Till Death Do us Apart - Episode 69&70

 

TILL D£ATH DO US APART

Till Death Do us Apart - Episode 69&70

(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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★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

That statement stayed hung in the air—unfinished, and Ivanna grumbled from the other end.

"How dare I make you what? I did something wrong again?"

Leonardo swallowed the rest of the words and sighed soundlessly, taking her necklace from the drawer.

He dangled it in front of himself, staring like an obsessive m0therf+ker that he actually is. A jerk happened in his chest again, and he spit out blood for the second time.

"The password?" Ivanna's voice came, and he instantly bled for the third time—the nose this time.

"I wasn't wrong... you're a damn witch...the f+k..." He muttered, getting tissue to wipe his lips.

Thank you, password?" Ivanna said again, her voice so low but definite.

Leonardo straightened against the headrest, dropping the necklace.

"CHUBBY" He said, and he heard her chuckle shortly.

"Getting bolder?" He muttered, staring at his bloody tissue.

"Who the hell gives their shit that kinda password? Well you're weird yourself, so i guess I shouldn't be surprised..." She muttered back.

"Anything else?" He asked.

"Of course... Just the way only family can call you your shortened name, only family can call me Joy too... strictly. Thank you." She replied and hung up immediately.

Leonardo's sigh was loud this time as he lowered the phone from his ear.

"Was that a warning? Limitation?" He smirked and changed what he saved her line with immediately.

From Pet to Witch.

He threw his phone to the backseat and began wiping the blood he spit. More tissue, more redness.

He wiped it squeaky clean and tied up the bloody tissue for dumping later, but his phone began ringing in the backseat almost immediately.

"Shit," he mumbled, stretching himself to the back to get it.

It's the spy in charge of the shipping Valon into this country.

"We'll arrive at the dock as early as 5am tomorrow morning, do we wait for you at the dock or—"

"Bring him over to the clan estate...I need him there." Leonardo replied simply and hung up.

It's Thaddeus' ceremony tommorow, so definitely... certain things would go down. Celebrations comes with perils or merry in that estate... he's not expecting normal.

When he returned into the house two minutes later, Padrino Marko is already outside in the guestroom, receiving greetings and homages.

"Any male interest?" He asked Bacardi when he intentionally took his seat at their table.

"Nah, granddad. I have no plans on that... maybe when I turn 35?" Bacardi replied, pouring wine into a white cup for him.

He took it and drank, then nodded. "Good, and you... Sandra?"

"Me?" Sandra blinked. "Grandpa, I'm still too young... marriage discussion shouldn't even involve me!" 

"Doesn't matter. To me, y'all aren't entering marriages, you're entering lifelong deal of control with your partners in the future, and that's why I took my time to give you teachings on dominance. You're the human in your marriage, your partner is just a figurine. Love shouldn't even be involved in your livelihoods. That thing only weakens." Marko said.

"So...you didn't love grandma before her death?" Bacardi asked.

Marko dropped his wine cup and looked her in the eye.

"Love has never been a part of me, your grandma was a maid I impregnated twice, and she bore me Vera and Renata, then she committed suicide by jumping off a cliff after our two daughters became teenagers. She claimed she couldn't continue living with a monster like me who caged her in the house." 

"You really caged her?" Sandra asked.

Now there's silence in the guestroom. Even the brigadiers are listening. Not like the story is new to them, but each time they listen, they like it.

Thaddeus and his wife and daughter are on their own table, and they're listening interestedly too.

"See why he's respected? A unrivaled legend over the years." Thaddeus smiled with intense admiration as he lifted his cup to drink.

"I've always known Vera's insanity stemmed from him..." Penny muttered.

"But Master Vera's insanity was cool. She was unbeatable throughout her years of living." Lissa smiled, staring at the last table where Leonardo sat.

He's not drinking.

Don Anthony and Felicia are on the middle table, and while Anthony drank, Felicia watched him.

"You've been drinking a lot," Felicia tried to take the cup from him. He pulled it from her.

"This monstrous man ruined his wife,  and he ruined Vera too, listen to him..." He muttered, looking at Marko hatefully. He couldn't stop it.

