Flash Marriage: In His Eyes-Chapter 210: Cuckold

–Livana–

I watched from behind my sunglasses as my husband carefully fixed Sky’s bow tie, as if officiating a ceremony for a newly crowned Four-Month-Old Prince. He looked more excited than the baby himself. It’s amusing—almost endearing—to see him care so much. I hope that won’t change. Or if it does, I hope he’ll care more, love more. He’s been obsessively possessive with me; perhaps he can spare some of that attention elsewhere.

"I’m so glad I made it as a photographer here," Alyssa said with a grin.

"Are you having fun?" I asked.

"Yup. Finally being home with my family again... it feels good."

"Hmm, I’m glad to hear that. How’s school?"

She sighed.

"Well, not as exciting or enjoyable as this." She slouched. "I got kicked out of the club."

"Club?"

"Yeah, volleyball club."

"Why?"

"I fought with Tyrona’s evil sister. Smacked her—by accident—while defending myself."

"Did you get suspended?"

"I did. Five days. But David took me shopping and on vacation." She grinned wider. "I also hoped Damon was there, but he’s busy..."

"Damon should make time for that," I said, crossing my arms.

"But hey," she lifted her camera and snapped a few shots in Damon’s direction, "he’s happy."

My husband was laughing freely with David and Damien over whatever nonsense they found amusing. He rarely laughs like that if he isn’t with his brothers.

"Did that little sister of Tyrona get even more cocky?"

"Oh, she got too cocky—saying our family is on the verge of bankruptcy."

The word bankruptcy nearly made me choke on air. Trying to take down each Blackwell asset doesn’t work when every asset is insured and reinforced. It’s amusing how uninformed Tyrona’s little bitch of a sister is.

"What did you tell her, then?"

Alyssa’s smirk was deliciously wicked.

"At least my father doesn’t steal people’s tax money."

She laughed, and I couldn’t help the gentle giggle that escaped me.

"You said it well," I breathed out, catching my breath. "Your brother should know whatever’s happening to you in that school, Aly." I reached for my glass, sipped through the straw, and tasted the refreshing dragon fruit juice.

"There’s no need. He already has a lot on his plate." She pressed her lips into a thin line. She tried to hide it, but she couldn’t. Her mother had already spoken to the board. Her father? Busy cleaning up his own dirt. And David was drowning in work. Damon—my annoying, handsome husband—was the most powerful one among them now.

That man had built another empire from scratch. Purgatory. His network of Shadows—his men—fed him information from every corner. They functioned like my Knights, Pawns, and Bishop. They could trace anyone. Find anyone. Destroy anyone. They sold intel; they thrived from it.

"Don’t worry, I can do something about that," I said.

"You don’t have to tell Damon. He’ll burn the school down if he hears about it."

"But I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself." I spoke softly.

"Thank you."

"Didn’t I also tell you to study self-defense? I have someone who can train you. Maybe a little older than you."

"Hmm." She twisted her lips. "Should I move from volleyball to martial arts?"

"You should," I grinned. "That’ll be better."

"Okay," she shrugged.

"I’ll set up a schedule for you, then."

"Alyssa!" David called.

"Laters." She stood and jogged to join the boys. They were busy taking photos with Sky and the twins.

"They’re having fun," Jane said from behind me.

"They are."

"Your dad’s here," she murmured, bending down a little. "And about your stepmother’s whereabouts—she was last seen in Peru with her boy toys."

"Does Dad know?"

"I doubt it."

I smirked. Ironic—Dad cheated on my mom, and the woman he cheated with is now cheating on him. Poetic, really.

"Also, we traced the men behind the arson to one of the Blackwell warehouses."

"Finally. Those casualties deserve justice."

"I can leave now to work on that," she said—too quickly.

"Or is that your excuse not to see Logan?" I grinned.

"Damn, I’m always with him. I feel suffocated. Seeing him would make me puke."

I laughed.

"Alright, do as you wish."

"Thank you."

I leaned back and continued watching my family through my tinted glasses.

"Livana." My father’s deep voice carried a weariness that wasn’t there months ago.

"Dad," I acknowledged as he sat across from me.

"It seems the babies are having fun," he said with a small smile, watching his grandchildren with their fathers.

"They are."

We sat in silence for a moment. I pretended to be blind, sipping casually.

"I’m hoping you know where your stepmother is."

"Of course," I shrugged. "You must miss him dearly."

