CHAPTER 46

AMADEUS ALEJANDRO ZEVALLOS

I stayed standing at the side of the narrow alley when I got out of Hexia's car to wait until she drove off. I knew she could protect herself if anyone tried to harm her, but I just wanted to make sure she got home safe and sound.

As soon as I saw her car leave completely, I started walking away to head back to the mansion. I approached a teenager I had paid to keep an eye on my car, which was parked by the side of the road.

"Here's a hundred for you. Thanks for watching over it," I said as I handed him the money.

"Thanks, boss! Take care on your way home," the teenager replied with a smile, cigarette in hand. He quickly tucked the money into the waistband of his shorts.

I just nodded at him and got into the driver's seat. I started the car, noticing the boy waving and lightly tapping the hood before I drove off back to the mansion.

I rolled down the car window and gave him a slight nod.

"Take care, boss! See you next time."

"Sure."

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

I tightly closed my eyes as I let the cold water from the shower flow down. The icy water enveloped my body, but I ignored it. Upon arriving at the mansion, I headed straight to my room to take a shower.

I can't help but think about what Hexia said to me before she dropped me off by the side of the mall. Her words got me thinking too. I was simply following Perses' orders and didn't bother to question his plans.

Besides that, I'm the one in charge of inspecting the firearms and bombs to be sent to Iraq. Before they're officially shipped, it's mandatory for us to test the weapons to ensure there are no issues with what we're sending. Otherwise, the shipment would be delayed again if something went wrong.

I rubbed my face with my hands and tilted my head up toward the falling water from the showerhead. I quickly finished my shower and rinsed off so I could change into something comfortable.

I went straight to Perses' office and found him busy reading our clients' contracts for the firearms. His brow was furrowed, and his gaze remained fixed on the documents, even though I knew he noticed me enter the office.

"What's your problem with Atlas?" I directly asked Perses as I approached him.

Perses paused from reading, put the paper he was holding down, and looked at me.

"What are you talking about? Did you come here just to ask me something like that?" he asked me seriously.

"What do you think?"

He let out a dry laugh at my reply. I noticed the corner of his lips twitch upward, as if amused by my sudden question.

I remained standing at his side, letting my gaze wander around his office. It was a large room, with his long, wide desk at the center, where papers and folders were stacked at the edges. In the middle was his open laptop, and beside it sat a small lamp.

I couldn't help but notice the small frame beside the lamp, one I'd seen many times before. It was a photo of Perses' wife, my grandmother, holding their child—Javier Zevallos, my father.

"Why don't you just step outside and check on the firearms to be shipped, Helios? Why are you so eager to know why I want Atlas dead? I already ordered you to kill his wife, but you still haven't done it! Hexia was already in our territory, yet she managed to escape! The men I left there were useless and let her slip away!"

He had no idea that I was the one who helped Oceanus and Hexia escape. No one knew except the three of us, because I already killed the two guards assigned to the torture chamber the same day I rescued Hexia and Oceanus.

"It's none of your business why I'm asking about him. I'm your right hand and I need to know all your plans and the reasons behind the assassinations you order me to carry out. That way, I'll have an idea of why you're doing it."

He stood up at my words and stepped closer to me. "Get the fuck out of here, Helios, before I punch your face," he said angrily.

A spark of anger flared in my chest at his words. He was hiding something from me. I gave him a sharp glare, matching the piercing look he threw my way. Our gray eyes locked, both filled with a flicker of rage.

"I know you're hiding something from me, Perses," I murmured firmly. "If you're not planning to tell me, I'll find a way to uncover it myself. And let me tell you this—make sure you're good at keeping it hidden, because if I find out what you're keeping from me, you won't like what I'll do... grandfather," I said coldly.

I didn't wait for him to say more and turned around, leaving his office. There was only one person he constantly spoke to—my father. He might know something because it's impossible that Perses hasn't shared anything with him.

When I reached my parents' room, I knocked several times and waited for someone to open the door, but no one did.

"Dad?" I called out, knocking again.

