Prologue

Artemis' POV

"Fuck," I mumbled to myself as I felt the pain of the gun in my arm. The pain from the bullet that hit me also stings my spine.

I was still holding my gun as I held the young kid in my right hand.

"Shhh, I'm sorry, Baby... Mama will come back... I promise that Mama will take you back..." I said to my son before I kissed his forehead.

I will make sure that I'll come back to my son when the time comes but for now? I need to give him to his father first. I need his father's protection because right now, the Tigers, the assassination company I belonged to a year ago, are after me.

I was a traitor. They'll kill me when they see me. Not just me. My children too.

"Mama loves you very much, I will go back to you no matter what happens... I love you, Baby..." At the same time I put him down in the basket I was carrying, Hades cried. I also rang the doorbell before I hid. I need to see him getting inside safely. I just closed my eyes when I saw his father hold him in his arms. His serious eyes were momentarily surprised. I have the letter there. Even the necklace he gave me is now worn by our son. He'll know that he's our son for sure.

I saw his eyes filled with anger even more as he tried to look around. Of course, he's mad. I was his biggest mistake. His trust in me was one of his biggest regrets.

He called his security and asked to find me. I wasn't called Umbrielle if I'm not good at hiding in the shadows.

I quickly escaped from there. I called my brother using my burner phone.

"This is Umbrielle, what's going on on your side now?" I asked from the other line.

"Leo speaking. I already brought your daughter to a safe place. We are here in Cebu. I'll tell you the exact location. Make sure that you'll come here immediately. Don't you dare die, Umbrielle," he said. It was like a thorn was pulled from my heart when I heard what he said.

I certainly can't die. I need to protect both of my children.

My brother, Ares, and I got separated after some of my Tiger colleagues targeted me.

My brother doesn't have a physical skill but he has his brain. They found out where we live. The plan was for the two of us to escape with Athena and Hades but things got fucked up. We got separated and almost died. They don't know about my children, all they know is that I hid after I killed the Governor, father of my children's father. I know the head of the tigers plans to kill me after the mission.

They want all the people involved to close their mouths and I am one of them. I work fucking hard for them but it looks like in the end, they'll still kill me. I don't really know what's the deal with the Governor but I know for sure that it's big.

Ares escaped here in Manila and ended up in Cebu but I still can't do it. Too many people are looking for me. I won't be able to protect my son and daughter if I keep them by my side. This is the reason why I came up with the decision to give my son to Zelo for now. I will also take the child back. One year and I'll surely come back for him. Zelo's man and the Tigers will search for me for a while but that won't surely last for so long.  

That's it if I won't get killed now. I wore my cap when I saw tigers running after me. A lot of people don't really know my face. The only person who knows my face is just the big boss and his daughter, Honey.

I was already on the railings of the ship port when I felt a gun pointed at me.

"Funny how the greatest assassin like you will die in my hands, huh?" It's Honey, the daughter of our big boss. I just grinned there. She really thinks she can kill me with her skill, huh?

"If I die right now, I'll bring you to hell with me," I said before loading the gun in my hand. Yes, I wasn't really scared to die but it's different now, I already have a son and daughter who I want to give a better life. 

Before she can even click the gun, I knock her down.

Before my colleagues could even touch me, I shot all those people trying to get near. Others looked up to me when I was still in Tiger but looked at them treating me like trash that they needed to dispose of.

"Oh, well, see you again, Honey!" I said with a smile before jumping into the water. I never heard their shouts and curse again. I couldn't breathe for a long time because they fired several shots into the water. I got away for a while. I immediately went to the ship that was about to leave. 

I entered a room. The woman inside looked at me. She furrowed her brow but didn't lower the documents in her hand.

"You went into the wrong room," she said before getting back to her work. I grabbed some clothes to wear from her luggage and got dressed while she seemed like she didn't hear or saw anything. I looked at her briefly.

"You didn't see anything," I said, wearing clothes different from what I'm wearing earlier. She smirked before she shook her head.

"Are you a criminal?" she asked me with a laugh but immediately looked at the front door when she heard someone calling her. They knock as if they wanted to ruin the door.   

"Seb, are you there? You can't just lock yourself there, Mayora... No matter what you do, you can't escape your fate. Will you choose to get married or just choose to get killed?” a voice from outside asked. I grinned at that before looking at the person they called Seb.

"Want me to kill the person outside for you instead?"

"Nah, just cut his tongue and it will be already great," she said before rolling her eyes.

"Sebriz Teodora Del Rosario. Mayor of Biliri, Cebu. I'll take your payment after I do what you asked. I might need your help.” I let out a wide grin before exiting the ship's window. Hmm, looks like I still need to kill someone tonight, huh?