"You have a very beautiful sister, Sir." The counter lady smiled brightly to him as she handed his card back.

Anna and Vernon glanced at each other at the Lady's statement and chuckled softly.

"We're not related!" Anna said.

"Oh-I'm so sorry. You two really look alike so I thought-I'm so sorry, ma'am." The counter lady apologies, bowing down her head in manner.

"No, it's alright. It's not a big deal." Anna said and smile to her.

"Thank you for visiting. Have a good evening." The lady said courtly as she bowed down in respect.

"So finally your work is done. I'll see you around." Anna said once they made out of the store. It was already dawn.

"You sound like you wanted to get rid of me this whole time." Vernon pointed out.

"No!" Anna snapped. Then she received a call from Jasmine.

"Yes, Jasmine."

"You still in the library, little sis!"

"No, I'm heading home now."

"Could you please do me a favour? Can you stop by the convenient store and buy me some tampons. I almost forgot that tomorrow is the day and I forgot to buy one." Anna felt Vernon chuckle beside her and she went wide eyes open thinking that he has heard Jasmine's words already.

"Ah-you're so loud. Hang up now." Anna said and cut the call and look up at Vernon but to her surprise, he shoved her to the side and came forth like he was shielding her from something bad. He quickly took out his gun from his waistband and shoot forward. Soon she heard guns being fired. The people around started screaming at the sudden open fires and ran here and there. Anna saw Vernon being knelt to the ground as he gritted tightly, his one hand holding the gun and his other hand tightly pressed on his abdomen. Then she realised that he's been shot, he took the bullet for her. She quickly moved towards him and help him up.

"Where's your car?" she asked.

"Over there!" He gestured under his groan.

She helped him to his car and at the same time looked around for any another danger. Instead of going to the hospital, she drove directly to her house.

"Where are we?" Vernon asked looking through the windshield.

"My house. C'mon, we have to take out the bullet before it's too late." Anna scurried as she helped him out from his car. Vernon looked at her in confusion but didn't say anything. They made inside the house, then to her room as she doesn't want her mother to see the mess when she return if he was kept in the common hall.

"Anna, your home finally." Jasmine came out from her room and her eyes went wide when she saw Anna and Vernon. "Oh my god! What happened to him?" She shrieked in alarmed and she made her way towards them.

"I'll explain everything later. First, help me up getting him inside." Anna said quickly.

"What happened to whom?" Fiona and Sarah both asked in unison and strolled out from their rooms. But before they could say anything further Anna spoke up.

"Sarah, bring my things." Sarah understood what Anna wanted and quickly walked past them and into Anna's room and then into her secret basement. She pulled out the surgical instruments from the closet and got out from the secret basement.

Anna laid him on her bed carefully and took the first aid from Sarah's hand and started to treat on Vernon's wound. She first injected him with a painkiller and then started with the wound. Vernon gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tightly as Anna attempted to remove the bullet. He let out a deep sighed as Anna successfully removed the bullet from him. She cleaned the blood around his wound and poured some liquid ointments on his wound. She gently pressed the gauges over his wound and wrapped bandages around it. Her sisters watched her silently as she tends his wound.

"What exactly happened?" Sarah asked breaking the silence.

"What does Sabrina want from you?" Instead of answering Sarah's question, Vernon looked at Anna and asked her. "She was about to shoot you."

"Sabrina Sylvester!" Vernon nodded at her. "I fought her once when she intrudes the De Luca's mansion-" Anna said and slowly drifted her gaze down the floor. "-and I also encounter her yesterday." She said quietly.

"I got it. They must've known that you're with Leo. They're trying to get him through you." Vernon said. "You have to be careful, Anna. These Sylvester's are like walking time bomb."

"I will. Thank you so much for saving me." Anna said quietly. "You should take rest now."

"Oh No! I'm alright and I should be going now. Thank you for tending to me." Vernon said as he tried to straighten up from the bed.

"There's not a chance Anna's letting you go off in this condition," Sarah remarked, shooking her head slowly.

"But someone have to explain it to mom," Jasmine said.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to her about that," Fiona said before turning on her heels.

