VLADIMIR’S MANSION
“Where’s the boss?” Evelyn asked as she entered the house, walking her way into the mansion.
“He’s not in.” Reid, her husband’s right-hand man replied. He didn’t bother using any honorifics as he was close to the family.
“Then, why are you here?” she asked, creasing her brow in a bit of a funny way with a young lady beside her holding her hand.
“He said to stay back. Our ordered shipment just got seized by a group we’re not so sure about their identity yet.” Reid explained, gesticulating as he spoke– his regular habit.
“I’m sure you’re speaking about my Collins, you’re capable of handling such little tasks, why will he go there himself?” Evelyn asked, almost in a yell. Coming back from the picnic, she had a lot of stories to gist her husband with. That’s just who she was- the talkative type.
“You shouldn’t shout at me, Eve. Fenriz is back. We are staying around to safeguard this place. We don’t know if the report we received is genuine or a trap.”
“Whatever” Evelyn huffed, “Wait, did I hear you say Fenriz is back?” her eyes widened.
“Reid, is Fenriz back?” Evelyn asked again, together with the young lady beside her.
“Yes mama, your boy is back!” Fenriz descended the stairs wearing a black cotton singlet and black jeans, his clan band strapped around his wrist. Any member of the Vladimir clan must wear their respective clan band anywhere they are for easy identification by other mafia clans. For the past years, the Vladimir clan have been growing stronger and more popular than other clans, once they see their clan logos on their band or cloth, they scurry away out of fear. The mere sight of their logo spells dominance wherever they are.
“Oh, Fenriz, my boy, mama has missed you so much. I’ve missed you so much baby” she hugged her long-gone son as a couple of tears dropped from her eyes. She held him off her, checking him out.
“You’ve grown so big.”
“Sure mum, why won’t I with your care?”
“That’s not true, no one was there with you, I’m sorry I couldn’t change your father’s mind back then. Remembering that day makes me full of guilt.”
“You don’t have to say that mum,” Fenriz cleaned his mother’s tears with his thumbs. “In fact, I love my stay over there, it broadened my horizon and I gathered new experiences.”
“That’s okay, let’s not waste the good moment talking about the past.” Reid interrupted, wearing a fake smile. Mother and son smiled back at him, agreeing to let go of the bad events. Everyone suddenly became silent. Fenriz’s gaze was directed at the young lady beside his mum. Her grey eyes flashed one of the best smiles in the world, they ran into each other’s embrace.
“I missed you, Elena, how have you been?”
Elena inhaled Fenriz’s scent, tears threatening to fall off her eyes. It’s been so long that she has been waiting for the man in front of her. Fenriz placed a kiss on her forehead in front of everyone, making her blush. She so much missed his touch and sweet flirty words.
Disengaging from his hug, Elena gazed into the cool, soothing eyes staring at hers. Her thumb caressed slowly on his jawline and his eyes watched her almost expressionlessly, only a smile was evident on his face. Elena crashed her lips against Fenriz’s as they kissed.
“Wooaaah,” the maids gasped in surprise. No one expected such action from Elena.
“We know he’s yours, but can you guys get a room? Or you should postpone this till the Lord gets back.” Reid grinned, winking at Fenriz.
Elena scoffed and rolled her eyes at Reid. For some reason, the two were not really friendly to each other.
“Everyone’s here?” Collins stepped in with two guys behind him. He wore a dark suit with a black hat and an almost-burnt-out cigar in his hand, while the other two were wearing all black, both their tops and trousers. In their back pocket were pistols probably used as a defence tool during fights.
Reid moved closer to Collins, “How’s the situation of things?” he asked.
“It’s a code Red!” Collins replied as he found a place to sit. He looked sad and dejected at that moment.
“Code Red?!” Reid and Fenriz asked. “How come? What happened?”
“It’s the Sinclairs,”
“Those fuckin niggas!” Reid blew the air with his balled fist, gritting his teeth. Angrily, he threw his revolver across the room, and everything stilled. No one even freaked out, because they were all used to seeing kinds of stuff like that. Fenriz stared at the two men in front of him, his father and his uncle. He had no idea who the Sinclairs were, but he knows they were surely some people powerful enough to bring his father to his lows. Having stayed long away from home, it’s normal that he has a lot to catch up on.
“Who are the Sinclairs?” Fenriz asked.
“They are people like a tornado which cannot be calmed, humans like a hurricane which brings destruction, their mafia king, Alfred Sinclair is like an immortal that comes and goes without a trail. So swift and powerful that every creature he passes by knows that he is passing. Their number one rule is; one silly mistake, your life is gone.” Reid explained, bowing his head in shame.
