CHAPTER 29: THE HOUSE HUNT

One Week Later: The New Life

Morning sunlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Victoria’s office, bright enough to catch on the edges of her glass desk and glint off the silver pen in her hand.

Alex lowered himself into the leather chair across from her, stretching his legs out just enough to look relaxed but not careless.

A week had passed since Sophia’s exile, and since his own transformation. The world hadn’t shifted on its axis, but the way it saw him had. The way she saw him had.

Victoria looked up from her quarterly reports, the pen still in her fingers. For an instant, her usual polish cracked, that flicker of disbelief returned.

It had been there the first time she saw him after the enhancement, and it still lingered, the sharper cut of his jaw, the way every movement had the fluid certainty of a predator, the quiet pull he carried into any room.

She hadn’t asked questions then, and she didn’t now. All he’d given her was, "I’ll tell you later, " and she’d accepted it without protest. Maybe it was trust. Maybe something closer to dependency. Either way, the system had her, and Alex could feel it.

"Ready to go house hunting?" Victoria asked at last, closing her laptop with a soft click. The smile she gave him was more than pleased, it was proprietary.

Alex’s mouth curved. "You mean ready to go shopping for our house?"

"Exactly." Her eyes caught the light, warm but edged with possession. "If I’m choosing it for you, it’s mine too. I want to picture myself in every room."

Before he could answer, a familiar presence slid in at the edges of his awareness, warm and close.

"Such a devoted little pet..."

Lilith’s voice purred directly into his mind, her tone rich with amusement.

"But don’t get too comfortable, darling. You have work to do."

The system interface shimmered in his peripheral vision.

[ACTIVE MISSION: SWEET REVENGE]

Targets: Sophia Blackwood & Marcus Steele

Objective: Complete their humiliation and downfall

Progress: 20% Complete

Time Limit: None

Reward: Special Reward.

"You’ve barely scratched the surface," Lilith murmured, as if her voice could coil down his spine. And the things you’ll get to do before you’re done... exquisite.

Alex kept his expression smooth, suppressing the anticipation that curled in his gut. Sophia’s ruin had only just begun.

Victoria tilted her head, studying him. "Everything alright?"

"Perfect," he said, letting the word glow with charm. "Just thinking about our future."

______

The luxury real estate firm in the city’s most exclusive district ran on quiet precision... muted phone calls, the soft tap of heels on marble. Victoria’s call ahead had cleared the way. Their arrival was greeted with the kind of polish reserved for clients who could wire eight figures without blinking.

"Mrs. Blackwood, always a pleasure," the office manager said, stepping forward with a practiced smile. "We’ve prepared several exceptional properties for you today."

But the atmosphere shifted when Alex came into view. A few of the younger saleswomen straightened instinctively, their professionalism softening into something more intent. His presence had a gravity now, one that pulled eyes whether he wanted it to or not.

"And you must be..." one began, a striking brunette whose fitted blazer skirted the edge of professional.

"Mine," Victoria said lightly, slipping her arm through Alex’s with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

The brunette blinked, her practiced charm faltering. "Of course, I only meant... "

"I know what you meant," Victoria said, voice even but edged. She turned to the manager without breaking stride. "Let’s see the properties."

As they followed the sales team, Alex leaned close. "Jealous?"

Victoria’s laugh was low, sharp. "I don’t want you fucking whores who spread their legs for a little commission money." She paused, her voice softening with genuine affection. "If you want variety, I can introduce you to some of my friends. Women with actual class and intelligence."

It was said with complete ease, as if she were offering him another glass of wine. And that, Alex thought, was what emotional dependency looked like, the readiness to share him rather than risk losing him.

______

The mansion rose at the end of a winding drive, its glass-and-stone architecture giving it the quiet confidence of money that didn’t need to shout.

"Twelve thousand square feet," the guide recited as they moved through the open-plan rooms. "Seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a wine cellar, a home theater, an infinity pool..."

But it was the master suite’s balcony that caught Alex’s attention, a secluded terrace framed by glass doors, with a view over manicured gardens that felt private despite the sprawl.

"This is perfect," Victoria breathed, stepping onto the balcony and taking in the view.

Alex moved behind her, his hands finding her waist as he pressed close. "I can already picture us out here," he murmured, his lips brushing her ear. "Under the stars, with all of the city below us..."

Victoria melted back against him, her breath catching as his enhanced touch sent electricity through her system. "Alex..."

"The acoustics are excellent up here," he continued, his voice dropping to that hypnotic cadence the Silver Tongue Protocol provided. "Very... private. No one would hear anything we might want to do."

His hands slid up her sides, thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts through her silk blouse. Victoria’s head fell back against his shoulder, a soft moan escaping her lips.

"We should..." she started, but her protest dissolved as Alex’s mouth found the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder.

"Should what?" His enhanced reflexes allowed him to support her perfectly as she melted in his arms, the Bullet Veil system making him aware of every micro-movement of her body.

Victoria’s professional composure crumbled under his touch. Her hips pressed back against him, seeking contact, while her hands covered his, guiding them higher.

For a moment, they lost themselves in each other, the powerful CEO and her enhanced champion, claiming their territory with desperate touches and breathless whispers.

The sound of footsteps on the hardwood floors below brought them back to reality.

"We should..." Victoria’s voice was husky with desire, "we should finalize the house first."

Alex smiled against her neck, his enhanced senses picking up her racing heartbeat, the flush spreading across her skin, the way her body remained pressed against his despite her words.

"Always so practical," he teased, but stepped back, allowing her to regain her composure.

Victoria turned in his arms, her eyes still dark with want. "I want this house, Alex. I want to own it with you. I want to have claim to every room, every surface..."

"Then let’s buy it," Alex said simply.

"Perfect, darling. Every castle needs its king and queen. But remember... this is just the beginning of your empire."

The mansion would be theirs by week’s end. The foundation for everything that was to come.

As they headed back inside to finalize the purchase, Alex caught Lilith’s whispered approval carried on the breeze:

Victoria’s finger traced his cheek with possessive tenderness, her voice dropping to that husky whisper he’d come to crave.

"Tomorrow evening, I’m taking you somewhere very special." Her eyes held that dangerous glint he’d learned meant she was about to do something that would have terrified the old Victoria.

"My husba..." She caught herself, lips curving in a smile that was part embarrassment, part liberation. "James is hosting his annual political fundraiser. Five hundred of the most powerful people in the state."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "And you want to bring me?"

"I want to introduce you to the world," Victoria said, her voice gaining that CEO edge that had built empires. "But Alex..." Her hand slid to his neck, thumb tracing his pulse. "This time I don’t want to be there as the Senator’s wife, or as Sophia’s mother."

She leaned closer, her breath warm against his ear.

"I want to be there as your woman."

_____

Author’s Note:

So Alex has barely scratched the surface with his revenge 20% complete and Sophia & Marcus are still walking around thinking they’re safe. Tomorrow’s fundraiser is going to be interesting though, especially with Victoria ready to show off her new man to the most powerful people in the state.

But here’s what I want to know, how should Alex completely destroy these two? Strip them of everything financially? Humiliate them in front of all their fancy friends? Make their own people turn on them? Or get really creative with it?Let me know what twisted ideas you’ve got. The most brutal suggestions might actually happen.