Sweet Sin – Chapter 81,82,83&84

→SWEET SĪN←

Sweet Sin – Chapter 81,82,83&84
→ Corrupt•Me, Father ←
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All rights reserved.

This is a strictly signed book❗No part of this publication may be copied or reposted without a prior written permission from ME.

Copyright © 2026
By Naomi Cindy B.

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★

The room felt like a vapor of volcano was dripping from a part of the ceilings, and a downpour of cold calm water from another part.

Seraphina felt both, and her mind buttons malfunctioned.

She felt sick.

She wants to press herself back and not feel a thing from the question she just heard, but she also badly wants to believe it meant something.

But it’s not easy pulling herself back. After all, it’s the first time a man asked her how her night went.

It’s the first time a man brought her breakfast in bed.

It’s the first time a man allowed her on his bed.

She’s on his laps, lips an inch apart, their noses brushing everytime.

He’s even smiling softly, but she knows better. She choose the fiery volcano part to believe. She choose to believe this is all fake and unreal.

Vince broke her once.

Dean broke her twice.

This man in front of her won’t be allowed to do that the third time.

She pushed herself up from his laps, and he let her go without trying to hold her down forcefully.

She stepped away from him and slowly brushed her hair back, avoiding eye contact.

“If you have anything to say to me, say it and be plain. Don’t sugarcoat things and try to make me feel better by fakery. I’m…fine, and I don’t need your pity.” She muttered.

A little, undetected breach made Tobias’s eyes shift for a second, but he slipped back his blankness immediately. He stopped smiling.

He picked the food tray from the bed, then he stood and let it go.

The tray landed hard on the floor, letting away all of it’s contents.

The fruits, tea, bread and whatnot. They spilled away. Some of the tea spilled on her pyjamas.

The congratulatory message disappeared from the LED door too.

He went for the exit.

“Someone will bring you a new food tray that’s not fake.” He coldly said before stepping away.

He slammed the door.

Seraphina sat back in bed, staring at the mess of food on the floor.

She looked at her stained pyjamas and raised her legs to bed, wrapping her arms around her knees.

She sat there for nearly an hour, unmoved till she noticed that robotic hand stretching from the wall again.

She stood, jumped over the food mess and went to the wall.

“You need something? Press the button!” The hand voice spoke.

Seraphina pressed one of the buttons beside it, and a bottle of whiskey rolled into that hand.

It’s a wall cellar.

She took the wine, opened it with a pop and began drinking.

She ended her night with one bottle of wine last night, she might as well open her day with another bottle.

She stayed by that wall as she drank like a drunkard, and when she turned, she noticed a metal cigar box on the bed drawer. His cigar box.

She went for it, picked one, and fired it up using the metal box itself.

She had a long drag and pushed the smokes down with whiskey.

She looked at the wasted food on the floor again, took another drag, imagining his back view when he was going out angrily earlier.

She drank again, and her phone buzzed in bed.

She was drinking as she went for the phone, picking it up.

It’s a text.

She flipped it open…

• I missed you, little angel.

Little Angel.

That was what he called her. That was what Vince called her.

She dropped the phone and puffed on the cigarette again, shoving her fingers into her hair.

Surprisingly, she got an idea for her next crocheting project.

She got the idea like a raging storm, and she immediately looked for a paper in his room, but she found none. This room is way too organized that it felt impossible to find such.

Even a pen is nowhere.

She went to the wall again, pressing another button.

“I need a pen, and a sketchbook.” She muttered as if testing it.

Two minutes later, she heard soft sounds by the door.

She went for it and saw Grimm right there, knocking with it’s paws.

The dog held a sketchbook and a pen between it’s teeth.

She took the items and wanted to stroke it’s head, but the dog left before she could.

She returned inside and quickly sent a text to Allison.

Seraphina: I’m fine, don’t start worrying again. Whenever you’re less busy next week, we’ll throw my success party together.

After sending, she began sketching the idea she got.

Alone in the room, she worked fast, sketching, smoking, drinking.

—

[Wrath Investments Empire]

Estelle felt things were going too well for the first few minutes.

She entered the company easily cos the hack handlers of Odium got her back. They were hacking the tech doors for her easy entry.

When she got to the threshold, the lights were hacked off, throwing the whole company into darkness.

Estelle marched forward, careful under the dark, face cap low.

She started with the first workstation system. She plugged it on, and her backers hacked into it.

She entered the system.

From her phone, she transferred the laundering documents to the system.

