Sweet Sin – Chapter 101,102,103&104

→SWEET SĪN←

Sweet Sin – Chapter 101,102,103&104
→ 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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★

[Sera’s Crochets – Workroom]

The workroom is times four of Seraphina’s office. Large, spacious and wide with various crocheting machines—strange and familiar ones.

Yarns, wools, needles, beads, flowers patterns and petals, pins and shines…and several other unnameable treasure designing tools filled tool bowls in every corner.

They’re literally overflowing.

And the sound of machines working filled the room as Seraphina patiently worked on her last piece for the day.

Her models have auditioned today, and she choose the best ten already. Modelling shoots starts tomorrow for her new piece.

She had to make pieces of the new design for everyone of them, unfailingly.

She only had to insert her design sketches into the machine scanner for memorization, then she inserts the right tools, and the machines makes the exact thing she wants.

She threw the last bead into the machine’s tool column and stepped away, letting the machine do it’s job.

Annika came in with a cup of night coffee for her.

A guard took it, ran a poisoning scan with a scanner and handed it to Seraphina after it showed negative.

Seraphina drank her coffee slowly.

“The take over event started five minutes ago, Miss.” Annika reported.

Seraphina lowered her cup with wide eyes, gasping. “It’s supposed to start in two minutes, I timed it!”

“He arrived ahead of time, surprisingly.” Annika smiled.

“He?” Seraphina gasped again. “You mean… Tobias?”

Annika nodded.

“Geez!” Seraphina dropped her coffee cup and rushed out of the room.

Annika ran after her, breathless.

“I’m so sorry, Miss. I should have entered to tell you earlier, but I know you hate being interrupted whenever you’re in the workroom.”

“Nothing is more important than Tobias, ok?” Seraphina faced her. “Nothing at all.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Miss.” Annika nodded quickly.

The walk back to her office resumed, and Seraphina looked troubled throughout. Since the congratulatory gift he sent a week ago when she opened this place, she didn’t spend anymore nights at his place.

It’s been majorly video calls, audio calls, brief meetings whenever she got lunch break here, or whenever he forcefully spent night at her place, but even during those times, she made sure she never slept in bed with him.

She always found a way for them to talk till daybreak.

Not because she’s crazy, but because she doesn’t trust herself to keep holding back the emotions he has been wrenching out of her.

What if they shared a bed and she suddenly went confession mode in the middle of the night? Or what if he fucks her so good again and she goes confession mode when he cums hotly inside her p+sy.

Actually, maybe she’s crazy.

It was hard when she hadn’t figured out her feelings, but now that it’s all figured out and madder than she thought, it’s harder to keep in.

Especially whenever she sees his eyes. Those eyes have a way of charming her, and his chin, and his skin, and his perfect body, and…

In fact, everything about him is driving her crazy, so maybe her avoidance is justified.

She eventually entered her office with Annika—a 19 year old hardworking girl she has grown fond of, and Annika turned on the TV.

The take over is airing, but in a new dimension she didn’t expect.

Vince is there!

Vincent St. Graves is there???

She stepped back.

“Get my purse, Annika, and notify the driver.” She ordered.

“Of course, Miss!” Annika quickly grabbed Seraphina’s purse.

—

[Wrath Investments Empire]

The cameras shifted closer, as though the shutters are having a hard time believing the sudden turn of events too. Now, the scene has changed from Tobias getting his glory to Vince stealing the spotlight suddenly.

And the highlight of the day is he didn’t come alone. He came with the most influential billionaires inside and outside of this NYC.

He looks like a new chandelier in the middle of old bulbs.

The Odds stopped with Tobias, and Yalda tried moving, but Jude pulled her back quickly.

“No. You’re not Migos, don’t act rashly, Firstie wouldn’t like it we’re in public, Yalda!”

Yalda was seething as she stayed back, remaining where she stood behind Tobias.

No one would guess what Tobias is thinking right now by just looking at his face. For someone whose halo was suddenly taken, he should be shocked or angry or irritated, but he carried none on his face.

He accessed Vince with his eyes as he came closer, softly pressing his walking cane to the ground, making sure his legs are unbalanced.

A testing smile perched on his face immediately he stopped in front of Tobias, and he scratched the ground secretly with his cane knife.

“No matter how hard I try, Tobias, I can never like your face,” he started. “I mean… you’re the same freak who gathered butterflies and spiders at the graveyard as a kid. Hell, you even once played with a snake inside your class and sent your classmates running out like a satanist. I’m not the least surprised that you could pull this move…” He sighed softly.

