A/N: Hi guys! I won't be able to update TAKING WHAT'S RIGHTFULLY HIS (English Ver.) today because i haven't finished translating the whole chapter yet. I hope you understand. 

☨ ☩☣ ☘ † ❂ ⚕ ᴈᴑᴎ ☠ ☢ ⚔ ⚓♰☯☭

KELLY's POV

I heaved a sigh for the nth time as I looked outside the window. It's been a week since I had that conversation with Ronin and it was giving me sleepless nights. I didn't know why but I've been restless since then. Why are you hesitating? You should know better. He deceived you before and he lied to you. You trusted and loved him but what did he do in return? He stomped on your heart like a rug! That report about him is probably true and he came back because he's up to something! He's a danger to everyone, Kelly!

I bit my lower lip as I mentally shook my head. That was what my brain have been telling me but my heart was telling the opposite. I couldn't understand why. Yes, I hated him since the day he cheated on me but deep inside my heart, something was telling me to give him a chance. To give him the benefit of the doubt.

This was the first time that I hesitated and got bothered about a certain mission. I already perfected the art of turning my heart into stone about my missions but this one was making crazy. I tried to liven up my hatred and resentment towards him as a weapon to hate him even more but just thinking that he might be a terrorist was giving me cold feet.

Not because I was afraid of him if he was really one of the Horeeya but because I was afraid that he might just be wrongly accused and I didn't want to be the one to condemn him if that's the case.

I could still remember the rest of my talk with Ronin last week...

"He needs to be eliminated because he's a danger to everyone. Are you still willing to get involved in this mission?"

"What?!" I was in shock. I didn't even foresee before that Stephen and I would end up to this kind of situation and it really bothered me a lot. Ronin looked at me in the eyes like a hawk; as if he was daring me. My mouth opened as I tried to speak but nothing came out of my lips. I was at lost for words.

"See? You can't answer my question" I swallowed hard as my heart raced as if I just came from a marathon. My throat went dry. I suddenly felt my head hurt.

Ronin sat back on his chair while his eyes never left mine.

"Now, this reaction of yours made me arrive in a conclusion. Tell me honestly, Ivy. Do you still love him?"

"W-What are you saying, Ronin?" Damn. I even stammered even though I didn't want to.

"Just answer me because I don't want to be cruel. I am trying my best to save you from pain and guilt here because if you still loved him, I would never let you get involved in this. I don't want to do that to you" his eyes shone with gentleness. The kind of fondness I always see in his eyes whenever he's talking to me as Ace, not Ronin.

I evaded his eyes as I looked down. My hands were trembling as the handsome face of Stephen popped up in my head.

I suddenly found myself cursing myself inwardly because I felt so weak and confused. My eyes went sombre as our memories together three years ago, came back to me. I suddenly felt the urge to cry. Damn it! Don't you dare shed even a single tear for him again, Kelly! I hissed to myself. I took a deep breath.

"Are you really certain about this, Ronin?" he nodded his head. I released a harsh breath and then bravely met his eyes.

"I know I am not in a position to ask anything about this mission but can I ask a favor from you?" his eyebrows creased.

"What favor is that?" I took a deep breath again before I uttered what was on my mind.

"Would you let me prove it with my own eyes if he's really a Horeeyan before you do anything to him?" his eyes squinted even more as confusion flooded his face.

"What the hell are you talking about, Ivy? Are you telling me to let him roam around without doing anything? We've been waiting for so long for this and I can't let it slide just like that. This is our chance to get him". I nodded my head.

"I understand your point, Ronin, but I can't just stay at one corner and watch you kill him without even doing anything. I know this is crazy but I want to see it with my own eyes. I want to see all the evidence first"

"And if you proved it, what would you do?" I could see the worry in his eyes that he was trying his best to hide from me but his mask was getting uncovered.

"I will kill him" I said before I even lose the courage to do so. I wanted to laugh at myself because of this stupidity. I already knew that the percentage that Stephen was indeed a terrorist was bigger than the opposite but I still want to hold onto that tiny percentage left to prove his innocence.

I didn't know that I still had this concern for him even after all that happened between us. My heart somehow couldn't accept the fact that he's a terrorist and I want to shove the proof down my throat so that I would be numb enough to end his life rather than one of my colleagues do it.

"Are you okay? You've been sighing a lot since we left your place" I was pulled out of my deep thoughts when I heard Stephen's manly voice.

"Don't mind me. This is nothing. Just continue driving" I said dismissively.

