Chapter One Hundred Damien sat on the couch in the living room, sipping calmly from a glass of scotch. He had shed his coat and was wearing only his white button down, which had a gash on its left sleeve, and large blood stains.On the table before him, there was a small towel, which he'd been pressing against the wound to stop the bleeding. It was so soaked with blood that it looked like it originally had the red color, whereas it had been white.His face was calm and his expression impassive but he was actually in deep thought, thinking about what had happened in the office earlier that evening.He'd left his office early, intending to pick Lana up, when he'd seen Diego going to her office instead. He took the assistant aside and asked him to go home, that he'd get Lana himself."Sir, it seems like there's a bit of miscommunication between us, "Diego had said, giving Damien a defiant look, "I do not work for you but for Miss Fernandez. You can't be giving me orders, sir."Damien ha
Chapter One Hundred And OneLana blinked in surprise as Diego rushed towards her, crying and looking her all over to see if she was hurt."Uhm..Diego I'm fine." Lana managed to say as Diego engulfed her in a tight hug, "Just let go already."She tried to push at him, but he was much too strong. She realized he must have confused the blood stains on her dress for hers. Lana didn't blame him. It was a lot which made her not believe Damien, who said it was nothing.They were going to the hospital, whether he likes it or not. But first, she had to get this giant man baby off her."Diego!" She called, exasperatedly pushing at his huge shoulder, "That's enough, I'm fine.""No!" He wept, his voice muffled as he pressed his face into her neck, "Are you really okay, Miss Lana?" He pulled back and held her face in his hands, startling her as he said in a voice choked with tears, "I never should have left you alone.""Ahem." Damien said as he pried Lana loose away from Diego and, pulled her to
Chapter One Hundred And TwoRina paced back and forth in her hotel room waiting for Zaire to call her. She was biting her nails feverishly, and glancing at the phone which was lying on the small table a few feet away from her. "Why isn't he calling, jeez?" She muttered to herself in anger, "What the hell is wrong with him?"She groaned and looked up to the ceiling. She immediately screwed up her nose at what she was looking at. The ceiling was just made out of white plaster with some cheap light bulbs installed on it, or so she thought.She missed the ceiling in her room back in the main house of the Romero Estate. That one was arched and had a splendid chandelier hanging from it, shedding its light in golden spirals all around the room.The room had been massive, with its own terrace and walk in closet and bathroom, equipped with state-of-art amenities. This hotel room was quite spacious as well, but it was definitely not to Rina's taste. It boasted of a double bed, a dressing tabl
Chapter One Hundred And ThreeBella crouched on the ground, trembling in every part of her body. Her hands gripped her phone tightly, and she dared not raise her head to look at him.Liam walked closer to her and leaned against the wall of the house beside them, "Get up." He ordered and Bella quietly got up from the ground.She immediately started talking, "Mr Liam, its really not what you think," she said in a rush, staring up at him with wide, innocent eyes brimming with tears, "Please don't fire me, I promise I won't do it again.""Who were you talking to?" Liam asked calmly, ignoring her pleas for mercy. His intense, level look was too much for her and she bowed her head in fear. At her silence, Liam walked closer and spoke into her ear in a low growl, "I said, who were you talking to?""Its nobody, I swear." The frightened woman reiterated. Tears were dropping freely from her face now, not because she was remorseful but because she knew she was going to lose her job and if she
Chapter One Hundred And FourZaire was in his office, standing in front of his floor to ceiling windows. The sun had already set and he was staring at the impressive skyline of Oakcrest City. Far below him, were hundreds of bright lights coming from the buildings, as well as the long line of vehicles which snaked along the main road.His reflection stared back at him from the glass. Behind him was his assistant, and another man. The other man was kneeling on the floor a few feet by the door. He had his head bowed and was clad all in black. There was a mask in his hand, which was bunched into fists on his thighs.It was the same man who had attacked Lana in her office, and stabbed Damien."So explain to me how an experienced henchman like you can't take out a single woman?" Zaore asked calmly, without turning away from the window.The man gritted his teeth, sweating beneath his layers of clothes but when he spoke, he made sure to keep his voice void of any tremors, "I'm sorry, sir "
Chapter One Hundred And Five"A tail?" Rina repeated, laughing into the phone. "That's ridiculous. What, you think I don't have people of my own who give me information?""That might be true," Zaire thought uneasily. He did not want Rina to have sources and information, damn it!. She was supposed to be a dumb girl that could be used anytime.Rina scoffed at his obvious silence, "I thought you and Lana had something going, " she muttered in a mocking voice, "Something quite special." She laughed out loud as the thought occurred to her again , "But you tried to kill her?! What a way to show your love to somebody Zaire.""Shut up," Zaire ordered, gripping the phone tightly against his ears."And then you failed on your first try?" Rina went on, enjoying the heady feeling that this power gave her. Her voice turned steely, "Or did you chicken out and canceled the hit on her? Dear Zaire, I can make you suffer for that, don't you know?"Zaire laughed slightly as he walked to sit behind his d
