RECKLESS 2
Lawless – Episode 29,30&31
→ Chain•Of•Obsession ←
[Book 2 in The Untamed Duet]
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or reposted in any form, or by any means without a BOLDLY written permission from ME.
Copyright © 2026
Naomi Cindy B.
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★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Ten’s body had barely hit the floor when Eleven talked…
“I’ll dispose off the body,”
“No,” Thiago declined. “Drag him to the core room. I have business with his body when I get back from the reunion.” He ordered.
“Sure, T.” Eleven gave him a tight smile before pulling Ten’s right leg by the calves, using it to drag him out.
Thiago faced the door the moment it closed after Eleven.
His left eye drooped—as if testing the potency of what he just did.
He waited one minute, counting the seconds with his breaths till Eleven arrived at the second minute.
“His body is in the core room like you wanted.” he reported.
And that was when Thiago moved, following his lead out.
—
[RIDE University]
The fun moved from the field an hour ago. It moved around the campus. The old students took a long stroll around, checking out the new infrastructures and taking pictures to make paint new unforgettable pictures in their memories.
Now, the fun has shifted to the school events hall where the Mixer night happened that year.
As the students entered, Stacy’s heartbeats spiked.
She had told herself that she was ready to confront her past, but now she’s not so sure anymore.
Events of the Mixer night flashed clearly in her head, replaying too lucidly she felt like she was reliving that night all-over.
She had to pause somewhere in the hall to take in the memories well. Her friends left her behind.
Her palms balled, and no matter how hard she tried to block out the reformation of that night in her head, it didn’t work.
After all, that was the night she had the best tango dance of her life.
Getting paired with Cove was the first step of that fateful night.
Arriving at the hall without Cove in sight was the heartbreaking part.
Then…the appearance of Jeremy who gave her an hand and saved the night by doing the dance with her…
That was the last part for her, and the most important part.
Her top remarkable moment of the night.
She couldn’t stop the smile that fell on her lips—she didn’t force it to end.
She let it happen, and when she turned her face to the side, she saw Jeremy standing some inches apart from her in the hall.
He’s staring at her with a beautiful, slow boxy smile too.
He’s surely also having flashbacks to that night, and even after their eyes met, his smile didn’t slip off.
Stacy’s smile stayed intact too.
The distance between them wasn’t a barrier. Jeremy could feel her genuine happiness despite it.
Should he count himself lucky that he’s part of her past happy memories and not the bad?
Maybe yes.
He moved forward first, joining Remo’s table.
Stacy joined her friends table.
The hall got busier as ladies and gentlemen dined and wined, chatting over refreshments.
Even as the Chancellor entered to talk to them, they only clapped and hailed him, but after he started talking in the front, they ignored him and chatted away.
“Congratulations on your Vogue contract, Goth Barbie,” Kehlani raised a toast. “We haven’t had the chance to congratulate you properly.”
“Congrats!” They chorused, clinking glasses excitedly.
“Thanks loves,” Stacy grinned, raising a toast too. She wanted to toast for Tania, but Louis was faster.
He grabbed his juice glass and stood powerfully on his chair…
“Congratulations on your first walking day, Aunt Tania. My birthday wishes worked after all.” He said.
“To Tania’s recovery!” They chorused and clinked glasses again.
“Thank y’all!” Tania said emotionally, fighting tears. “Thank y’all for staying with me throughout. I wouldn’t have reached this stage without y’all!”
“You’re cherished,” Trinidad smiled gracefully.
“A lot really happened, it’s hard to catch up.” Trevor said.
“Don’t even start, Trevor.” Stacy smiled. “I’m glad you came back rich, and you came back for your T-girl like you’d always call.”
Trevor laughed heartily, his palm gently caressing Trinidad’s laps under the table.
“Heyy,” Trinidad cautioned.
“You kissed me publicly earlier, and now I can’t caress you under the table?” Trevor said softly. “And in the morning, I wanted quickie, but immediately I entered,you pushed me off and told me to get condom again. Condom for quickie?”