Everything went easy and cool till she got to the tenth system.

The HR is really large, so she still has so many systems to go.

But immediately she opened the eleventh one, the Empire lights came on brightly. Every bulb cast a blinding glow on her.

Her head to shoot up.

“F+k!” She cussed, heart jumping off her chest. “No no…it’s not supposed to come on till I’m done!”

She pocketed her phone quickly and left that workstation, running to the middle where the door is at.

A man in white suit and split bangs hair sat there, holding a white walking cane too, and a white hat.

She froze, cos the man isn’t alone.

He’s with fully clothed guys who despite their well covered bodies looked dangerous and hefty.

Five of them stood behind him like his protectors.

Though, he looks intimidating enough to not need protection.

Estelle’s heart flew again.

The man in white jammed his palm together, clapping loudly with a second intervals between each clap.

“You’re one interesting rat, Estelle?” He mentioned. “Yeah, it’s Estelle. You’re the one they picked from the church, and you could have been a good rat if I hadn’t caught you. Basically, my existence is your curse.” He laughed shortly, sighing.

Estelle shifted back.

“Who’re you?” She swallowed.

“You don’t know me?” He stood, using his walking cane. His left leg looks slightly unbalanced. “Well that’s bad, cos Vince St. Graves rings powerful bells across countries.”

“St….” Estelle’s face drained of all color. “St. Graves?”

“I love the way that surname rings doom, too bad I have few undeserving people bearing it with me, but not to worry, they’ll soon become dust, and I’ll claim my throne and my woman as appropriately as I should.” Vince continued.

Estelle saw the five guys moving slightly away from the door, and she took the opportunity to run, but her luck ran out before she could reach the opening. A leg kicked her tummy, sending her flying back into the HR.

She crashed into a workstation, falling the system and keyboard and entangling the wires.

One of the wires peeled, and the naked cable touched her.

She trembled with the electric currents as shocks shot through her, but someone turned off the company lights again, saving her.

The five hefty men moved in the dark, sensing additional people in the room, and it’s indeed true.

Other people have entered.

Other people that entered with swarm of butterflies behind them, filling the HR with wings.

“Odds?” Vince muttered.

Estelle was pulled up by one of them, and she was pushed aside to a wall where she can rest.

In the dark, the rest of the Odds moved in synchronized harmony, shoving themselves to the faces of the five hefty men of Vince.

The HR became their fighting field, and the darkness their fuel.

Systems crashed, wires shredded, bodies flew from the south wall to the west side, right to left.

Punches landed like thunderclap, and kicks replicated. Different dangerous weapons flashed in the dark, blades and chains kissing.

By the time the lights came back on, the HR was already bloody. No body is down yet, but everyone is obviously wounded, and the faces of the Odds finally came to view.

Yalda and Migos led the other three behind them.

“Oh, I see…” Vince’s voice floated. “It’s Tobias’s best men. How does it feel working for the bastard who’ll soon die by my hands?”

Migos’s hotheaded nature caught up. Hearing someone call Tobias a bastard made him mad.

He jumped to Vince’s side, tackling him with brute force, but Vince wasn’t like the others he had tackled.

He swirled dangerously and threw Vince a side punch.

Vince’s head tipped back, slowly, and he watched the punch flying past him before he raised his walking cane.

He brought the metal down on Migos’s throat, but before it could land, Migos tipped back too.

That was just Vince’s coverup move cos immediately Migos tipped back, Vince threw his own punch at Migos’s chest, hard and gritty.

Migos staggered back, crashing against the wall.

Vince sighed.

“Your First Man didn’t tell you he wasn’t the only one who entered several fighting undergrounds as a youngster?” He muttered. “I entered everywhere Tobias entered, fought everywhere he fought, but maybe he didn’t know, cos he thought he had an upper hand when he slammed the nail in my knee back then.”

He looked down at his walking cane and let out another sigh.

Migos still stood by that wall, watching him.

Estelle is still by the second wall, resting and getting over the shock.

Yalda and the other Odds are still at the center with Vince’s men, thrashing each other so bad.

Yalda lifted up one of the men and threw him away like tissue roll, but she got kicked in the backbone as retaliation. She retaliated too by twisting back on her heels.

She sat on a table and lifted a wire with the heel, wrapped it around a neck and pulled hard from the back with her teeth and hand.

“Rose once said you loved talking too much, Vincent the one-legged man. You didn’t change.” Migos chuckled.

