After three days, Raja had just returned to his estate, his white long sleeves soaked with blood. He was as pale as a ghost and bruised from the "lesson" Oliver had given him. His thoughts were a tangled mess, rage and frustration clouding every corner of his mind. The memory of Tales’ broken expression haunted him, and the fire within him burned hotter with every step he took.The way he walked looked like he had no direction.As he entered the living room, he found Jake seated comfortably in his chair, legs crossed, sipping from a crystal glass as if he owned the place.“Raja,” Jake greeted, his voice smooth and mocking. “Back so soon? You look awful. Guess Father’s discipline wasn’t just a bedtime story after all.”Raja froze in the doorway, his eyes narrowing to slits. His fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. He had no time to argue with him and so he walked to the stairs without even looking at Jake, but the next word Jake spouted made him freeze in plac
It was such a hurdle for Tales. Tales didn’t know what to feel upon seeing that Raja didn’t do anything when Dimitri took him. He just stood there, staring blankly at him.And Tales of course didn't expect Raja to save him although his body trembled unbeknownst to him. They exited the party and went to where Dimitri's vehicle are."Let go of me." He hissed as he bumped his head to the head of one of Dimitri's men named Roose and even flap his legs, kicking the people that surrounded him.Tales eyebrows twitch in fear when Roose narrowed his mind while looking at him. He looks deadly dangerous. Yet Tales frown when the man snickered. "You're feisty. I like that." He raised his hand and attempted to touch Tales but Dmitri immediately slap his hand away. "You dare?""Boss—""Me first." Dmitri stated with emphasis with slightly widening of eyes to say that he should not touch his possession.He was dragged against his will and no matter how much he struggled, it was all in vain. When t
"Get changed."The cold walls of Raja’s headquarters made the room feel lifeless. Brightlight chandelier flickered above, casting shadows on the floor. Tales sat on a couch, his body slumped forward, the weight of the past days are too much to bear. He was wrapped in Raja’s large coat, his own clothes gone—torn and useless. The coat was warm but heavy, a reminder of everything that had happened.His body ached with every breath. Cuts and bruises covered him, and the marks from the whip still burned. But all of this seems to be buried with the suffocating silence and tension in the room. Raja was walking away from the living room now carrying a silence. He walked towards the staircase in order to went to his study, his hands gripping the railings tightly. His white shirt was stained with blood—Dimitri’s blood. The katana he’d used to cut down Dimitri’s men lay was on his hand beside him, still dirty with the fight.The silence between them stretched. Tales couldn’t take it anymore.He
The morning light filtered through the curtains, weak and gray. Tales hadn’t moved from the floor at all, his body stiff and his mind clouded. The events of the night felt like a blur, but the image of Raja being dragged away remained sharp and vivid.Don't get him wrong. He stayed with Claren and others all because he wanted to acquire some information. He needs to know if Raja will be back alive or in a form of corpse. A loud groan startled Tales and immediately look at Claren who was struggling to sit on the bed. Claren's expression was guarded, but his sharp eyes scanned Tales carefully.Tales sat stiffly on the floor, his fingers twitching against his knees. The morning light streaming through the window did nothing to ease the tension in the air. His mind raced with questions, but no one had come to explain anything. He had to ask.But before he could even speak, Claren opened his mouth to ask, his eyes narrowing at him and his gaze is cold and unwelcoming.“Tales,” Claren ca
The silence in the living room was deafening, broken only by the faint tik-tak of Tales' feet. It was already a week since Raja's disappearance. Claren and half of the crew already recovered. Though their eyes screams icy stares towards him. He was walking towards the kitchen to eat. Claren who's really quiet, has his earlier anger controlled but simmering just beneath the surface. Michael was also glaring at him like there's no tomorrow. Tales poured himself a water. His mind raced, trying to redirect his thoughts but every thought looped back to Raja.The image of him being dragged away wouldn’t leave.And also the crew seems so busy cleaning with their guns, knives and weapons. Tales even furrowed his eyebrows in curiosity. What are they even doing or planning?Michael who's also eyeing him, finally broke the silence, his voice low and rough. “You are really collected huh? When it's your fault that Raja is like this. But what can I expect ? Even if you'll use your pea brain, your
The white mansion is just ahead, its tall windows glowing with the lights inside and can be seen in the area where the Unit 1 and Tales was hiding. They're hiding behind the tall and big trees. Some were on the bushes. There were no guards. The place was took quite as if inviting them to get inside. But they couldn't care less. "So what is the plan?" Tales asked. Claren could either divide them by group in order to search for Raja faster but Tales' jaw almost dropped when he heard Claren's words."No plan.""W-what?" He asked unbelievably. "How about the lay out of this mansion? You have that at least, right?"Claren looked at him for a long time before shaking his head. "Got none. The plan is to save Raja. Nothing else."Tales was speechless. So it's really a suicide huh? How can they be so brainless? Well, he's no better but he don't want to die. Nevermind... He'll just run if things got really messy."Let's get moving."Tales followed close behind Claren and Raoul, his knife and g
