CHAPTER 99“We'll be late so don't stay up late waiting for us. The girls are having their nap and please check on baby Elodie from time to time, her fever is rising,” Ethan said, holding his wife closely.Katherine nodded. “But don't you think we should take her to the hospital?”“No!” Amanda snapped, catching Katherine off guard. Then she sighed and rubbed her head. “I'm sorry for overreacting. I've just been really stressed.”Katherine pressed her lips tightly together. “It's fine.”“We can't get Elodie to the hospital. She's very overwhelmed by noises and it would cause her to cry.”“That's normal because she's a baby,” Katherine muttered before she could stop herself.Amanda’s gaze hardened. “We'll get medications on our way back. Lock the doors, close the curtains too and do not open up except its us”“Okay,” Katherine whispered and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. “Um, the kids mentioned playing in the garden. Since the sun is—”“Are you tired of your job, Marilyn?” Eth
CHAPTER 100 Wilson barely breathed as he moved, the wood under his feet betraying him with the faintest creak. His fingers had just curled around the doorknob when his father’s voice cut through the silence.“Wilson.”Cassius' voice was low and hard and coming from the dark.Wilson froze. His back stiffened before he slowly turned his head to find his father, Cassius, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He was watching him intently like he’d been there the whole damn time, waiting.“Where are you going, son?” He demanded softly, his eyes still lingering on him.Wilson felt exposed. As though he had been caught in an unjust act. “Mind your business, Cassius.”“I see,” he whispered.Wilson exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “You're seriously stalking me now?”Cassius didn't answer, instead he waited, expecting an explanation. Who the hell snuck out of their parents house if their intentions were pure?Wilson’s hand tightened on the knob, threatening to turn and leave.“It'
CHAPTER 101Antonio’s body hung from the chains, his shoulders slumped forward and his breath came in ragged, uneven pulls. His face was a mess; split lip, swelling jaw and fresh blood trailing down his chin.Lucifer rolled his fingers into a fist, then cracked his knuckles. “Where is she?”Antonio let out a slow, wet breath.“I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you are more clear then I will be able to help you.”Lucifer’s fist drove into his cheek. The chains rattled as Antonio jerked forward, and a strangled noise broke free from his throat. His head lolled to the side and a broken chuckle escaped his lips.Lucifer's chest heaved in anger as he watched his Capo. How dare he be so audacious to even smile? Did he take him for a joke?Lucifer grabbed his face, tilting it up. “Lie again, and I promise you will be without your tongue.”Antonio panted, his eyes teary and his body glazed with sweat and blood. He wasnt sure he could endure any more torture.“I swear—”The next punch
CHAPTER 102R watched Wilson intently till he could bear it no more. She took a drag of her cigarette. “What is it?” He asked slowly.“Would you ever betray me?” she asks.Wilson shook his head and without hesitation he said in a loud and clear voice,“No.”She watched him more closely now. “Even if I betrayed you first?”Wilson’s chest tightened and he didn't answer. Not like he needed to anyway. Why she had asked that question, he didn't know.She nudged his side, her smirk playful. “Ready to break into hell again?”Wilson took another drag of his cigarette and smiled as a wave of relief washed through him,“always. What's our next mission?”“Giovanni's house,” she said simply. Wilson shook his head. “No way.”*.*Wilson pressed a hand against the cold, rough wall as he crouched lower, moving forward carefully. The underground tunnel was dark and the smell of wet earth congested his nostrils.He leaned closely to R whose eyes were fixed on her phone screen as she checked their locat
CHAPTER 103Wilson’s eyes fluttered open and he moaned out slowly. The world seemed to swirl around him. He turned his head slowly to the direction where a faint glow was coming from. His brain felt fuzzy and he felt exhausted as though all the energy had been drained from him.The room was silent. Too silent.The only sound was the soft creaking of the chair as he shifted, his wrists burning where the metal cuffs dug into his skin.“Hi sunshine.”The voice seemed to twitch something in him and his heart leapt for joy. “R?”Across from him, R sat leisurely with legs crossed. She looked completely at ease. A cigarette danced in between her fingers which she slowly dragged on like they weren’t both trapped in the belly of a monster.“Sorry, I forgot to thank you for the weed,” she murmured, smirking.Wilson swallowed, his voice rough. “R… Are you okay?”R smirked, tilting her head.Wilson’s gut twisted as he scanned her for any sign of injury. “Did they touch you? We need to get out h
CHAPTER 104Pain still pulsed from Wilson’s cheek, but he barely felt it anymore.Not with that box in the room.Not with Giovanni’s smirk growing wider by every passing moment.Not with the way R leaned against the desk, silent, watching.The man holding the box placed it carefully on the table. It was sleek, black, and compact. Not large. Not meant to carry a body.But Wilson knew better.It wasn’t about size.It was about the message.Giovanni turned back to Wilson, dragging a chair closer. Slowly. Casually. Like they were old friends catching up.He sat down, crossing his legs. “Cassius’ little dog,” he repeated, “Tell me… do you bite?”Wilson flashed his teeth.“What can I say? I like pissing off old men.”“You don’t look afraid,” Giovqnnin observed, his tone etched with disappointment.Wilson forced himself to hold the stare. He wouldn’t give this bastard the satisfaction.“How disappointing. I expected him to beg.”R looked him over with the look he detested the most—pity. “Give
