《Dark Romance: A Cruel Obsession》


 Chapter 1

    ¡°Vivian.¡± At the school gate, her brother Vilem was waving at her, ¡°Hurry up and get in the car, we need to leave.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Vivian ran over, baffled, her golden hair forming beautiful waves, her performance outfit still on-a grave breach of etiquette.


    But there was no time for her to change. It had been only thirty minutes since their father¡¯s call until Vilem picked her up to rush home.


    ¡°Something big has happened,¡± Vilem said solemnly. ¡°Kamden Hargrave is dead.¡±


    Kamden Hargrave, a Capo of the Houston mafia, was one of the most respected and powerful men in the mob. His presence alone had elevated the Houston mob to its current status. His death was sure to plunge Houston into a bloody struggle for power.


    What was worse, the resurgence of the Bratva¡¯s influence in Houston was inevitable, and the Hargrave family would face unprecedented challenges.


    Vivian felt uneasy; she knew her father had always cooperated with Kamden, and they had a very friendly rtionship. If Houston was thrown into chaos, would her father choose to help them?


    And how would her father choose to help?


    Would he send her away?


    The very thought terrified Vivian, and she tried to expose Vilem¡¯s lie: ¡°Don¡¯t joke about that, Vilem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking, Vivian.¡± Vilem shattered Vivian¡¯s illusions, not mocking her naivety, ¡°No one is invincible, not us, not even our father.¡±


    Their father, Bryson Jones, was a Capo of the Los Angeles mafia, and Vilem, along with their older brother Joseph, were Made Men. Joseph had even earned their father¡¯s approval to be his sessor, the next Capo.


    As the daughter of a Capo, unlike her brothers, Vivian was too well-protected; she was the apple of her father¡¯s eye, willing to give her everything she wanted except freedom.


    Vivian was not free; her father had arranged everything for her-what to learn, what to do, who to meet, and who to befriend. Those unfamiliar boys and girls who were not approved by her father, none coulde close to her.


    ¡°You are my perfect creation, Vivian,¡± her father had told her proudly, ¡°Your virginity, your purity, will be my most powerful weapon.¡±


    He had said this more than once.


    These words made Vivian very ufortable; she knew one day she would be sent away by her father, but she never dared to think that day would trulye. She was neen now, and her father had discussed with her which university she could attend. She could continue her opera performance studies, go to New York, and start her performances at the Metropolitan Opera House.


    Vivian had begun to fantasize about an afternoon filled with sunlight, long streets, and tea time, meeting a handsome gentleman amidst the sweet scent of mousse cakes, having a gentleman ask her for coffee, and developing a wonderful, sweet romance¡­


    But with Kamden¡¯s death, Vivian¡¯s fantasies also dimmed. She wondered in her heart, could her father send me to the Hargraves?


    Vivian started to feel afraid.


    The car sped all the way, taking them back to the luxurious Jones family estate.


    Her mother had already packed Vivian¡¯s luggage. Vivian pulled out a red dress with a fluffy skirt adorned with sparkling diamonds, her most beautiful dress, but it was not suitable for a funeral.


    ¡°Is this a mistake?¡± Vivian set aside the red dress and searched the wardrobe for her ck dress. Compared to the gorgeous red gown, this dress was so in it hardly seemed her style.


    ¡°No, Vivian, you¡¯ll need it,¡± her mother put the red dress back, ¡°Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Vivian was puzzled; she didn¡¯t want to bring the dress, she felt a resistance.


    Her mother didn¡¯t have time to respond, as their father had alreadye out of the study and was urging them to leave.


    Her older brother Joseph nced at Vivian¡¯s dress and silently followed their father downstairs.


    Vilem stood at the top of the stairs, looking displeased.


    Vivian sensed something; she looked down at the red dress, a terrible thought forming in her mind.


    Could her father really be nning to give her to the Hargraves? What should she do?


    Her father represented absolute authority within the Jones family; no one could change his decisions, but¡­ if¡­ maybe¡­


    Vivian,gging behind, used the moment when no one was paying attention to leave the red dress in a corner of the room.


    ¡­


    The journey from Los Angeles to Houston went smoothly; her father must have made many preparations for this unexpected trip. Their private nended at the Houston airport, the territory of the Hargrave family, whose bodyguards took over theirsecurity.


    Of course, the bodyguards of the Jones family did not withdraw either.


    Vivian felt relieved by this decision because they encountered an attack by the Bratva while transferring to a car heading to their apartment in Houston. A ck sedaning from a side road rammed into the car behind them, and the powerful force pushed the rear car into the back of the one in front. Vivian was thrown forward, but Vilem protected her.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Vilem cursed, holding Vivian¡¯s head in his arms for protection, pulling out his gun and cocking it.


    Vivian heard continuous gunfire outside the car, screeching brakes, the shattering of car windows, and Vilem¡¯s curses became indistinct amid her screams.


    ¡°Hey, calm down, Vivian,¡± Vilem urged, pushing her down to stay low as he shot dead a Bratva member.


    The driver, experienced in such situations, saw an opportunity and floored the gas pedal, breaking through. Vivian felt the car¡¯s violent jolt and the thud of heavy objects hitting the ground.


    They must have broken through the Bratva¡¯s blockade.


    ¡°Mom?¡± As the gunshots faded and the car¡¯s furious speed began to subside, Vilem announced they were out of danger. Vivian looked out the car window but didn¡¯t see the car carrying her mother and father.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Joseph will protect them,¡± Vilem reassured her, patting her back, though still shaken, the gun hot in his hand without bullets.


    ¡°Kamden Hargrave is dead, the Hargraves are weakening.¡±


    Vivian looked at Vilem, ¡°Will there be danger?¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt if the Hargraves can¡¯t contain the Bratva¡¯s expansion,¡± Vilem said, frustrated, scratching his head, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    Everything seemed foreign, except for one detail that was familiar to Vivian. The car drove directly into the underground garage, and she finally recognized the ce-it was the Gold Mountain Apartments.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Gold Mountain Apartments was their most permanent residence in Houston. Thest time they were here, they stayed in the same ce, and Vivian¡¯s room still had the crafts she made-a ceramic roly-poly.


    Vivian was organizing her luggage when amotion came from downstairs, mixed with her father¡¯s roar and her mother¡¯s faint crying.


    Her poor mother was such a timid person; she must have been terrified.


    Vivian dropped her suitcase and ran downstairs to give her mother a hug.


    ¡°It¡¯s so good that you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Her father looked at their embrace with cold eyes, impatient with their mutualfort, and called Joseph and Vilem to the study to talk business.

 Chapter 2

    Vivian was aware of the type of business being discussed-it undoubtedly had something to do with the Bratva¡¯s assault. However, as a girl, she was not entitled to partake in the conversation.


    Vivian sighed, spending over an hour chatting with her mother before preparing to head back to her room.


    Her roomy at the other end of the hallway, which meant she had to pass by the study¡­


    Vivian lightened her steps, slowly approaching the study.


    Suddenly, she heard a noise from the living room downstairs. Peering from the staircase, she saw Vilem, looking irritated, kicking a chair out of his way with neither the manners nor theposure befitting a gentleman.


    Vilem was out of his room?


    ¡°Vilem, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Vivian asked with concern.


    Vilem wasn¡¯t inherently cold or brutish. He was handsome and tall, exceedingly popr among the girls, and Vivian often found herself bombarded with questions about him from her ssmates.


    Vilem had his moments of carefulness and tenderness, especially with Vivian, disying great patience and kindness.


    Of course, this was not to say Joseph was not good; he was more like their father-tall,posed, and rather detached. Joseph had been carefully groomed by their father since childhood and had earned his approval at the age of thirteen, bing the chosen sessor.


    Although their father appreciated Vilem, there were also disappointments. He believed Vilem fell shortpared to Joseph. This was a point of contention for Vilem, who always seemed ready to argue with their father.


    Vivian exhaled, ¡°Don¡¯t always argue with father.¡±


    Vilem turned to her, surprised, ¡°You¡¯re eavesdropping again?¡±


    Vivian felt a pang of guilt, ¡°I was just passing by.¡±


    ¡°Who would believe that?¡± Vilem bluntly dismissed her excuse, his eyes dimming, ¡°I have to stay.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Stay where?¡±


    Vilem rubbed his face harshly, his irritation palpable, ¡°Houston.¡±


    Vivian was stunned.


    Was this how their father nned to assist the Hargrave family? By leaving Vilem behind?


    Vivian knew that her father would not just leave Vilem; Los Angeles would provide ample elite support to help Hargrave through this crisis. Vilem was just one among many.


    But Vivian understood this was not what Vilem wanted. He yearned for his father¡¯s approval, but not at the cost of bing a Made Man, fighting and killing.


    Like Vivian, Vilemcked freedom.


    ¡°But you¡­¡±


    ¡°This is father¡¯smand,¡± Vilem said, ¡°No one can defy father¡¯s orders.¡± Despite his reluctance to stay, to witness the carnage, to kill, he had to model himself after their father and brother, learning to pick up a gun.


    Because he was Vilem Jones, obliged to assist his father in defending the interests of the Jones family.


    ¡°You should go back to bed, Vivian.¡± Vilem ushered Vivian back to her room, then returned to the study. The father and Joseph were still discussing matters. This time, however, they mentioned Vivian.


    Vilem froze in ce, in disbelief, as Vivian¡¯s name fell from their cold lips.


    What were they saying? Why couldn¡¯t he understand?


    Vilem pressed his temples, suppressing the rage within, biting back, ¡°That¡¯s Vivian, father!¡±


    The father looked at him, ¡°Because she is Vivian, she is qualified to do this.¡±


    ¡°Vivian won¡¯t like it,¡± Vilem countered, ¡°You¡¯re sending her away like a gift to a man she doesn¡¯t even know. She¡¯ll go mad.¡±


    ¡°Vilem!¡± the father¡¯s gaze was a warning, stern and fierce, ¡°Vivian is the daughter of a Capo. The Jones family has blessed her with nobility and wealth; she must pay with her purity and freedom. It¡¯s her duty!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a duty you¡¯re forcing on her!¡± Vilem argued, ¡°She should have the right to choose.¡±


    ¡°Your rights are granted by me. As with you, you speak because I allow you to speak. Vilem, know your ce. Before me, you have no right to choose.¡±


    The father¡¯s gaze held the weight of countless disappointments, ¡°Vilem, you indeed fall far short of Joseph. He can see the situation clearly and knows what¡¯s best for the Jones family.¡±


    ¡°The alliance between the Jones and Hargrave families will be unbreakable. Vilem, stop trying to provoke me. It¡¯s not in your best interest.¡±


    Vilem was driven out of the study, frustration boiling over as he kicked the doorframe. Vivian¡¯s white dress hem did not escape his notice.


    ¡°V¡±Vivian!¡± he eximed, the anger he had contained now finding no outlet, his eyes bloodshot, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to go to sleep?¡±


    Vilem caught Vivian¡¯s hand, pushing her back into the room, and with a click, the lock fell into ce, eliminating any chance for Vivian to eavesdrop again.


    Vivian buried herself in her fluffy duvet, the perfume scent a bit too strong, leaving her feeling light-headed.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She hadn¡¯t overheard much, but Vilem¡¯s rage unsettled her.


    What exactly had her father and brothers discussed in the study? Did it concern her?


    The next day, Vivian was awoken by sunlight sneaking into her room-she had forgotten to draw the curtains. Worse yet, her rm hadn¡¯t gone off, and the time to leave was drawing near. There was no time to dwell on Vilem¡¯s grim expression from the night before. After a quick wash and dressing in her ck dress, she found her door surprisingly unlocked. Had Vilem cooled off? At least he didn¡¯t seem to be holding a grudge about her eavesdroppingst night.


    Relieved, Vivian picked up her skirt, ready to go downstairs, when she saw Joseph exiting their parents¡¯ room.


    Cries seeped through the open door, causing her to pause.


    ¡°Why is mother crying?¡± Vivian wondered. Her mother, Tasneem, was a gentle and kind woman, but Vivian often thought she was too meek and easily brought to tears, which could provoke their father¡¯s anger.


    Joseph didn¡¯t answer, perhaps finding the question foolish, or maybe the crying itself. He always seemed so detached, so proud.


    Vivian disliked this about Joseph but felt powerless to change anything. She had intended to follow him downstairs for a delicious breakfast-egg and bacon sandwiches with a cup of rich coffee, her favoritebination.


    But her mother¡¯s sobbing lingered in her ears, conjuring the image of Vilem¡¯s angry face from the night before.


    Was it because of her?


    She edged closer to her parents¡¯ room, her mother¡¯s crying bing clearer.


    ¡°Why must it be so cruel,¡± her mother wept, ¡°She won¡¯t agree to this.¡±


    ¡°She will consent. It¡¯s an inescapable duty,¡± her father¡¯s voice came through the door, ¡°She can¡¯t fight like her brothers, so she must fulfill her duty in this manner. She still has value, Tasneem, you should be proud of her.¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­¡± her mother still clung to hope, ¡°What if, what if he refuses?¡±


    ¡°There are no ifs,¡± her father stated firmly, ¡°No man would pass up the chance to strengthen his power, he needs it to maintain his rule.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±

 Chapter 3

    ¡°Enough!¡± Father was finally provoked, ¡°I have made my decision, and no one can change it.¡±


    There was a lot ofmotion in the room. It was the first time Vivian heard her mother retort her father so loudly, and then, as expected, she heard her father¡¯s furious roar followed by her mother¡¯s even sharper cry.


    Mother was being hit again.


    Because she had contradicted Father, she had challenged his authority-something that was not allowed.


    Vivian harbored anger and terror in her heart. She wanted to scream and burst into the room to stop her raging father; she should protect her mother, even if it meant she would be hit for defying him.


    But reality did not give her the chance. Vilem had appeared behind her without her knowing, and just as she was about to rush in, he covered her mouth and dragged her away from her parents¡¯ door.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here, Vivian,¡± Vilem intended to carry her downstairs.


    Vivian angrily shook off his hand, ¡°Neither should you be here, you should be stopping Father!¡±


    ¡°No one can stop Father, Vivian,¡± Vilem stroked Vivian¡¯s golden hair, which was fluffy and soft like clouds, ¡°No one can challenge Father¡¯s authority. That is the dignity of a Capo.¡±


    ¡°But that is our mother.¡± Vivian was afraid, yet she was equally concerned for her mother. She hated her own helplessness and could only ce her hopes on Vilem, ¡°Our mother is suffering. Don¡¯t you want to save her, to alleviate her pain?¡±


    Unfortunately, Vilem was destined to disappoint Vivian, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vivian. You, I, even Joseph, we can¡¯t save Mother.¡±


    Standing at the top of the stairs, Vivian looked down to see Joseph holding a coffee, also looking up at her. The moment their eyes met, Vivian suddenly felt a surge of destion.


    Without a word, Vivian followed her brothers into the car, while her parents were in another. They were now on their way to the Hargrave residence.


    Vivian turned to look out of the car window. She had once walked on the sidewalks of Houston, looking up at the skyscrapers through the crowd. She was luckier than most; her father was a powerful man, eager to ce her atop the luxurious heights of high-rises, letting her enjoy the glory and protection of the family, letting her look down at the crowds through floor-to-ceiling windows.


    But her father could not give her freedom.


    Because she was merely her father¡¯s perfect creation, and now he was about to give his work away to someone else.


    In the silent car, Vivian suddenly asked, ¡°Who are you giving me to?¡±


    Vilem, sitting next to her, remained silent, and Joseph did not even return a cold nce.


    Vivian¡¯s heart sank, ¡°Is it one of the Hargrave brothers? jos or Simpson?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Vivian,¡± Joseph, annoyed by her noise, said impatiently, ¡°Please maintain your nobility and beauty.¡±


    Vivian was afraid of Joseph; he was too much like their father, especially when he looked at her indifferently with those brown eyes, Vivian felt like she would die.


    If she didn¡¯t quiet down, Joseph would not hesitate to kill her, to forcefully silence her.