Raja’s words hung in the air, their bitter tone left tension through the room’s silence. Tales took another hesitant step forward, his gaze locked on the bruised and bloodied figure before him."Raja's here, 2nd floor." Raoul informed others through the ear piece.While Tales wince because of emotion he felt. He thought he would be disappointed if he'll find Raja alive but instead, relief wash over him. “Of course, we came,” Tales said, his voice unsteady. He cannot control the emotions that is swirling inside him. “We’re here to get you out.”Raja chuckled weakly, the sound more like a cough. “Out?” he repeated, his words has no hope at all, like he had no hope with his teammates capabilities to get him out of the hellhole, shaking his head. “You’re not getting anyone out of here. Least of all me. You should just wait in the headquarters. You've ruined everything!" He hissed although that's barely a whisper.Raoul narrowed his eyes, his gun still raised. “What the hell are you talki
The forest was eerily quiet as Unit 1 run away at the back of the mansion towards the woods, surprisingly no one stopped their leaving that fuel their tension as their breaths coming fast and shallow. The moonlight filtered through the canopy above, casting long shadows across the ground. Claren immediately put Raja against a tree, the moon make his battered body crystal clear, while the rest of the team caught their breath, weapons still in hand. Tales crouched nearby, knife glinting in his hand, as he tried to caught his breath.They now only have 10 members left from the unfortunate event. Raoul who has now finally caught his breath, managed to speak. "We can't let our guard down. We should run again before they can catch up.""They will not." Raja intervened even though he's so weak right now.Tales raised his eyebrows. He almost died back there. He'll not do it again. He'd rather wait for an announcement that Raja was dead before moving. He just risked his life for nothing. "Wha
Two Years LaterIt was early morning, the sun only just beginning to spill its gold over the horizon, casting soft light on the water that glistened like starlights. Gentle waves rolled onto the smooth, pale shore with a hush-hush rhythm, as though the ocean itself was content, no longer raging.The scent of freshly baked bread drifted through the open windows of the small kitchen. A warm, golden glow filled the room as the sun streamed through the window, catching on the various plants that hung from the rafters. The air smelled like saltwater and fresh herbs, mingling together creating a very fragrant smell.Tales stood at the kitchen counter, his hands moving expertly as he kneaded dough, humming under his breath. The simple rhythm of the task was grounding for him, a reminder of how far he’d come from the chaos that had once filled his life.Behind him, Raja was leaning against the doorframe, watching with a soft smile playing at the corners of his lips. His hair was ruffled becau
"I promise."Tales’ breath hitched, eyes searching Raja’s with raw desperation. His voice trembled, barely more than a whisper.It wasn't enough. He need more assurance. He needs to know that this is not just a dream.“Say that you love me.”Raja didn’t even pause. His answer came fast—like it had been sitting on the edge of his tongue for far too long. His eyes were shining from the faint street lights as he said those words.“I love you.”The air between them shifted—thick, electric, impossible to ignore. It feels like Tales' saw millions of stars in Raja's eyes. His heart beat fast and he can only clench his hands on Raja's chest before surged forward, clasping his hands on Raja's nape. This kiss wasn’t soft.It wasn’t hesitant.It was fire and hunger and every unspoken word finally released. Their mouths collided with much urgency, lips crashing together like they’d been starved—like they were desperate to claim, to prove, to feel. Hands tangled in hair, fingers fisted in clothes
"Are you out of your damn mind?!"Tales blinked because of the familiar voice. He rubbed his eyes to get a clear view of who it is and when he confirmed who it was, he immediately turned his face away. It's Raja!“Why are you... here…” Tales managed to rasp, his voice thick with the weight of everything unsaid, all the pain that had built up in his chest. "You should've just stayed hidden. You tormented me so much and now you appeared and act like a hero? If you don't love me anymore, then don't bother. Do you take me for a pushover?!"But even so... even if I am a pushover —I missed you.Raja’s gaze softened for just a second, but it was gone almost as quickly as it came. He shook his head, his voice dropping to a more dangerous tone. “You’re an idiot, you know that? You think drowning yourself in alcohol will bring me back? It won’t.”Tales stared at him, his breath coming in short gasps. His mind reeled, trying to process everything. Raja was here. Raja was standing in front of hi
