###KILLIAN'S POINT OF VIEW###
Though I never harbored any feelings for Juliana, the winds of fate had whipped me into a storm of vengeance.
In my heart, I had already sworn an oath, Amanda and the rest of them would indeed pay for their misdeeds.
As I stood there, utterly consumed by a whirlpool of conflicting emotions, I allowed Juliana to envelop me in a hug, a gesture that felt oddly misplaced in the midst of my turmoil.
Softly, she pecked my lips, a tender moment that contrasted sharply with my inner rage.
Meanwhile, Juliana threw a radiant smile at Amanda, a smile that seemed not only triumphant but also mocking.
My gaze shifted to Amanda, fury radiating from my very core; this was no innocent bystander.
She was part and parcel of her father's dark schemes, and she was here, without a doubt, only for my money.
"Have you served my guest?" I inquired, anger simmering just beneath the surface.
"Son, this wife of yours is terribly mannerless," Vanessa interjected, her voice laced with condescension.
I couldn't help but shoot her a daggers-and-glare combo, my blood boiling in my veins.
What was this conniving woman doing in my home? I bolted towards her, frustration clawing at my insides, and asked coldly,
"What are you doing here?"
"My sweet boy, why are you treating your mother this way?" she countered, manipulating the atmosphere as expertly as she had her life.
Those crocodile tears rolled down her cheeks like a poorly scripted drama.
I could hardly mask my bitterness; the audacity of this woman was breathtaking.
"After my husband left me, you're all I have left, and you, my only son, treat me like a vixen," she continued, the tragedy of her words laced with malice.
I felt like choking this liar with my bare hands.
"Honey, I asked her to drive me here, and she's your mum. Are you not going a little over the edge?" Juliana chimed in, trying to smooth over the tension.
"Loser," Amanda muttered as she walked away, her tone dripping with disdain.
I took a deep breath, trying to maintain my composure.
"Thanks, Mom, for bringing Juliana here, but you should really leave now, Vivian and Liam must be waiting for you." My voice had an unmistakable edge to it, and I watched her shuffle away, a deceptive smile plastered on her face.
Inside, I was all too aware of their malicious plans.
I knew Liam was in cahoots with them, knitting their scheme to transfer all the inheritance to his name.
Meanwhile, Vanessa had sinister intentions of her own; she was plotting to eliminate Liam and funnel everything toward Klein.
Their next target was me, and I had no intention of going down without a fight.
Yet, I was steps ahead of them, strategizing in ways they couldn't even begin to fathom.
"Yes, of course, I'll be on my way now. I love you, son, and just remember, Juliana Washington is the best choice you'll ever make," Vanessa declared, her voice smooth yet laden with ulterior motives.
I nodded as I watched her leave, but a part of my mind remained consumed by thoughts of Amanda.
"Marcia?" I called out to the maid in the villa, and she came rushing over.
"Yes, Sir," she replied, her eyes wide with anticipation.
"Show Juliana to her room," I instructed curtly. Marcia obliged, leading Juliana to the room on the right wing of the villa.
To be honest, I hadn't expected to see Juliana here, bags in hand, and it felt surreal.
I made my way toward Amanda's room, but she wasn't there.
However, I could hear faint sounds coming from the gym house, drawing me in.
After a quick shower, I donned a black sleeveless T-shirt and matching shorts, spurred on by an inexplicable urge to confront her.
As I stepped up to the gym house, I chose to observe for a moment.
There she was, effortlessly striking the boxing bag, her focus unwavering.
She was clad in simple gym clothes; her long hair cascaded down her back, and every punch she threw seemed charged with emotion, was it anger, frustration, or perhaps something more?
"Taking my face as the bag, huh?" I quipped, a smirk creeping across my face in an attempt to lighten the tension.
She glanced up at me, eyes shimmering with unshed tears, hastily trying to wipe them away.
"You're crying?" I probed, concerned, but she swiftly turned her back to me, avoiding eye contact.
"Are you here for another round? Because I'm your play toy now, I get it," she retorted, beginning to loosen her clothes.
"Stop it, Amanda. I'm just here to talk," I urged, hoping to dismantle the wall she had erected around her.
"Oh, right! Juliana Washington is here now, so there won't be anything between us. I understand!" Her words were sharp, her sarcasm biting.
"Just listen to me!" I shouted, the frustration boiling inside me. She finally looked at me, her expression daring me to push further.
"Or else what?" she shot back defiantly.
I took a step closer, sliding my hands up her neck, my fingers grazing over her warm, damp skin, creating an electric tension in the air.
"Your father plotted against mine because he viewed him as a long-term rival.
My father died at the hands of those he trusted the most; it's irony wrapped in tragedy," I confided, the weight of my revelations drawing us closer together.
"I know my father was a bad man," she said, tears spilling over, "but... if I speak out, I'll be doomed." The floodgates opened, and she broke down in sobs, collapsing into my arms.
As I enveloped her in a warm embrace, the warmth of her vulnerability seeped through my own emotional barriers.
But just as the moment became fragile and tender, a voice sliced through the atmosphere like a knife.
"What's going on here? What are you doing with that bitch, Killian?" Juliana's voice rang out from behind us, flooding the space with an electrifying tension that was impossible to ignore.