Page 197 of Storm over the Caribbean
“Nglwngl,” the Frenchman said. Right now, he wasreallyregretting his life choices.
“Tell me…” Cocking his head, the towering, stone-faced mogul gave him a stare cold enough to freeze blood and bone. “What in the world made you think that going up against me was a good idea?”
The man of many names, who was currently fervently wishing that he had no names at all so he could stop existing and vanish into thin air, licked his dry lips. Desperately, he glanced around for a way out—and was faced by blank, dusty walls and nailed-shut windows.Merveilleux.
“P-please,MonsieurAmbrose, let me, um…let me assure you that, had I known I would be working in opposition to an esteemed personage such as yourself, I would never have—”
“Silence!” That single word was enough to convince him that maybe, shutting up was the best idea. Although it might also have had something to do with the way the stone-facedcrétinsuddenly had a hand around his throat, trying to strangle him.
“I do not have the patience to listen to the words of liars,” the accursedsalaudinformed him, his voice colder than the snowy peak ofMont Blancin winter. “I saw your face earlier. You recognized me. You know who I am, don’t you? You knew from the beginning.”
Merde!The man’s eyes…how could eyes alone be this terrifying?
The man without a name swallowed. Somehow, an answer was dragged out of his throat against his will.
“Y-yes. Yes, I knew.”
“And do you know whoIam?” an unfamiliar voice suddenly came from behind him. Then, a figure stalked into his field of vision. It was quite impressive how it could stalk while simultaneously waddling.
He blinked, staring at the odd newcomer.
“A…fat little man?”
The newcomer’s eyebrows twitched. He seemed annoyed for some reason.
Behind him, thenouveau richeEnglishman took a few rather hasty steps back.
“Ah,” the business mogul stated, his voice neutral. “I see you do not know her. But you are soon going to.”
Wait a minute,her? Who was thecrétintalking abou—
Wham!
The Frenchman wheezed, trying to blink the stars out of his eyes. Where had the train that just hit him in the face come from?
When his sight cleared, the first thing he saw was the fat little man rubbing his knuckles and glaring at him. The man…
No.
Not the man. Thewoman.
The pissed-offpregnantwoman.
Ohmerde!
“So, how shall we do this?” the woman enquired. “Good cop and bad cop?”
The cutthroat business mogul cocked his head. “And who would be the good cop in that scenario?”
The woman cracked her knuckles. “You, obviously.”
Doublemerde. He was truly in for it now, wasn’t he?
“Now…” Stepping forward, the woman gave him a smile. Somehow, it did not reassure him very much. “Since you do not know me yet, let’s begin with introductions, shall we?”
He did not know why, but for some reason, those words made his anxiety skyrocket. Sudden alarm bells started ringing in his head.
“I,” the woman told him with a beatific smile, “am the mother of the soon-to-be born child that your employer tried to drown, along with myself and my husband.”