Hah. Hah. Hah. Tales stopped running in the middle of the road as he put his two palms on his thighs. He was out of breath and his sweating buckets. His heart was pounding so much from running and the information he acquired. 'Oliver Ortega, even now, you're still hunting me and making me miserable.'Does Raja knew? Why? Why would he want me to know that Oliver is my father? When he could just bury it for the betterment of us. Even now, the taught of Raja's disappearance seems to bury the weight of the recent information he just acquire.Call... I should make a call—Oh.Tales crouch in frustration. He don't have a phone, and even if he had, be don't know Rajas personal number. Still, if he had, he could have ask his unanswered questions. Why hadn’t he called? He could’ve at least sent a message, some sign that he wasn’t lost to him forever. But he had vanished. Not just physically, but emotionally, disappearing without a trace, leaving him with nothing but the ache of abandonmen
Tales stand up and patted his pants before walking back inside the headquarters. He went into his room and find out that his belongings are still there. He clench his teeth. This hurts like hell. He may not want to admit it but Raja's disappearance leave a bitter taste. He packed his belongings but he stop midway when he heard that he's not alone. Who is it?Is it—It couldn't be him—The sound of footsteps echoed down the empty hallway of the headquarters. Tales immediately towards the terrace and looked down from above. His hand grips the rails tightly anticipating the person who's here but to his disappoinment it wasn't him but—“Tales?”He blinked, caught off guard by the familiar voice. Then his vision become clearer—“Ria?”She stood in the base of the staircase, a little out of breath, holding a paper bag in one hand and a curious look in her eyes. Her long black coat fluttered as she stepped inside. For a second, she didn’t move. Then she smiled.“Wow. You’re really here.”Ta
A Month Later.Tales had healed—physically, at least. The bruises had faded, the wounds had closed. He hadn't been discharged, he was just given pain meds and instructions to rest to avoid stress. But resting was impossible.Because Raja never came back.At first, Tales had understood. He told himself Raja was busy. That he was handling his men, making sure they had shelter, rebuilding what was lost.But a week turned into two. Then three. Then a full month.No visits.No calls.No messages.Tales tried to ignore it. Tried to pretend it didn’t hurt, that it didn’t eat away at him every time he glanced at his phone and saw nothing.But it did. It really did.He hated how much it affected him.How much Raja’s absence felt like a wound all on its own.Tales feels like waking up in the aftermath of a storm that only he remember—where the sky looks calm, but everything inside him is in ruins. It’s like carrying around a wave of silence in your chest, every breath echoing against his jumbl
The hospital was colder than Raja expected. Too white and too sterile. The scent of antiseptic seems to clung desperately to his skin, mixing with the dried blood in his body. He hadn’t moved from his spot beside the bed since the doctors had taken Tales in.He will not leave. Not until Tales opened his eyes.If Tales were to... No. That can't happen. It shouldn't happen or else he'll really follow him to hell.When he had first stormed into the emergency room, carrying Tales’ limp, bloody body in his arms, the entire hospital had gone silent as if the scene they're witnessing straight out of the movies. The nurses had frozen in place, their eyes widening as they took in his disheveled state."Get me a fucking doctor!" Raja had roared, his voice slicing through the silence like a blade."Sir—" one of them had started hesitantly."Put him into the bed. Now." One of the personnel that seems like a doctor shouted to gain the attention of the people who's in dazed and is hesitant to appro
Back to the present.The air smelled strongly of blood. It soaked the concrete of the building, pooling around the bodies of Jake’s men, their throats slit, skulls broken, guts spilling out onto the floor. Raja stood among the massacre with his chest heaving and sweat mixing with the splattered blood that coated his skin. His blade dripped, each drop of blood falling with a rhythmic pat against the ground.Jake on the other hand sighed after his long flashback of memories. He's irritated of why he remembered that now. He look at Raja who's attention is not on him but on Tales. “You really like him huh,” he mused, gazing towards Tales direction. “Didn't really know you like used products." He dissed.Raja flinches and his aura darkened, but after sometime, his facial expression is relax. "You can't get anything by saying such nonsense, Jake. You still have to die." He says while his focus was still on Tales. His body. His breathing even though it was shallow and faint. Too faint."Oh
Jake’s resentment festered like an untreated wound.For years, he swallowed the bitterness, forced himself to held his head high in front of Oliver, forced himself to play the loyal unambitious son, even as something in him curdled and rotted with every passing day.He should’ve given up. He should’ve accepted it. Raja became Oliver’s favorite. Raja became the chosen one. Raja was the one who mattered.But Jake wasn’t built to accept. He wasn’t built to be cast aside. He was trained for survival. So if Oliver didn’t see him as his son—Then Jake would make sure Oliver had nothing left to see at all. If he couldn’t be Oliver’s greatest creation, he would be his greatest failure.However, that alone wasn’t enough to burn Oliver’s empire to the ground. Being a disgrace would only give a little to no impact towards Oliver and the organization. No—Jake wanted to carve it apart, piece by piece, while Oliver was still alive to witness it crumble.And so, he planned.He started with Victor.