“You’ll go as far as claiming this empire as yours? The shareholders can attest to the fact that I’ve always been Wrath—the boy who was disowned by his father, but I transferred that title to Dean the moment I made him the acting CEO years ago…

“When you came staggering in claiming to be the owner of it, I told Dean to give up and announce you as the real owner which he did, and it worked…I mean…look at you….a full-blown criminal, here to claim what has never been yours…

“For a crippled, unwanted thief, you’re quite interesting.” Tobias muttered, unimpressed.

His clipped tone implied that.

“Unwanted?” Vince laughed as the cameras shifted closer again as if trying to get them blind. “Get your lexicon and check the meaning of unwanted. Your twin brother Dean is right behind me..” he pointed behind him as Dean who looks like a weed.

“Your parents didn’t even want you when you were alive, and that’s why you tried to steal my father from me by making him tutor you. You’ve always been pathetic and desperate, and I understand why you want certain things, but that doesn’t include my empire, or my woman!”

Tobias bursted into laughter suddenly, shocking everyone present including Vince himself.

Vince’s smirk died, and he began staring at Tobias blankly, expecting what’s coming.

Tobias’s laughter was dark, like a sound drawn from deep abyss. It echoed directly from his chest, and when he finally stopped, he raised his leg before anyone could get it.

He pushed Vince’s chest with his shoe, and Vince staggered.

Before he could touch the ground, he held himself and steadied his stand with his walking cane.

“You were spitting on me, Vincent, and you smell like onions. I’ve always hated mess that’s not from one particular person, so keep your distance while talking to me!” Tobias glared, poisonously.

Vince dusted his suit and smiled slightly, raising his face to Tobias again.

“Still as arrogant as I remember, Tobias, but this visitation is only a foreshadow,” he pointed his cane. “You have 24hrs to leave this Empire grounds, and the ultimatum is only because I’m considering our bond as cousins. After 24, I can’t say that I might actually do to you.”

With that, he turned around and strode back to his car, popping back in the same way he popped out.

His followers followed him, and the reporters ran after Genevieve and Marley, throwing questions like stones…

“What do you have to say about your current family crisis?”

“Why did you do such inhumane things to your second daughter?”

“You even disowned her months ago. Genevieve, are you really the mother of Seraphina?”

“Marley, please say something!”

The couple were rushed into their cars by their guards, and their cars followed after Vince’s.

Dean’s eyes met Tobias, and Dean gave him a demeaning smile before driving off too.

The Serpents also zoomed off one by one in their individual cars, and the reporters attention shifted back to Tobias…

“Mr. Tobias St. Graves, what do you have to say?”

“Did you really siphon the Empire from your cousin originally?”

“Are you willing to verify your ownership or will your cousin be taking full control?”

“Mr. St. Graves!”

Tobias was in no mood to give a silly talk.

He walked out on them and proceeded to the company.

His Odds followed him.

The Empire is empty. After the laundering case, staffs have left out of fear of being investigated too.

The Empire looks like it’d echo if someone calls a name in the middle of it.

Tobias stood at the wide black lobby and stared first, at furnitures, up at the sparkling gold walls, down at the floors and back up at the ceilings. The rotating elevators and the drifting lifts, the steep but wide staircases. The richness of the interior which reflects the wealthy air blowing around the exterior.

He took a large inhale.

He was still drawing the building plan of this place before he went to seminary. He was still gathering the ordinary ownership documents.

But when he went to seminary, Dean stole the building plan, developed it and build this place. He finalized the original ownership documents in his own name and used his fake signature to reverse the ownership of this land too.

And Uncle Will helped.

He did.

So…this is the reason the man insisted on sending him to seminary just to have the empire for his son cos according to Dean, the company is now in Vince’s name.

As Tobias stared at the lobby details, his eyes darkened more, and his intentions became more veiled.

They rode the elevator to the top floor, and the Odds scattered themselves around the offices, shuffling the devices and desks.

They got to work immediately without asking questions like they’ve been ordered to do even before they left the Oddsion.

The order; no matter what happens, get in, and get to work.

So they did.

Even Estelle joined them.

She handled the bins, gathering the baskets and stretching the folded documents.

Jude and Yalda are the only free one who stood beside Tobias and supervised with him.

“Your phone, Wrath.” Yalda handed it to him when it rang.

It’s not a saved number, but Tobias recognized it before picking.

“Hello?”

“I told you, Tobias,” the President’s voice sounded. “From the moment he began getting worked up over the Empire, I knew something like this would happen.”

“Why did you call?” Tobias asked, eyes not leaving the working Odds.

“Dean showed a legal document with your name on it when he announced you as the real owner of the Empire.” The President asked.

“They’re ordinary illegal documents I obtained before going to seminary. Now with the originals with Vincent, the ordinary is useless…” Tobias said.

“I warned you severally about your illegal ways, Tobias…”

“Of course you did, and as usual, I didn’t listen, cos I hate listening.” Tobias smiled downwardly.

