[ARTEMY]
I descended the stairs, finding Brayden and Avim waiting for me on the landing. Their expressions were laden with contemplation, mirroring my own anticipation.
With a nod in their direction, I proceeded towards the basement, their presence close on my heels.
“They’ve lost a significant amount of blood,” Brayden’s voice joined me as he walked alongside.
“It’s inconsequential,” I retorted sharply. The idea of their demise stirred a tempest in my mind. My desire for their suffering grew more intense, a craving to see them bleed and writhe in agony.
“It’s doubtful they’ll live through the day,” I concluded, punctuating my statement with a sinister chuckle. Brayden shook his head, but the malign grin that curved on his lips did not escape me.
Avim, his usual stoicism intact, exuded an air of restlessness. We were all united in our yearning for those wretches to breathe their last.
I was resolved to ensure their exit was saturated with anguish; they deserved nothing less.
The sound of my footsteps resonated through the quiet walls as I entered the basement. Leon and Bernadette were already there, positioned over the limp forms.
“Cease,” I growled. Bernadette halted her cruel ministrations immediately, yet Leon struggled longer to snap out of his bloodlust-induced haze, necessitating Brayden’s intervention.
“Discipline must be learned,” I hissed at Leon, fixing him with an unwavering stare.
He swallowed hard, his vengeful gaze locked on Milandro. “I apologize, Boss. Just the sight of him… he must pay.”
For the atrocities he inflicted upon Lynda. Though unspoken, the words reverberated loudly among us.
I gripped Leon’s shoulder firmly, conveying assurance. “He will pay,” I affirmed, my gaze piercing the blood-smeared tableau before me.
Stepping closer to Raffaele, sprawled on the ground with a grotesquely twisted arm, I nearly succumbed to laughter at the pathetic spectacle. In fact, a dark chuckle escaped my lips.
My foot met his side, a pained groan elicited as he raised his head. Raffaele’s swollen eyes locked onto mine, harboring seething animosity, yet it barely registered.
His enmity towards me paled in comparison to the deep loathing I harbored for him.
Fisting his blood-matted hair, I smashed his head against the unyielding floor. His cry of agony filled the air, feeble like that of a newborn lamb.
“How’s that for a taste?” I hissed into his ear. “Enjoying your own medicine?”
Raffaele whimpered, igniting a dark chuckle within me. “The contrast lies in Rebecca’s safety, her continued existence, and the love she receives. My child is secure. You, on the other hand, are a carcass.”
I seized his hair, sticky with blood, and twisted his head to face me. “Bernadette thoroughly indulged him last night,” she drawled, her voice dripping with malevolence as she sidled up to him. “I’m fairly certain he confessed to enjoying the experience.” A laugh danced in her tone as she dealt him another kick. “Care for a rematch?” she asked with feigned innocence. I shook my head, fully aware of her pouting without even glancing her way. Only Bernadette would sulk over missing an opportunity to torment and execute.
“Disperse. We must depart,” I declared with commanding authority, my voice dipping low with dominance. No one questioned the decree.
“The time has come to pay the Cavalieris a visit,” I continued, relishing the surprise that swept across Raffaele’s face. “Your men shall witness your downfall.”
They would observe his final breath as I ascended the throne, the true Boss.
Raffaele struggled to utter something, producing only garbled sounds. Shaking my head, I straightened. “Let’s proceed.”
Brayden’s grip tightened in Raffaele’s hair as he forcefully dragged him out of the dimly lit basement. Likewise, Leon had a firm hold on Milandro’s hair, while Avim exerted control over Dalton.
The impending spectacle held an eerie anticipation. The notion was to present these men as a morbid procession, their desperate struggle for survival laid bare for all to witness. A grim lesson etched into memory: a reminder not to cross my path.
I led the procession, with Bernadette trailing behind me, and the rest followed suit. The atmosphere reeked of mortality, a scent I relished in. There was a perverse gratification drawn from their hopelessness, a source of empowerment.
For them, it was a heart-wrenching ordeal. They had provoked the wrong adversary.
Among the observers, my maid couldn’t stifle her gasps, her eyes glued to the unfolding tableau of horror. Some of my men exhibited faint smiles as the lifeless bodies passed by, and a few even cheered, their cheers echoing a twisted triumph. Subsequently, they offered their obeisance as I swept past them.
In the periphery of my vision, I noticed Lynda standing near the stairs, her face a cascade of tears as she struggled to contain her sobs. Her tremors were palpable. Beside her, Nona stood, attempting to offer solace to her distraught daughter.
Lynda’s gaze tracked Milandro’s motionless form. My stride faltered, and I pivoted on my heel. Bernadette regarded me with a quizzical expression, but she held her tongue. My eyes shifted to Milandro, who was stealing glances at Lynda. His visage bore not just the marks of physical wounds but the unmistakable anguish of a heart in turmoil, fixed upon Lynda.
I cast a glance at Leon, who preemptively shook his head. “He won’t approach her, Boss. I won’t allow it,” he asserted firmly.
A sigh escaped me as I pinched the bridge of my nose. Before I could reach a decision, Lynda defied the stern admonitions. She edged closer despite Leon’s vehement protests. “Stay back, Lynda,” Leon’s voice carried a note of urgency.
Undeterred, she pressed forward, defying Leon’s warning. “I’m cautioning you, Lynda,” he growled, his eyes flashing with intensity.
“Don’t presume to dictate to me, Leon. You’ll regret it,” her voice hissed with a controlled ferocity.
