Ch. 331..335: Forbidden Heat R18 Chapter 331-335

Chapter 331: Reiner - A Tour with the Queen

I could tell from the faraway look in her eyes that she was recalling some memories of her own. You didn’t have to be a genius to figure out that she was telling me a story about herself. I wondered why she was telling me a story about herself, so I decided to focus on her words.

“One day, just like in the dramas, she was bullied by some old, rich, and extremely influential men. Luckily, a man appeared and helped her out. At that moment, she was so scared, and he felt like a hero to her because he saved her. She quickly realized that she had fallen in love with him at first sight. However, he wasn’t at all interested in her,” Queen continued with her story before pausing to laugh softly to herself.

I knew immediately that that man was probably King. Who else could it be?

“Then what happened?” I asked with genuine interest.

“Well, she couldn’t let him go no matter how coldly he treated her. She decided to give up her life and cut her flourishing career short just for a chance to be with him. However, things didn’t go as she had planned. He just wanted her to go back from wherever she came from. She eventually found out that to be with him, she had to give up more than just her job. She had to give up everything. Her job, her friends and family, her name and even her identity. In the end, that was what she did,” Queen said before turning to look squarely at me.

The passion that burned in her eyes showed me that even after all these years, she probably never once regretted her decision. That was how determined she was.

“She moved with him back to his family estate which is a private island. That was really the start of the real challenge. Life was different and she was a nobody on the island. She had to work hard to find a place and a role for herself. She needed to earn her place. After years of trying, she found her new place in the world under a new name and a new identity. She had an adorable son with the man that she loves and she currently lives her life with no regrets,” Queen said, putting an end to her short story.

“Wow...you’re very brave,” I said in awe.

“What about you? What are you going to do?” Queen asked before smiling kindly at me.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. Reiner doesn’t want me, and he doesn’t want me to stay. He said that he’s sending me back first thing tomorrow morning. I really appreciate your hospitality. Thank you for everything. Thank you for your kind words and for telling me a very inspirational story,” I said as I tried to put up a brave front.

“You don’t have to leave if you don’t want to, you know...” Queen said as she gazed up at the sky.

“But Reiner...” I whispered.

“The one who owns this private island is my husband, not Reiner. Ultimately, it’s King who gets to decide who leaves and who gets to stay. That’s why, strictly speaking, you don’t have to leave. I’ll make sure that King allows you to stay. That is, if you still want to stay,” Queen offered.

“What will I do here? What should I do?” I asked in my desperation.

“Let me take you on a tour of the island tomorrow. It’ll be a new and eye-opening experience for you. Then, you can decide what you want to do. You can stay or you can go back. It’s all up to you. After all, this is your life and no one else’s,” Queen suggested enthusiastically.

“Why did you decide to stay here? You left so much behind...your career...everything...” I asked in a small voice.

“I love King. I wanted to be his Queen no matter what. For me, that reason alone was more than enough for me to throw away everything...even my own identity,” Queen replied emotionlessly.

So, this is what the old man meant. Queen is brave in every sense of the word.

...

The next morning, I woke up unnaturally early to make it to my appointment with Queen. She was waiting for me in front of the mansion in an SUV. When she saw me, she waved and smiled to me. Honestly, I was very impressed by how much positive energy she had at her age and so early in the morning.

“Ready for the tour?” Queen asked cheerfully.

“Yes. Thank you for helping me...” I said as I got into the seat next to her.

“Just enjoy it. Treat it as a mini vacation. Let’s go!” Queen said as she began driving out of the mansion’s gate.

At first everything seemed normal. We drove past what Queen told me was the residential area. The beautiful houses and buildings were just homes for people who lived on the island. According to Queen, there were a few residential areas on the island.

“This is the office district. Basically, just a bunch of office buildings where white-collar work is done,” Queen explained as we drove past a jungle of high skyscrapers.

“What businesses are ran here?” I asked.