When I didn't hear a response, I turned the doorknob and slowly pushed the door open. I was greeted by a spotless room. The pillows were neatly arranged, and the comforters were folded on the bed.

I turned toward the bathroom when I heard the sound of running water—he was in there, showering. I scanned the room, searching for anything that could serve as a clue to the questions swirling in my mind.

I went straight to the bedside table and rummaged through the drawers. The first drawer contained nothing but magazines and family photo albums. I worked quickly, and when I opened the last drawer, I found a small pouch.

I took it and opened it, expecting to find a hidden gun, but there wasn't one. Instead, I pulled out a container for eyedroppers. I read the label.

Contact lens solution.

Why would they have this?

I dug further into the pouch and emptied its contents onto the carpet. What spilled out were several containers for contact lenses. One box was still sealed. I picked it up and checked the label.

Gray.

Gray? I grabbed another box—there were five unopened ones in total. All of them had gray-colored lenses. My heartbeat quickened at the sight. I picked up one of the lens containers and held it up to the light. Inside, I could see a lens.

I opened the container, revealing a contact lens that was the exact same shade as my eyes. My brows furrowed as I took the lens and inspected it closely.

It was obvious that this was a high-quality lens—it was incredibly realistic, almost identical to the color of my eyes. I shut my eyes tightly and threw the lens across the room in frustration.

Standing up, I strode toward the closed bathroom door in long, deliberate steps. My chest heaved with anger that was slowly igniting inside me. My breathing quickened as I pulled the gun from behind my waistband, ready to kick the door open. But before I could, the door opened, and my father emerged, already dressed.

"We need to talk... my fucking fake father," I spat angrily.

"Amadeus—"

I didn't let him finish. I grabbed his shirt, pulling him close. I inspected his face, especially his eyes.

I cursed under my breath when I confirmed it—his eyes weren't gray like mine. They were brown.

I yanked him by the shirt and dragged him to the bedside table, now a mess because of me.

"Care to explain what this is? Why are you using contact lenses? The Zevallos genes have gray eyes, so why the hell are you using these?" I said coldly, throwing him to the carpet.

"Let me explain—"

I cocked the gun and pointed it at him. "Faster. Explain it to me before I plant this bullet in your skull."

"I—I'm not your father," he stammered nervously, admitting the truth. "P-Perses ordered me to pretend to be your father after your real father left the mansion."

My grip on the gun tightened as I kept it aimed at him. My breathing grew faster, and my vision darkened with rage. I had grown up believing they were my parents, but it was all a lie!

My hands trembled as I held the gun, my anger spilling over.

"What's his name?" I asked coldly.

My fake father shook with fear as he looked at me. My patience was gone, and my hands itched to kill him the moment I learned who my real father was.

"What's his name!" I shouted in his face.

"A-as far as I know, he's an underboss of H-Hyperion..." he stuttered. "P-Perses knows about your father, Amadeus. Your father is still in our faction."

"Of course, he knows! He's Perses' son, isn't he, you idiot!" I snarled at him.

"P-Please don't kill me, Amadeus. I'm begging you," he said, trembling in fear.

"What about Kelsey? Is she fake too, or is she my real mother?" I asked, ignoring his plea.

His breathing quickened, and his chest rose and fell faster, his fear intensifying at my question.

"Answer me!" I yelled.

"Yes! Yes! S-She's involved too..."

I kicked him hard in the chest, sending him sprawling onto the carpet. He groaned in pain, clutching the spot where I had struck him, his eyes filled with fear.

"Thank you for standing in as my parent, but this is where it ends," I said coldly, aiming the gun at his forehead. "I'll see you all in hell."

"Amadeus, don't—"

The deafening sound of a gunshot echoed throughout the room. His lifeless body collapsed in front of me, a large hole in his forehead where the bullet had struck. Blood quickly pooled on the carpet, and his eyes remained open in a vacant stare.

"Javier—"

I turned to see my so-called mother standing at the door, frozen in shock. Her presence only fueled my anger. Without giving her a chance to speak, I pointed the gun at her forehead and pulled the trigger.

