Till Death Do us Apart - Episode 65&66

  

TILL D£ATH DO US APART

Till Death Do us Apart - Episode 65&66

(The•Devil•I•Loved)

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or reposted in any form, or by any means without a BOLDLY written permission from ME.

Copyright © 2025

Naomi Cindy B.

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★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

The long light on the white ceiling flickered again, indicating that he has been hugging her for two minutes.

Seems the light flicker per minute like it's counting time.

But...none of Leonardo's body movement signified that he'd be letting go anytime soon, so she applied resistance, trying to pull free, but maybe she underestimated the grip of his arms. They're too much.

His full excessive hair stabbed her neck. She felt uncomfortable, and she cringed. She applied resistance again.

It wasn't futile this time.

Leonardo actually let go, and when their faces met again, he's still so empty in the face—in the eyes.

No single emotion like the hug was some franchise.

"My parents..." She said firmly, her voice as rigid as it always is.

"They'll be good," He replied and turned...

"I want to see them! I think I earned enough merit to get a visitation card too. I'd like to go visit them....later today?" She said quickly.

"You'll visit them when I say so. For now, just float." He replied and never looked back till he made his exit.

Ivanna stood there, fists balled before she knew it. She pressed her teeth on the wall of her mouth.

"Puttana..." She muttered.

"Did you just call the three in one a bîtch?" Tierney said behind her, and she jumped, twisting to see the food monger behind.

"Hell...why are you being annoyingly sneaky..." She said coldly.

"I understand that cold voice. I shot you and your sweetheart apart in the forest and you both didn't get the chance to hug. It might have hurt you, but I love it, even till now." He smiled like a menace.

Ivanna was quiet, just staring.

"A useful advice? Just follow the rules here, and you'll be fine. It's toxic and inhumane and dangerous, but it favors the obedient." Tierney said.

"You're  young, why waste your life by coming here?" Ivanna muttered.

"Young? I'm 18 and adult enough. My old grandpa worked as a spy for Ghost. He was spying on your Hayden when he was shot down by Moo from Crimson Cave. Luckily, my grandpa carried me along on his missions when he was still alive, so...I had to take his place." Tierney said.

"You could work outside the clan like the rest of the spies, why come in here?" Ivanna asked.

"As a spy, my grandpa was defenceless without fighting skills, which is why it was easy to kill him. I came into the estate to get trainings for some months, then I'll go back outside to my grandpa's spot as a spy... Simple." Tierney shrugged.

Ivanna just walked past him after that, but Tierney obviously wasn't done talking.

"Coming in here doesn't mean your life is ruined. In fact...it's the best occurrence. I mean...these people are insanely rich, protective of their own and powerful. The circumstances surrounding your coming was just unfortunate." He said.

Ivanna stopped, and he came closer to say more in a whisper...

"Get closer to Ghost, take Lissa's place. Hone your skills. Tactics! You'd be untouchable!"

"You didn't have to come close to say that, you were loud enough." Ivanna muttered, and Tierney cleared his throat, stepping back.

"Anyways, I'll call you jie-jie from now on. I'm Chinese, and jie-jie means big sis." He winked.

When he left the corridor, Ivanna drew in a breath of fresh air.

"He talks too much...and eats quiet a lot." She muttered.

She returned into the room, and she met Ginny just the way she left her—in bed, tilted up by the pillow, and pale cos she's still healing.

Ivanna sat beside her and hugged her again, affectionately.

"This is the best thing that has ever happened to me all my life...the best thing ever. I love you so much, Gin." 

When she broke the hug, she opened Ginny's shirt button and checked her chest. The two bullet scars are sitting there in round dots, right on top of her small br+sts.

Ivanna rubbed the scars.

"Don't start crying again." Ginny smiled, but it didn't last.

"Where's Robert? Why didn't he come with you to see me? Where's mum and dad?" She asked.

Ivanna wiped her lashes before talking.

"Robert is at the warehouse, working with Bobby. And...mum and dad are fine. They're fine with the Ghost guy."

"Mr. Ghost is the one who shot me with Mr. Bobby, right? Mr. Ghost is the one who came here with you earlier." Ginny said.

