"Vincent, just go alone. I swear, I'm just fine here," she insisted to Vincent while her eyes are on the huge black gate outside the car.
It is the gate of Vincent called their headquarters. As she said, she's fine just inside of the car because even though the relationship she had with Vincent is far from what it is before, she's a little hesitant to go with him inside of the headquarters that is exclusive for people who are part of the mafia.
"Celestine, it's important for me to see your presence there. What's really bothering you about going inside?" he asked while his hand is on her left leg. She closed her eyes and feel the warmth of his hand on her leg. She opened her eyes again and put her hand on top of his hand, holding it tightly like her decision is depend on it.
"Once I entered that place I wouldn't be the same person again. Yes, I know what to do. I accepted that, but I don't think I would be uncomfortable knowing how powerful you
"How are you, Kingston?" Bonifacio asked as Kingston get out of his helicopter. It was a fun ride for Kingston, he haven't ridden a helicopter since he accepted Vincent's offer to be Celestine's bodyguard. He missed it—being above everyone. "Good. It was fun. My escape will become even more fun if only I was the one flying the helicopter." "Don't worry about that, young man. There would be a lot more chance for you to do that, just keep being true to your words." "I always do. I am true to my words, Mr. Bonifacio," he said as he ran his fingertips through his scalp to fix his hair. Kingston has planned everything, from where he should position himself, to what time Venedict will be out of his office building and to where he would escape after. Just in case Bonifacio wouldn't be there to help him. Bonifacio is a smart man and he is not easily persuaded. That's what Kingston figured out when he first talked to the businessman.
Celestine gently caressed her arms as she overlooked the empty hallway of the headquarters. The hallway is spacious and high-ceilinged as well as each room is made of glass walls that give freedom to see through the insides of each room just by walking past them. She raised her hand to protect her eyes from the sunlight that slanted to the first floor of the headquarters where she's in. The sun is bright but the silence that enveloped the surroundings seemed to be a quiet night with only crickets present in the place. She put her hand down and closed her face to let the sunlight touch her eyes. It's almost half an hour since Vincent ask her permission to leave so he could talk to his associates privately and until now, he's still nowhere. Vincent's father is in critical condition yet Vincent remained calm, different from how she pictured his reaction would be. Someone cleared his throat to Celestine's side that made her open he
Celestine doesn't know where was her feet were leading her. She was walking for minutes now, letting her feet take her without a particular place to go to. The headquarters was bigger than she thought a while ago since now that she's basically giving herself a little tour inside of the headquarters by walking where her feet wants to take her. Now that she's walking alone, every time she walked past by someone of men wearing a black suit, they would throw a glance at her like she was a criminal who just got out inside of the cell unlike when she was with Vincent earlier that all of the men were walking with a straight face. As she continue walking a man holding a rifle approached her. She takes a step back and takes a deep breath. "Miss, you're not allowed to roam around the headquarters. Mr. Mogilevich informed us to keep you in one place. My apologies but we should escort you back—" She cut him off. "Escort me inside o
"Oh my God, yes," she moaned with her teeth biting her lower lip while catching her breath. It was as if she run for miles with no water breaks; she was sweating hard, her thighs were numb, and her arms are tired. Vincent gets off on top of her and gently pulls the duvet up to cover her body. After that, he put some of her hair strands that are blocking him from fully seeing her face and tuck them behind her right ear. Her eyes were shut, her lips were red, and her cheeks were shiny, and blushes like a newly watered rose. His lips curved a smile without him knowing. "Vincent," she murmured with her eyes still closed. "Uhm?" he hummed as an answer while he is busy caressing her cheek. She slowly opened her eyes then she blinked twice to have a clearer vision. Despite the tiredness of her arms she still tries to lift her right arm to put her hand on top of Vincent's hand that is caressing her cheek. As her soft palm touches the b
"How was your dad?" Celestine asked while touching his bare chest using her index finger, tracing the deep scars that Vincent had near his heart. His scars hold a story as deep as what he had endured before and Celestine couldn't stop herself from admiring them. As she looks at them, her heartbeat becomes fast and loud. It's starting to suffocate her. "He's fine. I think he's just fine. He doesn't want to die like this so I know he won't give up," he answered then he kissed her forehead. Celestine removed her gaze from the scars in his chest and move a little away from Vincent. They're still in the bed without any plans of leaving it. As much as Vincent wanted to date Celestine he couldn't. He needs to make sure that everything's going fine with his father first before thinking of himself. He had been very selfish, not only to his associates but also to their family business. He's aware that he spent so much time with Celestine
"Everyone had been terminated, Sir," his most trusted man said over the phone. He glances at Kingston who is still busy checking his collection of wine. He licks his lower lip and speaks over the phone. "Good. I'd like to hear more of that. Let's meet later at night," Bonifacio said in his lowest tone of voice. After the call, he put his phone back in his pocket before turning his attention again to Kingston. Touring Kingston around the mansion isn't part of his plan but their conversation is starting to get boring that he needed to do something to keep Kingston entertained. He wasn't regretting his decision yet because Kingston isn't touching any of his things. "Does Vincent contact you already?" Kingston asked, his hands behind him while still busy wandering his eyes around Bonifacio's office inside of his mansion. He must say that Bonifacio's wealth isn't that far when it is compared to what Mogilevich has. However, Bonifaci
"Sorry but I can't do the project," Celestine said as she make her way out of Vincent's office. She gingerly closed the door then she walk towards the railings and put one of her arms on it. "Celestine, I'm not rushing you to decide about this project right away. You still have a week to decide so please think about this first," Saoirse said as she lean her back against the swivel chair. "And besides, the company isn't asking much of your time to do the project unlike the other offers so please think about this very seriously before you decide. I won't consider your decision for now," she added. Celestine let out a soft sigh. She doesn't want to do the project because she is thinking of quitting. All her life modeling becomes the center of her life, she feels like without it she's wasting her time. But now, she realized that modeling is her dream and she had already reached that dream now it's time for her to put herself first and let go of it.
