MARIUS’ POV: I can’t believe that this will all come to this. After surviving many near-death experiences, I’ll end up easily surrendering my life in the hands of my own wife. This has got to be the most brutal decision the both of us have to endure. But as parents, this is the length of the sacrifice we’re prepared to go through for our children’s safety. I put on a suit, while Hazel opts for just a simple shirt and trousers. I hold her hand and kiss the back of it, reminding her that I have no ill-will against her about what’s gonna happen tonight. She plasters on a sad smile, then leans onto my arm as we head our way to the front gates where our cars and bodyguards are waiting. We arrive at a high-end Japanese restaurant that offers private dining rooms for their VIP customers. Hazel has booked the largest one. Five minutes later, her former adoptive family arrives. They’re sneering and glaring at her, but she greets them with a smile. As the three of them excitedly loo
Imelda and Fredie are tied up and locked up inside the windowless basement of papa’s mansion, with ten bodyguards taking turns outside its door. Though it’s not my plan to be sympathetic to them, I end up instructing the house staff to always give them food and water on time, with a nurse at a stand by just in case they may need medical assistance. Michael confirms that he already told Adriano about Marius’ death. Still, Adriano calls to hear it straight from me. -[“When can I see the news of your husband’s death on TV?”]- His voice brims with derision, while I try to make mine sound devastated. “You won’t. I don’t wanna be questioned, let alone investigated on why or how he died so suddenly. I’ll keep this a secret for as long as possible.” -[“Any proof that Marius is really dead?”]- “Why make Michael your witness when you’re not trusting him? You should’ve come yourself instead of him,” I counter. Adriano is silent for a moment, before finding his voice again. -[“I expect
When I open my eyes, my heart beats with ease. Adriano’s eyes are still closed as he enjoys our awful kiss, which means he’s still not aware of what I’m about to do to him. But, as if fate is still denying his death, a knock on the door echoes. Quickly, I fix my dress to hide the gun. “What the f.uck is that?!” Adriano hisses. He opens the door as I wipe his saliva off my mouth with the back of my hand. The armed man on the door hands him a cellphone, “It’s your mother.” Adriano’s shoulders tense up as he grabs the phone and steps outside. I shake the nagging thought that something bad may be happening to Giulia. She’s been very nice to me when we’re together, but she’s not my priority. So I shouldn’t be thinking about her. I pull out my phone and send Marius a text message: -[I’m here in Adriano’s hideout already, and still figuring out its exact location. There are only around fifty armed men and women. I also haven’t seen either Vincent or Pierce.]- Afterwards, I delete
My heart aches with remorse as I gaze at Mei Zhou’s lifeless body.I’m now a k.iller, and there’s no way to undo that.“Take her body away from here. And don’t you dare try to betray me again or I’ll kill you too,” I say. Michael nods in fear as he scrambles to his feet. He unties Mei Zhou’s body, then slips it into a suitcase that he finds nearby. Once he moves out of the basement with the suitcase, I check the floor and the walls for any splatter of Mei Zhou’s blood. There’s none, but I don’t find any relief at all. The moment of me shooting Mei Zhou keeps replaying in my head as I trudge my way up the stairs. When I’m in my room, I lock the door and let my hidden emotions pour out. Sobs and tears escape me as I look at my trembling hands. I thought I’ll be able to handle it. But I’m still too soft! I crawl my way to the bathroom, undress myself and sink into the tub. Suddenly, I receive a phone call from Marius. I try to control my sobs, but it doesn’t work. Marius easily
MARIUS’ POV: I understand Hazel’s instructions well, but I can’t shake off the nagging desire to see her and confirm she’s okay, especially after our phone conversation last night. With the help of prosthetic makeup, I disguise myself again. Dressing in a business suit, I drive towards the SMW Corporations. I remember Hazel’s schedule for today. She’ll be having a meeting in the main conference room in five minutes. Just right outside the conference room, there are five figures with stoic faces and vigilant auras. And one of them is Vincent. I clench my teeth in frustration. He doesn’t deserve any form of freedom, so I must send him back to jail soon. I then relax my expression as I pass by them. But, Vincent grunts the instant I’m directly in front of him. When I glance at him, he’s glaring at me. Suddenly, my confidence about my disguise wavers. Did he recognize me? But that’s impossible, coz I look so different! I continue to walk, pretending I don’t care about him or a
Hours before midnight, me and a hundred others are prepared. Underneath our shirts are bulletproof vests. We have three loaded guns each with extra bullets, and a knife tucked in our boots. Since the day Hazel went to Adriano, I, together with my bodyguards, train day and night with our shooting and combat skills. That’s why I’m confident with the outcome of this ambush. Doubt has no place in my heart. Before leaving, I kiss my sons goodnight.“Daddy is just gonna go somewhere, but I’ll be back with mommy,” I say.Sammy nods, his eyes fluttering to sleep. Archie smiles, as if understanding what I said.My heart swells with joy whenever I’m around them. But it also aches with regret knowing that they’re suffering too because of our situation we can’t control.The trip to Beverly Hills takes a few hours. Gladly, we make it before midnight.The three-story orange house is now in front of us. It’s atop the hill, isolated from its neighbors.We can’t see much from the inside since its
HAZEL’S POV: I failed! After all the training, I’m still not strong and witty enough! I was so anxious to get caught in killing Mei Zhou that I lost my complete focus! I should’ve analyzed the situation and the mansion more, before attacking Adriano! If I had known that there’s a helicopter, I could’ve destroyed its engine so it wouldn’t have had its chance to take off. But because of that one significant detail, I’m back to square one! My head throbs from thinking about Marius and our children, while my eyes swell from crying all night. Adriano’s helicopter landed earlier on a rooftop of another mansion in the middle of nowhere. No neighbors or other structures around, but just endless numbers of trees and a massive landscape. Even if that’s the case, Adriano still feels the need to shackle me up on the bed to ensure I won’t dare escape. The door creaks open as Adriano comes in, carrying a tray of food in his hand. His gaze has lost its softness he once showed me before.
I will kill Adriano Giordanno at any cost! I try to forget what happened last night, but it keeps haunting me every breath I take. I feel so dirty! I recoil when the door creaks open, thinking that it’s Adriano again. But it’s a middle aged woman who enters, carrying a basin of water and a towel with her. “I’m Corey. I’ll be here to take care of you, since Mr. Giordnanno will be busy these next few days,” she says. Without ado, I beg, “Free me, please. I need to get out of here. I’m pregnant and I have two young sons at home.” She appears to pity me, but declines to help me anyway. “I also have a son. And I’m a single parent. Imagine what Mr. Giordanno will do to us if I save you,” she says, regretfully. I can’t blame her. I’ll surely do the same if our situations are reversed. After Corey cleans me up, she feeds me. “You said Adriano will be busy these next few days. Do you know what he’s up to?” I ask, hoping to get an insight of his next plan, so I can also plan t