Her lifeless body fell to the carpet, and I stepped over her corpse without a second thought, heading out of the room.

I was met by one of Perses' men as he ascended the stairs. I motioned for him to come closer, and he quickly obeyed.

"Clean up the two bodies in that room," I said, pointing to the bedroom of my fake parents. "Dispose of them or burn them. I want it done immediately."

"Yes, Helios," he replied.

I gave him a curt nod and strode toward Perses' office. With a powerful kick, I sent the door flying open, startling Perses, who looked at me with wide eyes.

Rage consumed me, darkening my vision as the truth about my life unraveled. Lies they had buried in me since I was a child were now coming to light.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Helios?!" he shouted.

I stormed toward him, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him close.

"I fucking killed them," I growled through gritted teeth. "I killed Javier and Kelsey just now, Perses. Do you know why? Because I found out they weren't my real parents. I shot them both in the head, do you hear me? One bullet each. And right now, one of your men is probably burning their bodies in the mansion's backyard."

"They were your parents!" Perses roared back. "Are you out of your mind!?"

"No!" I shouted in return, my voice shaking with fury. My hands trembled, and my vision grew darker with anger. Both our eyes burned red as we glared at each other, the intensity of our rage palpable. "They were fake. They were my fake parents. Javier told me who my real father is, Perses. And now I know..."

I shoved him forcefully, sending him back into his swivel chair, and turned my back on him.

I gave him one last glance before slamming the office door shut behind me.

My breathing was still heavy, and the overwhelming anger in my chest didn't subside as I entered my room. I grabbed the bottle of liquor sitting on the small table and poured myself a glass.

I know now. I know who my real father is.

It's Atlas Collazo.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

VALENTINA IMARA MEADOWS

We were lined up, waiting to enter Sanctuario Seguro. The guards at the entrance had doubled, with others patrolling the perimeter. Their security had significantly tightened, which I thought was a good thing. We waited for several minutes before finally being allowed inside.

But I instinctively stepped back when a woman approached me—a waitress. She handed me a small black envelope. She smiled at me without saying a word and then walked away.

"What's that?" Oceanus asked, frowning.

I shrugged and looked down at the black envelope in my hand. "I don't know."

"Let's go," Atlas urged.

We headed straight to the main hall, and it seemed the party hadn't officially started yet. However, the guests were already enjoying themselves. Waiters and waitresses moved around, offering cocktail drinks.

"It hasn't started yet," I remarked while scanning the room. Nothing about the decor had changed. It was still the same, except for the addition of a long, large red curtain.

"I think it'll start later. Has Cronus arrived, Atlas?" Oceanus asked.

We stood by the side, observing the cheerful crowd. Everyone was wearing masks, their smiles evident as they chatted with their companions.

When I glanced at Oceanus and Atlas, I noticed they were both scanning the room as if searching for something. I knew they were checking things out for whatever they had planned later, so I left them to it.

I looked down at the black envelope in my hand and opened it. Inside was a small piece of paper. As I read the message, my heart raced, and an unfamiliar warmth spread through my chest—something that felt like happiness.

Meet me in the garden. Enter the hedge maze, and I'll find you.

- R

I let out a soft gasp and quickly hid my excitement after reading the message. I returned the small piece of paper to the black envelope and slipped it into my clutch purse.

"It seems the party won't start for a while. I'll just look around the safe zone first. I'll know when it starts, so I'll follow after," I suddenly said to them.

Both Oceanus and Atlas looked at me. I furrowed my brow when I noticed that Oceanus gave me a strange look, while Atlas just showed his usual expression.

I raised an eyebrow at Oceanus. I stared at him hard, hoping he would get the hint.

"Y-yes!" Oceanus suddenly shouted, and I just shook my head. Atlas glanced at him because of his outburst.

"Can you please tone down your voice?" Atlas scolded him.

"Oh, sorry," Oceanus replied with an awkward laugh.

