Chapter 153: A Sore Throat
With Chief Tenpenny acting on Luca’s standing orders, the Crescent Security guards moved without hesitation.
Heavy batons rose and fell in perfect rhythm.
CRASH!
Within moments, every window on Arthur’s custom luxury sedan had exploded into glittering fragments that rained across the pavement. The hood caved in under repeated blows, the doors buckled inward, and deep dents scarred every side of the vehicle until it was little more than a twisted heap of metal.
Arthur struggled furiously, desperate to stop them, but two towering guards held him firmly in place.
All he could do was watch in stunned horror as yet another one of his prized luxury cars was reduced to scrap.
This was the second time he had been publicly humiliated because of Luca.
This time, he hadn’t even seen Luca.
’How... how could this happen?’
His pride screamed for revenge, but his reason forced him to stay silent.
Day Enterprises was already bleeding cash from the collapsed shipping contracts. Picking a direct fight with the Hale-Viv Conglomerate now would be like smashing an egg against solid granite.
No.
He needed another way.
Something far more ruthless.
Watching Arthur and his trembling secretary disappear down the boulevard on foot, Chief Tenpenny folded his arms with obvious satisfaction.
One of the younger guards leaned over.
"Chief, you still need to file the incident report with executive management."
Tenpenny slapped the young man on the shoulder.
"Relax. I haven’t forgotten."
He turned toward the rest of the squad with a grin.
"Alright, boys! Once I submit the report to President Hale’s office and our bonuses come through..."
He raised a fist.
"...drinks are on the company!"
The guards erupted into cheers.
"Chief Tenpenny is the best!"
"Hahaha! Smashing a million-dollar luxury car and getting a bonus? This job is amazing!"
"I’ve never even sat inside a car that expensive, but smashing one to pieces felt fantastic!"
"I’m telling this story at every bar I visit for the next five years!"
The plaza echoed with laughter.
Meanwhile, back at Greenland Garden Villas...
Luca lounged comfortably on the leather sofa as an incident report from corporate security appeared on his phone.
Scrolling through the attached photos, a satisfied smile slowly spread across his face.
Seeing Arthur knocked down a few pegs was genuinely refreshing.
"What’s making you smile like that?"
Vivienne rested her head comfortably on his lap, looking up at him curiously.
Without saying a word, Luca tilted the phone toward her.
She looked at the report.
The moment she saw Arthur’s dusty, thoroughly disgraced appearance in the security photos, she let out a soft laugh.
Then her eyes drifted upward.
At the top of the screen was another conversation window.
The name displayed there made her eyebrows rise ever so slightly.
"Cecelia?"
Vivienne slowly narrowed her eyes before looking back at Luca.
"So..."
Her lips curved into a teasing smile.
"You’ve already started privately messaging your new executive secretary."
"It isn’t what you’re thinking," Luca replied almost immediately. "That’s strictly for work. She’s sending operational reports."
Vivienne folded her arms.
"Hmph."
"My darling..."
"I know you far too well."
She gently poked his chest.
"You can fool other women with that excuse."
"You can’t fool me."
"I really am discussing work."
"Oh? Is that so?"
She nodded thoughtfully.
"I suppose she’s very capable."
"Amazing figure."
"Elegant."
"Intelligent."
"Maybe I should officially adopt her as another executive sister."
Luca nearly choked.
"...That won’t be necessary."
Vivienne smiled sweetly.
"You disagree?"
"No."
"So you agree?"
Luca raised both hands in surrender.
"How could I possibly be that kind of opportunistic man?"
"Hmph."
Satisfied with his answer, Vivienne turned toward the staircase.
"I’m done talking to you."
She had barely taken two steps before a strong arm slipped around her slender waist.
"Eek!"
With a startled gasp, she lost her balance and fell backward into Luca’s embrace.
"My little vixen..."
He smiled mischievously.
"Where are you running off to?"
"I wasn’t running!"
Her cheeks immediately turned pink.
Luca gently rubbed the edge of her delicate ear.
The sensitive touch made her shoulders tremble.
"It tickles..."
"Does it?"
"Then let me help."
"No..."
Vivienne immediately burst into helpless laughter.
"Wait... stop!"
"Hahaha... stop!"
"I said stop!"
Her laughter echoed throughout the spacious villa.
The more she struggled, the tighter Luca pulled her into his embrace.
Eventually, her playful resistance faded.
Her arms slowly wrapped around his neck as she rested comfortably against his chest.
Her eyes softened.
"...Carry me upstairs."
Those three quiet words instantly shattered every ounce of Luca’s resolve.
Without another word, he slipped one arm beneath her knees, the other behind her back, and lifted her effortlessly into his arms.
Step by step, he carried her toward the second floor.
A moment later...
Click.
The bedroom door quietly closed.
He had barely set her on her feet when their mouths met hard. The kiss went deep and hungry at once, tongues sliding and tasting.
His hands found the soft curve of her waist, then the full weight of her breasts beneath the blouse.
Hers dragged over the hard planes of his chest and down the taut line of his stomach until her fingers brushed the thick heat straining against his trousers.
Clothes loosened. Fabric slipped away. Bare skin met bare skin in the low light, every touch hungrier than the last.
