Fabian sat across from Fred, his gaze shifting from the photo of Derek to the man who brought it. “Why does Tania want Derek gone?” Fabian asked, his voice calm but with an edge of curiosity. He knew Tania was dangerous, but what was her motive now? “As far as I know, Tania doesn’t even know about Derek helping Ella.”
Fred leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. “Oh, she knows,” he replied smoothly. “Tania’s been digging. She found out that Derek’s been feeding Ella information, helping her out with her little… revenge quest.” Fred crossed his arms, enjoying the way Fabian’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Tania figures if Derek’s out of the way, Ella will have no one to help her. She thinks she can break Ella’s will by cutting off her allies.”
Fabian let out a low laugh, shaking his head. “Tania’s sicker than I thought if she believes taking out Derek will stop Ella. She’s stronger than that, and no matter what Tania does, Ella’s not backing down. You can’t break her that easily.”
Fred shrugged, unfazed. “Tania’s got her own delusions, but the money’s good. She wants Derek gone, and I’ve got my orders.”
Fabian tilted his head, his gaze sharp. “If this is so important, why aren’t you handling it yourself? Why pass the job on to me?”
Fred’s smirk widened as he casually picked up his coffee cup, taking a long sip before replying. “Because I’ve got another task. Something Tania values even more than Derek’s head.” He paused for effect, watching as Fabian’s curiosity piqued.
Fabian raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that?”
Fred set the cup down and leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. “She’s asked me to locate the twins. She thinks if she can find them, she can use them as leverage against Ella. Maybe even take them from her.”
Fabian’s confusion deepened. “The twins? They’re with Ella. Everyone knows that. What’s the game here?”
Fred shook his head. “Not so sure. But Tania’s convinced they aren’t with Ella anymore. She believes they’re hidden somewhere, and she’s desperate to find them.”
Fabian’s blood ran cold. He hadn’t realized how deep Tania’s madness ran. “She thinks she can control Ella with the twins? She’s more deranged than I thought.” He stared at Fred, torn between protecting Ella and the dangerous web he was being dragged back into.
“I’ll handle Derek,” Fabian said after a long pause, his voice grim. “But the twins… you tell Tania to stay away from them.”
Fred chuckled darkly. “You’re not in a position to give orders, Fabian. But I’ll keep that in mind.”
Fabian’s jaw tightened. The conversation was over, but something told him this was just the beginning.
Fabian leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as Fred’s words sank in. Tania was desperate enough to go after the twins. The idea of using two innocent children to manipulate Ella made Fabian’s stomach churn with disgust. He had seen Tania’s cruelty firsthand, but this crossed a line he didn’t think even she would dare to step over.
“Leave the twins out of this, Fred,” Fabian said, his voice low and dangerous, the calm barely masking the anger simmering beneath. “They’re just children. This isn’t their fight.”
Fred arched an eyebrow, amused by Fabian’s sudden change in tone. “Just do your job, Fabian,” he replied with a smirk. “You’re not in a position to start making demands.”
Fabian’s eyes flashed with fury, and before he could stop himself, he shot out of his chair and grabbed Fred by the collar, lifting him slightly off the ground. “Listen to me, Fred,” Fabian growled, his voice filled with menace. “You tell Tania that if she goes after those boys, she’ll have me to deal with. I’m not the same man I used to be, but for Ella and her kids, I’ll make an exception. Got it?”
Fred, momentarily startled by the outburst, quickly regained his composure. His smirk never wavered as he slowly reached up and peeled Fabian’s hand off his collar. “Touchy, aren’t we?” Fred said, smoothing down his shirt as if nothing had happened. “But this isn’t your call to make. Tania’s paying good money for results, and if she wants those twins found, they’ll be found. You know how this works.”
Fabian’s fists clenched at his sides as he took a step back, his heart pounding in his chest. “I’ll handle Derek,” he repeated, his voice steely. “But if you or Tania come anywhere near those kids, I’ll end this once and for all. You won’t get a second chance.”
Fred’s eyes glittered with amusement as he turned toward the door. “We’ll see about that,” he said over his shoulder. “But remember, Fabian. You don’t have a choice . You don’t get to pick and choose the rules anymore.”
Fabian stood still, his jaw clenched tightly as Fred left the room, the door clicking shut behind him. His hands trembled with rage as he stared at the empty space where Fred had stood, his mind racing with the implications of everything he had just learned. Tania was playing a dangerous game, and this time, it wasn’t just Ella she was targeting it was her children.
Fabian thought bitterly.
The weight of his decision hit him hard. He had sworn he was done with this world, done with the violence, the deceit, the constant danger. But now, it seemed as if fate had other plans for him. Ella needed him, and whether he liked it or not, he was being pulled back into the shadows, back into the darkness he had tried so hard to escape.
But this time, it was different. This time, he wasn’t just fighting for himself. He was fighting for Ella, for Leo and Liam, and for the fragile hope of a life free from Tania’s twisted grip.
Fabian took a deep breath, steadying himself. His decision was made. He would deal with Derek, as Fred had asked, but he would do it on his own terms. And as for Tania’s twisted plans to use the twins against Ella he would make sure that never happened.