He turned to me and nodded slowly. "Alright, go ahead and look around, Hexia. We'll call you on the earpiece for updates in case we've gotten the weapons from the weapon room," Oceanus quietly said.

"Okay, sure. I'll leave now. Don't worry, nothing bad will happen to me. I'll be safe," I reassured them before they could warn me.

"Okay. Take care," Atlas responded.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

I almost got lost trying to find the garden Helios mentioned. Thankfully, there were housekeepers walking around cleaning the rooms, so I was able to ask for directions.

I opened the double French doors, and before me was the vast garden. In the center was the hedge maze Helios had talked about. Since the ground I was walking on was elevated concrete, I could see a large lake at the far end of the maze.

It seemed like Helios really wanted me to go inside the hedge maze, as there was no way around it because there was a barrier that looked like a bush but was actually a fence.

I slowly descended the stairs and walked along a wide garden path. There were street lamps lit up with a yellow hue. I also noticed a few butterflies fluttering by, heading towards a part of the garden filled with flowers.

As I got closer to the hedge maze, a mix of excitement and nervousness filled my chest while I observed it. I glanced back at the open double French doors one last time before stepping into the maze.

"Helios?" I whispered softly, trying to find my way out of the hedge maze.

I didn't know how many times I had gone around the maze, but I still couldn't find my way out. I removed my mask because I was having a hard time scanning the path.

"Come out if you can hear me," I murmured while glancing to my left and right.

It seemed like he heard me, because suddenly, I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist and pull me into a dark part of the hedge maze.

I couldn't help but smile and hold onto his muscular arm around my waist. My head tilted slightly when I felt his head lower to plant a gentle kiss on my smooth neck.

"Hi, there. You're so cute when you're frustrated about where to go," he whispered, still kissing my neck.

"So you've been watching me for a while, but why didn't you approach me?" I responded softly, savoring the warm kiss on my neck.

He didn't answer my question but instead took my hand. "Let's get out of here."

I thought I would finally find the exit, but there was a small door behind it, and we quickly exited the maze. I just shook my head and followed as he led me.

We reached the end of the hedge maze, and there was a white Victorian garden gazebo. In front of it was the large lake I had seen earlier when I exited the sanctuary. There was a small Victorian lamp placed beside the gazebo's post, and it was the only source of light.

"What are we going to do here?" I asked as we entered the gazebo.

Since there were no chairs, he held my waist and helped me sit on the top rail of the balustrade. It was wide enough, so I didn't have trouble sitting there. I faced him and looked up, even though I was seated high up. He wasn't wearing a suit, I immediately noticed his white long-sleeve shirt and necktie. I also couldn't miss the black suspenders he wore. He looked even more attractive to me because his biceps were outlined in his shirt.

I could clearly see the black dot in his ash-grey eyes widening as he looked at me. I instinctively held his hand when I felt him touch my cheek and gently caress it.

"You look so gorgeous, Hexia," he whispered. "You look like my bride in that gown. And you know what kind of bride you are?" He lowered his head, positioning his lips near my ear. "You're like a villainous bride... the combination of red and white suits you perfectly."

I closed my eyes when I felt him lightly bite my ear. I gripped his muscular arm, feeling like I was losing strength. I stroked his biceps and felt him press something on my earpiece. He turned it off.

I only opened my eyes when he cupped my face between his hands. I met his gaze, those heavy-lidded eyes looking at me.

"I love the way your light brown eyes sparkle whenever you see me, Hexia. I know you're happy and excited when we're together, and I'm happy to know that I'm not the only one feeling this way," he said softly.

I raised my hand and caressed his jaw. I smiled gently at him and ran my hand to the back of his neck to pull his face closer to mine.

"I'm happy too. I thought I was the only one feeling this way, Helios," I whispered against his soft lips. "You're so alluring tonight. I love your suspenders. You look so hot."

I saw the corner of his lips curl upward. "Are you attracted to me right now?"

I nodded. "Yes, of course. Who wouldn't be when you're standing right in front of me?"

He chuckled softly at what I said and quickly kissed my lips. "You're such a tease. Don't make me hard, Hexia."