Ivanna nodded.

"Thankfully, he didn't talk to me, I might just pee in my p+nts with the trauma. Tierney said they shot me with wooden bullets, and that's why I'm still alive. From the start, they didn't intend to kill me." Ginny said.

"Why?" Ivanna asked curiously.

"Cos I'm a guru. I understand computers, and they probably need me for something. My cyber ability finally paid off." Ginny smiled.

"I'm so grateful for that." Ivanna stroked her face.

"Tierney said you and Robert joined the mob already, and I must say...your tattoo is beautifully different." Ginny touched her neck.

"Tierney again? When did you wake up and that glutton already fed you with his much information?" Ivanna frowned, and Ginny chuckled.

"I swear Anna, he doesn't stop talking at all. He's like a radio."

"Of course," Ivanna rolled eyes, and Ginny laughed again, touching Ivanna's necklace.

"You think that day will ever come?" She said meaningfully, caressing the pendant.

Ivanna took the key pendant from her and caressed it too.

"My hope is still fresh. I'm still 27, there's still time to wait." She said.

"And I'm back!" Tierney shouted, entering the room with two cups of custard richly pampered with too much milk and sugar.

He handed one to Ginny, but Ivanna snatched it immediately.

"But the doctor said she can eat!" Tierney said.

"That's true Anna... Please let me have the custard..." Ginny pouted.

"Eat this over-pampered stuff? Too much sweet things isn't good for you for now." Ivanna said.

She just took one of the spoons and scooped away some of the milk and sugar from the custard.

"The sugar and milk isn't even that much, you're overreacting." Tierney said in defence.

"Just... just shut up!" Ivanna snapped.

Tierney held his lips together, and Ginny smiled when Ivanna handed the custard cup back to her.

She clinked her cup with Tierney's. Ivanna wanted to feed her, but she declined immediately.

"No no...I can eat by myself. I'm not disabled, relax...Anna."

"Yes she's not disabled. By daybreak, she can decide to go to your apartment or continue staying here. When it's daybreak, you can come to get her, but for now, leave us alone we still have a lot to gist about. Go for your trainings." Tierney said.

"I hate when you talk..." Ivanna sneered.

"Jie-jie, go out." Tierney pointed at the door, and Ginny laughed.

"If I don't later kill you in this estate, I'm not Joy." Ivanna rolled eyes and placed a kiss on top of Ginny's head.

"Bye, jie-jie!" Tierney shouted after her as she walked out.

--

[Leonardo's Citadel, Computer Room]

The spy in charge of finding the whereabouts of Ivanna's parents still hasn't found anything, and that's getting Leonardo's lungs in a deep twist. Whoever is in their possession is smarter than he thought.

There's no traces of them. No camera in Dew Hospital showed how they were taken at all. No camera in this city showed any suspicious vehicle or even captured their shadow.

Unless whoever took them flied them out of the country which is impossible. Leonardo's authority stretches to the airports. He has spies over there too so the person is definitely still in this country.

But who?

Who's playing with him this much?

As he stood in the middle of the computer room, shirtless. His sharp eyes went from one screen to another, scanning.

Nothing is coming.

Nothing is f+kin coming.

No traces found!

His anger nearly got the best of him as he picked up his gun to shatter all screens, but he was only able to shatter two before he tossed the gun.

He went to a cluster of five particular screens, clicking the middle one with his gloved hand. All five came on, showing some parts of Hydra forest.

During the Crimson Cave chase, he actually planted cameras in certain angles, but the cameras aren't getting anything. Their original Cave is must be in the pit of hell at this point.

But things are getting slightly clear—Ginny is awake.

Together, they'd solve the puzzles about the forest underground vaults first before moving forward.

He went to another side of the screens, clicking Play on a video. The video of Ivanna's rough drive in New Orleans. His spies sent it.

He watched it play over and over again. Her moves, her slides, screeches, drifts, swerves...

"Mum..." He muttered.

Vera was a crazy driver too like this. In fact, she was the one taught Nino how to drive at a tender age and made him the clan's official Chaser 

Leonardo pressed Play on Ivanna's driving video again, watching for the third time.

