Without another word, Carl walked out of the orphanage grounds. Outside, two black SUVs were waiting silently. As he approached, a man stepped out of the front vehicle and opened the back door for him.
Carl slipped inside the car, the door closing behind him with a quiet click.
The moment Carl got into the car, his expression hardened, his usual calm giving way to a cold, calculating look.
"Did we get news from Mexico?" he asked, his tone icy.
Seated next to him, Doom replied, "Yosef got to Mexico. He teamed up with Pablo and wiped out Amparo's former men. Natalie was injured and fled, but they didn’t have time to get Mutoto out."
Carl's face grew even darker. "I warned Fabinho to keep an eye on the opposition’s movements. That idiot didn’t listen to me!"
After Amparo’s downfall, his lieutenants had turned on each other, each vying for control. Carl had backed Fabinho, the strongest faction leader, hoping he would be a valuable ally. But Fab
After Ivana spoke, the air fell silent for a moment. After a while, John's low voice broke the silence."Get out."The words carried a deep, chilling intensity. The man's dark eyes flashed with layers of coldness, making the air feel icy."Get out!" he commanded again.Ivana shuddered in fear, standing frozen in place. She turned to look at Doctor Myers beside her, seeing his legs trembling, looking even more frightened than she was.Ivana, mustering all her strength, grabbed Doctor Myers and pulled him out of the room. The two of them stood outside the door for a while before they finally calmed down.Ivana's eyes filled with tears. "Did I... should I have put it more gently?"Doctor Myers leaned against the wall. "No matter how gently you put it, for Mr. Matthews, Ms. Thompson is everything."He let out a long sigh. If Ivana hadn't dragged him out just now, he might have wet his pants from fear. At his age, that would have be
Diana pushed aside her worries, pulled back the light blanket, and opened her arms to John.“Sweetheart, help me up.”John approached and, placing his hands under her arms, lifted her like a child. Diana clung to him, yawning as she nestled into his embrace.“Help me change clothes,” she instructed.“Of course,” John responded. He sat on the bed, placing Diana on his lap and holding her gently by the waist. Turning his head, he couldn’t resist leaning in to take in the scent of her skin.“Hehe…” Diana giggled.“What’s funny?” John asked.“It tickles,” she said, nuzzling against him. “Sweetheart, do you ever get annoyed with how clingy I am?”“Never,” John replied with a gentle smile. He was overjoyed by her affection, and the thought of being annoyed never crossed his mind.“Do you love me?”“Of course.”“Of course, what? Do you love me or not?”“I love you,” John affirmed, giving her a quick kiss on
"We can find her," Ivana said softly. "I know the way. I can take you there." She seemed to ponder something. "If we go to find the Hag, will you come along?""Not necessarily," Jacob replied."I see…" Ivana murmured, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.Jacob was silent for a moment before speaking. "What about yourself?" he asked."Huh?" Ivana looked confused."Your own condition," Jacob clarified. "You said that if the male Voodoo insect dies, you and the female Voodoo insect inside you would also die. Now that the male Voodoo insect is in someone else's hands, aren't you in danger?"Hearing this, Ivana tilted her head slightly, a faint smile appearing on her fair, beautiful face."Are you worried about me?" she asked.Jacob was momentarily at a loss for words. "Sort of," he finally admitted."I don't know," Ivana replied, frowning slightly. "But I think he won't kill me so easily."From what she understood, t
Unable to resist, Yosef gave Kevin a light tap on the head. “Ow!” Kevin yelped, rubbing his head and grimacing.After dinner, Yosef, unable to withstand Kevin’s relentless pleading, finally relented. He took a shower and changed into the pajamas Kevin had picked out. They were a snug fit, light gray with some white stripes—a definite departure from his usual somber attire.While not exactly his style, they weren’t as bad as he had feared. Kevin, on the other hand, beamed with satisfaction.“How do you like them, bro? Don’t you feel like a whole new person? Isn’t your vibe totally different now?”Yosef walked over to the table and took a sip of warm water. He looked at Kevin, who was sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bed, and frowned slightly. “Let’s not get into whether I feel like a new person... What are you doing in my bed?”“It’s been forever since we’ve hung out! You finally came back, so of course, we need to catch up. Let’s have a sl
His voice was full of fervor. “I used to believe that only women could become Voodoo Lwa, but years of research have shown me otherwise! It’s not about gender, it’s about the right ingredients. And you... you are the perfect ingredient!”Mutoto’s excitement was palpable. “You’re the ideal candidate, the finest specimen. You—”“Shut up!” Kirin snapped, delivering a swift kick that sent Mutoto sprawling at Yosef’s feet.Yosef looked down at Mutoto with a mixture of disgust and contempt. He spoke slowly, his voice steady and cold. “You make Voodoo Lwa sound so powerful. According to you, Ivana can save anyone who’s dying, right?”“Of course! Ivana is my first successful Voodoo Lwa, but she won’t be the last...” Mutoto’s eyes shone with a greedy hunger as he stared at Yosef.“Then why is John still looking for a doctor? Unless Ivana isn’t as miraculous as you claim,” Yosef challenged.“That’s impossible!” Mutoto struggled to his feet, glaring at
A short while later, John returned, freshly showered and in clean pajamas. He lifted the covers and climbed into bed.Diana immediately rolled over into his arms. As he held her close, the emptiness in his heart felt a little less hollow.He lay there with his eyes open, the darkness accentuating the clarity in his long, narrow eyes. After a while, he lowered his head, inhaling the scent of her hair, and whispered, "I have to take a trip tomorrow.""Hmm?" Diana lifted her head from his chest, looking puzzled. "A trip? How far?""Not sure yet, but even if it’s quick, it could take about a week," John said, his voice steady yet hesitant, unsure how to explain further."At least a week..." Diana muttered, sounding disappointed. "That’s quite long. Where are you going?""To a... remote place. I’m not exactly sure what it’s called," John replied slowly, not knowing how to elaborate.Diana, to his surprise, didn’t press further. She adjuste
Her lips tasted sweet, like the faintest hint of honey, and he knew he could never get enough of her. Diana was his addiction, the one he could never fully satiate.It was Diana who finally broke the kiss. She laughed softly. "We better stop, or I might just have to do something in front of everyone."The others, trying their best to remain inconspicuous, either turned their backs or stared off into the distance, hoping to avoid any collateral damage from the romantic scene. Ethan cleared his throat awkwardly, breaking the silence. "Boss, it's time to go."John glanced at the diamond-studded watch on his wrist, then cupped the back of Diana's head and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You should head back. I've got to go.""I'm watching you leave," Diana said, her voice full of reluctant resignation, clinging to him like unwilling to let him go.John gave her hair a playful tousle before turning away and climbing into the backseat of the car.
“What’s there to be bored about?” Ivana glanced out the window, her eyes momentarily clouded with sadness.“I didn’t think we’d go back there. I thought I’d escaped for good, that I’d never return…”Mitbahl perked up, ears pricking at the mention. "Back there?" She must mean that village, the one their captain had been investigating for ages. It was supposed to be a backward place known for making traditional medicines. The details were sketchy, and his curiosity was piqued.Ivana spoke softly, her tone distant. “That wretched place... whenever I think about it, I still feel uneasy. I remember…”Her words trailed off, as if a sudden thought had struck her. She turned to Mitbahl and offered a gentle smile.“Sorry, I didn’t mean to go on like that. I guess I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed.”Mitbahl: …What do you remember? Just spit it out!Curiosity was gnawing at Mitbahl, but he couldn’t muster the courage to ask outright. He fixed h