TILL D£ATH DO US APART
(The•Devil•I•Loved)
________________________
All rights reserved.
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 © 2025
___________________
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
[Three Years Ago, Health Home]“He ca-can’t leave me. He can’t—”
Bobby dropped beside the surgery table, gripping Leonardo’s unmoving hand. His tears were hot as f+k as they poured out of his sick eyes.
“My Leo!!!!!!…. Don’t leave me!!!!!”
“Can someone tell him to calm the hell down?” The surgeon said, looking too calm for someone who just pronounced death.
Bobby looked at him, slowly.
“What the f+k do you mean?”
The surgeon didn’t reply, so Bobby’s eyes went back to Leonardo in bed, then his monitor.
It’s not green, but the straight sound it gives whenever the red line pops up did not happen.
No sound, just the red lines alone, and that made his head spin.
Before he could talk, Stanley and Nino came in, getting the logic of the situation immediately.
“You disconnected the monitor?” Stanley said.
“Correct, I’m gonna have to reconnect, with a life support this time,” the surgeon responded.
“Life support? Coma? Leo fell in coma?” Bobby stood.
“That’s obvious,” Nino replied, squatting beside Sandra on the floor. He tilted her up, and her eyes opened.
“Then why?” Bobby stood, gripping the surgeon’s shirt. “Why would you pronounce him dead!!”
“Cos to everyone else that’s not in this house right now, he’s dead! From now on, Leonardo Esposito is dead! He died tonight, 8pm! That’s what the whole world will know, from now on!” The surgeon yelled back.
“How many months?” Stanley asked.
By now, Sandra is up, so she stood with Nino, and she stumped forward.
“How many months will he stay comatose for?” She asked too, wiping the tears on her face.
“It’s not predictable, Miss Sandra. All you need to know is he’d wake up one day. Could be months, could be years…” The surgeon replied.
Another set of spies transported the life support into the room, and the connection to Leonardo’s body started instantly.
It was done in just twenty minutes, and the surgeon ordered everyone out of the room immediately.
“Can I speak to you, Mister Bob?” He said, and Bobby followed him to the second room to talk.
<Present Time>
The stepping out of Leonardo from the wardrobe made many of the guests lose their shit.
No one remained on seat. Everyone got up, and as some got up, they lost their breaths and fainted.
Wasn’t Leonardo supposed to he dead? Why is a human the art piece for the auction?
Not just any human, but the most notorious man in this city?
Chicago was at rest when his mother Vera died that fateful year, but then he grew up, and he started giving the citizens nightmares too.
Then he died three years ago, or so they thought, and now he’s…back?
He wasn’t…dead?
It was all an act?
Leonardo’s dead eyes stayed in the chaotic crowd, and he just remained unmoved as if he’s not hearing their whispers and shocked remarks.
The cameras did it’s flashing job, blinking at his face nonstop. It’s almost blinding, but he still didn’t move nor talked.
Anthony was smiling widely as he stared at his son.
But his smile can’t ever beat Bobby’s smile…ever.
Bobby’s face might tear if he smiles any wider.
Sandra and Bacardi share the same controlled smile, their joy limitless.
Even Felicia is beaming, and she’s caressing her belly at the same time.
She looked at the belly.
“Hey, little one. Big stepbrother is back to the world,” she said happily.
“I woulda died if we lost him,” Stanley muttered.
“Welcome back, Ghost.” Nino grinned.
“Godfather, you mean.” Tierney said.
“Godfather Ghost,” Nino replied, and Tierney chuckled.
Valerie had to remove her bag from her shoulder, her eyes still as wide as the eyes of the billionaire men.
“Nahh…this has to be a joke! I came to watch the auction, and what? Leo ain’t dead?” She muttered.
“Jesus f+kin Christ!”
Leonardo is still on that stage, still watching like a predator. Still gazing at his spies who’re all smiling professionally from their guarding posts in the hall.
And then his family.
Anthony stepped away from the stage after a while, leaving just him.
His blonde air caught the lights as he finally stepped closer to the voice aid.
By now, the wardrobe has been rolled away from stage.
“Miss me, Chicago?” He spoke.