But he was interrupted when he received a new video at 6:30am.

He moved to another wall and clicked Play, plugging in his earbuds.

Valon's Empire in Albania.

It's crashing.

No—it has already crashed.

Cops everywhere, fire on several buildings, bodies of several of his men on the ground in hot blood.

It doesn't even look like the empire was raided by the police. It looks like it was raised by his spies alone.

Leonardo smiled, so sweet to watch, but when Valon's face came to view in a dark, shadowy room, his smile widened, graduating to a laugh.

His crazy laugh—loud and crooked.

His eyes nearly disappeared as the laughter took over his face.

Valon is unrecognizable. Cuts on his face in different shapes.

Straight, slant, zigzag, randoms.

Also, one of his eyes is gone. The left eye in particular.

"Is it painful?" Leonardo asked with dark sarcasm, nearly shoving his face in the screen as he moved closer.

Valon looked up with his one eye, blood drooling out of the second one which now has a hole instead.

Despair. Pain. Regrets.

Everything registered on his face, but he couldn't talk.

"Talk to me!!! Is it painful? Say yes!" Leonardo demanded.

He still stayed deaf, and that made Leonardo recoil a bit...

"The smallest toe on his right leg, cut it off." He ordered.

His three spies in the room got into action immediately.

Valon's leg was raised up, and with a glinting knife, that toe was chopped off like some sorta vegetable.

Valon didn't scream. He didn't even make a sound as the blood pumped.

"Next toe..." Leonardo said, sitting on the desk leisurely.

He looks bored.

His spies did it again. Valon's second toe fell off his feet with the knife.

Still... No sound from the man.

"Next—"

Before Leonardo could say toe... Valon detonated like mad.

"It is!! It is painful!!!!!!!!"

Leonardo jumped down the table, laughing loudly.

The look of boredom on his face disappeared to an unknown place, replaced by a thrilled one.

"Next!!!" He screamed, and Valon's third toe was cut too.

"It is....pain....ful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Blood sprayed the screen, and Leonardo grinned, slowly.

"You'd have been the richest man in Albania if you didn't betray me by selling my goods to Monika. Now you'll be deported here to me in Chicago, I'm gonna torture you till your soul and spirit depart from your body, and your body? I'll ruin it so much even houseflies will consider it poisonous!" He slapped the screen.

"Deport him over as planned, send him to me in a coffin." He said.

The spies nodded to say they understand, and the screen went off.

Instantly, the room red alarm beeped, indicating that someone's in.

Leonardo left the computer room, sliding into his relaxation room. The elevator let Ivanna inside.

First thing she noticed on his shirtless body is the scattered wounds from the stoning he received, but she didn't stare for even a sec.

"You here to get the hole between your legs touched till you bleed white blood? You are reading from www.mhiztaemy.com.ng I'm not in the mood to defile you." He moodily stated.

"Can you handle my trainings this morning?" She talked.

"And what's in it for me?" He replied with a sharp, slicing tone before she could even finish.

She expected that, and she was prepared.

"I heard you were your mum's marionette, and she trained you freely. Now you call me your pet and you can't hold free tutelage?"

"Vera Esposito. Leonardo Esposito. Sounds the same?" He tilted his head, walking to her already.

"But you're your mother's son and I'm your—"

"What?" He interrupted.

She moved back.

"Your mario—"

"My what?" He interrupted again, intentionally.

"Let me talk!" She blurted, her back meeting the elevator door.

He stopped in front of her, resting a palm on the door behind her before leaning down to her level.

"Two minutes to state your offer." He raised two fingers.

"One miute gone,"

"You f+kin—"

"One minute, thirty seconds gone."

"One second left,"

"Christmas. I'll be the first to gift you." She said.

His palm left the door, and a disappointed look formed on his face.

"Are you a bastard? I don't take gifts from anyone. Think you're mother Mary?" He rolled eyes and began returning inside.

She quickly got in front of him.

"And if I say it'd be something you'd like?" She folded her arms.

"Overestimating your abilities is cringe," he replied.

