Chapter Three

"Ouch."

Celestine felt a pinching itch to different parts of her body and it's driving her crazy. She's been slapping her body for God knows how many hours and until now she's still doing it. Every bite of mosquitoes is giving her goosebumps and it's making her feel uncomfortable.

"I don't want here anymore," she said to herself as she threw her head back to stop her tears from rolling down her cheeks but no matter how much she tried to stop herself from crying, her mouth quivered and she started sobbing.

"Daddy..."

It is gut-wrenching. She never did imagine that one day she'll be caged inside of a darkroom like she's on a death row waiting for her turn. She's a model, she is supposed to be living her best life right now but she's here—staring blankly at the darkroom with nothing but her clothes on and her desperation to come out of here.

She misses her father. She hopes that whenever he is right now, he's fine.

Celestine no longer feel the pinching bite of mosquitoes as she stopped minding them and just focused on the heaviness of her heart and it numb her.

She had no one but herself.

Her eyes felt heavy so she laid down on the floor. As soon as her skin touched the floor it embraced her with its coldness but instead of moving away, she closed her eyes.

A soft shake from her shoulder wakes her up. Her hands automatically covered her eyes because of the light that shine through her cell. She tried to get up but she don't have enough strength to do it on her own so she fell back to the floor.

When she was about to try her luck again to get up, a hand on her back supported her.

"Okay now slowly get up."

Celestine was sure that it was a man who helped her even with her eyes closed based on his voice but it's unfamiliar to her. When she got up she opened her eyes and faced the man who helped her.

"W-Who are you?"

Instead of answering her, Vladimir called Sebastian to set up the mini table inside of Celestine's cell so she could eat properly.

Vladimir noticed the mosquito bites on Celestine's skin.

‘She had trouble sleeping last night,’ he thought to himself as he placed Celestine's breakfast on top of the table.

"I won't eat. I'm not hungry."

Vladimir continued placing the food on the table. After arranging everything he set a twenty minutes timer on his wristwatch.

"You didn't eat the whole day, yesterday. You must be starving now," Vladimir calmly said as he widely open the metallic door.

"I told you. I'm not hungry," Celestine said before she turned her back at him.

"I thought you want to piss off the mafia boss? How will you do that if you're weak?"

Celestine turned around and faced him again. "Can you just leave?"

Vladimir cleared his throat. "Sorry madame but that won't happen."

"Tell your boss that I'm not going to eat."

"Speak about your father so you wouldn't have to suffer like this."

"I don't know where he is!"

Vladimir took a deep breath. "If you don't know then at least give me some possible place where we could find him."

Celestine covered her face then started crying. She's hopeless. She desperately wants to leave this place and Vladimir can help her, she's sure he can help her.

She removed her hands from her face. "Help me come out of here... Please. I don't know where is my father I'm telling the truth."

"I can't help you but you can help yourself. You have a choice."

"I don't have a choice, believe me, I don't."

Vladimir turned his back on her. "Then just fight for your life here."

He walked out of her cell and closed the door that made a loud sound but it didn't surpass the loud sobs of Celestine.

Vincent falls back to his swivel chair and closed his eyes. The meeting took three hours of his time and it exhaust him.

"Sir, Mr. Lorenzo invited you to his daughter's birthday party this evening. Should I decline the invitation?"

He lazily shook his head. "Tell him to expect me there."

"Okay, Sir," his secretary said before she leave his office.

Being a high-profile businessman is hard because he doesn't have a choice but to attend parties he's invited to even though it's against his will.

Vincent was about to get a cigarette when his phone rang. He loosened his tie and answered Mr. Stevenson's call while still lying on his swivel chair.

"Where's the package?"

He sat properly. "There's just a problem—"

"I don't fucking care."

Vincent's jaw clenched. "Mr. Stevenson you fucking know me. I'm not hiding from you."

"I need the package now. I don't fucking care about your problem it's not my concern anymore. You promised to deliver it to me on time."