“Lynda…”
“You have no authority over my choices,” she retorted, her words laced with defiance.
My eyebrows shot up to my hairline, sensing that complexities remained in their relationship. Lynda was a tough puzzle to decipher, and Leon appeared poised for a tumultuous journey in handling this spirited soul.
Lynda halted a couple of paces away from Leon and Milandro. My command sliced through the charged atmosphere. “Release him.”
Leon’s swallow was audible, his reflex resistance giving way to begrudging compliance. He stepped aside, his chest heaving with suppressed fury. Milandro knelt, his swollen eyes locking onto Lynda’s gaze. His attention shifted, a haunting glance directed at her abdomen. He edged closer, until the gap between them narrowed to mere inches.
Lynda flinched, yet held her ground, her chin lifted in a gesture of defiance. Milandro’s eyes brimmed with unspoken emotion as he lowered his face to her stomach. A tremor coursed through him, a guttural cry escaping his lips.
Amidst the audience, everyone stood frozen, gripped by the poignant scene unfolding before them. A pang of unexpected empathy resonated within me. The misery of his circumstance was overwhelming. The awareness that he bore culpability for the loss of his unborn child could shatter even the strongest resolve.
In that moment, Milandro stood as a figure irrevocably shattered by grief. His tears flowed ceaselessly, while Lynda, remarkably composed, extended a hand to rest upon his head, a fleeting touch before withdrawal. His face remained nestled against her flat stomach. With a nod to Leon, he approached, carefully separating Milandro from the heart-wrenching tableau.
In that profound moment, an unspoken understanding passed through me. If Milandro possessed the ability to utter words, undoubtedly, they would have taken the form of an apology.
Yet, I had denied him that opportunity, holding on to the hope that Lynda would discern his remorse within his gaze. She craved that closure.
As a solitary tear traced a path down her cheek, I was certain she had grasped it – the message in his eyes. Lynda acknowledged it with a nod and departed without a second look.
Under an intense gaze, I felt a prickling sensation on my skin. Recognition struck me immediately. It was as though an invisible force drew me to her.
My gaze snapped upward to the apex of the staircase, revealing Rebecca standing there. Immobile, she commanded the full attention of my heart, which pounded vigorously within my chest.
A conflicted duality emerged within me. One aspect, the beastly side, yearned for her to witness it all – the gory aftermath, the gruesome sacrifice I had made for her sake.
Yet, the gentler facet, an aspect I scarcely acknowledged, longed to shield her from the horror that unfolded before us.
“Let’s go,” I growled, tearing my gaze away and pivoting around.
“Wait.”
The voice was soft yet commanding, halting me mid-stride. My subordinates paused, frozen by the gentle yet unwavering command.
A semblance of a smile tugged at my lips. She truly embodied regality.
I pivoted, witnessing her graceful descent down the stairs. Every eye was fixed upon her, but her gaze remained solely affixed to me.
Step by step, Rebecca drew closer until mere feet separated us. I discerned her swallow, followed by a deep inhalation. Her posture straightened, shoulders squared, and her chin lifted with conviction.
Her gaze shifted towards Raffaele. My eyes widened, and instinctively, I took a protective step forward, a low growl escaping my lips.
Leon arched an eyebrow, taunting me wordlessly.
I advanced until I stood beside her. Rebecca’s sweet smile directed my way warmed me, and she rose on her tiptoes, lips brushing mine fleetingly.
Before I could protest, she had already crouched to Raffaele’s level. Positioned behind her, my stance exuded protection. A surge of possessiveness surged through me at the sight of her proximity to that wretch.
Rebecca’s hands cupped Raffaele’s face, lifting it to ensure their gazes met. He winced, yet remained motionless.
Leaning in, her lips hovered near his ear.
“I forgive you,” her words, soft but audible to me as well, murmured in a hushed cadence.
Raffaele stiffened, and when she withdrew, his eyes were saucer-like. He swallowed hard, as if her act was inconceivable.
Oddly, I wasn’t surprised; instead, an overwhelming sense of pride engulfed me. Her strength left me in awe.
Unfazed, she continued, her voice resonating with an almost ethereal quality. Raffaele gaped at her, his attempt at speech futile.
Drawing Rebecca closer, my arm encircled her waist, pulling her against me. She pivoted in my embrace, a smile curving her lips.
“I needed this to move forward,” she affirmed tenderly. Her gaze met mine earnestly. “Do what you must, Artemy. I’ll be right here, awaiting your return.”
Rebecca gently withdrew herself from my embrace, taking a deliberate step backward. Nona, accompanied by a group of maids, positioned herself alongside Rebecca. Responding in kind, some of my men shifted into protective formation on either side of her.
With a solemn nod directed at Rebecca, I began to move away. The time had come to bring this relentless war to an end and reunite with the woman I cherished. I made my way towards the waiting car, where Bernadette awaited. Our eyes met, and she acknowledged me with a simple nod. “I’ll stay here,” she declared.
Her disdainful gaze met Raffaele’s as Brayden firmly guided him into the vehicle. Sliding into the front seat, I awaited the arrival of the rest of our group.
Once everyone was situated within the cars, we pulled out of the driveway. The tense atmosphere accompanied us on our journey to the Cavalieri estate. As the vehicle came to a halt, I stepped out, inhaling deeply to steady myself.
Raffaele’s henchmen rushed out, weapons in hand. A dry chuckle escaped my lips as I shook my head. “If you value your lives, I would strongly advise putting those guns away,” I remarked in a measured tone, advancing confidently.