CHAPTER 35At first, Katherine heard one gunshot.A long silence followed. Then, she heard two more pops—deafening and heart-shattering.Whimpering, she collapsed onto the ground, shifting herself into the corner of the panic room. Her heart felt heavy, and her breathing became ragged as she curled up, her thoughts unstable.After that, she didn't hear anything anymore. Not for the next five or ten minutes, until she heard the sound of shoes crunching on gravel from the small window near the ceiling behind her.It sounded as though something was being dragged across the floor. Was it Lucifer? Was that his body being dragged?Keeping mute, she pressed her hands to her ears, blocking out the nauseating sound. She didn't even want to hear it—regardless of thinking about who it was or how they'd been executed gruesomely.She rocked herself unsteadily, gripping onto the edge of the steel table beside her. In a few minutes, she felt the door of the panic room crack open, and her head flew u
CHAPTER 36“You don't. But it's best if you accompany me. I can't afford to leave you alone in the cottage now,” he said sternly, his voice full of authority. Reluctantly, Katherine nodded, and Lucifer got down from the car, crossing to the other side and pulling the door open for her. She stepped out, gently raising her diamond-embedded red dress to keep it from dragging on the floor. The dainty necklace that rested on her neck complimented the dress perfectly, along with the dangle earrings. Lucifer fixed up the tie of his black suit, straightening the arms out before taking hold of her arm. Together, they walked through the back entrance of the club and took an elevator down to where the auction club was happening. The venue seemed to be dripping with elegance itself, with a spacious stage in the upper front and other fancy tables situated behind it. Guests turned their heads as soon as Lucifer and Katherine walked in, and little murmurs filled the venue. Katherine's face h
Chapter 37The crowd erupted in a series of gasps. “It’s going…” The auctioneer chanted, as each guest held their breath. Katherine glanced around, watching how they were all so intensely focused on this veiled girl before them, and most importantly, Lucifer. She seemed to pique his interest, and Katherine could tell by her aura, but she wanted to know why exactly.“And…sold!” The auctioneer said with a delighted smile, gesturing towards Lucifer. All eyes immediately turned to the man who could spend so much on an assassin. Some wondered why he wanted her so much to bid that high, while other's minds ventured to insidious plans that he could be plotting. After all, from now on, they’d have to be on their toes. From the other side of the room where he sat, Giovanni’s eyes narrowed, staring at Lucifer. There was something there, but he couldn’t place a finger on it---not yet. He cleared his throat uneasily, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.The auctioneer led the veiled lady down t
CHAPTER 38“I don’t understand,” Katherine said, so full of confusion, “She was just here.” She gestured toward the couch, where a particular area had been indented due to weight. It meant she had probably just slipped out. “She will be back.” He murmured, going to sit back on the couch. “Isla is missing, and you’re just going to kick back and relax?” She scoffed, eyeing him.“And?” He laughed, kicking his feet up on the table before him. “She won’t last minutes in these woods. Especially this late at night, she’ll be back soon, don’t worry.” He informed, so sure of himself. Wherever she went, she surely couldn’t be far. She smacked her lips together, flopping on the couch beside him, although, it didn’t take long before she slept off.~The next morning, they were returning to the estate, since it had been fixed up now, and his men had cleared it out. Still, the thought of one thing lingered on both their minds. “Isla still isn’t back, Lucifer,” Katherine said, tapping his should
CHAPTER 39There came that familiar dull ache between Katherine’s legs, as she slipped out of Lucifer’s bed. As usual, Lucifer wasn’t in bed. But, this time she didn’t just wake up peacefully—it was noise. The loud, thunderous voice of an incredibly angry man. She sighed, pulling her hair into a ponytail, before crossing to the bathroom and rinsing her face off. Her body felt heavier than usual, but she ignored the feeling. “Probably all the stress I’ve been putting myself through…” She murmured as she ran her hands under the tap. Within a few days, she’d gone from sunshine to moonlight, quite literally. Her hair was disheveled and looked extremely unhealthy, her eyes had deep, dark eye bags under them, and she was starting to lose a little weight. She looked underfed, which was funny because, in this estate, she ate like a queen, morning, afternoon, and night. Just a little hiccup though, nothing that good food and rest wouldn’t fix. She wiped her hands on the wash cloth carefully
CHAPTER 40Katherine remained frozen on the couch she had been seated on for the past ten minutes. The only thing she could do was retrace back to the conversation that she and Lucifer had earlier as she stared at the piping hot cup of coffee on the table in front of her.“Did I say something wrong?” She murmured under her breath, tossing her hair over her shoulder. It seldom made sense to her how quickly Lucifer could go from being neutral to cold. It happened all so fast that even she was still left reeling from the shock. It was nothing new, but right when she thought that they were getting somewhere, he just shut it all down. Scoffing with disbelief, she rose from the seat, picked up the coffee, and went to the kitchen to pour it down the drain. As she violently scrubbed at the cup, she wondered if he’d ever stop with his annoying mood swings. After all, she was to blame. She doubted she ever really meant anything to him. He was right. All she was was the daughter of a debtor—a
Chapter 41Lucifer paused, finally looking up. He clasped his hands together on the table, raising a brow. “Whether you have news for me or not, I expect you to inform me before you step into my house.” He said, his voice teetering on the edge of caution and annoyance. “Right. I apologize.” She stepped forward, clearing her throat. “You just…haven’t been around the club lately.” Her eyes scanned Lucifer, observing his countenance.“Whta’s that got to do with you?” He murmured, redirecting his gaze back to the papers on his table and scribbling his signature at the bottom.“It’s not about me. I heard some interesting things. People are starting to wonder. There's talk about you and your... attachments. You’ve been preoccupied with other things lately.” A sly smirk crept up on her face.He raised a brow, his patience already wearing thin. “Get to the point, Natalia. Before I have security drag you out.”“I just thought…” She placed her bag on his table, folding her hands behind her bac
CHAPTER 42“What exactly do you want?” Katherine grumbled, quickly slipping the foreign key into her pocket.“Well, can’t I check up on you anymore?” Natalia touched her shoulder lightly, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. Katherine scoffed, standing up from her chair and crossing her hands over her chest. She wasn’t in the mood for any of Natalia’s stupid antics. Besides, what was she doing in the house anyway?Katherine felt her heart rate quicken as she stared right at Natalia. Or maybe Lucifer had called her over to relieve himself of tension the way he always did. Yet, if that was the case, she looked very neat and Katherine knew that it most likely didn’t happen. A part of her was happy even, that Lucifer didn’t do it. But, another part was annoyed that she was back in the house. She couldn’t just leave Lucifer alone? She was just a wench that was obsessed with him, or maybe his money instead.“Check up on me?” Katherine shook her head, moving towards the stepstool and cl
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