Same accent, just a little bit sharper at the edges, twisted with something dangerous and animalistic.
He sounds too charged and energetic it’s unhidden.
The bold reporters are still flashing him, and the ones who passed out on the ground are missing out on all the upcoming tea.
“Of course we miss you!” Bobby yelled dramatically.
“How are you back from the dead?” A reporter asked.
“How can I be back from the dead when I didn’t die in the first place?” Leonardo replied sharply, each word coming out with measured depth.
“Ah… Leonardo Esposito died, but Leonardo Coker is here now.” He rephrased his sentence.
“You never died, so…?” Another reporter asked.
“I was in coma, for six months.” Leonardo replied.
“Six months? But you’ve stayed hidden since then? This is the third year.” Another question rolled in.
“I stayed hidden out of choice. Some surprises are better buried, allowed to age, so when they get dug out, they taste divine.” Leonardo replied.
“Just like the wine!” Bobby added.
“Is he Sir Leo’s mouthpiece or what?” Emma laughed beside Bacardi.
“And you decided to make yourself the art of for tonight’s auction?”
“Yeah. An aged art piece, but I’m not for sale. You can take your time staring, would allow that.” Leonardo replied, and Valerie smiled.
“That dude!”
“Is Mister Bob really the artist of
Naked Eve’ drawings?”
“No! I don’t even know how to hold a pencil!” Bobby responded.
Stanley and Nino laughed loud.
“I’ve been in charge of the drawings, in secret. I draw my inspirations, give them out, and my brother just publishes them.” Leonardo said.
“Meaning, you’re the sole owner of this company…the Godfather.
“Obviously,” Leonardo replied flatly.
“Are you fully back to take over the operations? Or is this just a brief appearance?”
“Fully back…in blood.” Leonardo replied, raising his hand.
Meaning… that’s the last question he’d be answering.
He left the stage, walking out of the building through the backdoor.
His family followed him, but his spies stayed till the reporters and billionaires began taking their leave.
—
[Naked Eve’ Top Office]Leonardo shrugged off his ash suit when he entered. He hung it on the office hanger, left in his black undershirt. He walked behind his desk, stood there and stared at the vibrant Chicago night.
He eventually picked up a glass of bourbon from the table, tapping his index on the cup body as he drank.
His eyes held more blood than sight. He looks beastly when the bourbon filled his mouth, and his throat moved more than required when he swallowed the mouthful.
Three years ago, he nearly died—nearly lost his life for love.
He tasted love for the first time, and back then he thought it was the sweetest taste ever.
Better than bourbon, better than cold dark chocolate, better than wasabi.
He was fooled, played.
Only then did he realize just how stupid he had acted.
He dropped his bourbon glass and rested his body on his desk.
He was really in coma for six months, and when he woke up, he felt like he has lost his life…his importance.
But thanks to family…to spies.
And thanks to his own quest for a heavy payback, he scaled through.
He stayed hidden since then. He continued playing dead and lay low, all while planning the doom of his enemies. He has planned the destruction of his betrayers in silence, and now it’s time for reckoning, that’s why he stepped out.
The second round can now start.
He picked up a drawing from his desk. Drawing of female and a male sèxual organs. The d+k is buried inside the p+xy, and it’s dripping.
This was supposed to be the art piece of tonight, but everything changed when he decided to make himself the art piece and appear in a wardrobe.
He dropped the paper, and his family entered immediately.
Everyone of them.
Anthony hugged him first, a deep fatherly hug.
He still doesn’t hug back, so he just stayed, but he smiled faintly.
“Welcome back to the outside world! Thank gawd you decided to show up! Was already wondering when you were gonna unwrap yourself ” Anthony said after pulling back.
“Glad you’re back, Leo.” Felicia smiled genuinely.
She grew close to Leonardo over the last two years, and now that she’s pregnant with her own baby, the family is hoping she doesn’t lose it like she lost her first pregnancy.
Leonardo gave her a slight nod, and Bobby sat on his desk with Sandra and Bacardi.
Bobby is with a small jar of the buried wine, and he’s drinking directly from it, celebrating.
But Sandra snatched it from him and had a drink too.