He stilled. More wrinkles. More exhaustion. Loneliness doesn’t suit him, but he deserves every ounce of it. My mother is alive—I know. And he doesn’t.

"She’s in Peru," I said casually. "With her boy toys."

He fell silent. I felt his stare.

I tilted my head slightly and relaxed deeper into my seat.

I pushed the envelope Jane slid to me. I hadn’t seen it myself, but Jane knew what I wanted in it.

Dad opened it—froze.

"That’s her ex-husband, right?" I smirked. "Or am I wrong? I think my intel said her boy toys are usually younger." I sighed dramatically. "Anyway, I don’t really care now."

"That bitch," he growled.

"You cheated too, Dad," I said nonchalantly. "Don’t worry. It’s only fair."

Footsteps approached and Laura arrived.

"Hi, Dad." He quickly hid the envelope. Laura bent down to kiss his cheek, and he patted her lovingly. "Come take a photo with the twins and Sky."

"Okay." He stood, composed himself, and put the envelope down. "Wow, a gorgeous princess!" he exclaimed when he saw Zendaya in her purple dress. His tone was familiar. He always called us those things.

Laura sat across from me.

"What’s this?" she asked, pointing at the envelope.

"Proof of Aunt Casey’s infidelity," I smirked.

Laura gasped. "Can I see it?"

"Nope. Not yet. Don’t distract Dad—he’s having fun with the kids."

"Fine," she grunted. "But it’s killing me. I need the full gossip."

I laughed and shook my head.

–Tyrona–

It’s honestly irritating that Casey had to drag her past lover along. But what can I do? Even her ex is powerful enough to be inconvenient. I rolled my eyes at the two of them. And Carrie—yes, I’m fairly certain she’s their daughter. They just tricked Gregory into believing she’s his. Pathetic. Anyway, I need Carrie’s ex-husband, Marlon, to cooperate with my plan to finally get rid of Livana.

We need more people for something this delicate. Assassins? Undercover agent–spies? They’re useless. They won’t make a move without a proper command, and they definitely won’t arrest Damon or Livana unless they catch them with irrefutable evidence. It’s frustrating how rule-bound incompetence can be.

"We just need her to leave the house," Marlon said while digging through the bowl of chips. I caught the glint of his gold rings and layered necklaces. A walking red flag—an overdecorated fuckboy trailing a dozen bastards behind him.

"Then kill her?" I asked flatly.

"Isn’t she blind?" he said, chewing like a cow.

"She is blind... or was." I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. "Look—we’ve tried everything to kill that bitch. And do you know what happened? Nothing. She keeps surviving. She’s like a cat with nine lives."

"I understand you’re upset, Tyrona," Casey said, sipping her wine like she owned the vineyard. "But I’m even more upset. Now that the Will for that company has changed, I can’t kill both of them without triggering another change to the Will."

"I wonder why you’re so obsessed with that company?" I folded my arms and gave her my full attention—people like her crack when they think they’re being admired.

"That company holds a lot of information," she said, smirking. "From what I heard, that’s where they created and developed that program. It all started with Ines’s allies. She always made sure she had back-up plans—small bits of information that eventually grew into something bigger. I think the main server is inside the company. If I can get my hands on it, I can sell it to the CIA or the FSB."

"But then?" I prompted.

"But then she worked with them and gave them a prototype of a compass. I don’t know what it does, but it’s clearly a massive piece of whatever they created."

Ines, that cunning witch, definitely hid something else.

"How about the people who developed it with her?" I asked.

"They’re dead or gone," Casey replied with a shrug. "They just vanished."

I furrowed my brows. Dead but not dead—is that possible? People disappear all the time, especially when they know too much.

"Do you remember the faces of the people she worked with?"

"Yes, but most of them are already dead."

"Good," I murmured, a smile tugging at my lips. "Then we start with the dead ones. Track them until we find their lair. I know there’s one. There has to be."

"Dead ones?" Marlon echoed, blinking at me like a confused toddler. "What do you mean?"

I rolled my eyes at him. Honestly, this man wasn’t blessed with even a crumb of intelligence.

"There’s a possibility they’re hiding," I said slowly, as if explaining basic math to a child. "We just need their faces, and then we let the workforce trace them."

"Then what?" Casey asked, arching a brow. "Torture them until they talk?" She scoffed and swirled her wine. "Tyrona, what you’re proposing is like searching for a needle in a haystack. What you want is practically impossible."

I only smirked and lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug, because impossible things are the only ones worth doing.