"Are you seriously talking about Vera when I'm right beside you?" Felicia said, snatching the cup.

"If she didn't die, you wouldn't be here today.." Anthony muttered.

Felicia's eyes widened at that statement, and she faced him completely.

"What the f+k... Thony..."

By the door of that guestroom, Hilda and Renata are standing.

"He has started with his sick doctrines again." Renata mumbled, referring to Padrino Marko.

Marko drank another small cup of wine before looking up.

"You haven't answered, grandpa. I asked if you really kept late grandma caged." Sandra said.

"Of course I did. She was a weakness who refused to train, so I kept her locked in my valley with chains to her waist and ankles... like a slave. The day she escaped the house was the day she jumped off a cliff, and I was glad...one stress gone." Marko said casually, looking everyone of them in the eye. From Sandra to Bacardi to Bobby to Leonardo.

"Get married, but love should stay uninvolved. I warned my daughters about it, but Vera was adamant to a point, and she regretted it, but she came back to her senses thankfully, and that was when she got married to Anthony, son of sheepfold owners.." 

Anthony's hands tightened on the cup he's holding.

"Don't feel ousted, Anthony. Your parents were sheepfold owners before they were killed by Vera. She kidnapped you and forced you to marry her like she should, then she died mysteriously and left my empire in your care... She left The Outfit in your care but you...you actually had the guts to marry a lowly human like you? Felicia was a filthy barmaid before you married her!"

"I was a barmaid but not a heartless bîtvh like your dead daughter!!" Felicia spranged up.

"Get her to her knees!!" Marko growled, and the brigadiers stepped in immediately like soldiers.

They wanted to push Felicia to her knees, but Anthony stopped it by getting in front of her.

The room turned tensional.

Leonardo remained on his seat, but he's drinking now. 

"Your daughter killed my parents only because my parents sheepfold broke and the group of sheep obstructed her car and delayed her when she was going for a urgent mission, you should tell the full story..." Anthony said defensively, covering Felicia.

"No one's touching Felicia!"

"The Padrino is insane..." Penny muttered, getting genuinely scared.

"Thankfully, his dead daughter was my master, so I witnessed the hereditary wickedness before, nothing new." Lissa said.

Thaddeus' smile is still intact, he likes this Padrino man too much. How can a human be this perfect?

"Grandpa is crazy..." Sandra muttered.

"I've witnessed it before, but now it feels so fresh. He's definitely up to something." Bacardi said.

"Why the f+k would he tell dad and mum's story here like that?" Bobby said, loudly dropping his cup.

"To disgrace dad, isn't it obvious?" Bacardi answered.

"Kneel, Anthony. Apologize on her behalf!" Marko ordered.

"Father!" Renata entered the guestroom properly.

"It's enough. Stop it." She muttered to his face, and she received a stinging slap immediately from the man.

"Aunt Renata!" Sandra and Bacardi stood up.

"The good sister is actually around?" Thaddeus said.

"Good sister? I've not met her before, you mean she's not like Vera?" Penny asked surprisingly.

"Aunt Renata is annoyingly kind, and that's why Leo and I hated her as kids, even till now." Lissa rolled eyes.

"Stop it...father." Renata muttered again, lower this time.

Marko raised his callused hand for a second slap, but Anthony quickly dropped on his knees.

"Dad!" Bobby stood this time.

"Now that I'm on my knees, can you bring this shit show to an end already, sir?" Anthony muttered.

"Of course he belongs on the ground, where else would the son of sheepfold owners be?" Thaddeus whispered, and Penny smiled.

"Thony..." Felicia gasped, looking at her husband on the ground.

Lissa's eyes went around the room to look at Leonardo again.

He's holding an empty cup of wine, but he's not acting oblivious again. His merciless eyes are on Anthony.

"My future husband," Lissa smiled.

Marko scoffed, giving Anthony a cold look on the ground.

He took a deep breath, then conjured a fake smile before facing the older men and brigadiers.

"Tomorrow, we celebrate in the clan estate. Thaddeus is climbing up the brigadiers ladder!" He announced.

Thaddeus stood, raising his wine cup.