Afterwards? She threw the jar to Bacardi who caught it and had a drink too, excessively.
“When did you seriously dye your hair?” Stanley asked, standing right in front of Leonardo.
“Don’t come too close,” Leonardo grunted.
“Of course Mr. Grumpy. Of course. I still came to your mansion when? Was it last month? And your hair wasn’t dyed,” Stanley said.
“He dyed his hair since last year January, are you blind?” Bobby said.
“That’s why he always wore a cap. I guess you haven’t seen his hair since then,” Nino said.
“The hell? I’m his best friend even if he doesn’t treat me like one!” Stanley gasped.
“Best friend ends in your mouth, you didn’t even know he dyed his hair,” Bobby scoffed.
“That’s cos since he woke up, he hated people coming too close, and then that cap he always wore! Don’t blame me!” Stanley pointed fingers.
“It’s annoying that everytime I’m around family, the topic somehow always ends up being about my darn hair,” Leonardo sighed, sitting.
“That’s cos your hair is popular. Has been famous since we were young, brother.” Bacardi said.
“Yunno when I was one year old, I used to think Leo was a girl.” Sandra said, and Anthony laughed.
“That’s just plain stupid,” Leonardo commented.
Sandra scoffed, and Nino sat beside her on that same desk.
She ended up blushing, remembering the sèx three hours ago.
Shortly, Valerie came in with Emma, and Leonardo looked up.
All eyes landed on her, so she had to stop by the door.
“I’m not a sinner, don’t look at me like one,” she said plainly.
“You left since you were 5, and despite how strong my spy coverage was, and how unmistakable your hair color was, we couldn’t find you. Nino made mad efforts too, but you stayed in the ground. You didn’t even come when Hilda died, and now you’re finally here?” Leonardo stood.
He drew his gun, shooting straight at her, but she was fast to go down.
All eyes widened, and Nino quickly jumped down the table, covering Valerie before Leonardo would shoot another shot.
Leonardo really shot, but Nino twisted himself with her, and they both rolled to the threshold.
The bullet hit the doorframe.
“Ghost! She is Hilda’s daughter!” Nino shouted.
“My land of care is barren, Nino.” Leonardo muttered.
“I’m not a darn mole if that’s what you’re thinking!” Valerie shouted, breaking free from Nino’s grip.
“Check my movements record since I was 5! I was inside Holiness nunnery! The same nunnery Lissa sent the parcel from! I’ve been there as one of the nuns but I had my hair dyed black so even when Nino and Sandra came to investigate, they couldn’t recognize me!” She explained.
“You’re kidding,” Sandra jumped down from her desk.
“I’m not! Go to the nunnery, there are cameras everywhere! Check my day-to-day activities! I’d either be praying in the chapel, fetching water with the other nuns, or go out for communion at the bigger city chapel! Check for records!” Valerie shouted.
“So…when Nino and Sandra came to investigate the parcel, and you saw them, why didn’t you help? No…when Lissa came to use the nunnery ink for her foolery, you probably saw her too…why didn’t you alert the clan?” obby questioned.
“Cos I’ve vowed to never have anything to do with the clan again so far my mum was inside. Why would I tell?” Valerie smirked
“And now you’re here cos?” Bacardi asked.
“Y’all are out of the House Of Esposito anyways, so I’m free to visit.” Valerie replied, and Leonardo stalked to her.
He threw a hit to her face, and that cheek reddened immediately.
The slap was loud.
Valerie staggered with wide shocked pained eyes, and Nino didn’t try to protect her this time.
“Hilda was pure! The only pure human I’ve ever f+kin met! She was damn pure till death! You disowned her as your mother, and you ran away from the clan! She went in search of you, and in the process, she got into an accident! She broke her spine!” Leonardo yelled.
“Wh..what!” Valerie sniffled.
“You didn’t know?” Leonardo laughed crookedly, wickedly.
“She broke her damn spine, went under surgical blades to have it operated on, but some months after the surgery, she fell and the spine broke again! She refused to go under the knife for the second time cos she was scared she might die on the surgery table and not meet you again! She struggled with that till she died! You have no idea the pains she endured! You know nothing about her struggles, but here you are…”
Leonardo stepped back at this point, unable to contain his anger.
