Third Person’s POV
MERRILY drinking in a private room of a concealed casino, Jonathan Dela Cruz and Cris Fuentebella are enjoying themselves. The two of them are the heads of the Dela Cruz and Fuentebella Mafias. They are the last remaining group that continues to strategize in order to overthrow the Anderson Mafia and its allies.
“I’m sure the fish in the sea have feasted well on the mangled bodies of Anderson and his sycophantic friends. They fell for my trap without knowing it. I thought they were smart. But they themselves paved the way to make their lives easier,” Jonathan proudly said before raising his shot glass.
Cris, his companion, did the same. They clinked their two glasses together, creating a loud sound, before simultaneously downing the contents. Their respective men stood quietly behind them.
“They probably think we’re unaware that they’re monitoring us. Luckily, I managed to hide quickly.” Cris adjusted his seat before putting down his glass.
Jonathan nodded in agreement. “By the way, any news from him yet? I’m itching to wipe out the Anderson bloodline. They’re too meddlesome. They might have left the organization and all, but they still keep interfering.”
Cris shrugged. “Nothing yet. But what I really wonder is why he’s so eager to get Anderson’s wife.
The two continued their serious conversation, unaware that someone else had entered the VIP room where they were and overheard their conversation.
Their men were the first to spot the newcomers, but before they could react or draw their guns, the newcomers swiftly outmaneuvered them.
The two paused their conversation as they heard the sudden thud of their men hitting the floor. Startled, they turned their attention to the newcomers. Their eyes widened in shock, as if they had seen a ghost.
“W-What? My men said they’re dead—” Jonathan stuttered, silenced as he felt a cold metal object aimed at his temple.
Stephen grinned. “If I were you, I wouldn’t easily believe my own men. They’re likely to say that since that’s what we instructed them to admit.”
Cris stood up abruptly. “You’re a damn bastard, Anderson! You really are a demon incarnate! I should’ve finished you off when you were a child—Fuck!”
Cris winced and fell to the ground as he was suddenly lashed in the back with a whip by Riley.
“Shut up, motherfucker! We are not talking to you, so stay still. Your time will come,” Riley snapped angrily. If only he could keep hitting him again and again, he would have done it earlier.
Meanwhile, Shantel forcefully struck Jonathan’s neck with the butt of her gun, causing him to fall to the ground. But before he could even get up, Stephen stepped heavily on his back.
“Now, speak up. Where is he?” Stephen demanded authoritatively, his fist clenched.
“I don’t know!” Jonathan stubbornly retorted.
Stephen chuckled darkly before shifting his foot to Jonathan’s head and applying pressure.
Jonathan let out a loud cry that filled the corners of the room.
“Don’t test me, Dela Cruz. You know what I’m capable of. I might stumble and accidentally pull the trigger on that gun of yours.”
Jonathan and Cris exchanged glances. Though they remained silent, they both knew that nobody intended to speak up.
One way or another, the lives of their family members were at stake. If they talked, that man would surely kill their families since he had them under his control. If they stayed silent, Stephen would undoubtedly inflict harm on them.
Moreover, they had voluntarily made the decision to comply with the man’s orders. If not for the Andersons, their trust and positions in the organization, bestowed upon them by their deceased leader, Gray Fuentes, would have been lost.
“You won’t gain anything from me, Anderson. It’s better if you just kill me.”
Jonathan struggled to keep his voice steady, although the truth was that he was on the brink of losing consciousness due to extreme anxiety. They couldn’t expect their current men to be of any help; they were currently engaged in a brawl outside.
What chance did the men of two groups have against seven groups?
Stephen shrugged before aiming the gun at Jonathan’s back.
“As you wish. I’m that easy to deal with.”
Without hesitation, Stephen fired the gun at Jonathan repeatedly. He shot both of Jonathan’s legs first, then his hands, followed by his back, and finally his head. The gun he held had a silencer, so the noise it produced wasn’t that loud.
Soon, blood began to flow on the floor, causing Cris to shudder, especially when Stephen turned his attention to him.
“How about you? Will you talk, or will you follow Jonathan to hell right away?” Stephen impatiently questioned.
Despite the fear he felt, Cris managed to grin.
“You won’t gain anything more from me, Anderson. Whether I talk or not, I know my fate will be the same as Jonathan’s. And even if you kill all of us, he will come back for you. He won’t let you rest.”
Stephen clenched his jaw before delivering a powerful punch to Cris’s face. The force of the blow caused Cris to tumble to the ground, blood trickling from his mouth.
He swiftly approached and grabbed him by the collar, his eyes blazing with intensity.
“Don’t worry, because I assure you, he’ll be the first to quiet down! Now, tell me, where the hell is fucking Aries Baltazar? Answer me, damn it!” he demanded, his frustration palpable.
