Mysterious Wife: Of The Cold CEO and Mafia Boss

"You look like a kind of woman who knows how to be handled" His voice was a low, sinful mumur, rich with dangerous intent. His fingers brushed over hers, deliberate, possesive. His playful instinct had kicked in the moment, he spotted her. "Tell me....do you like it slow and sweet, or hard enough to leave a mark?"

Her breath caught, the words thick with meaning, each syllable designed to make her skin flush. She turned slightly, only to be met with a shadow of a smirk on his lips, his eyes dark and predatory.

"Or maybe," he added, his gaze dropping to her figure, "You haven't been handled properly at all."

Alice froze momentarily, her hand still resting on the car door. The timbre of his voice sent a shiver down her spine, but she quickly masked it with her usual calm composure.

She turned fully, now catching the full view of his face, she was ready to respond, when a man's footsteps approached.

"Mr. Hunt."

Jermin's assistant, Marcus, appeared beside him, leaning in to whisper something meant only for his ears.

Alice's heart skipped a beat. Mr. Hunt? The name was enough to make her pause. This was the man she was supposed to avoid?

Before either could say more, Alice straightened, her expression cool. Without a second glance, she slipped into the driver's seat and closed the door, the engine roaring to life as she drove off into the night.

Jermin remained where he stood, watching her car disappear, his playful smirk fading into something darker.

"She's the woman," Marcus confirmed softly. "The one with the daughter. Who moved into your ajorning suite."

Jermin's gaze darkened, his jaw tightening. Had he just flirted with a woman who had a child? A woman who… entertained men?

His fingers flexed at his side, the playful spark now replaced with something colder, sharper.

Had she planned this purposely to get his attention?...

At the gala

The elegant ballroom shimmered under a sea of crystal chandeliers, the atmosphere charged with the kind of excitement that came only from the convergence of Seattle's elite. Guests in tailored suits and lavish gowns mingled, their laughter and chatter creating a symphony of privilege. But amidst this cacophony, all eyes were drawn to the grand entrance.

Alice stepped through the doors, her presence igniting the room.

As she walked in, whispers swept through the crowd like wildfire. The elegance and fierceness she exuded were palpable, drawing even the most jaded socialites into her orbit. It wasn't just her beauty; it was the aura of determination that surrounded her. They couldn't help but notice the poise with which she navigated the room.

"Who is she?" a woman murmured, her gaze fixed on Alice, envy seeping into her tone.

"I heard she's the abandoned daughter of the Willson family," replied her companion, "but no one's seen her for years. I thought she was dead."

As Alice moved deeper into the room, she spotted Jermin Hunt leaning against a wall, his piercing gaze scanning the crowd, a picture of cold aloofness. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt that showcased his tattoos, the sleeves rolled up to reveal ink spiraling down his arms. His hair, slightly tousled, framed his sharp features, enhancing the intensity of his expression. He seemed to be a part of the shadows, observing rather than participating, and Alice felt a jolt of awareness at his presence.

Remembering what this man had said earlier in the garage.

But Alice's focus was soon diverted as the event began. The host, an elder Hunt family member, stood to announce the gift presentation. As Alice took her place among the other attendees, a palpable tension filled the air, especially between her and Raya, who stood to the side with her clique, their expressions laden with disdain.

Raya approached Alice with a feigned sweetness that barely masked her animosity. "Look who decided to grace us with her presence. I hope you brought something more impressive than your last appearance."

Alice merely smiled, her lips curving slightly, but there was an edge to her gaze. "You'll be surprised, Raya. I always strive to exceed expectations."

Raya stood dumbfounded, unable to refute this woman. Well, she would make sure to put her in her place after her presentation of gifts.

As the primary host announced Raya was the first gift presenter, she came forward to reveal her gift. It was an art painting crafted by the famous Eujin, a renowned artist whose works commanded a high price. Raya had also obtained a painting to show off during the party, but Alice's was sure to outshine it.

The guests watched as Alice unfolded the gift and gasped in surprise, whispering among themselves.

"As expected of a daughter of the Hunts; she could actually acquire this expensive painting."

"I'm sure the money was nothing to her as a Hunts daughter."

"I'm also sure no gift presented will surpass hers."