“Trevor, this ain’t the place to talk about this thing,” she looked at his face.
With an hand, Trevor cupped her chin, massaging gently.
“I’m sorry, I was just… frustrated.”
She smiled slightly. “It’s fine. I’ll explain things to you soon.
He nodded, and she rested her head on his chest before they returned to the conversation of the girls.
“And why is no one talking about Stacy’s engagement to Dorian Wesley!” Tasha said.
“Cos we all know it ain’t happening!” Tania laughed. “Stacy would rather bath with cow pee!”
“I’m telling you,” Stacy grinned. “And then his mother said something in my own personal invite that my late father signed the engagement agreement, i wanted to puke!”
“President Kaylee sent you a personal invite to your own engagement?” Trinidad blinked.
Stacy blinked too, and everyone on that table bursted into laughter.
“I just knew not only son was sick. Mother is the boss! How did she become President?” Kehlani said.
“Heard you submitted your profile for the Beauty Pageant.” Trevor commented.
“That’s right.” Stacy proudly responded. “Wait till I win the shit and watch bitçhes fall over each other like their boobs!”
They all bursted into hysterical laughter again, making sure it’s reaching the table behind them which has Roxy and her girls on it.
“Am I the only one who badly wants to strangle Stacy?” Zendaya commented. “Why laughing like a whore and grating on my effing nerves like a slût!” She rolled eyes.
Roxy’s focus stayed on Trinidad. The contempt she’s staring at Trinidad with could actually kill.
“That one only has this daytime to laugh. At nighttime, watch her cry. I can’t believe she actually dared to have a thing with Madame Morano’s precious son.” She said.
“You mean Trinidad?” Zendaya shifted closer. “Are you finally ready to spill whatever it is?”
“I was planning to wait till the most important moment of her life, that’ll be during the last list of the new talents of American footballers, but Madame Morano wants it now. Who am I to say no?” Roxy shrugged. “By tomorrow, she’ll be sobbing.”
“Finally the suspense is gonna be fuckin over!” Zendaya sighed, side-eyeing Louis.
Louis caught her eyes on himself twice already now.
Why is she fuckin staring? There are only a few people he hates at first sight, and this fool topped the list.
Why is she staring again?
Zendaya smiled at him, adjusting on her seat. She brushed her hair with her fingers like one would do when seducing a grown man.
Louis scoffed, drank all of the juice in his glass and threw the glass her way. Zendaya quickly turned, but the glass landed beside her and shattered there completely.
“Louis!” Stacy scolded.
“Just felt like throwing that,” he said, not wanting to invite his mother into this shit. He’d take care of it.
Stacy looked ahead and saw Zendaya isn’t even complaining, so she turned back to her friends.
Elmira suddenly spranged up, grabbing her phone.
She hasn’t been engaging in Roxy and Zendaya’s conversation cos her mind wouldn’t leave the possibility of Dorian betraying her, and now she just can’t take the suspense anymore.
“Need to make a call!” She rushed out.
“What’s up with her?” Roxy muttered.
The table behind them has Remo and Jeremy and the other guys.
Kane and Reid joined them, so it’s a full table now.
“Is anyone gonna tell me why Jeremy is sitting here with us?” Max brought up the topic again.
“Can you just fuckin’….” Scott faced Max. “Shut up?”
“You’ve been attacking me since the start of this reunion,” Max’s jaws grinded. “Has your brain been addled too much by Kane’s sperm?”
Kane stood, losing patience. He swung his blow down to Max’s face, but Scott quickly stood and stopped it by holding him tight in a hug.
He pushed him back.
“No! He’s not worth your fist. Just leave him alone!”
“You were gonna punch me?” Max laughed. “You think this is still like uni when you stabbed us round on the arms? Things changed, motherfucker!” He stood.
At the same time, Frank stood, throwing a punch at his face.
