Warnings: Death, murder, and violence. If you're not quite comfortable with the aforementioned warnings, then we kindly suggest for you to read the other chapters that you're fine with, if it's still not suitable for you, then you could also leave this book, but we thank you for giving time and checking this book out. For those who decided to venture further in reading, we hope you enjoy it!

The sunlight takes a peek behind the line of fluffy clouds above the street the carriage you are currently in passing through, signifying the new hope that you are yet to discover as you are still focused with the internal conflict you are battling within yourself. The hooves of the two black horses leading and causing the same coloured carriage you're occupying on to move paddled across the smoothened, but a bit muddy street that gave the ride subtle bumpy movements occasionally so. Wanting to distract yourself in the meantime, you witness the serene environment as you mentally thanked your current companion in accompanying you.

Albert darted his gaze towards your dazed one, being mesmerised by the beauty outside to still not notice him until he speaks to ask a question once he notices the distressed state you are in despite your comfort. "Have you heard of the Lord of Crime, Y/N? Perhaps he could help you with your problem."

Hearing what you knew quite well because of the spread of information about it, you are more astounded by the fact that Albert seemed to silently present something as what he revealed is just the tip of the iceberg with a reason you are unknown about. Call it your intuition if you will, but you decided to play along after deeming the situation nothing to be concerned about. You blinked twice before facing him, greeting you with his signature smile that helped in calming you and forgetting your problems for a moment. You return his kind gesture before nodding, having a recollection of the title of the prominent individual these days as you shared what you know.

"I have indeed heard of the said name, but I'm not certain on how I could contact him." You gingerly frown, wanting to ask for help to the individual that you find a saviour of some sort after you've grown to understand their actions, but not knowing that you are already talking with one of them.

Albert looks outside as the carriage stops in front of the front yard of a familiar manor that made you confused, smiling with fondness upon seeing the recognisable landscape along with knowing that he succeeded to grant his brother's request. "We are actually travelling to his estate now."

You are undeniably surprised by the revelation in which you thought was quite delivered in a nonchalant manner before you felt suspicious with it all. You were sceptical with the presented opportunity, though it seemed that it was already decided for you. Stepping out of the carriage with Albert's guidance and finally arriving at the front porch of the manor, the two of you were greeted by his brother, Louis, from which he introduced himself before gesturing inside as the two newly arrived nobles followed. The three of you stepped inside a quaint, but still fancy room where another person had already been waiting with his scarlet eyes raking over your features.

The intensity of his gaze had been majorly caused by such focus it held on you, causing you to be subtly conscious before William diverts his attention to his brothers. He then welcomes the important guest that Albert brought along and instantly instructed you to make yourself at home while gesturing to a nearby seat ready to be occupied. Gently requesting for you to take it after Louis leads you to the single vacant, maroon couch in front of his brother, the meeting then starts when William greets you and asks what he could be of help for you, though he had already known what it is, as he had been keeping a keen eye to you at the start of his investigations.

He had known you through the rumours in which most nobles had taken a disliking to you caused by your opposing views and morals of their own. Instead of looking down to those that are from a lower state than you are, you ignored the prejudice and treated others equally. Your reputation developed alongside both positive and negative effects, in which he was certain you only focused on the former one. You had been courageous and strong, continuing with your advocacies despite the opposition from most. Such kindhearted nature of yours caught his attention as he dug deeper for any other important information he might gather about you.

It made him certain that such caring individual should not be mingling along with those that does evil deeds as such meeting of yours with him was no coincidence as you soon spoke. "My conscience has been bugging me and I've wanted to end my husband's crime once and for all, whatever it may lead me to as a consequence of hiding such crime for such a long time and for breaking his own rules."

The treasured secret about your lover's crimes was revealed afterwards. Hearing such disgusting acts of your supposed partner in life left William in discomfort, wanting nothing for you to live the life that he sees appropriate, which is much better than your current one as his plan to give it to you commenced when he shares it with the exception of some details that you don't need to know about for now. You agreed with William's magnificent plan to let your lover pay for their crimes as it would be done not long after the very same day. You were unaware with the eagerness and satisfied gleam of the mastermind's scarlet eyes upon hearing you agreeing.

"Moriartys! The Moriartys are here! Darling, please tell me that my eyes are not being deceived and the Moriartys are indeed standing before the two of us?" Your lover exclaimed in excitement, being ecstatic to see the men getting out of a black carriage with the crest of the said family shown on the side of the vehicle.

You feel nervous with what would occur later based on the plan that you had been shared with, but remembering that the noble that you're standing beside with needs to pay for their undesirable deeds caused you to be determined to end this night properly and just as the plan goes. Ignoring the pain of your partner's grip on your arm, who's acting like a child filled with so much excitement for a celebration, you nod your head in agreement with a small smile on your face before looking at the gentlemen stepping out of the carriage and immediately meeting with a pair of scarlet eyes. William immediately senses your discomfort despite your jovial features.