The others stood with him, raising theirs too, including Lissa and Penny.

Meanwhile, Anthony is still on his knees, right there.

"And remember!" Marko continued, looking around again. "That anyone who so as much as marries for love in my lineage will be pushed to death off a cliff, by me."

Instead of drinking his wine, he poured it on Renata's face and went inside briskly.

Hilda quickly stepped away from the door, bowing her head.

Marko gave her a recognized look before disappearing inside.

Felicia quickly helped Anthony up from his knees, and as the two of them exited the room together, all eyes stayed on them.

Anthony's eyes turned to Leonardo's table, but Leonardo's eyes are on his drink,his cup.

Their eyes didn't meet before he left the room completely.

"Go wait for me at the car, I need to talk to the Padrino." Thaddeus told his wife and daughter.

He went in afterwards, and Penny picked up her purse, leaving the guestroom.

Lissa stared at Leonardo for a short while before following her mother.

The chats of the brigadiers and old men filled the room immediately, talking about the Hong Kong drug xax and the Albanian one velkrona, then the upcoming one in Russia.

All their talks stayed on drugs since it's the major illegal shipment of the clan anyways.

Hilda came to Renata who's still standing there drenched in alcohol.

Sandra and Bacardi came for her too. Sandra pulled out an handkerchief to wipe the wine on her face, but Renata stopped her.

"I'm fine, Sandra."

"No you're not. He slapped and wet your face" Sandra replied.

"I'm fine, how have you girls been?" Renata smiled sweetly.

"Grandpa is still abusing you, right? Fûck, our family men have this sick habit of hitting women who refuse to do their wishes. They're control freaks." Bacardi said.

"Count me out of that... I took after dad, and he's not an abuser" Bobby hissed and winked at Renata before going to meet Leonardo.

"Did he just say that? Same person who re-killed his dead wife and beat her in the rain?" Hilda said.

"I'll be inside, need to sort some stuff," Renata smiled.

Hilda followed her inside, and Bacardi sighed.

"Saaad...I wanted to ask her when we should be expecting babies from her." Sandra said.

"Babies? Are you serious?" Bacardi faced her. "Do you know why Aunt Renata is still stuck with grandpa? It's cos he won't let her go for any man. "You are reading from www.mhiztaemy.com.ng" Aunt Renata is a lover girl, and that sick man is allergic to love, so he kills any man she falls for. He'll only allow her to get married to a man she doesn't love, a weak man she can control." 

"Why am I just learning of this?" Sandra raised her brows.

"Cos you spend all day making Nino wash your undies?" Bacardi scoffed.

"Duh, i need your advice about that actually..." Sandra groaned, showing her the text she received from Nino.

"Are you even asking? Get him to a discreet city hospital you dumb girl..." Bacardi snapped.

She joined Leonardo and Bobby's table, and Sandra eventually joined.

"You've been unusually silent, and it's unnerving." Bacardi said.

"Shh, I'm trying to get him out of his reverie. Are you planning something?" Bobby said, leaning closer to Leonardo.

"Are you going to kiss me?" Leonardo made sour faces, and Bobby pulled closer than he already is.

Leonardo punched him in the nose, and he fell back on his seat with a slightly bleeding nose.

Sandra laughed.

"Ou...cruel." Bobby groaned.

Leonardo picked out a cigar stick, but he kept looking at the lighter without actually lighting the cig.

"No, seriously, I was expecting you to tackle grandpa when he was treating dad that way, but you were silent the whole time." Bacardi said.

"Tackle him and worsen things? They call him the Madman of Calabria for a reason. He gets excited when people tackle him, and he might just decide to kill dad. Dad is the son of sheepfold owners anyways, and his wealth is built on mum's influence, mum's influence came from granddad. Dad going against granddad means dad is ready to be jailed or roam the streets like as ordinary man." Leonardo replied.

"Just like you, you get excited when people tackle you too..." Sandra said.

Leonardo gave her a short look, and she just smiled.

"If he's the Madman of Calabria, you're the Madman of Chicago, Leo. You pretend not to like dad, but that's just what mum planted in your head, I know you like him more than anyone of us, and your silence means something cos you're planning something!" Bobby snarled.

