out.""Don't worry, someone will get out soon.""How soon? we've been here for almost an hour, besides there's no signal." She yelled out, crying loudly.This time, he sits close to her and hugged her.He admits caring for her at that moment and didn't want to see her crying.He used his thumb to wipe the tears off her eyes slowly. Let's just sleep till they come.They were still in the dark, elevator for a while.Lucia woke up from her nap and s
Lucia realized she didn't know the room arranged for her. She leans against the wall in the hallway and starts sobbing."That woman took my mother's place, her daughter too mine." she cried out more loudly."Here miss," Ricardo said, extending to her a clean white handkerchief.She raised her head to look at him."Are you also here to mock me?" She asked and continued crying.She felt his cold hands on her shoulder, patting it slowly. She seized the opportunity and threw herself on him. Hugging him tightly.She waited for him to hug her back and he didn't, instead, he carried her up, heading to her room.He kicked the door open and brings her inside.Dropping her onto the bed slowly but she didn't let go of him. she pulled him to the bed and he was on top of her.They were in that position and stared at each other for a while. Then Ricardo tries to get up. Lucia wrapped her hands tightly around his waist."Miss Roberto, you're crossing the line," he said.She kissed his neck and whisp
Lucia's voice could be heard in the hallway of the dark room. A sacred place in the mansion.She shouted, cursed, and cried. kicking the door, attempting to break it. Instead, she got injured by the strong iron door.The room was dark and only the lights reflecting from the hallway made it a little bright. though, Lucia wasn't scared of the dark.She was a bit tired from the yelling and cursing. She became calm and laid down on the cold floor. Her hair scattered and body aching, she looked like a mad woman.The room was very quiet so she could hear the footsteps approaching."Ricardo?" She called out and walked to the door. Only to find Claudia outside. She had an evil smile on her face as she approached her."It's you." She said and frowned. "Lucia Roberts, The strong lady who fights for her dead naive mother." She said sarcastically and smiled.Lucia clenched her fist tightly, she was very furious. But she couldn't do anything."Well, I'm just here to give you a piece of advice,"
A few days later, in the mansion. Lucia didn't come out of her room since she was released from the dark room three days ago and didn't eat anything or agreed to see anyone. not even Ricardo who guarded and knocked on her door every day, bringing her food.Mr. Roberto also wasn't around, he was out on a business trip to another country. But every detail of what happened in the house was reported to him. by Marco.Marco is his most trusted bodyguard for years before he recently employed Ricardo.He sees Ricardo as a competent bodyguard but different incriminating evidence from Marco, made him lower his trust for Ricardo. regardless, Ricardo still did many outside jobs for him asides from protecting his daughter, Lucia."Lucia, open this damn door, or ill bring it down," Ricardo yelled, banging the door hard.He was curious to know how she's been doing in there, how she survived several days without food or water. Was she crying? Is she dead? the room was dead silent. What if she had ha
There were three other big buildings asides from the main mansion in "The Roberto's" villa. Some were used for private dealings of Mr. Roberto and some were just built for fancy. Marco and other bodyguards dragged the blindfolded Ricardo into one of the mansions in the villa.Reaching an empty room, they threw him on the floor and locked the door immediately.Shortly after, Mr. Roberto entered the room followed by Marco and other bodyguards.They untied the blindfold and Marco raised Ricardo's head by dragging his hair.Mr. Roberto walked slowly toward him and smack him hard with his walking stick. "How dare you disrespect my wife?" He yelled, still beating Ricardo with the red walking stick with a golden handle.Marco let go of the already weak Ricardo and he dropped to the floor."I didn't disrespect your wife." Ricardo managed to speak slowly."You still want to deny it when I have the evidence? show him the video." He ordered and a bodyguard took out a tablet, tapped the screen,
Lucia jerked up and cough out water and tried to breathe"Lucia""Lucia""Lucia" Everyone called out at once."How are you feeling?" Ricardo asked, but she didn't respond. Ricardo immediately carried her inside the mansion, straight to her room.Mr. Roberto gave Maria a Stern look and said."Come with me." Claudia stood in front of her daughter."What do you mean?" She asked."How did Lucia fall into the pool?" He asked and Maria faked crying."Dad, I don't know. I met her already drowning.""Why didn't you save her? Lucia would never jump into the pool because she's aquaphobic. you're a good swimmer, right? you took swimming classes in school and I paid for it." He yelled at her angrily."Mother, I didn't do it." Maria cried more and Claudia hugged her."Don't ever let this repeat itself, I won't tolerate any harm caused to my daughter." He finished and left them both still standing by the pool.Claudia looked at her daughter, she knew Maria did it, but she couldn't allow her to be
They both stared at each other, silently. Until a knock on the door distracted them."I'll go check who's on the door," Ricardo said and stood up. Heading towards the door."I don't want to see anybody," Lucia replied and turned, facing the other side of the bed, and covered her body properly."I understand," Ricardo said and opened the door to see the tall, handsome man with dark hair dressed in a black and white lab coat. He must probably be the doctor. "Good morning. I'm ..." He was about to introduce himself and was interrupted by Lucia's voice from the room."Who is it?" she said out loud."You must be the doctor, come inside," Ricardo said and the doctor proceeds into the room"A doctor? I don't need one." Lucia said immediately he entered the room. "Good morning Miss Roberto, I'm Mr. Renee. your doctor and I are here to examine your health." The handsome young doctor said politely. instead, he got a snub and distasteful look from Lucia."Miss, I'll let the doctor attend to yo