Chapter 25: His intentions aren’t pure
"Asher, what happened to your face?" Frida gasped, fear flashing in her eyes as she noticed the bruises. She reached out, but the moment her fingers brushed his skin, he winced in pain.
"Don’t touch," Asher muttered, pulling back. "I told you not to come here. I’m not in the mood to see anyone."
Frida’s expression tightened. "Why are you upset with me? If it weren’t for me going to Luca’s parents’ house, you wouldn’t have been bailed out. You should tell them the truth, that their son tried to kill you."
Asher’s eyes darkened. He picked up the glass of alcohol and downed it in one long gulp. "Frida... do you want me dead?"
Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about? If they can bail you out, then they can also punish their son. Luca has had a spotless image his entire career. What he did to you is beyond disgusting. Just look at yourself." Her voice trembled with both anger and concern as her gaze lingered on his battered face.
"Frida, it’s not that simple," Asher said, his voice low as he poured more alcohol into his glass. "Luca isn’t the man we think he is. I never should have approached Sara on her wedding day. Everything that happened was because of my own recklessness. And you, stay away from them. Don’t utter a word if you want to live peacefully."
"Are you serious?" Frida’s voice rose in disbelief. "Why should we be afraid of him? He’s the one who committed a crime."
"And where’s the evidence?" Asher shot back, bitterness tightening his tone. "I’m nothing compared to the power Luca holds. If you really want me alive, don’t breathe a word to anyone. Just... go home. I want to be alone."
Frida hesitated, studying him. She had never seen Asher look so shaken. Setting a paper bag on the table, she said softly, "I bought these for you. Eat something. You’ll feel better."
As she rose to leave, Asher’s hand shot out, grasping her wrist. He looked up at her with glassy eyes.
"I’m sorry," he whispered.
"It’s fine," Frida replied gently.
"How did the inquiry against Sara go? Did she—?"
"Nothing happened," Frida interrupted, lowering herself back into the chair. "Dad’s role as chairman is little more than symbolic now. Sara is a witch, she never let us have anything. My mother always fought for her rightful place in the family, but Sara kept calling her an outsider. And Dad... he always praised Sara, always lifted her up because of her accomplishments. This inquiry was supposed to be our chance to change everything in our favor. But we lost it. Luca has taken over the company."
"See? I told you," Asher muttered darkly, swirling the liquor in his glass. "Luca is too powerful. He can do whatever the hell he wants. The smartest thing we can do is stay away from him."
Frida hummed reluctantly.
~~~~~
Sara slipped the keycard into the slot by the door, and the suite lights flickered on. Luca walked in behind her.
The room was drenched in shades of red, dark velvet curtains hung heavy over the windows, red roses stood in crystal vases, and the bed was dressed in deep red satin sheets with white petals over them. The sight made Sara laugh softly.
"What’s all this, Luca?" she asked, turning to him with a smile.
"It’s a honeymoon suite. They usually look like this," Luca replied casually.
"I’ll freshen up first," Sara said quickly, already making her way to the washroom.
"Did you not like it?" Luca called after her.
"My likes don’t matter," Sara answered curtly before shutting the door behind her. She locked it from the inside and instinctively double-checked the latch.
"I couldn’t stop him from bringing me here. Now what?" Sara muttered under her breath as she walked to the washbasin. Her reflection in the mirror stared back at her. She frowned. "His intentions aren’t pure... and he even talked about binding me to him with a lifetime contract of marriage."
Turning on the tap, she splashed cool water over her face, trying to steady her nerves. For a moment, she just stood there, gripping the edges of the basin, before pushing herself back. Restlessly, she paced the washroom floor.
Finally, she ran the water into the bathtub, stripped off her clothes, and sank into the warmth. Her body eased against the water, but her mind refused to relax.
’If I had consulted Dad before signing deal with Luca about the company, this would never have happened,’ she thought bitterly. ’But I didn’t have time. Dad would never have agreed... And truthfully, I didn’t want to step down as CEO either. In the end, I fell right into the trap. I thought Dad would believe me during the committee’s inquiry meeting, but he didn’t. He believed Julia’s lies instead.’
Sara lifted her palm, covered in foam, and blew lightly on it, watching the bubbles scatter into the air. With a sigh, she reached for the drain, emptying the bathtub. Stepping under the shower, she let the water wash away the lather clinging to her skin until she felt clean and clear.
Once finished, she wrapped herself in a bathrobe and stepped back into the suite.
"You took long," Luca remarked, lowering the magazine he had been skimming onto the table. His sharp gaze shifted to her.
"You should’ve gone to bed if you were sleepy," Sara replied, drawing a line between them.
Sara’s gaze shifted to the trolley bags placed near the wall. "How long will we be here?" she asked quietly.
"A week, probably," Luca’s voice came from just behind her.
Her fingers curled instinctively, but she didn’t turn around. Instead, she stiffened when she felt his chin rest lightly on her shoulder.
"Aren’t you hungry?" he murmured.
"I am," she admitted, forcing her tone to stay calm. "Shall we go out to dine?"
"There’s a restaurant here in the hotel," Luca replied, stepping back. "Dress up. We’ll go there."