Vanquished (The Encounter #3)(25)

Come to think of it, she was rather upset when we parted ways. If this was her being vengeful, then she was playing with the wrong fire.

Thank the gods I hadn’t succumbed to her spiel of utter drivel when she declared her love. It was just as well that I finally saw what she truly was—a fraud just like her father. To think I had thought her an angel. I had held her so high on a pedestal, and then I was delirious when I’d had to let her go. She’d almost had me for a fool.

Isobel Callas was unquestionably going to bloody suffer for humiliating me. I was coming after them—after her. Mark my words. She was going to wish she hadn’t met me.

The luncheon went smoothly, just as I expected. It was imperative that I was associated with the influential Chinese power players so that I wouldn’t have to deal with being taunted and jerked around by the infamous triads since I was a foreigner entering a new market. The last thing I needed was to come head to head in a market that was dominated with a lot of backhanded dealing. In this part of the world, organized gangs ran most low-to high-rolling businesses. They were everywhere, so it was best I attached my name with powerful people. That way, no one would bloody dare touch me.

But now that it was all out of the way and with the construction and licenses all set to begin, there was only one thing I had to face—the traitors who were once close to me.

What they had done, their betrayal, hurt. Most of all, how could Isobel do this after I had made sure she was set for life. She need not bow to anyone. She was independent in her own right and free to follow her dreams, whatever they might be. Yet, after all of that, she was vengeful enough to want to hurt me by the use of Julien. That bastard would get his comeuppance.

At the same time, I couldn’t blame him if he couldn’t resist Isobel. The blasted woman could be irresistible when she put her seductive mode on. No man would be able to get away from that. Fuck, I’d had a hard time letting her go.

I was too addicted to her. I just couldn’t get enough. In the end, I was forced to leave her. Then, just when I thought it was the end, this unsavory news surfaced out of nowhere.

Isobel …

“You wretched bitch,” I hissed under my breath as I tried to push the violent thoughts away of her writhing underneath Julien’s body while he kissed her, f*cking her as she moaned and groaned his name.

Addressing Beno?t, I ordered him to tell the pilots to prepare the jet and to also find out whatever he could about their relationship. They were not getting out of this unscathed. Hell to the bloody no. They had crossed the wrong man. At the rate my anger was going, I could kill them with my bare hands, and I wouldn’t even blink from guilt.

It was time I go home and raise hell.

+++

A month.

They had been living together for over a month. Julien apparently was so smitten that he simply had to drag her along on his trips. Why wasn’t I surprised by this information? The bloody fool had beheld a taste of the honeyed pot and was most likely addicted to her just like I was. There was something about Isobel that was irresistible.

We would see how those two fools lasted once I came between them. I wanted her to suffer so she could feel the extent of what she had put me through. She had made an enemy out of me out of spite, and she would pay the price for her deceptive machinations. I had warned her before, yet the vindictive woman hadn’t paid heed. Therefore, I wouldn’t bat an eyelid before coming after her family if I had to. After all, her father owed me quite a great deal. She was going to pay for everything.

For every single damn thing she had caused me, I was going to make her beg, crawl for mercy until she choked on her own tears. She’d almost had me. Ha. What a joke that was. Thank God the blinders were off now, and I could see her for what she truly was. Good riddance to another gold-digger.

Apparently, Julien was attending a party tomorrow, and given how those two were inseparable, I didn’t doubt she would be there, hanging off his arm, fawning over him like a wanton lover.

Fifteen hours later, I was striding into my villa like a raging bull as I sought a quick shower. A part of me argued that I should slow down so I could cool my head a little, but I was past common sense. I wasn’t sure what I would do when I saw them both. I would figure it out once I got there.

I had never been so incensed, so enraged with this feral need to do something drastic. When it came to her, though, I just lost it. There was a long list of meetings I had to deal with overseas, yet I had come back here to specifically deal with them—with her. It was irrational, but it couldn’t be helped. Payback was all I could think about.

The rest became a blur the moment I got out of the shower before quickly changing into casual attire for the night. With my mood as dark as the night, I opted for a midnight dress shirt with black trousers and shoes. My hair was still damp, but I couldn’t care less about such nuisances.

Without bothering to check the mirror, I dashed out of the villa and marched towards the garage to choose which car I would settle for tonight. Without a doubt, I chose the fastest out of the lot. It was the newly acquired black Hennessy Venom GT with crimson red interior. Tonight would be a good time to test out just how fiercely fast the car could go.

Just as I pulled out the key from the password protected key station, Beno?t’s presence loomed around with a look that could only be taken as disapproval. I had great respect for the man, but tonight wasn’t the night to f*ck with my mind.