“Everything that requires a tax haven. Companies open their headquarters here to save up on tax and all that stuff. They rent out the floors in these buildings for it,” Queen explained.

“Oh...I see...” I replied with my eyes on the various building passing by.

“Yup. Now these buildings are slightly different. I’ll show you once we’re inside,” Queen said.

The car came to a stop in front of a very tall building. It didn’t look different from the rest of the office buildings at all. I followed Queen inside and was quite surprised that the inside resembled any normal office building. A few men in suit walked past us and greeted Queen respectfully.

“Umm...how do I explain this? Well, simply, this is one of the buildings where King’s mercenary business is managed. It’s like managing an agency of sorts. You know, receiving orders from clients and allocating it to men or teams who can best fulfill the mission,” Queen said before winking at me.

Chapter 332: Reiner - A Way to Belong

“I see...” I mumbled.

“It’s just like any service provider company. The company has sales, marketing, accounting, and all that,” Queen explained as we talked along a long corridor.

I could see endless rows of office desks and their busy owners working away. I never knew that an agency handing mercenary missions was run out of a regular office like this. Frankly, I found the whole thing very surprising but very interesting.

After we were done with the office building tour, Queen drove me quite far from the city center. We stopped at a large set of buildings surrounded by a thick forest. I looked around at the building and the surrounding thick trees when we got out of the car.

“This place is huge...” I mumbled to myself in amazement.

“This is the training facility and training grounds. Agents employed by the agency train here for their missions. Just like what you see in the spy movies,” Queen announced proudly.

“Wow...” I said in complete amazement.

“I’m sorry but we can’t go in and see everything because most parts have restricted access, but I can show you enough so that you get the general idea of what happens in there,” Queen said before motioning for me to follow her inside.

The training facility was large, and it was a good idea on Queen’s part not to show me everything because it would have needed more time than we had. However, she did give me a very good general idea just as she had promised. There was everything in there from shooting ranges, obstacle courses, a swimming pool, weapon storages and other facilities that I didn’t know much about.

“The forest here next to the training facility is also used as a training ground for outdoors training and battle simulations. Precisely because of that, we’re not allowed to wander this forest without prior clearance. You could end up shot or killed and things like that...” Queen explained casually.

We got back in the car where we would be heading to the final destination of our tour. By that time, it was already late in the afternoon and the sun was about to set. The excitement of the trip ate up quite a lot of my energy and I found myself feeling a little tired as I sat next to Queen in the passenger seat of her car.

“Just one more destination. I’m sure you’ll find this place entertaining. It’s my favorite as well,” Queen said merrily.

It was quite a long drive considering that the training facility seemed to be out of everyone’s way. Queen drove us back closer to the city center and I found myself in the middle of what looked like the entertainment district. Sure enough, it was as Queen had said, this place was entertaining.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to my favorite bar!” Queen announced proudly as she dragged me by the hand along after her.

It was clear that Queen came here a lot because so many people knew her and greeted her. Bars, restaurant, shopping malls, shops and stalls lined both sides of the long road. Since the sun had set by this point, all the light decorations and signs were on, and it served as a very impressive display.

“Most of the people living on this island and employed by the agency are men. Well, we’re not being sexist but that’s just the nature of the job. There are women who work in the office roles though. Then there are women who work here in the entertainment district,” Queen explained as we walked along.

“I see...” I said.

“Mind you, not everyone women here can be bought for a price and not every man is here looking for company for the night. Men and women come here to relax and enjoy. Especially, after a mission and when they get their paycheck, this place becomes ultra-popular,” Queen explained before laughing.

After hanging out with Queen for almost a day, I had to say that she didn’t act anything at all like normal people her age. She seemed younger and she acted younger...and freer. She dragged me into a bar, and we took our seats. I didn’t have to do anything because Queen quickly ordered a drink for herself and one for me.