I discreetly looked at his direction from the corner of my eyes. His jaw was obviously flexing tightly while driving. I have been treating him even more coldly since I discovered about that secret fact about him and he was clearly pissed–off about it.

I could still remember the anger on his face when I saw him later that day when I escaped from him. He looked like he was about to release a breath of fire like a dragon...

"Where the hell have you been?! I 've been looking for you for the whole f*cking day and you didn't even have the decency to call me!" he roared thunderously as he shook my shoulders. He just barged in inside my place and I didn't even have the time to ask him how he managed to open the door without a key because I saw his eyes were blazing with fire. His hands on both of my shoulders were rough but instead of getting scared because of his anger, I bravely stared at his face.

Is this the face of a terrorist? This handsome man is one of those people who kills for fun without even blinking?...

A lot of questions were floating on my mind but I didn't have the courage to speak up. I winced when I felt that his fingers almost digging in the flesh of my shoulders. His face softened when he noticed the expression on my face. He let go of me as if he got burned.

"Sh*t! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that" he said full of frustration as he raked his fingers through his hair. I could see the guilt in his eyes.

His eyes went to my now reddish shoulder and he cursed expletives. He approached me worriedly as he caressed the reddish parts of my shoulders that he almost squeezed a while ago.

"I'm really sorry, xuxu. I was just so worried that something bad might have happened to you because if that happened, I would never forgive myself" my breathing hitched as I felt the gentle touch of his palms. My body instantly reacted abnormally and it surprised me.

Then my eyes went wide when he suddenly dipped his head and then kissed my shoulder ever so gently as if he was kissing the pain away.

My heart was already going crazy and my body went hot. When he kissed the other one, I was already almost breathless.

"I hope you won't get mad at me, xuxu" his voice was begging while showering my shoulder with small kisses. He looked like a lost child and it really surprised me. He looked nothing like those notorious criminals that I've encountered before. I tried my best to gather myself together before I spoke.

"I-It's okay. I'm fine" I said, stuttering because of the effects on what he was doing. My legs were already giving out and I had to get out of his magic spell before I fall down. I put my hands against his muscled chest and then gently pushed him away.

I didn't know if it was just a product of my imagination but I saw a hint of pain that passed through his eyes but it was just for a blink of an eye. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"I'm sorry again. I wasn't thinking clearly just now. Goodnight" he said without any trace of emotion on his face before he turned his back on me. He already gone out of my penthouse for about five minutes but I remained on my spot, staring at the door. Confused...

"I'll stay the whole day today because Cyrus is busy" I blinked a couple of times when I heard his distant voice after he opened the car door at the passenger seat. I didn't even notice that we're already in front of the university and he already parked the car. I groaned inwardly.

This is not good. I'm losing focus of my plans. I need to get myself together and not to let this cloud my better judgement. I need to stay in between and see what's the rightful thing to do is.

"Okay. I'll be going to class then" I said before I walked towards the gate. Aside from the things that's been bothering me, the awkwardness between us after that day was still there and the thick air was always surrounding us. I've been carefully keeping an eye on him whenever I had the chance to do so but I haven't seen anything suspicious so far.

I looked back at Stephen and he was still standing there while staring at me with a blank expression.

☨ ☩☣ ☘ † ❂ ⚕ ᴈᴑᴎ ☠ ☢ ⚔ ⚓♰☯☭

STEPHEN's POV

I couldn't help but to grit my teeth in total frustration as I watched Kelly entered the university. It's been a week since the day that she escaped from me and everything between us got even more awkward than before.

She became more distant and cold. She's been awfully moody and obviously restless. It was very obvious that she has something going on in that pretty little head of hers.

That night when I just arrived at my unit, Cyrus called me...

"This is getting weird, bud. Just like what I've told you, an unknown system is protecting those f*cking cameras there and I can't penetrate its system whatever I do. I am afraid that they have something to do with this" I sucked a harsh breath as my jaw flexed.

"What do you mean?"

"I am just speculating here though. I am really certain that this unknown system is really there and we're not sure if this is the doing of the government or some other groups. But what if the Horee---"

"Did you inform the boss about this?"

"Not yet. Well, I was tempted to report this but I don't want to make a move without consulting you first. What do you think? Are they some kind of threat for us to conduct a further investigation about them?" there was hesitation in his voice.

"Is it okay if I ask you one more favor?" I asked instead of answering his question. He chuckled.

"Go on. Tell me" I heaved a sigh before I spoke.