Hearing the one-legged part, Vince raised his cane to fling, but the lights went off again.

Darkness reclaimed the walls.

By the time the lights came back on in a minute, the Odds were gone, and Vince’s men are all still complete except for the one whose neck was wired by Yalda. He’s on the floor, caressing his neck slowly.

Vince stayed calm, and instantly, police sirens filled the premises from the ground floor to here.

“Clear whatever they planted on the systems and let’s get out before the fucking cops get here.” Vince said.

His men began opening the systems one by one.

—

[Wedding Hall]

“Why would you be here in my brother’s wedding, Tino. You hated being anywhere around my brothers last I checked.” Saint said.

Now he’s holding a glass of wine, and Tino held the same. Both stood not far from the wedding cake.

Tino faced him.

“I hate being around your other brother, not Dean.”

“And I thought we were in a ignoring competition,” Saint added. “You grew tired already? Well that’s disappointing, cos I was only just starting to enjoy it.”

“Saint—”

“No, Tino. Don’t do that. Don’t act like I did anything wrong cos I know I did nothing wrong, to you.”

“You took Bexley!” Tino spat.

“And how is me taking Bexley a problem to your arse, Tino!” Saint shouted a bit.

“Because…..” Tino drawled.

“Because?” Saint leaned in.

“You really need to open your eyes, look around and see people who really care about you instead of running around girls who don’t give a f+k.” Tino talked in riddles.

“You know I hate riddles, so make it fuckin clear!” Saint demanded. “Who are the people around me?”

“People like me, f+k!” Tino shouted. “Me, Saint. Me!”

Saint made faces. “Of course you care about me. You’re my best friend.”

Tino’s arms dropped disappointedly.

“I hate how clueless you are, idiot.” He muttered and stepped away as fast as he came.

“Valentino!” Saint went after him.

He barely went a notch before his phone rang, stopping him.

“Bexley?” He picked with a frown.

“Heyy,” she breathed, and it sounded really really painful.

“You good?” He asked, worried.

“I was advised to stay home till the wounds would heal completely, but I didn’t listen. Now, they’ve reopened, and they’re watering.” She said.

Saint looked around the hall, seeing the bride and groom already exchanged their kisses and ring.

“I’ll be there, in ten minutes.” He promised. “Wait, in twenty minutes…I have somewhere I need to go. You’ll have to be strong for twenty minutes.”

“Sure,” Bexley hung up.

Saint texted Dean his congratulations on phone, then he left the wedding.

Secretly, Tino followed him.

The hall erupted with cheers from the wealthy guests as the couple exchanged their second kiss, and Kelly cried for joy.

She shed real tears as she turned around and flashed her big rock on the faces of everyone.

“I’m married!” She shouted.

Her friends cheered her on with their over-loud claps which lasted for unnecessary minutes.

“Finally, Dean….” She faced Dean. “Finally you’re mine, Dean St. Graves. Not in a fake marriage with that Frump, not trying to use her for lust ritual and not living in the same space with her anymore. I’m finally your rightful wife.”

“I love you, Mrs. Kelly St. Graves.” Dean held her waist.

“I love you, hubby.” She rested her head on his chest.

He placed a kiss on top of her head.

Another eruption of cheers occurred, impregnating the hall, and the congratulations began coming in.

Dean noticed the unfriendly glare on the faces of all Valhalla member as they congratulated him with handshakes, but he just returned the gesture and glared right back.

The last part of his plan is done. Now he’s entering the club for one some reason, and he’s going to fulfill it.

“Congratulations on your wedding, Dean.” Genevieve appeared with Marley, faces sour.

“Didn’t be prickly, Marley,” Dean smiled. “The giant hotel will soon be over, and I’ll cut all connections with your family. The only connection between us would be the Club. I heard you’re taking over the district soon, so you’re gonna chase away all the homeless people on the land?”

Marley extended an hand to Dean’s shoulder, gripping him before meeting his eyes.

“I can’t wait to finish the hotel too, and about the district I’m buying, you’ll hear about it….soon…” Marley meaningfully smiled.

Kelly quickly pushed his hand away from Dean’s shoulder.

“Get away from him, Marley.” She warned protectively.

“You look interesting in that wedding dress, Kelly.” Genevieve stepped in too. “For someone who took orders to marry Seraphina, I wonder when he’ll receive another order to marry someone else. Maybe you’ll get dumped for real by then, so enjoy the wedding while it lasts.”