Chapter One Hundred And SixThe two men's ears perked up at that statement."What do you mean, happen again?" Damien asked, as his eyes narrowed in suspicion at the maid.Bella looked confused. She looked up nervously at Liam, then back to Damien, "That's what she said, " She uttered quietly, "to keep her updated.""That's like implying something would happen to Miss Lana again," Liam put in and Damien glanced sharply at him, "Possibly another attack."Damien's face darkened as he let out a light scoff, "And Rina is behind all of this?" He asked in disbelief. Liam shrugged, "I wouldn't put it past her, sir." He replied calmly, "Miss Rina is much too unstable. I believe she can do something as psychotic as this."Damien was silent as his brows furrowed in deep thought, thinking about what Liam had just said about Rina.He'd always known she was vicious, but he'd never thought she'd go for a person's life. Since the issue three years ago about Lana's pregnancy, Damien had always view
Chapter One Hundred And SevenLana stepped into the room, giving Bella a tentative smile. Bella bowed and closed the door carefully, while Lana walked towards the two men."Alright, let me know when the meeting with the shareholders is rescheduled," Damien said, quite loudly, "It is very important that you must get back to me today."Liam bowed slightly, "Yes sir," he responded and acknowledging Lana's presence with a nod, he walked out of the room. Lana returned his nod and watched him go out of the office. She placed the small tray on the desk in front of Damien and smiled at him."Something wrong?" She asked, referring to the mention of the meeting with shareholders."No. No." Damien assured her, returning her smile,"Everything's fine."Lana sat down on the plush chair in front of the desk and pointed to the tray in front of him, "Here, have some tea," she said, "Yvette made it for you. It will help you recover." Her voice became quieter as she said that last statement, and her
Chapter One Hundred And Eighty SevenThe men arrived at the room, breathing hard. Pushing the bed aside from the wall, Damien ran his hands all over the wall the way he had seen Lana do in the footage.He let out an erratic breath as the wall opened up in front of him and Paul. It even seemed more ominous than it had in the footage.Takong out his cellphone, he activated his flashlight, illuminating the whole of the passageway."Mother of pearls." Paul muttered in astonishment as they stared into the long dark space.It was a freaking passageway.Why had Lana walked into the wall? No matter how much Paul thought about it, he thought it was extremely brave of the young miss, especially since she did not know what was on the other side of this passageway.Without further ado, Damien bounded into the wall."Romero!" Paul called out after him but Damien did not stop. He kept running down the passageway, till he turned a corner and went out of sight.This was becoming more crazy, Paul th
Chapter One Hundred And Eighty-SixDamien stood in the middle of the white little room and looked around in quiet disgust.The fact that Lana had been in this place all along had filled him with so much fury that he felt like tearing the walls down with his fists.That thought was fueled by the fact that she was nowhere to be found. They had arrived Monero a little over six hours ago. Monero was only accessible through a port and when the men had arrived there, it was already quiet late.Rina had finally revealed the locations of Zaire's villa in Moreno and even though it irked Damien to grant her anything in return, he had to fulfill her request for Lana's sake."Your little informant had better be correct, Romero." Paul had said earlier on the boat, "The Young Miss had better be in Monero when we get there or you will face Fernandez's wrath."Damien had been silent, even though impatience hummed in his blood.He knew she was in Moreno.She had to be in Monero.He wondered what he w
Chapter One Hundred And Eighty-five "Let's go in, first." Anila said urgently as she walked into the corridor and pressed the button on the wall, watching with bated breath until the shelf slid back into place.She turned to Adrian then, "What about the young Miss?" She asked as she walked past him, "Is she okay?""Screw the young miss." Adrian spat out loudly in anger as they both entered the small room, "What the hell is going on? Who the hell were those men?!"Adrian was clearly frustrated. He did not mean to yell and rarely lost his cool, but he was pissed with what just happened a few moments ago in his own house.Anila sighed, "if you will only let me explain, then I will. Stop yelling at me." She reprimanded him as she walked over to Lana.Lana was huddled on the bed, cowering under the bed covers in fear. She and Adrian had stayed back in the room when Anila had gone out.She had been trembling and whimpering in fear as they heard the men ransacked the room, while Adrian pace