Cris tilted his head. “No matter what you do to me, I won’t tell you. Because first and foremost, I truly don’t know! We haven’t even seen him. We only talk on the phone, but we’ve never met in person.”
Stephen roughly threw him to the ground. He straightened his disheveled shirt and holstered his gun at his waist. Then he looked at his companions.
“You take care of him.”
Riley and Ryza exchanged meaningful glances.
“No worries, Stephen. Riley and I will take care of him. It’s been a long time since we had playtime together,” Ryza said with a wink.
Riley grinned. The combination of his whip and Ryza’s chain would be perfect to deal with the helpless man in front of them. They were sure to have fun torturing Cris with their weapons.
Stephen turned away and began walking out, accompanied by the others. Before they could completely leave the room, the loud screams of Cris and the sound of the chain and whip hitting his body reached their ears.
Upon exiting, they were met with chaos in the casino. It seemed like a war had taken place there, judging by the scattered bodies and pools of blood. Their men all bowed as they saw them.
Ignoring them, they proceeded outside. There, they encountered Amelia, who seemed annoyed once again.
“I just came from inside, and as I expected, you left me with a lot of work. Do you know that I just finished giving birth when you called me to come here?”
“Chill out, Doc. Your heart.” Oliver yawned.
Amelia gave him a glare. “I don’t know about you! You can afford not to care because you just sell medicine!”
Oliver raised both hands defensively. “Woah! Stop right there, woman. Don’t belittle my business.”
Stephen simply shook his head and started walking. He didn’t have time to listen to his friends’ argument.
Before he got into his car, he turned to face Shantel, Ace, Ashter, and Rhyz, who were following him.
“Tell your men to stay alert. Now that Aries’ dogs are taken care of, I’m sure he’ll make his move. Visit me at headquarters when you gather new information.”
They nodded in acknowledgment. He bid them farewell before finally getting into his car.
Once seated, he let out a deep sigh. He vividly recalled the events of that night at the pier. He truly believed it might have been their end.
Luckily, Rhyz had brought an explosive device that allowed them to open the metal door on the ground. The explosion was strong enough to prevent them from speaking, leaving them all with wounds and shrapnel.
However, they no longer cared about that and proceeded to jump one after another, plunging directly into the depths of the sea. They were greatly thankful that before the entire yacht completely exploded, they had all managed to jump off.
However, due to the force of the impact, they were carried further into the depths of the sea, separating them from each other. Fortunately, Amelia and her team arrived just in time to rescue them.
They weren’t able to catch up with Jonathan anymore. However, he had left some of his men behind to ensure Stephen’s and his friends’ deaths. Stephen instructed these men to inform Jonathan that they had perished in the explosion. They even placed a small voice recorder inside their pockets to capture the ensuing conversation. If they didn’t comply in time, their families’ lives would be in jeopardy.
Stephen leaned his head back against the seat, exhausted. He needed to locate Aries as soon as possible.
He wouldn’t allow Aries to get what should have been his from the beginning.
MEANWHILE, Nathalia had been pacing back and forth in their room, she couldn’t shake off what she had seen at the mall earlier. She was sure it was Aries.
Her anxiety lingered. What if he caused trouble again and targeted her new family? What if Stephen was harmed because of this?
Feeling weak, she sank onto the bed. She might not be able to handle it if the worst happens.
She needed to prevent it before Aries could approach her parents or her husband. She had to beat him to whatever he was planning.
Her thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in.” She tried to calm herself.
The door opened, and Cole entered. Worry was evident on his face.
“Madame, it’s past nine, and you haven’t had dinner yet. You might get light-headed. Don’t worry. I’ll keep you company with Belen.”
She managed to force a smile. “Alright. I’ll follow soon. I just need to change.”
Cole stared at her. “Madame, not to pry. But we’ve been home since six. Have you been brooding all this time? Are you already missing Sir Stephen?” He raised and lowered his eyebrow in a teasing manner.
Nathalia chuckled. She had momentarily forgotten about her problem. “Yeah. Probably.”
After a moment, Cole’s expression grew serious. “Madame, to be honest, I’ve noticed you’ve seemed anxious since we had dinner at the mall. Have you got something bothering you?”
Nathalia clenched her fist. “Nothing, really. I guess I’m just tired. I’m not used to going out that much anymore,” she offered as an excuse.
Cole observed her for a moment longer before nodding slowly. However, there was still a trace of doubt on his face. “Alright then. We’ll be waiting for you downstairs.”
She nodded back. As he finally left the room, she bent down and felt under the bed.
Carefully, she retrieved an HK USP 45 handgun. Ace had personally and discreetly given it to her when she got her license to carry and use it.
She needed to make a move as soon as possible. She wouldn’t allow the people she loved to disappear again because of the person she once trusted.
Her only remaining issue now was where to find him and how to act without her husband finding out.