    Of course, Joseph would not actually harm Vivian, but the necessary warnings had to be given; otherwise, she would not quiet down.


    He knew his sister all too well.


    ¡­


    Thest time Vivian came to Houston was four years ago, to attend the funeral of Kamden Hargrave¡¯s wife, who died of cancer. It was unexpected that today she was here for a funeral again, this time for Kamden himself.


    Since the asion was a funeral, Vivian was not in a particrly beautiful mood, so her attire was simple: a pair of ck ts and a ck dress, very understated and in.


    But she had beautiful golden hair that shimmered in the sunlight, elegant and noble. She also had a pair of eyes as blue as the sky and ocean, captivating at a nce-this was what Vivian was most proud of.


    She didn¡¯t think she was outstanding; her friend Emily often praised her as a cute girl rather than a beautiful woman. Vivian often felt troubled by suchments.


    She didn¡¯t want to be a cute girl forever; girls had no freedom.


    Vivian sighed and murmured to Vilem, ¡°I forgot to have breakfast.¡±


    Though she spoke softly, Joseph still heard, ¡°If you were willing to keep to the rules and not meddle, you would have had your share of the bacon and egg sandwich this morning.¡±


    Fortunately, their father, walking ahead, did not hear Joseph¡¯s words, or Vivian was sure to be scolded.


    Kamden had only twosons, jos and Simpson, both a few years older than Vivian.


    jos, as Kamden¡¯s heir, had smoothly be the new Capo of the Houston mafia. He and his brother Simpson were waiting outside the church, personally receiving the Bryson Jones family from Los Angeles.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry.¡± Bryson expressed his condolences to the Hargrave brothers, gripping jos¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°I couldn¡¯t offer you more help.¡±


    jos looked somber; his father¡¯s sudden death and the Hargrave family¡¯s predicament weighed heavily on him, but he could not show more grief-it would be seen as weakness.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you coulde, Bryson.¡± jos sped Bryson¡¯s hand in return, ¡°I heard about the attack yesterday, I¡¯m sorry you were startled.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Bratva being too audacious,¡± Bryson said angrily, ¡°rest assured, Los Angeles will do its utmost to help Houston out of this bind, Bratva¡¯s plot to conquer Houston will not seed.¡±


    jos walked ahead with Bryson while Simpson took a step back to stand with Vivian¡¯s brothers.


    ¡°Everything will get better, Simpson, cheer up,¡± Vilem hugged Simpson first, their rtionship had always been good, ¡°I look forward to fighting alongside you, hoping my arrival can bring more help to you and your family.¡±


    Simpson thanked him on behalf of the Hargrave family, his gaze involuntarily drawn to the girl behind his friend, her golden hair dazzling like the sun, her blue eyes mysterious as the ocean, the simple ck dress unable to hide her graceful curves-she was a beautiful and adorable girl.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Vivian.¡±


    Simpson¡¯s appreciative gaze lingered on Vivian, making her nervous-her father intended to give her to the Hargrave family, and Simpson was one of the candidates.


    ¡°Yes, nice to see you,¡± Vivian stepped back unconsciously, maintaining herposure withdylike manners, remembering to return the greeting gracefully.


    ¡°The ceremony is about to begin.¡± Joseph reminded them, as others were already taking their seats.


    Simpson had to abandon the idea of continuing the conversation and return to jos¡¯s side.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    jos, having finished talking with Bryson, watched Vivian intently for a few minutes while waiting for Simpson, his gaze sharp as an eagle¡¯s, menacing like a predator that had tasted blood, making Vivian¡¯s scalp tingle.


    Father must have spoken to jos. Vivian thought despairingly, he truly intended to give her to the Hargrave brothers. What was she to do, run away?

 Chapter 4

    ¡°Vivian.¡± Bryson gave her a warning look from ahead, signaling her to hurry over to his side.


    Bryson¡¯s icy stare was like a bucket of cold water poured on Vivian¡¯s thoughts of escape, freezing her in ce.


    She couldn¡¯t run away.


    Vivian knew it.


    She had no ability, no job, no money; without her father¡¯s protection, she couldn¡¯t survive. And her father would never allow her to do something like running away that would harm his interests. She had no choice but to obediently walk over to her father, take a seat beside him, and listen to the priest speak.


    The funeral was cumbersome and dull. Vivian sat silently next to her father, surrounded by the deliberately subdued weeping of the crowd. She stole a nce around and saw many heads bowed in tears. Among them were members of the Hargrave family and Kamden¡¯s loyal followers.


    Vivian quietly withdrew her gaze, inadvertently sweeping over jos and the Simpson brothers. The brothers¡¯plexions were far from pleasant; they looked dark and fearsome, with Simpson¡¯s eyes red and fierce like a wolf. He wasn¡¯t crying.


    jos wasn¡¯t crying either, which Vivian thought she could understand. After all, jos was the new Capo of Houston; he needed to show his strength to his followers, not his vulnerability. Crying was seen as a weakness in the mafia, even if it was for the death of the new Capo¡¯s father.


    But what truly terrified Vivian was the expression on jos¡¯s face, something she had seen before on her father and Joseph¡¯s-it was a relentless look, one that seemed to scream for murder to settle scores.


    More ferocious than the cruelest predator.


    Vivian wanted to look away out of fear, but just then, jos turned his head sharply, his piercing gaze with a hint of brilliancending on her. She shuddered and quickly lowered her head, fearfully leaning towards Vilem.


    Joseph stopped her, cing his hand on her shoulder to prevent her from moving. ¡°Quite an impressive gaze, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Joseph was doing this on purpose. Vivian was certain.


    How nasty, Joseph. Vivian was angry, but she was powerless against him and was forced to sit up straight, her heart pounding fiercely.


    Vivian took a deep breath. It took all her courage to sneak a peek at jos, who was talking quietly with Simpson. Their covert nces intermittently fell on her, with Simpson¡¯s sullen face showing no sign of brightening.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    An uncertain fate loomed over Vivian like dark clouds, but she had no other option but to anxiously await the end of the lengthy ceremony.


    Vivian followed the crowd to send off Kamden¡¯s coffin, surrounded by continuous sobbing. The priest dered the ceremonyplete with sorrow, and Vivian left the cemetery with her parents.


    They were off to attend the post-funeral banquet at a beautiful and secluded estate, which Vilem introduced as the home of the Hargrave brothers¡¯ aunt.


    In fact, several addresses had been given for the banquet, and no one knew the real location until thest minute. This was for the better protection of the new Capo¡¯s safety, as there were too many who sought jos¡¯s life. Any slip-up could cost him his life.


    Vivian had had a simr experience-her father was also constantly in danger. Due to the betrayal of a trusted associate, their whereabouts in Los Angeles were leaked to the Bratva. If they hadn¡¯t moved quickly, they would have fallen to Bratva¡¯s gunfire long ago.


    ¡°I¡¯m starving to death.¡± Vivian didn¡¯t dare to say it out loud, as that would bring her the condemnation of everyone around her-it was impolite. She could only quietly slip away from her mother and Vilem, seeking a ce to eat something in solitude.


    Behind the banquet hall was a garden filled with roses, which Vivian loved, and it was deserted.


    However, Vivian had not anticipated running into Bryson and jos talking there, or else she would have nevere this way.


    ¡°Vivian, you¡¯re too presumptuous.¡± Bryson pulled her into a lounge next to the garden, his eyes seeming to spit fire, ¡°What have you eavesdropped on? Where is your upbringing, what were thosedy¡¯s etiquette lessons for?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m very sorry.¡± Vivian didn¡¯t know why she felt guilty, as she genuinely had not intended to eavesdrop, ¡°I was just trying to get to the garden¡­¡± Vivian paused, knowing that if she dared to say she wanted to eat something in the garden, she wouldn¡¯t escape a scolding.


    But she was indeed very hungry, having not eaten all day, her hands trembling with hunger.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Father.¡± To satisfy her hunger, Vivian could only tell the truth, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop, I just wanted to go to the garden¡­¡±


    Vivian¡¯s pause seemed like an excuse to Bryson. His daughter breaking the rules and being seen by jos angered him, ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses, Vivian, you¡¯re being rude.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Bryson,¡± jos interjected, not minding at all, his gaze fixed on Vivian with apparent interest. ¡°Beautiful miss, may I have a word with you alone?¡±


    jos was a handsome man, but the sharp features and a fierce scar across his temple made him look intimidating. Even as he smiled, Vivian felt frightened.


    Vivian wanted to say no, but Bryson responded more quickly, ¡°Of course, you can.¡± Bryson was cordial towards jos and voluntarily left the lounge, leaving them alone.


    Vivian wanted to leave, too. jos¡¯s presence was overwhelming; his tall frame blocked everything else from her view when he stood before her.


    His presence frightened Vivian.


    ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± jos found it amusing. As a Made Man, the once heir to his father and now new Capo of Houston, many feared him-all of them timid, wretched, and ugly, which disgusted him.


    Vivian was also afraid, her fear apparent in her trembling, ocean-blue eyes and shaking body. But she was neither ugly nor wretched. Her spine was straight, her face defiantly set as she red at him, ¡°I-I¡¯m not scared.¡±


    josughed heartily, wanting to touch her hair, but before his hand could reach her, Vivian, who verbally denied her fear, had sprung away like a startled rabbit.


    Like a frightened rabbit.


    josughed even louder, not attempting to get closer. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re not afraid of me. Then why are you standing so far away?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m just hungry,¡± Vivian nced at the closed door of the lounge. ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten all day, I¡¯m very hungry. May I leave now?¡±


    jos observed her carefully, trying to detect any signs of lying on her face. However, Vivian¡¯splexion was poor, making it hard for him to tell if she was frightened or truly starving.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone prepare some food for you,¡± jos stepped forward, causing a startled step back from Vivian, forcing him to stand still. ¡°But now, we need to have a proper talk.¡±


    ¡°We have nothing to talk about,¡± Vivian felt dizzy and weak in the knees, looking for something to lean on-a table, a chair, anything.


    ¡°Yes, you are a beautiful girl, you¡¯re very charming,¡± jos didn¡¯t skimp on his praise. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what your father and I discussed? It¡¯s about you.¡±

 Chapter 5

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know¡­¡± Vivian shook her head, not even wanting to hear what jos had to say. As long as she remained unaware, she wouldn¡¯t be sent away.


    Vivian was in avoidance.


    jos wouldn¡¯t let her escape. Bryson¡¯s terms were too tempting, and he was right; this was a favorable union for both Houston and Los Angeles.


    ¡°As an old Capo, your father is passing on his experience to a novice Capo, and I think he¡¯s right,¡± jos said. ¡°I¡¯m still too young, my experience isn¡¯t enough to deter the followers my father left behind. I need to establish more authority; I need more followers.¡±


    ¡°Bryson is generous. The Los Angeles mafia will do their utmost to help Houston through this difficult time. Houston will establish a stable andsting alliance with Los Angeles, and we will be the best of partners.¡±


    ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re smart, Vivian,¡± jos said, not minding tearing away Vivian¡¯s facade. ¡°You understand that besides mutual interest, marriage is another way to ensure a strong alliance.¡±


    ¡°We will be engaged next week, with the wedding set for the following month.¡±


    There was no room for negotiation. Like her father, jos was dictatorial, shattering Vivian¡¯s beautiful illusions. She wouldn¡¯t go to college, learn musical theater, or perform on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.


    The world went dark for Vivian, and just before she fainted, thest thing she was conscious of was jos rushing towards her.


    ¡­


    Vivian felt humiliated; she had spoiled the Hargrave family¡¯s banquet-she had fainted from hunger.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± jos, frightened by her state, had called the family doctor.


    Vivian¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment; she wanted to hide under the covers but was too weak from hunger. ¡°I¡¯m really fine, I was just too hungry.¡±


    Upon hearing her say she was hungry, Vilem quickly pushed past jos. ¡°I brought you something to eat; have a bit first.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    The food Vilem brought was all taken from the banquet, consisting of mousse cake, cheese, and sausage-Vivian¡¯s favorites.


    Vivian managed to maintain her manners, eating the cake and sausage with a fork, barely oveing the dizzying hunger.


    She felt revived.


    Vivian almost cried.


    When she lifted her head from the food, jos was gone, leaving only her family in the room.


    Her father, looking angry and displeased, sat on the sofa. Vivian fainting from hunger was a humiliating act for him.


    ¡°Do I really have to marry jos?¡± Vivian clutched her fork, hoping to hear a denial from her brother, so she could pretend the conversation in the lounge was all a dream.


    Vilem looked at her apologetically, appearing utterly powerless.


    Vivian then turned to Joseph.


    Joseph silently looked towards their father.


    And so, it was Bryson who would announce this terrible truth to her.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Bryson said calmly, his tone as if he werementing on how tasty that morning¡¯s sandwich was, ¡°you will be jos¡¯s bride. The daughter of the Jones family and the Capo of Houston marrying will form the most unbreakable alliance between Los Angeles and Houston.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian refused loudly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to refuse, Vivian. This is your duty as a daughter of the Jones family,¡± Bryson said. ¡°Everything has been arranged. Vilem will stay with you, and jos will select a bodyguard to ensure your safety. You will live in the Golden Hill Apartment, waiting for the wedding next month.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± Bryson¡¯s upromising attitude plunged Vivian into despair, and she began to cry, trying to elicit some sympathy from her father. ¡°You promised me I could go to college, learn musical theater, and perform in the Metropolitan Opera Hall if I met the requirements. You said you would be proud of me.¡±


    ¡°Father, please don¡¯t do this to me. I don¡¯t want to marry jos; I don¡¯t want to get married at all.¡±


    But the response she hoped for was not forting. Bryson only grew angrier with her resistance and even pped her for her repeated embarrassment, ¡°Enough, Vivian. You¡¯re not a child anymore. You need to understand that crying won¡¯t solve anything; you must marry jos.¡±


    Bryson, with a headache from Vivian¡¯s crying, didn¡¯t want to waste any more time here. He prepared to go downstairs to discuss further cooperation with jos.


    ¡°Get yourself together ande down, you¡¯ve already been very rude today.¡± Bryson straightened his clothes and walked out, ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass yourself further, VivianVivian continued to cry, wishing she could bury herself in the covers and weep.


    Vilem didn¡¯t know how to console her. ¡°Stop crying; your eyes are already swollen.¡± He poured Vivian a ss of water. ¡°Drink some water, please. Don¡¯t worry us anymore.¡±


    ¡°Brother, can¡¯t you help me? Can¡¯t you persuade father for me? I don¡¯t want to marry jos; I¡¯m only neen.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so bad about marrying jos?¡± Joseph never understood Vivian¡¯s thoughts. He thought she was being unreasonable; their father¡¯s arrangement was the best. ¡°jos is the most powerful and charming man in Houston; many women want to marry him.¡±


    ¡°Let whoever wants to marry him, marry him.¡± Vivian cried into Vilem¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Do you think just any woman can marry him if she wants? You can marry jos because you are Vivian Jones, who can represent the Jones family in a union with Houston. You should feel honored,¡± Joseph said angrily. ¡°Now, dry your tears, finish your water, ande downstairs. Don¡¯t act like a victim; it¡¯s unbing.¡±


    ¡°Joseph, you¡¯re being too harsh,¡± Vilem protested. ¡°Vivian just doesn¡¯t want to marry jos; she¡¯s not wrong.¡±


    ¡°Enjoying the family¡¯s gifts without wanting to fulfill obligations or take responsibility-that is wrong,¡± Joseph shouted. He was angry to have such irresponsible siblings. ¡°You too, Vilem. You should both understand your ce and take on your responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°Maintaining the alliance between Los Angeles and Houston, bearing an heir for jos, that is Vivian¡¯s duty. Protecting the Jones family, fighting for it until death, that is your duty. Both of you better understand that!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am epting my responsibility, even if unwillingly,¡± Vilem red fearlessly at Joseph. ¡°But Vivian is different; she¡¯s a girl, only neen, with dreams yet to be fulfilled.¡±


    Vilem continued, ¡°We all know that once Vivian marries jos, there will be no chance for her dreams. She¡¯ll be trapped in Houston, by jos¡¯s side, turned into a tool for producing heirs. She will no longer have freedom.¡±


    ¡°Is this your idea of honor?¡±


    ¡°Vilem!¡± Joseph pointed at him angrily. ¡°Mind your tone. I¡¯d advise you not to act tough here. My gun doesn¡¯t recognize you as a brother.¡±


    Joseph, like an enraged lion, bared his sharp teeth and ws, as if one more word from Vilem would really result in a bullet in his head.