Chapter One Hundred And Eighty-FourThe banging on the door continued and silence fell in the room.It took a while for Lana to realize that the banging was not actually on the door to the room.It sounded farther, but that did nothing to ease the trembling of her body or the loud thumps of her heart beat."I said, open up!" Another yell came and this time it was accompanied by a solid thump, like a vicious kick to the door."What the hell? Who knocks like that?" Adrian said, frowning in annoyance. He was about to walk towards the door when Anila stopped him."No Adrian! Don't go." She called out to him, holding out a hand to stop him.Adrian looked from the door to his mother, "What?" He asked, his confusion becoming more apparent. Lana exchanged a frightened glance with Anila, who was calmer actually.She patted Lana's hand then stood up and walked towards the door."I will go out and meet them" She said calmly to Adrian."Excuse me?" Adrian asked, arching an eyebrow at that state
Chapter One Hundred And Eighty-ThreeThe words were hardly out of his mouth when the door to the room was pushed open and a middle-aged woman appeared.Lana turned to the door sharply, fear written all over her face as the woman walked into the room silently, and her eyes met that of Lana's. The next instant, they widened with joy and relief."You're awake! Oh thank heavens!" She said as she rushed towards Lana and took both of her hands in hers, "I knew you'd come around! Bless the heavens!"She turned to look at the red haired man, who went about his watering as calmly as before."Look Adrian, I told you she'll be fine." She said as she beamed up at Lana, because she was clearly four inches shorter than her."I know mother," The red haired guy, Adrian replied drily, "I treated her."Lana stared at him, "Treated?" She asked, eyeing the guy in surprise.He was a doctor?The middle aged woman nodded, "Adrian had found you in the forest when he went for his morning walk." She explained
Chapter One Hundred And Eighty-TwoShe was in the forest, running with her hands stretched out in front of her as she stumbled over fallen tree logs. Her dress was torn and her knees were scraped. She was limping due to the cuts under the sole of her feet, which the cool damp earth of the forest did nothing to soothe.Yet, Lana ran.She was blinded by a film of tears and terrified gasps came out of her mouth as she stumbled through the dark forest."LANA!"He was close!He would get her and throw her back into that suffocating place. Taking control of her whole life."No, never..." Lana muttered breathlessly as she ran. The moon was hidden behind the huge rain clouds filling the sky now. Now, and then, lightening cracked through the sky, sending a flash of white through the forest.The rumbling of thunder will follow soon after and it made Lana shriek and shudder in terror as she ran.No! No! Stay away, please!Suddenly, a hand shot out from before her and grabbed her throat tightly,
Chapter One Hundred And Eighty-One.Lana turned sharply and looked into the darkness behind her. It seemed as though she'd heard something scream. Or was it her imagination?Imagination or not, it was definitely the cue she needed to open the fucking trapdoor. Luckily, the trapdoor wasn't locked and opened up easily before her to reveal another darkness below.Lana swallowed hard as a sudden rush of cold air hit her face. She shivered uncontrollably and willed her beating heart to calm down.This was just the same as walking into the passageway, she reminded herself, Everything will be fine. There are no snakes waiting down there.The way the wind whistled from below made her wonder how far the drop was.She laid down the trapdoor, and peered down into the hole with her torchlight. The beam flashed on a slab of wood below her, then another and another all connected with a rope.A ladder!She allowed the light of the torch to travel down until she finally saw the ground.It was not ve
Chapter One Hundred And Eighty Zaire was still in his study with Aryan, who was making numerous calls.It really seemed like Romero was on his way to Moreno, due to the tip off that Rina had given them.Zaire regretted ever revealing this place to Rina. He had brought her here as well and a bitter taste filled his mouth, as he realized how her presence must have tainted his precious sanctuary."I really should have killed her a long time ago." He thought to himself as he downed the contents of his second glass of whiskey.Well, there was still time.He could still kill her and also give the same treatment to his beloved half-brother. A slight smile curved his lips as he relished the thought of Damien coming to challenge him on his own turf.He'd be able to come in easily but to go out will not be so easy.He also regretted the fact that he'd brought Lana to Moreno. He could have easily taken her to Italy or Cuba, but he figured they were too far away and he needed to still be able to
Chapter One Hundred And Seventy-NineGripping the metal torchlight to her chest, Lana hurried back into the room and climbed unto the bed once more.She glanced back at the door, her ears picking up every little sound. She expected it to open up at any moment and Zaire would walk in.She'd get caught before she even started anything and faced with more torment than she could imagine."There's no time to waste." She reminded herself as she edged closer to the wall, "Let's get out of here, Lana."Slowly, she reached out her hand to the wall and pushed it. The wall did not budge.Lana swallowed hard as her heart started beating faster once again.What the hell? Why isn't the wall opening up now?She pushed the wall again with all her might and still nothing."Okay Lana." She took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, "Remain calm and think. We have to open this wall."She closed her eyes and tried to remember how she'd had managed to open the wall earlier that day.Her memory was fuzzy w