“You’re just a jealous f+ker, Genevieve.” Kelly sneered. “Heard Marley didn’t marry you with a wedding. You both just went to court and signed marriage papers then began living as a family, you never got to wear a wedding dress, so I understand your pain!”

“You’re bold,” Marley laughed evilly under his glasses.

“Of course I am!” Kelly snarled. “Now as the First Lady of WEI, watch how I tear y’all down!”

“Have a good time working on that, new bride.” Genevieve chuckled as she walked away with Marley.

Xero appeared next.

“Congratulations, Dean.” He said dryly, no smile.

“Thanks,” Dean casually nodded.

And Xero left the hall like an unimportant guest. Serpents in the surroundings followed him out.

Dean’s eyes followed him out with great hate in his stare.

“Who’s that?” Kelly asked.

“No one important.” Dean told her.

Jude and the Odds marched forward, rolling the box to a stop.

“Now, what the hell are the lackeys of my bastard twin brother doing here?” Dean queried with a snarl.

“Firstie didn’t want you to have an uneventful wedding, so he sent something memorable,” Jude tapped the box twice, throwing Dean a smirk before leaving the hall.

“Why the hell would he send a gift?” Kelly flared. “Who even needs his gift? We should throw it off!”

Dean tore the tape on top of the box, going against Kelly’s words.

He flipped the box open.

Inside, sat the bicycle Dean stole from Tobias at age 9.

Rusty. Old. Patched.

On it’s body, “Have a Horrible Marriage, Dean.” Was written.

Then on it’s tires, there’s another note…”When you attain fatherhood, I’mma choke your kids with bicycle supplies. Who knows? They might get obsessed with bicycles like their thieving father. Wait…can you even reproduce? I doubt that.”

Dean squeezed the note, tossed it off, and kicked the box away.

“Hubby!” Kelly held him fast, aiming to calm him, but the arrival of Dean’s manager interrupted them.

“Boss!” He panted, sweating. “The Empire…. it’s…”

“It what?” Dean and Kelly echoed.

“It got bursted.” The Manager announced breathlessly.

—

Outside the hall, Kimmy sat in her car, nails in her mouth, shaking as she tried Vince’s line again.

It kept disconnecting her, but she kept retrying like a desperate nutjob till he allowed connection.

“Vince!” She gasped.

“Let’s meet up.” He croaked.

Kimmy’s mind calmed.

“When? Where?”

—

[Kiss Fashion Clan]

Dora stood by the window of her office, right hand pocketed and left hand cradling her phone to her ear as she spoke to her hitmen.

“Get me Bexley’s home address. I finally came to a conclusion, and I need her home address before dusk.”

“Done, Miss.” Instant assurance came from the other end.

From the door, struggling sounds drowned the entire building.

Dora ended the call and moved away from the window, quickening her steps as she marched to the door.

Before she could open the door, it was thrown open.

Saint stood by the door, and her hallway guards are all on the floor, wounded and groaning.

Saint held a golf stick, stained with blood of the guards who look like they’ve been beaten to a pulp.

“Saint?” Dora murmured with wide, unbelieving eyes, but it ended in a more chaotic event.

Saint ran inside, came raging for her, and swung the golf stick at her face, smashing her jaws into the tongue and knocking out a teeth.

He swung it at her stomach too, and her back, and two arms, and the legs, then her neck and elbows and knees.

Each hit brought Dora closer and closer to passing out, and each one took blood from her body as she spat them out or bled them out.

By the time the stick hit her in the face again, she crashed to her knees, but even those knees are painful cos she received hits there too.

She crumbled to her face.

With berated breaths, Saint pulled his phone and showed her the screen as she lay powerless on the floor.

On the phone, there’s a video of Dora entering his apartment to sniff out his boxers last night, captured by his hidden cameras.

He hated cameras, but he had to install some for this reason.

“You didn’t only wound Bexley like an animal, but you were also stalking my place?” He voiced, mad. “If you want c+k so bad, visit the rehab and go f+k your mates, bitch, I’m not for you. Yeah I enjoyed toying with you and watching you obsess over me, but now it’s over. Stay off me, and get the hell away from Bexley!”

He kicked her bloody face on that floor, but she couldn’t even move as she went unconscious.

He left the office and walked out of the clan with the bloody golf stick.

He hopped in his car, raving as he drove off the property.

Tino’s car sat on that clan road too, but he didn’t follow Saint this time.

He only watched him drive away while thick obsession made his eyes look predatory and lustful.