"Don't inform the boss about this. I want to be the one to do my own investigation about this matter"

"Why? I thought you're on a personal mission to clear your---" before he could even complete his sentence, I cut him off.

"I have a feeling that my personal mission has something to do with this matter and I have this feeling in my gut that Kelly knows something about this group, whoever they are. She went there---"

"---But we're still now sure if she really went to that particular street or not. She just escaped from you but we can't just say that she really went there without any evidence. What if she just passed through that area in order to make you lose track of her and then proceeded to her original destination? What if she just wanted to get away from you, plain and simple?" my grip around my phone tightened.

"I hope so, Cy. I really hope so" he became silent for a couple of seconds.

"Tell me honestly. Are you suspecting her of kill---"

"---Thank you for your help, bud. Just let me handle this. If you want, you can try another method to break inside that unknown system. It will be a huge help but if you can't do anything about it, it's fine with me. Just make sure that the boss will not hear about this" I interrupted him before he could say something that I didn't want to hear.

Damn it! It's been more than three years but I felt like it just happened yesterday. That night served as my greatest nightmare and until now, my desire to seek justice and revenge of what happened was still burning inside my chest like an unstoppable wildfire...

"Você é meu maior amor, Kelly, mas eu espero que você não seja meu maior inimigo também" I mumbled like I wasn't myself while watching her entering the school building. When she's out of my sight, I took my phone out and then dialed someone's number.

"Hello..." the man answered huskily. He just woke up for sure.

"Is there any development now?" I asked him.

"I already have some useful information in my sleeve but you know what I want in return" his voice became firm and determined. I chuckled humorlessly.

"Damn you. You know that money isn't a problem---"

"---I don't care about your money, T. I have a lot of it. I want the exact location of my Aaliyah right now. Take it or leave it" I released a frustrated breath. Hunter made me promise not to tell this guy about it. Damn this lawyer for being so clever in everything. He was using this as an opportunity to get what he wanted because he knew that I couldn't say no now.

"Why are you chasing after her now that she already gave up on chasing after you? You know what? I don't get you" I tsked a couple of times after saying that.

"You know very well what my situation was, T, but I am ready now. I already talked to Hunter but instead of telling me what I wanted to know, he punched me. What a guy" I chuckled sarcastically.

"Serves you right, man. Anyway, I don't have a choice now. I just hope that you won't do anything stupid again that could hurt Aali or else, I'll kill you" instead of getting threatened, he laughed.

"I didn't know that you and Hunter have something in common. He told me the same thing" I was about to answer when he continued.

"Anyway, it's different this time. Even if you won't help me, I would do everything in my power to find her" I sighed upon hearing his serious voice.

"Okay. I'll just give you a clue" I conceded. Sh*t!

"That's fine with me" I cursed inwardly. Beggars can't be choosy.

"Okay. Listen carefully. I'll just say it once" he remained quiet.

"O primeiro lugar onde você a viu sorrir" I closed my eyes when I uttered those words. Goddamnit! I'm so sorry, Aali...

I knew about it because Aaliyah was very close to me. She's like my younger sister. She was a very lovable girl but that changed because of this a*shole friend of mine. I didn't want to tell him any clue about her but I didn't have any choice. My consolation was; I knew that he would never do anything to deliberately hurt Aaliyah.

I smiled inwardly. I trust him and I knew that he would never hurt her but I would never make it easy for him. I knew for sure that he doesn't understand my language---.

"That will do" my eyes widened. What?! Don't tell me he understood?

"Anyway, I already have the information. The name of the group is The Black Jackals. I think Cyrus already knows it and he will call you anytime soon. Bye"

"What?! Are---" before I could even say what I wanted to say, he already hung-up on me. Damn it! That b*stard just got the better of me! I contacted him because I knew that he has a lot of useful connections underground and in the government as well but I didn't know that he would use my weakness to his own advantage. Damn that guy...

If Cyrus called me earlier and told me about that information, I wouldn't've called that guy. Tsk...

But at least now, I already have a clue of what's ahead of me and I need to do anything to move as stealthily as possible. I just hope that I wouldn't encounter Kelly in the middle of this mess because I wouldn't know what to do for sure...

"Apenas me observe, irmão. Minha vingança finalmente começará".

  ☨ ☩☣ ☘ † ❂ ⚕ ᴈᴑᴎ ☠ ☢ ⚔ ⚓♰☯☭  

Do you have any idea what is Stephen's personal mission about?

What do you think will happen next to these two?

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