Darling Villain (Forbidden Fruit #1)

Chapter 5

Adrien

B ack at my penthouse, I take a quick shower. The hot water cascades down my body, washing away the scent of sex and sweat from my skin. I reach for my razor, lathering up my face and shaving off the scruff that’s grown since the morning.

My reflection in the mirror is an unfamiliar sight, a feverish glint in my eyes that I’ve never seen before. The stranger in the mirror looks determined, almost obsessed, and I don’t like it.

I towel off, rubbing the damp cloth over my skin, trying to erase the tension that has settled around my shoulders and neck. The room is dim, the only light coming from the distant Empire Heights skyline, casting a blue hue over everything. The windows are wide, each one offering a different perspective of the city below.

I reach for my phone, probably the fifth time since my return, and tap on Daniel’s last update.

She’s securely locked away.

Carlos will deliver a report on her in 30 minutes.

I force myself to put the phone down.

The silence in the room is almost deafening as I pace back and forth, trying to shake the restlessness that has settled in my chest.

A faint knock on the door startled me from my agitated pacing.

Finally.

I whirl around; the adrenaline rushing through my veins as I approach the door. One hand on the towel hanging around my waist, the other gripping the door handle.

“Carlos,” I say as the door swings open, and he steps inside, carrying a file under his arm.

Carlos is a tall, well-built man in his late forties, a former Special Forces operative I had hired to be one of my personal bodyguards. He’s been with me for years, loyal and dutiful.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he observes.

If that ghost is a petite curly blonde with huge blue eyes and a penchant for trouble, then yes, I have.

I eye the file. “Is that a report from Matteo?”

“Yes, sir,” he says, putting down it on the counter. I have to stop myself from grabbing it and flipping it open, every part of me burning with the want to know everything about her.

Instead, I take a deep breath and turn to Carlos, my voice calm as I say, “Get the car ready for our trip. We’ll be leaving within the hour.”

“An hour? I was told we would depart in the morning.”

“I changed my mind. We have to be there as soon as possible.”

Carlos nods, turning to leave, but then pauses, glancing back at me with a furrowed brow.

“Yes?” I prompt.

“I’ve been with you a long time, sir. I’ve seen how you handle situations. But this... this is different. This is... I’ve never seen you like this before. I just need to be aware of the risk we are taking. To be ready for anything.”

“There’s no risk that I haven’t carefully calculated, Carlos.” My eyes don’t leave the file. “And I won’t put anyone in danger unnecessarily.”

A moment passes as Carlos studies me, his deep-set eyes filled with concern. “Very well, sir. I’ll prepare the car.”

As the door closes silently behind him, I grab the file and flip it open, eager to devour every detail about my prisoner and get her out of my mind as quickly as possible.

Boring people don’t occupy my mind for long, and Tiffany will soon join that category once I unravel the secrets hidden behind her seemingly innocent gaze.

The file is thick, and the weight of it is heavy in my hands as I flip through the pages. It’s amazing how much information you can get on someone in just an hour.

The first few pages contain public information about Tiffany. Her birth and family history, education, and work history. Then, the pages become more detailed, revealing her hobbies, interests, dating history, and bank statements.

Matteo, my hacker, has done a thorough job, and soon enough, I’m drowning in a pile of images of Tiffany, each one revealing a different side of her. From candid shots of her laughing with friends to images of her apartment, car, and shopping lists; Daniel’s network of informants and hackers had captured every detail of her life. I scan the pages, my gaze lingering on each picture, attempting to read her story from the carefully curated images.

I stop at a photo of the two Carter sisters. They are standing in an art gallery, Tiffany’s arms around her sister, smiling. Her grin is wide, her eyes twinkling with joy. It’s a moment of pure, unadulterated happiness captured on camera. Olivia, her sister, looks at the camera with a cautious smile, her eyes guarded. There is a stark contrast between Tiffany’s carefree nature and Olivia’s reserved demeanor, but despite the difference, there is a bond between them that is impossible to miss.