Raya felt joy bubble up inside her as she listened to the murmurs but maintained a calm demeanor. She presented her gift with a rehearsed smile. "Grandad, Grandmum, this is the gift I went through a lot of effort to obtain. I hope you accept it." She handed the painting to them, knowing very well that if she gained their favor, her position in the Hunts would be established. She had gone to great lengths to secure this painting.

Grandma Hunt was very pleased, her voice filled with appreciation as she said in a gentle tone, "Yes, yes, my good granddaughter, we love and appreciate the effort you put into getting this gift." Grandpa Hunt only snorted lightly and muttered, "Speak for yourself." Then he said in a perfunctory tone, "Thank you."

Raya bit her lip, feeling downcast; it seemed the old man didn't like her gift.

Meanwhile, Alice was called to present her gift and stepped forward with a small emerald handbox. "This is my small gift. I hope it suits your taste."

The crowd looked at her with mocking gazes, thinking to themselves how poor and miscalculated her gift was. It was too small and came in an ordinary box.

Raya's face beamed with joy when she saw Alice present her small gift. In an attempt to humiliate her, she spoke up, "Wow... I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we want to see what's inside the box you presented."

Alice replied lazily, "It's not up to me to decide that; I'm not the owner of the gift."

Old Madam Hunt looked at the small box and felt displeased; it looked simple, and the young girl hadn't even made an effort to please them. She spoke up with disdain, "There's no big deal in showing everyone what you presented; let everyone see it." Then she urged her husband to open it and show everyone.

The old man looked at his wife's attitude and sighed. Although the gift Raya presented was expensive, he had noted her character and purpose from her speech. Meanwhile, this young lady spoke elegantly and didn't try to show off in front of the guests. To him, whatever the gift was, as long as it came from the heart, it was appreciated—unlike Raya's gift. He looked at Nora as if seeking her opinion, and seeing her nod, he opened the gift.

His wife spoke up in dissatisfaction after seeing the contents of the box, which contained only two small pills. "What do you mean by giving us pills? Are you wishing us bad health?"

"Pftt..." The crowd burst out laughing at the old madam's words and looked at the contents of the box.

"This lady is simply ignorant..."

"When she entered earlier, I thought she was a wealthy miss, but who would have thought that she could only afford two worthless pills?"

"She couldn't even bring out a qualified gift."

Amidst the murmurs, Raya felt delighted and said, "Well, if you didn't have the money to get a presentable gift, you should have just said so rather than bringing this cheap thing and wishing my grandparents bad health."

Alice sneered lazily and looked at Raya with the expression of someone looking at a fool. "I hope not everyone has bad taste and eyes like you." She didn't bother—rather, she was too lazy—to explain her valuable gift and would let them think whatever they wanted. If not for the need to please the old duo for future business partnerships, she wouldn't have bothered preparing this gift.

Amidst the mockery and disdain, only the old man looked astonished and stunned. "This... this... how did you manage to obtain this?"

The guests wondered why he was so impressed; it was just two simple pills—what was so hard to obtain?

"Although I put in a lot of hard work to be able to obtain it, it'll be okay if it pleases you," Alice replied nonchalantly, as if she didn't care about anyone's opinion.

"I absolutely like it! I appreciate your efforts, Miss," the old man replied with a big smile.

The old lady, confused by her husband's reaction, said, "What's the big deal about obtaining just two pills? We have countless high-end ones, so this is just insignificant."

The old man sighed and looked at the old lady; she didn't value the important things but valued the insignificant ones. "These two pills inside this box are longevity pills from the world-renowned Chinese medicine practitioner. It is said they can bring someone back from the brink of death. This is simply priceless, hard to obtain, and cannot be bought with money. Only those who know the master can obtain it. I've tried to acquire it many times, but I failed.

The old lady's eyes lit up, but she still said, "How are you sure that those pills are the longevity pills you mentioned, huh?"

Raya chimed in, "Yes, how do we know they are the longevity pills?"

"Well, that's simple: people with brains and good eyesight would be able to tell at one glance, but I guess you have none," Alice stated calmly, without any hint of fear.

Raya was enraged but couldn't retort, as she was trying to maintain the image of a gentle lady (the flower lotus). "You... You... You! How da—"

The old lady hadn't finished her sentence when she collapsed on the floor.

"Wife!"

"Grandma!"

"Old Madam Hunt!"