Chapter 2

DIEGO

The room was filled with the dim glow of twilight spilling through the tall windows.

The sheets beneath me were tangled, my chest heaving slightly as I leaned back against the pillows.

Sophia, my girlfriend was sprawled beside me, her body slick with a thin sheen of sweat, her dark hair cascading across her bare shoulders. She turned her head lazily toward me, her lips curling into a satisfied smile.

"You always know how to pleasure me, Diego," she whispered, her voice sultry, her fingers tracing the lines of my chest.

I smirked but didn't respond. The satisfaction of the moment was fleeting, like everything else in my life. My thoughts drifted, as they often did, to the past. To him. To them. The rage simmering beneath my cool exterior never truly left me, no matter how much I tried to bury it.

Just as Sophia leaned in to kiss me again, a sharp knock echoed through the room.

"Mr. Rodrigues," came the muffled voice of one of my staff. "You have guests waiting in the study."

Sophia groaned in frustration, her nails digging lightly into my chest. "Ignore them," she said, her lips brushing against my ear. "You're far too busy with me right now."

I sighed, pulling away from her persistent hands.

"Business," I said, my tone clipped.

"Diego," she protested, sitting up as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed.

"Don't start, Sophia," I said, standing and pulling on a pair of trousers. "You know how this works."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, her lips forming a pout. "One of these days, you'll have to choose between business and me."

I turned to her, buttoning my shirt with deliberate slowness. "And you'll lose every time," I replied, my voice void of emotion.

Her mouth opened, then closed, the fire in her eyes dimming. She knew better than to argue with me when I was like this. I wasn't in the mood to coddle her ego.

"I'll be back," I said over my shoulder, leaving her sulking on the bed.

The moment I stepped into the hallway, my expression hardened, my emotions locked away where they belonged.

By the time I reached the study, I was composed, calm, and entirely in control.

I opened the door to find Michael Benson, his wife Anne, and the faint stench of desperation that clung to them.

Michael rose to his feet as I entered. "Mr.

Rodrigues," he began, his tone falsely cheerful. "Thank you for seeing us."

I ignored his outstretched hand, walking past him to sit behind my desk. "Get to the point, Benson," I said coldly. "I was busy before you arrived."

Anne flinched at my tone, but Michael cleared his throat and forged ahead. "Of course, of course. I wanted to inform you that my step daughter, Janice, has agreed to the marriage."

For the first time, l allowed a smile to tug at my lips. "Wonderful news," I said, my voice dripping with mock enthusiasm. "Shall I pour us some wine to celebrate?"

Anne interjected quickly.

"That won't be necessary. But Diego, since we'll soon be family, perhaps we could-"

"Stop," I said sharply, cutting her off. My gaze pinned her in place, and she swallowed hard, retreating into silence.

Michael cleared his throat again, clearly uncomfortable. "We only ask that you hold up to your end of the agreement, Mr Rodrigues. The restoration of my company.”

I leaned back in my chair, steepling my fingers as I studied him. "I never go back on my promises," I said, my tone cryptic.

The truth was, I had no intention of restoring his company. Not in the way he hoped.

Anne, apparently emboldened by my vague reassurance, dared to speak again.

"About the wedding preparations-"

"No," I said flatly. "All preparations will be handled by me. I don't need your meddling."

She bristled, her mouth snapping shut once more. Michael looked like he wanted to argue but thought better of it.

"Very well," he said finally, his shoulders slumping. "We'll leave it in your hands."

"Good choice," I said, standing abruptly. "If that's all, you know your way out."

Michael's jaw tightened, but he nodded, ushering Anne toward the door. As they left, I caught the irritated tone of Anne's voice.

"He's so proud, so selfish," she hissed, clearly intending for me to hear.

I smirked, not bothering to dignify her with a response. Their opinions meant nothing to me. They were pawns, nothing more.

I climbed the stairs slowly, my thoughts churning. By the time I returned to my bedroom, Sophia was pacing by the window, her impatience evident.

"Finally," she said, turning to face me.

"Who was it?"

"The Bensons," I said casually, unbuttoning my cuffs.

She raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. They came to grovel?"

"Not quite," | replied. "They came to inform me that Janice has accepted the marriage."

Sophia groaned, flopping onto the bed.

"Why are you even doing this, Diego?

Wasn't bankrupting the old man's company enough? Why marry the daughter? She's a nobody."

I crossed the room in two quick strides, dragging her close. My lips claimed hers, cutting off her complaints. When I pulled back, her breath was shallow, her cheeks flushed.

"This marriage is just for six months," I said, my voice low and deliberate. "Six months is all I need to destroy them completely. To put them on the streets, just like they did to my family."

Her eyes softened, and she nodded, already knowing the story. "Six months," she murmured. "After that, you'll divorce her?"

I cupped her face, pressing my forehead to hers. "I'll divorce her," I promised.

Her lips curved into a small smile before I claimed them again, and we fell back onto the bed.

In the back of my mind, I thought of Janice.

The girl l'd seen once or twice at public events, always standing at the edges, overshadowed by her stepmother and stepsister. I'd pitied her once, but now she was a means to an end.

Six months. That was all I needed. And then the Bensons would pay.