Gianna's car screeched to a halt in front of a sprawling mansion nestled deep within the island's interior. Palm trees flanked the long cobblestone driveway, and security cameras tracked every movement. The sun was already dipping below the horizon, casting a fiery glow across the mansion's white walls.
Inside the car, Gianna's fists clenched on her lap, her nostrils flared with rage.
"I'm so pissed off my whole head is hot." Her voice was low, but venomous.
The driver flinched. "Sorry ma'am."
"Get down please we don't have time for this."
"Yes ma'am!" The driver scrambled out, rushing to open her door.
Gianna stepped out, her heels hitting the pavement sharply as she stormed up the stairs. The mansion loomed above, guarded by men in black suits who instantly straightened at her approach.
She didn't acknowledge them. She walked in, her posture rigid with fury. Once inside the marble-floored hallway, she flung her purse onto a nearby couch and sank into a massive velvet chair like a queen taking her throne.
Her eyes snapped to the guard behind her.
"Where is the girl?"
"She's on her way ma'am."
"Cool!"
Footsteps echoed from the upper landing. A voice called from the grand staircase.
"You are here Gianna!"
She looked up to see Logan descending slowly, buttoning his dark jacket.
"I'm here."
He squinted as he took in her expression. "Your face looks gloomy."
"It's not the time to be excited. Come and sit here."
Logan crossed the room and sat down opposite her. He leaned forward, elbows on knees, and laced his fingers together.
"So?"
Gianna's lips curled, and her hands balled into fists again. "I messed with that girl and now the courtesan house is after me."
Logan sat up straighter, eyes narrowing. "And why? Just why?"
"She was carrying Quincy's child!"
His jaw tightened. "You should've left her alone! We have a bigger issue than Blue's pregnancy."
"No! Her pregnancy is also a problem. I can't allow her to give birth for Quincy—she will be taking my place then."
"What place? You don't need Quincy for anything. Once our plans are pushed through, you will leave Quincy."
Gianna shot up from her chair, pacing furiously. "I'm not leaving Quincy. He will remain my husband."
Logan tilted his head, incredulous. "How is that possible? You guys will turn enemies after this, and he might probably get killed."
"We won't turn enemies. He will only listen to me because I will own everything that he owns."
Logan stood up, voice rising. "Stop being stupid, Gianna! You offended the courtesan house. Now they will never leave you alone!"
Gianna spun to face him, lips twitching with disdain. "The courtesan house belongs to Quincy."
"What?"
"Yes, it belongs to him. Apparently, after I get all his wealth, the courtesan house will belong to me. Who will try to kill me then?"
"How about Madam Francisca?"
Gianna's voice dropped. "Fransisca? She's Quincy's mum. And she does not like me."
Logan exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "Damnit! I have always known that they're related somehow."
"The courtesan house was built to keep the powerful people in check. No one has anything on the Dylan family, but they have a lot of things over everyone in power. They know all the secrets of each prominent person in this country. The house is their biggest asset."
Logan's eyes gleamed with realization. "So getting to own the house is our key to finding their wealth?"
"Definitely! Where's the girl?"
A soft voice came from the hallway. "I'm here ma'am!"
A young woman stepped inside. Freya. She walked in cautiously, eyes avoiding Gianna's.
Logan blinked. "Wait! Isn't this Blue's escort?"
"Yes! She is Freya."
"How did you bring her down here?"
"We have a deal!"
"You didn't force her here?"
"She's getting paid. Why would I force her?"
Logan's face hardened. "Are you crazy, Gianna! She's an escort. They have pledged their whole life to their courtesan. She won't betray Blue, even at the cost of her own life."
Gianna waved a dismissive hand. "Where money speaks, loyalty bows! She has a price and I can afford it! Loyalty does not matter anymore—she's now on my side."
Logan threw his hands up. "I do not support this."
"What do you plan to do then? You tried to kill Blue. Now the courtesan house is after you."
"I didn't try to kill her! Angel did."
"You sent Angel to her and she has been forgiven now, so your sin has not been cleared at all. I also harmed Blue—they're after me too. Quincy removed all my guards and I'm only left with the one guard I brought from my family. Ross is dead, and the mafia members won't risk offending the courtesan house because their whole life is tied to the house."
Logan folded his arms, muttering. "I tried to get them all on our side."
