The Dark Secret of the CEO by Sofia de Orellana

He remains quiet for a long while, simply staring at me. As always, his thoughts remain a complete mystery to me behind those icy eyes of his. I can barely keep looking him in the eye, and I’m well aware that’s only because he tolerates it. I can feel the stares of the others, Benedict and Swithin behind me, Cata and Bart on the doorstep.

“…Alright.”

Alright? That’s it? I don’t know what I expected, but certainly not for him to agree to my madness so casually. I feel like a child with her parent agreeing to her tantrum. As usual, he’s not displaying any emotion that could cue me in either. I exchange a quick glance with Bart and Cata behind him, but they seem just as confused.Daily Latest update www.noveljar.com

“You can get your revenge,” he resumes. “I have no compassion for those who harmed my daughter. My only request is that you do not go back overseas.”

I can’t fly back to the US? How am I supposed to rip that bastard’s throat out with my bare hands then? I want to protest, but before I open my mouth, Swithin subtly clears his throat.

“If you do want to investigate this,” he says. “You will need to do it under your new identity, Hera Heartgraves. No one can know what you are, of course, nor that you once were June Starr. I’m already working on building your new identity, you will have all your papers ready within the week. The essential ones, I mean.”

“You mean official documents?”

“Of course. Passport, birth certificate and so on. It’s our usual procedure. If you’re going to live as Hera Heartgraves, especially in this day and age and if you’re planning to go after your ex, you’ll need to have a rock-solid new identity. I can provide anything else you’ll need if you let me know.”Daily Latest update www.noveljar.com

Wow, they can even give me fake identity papers? Or are they real ones, somehow? I can’t imagine that vampires get arrested while traveling for possessing fake papers, so I do want to believe him on the rock-solid part…

“She still can’t just go ahead like that,” frowns Bart. “We just saw the bastard’s still in the US, and Hera can’t go. How do we get to him, then?”

A smirk appears on Swithin’s lips.

“Her non-existent will. Technically, June Starr is a British citizen, she was born on this continent. I can pull a few strings and make sure they think she had more assets here. If he’s in this for the money, it should be enough to have him come here and see what’s to win. Since she didn’t leave a will, and she was quite wealthy, her inheritance will take a little while for the lawyers and all to get it sorted anyway.”

“So we can lure him with the money, then what?” Frowns Bart. “Hera, what’s your goal?”

My goal?

I take a second to think about it. If they do manage to bring Charles here, what could I do? Of course, there’s the easy solution. Isolate him in some deserted alley, and rip him apart. For sure, that would bring me some satisfaction. Just thinking about it, my thirst for blood sparks up like a flame in the dark. However, it would be far too easy, far too lenient for that bastard. I want to make him pay for all of it. Just a second of pain before a quick death will not make up for the weeks, the months of torture he put me through. I want more.

So, what would hurt him like he hurt me? I don’t care about that chick he brought with him to my funeral. Even if he slept around with her, he probably doesn’t care anymore about her than he did about me anyway. That’s of no good to me…

“…Let’s start with his company,” I mutter.Daily Latest update www.noveljar.com

“His company?” Benedict frowns.

I nod.

“Charles’ very proud of it. He came from a humble background, and he worked hard until he became his own CEO. He never fails to mention how working hard under my father was such a huge opportunity for him, but now he’s branched out and he owns a wealthy enterprise.”

up a quick search. After a

he started like you said he did, he got surprisingly successful

my contract with my former agency, and opened

management agency to represent all sorts of celebrities. Actors, Models, Athletes, Musicians and Singers, Entertainers, all sorts of them. He used your and your father’s name to make a name for himself, and then they

him promote his agency when he launched it. My… previous

lawyers. With just the size of his company and your father’s name, it’s easy

seconds to think about it, but if I’m going to do this, I want to do it myself. I don’t want to use

on that just can’t be normal. I want to expose him. If we just try to crush him from the outside, he’ll put on a show again and just start over. I want to dig up every single bit of dirt I can find and throw it out there. I want the whole world to see what he’s done to me, how horrible of a human being he is, so there’s nowhere for him to run. I want him to lose everything. …I want to make it so he is the one trapped, the one who

crossing his arms. “You seem pretty unaware of all that

Hera might be holding something there. The business model just doesn’t match the numbers year after year. There are far too many benefits for someone who began with a handful of actors to represent, and none of them more successful than June was. His company grew really fast, even while receiving some external support, there’s something fishy in there. If I were to guess, I’d think there’s been some

her Father?”

“Who knows?”

that I would be bothered to spare him. Even if his empire crumbled tomorrow, I wouldn’t care a single bit. In fact, if there’s even the slightest chance he could have

What if

to me too, but now, I have little doubt left. I try to replay the scenes in my mind, but the more I think about it, the more obvious it is to me that Charles was the one responsible for my death. I don’t know how to answer her, though. How do I get definite proof? I glance back at Benedict and Swithin, hoping either one of

Swithin sighs, and takes out a different

you remember

it to him. We all wait

answers after a few

blood immediately boils. Charles’ voice. Swithin glares at me, basically to

Swithin, taking a very calm and polite voice. “May I speak to

be me.

regarding the late miss June Starr. First, on behalf of my associate and myself, we’d like to give you our deepest condolences, Sir. We were actually looking to get in touch with her next of kin regarding an asset of hers that was left under our

inform you that uh, June and I were actually married. That’s probably

now. How dare he so confidently claim we were married to a perfect stranger! That fucker! There’s no way an associate of my Father would recommend him, he’s just

even more sorry for your loss, Sir,” says Swithin, his voice perfectly hiding

if just remembering he’s supposed to act sad. “There’s uh…

that your fian- sorry, your wife had purchased, in

apartment in London? June did? …Are

property a while ago, but since she hadn’t come to England in

me- When? Oh, he meant when could I have purchased an apartment here without Charles knowing? …I think

“…In 2015, Sir.”

years ago?” Charles

age where I could have purchased an apartment in Europe, with the help of a lawyer or two. This is going

were to let the flat be rented while she wasn’t using it, but a recent audit has shown that the value of the property has