    Vivian, frightened by their confrontation, clung to Vilem¡¯s arm, begging him not to argue anymore for her sake.


    Vilem hugged his trembling sister, forcing himself to look away from Joseph¡¯s fierce gaze.


    With a cold snort, Joseph turned and left the room.

 Chapter 6

    Vivian hugged Vilem and sobbed, ¡°Please, Vilem, don¡¯t get into a conflict with him over me. He really will kill you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Vilem said through clenched teeth.


    ¡°I am,¡± Vivian¡¯s longshes were wet with tears, ¡°I¡¯m very afraid.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Vilem¡¯s voice lowered as he assured her, ¡°Just as father said, I will stay with you, Vivian, I will protect you. Please believe me.¡±


    Vivian believed Vilem, but she couldn¡¯t control her own fear. Her father had given her to jos, and she was about to lose her freedompletely.


    ¡­


    Vivian quicklyposed herself and returned to the banquet with Vilem.


    With jos¡¯s intervention, few knew that Vivian had fainted from hunger, which somewhat relieved her. Bryson¡¯splexion finally improved as well.


    Tasneem, behind Bryson¡¯s back, gave her a discreet hug. Vivian hugged her mother back with force, feeling the urge to cry again.


    Simpson approached with a ss in hand, offering her champagne, ¡°Should I start calling you ¡®sister-inw¡¯ now?¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t take the champagne, ¡°You already know.¡±


    ¡°Soon everyone will know,¡± Simpson said, ¡°Not drinking?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian replied. She rarely drank alcohol; it made her drunk.


    ¡°That¡¯s a pity,¡± Simpson drank the champagne himself. He loosened his tie and looked across the banquet where jos was consoling his aunt, and his cousins gathered around, some whispering, some silently drinking.


    The entire banquet was permeated with a sense of heaviness and sorrow.


    Simpson took another sip of his drink, hisplexion no better than before.


    ¡°Have you been to bed with a man?¡± Simpson leaned closer to Vivian, eyeing her up and down, ¡°To put it another way, are you still a virgin?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s hand trembled in shock, she stepped quickly backward, looking around, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Her beautiful face flushed with embarrassment: ¡°That is not a question you should be asking.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for my forwardness,¡± Simpson said without a hint of regret, even smiling mischievously, ¡°So, are you?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Simpson,¡± Vivian said angrily, her face redder still, ¡°I am the woman who is to be engaged to jos.¡±


    ¡°Your father has given you to jos to maintain the interests of the Jones family. jos has given his word to your father, and so Hargrave must ensure what we receive is indeed a treasure,¡± Simpson set down his ss, ¡°You are a beautiful girl, Vivian, and I like you.¡±


    ¡°What does that matter when my father will only marry me off to jos, which is what he desires in this alliance?¡± Vivian turned her head away; she didn¡¯t want Simpson to see her tears.


    ¡°A man who refers to a girl as a ¡®treasure¡¯ does not truly like the girl,¡± Vivian said, ¡°I don¡¯t like such descriptions, Simpson.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I apologize,¡± Simpson whispered close to her ear, his breath brushing her face, ¡°Then it¡¯s up to my brother to verify.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s face felt as though it was on fire, and she red at Simpson furiously, wishing she could bite a piece of flesh from him.


    Simpson wasn¡¯t intimidated by her gaze; instead, he found her harmless ferocity utterly adorable and couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud, pulling away before others noticed theirmotion.


    Vivian felt mocked and belittled. She wanted to flee this ce, return to Los Angeles, never toe back to Houston.


    But that was just wishful thinking.


    ¡­


    The engagement cocktail party was set for a weekter. Bryson started to strictly forbid Vivian from going out, even from leaving her room. Tasneem and Vilem watched over her constantly, making Vivian feel as though she was in prison.


    She cried every day, her tears of protest doing nothing to change her father¡¯s mind; he was too stubborn.


    ¡°Vivian, put on your dress and make yourself look pretty, don¡¯t disgrace the Jones family,¡± Bryson selected a light purple figure-hugging dress for her, instructing Tasneem to ensure her makeup was sufficiently exquisite and morous, ¡°Enjoy your date.¡±


    It was a family dinner before the engagement, located at the estate of jos¡¯s aunt-Madame Yazmin, a manor far in the countryside surrounded by fences with vast rose gardens.


    Madame Yazmin had prepared a small round table under the apple trees for them,id out with her freshly baked cookies and hot tea steaming. Vivian sat across from jos, her demeanor reserved.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Vivian,¡± jos pushed a small te of cookies toward her, signaling she could help herself, ¡°This is just a simple meeting before our engagement, so we can get to know each other a bit better.¡±


    ¡°Must it be me, Mr. Hargrave?¡± Vivian took a sip of the tea, trying to calm her nerves. It didn¡¯t help much; her palms were already sweating.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite certain Bryson only has one daughter,¡± jos answered cleverly, subtly rejecting Vivian¡¯s rebellion-what he was marrying was not Vivian the person, but Vivian Jones, the daughter of Bryson.


    What saddened Vivian was precisely this. Whether it was her father, Joseph, or jos, they were all interested in the title of Bryson¡¯s daughter for an alliance with the Hargrave family, not her, a living, breathing individual.


    She was a gift with the ¡°Bryson¡¯s daughter¡± halo, to be given by her father to anyone.


    ¡°I¡¯m not beautiful, nor am I virtuous,¡± Vivian held the tea cup with both hands, the warmth from her palms giving her courage again, ¡°I can¡¯t make delicious cheese, burgers, or sausages, I won¡¯t be able to prepare a tasty dinner for you when youe home from work. I also can¡¯t iron clothes, your shirts will end up wrinkled¡­ I¡¯m also quite boring, I won¡¯t be able to tell you jokes to cheer you up when you¡¯re feeling down¡­¡±


    ¡°I think you are under some misunderstanding, Vivian,¡± josughed heartily, ¡°I am not poor, I have plenty of wealth, I will hire cooks and servants, I don¡¯t need my wife to toil over dinners or iron shirts. My work keeps me quite busy, actually I don¡¯t have much time for leisure. Even if I did, I own bars, clubs, and various entertainments for banquets, I don¡¯t need you to tell jokes. You are to be my wife, not a mistress for my amusement.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian looked at jos, his eyes a light brown, deep and bright, with a ss-like rity. She felt she could see sincerity in his eyes, which gradually calmed her restless heart.


    The breeze gently brushed her face, carrying the scent of roses.


    In her vi in Los Angeles, Vivian also had such a red rose garden, but s, she would never see it again.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian began to speak, but before she could finish, a sob escaped her, and tears fell into her tea. She wiped her face with her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m d to hear you speak so of your future wife, Mr. Hargrave. You are different from many in the mafia.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± jos didn¡¯t smile, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily apliment, Miss Vivian.¡±

 Chapter 7

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Vivian said, ¡°the Made Men I know treat their wives like ythings. Being selected for a family alliance through marriage signifies their status within the n, and the wives they obtain from these unions are trophies to disy their position.¡±


    Vivian paused, adding, ¡°My father was that kind of man.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I am that kind of man?¡±


    ¡°More urately, I¡¯m afraid you might be that kind of man.¡±


    jos shrugged, finding Vivian¡¯s naivete amusing, ¡°In fact, I am that kind of man. In the mafia, there are no kind-hearted rabbits, only fierce and greedy wolves. Fighting, tearing, possessing-it¡¯s in our nature. And having an exceptional and beautiful partner is one of the ways we show our strength to the world.¡±


    Vivian took a deep breath.


    ¡°As the Capo of Houston, unting you to my followers isn¡¯t a wise choice, but I need you, Vivian,¡± jos said regretfully. ¡°Our engagement doesn¡¯t represent you and me; it symbolizes the alliance between Houston and Los Angeles, the union of the Hargraves and the Joneses.¡±


    ¡°I assure you, staying in Houston, your life won¡¯t change much. You can still wear beautiful dresses to parties, lie on the sofa at home eating chips and watching movies, drink and dance in the bars and clubs I own, and you can go shopping with an unlimited credit card-of course, you¡¯ll need to take the bodyguards I¡¯ve arranged for you when you go out. Otherwise, my enemies could take you at any moment, which would pose a terrible threat to my work.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t what I want,¡± Vivian shook her head.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want to go to college.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s certainly possible. I won¡¯t restrict you,¡± jos said. ¡°But I think it¡¯s meaningless, even a waste of your precious time. You won¡¯t work outside; I don¡¯t need you to earn money to support the household. It doesn¡¯t suit your status.¡±


    ¡°What status? A ything? A gift? Or just a decorative vase you keep in the house?¡±


    jos frowned, offended by Vivian¡¯s questioning tone, ¡°You are my wife.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t love me!¡±


    ¡°Love?¡±


    ¡°Yes, love.¡± Tears fell unconsciously as Vivian cried, ¡°You won¡¯t love me, will you? We hardly know each other and haven¡¯t spent much time together, yet I¡¯m about to marry you. I¡¯m unwilling.¡±


    jos gained a new understanding of Vivian¡¯s naivety. He wanted tough, but couldn¡¯t. ¡°Are you three years old, Vivian?¡±


    Tears filled her eyes, but they didn¡¯t stop her from ring at jos with indignation.


    ¡°I heard from your father that you¡¯re already neen,¡± jos sighed, looking earnestly at Vivian. ¡°You¡¯re not a child, Vivian. You should understand that born into our families, we can¡¯t have love. Our union is only for mutual benefit. Not just you, your brothers will also choose brides that bring the most advantage to their family, and even our children in the future. Mafia marriages have always been about interests, with no exceptions.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyes widened, and her tears made jos irritable. He hadn¡¯t anticipated her reluctance to marry him was for such a foolish and naive reason. Love? No, a Capo couldn¡¯t afford such a weakness.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Vivian covered her face, her tears soaking her palms. She thought she must look ugly since jos watched her coldly, his gaze terrifyingly fierce.


    Vivian stood up, ¡°I¡¯d like to go to the restroom.¡± She needed the cold water to wash her face and a solitary space to calm her sorrowful emotions.


    Thankfully, jos still maintained his genteel demeanor. After Vivian had cried, he handed her a tissue to make her look less disheveled before calling a servant to escort her to the restroom.


    The restroom was at the end of the corridor on the first floor, spacious and brightly lit. Through the one-way transparent window, one could see the sunflower field behind the vi, with a winding path cutting through it, leading to a small door in the fence at the end.


    Was this a back door?


    Vivian shook off the water droplets from her hands, quietly opened the restroom door, and peeked outside through the crack. The servant who had been standing guard was gone; the corridor was empty, echoing a hollow silence.


    On impulse, Vivian locked the restroom door and her heartbeat quickened as she climbed out of the window. She lifted her skirt and crossed the sunflower field, opening the small door.


    jos walked into the rose garden, where his aunt Yazmin was pruning the bushes as part of her daily routine. Despite having gardeners on the estate with sries in thetens of thousands of dors, Yazmin preferred to tend to the roses herself. She handled each bloom with tenderness, as if caring for her own children.


    ¡°I heard you made your beautiful bride cry,¡± Yazmin said with a smile, caressing the delicate petals of a rose and looking at jos, ¡°Girls are like blooming roses; they need to be gently nurtured. Being too harsh isn¡¯t good.¡±


    jos gave a wry smile, ¡°The mafia only knows how to kill, Aunt.¡±


    ¡°I know that. It¡¯s your way of survival, but Vivian is your future wife.¡±


    ¡°She talked to me about love.¡±


    ¡°Every girl dreams of love,¡± Yazmin said as she searched for the most beautiful rose in the field, ¡°A dashing prince charming, sweet love, passionate kisses. Oh, I must admit, it makes even my heart flutter.¡±


    ¡°Love would make me weak,¡± jos stood in the sunlight, his sharp features glinting with a golden hue, ¡°The Bratva have noses like dogs; they¡¯ll sniff out my weaknesses and aim their guns.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no excuse for making your wife cry. You¡¯re meant to spend your lives together. Learning some sweet nothings would make her happy and lighten your load too,¡± Yazmin clipped a bunch of roses, ¡°Come on, dear. Take these to your fiancee; she will like them.¡±


    jos took the flowers, feeling awkward as he¡¯d never courted a girl before.


    But his aunt didn¡¯t give him the chance to refuse, urging him to go find Vivian.


    Reluctantly holding the roses, jos returned to the apple tree, his brow furrowed as he looked around. Vivian hadn¡¯te back?


    He guessed she might need more time to recover her spirits, so he waited another fifteen minutes under the apple tree.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Where is Vivian?¡± jos grabbed a passing servant and asked, coincidentally the one who had taken Vivian to the restroom. She had just helped move wine from the cer for the evening¡¯s family meal.


    ¡°The restroom in the corridor,¡± the servant replied respectfully. ¡°Or perhaps the lounge.¡±


    jos first checked the lounge, finding no one.


    The restroom seemed to take too long?


    ¡°Vivian?¡± jos knocked on the restroom door, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you need help?¡±


    He pressed his ear against the door; there was no sound from inside the restroom, which was odd.


    He knocked harder and twisted the doorknob, ¡°Vivian, are you there?¡±


    Click, click.


    Locked?


    A sense of foreboding came over jos.

 Chapter 8

    Yazmin was startled by the noise and quickly walked over, just about to ask what had happened when she saw jos step back and kick open the door to the restroom.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Yazmin followed to check, and jos¡¯s face was pitch ck. The locked restroom was empty except for the open window.


    ¡°Vivian ran away.¡± jos climbed out of the window and ran to the open garden gate. ¡°Damn it, she¡¯s gone into the woods.¡±


    The mansion was backed by a wild forest, which led to the road. There weren¡¯t many vehicles on the road, but it was enough for Vivian to g down a ride to the city or elsewhere.


    jos wasn¡¯t worried about Vivian escaping Houston, but he was concerned that the Bratva might find her before his own people did.


    ¡°The Bratva¡¯s attacks haven¡¯t made her cautious; she¡¯s been protected too well,¡± jos rushed back to the vi, grabbed his car keys, ¡°Please inform Simpson and Bryson of this news, and have them be on the lookout for Bratva¡¯s attacks. I¡¯m going after Vivian now.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she have a bodyguard?¡± asked Yazmin. ¡°God bless, may she return safely.¡±


    ¡°We will return safely, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± jos hugged Yazmin, drove his car along the road searching for her, his phone ringing incessantly, certainly Bryson inquiring angrily about why he hadn¡¯t taken good care of his daughter.


    Annoyed, jos honked the horn, the sharp long sound echoing on the deserted highway. He drove fast but saw no one and caught up with no cars.


    Vivian!


    ¡­


    Vivian felt the violent vibrations of the car, the roaring noise of the engine assaulting her eardrums, and the stench in the trunk made her stomach churn ufortably.


    Vivian hadn¡¯t gone far from the vi. In fact, she regretted running into the woods as soon as she did. She had no money and no car; she would be caught soon. She had been too reckless.


    But when she circled the woods and saw jos¡¯s car in front of the vi, the desire to flee took over again. Maybe she could find a ce to hide and then seek help from Vilem? As long as she remained undiscovered, Vilem would surely help her.


    So, she took advantage of theck of attention and hid in the trunk.


    The space in the trunk wasn¡¯trge, and even with Vivian¡¯s slender figure, she had to curl up with her legs tucked in. She couldn¡¯t turn over; any significant movement would make noise and could lead to the failure of her escape. But prolonged immobility was numbing her body.