"By the way!" Vernon voiced. "How did you manage to bring all these in here?" He asked gesturing at the surgical instruments placed over the nightstand.

"These are mine," Anna answered amusedly. "I'm a Medical student. I have a mini Lab where I do my experiments."

"Just think that she's doing her experiments on you." Jasmine sarcastically said. She was still mad at him for what happened the other day.

"Vernon, you should really take rest," Anna said and stood up from her position. "Jasmine look after him while Sarah and I go and prepare for dinner." She said and gestured Sarah to follow her. And at once they left the room.

"He's hot!" Sarah said, a sharp smile playing on her lips. "Why are all the mafias born so hot and handsome?"

Anna shrugged off and twitched her lips upwards. "God only knows."

"By the way, did you find your boss?" Anna asked.

"Nah-couldn't excess into that area. The security was tight." She lied.

"Really! Do you need help with that?"

"No-that's okay, I'll find another way in."

"Good luck then."

***

Vernon kept himself busy thinking about the incident happened earlier. He doesn't know why but he was really worried about Anna. He knows how the Sylvesters are. They always play this nasty tricks to get their revenge.

A soft throat-clearing sound snapped him from his thought and he looked up only to meet those two beautiful icy blue eyes narrowing at him.

"Are planning to stay awake whole night with your owl eyes." She said, trudging slowly towards him. "It's not like we're going to kill you in your sleep. We're not like you. You can close your eyes and rest assured."

"Do you think I kill people in their sleep?" Vernon was affronted by her words but didn't show it. Never in his life has he ever killed someone in their sleep. He killed only those people who deserve to die and he kills them right in front of their death, not stabbing from behind-that will be called a coward.

"Just because I'm involved in the mafia, doesn't mean that I kill for fun and pleasure.-yes I know that there are some mafias who do all these illegal works but not every mafia are the same. There are some mafia-"

"Okay, I got it. You're the good mafia, that's what you wanted to say right!" She interrupted him, looking really uninterested.

"No! My dear, there are no good and bad in our world." He deadpanned.

"Whatever!" She rolled her eyes.

"Your sister's very kind and sweet, unlike you," Vernon said changing the topic.

"Anna's always like that. She's very kind and innocent. Always ready to help anyone-" Jasmine came around and sat beside him.

"Too much of kindness to others may also go wrong sometimes. What if people take advantage of her kindness?"

"That's never gonna happen-" She prodded proudly. "-she's a smart girl. She knows how to deal with people like that."

"I see."

***

Anna and Sarah was busy cooking dinner in the kitchen while Fiona was busy explaining her mother over the call so that when she comes home, she'll be aware of the situation.

After preparing dinner, Anna set dinner for Vernon. She took hold of the tray and strolled towards her room. As she was about to enter inside, she heard Vernon speaking over the phone.

"Any news on Tessa?" "Take care of yourself too. We never know who might be tailing you." "Bouna notte, Joshua."

Anna entered inside. "Your brother!" She asked and he hummed in reply. "Dinner's ready."

"Thank you so much but I'm not hungry."

"No can do. At least eat some, you have to take medicines."

"Okay, doc." Vernon grinned at her making her smile at him. Anna watched him as he began to eat.

"By the way Vernon, who is Tessa?" Anna asked and Vernon furrowed at her. "I'm sorry, I heard you talking over the phone while entering."

"Tessa's my sister. I used to call her by that name." He said smiling at her.

"That's a beautiful name." Anna compliment.

After dinner, Anna gave him medicines to eat. Vernon obediently took the tablets from her hand and swallowed it along with the water.

"Have a good night sleep, Vernon." Anna wished him before getting out of the room.

"You too, Anna."

*

Leo along with Roberto and Alesso reached home by the late evening from their business dealings with their clients. But Soon after they got inside the house, they were called to meet at the Library by Marcus. They strolled towards the Library and saw Antonio and Francis along with Nicolo who was already inside waiting for them, sitting around the table. Then Marcus rolled in with a file in his hand and joined them around the table.

"These are the information on people that Rachel Clearwater has been close with during her stays in Fairfield," Marcus said as he placed the file on the table. Leo took the file from the table and started to study it.

"The person she was close with was Sofia Williams."