“You’re back. Always good to have you here, Queen,” a middle-aged man greeted Queen before beaming a smile at me.

“This is Natalia. She’s my guest. So be nice to her please...” Queen said teasingly.

“Hi. I’m Natalia,” I said before I offered him one of my best smiles.

“Always good to have more pretty girls around here,” the man said with a wink before he disappeared behind the bar counter.

“That’s Jamie and he owns this place. Before starting this place, he worked at the agency. Made a lot of money during the peak of his career there and decided to settle here for his retirement,” Queen quickly explained to me.

“Wow. No wonder he looks very fit,” I replied with an amused laugh.

“All muscles and very little brain...haha!” Queen replied with a laugh.

Our drinks arrived and while I sipped on my pink-colored cocktail, Queen made small talk. It was getting later, and the bar was getting busier as more customers arrived.

“I used to work here...” Queen said softly.

“Really?” I asked in slight amazement.

“Yes. Right when Jamie first opened this bar. He hired me because he said that I had a pretty face and long legs. Those were the fun days,” Queen replied as she reminisces on the past.

Is this how she found her place on this island?

“This was after you moved here?” I asked.

“Correct. I had given up my job and I was jobless. I had some money though, but I needed to find something to do to fit in. So, I started working here,” Queen said before smiling at me.

It was then that I fully understood why Queen took me on a tour today. If I wanted to stay, I have to figure out something for myself just like she did back in her younger days. But like...what am I supposed to do? Just randomly become a waitress or a bartender?

Chapter 333: Reiner - My Next Move

“I guess I should start looking for a job then...” I murmured although I had no idea what job that would be.

“You don’t have to take up arms or be a mercenary to belong here. Look at me. I obviously don’t know how to fight. I can’t even shoot a gun...it scares me!” Queen exclaimed loudly as she threw her hands up in surrender.

“What do you do then? Do you have a job now?” I asked.

“Of course. Otherwise, I’d be bored of my mind. I help handle the finances of King’s company which means this island as well. It’s a very tough job. I can’t handle it alone, so I have almost fifty people working in my team to handle it. Of course, that was after King and I got married,” she explained, and I could tell that she was proud of her own achievements.

“Right...I see...” I replied as I nodded my head a few times in understanding.

“I probably can’t help you much beyond this. So, what are you going to do from now on, Natalia?” Queen asked as she leaned her head in the palm of her hand and stared directly at me.

“That’s...a very good question,” I replied.

I knew that I had to figure something out and the sooner the better. After thinking hard about it, the answer was quite obvious. It wasn’t like I had many options to choose from anyways. Thankfully, since I have been preparing to job hunt, I should have everything ready to go.

Queen drove us back to the mansion and all the time in the car, I brainstormed in my head what jobs I would qualify for on this island. Apart from waiting tables, I probably had a good shot at some of the jobs in the offices. If I can just get my hand on my resume files and hand those in. It was late at night when we finally arrived back at the mansion.

Seeing the mansion reminded me that I haven’t seen Reiner today. A knot formed in my stomach immediately at the thought and I realized that I didn’t want to see him. Things would just be bad between us if we meet now, and he would see that I still haven’t gotten my ass off his father’s private island. Too bad for him because I have no intentions of getting off this island unless King forces me to leave by force.

“I got the maids to prepare a room for you in the guest wing so you can relax and stay there without worry...” Queen said before trailing off.

I didn’t have any trouble guessing what ‘worry’ she was referring to just now.

“Thank you so much!” I said brightly.

“I’ll call a maid to take you to your room. It is late, you should rest up. We’ve had a long day,” Queen said before turning and calling out to a maid.

Before we parted for the night, I wanted to talk to her a little about my next steps. I was sure that if someone could help connect me to the right people, it would be Queen.

“If I want to apply for some jobs at the offices, what do I need to do?” I asked.

“Oh, you’ve already decided? That’s fast...” Queen said, clearly impressed.