And that earned him another punch from Leonardo. His nose again.

As Bobby's nose bled into his mouth, he didn't even move, he just kept staring at Leonardo stubbornly.

"Stop acting like you're reading me or something, it's embarrassing." Leonardo muttered and finally lightened up his cigar.

He left stepped out, and Bobby wiped the blood on his nose.

"He knows what he's doing, trust him, but if he remains adamant and won't speak up or support for dad, then I'll do it!" He said and left too.

"I hate when they both clash like this,," Bacardi said.

Sandra sighed... "No wonder they say me, you, and Leo took after our mum's appearance, but Bob is dad's complete carbon copy."

"Just wondering what would have happened if Bobby had married Wendy back then.  He was really in love with her." Bacardi muttered.

"If he did, she'd just be pushed off a cliff mysteriously, and we won't even know it was granddad's work." Sandra shrugged.

"It hasn't even been five hours after his arrival, and he already scattered things...f+k, granddad will always be granddad." Bacardi said.

--

[Marko's Room]

Thaddeus came to meet Padrino Marko in here, like the old man had been waiting for him.

He stood by the bookshelf in the bedroom, back on the door so Thaddeus didn't even get to see his face, but Marko was aware of his entry immediately he came.

"You're climbing higher tomorrow, you should be preparing." He said.

"I came with a request, I haven't even told Anthony this fact, but you deserve to hear it cos... you're the alpha here anyways." Thaddeus replied, and Marko turned, holding a book about constellations already.

"And what could that be?" He asked, coming closer.

"The Cooper siblings...they can't be alive for my sake. I once did a joint business with their father... Leroy Cooper" Thaddeus started.

Marko came closer.

"Back then, I was still nameless in the clan, my Armando family wasn't even top 100 yet, I met Leroy who was working with a pharmaceutical company as the marketer, and we became friends. A real estate deal popped, and we decided to venture together. Leroy secretly stole from his boss's account in his company, and I gathered enough money to join it. We did the business, and it yielded." Thaddeus narrated, unremorseful.

"And?" Marko urged.

"The profit was too huge for an illiterate like Leroy, I'm talking about billions here. Then I thought...if I gave him his own share, an illiterate like him would only waste it...he was too naive, and I deserved the money more, so... I ratted him out. ..."

"I told his boss that Leroy stole his money. Leroy was fired, but he had to pay the money back, so he sold everything valuable in his possession, his house and cars and even the littlest pin. He payed off the boss, and he ended up living in penury with his family, then they eventually managed to start a seafood restaurant." 

Thaddeus smiled as he narrated as if it's some bedtime tale.

"Let me guess...after that, Leroy tried to sue you to court, but you were already higher than he could reach, you have the clan's backing, so he couldn't reach you. You built the construction company with his money, and you even went as far as destroying his seafood restaurant and then making him and his wife work for you in your construction company, then you tried to kill them completely with the site accident." Marko smiled too, enjoying it.

He loves sad, bloody stories about the powerful thwarting the powerless.

"You heard about that, I feel proud." Thaddeus grinned.

"Nothing crosses me, Thaddeus. You're a gem of the clan, so I've been keeping my eyes on you since forever." Marko replied.

"Now the parents are missing, and I'm not bothered, but their kids are all flourishing in the clan estate which is upsetting, especially the senior girl who seems to be competing with my daughter cos of Leo." Thaddeus said.

"Your daughter is definitely giving birth to the future heir for Leo, there's no argument about that, and about the siblings, I'm here now...why not watch how I handle things?" Marko raised his lip corner.

"So... during the mud fight? Ivanna?" Thaddeus asked, eyes glinting with obscurity.

Marko just smiled. "Don't be in a hurry, Thaddeus."

--

[House Of Esposito, Citadel]

Ivanna is still here, in the gym, currently on the stationary bike, taking her time to use the luxury since leaving will cost the life of her sister like he said.

She made faces, remembering the password of this female gym session.

"Chubby?" She chuckled, stopping for a while as sweat crawled down her face. Even her hair is damp with sweat and grease.