"Boss," Balthazar greeted as he answered the call after closing the car door. He stopped the car for a moment because in just half an hour of him driving Vincent called him. As much as he wanted to just answer the call inside of the car, he can't because of Celestine. There are some things that Celestine shouldn't hear of. And he doesn't trust her. "Change of plans. Don't drive her to the hotel, drive her to the resthouse instead," Vincent said while glancing to his wrist to check the time. "Is that all, boss?" he asked with evident respect in his tone of voice. "Yes, drive her to the resthouse. If she asks, don't answer her. Don't let her know that you will drive her to the resthouse and not to the hotel, understand?" "Yes, boss." "Good. After driving her to the resthouse don't leave and guard her. No one is in the resthouse except for the maids so make sure that Celestine is safe," Vincent remind
"V-Vincent..." All she remembered was throwing the gun somewhere and she ran towards Vincent. His eyes are wide open as well as his mouth. He's not moving. She tried to wake him by touching his chest yet after minutes of sobbing and trying to save him, nothing happened. His chest is not moving, it was as if he is asleep but his eyes is open. He's not breathing anymore. "N-No, Vincent. Wake up, c-cmon... Wake up p-please," she whispered to his ear even though she knew to herself that no matter what she do, it's already too late. She hugged his body and she sobbed in his chest, hoping that it was just a bad dream even though she still can feel the intensityof the gun when she fired it. "Celestine, let's go. C'mon, you need to leave now. Any minute from now Vincent's men will come to check on what was happening here. We need to go now." Celestine looked at the woman who suddenly speak. It was Sophia. "S-Sophia..." Sophia's eyes is roaming around the mansion checking if Vincent
"Clean the cell, leave no trace of his blood there, burn the gun, his clothes, and his apartment," Vincent authoritively said as he was washing his hands on the sink. His men immediately nodded his head after hearing what his boss had said. They were having a good time talking while eating until they heard a gunshot coming inside of the cell. Everything happened so fast that the the only thing they know was thinking that their boss had planted a bullet in Kingston's head but it wasn't what they are expecting because when they go to see the cell, it was Kingston who is holding their boss' gun. "What the fuck are you still doing here? Didn't you hear what I asked you to do?!" Vincent shouted when he noticed that the associate is still standing next to him like an idiot. Vincent's shout was enough for the associate to get back to his senses and get out of the bathroom and do what his boss asked him to do. Vincent closed his eyes firmly and threw his head back while he is clenching
"Let me go!" She had been screaming yet no one seem to hear her, they are ignoring her. She is inside of a van with five men inside, all of them are wearing masks and they are all silent. There is nothing that could be hear inside except for her screams that don't seem to bother the five men. She closed her eyes firmly and stopped trying to untie her wrists on her back for a moment. She has to remind herself that she had been in this position before, her getting kidnapped by the enemies is something that is not new for her and instead of feeling scared she should think of a way to escape from them, though it might be impossible to do that because what is the strength of a woman compared to five strong men surrounded her. "Good thing you finally get tired of screaming," the man driving the car said while he is chewing a gum. She opened her eyes. "If you think that Vincent will come to save me, you better think again. You got the wrong person. I am not Sophia, you should've taken h
"Fuck," Kingston murmured when he tried to make a movement. His body is sore from all the punches that he had received. He doesn't know how long Vincent had been keeping him inside of the cell because he couldn't see any light from the outside. All he wanted was Vincent's men discovered a new hobby and it is to beat him up every fucking minute. He spit blood on the cold tile floor then he tried his best to move his body for him to comfortably lie on the floor. As he was trying his best to move, he is holding his breath firmly. He can endure the pain but his body needs a rest. He never felt so restless his entire life until Vincent kept him inside of the cell that makes him feel like he is visually impaired. "Fuck this," he continued cursing as he was trying his best to quicken his movement so the pain he might going to feel will be all at once yet his body is not cooperating. He can feel the tiredness of his body. Every inch of his being wants to rest yet in his mind, he keep tel
