ILLICIT DESIRES | 18 +

42: Power

RITA

Father was Right. 

Running a business is intricate and time-consuming. Before I sign a contract, I have to read countless documents. I'm not so naive as to sign binding agreements without reading them — down to the fine print.

That's why I've been stuck in my father's office for hours.

Correction: my office.

Two weeks have passed since I killed him, and a lot has happened since then. A week after his funeral, I had to appear in court to prove that I killed him in self-defense.

It wasn't difficult to prove my innocence. His office was under video surveillance, and I gave the judge the recordings. In some scenes — where I provoked him so much that he choked me and I could only whisper — I was barely audible, which only reinforced my case.

After the judge saw the footage of my enraged father hitting and choking me over a contract, I was acquitted of all charges. My father's inheritance was divided between my mother and me since there was no will — after I got rid of the notary.

Today, I'm probably one of the richest and most powerful women in the world. Besides owning corporations in Russia, I also own parent companies in Mexico.

Yet I'm not happy. Money doesn't make me happy because I don't need money or power to be happy — I need him.

Roman.

He makes me happy.

But I doubt he wants anything to do with me anymore after I put him in prison. He probably hates me with a passion and regrets saving me that night.

Still, I can live with his hatred — as long as he's safe. And he's safe in police custody. If I hadn't reported him, he'd be free, but now he can't be free; otherwise, Antonio will kill him.

I know that Alessi won't kill Roman while he's in police custody — not after I've claimed that Roman and his brother kidnapped me for him. If anything happens to them, Alessi will be the prime suspect.

Roman will soon be free and powerful anyway.

I'm going to make him powerful, strong, rich, and invincible. I'm going to make sure no one can harm us. But first, I have to convince the judge to release him at his first trial, and I'll do everything in my power to get him free — even if I end up looking like a fool.

After I killed my father, I had to appear in court this week. That's why Roman's case was postponed until next week.

I'm jolted out of my melancholy thoughts by a knock at the door. I sigh, look up, and call out, "Come in!"

"Hello, Rita. I hope you're well?" I hear my uncle say as he opens the door.

My uncle's eyes flick to my lamp the moment he steps further inside, his gaze lingering a second too long, his expression tightening with obvious judgment at the shape of it. I don't bother looking at it myself; I already know what he sees, and I don't care.

"That's a strange lamp you have..."

It's the lamp Roman gave me.

I keep it there — something of his, something I can look at when I need to feel close to him. It is the only softness in this room of contracts and steel decisions.

"I like it," I simply say.

I put aside the contracts I've been reading. Uncle flew all the way from Washington to Mexico after my father died.

A malicious smile plays on his face, showing his slanderous intentions. I know he's not here to grieve with me.

I mirror him — my lips curling into a defiant smile, my eyes narrowing in hostility as I put aside the contracts I've been reading. He flew all the way from Washington to Mexico after my father died.