He slapped Valerie again.
Valerie fell, crying.
Everyone else were silent, just watching the show.
“Leo…stop slapping her.” Anthony said behind.
“The slaps is me being kind, father. Get thankful that I’m not killing her. And get her out of this office, now!” Leonardo yelled.
The spy guards came in, and Valerie was dragged out of the office. Her crying was loud as they went beyond the walls of the office.
Nino followed her, and Sandra followed Nino.
Leonardo was about to go back to sit when he saw Emma.
“Monika’s mole,” he muttered.
Emma nodded.
“The only reason I’m not killing you is cos you saved Cardi’s life, and Cardi wants you alive…” He glared.
“I only spied for Monika cos Lissa told me to do it. She wanted the clan to shatter so her family would do the rebuilding and take over. She has always had a plan B.” Emma said.
“Yet, you killed her…” Leonardo smirked, sitting down.
“That’s cos i was her maid for four years. That was enough time to study her like my medical journals. I knew her the best, so it was easy to take her out, and you don’t have to worry about my loyalty. You once shot my palm.” Emma raised her right hand.
The bullet scar is still on the palm and at the back of her hand.
“I know it won’t be my palm if I act smart again, so I’m here to stay. Also, I’m looking forward to the end of the cause of all these… Joyce Nikova.” Emma smiled.
The mention of that name made the air colder.
“You can go home, father. This doesn’t concern you. Go home and take care of your pregnant wife.” Leonardo said dryly.
“Carry me along on every plan though,” Anthony replied.
“No qualms,” Bobby winked at him.
“Eat good food and feed that baby in your belly well when you get home, Felicia!” Bacardi shouted.
“I will,” Felicia chuckled, following Anthony out of the office.
“Quick!” Bobby whistled with his mouth, getting down from the desk.
“The plan!” He said.
“They’re probably still absorbing the news of my comeback,” Leonardo smiled creepily.
“As they should,” Nino said.
“Do I prepare our flight?” Stanley asked.
Leonardo looked up, his creepy smile disappearing and getting replaced with a deadpan.
“Do it.” He ordered.
—
[Dew Hospital]Renata was breathless as she ran into the hospital at exactly 12am midnight. She saw the news late, but she was still determined to come.
She stumbled before entering the ward, and surprisingly, she met the old man in bed, awake.
He’s reading a book about constellations with his glasses on.
“Father!”
“Why are you running?” Marko asked, not taking his eyes off his precious book.
Renata caught her breaths fast.
“He’s not dead! Leo… Leo is alive! He’s in fact the Godfather of Naked Eve! He’s the one behind them!”
Slowly, Marko dropped his book, removing his glasses.
“I had this intuition two years ago, but I blew it away when I saw how gloomy and dull his siblings became. Turns out I got fooled after all. I got fooled for the first time.” He scoffed.
Renata remained quiet.
“Get the doctor, I wanna get discharged, now!” He ordered.
Renata started running out, but he talked again…
“The gathered allies, contact them and instruct them to send help tomorrow. We don’t need more, we’ll make use of what we have, and alert the Private Prison-guards too. Now that Leo has appeared, it only means he came prepared, and we mustn’t be caught unprepared.”
“I understand!” Renata said.
—
[House Of Esposito, Penthouse]Island is still on the floor, passed out.
She has been there since Penny poured hot water on her in the morning, and Penny doesn’t seem to give a f+k cos she’s currently eating grapes in the living room.
Thaddeus entered, and he didn’t even see Island before he rushed to Penny.
“Leo came back, he’s alive.” He broke the news, but Penny didn’t gasp.
She remained flat.
“I’ve been preparing myself for anything at all, Thaddeus. Since our money got switched to fake, we got levelled to the lowest mobsters in here, I lost my daughter, and you had intercourse with Island. Nothing has the ability to shock me again.”
“Penny….” Thaddeus huffed.
“Don’t start, Thaddeus. Don’t fuckin start! I’m on my own, why not stay on your own and let’s turn backs!”
