Chapter 59

Book:Romance With The CEO Published:2024-6-2

“No. Don’t hurt him, Neil.”
Lucas said, furrowing his brow faintly. He took a breath and tilted his head slightly to one side.
“Serve him. Don’t forget to feed him,” Lucas continued softly, leaning back in his chair. “You know, he won’t be able to speak if he doesn’t have the energy.”
Lucas glanced at the sitting calendar, thinking briefly and making a decision.
“I’ll go there tomorrow. Make sure he stays alive until I arrive. I don’t even want to see a scratch on his body.”
The door opened. The voice caught Lucas’ attention, and a beautiful face appeared through the crack of the door. She smiled sweetly.
“I’m hanging up.”
Lucas ended the call and placed the phone handle back in its place.
“Am I bothering you?”
Lucas got up and approached Velia, who was sitting on the couch. He brushed aside Velia’s hair to plant a kiss on her slender neck.
“It’s actually the phone that’s disturbing us.”
Lucas whispered in Velia’s ear, bringing a blush of embarrassment to her cheeks. She blinked and then said,
“I just wanted to see you for a moment. I thought you were working late. So maybe you wanted a snack or something.”
Lucas withdrew slightly. “I don’t have much work to do. Just checking a few things,” he explained, shrugging briefly. “Like looking at some names to fill the soon-to-be vacant department head position.”
“Is someone resigning or being transferred?”
“There’s always turnover every two years. You probably didn’t know that the department head selection process always takes a long time, did you?”
Lucas smiled meaningfully while Velia simply nodded. She did not know much about such things.
“I’m just doing it early while I have some free time. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be busy in the near future.”
Something crossed Lucas’ mind, reminding him that there might be something to attend to tomorrow.
“I think I’ll have to go out for a while tomorrow afternoon.”
Velia narrowed her eyes. “You just mentioned the possibility of being busy, and now you have an event outside tomorrow? Meeting a client?”
“You could say that,” Lucas nodded meaningfully. “He’s a very important client. I have to meet him and settle all our affairs before he leaves for good.”
“Leaves for good? Is he going abroad?”
“Maybe far beyond just going abroad.”
Lucas’ answer confused Velia. However, she could not think about it further. Lucas’ touch on her thigh made her glance at him.
“If you feel bored tomorrow while I’m gone, you can contact Carter. Ask him to take you wherever you want. Maybe you want to go to the supermarket.”
“Can I go shopping?”
“Why not?”
This was a new peculiarity for Velia to consider. Previously, Lucas did not allow her to go anywhere. Even Carter’s presence did not offer many options for her. So why had Lucas changed his mind now?
“You’re free to go wherever with one condition: you must come back.”
“Are you serious?”
Lucas nodded. “Of course. Now you can safely go anywhere. You can go shopping, take a walk, or do something else.”
The slight strangeness in Lucas’ words did not mean much to Velia. In fact, her joy showed itself without being concealed.
“Oh, Luc! Thank you.”
Lucas gladly accepted Velia’s grateful hug. He smiled meaningfully while stroking Velia’s back. Truly, only God and himself knew how relieved Lucas was that they were still together that day.
*
Sharp gaze from Lucas was directed straight at the disheveled figure of Ricardo, who sat motionless in front of him. A string tied him tightly, not allowing even the slightest movement.
His eyes were tightly shut, whether he was asleep or unconscious. His legs were bound together. His hands were tied to the chair. Ricardo looked utterly pitiful.
Lucas glanced briefly at his watch and let out a long sigh. His patience seemed to be wearing thin from waiting, so he turned to Neil, who stood beside him.
“Wake him up. I didn’t come here to wait for him to sleep.”
Neil immediately grabbed a bucket of ice water that had been prepared and poured it over Ricardo without wasting any time.
Startled and chilled, at least those were the immediate sensations that brought Ricardo back to consciousness. He woke up in a daze, his mouth open as he took hurried breaths.
