Knight.

Because Julia had abandoned me in that spot, I was seething with rage. I had the impression that none of my preparations would work out. To exact my vengeance on my biological father, Angelo Knight, I set out on foot and traveled the entire distance. In spite of the fact that I had made up my mind to carry on with my plans, I couldn't shake the feeling that I would rather never see Julia again.

Because of the mess I made of things with Julia, I knew I had to take some action if I wanted her to come back into my life. But accomplishing this won't be simple.

I decided to take a brisk shower in order to settle my nerves and come to a decision. After that, I got out of the shower, dressed in clothes that were somewhere between formal and casual, and made the decision to confront my anxieties and get everything back on track.

As far as I was aware, Angelo Knight would make it possible for Julia to begin her professional life as a doctor in his hospital after she had completed her education. When exactly? It wasn't clear to me.

But there was one thing about which I was certain: that morning was supposed to be the beginning of my employment as a doctor in Angelo King's hospital. Yes, I just recently sent my resume and cover letter, and I was pleasantly surprised to receive an offer to work for them as a qualified gynecologist. Meeting with Dr. Angelo first thing in the morning was all I needed to do to get my day started off right. It was my father.

I made it a point not to include any information about my family in the resume by taking precautions. I have used both the surname and the family name of my mother. Therefore, Angelo Knight will be unaware of my true identity, which was not hard to accomplish given that my mother's family was wealthy and included members of the diplomatic community.

I sprayed some pleasant perfume on myself, then I put on my name-brand jacket and my gold watch. Before I finally left the suite at the hotel, I gave myself one final look in the mirror.

I wanted to reassure my mother that she did not need to be concerned about me while I was behind the wheel of my sports car, so I called her.

My mother answered the phone for the first time and heard the name "knight. Where the hell have you been all this time? I tried to get in touch with you on your mobile device the other night, but you weren't available."

I heaved a sigh and admitted, "it had been turned off, actually. I am no longer considered a child. I have to stay by myself in a hotel for a while; I have already told you that."

“knight. I beg you, stop pursuing your vengeance any further. Just put your father out of your mind, because he did the same thing to us. Please give priority to your professional life." She pleaded with me, and I could understand the worries that she was experiencing; she did not want me to squander my future on hatred. But I wouldn't throw away my life for the sake of getting even.

I responded to her in a cool and collected manner, "Don't worry, mom; I would never allow this to happen; I would never ruin my career for a selfish man like my father. For this reason, I will begin my new position at this prestigious hospital today. I felt it necessary to bring this to your attention. Therefore, please be happy for me."

Not wanting to cause any unnecessary anxiety, I refrained from revealing which hospital I was headed to. If she were to ask me, however, I would never lie to her. It's impossible for me to ever be the same person as my dad was.

My mother heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Okay, thank God you finally decided what you want to do. However, which hospital is it?"

"Mom, I have to leave right now. It's going to be just a few minutes, but I have a meeting scheduled with the owner of the hospital, and I don't want to be late. I will get back to you at a later time. Love you." I end the call by hanging up.

I was in a hurry, but I managed to make it to a florist shop in under ten minutes. It was already in such close proximity to the hospital. I went inside to place an order and said "Good morning, please I need a nice flower package as a gift of apology. Therefore, ensure that it is composed entirely of white flowers, and send it to the address given."

The man replied, "Sure, sir," nodded, and then asked for the address as well as the note that I would write and attach to the flowers. And I was the one to pay for it.

I penned the phrase "Good morning, sunshine" on the note. " Please accept my apologies for last night. I am currently on my way to the hospital to visit your father. I'll look for you there."

Yes, I was concerned about how long it would be before she arrived. I was unable to hold out any longer. After all, she was naive and innocent, and now she's probably worried I'll tell Angelo, her supposed foster father, about what went down last night.

Therefore, it was in my plans to put a lot of pressure on her to rush over to the hospital as soon as humanly possible.

And I suppose that my plans were successful.

Because after an hour I had a meeting with Dr. Angelo, and by that point, she should have received both the flowers and my note.