"If it fails to meet your expectations, then do whatever you want to me." She said confidently.

Leonardo smirked, one that means doom, but she wasn't freaked.

He led the way, and he followed.

There's a private hood for training inside his citadel which combines gym with it.

He opened the black door with his eyeballs, and that just made her wonder if there's any door in this Citadel without his fingerprints or eyeball stuff.

But entering the hood, she was too stunned to move for a while. This hood alone is bigger than their whole Cooper family house combined.

There's a private boxing ring, a punching bag spot, a gym corner with gym machines she has never heard of, a training spot for beginners.

The walls aren't free. There are fighting tools hung inside glasses like art pieces. Guns, arrows, swords, whips, knives, blades, pins.

It's too much.

There's a teleprompter too.

She stood there, admiring the tools like they've been waiting for her, and she suddenly wants to conquer the world. She suddenly wants to fight.

The motivation came immediately.

When Leonardo noticed he wasn't hearing her footsteps anymore, he turned to have a look, and that's when he noticed what she wore.

Her two-piece leggings and armless cropped top. Color white.

Obviously, she wore a br@. He didn't get to have a stare at those sweet round n+ples.

He was still looking at her when she finally got herself together and moved to him.

"For every fighter, there's a weapon. Pick a weapon from the wall." He told her, picking a cup from a table.

He went to a water dispenser and pressed it on, getting warm water to drink, and while he drank, she noticed the Leo zodiac sign on the cup. It's even on that dispenser.

Then...she noticed it's on every weapon here. Now that her mind went there, she remembered she noticed it on his cars too.

Basically, he crafts the sign on everything that belongs to him.

She eventually focused on the wall, getting confused on which of the weapons to pick at first, but then she sighted THE ONE.

The long horsewhip with seven mouths.

She went there to pick, but she couldn't reach it.

She's tall enough—average height, but he's taller, and the height of the weapon shelf is like him.

She tried again, but she still couldn't pick, till he noticed her struggle and came closer.

He picked the whip, and she relaxed, facing him.

He didn't give it to her. He stared at it, then at her, wondering why?

Vera's weapon was a horsewhip too, which is why she enjoyed whipping her back then.

In fact, this was her whip—the whip she always whipped him with.

He only kept it here for keepsake after her death, and now...this witchy pet in front of him wants it too?

How many more similarities does she have with his mother?

He dropped it on the ground, and Ivanna picked it from there.

"Gun is heavy, sword is heavier, but whip? It's the heaviest, pulling you side to side in the battlefield. To control it, you have to tame it. Then, you'll be the one pulling it instead—like a wild bull." he instructed.

He picked a remote and turned on the wide teleprompter.

On the screen, the whip lessons are written in bold letters, and it's already crawling up.

"Follow it, and start." He said.

Ivanna moved to the center, shifting on her sneakers, then following the teleprompter notes as instructed, she practiced on her own.

But the first minutes were tough. As she swung the long whip, it pulled her around like an animal.

Leonardo wasn't even looking. He went to the lat pulldown machine and sat, doing strong pulls.

His back was on her the whole time, and she just did what she saw on screen. By the thirtieth minute, she already mastered control on her own, but she's still finding it hard to make the moves. Even FTM couldn't save her cos this is on a whole new level.

Sweating, Leonardo let go of the lat pulldown and stood. His hair covered his one eye completely, and the second one is also half-covered.

Now, his white joggers is hanging too low on his waist that the V-line below his tummy is out.

He went to her, and Ivanna stilled when his hands gripped her waist, pulling her back to center.

His one hand stayed on her waist, and the other one held her hand with the whip, moving it with her.

She felt uncomfortable with his hair again, and she cringed, but no words.

She followed his movements, and soon, she forgot that his hand is even on her waist. She forgot that he's even touching her.

She just flowed, learned, mastered.

One hour. 

One full hour.

They moved together without stopping.

--

[8am, Estate Park]

Bacardi, Bobby and Robert got down from the same car, all looking completely wasted.

They finished the warehouse arrangements at 2, but they intentionally stayed back and just partied at the brothel till daybreak.

