The words Noah didn’t finish got stuck in his throat, never to be uttered again. He raised his gun at Simpson and cursed, “You bastard!”


    Simpson fearlessly grinned back at him.


    Following Noah’s lead, jos pressed down on Noah’s gun, “It was just an idental discharge, Noah. Didn’t my brother spare Camar’s life for you?”


    Noah was finally provoked, “You should be grateful your wife is Vivian.”


    jos coldly chuckled, “You don’t need to y the good brother act in front of me, Noah. How did Camar manage to easily take away Vivian? Didn’t Charlie and the bodyguards find anything suspicious? Did you really not know about his betrayal before Camar kidnapped Vivian?”


    “You can’t hide things from me, Noah,” jos said, “These explosives filled with sand give you away.”


    Noah stared at jos, a contemtive glint in his grey eyes.


    “I admit you are an excellent opponent, jos.”


    “You are just as cunning,” jos retorted, turning to leave with Simpson and Floren back to their ship where Vivian awaited.


    “We will have another chance to cooperate,” Noah said, watching his back as he spoke, a perfectly crafted smile ying on his lips.


    jos paused, turned to look at Noah, filled with anger yet knowing this was not the right time to turn against each other.


    …


    Back on the ship, the steam whistle sounded, signaling the departure. Vivian had just hung up the phone with Luzia.


    jos sat silently next to her.


    Vivian had learned of the dire situation in Los Angeles from Luzia  her father Bryson missing, her brother Joseph dead, and her other brother Vilem, though rescued, severely tortured and possibly permanently disabled.


    With teary eyes, Vivian couldn’t bear jos’ gaze as he leaned in to whisper, “Luzia must have told you by now, I killed Joseph.”


    Lowering his head, jos asked, “Do you hate me?”


    With a blink, tears flooded down Vivian’s face.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Do I hate? Certainly not.


    Though she wasn’t present at the time, she knew Joseph too well – his demonic nature, the cruelty and malice that ran through his veins. He would turn on even his own brothers. Had it not been for jos’ usefulness, Vivian shuddered to think what Joseph would have done to the captive jos.


    Would he have imprisoned jos like Vilem, breaking his knees and fingers, leaving him in a state of utter devastation?


    The mere thought sent shivers down Vivian’s spine – a mix of fear and deepening hatred towards Joseph.


    “I only hate myself,” Vivian said, tears streaming down, as she touched jos’ cheek, “I was too weak.”


    “No, you’ve been brave,” jos reassured her, his eyes catching the ghastly wound he saw while rescuing Vivian. He could deduce who had hurt Tabdon.


    Gently kissing her wounded hand, “It must have hurt a lot.”


    “Yes, it hurt so much, I thought I was going to die. Tabdon is truly terrifying.” Vivian confided in jos about the pain and fear she endured during the abduction.


    With Vivian nestled in his arms, jos listened quietly as she recounted the separation and the harrowing experiences she went through – waiting, hoping, the flowers nted at the Oahu Ind vi that never bloomed, the terrifying ordeal of being kidnapped by Tabdon.


    “Charlie said Noah is my brother, and Noah said he’s my cousin,” Vivian pondered, still unable toprehend, “But I’ve never seen him at my grandfather’s house.”


    “I’m not sure either, but he is indeed Davis’ heir, and now the new leader of ET,” jos provided limited insight, suggesting Vivian inquire from Vilem.


    “Vilem?” Vivian questioned, puzzled, “Why him?”


    “Before Mrs. Tasneem married Bryson, ET had a significant coboration with Los Angeles. They infiltrated elite armed forces into the city, and only your grandfather knew the real list. On the day Mrs. Tasneem married Bryson, she handed over the list to him,” jos exined, “Later on, she passed it on to Vilem.”


    Just as Bryson only approved of Joseph, Mrs. Tasneem always thought Joseph resembled his father too much. Perhaps he would be apetent Capo, leading Los Angeles to the peak of power one day, but through a gruesome massacre. However, Joseph was too ruthless, showing nopassion for Vilem and Vivian. If such a massacre were to ur, Mrs. Tasneem, despite her lifelong timidity, was concerned about the survival of her children and feltpelled to do something for them.


    Vivian understood her mother’s actions, knowing she provided Vilem with a safeguard, but…


    “Did Joseph know about this armed force?” Vivian asked anxiously, bracing herself for the worst, only to receive a bombshell from jos, “And so did Bryson.”


    “What?” Vivian was stunned, unable to decipher the significance of jos’ words.


    Could it be that her father tolerated her mother for so many years because of the armed forces she possessed? And her gentle, timid mother, in a bid to protect Vilem, had risked everything to entrust the arsenal to him.


    But her mother? Where was she? Was she…?


    Vivian’s vision blurred as she copsed against jos, sobbing in despair.


    Mare quietly left the cabin, Emmert standing in the corner with his gun, while Simpson and Floren scanned the horizon from the deck.


    As they sailed through the Hawaiian Inds towards their destination – Oahu Ind.


    Upon docking at the port, they switched to a car to reach Honolulu International Airport. jos had already arranged for a private ne.


    Vivian boarded the ne carrying the child, settling into her seat as the doctor took care of the little one.


    “Where are we going?”


    “Houston,” jos replied.


    Vivian was relieved that jos was taking her back to Houston instead of leaving her in Hawaii. But she worried that their return was only temporary.


    Hesitantly, she asked, “Are we going back to visit Vilem?”


    “If you wish, you can visit him at the hospital anytime,” jos wrapped a nket around her, “Luzia is assisting at the hospital and should have informed you that Vilem has woken.”


    “Will we return to Hawaii?” Vivian asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.