“Tobias….”

“I’ll handle this my own way. I always have my ways.” Tobias sighed. “And be careful, I have a feeling Vincent would think that now that he got to me, you’re next.” Tobias advised.

“Stop advising me and tell me what you plan to do, Tobias,”

“You’ll hear about it, soon.” Tobias hung up.

“Vincent came with all of Valhalla rats, Wrath.” Yalda said.

“Does that mean he’s Valhalla Club Leader?” Jude scoffed. “I was wondering where his boldness came from. He’s Valhalla Leader, and also bought the Empire? Iconic.”

“Someone’s coming up!” An Odd reported front the front office.

A minute later, Seraphina entered the floor, rushing into the office with shaky, disturbed breaths.

Her eyes settled on Tobias very fast, and her legs took her to him before she knew it. She wanted to hold his arms before talking, but she stopped herself before she could do it.

She folded her palms and just halted, closing her throat on her desperation.

“How’s he the owner of the Empire? First, Dean, and now it’s Vince’s turn to play his own game? What’s going on?” She asked slowly.

“How about a hug and a chin kiss before you actually start talking,” he inhaled slightly.

“Toby—”

“Tobias.” He corrected coldly.

“Tobias, I… I’ve been busy with work at my workroom, and I barely even get breaks like you know. My models are going in front of cameras tommorow, and—”

“And that’s why you’ve been spending less and less minutes on FaceTime.” He cut in. “Two minutes, and you’ll get an excuse to cut it off. Phone call? You barely spend a minute. Coming to your place? You won’t even get in bed like you’re scared to make contact with me. It’s been a week since you last allowed me to kiss you, Sera. And sex? Talk? I don’t even wanna talk about how impossible they’ve become.”

“Tobias, I…” She sounded awkward. “I’m…”

“Don’t stutter. You haven’t been stuttering for months now. Don’t start now.” He interrupted.

“I’ve been busy, and I came here cos I wanted to know the update about Vince. Whenever the plan is made, just call me, and I’ll run to you. You know I promised to bring down our enemies together with you, right?”

Tobias didn’t reply, but when he tried to touch her, she shifted away from his touch and rushed out.

Tobias’s hand dropped.

“I could hear her heartbeats when she was here, I swear…” Yalda muttered immediately.

“Is she ok?” Jude wondered. “She has been avoiding Firstie. It’s too obvious.” He blinked.

“What’s next, Wrath? Anything to smash this next enemy Vince to the grave.” An Odd asked.

Tobias looked ahead.

“What Vince did today, y’all didn’t see it. The twenty-four hours ultimatum he gave, it doesn’t exist. Pretend like there’s no Vince in this world and continue doing your job in here. I’m eagar to see his next move.” Tobias instructed.

“I feel like more is still on the way, seriously…” Another Odd said.

“You want us to take Dean or Uncle Will and make them pluck out each other’s teeth?” Yalda asked.

“What did I just say about pretending that nothing is happening?” Tobuas faced her squarely.

“I’ll follow your lead,” Yalda agreed. “I’ll go focus on getting Tino.”

She left the Empire.

“J, drive me to Saint.” Tobias said.

Jude led the way to the elevator immediately.

While they left, the rest of the Odds resumed work in reshuffling the Empire to Tobias’s taste.

—

[Vince’s Crib]

Uncle Will was already fuming madly at home, unable to sit. He paced around Ruth’s wheelchair, holding his head, resting his palms on his knees, swiping his face with his palms, doing everything but sitting.

He has been like this since he watched the take over event.

“You need to calm down, Uncle Will.” Ruth said, getting her mouth busy with prawn crackers.

“Calm down?” Will faced her. “He used my name! He knows what he’s doing! He wants Tobias to hate me completely! I never sold the company to Vince, why would I?”

“And why are you scared of Tobias’s hate?” Ruth scoffed. “Your son hates him, he hates your son. Be happy if he hates you too!”

“I’m not an unfortunate Uncle, Ruth!” Will shouted. “Yeah, their late parents looked down on me, but I’m still sane, very sane! I will never cheat the St. Graves brothers! I love them like my own kids especially Tobias!”

“You’re irritating, seriously….” Ruth made faces. “You’re still feeling like a father figure to Tobias?”

Will swallowed spit and dabbed his face with his palm again.

Vince entered the crib, and Will flared at him immediately.

“What the f+k did you do, Vincent? Why would you mention me?!”

“Cos I needed something to trigger him, shit!” Vince glared. “Imagine him thinking his loyal uncle is in cahoots with his son to take what’s his own from him!” Vince laughed.

“Vince!!” Will yelled. “I told you to never involve me!”