Bacardi retched beside the car, and Robert robbed her back. She only vomited a lucid fluid.

"You drank too much... I'm surprised you're even affected cos you're like a fish, too tolerant." He said.

"F+k, don't mock me..." Bacardi sniffled, taking tissue from him to wipe her dry lips.

"I'll take you to your suite," he pulled her arm, but before he could place it in his shoulder, Bobby stepped in.

"I'll take her. Go to your apartment, Robert." He said.

Robert looked at him, and Bobby just pushed him out of the way before leaving with Bacardi.

Taking a deep breath, Robert started his journey back to his apartment.

He followed up on Ivanna's journey last night, and he's aware she made it, so he can't wait to congratulate them.

He earned merits by killing the madman at the club, and Ivanna earned too by incinerating the body successfully, so they're definitely getting visitation cards.

He opened the door, but instead of meeting Ivanna, she met an extra.

Ginny!

Ginny sat on the couch, smiling with already wide arms.

Ivanna is behind her with Tierney, both smiling too with their arms folded on their chests.

They took her away from the Sector V just twenty minutes ago.

Robert blinked, his chest slamming like crazy, suddenly. 

He blinked again, his eyes seeming to be lying to him presently.

"Ginny???"

"I'm alive! I've been in coma! I wasn't killed! I made it!" She gushed.

Robert blinked again, pointing his finger forward.

"Ginny???" He repeated.

"Ghost and Bobby spared her from the beginning, cos of her computer brain." Tierney said.

"Oh my gawd!" Robert gasped.

Ginny stood from the couch and rushed to him.

Robert ran too, and the young girl jumped on him, totally.

"Oh Ginny...Ginny..." Robert cried, kissing her hair already.

"I thought I lost you...I thought you...you died..."

"I knew he'd cry," Ivanna smiled, watching them and rubbing her necklace pendant.

"Aw, so emotional..." Tierney replied beside her.

"Now that you're not guarding her again, you get your own apartment, don't you?" Ivanna sneered at him.

"No. I choose to stay with you guys. I called you jie-jie, so whenever you go, I follow. Besides, Ginny is my bud." He replied, and Ivanna scoffed again.

Without knocking, special guards from the Don's office came inside.

Two of them.

"By your merits, you get a new apartment." The first one said, dropping the key card of a new apartment on the couch.

"And here...your visitation cards..." The second guard dropped three cards on the couch, including Ginny's. You are reading from www.mhiztaemy.com.ng The cards are black, with golden dragon patterns on it.

Like a ticket to hell.

The siblings exchanged excited glances, but they didn't spend much time anymore.

The moment the guards left, they went to their new apartment.

It's not far from Hilda's Apartment, luckily, but it's bigger with three rooms, a better dinning area, and a luxury living room.

In each of their rooms, there are closets for each of them too, and in the closets, there are enough clothes and footwear to last them some months. The stronger they get, the more supply of luxury they'll get.

And if they earn more merits later, they'd all get separate apartments.

It's little by little, but at least this upliftment is good.

Robert hugged his two sisters again.

"My comeback brought luck, don't you think?" Ginny gushed.

"You can say that again." Ivanna replied, patting her.

"So... there's really no room for me here," Tierney scoffed.

They broke the hug and looked at his scheming face.

"Wanna stay with me?" Hilda entered the apartment.

She has an head bandage from last night's rim stuff, and there's little blood on the bandage.

"Hilda...I'm so sorry I haven't come to see you..." Ivanna rushed to give her a hug, but Hilda only hugged her shortly before moving to Ginny.

"The news is all-over the estate bulletin, I had to come see for myself. I'm glad you didn't die..." 

"You're Hilda? Tierney told me a lot about you!" Ginny jumped cutely.

"Gosh, I love her small stature!" Hilda chuckled.

"I'm 20 by the way, nice to meet you!" Ginny hugged her again.

"I don't mind staying with you though, you'll be like a replacement for my lost grandpa!" Tierney said.

"Perfect, and Ivanna, did you tell Robert about your parents in Ghost's grip?" Hilda asked.