Max slumped back to his chair with a bleeding nose.
“If my hands weren’t wounded, I’d have done that,” Remo patted Frank. “Thanks bro!”
Max got up, wiping his bloody nose with his thumb. He gasped before facing Frank who’s glaring at him.
“You punched me?”
“I thought life after uni reshaped everyone, but it’s baffling how you remained the same,” Reid spoke up. “Still a kid with a lost candy.”
“You fuckin’ parasite!” Max sent after Reid, but he could only get halfway before Kehlani appeared.
She blocked his way and went straight for Reid, pulling him up by his wrist. “I wanna talk to you.”
Reid didn’t decline. He got up, glaring at Max as he followed Kehlani.
Max wanted to follow them, but Jeremy pulled him back.
“With the look of things, Reid is gon’ wound you if you follow them,” he said with a mocking chuckle.
“He’s saying the truth, Max.” Scott laughed at his face.
“How shallow of you to think Kehlani would still look at you…” Kane muttered. “After the shit you pulled on her in uni?”
“You forgot you have a wedding coming with Elmira in January?” Remo smirked.
“Someone needed to remind him.” Frank glared.
Max pushed his c+ktail glass away from the table, spilling on everyone before raising his middle fingers.
“F+k y’all! I’m done with y’all arses!” He cussed, furiously going to another table to settle down alone.
“I promised to give you the video after I finish staging my show for this reunion,” Remo suddenly said.
Jeremy looked at him.
“Well…watch out. The show’s about to fuckin’ start!” Remo grinned.
The twins chose that time to join their table, both holding their cocktail glasses.
“I’m drinking to you for helping me through my exercise stage,” Tania raised her glass to Remo.
“As you can see, my hands are wounded…I can’t pick my glass…” He fumbled, raising his bandaged palms.
“Fine!” Tania shrugged and began walking away as slowly as she came.
“Wait! You don’t give people second chances?” Remo quickly grabbed his glass. He could barely hold it, but he held it anyways.
Tania turned back with a tricky smile, and they clinked glasses before they both chugged their drinks.
“To Tania’s speedy recovery,” Tasha lifted her glass to Frank.
Frank stood, lifting his too.
“To good health!” He beamed, and they crossed their arms by the elbows before they drank.
Kane looked at Scott, and their smiles bloomed with flowery tang.
Jeremy just stayed solo, waiting for when all of these would end.
Outside, Kehlani stopped with Reid when they arrived behind one of the holding pillars. She let go of his arm, and he sighed softly.
“What’s up?”
“What’s up? Seriously?” Kehlani gasped, nodding twice. “We’re friends, aren’t we? But you don’t even smile back when I smile at you!”
“And why the f+k would I smile back at a woman who has a fiance!” He snapped without meaning to, but he calmed down almost immediately. “Look, I’m sorry for shouting, but I’ve just been on edge these days with my investigations and…shit.”
Kehlani didn’t say another word, even after he stared at her for one full minute. She stayed mute.
He sighed and chose to return inside, but he hadn’t done up to three steps before her voice came…
“I lied,”
He stopped, trying to process what he just heard for few seconds before he turned quickly, eyes confused.
“You lied?”
“There’s no fiance, there’s no coming wedding. There’s….nobody….” She explained clearly.
Reid stayed blank for one more second before blinking, then he smirked, chuckling.
“Why would you even lie?”
“Cos I wanted to see you jealous, but you took it too far!” She snapped.
“The gamer got played!” Reid laughed suddenly. “So you’re affected by my smile-free face? Damn, I should do that often in the future! Thanks for the tip?” He laughed again.
Kehlani chuckled at her own silliness, and he widened his arms slowly. “Now, the welcome back hug?”
“Jerk,” she smiled, walking right into his wide arms.
He hugged her tight, and she returned it tighter, inhaling.
“I missed you,” they both said at the same time, coincidentally.
“You don’t have to, I know you did.” Reid grinned.