“Well you can’t escape now,” Vince laughed again. “You’re my father, your involvement is only normal. You think I wouldn’t go to Sera’s Crochets to kidnap her and take her out of the country easily if I wanted? I can, but that bastard Tobias would look for me and find me, and that’s why he needs to go, and you’ll help! You think I give a f+k about the Empire? No I don’t, but me buying it was to set a trap and weaken his defenses…”

Vince came closer…

“He’d have blown that Empire the way he blew Juniper Cinema and Highschool, but he wouldn’t, cos he cherishes the Empire…that Empire is like his first achievement. He started planning it even before he knew how to f+k, so he’s sure to come after me, and his death will slam him right in the damn face!”

Will went silent.

“Even Ruth who was once head over heels for him wants nothing but revenge now. Ruth wants his heart on a plate, and I’ll give it!” Vince said.

Ruth smiled on her wheelchair, and a Serpent came in.

“No movement from Tobias, at all..” he reported.

“What do you mean?” Vince faced him.

“His Odds are at the Empire, shuffling like they didn’t hear your pronouncement. Tobias is on his way to the hospital to see his brother Saint.” The Serpent furthered.

“Move to the second part of the plan then,” Vince sat, lightning a cigarette. “Call my slaves.”

—

[A Private Pub]

From the take over event straight to this pub, the Billionaires of Valhalla moved that way.

Now, everyone has their phones on the table, waiting for Vince’s next call cos they mustn’t miss.

It might cost their lives.

They’re all as nervous as they’ve been since they’ve been pronounced slaves a week ago.

Xero is the only absent one who seems immune to Vince’s slavery. He’s Vince’s right-hand man anyways.

“This can’t continue,” one of them said after long minutes of just staring at their phones. “We need a plan. Vince can’t continue riding this Club like this. He killed Shine?”

“I still can’t believe the slave pronouncement,” another said.

“I haven’t been able to sleep since a week, thinking about how my top secret is in the hands of that lunatic.”

“We need a plan,”

“We can’t go on this way.”

Dean couldn’t contribute. All his mind could come up with is the fact that Kelly caught him jerking off to Seraphina’s picture a week ago, and she’s disappeared since then.

She just left, no bye.

Now, he’s stuck in a slavery circle with Vince as the rope holder.

How did he even get here?

He has enough investments to relocate to another country, take Seraphina with him and start a new life with her, but with Vince’s leash on his neck, he’s helpless.

“Anything y’all do is being watched,” Marley spoke up suddenly.

All eyes turned to him.

“Vince has eyes everywhere, drop any idea you have in your heads, or your killing videos and strong evidences will be out in the next minute, and your lives will be ruined.” He continued.

“Marley the strong-headed gecko is telling us to not go against Vince?” Dean scoffed. “New.”

“She died,” Genevieve looked up. “Kimmy is dead…our first daughter.”

“What!” Half of them chorused.

“He died by Wrath’s hands, and nothing happened. We’ve been caught in this crossfire, and there’s no escape. Don’t worsen things.” Genevieve shook her head.

Even Dean looked genuinely nervous now.

Then, their phones made similar buzzes on the table, and their hands picked at the same time.

A message from Vince.

Leader: Tommorow at dusk, move seamlessly to the next plan.

—

[Hospital – Saint’s Ward]

The guards by the corridor made way immediately Tobias showed up with Jude behind him.

They cleared off the walls and bowed. Even the staffs from the Memorial Estates recognized him and took their bows respectfully.

The ward door was opened for him, and he stepped in carefully, meeting Saint awake, surprisingly.

“Toby!” Saint tried to sit up, but pains from his chest sent him back to bed. “Ahhhhhh!” He grabbed the chest.

“Wanna try again?” Tobias asked sarcastically as he sat beside him.

“You’re incapable of saying anything nice,” Saint groaned.

“Remember this pain for the rest of your life, Saint,” Tobias said harshly. “That’s what you get for not listening and deciding to move with my enemy’s son.”

Saint nodded.

“I’m sorry, I should have listened to you. I should have really listened…” He muttered weakly. “If anyone told me Tino would pull the trigger at anyone innocent, I’d have doubted it.”

Tobias’s phone buzzed alive, and he checked it out quick.

Baby: I’m currently sketching, can’t come over to your place, and you don’t have to come over cos I’ll be busy at night too.

Tobias read the text over, smirking deeper as he read each word. His palm moulded hotly around the phone. His body lost it’s calm.

He had texted her to come to his place for the night or him coming to hers, and this was her reply.

She’s busy sketching?

“Is that SarahNina?” Saint talked, bringing his head up.

“I know you know the right pronunciation, but of course your twisted mouth won’t say,” Tobias gave him a sharp glare.