I sat patiently in my car until she began her hysterical attempts to reach me by phone. I did not answer any of her calls because I was busy. Consequently, she communicated with me by sending a message that asked, "What the hell are you trying to do exactly? to destroy the relationship that I have with my father? I am on my way. Do not have the audacity to tell him anything that took place between the two of us."

And while I was reading the message, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself, and I chose not to respond. After a few more minutes of waiting, I finally parked my car. I arrived at the hospital beaming with pride and carrying myself with the air of a dashing prince. Everyone in the room, from the nurses to the female doctors to the patients themselves, turned their attention to me.

I pursed my lips and flashed a few smiles here and there until I reached the front desk, at which point I addressed the receptionist as follows: "I have a meeting with Dr. Angelo Knight." "My name is Dr. Knight."

They greeted me with a warm smile and said, "Oh, yes, Dr. Knight. Sure, from this way. The door to the subsequent office is located at the very end of the corridor. Dr. Angelo is eagerly anticipating your arrival."

I gave her a knowing wink and said "Thank you."

Then I walked directly but slowly, trying not to hurry because I wanted to see Julia's expression when she came in and saw me talking with her father or, to put it another way, my father but the man who raised her.

When I went to the office, I knocked on the door, and he told me to "come in."

After turning the doorknob and opening the door, I walked in through the entrance. He was perusing the papers that were laid out in front of him at the moment. After that, he cocked his head and, upon seeing me, he exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, we have met again."

Then he remembered me! Great.

I tried to put on an expression of shock and said, "Oh, that's really strange. I've come to talk to Dr. Angelo Knight, the hospital's owner."

Angelo Knight got up from his chair and confirmed that he was the person being described. " However, why are you even in this place?"

I then proceeded to introduce myself and stated, "I am the new doctor. I am Doctor Knight!”

He moved closer to me before extending his hand to shake mine and remarking, "What a coincidence, and I am the owner. Could you kindly come in? Please take a seat."

I took a seat in the chair, and he joined me there, grinning broadly as he said, "Life certainly does play some games."

I gave a shrug of my shoulders and a chuckle before responding, "Yes, I guess everything was planned to happen through god."

It was obvious that the HR letter and my CV were in the file that he took from the desk, and he took it. After taking a few looks, he turned to face me and exclaimed, "Wow! I am blown away by it. You accomplished all of this at such a young age, and it brought back memories of when I was your age."

"It's great to be in the same league as you. Many different things have been said to me about you. You are an icon in the field of gynecology, and..."

Then I took a moment to pause, at which point he laughed and said, "Okay, well, when I was younger I was a womanizer, but not anymore. According to your appearance, I am going to assume that you are the same."

I smiled and shook my head before responding, "In fact, no. I am not involved in any romantic partnerships or casual hookups at all. I only think about my professional life."

It appeared that he was interested in what I had to say, so he interjected with a "oh really! Weird. You are not only very attractive but also appear to be very wealthy. What do you think of that?"

I wanted to continue to impress him so that he would give me permission to be around Julia in the future. So, I said, "Well, I actually had my eyes on one of my students for an entire year," and he laughed. " She only recently received her degree. I was interested in her, but I do not know when or if I will get in touch with her at this point. Obviously, if we were to become romantically involved, I would eventually pop the question and ask her to marry me. But for the time being, I only intend to concentrate on my professional life."

He exclaimed, "Wow, wow!" while clapping his hands. " I like you already. So, tell me, are you geared up and ready to go?"

I gave a slight nod and replied, "Sure, starting tomorrow, if that's okay."

He then got to his feet and moved closer to me before responding, "Sure, that would be great. I will have the nurses and HR show you around the hospital, as well as show you to your office and checkup room, and then I will introduce you to all of the doctors."

At that precise moment, Julia burst through the door of the office. It was difficult to tell whether she was angry or afraid due to the fact that her face was as red as a tomato. But Dr. Angelo looked at her in bewilderment and exclaimed, "Julia! What exactly are you doing in this room? Is there something wrong with your mother?"

She gave a firm nod and said, "No, dad. I just…" She took a momentary pause, and then she looked right into my side.