CHAPTER 105 Katherine wiped her hands on her apron, exhaling softly as she leaned against the kitchen counter. The late afternoon sun filtered through the curtains, casting warm golden light over the polished wooden floors.She was exhausted and with every passing day, she felt more irritable than the last. She had accepted her fate but she felt she was going to suffocate and die soon.The Landans let her walk around the garden but she was fed up with seeing the same people everyday. She wanted to breathe a different air.She missed her maid, she missed Lucifer, sadly. She hated to admit it but she missed those rubs he gave her to soothe her. But he had hurt her. He only saw her as a tool.A spoon dropped and she stared at it for a long time, suddenly aware of how quiet the house was. It was the kind of quiet that made her feel like she was being watched.She had been feeling it for days now. That unsettling, creeping sensation that someone’s eyes were on her. It was the same way she
CHAPTER 106Pain.That was all Wilson could process.His hand was useless, his fingers were twitching at odd angles. His wrist was swollen, the skin stretched taut and red. Every small movement sent sharp, nauseating pain shooting through his arm.Two guards dragged him through a long hallway, his feet stumbling over the marble floor. The house was even better up close—tall arched ceilings, thick rugs embroidered with rare designs, swords and artifacts were displayed like trophies.Wilson gritted his teeth, forcing his focus away from the agony.He had to think. He had to get out.The guards didn’t say a word as they shoved him into a small, dimly lit room. His shoulder slammed into the wall, but the pain in his hand overpowered everything else.“Please,” he said. “I'm thirsty.”“Make do with your piss,” they spat and stormed out, the door locking behind them.Wilson exhaled through clenched teeth, resting his forehead against the cool wall. His whole body ached. His mind was clouded,
CHAPTER 110Katherine couldn't sleep. The events of the past night kept haunting her. She fixed her eyes on her door as though at any moment he would force it down and try to have his way with her.Panic wasn't good for her health and her baby and now she had forgotten what peace was like. Her mind raced. Could this be one of the reasons why Amanda had told her to always have her door locked? Regardless of what she hears? Did she know her husband took advantage of random women and had a fetish for pregnant ones?Last night, she had felt terribly hungry because she had skipped dinner. Any moment she didn’t have to share a table with Ethan and bear his glares was where she felt the most peace. The house had been quiet. Too quiet she didn't see the monster that slipped into the kitchen with her. She was about to reach into the fridge for a carton of milk when his hand clamped over her mouth and her scream was muffled. He shoved her back against the wall. She had kicked and struggled b
CHAPTER 109Cassius paced his sitting room with his jaw tight and fingers drumming against the desk.It had been too long. Two days with no trace of his son. It wasn't the first time he was doing it. Wilson had been disappearing frequently, always vague about where he was going, always brushing off his concern.But now…Now he was gone. There wasn't a call or text from him. No nothing. He had reached out to a few friends of his and they claimed to have not seen him since the afternoon of the supposed day he disappeared. Cassius wasn’t a man who panicked easily. But worry sat heavy in his gut, especially because he knew the stuff his son had been putting his hands in.Definitely, something had happened and it wasn't a good kind. He couldn't reach out to the police because then, that would be toying with dangerous men. And they wouldn't waste a second before snuffing life out of him.He was still contemplating on what to do when a sharp knock came on his door. He quickly dropped his ph
CHAPTER 108Katherine smoothed the soft fabric of the sundress Amanda had given her. It was light, floral, and felt like a second skin. It was the first time in a long while she felt... beautiful.The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the house as she stepped into the living room.Adelaide’s face lit up. “Wow, Kat! You look like a princess!”Katherine chuckled. “You think so?”“Yes! So pretty!”But then, there was a sudden shriek.Madeleine's tiny face twisted in anger. Her little fists clenched.“Take it off!”Katherine blinked. “What?”Madelaine lunged violently.“Take it off! That’s Mommy’s dress!”The child yanked at the fabric, her small hands gripping and pulling.Katherine’s heart dropped.“I—I didn’t know—”“Take it off now!” Madeleine's voice broke.Before Katherine could react, Ethan stepped into the room.“What's going on?” He asked, looking from eye to eye. “It's nothing,” Katherine said quickly. “I think I should take it off.”Amanda shook her head. “It looks amazing on