Thankfully, he saw the cameras in Saint’s place after Dora left last night, and he deleted his own footage.

“He’s fighting for Bexley now?” He adjusted on his seat, resting back. “That’s not what I wanna see.”

His phone rang with his mother’s call, but he didn’t pick.

He has been avoiding Mrs. Hallows and her calls since Xero came to visit him, and he won’t stop avoiding her anytime soon.

—

Saint swung by a illegal alley pharmacy and got a trauma kit and drugs. Bexley mentioned she was never going to the hospital.

He took the bought items to her house and met the door open. She’s on the floor of her living room, writhing with pains, half-naked.

She wore her underwear only. Clothes are all-over the floor, and truly, the wounds are bleeding water.

“I hate being a damn doctor, but what can I do? You called, and I don’t ignore my people.” He sighed.

“Punk…” Bexley talked weakly, voice sounding hoarse like she had cried before he arrived.

He sat with her on that floor, gave her a dose of painkillers and placed her head on a pillow for comfortability.

Then, he opened the box and began loading injections.

—

[An Aquarium]

Acosta and Peach have been here for thirty minutes now.

While Peach took tours around the glasses and checked the fish species eagarly, Acosta sat at a column, awaiting somebody.

He looked impatient, it shows in the way he kept checking the time.

Like five times in a minute.

His excitement bubbled when he saw who he was expecting.

Allison showed up with a radiant smile, and he dropped his phone.

“You were about to call me?” She sat in front of him, dropping her bag.

“Yeah,” he nodded.

“You’re always impatient, Acosta Simpson.” She teased.

“No, I’m only impatient around you…” He rephrased.

“Ok…” She leaned back, touching her chest. “That got me.”

Acosta chuckled, staring at her new hair color. She dyed it burgundy.

“It’s gorgeous, your new hair color and the curls.” He complimented.

“Your wife would skin me alive if she heard that, Acosta.” She shadowed her eyes, bringing out documents from her bag.

“Allison, can you… please stop mentioning her whenever we’re together?” He seriously said.

Allison stilled.

“I want to forget my worries whenever we’re together, and mentioning her is just giving me a flashback of it.” He added.

“Fine!” She agreed, opening the documents and sliding it to him.

He read it all attentively in a few minutes and nodded.

He took his pen and signed.

“Work can start on the land next weekend. I’ll get everything ready before then, trust me.”

“Yes!” Allison gushed. “I can’t wait to see Phina’s building construction.”

“Can we keep this private?” Acosta said. “If the Redds find out I’m in charge of managing Seraphina’s building construction, things might go really ugly.”

“I know I’m a talkative, Acosta, but I don’t snitch, ok?” Allison assured.

“Sure,” he rubbed his palms together. “So, what are you drinking? They have a drink stand at the other side of this place. I could get us the cashew milk cos I noticed you liked it during dinner last night.”

Before Allison could reply, Peach returned with her tour guide.

“We’re done touring the whole aquarium, Daddy!” She announced happily, but she frowned slightly when she saw a woman sitting in front of her father.

“Who’s…this?” She muttered.

“Rasheeda,” Acosta lied. “She’s a client, Peach.”

Allison nearly gasped.

Rasheeda?

“Let’s go, Daddy! I want to visit the cinema too!” Peach pulled Acosta up, giving no room for rejection.

Acosta had no choice but follow her, but he looked back at Allison.

“I’m sorry, Allison… I’ll call you.” He whispered so Peach wouldn’t hear.

They went out of sight, and Allison laughed shortly.

“Rasheeda?”

—

[Wrath Investments Empire]

The cops were ransacking everywhere when Dean and Kelly arrived with the manager and many other staffs from the wedding.

How cops got to enter the closed company, no one knew, but it’s obvious they got an anonymous lead that there’s money laundering going on in this Empire.

Kelly barged into the office, changed from her wedding dress.

She wore a red suit now.

“What’s going on here!” She demanded at the top of her voice.

“You must be Analyst Kelly?” A cop recognized her.

“Wrong!” Kelly snapped arrogantly. “Mrs. Kelly St. Graves!” She raised her ring finger.

“Oh,” the cop blinked. “I’m so sorry, ma’am, but we received a trustable tip of money laundering here, and we have a warrant to search the systems.” He informed.

“Money laundering?” Dean entered with pocketed hands. “In my company? Money laundering?”

“We’re sorry, Mr. St. Graves, but you can’t stop us from doing our job…”

“I am the cleanest and realest CEO in this city, and y’all come here searching for evidence after a silly anonymous tip?”