After that, Dr. Angelo introduced me to his daughter Julia by saying, "Oh, Dr. Angelo, this is my daughter Julia. And Julia, I'd like to introduce you to Doctor Knight; he will begin working here."

Julia's mouth dropped open as she asked, "What? But….”

I gave her a sly grin and extended both of my hands for a handshake before saying, "Nice to meet you, Julia. So, if it's not too much trouble, would you mind showing me around the hospital?"

She blinked twice, looking perplexed, but then Dr. Angelo questioned us, saying, "You both seem to know each other!"

The word "no" came out of Julia's mouth almost instantly. " I guess... Yes."

But I turned to look at Dr. Angelo over my shoulder and said, "And actually, this is the second coincidence. Julia is the girl I was telling you about."

“What!”

Knight.

I couldn't sleep, thinking about Julia. I knew I had broken her heart, but I wondered if I was ready to proceed with my plan because meeting her the next day would be tough and challenging. To clear my mind, I decided a cold shower might help me stop thinking about her for a while.

I took off my clothes and stood naked in front of my bathroom mirror. I checked the hickey on my neck and was reminded of Julia. As I moved my hand to my neck, I began to remember the feel of her sweet lips against my skin.

I growled and snapped at myself, talking aloud, "Look at yourself! You've been planning to ruin your father's life and make him lose everything. You cannot ruin this plan by falling in love with Julia!"

Chiding myself, I stepped into the shower. I closed my eyes and tried to submerge myself in the cold water for a few minutes, hoping to find relaxation. But guilt gnawed at my conscience. It was as if my inner self was reproaching me for hurting such an innocent girl like Julia.

Annoyed, I got out of the bathtub and started drying my body with a towel. I returned to my room and lay bare on the bed. The longing for Julia's touch stirred within me. To escape the unwanted desire, I hastily put on my clothes and decided to spend the night at one of the best nightclubs in town, perhaps picking up a stranger to keep me company for the night.

I put on a casual black shirt that clung tight to my body, accentuating the muscles underneath. I paired it with blue jeans and a Versace belt, making sure to spray my Hugo Boss perfume. After checking my hair in the mirror, I adorned my wrist with a diamond Rolex watch that matched perfectly with my outfit.

I put my wallet into my pocket, ensuring I had 10 grand in cash with me, just in case—I had a habit of paying for women to spend the night with me, even though it was I who was sought after. After all, many women dream of being with a man like me.

I grabbed my car keys and decided to take my black Porsche today. Between that and my Ferrari, it wasn't a tough choice. I started the engine and drove for ten minutes until I reached the best nightclub in town. On the way, I made a reservation to book the prime table.

Upon arriving, I parked my car in front of the nightclub, stepping out with a high degree of arrogance and pride visible in my strut. I handed the keys to the valet to park my car. I scoped out some of the ladies that were standing at the entrance of the nightclub. They were all swooning over me, but none seemed good enough to spend the night with me.

I stepped inside the entrance and the manager quickly moved towards me, welcoming me and asking my name.

"Sir, do you have a reservation?" he inquired, his eyes flickering to the diamond-encrusted wristwatch on my hand, sparkling under the nightclub lights.

"Yes, I reserved the VIP table number 2. I'm Angelo Knight," I replied.

He swiftly checked his tablet and said, "Oh, sure. Let me guide you. I believe it's your first time here, and I hope it won't be your last."

Smiling insincerely, I responded with an air of arrogance, "We'll see about that."

Upon reaching my table, he asked, "May I take your order?"

I settled onto the plush, black couch, casually crossing my left leg over my right, and said, "I would like your finest woman."

His jaw dropped in shock and he stammered," Sir, we don't indulge in such activities here."

Unfazed, I pulled out my wallet and handed him $2000. "This is for you."

His smile returned quickly, thereafter. "I'll ensure our best are sent over. You can choose one at your leisure. Anything else, sir?"

"Fill the table with your best dishes and bring me the finest tequila bottle," I nodded in affirmation.