    Vivian was tired, feeling a stifling pain in her chest that only eased with deep breaths. Cold sweat started toyer her forehead. She held her chest and passed out amidst the jolts of the car.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know how long she had been unconscious. In a haze, she seemed to hear her mother¡¯s crying, her father¡¯s roaring like thunder, and Vilem¡¯s faint sighs.


    It¡¯s over. Vivian thought. She had still been caught.


    jos¡¯s face was pitch ck. The engagement ceremony was in two days, and the girl who was to be engaged to him was crying and unwilling to marry him, even risking danger to escape, almost suffocating in his trunk!


    This was a great humiliation for any man, especially since he was the Capo of Houston with many followers in the mafia.


    His dignity told him to call off the engagement and leave this humiliating ce immediately, but his responsibility as Capo demanded he stay. Houston had been under constant attack, his followers were getting injured and dying, and Houston needed Los Angeles¡¯ help. Breaking ties with Los Angeles would do him no good now.


    But if he could tolerate this, to make amends for Vivian¡¯s mistake, Bryson wouldpensate him with more benefits, supplies, weapons, elites¡­ Los Angeles had plenty, but Houston was in dire need.


    jos clenched his fists, the veins on the back of his hands bulging due to the force.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    His brother Simpson was leaning against the door frame with his arms folded, hisplexion not much better, watching Bryson rage with fury, calcting the same thoughts as jos.


    To appease the Hargrave brothers¡¯ anger and maintain the alliance between Los Angeles and Houston, Bryson ceded more interests to Hargrave, including increasing the elite troops from the original 15 to 30.


    This was allter told to Vivian by Vilem.


    After Vivian woke up from hera, Bryson raged at her, and her ceramic roly-poly toy was shattered in his fury. After that day, Bryson neverappeared again in Vivian¡¯s room, but Vivian could hear from the other side of the corridor, the sounds of beating and cryinging from her parents¡¯ room.


    ¡°Because of your stupidity, mother has suffered punishments she didn¡¯t deserve, her misery is all caused by you,¡± Joseph said, looking as if he wanted to smash his fist into Vivian¡¯s head.


    ¡°Joseph!¡± Vilem defended his sister¡¯s safety, ¡°Don¡¯t speak to Vivian like that.¡±


    ¡°She should know the consequences her stupidity and immaturity have brought upon Los Angeles and mother,¡± Joseph red at Vivian as if looking at a dead person, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the need of a healthy bride at the engagement banquet, do you think she could still sit here crying?¡±


    ¡°Put away your foolish kindness, Vilem,¡± Joseph said coldly, ¡°This woman is as selfish as we are, for her ridiculous freedom, we lost the benefits we deserved.¡±


    Joseph angrily left Vivian¡¯s room, mming the door with such force that it made a huge noise.


    Vivian¡¯s body trembled with fear, and she wept on Vilem¡¯s shoulder, regretting her attempt to flee. She had been too impulsive; her unprepared escape had put her in a passive position. Her father¡¯s guard on her was stricter, and her mother had suffered her father¡¯s interrogations because of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m really so useless,¡± Vivian said in pain.


    Two dayster, the day of the engagement finally arrived. Her mother opened her suitcase, rummaged through her wardrobe, but didn¡¯t find her diamond red dress.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, it¡¯s now in Los Angeles,¡± Vivian said with red eyes, telling the truth, ¡°I never brought it here.¡±


    Bryson smashed a ss in anger, ¡°Do you think the engagement will be canceled without that dress?¡±


    Yes, the engagement wouldn¡¯t be canceled without that dress, and Vivian¡¯s actions seemed so ridiculous to Bryson. He was so angry because he felt Vivian¡¯s behavior was an outlet for her dissatisfaction, a rebellion against him, a challenge to his authority, and this realization made Bryson uncontroble in his rage.


    He was the Capo of Los Angeles, his dignity not to be challenged, his authority not to be questioned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry jos, I don¡¯t want this engagement!¡±


    Such resistance was futile. A new gown was quickly delivered, it was more beautiful, more morous, and more revealing than Vivian¡¯s diamond red dress. The deep red, low-cut gown perfectly showcased her corbones and cleavage. Her mother did her makeup exquisitely, and her golden wavy hair cascaded down like sunshine on the waves.

 Chapter 9

    Vivian stood in front of the mirror, slipping into the red high heels that Bryson had meticulously prepared for her. She observed her reflection with red lips, dressed to exude a mature and seductive charm. Everyone marveled at her beauty, everyone except Vivian herself, who felt as cheap as a prostitute.


    She was certain this wasn¡¯t the look she liked, but it was what men preferred. Men fancied exquisite, pretty, sexy women with height, but that wasn¡¯t her, not the real her.


    She was just a perfectly wrapped gift, soon to be delivered by her father to the Hargrave family, to jos.


    ¡°You really are beautiful, Vivian,¡± her mother said as she embraced her, wiping away tears and gently stroking her hair. She blessed her sincerely: ¡°You will be happy.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian sobbed, covering her face. She was terrified, for the arranged marriage with the Hargrave family was another inescapable cage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Vivian. All girls must get married. jos will make a good husband, and your father wouldn¡¯t harm you,¡± Tasneem counseled, unable to help Vivian escape this arranged marriage. Perhaps to her, jos truly was a good match.


    ¡°After the engagement party, we¡¯ll return to Los Angeles, but Vilem will stay with you. You won¡¯t be too lonely. Take care of yourself and don¡¯t be sad. We will meet again one day,¡± Tasneem whispered, hugging her. ¡°Take care of yourself, promise me, okay?¡±


    ¡°I will, mom. You take care of yourself too.¡± Vivian knew no one could save her from the arrangements her father had made. She could only walk step by step into the marriage cage he had built for her, dressed in the gorgeous red dress.


    Bryson valued this engagement party highly; it was the most important alliance between the Los Angeles and Houston mafias, promising unimaginable andsting benefits. For this, he had dressed Vivian with great care, attempting to make her the most beautiful girl of the day. And of course, he had seeded.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    To signify his importance, he donned his most expensive and finest suit, as did Joseph and Vilem. They shed their robber¡¯s aura, dressing like gentlemen.


    Tasneem, arm-in-arm with her husband, looked beautiful today in a light purple dress, elegant and dignified. The pearls on her ne, each full and round, perfectly framed her graceful and slender neck.


    She also had beautiful golden hair, the epitome of a gracefuldy of status. But Bryson seemed angry; he disliked the purple dress Tasneem wore, even though it was her favorite color.


    Vivian averted her eyes quietly, staring nkly at her fingers.


    That was her father, the Capo-rough, cruel, dictatorial.


    Would jos be like her father? Would she end up like her mother?


    Vivian was scared. Scared of bing like her mother, scared of losing her freedom, scared of being trapped forever in the Capo¡¯s prison.


    She feared an unhappy life.


    The car silently carried them towards the Hargrave mansion. The closer they got, the more nervous Vivian became.


    Vilem, worried, took her hand, which was sweaty with nervousness. ¡°Vivian¡­ let¡¯s run away.¡±


    Vilem opened his mouth but uttered no sound. He knew how absurd this idea was. Joseph was in charge of guarding them, ensuring no unusual behavior, making escape impossible.


    Vilem was saddened, unable to save his sister.


    Vivian was also sad. She squeezed Vilem¡¯s hand back, wanting to tell him, ¡°I¡¯m okay, I can do this, it¡¯s alright.¡± But she couldn¡¯t lie to herself; she wasn¡¯t okay, she couldn¡¯t do this, she wanted to escape.


    The Hargrave mansion was vast. Vivian had learned from her father that it belonged to jos¡¯s aunt, Mrs. Yazmin, who looked so elegant and noble today.


    ¡°Beautiful girl, wee,¡± said Mrs. Yazmin, not stinting in expressing her affection with a hug.


    The Hargrave brothers, apanying their aunt, waited at the door. The guests had all arrived, looking on in awe and envy at the warmly received family, whispering among themselves, their probing gazes lingering on Vivian, making her ufortable.


    She felt like amb awaiting ughter.


    ¡°You look really beautiful today,¡± Simpson whispered intimately into her ear, his demeanor showing no hint of the anger from two days ago. ¡°Dear sister-inw, you truly surprise me.¡±


    Simpson was too close forfort, his masculine presence enveloping her. Vivian¡¯s face heated up as she stepped back to get a clear view of Simpson¡¯s face-he was indeed very tall.


    Vivian estimated him to be sixfeet four inches tall, and jos was likely a few inches taller, about the same height as her brother Joseph. Even in heels, she only came up to their shoulders; their stature was like a mountain to her.


    This displeased Vivian. She too longed for the towering height of models in magazines.


    ¡°My beauty is not for you,¡± Vivian said. She had to admit that Simpson was tall and handsome, with deep brown eyes and brown hair, a high nose that lent depth to his features, and a smile that gave him a roguish charm.


    No one could refuse a dashing nobleman, but Vivian knew he wasn¡¯t as approachable as he seemed. He too was a Made Man, and he too could take up a gun to kill.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Simpson replied, unfazed by Vivian¡¯s rejection. ¡°Today you belong to my brother, jos.¡±


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for you to join him,¡± Simpson said, directing her to where jos stood, surrounded by many people, both men and women.


    jos was also a handsome man, his features even sharper, nose hawk-like, lips thin and cold, he already possessed the authority and presence of a Capo.


    He held a ss of wine, his eyes, simr to Simpson¡¯s, fixed intently on Vivian, emitting a re that frightened her.


    He was waiting for Vivian toe to him.


    Swallowing nervously, Vivian moved her feet, slowly making her way to where he stood before his patience ran out.


    jos drained his ss in one gulp as Vivian approached, and she had to tilt her head slightly to meet his gaze. Her long eyshes quivered, her sea-blue eyes clearly showing fear, but she still tried to hold his gaze.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Hargrave,¡± Vivian said, aware of the gasps around her, the men¡¯s veiled praises, and the women¡¯s undisguised jealousy. A strange emotion welled up inside her, prompting her to puff out her chest and face her fiance¡¯s scrutiny with stunning grace.


    But she couldn¡¯t hold out for even a minute. jos¡¯s gaze was too aggressive, as if she were a piece of meat to be devoured.


    Vivian stepped back, but jos suddenly reached out and pulled her in, his sturdy arm wrapping around her waist, drawing her into his embrace, ¡°I am pleased, you are still so beautiful today, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°Now, pleasee with me.¡±

 Chapter 10

    jos wrapped his arms around her waist, unmistakably leading her upstairs without room for refusal.


    The chatter from downstairs was crystal clear. Vivian tried to pull away from jos¡¯s grasp, but he wouldn¡¯t allow it, taking her deeper into the building until the voices below faded away, ensuring no one woulde to disturb them.


    Today, jos was dressed in a ck suit with a red bow tie, and his brown hair appeared meticulously styled into a handsome look.


    He seemed in high spirits, and even the scar on his temple no longer looked menacing. His gaze, lowered from Vivian¡¯s angle, carried a tender desire.


    ¡°This is a gift I prepared for you, I hope you will like it,¡± jos said, pulling a square ck velvet box from his suit pocket. Vivian didn¡¯t need to guess its contents.


    A wave of fear surged within her, and she thought of escape.


    jos wouldn¡¯t let her flee. He grabbed her hand firmly, opened the small box, and revealed the diamond ring inside.


    The ring was custom-made, exuding elegance with a diamond the size of a pigeon¡¯s egg that glittered expensively,pelling Vivian to look away.


    It was the mostvish and seductive prison in the world. If Vivian reached out her hand, she¡¯d be ensnared, belonging to another man and no longer to herself.


    ¡°No, no,¡± Vivian recoiled, attempting to withdraw her hand, ¡°It¡¯s too expensive, it doesn¡¯t suit me.¡±


    ¡°No, it suits you perfectly,¡± jos insisted, presenting the ring to her, ¡°Its value matches your beauty.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too costly,¡± Vivian tried pulling her hand back as jos¡¯s strength overwhelmed her, and she felt an urge to cry.


    ¡°You deserve the best,¡± jos said as he slid the ring onto her finger, ¡°You are my fiancee, a good girl.¡±


    ¡°No, I am not, you shouldn¡¯t be so kind to me,¡± Vivian, looking at the ring on her hand, tears fell onto the back of jos¡¯s hand.


    jos gently wiped away her tears.


    He was so gentle that Vivian almost believed they were in love.


    But looking into jos¡¯s eyes, she saw tenderness, joy, and desire, but no love.


    jos did not love her.


    Indeed, they were not well-acquainted, let alone in love.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so kind and merciful to me if you don¡¯t love me, let me see that you are not a good man.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am not a good man,¡± jos admitted without any burden, acknowledging his impure intentions, ¡°You are my fiancee, Vivian, your father has agreed to give you to me, he has affirmed my status to everyone.¡±


    ¡°And this ring, with its expense and rarity, proves my power to people. I am wealthy and I have rights. I am the new Capo of Houston, and I must show my value to my followers, no one can shake my position.¡±


    jos should have given Vivian a kiss, but he did not. He sensed her fear. However, he was willing to be patient with Vivian, because, unwittingly, she had secured many advantages for him, allowing Houston to gain a brief upper hand in cooperation with Los Angeles, providing them with a chance to breathe.


    ¡°My beautiful fiancee, are you ready to go downstairs with me and announce our new status?¡± jos extended his hand, palm up, and asked solemnly, ¡°Are you prepared, Vivian?¡±


    Vivian looked down at his broad, rough hand, a scar from a knife crossing his palm, the tough calluses like engravings in his flesh, beyond eradication. It was the hand of a killer.


    This was not the hand she dreamed of.


    This was not her beloved man.


    Nor was she the woman jos loved.


    This was a loveless union, an alliance without affection, and she would not be happy.


    But what could she do? Vivian couldn¡¯t escape; all she could do was ce her hand in jos¡¯s, allowing him to shackle her with heavy chains.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian tried to calm her emotions, ¡°I hope I am ready.¡±


    jos said nothing more, satisfied with Vivian¡¯spliance, which indicated a smooth engagement.


    jos took Vivian¡¯s hand and escorted her to meet the eyes of the crowd below, filled with awe, shock, and blessings. Standing side by side, they announced their engagement to everyone.


    ¡°Thank you all foring, I am deeply honored by your presence. My father, Kamden Hargrave, was a great man, a powerful Capo of Houston, but unfortunately, we have lost him forever. As a result, I must take his ce and lead Houston to a stronger future, unshakeable by anyone.¡±


    ¡°Here, Iparticrly want to thank Los Angeles for their assistance. Houston and Los Angeles will be the firmest of allies, unshakable by anyone. At the same time, I want to announce some good news.¡± jos raised my hand in the crowd¡¯s gaze, revealing our engagement ring, ¡°I will marry Vivian Jones, and our wedding will be held next month.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s short notice, and the announcement is sudden, but I still look forward to everyone attending our wedding. Invitations will be distributed to you all by tomorrow.¡±


    After jos finished speaking, a thunderous apuse erupted from the crowd; they all seemed happier than Vivian.


    ¡°Is your wedding dress ready?¡± jos asked amidst the apuse.


    Vivian shook her head, devoid of enthusiasm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have my cousin Luziae over; she¡¯s well-acquainted with Houston and will know some excellent ces.¡± jos said, ¡°She will surely help you find the most satisfying wedding dress.¡±


    Vivian wanted to refuse, ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    ¡°From now on, he will be your bodyguard.¡± jos didn¡¯t want to hear Vivian¡¯s refusal and took her aside to introduce her new bodyguard, ¡°Mare is one of the most formidable and capable soldiers in Houston, I trust him, and he will protect you well, don¡¯t be afraid, Vivian.¡±


    Vivian looked at Mare, uncertain of what to say, as jos had no idea what she was truly afraid of. Mare couldn¡¯t protect her from that.