“I was job hunting before I came here so, if I can get access to the internet, I should already have my resume and everything ready to go,” I said with a hopeful smile.

“Wow. What sort of job are you looking for?” she asked curiously.

“I can do anything. Secretary work, event hosting, project management, general administration things. I only have internship experience so I’m not looking for anything fancy, trust me,” I replied humbly.

“Umm...I can put you in contact with someone from HR if you’re interested to work for King’s company,” Queen readily suggested.

“Really? That would mean the world to me right now,” I replied happily.

“You’re over exaggerating. It’s been a long day; you should go get some sleep. The maid is here to take you to your room,” Queen replied with a kind smile.

“Thank you, Queen. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you enough,” I replied, meaning every word.

“Haha...take it as an apology for what my stubborn son has done to you...” Queen said followed by a sigh.

She gave me one last encouraging smile before she left. The maid gestured for me to follow her, and she took me to my room just as Queen had ordered. The guest wing of the mansion was located in the opposite direction of the main wing. Surprisingly, it was very quiet, and I suspected that it was empty. Although it was sparkling clean, the lack of decoration and signs of recent usage, told me that this guest wing hasn’t hosted any guests for a long time.

“Am I the only guests in this wing?” I asked the maid.

She looked at me a little nervously before nodding her head. Without saying a single word, she walked me to a large white door. She came to a stop and turned to face me before opening the door to the room for me.

After she had turned on the lights, she motioned for me to enter. I turned to thank her, and she quickly excused herself. The maid walked away, and I closed the door behind me. The guest room that Queen had assigned to me was much larger than I expected. It was a suite room with a living room, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a small working room. It was so perfect and beautifully decorated in shades of white and blue. After all the mess that I’ve been through, this display of generosity brought tears to my eyes.

To my further surprise, Queen had prepared everything for me. Clothes, shoes, a laptop and all the other essentials. I picked up a shoe and was impressed that it was even the right size. It’s amazing what an ex-supermodel can tell when she looks at you. The trip around the island with Queen left me feeling exhausted and sweaty so I decided to take a bath right away.

Chapter 334: Reiner - Nothing to You

Sitting alone in the bathtub, feeling the warm water on my skin felt extremely relaxing. Now that I was alone, my thoughts drifted to my home. I wonder how things are back there. Is Zak holding up alright with everything that he’s got planned? Edward and Lucien are probably worried sick and they’re probably giving Zak a hard time. Laura is probably lost and confused about what to do because I’m not there anymore. Maybe she’s thankful now that she doesn’t have to serve the overly picky and bossy Natalia.

I miss home...

Once I got out of the bath, I felt completely refreshed. I slapped my own cheeks lightly to draw focus. Focus, Natalia. Time for you to land yourself a job before you start thinking of anything else! I slipped on a light lavender short night gown that was in the closet. My hair was still damp from the bath although I did dry it a little with a towel. Thinking that I can dry it later, I sat down at the table in front of the laptop and switched it on.

Now, I need to look for the version of my resume that I uploaded online. Maybe I also have a copy in my email somewhere as well. While I was busy finding the latest version of my resume, I heard a few light knocks on the door.

It must be Queen. I wonder what she wanted this late into the night.

“One moment please!” I called out.

Not wanting Queen to wait for too long, I quickly got up from where I was sitting and headed straight for the door. The door unlocked automatically from the inside when I turned on the doorknob and pushed the door open.

To my utmost surprise, the person standing in front of my door wasn’t Queen. Honestly, it was the person that I least expected or wanted to see right now.

“Reiner...” I whispered his name after I had recovered from the initial shock of seeing him standing there in my doorway.

Why is he here?

Before I could ask him that he beat me to it and asked me a question first. How unsightly, he didn’t even offer me a greeting after knocking on my door this late into the night.

“Why are you still here?” he asked, clearly displeased.