She badly needs a bath.

"Chubby...how does one even come up with such password for a female gym section?" She chuckled again, but it was short-lived.

She sighted a book under the bike, and she went on her knees, bending her head and stretching her hand to take it. Despite the fact that it's under this bike, it's dust-free.

She has noticed Leonardo is a clean freak, and that made her smirk as she stood to open the book. It contains quotes about ice cream.

Seriously... ICE CREAM.

She opened the next page, and that page has quotes about non-frozen chocolate.

Next page contains quotes about candies, cheese, yogurt and several other sweet things.

"What the f+k... what's the great Ghost doing with this uncanny book? Yes, uncanny." She muttered.

She was still flipping pages when she felt his presence.

He has no footsteps when he walks, but she just knows he's here.

She quickly dropped the book under the bike she picked it from, then she faced the door as he entered.

"Oh...now I can take my leave?" She said immediately.

He came straight to her and pulled her necklace out of his pocket, but when she tried taking it, he just took one more step closer and unhooked the hook of the necklace.

He crossed his arms to the back of her neck, so her face stayed on his chest as he fixed the necklace for her.

After hooking it back, she looked up, meeting his eyes.

"Can I...go...???"

He simply moved out of the way, and she rushed out.

Leonardo turned,, watching her back. The waist, the hips, the...

His thoughts were interrupted when she suddenly turned, meeting his eyes again.

She said nothing before finally leaving.

Leonardo lifted his palm, and right there there's a strand of her hair which he removed when he was fixing her necklace.

"You're officially going bunkers, Leo." He muttered as he stared at the hair strand, twisting it on his palm.

He could still perceive her sweet vanilla scent in his nose.

Bobby entered the gym, and he wasn't even moved cos he knew someone was coming. Every room in this place had the red light entry alert.

"Yesterday while investigating the second account issue, you suddenly told us to stop, why?" Bobby asked.

Leonardo wrapped his palm on the hair strand, facing him.

"Cos I know what I'm doing?"

"Now I hate when you do this! Carry everyone along! Don't just do things alone! You are not here alone, bro!" Bobby shouted.

"Don't raise your voice..." Leonardo muttered, strictly.

"Why? Why did you tell us to stop investigating the issue? The second account is almost dry cos someone is sucking the billions." Bobby asked in his calmest voice.

"Cos Felicia is going to answer to it when the time comes?" Leonardo replied, walking out already.

He made sure her strand of hair is still intact between his palm.

"Felicia? She's involved in the money sucking?" Bobby asked, matching up with his pace.

"You shouldn't be surprised," Leonardo muttered.

Bobby crossed him, and Leonardo nearly punched him again.

"I told you. Do not raise your voice whenever you're with me, and do not cross me! I'll seriously kill you..." He pushed him by the shoulder.

"Are you really gonna impregnate Lissa? Is Lissa gonna carry the heir of his clan when you turn 30? I'm very sure if that happens, that pick-me Lissa will handover your child to grandpa herself, and your child will become a greater devil than you are!" Bobby complained.

"Sounds promising," Leonardo shrugged, leaving.

"Leo! Damnit...I hate you..." Bobby rushed behind him.

--

[City, A Discreet Hospital]

Nino and Sandra are at the waiting hall of the head doctor in the hospital, and not only Nino is tensed, even Sandra looks madly tensed.

She finally agreed after Bacardi told her to go on, and she brought him to the surest hospital she could vouch for in the city.

"You could have checked the ballroom cameras," she suddenly said 

"That was the first thing I did after I woke up the next morning, but Donna is backing Island, and they probably had footages deleted already, it wasn't even in the bin." He replied anxiously.

"Can't believe I'm doing this...for you, and if this ends up being a setup for you, if you finally get exonerated, you'll start staring at Ivanna again..." Sandra said.

"Who else would I look at? You?" Nino replied, and Sandra's eyes met his own instantly.

"Just continue making me wash your undies like you always do, I'm used to the embarrassing process already." He continued.

Before Sandra could answer to that, the doctor appeared with his test results, handing it over to them.

Sandra practically snatched it and ran her eyes through it.

Negative... Nothing suspicious in his system.