    ¡°We are engaged now, Vivian, I hope you are prepared.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For our wedding night,¡± jos said, ¡°I believe your mother must have told you about these matters, Vivian, it¡¯s time for you to grow up.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian blushed, feeling embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯m not ready yet.¡±


    ¡°You will be,¡± jos dismissed her embarrassment; it was a necessary process, Vivian needed to bear him an heir, a guarantee to solidify their alliance.


    jos¡¯s indifference and dominance left Vivian in despair, echoing her mother¡¯s fate, her freedom slipping away.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I will end up like my mother, a husband¡¯s essory, a ve to power, unable to attend university, to continue my musical theater, my life filled with pain and fear,¡± Vivian wept on Vilem¡¯s shoulder.


    Capos are without love; they do not fall in love with anyone. Wives, sons, daughters, they are merely tools in their hands, for bearing children, fighting, forming alliances; such is their worth.

 Chapter 11

    jos would make a qualified Capo, Father had once said.


    Vivian never doubted her father¡¯s words; she was deeply convinced that the Capo would never fall in love with her. Even if she bared her breasts and spread her legs to entice him, it was destined that she would not receive even a trace of his love.


    ¡°I will be jos¡¯s wife, a tool for bearing his heirs, but I will never be his lover.¡± This realization was suffocating, and Vivian felt nauseous.


    Vilem soothed her by patting her back, gently singing a popr song from the streets of Los Angeles in her ear. Vivian closed her eyes to his singing, trying to feel the breeze blowing over the Los Angeles River.


    She wanted to go back to Los Angeles.


    ¡­


    The engagement party was over, and Vivian returned to her Golden Hill apartment, escorted by Vilem and Mare. Bryson, Tasneem, and Joseph did note back with them; they had left Yazmin¡¯s vi to catch a private ne back to Los Angeles.


    Now, only she and Vilem remained.


    The apartment was terrifyingly silent. Vivian sat on her bed, the red dress she had taken off spread at her feet. She hugged her legs, eyes fixed on the floor, while faint footsteps came from the next room.


    Mare was moving around-his room was right next to Vivian¡¯s. He would stay here to protect Vivian until her wedding night with jos.


    The sky was darkening. When it turnedpletely dark, Golden Hill apartment was utterly still. This silence was heavy, suffocating. Vivian sank into the darkness, a feeling all too familiar to her.


    She often experienced this terrifying silence in the mansion in Los Angeles, where she lived on the second floor with her parents¡¯ room across the corridor. On every quiet night, she could hear the terrible soundsing from her parents¡¯ room-her father¡¯s heavy breathing and her mother¡¯s sobbing echoing in her ears, a sight she had once glimpsed.


    ¡°I hope you are prepared.¡±


    ¡°Our wedding night.¡±


    jos¡¯s deep voice resonated in the darkness, causing Vivian¡¯s body to shudder involuntarily. In the dim room, the image of her parents¡¯ entwined bodies haunted her mind.


    Vivian sat up abruptly, the thin fabric of her camisole failing to conceal her pale breasts, her breathsing in gasps, her body trembling with dread.


    It was terrifying.


    Vivian thought.


    jos hadn¡¯t done anything yet, but he had already taken control of her body, making her shiver for him, causing her insomnia.


    It was truly terrifying.


    Vivian slid back under the covers, burying her head in the pillow, telling herself to sleep quickly, to not lose sleep over jos-it was meaningless.


    Vilem woke up early; he had even had breakfast before Vivian had stirred. The doorbell rang, and he had no choice but to go upstairs to wake her.


    Mare was also up, watching silently as Vilem entered Vivian¡¯s room.


    Vivian did not know when she had fallen asleep, but she was awoken by Vilem with daylight streaming through her window. She sat up, stretched, her sleep not quite sufficient, leaving her feeling listless.


    ¡°You have a visitor,¡± Vilem said, ¡°a lovelydy.¡±


    Vilem¡¯s assessment of girls was either ¡®lovely¡¯ or ¡®beautiful¡¯; in his eyes, no girl was ugly, and if there was, it wasn¡¯t the girl¡¯s fault.


    From this perspective, Vilem was a qualified gentleman.


    ¡°Who?¡± Vivian, still groggy, tried to think with her not quite clear head and realized she had no friends in Houston.


    ¡°Can¡¯t help you there, I don¡¯t know her either,¡± Vilem had already left the room. ¡°You better hurry down, don¡¯t keep people waiting, it¡¯s rude.¡±


    Vivian had no choice but to get up, quickly washing up,bing her hair, changing clothes. She tied up her long hair, discarded the cumbersome gown and revealing dress, donned jeans and a white casual shirt withce trim, applied honey-colored lipstick, and rushed downstairs.


    Just like Vilem said, thedy who hade to visit her was very cute, with deep brown hair and brown eyes, a round, rosy face. She wasn¡¯t wearing too borate makeup or branded clothes, but her coffee drinking was graceful, and the just-right smile on her lips wasforting.


    This woman gave Vivian a very familiar feeling; she guessed that this woman was definitely not from an ordinary background-her family must have emphasized the cultivation of ady. At the same time, Vivian was sure she did not know this woman.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Luzia,¡± the woman said as Vivian appraised hercuriously, putting down her coffee, ¡°I¡¯m pleased to meet you, sister-inw.¡±


    Vivian felt a bit awkward, ¡°I¡¯m pleased to meet you too, Luzia. But I¡¯m not your sister-inw yet.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter? It¡¯s only a matter of time,¡± Luzia winked yfully.


    ¡°No, we haven¡¯t had the wedding yet,¡± Vivian insisted, ¡°You should just call me Vivian.¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Luzia pouted, seemingly a bit displeased, but she quickly forgot this and looked at Vivian with bright eyes, ¡°You know why I am here today, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Vivian looked at the breakfast with some difficulty, ¡°jos sent you to take me to buy a wedding dress.¡±


    ¡°Bingo!¡± Luzia pped her hands together excitedly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will help you find the most beautiful and suitable wedding dress. You will be the most beautiful bride, and jos will be mesmerized by you.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Vivian wanted to say she didn¡¯t need it, a wedding dress wouldn¡¯t make jos love her.


    Luzia noticed the untouched breakfast and realized she had been impolite, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so sorry foring over unannounced. If you¡¯re not ready, we can schedule it for another day.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Vivian finished her coffee, packed a sandwich in her bag, ¡°Please wait a moment for me, I need to speak with my brother.¡±


    Vivian hadn¡¯t forgotten Vilem¡¯s mission in Houston. Today, he would officially report to jos and begin serving under him.


    The war between the Mafia and Bratva was cruel; each sh resulted in deaths, people from both the Mafia and Bratva.


    Vilem saw Vivian¡¯s worry but was helpless; this was his duty as a Made Man, he could not refuse to fight.


    ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± Vivian hugged him with concern.


    ¡°I will,¡± Vilem returned the hug, whispering a blessing to her, ¡°Have fun.¡±


    After saying goodbye to Vilem, Vivian left the Golden Hill apartment with Luzia, Mare following them in silence.


    Luzia looked back at Mare, then at Vivian, whose face was marked with irritation, and asked in surprise, ¡°Did Mare upset you?¡±


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± Vivian shook her head, ¡°Actually, I would be annoyed with any bodyguard following me.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not freedom,¡± Vivian said sullenly, ¡°I don¡¯t need personal protection, I¡¯m safe here, Bratva can¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    ¡°No, Vivian, you have to understand that danger is always present,¡± Luzia tried to convince her, ¡°We are the Mafia; our enemies are not just Bratva but also traitors and harassers¡­ Mare can ensure your safety, he is a qualified bodyguard. Didn¡¯t you have bodyguards in Los Angeles?¡±

 Chapter 12

    ¡°No,¡± Vivian said, ¡°I attended an all-girls private school in Los Angeles, where my ssmates were all lovely girls. There were no traitors or harassers, and I didn¡¯t need a bodyguard to watch over me all the time-it made me feel unfree.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re angry with jos?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not angry with jos, really,¡± Vivian said, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to marry him.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Luzia was shocked and couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°jos is a powerful man. He possesses the kind of power and status many have never had. He could make you the respected Mrs. Capo. Why wouldn¡¯t you want to marry him?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t know him well; I¡¯m barely familiar with him.¡±


    ¡°What does that matter? After the wedding, once you¡¯ve shared a bed on your wedding night, seen each other¡¯s nakedness, you¡¯ll be familiar.¡±


    Vivian was frightened by Luzia¡¯s words. The dream from the previous night shed in her mind-naked men and women, intertwined bodies, heavy breathing, and moans¡­


    Vivian¡¯s face turned pale and then blushed, ¡°It¡¯s different. He¡¯s a Capo.¡±


    ¡°So what if he¡¯s Capo?¡± Luzia was actually envious. jos was handsome and well-built, wealthy and powerful-a dream husband for many women. ¡°Like I said, Capo¡¯s wealth can afford you a very luxurious life. His power can protect you from any harm. He¡¯s the ideal marriage partner.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no love with Capo,¡± Vivian shook her head, ¡°He won¡¯t fall in love with me, won¡¯t give me freedom.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t have freedom now,¡± Luzia sighed, ¡°Our lives have been arranged from the start. Born into such families, women¡¯s fates are tied to men. We don¡¯t have freedom, and we don¡¯t need love.¡±


    It was then that Vivian noticed the wedding ring on her hand, ¡°Luzia¡­¡±


    Luzia looked at Vivian and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be too idealistic about love, it will only bring you pain.¡±


    ¡°We were born into this family, loved by our parents, protected by the n. Everything we have is given by the family. Our marriages are not for love but for the family. The family needs our marriages, for these unions to bring benefits to the family, to form strong alliances.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I want.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to be what you want; it¡¯s what the family wants.¡±


    Vivian felt like crying, ¡°You¡¯re too cruel, Luzia.¡±


    Luzia embraced Vivian, ¡°Because I¡¯ve been through it.¡±


    ¡°Will jos let me go to school?¡± Vivian asked, ¡°He said he wouldn¡¯t restrict me from going to college.¡±


    ¡°But you might not be able to attend sses,¡± Luzia couldn¡¯t give her a definite answer, ¡°He won¡¯t allow other men near you.¡±


    ¡°I want to learn music and dance drama,¡± Vivian sighed, ¡°There won¡¯t be a stage for me at the Metropolitan Opera House, will there?¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Luzia replied with difficulty.


    Vivian was in pain.


    Luzia said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up.¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault,¡± Vivian said, ¡°This is my fate. I can¡¯t control my destiny.¡±


    ¡°No woman can control her own destiny. I couldn¡¯t control mine,¡± Luzia said, ¡°Do you know my husband? He died. They say he died protecting Uncle Camden. He¡¯s a hero in Houston.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Vivian didn¡¯t know why she was apologizing, ¡°It must have been hard for you.¡±


    ¡°I was a woman given to him by the family; we didn¡¯t love each other.¡± Luzia took Vivian to the car. They sat in the back while Mare automatically sat in front. He didn¡¯t look back at them, but Vivian knew he was attentive to them.


    ¡°Getting along is important,¡± Luzia continued, ¡°Through gradual interaction, we respected each other, and I slowly grew fond of him. He probably liked me too. But what¡¯s the use? He¡¯s dead, and I¡¯m a widow.¡±


    The car started, and the scenery outside the window shed by. Vivian didn¡¯t know where they were going. Everything in Houston seemed so strange to her.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead, I have no children, but my value remains,¡± Luzia looked out the window, ¡°One day, if jos needs to, he will send me away without hesitation. This is my fate.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re already very lucky. My husband was an interesting person; jos is a handsome man. They¡¯re young and attractive. Some people don¡¯t have our luck. My sister, for instance, she was given to a man forty years her senior, old and ugly, I almost vomited from disgust.¡±


    Vivian hooked her finger, and Luzia smiled at her brightly, ¡°Alright, today is about choosing your wedding dress, so please be a little happier, okay?¡±


    Vivian managed a faint smile, but it was difficult for her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that,¡± Luzia hugged her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to a boutique bridal shop, my secret treasure. It¡¯s run by a Famiglia,¡± Luzia¡¯s eyes sparkled almost with greed, ¡°All Italian-imported handcrafted dresses, from the world¡¯s top designers, you¡¯ll definitely be satisfied.¡±


    Vivian was worried, ¡°These dresses must be very expensive.¡± She didn¡¯t want to prepare an overly extravagant dress for a wedding she wasn¡¯t looking forward to; it would make her feel even cheaper.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the cost,¡± Luzia pulled out a ck card from her purse, ¡°jos gave this to me, he said to use it for whatever you like.¡±


    Luzia winked, trying to curry favor with Vivian on behalf of jos, ¡°jos cares about how you feel; he wants you to be happy.¡±


    Vivian shook her head, ¡°What I want isn¡¯t expensive gowns, he doesn¡¯t understand me.¡±


    The sound of Luzia opening the door alerted the people inside, and a middle-aged woman came out to greet them.


    ¡°Luzia, dear, it¡¯s been so long since you¡¯ve been here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Nirupama,¡± Luzia returned Nirupama¡¯s kiss affectionately, ¡°I¡¯m d you remembered me.¡±


    Nirupama hugged her, expressing regret, ¡°I heard about Paavo¡¯s passing, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past, Nirupama,¡± Luzia pushed Vivian in front of Nirupama, ¡°Today I¡¯m here with this beautiful bride-to-be to buy a wedding dress. She¡¯s interested in the one in the window. Could we take it out for a try?¡±

 Chapter 13

    ¡°Of course, my dear,¡± Nirupama said as she put on her reading sses, delighted that Vivian took an interest in her dress. ¡°I¡¯ll go get it for you right away.¡±


    The wedding dress was truly beautiful, shimmering under the lights. Vivian affectionately stroked itsce. The train was long, and although Nirupama assisted her, Vivian still struggled a bit to put it on.


    Vivian walked to the mirror and could clearly see the amazement in Nirupama¡¯s eyes. She hadn¡¯t expected to look so good in the wedding dress-she was glowing, almost like a different person.


    ¡°Putting this on will make it even more perfect.¡± Luzia stepped forward to arrange her hair, cing the headpiece and veil while holding her face in awe. ¡°jos will be mesmerized by you. No, any man who witnesses your beauty will be captivated.¡±


    ¡°You really are beautiful,¡± Nirupama added. ¡°This dress seems like it was tailor-made for you.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian touched the wedding dress she was wearing; the beautiful garment lifted her spirits. ¡°I really like it.¡±


    The bell at the entrance of the bridal shop chimed, and Vivian looked towards the door. A cute girl with two braided pigtails and a wide-brimmed sun hat walked in. She wore a chiffon blouse paired with a cotton A-line skirt, holding a pink designer bag in front of her, looking both casual and elegant.


    Upon seeing Luzia, the girl let out an exaggerated gasp, ¡°Luzia, it really is you!¡±


    Luzia, with a smile on her face at the urate call of her name, stepped forward and exchanged a warm hug with her. ¡°Did youe to find me, Shelley?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Shelley said. ¡°I was shopping. Passing by Nirupama¡¯s bridal shop, I noticed a car that looked like it belonged to the Hargrave family, so I came in to see if it was you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Luzia stepped back from Shelley and naturally took Vivian¡¯s hand. ¡°Let me share some good news; this is my sister-inw, jos¡¯s fiancee, Vivian, our future Mrs. Hargrave.¡±


    ¡°Miss Vivian, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Shelley Benoist.¡± Shelley gracefully lifted her skirt. ¡°This wedding dress is really beautiful.¡±


    Shelley sincerelyplimented Vivian¡¯s beauty with a gentle and submissive look in her eyes. She seemed like a gentle and lovely girl, but for some reason, Vivian sensed hostility in her gaze.