“It’s really her?” Saint smiled. “You’ve been staring at your phone for minutes now. You? Gawd, I really need to meet this SarahNina.”

Tobias stood.

“You’ll be moved from this hospital to my place. You’ll receive whatever treatment over there.”

“Seriously?” Saint shouted. “You’ll let me stay at your sacred Oddsion? Gawd, I’m thankful for this gunshot.” He dramatically winced.

“Bexley Hart is outside, sir.” A guard announced by the door.

“Let her in!” Saint snapped, and instantly, the door bursted open.

Bexley and Dora came in at the same time, and Saint instantly cringed.

“I said Bexley!”

“Oh, you don’t wanna see me?” Dora smirked. “After you nearly killed me with the golf stick, you don’t wanna see me?”

Before she could cross over to Saint’s side, Tobias grabbed the metal drip stand, took the drip away and swung the stand at Dora’s tummy.

The force threw Dora’s body to the door, swinging her to the frame.

The glass cracked and shattered as she fell on the entrance, and the pieces rained on her.

She bled out, groaning with twisted elbow and three dislocated fingers.

Bexley’s eyes widened, and she slid beside Saint’s bed fearfully.

Tobias dropped the drip stand and remounted the drip on it, then he adjusted his coat on his shoulder before facing Dora who’s on the floor.

“Toby! She’s the one who was sneaking into my mansion!” Saint quickly said, adding fuel to the fire. “She’s the Redd family lunatic!”

Dora bled bubbles of blood from the mouth and nose, unable to speak as she wriggled on the floor.

“You’re not on the list of people I wanna kill in your family yet, but if you’re caught anywhere around Saint from now on, then you’ll secure your place on top of the list.” Tobias said, kicking Dora’s body out.

He walked over the body too as he left the ward, carrying his aura.

As the ward door closed, Bexley released her breaths.

“Fû+k! He’s brutal!” She muttered, looking at Dora’s blood on the floor.

“Of course he is,” Saint smiled. “I’m my brother’s pet, so it’s normal to be brutal to my stalkers.”

“Don’t even start,” Bexley folded her arms. “What the f+k is wrong with the guards? They didn’t even let me enter! I spent a full day standing in the hallway!” She complained.

“I was shot, Bexley. Of course they have to be cautious…” He frowned.

She sighed…

“How’re you doing, by the way? You good? It must be painful.”

“It still hurts, but at least I’m not dead,” he smiled.

“So what’s gonna happen to Tino? He can’t do this and go scot-free.” She said.

“I guess I’ll have to wait for what Toby has in store for him,” Saint leaned back. “At this point, I don’t care about it.”

“I still can’t believe I’m the one who should he shot, but you took it….” She sat.

“Don’t overthink it, Bexley…” He nodded. “It happened in my turf, it was my responsibility to protect you, so I did.”

“Of course,” she gave him a lopsided smile.

“You?” He asked. “How’s your wounds doing?”

She stood, lifted her top from her belly and showed him.

Minimal spots and scars now.

“It’s clearing fast, thanks to your illegal trauma kit.” She said.

“Thanks to me,” he winked.

“You arrogant f+k!” She laughed, and he joined in shortly, pulling her to sit beside himself.

She did, and he rested his head on her chest while she stroked.

Outside, Tobias hopped back into the car with Jude, still staring at the last message from Seraphina. His eyes refused to leave the screen as if the message is the only thing tethering him to staying in one piece.

Now he’s the one pinning for attention, and she’s making it scarce.

He’d invade her space and make her talk to him forcefully, but he doesn’t wanna force her to do anything.

Freewill is a gift he wants her to have abundantly like a queen that she is, but she has no right to shut him out.

At all.

“You want me to do anything, Firstie?” Jude asked.

“Tomorrow at dusk…” Tobias said.

—

[Redd Family Hospital]

Peach is still unconscious.

According to the doctor, the shock ran too deep and she saw Kimmy’s disfigured body with her small mind. She was bound to lose parts of herself to the memory of that scene.

So it’ll take time to wake up.

Acosta never left her side for long. Except the short trips he makes to the construction site to supervise Seraphina’s company building.

He’s just coming back from one of such trips, and when he entered the ward, he was surprised to meet Allison inside, sitting beside unconscious Peach in bed.

“Allison?” He sounded.

Allison faced him with a small smile, and two minutes later, they’re at the balcony of the private ward, standing beside each other and resting on the banister, overlooking the city.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you today at all…” He spoke up.

“We’re friends, Acosta,” she faced him. “Your wife died, it’s normal for me to come give condolences.”

“Condolences are for people who cherish the dead person, Allison. I never once cherished Kimora, and she didn’t cherish me.” He said.

“You didn’t cry?” She asked.

