Arabella appeared silently at his suburban estate in Jingle. The entire estate was guarded by mercenaries on three levels, but Arabella entered like a ghost, not alerting anyone except Julius.
Julius immediately drew his gun and chambered a round. His expression was calm, and his swift and nearly silent actions made it clear that if it weren't for him, everyone in the building would have been killed without a sound, and the place would have remained quiet until everyone was dead, turning into complete silence.
The two stood facing each other with guns in hand. This was the first time they had confronted each other like this since Arabella had blown up his lair. Arabella smiled faintly and remained composed, and so did Julius. Both were men who had danced on the edge of death, having seen their fair share of storms and bloodshed. In the past, they had each worn a mask, hiding their true selves. But now, it was as if they had torn off their façades, revealing their real skills, ready to face each other in their true forms.
Arabella raised an eyebrow and gestured at Julius, "So, what do you say? Shall we fight?"
Julius immediately holstered his gun and pointed to his waistband, "This gun, I'd really like to test it out."
Arabella followed suit, putting away her own gun, then locked her eyes on Julius's waistband, "It's pretty quick. Haven't seen you in a while, I hope this gun hasn't turned into a submachine gun."
Julius was straightforward as well. He unbuckled his belt with one hand and pulled down his black suit pants. After taking off his outer pants, he tugged at the edge of his underwear with both hands, teasing, "Master Unknown, would you like to remove it yourself?"
Arabella raised her chin and said, "Okay." Just as he finished speaking, Arabella immediately reached out and grabbed the waistband of Julius's underwear, gently stroking it along the edge in a teasing manner. Julius's breathing grew heavier and heavier, and he quickly removed his shirt, looking like a powerful and muscular leopard with his eyes revealing a predatory glint.
Arabella grinned and leaned in close to Julius's face, their breath growing closer and closer. After a silent standoff filled with rivalry and aggression, Arabella swiftly turned her wrist behind Julius's butt and pulled off his underwear. His uncovered genitals jolted out straight and tall, huge in size, veins winding around them, hard as iron, and a deep bluish-red color due to excessive excitement.
Arabella narrowed her eyes, offering a compliment with a hint of sharpness, "Not bad, you've kept yourself well. But the true power of a gun can only be known once it's been fired."
Julius's eyes lit up as he pressed Arabella onto the bed and fucked her hard, which had become a nightmare for him. At the time, when Arabella was got by his grasp, he was too busy humiliating his opponent, rushing through it without savoring the moment. Only afterward did he regret, realizing too late what he had missed.
But he knew all too well—Arabella was a woman whose eyes only saw utility and transaction. Don't even talk about emotions; even speaking of desire seemed out of the question. So, he decided to take the initiative, asking plainly, "What does Master Unknown want to trade this time?"
"I heard that the batch of drugs you had me transport sold quite well and had great results."
Julius nodded, not responding immediately. He knew Arabella would bring it up, but not to dredge up old grudges. If she wanted him dead, the answer was undoubtedly yes. But between killing him and using him, when weighing the pros and cons, her very presence here spoke volumes.
"You must have started mass-producing the new type of drug. If I ask you to send it to Scalien, how much could you supply?"
Julius was initially stunned, but then he understood Arabella's intention. After some careful thought, an inexplicable anger surged within him. Scalien again. When Nicholas had approached him to collaborate on scheming against Arabella, he had mentioned her past.
Cyrus—whenever Nicholas mentioned this name, he would grind his teeth, as though the deceased held a grudge that could never be forgiven. At first, Julius thought Nicholas was crazy. Why would someone care about the dead? He was long dead, rotting in the ground—what use was that? Was Arabella supposed to kill herself in mourning for him? Moreover, that guy had been hanged by Arabella's own hand, so what was there to fear?
But now, the target was Scalien, and Julius thought of that dead man. Scalien wasn't a land of gold, so why would Arabella risk her life to rush into it, time and time again? What could there be in Scalien? It must be that body, the one that should have rotted away. If the corpse had such influence, it was easy to imagine just how important Cyrus had been to Arabella when he was alive.
No wonder Nicholas had gone mad, not even sparing a counterfeit. Now, Julius faintly tasted the bitterness, a very unpleasant feeling.
"Scalien has a nationwide ban on drugs. If you're caught trafficking, anything over fifty grams will get you the death penalty. That country doesn't let drugs in easily. I've tried many times, at most only managing small-scale infiltration. To bring in large quantities of drugs... that's just a pipe dream." For some unknown reason, Julius, who had always been eager for the drug trade, was now voluntarily backing down.
Arabella tilted her head, a seemingly innocent smile on her face as she replied, "Did you think I was just playing games with Jasper before?"
"Jasper?" Julius didn't respond at first, but then remembered who she was referring to. Jasper was the man behind the recent international sensation in Doma, a coup that ousted the royal family and wiped out the century-old Cardew family.