"Yes, Sofia Williams, she's a simple citizen and she runs a Korean restaurant in the neighbourhood. She has four grown-up daughters. Anastasia is one of her daughters." Marcus informed making them snapped their heads towards him. And before they could say anything, he continued, "Leo, I want you to collect information about the Williams' family."

"Si" Leo said after giving some thought.

"Any news on the Harondales' brothers?" Marcus asked.

"One of them left for California yesterday and the other one is still in town," Antonio informed.

"California! Guess they're looking for Rachel Clearwater as well."

"Our men have been on the search for the past weeks but still didn't find her yet. If the Harondales' find her before we do, we might, in fact, face some difficulty in avenging." Francis said.

"Or it may be the other way around, let them do their jobs finding their sister and we'll do our jobs too. I guess it doesn't matter whoever finds that missing girl first now, even if we get to her first, we'll kill her and even if those bastards finds her first, we'll kill her anyway." Marcus said emotionlessly. Nicolo snapped his head towards Marcus and creased at him at his merciless statement. Marcus glanced sidewise and noticed Nicolo, then he turned to him and spoke, "Your brothers have taken an oath to avenge your sister's death. They've come this far in fulfilling the oath and they will fulfil it." he said firmly.

"We will!" Roberto and Alesso echoed in unison. Antonio gave them a satisfied smiled and turned to Leo when he didn't say anything.

"Her death is inevitable," Leo said as he looked straight into his father's eyes.

"Innocent or not, revenge is revenge and don't forget our sister was innocent too," Roberto said as he directed his words to Nicolo. Nicolo didn't say anything and simply stared down on the table. He knew that even if he says anything, his brothers will never change their mind in avenging. Though he doesn't have any issue with that but their way of avenging their sister's death was disturbing him since childhood.

"I know they've killed our sister and I want to avenge her death too-" Nicolo spoke and everyone paid attention to him. "-but there's something I always wanted to ask since my childhood and I'll ask away now-why the Harondale granddaughter? She's not the one who killed Elena. Why not kill the person who shot her and avenge her already?"

"Son for son-daughter for daughter-" Antonio snapped and trialled off.

"We want them to suffer the same we struggled through when I lost my only granddaughter," Marcus uttered.

Nicolo had enough of this. He stood up from his place, "I take my leave now." He said and without wasting a second, he turned on his heels and walked away.

"Piccolo," Leo called out to him and was about to go after him.

"Let him be, Leo." Marcus stopped him, "He's still young to understand." Leo gave him a reluctant looked before sitting back to his seat.

"Now tell me how well is our business going on in Fairfield?" Marcus asked.

"It's going fine," Leo answered.

"We've visited all the casinos and clubs as you said and the businesses are just doing fine. There were some minor issues but it's all settled now." Roberto said.

"Very well then, now go on and take rest." They nodded at him and left at once.

Roberto and Alesso went directly to their respective while Leo strolled towards Nicolo's room. He went inside his room and searched for Nicolo but he was nowhere to be seen inside the room. He sighed and walked through his window.

"I knew I'd find you here," Leo said as he walked through the roof and sat beside him. Nicolo glanced at him and then turned to face the stars. "What's troubling you, piccolo?"

"Nothing." He answered staring up at the night sky.

"I know you very well, Piccolo. You always come to the roof and stared at the night sky when something's troubling your mind." Leo said as he gently rubbed his hand at the back of Nicolo's head.

Nicolo looked at him. "Our family don't kill the innocent." He reminded.

"I know that."

"What if the Harondale girl is innocent and is completely unaware of the situation. Are you really planning to kill her anyway?"

"I have taken an oath," Leo said unsmiling.

"Isn't there any other way that you all can turn away from the oath?"

"Why are you so against about the oath?"

"I'm not against it. I'm just saying that I don't like the way you are going to avenge Elena's death."

"An oath is an oath. It is our family tradition, once we took an oath, we have to fulfil it no matter what. We cannot break the tradition."

"Well, not killing an innocent is also one of our family tradition. You're going to break it anyway." Nicolo pointed out and for the first time, he was not happy with Leo as well. He thought that Leo would at least understand his point of view.