“Why would I?” Acosta blinked. “Even her parents did cry. I’m only worried about Peach. If I knew the body would be that gruesome, I wouldn’t have let her see it.”

“Genevieve and Marley didn’t cry?” Allison blinked shortly.

“Not even a teardrop,” Acosta scoffed. “They only ordered the doorman to get the body packed and prepare for burial.”

“Cold as f+k,” Allison nodded.

“And I think something’s wrong with them, like they’ve been so out of it since a week ago.” He added. “Kimmy died and they took it normally? Marley would wanna destroy everyone if it were before.” Acosta said. “Not like I care though….”

“That’s the key point,” Allison smiled. “You don’t care. I just hope your daughter wakes and survives the brutal shock.”

“I hope so, too…” Acosta faced her too, meeting her eyes on himself.

Their gazes interlocked for a minute, reading through their pupils till the gaze fell on their lips.

The air stilled as Acosta leaned in, slowly at first, but in the last minute, Allison covered the remaining space and captured his lips.

Acosta immediately slid his arms around her waist, deepened of, pressing their lips tightly together.

Allison opened up, but just as he was about to go with the tongue, she broke the kiss, panting.

“Allison…” Acosta frowned.

“Your daughter is on a sickbed, Acosta,” she looked at him. “I feel like a real bitch doing this.”

“So…when Peach gets better, we’ll finish this kiss?” He asked.

Allison chuckled.

“Acosta,…

“I’m serious, Allison.” He insisted.

She sighed and nodded once.

“Let Peach get better first.”

“You promised,” he smiled.

She just rested on the banister again, still smiling.

—

[Dean’s Estate]

Surprisingly, Kelly was at home when Dean arrived, but not the normal at home situation. He met her packing her things like she’s leaving.

Dean’s arms dropped.

“Kelly?”

She threw the last shoes inside the last bag and zipped it up, straightening the luggage.

“What are you doing?” He talked again, not moving to stop her.

“Leaving, it’s clear enough unless you’ve been blinded by the jerking off you’ve been doing.” She looked up, looking like she cried.

“Everyone jerks off, Kelly…” He scoffed. “Everyman does it!”

“I was your wife, Dean!” She shouted. “I was your wife! But you were jerking off to the picture of another woman, and somehow you expected me to sit and watch?”

“Was my wife?” Dean blinked.

“Yeah, was!” She pointed. “Cos I’m done here. Expect the divorce papers whenever I have time to sent them, imbecile! Seraphina was right, you’re an imbecile! I can’t believe I left Tobias for a fool like you!” She broke into fresh tears.

“Tobias was beginning to get attached to me, but you ruined it by getting between us! You ruined my life!”

“You’ve always been a bitch, Kelly,” Dean laughed. “If you weren’t, then you wouldn’t have left him for me no matter how much promises I made!”

Kelly nodded, wiping her tears. She pulled a paper out of her bag and threw it at his face.

“That’s my test results from the hospital. There’s nothing wrong with my health at all, but you’ve been cumming in me for months, and I’ve never used contraceptive, but I’ve never been pregnant either. Now that I think about it, I’m grateful cos it’ll be calamitous to be a baby mama for you! You’re sick somewhere cos you obviously can’t get anyone pregnant, better check yourself!” She yelled at his face.

And with that, she dragged her four bags out of the room.

She was shedding glassy tears, tasting her own misfortune till she was out of the house.

She jumped in her car, pulled her phone, and dialled a number…

Two rings, and it picked..

“Who’s this?” Vince’s voice clawed at the speakers.

“Kelly Price.” She sniffled.

“And how is my line with you?” Vince queried.

“I was an Analyst in WIE, and I have my ways, Vincent.” She replied.

Then two seconds silence.

“I have a really profitable information for you about Dean.” She said, wiping her tears again.

—

[Next Day – Xero’s Secret Mansion]

“What do you mean Saint was taken away from the hospital?” Tino spranged up immediately the news hit from his father.

“I sent people, and they came back with the news. Tobias authorized his discharge, and took him away.” Xero informed quickly.

“No…no…no…” Tino kept shaking his head. “I…I need to see Saint. I need to tell him it was a mistake, that I’d never shoot him! I need to.. need to…”

“Valentino!” Xero held him.

“But I need to see him!” Tino shouted. “You told me you’d make it possible if I didn’t speak with my mum. I blocked my mum cos of it, and now you’re still not able to bring Saint to me? I need Saint!!” He pushed Xero off impulsively.

Xero breathed out, letting him calm down without attempting to touch.

And that was when his eyes caught the TV in the room.

The news.

The news is crazy right now.

Very crazy.

And just one person is the center of attention.

Tobias St. Graves.

There are so many speeches and confessions from different people.

Even from Dean!