If Tiffany knows about her uncles’ extracurricular activities, she might be the biggest con of them all, I think as I stare at her smiling face.

Olivia is a few years older than Tiffany, with long, straight, blonde hair that cascades down her back. She has warm, chocolate-brown eyes that are just as expressive as her younger sister’s, but her face is a little more mature and elegant, a little slimmer.

As I sift through the images, my fingers tap rhythmically on the counter. I choose one and zoom in, studying Tiffany’s face intently.

She’s beautiful in a natural and youthful way. She looks... pure.

Just like back at the restaurant.

It’s not just her physical appearance; although she has curly blonde hair and an undeniably gorgeous face, it’s more than that. It could be the innocence in her big blue eyes or the sweetness of her full lips. She looks like she still believes in miracles and I’m sure that this exact feature of hers attracts me the most.

Her softness and kindness.

It’s been so long since I’ve felt those emotions. I’m torn between wanting to touch her with my rough hands and wanting to bask in her sunny, radiant smile.

I’m a sick bastard for even thinking about her dirtying her skin, so flawless and untouched, with the imprint of my lips.

But my wants do not dictate my actions, and Tiffany won’t be an exception.

Men like me—we cannot afford to have a soft spot for anyone or anything, especially vulnerable young women. We thrive on darkness and coldness, using others for our pleasure, gain, and satisfaction.

I don’t do it because I like it, but because I need to. My life is a constant quest for power and control and every time I think I can’t take it anymore, I push myself further.

For my family and my sake, I can’t allow myself to feel.

I try my best to push away my unwelcome thoughts as I take my time reading through the file from the very first page.

Tiffany Carter is a twenty-two-year-old college graduate with a degree in business and accounting. She joined her family’s company, Carter Corporation, three years ago. But as I study her picture, it seems like a mismatch. An accountant? Her shining smile and confident demeanor make me doubt she spends hours in a cubicle entering numbers into a computer. Her face seems to be made for the spotlight, not hidden away in an office.

I wonder if this is really who she is or just another persona, another facade she puts on to get what she wants.

According to the file, Tiffany’s sister, Olivia, owns an art gallery and is not involved in the family business—at least not officially.

Maybe there is hope for Tiffany after all. Perhaps she is as innocent as her appearance suggests.

When I turn the next page, I see a deep dive into Tiffany’s social media accounts, work emails, financial statements, medical records, and various other pieces of information that Daniel could gather. I skim through them, but it’s a long read. As far as I can see, she’s a goody-two-shoe. Everything about this girl screams responsible and law-abiding.

My eyes fixate on the section about her parents’ death in a car accident. The tragic car crash killed Carter Corporation’s heir and his wife, leaving their young children orphans. This made his brother Dean, known for money laundering, drug trafficking, and million-dollar debts, the new CEO of Carter Corporation.

Everything lines up. No evidence, no witnesses, and no CCTV footage.

It’s a perfectly executed cover-up.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter. I don’t care who killed them. But Tiffany, she’d care, and that could work to my advantage.

I close the report and put it aside to take with me together with other urgent documents I’ll need at my secluded residence outside of Empire Heights.

Originally, I bought the house as a peaceful escape from the chaos of city life. But now it will serve as the perfect location for my plan. Tucked away from prying eyes, surrounded by dense forests, and guarded by my highly trained men, no one would dare interfere. Tiffany may not be in an enviable position, but she can rest assured that I have no intentions of causing her harm.

In fact, my intentions are quite the opposite.

Glancing at my watch, I realize that I’ve already wasted enough time. I gather my belongings and grab Daniel’s report before heading out. With plenty of clothes and a maid who maintains the house, my needs are minimal.

Carlos is waiting in a discreet black car outside the building. I sink into the backseat, looking forward to a couple of hours of getting to know Tiffany Carter a lot better.