Masked In Nobility: Secrets Of Mrs. Chavez Novel by Selina Gorges

Howard árrived at Skyland ten minutes carly. What a coincidence. He had a few villas in Skyland and occasionally stayed here, but he didn’t visit often.

As soon as the security guard saw the car, he knew another important person was back. He grinned from ear to ear. “Welcome home, sir,” the security guard greeted warmly.

Howard nodded slightly from inside the car to show acknowledgment. “Thanks for your hard work,” he said appreciatively.

The young guard’s heart practically leapt with joy. He thought, The people living in Skyland are quite a classy bunch. So I hardly faced any trouble, but it is the first time someone responded to me actively. Oh, right…There is someone else. That incredibly cool and beautiful girl who rode her scooter out every day. She would sometimes stop to say hello. She even eyed his lunchbox the other day. So, he ordered one more for her. They ended up having lunch together in the security booth. That girl really enjoyed her meal.

He guessed that she might be a maid for one of the families. He thought, ‘Otherwise, why would she ride a little scooter every day? Her employers must be really stingy. It’s such a waste for someone as pretty and charming as her. He had been working as a security guard at Skyland for years. He swore she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen there.

His thoughts were off in the clouds. By the time he snapped back to reality, Howard’s car was already far down the road.

In front of Villa 3, number 401, Howard adjusted his suit. Turning his head to look at Liam, he asked, “So, how does it look? Is there anything that doesn’t fit right?”

Liam’s eyebrow twitched. With professional composure, he replied, “Mr. Yates, your outfit is absolutely perfect.”

Howard had already asked Liam three times on the way over. Liam’s throat was getting dry. He thought, ‘How could there be any problems?’ A custom-made, handcrafted suit cost 150 thousand dollars. The cufflinks were bought at Sotheby’s auction, worth 1.5 million dollars. Even the shoes were a global limited edition, only five pairs available worldwide. This outfit was so extravagant, he felt like kneeling in it. He thought, ‘Why does Mr. Yates still think something’s not right?”

Howard had already informed Liam about the meeting with Yvette. He told Liam to wait in the car and went up to knock on the door on his own.

Liam watched Howard’s back and sighed. He thought, ‘Who exactly is this Yvette? He’s never taken meetings with presidents or leaders this seriously!

This villa, gifted by James, was Yvette’s first visit and it was refined and sophisticated. The entire style leaned towards Clusian aesthetics, with all the furniture made of rosewood. All the antiques in this house were part of James’s personal collection. Rare items, genuine originals one can’t find on the market, were displayed all over the villa.

Howard recognized them as soon as he walked in. He thought, ‘When did Ms. Zeller start liking these antiques?’ He usually preferred collecting authentic pieces and could instantly tell that everything in the villa was genuine. He thought, ‘What a grand gesture!’

Howard changed into slippers and carefully…looked at a horse sculpture next to the couch. His gaze deepened. He looked up at Yvette, who was nestled in the sofa. “Hello, Ms. Zeller,” he began, “this horse should be from the year between 620 to 680. If I’m not mistaken, it’s worth at least 20 million dollars. It’s so rare that you can hardly find such a piece on the market, even at auctions.”

At his age, Howard’s favorite things were antiques. He sat down on the sofa and asked another question. “Where did you acquire this, Ms. Zeller?”

Yvette glanced at the horse sculpture and gave a deep “hmm.” Her voice was calm. “A grandfather gave it to me.”

Howard was momentarily speechless upon hearing this. He thought, ‘Of course, it had to be the young-boss. Just look at that charisma! So, where is this grandfather? Does he happen to need a grandson? I wonder if being a bit older would be acceptable?’

Yvette lounged on the sofa, her long legs folded, as she swirled the water in her glass. She took a sip. She thought, ‘Ah, nothing beats

Samantha, good drink. She remembered the person who mixed her drinks yesterday. She thought, ‘Her name is

Samantha. Would there be a chance to have another drink with her?’

Howard withdrew his gaze from the horse sculpture. He looked at Yvette. “Ms. Zeller, I’ve made some progress on Rashad’s project you wanted me to invest in. I’ve already met him twice, and I’ve laid out my conditions. If InnoCrest Technologies is going to invest, we need to send someone into the lab to participate in this shelved project. Rashad is quite cautious and said he’ll need to think it over before giving me an answer.”

Yvette rubbed her wrist. She raised an eyebrow and her eyes turned cold. “Double the offer,” she said casually. “He’ll it, agree to trust me.”

Howard didn’t think so and believed that Rashad wouldn’t give in so easily. He thought, ‘Why does Ms. Zeller insist on getting into the biochem lab?’ He couldn’t figure it out. ‘What is in there that attracts Ms. Zeller so much that she’d spend a fortune to get in? What can a national-level lab possibly have that Ms. Zeller desperately need?’

Howard sighed. For all these years, he truly cared for Yvette like a younger family member. Money didn’t matter to InnoCrest Technologies; what mattered was the person, Yvette. Even if he knew he was being nosy, he had to ask. “Ms. Zeller, could you tell me why you’re so determined to get into Rashad’s biochem lab?”

Yvette lifted her gaze. Her eyes were cold and fierce with a chilling aloofness seeping through. Her voice was unnervingly calm. She slowly spoke, “The truth, the answer lies only in Rashad’s lab.”

For Yvette, killing Rashad wouldn’t be difficult at all. In fact, it would be effortless. But she wouldn’t let Rashad die that easily. She was determined to find out what had Lilian gone through in that biochemical lab back then. She would send Rashad to hell in the most brutal way. She had many ways to punish Rashad, but she aimed to break him emotionally first. Rashad would have to endure all the suffering Lilian endured before he could die…

Howard looked at Yvette, who was exuding a cold and indifferent air. He knew he shouldn’t ask for more answers. He gazed at Yvette, who seemed like a different person. After careful consideration, “Ms. Zeller, don’t worry. No matter what you want to do, I’ll cooperate fully. Once I get back, I’ll contact Rashad immediately. We’ll double his offer and see what he says. I’ll get in touch with you then.”

Yvette looked down, then lifted her gaze again. The fierce expression she had moments ago, like a relentless wolf, seemed to soften significantly. Seeing the worried look on Howard’s face, she calmly said, “Howard, it’s just a little game with an annoying bug. No need to worry.”

Howard managed a smile, although it was somewhat strained. He thought, ‘How can I not worry? Is Ms. Zeller really planning to deal with Rashad? Even with the status of InnoCrest Technologies’ backstage chairman, it’s really hard for her to go up against a national-level authority!’

He thought, ‘How can I not be worried about Ms. Zeller? InnoCrest Technologies doesn’t really matter; it is Ms. Zeller’s creation anyway. If it’s gone, it’s gone. But nothing must happen to Ms. Zeller.’

Howard watched Yvette sip her orange juice casually, deep in thought, ‘No, he I have to place an order on the Black Gold site. When the day come for she to face Rashad, Ms. Zeller, just a young girl, surely needs someone to back her up.’

He had heard that Black Gold had the world’s top assassin, who had never failed a mission. It would be great if he could take the job. He’ll pay whatever the top assassin want.

Howard was already prepared for the worst. If the top choice isn’t available, the second or third best would be great.

Howard took a sip of water to compose himself before asking. “Hey Ms. Zeller, do you know about Black Gold Web?”