After two minutes, the manager and three provocative dancers approached my table. He placed the tequila bottle as the waiters followed suit with plates of food. With a smile and a slight bow of his head, he said, "I am at your service, sir."

The women took seats next to me. One poured tequila shots while another started dancing seductively. Their revealing attire was enticing, yet failed to arouse me, my mind preoccupied with thoughts of Julia.

As if in a dream, I spotted someone who looked just like Julia, strolling in with an elegant man in his thirties, his hand on her back. Clad in a sexy silver dress that displayed her attractive curves, my attention was drawn to her.

I squinted, waiting for them to come closer to confirm if it was truly Julia. To my shock, they took the table near me in the VIP section. The moment Julia turned her gaze towards me, our eyes met. Her eyes exuded shock and she whispered something to her companion.

Was it really Julia?

Anger clenched my fist. She claimed to have not had a boyfriend before, but she seemed very cozy with this man.

Subconsciously wanting to upset her, I pulled one of the dancers close to me and kissed her passionately whilst caressing her behind.

Judging by Julia's reaction, she noticed. Hufifng, she gripped the man's hand and they made their way to the dance floor, engaging in an intimate dance.

Unable to bear the sight any longer, a twinge of jealousy hit me, made worse by the revelation that Julia had seemingly lied about her innocence.

Overwhelmed with a surge of anger, I bolted up from my seat and approached them. I grabbed Julia, and with all my strength, I slapped her. I threw accusations at her, yelling, "So, you are a slut. How much did he pay you? Because I can pay more," then I flung money from my wallet in her face.

She stood, positioning herself between me and the man, who was ready to pounce on me. Stopping him, she slapped me back and declared, "He's my cousin!"

Julia.

That night, I was overcome with anger. I locked myself in my room after an encounter with Dr. Knight. His cruelty was beyond belief, and it broke my heart. Overwhelmed with sadness, I hid under my blanket. My father, concerned, wanted to know what happened that had left me so distraught.

I gave him no answers, especially because Dr. Knight had started working at my father's hospital, and I didn't want to cause any issues. The issue was deeply personal. My father was my best friend, but I could not bring myself to share this ordeal with him.

A knock on my door came from my mother. To her, I replied, "Mom, I am sleepy. Please leave me alone.".

However, she opened the door and slowly made her way to my bed. Gently, she pulled back the blanket and told me, "You need to get out of this bed now."

Feigning sleep, I closed my eyes, "Mom, please turn off the lights. I want to sleep."

But she was not persuaded, "Listen, I don't know what happened, and I won't force you to tell me. But I cannot bear to see you crying yourself to sleep. Get up now."

Stubbornly, I retorted, "I am not crying."

Unfazed, she responded in a stern tone, "Really? Well, I've invited your cousin over for dinner. You know, the one who just returned from Australia."

"I am not well. Please don't do this," I begged, my eyes firmly closed.

But she was resolute, "Too late. Get dressed. He is already downstairs waiting for you. Unless you want him to think you're avoiding him."

David was my cousin and I had harbored a crush on him since young. I didn't want him to feel unwelcome, so with a sigh, I sat up in bed, "Okay Mom, I see what you did. You intentionally did this to get me out of my room."

Her smile was both teasing and soft, "Exactly. I hate to see you upset. You mean everything to me."

Finally, I relented and got off the bed to give her a kiss on the cheek, "I will be okay, Mom."

She patted my head gently, urging me softly, "Okay then, freshen up and get dressed."

She walked into my closet and picked a sultry, sparkling silver dress for me, "And wear this," she instructed.

I furrowed my brows in confusion, tilting my head, "But this isn't appropriate for a family dinner. I'm confused."

She winked at me, "Just dress up. Don't forget to apply some makeup, and put on your sexy silver high heels."

Feeling weak, I gave a weak smile in response and decided to do as my mother asked, hoping that seeing David would help me forget about Knight.

I retreated to my bathroom, undressed, and took a lukewarm shower. After about ten minutes, I brushed my hair, applied some makeup, and slipped into the silver dress and heels. I checked my appearance before leaving the room – I looked stunning.