"Your eyes are still well and all of this is real for I also happen to witness the young gentlemen standing before us." You replied while they regain their composure before they greet the three with such a joyous tone and a friendly grin as their eyes even seem to light up with excitement.

You give an apologetic smile after your partner excitedly shakes a hand on each of them as if the four of them had been friends and hadn't seen each other for the longest time, feeling embarrassed at such straightforward action of theirs. "Pardon me of my spouse's over ecstatic state to meet you."

Louis immediately reassures you after controlling himself from directly glaring at your misbehaving companion that he deemed unworthy of your presence, giving a smile of his own while he's still carefully carrying a basket filled with pastries as a gift. "You don't have to worry about it, L/N."

"They had been waiting for this very day to arrive, for them to finally meet you three. And because of your arrival, we request for you to join us for dinner before discussing some matters that resulted for your visit. As our guests, you will be treated with utmost care and respect." You informed the trio in which they are thankful for your generosity, focusing on you alone and not wanting to converse with your companion.

Albert voices out their words of gratitude without giving your companion a glance, giving a small bow followed by a smile that made the forced polite countenance of your companion to slip up a bit caused by noticing the focus they had on you alone. "We thank you for the hospitality and kindness you have given us, L/N."

"Oh, please. You can just call me Y/N. I insist." You requested after controlling yourself from unconsciously wincing at the name, not wanting to be so formal with the people whom you know see as your friends while you unknowingly flinched when a hand made its way around your waist.

Your closest companion then informs you and the others, remaining to be eager to have the visitors as a company. "We shall not let you wait for long. The moon shining bright as the night had finally arrived. The meal will be prepared in a few, and we'll lead you to the dining hall. If you would follow us."

The welcoming countenance you held, for your guests to feel comfortable in the atmosphere of the abode that is far from its real one, disappeared the second your figure faces the opposite direction. Despite not witnessing your emotions as you start to walk along your companion, the three could immediately feel the unpleasant aura surrounding you both even through your efforts of hiding it from them. With the two of you leading the small journey, they were able to witness how your lover seemed to be quite possessive of you with the way they noticeably tighten their hold on your waist and for an unknown reason, it made quite an impact to William.

The status of the noble that you found yourself married to is not something to laugh about, but it still holds a lower position compared to the Moriartys. Lavish meals are properly placed on the long, dark table completed with the preferred decoration for the meal with guests. Servants and guards line up the sidelines to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all, but you are unaware and distracted as you are left to act as someone supporting your partner. You are forced to agree and give a positive response whenever they would enquire you, disrupting your consumption. It undeniably irked William to see you disturbed whenever you're with your supposed lover.

"Pardon me for cutting such joyous conversation, but if I may ask, were you two married just for the sake of raising your status?" William cuts your partner off from another narration of a story of theirs after noticing the discomfort you held despite the supposed jovial atmosphere of the event.

Finding nothing wrong and thinking that William just asked out of pure curiosity and unaware of the real intention behind the enquiry caused by their obvious foolishness, your partner immediately answers in a quite joking manner. "Why, yes! Don't tell me you could read minds? Haha!"

Their laugh was cut off when William asks again, maintaining a blank expression and hiding away the minimal anger he's starting to feel in which his countenance did not receive any scepticism from your lover who continues to show their joy through small laughs. "Do you treat Y/N on a much lower level than yourself?"

Hearing this and still unaware of the subtle threat upon William's tone, your lover found it quite amusing again when they laughed before answering. "Haha! Of course! As someone tied with me through our marriage and being the other head of this household, Y/N should learn how to treat me with respect and care by following my orders."

Their statement caused the imaginary chain around your neck to be more noticeable to you, leading you closer to suffocation as it continues to tighten the more you can loudly hear the noise caused by amusement from your partner. It's an undeniably disagreeable statement for the other companions, though none of them decided to voice out their opposing view as to not cause suspicion and foil the plan that William gracefully prepared. You forced yourself to maintain your fake smile when your lover glanced in your direction before giving a grin towards William when they looked at the said guest once more, keenly observing his own reaction.

William nods in understanding while portraying a countenance that held a neutral view of the comment, giving a faux smile of his own as he enquires. "I see... Is that why you abduct, bring violence, and kill some women who are defenceless against your dark motive towards them?"

The accused individual stops in between their dessert as the faltered motion caused the spoon to almost drop from their grip which holds the sweet pastries that were given as a gift as they stare at William in disbelief while they deny such accusation, feigning innocence. "H-Huh? W-Whatever do you mean?"

Their gaze soon diverts towards Albert next when he suddenly speaks up with his eyes narrowed at him, gleaming a dangerous hue of an emerald. "Don't play being innocent with your treacherous acts. We've received some information about that disgusting behaviour and unpleasant crimes of yours."

Your partner immediately turns to you after immediately assuming that you would be the one connected with their knowledge and visit before you soon found yourself struggling to breath with his hand wrapped tightly around your neck. "You... Don't tell me... You rat! Were you the one who---Ack! Ah!"