Dean confessed it was Tobias who made a deal with him to marry Seraphina and keep her for him.

He went ahead to say Tobias didn’t go to seminary. The time everyone thought he was in seminary, he was actually a teacher at Juniper Highschool.

He was the pedophile who dated Seraphina and impregnated her.

Marley confessed that it was Tobias who gave Seraphina the abortion pills and liquid soap cos he didn’t want a baby, and that he’s the one who kidnapped Kimmy and made her lie that it was her family who aborted Seraphina’s baby.

Genevieve confessed it was Tobias who killed Kimmy too and sent her body to them.

Kimmy’s body was displayed in the news, and the wordings carved on the back of it…

SERAPHINA.

BURN IN HELL.

Vince himself revealed his knee as one of Tobias’s violent deeds.

Dean revealed his slashed back as another one of Tobias’s actions.

Lots of ex-students from Hollow University released speeches of how Tobias was a ruthless cultist and a money laundering kingpin.

Even the rest of Valhalla Club billionaires used their companies broadcast to spread the information.

The ruckus is so wide, and as Xero went from one news to the other, he bursted into laughter.

“I should have known Vince is a dedicated bastard who has dedicated his time to ruining Wrath. When did he even plan all of these? Look how he turned everything around.”

“Does this mean Wrath is ruined now?” Tino asked. “I mean…he’s already wanted by the cops with all these charges.”

“First, we’re going to visit Vince…” Xero grabbed his phone.

Tino threw on his jacket too, preparing to leave with him.

“Go on to the car, need to pee…” Xero told him and entered the bathroom.

Tino left the house, choose the car they’ll be taking and got in, but when he started the engines, the car refused to move out of the park.

He was confused till he got signals from the tires.

They’re flat.

All four.

He opened the car door to get out, but before he could take a step, his neck was wrapped with a wire from the backseat of the car, knocking breaths out of him in one brutal move.

He froze, eyes dilating as his face became colourful.

Yalda’s face appeared right beside his own, leaning on his shoulder…

“Shh,” she placed a finger on his mouth, and he swallowed emptiness as saliva couldn’t go down his wired throat.

“You’ve had enough good time hiding with your father. Now, come continue your vacation with us.” Yalda whispered to his ear.

Instantly, her earbuds came alive. It’s a phone call.

She tapped to pick.

It’s an Odd.

“Yes?” She sounded.

“I’m guessing you didn’t see the news,” the Odd breathed hard.

“The cases against Wrath?” Yalda breathed too. “You didn’t hear it when he told us to pretend we didn’t hear anything no matter what?”

“That’s not it, Yalda…!!” The Odd shouted. “Wrath got into an accident at the city bridge, and he…”

Yalda scoffed.

“You’re joking.”

“I wouldn’t call to joke with your mean ass!” The Odd yelled again. “Wrath got into an accident, and the car blew up completely…his burnt body is laying on the road now. Watch the fuckin news!”

Yalda ended the call, fished a knife out of her pocket and thrusted it inside Tino’s chest.

She was supposed to take him to the slaughterhouse, but there’s no time for that right now.

She jumped out of the car and ran crazily out of the park.

—

[Sera’s Crochets – Camera Room]

The modelling shots are over now, but the edition before posting is ongoing, and as the models cleaned themselves up, Seraphina supervised the edition process too.

A guard suddenly rushed inside, and Seraphina lifted her back from the systems, looking at him questioningly.

“You should see the news, Miss.” He said slowly, worried.

“News?” She frowned.

“It’s about Mr. Tobias St. Graves…..death.” the guard said.

The camera slipped from between her palms and crashed, and her life stopped existing immediately.

A minute later, she was already running out of the building, barefoot. She had to take off her heels cos she knew her run would slow down.

She was about to leap into her car when Jude appeared from the other side of the road in a different car.

Her eyes widened again.

She ran to him.

“Jude! Please tell me it’s not tr—”

“I’m sorry, Miss.” He cut in.

She shook her head, slowly…very slowly… painstakingly slow.

“No…no… Jude…no… he’s not….”

“I’ll take you there,” Jude opened the door of his car, and she dashed inside, chest bleeding with the brutal stab the news caused.

Her mind was splitting every millisecond, and her head felt like it wasn’t on her neck anymore.

Tobias? Gone?

Dead? Ceasing to exist?

Then she has no reason to exist again too, so it’s impossible.

Highly impossible.

It can’t happen, but why is she crying? Yeah, she’s shedding tears now. Her lenses softened, and her sight blurred a little.

She pinched herself deeply drawing blood as she imagined life again without him. It felt bitter, sour, meaningless, pointless.

She felt desolate, empty.

Her tears rushed harder, till Jude stopped the car at an area that doesn’t look like the city overpass.

