Ambers

Chapter one

11:25pm – Canary Wharf

Roseanne’s heart thuds as she walks into the apartment. Hours earlier, she was still at the company working overtime to be able to finish the day’s business when she received a message from her sister.

Normally, it wouldn’t faze her to receive a message from her sister. However, it was an address – specifically it was Luciano’s address… her fiancé.

He had left earlier than usual today telling her that he had to meet with some of the partners for a private discussion, and she had nodded with a smile that she would give like any other day, except that today wasn’t going to end well.

Climbing the stairs of the luxurious apartment, she felt a force pulling her and making every step heavy and slow. The door was easy to pass through – the passcode was her birthday.

A sinking feeling of dread washed over her as she saw a familiar designer bag. That belonged to Lisa her younger sister. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath as she tried to swallow the bitter feeling in her mouth. Her belly churned as she had the urge to throw up everything she had eaten during the day, which wasn’t much.

Taking a deep breath, she walked stealthily towards his room – their room, where she and he had slept – literally, because she had refused to do more than that and he had made peace with her decision as time had gone on.

“You are so bad for sleeping with me while being engaged to my sister,” Lisa said in a flirtatious voice as she drew random circles on his bare chest. Their uncensored appearance and disheveled hair gave room for one’s thoughts to spiral towards what happened.

“It’s only right for me to look for an alternative, as she seems reluctant as if that would do her any good. It’s a pathetic thing to be a virgin at her age, but she thinks otherwise, and you know how Rose can be when she’s against something” Luciano said with contempt and a hint of fantasy.

“Though I know with my charms and money, I’ll still get her on my bed” He added chuckling. Lisa rolled her eyes and slapped his hand away from her waist with mock anger.

“Then go look for my sister and stop being a jerk”

Luciano caught her wrist and pulled her back to him, her body flushed against his. “Now Lisa dear tell me why I would leave this great body for someone like hers,” He said, his hand running over her body as she giggles.

They were so immersed in their little world, that they didn’t realize the presence of the third party by the door

“sh*t !” Luciano cussed loudly when he saw Roseanne. He pushed Lisa as if she were a hot coal he had mistakenly placed his hand on, and not the person he had been rolling in the sheets with some seconds ago.

“Baby I swear I can explain – I was drunk. Yes, I had so much to drink after the meeting that I thought she was you” He rambled as he stood up, trying to cover his unchaste self.

Lisa who was pushed aside smiled haughtily, not bothering to cover herself.

“Why – y Lisa though, why my sister!” Roseanne screamed at the two promiscuous pair that had no sense of shame and Lisa who had no ounce of remorse.

“Why not me? Do you think I’m unworthy of sleeping with Luciano because he’s your fiancé?”

“Shut up Lisa!” Luciano roared in anger as he was trying to salvage the situation but Lisa was bent on ruining it.

“Why should I? I’m saying the truth though. Do you even think anybody would choose you over me? Sweetheart, take a look in the mirror then ask yourself if you are worth anything” Lisa said with so much hate in her voice, dripping like a lethal poison.

Tears streaming down her small face, Roseanne asked “What did I ever do to you? Why do you take things from me?”

“Ha, nothing. I just hate you, I hate your existence and the very fact that you are breathing and walking on the same ground as me. I hate your guts too” Lisa said with so much ease and nonchalance as if she had just recited a line from a book. “And I promise to take everything from you – till you are left with nothing”

Sniffling, Roseanne ran out of the room, down the stairs to leave, as the toxicity in the apartment was too much to handle.

“Why the he*ll did you do that” Luciano asked as he ran his hand over his hair which was messy from both his activity, and the course of running his hand over and over through it.

“Shouldn’t you be thanking me? It’s not like you were ever going to marry her or something” She countered, before straddling him and kissing him to finish what they had started. Although reluctant at first, he gave in and forgetting everything that had just transpired.

***

“The partners are asking for bigger shares values – they want bigger dividends and more control. From my findings, they are all being compelled by Antonio. He promises them some undeveloped land slated for upcoming development which will in turn produce millions” Fred said in a monotone voice as he reported the findings of the day to his master.

There was silence. A deafening one. The man who sat in the back seat had his eyes closed as he rested his head against the chair. His black tuxedo which was custom made was worth more than $50,000. Made from the finest fabric, with hand stitching, and perfect customization. His cufflinks gleamed in the dark, the diamonds embedded in them though small, screamed luxury – it cost nothing less than $100 000, made by Cartier, which was a limited edition.

His shoes, handcrafted Oxford from the finest Italian leather – soft, supple, and polished to a mirror shine. The soles are leather with subtle rubber inserts for grip.

His hand which rested by his side had a wristwatch – a sleek Patek Philippe with a polished gold case and black alligator strap, its intricate face catching the light with quiet power.

His dark eyes lazily opened after a while. A pair of cold eyes showed, one that could freeze up a room with its intensity. His gelled hair was still intact despite the many business talks he had during the dinner party.

Vincent Azazel. The CEO of Knight Global Holdings. A multinational conglomerate with interests in finance, real estate, and luxury investments. Under his leadership, the company thrives as the number one in London as the top performing conglomerate for three consecutive years, after he took over the company from his father Azazel.

His powers went beyond the financial world, his influence ran deeper than money; the city’s darkest corridors bent to his will – rivals vanished, debts always collected in money or blood.

To the underworld, he was a ruler who had been set by the heavens, never to be touched. He was a ruler in an expensive tailored suit, His name commanding respect and compliance even when he wasn’t there. He never headed any mafia group, but that made him more fearsome as he still controlled the strings of the mafia world.

“Inform Kane to take care of Antonio by tomorrow morning,” he said after a while. The black Maybach moved sleekly through the curtains of the night. He had gone back to sleep, or so Fred thought as he looked at him through the rearview mirror, suddenly there was a screech as Fred tried to avoid the little creature that had appeared.

His throat hitched as he saw the boss’s cold gaze, and a chill ran down his spine. “You can’t drive properly now?” Vincent asked in a low voice that didn’t sound so to Fred. “Ye – No …forgive me boss…something appeared out of nowhere”

“…”

“Should I go and look then?” Vincent asked with raised eyebrows.

Fred hurriedly opened the door to check. Stepping out, he saw a blonde hair and freaked out – ‘what sort of animal was that?’

His spiraling nerves calmed down when he realized that it was just a girl, probably a drunk teenager. Weren’t kids nowadays scared or something? He muttered to himself.

“Hey get up and go home…hey…hey!”

Well seems like she was dead drunk. He went back to the car “Uhm boss, there is a drunk teenage girl on the way”

“So?”

“…” ..” uh could we give her a lift? I fear she’s not safe here”

“I didn’t know we ran a charity, Fred,” Vincent said with narrowed eyes, his voice cold, which made Vincent to break out in cold sweat. Why on earth is the boss so edgy tonight?

“Whatever, be fast about it, “he said dismissively

Fred picked the dainty figure in a floral dress and dropped her on the seat, closest to him as he dared not go close to his boss. He fastened her seatbelt when the girl suddenly opened her eyes which scared the daylights out of Fred and he let out a shriek.

The girl burst into an uncontrollable peal of drunk laughter, when the air in the car went down, it suddenly went cold as she, for the first time took notice of the man sitting behind.