Before he could further worsen your state, he suddenly found himself being pushed back against the wall with the tip of a cane being pressed near his heart with you freed from his grasp. You desperately gasp for air while gently caressing the aching area, taking a few distance to be further away from the cause of your momentary physical pain. Louis immediately approaches you before guiding you to take a seat nearby, requesting for some servants to comfort you. As you are recovering from what had suddenly happened with Louis helping you, William blocks your partner's view of your form as they look at him instead, glaring at William with hatred.

"A rightful punishment shall be delivered to you. Death is already waiting on your doorstep, waiting for us to open it to retrieve your rotting soul." William bitterly stated to the soon to be dying noble, unfazed with the wrath still present from them as he awaits the effects of the poison.

The accused noble remained stubborn to accept defeat that caused him to not give attention to what William clearly stated, having their anger cloud their vision and thinking that halted them in thinking properly while they continue to glare at all of you. "Y-You! You monsters! I am a noble! You have no---"

The noble felt their breath being taken away. Their chest constricted that made them desperately cling to it and their neck. Their actions reflected what they performed earlier with you, but now with no one to help them with their desperate escape of pain that continues to increase. With your lover having a disease, it was quite easy to trigger it along with the poison as one final push to their death that no one could suspect besides an unfortunate dying because of the disease. And along with their death, you are finally freed and justice is finally brought to those who were unfortunate to receive a gruesome death because of the suspect's doing.

"I thank you so much for the help that you've immediately given to me. Even though it might've brought disturbance to your personal life, you still agreed to help me. I hope this payment would suffice." You gestured to your side where you had prepared a chest filled with your own personal treasures, proving your gratefulness of their help.

All of you are now within one of your favourite rooms that is good enough to be occupied by you and your guests as well as the servants that witnessed the death of your lover. Some butlers accompany you who were also the ones that carried it when the situation had finally reached its conclusion with the servants turning a blind eye to what had happened as they also agree in deeming that your partner needed to face the consequences of their actions. No other problems or investigation had been made once the police had been convinced enough that the death had been caused by natural means, leading you to portray a mourning partner to your families soon.

"Material things had no value for us, Y/N." William gives a reassuring smile when he informed you this that made you immediately apologise while feeling embarrassed and flustered, lowering your head to hide your shame and embarrassment with your wrong payment for them.

Not wanting to let them see you as someone rude, you immediately held a determined expression as you gazed back at William again as you immediately inform. "Oh, right. I apologise... If it's not, then whatever do you want as a payment? I'll ensure to give it to you to the best of my abilities."

"You." Witnessing your determination and courage even before he decided to finally meet you and give you his assistance in any way that would benefit you more and make you free from the control the noble had, he unknowingly uttered, revealing a portion of his long term want to have you.

You remain unaware of his adoration, of course, but that didn't stop him from developing his feelings towards you. With every coincidental interaction he had with you, he found himself getting all the more intrigued by your kindness and intellect that bear fruit for such situations to not become a coincidence any longer. To relieve himself of some stress, he asks about how you had been doing from the individuals he paid to watch you over while he was away. Whenever he would have the time, he personally gazes at you from afar, and such events only lead him to be eager with the moment that the two of you would meet and that he would acquire you as well.

"Pardon?" You meekly replied after you blinked in surprise while stopping yourself from having your mouth agape, undeniably caught off guard before asking in confirmation that made him realise what he had just said and when he did, though you also felt flustered with what he had said.

He was still able to maintain a calm countenance despite feeling embarrassed by what he had said, but immediately spoke out his real reason for it. "Seeing you in such a state angers me without even knowing the reason why. The only thing I could assure your safety, which will be easier if you'll live with us. I'll treat you like a royalty and how you should be treated by a gentleman, unlike what your former husband did for you are worthy of much more."

Caused by unknown circumstances, you are left with no power due to your husband's death and not wanting to be reminded of your haunting past while also seeing this as a good opportunity to start a new life, you gratefully accepted his request. "If that's the case, then I'll put my trust in you. Thank you for putting me in your care, Lord Moriarty."

William's mood seemed to brighten up, finding your utterance of his name pleasant, but he was still not satisfied as he responds after softly laughing at your formality. "William. From now on, you can just call me William. I'm more comfortable and happier if I hear your voice calling out my name instead."

You gazed at him in disbelief for being casual, not expecting for him to do so when you viewed him as someone that holds importance of being professional when it comes to interactions that focuses with his business. You've heard quite horrid rumours going about regarding the Lord of Crime and so, seeing him not what he seems to be in relation to all of it undoubtedly made you relieved and glad to have associated with him as it only brought you a good result as well. Taking in the information caused you to feel special, you realised what he had requested. Your eyes widen in surprise as you got slightly flustered before you immediately return his delight.

"If you say so, William." You responded with a smile of your own and enjoying the serenity you felt with him as your company, seeming to have forgotten the other companions of yours as the interaction would bloom that would prove that you are worthy of much more, leaving you whether or not to discover his true intentions.