"Negative?" Nino frowned.

"Yes, but during the urinalysis, we detected strange black particles in your sample, I didn't record it cos I wanted to explain one-on-one." The doctor replied.

"Strange black?" Sandra looked up.

"The teaparty happened since like a week ago, and the particles still appear in your urine, it only means the potency of what you were poisoned with is high," 

"I was really poisoned?" Nino gasped.

"The origin of the poison is unknown, for now. My poison analyzers are still working on the examination, but there's a little suspicion that it might be from a plant. "You are reading from www.mhiztaemy.com.ng" Your sample carried the faint smell of a rose." The doctor explained.

Nino and Sandra exchanged glances.

--

[House Of Esposito, Penthouse]

Felicia has been sulky cos of what Anthony told her at the guestroom, but Anthony himself has been crying slowly.

He just sat in his gazebo, shedding tears at the remembrance of his parents alone.

When Felicia couldn't take his tears anymore, she had to come over and sit with him. She dropped a cup of his Budweiser on the table, but he pushed it away.

"You can't continue being a pushover for the Padrino. He's only just starting, Thony, and you're already crying?" She said.

"You didn't lose your parents in one day, did you?" Anthony wiped his tears with an hanky.

"I didn't, but you did. You lost your parents in one day, Vera killed them and kidnapped you to marry, but you still fell for her beauty!" Felicia snapped, looking angry already.

"Cos I knew her head was fingered. I knew she'd be a good person if Marko wasn't her father." Anythony said.

"Yet, you allowed her to mess with your first son, she ruined him! I wasn't here but I heard stories! She focused her wickedness only on Leo! She never allowed him eat too much, never allowed him eat kiddies snacks like kids do, not even a little ice cream! She whipped him even when he was asleep, so hard that he became a pain-addict! Where were you all those times!" Felicia raged.

"There was nothing I could do! I was like a shackled husband, a toy! I am the son of sheepfold owners who miraculously became the husband of the most feared woman in Chicago! I was powerless! I could do nothing!" Anthony shouted, standing.

He took the Budweiser cup and smashed it.

"And this is why I won't allow him to do more to Leo...I won't!" He promised and barged inside.

Felicia sat back, staring at the wasted drink on the ground as the bubbles disappeared.

She raised her fake fingers up, remembering what's currently happening to the second account that's on her name.

"It's not cos of my missing finger, right?" She muttered.

She drew in a large breath and dialled Island.

"Donna?" Island's voice filtered in.

"Go to the penthouse, and pick my dress for tomorrow." Felicia ordered.

--

[Estate Kitchen]

Tierney and Ginny has been inside, snacking and chatting with the staffs as they made delicacies in preparation for tomorrow's celebration. Tierney's mouth is full right now he can't even talk properly.

Ginny is a picky eater, so the fullness of her plate is measured.

"My sis said you're a computer brainiac too," she said.

"Yeah, I got it from my grandpa though, but if I should rank myself, I'm still on level 4, not that professional." Tierney shrugged.

"I'm on level 10, a pro. I developed games but they were always hacked!" Ginny said.

"I hacked people's games, lots and lots of them." Tierney said proudly.

"And you're telling me level 4? You jerk!" Ginny slapped his arm.

"You have a extension session with Ghost tommorow, better be prepared... he's cruel with computer trainings." Tierney whispered.

"Really?" Ginny's eyes widened.

"But I beg to digress, tell me what the bald man did to your family actually. Tommorow is his celebration, and I heard a lot went down at Padrino's valley today already, I need the full tea. What did Thaddeus do?" Tierney replied, dropping his spoon.

"He stole our family's money..." Ginny replied immediately.

"What!" Tierney gasped.

--

[Training Hood]

Grunts, shaky breaths, sweats, grit and efforts.

Everything collided as Robert and Ivanna combatted with each other. 

A martial arts level two.

Surprisingly, Robert improved madly, and Ivanna was so proud of him as he parried her blows. Not everything, but he's still professional with the ones he was able to do.

Ivanna's elbow crushed his shoulder, and he staggered, but he gave her his knee on her belly, and she groaned, laughing before bumping her knuckles on his own.

