CHAPTER 366. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. Smart people are rarely happyJohn looked at the report in front of him for the tenth time. He had told himself he wouldn’t be intrusive—after all, Chiara had her own life, and she wasn’t a helpless girl. She’d managed for over two decades without him, and Heston Darroze wouldn’t be her first or last enemy. Yet, there was something about this woman that John couldn’t quite explain. Maybe it was the fact that she didn’t need him, or maybe it was her intelligence, her strength, that hidden sweetness, her down-to-earth sense of humor...John could spend all night listing the things he liked about Chiara, and he didn’t need to search his memory to know that no other woman had ever captured his attention like this. So, he steeled himself and opened the report. For the past few weeks, one of his men had been tracking the chef’s expenses, and as soon as John saw those names, he called his investigator."Plot every one of these expenses on a map, especially
CHAPTER 367. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. No Secrets"Please!"They ran toward the elevator like a couple of teenagers, and “wild” was an understatement for what they did on that couch. Still, it wasn’t enough, as they both ended up with more energy than when they’d started."I’m starving!" Chiara exclaimed. "Take me out for food, come on.""Let me guess, the restaurant’s food didn’t even make a dent.""Fancy and skimpy. I need more... meat."John rolled on top of her and kissed her. "I know a place with amazing burgers."A while later, they were seated at a small riverside shack along the Thames, eating burgers and enjoying the early morning air."You’re going to spit it out, or do I have to pull it out of you?" she suddenly asked, catching John off guard. "For someone who’s a director at a spy agency, you’re not very good at hiding your emotions. What’s on your mind?"He took a deep breath and turned toward her. "Okay, I did something I shouldn’t have, but I was worried about you. I know
CHAPTER 368. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. I'll Handle ItChiara stared at the map in disbelief. She had been so close to him for days and hadn’t even noticed. It all made sense, but she hated confronting it. Why was Heston watching her? To threaten her? Blackmail her? Kidnap her? Jhon saw her concern and discomfort. "Do you need help?" he asked softly. Those words seemed to pull her out of her thoughts. Chiara looked at him intently and shook her head. "No," she replied. "I’m just trying to make sense of it all, but I think it’s impossible. Heston needs money, and he gains nothing by watching me. I’m not blackmail material because I don’t care what the press thinks of me. So unless he plans to kidnap me..." Chiara took a deep breath and turned off the tablet. "Thanks for the warning, Jhon. I’ll handle it from here. I’ll stay alert, and I might even hire a bodyguard just to feel more secure. But really, thanks for the heads-up." Jhon nodded as she nestled against his side on that bench
CHAPTER 369. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. Somewhere nice“Ms. Keller...” she heard the voice on her phone. “We’re entering your apartment. I’ll identify myself at the library door, okay?” The front door was open, so the detective was fairly sure the intruder was no longer inside. Still, they were cautious and cleared the space before bringing Chiara out. "It’s safe now, Ms. Keller," said the officer, and Chiara emerged, surrounded by protection. The detective accompanied her to the station, where Chiara had to give a full statement about what had happened. "And you’re sure Mr. Darroze is responsible?" asked the police chief. "Heston Darroze has been following me for some time. It’s financial issues; we used to be friends, but my bank had to foreclose on his properties, so..." "Revenge?" the officer jotted down. "I think so." "We’ll have confirmation very soon," said the detective, Jhon’s friend. "I didn’t see any injuries on you, right, Ms. Keller?" She shook her head. "No, I’m no
CHAPTER 370. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. We'll Make It WorthwhileShe was nervous, which was normal. A man had chased her inside her own home, so no matter how strong she was, it made sense for her to feel scared.Jhon handed her a glass of wine, and she took a sip, savoring the taste that filled her mouth before it slid down her throat. The warmth of the alcohol spread through her body, and for a moment, she felt calm.Jhon watched her, his eyes fixed on her. He felt his heart racing, knowing the fear he’d experienced when he got the detective's call was something he hadn’t felt in a long time.Finally, he broke the silence.“How did you know? That someone was in your apartment.”“There was a dirty glass in the kitchen… I don’t do that.”Jhon nodded. Her quick reaction had saved her life, and he simply couldn’t deal with that thought.“What’s wrong?” Chiara asked.“I couldn’t have done anything,” he murmured. “You were seconds away from a very different outcome, and I… I wouldn’t have bee
CHAPTER 371. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. How to protect your queenChiara moaned in pleasure as Jhon filled her, her heart on the verge of bursting.He held her tightly and began to move inside her, each thrust a little stronger, each movement a little faster. Pleasure rippled through her body in relentless waves. They moved together in sync with their ragged breaths, caught in a moment suspended in time.Jhon’s movements grew more intense, and Chiara was so aroused that she couldn’t help but moan loudly. He possessed her with increasing force and urgency, driving their bodies to a frenetic rhythm. Jhon cupped her face in his hands, gazing at her with desire as she clung to him desperately, crying out his name.His shaft plunged into her like a battering ram, breaking through everything in its path, pounding hard, making her desperately seek release. Chiara felt the core of her being burn as the heat inside her built up, until she exploded in a powerful orgasm that made them tremble togeth
CHAPTER 372. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. I’ll do it.John and Chiara returned to Zurich in silence. She was restless, and he was upset. He had never felt any special emotions toward any suspect, beyond the will to eliminate them for good, but when it came to Chiara, his emotions were definitely compromised.Chiara stopped by her twin's apartment to change clothes and emerged as the executive, the CEO of Asterion Bank. They headed to the police station, where they were greeted by a grim situation."We caught him trying to cross the border into Germany," the detective explained. "Heston was immediately detained and brought to the station. Our investigation shows he had a fake passport on him—just that is enough to indicate some guilt. Plus, his injuries match the evidence from Chiara's apartment, but he's refused to speak."John listened carefully and then looked back at Chiara in silence. She was clearly worried."So, will he go to jail or not?" she asked."No," John said, irritated because
CHAPTER 373. A CAGE FOR THE QUEEN. What do we do now?""You’re a damn witch!""I can’t wait to see the headlines!" Chiara yelled in his face. "Fallen celebrity chef arrested for stalking his creditor! With the emphasis on 'fallen,' because when I’m done with you, no restaurant in this country will ever hire you again!"Heston flew into a rage, standing up and shouting at Chiara. But aside from the policeman, he was handcuffed to the table, so there was no way he could reach her."You’re a damn harpy! If I’m in this mess, it’s because you wouldn’t help me! All you wanted was your money, you selfish whore!""And you wanted my money, didn’t you? How many times did I warn you that you were going bankrupt? But all you cared about was seeing your name in the papers, more fame, more recognition... You never thought you’d have to pay it all back.""You’ve got plenty of money, you witch! You could have waited!" he screamed. "You launder money for mobsters, I’ve seen them walk through your ban