Angel and Aurora couldn't help but giggle at the playful banter unfolding.Jake, with a gentleman's flourish, pulled out a chair for Aurora before sitting down beside her. Angel, however, stood waiting expectantly her eyes locked on Maxwell only to see him casually pull out his own chair and sit down without a second thought.
Her jaw dropped.
"Really, Maxwell???" she said, disbelief dripping from her voice.Maxwell froze mid-sit, raising his head slowly to see Angel glaring down at him."Oh no… I'm going to be in the doghouse today for sure," he muttered under his breath, already bracing himself. "Hey, baby, I'm really sorry. You see, the thing is… I'm starving. Last night, I didn't even get the chance to eat dinner because I was too busy trying to escape from Aurora's wrath."
Aurora's eyes widened. "Oh, so now it's my fault?" she snapped, crossing her arms. "You better own up to your mistakes, Maxwell don't try to put the blame on others!" Jake smirked and nodded in agreement. "She's right."
Maxwell turned on him instantly. "Bro, how could you betray me? If you hadn't teased Aurora, I would've had my dinner in peace. I wouldn't be this famished right now!"
Jake raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so now you're blaming me?"
"Alright, alright! Enough!" Angel interjected, throwing her hands up. "You two sound like kids fighting over candy. Just stop blaming each other!"Maxwell sighed, looking at Angel with exaggerated pitiful eyes. "I'm sorry, baby. But if I stand to pull your chair out now, I might faint from hunger." Angel rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the small smile tugging at her lips. She sat beside him, shaking her head as if silently telling herself she'd deal with him later.
Jake turned to Aurora with a warm smile. "Aurora, what will you have?"I'll take the fruit salad… and coconut milk," she replied thoughtfully. Then, a playful spark lit up her eyes. "Jake, I hope this time the strawberries are from Egypt." Jake burst into laughter. "Hey, that's a good one!"
"I try," she said with a shy grin.
"Alright then, open up I'll feed you myself," Jake teased, lifting a fork toward her. "But please, don't chew the berries too hard with your teeth this time."Aurora rolled her eyes. "Really, Jake? I only do that when I'm angry."
Angel and Maxwell exchanged a knowing glance as they watched the two interact. There was something warm, almost magnetic, in the way Aurora and Jake's eyes met.
"They're so cute together," Angel whispered.
"I know," Maxwell agreed quietly. "I always want them to stay this happy… forever."
The four of them enjoyed the moment laughing, chatting, and losing themselves in each other's company. It felt safe, like nothing in the world could touch them.But safety is often an illusion.Because somewhere, in the shadows, someone was already planning to destroy their happiness.
Everybody knew the name Mark Wilson. To the public, he was a wealthy businessman, the owner of a single but lucrative shipping company. But to those who truly knew him those who swam in the darkest waters of society Mark was something far more dangerous.
A Mafia Don.
A ruthless, cold-blooded killer.
Mark's shipping company was nothing more than a façade a front for trafficking drugs, exporting illegal arms, and moving contraband across borders. The man had blood on his hands, and he never lost a night's sleep over it.
He had no compassion for the world only for three people: his sister, his girlfriend, and his loyal personal assistant. But that fragile circle of trust had already shattered the day his girlfriend betrayed him, breaking his heart into a million jagged pieces. Since then, he had decided love was a lie and that all women were the same treacherous and selfish.Only one man stood persistently in his way: Jake Scott.
Mark hated Jake with a venom so strong it burned through his veins. Jake had nearly caught him red-handed once, and the humiliation still gnawed at Mark's pride. Time and again, Mark had tried to eliminate him, but Jake was slippery and just as powerful in his own right.The worst part? Jake had won the favor of the one man Mark couldn't afford to anger William Riverson, the most powerful man in the world.
Mark clenched his jaw at the thought. Jake Scott was more than just an enemy. He was an obstacle that had to be removed… permanently.And Mark Wilson had never failed a mission.