My eyes widened, and I punched his chest in surprise.

"You're such a hornball!" I laughed at him.

Our laughter echoed in the gazebo, but it quickly faded when Helios lowered his head and buried his face in my chest. Since my gown had a corset, it pushed my chest up, and he pressed his face into it.

"You might not be able to breathe," I whispered, stroking his hair.

"It's okay. I like being here. It's so soft," he replied, almost muffled, as his face was still buried in my chest.

It seemed like it took several minutes before he finally faced me.

"I found something out," he confessed to me.

"What is it?"

"The parents I've known since I was a child aren't really my real parents. They're both fake, and I only recently found out who my real father is."

I was stunned by what he said. I had planned to introduce Atlas to him, but it seemed better that he had found out the truth on his own. I nodded and gently stroked his cheek.

"And then, who is it?" I asked softly.

He sighed and took my hand to kiss it.

"I know you know who my real father is, Hexia. It was Atlas, am I right?"

I slowly nodded. "Yes, he's your father, and he knows now that you're alive. Because if I hadn't told him you were alive, he might have killed you, Helios. But the truth is, you're alive and not dead... Atlas' son is alive, and he's right here in front of me."

He leaned down and quickly kissed my forehead. I felt him intertwine our hands, and his eyes closed with as his kiss moved down to my lips.

"I can't wait to meet him. I have so many questions for him, especially about my real mother," he whispered on my lips. "Is she with him? Is my real mother in Atlas' warehouse?"

I swallowed, feeling a pang in my chest. I closed my eyes tightly and kissed him passionately before answering.

He killed my wife.

"I can't answer that, Helios. It's better if Atlas tells you himself where your mother is."

"Okay... sure."

I just smiled at him before pulling his collar to kiss him again. He knew exactly what I meant, so he gladly accepted the passionate kiss I gave him.

I wrapped both my arms around his neck while his left hand slowly crept up my exposed thigh because of the slit. He couldn't wait any longer, so he lifted his hand between my thighs and caressed it.

I bit his lower lip in surprise, but it was quickly replaced by an unusual heat in my body when he pushed aside my underwear and ran his finger along my wet core.

I heard his soft moan against my lips when he felt how ready I was for him. We were just kissing, but it was already having a different effect on my body. I could also feel the thing between his thighs bulging in his black slacks. I lowered my hand and gently caressed it outside the slacks.

"We don't have enough time to stay here. Cronus' speech will start anytime now. Let's just hurry this up, okay?" he softly said to me.

My eyes were hazy as I looked at him and nodded. I couldn't wait to feel him inside me either. I was so wet, and I could feel it with every movement of my thighs.

"I know. Let's make this quick. I really need you now," I whispered seductively.

He helped him take off his belt, and he immediately pulled down his slacks along with his black boxers.

He grabbed my waist and lowered me onto where I was sitting.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, furrowing my brow.

"You're going to like this," he whispered softly to me.

I felt his hand bending my back, and I followed. I grabbed the top rail of the balustrade and bit my lip, waiting for his next move, because I knew what kind of position we were going to be in now.

He's going to fuck me from behind. I felt like my womanhood was getting even wetter just thinking about it. He pushed my underwear aside again, and a moment later I felt him enter me.

I let out heavy breaths and couldn't help but moan out loud from the pleasure he was giving me.

"I know you're going to like this," I heard him say as he groaned with each thrust into me.

I gripped the top rail of the balustrade tightly and couldn't help but meet his every move. I could feel his every movement.

I felt weak, and the hairs on my body seemed to stand on end. He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him so my back was against his strong chest.

"Do you like this?" he asked me seductively. "If only you knew how much I want to show you how I'm going to claim you, Hexia. Next time we have sex, I'll make sure it's in front of that mirror."

I closed my eyes and felt a strange excitement in my chest when I heard what he said. Instead of being nervous, I felt excited. My heart raced, and I couldn't wait for him to do what he wanted to do to me.

"I can't wait for that to happen. I would love to see myself getting fucked by you in front of the mirror," I panted in response.

