Page 170 of Sinful Games

Now, the exhibition would feature badass sculptures of Athena alongside legendary women warriors: Joan of Arc charging into battle, the suffragettes demanding their votes, Lady Fu Hao, the fierce Chinese general, Tomyris, the Scythian queen who took down Cyrus the Great, Cynane, Alexander’s half-sister known for her military skills, Cleopatra, the sharp-witted ruler of Egypt, and Harriet Tubman, the fearless conductor of the Underground Railroad. Each piece would tell their stories and highlight their struggles.

Angelo leaned back, squinting at Jade. “Why the hell am I not invited to this little get-together?”

Jade rolled her eyes. “Because you’re no fun, that’s why.”

He flashed her a wicked grin. “And you think you are? Miss Whitenhouse, if I find out your lipstick ended up on my desk because you had another romp in my office, I swear?—”

I let out a scoff. “Again?”

Watching their banter felt like a high-stakes tennis match; you had no clue who’d crack first, but the drama was worth every second.

“I promise you, Mister Lazzio,” she interrupted, “I wasn’t getting laid in your office this morning. I was hunting for my contract to check the maternity leave clause. Just in case.”

Angelo’s eyebrows shot up as he glanced at her stomach. “What?”

My jaw dropped. “You’re pregnant?”

Jade kept her eyes locked on Angelo. “No, but you never know. It could happen anytime, right, Mister Lazzio?”

Angelo’s smirk faded, replaced by irritation. “Miss Whitenhouse, you?—”

“Relax, I wouldn’t do anything without giving you a heads-up.” She winked and strutted out, her hips swaying and heels clicking against the floor. As she reached the door, she shot back a cheeky grin. “And keep your office tidy, boss. You never know when I might drop by for another surprise.”

With that, she slammed the door behind her.

Angelo let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his hair. “I’m gonna kill her,” he muttered, shaking his head.

I smirked. "I bet."

He got up, heading to his coffee machine. “Anyway,” he said, pouring himself a cup, “how was the reunion with Caia?”

I let out a heavy sigh, rubbing my temples. "Unexpected. She thinks someone's after her, wants her dead."

He raised an eyebrow. "What? Who?"

“I don’t know, but it’s gotta be fucking Sadiek.”

Angelo scowled. “Sadiek? He’s dead, remember? You burned him alive. Last I checked, no one’s cracked the code to bring the dead back.”

I rolled my eyes. “Maybe they should, because dealing with your bullshit might just drive me to figure out how to off you.”

Angelo laughed. “Why do you think Sadiek's behind this?”

Because I know deep down it’s connected to him.

So, I laid it all out for Angelo: Caia and the night our son was taken. How a woman had shown up that night, threatening Caia and knocking her out with the damn skull Volk gifted me. That’s why, when I insisted our son’s death wasn’t my fault, she shot back, "It may as well have been, Alexsei."

Caia thought she was protecting me. In her twisted logic, our son’s death was my fault because of the woman I hurt—the same one who ended his life.

“The woman threatened to burn me alive just like I did tohim.”

Angelo fell silent for a moment. “You burned Sadiek alive for touching your wife. So, this woman might be his girlfriend?”

I shook my head, standing up. “He only had whores, and I doubt they miss him.”

“An ex-wife, then? Someone he was in love with?”

“Nyet.This bastard was?—”

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