Lustful Paradise

Even though her family was nowhere to be seen, there was still someone who cared for her well-being and valued her as an individual. She didn't know how else to show how grateful she felt, so she moved closer and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You are just the sweetest." Victoria whispered in his ear.

Richard breathed in the delicate scent coming from her neck, making the hairs on his skin rise. It felt soothing yet prickled at the same time as a hint of desire overtook his senses for a second, reminding him of his suppressed feelings toward the woman embracing him right now.

"Victoria, are you alright?" Richard asked as he noticed her shoulders tensing up when she hugged him, pulling her away at arms' length to look into her eyes with a worried gaze.

She thought about avoiding his eyes but didn't, knowing that lying wouldn't hide anything from him anymore. "You see right through me, as always."

"Did something happen?" Richard questioned her further. "Was it your parents? Did they do anything stupid again, or was it your brother and his bitchy wife who pestered you this time?"

"Haha... No, it's not any of them..." Victoria laughed humorlessly, shaking her head at his assumption. "I guess I am just feeling down because Jason couldn't make it."

"Your boyfriend?" Richard said with a sour expression, not having the best opinion about that man. "What happened to him now?"

Victoria hesitated to answer his question but then decided to tell him everything about the situation nonetheless.

It would have been pointless to keep silent since he knew how to read her like an open book anyway. Besides, after learning about it, he would certainly empathize with her plight.

After hearing her story out, Richard clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"That stupid dickhead ditched his girlfriend on such a big day! What the hell is he even thinking? For fuck's sake!" he said in frustration, unable to keep his anger under control. "No, scratch that—he has always been that way, and nothing is ever going to change about his shitty personality."

"Hey, mind your language," Victoria glared at him while wiping tears from her eyes that had spilled over during their conversation. "Don't talk about him that way. He had important work to do as a detective, so he couldn't be here for the announcement. That's all."

"What important work?" Richard scoffed in anger. "No matter where you go, that man will always prioritize his work over you, don't you see it? Even if we put that aside for now, what work can be more important than a day like this in his girlfriend's life?"

"And didn't you win a deal that can affect the future of millions of people on a global scale? What detective worth the badge would turn his back on his lover for a petty investigation after learning about such news? Not to mention, you were waiting to announce your engagement on this special occasion. How could this be any less significant?"

"Please stop, Richard. You're being too harsh on him." Victoria shook her head sadly, her eyes misting up again. "And you are not being fair to him either. Jason is a man with a high sense of responsibility and a desire to serve the people by enforcing justice. He saved me when I was traveling and was kidnapped by unknown people."

"Oh... this again..." Richard narrowed his eyes and said in a dismissive tone. "Saving a damsel in distress once doesn't give him a free pass to treat you as some afterthought later. And so what if he's working towards some greater good or whatever that crap means? So is my dad, along with half of the city's corporate population, myself included! The fact remains that you should come first in his life, not those faceless victims whom he puts ahead of you for the sake of his stupid hero complex!"

"Moreover, if you want to talk about kidnapping, let me tell you that he just happened to be there on the scene because of another case and played a small role in rescuing you, alongside the SWAT team. Don't make it sound like he saved your life all by himself! Hell, I was the one who called the cops and guided them in the right direction from thousands of miles away. Otherwise, do you really think he could've saved you from dozens of armed men all alone?" Richard clenched his teeth, exposing the real truth that had always been hidden from Victoria.

"WHAT?!" she widened her eyes in disbelief. "No way..."

Richard exhaled sharply. He had enough of her delusions and foolishness, knowing very well that he might not get this chance again, seeing that it was the best moment to bring out the reality she was ignorant of and free her from that fucking prick's clutches.

"Yes, it was me and not that Jason fucker who actually rescued you. As soon as the bad news reached me, I had to enlist the help of every resource available to track down those kidnappers, figure out their location, and inform the police to find you." he pointed at the beautiful woman in front of him while feeling angry for losing her to that so-called hero.

Victoria tried to utter a few words but couldn't speak.

All this time, she was unaware of this side of the story, which had been kept from her by Richard and her parents for unknown reasons, making it seem like some miracle happened to save her from those dangerous criminals and also bringing her and Jason together.

Richard cupped her chin and rubbed her luscious cheek with his thumb. "It was indeed Jason who found you lying unconscious, tied to a chair, and carried you out, but only when the actual heroes—police and SWAT—took control of the situation. But my work in the rescue was invisible to the world since I wasn't even in the same country at that time."