I closed my eyes tightly when I felt his hand slowly move up to my neck. And it felt like he was cutting off my air supply. I couldn't breathe properly, so I was gasping for air through my mouth.

I bit my lower lip and let him do his thing. Because of what he was doing to me, my wet core seemed to throb. At the same time, I heard Helios moan because I knew he felt it too.

"You're getting tighter," he groaned in my ear, never removing his hand from my neck.

I closed my eyes as his grip tightened around my neck and met his movements, feeling like I was about to come. He moved faster in my back, and his other hand, which was on my waist, slipped inside my gown and started stroking my clit. It added a strange sensation to my body.

Even though we weren't completely naked, I could feel the heat of Helios's body radiating from his clothes. I wanted to feel the warmth of his body against mine, but I knew it wasn't possible right now because it was inappropriate for the time.

"Helios," I moaned softly.

He quickened his pace, and when I felt myself nearing my climax, I gripped his arm tightly. His hand on my neck tightened too, and I felt like I was seeing stars when we finished. I felt Helios's hot release inside me, but I was still dazed and kept moving on his back because I could still feel the strange tingling in my womanhood.

It was as if thousands of volts of electricity ran through my body when I felt that. I wanted to reach for something more than the tingling sensation I was feeling.

"It feels good. It feels good," I sobbed, moving against Helios's back.

"I love you, Hexia," Helios said to me and kissed my neck.

A few minutes passed before we could breathe normally. He helped me fix myself, and I did the same for him. He also fixed my mask for me. I adjusted his necktie before tiptoeing to kiss him, but I couldn't reach, so I pulled his necktie to kiss him.

"I love you so much, Helios," I whispered on his lips.

"I love you more," he replied, not wanting to be outdone.

"Let's go inside. It sounds like they're starting," I invited him when I heard someone speaking inside.

He nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

He took my hand, and we walked back inside our safe zone together. We only separated when we entered the double French door. We shared one last hot kiss and hugged tightly.

"Go ahead. Enter the hall first and I'll follow. We can't be seen entering together, they might think something else."

I nodded and raised my hand to wave at him. "Okay, bye."

"Bye."

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

"Hexia? Do you hear me?"

I held onto my earpiece when I heard Atlas' voice and pressed it to respond.

"Yes, I hear you. Where are you?" I replied.

"We're here in the weapon room with Oceanus. Are you in the main hall? Cronus has already started his speech inside."

I quickened my pace to get inside.

"I just got in. Are you guys coming soon?" I asked.

"Yes. Just stay where you are, we're on our way."

"Noted."

I had to squeeze through the crowd to get back to the spot where Atlas and Oceanus were. I didn't realize how full the hall had gotten just because of Cronus' speech. He was standing in his usual spot, speaking.

"Thank you all for attending the anniversary party of our organization. Because of an incident during an emergency meeting with the bosses and underbosses, the security in our safe zone has been tightened, and I think that's a good measure for everyone's safety. We can't call this sanctuary a safe zone if we enter it with worries or fear. As much as I can, I will ensure that whoever the traitor is in our organization will be caught," Cronus said seriously.

"And anyone who dares or plans to betray our organization will end up like him."

My brow furrowed when I saw what he did next. He walked to the side and pulled a black cloth. A loud gasp and whispers filled the air around us as we saw what was revealed. I covered my mouth and felt like my food was coming up at what I saw.

A naked, lifeless man, covered in blood, with several stab wounds on his body, was nailed to the wall. My eyes widened when I saw that his private parts were missing, and when I looked up at his open mouth, I saw his penis there.

"I will nail any traitor to the wall and shove your genitals into your mouths! And now, this is one of the traitors in our organization. I know the members of Faction Tres are here. You are the stubborn ones, aren't you? Try to do what your boss did, and that's what will happen to you," Cronus threatened. "Always remember, never try to do anything wrong in this organization just for temporary happiness or reward, because the consequence will be suffering until you die from the torment I will put you through."