Ricardo shook his head repeatedly to get rid of the water droplets and the chilling sensation that overwhelmed his head. Dizziness was present, making him grimace. He tried to calm himself from the stinging sensation, but suddenly a deep, resonant voice spoke to him.
“Are you awake now, Ricardo?”
Ricardo froze. Whether it was because of the ice water or the sudden fear that arose without being able to be prevented. The face in front of him was the last thing he expected.
Ricardo’s body stiffened. His heart seemed to stop beating. The terror was exactly the lingering coldness. Each passing second could not erase it, but rather created a terrifying shiver.
“M-Mr. Hernandez?”
Lucas grinned. He sat back comfortably, leaning against the chair. One leg was raised and rested on top of the other. He did not look at Ricardo but at a knife in his hand.
“I’ve been waiting for you for almost half an hour, Ricardo,” Lucas said in a low tone. “Turns out you sleep quite soundly.”
It was not just an uneasy or fearful feeling, but more than that. Ricardo felt as if he could see the worst outcome in his mind’s eye. He struggled. Tried to free himself, but he suddenly became fully aware of the situation at that moment.
The ropes were tightly bound. Boy was lying dead. Lucas with a knife.
Ricardo pleaded desperately. “Sir, please. Let me go. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“What did you say?” Lucas asked softly. His blinking eyes and sharpened gaze intensified due to Ricardo’s plea. “You haven’t done anything wrong? Really, Ricardo? Do you think you can deceive me?”
“I-I followed all of your orders as best as I could. I worked well. I didn’t make any mistakes.”
Ricardo tried to defend himself. In his increasing desperation, he would do anything. He tried to convince Lucas, but what he received was a smirk.
“Do you think this is about work?”
Ricardo’s defense faltered. Lucas’s question raised other questions in his mind.
What could have prompted Mr. Hernandez to do this if not because of work?
“Boy wouldn’t end up like this if it was only about work, right, Ricardo?”
The name Boy made Ricardo instinctively turn his head. His pale, stiff figure remained in the same place. He did not move an inch, with his eyes wide open as if hinting at Ricardo’s future.
Death was standing there, ready to approach Ricardo. Whether it would be equally gruesome or even worse.
Ricardo looked back at Lucas. Beads of sweat ran down the side of his face as his body grew colder. His mind groped, and there was only one thing that connected them.
“Velia.”
Lucas smirked. The knife in his hand moved. Occasionally, he grazed the blade against his thumb, as if testing its sharpness.
“I’ve told you, Ricardo. Just do the things that are your work responsibilities. Don’t do things that could be fatal for you.”
Silent, Ricardo couldn’t say anything as his tongue felt dry. Both the words and the aura emanating from Lucas left him powerless.
“Unfortunately, you ignored my warning.”
Lucas took a deep breath, shaking his head repeatedly. The sharp gaze in his eyes faded, replaced by a helpless expression. As if he could not do anything more about what was going to happen.
“Even though I’ve warned you multiple times, Ricardo. It’s a shame you didn’t give me any other choice. Your performance was actually quite good, and I admit it.”
His thumb pressed harder on the knife blade. A hint of emotion flickered in Lucas’s eyes, causing his jaw to tighten.
“I gave a warning, but you didn’t pay attention. You know, Ricardo, I never give a second chance.”
Ricardo trembled in horror. “M-Mr. Hernandez, I beg you,” he pleaded softly. “I truly didn’t know about Velia’s connection with you. I was just following Madam President’s orders.”
Ricardo no longer cared about Sandra’s anger. Now, it was his own life that he was concerned about.
“I was just following Madam Sandra’s orders.”
“I know, Ricardo, that you did this because you were ordered by my own biological mother. Do you think I’m so foolish that I wouldn’t know?”
The movement of the knife continued. Lucas continued to savor the sharp sensation while Ricardo was the opposite. He swallowed his saliva with a pleading face.
