“The child is back here in our country, so it’s impossible for him to be safe here.”
Beckett furrowed his brow in confusion. “It’s impossible. Vivianne made sure that Dylan would be adopted in another country so Alfred won’t be able to find him. It’s been a long time since that happened, and I haven’t heard anything from our people.”
“It just happened recently, that’s why you haven’t heard anything, and Alfred is more cunning than you think,” Ella replied, her voice weak. “His adoptive parents rejected him before, so he was sent back here. I overheard their conversation while pretending to sleep, and I’m sure Alfred had something to do with it.”
Beckett gritted his teeth. Alfred really won’t stop until he gets what he wants. He was never content with what he had… and Alfred always fulfilled his promises.
Alfred promised himself to kill the child, and Beckett will do everything to prevent it.
“Save Dylan…” Ella whispered as she held both of Beckett’s hands. She gently stroked them. “I know that’s what Ylona would want too, and that’s what she would do if she were still alive today.”
As Ella uttered those words, Vivianne entered. She heard what her mother said, and she also knew about it.
Her earlier suspicion was correct. Alfred really did order him to investigate Agrianthropos Island, but that wasn’t the only thing the father wanted to convey.
“I finally found the kid who you tried to save when I asked one of our people to kill him,” Alfred's words echoed in Beckett's memory from their earlier conversation. “One of our men is already at the house where he stays, and remember this. If you interfere again, you won’t like what I’ll do.”
Vivianne was wrapped in confusion. She didn’t know how her mother found out about Dylan, but that wasn’t important right now.
She saw the anger and hatred in Beckett's eyes, and she knew he would find a way to save Dylan. But that couldn’t happen because it would ruin all of their plans.
"Mom, I'll just talk to Beckett outside," said Vivianne.
She didn't wait for Ella or Beckett to respond. Vivianne kissed the top of Ella’s head before she pulled Beckett outside of the room. She took him to the garden. It was fortunate that Alfred had already left, so the two didn’t cross paths again.
When they reached the garden, Vivianne released her grip on her husband. She was about to speak to open up about what her father said, but she paused when she saw Beckett's expression.
His gaze was dark, and he looked intimidating. He seemed like he could kill at any moment. It was the same look Beckett had earlier when they were held at gunpoint.
“Dylan is already here in our country,” Beckett said in a deep voice.
Vivianne slowly nodded. “I know.”
Beckett was surprised by that. He paused for a moment, but soon regained his composure.
“You know, yet you didn’t do anything?”
“I tried to hide where Dylan's new location is, but Joan was too nosy! No wonder she was so arrogant in her texts when we were in Italy because this is what she's been busy with!” Vivianne exclaimed, furrowing her brow. “Dad has already sent someone there to have him killed.”
“Then we should save him.” Beckett took his phone from his pocket, alarming Vivianne.
"W-What are you going to do?"
“I’ll call some of my people to save Dylan. I have my own people now, so locating him would be easy as pie,” Beckett replied in a cold tone.
He was about to dial Nathan's number, but he was surprised when Vivianne suddenly grabbed his phone and pulled it away. However, because Beckett was strong, Vivianne was the one pulled towards him. She bumped into his chest. She was about to step back, but Beckett immediately held her waist.
"What are you doing?"
“Don't call for help,” Vivianne whispered. She shook her head slightly. “You'll be in conflict with Alfred if you do that. We just got married, and you've only just gained his trust because you're a member of the Foedus. That can't be ruined.”
Beckett tightened his grip on his wife's waist. “The kid is in danger right now, and you’re telling me not to do anything? He'll die if I don't call for help now.”
“I know…” Vivianne could barely hear her own voice as she said that.
It’s not like she didn’t want to save the child. But what about her mother?
Beckett sighed before he held both of Vivianne’s cheeks. He could clearly see the sadness in her eyes.
“I understand where you’re coming from. Maybe Alfred threatened to do something bad to your mother if you didn't obey him… But where is the helpful Vivianne I knew?”
Vivianne smiled sadly as she felt the warmth of Beckett's palm. It traveled through her body. It seems like Beckett’s warmth was trying to infiltrate Vivianne’s cold heart.
And she didn’t like it. She needed to be strong.
“You wanted to take Alfred down, didn't you?” Vivianne sounded like she was asking a question, but it was a statement at the same time. “I also want the same thing for our freedom. That’s why I’m here… cooperating with you.”
Beckett furrowed his brow, puzzled by his wife's words. “What do you mean?”
“Your parents... My father killed them, didn't he?”
Beckett's jaw dropped upon hearing his wife's question. He couldn't respond. He didn't know how Vivianne found out about it, but what he couldn't understand was why he was now more concerned about what Vivianne was feeling than himself.
Vivianne, being his parents’ killer, never became an issue to him… Although it should be.
“Just like what he did to your parents, that’s also his plan for Dylan and even for you. I know you have an idea about that too.” Vivianne looked into Beckett’s eyes. “You should be more careful. You promised my mother that you wouldn’t risk your life recklessly.”
Beckett sighed in response. He saw the plea in his wife's eyes, but he couldn't just ignore other people, especially when he had the ability to stop them.
“And that’s the reason why I shouldn’t let the same mistake happen twice, my wife.” Beckett gently pushed Vivianne away from him and tapped on his phone.
Vivianne became desperate. With all her strength, she snatched Beckett’s phone, and it was conveniently distracted by her approaching Beckett's chest. She succeeded in her plan.
However, she almost dropped the phone when she saw Nathan in the call history, and the call had just ended.
“I already called him while we’re talking to each other,” Beckett said in a cold tone. “Nathan is smart. Even if he only heard our conversation, he knows what to do next.”
“You… You tricked me!”
“Well, maybe this time, I did.”
Beckett grinned even more when he saw Nathan calling. He took the phone from Vivianne’s hand before answering it. “Hello, Nate? What happened?”
“Everything’s sorted, boss. We caught the guy planning to kill the kid, and we have him now,” he said before looking at the man beside him wrapped in a black trash bag. “What should we do with this idiot?”
“Let him go.”
Nathan blinked at what he heard. “Boss?”
“Just let him go for now. We’ll get him next time,” Beckett explained, so Nathan breathed a sigh of relief on the other line. “Bring the child to the nearest police station, and make sure the officers who will handle the case are our allies.”
“We’re heading there now,” he replied before signaling to a subordinate to release the unconscious man before tossing him near the river. “I’ll also clean up the case to prevent it from escalating further, as you ordered.”
“Good. I’ll hang up, then.”
The smile didn’t leave Beckett’s lips, but Vivianne’s was the opposite. They were both surprised when they heard Ella’s shout from inside the mansion.