“You’re on your own?” Thaddeus glared. “But all you do is sit here, receive massage and eat grapes all day! I hit the warehouse everyday and work my as$ off and that’s why the Padrino still allows us to stay here! You still have a roof over your head cos of me! Stop being ungrateful!” Thaddeus yelled.
Penny grinned, dropping her grape plate before rising.
“You’ve always been fooled all your life, Thaddeus. It’s not my fault you’re not very smart. You told Stanley to off Leonardo, but he outsmarted you and told Leo about it. “You are reading from www.mhiztaemy.com.ng” His death was faked, and you went to jail purposely to gather new strategies…”
Penny laughed at this point.
“New strategies? But look where we are now.. no roof, no child, no funds and we’re even in debt with the contractors!” She yelled.
Thaddeus took the grape plate. It’s glass, so he raised it and brought it down, intending to crash it on her neck and break her jugular.
But in his hindsight, he sighted Island’s body on the floor.
He dropped his hand, frowning.
“The hell is she doing there?”
He rushed over to her and kicked her with his legs.
She’s frozen. Deadly cold.
He quickly went down and turned her around since she’s sleeping on her belly.
He turned her to lay on her back, and when he saw her white bloodless face, he moved back.
At this point, Penny came closer too.
“She’s dead…” Thaddeus said.
“The hell?” Penny gasped.
—
[Next Morning, Dubai~Deira]While Robert prepared for work, Ginny is busy with her early online class.
Since Leroy’s company building is still under construction, he’s preparing to follow Erica to work.
They’re all busy with their day when Ginny suddenly gasped from the front of her laptop.
“You’re supposed to be attending your online class, Gin-Gin. Don’t tell me you’re playing games!” Erica said.
“No…this ain’t game. This is real! Naked Eve real Godfather is Leonardo Coker! He came back! He’s not dead! Number one trending world news!” Gibby shouted.
Robert and the parents rushed to her instantly, lining behind her to have a look at her screen too.
The most notorious man in Chicago, Leonardo Esposito came back as Leonardo Coker three years after his death. Now the owner of the illegal N+ked Eve company….
The news is legit and clear.
“F+k!” Robert gasped.
Erica and Leroy looked at each other, hugging tight.
“Fam, does this mean we can go back to Chicago now?” Ginny asked.
“I’m still not sure…” Robert sat.
“Of course we can! If he was really dead, then the anger of his family would have stretched to us cos we raised Ivanna anyways, but now that he’s back, he’s only gonna go after Ivanna alone…” Leroy said.
“I still don’t want Anna to get hurt,” Ginny sighed, sitting too.
“Did you forget where she is now? She’s the Crimson heiress,, what are you saying?” Erica said.
“Right!” Ginny jerked.
“So…when are we returning to Chicago?” Robert asked.
—
[New Orleans, Crimson Family Home]The air is rented by the thick fragrance of the wedding, flying around the family estate.
It’s 4pm, but it’s an evening wedding according to the family rules. They even wed at night.
Ivanna is in the dressing room, dressing up with handfuls of maids there to help her dress up.
Her wedding dress is white with deep blood-red sprinklers at the neckline and train, matching the crimson.
Her makeover is rosy too, heavy.
She was smiling all along, but her smile diminished when an extra maid entered the room and whispered something into the ears of the other maids. The maids began gasping.
Ivanna stood, facing them.
“Miss!” They quickly backed up.
“What’s going on?” She asked.
“It’s… it’s just that…. there’s a news from Chica—”
Monika entered, interrupting them. She’s already dressed in her black dress for the wedding too, but she looks totally mad.
“Out, everyone!” She ordered, her countenance gleaming with rage.
Heating, boiling rage.
The maids scurried out of the room, and Monika threw the door shut.
Then she stalked back to Ivanna and shoved her phone screen into her face, showing her the trend.
News of the return of Leonardo Coker. Leonardo’s blonde pictures sat with wide frame on the screen.
Ivanna said nothing.
“You don’t look shocked,” Monika muttered, lowering the phone.
Ivanna still said nothing.
“You have nothing to say to me, baby?” Monika demanded.
“What do you want me to say?” Ivanna muttered.
