Five

"There is only one way to go about this…" the stranger begins.

"Wait, wait. You haven't told me your name."

His brow arches up arrogantly, making him appear even more handsome. "I haven't?"

My tummy begins grumbling and I realize then that those are butterflies fluttering in there. My hand goes on top of it, while my cheeks flush.

"Guess you never asked. Or you aren't social within our family circle to know who I am."

Is he popular among the upper echelons in this city? How come I haven't seen him before, even if it is in the gossip column?

"But you do know about the Pentagon Group?"

"Sounds familiar," I agree, remembering vividly how my dad had once talked about the company with such disdain that it gave me goosebumps.

"Pentagon is my surname," he says.

"You own it?"

His hand goes into his pocket, and a second later, I watch his vein lined hand bring out a platinum card. He hands it over to me.

I take it from him and read the name engraved on it, "Jameson Pentagon."

"That's right," he mutters. "Now can we go straight to the main issue?"

My brow furrows in confusion when I don't follow what he is getting at. The salty air blowing past us at the balcony ruffles my hair. I tuck some of the strands it scattered back into their normal position.

"I'm talking about revenge. We need a plan. A well thought out one."

I am still dazed by the revelation. If he is truly Jameson Pentagon like he claims to be, then I think I have finally landed myself in a hot mess. This man right here is my father's greatest rival and worst enemy.

"Are you listening?" he asks when he notices that my mind is anywhere but on what he is saying.

"Huh?"

"You weren't listening. I need your attention to be on me because this plan right here is what will make your family crumble right under our feet."

I gasp at the tone with which he said it. It sounds so bitter and vengeful.

"So the first step is—"

"Wait, hold it."

"What?" he demands eagerly.

I slowly start shaking my head. "I don't think we should—"

"Don't tell me you're about to change your mind."

I inhale deeply, allowing the salty air to fill my lungs.

"I just… I just don't think I can do it."

"How can you be so sure you can't do it when you don't even know what you are doing in the first place?"

"Not the action itself, but taking revenge against my family."

"You are already having a double mind about the same family that didn't blink twice before using you as a pawn?"

He smacks his hand hard on the balcony rail, jolting me. "This is some bullshit!"

"As a pawn? Holy jeez! Don't say that please. Nobody used me as a pawn. My dad just wanted me to save our dying business name. That's all."

"That's all? So you are saying he was supposed to do that? You found nothing wrong with what they did to you?"

He walks closer to where I am standing, stopping just a few inches away from me. His strong masculine scent and energy surround me, making me a little dizzy. I shut my eyes, just to get my bearings again. But he uses two of his fingers to raise my head up, making me snap my eyes open. He tilts my head to an angle that has me gazing into his eyes.

"You were used by your wicked family, Bella…"

I suck in a sharp breath at the way the soft rasp of his voice whispers my name.

"And what did your so-called husband do to you on the first night? He mistreated you. He made you cry, left you so miserable that you had no other choice than to run away."

A shudder runs down my spine on realizing that he is right.

"You didn't deserve what they did to you. Nobody deserves to be a victim of a horrible family like yours."

"But I was only trying to save my family's name. The Vanderblibs is a name that shouldn't be soiled or stepped on."

"Neither should you. They shouldn't have offered you as a sacrificial lamb. I need you to understand that you were used… and abused."

He brings his face closer, until our lips are almost touching. Every nerve in my body stiffens. I become too tense to breathe or think.

"I want you in on this plan. And this is not a plea. It is a request. I saved you from your devilish husband, so you owe me one."

I remain still, not even grasping half of what he said because my body has been charged with so much excitement.

He lets me go, returning to his former standing position.

He discusses the rest of the plan swiftly. According to him, he is going to take me every step of the way until we get our revenge.

The lonely road that leads out of his mansion distracts me from my thoughts later that afternoon as the driver moves with careful speed. I am sitting at the back, my gaze admiring the breathtaking scenery.

How come I have never been to this part of the city? I wonder. There is this peace and serenity it holds that I haven't felt in a long time. If not ever. Maybe it's because of the stranger's influence. What's his name again?

Jameson…

A sheepish smile lines up my lips as I recall the way he said my name. Nobody has ever called Bella with such a careful roll of the tongue.

I try not to think about anything else as we get to the city, except the meeting we just had at the balcony. Having him give me his attention for such a short span of time meant everything to me. His words worked wonders in my mind. How he tried to convince me to finally stand up for myself against my bully of a family.

When the driver tells me that we are almost close to the Vanderblib mansion, a cold chill runs down my body.

"Weak… That's the first step. I need you to act weak," Jameson's words ring in my head.

"Why weak?" I had asked him, knowing that if there is anything that I need to be in front of my dad, then it is the exact opposite, which is strong. He needs to know that I am no longer that small girl they can order around however they wish.

"Vulnerability is what we should be targeting."

I had wanted to ask him why act vulnerable, but he goes right ahead to explain why it is important to appear weak among my predators.

"It will make them think you are at their mercy. That you are in desperate need of their help. That you have nowhere else to run to."

Immediately Jameson's right hand man drops me in front of our gate, I become nervous.

One look from the rear view mirror, the man can already sense my fears. He turns to look at me and gives my shoulder a light squeeze.

"Be careful. Boss wants you safe and sound. And also brave."

I nod at every one of his words, as if being affirmative will give me the courage I need.

My cold feet come down the car a moment later and begin taking one step after another towards the gate. I push it hard, frowning when I find it open and our security men nowhere to be found.

I continue my presumed walk of shame towards our mansion. This place I detest with every fiber of my being. Why do I have to come back here? Why did Jameson have to choose this among all the plans available? What if we didn't succeed?

A myriad of questions shuffle through my mind. I pause at the front door as my greatest fear resolves in my mind. What if I have been deceived?

Jameson might be a ruthless billionaire with a successful chain of businesses. But that doesn't make him a trustworthy man. What if he had lured me to act vulnerable, knowing fully well that the only thing it will get me is to be bullied more?

He couldn't have given me such a stupid idea with the hope it will help me succeed. He just wanted to wreck me. Who even gets what they want by appearing weak?

'But he said it's just the first step of the plan,' one part of my mind counters.

I swallow through a lump, knowing that he could have also been lying about the plan coming in steps.

"You…"

The strangely familiar voice growls at me, distracting me from my thoughts.

I look up to see Matt glaring at me with such furiousness that makes his eyes appear bloodshot red and dangerous.

"I'm going to kill you…" he continues.