“Like I said, we’re just doing our job, Mr. St. Graves.” The cop said.

“And if y’all search this place without finding an evidence?” Dean smirked. “I’ll sue the government, and they must pay the fine for breaking and entry and wrong accusations!”

“Yes, that’s right…” Kelly added flashing her ring around with every opportunity she got. “If y’all find nothing, then it’ll be war here.”

They both stepped aside with the members of staff, allowing the cops to do their search.

“Who do you think tipped them?” Kelly whispered.

“It’s obvious, the cultist.” Dean clenched his teeth.

“That bastard,” Kelly bit out. “When is your first official meeting with the Club?” She asked.

“Tommorow night.” He replied.

It took almost an hour to check the HR systems thoroughly.

Nothing was found.

“What now?” Kelly flared again. “What is the government gonna do for this disrespect!? Cos we’re ready to chew them out!”

“I’ll bring the government to it’s knees for doing this…” Dean pocketed his hands slowly.

“Here! I found something here!” A cop shouted from Dean’s office.

The other cops rushed there, finding the cop beside the giant shredder in Dean’s office.

He had successfully cellotaped some of the shredded documents in the bin together, and they came together as five solid laundering documents with Dean and Kelly’s names.

“How do you explain this, Mr and Mrs St. Graves?” The cop raised it.

Kelly and Dean froze, shocked.

—

[Tobias’s Oddsion]

Estelle was returned inside a room to rest immediately she arrived with the bunch from the Empire operation few hours ago.

She lay in bed as the shock is still rocking her forth, but she tried to sit up when Jude entered with a cup of raw extracted lemon juice.

“Jude! Is he going to kill me? I swear I’d have successfully sabotaged all of the systems if the lights didn’t come back on! It was supposed to stay off till I was done, but it—”

“Drink this,” Jude cut in.

“This isn’t about lemon, Jude!” She cried. “He said he was gonna give me to his dog if I fucked up, and he never jokes! Am I becoming dogfood?”

“Estelle!” He cautioned.

“I don’t want to die!” She shook her head, nervous.

Jude set the lemon cup down on the bed, facing her properly.

“It was never about you, Estelle.”

“What do you mean?”

“He wouldn’t send an amateur to such mission alone, Estelle. You were merely the distraction. While Vince’s men caught you at the HR, Yalda and Migos were doing the real job at the shredding machine inside Dean’s office. You’re like a decoy.”

“What!” Estelle’s eyes went down.

—

[Golf Field]

Shirtless, wearing only a low waist black jean which carved his V-line without restraints, Tobias hit the last golf ball with the stick, and the ball took off with a sick force which sent it miles away to the other side.

Grimm didn’t wait for the fetch order before it began running down the field to fetch the ball.

Tobias straightened and looked at the golf stick he held.

“Where the f+k is my best golf stick?” He asked, turning.

Yalda and Migos are behind.

“Saint took it the other day he came here, Wrath.” Yalda said.

“If I don’t kill that cat, no one will.” Tobias threw the golf stick with him away, and Migos came closer with a immaculate hanky to wipe his slightly sweaty face.

Tobias took the hanky before Migos could wipe though.

“You do too much, Migos.” He glared and wiped his face himself, then he discarded the hanky.

“What’s the talk?” He asked.

“As you suspected, Vince and Dean are still close. Vince was at the HR too, and his men nearly killed Estelle.” Migos reported.

“Of course they’re still close,” Tobias kept his monstrous calm intact. “Losers share a tight bond, always.”

“But Estelle did the decoy job so well, and we successfully planted the evidence in the shedding bin.” Yalda added with a smile.

“Now, I’m sure cops have gotten their hands on it, and investigation will start tomorrow morning.”

“Our man in the police will take care the rest, but prepare Estelle to enter the police department and plant a bribery evidence early tomorrow.” Tobias instructed.

Yalda left to get it done.

“Prepare the limousine, and get the yacht ready, Migos. Call the island, it’s time.” Tobias said.

—

[Bedroom]

Seraphina was just putting finishing touches on her sketch when the door opened with a soft click.

She looked up, stretching her legs and nearly knocking the quarterly-drank bottle of whiskey.

An Odd stood by the door with a box which she dropped and left.

The door closed back.

Seraphina went for the box, carrying it to the bed. She opened up and saw a really stunning lavender dress and diamond-studded shoes.