"Mr. Stevenson I will deliver the package just give me time."

"Don't bullshit me, Mogilevich."

"I'm not bullshitting anyone, Mr. Stevenson."

When Vladimir entered his office he raised his index finger to stop him from speaking.

"Okay. I'll give you two days to fix your shit." Mr. Stevenson ended the call.

Vincent feel a thorn had been pulled out of his chest after hearing what Mr. Stevenson said.

"What did he say?" Vladimir asked.

"He gave me two days."

"What if we don't find Fernando after two days?"

Vincent licks his lower lip. "Expect a war, Vlad."

Vladimir put a brown envelope on his desk.

"What's that?"

"See it for yourself," Vladimir said. "By the way, I've talked to Celestine this morning."

Vincent opened the envelope. "And?"

"I think she's lying."

"Of course, she's lying."

Vincent read the application. "Oh, you already convinced Kingston?"

"Sort of," Vladimir said then he sat on the couch.

"That's great. I'll let him handle the daughter of Fernando," Vincent said then he put the application back in the brown envelope.

"What's your plan?"

"I'll talk to that bitch later. I'll give her another chance to save herself but if she remains silent about her father, I'll kill her."

"You can't."

Vincent smirked. "Vladimir you know I can."

"If you kill her it's like you're accepting war to Stevenson."

Vincent sat on the couch across to where Vladimir is sitting.

"She's a woman, Vince. You don't kill a woman," Vladimir said to remind his boss that what he's planning to do is against his principles.

"I killed my mother."

Vladimir wants to punch himself because he made Vincent remember the past. He looked at his boss but he couldn't see any emotion on his face.

"Did that woman eat?" Vincent asked.

"According to Sebastian, she ate what I gave her."

"If she's sleeping wake her up. I'll go to her cell later."

Vladimir stood up and nodded before he left the office.

"Celestine Oakmont. Oh Celestine," Vincent said as he looked at his dartboard where Celestine's picture was pinned.

He threw a dagger and it went exact on Celestine's head.

He walked towards the dartboard.

"Vlad is right. I can't kill you. You're too beautiful to be inside of a coffin. I'll use you instead," he said before he pulled the dagger out from the dartboard.

"Boss will be here any minute," Vladimir announced to Celestine.

"What for?" Celestine asked.

"I don't know but don't piss him off." He looked at his wristwatch and tapped it.

"I do things on my own. Don't tell me what to do."

Vladimir looked at her. "Don't let your stupidity get you killed. You're hitting the right nerve, woman. Don't push him to pull the trigger."

Celestine gulped and properly sat on the floor. She doesn't want to die. She still wants to get out of here.

"I know you don't want to die. So you better shut your mouth," Vladimir said then he averted his gaze to her.

She remained silent with cold feet and sweating palms. She only realized that she's surrounded by people who can kill with their eyes open when she looks at the people outside. Vladimir opened her cell the reason why her eyes are free to wander all over the place and she noticed that everyone is holding a gun.

"Boss."

Celestine heard everyone greeted Vincent. She closed her eyes when his expensive perfume invaded her nostrils. She can't deny the fact that his scent is addicting and he's a handsome man too.

She was startled when Vincent kicked the table inside of her cell.

‘I can't deny that he's also rude.’ Celestine thought.

"I don't want to waste my time on you but I have no choice. Now tell me where is your father."

Celestine took a deep breath. "I don't know."

Vincent grabbed the glass of water and threw it on the wall that made Celestine gasped.

"Tell me where he's hiding?!"

She hugged herself. "I-I don't know."

Vincent was about to throw the plates on Celestine when Vladimir grabbed his arm to stop him.

He harshly removed Vladimir's hands on his arm and he put the plates down.

Vincent moved closer to Celestine and hold her jaw tightly. "You want to suffer huh?"

Celestine's tears rolled down her cheeks.

Vincent moved closer to her ear. "Your wish is my command, Miss Celestine Oakmont."