Ivanna looked at Robert immediately.

"Ghost has our parents?" He asked with wide eyes.

Ivanna nodded.

--

[Nino's Apartment]

Nino has been standing in front of his mirror for an hour now, naked. Staring at his c0ck as if asking it how he really did that to Island.

He's still in trauma.

Island barged inside, and he quickly covered his c0ck.

"Nothing I haven't seen before, don't act coy." She smiled, wanting to lift his hands from it, but he pushed her and quickly threw on a boxer.

"Did you just push me?" She stalked to him, raised her hand for a slap, but another person entered, pulling her hand down easily.

Sandra.

"Miss Sandra?" Island frowned.

Sandra picked one of Nino's boots lying on the ground and slapped Island with the hard sole.

Island almost lost a tooth, she had to guide her jaw with a palm, and her eyes are popping hard as they stared at Sandra in shock.

"He didn't rape you, did he? I don't have evidence but I know he didn't cos you're a desperado!" Sandra fired angrily as Island vomited blood.

She opened her bloody mouth to speak, but Donna Felicia entered, and she quickly went behind her.

"Donna," Nino bowed in greetings.

"What's happening here?" Felicia asked, her eyes settling on Sandra.

"Mother, tell Island to confess, Nino didn't rape her!" Sandra said.

"He did," Felicia said without mincing words at all.

"Huh?" Sandra sounded.

"I saw him entering Island's apartment on the night of the teaparty. He wasn't even drunk. Island only said he was drunk to keep his dignity. He wasn't drunk." Felicia said, her red lipstick painting her like a typical period drama villain.

Island smiled. Nino gulped. Sandra gasped again.

--

[Don Anthony's Office]

"I knew something was ongoing in the Sector V, I just didn't expect it to be the resurrection of the youngest Cooper sibling." Anthony said behind his desk where he sat.

A vape pen is between his fingers, he's smoking just subtly.

In front of him, Leonardo sat, face humourless. He's all suited up cos Bacardi suggested they had breakfast under the clan's oak tree like they did in the past, and he wants to attend.

"There's a lot you don't know in this estate, I doubt if you even know you're the Don. Not surprising." He replied, flatly.

"They were two before, and Marko was mad, now that they're three, what do you think is gonna happen?" Anthony sighed.

"At this point, I'm tired of hearing Padrino Marko's name...padre." Leonardo replied, still flat.

Scoffing, Don Anthony pushed the laptop on his desk forward, showing him something.

The estate bank account records.

The second account is going thin. Someone's definitely tampering.

"You never let things like this pass you by, you must have been too busy to notice." Anthony said.

Taking the laptop, Leonardo frowned, staring at the screen.

At this point, Bobby entered the office with Bacardi who now looks totally sober, and first thing they noticed was the laptop screen.

"The hell is wrong with the second account?" Bacardi smirked.

"Cancel the breakfast meet, this is fuckin serious." Bobby said.

Leonardo's face twisted.

--

[Armando Mansion]

For a reason unknown to anyone, Lissa is happy this morning.

She went to her secret place with Emma yesterday, and they only just returned this morning.

The whole family is sitting round the breakfast table now, eating.

Including Emma whom Lissa told to eat with them.

Each lift of Lissa's fork is either full of lasagna, salad, steak, lettuce, tomatoes or pasta.

She's eating just everything.

"Someone's mood lifted this morning," Penny smiled.

"I should in fact visit a chapel to read psalms." Lissa replied, resting her elbow on the table.

"I love to see this bubbly side..." Thaddeus said beside Penny.

"I know, dad." Lissa smiled.

Emma smiled too. Remembering the secret place that went last night made her smile so wide.

"I'm planning to get our money that's in the clan's vault soon." Thaddeus said suddenly.

"That's so sudden, won't the Don take that as a intentional act?" Penny asked, drinking some wine.

"I don't care, Penny. We got a new contract, and we need heavy funds before the complete cash arrives," Thaddeus replied, dropping his fork.

"And your man that you sent to New Orleans? He got caught, Thaddeus." Penny dropped her fork too.