She broke the kiss with a firm push against his chest. His back met the edge of the bed. She stayed close enough to keep her hands on him, palms gliding slowly over the warm muscle of his torso, nails lightly scoring as she sank lower. Her breath ghosted across his abdomen.
She looked up through her lashes, voice low and rough.
"I wanted to try something different this night."
Then she leaned in and licked the tip of his cock, slow and deliberate, a teasing swirl of her tongue over the sensitive head that made his hips twitch. She did it again, lingering, tasting the bead of moisture that gathered there, before parting her lips and taking him in.
She sank down inch by inch, lips sealed tight, tongue pressing firm along the underside. A soft wet sound filled the quiet room as she drew him deeper, throat fluttering around the thick head.
One hand wrapped the base, stroking in time with the slide of her mouth; the other cupped and rolled him with gentle pressure.
She pulled back with a slick pop, only to dive down again, faster now, cheeks hollowed, spit gleaming on her lips and chin.
His fingers threaded into her hair, not forcing, just holding on as the heat of her mouth worked him with focused precision. Soft moans vibrated against him.
She took him to the back of her throat and held, swallowing around him, then eased off just enough to lavishly tongue the ridge beneath the head before swallowing him whole once more.
The minutes stretched, thick with wet rhythm and ragged breath, the air itself charged with the heat of her mouth.
---
Downstairs, another bedroom door slowly creaked open.
PB cautiously peeked into the hallway before looking upstairs.
Only after confirming everything had gone quiet did she let out a small sigh of relief.
Even though she already knew how deeply Luca and Vivienne loved one another, hearing their playful flirting through the walls still made her face burn.
It’s still broad daylight...
She quickly retreated back into her room before quietly shutting the door again.
---
About an hour later...
Freshly changed into clean clothes, Luca walked downstairs.
As he passed the upstairs bathroom, he noticed Vivienne standing before the mirror in a silk robe, carefully brushing her teeth.
He paused.
"You’ve been brushing for almost five minutes."
He leaned casually against the doorframe.
"What exactly are you trying to brush away?"
Vivienne met his eyes through the mirror.
She calmly rinsed her mouth before spitting into the sink.
Then she slowly turned toward him.
Holding the toothbrush in one hand, she narrowed her eyes.
"What do you think I’m brushing away..."
"...you shameless villain?"
"Ahem..."
Luca instantly coughed into his fist before pretending to admire the hallway decorations.
Vivienne couldn’t help rolling her eyes.
---
A few minutes later, the two of them walked downstairs together.
Just then, Naomi Monroe, Marceline, and PB returned through the patio doors after finishing an outdoor livestream beside the private lake inside the residential community.
Naomi took one look at Vivienne before smiling knowingly.
"Sister Vivienne..."
She tilted her head innocently.
"Why is your face so red?"
"Do you have a fever?"
Vivienne immediately understood what Naomi was implying.
Rather than explaining herself, she simply walked over to the sofa, curled up comfortably, and lay down.
Truthfully...
She was exhausted.
That shameless man...
Stretching one arm lazily toward Luca, she spoke without even opening her eyes.
"Darling..."
"Can you get me a glass of warm water?"
Before Luca could move, Naomi had already poured one from the kitchen island.
She carried it over with a smile.
"Here you go, Sister Vivienne."
"Mmm..."
Vivienne slowly sat up, took several small sips, then settled back into the cushions.
Her burgundy curls spilled over the armrest, framing her stunning face.
Naomi leaned closer.
"Sister Vivienne..."
She lowered her voice conspiratorially.
"Is your throat sore from screaming earlier?"
Without opening her eyes, Vivienne replied calmly,
"Really?"
She slowly turned her head toward Naomi.
"Last weekend your voice was twice as loud as mine."
"And you’re teasing me?"
Naomi froze.
A second later...
Her cheeks turned bright red.
There wasn’t a single word she could use to defend herself.
Because...
Vivienne was telling the truth.
Seeing Naomi completely defeated, Vivienne quietly smiled to herself.
Of course...
She wasn’t about to admit the real reason her throat felt slightly uncomfortable.
If Luca heard that, he’d become even more unbearably smug.
A while later, Naomi looked up from her phone.
"Luca."
"Nora Rachel invited me out for lunch tomorrow."
She blinked hopefully.
"Can I go?"
Luca walked over and gently patted her head.
"Let’s wait a few more days."
"The situation outside still isn’t completely safe."
Naomi didn’t argue.
"Okay."
She quickly sent Nora an apologetic message explaining she’d have to postpone.
Although Gordon and Dexter were now sitting in federal custody awaiting trial, Luca refused to let his guard down.
Lady Francine Luiz had just watched both her husband and son lose everything in a single afternoon.
Someone cornered like that could become extremely dangerous.
The Day family wasn’t much better.
They were wounded, humiliated, and unpredictable.
Before either side makes a desperate move...
I’ll deal with them first.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, his phone vibrated.
A priority encrypted message had arrived from Patrick Halloway, managing partner of Apex Legal Group.
Luca quietly opened the file.
As he read through the legal briefing, a sharp light flashed across his eyes.
Another plan was already beginning to take shape.