    Vivian took a step back quietly. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Beautiful clothes can make one feel confident,¡± Shelley said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s how an ugly duckling turns into a swan.¡±


    Luzia frowned. ¡°Shelley!¡±


    ¡°The ugly duckling didn¡¯t be a swan because it was beautiful; it was always a swan.¡± Vivian headed to the dressing room. ¡°Even without the beautiful feathers, an ugly duckling is still a swan.¡±


    ¡°Shelley, she¡¯s ady from the Jones family, jos¡¯s fiancee, not someone you can provoke at will.¡± Once Vivian closed the door of the dressing room, Luzia¡¯s face turned stern. ¡°Please show her the respect she deserves.¡±


    Shelley bit her lip. ¡°I heard she didn¡¯t want to marry jos, that she even fled from Lady Yazmin¡¯s estate to avoid it, causing trouble in Los Angeles.¡±


    ¡°But she also brought great benefits to Houston. jos isn¡¯t a fool. He¡¯s willing to ept her even after she did something that trampled on his dignity, which shows her value.¡± Luzia warned Shelley in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t try to challenge Vivian again. She¡¯s someone jos needs to protect.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t ept that.¡± Shelley¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°The Benoist family has been the most loyal followers of the Hargraves. My father and brother support jos¡¯s rule over Houston, and I¡­¡±


    ¡°An alliance with the powerful Los Angeles is the only way to help Houston out of trouble,¡± Luzia looked at Shelley. ¡°These are jos¡¯s own words.¡±


    Shelley¡¯s eyes widened, andrge tears rolled down. No one could change the Capo¡¯s will; his engagement to Vivian was set in stone.


    A beautiful wedding dress could indeed temporarily make one forget their sorrows, but once it was taken off and the everyday clothes were back on, the feeling of being unable to control one¡¯s fate enveloped Vivian again.


    If she weren¡¯t marrying the Capo¡­


    Vivian didn¡¯t want to continue the thought.


    She feared she might burst into tears on the spot.


    After changing back into her clothes, Vivian stepped out tofind Shelley no longer in the bridal shop. She approached Luzia, seeking Shelley¡¯s whereabouts with her eyes.


    ¡°She went shopping, had an appointment with her sisters,¡± Luzia said with a smile. ¡°Let Nirupama take your measurements, the dress seems a bitrge.¡±


    Nirupama came with a tape measure to help Vivian with her sizing. She nned to make appropriate alterations to the wedding dress ording to Vivian¡¯s measurements, to better fit her figure and enhance her graceful curves.


    ¡°It¡¯s just wonderful,¡± Nirupama eximed again. ¡°Our Capo is about to have a lovely and beautiful bride. It¡¯s so exciting.¡±


    ¡°After the adjustments, call this number.¡± Once the measurements were taken, Luzia handed Nirupama a piece of paper with a phone number on it. ¡°jos will send someone to pick up the dress.¡±


    Meanwhile, Vivian was flipping through the register on the counter. She saw her name and the price tag of her wedding dress.


    ¡°Sixty thousand dors?¡± Vivian gasped in shock, eximing, ¡°That¡¯s too expensive, it¡¯s not right¡­¡±


    Vivian wanted to stop Luzia from swiping her card, but she was a moment toote; Luzia had already paid.


    Luzia was pleased to havepleted the task assigned to her by jos. ¡°What does it matter? You¡¯re his wife; spending his money is only natural.¡± Luzia¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at Vivian, probably pleased on behalf of jos. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s more than willing to spend on you. You really do look stunning in that dress. He¡¯ll be so eager to have you, to tear off your clothes and devour you¡­¡±


    This was too frightening. Vivian couldn¡¯t bear to listen. She covered Luzia¡¯s mouth, shaking her head, begging her not to say any more.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think this wedding dress is particrly suited for me, let¡¯s look for another,¡± Vivian said, her gaze flitting about in panic. ¡°Maybe I can try that one, or this one here.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Vivian, I¡¯ve already paid,¡± Luzia said as she and Nirupama said their goodbyes, leading an anxious Vivian out of the bridal shop. ¡°jos doesn¡¯tck sixty thousand dors, and neither do you. It really suits you; there¡¯s no need to look for another.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°We have plenty of time. How about we find a ce to have a cup of coffee?¡± Luzia suggested excitedly.


    Mare looked at her silently.


    Luzia reluctantly gave up the idea. ¡°OK, I guess we should head back.¡±


    Luzia got into the car first.


    Mare helped Vivian with the car door. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Vivian shook her head. ¡°I really want to go for a walk.¡±


    Mare looked troubled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must ensure your safety.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back,¡± Vivian said, shaking her head and stepping back, her eyes red. ¡°It¡¯s suffocating there; it will kill me.¡±

 Chapter 14

    ¡°Please calm down,¡± Mare blocked her path, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to make you cry, but I have to take you back now, Mr. Hargrave will be worried about you.¡±


    ¡°Why do you listen to him so obediently?¡± Vivian pleaded unwillingly, ¡°I just want to be alone for a while; I don¡¯t want to return to that cage so soon.¡± Indeed, the Golden Hill Apartment felt like a prison to her, and she was truly fed up.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I am Mr. Hargrave¡¯s soldier,¡± Mare said, ¡°I will always be loyal to Mr. Hargrave.¡±


    ¡°You should say that to him,¡± Vivian sniffled, visibly upset, ¡°Anyway, I am not happy at all.¡± Everyone around her was jos¡¯s man, all helping jos to watch and control her.


    jos had always been in control of her freedom.


    Luzia sat in the car, ncing over frequently, looking concerned as Vivian appeared very sad.


    Vivian still showed no intention of getting into the car. Mare did not urge her, nor did he want to let her wander too far. They maintained a distance of 2 feet from the car at all times.


    Vivian was troubled; she sat on a bench on the side of the street, facing a leisure za. At the fountain, someone was feeding pigeons. A dog ran over, and the pigeons scattered in a flutter.


    ¡°How long have you been with him?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± Mare replied, ¡°Too long.¡± People are always insensitive to the passage of time, but when they look back, a lot of time has gone by.


    ¡°Will he fall in love with me?¡±


    Mare was silent for a moment, ¡°Capo doesn¡¯t need love.¡±


    Everyone told her that.


    She understood it well herself.


    Love is a weakness, and Capo doesn¡¯t need weaknesses, nor can he have them.


    jos was destined not to give her what she wanted.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Mare lifted his hand; he seemed about to touch Vivian¡¯s hair but quickly realized it was inappropriate and withdrew his hand, ¡°I am here to protect you; no one can hurt you, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°No one can hurt me?¡± Vivianughed, a mockingugh, ¡°Not even jos?¡±


    ¡°Why would he want to hurt you?¡± Mare was astonished, ¡°He¡¯s your husband; he won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    ¡°But he will consume me.¡± Vivian took a breath, her nose red, ¡°Luzia said that as soon as I put on that wedding dress, jos will go crazy, he will hurt me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not called hurting,¡± Mare struggled to exin, ¡°Maybe he really will go crazy, but he won¡¯t hurt you, you have to believe that he can control himself.¡±


    Vivian shook her head, ¡°You don¡¯t understand at all.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t love him; I don¡¯t want to sleep with him.¡± Let alone be the tool for bearing his heir. Her life would be devoid of light.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Mare frowned deeply, ¡°You are his wife; he has the right to have you¡­¡±


    Under Vivian¡¯s re, Mare had to close his mouth.


    ¡­


    The ride back was silent. Luzia sneaked nces at Vivian several times; her eyes were red, and she could not cheer up.


    Luzia wanted to talk to Vivian, but Vivian was not in the mood.


    Luzia fiddled with her fingers, not sure how tofort Vivian; after all, it¡¯s very normal for married couples to make love, as thew allows.


    As soon as Vivian returned to the apartment, she went into her room andy on the bed, not wanting to move.


    Luzia was supposed to go home, but she didn¡¯t want to leave and expressed her desire to stay close to Vivian.


    Remembering the wedding ring on her finger and their simr fates, Vivian couldn¡¯t bear to refuse her and generously shared half the bed with her.


    ¡°Are you still thinking about the wedding night?¡± Luzia embraced her, ¡°Why are you so afraid?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be afraid either.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that scary. You just need to lie on the bed, and leave the rest to him,¡± Luzia propped her head on her hand, ¡°He will bring you pleasure; you just need to cooperate with him.¡±


    ¡°Uh, it might hurt a bit the first time,¡± Luzia thought and said, ¡°But the second and third times will be better; you¡¯ll start to enjoy the feeling.¡±


    ¡°That sounds terrifying,¡± Vivian said in horror, expressing that she could not understand, ¡°Why would anyone like such a scary thing.¡±


    ¡°Why do so many people seek one-night stands?¡± Luzia revealed the answer, ¡°Because sex is inherently pleasurable.¡±


    ¡°If the person is a handsomehunk, like jos, just the thought can be exciting,¡± Luzia suggested Vivian close her eyes, ¡°Kissing, caressing, rolling, rhythm, panting, climax¡­ I guarantee, you¡¯lle to like this feeling.¡±


    The entwined bodies from her dreams still haunted Vivian¡¯s mind; she couldn¡¯t imagine herself lying on the bed like the woman in her dreams, at the mercy of a man¡¯s rough and savage ravishing. It would drive her insane.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s too horrible,¡± Vivian shuddered, shaking violently, ¡°We hardly know each other, we don¡¯t even have love.¡±


    ¡°One-night stands don¡¯t have love either, but they still find pleasure,¡± Luzia shook her head, ¡°Vivian you can¡¯t be like this, you¡¯re too fixated on love, your family doesn¡¯t allow you to have love, and you¡¯re powerless to change that, that¡¯s the source of your pain.¡±


    ¡°Dear, forget about it, it will only make you more miserable,¡± Luzia hugged her tight, ¡°You should enjoy the wealth, power, and honor our respected Capo brings you, not fear him.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to, I¡¯m not willing¡­¡±


    ¡°He will bring you pleasure; you will love the feeling of climax,¡± Luzia closed her eyes, ¡°Men are born to please women, especially in bed. Being able to quickly bring a woman to the pleasure of climax is their bragging right among their peers; they are very experienced.¡±


    ¡°Does that include jos?¡± Vivian wiped the corner of her eyes, her fingertips wet, ¡°Has he been with many women?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to tell you no, but in fact, I can name several,¡± Luzia opened her brown eyes, gazing at the ceiling, ¡°Which one to start with? My once good friend Sophia had an affair with him, by the time I found out they had already slept together. Sophia even boasted to me about it; she said jos was the most valiant and enduring among the men she¡¯d been with, his vigor wasn¡¯t limited to his leadership.¡±


    Vivian gasped, the only thought in her mind, I¡¯m finished.


    She sighed and said, ¡°Thank you, I don¡¯t feel muchfort.¡±


    Luzia covered her mouth andughed, ¡°Although jos is fierce and rough, he indeed can bring unimaginable pleasure to a woman.¡±


    ¡°Stop talking,¡± Vivian regretted it, she shouldn¡¯t have discussed this with Luzia.


    Luzia was in high spirits, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, Vivian, the wedding night wille sooner orter.¡±


    ¡°I want to run away.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t escape,¡± Luzia said regretfully, ¡°Mare will protect you until the wedding night.¡±


    Vivian felt powerless, ¡°I¡¯m starting to dislike Mare.¡±


    ¡°Disliking Mare is of no use, he listens to jos,¡± Luzia patted her back, ¡°If your husband can¡¯t have you on the wedding night, you will be med, and your family will be ridiculed.¡±

 Chapter 15

    ¡°Will jos make our rtionship public?¡±


    ¡°No, the family will test your chastity in their own way.¡±


    ¡°Test?¡± Vivian was startled, ¡°How will they test? Will theye and watch us in bed? Or will they spread my legs and look¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so scared; it¡¯s not what you think, it¡¯s the sheets. Didn¡¯t people used to say that a virgin bleeds the first time? They will take the bedsheet the day after the wedding night to see if there¡¯s blood on it.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°Will there be a lot of blood?¡±


    ¡°Times have changed, science has progressed,¡± Luzia consoled her, ¡°People now understand that even a virgin might not bleed the first time. Taking the bedsheet is just a formality; it doesn¡¯t really mean anything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for yourfort, Luzia.¡± Vivian leaned against Luzia. Her fear did not subside with Luzia¡¯sfort, but she was still grateful for Luzia¡¯s guidance andpany.


    ¡°It¡¯s sad. I was born into an indifferent family, and now I¡¯m marrying into another indifferent one. I long for love, but perhaps I¡¯ll never have it in my life,¡± Vivian said, choking up, ¡°If I weren¡¯t Vivian Jones¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that, Vivian. Compared to many unfortunate people in this world, we are already very lucky. jos might not give you love, but he can give you much more. He will regard you as family and will protect you with all his might.¡±


    ¡°Without love, your life will be rich and noble. Your standard of living won¡¯t decline, and you don¡¯t have to worry about whether you have rice today or if you¡¯ll starve tomorrow. We are already very lucky.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± Vivian hugged Luzia and closed her eyes.


    Is such a life without freedom truly fortunate?


    Vivian didn¡¯t know, but she couldn¡¯t break free and attain true freedom.


    Since Vilem went to jos¡¯s side, he had started living a life of early departures andte returns. Although the siblings were supposed to live in the same apartment, Vivian hadn¡¯t seen Vilem for several days.


    Vivian knew that Vilem hadpletely joined jos¡¯s team and had started to get involved in the Houston business. She knew it was dangerous, but she couldn¡¯t stop him.


    Vivian often felt powerless, like amb waiting for ughter, her life devoid of sunlight.


    Today, the apartment was still upied only by Vivian and Mare. Vivian flipped through her script-she had secretly brought it from Los Angeles, the school had been rehearsing this y when Vilem brought her home.


    The apartment lights had no focus, Vivian had no costumes. She turned on the radio, and familiar music flowed smoothly out. She immersed herself in the plot, encountering the male lead in her imagination, dating, arguing, reconciling, passionately dering love, agonizingly forced to part, searching for her lover¡¯s trace, and finally reuniting at a grand ball.


    Vivian danced the elegant waltz steps; her dress fluttered with her spins. She couldn¡¯t see her feet, and her high heels stepped on something, causing her to stumble, and she lunged towards the television.


    This was bad.


    Vivian closed her eyes, but the expected pain did note. She had bumped into a solid and spacious embrace-it was jos, who had appeared just in time to rescue her.


    In the background, Mare silently withdrew her hand.


    Vivian jumped out of jos¡¯s embrace like a rabbit, the touched spot seemed to retain the man¡¯s warmth, ¡°You, why are you here?¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    jos was not pleased with the distance between them, he frowned and took a step closer to Vivian, ¡°I came to see my fiancee, is that not allowed?¡±


    ¡°This is my family¡¯s apartment.¡± Vivian swallowed hard, her heart beating fiercely, jos¡¯s approach brought a strong sense of oppression, making her breathing difficult, ¡°As a gentleman, you should have announced your visit before entering.¡±


    ¡°I am no gentleman; I am your fiance.¡± jos snatched the script from her hands behind her back, ¡°A musical? You sing very well.¡±


    ¡°You heard?¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes widened, her face slightly red, ¡°How long have you been here?¡±


    ¡°Since you said ¡®I am deeply in love with you¡¯, I¡¯ve heard everything after that.¡± jos touched her flushed cheek, which was somewhat hot, ¡°You were so absorbed in your role that you didn¡¯t notice my arrival.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian snatched the script back from his hand, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve seen me, as you can see, I¡¯m fine. I can sing, dance, eat, drink, I¡¯m healthy. Youshould attend to your own affairs instead of wasting time on me.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to send me away, my fiancee?¡± jos was displeased by Vivian¡¯s indifferent attitude.


    ¡°My name is Vivian, Mr. Hargrave.¡± Vivian frowned, disliking the way jos addressed her. Each time he uttered ¡®fiancee¡¯, his tone was t, as if speaking to a stranger, constantly reminding Vivian of the loveless marriage she was about to enter.


    ¡°You are Vivian, and you are also my fiancee.¡± jos crossed his arms over his chest, his biceps bulging attractively beneath his perfectly tailored ck suit, ¡°This is a deal between your father and me, an alliance between Houston and Los Angeles.¡±


    Vivian swallowed, images of jos¡¯s naked, muscr body shing through her mind. Even though she had never seen jos¡¯s body, the conversation with Luzia about the wedding night and making love hadn¡¯t faded from her memory. She seemed to hear jos¡¯s breathing.


