Chapter 6

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"It was an Asian dude! I swear to god I don't know his name!"

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My mind keeps going back to what Paulo said as I clean the blood of my hands.

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"Your father was a fucking rat!"

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And his insults. What did he mean?

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"It's a shame that I know more about your family than you do. The great Miliani Hwang is just a clueless little girl!"

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I sigh and take a look at the mirror. My hair is neat and the jeans and blouse I have on doesn't have a blood stain. I work cleanly, efficiently. I am like a robot. The overwhelming ache that accompanies a torture is the main reason I rarely do it.

With the way things are going at this moment, though, I'll need to suck it up. I walk out the bathroom that's attached to the bedroom on the plane and find my brother awake on the bed. He looked flustered and sweat dripped down his face.

His frightened eyes met mine and I couldn't help but think they look just like mom's. "Gi, are you okay?" I ask softly. He swallows and nod quickly. His chest moves up and down rapidly with each passing second. What has he been through?

I sat at the edge of the bed and look at the floor, my eyes stinging, "I wish I knew about you earlier." My voice was garbled, weak but I couldn't bring myself to care. I've always been made to conceal my feelings, crying is a form of weakness but I'm not the boss anymore; I'm lost. Who am I if not the boss of the Hwang Jopak family? Who am I if not the great Miliani Hwang.

I singlehandedly took down one of the biggest bosses in the country. I singlehandedly increased profits in the bars and casinos left to me. I did all of that and I was barely sixteen at the time.

"Miliani. are we going home..... to mom? Why.... are we on.... a plane?" he asks suddenly. I traitorous tear trails down my cheek and I raise my eyes to his. I shake my head, unable to talk because of the lump in my throat.

Gi's hopeful expression drops to one of sadness. "Where... is mom.... and dad?" The minute he asks all the emotions of that day came back and my eyes rained their sadness on the sheets.

"Dead." I whisper, "They've been dead for eleven years."

~

Vincenzo

"Dead. They've been dead for eleven years." her voice was that of a broken girl. I was just about to go talk to her but the moment I heard her address her brother I knew it would be a bad time. I listened in on the whole conversation.

The great Miliani Hwang is just a broken girl under that tuff exterior. I've seen my men shudder at her name. I've seen my victims kill themselves trying to escape her wrath. She is ruthless but yet still so innocent, having never taken a life with her own hands.

The way she handled the torture was amazing to watch. It was an honor watching her work but of course I'll never tell her that. The woman's ego is big enough that she doesn't need anyone to fill it. Yet, I still couldn't get over how routinely she did it. She was stiff, like a robot.

I felt sorry for her, knowing she never got a real childhood. My dad only started training me when I was fourteen while here she is knowing how to kill by the time she was ten. She was running an organization while I was still in training.

I always aspired to be just as ruthless as her and I did. I am one of the most feared all over the world. She was my idol but when I began to hear the stories, I slowly lost respect for her. How could she be so feared yet not have blood on her own hands? I undermined her but now, I'm not so sure.

I take a quick glance at her through a crack in the door. Who will she become, now that she no longer has men at the ready to do her bidding?

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Miliani

"What?" Gi whispers, "You... were ten.... how..."

I wipe my wet face with the sleeve of my blouse as he trails off. "I had to take over. Mom didn't want Dwayne leading the family business so I had no choice."

"D-Dwayne?" he whispers his sunken eyes widening more, "He lives..... with you?"

I notice my slip up and sigh, "That is a conversation for when you get better." I was calm now, my eyes burning and my nose was stuffed. My defense mechanism; hide your tears quickly. I can never let it all out. I've tried.

"Miliani... you don't understand. He..... did this to me. Him..... and..... his father!" I snap my head in his direction, interested in the new found information.

"Gi, what are you saying?" I ask slowly, "I was told Dwayne is your friend."

He shakes his head frantically, "I thought he was.... but it turns....out he wasn't even... poor."

I meditate on what he said and I feel everything crumble around us. What is this? What has been happening in my life? And why did mom leave me all alone to deal with Dwayne if she knew for sure he was gonna be a threat?

With every turn it seems I only get more questions and not enough answers.

~

Gi was taken to the infirmary in the house as soon as we landed on the property. It helps that Gerardo has his own personal airport behind his hideout. We didn't have to drive all the way from the airport like a few days ago.

"That was fast." Gerardo comments as he greeted us. "Took care of the perpetrator already." Mafalda says proudly, "Though, I didn't have to do much, he would have bled out anyway. Miliani did some serous damage."

I glance at her over my shoulder and she gives me a confidant's smile. She trusts me now. I found solace in that somehow. Turning back to the Gerardo he smirked, "And I see you were somehow able to get my son not to leave a string of bodies behind."

I give him a small smile and shrug. "Such a shame; you have no faith in me, father." his eldest son mused from behind. The old man laughed it off.

We head inside and to my surprise, Chul-Moo is laying on one of the couches, bruised up really bad. I instantly go to his side. "Boss." he whispers when he sees me, "It is chaos...back home."

"Don't talk, Chul. I'll get someone to get you to the infirmary. Dangelo!" He rushes inside quickly and notices my urgent expression, "What is it?"

"I need you to take Chul to the infirmary please. I don't know where it is." He looks over at my bruised right hand man and nods. He raises him off the couch, with little to no effort and I heard Chul-Moo hiss.

"You're gonna be alright!?" I call as Dangelo starts walking him in the opposite direction from me. Just then, the rest of the gang comes in and Vincenzo questions me immediately. "Who is that?" he demands more than ask.

I flash him a hard stare, "If you must know, he is my right hand man and the only one I can trust from my organization."

He regards me with a cold stare, "We were informed to keep you safe. Your little boyfriend will have to leave. He is clearly a liability."

My nose flares in anger. This man is so infuriating. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Ravello! Chul is my assistant, one of the most efficient and one of the most dangerous men I know. If there is a problem with him staying here, we will simply move to a hotel."

That is when Gerardo comes in the middle. He gave his son a stern glare and glances back at me, "Do not mind Vincenzo. If you are sure you can trust this man, he can stay."

I nod, "I vouch for him." I look up and if possible, Vincenzo's cold stare got even colder. I could feel cold air coming off of him. It was clear that he wasn't happy. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he storms off somewhere and Mafalda rolls her eyes.

When her eyes meet mine she gives me a small smile, "How about you take a drink with me."