I knew that this was coming and had been so careful to avoid him. Seriously, if all he’s going to do is say mean things then don’t blame me for being a bitch.

“I could ask you the same thing. Why are you here?” I snapped back.

“I told you to go home,” Reiner said.

I had begun to lose count of the times that he’s told me that.

“How many times have you told me that?” I asked in annoyance.

“What?” He said confused at my response.

“When are you going to learn that I’m not going to go home no matter how many times that you tell me to,” I replied unfazed.

“Go home, Natalia. You can’t stay here,” Reiner said resolutely.

“Just like you don’t have to do what I tell you to anymore, I don’t have to do what you tell me to,” I retorted, firmly believing that I was right this time around.

Reiner was evidently stunned at my words and tone of voice. I guess I have been to nice and childish around him that he probably didn’t realize that I had this truly stubborn side to me too. Now that I think about it, I guess I use this side of me with Edward a lot...or maybe too much.

“I’m staying. If you’re not satisfied with that, then that’s your problem,” I stated stubbornly.

As far as I was concerned, this pointless conversation was over. I had nothing else that I wanted to say to him and neither did I want to hear what he had to say. Not wanting to see him anymore, I started closing the door in his face.

“Wait,” Reiner said as his hand shot up and held the door to keep it from closing.

Our eyes met and I was unable to back down.

“Just leave...” I hissed through gritted teeth.

“What do you plan to do from now on?” he asked, sounding calm.

“I have no idea why you’re interested in something like that, but I don’t have to tell you anything. Please just leave,” I replied as I pulled on the door again.

Reiner held the door in place, preventing me from closing it. I scoffed at the ridiculousness of the situation that we found ourselves in. Why are we playing tug-of-war with a door?

If what he does is not any of my concern, then the same applies to whatever I choose to do.

“Natalia...” he called my name softly.

“If you’re not going to help me, then at least don’t get in my way. It’s late, I’d appreciate it if you could leave so that I can catch up on my beauty sleep,” I spat as I glared at him.

“You shouldn’t get involved where you don’t belong,” Reiner warned seriously.

He’s right, I don’t belong here right now but it’s up to me to change that. I’m going to find a place for myself in this place even if it kills me. Then I’ll figure out what I want to do with my life later. Instead of explaining that to him right now...

“And you shouldn’t visit a girl’s private room late at night. If your fiancée hears about it, she’ll be so upset. I would appreciate it if you don’t get me caught up in unnecessary drama. Oh...but if she’s looking for outstanding designers for her wedding dress, you can tell her to get in touch me with. I’ve got plenty of recommendations. Good night, Reiner...” I said before smiling sweetly at him.

This time when I pulled the door close, he did not resist, and I succeeded in closing the door in his face. I locked the door immediately and headed back to my laptop. Being told to leave just added fuel to my fire of determination. I’m getting a job here on this island no matter what!

Chapter 335: Reiner - First Night at the Bar

With Queen’s help, I managed to hand in a few job applications over the next two days of my stay at the mansion. During that time, I kept to my room most of the time. It was so boring, but it gave me a good chance to focus on preparing for my job interview that was schedule to take place soon. Thankfully, HR found my experience and educational background a good match with what they were looking for. After giving me a call for the preliminary screening, they invited me for a formal interview in a few days.

Luckily, a manager at the company was looking for a secretary. With this perfect timing, I was scheduled to do an interview for the job. It was such good news that I had to tell Queen about it right away. During the few days that I had free, I thought that it might be a good idea to find some kind of backup plan in case I didn’t get the job.

“Sure, I can lend you a car but where do you want to go?” Queen asked with concern after I had asked to borrow a car.

“I have a job interview coming up in a few days but in case I don’t get the job offer, I was thinking that I should go look for some backup options,” I replied honestly.

“That’s not a bad idea but where are you headed?” Queen asked.