“Sir, I beg you. Forgive me. I was just following Madam Sandra’s orders.”
“You could have refused that order, Ricardo. Don’t you realize how excessive it was? It was too wicked. How many lives have you taken?”
Ricardo was stunned by the question. Just how much did Lucas know?
“Ah,” Lucas murmured, nodding mockingly. “I guessed that you never expected me to know about it, did you?”
There were no words that Ricardo could utter. He remained silent, lost in the escalating sense of dread.
It seemed that Lucas knew many things. More than he should. More than Ricardo dared to imagine.
“You never thought I knew that my own mother orchestrated all of this, did you? You never thought I knew that the accident that befell Velia’s family was your doing.”
Lucas knew every detail. He did not miss even the smallest thing.
“I’m sure you never imagined,” Lucas continued with an indescribable glint in his eyes, “that I knew about your efforts to summon Velia back to work. Including using my mother’s name.”
Lucas’s words paused. The knife stopped moving. A fleeting memory crossed his mind.
~
“Did Ricardo request Velia’s return?”
“Yes, Sir,” Vlora answered, awaiting Lucas’s next command. “I’m sorry, Sir. Should I find out more?”
“No. You may leave.”
Vlora nodded. She excused herself, intending to leave Lucas’s office immediately, but something held her back. It was Lucas’s earlier statement.
“I hope you don’t forget, Vlo. You work for me. I hope you remember that as best as you can.”
Vlora hesitated to leave. Instead, she approached Lucas again. Her boss, who was about to continue his work, noticed Vlora’s unusual behavior.
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry, Sir,” Vlora said. “There’s something I haven’t told you.”
Lucas looked at her. “Speak.”
“It seems that Velia’s summoning is connected to Madam President.”
“Madam President?” Lucas asked, confirming. “You mean my mother?”
Vlora nodded once. “Yes, Sir. I overheard a conversation between Mr. Bell and Mr. Davis. Mr. Bell said that the summoning was done under Madam’s orders.”
Mom?
Lucas’s face instantly hardened. The air felt stagnant as Vlora’s information delivered an unexpected blow.
“Are you serious about what you’re saying?”
“I’m serious, Sir. I’m confident I didn’t mishear.”
~
“W-what?”
Lucas’s words revealed an unforeseen fact to Ricardo. The man had known everything for a long time. He had known it all on the day everything started again.
“I-if you knew that I wanted to harm Velia,” Ricardo whispered nonsensically, “why did you still allow her to work?”
Lucas sighed with an exasperated expression. “I did it because it was the only way to draw all of you out. Ah! Do you know another funny thing?”
The turmoil that arose from his mother’s name had disappeared. Lucas appeared calm again, continuing his knife play.
“I deliberately had Velia take that taxi. Your henchman who turned into a corpse was truly foolish!”
Lucas burst into laughter. It was a resounding laughter devoid of any hint of amusement, but rather the opposite.
Ricardo shivered. The sight was akin to the grim reaper toying with lives. Unfortunate! It was his life that was currently being toyed with.
Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. Lucas briefly wiped them away while adjusting his slightly disturbed breathing.
“You thought the day Velia returned to work was the day she fell into your trap, didn’t you? But the truth is the opposite. It was you and Boy who fell into my trap.”
Unexpected consequences had ensnared Ricardo. He was trapped in a carefully planned scheme. He had not anticipated it at all, and when he finally realized it, it was already too late.
“You surely didn’t know that, while unwittingly…”
Lucas took a deep breath, and his thumb pressed harder on the blade of the knife, creating a small cut. Blood flowed. Yet, he seemed unaffected.
“… you were fighting against me, Ricardo?”
A chill flickered in Lucas’s eyes. Unfortunately, it did not suggest amusement, but rather a heightened sense of horror.
“Some people always think I’m slow and ignorant. But in reality, I knew everything from the beginning, everything. Not a single detail escaped me.”