They took a break and each picked a bottle of water to drink.

"You're hard to contend with," Robert said. She grinned as she lowered the water from her lips.

"Did he... choke you? You have fingerprints on your neck." He suddenly noticed, staring.

"I'm used to it, Rob." She shrugged.

"Get used the the brutality, and I'll get used to the hardship too. Together, we'll have to protect Ginny and have our revenge on Thaddeus. I mean it, I don't want Ginny involved in this bloody shit." Robert said.

"I know, I understand." Ivanna replied with a dangerous smile.

"I heard there was chaos at the valley today, with the Padrino. The Padrino is quiet close to Thaddeus, and I can't wait to meet the scary man." Robert said.

"You me both." Ivanna sighed.

A citadel guard entered.

Ivanna didn't even allow him to speak before she followed him out. She deducted it's Leonardo calling for her.

After she left, Robert flexed his arms.

Now it's just him inside. He picked the bottled water from where he dropped it and was about to have another drink when he heard someone enter, and he made a turn.

It's Bobby.

"Bobby?" He blinked.

Bobby didn't make a detour, didn't change routes. He was with him in one short minute.

Robert wasn't expecting what happened next, and it actually made the bottled water slip away from his hand to the floor.

Bobby actually held his face tightly, and captured his lips in a kiss.

Robert was still in shock when Bacardi entered the hood, and she stood frozen by the door with wide eyes.

--

[Armando Mansion]

Just like the estate kitchen, the staffs in this mansion kitchen are busy too with delicacies for tomorrow.

While that went on, Thaddeus is with his associates from the old men group and some particular friends he made from jail. They're all in his gazebo, drinking and laughing joyously.

Penny and Lissa are in the room upstairs, checking out the varieties of dresses for tomorrow.

Penny has settled for a dress, but Lissa is still in doubt. There are five new dresses on the bed but she can't take a pick with her anxiousness.

"Just pick one already..." Penny groaned behind her, holding a wine glass which she's sipping.

"I have to look the best at my dad's celebration tomorrow, mum. Who knows if I'd be announced as the official future wife of Leo?" Lissa said proudly.

As if calculated, Emma came in.

She's holding a box. A dress box.

"A guard from Sir Leo's Citadel delivered this." She said, pushing the box forward.

Lissa spranged up, snatching it with a loud, excited gasp.

"Leo f+kin sent me a dress? Oh my goodness devil!" 

--

[House Of Esposito~Citadel, Computer Room]

Leonardo has never been this frustrated all his life, and if losing shit drives people mad, he'd be roaming the bridges right now.

His spies never fail, but on this issue of Ivanna's parents, they're failing woefully. There's still no news.

He's on another call with them, and he has pounded the table with his fist thrice now.

"The doctors and nurses on duty when Leroy and his wife disappeared, take them all and torture them to vomit confessions! Get me anything! Any f+kin thing!" He growled, removing his earbud and throwing it angrily.

He's getting too angry these days, and it's not normal.

Is this part of the obsession?

He received a new call from the estate store, and he swiped the screen. The estate Manager's face appeared on that screen.

A brunette woman.

"The dress has been delivered, sir. Like you said, we met Ivanna by the elevator door and gave it to her." She said respectfully.

Leonardo left the room, strolling to the relaxation room where he met Ivanna who's just coming in.

She's holding the box of dress.

"The store staffs gave me this by the door..." She said.

"You're going to put that on here, and I'm going to make sure it is fitted tonight." Leonardo replied, standing a gap across.

"Put it on? Why?" 

"You'll be wearing that dress to the celebration tomorrow..." He replied straight to the point.

Ivanna dropped the box on the couch, then she picked out the dress from inside.

White. Backless. Tight at the hips bit free from the knees. Breasts line studded with pure crystals, and there's enough space for her cleavage to show.

So f+kin s+×y.

"This is...." She looked up.

He came close, bringing an hand to her hair. He touched.

"Lissa will be wearing exactly that dress tomorrow too, and I want same for you...i plan to make tomorrow memorable, so c'mon, try it on, darling witch." He said.

TBC.

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