Dark Romance: A Cruel Obsession

Vivian had just finished eating a waffle and a hot dog from the food area, and then she brought back a mango mousse and a blueberry mousse. There was also a small portion of vegetable salad and a bacon and foie gras sandwich.

Luzia, holding a champagne glass, looked at her in shock as she ordered a chocolate ice cream scoop, a vanilla ice cream scoop, and a strawberry ice cream scoop, unable to say a word.

While waiting for the ice cream scoops, Vivian had finished eating a small piece of the sandwich. She took a small sip of grape juice and looked at Luzia, who was still not moving, and asked, “Aren’t you going to eat?”

Enthusiastically, Vivian pushed the sandwich in front of Luzia. “Try this bacon and foie gras sandwich, it’s especially delicious.”NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Luzia wasn’t very hungry, but she didn’t refuse Vivian’s enthusiasm. Vivian lowered her head and continued to eat her vegetable salad.

Finally, Luzia couldn’t help but ask, “What were you doing at noon? Didn’t you have time to eat lunch?”

Vivian fell silent for a moment. At the banquet, with people coming and going, Vivian didn’t dare to be sure if there were eyes and ears sent by the enemy to monitor. She didn’t dare to rashly tell Luzia about the pregnancy. But she wanted to share this joy with Luzia.

She quietly told Luzia, “I have a secret.”

Curiously, Luzia blinked and asked quietly, “What secret?”

“I can’t tell you right now,” Vivian said with a smile in her eyes, “Can you stay with me tonight?”

“I’d love to,” Luzia said eagerly. She wanted to disappear beside Joseph, but she was very rational. “Alajos wouldn’t be happy to lend me his wife for a whole night. Joseph wouldn’t allow me to stay out overnight.”

“It’s okay, we’ll stay at the mansion tonight,” Vivian said, winking mischievously, “It’s too late today, it’s not safe to drive back.”

“Really,” Luzia’s eyes lit up. Staying at the mansion might make Joseph’s behavior a bit more restrained. But that couldn’t stop Joseph from violating her. “But what about Joseph…”

“My brother is here,” Vivian had been keeping an eye on the entrance to the banquet hall. When she went to get the ice cream scoop, she saw Vilem coming.

“I think Joseph has a lot to say to Vilem. They’re going for drinks and won’t be back tonight.”

Everything was going too smoothly, just as planned.

Luzia couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “You all…”

Vivian smiled, her eyes showing a sly light. “I’ve been waiting for you to come back, Luzia.”

Vivian’s tone was too serious, and Luzia looked at her in astonishment, her eyes slowly turning moist. “Vivian…”

***

On the other side of the banquet hall, Vilem expressed his birthday wishes to Mrs. Yazmin and presented his carefully prepared gift. Then, holding champagne, he left the social circle. He moved away from the crowd and sat in a corner of the lounge area. Dressed in a black suit with a black tie, he sat in the backlight like a silent shadow.

Joseph, on the other hand, was exactly the opposite. He was radiant, the center of attention. He moved effortlessly among the people of Houston, greeting everyone. He seemed to be the ruler of Houston.

No wonder Alajos detested him so much. Vilem thought to himself.

How could Vilem not detest Joseph? Fate had made them brothers, but their father’s strict upbringing had turned them into natural rivals. Living constantly in Joseph’s shadow, Vilem couldn’t help but despise his brother.

Vilem finished the champagne in his glass in one gulp, then asked a waiter for a bottle of whiskey and settled back into the sofa. It seemed he had no intention of engaging in conversation with anyone. He was just here to deliver a gift, say “Happy Birthday,” and wait for enough time to pass so he could leave unnoticed, just as he had come.

Even though he had left Los Angeles and the shadow of his brother, Vilem still lived as if he were a ghost, unnoticed by anyone.

Joseph was pleased, and he didn’t mind enjoying Vilem’s distress.

Vivian had once told Bryson that Alajos held Vilem in high regard, entrusting him with important business concerning ports and shipping routes. Vilem was becoming powerful.

Joseph had never taken Vivian’s words to heart. He knew Vivian’s feelings for Vilem. He thought Vilem was nothing but a coward. But in Vivian’s eyes, he had become a hero who couldsave the world.

Seeing Vilem being ignored reinforced Joseph’s belief. Vivian, who only exaggerated and boasted, was simply foolish.

“Your demeanor disappoints me, Vilem,” Joseph walked up to Vilem, looking down at him across the table. “Houston is like a cage that breeds docile kittens. It can’t train fierce lions or agile eagles.”

Vilem raised his eyelids slightly, casting a sidelong glance at Joseph, then buried his head in his drink.

Vilem’s state was off. He didn’t explosively jump up and smash the bottle on Joseph’s head.

Joseph frowned. He didn’t believe Vilem had truly become a meek kitten. “I heard Alajos entrusted you with the business of the port and a shipping route controlled by the Benoist family.”

The ports and shipping routes in Houston had always been coveted by various factions. Father had generously helped Houston survive its initial crisis to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Bratva.

Sooner or later, Houston would be his, and the ports and shipping routes would be his as well.

“Lopaka is incredibly loyal to you,” Vilem finally looked at Joseph, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “Does he report everything that happens in Houston to you?”

“You should reflect on your incompetence, else you could have loyal eyes and ears in Los Angeles,” Joseph sneered.

Vilem tightened his grip on the glass, the knuckles turning white from the pressure. “With your formidable abilities and eyes and ears all over Houston, they should have told you that I have been searching for our mother.”

Vilem finally showed a hint of his former irascible self, and Joseph was subtly excited. “Of course.”

“Please tell me, where is our mother?” Vilem restrained his impulse, gritting his teeth as he asked.

“I am not obligated to tell you.”

“She’s my mother!” Vilem suddenly stood up, staring at Joseph across the table. “She’s your mother too!”

“So what?”

Joseph’s indifferent attitude truly infuriated Vilem. He lunged forward, his shin hitting the edge of the table, making a loud noise that indicated it was quite painful. But Vilem no longer cared about the pain. He grabbed Joseph’s suit collar with both hands, pulling him close. “Our mother is missing, we don’t know if she’s alive or dead, and you can still be so indifferent and say ‘so what’?”

“Will all your foolish actions bring our mother back?” Joseph’s hands gripped Vilem’s wrists like iron. “Let go!”

“Where is our mother?” Vilem, like a trapped animal with no options left, persistently sought answers from Joseph.

“Father said she’s recuperating in Europe.”

“Lies!” Vilem roared. “I’ve searched all the Jones family estates in Europe, and mother is not in Europe!”