"I'm still in charge, the ferryman hasn't changed on the boat. I got this, Penny. Nothing's gonna happen." Thaddeus assured, smiling.

"Isn't Padrino Marko arriving tomorrow?" Lissa asked.

Thaddeus grunted, so full of darkness as he rested back on his chair.

"You'd be surprised," he said.

--

[Crimson Cave, 4pm, Hayden's Room]

Hayden hasn't seen the sun since daybreak. 

He doesn't even want to see the sun after what happened last night. 

His fellow man banged him.

He's not gay, so...why???

Why would that happen to him of all people? 

Of all punishment, why that?

He has been crying his eyes out, out of his heart pain and out of his butt pain. He can't just absorb the thoughts at all.

Too bitter.

How would Ivanna look at him now? How would she look at a guy whose arse got defiled??

He bursted into tears again, but the little scratch sound from under the door made him hiccup.

He crawled there to see something was slipped in under the door.

A card. A red visitation card.

Quickly, he threw the door open, meeting Monika in front.

She stood there like an omen of bad occurrence, her new lash extension extra long she could fly.

He returned into the room and was about to close the door...

"Today is the final day of calm here. By tomorrow, missions resume, which is why I gave you this. You can explore the streets for today, but careful, you're wanted remember." She said without attachments.

Slowly, Hayden let go of the door, and like flash, he rushed past her, down the corridor staircase.

Monika left his doorstep and returned to her Distillery too.

Inside the Distillery, Moo and Bradshaw are lying on the ground like logs, both drunk with pain shots.

Blue streaks decorated their eyes, and they're coughing up blood.

Monika sat, sighing...

"What a beautiful sight."

--

[House Of Esposito, 5pm]

The estate was peaceful till three minutes ago when a sudden news broke out like an epidemic.

A real sudden news.

Padrino Marko is in Chicago!

He arrived in Chicago today, using the most crowded airport. He came with his brigadiers as expected.

Bigger news? He also came with his second daughter—Vera's sister.

"I didn't sign up for this today"

"He was supposed to arrive tomorrow!

"What's Padrino Marko without a sickening surprise?"

"Damn! He's like a scarecrow, I get jump-scared each time.

The comments flew around the estate from mobsters like mission bullets as Leonardo entered his limo.

Marko specifically ordered Leonardo to come pick him up.

He drove the car out of the estate, the soft purring engine sounds carried the smell of pandemic already.

Everyone waited.

Don Anthony is calm inside his Office.

Donna Felicia is calm too inside her roses sanctuary with Island.

Bobby, Sandra and Bacardi are under the oak tree, not eating but awaiting their grandpa.

Nino stood in front of his apartment, as pale as a haunted house.

--

Cooper Siblings New Apartment]

Robert took Ginny for a walk, and Tierney is with Hilda, leaving just Ivanna in the apartment.

She's in her room, admiring her new weapon—the horsewhip.

It's hung on the wall, and with a smile on her face, she rubbed her fingers on it, remembering everyone of Leonardo's trainings.

It's all swimming in her head.

Now she needs to go start the punishment of the chaser she brought back from New Orleans.

It's her case, and she'd start using the whippings on him till he gets to his breaking point and he'd confess.

Her moment was cut short though—her phone buzzed.

She checked, and she was surprised to see the text.

"Treasure, AS."

She understood immediately.

(Treasure, Animal Shelter)

"Hayden..." She muttered.

Actually, during their run in Hydra forest after they escaped Leonardo in the cabin, she mentioned her phone number in case of necessity, and now it came in handy.

She rushed to her closet and fished out a new cropped top. She has come to love crop tops a lot.

She changed the patch on her rib—the rib she injured during the fight with her chaser last night.

She put on the crop top on high-waist leather pants and the boots, then she rushed out after leaving a note for Robert and Ginny on the table.

At the park, there are cars for mobsters use, and she was lucky to meet a free one—a Benz.

She got inside, pulled the gear, pumped the gas and moved the car.

Getting to the gate, she scanned her visitation card on the scanner, and she was allowed to drive out.

--

[5:10]

In ten more minutes, Leonardo is gonna arrive at the airport, and needles to say... 