The accident happened at the overpass, right? So…

Why are they in a place that has so many plum trees and flowers?

Jude came down from the car and opened the door for her too.

“He’s waiting..” he said.

She slowly stepped out, hiccuping….

“Who’s…”

“Walk down the path, and you’ll find him…” He cut in and turned around, walking away from her.

Seraphina wanted to call him back ask who? Ask why they’re here.

But he was already too far gone. She could only followed his words and go down the thin path beside the smallest plum tree around.

Walking felt insufficient, so she ran.

She ran, breathlessly, her hair flowing, evening dress swirling, and her tears drying on her cheeks.

When she got to the end of the path where there’s another array of plum trees, she stopped.

No one’s waiting.

She sniffled and hiccuped again, wondering what game Jude is playing with her mind.

She stood there, the breeze from the trees barely touching her as she stopped herself from crying again.

Then, she turned around to return to the car, but there he was…

Behind her.

Tobias.

He stood behind her, right there.

A white unbuttoned shirt which revealed his chest in the middle, and equal color of pants, spotless.

Her breaths hitched, and her lips shook when she opened to talk.

She couldn’t even move, so he moved closer to her, lifted his hand to her cheeks and wiped the remaining tears the breeze couldn’t lick.

“I’m sorry I made you cry…” He genuinely whispered.

She shifted away.

“You… you’re…you’re not…”

“Something had to be done about your avoidance,” he opened up.

She blinked back, realizing.

“You….made me lost my mind because of that? You made me nearly die cos of my avoidance? You…”

“Don’t say it like it’s that easy, Sera.” He frowned. “You AVOIDED me!”

“And why would my avoidance rattle you so much that you had to make this whole spectacle of dea—”

“‘Cause I can’t fucking take it!” he exploded.

The words ripped out of him before he could cage them, his chest heaving so violently it looked painful.

“I can’t survive the slightest distance from you. Let the rest of the world ignore me, let them erase me, curse me, bury me, I don’t care. But you?” His voice became frighteningly raw. “You don’t get to disappear from me.”

The laugh that followed from him was hollow, almost sick.

“You have no idea how many breaths I’ve counted waiting for you to look at me again. Do you know what silence sounds like when it wears your face? Like a coffin closing!”

His breathing grew harsher with every word. Seraphina’s own lungs forgot how to work.

In one swift movement, he caught her wrist and pressed her palm flat against his chest. His heart slammed violently beneath it.

“Feel it, hear it. You think you’re the only one whose heart loses its damn mind?” His voice broke into a whisper. “Mine forgets how to beat the second you pull away. I can’t breathe when you avoid me, Sera. I can’t fucking breathe!”

“I want you in every version of my life. In my mornings, my nightmares, in the ugly parts of me no one survives seeing,”

His forehead almost touched hers as he leaned, breathings fast and desperate. “Look at me, just… look at me alone. I don’t want to become something even worse than I already am. I don’t want to be the monster that walks through the city tearing out strangers eyes because they held your gaze a second too long.”

“And yes… I’m jealous.” A bitter smile ghosted over his lips. “So don’t tell me the sunset is beautiful.”

His thumb brushed her soft cheek, and his breaths shook. “Don’t tell me a song is perfect, don’t you dare tell me pasta tastes like heaven when I’m supposed to be the only heaven and the only hell you’ll ever need!”

Silence stretched tightly between them. Seraphina could barely recognize the rhythm of her own heartbeat. Every restraint she built inside herself was splintering.

Her lips parted, and her voice came out fractured. “Why…..why are you telling me this?”

His eyes softened, fucking hers.

“Because i’ve felt you longer than I’ve allowed myself to admit. Since the day you walked down that aisle beside my brother. I looked at you, then deceived myself to look away like you were nothing but a breeze I thought if I didn’t stare too long, whatever I felt would die.”

“But it didn’t, it rooted itself inside me and poisoned everything. And you know the worst part?” His eyes glistened. “You are poison, the kind a man drinks only once and spends the rest of his life craving.”

Seraphina felt something inside her split clean open beautifully like a cage finally giving up.

His hands cupped her face as though she was something breakable, then he lowered himself until only inches separated them.

A sad smile touched his lips “I’ll always belong to you, Sera.”

Seraphina stared at him through trembling eyes, through slamming chest..”Tobias…” The name escaped her like a prayer.

He closed his eyes for a heartbeat, and a humorless chuckle left him before he opened them again

“I suppose this is where a sane man says he loves you.”

Seraphina’s heartbeats picked up again, spiked beyond her reach, boiling inside her noisy ears.

“I’m not sane,” he murmured. “But I love you with every ugly part of me.”

His fingers brushed a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

“Choose me, Sera. Will you be my girlfriend, officially?”

TBC.