“Have you always been this arrogant?” She laughed.
He rubbed the top of her head, resting his chin on it.
“This side comes out once a year. Enjoy.” He laughed.
“I hate you,” she pinched him, causing him to jerk.
They stayed in the hug for minutes, catching up in the silence, but when a strange loudness happened inside, they had to return inside quickly.
There’s a video playing in the front LED, featuring Zendaya and Max!
Stacy quickly covered Louis’s eyes.
The player is obvious; Remo.
But he was expression-free as the video played.
Everyone on the hall is on their feet except the guys on that table.
They don’t look shocked.
But the other students on their feet are already dying of laughter.
The fact that Max was trying so hard to get himself into Zendaya, and his dead meat kept slipping off.
The fact that Zendaya tried to use her hand to guide it in. The fact that she sucked multiple times just to make it rise, but it still didn’t rise.
The whole hall bursted into laughter, and there are several phones recording from the LED already.
Zendaya looks like frozen fish on her seat. She’s sweating, but at the same time shivering.
In front of her, Roxy’s eyes are keenly dangerous, and Zendaya couldn’t even look up.
This caught her unprepared.
“Zendaya?” Roxy called.
Tentatively, Zendaya raised her head, but she was immediately dazed in the face. Roxy’s palm kissed her face so hard she fell from that chair.
That was only just the start, cos Roxy pounced on her on that ground and began pounding her.
The hall never remained the same. Some are hyping Roxy, some are mocking Zendaya, some are adjusting to clearer angles for their videos.
Elmira barged inside.
She had been outside, trying Dorian’s line, but it had stayed dead, so that angler is bubbling in her, coupled with the playing video…
She didn’t go for Zendaya since Roxy is already dealing with her. She went straight for Max himself.
Her heels was what she took off, and the moment she began slapping him with the two and calling him names, Max retaliated.
His hands touched her too. They were taking turns to slap each other and punch faces.
The fight was brutal.
And Zendaya? She’s still not able to fight back on the ground.
Roxy is still plowing her, punches and slaps she won’t forget easily.
Jeremy just pretended not to see Elmira. He turned his back on her and continued drinking his cocktail.
“Now, this is what I signed up for.” Remo grinned eventually. “There’s no RIDE Wild Set without chaos! I knew I was gonna enjoy this!”
He pushed the flashdrive into Jeremy’s palm, smiling.
“Have fun displaying the next show. But in the future, if I fail to get myself a wife cos of it, I’mma kill you.”
Jeremy smiled. “Thank you, Remo.”
“This is the show you were talking about?” Kane said.
“Isn’t it worth it?” Remo winked.
“Bro, i can’t with you,” Scott laughed.
“We planned it together, actually…” Frank proudly said.
“This is so messy,” Kehlani said beside Reid at the door.
“I know, right? But entertaining.” Reid shrugged.
“I just knew this shit was gonna scatter, and here’s it!” Stacy said.
“Zendaya Scatterer should be her name!” Tasha said.
“To think I once put someone in coma cos of this bi+ch!” Tania said.
“She deserves everything she’ll be getting from now on.” Trinidad said.
“Wild, never knew the reunion would be this wild.” Trevor muttered.
Zendaya was able to stand eventually, and she ran out of the hall without her shoes, but Roxy followed her.
Max pushed Elmira to a glass table, and she slumped beneath it, passing out flatly while bleeding.
The hall went loud again.
At the far back of the hall where there’s a silver rail, Thiago stood silently with Eleven.
They’ve been here since thirty minutes ago, watching everything without mingling.
And Thiago saw when Remo gave Jeremy the flashdrive.
“It’s time,” he groaned.
“I get it,” Eleven nodded, leaving the hall first.
Jeremy strolled to the girls table too, calling Stacy aside.
Reluctantly, Stacy followed.
“I promise it’s nothing personal. Just that….I got Kaylee’s video from Remo, and all the family of Dorian’s dead victims are currently in this city. I gathered them through Kazuma’s help.” He said.