He's eager to see his grandpa and rate the level of madness he brought with him this time around.

He can't even understand Padrino Marko at this point. He could have come in the private jet, but nah...

He decided to wake the entire Chicago by coming in a general flight, arriving at the airport.

"Over the f+kin top,." Leonardo muttered behind the wheel, checking the time for accuracy.

His vision caught sight of a roadside saloon, and his mind went to his full hair and how a certain somebody was cringing about it.

He's gonna get a hair trim at his private saloon probably tomorrow. Even his brows need it.

He jumped into a bend, and his phone bleeped.

He gave his earbud a press, picking the call. It's a Chicagoan spy.

"Ivanna sighted outside the clan estate," the spy reported.

"Normal, she got the visitation card," Leonardo muttered.

"She went to meet him, in an animal shelter." the spy replied, and with an unhealthy, deafening screech, Leonardo stopped his car in the middle of the highway.

Several other cars stopped behind him and in front of him immediately.

Congestion.

The earbud fell from his ear, and a smirk from the cold pit of hades formed on his face.

He grinned.

"HIM? Her co-bastard loverboy?"

--

[Animal Shelter]

Ivanna practically ran inside when she arrived, and luckily for her, Hayden was already waiting.

The plump owner of the shelter was too shocked to see her, but she couldn't talk or move cos Hayden tied her and plastered her mouth to prevent her from calling the cops.

Ivanna ran into the arms of Hayden, and they finally had their long awaited hug in the open room.

Deep. Tight. Intimate.

"Treasure..." He groaned.

"Hayden..." She muttered, touching his hair since they're the same height.

Then...silence.

They just stayed in each other's arms, as if making up for the past moments.

"How were you able to get out of Monika's cave?" She asked.

Breaking the hug, Hayden took out his red visitation card.

"I got this..."

"Me too..." Ivanna brought out her black card.

"I'm so sorry... Dusk died. Moo tormented me so much and I wasn't gonna give in, so she started by killing Dusk with her babies. She was about to birth her babies when Moo did her shit..." Hayden said guiltily.

Ivanna covered her mouth, nodding.

"I knew it, I could just feel it. I knew something tragic would happen now that my parents are alive."

"Your parents are alive?" Hayden gasped, his eyes seeming to hold a little bit of relief.

"Yes, luckily. Ghost has them, and now I just have to be a good mob member. I'll be allowed to see them soon. Also, your Ginny is alive,,your computer brainiac." She smiled.

"Seriously?" Hayden smiled too, holding her hands.

She nodded, fast.

"Yeah. She was spared, luckily."

Her hand went to his shirt, and he readily raised his hands as she took off the shirt to check his wounds.

"Gunshot wounds heal pretty fast over there. Monika is a poison mistress, and she has potions. I'm fine, pains are gone, the wound just needs to heal." He quickly said.

"Sorry you had to receive this shots..." Ivanna replied.

He took his shirt and wore it back, then he touched her face.

"But it's for his own good, right? I mean Leonardo.  He spared you and Robert cos you both have potentials. He spared Ginny cos of her computer brain. I hate that guy with my soul...I hate hate him." Hayden muttered.

"Can we not spend today talking about hate?" Ivanna shook her head.

Hayden cupped her face in the middle of his cold palms, shaking his head too before nodding.

"Let's spend it catching up instead?"

Before she could talk, he captured her lips, kissing her soft.

Lips felt lips after so many gaps, and Ivanna's eyes closed.

She badly wants to tell him how she had sucked Leonardo with this same mouth or how his mouth was on her breàsts, but...

She just kissed.

And Hayden badly wants to tell her how a fellow man's c0ck was inside his arse last night, but...

He just kissed, too.

From soft, it went hard, their arms going around each other, their lips interpreting how much they missed each other, their breaths mingling.

Her back met the hay shelf in the room, and hay poured on her hair, but she only gripped him and kissed him harder, a careless m+an slipped out of her, rawly low...

"Mmn...Nardo...."

Hayden's ears moved like he just got stung. His eyes opened with a snap.

TBC.

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