Celestine stopped walking as soon as she figured out that Saoirse is no longer following her. She turned around to see what her manager was doing and she found her a bit far from where she is with a devilish smile. At first, she is hesitant to call her attention but then she remembered why somehow she wanted to have this conversation with her manager. "Hey! Everything's fine?" she asked loudly, making sure that despite the distance between them she will still be able to hear her. Saoirse who was startled by her voice immediately composed herself, remove the devilish smile on her face, and act as if she had done nothing wrong then she jogged towards Celestine's direction. "Sorry, I just had to reply to that important text message," she explained as soon as she reached Celestine's side. "Anyways, I know a place here where we can talk privately." What Saoirse just said made Celestine's eyebrow raise. She's not in her manager's side for months now unlike before that they are usually t
"Good morning, Miss," the maid greeted as soon as she opened her eyes. Last night, she wasn't able to sleep. She doesn't know if it is about the temperature or is it about the idea that Vincent and her isn't fine. But between the two, she choose to believe that it is because of the room temperature. "W-What time is it already?" she asked as she was helping herself to sit on the bed. The windows in her room is open yet the sunlight is not hurting her skin, giving her an idea that she woke up early today. She looked at the maid confusedly. Maids are not allowed to enter the room, not just her room but in any room without asking for permission that she is confused for why the maid is inside of her room the moment she open her eyes. Even though she wants to point out about the maid tresspassing inside of her room she just decided to shrug the idea off. She wanted to start her morning in a good mood since she slept with a heavy heart last night so instead of scolding the maid she just p
"H-Here's your coffee." She slightly tilted the tray that she was holding. Vincent lick his lower lip and run his fingertips to his scalp. He doesn't have an idea of how he supposed to deal with her after knowing almost everything that she had done. He couldn't believe everything that is on the papers. He couldn't believe everything that Kingston said. Everything is an act of betrayal. Everything isn't true. Celestine planned it, she tried to be in control of his life and he never did question her, it also somehow his fault yet it wouldn't justify the fact that she is the mastermind. She did what she did and he wouldn't let her fall for her stupid game anymore. She might had already plan how everything is going to end for him but he will change it. He will change the ending and it is him who will have the loudest laugh in the finish line that she had prepared for him. "I didn't ask you to bring that to me." He turned his back on her then he pulled his sleeves up. She, on the othe
Celestine hit her shoulder when she felt a mosquito pinching bite. Its blood was on her palm. It's dead. She grimaced, disgusted by the blood that is on her palm. She looked away from her it and wipe it on the hem of her t-shirt. The blood in her palm is something that doesn't freak her out anymore like she used to. Seeing blood anywhere becomes a normal scenario for her ever since she met Vincent. She glance in her palm and even though the blood wasn't there anymore, she can still see it; her hands that is covered by blood. She closed her eyes firmly to keep herself calm but instead of avoiding the idea that her mind had made up for her, she smell the blood. She can smell it. Blood that almost smells like hers, the scent that she's been trying to get out of her system. That smell, it was so familiar. A shovel suddenly entered her mind. The dried red stain in the shovel is what brings her back to the past that she's been trying to get off of her mind but couldn't. "Miss, are
"Did you already sent the letter?" The man slightly nodded his head. "Yes, Sir." "Are you sure that she will receive the letter?" "Certainly, Sir," he answered with great confidence. "Good. Go back to your work now." He rest his back on the backrest of his couch. The letter successfully sent to Celestine, he just hope that the letter reach her before Vincent get to read them. Just when he thought he can finally have his fifteen minutes break, his phone suddenly rang. He pushed himself to reach for the phone on the other side of his table. He picked it up and put the phone against his ear. "Who is this?" he asked. "How are you, Bonifacio?" said the man on the other line with a devilish smirk lingered on his lips. That voice, he knows that voice very well, he know it so well that he immediately recognized the person calling. "Venedict," he said. Venedict chuckled. "Guess you still remember me." He clenched his jaw tightly. They haven't heard anything from Venedict sinc