“What do I want you to say?” Monika pushed her chest. “What do I f+kin want you to say? I want you to tell me how he’s still damn alive!!!”
Ivanna looked away.
“Fn-five-Seven… That was the gun you used! I saw it! Two bullets on his chest from that demonic gun, and he’s still alive? Even a demon won’t survive that so why the hell is Leonardo still alive!!!” Monika yelled.
Now she has grabbed Ivanna’s wedding dress tightly in the front, locking it in her palms
“Tell me! Why is he still here! You played a trick, didn’t you? If I had pressed the wall button that day, you know he’d have died in the cave! The poison would have killed him within a minute, but you took it upon yourself to shoot him…..”
Monika glared harder before finishing that statement.
“With wooden bullets.”
Ivanna’s eyes widened a bit.
“I caught you! That’s the only sensible explanation! He once used wooden bullets on Ginny, so you went for that same tactic! You used wooden bullets on him! That’s why he was in coma for just six months despite taking in two shots! How dare you fool me! For three good years baby! How dare you!!!” Monika yelled.
Ivanna sighed.
“Now I see why you didn’t kill him earlier! That Panda Port mission, if you didn’t cover him, I’d have poisoned Leo over there too and he’d have been long gone! You’ve been…. you’ve been on his…side? Joyce!!!” Monika yelled crazily.
“When are you gonna get over this obsession for revenge, mother?” Ivanna talked
“What!” Monika gasped.
“The evidence is with Moo—the snail-shaped ring. Vera didn’t shoot dad. Very didn’t use jewelries, and she hated slowpokes, so why the hell would she have a snail-shaped ring?” Ivanna said calmly.
Monika gasped again.
“Hilda served peppered snails to Renata a lot of times when I was in the clan. Renata loves snails so she’s undoubtedly the one who did the killing…she’s the devil in disguise. I was wondering where the remaining three ally points could be. Turns out it’s a human, not countries.” Ivanna muttered, scoffing.
Monika let go of her dress, then she pushed her chest again before slapping her soundly.
Ivanna staggered, nearly falling cos of the full train of her dress.
“You did not suffer with me, Joyce! You did not suffer! So you have no right to teach me how to revenge! Vera is gone, and her son must follow! This time, not just Leo! I want the whole Coker siblings gone! I promised to not kill the Cooper family before, but now that you dared to fool me, I’m killing every f+kin body!!” Monika yelled.
“What exactly is going on!!!” Ivanna yelled back at her for the first time ever, and Monika stilled.
“Yes, tell me what your issue is! Tell me why!!! This isn’t about Vera killed my father anymore! Vera didn’t even kill him, it was Renata, and you’ve known this fact for a long time but you still proceeded to kill Vera? What issue do you have with Vera exactly!!” Ivanna continued yelling.
Monika only chuckled, then swept her hair back before stepping out of the room. She gave no answer.
Ivanna sighed and sat back in front of the mirror, then she started retouching her makeup by herself.
Three minutes was all she needed. She got done before the maids returned to the room.
She was helped into her heels, and she stepped out of the room after twenty more minutes.
When she got out, her grandparents were already waiting.
The two were overwhelmed to see her in that dress, and she gave them both warm hugs which lasted longer than planned.
“Stop being overly emotional, I’m still coming back to this house after the wedding… c’mon!” She said.
“Can’t help it, granddaughter,” the Grandpa said.
“Heard you had a fight with your mother, that’s strange. You both never argue. What is it about?” Grandma asked curiously.
“We’re late, Miss Joyce!” The guards by the door of that suite alerted them.
“We’ll talk when we return from the wedding.” Ivanna smiled at her grandparents, then the maids held her dress train as she rushed down.
Hayden must have gone already cos she’s not seeing him anywhere.
Even Monika is gone, but she saw Moo. Their eyes met before she entered the car and rode off.
—
[Crimson Function Hall]The hall is just two minutes drive away from the estate, so in ten minutes later, everyone arrived.
The Crimson family are the only attendees, and they filled the hall so much, each with smiles hanging beautifully on their faces.
Their heiress is getting married today.