Her eyes widened.
“Reid got the video of Kaylee and Zendaya’s collaboration with Mr. Brown in jail too!” She said. “Also, I have a video of Anita from her room camera in my mansion. It captured when she pressed YES and agreed to work with them, and how she was gathering info about the easiest target point at the event.”
Reid joined them.
“Shall we face Kaylee and her son plus Mr. Brown and his daughter first?” He said straight.
“Immediately,” Jeremy nodded.
“Let’s storm the internet at once.” Stacy added.
—
[5PM, Expressway]
Cars were passing accordingly, and bikes were zooming on their designated lanes too.
Pedestrians strolled peacefully, and snowflakes was sieving from the evening sky when the peace of the road suddenly got disrupted.
A truck drove past too rough, crossing the bike lane to the car lane. The booth opened in the process, and a faceless body rolled out.
Before the people could digest what just happened, the truck drove off, taking the peace of the road with it.
People dashed out of their cars, down their bikes, and reversed their strolls just to see what it was, and the moment they fed their eyes, their screams clashed on that road.
A body with a brusquely burnt face, but his tattoos made people recognize who it was fast.
• Dorian Wesley?
• It’s Dorian Wesley!
• Dorian? What the fûck!
Three police cars slid out of the intersection, and they began chasing after the truck.
—
[Washington DC, White House – Oval Office]
Kaylee was already getting preparations in place for her early clocking out today as she has been constantly tired these days from the engagement plans.
She needs rest.
At this point, it seems she’s the one getting engaged instead of her son. Dorian will never not stress her.
Why would he even OD at this point?
She picked up her telephone, dialling Angela’s line to ask about him, but surprisingly, it doesn’t exist.
What’s going on?
Angela’s line doesn’t exist?
She spranged up suspiciously from her chair, dialling again.
“C’mon Angela, pick!!” She screamed, but it was all wishful order.
It still doesn’t exist.
She dialled the head of the guards, but he’s not picking too!
The crew members aren’t picking too!
Her BP rose fast, and her secretary ran inside, crying.
“Madam President! Something’s gone wrong. Terribly wrong!”
Kaylee’s head snapped up. “What are you talking about?!”
The woman didn’t answer.
She grabbed the remote with trembling hands and turned on the television.
Every major network was broadcasting the same thing.
Breaking news banners screamed across the screen.
The footage rolled without mercy with clips of…
Kaylee. Remo.
Six years ago!
Then…
A prison visitation room clip where Kaylee sat across from Mr. Brown, their conversation is muted but subtitled enough to ruin them both.
They’re both saying one thing…..
“Albert must die.”
In another clip, there’s Anita, nodding as she clicked YES on the agreement to help kill Albert.
Another clip captured Zendaya’s involvement, exposed in fragments.
The screen rolled.
A body was dumped on an expressway in Los Angeles less than fifteen minutes ago.
It’s covered, but not enough.
The face is burnt and barely recognizable.
Dorian.
“Wait…” Kaylee whispered, shaking her head rapidly, as if she could physically reject what she was seeing.
“No… no, this…this isn’t verified. This isn’t…..”
Then, came another interruption from the news. This time, it’s a live footage of crowds flooding the streets of Los Angeles.
They’re families of Dorian’s victims. Crying, screaming, holding photographs.
Accusations spread like wildfire. New evidences, testimonies, names.
Kaylee staggered back into her chair, slamming her palms against the desk. “No… it can’t happen this fast. This doesn’t leak like this. Not all at once. This is coordinated. This is….” Her voice cracked. “How is Dorian dead? How could my son….”
“Madam President,” her secretary cut in, voice urgent, “We need to move. Now. Federal agents are on their way.”
Kaylee looked up.
For the first time, fear broke through her composure. Sweat beaded along her temple and slid down her neck.
Her breathing turned shallow.
