This week has been very difficult for me. Mentally, I was at the end of my rope. I had long realized that fairy tales don't come true in the real world, but now reality had hit me even harder. If I could have seen into the future, I would have turned back time and done everything possible to protect them all. I've lost everyone important to me, and the last one left is Claus. We were all dressed in black in the room. All of our inner circle men were here. The other powerful families also came to offer their condolences. I stared at her picture, and the picture stared back at me. I felt empty.

 I missed her. Her cheeky attitude, her sweet smile, those dimples, her long hair that I used to play with, her presence, the videos she made in the car as vlogs, and most of all, her lively, beautiful blue eyes. There wasn't a day when I didn't dream about her. Whether it was a nightmare or a beautiful dream, both were terrible for me. I already had sleep problems, and this situation only made it worse. I watched her videos with me in the car as she sang and had to suppress my tears. Even though she betrayed me, I wished I had never left her alone. Why didn't I listen to my heart when I wanted to take her with me?

 Every day, I go to the sea and sit on the tree stump, staring at it until Claus practically drags me away from there. Out of frustration, I hit my chest. I pulled out another cigarette and lit it. By now, it was normal for me to smoke an entire pack in a day. I've also returned to alcohol consumption. I have a new villa. I go inside but immediately want to leave. There's no annoying Elena experimenting with colors there or my mother cooking her delicious food and always worrying about me. I also lost Nicolas, my best friend, who was brutally killed with the other recruits. They were all in the other room.

 I failed.

 I couldn't protect them. How everything can change within a few minutes. Fate can be cruel. Someone spoke to me from behind. At first, I didn't react. 

"Mr. Russ?"

 I didn't turn around completely. Ah, it was the annoying fat ass, Rudio. He managed a few companies for weapon manufacturing. 

He simply took my hand and shook it  "My deepest condolences." 

His young wife was next to him. Well,what do I mean with young? She was 17, and he was 30. I nodded in understanding and took another drag. I didn't even have the strength to talk. He looked at the picture of Rose next to Elena's and Mom's, filled with bouquets of flowers.

 "Well, I heard this woman betrayed you. What is she still doing here?" 

He hit a nerve with me, and I cracked my neck before reaching out my arm and choking him. His wife took a shocked step back. His fat eyes widened, and I exerted more force. My anger rose. 

"Get the hell out of here. N-o-w." 

I let him go, and he fell to the ground, gasping for air, and crawled away. I took a deep breath and went back to the room where everyone was sitting. I called out to the room and waved my hand towards the door. 

"Come on, everyone out."

 They didn't move, and I yelled angrily, "ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE OR WHAT?"

 They all hurried out quickly. I let my arm fall to the side and waited until everyone was out except Claus. I shook my head. 

"Please, you too, go."

 He opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it and turned around and left too. I leaned against the wall and slumped to the floor. My cigarette in my mouth. My eyes blurred with tears, and I covered my face and cried softly.

————

I walked out of the room, and the bright sun hit me, forcing me to turn slightly to the side. Claus was standing there by the car. I walked over to him, feeling dejected, and leaned against the car as well.

 I cursed out of frustration, "Damn it, why is the sun shining so brightly? It should have been raining."

 "Dante, we need you back," Claus said. 

I turned my head to him. "Shut up and let me mourn."

 I threw the cigarette on the ground and crushed it.

 Claus sighed. "I found some leads that are very interesting." 

I raised an eyebrow. "Like what, for example?"

 "The last person James contacted was a specific number, and coincidentally, I found that same number on Rose's phone."

 Now he had my interest. "Who is this number?"

 "None other than FBI Chief Collon."

 I was briefly stunned. I ran my hand through my hair. 

"The FBI Chief contacted James, and that can only mean one thing." 

Claus nodded. "Exactly."

 I laughed bitterly and had to lean with one hand on the car. "That bastard used Rose to come after me."

 Claus nodded in agreement. "Have you found his location?"

 "That's where the problem starts. Some of my men on the inside of the FBI informed me that he was convicted and has now disappeared without a trace."

 "No one can disappear without a trace," I said, pointing my finger at Claus. 

"Search his bank accounts and see if he has a wife or child. If necessary, we'll play the same cards he played."

 Claus nodded in agreement. Suddenly, I became wide awake. I stretched and got into the car. I saw Claus getting into his own car in the rearview mirror, and we drove away simultaneously. We headed in different directions because I was headed to the company, as I still had a meeting ahead of me.

I drove faster, and when I arrived, I parked the car in the garage and took the elevator up. Walking down the corridor that reminded me of the first time she came here, I opened the door, which swung open dramatically, and my eyes widened. My guests were already in the room, apparently let in by my secretary. I saw the Cardigans' head, Rodrigo, there. He was around 50 but still in good shape. He wore a suit with checked stripes and, as always, proudly displayed the emblem of his family on his suit over the heart area. What bothered me was the young woman he had brought with him.

 She was touching a picture of Rose that I had placed there.

Rodrigo spoke to me, "Dante, my friend, long time no see. My deepest condolences for the loss you've suffered."

 I entered the room. "Thank you for your condolences, but who is she?" 

I nodded my head towards her. She turned around, holding the picture in her hand, smiling. 

"May I introduce my one and only loving daughter, Rebecca." 

She elegantly curtsied, and I went to her, taking her wrist and removing the picture from her hand, looking at her sternly. 

"Don't touch anything here."

 She intentionally stared deeply at me as if trying to seduce me. 

"Do we understand each other, or do I need to be more explicit?" I glanced at her father warningly, who then in turn looked at her warningly.

 "That's enough, Rebecca." 

She raised her hands in defeat and went to her father.

I took the picture and placed it on the desk. It was the photo of her and me in the car, where I grimaced and she laughed. 

I took a deep breath. "Please, have a seat."

 I pressed a button on the table, as a signal for my seretary to bring feel . They sat on the couch, and I sat in my desk chair.

 "Dante, we've known each other for a while, and we've worked together often. You have my trust, and I hope I have yours."

 I lit another cigarette and took a drag. "Yes, in certain aspects, you have my trust, Rodrigo." 

Rebecca straightened up. Her long curly black hair irritated me, her face irritated me, the way she sat there with her legs crossed irritated me, and I wanted to set the room on fire because of the stench of her perfume.

"I know it's not a good time to bring this up, but I want to strengthen the bond between us," he said, gesturing to Rebecca. 

I looked at her with disgust. 

"A marriage proposal between our families." 

The secretary came in with the coffee tray. 

"Out."

 Rebecca looked at me wide-eyed. I pointed to the door, annoyed.

 "Rodrigo, have you forgotten how to walk or what?"

 "But Dante—" 

I put my finger to my lips as a sign to be silent. They fell silent, and he glared at me before standing up and leaving. Rebecca stood up, grinned at me, and then left the room.

My secretary looked at me confused and I also gestured her out.