Alexander pov
“I can’t believe my old man paid you to keep me from returning to Italy! No wonder he asked me to pack all my clothes. ‘A vacation to the US,’ he said. ‘You should spend some time with your uncle and learn a few things, then you can come back home,’ he said and I believed him without knowing he basically sold me out! I should have realized it when he gave me that hug,” Julian ranted, his fingers flying across the keyboard so fast they blurred.
My back was against the wall as I stared at him from the other side of the room, my arms crossed, expression cold.
It had been five minutes- five long minutes of Julian trying to track Valentina and Felix’s whereabouts, and five minutes of this nagging feeling I couldn’t shake.
Were they safe? Were they okay? Were they hurt?
That was all that had been clouding my mind, and I hated it.
I hated that I wasn’t just worried about Felix, but her too. I shouldn’t care about what happened to her. I shouldn’t care about her safety. If she dropped dead right in front of me, I shouldn’t bat an eye.
Yet…
I frowned, my gaze sharpening on Julian. He must have felt it because he turned around and swallowed nervously.
“How much longer?” I asked, tilting my head to the side as I stared at him.
Julian smiled sheepishly before holding up a finger. “Just a minute, uncle,” he said with a nervous laugh, then quickly turned back to his laptop and began typing.
I let out an exhausted sigh, running a hand through my hair before shifting my gaze to the idiot standing across from me. He was trying to hide behind Sebastian, stealing guilty glances at me every few seconds.
He did something. I was sure of it.
What exactly? I had no idea.
Not yet anyway.
As soon as Daniel met my gaze, he froze, his eyes widening before he quickly looked away, focusing on anything- everything but me.
I didn’t say anything for now, I had more important matters to attend to. But when I was free, I’d be sure to have a nice… chat with him.
Exactly one minute passed before Julian suddenly slammed his fist on the table, a grin spreading across his face.
“Found them!” he announced.
At his words, everyone immediately crowded around the table. Julian stepped aside as I leaned forward, my eyes locking onto the glowing red dot on the digital map. It pulsed steadily over a single location.
Ashbourne Manor
“The Ashbourne Manor…” I murmured under my breath, and Julian nodded, pointing to a dot on the screen.
“The Ashbourne Manor is quite popular. It’s a historic estate, which is why it shows up on Google Maps. Sister-in-law and Felix are there.”
I raised a brow, tilting my head slightly. Was that where Nico had kept them hostage? My fingers drummed against the desk as I considered the possibility. If he hadn’t taken them to his home but instead chose a separate location, then this wasn’t just a hiding spot it was bait.
A trap?
Definitely.
Nico was too calculating for it to be anything else. But it didn’t matter where he had hidden them or what game he was playing. I was getting them back, no matter the cost.
Leaning back, I tucked my hands into my pockets and turned to Adrian.
“We’re heading to Ashbourne Manor. But instead of bringing the whole crew, handpick five of our best- three snipers and two of our fighters”
Adrian bowed and exited the study without a word.
As soon as he was gone, I turned to Julian, resting a firm hand on his shoulder before nodding in approval.
“Good job. If you ever need anything, just say the word, and I’ll make it happen,” I said, giving his shoulder a pat. I was a man who always repaid what I was given, whether it was a debt or kindness.
Julian blinked, then, as if a sudden idea struck him, his lips curled into a bright grin.
Before he could continue, I cut him off.
“Anything but going back to Italy.”
His smile instantly dropped, replaced by a dramatic pout before he shrugged.
“Fine, then let me tag along to rescue Sister-in-law and the little demon. I could use some action, it’s getting way too boring sitting around here. No women, no clubs, nothing. At this point, Sister-in-law is my only source of entertainment, and I can’t let anything happen to her! Oh, and the little demon too, I guess.”
The corner of my lips curled into a sneer, but I fought the urge to tighten my grip on his shoulder. Instead, I leaned away, fixing him with a cold glare. Julian’s grin widened, taking my silence as confirmation.
The only reason I agreed to this was that, despite his usual idiocy, he was still more skilled than most of my men. Having him around might actually be an advantage.
“B-Boss,” Sebastian called hesitantly. I shifted my gaze to him, watching as he nervously adjusted his glasses while Daniel nudged him forward like a sacrificial lamb.
“You don’t have to come along. Stay here,” I said, waving him off. He’d just be a hindrance anyway.
Sebastian shook his head frantically. “N-no, Boss, it’s not that… but Daniel has something he wants to tell you.”
I raised an eyebrow and turned to Daniel, who immediately shut his eyes.
“I thought you said you’d tell him,” he hissed at Sebastian.
Sebastian took a dramatic step away from him. “Dr. Daniel, you’re Boss’s twin brother. He won’t kill you if you tell him, but if I do, I might actually die!”
Daniel scoffed. “You don’t know him! He would definitely kill me without thinking twice!”
I frowned and ignored them before walking toward the door. Whatever was going on with Daniel, I had no time for it and honestly, I didn’t care.
“She’s alive!”
I froze, my hand hovering over the doorknob.
“M-Mother didn’t die two years ago. She’s… alive. Alexander and I think she’s the one who kidnapped them.”
My fingers slowly retreated from the door handle as I tilted my head to the side, my eyes cold. Silence settled over the study. No one spoke. No one dared to move.
Then, slowly, my lips curled into a smirk. A dry chuckle escaped me as I ran a hand through my hair, the sound echoing in the silence before fading into nothing. My smirk vanished just as quickly, replaced by a deep frown.
“That bitch is alive,” I muttered under my breath, my eyes snapping to Daniel. “Is that what you’re telling me?”
Flashback.
“You want to put a bullet in your own mother’s head? How amusing, Alexander.” Her voice was a slow, deliberate drawl, her attention fixed on the wine in her hand as she swirled it lazily. A smirk tugged at her lips.
“I knew you were heartless, but this?” She let out a low chuckle. “I didn’t realize you were this cruel. What a monster.”
She took a slow sip of her wine before tilting her gaze to meet in amusement.
“But then again,” she mused, “I made you this cruel. I made you perfect, turned you into a monster just like your father.” She paused, her smirk stretching wider. “No… worse than your father.”
She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a near whisper.
“Aren’t you grateful?”
My expression remained cold- no colder than the gun in my grip as I aimed it at her.
“You’re right. I am grateful.” I let out a dark chuckle. “Grateful for fucking me up. You’ve made me merciless. But do you remember your own words? ‘Threats should always be eliminated, no matter who they are.'”
I cocked the gun, the metallic click echoing through the room as a smirk curled at the corner of my lips.
“You’re a threat, Mother.”
Instead of flinching, her eyes sparkled with amusement. She took a slow, deliberate sip of her wine, watching me.
When she finished, she placed the glass down gently and leaned back in her chair, completely at ease.
“I’ll see you in hell, son,” she murmured. “I hope you don’t take too long… otherwise Mother will miss you.”
I scoffed. And without hesitation, I pulled the trigger.