“No,” she muttered. “No, I control this. I control…”
And the doors burst open.
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation filed in, flanked by uniformed officers. Their weapons were lowered but ready. Their eyes sharp.
Kaylee straightened, chin lifting as if the weight of the Presidency could still shield her.
“I assume this is some kind of mistake,” she said coolly. “I’m willing to address this through proper legal channels. This is defamation, and it will be handled as such.”
An agent stepped forward,
“Madam President Kaylee Wesley, you are being placed under federal arrest.”
Kaylee’s smile sharpened. “On what grounds?”
“Multiple federal charges,” he continued. “Including conspiracy to commit murder, obstruction of justice, abuse of power, involvement in the exploitation of a minor, and accessory to multiple counts of homicide.”
Kaylee’s expression stayed unbroken, but her fingers tightened against the desk.
“My son is not dead,” she said flatly. “And whatever body you believe you’ve found…”
“You’ll have the opportunity to respond to all charges in court,” the agent cut in. “At this time, you are required to come with us.”
Silence stretched in the office.
Kaylee exhaled slowly, then she stood. “I am the President of the United States,” she said, each word firm. “You don’t get to do this without consequences.”
The agent met her gaze. “That’s no longer your protection. Madam President, turn around.”
Kaylee’s mind broke.
—
[Los Angeles, JeMira Haircare]
A new relaxer product was set to launch tommorow, and the final conference before its debut had just wrapped up.
As Anita stepped out of the meeting hall alongside her executives, she halted abruptly.
Police officers lined the entrance of the hall.
Not just police, there are federal agents too.
They had been waiting.
Her brows knit together, irritation flashing across her face. “What’s going on?”
An officer stepped forward. “Anita Baker, you’re under arrest for murder, aiding and abetting murder, and bribery.”
“What the…” Her words caught in her throat, her arms falling limply to her sides as disbelief washed over her.
“The video is everywhere, ma’am,” her secretary murmured behind her.
Anita’s head snapped toward her. “What video? What are you talking about?” Panic surged in her expression. “Do you even know who I am? This is Anita speaking!”
But her status meant nothing now. Cold metal of the handcuffs snapped around her wrists.
“I did nothing wrong! Nothing!” she shouted, struggling against their grip as they began to lead her away.
“Nothing at all!”
The doors burst open to chaos.
Outside, there’s a swarm of reporters and onlookers.
Cameras flashed wildly, voices overlapped in a frenzy. Microphones were thrust toward her, capturing every second of her downfall.
Part of the civilians were Matteo and Jeremy himself.
When Anita saw them, she went rigid, and her struggles ended.
Then…she became conscious of the cameras, of the reporters asking questions like…
“Mr. Albert Montana was really nice to you. Why did you go that far!”
Her chest hammered.
This is becoming too real. How did it get this worse in a short period of time?
She was tucked into the police car, and Jeremy sighed in the middle of the crowd.
He’s wearing a cap to cover his face.
Same with Matteo.
“Is it weird that I feel guilty? If I didn’t abandon her, she wouldn’t go astray.” Matteo said.
“Suffering would sometimes bring out true colours of people,” Jeremy shrugged. “She turned bad voluntarily, not because of circumstances.”
“What about Lynn’s death and the impersonation? How are we gonna get that off your head?” Matteo asked.
“Dorian is dead now, my only hope is Angela.” Jeremy said.
“And she’ll testify for you at the expense of her freedom?” Matteo said unbelievably.
“People change, dad.” Jeremy retorted.
“Shall we go see Elmira at the hospital?” Matteo asked.
“I’m not going to see Elmira, dad.” Jeremy declined straight up, and his phone rang with Remo’s call instantly.
He picked.
“Thank you! Thank you Jeremy! I wanted drama and you delivered! Look how you shook the whole nation with evidences here and there! Victims protesting, President got arrested, Mr. Brown got arrested, even your own mother! You’re the shit! I love you!” Remo screamed.
