SYBIL'S POV 

Dream Aura,
The same night

" Papa." Dropping my bag I ran to him and hugged him tightly. " I missed you," I mumbled melting in his embrace feeling his warmth after so long.

" I missed you too." He kissed my head and caressed my back softly.

" Why were you out this late?" He asked.

I was frozen until Lia came out in full dress. I eyed her as even her palms were hidden under her oversized hoodie. This was my first time seeing her this much covered.

" Thank God you came." She said sighing audibly as if she was desperately waiting for me. I pulled out of the hug and Papa also faced her.

" Did you bring my painkillers? This period's cramps are killing me." She added putting her hands over her stomach extra too dramatically.

Why is this girl talking about periods SO OPENLY in front of Papa, we have never. She's giving me secondhand embarrassment.

"What medicine-"

"Ahhhh..."

Her loud whimpers cut me off and she bent a bit. I tried to read her lips as she was mouthing something with pressed teeth looking pissed.

It took me a few seconds to understand that she was telling me to 'Bitch, Act along' through her eyes.

I gave her a slight nod. " It's in my bag." I sucked at acting yet Lia covered it up and took my bag pack.

" I'm sorry, uncle, I sent her out at this hour for my medicines," Lia said making us apart.

" Please don't apologise," Papa said innocently.

Lia's acting was on another level. She made Papa believe her so easily.

" I'll make something for you to eat," I said to Papa.

" I've already eaten. Your friend makes delicious food. " He replied touching his stomach.

"Orders." I laughed internally. She can't even peel a potato.

I encircled my arm around his and looked up at him. " Let's talk a lot." I dragged him with me to the couch. " How did you come here?" I began.

" Your mama was thinking too much about you lately. She kept on telling me to take her here to see you." He looked at Lia from the corner of his eyes as she was casually roaming behind us then lowered his voice. " I had not enough money for two tickets so I came alone."

I pulled him into another hug feeling his chest relaxing.

" I missed you both too, Papa." I almost cried but as Lia said I had to not show it to my parents so I controlled my emotions.

The memories he'll make until he's here are what gonna replay until we meet again.

I closed my eyes as he caressed my back gently.

I missed these arms the most.

I'm closer to him than I'm close to my Mama. He's the sweetest father ever.

I smiled opening my eyes which directly caught the champagne bottle placed on the dining table. I tried to tell Lia to hide the bottle through my eyes and she seemed to understand me and went to grab it.

" I've to catch the next train in the morning," Papa said making me pull back.

" You'll leave?" My voice came out whining.

" Your Mama is alone there." He smiled softly.

" It's too soon." I pouted dropping my gaze. " I wanted you to explore some places here with me." My voice came out lower and lower.

" Maybe next time with your Mama." He tried to cheer me up by cupping my face. " I already captured many pictures while coming. This place is beautiful." He added.

I forced a small smile.

" Your Mama sent you some homemade pastry. Your friend has put them in the refrigerator. Share it with her alright?" He said gaining my nod.

He was talking and I was listening to him silently. I felt like going back with him. I fight back my tears each second.

I'll never tell him how bad experiences I already have in this city. This place was my dream place until I actually spent days here.

It's a heartless city ruled by a heartless King.

" Grab your drinks." Lia's cheerful voice snapped my head towards her.

As soon as I glanced at her my eyes widened. The girl I gestured to hide the champagne bottle was serving my father the same liquid.

" I don't drink." My father politely declined before turning his head in my direction.

I couldn't meet his gaze out of embarrassment. Lia seemed to process before rushing back to the kitchen.

" City girls are very open-minded," Papa said making me relax my shoulders a bit. At least he's aware.

Suddenly, I felt my palm being taken in his soft hold. He put my palm on his left one and started caressing it with his right one. " Be safe and take a lot of care of yourself. Don't try to be like them. Don't feel disdained. You are unique. Keep it as it is." He advised.

I know he sensed the change in me. He knows me better than I know myself.

He caressed my hair gently and my eyes got teary when I nodded.