The jewelries are there too… back chain and all others that came with it, even female needs.

She was sharp enough to pick up the fact that he wants her to dress up, so she asked the wall LED for the bathroom way.

When she was shown, she entered for her bath, and she used the first ten minutes to stare around in marvel and astonishment.

The bathroom is as huge and extravagant as the king-sized bedroom.

It’s squeaky clean too, so much she feels like dirt being in here.

She doesn’t need anyone to say it now. He’s an OCD patient—a chronic perfectionist, then why does he even allow her in his space?

He’d go that far for his game?

However, she had her bath. She spent a great time in the tub, getting clean and freshening her pores.

She could spend forever in there, but she gotta dress up, so she left for the bedroom and dressed herself up in the provided things from the box.

Five minutes later, she was picked up by Migos, and as she followed him, her phone made that familiar buzz which made her check.

• Remember you used to like the tiramisu I made? I got even better at making it. Don’t worry, I’ll come for you soon, then you can have as much tiramisu as you want, and the cobb salad too. I didn’t forget, little angel.

Seraphina tucked her phone back into her purse after reading.

Migos took her to the underground park of the Oddsion where cooler, bigger cars are.

She was ushered into a limousine, and she met him beside her immediately she hopped in.

She quickly created space between them, and the car moved.

Tobias was on his laptop throughout.

—

[Vince’s Crib]

Kimmy didn’t expect the crib to be on the rooftop of a skyscraper.

She expected something grand like he has been praising himself, but she was utterly disappointed.

Vince’s guard was waiting at the base of the uncompleted skyscraper, and as there’s no elevator yet, she was led to the staircase.

She wanted to grunt in dissatisfaction, but knowing how meeting Vince is important, she killed her grunts and climbed.

The staircases are exactly five hundred, and after each hundred, she drew breaths.

She sweated from every pore of her skin and her foot. She got gripped by a dangerous headache and ache in the leg.

Her knees were already trembling before she got up two hours later.

She rested her palms on her knees, staying still. Sweat dripped from her chin to the ground, and her breaths struggled to come out of her tight lungs.

“First time climbing a staircase?” Vince’s rough voice made her rise.

Vince sat easily on a table in the middle of the roof. He placed his leg on a chair, and his walking cane beside him.

His hat is gone now, so the white suit made his green eyes witchy like an anomaly in the middle of normal.

His four men are around him, but the one who led Kimmy here joined them, completing the original five.

“The staircase was five hundred, fucker!!” Kimmy yelled, surging forward angrily. “I just climbed five hundred staircases!! You bragged about being rich, so why the f+k do you stay on the rooftop of a skyscraper!!?”

Vince picked an egg from the table, tossing it precisely at her face.

It broke on her cheek, staining her messily. Yolk dragged down her dress fabric.

“You don’t yell here, Kimora. Next time you do, I’ll be a bullet instead of an egg.” He warned, giving her a cracked stare.

Kimmy sucked up her brattiness.

“I’m sure I’m wanted by Tobias, and of course I can’t stay in a place. My network fluctuates between this skyscraper and several others. To play a bastard like Tobias, I have to be a bastard too.” He cleared.

“Why are you also a St. Graves? Are you their Uncle Will’s son?” Kimmy asked curiously.

Vince got down from the table, walking to her without his cane.

His legs look balanced now, barely.

“The real question you should be asking is what can you do for me to earn my protection.” He smiled creepily.

—

[An Island]

A crescent of powdered white sand wrapped around turquoise water, while rows of imported royal palms swayed beneath the evening breeze.

A glass mansion sat proudly at the island’s center, it’s walls reflecting the dying sunset. Marble pathways wound through manicured gardens where rare orchids, black roses, and lavender fields bloomed side by side.

A yacht harbor glittered with vessels worth fortunes, and a helipad overlooked the ocean.

A yacht eased into the private dock, and a line of suited staff who have been waiting for the arrival bowed.

Tobias stepped onto the wooden pier first, looking devastatingly composed in an ash-gray tailored suit that hugged his broad shoulders.

Beside him walked Seraphina, her flowing lavender dress dancing around her legs as she strode fast,not wanting to walk beside him.

She barely spared the island a glance despite the luxury, forcing Tobias to trail beside her instead of leading.

The mansion’s exterior towered behind stone fountains and towering glass doors.

Golden lights spilled from windows, making the estate glow against the darkening sky.

Inside, an impossibly long dining table stretched across the grand hall.