Many people thought the same way. Lucas’s calm and composed demeanor was sometimes interpreted as ignorance. In reality, he meticulously stored all the information, crafted plans by exploiting others’ schemes, and delivered unexpected surprises.
“That’s how I’ve managed to survive all this time, Ricardo. The day people think I know nothing is the day they lose. Including you!”
Damn it! I didn’t know it would all turn out like this!
The situation was truly unfavorable for Ricardo. He was cornered and in a difficult position. He had no other choice. Begging and seeking forgiveness from Lucas was the only path left.
“Sir, I beg you. Forgive me. I was only following your mother’s orders. Please, sir. Have mercy on me.”
Not only did Ricardo plead, but he also tried to free himself. Unfortunately, the bindings were tight, and he could not even loosen them.
“Mercy?”
Lucas snorted. For a moment, he let out a deep sigh before finally piercing Ricardo with a question.
“Do you think I would forgive someone who tried to assault Velia?”
Ricardo was taken aback. “N-no, Sir. I-”
“You probably don’t know, but Velia is becoming more beautiful. Velia’s body is incredibly tempting. So, I want you to kidnap her without hurting her. You surely understand what I mean, right? A woman like Velia shouldn’t be killed right away. I want to enjoy her body first. I want to squeeze her breasts and violate her multiple times. Then you can enjoy her too once I’m satisfied.”
Ricardo’s words were interrupted by the playback of his own voice by Neil. He turned to Neil just as the voice recording stopped.
“Do you still want to deny it, Ricardo?”
Ricardo turned pale. He was completely helpless in the face of such concrete evidence.
“Even without that recording,” Lucas continued with a different voice. Deep, heavy, and filled with unspoken anger. “Do you think I don’t know what you tried to do to Velia?”
There was no hope left for Ricardo. Not just because of the tragic accident that befell Velia’s family, but also because of the vile intentions he had planned.
The shadow of life grew thinner. The presence of death became clearer.
Desperation engulfed Ricardo. He wasn’t ready to die. Not yet.
“Sir, I beg you,” Ricardo pleaded with tears streaming down his face. “Forgive me.”
Lucas stood up. Tears and pleas meant nothing to his sharp gaze. Emotion took over. Redness spread in unspoken anger.
“I beg you. Forgive me, Sir.”
Lucas approached Ricardo. He lowered his body with an uplifted face and asked.
“Tell me, Ricardo. Which of your hands touched Velia?”
Ricardo’s pleading intensified. Tears flowed more heavily as he begged. He cried and resisted, but a moment later, it was a scream of pain that burst from his throat.
“Ah!”
Lucas tightly sealed his mouth as the knife in his hand moved. The tip of the knife pierced and lodged into the back of Ricardo’s hand. Not only that, he twisted it.
Ricardo’s scream of pain, the sound of flesh tearing, and the creaking of the chair echoed in the room.
“You couldn’t possibly have used only one hand, right?”
Ricardo’s face grew wetter. “Sir, please, don’t. I beg you. Have mercy on me.”
“Velia must have asked you for the same thing back then, you bastard!”
Lucas shouted as he pulled out the knife without any feeling. He disregarded the chunk of flesh that came off with it and repeated the same action on Ricardo’s other hand.
Another scream of pain erupted. Ricardo writhed uncontrollably.
The same went for Lucas, who could not contain his anger any longer. Emotion took over his body, and he repeatedly pulled out the knife only to stab it again. Over and over, without relenting.
“Velia must have felt the same fear you’re feeling now!”
Ricardo screamed even louder. Exactly as the next stab of Lucas’s knife landed.
“My mother ordered you to kill her, and you didn’t even have the heart to refuse that order! Instead, you wanted to take advantage of the situation to touch her?!”
Anger erupted with great intensity. Lucas’s body trembled violently. He gasped for breath and felt like tearing Ricardo apart right then and there, something he would happily do.
“Sir!”