“The entertainment district. I can wait tables perfectly fine. My legs are not as long as yours, but do you think Jamie might consider hiring me?” I asked with a laugh.

“You’re really one hell of a fighter. Good luck. Here’s the car key. Let me walk you to the car. Sorry, I can’t go there with you today,” Queen said as she got up from her seat.

...

I arrived at the entertainment district in the afternoon. It was before the usual opening time for the bars and the whole street was quieter than it was that night when I was there. As expected, business really starts when the sun is about to set and not anytime before. I wondered if Jamie was in and if he had some time to talk to me.

If I remembered correctly, Jamie’s bar is this way. Feeling proud of myself for finding Jamie’s bar without getting lost, I popped into the place. There was a guy wiping the table in the middle of the place and I approached him to ask if Jamie was in.

“Jamie? He’s in the back. You want a word with him?” the asked after pausing his work.

“Yes, if that’s possible...” I replied with a friendly smile.

“Oh, sure. Wait a bit, I’ll go get him for you,” he said before heading off.

“Thank you very much,” I called after him.

After a short while of waiting, the man emerged with Jamie from the back of the bar. Jamie’s eyes widened at me in recognition before he flashed me a smile. He approached me and greeted me warmly.

“Welcome back, Natalia! I didn’t think you’ll drop by so soon,” Jamie said with a laugh.

“Hi, Jamie. Sorry to drop by when you’re not open for the day yet,” I said apologetically.

“No problem at all. Is there anything that I can help you with?” Jamie asked.

“The truth is...I was wondering if you can hire me to work here,” I said hopefully.

Jamie was thoughtful for a moment before he smiled at me and nodded.

“Did Queen’s personal journey inspire you to work here?” he asked teasingly.

“I guess that’s part of it,” I replied with a small laugh.

“I don’t think I can hire you fulltime but if you’re looking for something parttime, I can offer you a job,” Jamie said after consideration.

“Really? That’s great. Thank you!” I cried out happily.

“I like girls with a pretty face,” Jamie said before winking at me.

“When I should I start?” I asked. Honestly, I was too bored just being stuck in the mansion that I was ready to start immediately.

“Since you’re here anyways and it’s close to opening time, you can stay and observe today. I’ll get one of the girls to show you the ropes. How’s that for a start?” Jamie suggested before grinning at me.

“That’s perfect. Thank you so much, Jamie!” I cried out happily before clapping my hands in delight.

Jamie only smiled at me without saying anything before calling a young woman over. She had wavy chestnut brown hair, very round eyes, and a very beautiful curvy figure.

“This is Kat. Kat this is Natalia. She’s your new colleague so get along, girls,” Jamie introduced us both to each other.

“Nice to meet you,” I said politely.

“No need to be so formal. Come, I’ll show you around,” Kat said as she showed me the way.

...

The bar opened at sundown to welcome its first wave of customers that started arriving in the early afternoon. According to Kat, I didn’t have to do anything much today. All I had to do was watch what she was doing.

“If things get busy and we need an extra pair of hands, I’ll let you know. Don’t worry, it’s not difficult. You just serve drinks or food to customers. Just make sure you don’t go to the wrong table,” Kat said as her hands tied a bow at the back of her short dress.

“Ok, I can do that,” I replied with confidence.

“Oh...try to stay away from the guys when they’re drunk. They’ll grab you...” Kat warned before winking suggestively at me.

Judging from the mini length of her skirt, I would bet that she was waiting to be ‘grabbed’ down there. I wondered how Kat ended up working this job on this private island, but I didn’t dare ask. Everyone has their own reasons and their own stories and so did I. She didn’t ask me for my backstory, so it didn’t feel right for me to question about hers.

Within a few hours the bar was packed with people. Jamie’s business was clearly doing well. It was a weekday evening, but the bar was filled to the brim with people. I stayed by Kat’s side as she worked at the counter bar. Occasionally, she would head out to serve customers at their tables.