Delicacies decorated the table like edible art….butter-poached lobster, saffron risotto, truffle-infused pasta, wagyu steaks, roasted duck glazed with honey, and fruit pastries.

Everything was perfectly set as if for an intentional purpose.

Rising proudly from the center was a towering five-tier lavender-and-white cake, trimmed with gold leaf and sugar butterflies that looked almost alive.

“You haven’t said a word since we left New York,” Tobias murmured as he pulled out a chair for Seraphina.

“Do I require your permission to stay silent too?” She voiced.

His jaw flexed, but he sat across her on the full table, expecting her to dig in and eat some.

“I don’t have an appetite.” She muttered.

“I planned this for you.” His calmness still stayed erect around each word.

“I don’t have an appetite.” She repeated with the same uninterested tone as she tried to not make any contact with the table.

Each answer landed sharper than the last, cutting through the room until even the servants quietly disappeared.

Tobias stared at her for several seconds before reaching into the inner pocket of his suit.

A velvet box appeared first. Then, from behind one of the chairs, he lifted a garment bag and unzipped it.

Layers of breathtaking white lace spilled into view. A wedding dress!

Seraphina’s expressionless eyes widened when she saw the two unexpected combination.

She looked at him.

“Marry me,” he landed the blow.

The words echoed through the enormous dining hall.

Seraphina’s eyes dropped to the diamond ring before lifting to the wedding dress.

For a heartbeat, she said nothing. She just stared at the wedding dress like it’s the most disgusting thing existing in the world right now.

Then, something inside her snapped. A hollow, tired, disappointed laugh escaped her lips.

“You’ve actually lost your fucking mind, Tobias.”

She shoved the chair back so violently it crashed onto the floor before she stood to him.

She pointed accusingly at the ring. “This is another one of your ugly schemes! I knew you were up to something the moment you began acting sweet in the morning!”

Tobias remained silent.

She laughed again, this time with something grimier than sadness.

“You want to parade me around as your wife because you know Vince will come after me.” Her breathing grew uneven. “You don’t want a marriage, Tobias. You want bait. You want to use me as bait!”

The truth settled between them as the words rushed out of her.

“Yeah, he used me cos my sister ordered him, but even if I want to get back at him, getting married to a man who doesn’t love me is not it. Why the fû+k does everyone think I’m hungry for marriage? Why the f+k does everyone keep playing games of fakery with me!” She slammed the table, letting it all out.

“You think I’ll wear your ring..your name..your fucking wedding dress…..” She grabbed the garment bag and hurled it across the room.

The white fabric burst free as it crashed into the banquet table, knocking crystal glasses away w.

“I would rather drown in the ocean surrounding this island than become another plaything for another man!”

She lifted the cake and threw it at the floor next. She drove both hands into it, sending frosting, sponge, and gold leaf splattering before kicking the ruined masterpiece over completely.

The diamond ring remained untouched in Tobias’s hand.

He’s not even looking up as Seraphina did the ruins.

He remained seated, like someone told him that the silence ritual must continue no matter what.

He kept staring at the ring, but he heard Seraphina’s ragged breathings when she finished scattering.

“You came to me, on the alter, this same time, two and a half months ago, demanding protection, and we stuck a deal.” He sounded demonic.

He stood after those words, his hand itching to grab her neck, but he grabbed the table edge instead.

His restraints and self-control worked hand-in-hand.

He still didn’t look at her. He settled his razing gaze on the table, and he suddenly picked an empty plate.

Thinking he was going to throw it at her, Seraphina quickly drew her gun, aiming at him ferociously.

Tobias threw the plate on the glittering floor, then another plate, then another plate, shattering them all and still not looking up even once.

Like not looking up is his own way of restraining his demons.

Like he would shatter her to pieces like the plates if he looked up.

“Let’s stop it, now…” She muttered lowly from the other side.

And he finally looked up, eyes red, ears red—his signature of madness.

He pushed the table away with his knees, landing down the remaining plates before dashing across.

“You do not get, to call the shots, Seraphina! You do not…get to push the stop button!” He spat.

“Black Rose.” She whispered.

And that was enough to make his shoes stop before he could take the next step. He stopped immediately.

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“You said anytime I wanted you to stop, I could use it. I want to stop this…this deal, this whole thing…I feel like my mental health is deteriorating, fast.”

Tobias stayed where he stayed, looking up slowly to meet her large eyes and the way she was still pointing the gun at him.

“Black….” She whispered. “Rose.”

TBC.