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Chapter 20/Caught by the Devil’s Grip

Chapter 20: 20/Caught by the Devil’s Grip

Chapter 20

Cedric’s Point of View

I got into the car and drove fast through the coastal bends toward a villa located on the other side of the island, far from prying eyes. Upon arrival, I disembarked and walked with steady strides through the marble corridors. A maid greeted me with a silent bow and led me directly to the office, where my partner was waiting.

"Cedric, you’ve finally arrived," Lucas said, pouring a glass of wine, his eyes tracking my presence.

I sat across from him with total coldness, leaning back into the luxurious leather chair and interlacing my fingers in front of my face with a sharp gaze. "Lucas, it seems you’ve been waiting for me eagerly."

Lucas replied with a cryptic smile, "I can hardly breathe without you."

I laughed mockingly at his comment. "I have some business here on the island, and I don’t think I’ll be returning to New York anytime soon."

Lucas stopped swirling his glass and looked at me in surprise. "What kind of business? You usually don’t stay on this island for more than three days... what happened?"

"Nothing... I just want to manage operations from here for now," I replied coolly, trying to hide any expression that might reveal what was going on in my head.

"The nightclubs, the shipments... how will you do that, Cedric?"

"You will go there, Lucas. Do what is necessary."

Lucas narrowed his eyes, his tone suspicious. "I feel like you’re hiding something."

"I’m not," I cut him off sharply, ending his pursuit of the question.

I continued in a professional, stern tone, "The materials we ship from New York are arriving on schedule, but I need you to be more cautious. I want the upcoming shipments to pass through the port without the slightest noise. Alexander is performing his role brilliantly there, and we cannot afford even a small mistake."

We talked for long hours, sinking into the details of new contracts and how to merge nightclub profits into the construction company’s accounts for money laundering. I spoke with high focus, reviewing figures accurately, but my mind was elsewhere somewhere far from shipments and ports.

I was thinking of Stephanie. I wondered what she was doing now. Had the box arrived? Did she like the dress? I imagined her face as she opened the card, and I felt a sudden urge to end the meeting and run to her.

No woman had ever distracted me from my deals like this, but Stephanie wasn’t just a woman... she had become the only "business" I couldn’t wait to complete tonight.

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Stephanie’s Point of View

As soon as Cedric left the house, I felt a desire to escape the palace walls and my tense thoughts. I turned to the maid and asked quietly, "Are there any swimsuits in the closet?"

"Yes, miss," she replied politely. "I’ll go get them for you."

"It’s okay, just tell me where they are."

"In the third drawer on the right."

"Thank you."

I went upstairs, and as soon as I entered my room, I found my phone vibrating; it was Kira. I felt a sting in my heart and answered quickly, "Hello, Kira!"

"Stephanie, how are you?"

"I’m fine, and you?"

"I’m okay... listen, your father came to me and said, ’Tell me where Stephanie is!’"

My body went rigid, and I turned pale. "Did you tell him?"

"Of course not! But he went to the police and filed a complaint saying you’ve been kidnapped."

A cold shiver ran down my spine as I remembered that bloody night. "The old man Cedric killed... what happened to him?"

Kira replied in a strange tone, "A man came forward and said he was the one who killed him. The case is closed."

I frowned in shock. "And the witnesses who were there? What happened? Didn’t anyone speak up?"

"They all said the same thing... they didn’t see anything!"

"My God! What kind of man is he, Kira? What have I gotten myself into?" I cried out weakly, sitting on the edge of the bed, feeling invisible spiderwebs surrounding me.

"Alright, Steph, calm down... tell me, is he treating you violently?"

I sighed, my body surrendering to the memory of last night that had melted the ice of my fear. "No, not at all... if only you could see how he treats me! Yesterday, he held my hair while I was vomiting... can you believe it? He wasn’t disgusted by me at all!"

Kira gasped in admiration. "Oh! That’s so sweet!"

I continued, smiling subconsciously, "And he changed my clothes, and he refused to leave me alone... he held me and slept in the same bed with me all night."

Kira chirped playfully, "I want a mafia man too!"

"Kira!"

"What? That’s so romantic!"

"He’s a killer! What part of that don’t you understand?" I tried to regain my seriousness. "And my father... what did he tell the police?"

"He said that the man wasn’t the one who killed the old man. He was telling them about Cedric, but he doesn’t know his name... but the police didn’t take his statement seriously because everyone else testified to the contrary."

"And what did you say?"

"I told them I was in the bathroom, because I actually was... I got my period, can you imagine?"

"What! I didn’t even notice you weren’t there."

"Alright, Stephanie, I have to hang up now; my mom is calling me."

"Okay... goodbye."

I hung up the phone feeling terribly distracted. I opened the drawer and took out a black bikini that highlighted the paleness of my skin, then threw on a light kimono and headed toward the villa’s private beach.

I sat on the warm sand, watching the waves crash gently; the atmosphere was magical and the sea was calm, as if trying to wash the anxiety from my soul.

I stood up slowly and untied the kimono’s belt. I let it slip softly off my shoulders until it fell onto the sand, leaving me in my swimsuit, allowing the sea breeze to touch my body.

Suddenly, without warning, I felt strong, warm hands wrap around me from behind. I held my breath, feeling like my heart was about to leap out of my chest!