    No, no¡­ stop your imagination, Vivian. His body may be tempting, but he has a heart as cold as your father¡¯s. He will turn you into a breeding machine as pitiful as your mother.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Hargrave.¡± Vivianbatted his indifference with her own, ¡°I¡¯m constantly mindful of the deal between you and my father. I¡¯m just a part of your transaction, a tool for bearing an heir.¡±


    ¡°A breeding tool?¡± jos¡¯s brow furrowed, he seemed angry, ¡°Is that how you see our arrangement? That I only consider you as a tool for breeding?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Vivian didn¡¯t understand why jos was angry. She was the one who should be enraged, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to marry me? Don¡¯t you want to make love, to have me bear your heir?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how marriage, making love, having children is equivalent to seeing you as a ¡®breeding tool¡¯.¡± jos retorted, ¡°You are to be my wife, I should possess your body, you should bear our children. This has nothing to do with a breeding tool.¡±


    ¡°Can you give me love?¡± Vivian had to look up to speak to the tall jos.


    jos paused, looking into Vivian¡¯s blue eyes. He liked her eyes, deep blue like the ocean, calming his mind considerably with just one nce.


    jos didn¡¯t answer Vivian, but her disappointment was palpable as she guessed his response, ¡°Without love, it is a breeding machine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being too hasty, Vivian.¡± jos turned and left the apartment, ¡°I think you need some time to cool off.¡±


    The radio clicked, and the smooth music resumed. Vivian reached out and turned it off; her heart slowly sank.

 Chapter 16

    Vivian was in agony, her spirit screaming and struggling within her body, yearning to break free from this fragile shell. She longed to soar freely, to be as passionate and brave as the heroines in musicals, but she was too scared.


    She was afraid of so many things: leaving thefort and safety of her living area, encountering the Bratva and facing the threat of death, her father¡¯s cold dominance, and even more so, the prospect of being trapped in a marriage with jos.


    jos was a good man-Vivian never denied that. His strong, domineering presence was enchanting, the dream lover of every young girl, and she knew she could fall for him. But jos would never be able to return her love, and that would plunge her into endless agony.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Mare appeared in the living room. ¡°Do you need help? You look very ufortable.¡±


    Vivian steadied herself on the radio, took a deep breath, feeling a bit weak in the knees.


    ¡°No need, thank you. I can manage.¡±


    Clutching her script, Vivian rushed upstairs, her steps unsteady. She even missed a step and nearly fell down the stairs.


    Such ack ofposure. Vivian chastised herself inwardly. This was not good, unbing of ady. If father were here, he would surely scold you, Vivian.


    Copsing on the floor of her room, she hugged herself tightly, staring at the floor in front of her toes, her mind a void.


    Mare didn¡¯t follow; he had gone to fetch her dinner.


    After performing a one-woman musical, Vivian was now both tired and hungry. She hoped Mare would return quickly with delicious food and then¡­


    Then she would just sleep, Vivian thought.


    She couldn¡¯t do anything else; might as well sleep.


    Just as Vivian considered whether to take a bath before Mare returned, the sound of the door opening came from downstairs.


    Was it Mare? Had he fetched the meal so quickly?


    Alright. Vivian gave up the idea of bathing first. She should fill her stomach now.


    Vivian ran downstairs, the living room light was on, there was someone, but it wasn¡¯t Mare.


    ¡°My God!¡± Vivian hurried down, approaching Vilem, who was covered in blood, his gaze icy as he watched her approach.


    ¡°What happened to you? Are you hurt?¡± Vivian checked his arms, his abdomen, his legs, and when she looked closely, she realized the blood wasn¡¯t Vilem¡¯s-he wasn¡¯t injured. ¡°What did you do? How did you get like this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask so much. Please stay quiet and go back to your room,¡± Vilem pushed Vivian away, preparing to go upstairs.


    Vivian, worried about him, followed behind. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright? Don¡¯t you need a family doctor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine, I don¡¯t need a family doctor,¡± Vilem said, looking tiredly at Vivian. ¡°I¡¯m very tired now. Please let me go back and rest, okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m just very worried about you¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me; this is my job.¡± Vilem took a deep breath, the blood on his clothes almost dry, on his hands too, from sticky to drying, needing water to scrub it off.


    But what was the use of cleaning it off? Today¡¯s blood would be washed away only for it to be stained anew tomorrow. Tomorrow¡¯s blood would be washed away only for more killing the day after!


    ¡°This is my job, Vivian!¡± Vilem cursed, feeling a tightness in his chest, distress, a desire to scream, to go mad. ¡°Killing everyday, constantly killing. We are the instruments of murder! I, my brother, Simpson¡­ everyone in the mafia! jos too, he¡¯s like my brother¡­ no, he¡¯s worse than my brother, cold and heartless like my father, he¡¯s a monster!¡±


    Vilem, in anguish, grabbed his hair, looking at Vivian who stood frozen, tears falling from shock. He had no right to vent at Vivian; she was innocent.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vivian.¡± Vilem reached out to touch her hair, to offer somefort, but Vivian dodged, her blue eyes filled with terror at Vilem¡¯s blood-stained palm. She had always known what the mafia¡¯s work entailed; she knew her father and brothers never ceased killing, but they never appeared before her like this. Vilem, covered in blood, terrified her.


    Her fear wasn¡¯t of Vilem, but of jos, who was also relentlessly killing. She was to marry jos, to live with him in the same house for many, many years. If one day jos also came home covered in blood, or even touched her with those bloodstained hands that had just taken a life.


    A wave of nausea rose from Vivian¡¯s stomach; she would be devastated.


    Vivian¡¯s unintended flinch hurt Vilem. He whispered an apology and ran back to his room like a fugitive.


    Vivian knew her reaction had hurt Vilem; it wasn¡¯t intentional. She nned to knock on Vilem¡¯s door to apologize, but then the phone rang downstairs, and she had to go answer it first.


    It was her mother.


    ¡°Good evening, Vivian. How have you been?¡± Tasneem¡¯s voice came through the phone.


    ¡°Good evening, Mom.¡±


    Tasneem heard the subtle sobs, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m really scared,¡± Vivian whispered, her voice trembling with tears.


    ¡°Is it because the wedding ising up soon?¡± Tasneem soothed her. ¡°There wille a day for it, Vivian, don¡¯t be afraid, everything will go well.¡±


    ¡°Mom, were you ever scared, marrying a Capo?¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Tasneem fell silent for a moment. ¡°I was scared. Your father was a qualified and great Capo. Los Angeles has been strong because of him.¡±


    ¡°Why marry if you¡¯re scared?¡±


    ¡°Girls have to marry. If not to a Capo, then to some other man; there¡¯s no difference. Marrying a Capo is the most honorable and fortunate thing for a girl. The same goes for you, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t agree with her mother¡¯s view. ¡°I feel it¡¯s tragic; I feel pity for myself; I will lose my freedom for life.¡±


    Tasneem tried tofort her, to make her see reason. ¡°But you will gain much more. A Capo grants you wealth, status, power, and most importantly, you will bear his children.¡±


    Vivian trembled with fear. ¡°But they will be monsters¡¯ children. They will grow up to be Made Men, just like their father, like Joseph, turning into terrible people.¡± And I will end my long, bitter life in this loveless marriage.


    Tasneem was silent; she couldn¡¯t persuade Vivian to ept this harsh fate. She felt pained that she couldn¡¯t save her beloved child.


    Vivian understood her mother couldn¡¯t give her the answers she sought. She couldn¡¯t offer any real help-her mother was a pitiful woman, too, trapped in a Capo¡¯s cage, having spent a miserable first half of her life.


    ¡°Rx, my child,¡± Tasneem sighed softly on the phone, looking out at the dark night, the scent of roses wafting in from the garden. ¡°Your father and I will attend your wedding; we will see each other soon.¡±

 Chapter 17

    ¡°I want to escape,¡± Vivian confessed her innermost thoughts. She longed to push open the door, break free from the shackles, and run-run far away from Golden Hill Apartment, away from Houston, but she could never return to Los Angeles again.


    ¡°You can¡¯t escape, child,¡± Tasneem mercilessly shattered Vivian¡¯s fantasy. ¡°Their power is too great, and you are too weak. You won¡¯t get far before you¡¯re caught. A bride who runs away is a great shame to the Capo, and he will kill you in front of his followers.¡±


    ¡°Luck¡¯s indulgence won¡¯t grace you many times, my child. I wish you peace.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s face turned pale, and tears fell inrge drops. Her mother was still on the other end of the phone, offeringforting words, but she couldn¡¯t take any of it in.


    She hung up the phone, and Golden Hill Apartment fell intoplete silence. Vilem¡¯s room was quiet, no light peeked through the door crack-was he asleep?


    Mare had not returned from fetching food-who knew when he woulde back.


    Vivian clutched her pounding heart, aware that an excellent opportunity was before her. She had cast her mother¡¯s warnings to the back of her mind, conscious only of the urgency of time; she knew she had to flee immediately.


    And so Vivian ran.


    She flung open the door of Golden Hill Apartment and dashed into the dark night, the wind howling past her ears, tangling her golden hair. She raced forward in a frenzy, daring not to stop, for stopping would mean capture.


    But Vivian hadn¡¯t anticipated that her flight would be so short-lived. Barely 300 yards from Golden Hill Apartment, at an intersection, a bearded Bratva burst from the roadside bushes brandishing a gun and firing at Vivian.


    Vivian¡¯s mind went nk. She was nearly frozen in ce, staring nkly at the dark muzzle as it spat sparks in the darkness.


    At the moment the gunshot rang out, Vivian felt a massive force from behind. She was tackled to the ground in a fully protective posture, and as she instinctively looked up, the person on top of her pushed her back down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Amidst the gunfire, Mare¡¯s calm voice reached her.


    Vivian dared not move again. She heard several shots-the people protecting Golden Hill Apartment were exchanging fire with the Russians. Mare was responsible for her safety, pulling her up and retreating back to Golden Hill Apartment.


    With suchmotion, Vivian wondered if it would wake Vilem. In any case, she was sure to be scolded; Vilem would be furious, might throw things, but once his temper subsided, all would be well. Vilem wouldn¡¯t hit her, wouldn¡¯t harm her.


    But¡­


    Vivian nced at Mare¡¯s stern expression. Mare would surely tell jos. Would he rage like a father? Would he point a gun at her, or would he beat her, lock her in a dark room?


    Vivian, head lowered, was escorted by Mare into the elevator. She braced for Vilem¡¯s roar, but Mare didn¡¯t take her back to her family¡¯s floor. Instead, the elevator descended to the underground parking garage.


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian clung to the car door, refusing to get in. ¡°Where are you taking me? I should go home. Vilem will be worried.¡±


    ¡°As long as Miss Vivian doesn¡¯t run away again, Mr. Vilem won¡¯t have to worry,¡± Mare replied.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Before Vivian could finish, Mare had pried her hands away and stuffed her into the car, locking the door behind her.


    Mare drove the car himself, leaving the underground garage and merging onto the highway, the streetlights receding rapidly behind them.


    They were leaving Golden Hill Apartment, heading to an unknown destination.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    Mare, focused on driving, did not answer Vivian.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Well, although Vivian didn¡¯t know where Mare was taking her, she was safe for now.


    Vivian, recovering from the shock, realized her hands were drenched in sweat, her back cold with fear, her heart pounding erratically, her blood rushing. Her hands trembled.


    She had nearly died.


    It was only then that Vivian truly grasped her situation, slumping weakly into the car seat, the alternating lights outside reflecting on her panicked and bewildered face.


    She now understood that she couldn¡¯t escape. jos would kill her; the Bratva would kill her. She didn¡¯t want to die. Her only choice was to obediently follow her father¡¯s arrangements, marry jos, be a tool for bearing his heir, and remain in this cage-like marriage until death.


    Mare drove a considerable distance-or perhaps not far at all. When Vivian openedher eyes, they had arrived, though she might have fallen asleep.


    Mare¡¯s subordinates were waiting for them, respectfully opening the car door.


    Mare tossed the car keys to his subordinate and took Vivian up in the elevator.


    This was a different apartment, and Vivian knew when she saw jos that this must be his residence.


    ¡°Tell me, why did you want to escape?¡± jos approached her, his rough hands capturing her chin, his thumb caressing her delicate skin, ¡°Once, twice, will there be a third time?¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t feel the pain, perhaps because jos wasn¡¯t applying force, but this didn¡¯t alleviate the fear in her heart, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to marry you¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± jos stared at her intently, his cold eyes shing with a lethal frost, ¡°You don¡¯t think highly of me?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Vivian still felt weak in her limbs, even cold.


    ¡°I am the most powerful man in Houston.¡± jos said coldly, his thumb moving up to wipe away the tears at the corner of Vivian¡¯s eyes, ¡°I can give you the same status and wealth as your father. Marrying me, I can offer you absolute respect and protection, and my enemies will never harm you.¡±


    ¡°If you really respected me, you would let me go instead of forcing me, making me marry you,¡± Vivian shouted.


    jos frowned, ¡°Our marriage, you think it¡¯s coercion?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can see how reluctant I am, isn¡¯t that coercion?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a transaction, an alliance.¡± jos let go of Vivian¡¯s shoulder, his voice softer, ¡°You should understand that, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Vivian shook her head and stepped back, keeping a distance from jos, ¡°Why does your alliance have to trade with my happiness?¡±


    ¡°Because you are Vivian Jones.¡± jos looked at her earnestly, while Vivian turned her head away, not wanting to look at him, trying to feignposure, but her trembling eyshes betrayed her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of me, Vivian.¡± jos cupped her face with both hands, forcing her to look at him, promising her, ¡°I assure you, I will be a good husband, caring for you, looking after you, protecting you.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyshes fluttered, looking into jos¡¯s brown eyes, ¡°Why not love me?¡±


    jos¡¯s hands shook slightly, he remained silent as he looked at Vivian. The silence between themsted a long time, until jos was the first to let go of Vivian¡¯s face, taking a step back.


    ¡°I cannot give you my love, because I do not possess it.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyes fell in disappointment, she stared nkly at the intricate patterns on the carpet, no longer desiring to continue the conversation with jos.

 Chapter 18

    jos noticed her dejection, but resigned to the fact that he couldn¡¯t satisfy her needs, he could only sigh inwardly and let Mare take her back to her room to rest.


    ¡°What?¡± Vivian snapped back to reality, ¡°You want me to stay here?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± jos nodded, ¡°I have arranged a room for you, and Mare will take you there.¡±


    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t want to, I want to go back to Golden Hill Apartment.¡±


    ¡°My apartment will be much safer than Golden Hill Apartment,¡± jos exined. ¡°As you saw on your way here, I have many of my people around, and Mare will also be here to watch over you. You¡¯ll be safer here; the Bratva won¡¯t have a chance to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, letting you stay here is also for my own reasons.¡± jos didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°If you stay here, you can¡¯t run away. You are mine, and you can only be my bride, Vivian. I won¡¯t give you another chance to escape.¡±


    ¡°No, I am not your bride yet, you can¡¯t imprison me here.¡± Vivian objected strongly, turning to run towards the door, but Mare blocked her path.


    ¡°Move!¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t imprisonment, it¡¯s an invitation,¡± jos pulled her back, ¡°and protection.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± Vivian¡¯s face was filled with anger, feeling deceived as jos had conspired with Mare to trick her intoing here, ¡°I must go back, Vilem will be worried if he doesn¡¯t see me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s his problem.¡± jos didn¡¯t want to argue pointlessly anymore, he gave Mare a few instructions and turned to leave.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Vivian was about to chase after him to argue when she saw Luziaing down the stairs.