“They are that good? In this country?”
“I’m telling you, they’re more than good.”
“That’s no big deal, we can just infiltrate them and get what we want.”
Collins raised his head and signalled with his hand for Fenriz to bring his ears closer. Fenriz lowered his head and got a hard knock from his father.
“When will you learn to think right? You just heard their details and you’re still thinking of infiltrating them? Do you think we haven’t tried that?”
“It’s because you haven’t tried enough. We only need to change our tactics. You know, no matter how powerful, he’s still human and will surely have a weakness. For some people, greed is their weakness; for some, it’s the opposite sex and many more.”
“You’ve got a point there!” Reid patted his shoulder.
“But how do we find his weakness? It’s gonna be one hell of a tough job.” Collins was worried.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got an idea.” Fenriz winked and turned back, facing Elena.
All gaze turned on the young lady and she stepped back in fear. “Me?”
“Yes, you!” the men answered in unison making her more scared.
“Hell no!, I don’t want to get involved.
“You have no choice dear.” Reid winked at her, grinning.
*
*
“Get your filthy hands off me!” Cassandra yelled like a crazy bitch as she was stopped by Jasper’s newly employed bodyguards from entering the house.
“Don’t you know who I am? What’s all this about?” she threw daggers at them, but they were stronger than she could imagine. Jasper opened the door, stepping out with a glass of wine in his hand.
“What’s all this, Jasper? Tell me, what’s going on here? Why would they be stopping me from entering my own house?”
Jasper laughed crazily at Cassandra’s last sentence.
“Your house? Did I hear you say your house? The last time I checked, your name was not included on the certificate of ownership for this house, this particular building!”
Cassandra moved closer to Jasper but was stopped by the guards. Jasper raised his hand, dispersing them. He returned to the house and Cassandra followed behind.
“Phew!” Cassandra slapped him the moment the door closed behind them.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she shouted, her voice reverberating across the enclosure.
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
“You must have gone insane for thinking I’ll sign the divorce papers.”
“I don’t have to force you, the court can handle that well.”
“Really? Do you think my dad will let you go scot-free? My dad would make sure you and your family regret ever making such a decision.”
“Your dad this, your dad that. Aren’t you tired of being a toy? When will you use your own skill and brain to live your life for good?”
“I don’t care about whatever you say, do you think you have the right to call up for a divorce?” Cassandra fired, her blood was literally boiling, threatening to spill out of her veins.
“I have a thousand reasons to file for a divorce, a million reasons won’t be enough.”
Cassandra thought of the situation and calmed herself. Slowly, she went to her knees, surprising Jasper.
“Wooow, mummy is kneeling for daddy!” Jasmine squealed out of nowhere and Cassandra quickly bowed her head filled with shame for herself.
If not for the fact that her marriage is on the line, she would have yelled, trying to prove her worth, by all means, thereby, threatening Jasper in the process.
“Why do you have to do this, Jasper?” she cried, her voice cracking.
“I’ve had enough of your nuisance over the years. I have to let you go for my sanity so I won’t fall into depression.”
“Yes, daddy is right!” Jasmine chipped in, raising her thumbs for Jasper.
“Please Jasper, I promise to change for good and be a better person, I’ll always listen to you and give you peace, I promise to stop threatening you,” Cassandra begged, still on her knees.
Jasmine looked at her with pity, but never cared to plead for her.
“It’s over, Cassandra Hanswort.”
“Please Jasper, I’m begging you, consider the happy days we had in our marriage, please.”
“Happy days? Can you please list them?”
“You were happy when we got Jasmine and you were always happy around her. I birthed her for you Jasper, kindly consider that and forgive my misdeeds.” Cassandra pleaded with absolute desperation. She was about to lose everything she had in her entire life. Leaving Jasper means she wouldn’t be able to accomplish her accorded feat for her father’s great cause. She would surely be punished and abandoned as she was no longer useful to her father, leaving her with nowhere to go.
“Those are two different things, miss. Short-lived happiness is far from regular happiness. There are more than three hundred days in a year and a fuckin thousands of minutes, how many days do you think I lived with happiness? I never loved you when I married you, but I tried my best to shower you with love and my all. What did I gain in return?” Jasper lamented in tears as he recalled how his life has been all along.
“Daddy, stop crying.” Jasmine held his hands, pouting her mouth to make him laugh. Putting on a smile, he laughed weakly, “I’m not crying, baby… I’m just…..”
“So please, I need peace for myself and my baby. Kindly pack your things and leave,” Jasper concluded and headed for his room with Jasmine. Cassandra stayed on the spot crying profusely. She never expected things to turn out bad for her, but it’s way too late.