"You don't know what we went through when Elena was killed. When she was taken from us, she left a huge gap in our hearts. And that gap won't be filled until we avenge her death." He then sighed and turned towards Nicolo. "I understand what you're trying to say, Piccolo but I'm afraid nothing can be changed now. This Legacy has been passed down from our ancestor and it will keep on going until someone, who has a death wish, try to change it."He chuckled silently. "Nobody can change it, it's absolute."

"Why don't you be that someone to change it?" Nicolo suggested and looked at his brother. "There's always a first time in everything you do. There's always the first one who takes a chance to change into something new. Why don't you be the one to change it?" Nicolo said looking at Leo with those pleading sad eyes. Leo twitched his brows as he gave a thought about it but frowned immediately.

"Don't stay awake very late. Go to sleep, Piccolo. Boune notte." Leo said and walked over the roof. Nicolo knew that he was ignoring his words but he didn't say anymore.

"Boune notte, Leo." He wished him back with a heavy heart. Leo stopped for a second and glanced back over his shoulder before walking away.

Leo took off his coat as he made his way inside his room and strolled into his closet. He took off his clothes and covered his lower part with a towel and made his way to the bathroom. As the shower dripped onto his body, he thought about Nicolo's words.

"There's always a first time in everything you do. There's always the first one who takes a chance to change into something new. Why don't you be the one to change it?"

After some minutes, he came out from the shower. He fetched his phone from his bed and dialled on Anna's. After a ring or two, she picked up the call.

"I thought you forgot me already!" Anna immediately said with a jest over the phone. An immediate smiled formed on his lips as Anna's sweet voice filled his ear.

"I can never forget you, Mio coure." He said softly but heavily.

"Leo, are you okay? You sound so down. Did something happen? Did you get into a fight with your brothers? Did you-"

"I'm fine, my love." Leo cuts her softly. "I just missed you dearly. I'm sorry I didn't make time to come and see you."

"I understand, Leo. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, now that I heard your voice, I'm feeling good now but it would've been better if you were lying right next to me."

"Aww-you missed me that much-" Leo hummed in quick response. "-but I didn't miss you at all."

"Really! I wonder what kept your mind occupied then!"

"A tall and handsome gentleman, sitting on the couch, smiling to himself. I could stare at him the whole day and night." Anna was trying to get playful with him.

"Wah-so you were enjoying staring at another man while your boyfriend was on business." Leo couldn't help but scoffed as jealousy took over him. "Tell me who that bastard is, I'll kill him. How dare he shake my girl?" He demanded. On the other side, Anna was controlling her best not to burst out laughing at Leo being serious at her lie.

"I don't know him but I took his picture, you want me to send you right now. If you look at him, I bet you can't deny that he is more handsome and hotter than you and you'll understand why I couldn't stop thinking about him."

"Huh! You even took his picture! You're unbelievable, Anna." Leo was getting impatient second by second. "I'm coming to you right now." He got off from his bed and strolled towards his closet.

"Can you do that!" Anna whisper said with a longing voice. Leo stops at his track and creased his eyebrows. Anna totally forgot that Vernon was at her place. "No! Leo, it's already very late. You must be very tired as well. Go and take rest now. I'll send you the picture of that handsome man now. I love you, goodnight." Anna said quickly and hunged up the call. She didn't even wait for his reply.

Right after Anna hung upon him, he received a notification from her immediately. He couldn't stop but smiled like a fool staring at the picture that Anna had just sent him. It was a picture of him sitting on a couch smiling at nothingness. He knew who took that picture and sent her.

"Alessandro, that jerk!" he chuckled.

"Isn't he so handsome?" Anna texted him.

"Couldn't agree more!"

"I know right! Please don't kill him!"

"I'll think about it!"

"Leo, I love you so much. Always remember that there's no another man other than you."

"I know. Mio coure, you're the best thing ever in my life. I'm so lucky to have you in my life."

"Aww!! I'm luckier, I guess."

"I'll come to see you tomorrow, Mio coure. Bonna noutte."

"Bouna noutte, Il mio."

Leo placed his phone to his side and couldn't stop smiling and thinking about Anna as he stared up at the ceiling.

Always Smile,

Happy Virus,