CHAPTER 107Katherine sat at the dining table, her fingers curled around a cup of green tea. The warmth seeped into her palms, but it did nothing to ease the discomfort in her body.“You look pale dear,” Amanda said and then her eyes flickered to Katherine’s stomach. “Is it the baby?”Katherine’s gaze darted across the room where Ethan was reading a newspaper. Or pretending to.She could feel his gaze flicking toward her every so often. It wasn’t her imagination anymore. It was him and he didn't hide it. It was readable.“Perhaps,” she spoke silently.Every time she walked past him, his eyes followed.Every time she spoke, his attention lingered just a second too long.“How many months gone are you now, Marilyn?”“Six months,” she said, finally breaking the contact.“That's great,” Ethan said suddenly, looking up from his newspaper and giving her a sly smile that made her heart pound. In fear.“Soon you would be without a baby,” he said softly as he eyed her. “We would love to see wha
CHAPTER 106Pain.That was all Wilson could process.His hand was useless, his fingers were twitching at odd angles. His wrist was swollen, the skin stretched taut and red. Every small movement sent sharp, nauseating pain shooting through his arm.Two guards dragged him through a long hallway, his feet stumbling over the marble floor. The house was even better up close—tall arched ceilings, thick rugs embroidered with rare designs, swords and artifacts were displayed like trophies.Wilson gritted his teeth, forcing his focus away from the agony.He had to think. He had to get out.The guards didn’t say a word as they shoved him into a small, dimly lit room. His shoulder slammed into the wall, but the pain in his hand overpowered everything else.“Please,” he said. “I'm thirsty.”“Make do with your piss,” they spat and stormed out, the door locking behind them.Wilson exhaled through clenched teeth, resting his forehead against the cool wall. His whole body ached. His mind was clouded,
CHAPTER 105 Katherine wiped her hands on her apron, exhaling softly as she leaned against the kitchen counter. The late afternoon sun filtered through the curtains, casting warm golden light over the polished wooden floors.She was exhausted and with every passing day, she felt more irritable than the last. She had accepted her fate but she felt she was going to suffocate and die soon.The Landans let her walk around the garden but she was fed up with seeing the same people everyday. She wanted to breathe a different air.She missed her maid, she missed Lucifer, sadly. She hated to admit it but she missed those rubs he gave her to soothe her. But he had hurt her. He only saw her as a tool.A spoon dropped and she stared at it for a long time, suddenly aware of how quiet the house was. It was the kind of quiet that made her feel like she was being watched.She had been feeling it for days now. That unsettling, creeping sensation that someone’s eyes were on her. It was the same way she
CHAPTER 104Pain still pulsed from Wilson’s cheek, but he barely felt it anymore.Not with that box in the room.Not with Giovanni’s smirk growing wider by every passing moment.Not with the way R leaned against the desk, silent, watching.The man holding the box placed it carefully on the table. It was sleek, black, and compact. Not large. Not meant to carry a body.But Wilson knew better.It wasn’t about size.It was about the message.Giovanni turned back to Wilson, dragging a chair closer. Slowly. Casually. Like they were old friends catching up.He sat down, crossing his legs. “Cassius’ little dog,” he repeated, “Tell me… do you bite?”Wilson flashed his teeth.“What can I say? I like pissing off old men.”“You don’t look afraid,” Giovqnnin observed, his tone etched with disappointment.Wilson forced himself to hold the stare. He wouldn’t give this bastard the satisfaction.“How disappointing. I expected him to beg.”R looked him over with the look he detested the most—pity. “Give
CHAPTER 103Wilson’s eyes fluttered open and he moaned out slowly. The world seemed to swirl around him. He turned his head slowly to the direction where a faint glow was coming from. His brain felt fuzzy and he felt exhausted as though all the energy had been drained from him.The room was silent. Too silent.The only sound was the soft creaking of the chair as he shifted, his wrists burning where the metal cuffs dug into his skin.“Hi sunshine.”The voice seemed to twitch something in him and his heart leapt for joy. “R?”Across from him, R sat leisurely with legs crossed. She looked completely at ease. A cigarette danced in between her fingers which she slowly dragged on like they weren’t both trapped in the belly of a monster.“Sorry, I forgot to thank you for the weed,” she murmured, smirking.Wilson swallowed, his voice rough. “R… Are you okay?”R smirked, tilting her head.Wilson’s gut twisted as he scanned her for any sign of injury. “Did they touch you? We need to get out h
CHAPTER 102R watched Wilson intently till he could bear it no more. She took a drag of her cigarette. “What is it?” He asked slowly.“Would you ever betray me?” she asks.Wilson shook his head and without hesitation he said in a loud and clear voice,“No.”She watched him more closely now. “Even if I betrayed you first?”Wilson’s chest tightened and he didn't answer. Not like he needed to anyway. Why she had asked that question, he didn't know.She nudged his side, her smirk playful. “Ready to break into hell again?”Wilson took another drag of his cigarette and smiled as a wave of relief washed through him,“always. What's our next mission?”“Giovanni's house,” she said simply. Wilson shook his head. “No way.”*.*Wilson pressed a hand against the cold, rough wall as he crouched lower, moving forward carefully. The underground tunnel was dark and the smell of wet earth congested his nostrils.He leaned closely to R whose eyes were fixed on her phone screen as she checked their locat