Jeremy cut the call. “He’s always so loud.”
And his phone buzzed out again.
Thinking it’s Remo, he wanted to swipe red, but it’s Reid, so he picked.
“Well-done, Jeremy Wolfe,” Reid laughed. “Within how many minutes? You set the country on fire. Are you with the cops yet? Cos you know you need to give your own statement too. You’re the most important living person at the moment.”
“No, I’m still out, but they’ll soon come for me.” Jeremy said.
“Cool, then is your Kazuma guards still around Stacy? I think Shelby and Mio are around, and she’s going to meet them.” Reid said.
Jeremy nodded. “Rest assured. She’ll be protected everytime.”
—
[Brown Oil and Gas]
The arrest reached this place, too. Not as chaotic as the others cos Mr. Brown has once been arrested for Stacy’s kidnap anyways, so it’s not as shocking as Anita’s and Kaylee’s.
He’s a known bastard.
As he was led out of his company, he tried hard to maintain his stance, but he couldn’t not stagger with the hard, unyielding push that kept coming from the cops behind him.
Feels like someone has been planning this for years, and that’s why it crashed on him this fast without warning or mercy.
He knew US cops were active, but their super activeness on this case is too suspicious he couldn’t blink.
He didn’t say a word, he could only grunt as he was pushed again.
From the crowd, Zendaya was watching her father, wearing a soft woolen hat and nose mask.
She’s covered, but the little part of her face that’s open is full of bruises from Roxy’s beating.
She was shaking as she watched her dad getting pushed into the car.
Now she’s next, cos the evidences of Albert’s murder included her part too. She has to hide.
As deep as she can.
—
[Trinidad’s Mansion]
As promised, Trinidad had meant to tell Trevor everything after the reunion, and they came back home together cos of it.
But the moment they stepped back into the house, dread settled in her chest like a weight she couldn’t lift.
The words she had rehearsed all day suddenly refused to come out.
Even as Trevor held her hands warmly, she only stared back at him, swallowing hard over and over again.
His touch, instead of calming her, made her tremble more.
She wasn’t ready.
Not yet.
She needed more time… more time to decide how to say it.
“Can I get ice cream?” she asked at last, her voice thin, almost fragile.
Trevor studied her for a moment. “And you won’t run away again?”
She shook her head quickly. “I jus…t need it to calm down.”
He exhaled softly, then nodded. “Alright. Ten minutes. I’ll drive to the shop and will be back in a jiffy.”
He leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to her forehead before letting go.
She nodded faintly as he walked out, the sound of his footsteps fading.
Only then did she wipe at the tears gathering at her eyes.
Because she’s aware that Trevor would never look at her the same way after he finds out.
Never.
Outside the house, Madame Morano sat in her car, parked at a careful distance from the mansion.
Tonight, her expression is different. She’s on a call with Roxy.
“Are you ready to post?” she asked calmly. “Let’s add to the chaos already unfolding in this country.”
“Wait for it,” Roxy replied.
And Madame Morano smiled unsettlingly, keeping her eyes fixed on the house.
—
[8PM]
Stacy cut her car engines as she pulled up in front of the address Shelby had sent.
When Shelby sent it twenty minutes ago, she didn’t question it.
She just typed it into her navigation and followed the directions here.
It’s a modest but luxurious house, framed by a tall black gate that made the entire place feel more like a cage than a home.
Very Shelby.
Controlled and calculated.
Still, she didn’t care.
She has only one objective tonight, and it’s to find Shelby’s camera rifle and take it.
It sounds ridiculous, but she has her own reasons, her own plan.
And right now, all she could afford to hope for was that it shouldn’t fall apart for her.
She pressed her earpiece firmly into place in her ears and exhaled once, then she drove forward.
The gate slid open just long enough for her car to pass through.
Immediately she drove in, it closed behind her.
—
[Thiago’s Castle]
There’s a can of acid sitting pretty on top of a shelf in the core room.