But the number of guards surrounding this hall is larger than the normal ones in a patrol. They’re almost more than the family members. Monika did it.
Since she heard news of Leonardo’s aliveness cos of her foolish daughter’s foolery, she grew extra cautious. Who knew when that bastard might strike?
At some minutes to 5pm, the hall grew silent, and smiles blossomed on more faces as the bride and groom made their entry.
Hayden wore a red suit too, but not the bright red. It’s blood-red… resembling wine a bit.
Same color as Ivanna’s dress.
Her face isn’t veiled, so her smile showed. She’s looking at Hayden occasionally, and Hayden wouldn’t stop staring at her.
In front of the hall, there’s the Grandparents and Monika herself, then Moo who’s directing the shuffle of the guards.
The cat—Dusk sat on a chair alone too, watching her owner.
A little bit before they’d get to the front, clappings started.
“You’re so beautiful, baby! You’re so beautiful!” Monika shouted.
Ivanna looked at her, not minding the fight they had before she entered this hall. She smiled.
Monika blew her kisses.
Hayden held her hand tighter, and Moo held her gun tighter where she stood behind Monika.
The atmosphere seems to be pregnant with tension, till they arrived at the alter where the Crimson officiator is standing with the vow books.
Hayden took his red book first, then Ivanna took hers. They opened at the same time, and they started reading at this same time too.
“In flesh, and bone—”
That was all they could read before the pregnant atmosphere bursted.
An unexpected gunshot echoed in the hall, and everyone stood to their feet.
It’s more surprising cos it didn’t come from an outsider.
It came from one of the Crimson guards. He shot at Hayden!
The vow book fell from Hayden, and he followed the book, falling too.
“Hayden!!!” Ivanna and Moo screamed at the same time.
The hall tumbled.
Moo and the rest of the guards fired back at that particular guard, but as they fired, more insider guards fired back at them.
Seems all their guards are betrayers at this point cos they got shorthanded in just two minutes.
Half of Crimson guards turned against them, and worse?
They seem undefeatable. They showcased jumping and ducking skills they haven’t showcased before. It’s like they’ve been hiding them.
And that’s cos they’re spies—Leonardo’s spies!
They infiltrated the Crimson since two years ago, and they’ve been laying low as guards since then.
Now is the time.
They didn’t shoot for long before The Cokers’ came in with violence, led by Bobby and Sandra.
“Here to kidnap the bride!!!!!” Bacardi announced.
They didn’t wait, they started the showdown of bullets immediately.
Moo and the rest of the remaining clean Crimson guards and gangsters returned the favor. They shot back, raining it down, but the Cokers’ sniping skills are sharper than sharp.
Bobby alone is holding two guns, chewing gum and sweating as he released bullets.
The Crimson gangsters got shorthanded again, and it got worse when the grandparents…
Grandpa and Grandma.
They got shot on their way out.
Bobby shot them!
Ivanna was still on the alter with bleeding Hayden when she saw the grandparents hitting the ground.
She stood, retrieved her gun from under her gown.
“Shit!!” Her breaths caught.
Her gown was dragging the ground after her as she ran towards that door. She shot down five Coker mobsters in the process.
Bullets hit everywhere around her… entering the wall, digging the ground, ramming the chairs and tables.
Bodies fell. Lives wasted.
Despite the fact that the grandparents were already down, Bobby still shot them on the ground again.
“Grandpa! Grandma!!!” Ivanna screamed, shooting back once.
Bobby got hit on the arm, and one of his two guns’ fell.
But Sandra shot back at Ivanna immediately.
Ivanna was hit on the arm too.
“Ahg!” Ivanna groaned, grabbing the shot arm with her second hand as her blood poured down the wound.
That moment, Monika entered the hall with new loaded shotgun… poisoned bullets and smokes.
She was screaming as she climbed a chair and began her insane showdown from there.
Still holding her bleeding arm, and with tears in her eyes, Ivanna continued her desperate run to her shot grandparents by that door, but she couldn’t arrive.
She was just two steps away from them when her path was blocked.
She stopped abruptly, and the first thing she saw was white suit.
Then…full brows.
Then deep blonde hair.
She froze.
TBC.