Ricardo writhed. The pain grew more unbearable as the knife moved to his chest and stomach. The cuts kept on slashing repeatedly. His voice sounded terrifying.
“Help! I beg you, Sir!”
Lucas was furious. “Velia probably cried for help just like you are now, Ricardo!”
Tears and blood merged. Ricardo became even more pitiful, but Lucas was far from finished.
“Just… just kill me, Sir.”
Ricardo’s struggles gradually subsided. The pain and effort to free himself drained his energy. He was powerless against the looming reality.
Death.
That was undoubtedly present before Ricardo. He knew there was no hope left. He was going to die, and the only thing he hoped for was a death without torture.
“Just kill me, Sir,” Ricardo sobbed desperately. “Don’t torture me like this.”
Lucas burst into laughter as he directed the tip of the knife at Ricardo’s body. “Death comes too easily for you. Ah! Are you jealous of Boy, who could die so easily?”
Sobs shook Ricardo’s body. He surrendered and continued to plead even though there was no hope for him.
“That’s because Boy didn’t intend to touch Velia!”
Ricardo sobbed sorrowfully. “Sir, forgive me. I didn’t know Velia was your mistress. I beg you. Forgive me.”
The knife stopped moving. Lucas froze, as if his heart had stopped beating. His face hardened, and a painful squeeze filled him.
“Neil,” Lucas said with a trembling voice. “Open Ricardo’s mouth.”
Ricardo’s eyes widened. He tried to avoid it, but Neil quickly caught his face from behind.
Neil held Ricardo’s face in a position directly facing Lucas. His strong hand moved quickly and flawlessly, forcibly opening Ricardo’s mouth.
Ricardo’s struggles were futile against Neil. He could not do anything to escape.
Pain sliced through Lucas’s face. He winced as if there were invisible wounds doused in vinegar.
“How dare you say Velia is my mistress,” Lucas laughed. “My mistress, Ricardo?!”
Ricardo grew immeasurably pale. Lucas’s eyes glared with a ferocity never seen before.
“You helped my mother destroy Velia’s family, repeatedly wanted to violate her, and now you call her my mistress?!”
Ricardo wanted to at least defend himself. If given the chance, he would throw himself at Lucas’s feet. He would kneel and beg. He would do anything for Lucas to forgive him.
“Your tongue can only speak ill, Ricardo.”
Ricardo struggled, but Neil held him down completely. Even the chair that bound him did not budge an inch.
Lucas stood up and distanced himself. His hand reached out to pull Ricardo’s tongue out. His merciless eyes stared straight without blinking.
“You don’t need your tongue anymore.”
The knife moved with one swift, painful slash.
Neil released Ricardo’s head just as the middle-aged man screamed horrifically. Blood gushed out from his mouth.
Agony, pain, and all the torment he had never experienced before assaulted Ricardo. It tortured him further, relentlessly. Desperation. Wild movements on the judgment chair.
Lucas threw Ricardo’s severed tongue on the floor. He accepted a piece of cloth handed to him by Neil.
“Keep him conscious. Let him die slowly.”
Neil nodded. “Of course, Sir.”
“Don’t forget to clean up everything.”
“No need to worry.”
Lucas looked at Ricardo one last time. He sneered at the suffering Ricardo was going through before leaving the room. It coincided with the ringing of his phone.
“Luc! I just finished shopping with Carter. I’m planning to cook the most delicious steak for you. Do you want it?”
Lucas smiled. “That sounds like the perfect menu for tonight. I’m excited to slice into meat covered in red sauce.”
“I know you’ll love it,” Velia chuckled on the other end. “Hurry home. I’ll be waiting.”
“Of course.”
The call ended. Lucas put his phone back in his pants pocket. He headed towards a parked car.
The four-wheeled vehicle was different from the one Lucas usually drove. He got in and immediately started the engine.
The car moved slowly. The tires rotated leisurely, crushing the gravel beneath them. Inside, Lucas appeared calm, whistling softly. As if nothing had happened.
*