I gave him my room to sleep and planned to share Lia's with me but I didn't sleep the entire night because he was leaving the next day. We talked till late at night yet I was not done.

I kept on talking until I realized that he had fallen asleep. I smiled to myself, he has traveled a lot the reason he was sleepy. I took his palm in my hand and kissed its backside before bringing the same wrinkled ones to my forehead.

He's getting older and I'm afraid of it. He's my only support.

I placed his hand on his stomach and covered him properly before leaving the room.

I woke up before the sun, Lia wasn't beside me. She had left I don't know where and when. Her schedule is out of my understanding.

Shrugging it all I happily made breakfast for the three of us. Before I could wake him he did it by himself.

" Good morning." I greeted him with a big smile.

He smiled back and ate everything I made for him with extra compliments.

Soon it was time for him to leave and my drowning heart finally sank. I either wanted him to stay otherwise take me with him. I pretended to look normal but my insights were not helping me.

I held myself until he was present in my sight. As soon as he left I cried.

I'll soon settle and make a call. They soon gonna move to this city. There are many big hospitals in here. Mama will get her best treatment. She'll be alright.

Just a few more months. I gonna make it happen.

HUNTER'S POV

Hunter's mansion,
08:02 am

I drenched myself in the shower as soon as I went back home. The blood washing off me was reminding me of that day. I can never get out of that memory.

I closed my eyes and the only face I was able to see was my father's.

Twenty-four hours have passed and he's declared to be in a coma.

Why him out of billions of people?

I've never seen him like that before. That man always had his dominant aura, his attitude is unmatched. But the way he treated us, especially me and my biological mother was something else. I could say I didn't do a percent for Grace in comparison to how he treated my mother.

I've learned a lot from him, I tried to at least be like his shadow but I'm unworthy. He's too perfect.

The same man who has always been surrounded by hundreds of guards is now surrounded by machines and is dependent on it even for breathing.

I admit, I'm scared to lose him.

Fortunately, I don't need to find a better doctor because the one who's treating him is the specialist and the son of the chairman of the same hospital.

I sighed stepping out of the shower and went to my wardrobe.

I saw my reflection in the mirror, my eyes were red, I hadn't slept nor I was sleepy. I just know one thing that he has to get back on his feet. Anyhow.

My gaze fell on the darkest f*cking scar on my body.

The bullet hole on my shoulder.

Every f*cking time it reminds me that Alaric shot me, he aimed at Grace that night but I was the one to block her.

Dad considers scars as the marks of bravery. He says scars are proof that you have fought and survived.

He's the bravest and this tag he has given me also. He calls me a warrior. And I love that title because it's given by him.

I wish he could recognize the one who tried to kill him. A slight hint or just a witness and they are all finished.

It's not something new in the underworld. We get injured now and then but this time, I know those f*cking Italians are involved.

This is why I didn't want them in my hometown, it's only twenty-four hours of them in here and things have messed up. Though I salute their audacity.

I walked back to my room after getting changed into a dark gray suit. My mobile, watch and keys were placed on the side table. I went to grab my mobile but found that anklet beside it.

It was in my pocket all this time.

I picked it up. It was that girl's who got hit by my car while running-

...she was rushing out from that strip club if I'm not mistaken.

All of them who were present in the club were locked inside by my command that night but none of them had guns there beside us.

It might be that girl. The pink hoodie girl.

I clenched the anklet in my fist.

It's definitely her.

She looked innocent. Something inside me said she wasn't the culprit but if she isn't then who?

I know in the underworld, leaders use underage girls as their spies by sending them as prostitutes or uses other ways.

This girl alone can't plan to get into King's ways. We have thousands of enemies but never a single of them has ever approached us so easily. She definitely has a mastermind behind it.

And I know how to make her lead me to their boss.

I'll show hell to that motherf*cker and that girl as well.

I called Dash while getting outside my mansion.

" Bring the list of strippers from last night."

• The beauty of a deer does not make a wild lion kind.

Chapter Published On: 07 January 2024.

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