Chapter 1 The Intruder

Erika POV

The rays of sunlight started spreading across the whole sky, indicating the arrival of a sunny morning. But I was still sleeping peacefully on my bed. As the beam of sunlight broke into my room and caressed my face, I opened my eyes, waking up from sleep.

I rubbed my eyes and almost jumped out of my bed as I glanced at the time. Today, I am so happy, as it's one of the biggest days of my life. Well, you must be wondering what it is, so let me tell you, today is my papa's promotion ceremony. He is going to be promoted today.

Oh yes, I also have a lot of work to do. And most importantly, I also have to prepare the speech of Papa. I remembered as I squeaked in happiness.

I rushed to the washroom and, after taking a bath, I got ready and went to my father's room.

This is me, Erika Smith. I am an eighteen-year-old girl. Nowadays, I am busy preparing for my entrance exams. I want to become a chartered accountant.

I am a girl with pure beauty and innocence. With deep green eyes, white puffy cheeks, pink plump lips, a small button nose, golden brown hair, attractive facial features, and a curvy and petite figure, it is a sight to behold for everyone. This is not me, but people around me say whenever they see me for the first time, hehe. The shades of innocence cascading on my face and my sweet, melodious voice are something that drives one into its spell and makes them crazy for me. These are the words that I mostly hear, especially from those boys in my class and those living in my neighborhood. I have a heart like a sparrow. Simplicity and sincerity are what attract me most to others.

I am believed to be a very naive girl who is unaware of the cunningness, deception, and double faces of people around her.

Mostly, I quickly trust other people around me. I am a sympathetic girl who believes in spreading good virtues and helping others in their troubled times.

I have only one friend. Her name is Lilly Gray. She also has a boyfriend whose name is Derek Anderson. They have been in a relationship for the last two years.

My father's name is Smith Dawson. He is an accountant for one of the reputable companies in the city. Recently, my father got a promotion in his job based on his current designation.

My father adores me. I am very precious to him. For my better future and my happy life, he can go to any extent. This is what he told me once. Though his words scare the shit out of me, I still comprehend what he means by saying such words.

I was a small child of five years when my mother demised and, after that, it was only my father who upbringing me took care of me, raised me, making me a confident, intelligent, and hard-working girl.

My father looks very innocent and simple by his looks, but there are so many secrets of his life he carries in his heart. Despite all of this, he cares about me as, according to him, his life resides only and only in his daughter, Erika.

My papa took me in his embrace as he found me in his room. I asked him about the preparation of the speech, but he sent me to pick up his clothes from the laundry, assuring me he would prepare the speech for the ceremony. I had to comply with his words and head out of his room and out of the house.

*********

Damien POV

I was standing in front of four boys, whom I had beaten to a pulp. They were all tied to chairs, begging me, asking for my mercy. But I wasn't interested in listening to their pleas as my focus was more concentrated on beating them all to the blues.

My hands and clothes were all covered in their blood. I had already turned into a mode of savage, ruthless, and merciless. I was enjoying the wretched state of the boys as it was giving me inner peace after seeing their miserability and helplessness. Their begging was working like an anecdote to my ears.

I am Damien Black. I'm best known as a 32-year-old successful businessman, running supply chains of different building construction equipment industries and resorts, not only nationally but internationally as well. In a mere three years, I had established my reign as a famous businessman.

Although running my business is just a facade, it does great help in hiding my identity as a mafia man, as mafia men are very paranoid about their security. I convert the black money from the illegal deals into white money via my company. As long as I get money, no business is legal or illegal for me.

There are only a few people who know about my underground business and activities. And none of my enemies had seen my actual face yet. I always do my work in a way that no one can get any clue about it. For the rest of the world, I am an arrogant billionaire, carrying an aura of professionalism, divergence, and determination.

Once upon a time, I was a very poor and wretched orphan boy, and now nothing but a cold-blooded businessman. The journey from being penniless to being an aloof businessman went through a painful history, and the only thing that kept me alive was the support and assistance of my best buddies, Derek Anderson and Daniel Morgan. It was because of them that I found a purpose in life and thrived in making one.

I don't fear death. In fact, I wish the end would come to me sooner than it was planned so that I would be free from this two-faced world.

The only word I loathe in this world is the word love. Love or affection are words that don't hold any place in my dictionary. For me, a woman is a piece of thing that can be used to quench my lust and fulfill my sexual needs. It's normal for me to use a woman and throw her away like a tissue.

If I believe and trust in anyone, then it's no one else but my right-hand man, Derek Anderson, and left-hand man, Daniel Morgan. They are both my greatest strength and the reason why no one dared to mess with me.

They are my eyes and ears. My invincible network made me a powerful billionaire, I'm right now. They had my back and vice versa.

I had turned almost dead to the pleadings for the sake of their lives. Their pain and suffering weren't affecting me in any way. That's why, without giving further ado, I took out the gun from the holster and pointed it at them. I fired a gunshot and shot all of them one by one. Because of the impact of the bullet, their blood splashed on my face and clothes while shooting each one of them.

After making sure they had died and were not breathing anymore, I left the place but did not forget to burst into loud laughter before leaving.

*********

Erika POV

In the evening, I got ready and left with my father for the venue for the ceremony.

I was wearing a pink frock and pink tights with black heels. I tied my hair in a loose bun and left a few strands of my hair falling on either side of my face. In the name of makeup, I just applied mascara with eyeliner, shaded my cheeks light pink, and painted my lips orange. I was looking breathtakingly beautiful and alluring in that look.

As I stepped into the hall, everyone looked in my direction. I could sense people scrutinizing their eyes, lingering on me as I made my way forward between them. Through their eyes, they appreciated and praised my beauty.

I was greeting and interacting with people there, unaware of my surroundings, and that someone's keen and focused eyes were on me as I raised my head.

"Papa, look, this is so beautiful," I said joyfully, holding my father's hand.

"Sorry, miss, I'm not your father." Unknown to me, in a trance I mistakenly held someone else's hand. Turning towards the person, I quickly let his hand go as I heard an unfamiliar voice quite close to me.