He gestured into the air, and a man took the black cloth and returned it to the man nailed to the wall to cover him.

"And now that the members of our organization have been stirred, I have something important to say to you. Atlas Collazo, the underboss of Hyperion, will be rising in rank within our organization—"

"Can we know why Atlas' rank needs to be elevated? Everything is supposed to be equal among the bosses and underbosses, but why does he always get special treatment?"

That voice sounded familiar. When I turned to see who shouted, it was none other than Perses. The crowd immediately parted to give him space as he stood, fuming with anger.

I looked up to see Cronus frowning at the sudden interruption from Perses.

"Did I say you could speak? I haven't finished what I was saying yet, Perses, but you're already throwing out your opinions," Cronus said coldly. Perses closed his mouth, seemingly embarrassed by Cronus's words. Even though Perses stopped speaking, it was still obvious from the glare in his eyes that he was seething at the big boss of El Orden Del Abismo.

"I've long offered Atlas the position of boss, but he has declined several times, so now I'm taking a chance that he will accept it," Cronus muttered.

"Permission to talk, Cronus."

We all turned when we heard Atlas' voice. Oceanus was with him by his side.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to rise in rank in this organization, but I will not accept it. I'm fine as the underboss, and I will not ask for any higher position."

I saw Cronus freeze at what Atlas said, and he sighed. "If that's what you want, Atlas, you heard it from him yourself. He rejected my offer, so expect some changes in rank within the members of every faction, especially in Faction Tres. It will take a few months to finalize the ranks. The final list will just be posted on our website once it's ready. Good night, and thank you for listening. I hope you enjoy the evening."

After that, he left and went downstairs. It seemed like the people didn't care about what we had just seen because they went back to their own doings.

"Let's eat," Oceanus urged as he came closer to me.

I nodded. "Sure, let's go."

We quickly grabbed some food and looked for an empty seat to eat what we had gotten. It seemed that Atlas would follow us later since he said he still needed to talk to someone.

"After this, we're leaving," Oceanus whispered to me.

"Why?" I asked, furrowing my brows.

"He's just waiting for us to leave so he can do something to us."

I took a sip of my cocktail and looked at him.

"Why would we do that? Then they'll just follow us."

"That's the point. We need to do this. And once we corner Perses at our warehouse, that's when we can kill him—"

"Hexia! Oceanus! Get out of there, hurry up!"

I closed my eyes when I heard Atlas' voice through my earpiece. Even Oceanus flinched in pain and surprise.

"Atlas? What's going on? Why are you shouting?" I replied.

"Faster! Our warehouse is under attack!"

Oceanus and I exchanged a look when we heard what Atlas said. We both immediately stood up and ran out of the main hall, not caring if we bumped into anyone.

"Go ahead, Oceanus, hurry," I said, my pace slowing because of my heels. Annoyed, I quickly took them off and carried them.

"Atlas' car is probably already out. He's waiting outside the sanctuary," Oceanus said, panting.

"Okay," I gasped in reply.

I glanced to the side and saw Helios standing by the entrance of the sanctuary as we were heading out.

"Our warehouse is under attack. It's probably Perses who sent his men there. We'll go ahead," I quickly told him, not waiting for him to respond.

"I'll follow!" he shouted.

I raised my hand and gave him a thumbs-up. I walked quickly down the stairs, yanked off my mask, and tossed it aside. We soon saw Atlas' car in the distance, obviously waiting for us.

Oceanus was already a good distance ahead, and with these annoying high-thigh stockings, my running was a bit slippery. I ripped them off so I could run properly. From there, my pace picked up, and we made it to Atlas' car.

"Unlock the compartment!" I shouted.

I went straight for the car's compartment and opened it. I took off my gloves and threw them aside to grab the light machine gun.

"Get in quickly!" Atlas shouted.

"Wait! I'm just taking out the M249—"

Both Oceanus and I ducked when we heard a loud explosion from the other side of the building. My eyes widened as we saw a massive fire immediately erupt in front of us.

Here it comes.

The chaos is about to begin.

SHANGPU