As soon as Arabella said that, Julius immediately understood. No wonder during the Doma coup, Lady Priscilla was the one who would have been easier to control and would eventually listen obediently. But Arabella chose the ambitious Jasper instead. It turned out that Jasper was more capable, more resourceful, and could strengthen Doma's power, thus qualifying to be Arabella's ally.
From a certain perspective, it was precisely because Arabella was strong enough that she had the confidence to control everything. She would rather have a treacherous and ever-ready-to-turn Jasper by her side than a weakling who would drag her down.
Julius smiled, a smile that was somewhat sinister. He thought, perhaps in Arabella's eyes, he and Jasper served the same purpose, but this utilitarian relationship suddenly made him extremely uncomfortable. It was as if the prey he had long been stalking was now looking for a more formidable competitor behind his back, waiting with ill intent for them to slaughter each other.
With a swift motion, he pulled Arabella into his embrace, lowering his head to inhale the scent of her hair. For the first time, he carefully examined the face before him—so ordinary, devoid of any special qualities. Yet, it was this very person who, since he had touched her, made everyone else appear pale and insipid. Those stories and films always told of demons falling for angels, but art was nothing more than fairy tales, and reality was far harsher. A man like him, whose hands were stained with countless sins, would only value a soul equally ruthless. Only when strength matched strength could one hope to survive longer. Why would he want a burden, someone who would simply cry out in fear when danger arrived?
The feeling of being equals with Arabella, two opponents locked in an unyielding contest—how could anyone but them understand the intoxicating thrill that came with it?
"Deal," he said, his voice low, "As long as the border between Doma and Scalien is open, I will provide you with all the drugs you need. I will stand by you as you shatter the entire nation of Scalien."
Arabella received the confirmation of the successful deal. Without a word, she swiftly pulled Julius towards her, and gently pressed her lips to the two sharp brows of his. She then let her lips trail downward, her tongue reaching out to softly trace the tip of his nose. Julius felt a surge of excitement. Reaching out, he gripped Arabella's neck with one hand, pulling her in as he bent down to fiercely claim her lips. Though Arabella's appearance was unremarkable, her skin was as white as snow, delicate and translucent, a beauty that, when touched, was utterly captivating.
Julius struggled to control the intense, electrifying surge of desire within him. Such an opportunity was rare, and he wanted to savor every moment. This time, he couldn't afford to act in haste. A woman like Arabella could turn ruthless at any moment, and who knew when such an opportunity would come again? Though he was cunning and treacherous, to outmaneuver Arabella, he knew he would have to employ every tactic at his disposal.
If he could be fully satisfied with just one time, perhaps he would no longer be haunted by thoughts of her. Yet, in this moment, Julius couldn't deny it: every cell in his body was trembling, consumed by an uncontrollable obsession with this woman.
Arabella's shirt was ripped open, and Julius's shirt was torn directly by Arabella, revealing his exposed chest and abdominal muscles. Arabella's wet tongue was skillfully tracing Julius's protruding Adam's apple, slowly sucking out a red mark. Fair fingers were gently massaging the two red nipples on his full abdominal muscles, slowly circling them, one stroke at a time, leisurely teasing him.
The hand gradually descended, tracing the extraordinarily firm and fluid contours of Julius' muscles. It moved along the undulating line of his waist and abdomen, leaping from one curve to the next, until at last it sprang upward, pausing upon the towering pillar in the dense jungle of his lower abdomen.
Julius let out a breath of air, and he raised his head, closed his eyes, and savored the excessively stimulating touch. He didn't know how many women had pleased him, but none of them had made him feel much. Even though Arabella's hands hadn't deliberately teased or caressed him, and his genitals hadn't even been stimulated to sensitive points, Julius felt that those hands were like sparks, blazing a trail of fire and sparks that made him tremble all over and involuntarily erect, with waves of pleasure washing over him.
He grabbed Arabella's waist and pressed her down forcefully, kissing her passionately and fondling her roughly. Arabella didn't need tenderness, passion, or conquest; this woman deserved all of that. Julius imagined his strong fingers wrapped tightly around Arabella's delicate neck, seizing her vulnerable weakness, choking her breath, forcing her to soften, to surrender without intent, her lips willingly pressing against his, beneath him.
Suddenly, a murderous aura descended like a chill, coiling around him in delicate threads, severing Julius' thoughts and causing every hair on his body to stand on end. Only when he regained his senses did he realize that the most vulnerable part of his spine, at the base of his back, was being gripped by Arabella's hand.
Julius let out a bold laugh and buried his head in Arabella's chest, sucking and biting onto her nipple as he said indistinctly, "You kill me, I kill you - no better than to have a wild and satisfying sex session in bed."
Arabella appeared to be casually tapping his spine at the base of his backbone, smiling and nodding in agreement: "Then you'll have to work hard. Don't think about anything else. Focus all your attention on fxxcking me until I'm nearly dead."
"Take it easy, Master Unknown. You can't get out of bed tonight."
