Chapter 9: The Web of Temptation
The Elson estate was magnificent in all its glory and as Ragga paced behind Madame Olivia, he sensed an undercurrent in the atmosphere. An audible echo reverberated through the corridor with the sharp clicks of Olivia's heels on the marble floor. Ragga understood that although Olivia's presence interrupted his encounter with Sera, Olivia always had a reason for invading. This mansion did not believe in coincidence, not especially when it came to someone as calculating as Madame Olivia.
She took him to her private study, a large chamber with windows that reached almost to the ceiling and which looked out over the gardens and the vegetation. He felt the warmth of the summer through the opened window, and then the smell of strange flowers appeared in the room, merging with the essence of wooden walls and books that were covered in leather dust.
Olivia came to a halt at her desk and spun to Ragga still bearing an inscrutable but authoritative demeanour. She fastened herself and took her seat smoothly but her eyes were glued to him as he stood there.
"From where I stand it appears that you are quite enjoying yourself here, Young Master," Olivia began, with an inflection that Ragga could not define. "However, one should know when they are crossing a dangerous line."
Ragga lifted his head, a devil-may-care smile rumbled in the corner of his lips. "Danger has never bothered me, Madame Olivia."
Her eyes managed to squint fractionally, however, her facial expression remained calm like a tranquil lake. "You're playing with fire, Ragga. The maids may be swooning over you, but they are still my subordinates. I trust you will follow that."
Ragga advanced towards her, the dare sharpened in his eyes. "And how about you, Madame Olivia? You always seem to be watching from the shadow. It makes one wonder if you're just curious about me as the others."
For a scant second, Ragga caught a glimmer of some emotion in Olivia's eyes—interest?—but just as quickly, it was lost. It was evident that she had a handle on her emotional state. However, Ragga was well aware that no one could be completely uninterested in him. Not when he has every single twist, turn, and secret of this world at his fingertips.
"I don't have to be curious," Olivia replied coldly. "I am aware of any and all activities on this estate."
Ragga chuckled, forcing his mouth to broaden as he slumped against the corner of her desk. "That may be true, but even you still can't see into every future, can you?"
Olivia's lips became thinner as they shut her frowning face, although she still kept calm. "You are overconfident, Ragga, and that will" be what l make you fail."
Ragga held her stare steadily: "Perhaps. The thing is, however, you would not be cautioning me like this if you yourself did not feel the same attraction."
There it was again; the flitter of her gaze. Ragga was aware that he was crossing some lines but he relished it. He was determined to peel-off the mystery of Olivia. Unlike Sera, who is innocent yet internally struggling with her carnal self, Olivia is an authoritative woman who knows her worth and power. But that did not mean she was safe from temptation.
Ragga stepped further inside the concerning boundaries, and the edge of the desk was briefly touched by the tips of his fingers as he edged closer. 'Tell me, Madame Olivia,' he said to her softly and playfully. 'Do you ever wonder what it would be like to let go? To feel something beyond duty and control?.'
Olivia's expression turned into that of frustration. For a long time, they froze in those positions, and all that was heard was the sound of fluttering drapes in the wind. It was as if Ragga was holding a time bomb waiting for a signal. He could feel the pressure building up between the two of them.
But then Olivia rose, moving with practiced elegance. She moved out of the obstacle in the form of the table but remained standing right in front of Ragga, her face so close that he could almost feel her. Her breath was cold against his skin whereas her gaze was penetrating, scrutinizing Ragga as if she was reading his thoughts to the last detail, sifting through his darkest areas.
"Allow me to explain, while it may appear to you that you are in control, Ragga," murmured Olivia, her tone delicately seductive. "You are ever but a child who gets to engage in a man's game."
One regard from Ragga's smirk didn't change as he reached out for her face, leaning over as he touched a wispy hair on her forehead. "Perhaps," he answered kindly. "But even children know how to snatch things for themselves."
Olivia's hand reflexively shot forward, and her fingers around his wrist did make jabbing impressions with their strength. "Now, now, be careful Young Master," she warned, her voice dangerously low. "You wouldn't want to provoke me."
Ragga held her gaze with very intricate details; the dramatic and blatant look that forbade him from moving her eyes spoke volumes. Instead of backing off, however, he appeared to be amused. "That is something, Madame Olivia, which I wouldn't dream of."
Olivia let go of his wrist and took a step back, trying to create some space between them. That moment had gone, but the blank silence remained as though they both understood something without verbalizing it. Ragga had played his cards as best as he would have wished to, even though things did not come out quite as he expected them to with Olivia. He could see in her lingering eyes just that second long too and the adjusting shapes in her body.
She may have ruled this household like a matriarch, but Ragga was well aware that even she could be seduced by the power, the fear of losing the grip. "We are done here," Olivia declared in a matter-of-fact way, whipping her back towards him and proceeding to where the window stood. "You should focus on more important matters, Young Master. There are far greater things at play in this estate than your games with the maids."
Ragga lost his concentration as she stared after her for a second and his smile morphed into a thoughtful frown. He understood that Olivia wasn't referring to the women. There were deeper secrets within the Elson estate, layers of intrigue and hidden secrets. And Ragga will be the one to uncover them all.
"Of course," Ragga replied he started walking away from her as he spoke. "And you are aware, Olivia, that sometimes the most interesting part comes at the end – games."
As Ragga stepped back out of her study he experienced a wave of what felt like thrill. The Elson estate was a kingdom of political intrigues, desires, and hidden machinations of which he was right there in the middle. The women in the mansion sought him- desires, power, curiosity—but in all this, Ragga was well aware of having the advantage.
In his previous life, he had always been an onlooker, but now was not the time for that. Now he was no bystander also. He was a participant of the game with knowledge no one else had. And with that knowledge came power over this realm, as this world would be made to bend to his rule. But for now, there was something more important that needed to be done.
That evening Ragga, caring nothing for decorum, once again found himself strolling through the magnificent halls of the mansion. The house was calm and quiet as most of the employees and servants had gone to bed.
As he paced, his mind roamed back to Sera, her lush mouth and the look in her eyes, which had become all too familiar. She had been on the verge of succumbing, and Ragga could see that it would not be long before she was at his beck and call. But he was the type who was impatient, and wanted everything done quickly.
He reminded himself that he had to be patient and that often tested him as well. He understood that he needed to gain trust, to show, when the time was right, the cards he possessed. Sera was a very important factor in these plans. If he managed to convince her, the rest of the maids would fall in line.
And then came Madame Olivia. Ragga still couldn't quite figure her out, however, she appeared to be more of a threat that she cared to portray. She had her eyes on him and although she has undertaken no active moves against him yet, Ragga was aware that she would not stay passive for too long. He had to bury his aspirations for the time being, at least until he was safe in the position he had been eyeing into.
But the excitement of the game was exhilarating for him. This was his world now, and he would conquer it in any way possible. The maids, the authority, the control-everything was at his disposal.
It was during this moment that Ragga's thoughts beginning to thicken up with what plans he would employ in the coming days, as he proceeded to return to his chambers. The King of Milfs would be his title as the book predicted." Only, this time, it was going to be right some other way.
Ragga stopped smiling and hit an annoyed look on his face as he walked on drawing closer to the door to his room, pushed it open, entered, and closed the door after his back: this however, was not entirely missed on Ragga. Tomorrow would be the day for him to execute the next plan, on offense. The game had only just begun.
And Ragga was not going to be the one who gave up.