Thiago stood in front of it, like a giant staring hollowly.
He looks more sinister.
More insane.
Because…
The time is finally near…
Too near.
He could feel it.
When Kaylee poured the cash on him under Bonita tree six years ago and called him poor, she must have thought he forgot,
Nut how would he?
He bought acid with the dollar bills and kept it for Kaylee.
Now that she’s with the police, it’s the best moment to ruin her face with this just the way Trinidad ruined her jerky son’s face with fire.
His phone rang out, and he pulled it out of his pocket with.
It’s Kazuma.
“Yes?” He picked.
“Your half-sister is in the city, and she came with another person except Mio. My men reported that didn’t see the face, but it’s a male.”
“Probably one of her sick games in human form. I’ll eventually see the face. I can’t fuckin wait to see what she got.” Thiago replied casually.
“And Stacy went there. She entered the gate not long ago.” Kazuma said.
A brief pause followed before Thiago talked again.
“She probably invited her to use against me,” Thiago scoffed. “And Stacy wants something from her, obviously, so let them meet, but keep her protected… please.” Thiago said.
Kazuma ended the call, and Thiago looked at the floor with a glance.
Ten is still laying there, motionless as if he’s really dead.
“Play over, fucker. Get up.” He muttered, and Ten instantly got up, folding up his shirt.
He wore a bulletproof vest, actually—a vest injected with animal blood.
“Thanks for trusting me, T.” He smiled widely.
“You’re the same person who risked your life to keep the child alive by diluting the syrup. How could you have betrayed me?” Thiago sighed.
He turned on one of the wall screens connected to Eleven’s phone, displaying all deleted call logs from Shelby to Eleven since they landed in LA some days ago.
For the six years they spent in the middle of the sea in Australia, Thiago didn’t allow phones on either of them, so Eleven couldn’t communicate with Shelby.
So he could only communicate after they came back last week.
But when he gave Shelby the fake flashdrive few days ago, Eleven had the chance to tell her, so why didn’t he?
Why did he keep that part to himself?
“That’s one more thing we need to find out about him, then.” Ten said.
“I pretended to kill him in front of you to make him think you’re gone, and to make him think I trust only him. Now if he sees you alive again suddenly, he’d be shaken and shocked. He can’t escape it, he’s gon’ slip. Shocked people are the easiest to mess with.” Thiago replied.
And that was when Eleven barged inside…
“T! The country is currently on fi—”
His words seized, and he choked.
Then, he began coughing at the sight of Ten. His eyes widened.
Ten just smiled.
Thiago’s phone rang out again.
Ten passed him the phone, and he picked the unknown line slowly.
He brought the phone to his ear, and a familiar, heavy voice hit the speakers….
“Hello, little bastard Thiago.”
Thiago’s Adam’s apple bobbed, sliding up and down his throat silently.
His brows came together, and his eyes widened…
“Father?”
—
[Ice Cream shop]
The line was too long when Trevor arrived because the ice cream here is too good.
But Trevor waited though.
There were twenty people before him, and they were all attended to before the line fell on him.
He bought two cos he wanted to eat with Trinidad, but he later decided to get just one so they’d eat together in one container.
Or…she could eat in his mouth.
That wouldn’t be bad.
He smiled at the romantic thought, but the thought of what she’s so scared to tell him made his smile thin.
What could it be?
He payed for the ice cream and was exiting when he received different notifications on his phone at once.
The phone dinged non-stop.
Dingdong.
At first, he thought it’s the ongoing chaos in the country which has been keeping everyone on their toes, but when he saw people checking their phones and gasping inside the shop, he knew it was fresh news.
He lifted his phone and went online.
The fresh news slapped him in the face without mercy.
Right on his phone screen, it sat diabolically…
• Trinidad Brooke, the only daughter of the rich, popular Investor Brooke, has been living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) since she was 14.
The ice cream package fell from Trevor, and the cold cream spilled on his jean trousers.
TBC.