"Logan!!! Don't be stupid. We are talking about Quincy here! He is the Dylan's only son. No one dares to mess with him! His influence is unfathomable."
"If he has that much influence, how come he hasn't killed me yet?"
"Well who knows! He might have a bigger plan for you or probably leaving everything to Blue to take care of. Right Freya?"
Freya nodded hesitantly. "Yes ma'am! Even though Quincy was known to be ruthless and do things as he likes, but everything he does now is decided by Blue."
"Did you obtain the information?"
"Yes ma'am! It's the penthouse."
Gianna's eyes widened. "Really! The penthouse?"
"Yes ma'am! That's where the Dylans keep all their money."
"Did you find out how much there are?"
"I can't say precisely. Quincy told Blue that they lost count."
"That damn boy! He really inherited a fortune."
"I can't believe he will show an ordinary courtesan their family fortune instead of his wife."
"He trusted Blue, that's why he told her everything. He even took her there."
"Are you for real! He took her there?"
"Yes! She told me about it. It is underground in the courtesan house."
"How do we get there?"
"Through Blue's room."
"Her room? That's ridiculous! His whole fortune is in the penthouse and he gave it to Blue?"
"Yes! I heard no one has lived in the penthouse before. She's the first."
Logan chuckled darkly. "He must really love that girl a lot!"
Gianna snapped, "Whatever! What matters right now is getting our hands on his fortune."
"Blue is hosting strippers and seductress nights in a week's time. It will take place for 3 nights."
"She must have felt better seeing that she's hosting a party. We need to be quick with this. I don't want her getting pregnant out of nowhere again."
Logan raised a brow. "What's your business if she gets pregnant, Gianna?"
"It's my business! Hey you—"
"Yes ma'am?" Freya stepped forward quickly.
"Make sure she drinks contraceptive pills henceforth."
"The courtesan house didn't compulsory its use. I can't give it to her if she doesn't want it."
"Find all means to give it to her! I don't want her to get pregnant again and mess up my marriage."
Logan exhaled, annoyed. "Are you not planning to end the marriage after all this is over?"
"Never! I wanted to end it but not anymore. I'm not leaving Quincy for nothing! I'm gonna get his wealth and get him too. He will listen to my words."
"Does Quincy look like someone that can be controlled just because you took his fortune? He is arrogant—he will never give in to you even if he becomes a pauper."
"If he loses everything, he will lower his standards."
"Now the issue is that he can never lose everything! We are getting their fortune in the penthouse, not his properties. He will still be insanely rich. They own half of this city."
"He will be rich yes, but not more than us! We are getting the heart of Dylan."
"Ma'am?" Freya said slowly.
"Yes Freya?"
"I'm wondering how you will be able to pull this off though. There are hundreds of chests in the underground. The elevator is the only way out of the penthouse, which means you have to pass through Blue's room to take out each box. How will you be able to move out each chest?"
Gianna squinted. "How do they move them in?"
"They bring it in as a gift for the courtesan house and deliver the chest to the penthouse separately. But since we have been there, they only brought 3 chests. And we don't even know whenever they bring it in. Blue will just talk about it casually the next morning that a chest was delivered yesterday."
"Quincy always comes with them?"
"No! Just his personal guards and the most trusted ones."
"How do they gain access without Quincy?"
"Oh, they use Blue's face identification."
"What the hell! She can open the place?"
"Yes ma'am! Quincy said that Blue owns everything that he owns. So whenever he is not around, she will represent him."
Logan groaned. "He is crazy! Really crazy."
"Gianna! Since the elevator works with face identification and only Blue and Quincy have access to it, how do we get in there?"
"We break it down, Logan!"
"Break what? If we break it, how do we get out? How do we move the chests?"
"We can break another wall out too."
"The courtesan house has too much security, Gianna!"
Gianna's eyes gleamed. "There's an event going on for three days. The house will be busy. No one will be focused. We will do our thing then! We will bring a lorry into the hotel. We find some reliable men who can work hard through the night, then we break the wall and move the chests."
"For three nights?"
"No! One night."
"Ma'am, that's impossible."
Gianna's voice cut through the air, cold and determined. "Nothing is impossible. We will move everything in one night. We are leaving nothing behind—nothing at all. I wonder how Quincy will be so arrogant then."
Logan grinned. "I will assemble all my trusted men and bring them in."
"Deal!"