Descending the staircase, I found my cousin David, who was looking his best. His toned physique and piercing blue eyes could allure any woman. Flashing a wide smile at him, he expressed his surprise, "Wow! You have transformed into a true lady! You look gorgeous."

I blushed, recalling those days before he left for Australia. When he was in college and I was only a timid 13-year-old crush harboring feelings for him.

My mother suggested, "Why don't you both have a night out together?"

Surprised, I looked at her, "But Mom! You never let me stay out at these places at night!"

My father cupped my cheeks and said reassuringly, "Yes, but you're not alone. You're with your cousin."

Despite my embarrassment, David welcomed the idea enthusiastically, "I've been away from the country for years, so why not? It would be incredible if Julia agrees, of course."

Turning to my dad for approval, he nodded, "Yes, sure. But take care of her, don't stay out too late and, I swear David, don't dare lay a finger on her or you'll regret it."

My father's stern warning resonated in the room. That was my father – ever so protective.

David raised his hands in surrender and jokingly responded, "I swear on my life, I will protect her – even from myself."

My mother approached, patting my back, and said, "Enjoy the night, sweetheart." David took my hand, leading me toward the door. However, my father interjected, reminding David with another warning, "Don't be late and remember: don't touch her." David saluted him obediently, replying, "Yes sir."

We made our way to David's car where he graciously opened the door for me. Once we were both seated in the car, he turned to me and questioned, "Honestly, you look stunning. Do you have a boyfriend?"

After a gulp, I replied, "A boyfriend? No, I have never had one."

He looked taken aback and asked, "What happened to the men here? Are they blind or something?"

Feeling shy, my gaze fell to my lap as I explained, "My father never allowed any guy near me."

Starting the engine of his car, he remarked, "Well let's go then. It feels like a lucky night, considering you've never fallen in love yet and are single."

His comment made me sad as I was sure that I had developed feelings for Knight, but he had left me heartbroken. I hoped to never cross paths with Knight again, even by coincidence. However, I knew our paths would eventually intersect at my father's hospital.

The silent drive continued until we reached a nightclub, a place unfamiliar and intimidating to me.

David reassured me as he opened the car door, "Let's go, princess. Don't worry, you will enjoy the night."

As we entered the eclectic club, David seemed more comfortable, and everyone's attention soon fell upon him. With his wallet flush with cash, he distributed tips generously as we walked by the doorman, manager, dancers, and bartenders. I knew both my father's and mother's families were wealthy, but David's ostentatious behavior felt distasteful and showy.

David secured a VIP table, and to my shock, I spotted Knight at a nearby table. The scene escalated quickly: Knight spotted us, strippers danced around him, he shamelessly flirted-it drove me to pull David onto the dance floor. I danced with him in a seductive manner for the very first time. Regrettably, David took this as an invitation to invade my personal space, an act I found unnerving.

Despite our dance, Knight's gaze never wavered from me. In a heartbeat, Knight was beside me, accusing me of behaving like a call girl. He callously threw money at me, sneering sarcastically, "So, how much is he paying you for the night? I can afford to pay more."

I couldn't calm myself. My head lifted and, gathering all my strength, I slapped Knight's face, yelling at him, "He's my cousin, David."

David, eager for confrontation, began to shout, "Who the hell is he?"

I interjected before things escalated further, "He's nothing. Let's leave now."

As we departed, Knight remained behind, visibly shocked and confused, his gaze following us out.

My sadness threatened to spill over in tears. Nearly running, I made for David's car when a strong hand caught my arm.

Turning, I saw Knight standing there. "I'm sorry," he said.

His apology, though desired, came too late. He should have said it the night he humiliated me, not now.

Brushing his hand away, I pointed a finger at his face, "I'll make you regret this. I promise you."

I gave his chest a firm push, distancing him from me. Turning away, I got into David's car, tersely instructing, "Drive to the nearest restaurant. There's one at the end of this street, by the beach."

David, to my dismay, showed no sign of indignation or caring about the confrontation. He made no attempt to fight, seemingly not wanting to ruin his own evening. His lackadaisical response made me feel a pang of disgust.