    Luzia¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Vivian, hurrying down the stairs, ¡°To meet so soon again, I¡¯m really happy.¡±


    ¡°Luzia?¡± Vivian was stunned as Luzia ran up to hug her, preventing her from chasing after jos, so Vivian reluctantly gave up and hugged Luzia back, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Of course, jos brought me over to keep youpany,¡± Luzia hooked her arm affectionately, ¡°Thanks to you, this is my first time at jos¡¯s private residence.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Vivian forced a smile, not feeling honored at all, ring angrily at Mare, ¡°So you all nned this?¡±


    Mare hung his head in silence, not daring to respond.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry with him,¡± Luzia consoled her, patting her back gently. ¡°He¡¯s just following jos¡¯s orders.¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Actually, I should be angry with jos.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s best if you¡¯re not angry,¡± Luzia insisted. ¡°You look cutest and most beautiful when you¡¯re not angry.¡± She wanted to take Vivian to her room.


    Vivian touched her stomach, feeling hungry, ¡°Actually, I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh my!¡± Luzia eximed in shock, ring reproachfully at Mare, ¡°Are you mistreating Vivian?¡±


    Mare didn¡¯t exin that he had prepared dinner, but because Vivian had run out and encountered the Bratva¡¯s interception, she missed the meal.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare it right away.¡± Mare immediately went to prepare dinner.


    Luzia took Vivian to the dining room to wait, first giving her a cup of warm milk to tide her over, then made herself a coffee.


    After dinner, Luzia took Vivian to her room, which was indeed prepared in advance,plete with toiletries and change of clothes. Luzia was satisfied and praised her cousin, ¡°jos is a brute, but he¡¯s still very considerate and meticulous with his partner.¡±


    Vivian was not enthusiastic.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be upset,¡± Luzia embraced her. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re reluctant to marry my cousin. Though there¡¯s no love, he would really make a good husband. There¡¯s no one more suitable for marriage than him.¡±


    ¡°I just can¡¯t ept it¡­¡± Vivian whispered, crying softly, ¡°I could have had a different life.¡±


    Luzia had heard about Vivian¡¯s college dreams, ¡°But that¡¯s beyond the family¡¯s arrangements, and the chances of realization are one in ten thousand.¡± Unfortunately, neither she nor Vivian were that one in ten thousand.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ve struggled, I¡¯ve run away, but I was still caught and brought back.¡±


    Luzia could only offer her a hug, unable to provide any other help.


    ¡°Stop thinking about it; it will only make you more miserable.¡± Luzia pushed her into the bathroom, ¡°Take a nice bath and then go to sleep. Sleep can heal your wounds.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t have pleasant dreams.¡± Vivian closed the bathroom door. In this house belonging to jos, in what would be their bridal home, possibly trapping her for life, she could not find true rxation.


    ¡­


    Vivian did not sleep soundly that night, her dreams were a blur of unreality, and upon waking, she could remember none of them, but the lingering sense of unease caused her to break out in a sweat.


    ¡°Are you hot?¡± Luzia asked puzzledly, handing her a tissue, ¡°Why are you sweating so much?¡±


    Vivian couldn¡¯t tell her about the nightmare she had. Only after Luzia went back to her room to freshen up did Vivian slowly get out of bed to wash up.


    jos had risen even earlier than both of them. When Vivian and Luzia came downstairs, jos had already finished his breakfast and was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper.


    ¡°Good morning,dies,¡± jos put down the newspaper, his tone gentle as he looked at them with a clear smile in his brown eyes. He seemed to be in a good mood, ¡°Did you sleep wellst night?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Luzia said, ¡°The bed was soft, and the duvet was warm, thank you for your thoughtfulness, jos.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure,¡± jos replied, then turned his gaze to Vivian.


    ¡°¡­Good morning, Mr. Hargrave.¡±


    ¡°Hargrave? Mr.?¡± Luziaughed, ¡°What a distant form of address.¡±


    jos also said, ¡°Please call me jos, beautifuldy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s how it should be,¡± Luzia chimed in, supporting jos, ¡°Calling him jos is more intimate, after all, you will be family.¡±


    Vivian was at a loss for words.


    Neither jos nor Luzia spoke further, just staring straight at her, as if waiting for her to utter that name.


    Standing in jos¡¯s apartment, Vivian was still angry about his presumption the night before, not very willing to let jos have his way. So, she chose to avoid using the address and instead asked about her brother Vilem.


    ¡°How is Vilem? Have you told him I¡¯m here?¡±


    jos didn¡¯t pay attention to Vivian¡¯s change of address, nor did he seem to care much. He picked up his newspaper again, ¡°Mare has already informed him. You¡¯re here with me, so he really doesn¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my brother, no matter whether I¡¯m in your apartment or somewhere else, he has the right to worry about whether I¡¯m safe,¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t understand why she was angry, but in jos¡¯s presence, she always found it hard to remain calm.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s your brother, and I¡¯ve never denied that,¡± jos looked at her, ¡°but it¡¯s not his responsibility to protect you.¡±


    ¡°The responsibility is to protect the family from harm and to maintain the family¡¯s interests in the long term. Vilem is one of the heirs in Los Angeles, and when Joseph bes Capo, he will continue to serve the family as Capo¡¯s aide,¡± jos put down the newspaper again, apparently not nning to continue reading, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t trouble him all the time, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m a burden to Vilem?¡± Vivian was a little angry.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± jos sighed, knowing that to continue this topic would surely lead to an argument. He quickly changed the subject, ¡°I have some important matters to attend to and must leave now. I can¡¯t be with you today. How about¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need yourpany. Just take me back to the Golden Hill Apartment,¡± Vivian said, turning her face away.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± jos tly refused her, and continued his earlier interrupted thought, ¡°Why not let Luzia go shopping with you? There are manyrge malls in Houston. You can walk around, shop and get beautified.¡±


    jos handed over the ck card that Luzia hadst time, but Vivian didn¡¯t even want to look at it, ¡°I have no desire to shop; I want to go back to the Golden Hill Apartment!¡±


    ¡°Vivian,¡± jos looked at her helplessly, his attitude firm, ¡°I¡¯ve already brought you to my apartment, it¡¯s impossible for me to take you back now.¡±


    ¡°Why? This is imprisonment!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m simply ensuring that my fiancee doesn¡¯t disappear before the wedding. I need to make sure that my wedding goes on smoothly and on time,¡± jos insisted, still holding out the ck card to her, even pushing it a little closer to her, ¡°And I¡¯m not restricting your personal freedom. You can still go out, go shopping.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need any of these,¡± Vivian still refused to ept the ck card from jos, ¡°I don¡¯t want to spend your money; I have my own.¡±


    Vivian wouldn¡¯t take it, and jos made no move to retract his offer, so the standoff continued.


    Having watched the scene for a while, Luzia decided this could not go on and took the ck card from jos, then took Vivian by the arm, ¡°What¡¯s so bad about shopping? It makes me happy.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I entrust Vivian to you. Have fun,¡± jos said, straightening his clothes.


    jos was dressed in a deep gray suit today, with the second button done up, no tie. Vivian could only see a glimpse of his neck and the prominent Adam¡¯s apple. When he spoke, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down, a mixture of sensuality and restraint, making it hard to imagine what kissing him would feel like.


    This thought was not quite right! Vivian was shocked by her own imagination and quickly looked down, only to be even more shocked to realize she hade downstairs in her pajamas, and as she disliked wearing a bra to bed-her breasts were unprotected by a bra, clearly outlined against the soft fabric of her pajamas.


    It was an embarrassing realization.


    Vivian¡¯s face burned with blush. She wanted to cover herself with her arms but felt that such a sudden movement would be too obvious and jos would definitely notice.


    Just as Vivian was at a loss for an excuse to return to her room, jos prepared to leave. Before departing, he leaned in close to Vivian and kissed her forehead, ¡°I hope you have a pleasant day, my fiancee.¡±


    After jos left, Vivian still hadn¡¯t recovered. She touched the ce where he had kissed her; his lips had been warm and soft, seemingly elerating her heartbeat more than his cold and fierce exterior.


    Luzia, her face flushed with excitement, her eyes squinting with joy,mented, ¡°jos is such a romantic man.¡±


    ¡°A kiss is romantic?¡± Vivian retorted with a flushed face, quickly running back upstairs, ¡°I need to change.¡±


    All of Vivian¡¯s clothes were still at the Golden Hill Apartment, and jos showed no intention of having someone fetch them because he had already bought her many new clothes, shoes, and bags, filling the wardrobe in her room.


    Luzia mentioned that this was only part of it. There were all kinds of seasonal dresses, gowns, matching handbags, shoes, and jewelry nes for her to wear after the wedding, all stored in the walk-in closet of jos¡¯s room.


    jos¡¯s room was not far from Vivian¡¯s current room, just across the hallway, while Luzia¡¯s room was upstairs; only Vivian and jos lived on the second floor.


    Vivian chose a white blouse and low-rise jeans. The bras were in a small box; she grabbed one randomly, threw it on the bed, and began to change.


    Her statement about not wanting to go shopping wasn¡¯t made in anger. She hadn¡¯t slept well the night before and genuinelycked the energy for shopping, even the act of changing was sluggish.


    As she buttoned up her jeans, Vivian took off her top, about to put on her bra, when she heard the sound of the door opening. Thinking Luzia hae to hurry her, she said, ¡°Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll be right¡­ jos?¡±


    Vivian turned around, only to realize that it wasn¡¯t Luzia at the door but jos! Suppressing a scream, she quickly clutched her chest with her hands.


    But it was futile; jos had seen everything, especially her full breasts which, under the tight grip of her arms, had squeezed out from the sides, presenting an even more enticing view.


    Just the sight of Vivian in such a state elicited a reaction from jos. Vivian, for her part, didn¡¯t miss the obvious bulge in his area.


    She was both embarrassed and annoyed, her voice trembling with a shout, ¡°Have you seen enough? Please leave!¡±


    Vivian quickly turned back, hastily putting on her bra. Her hands were shaking so badly that it took a while to fasten it. She then hurriedly put on her shirt, buttoning it up to the second button before she felt secure.


    Taking a deep breath, she finally gathered the courage to look back at the door, only to realize that jos had already left.


    Vivian felt weak, copsing on the bed, her limbs cold.


    ¡°Vivian?¡± Luzia, having waited for a long time and growing impatient, went upstairs to check on her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you so pale, are you feeling unwell? Are you sick?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m not sick, I just¡­¡± Vivian stopped mid-sentence, unsure how to exin to Luzia. Her mind was filled with jos¡¯s gaze from before, that ravenous look that seemed to want to devour her right there and then was too terrifying. jos¡¯s eyes were clearly brown, but she felt as if they were green, the eyes of a hungry wolf.


    And then¡­ the bulge from jos, it was so¡­rge.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t help covering her face, feeling the heat spread from her cheeks to her ears, her entire body seemingly ame, though she knew she wasn¡¯t sick.


    ¡°Do we need to call the family doctor?¡± Luzia asked, still worried, feeling Vivian¡¯s forehead which seemed almost burning up.


    ¡°Really, there¡¯s no need,¡± Vivian fanned her face vigorously, ¡°Let¡¯s go out, didn¡¯t you want to go shopping?¡±


    ¡°Do you not like shopping?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, I just don¡¯t want to spend jos¡¯s money.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem with that?¡± Luzia said, ¡°He has a lot of money, the kind he can¡¯t spend all of it even if he tried.¡±


    Vivian shook her head, ¡°That¡¯s his money, not mine.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter, after the wedding, his will all be yours.¡±


    If this conversation had happened before, Vivian would certainly have retorted, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to marry him at all.¡± Although she hadn¡¯t changed her mind, if she truly couldn¡¯t escape the fate of marrying, then perhaps marrying jos wouldn¡¯t be uneptable.


    After all, jos was young, handsome, and his physique was¡­


    Vivian¡¯s face flushed again, his physique was also very nice.

 Chapter 20

    Luzia had not expected to encounter Shelley at the Marc by Marc Jacobs boutique. She pursed her lips in slight annoyance-if only she had known, she would have opted for the Coach store across the street.


    ¡°Miss Vivian, Luzia, it¡¯s such a quick reunion,¡± Shelley greeted them warmly as she approached. ¡°Let me introduce you, this is my cousin, John Benoist.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Miss Vivian,¡± John said, executing a wless gentlemanly gesture toward Vivian. His short hair, slightly curled at the temples, was the same pale gold as Shelley¡¯s.


    He was tall and on the lean side, not particrly muscr, with gentle features and a soft demeanor, a stark contrast to jos¡¯s rugged wildness. If jos was an imperious king, then John would be the gentle and elegant noble knight.


    Vivian responded politely, ¡°Hello, Mr. Benoist.¡±


    Luzia did not appreciate the way John¡¯s gaze lingered on Vivian. She crossed her arms and lifted her chin, ¡°Hey, John Benoist, did you not see me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t dare overlook you,¡± John said, lifting Luzia¡¯s hand and gracefully kissing the back of her fingers, ¡°My queen.¡±


    It was amon gesture of hand-kissing, yet John performed it with such grace that it truly seemed as if a noble prince was bowing his head to his beloved queen, offering his respect and loyalty.


    Vivian¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Luzia used to be John¡¯s girlfriend; they were very much in love,¡± Shelley whispered to Vivian, standing beside her. ¡°Later, my uncle sent John to study in Ennd, and Luzia was given to Paavo by old Capo.¡±


    ¡°John hase back from Ennd with the intent to take Luzia away.¡±


    ¡°You should tell Luzia,¡± Vivian said to Shelley, looking at her intently. ¡°You actually don¡¯t like me, do you? I can see the hostility in your eyes.¡±


    ¡°No one likes their rival in love,¡± Shelley took a deep breath, the resentment in her eyes unmistakable. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have been the one marrying jos.¡±


    Vivian was shocked, realizing that Shelley¡¯s words were sincere.


    Her thoughts drifted to Sophia, Luzia¡¯s friend.


    So Shelley was also jos¡¯s lover. Had she been intimate with him? Without her, Shelley would have been jos¡¯s wife. Did jos love her?


    Vivian¡¯s mind went nk. Facing the lover-or was it girlfriend-of her future husband, she didn¡¯t know whether to feel jealous or angry, she wasn¡¯t even sure how to respond to Shelley¡¯s remark. Was her marriage to jos not of her own free will? ¡°If you want, can I give jos to you?¡±


    As if no words could bring either of them any satisfaction, she pitied herself for herck of control, and Shelley for her unrequited love.


    ¡­


    For a long time after her encounter with the Benoist siblings at the Marc by Marc Jacobs boutique, Vivian heard nothing of them. jos was busy with his work, and Luzia often kept Vivianpany in his stead.


    One day, while watching a British period drama in the living room, a handsome prince was forced to marry a foreign princess, his beloved was demoted to a mistress and was poisoned by the prince¡¯s wife¡­


    She was certainly not that malicious princess¡­


    Vivian thought indignantly, then suddenly snapped back to reality. What was she thinking? She was no princess, jos was no prince, and Shelley was certainly not a prince¡¯s mistress.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    But did jos truly have no beloved girl?


    ¡°What are you worrying about?¡± Luzia nced at the TV, then back at Vivian. ¡°Is the plot disgusting to you?¡±


    ¡°You said before¡­¡± Vivian bit her lip, internally struggling whether to ask Luzia.


    ¡°Said what?¡± Luzia blinked herrge eyes, her gaze filled with confusion.


    ¡°You said before that jos has a lot of sexual experience, that even your friend has slept with him. So, does he have, has he ever¡­¡± Vivian clenched her teeth and blurted out with her eyes closed, ¡°Does he have a girl he loves?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Luzia blinked, looking at Vivian with a stupefied expression as if puzzled by her question.


    Vivian took her expression to mean ¡°yes¡± and her face fell, ¡°Oh my god, I¡¯m the other woman!¡±


    This leap in logic was too sudden, startling Luzia, ¡°No, no, no, trust me, dear, how could you possibly be the other woman.¡±


    ¡°Capo would never fall in love with anyone. Note the word ¡®anyone,''¡± Luzia quickly reassured Vivian, ¡°including his wife.¡±


    VVivian felt as though she had been stabbed by Luzia¡¯s words, ¡°Should I be happy or sad about that?¡±


    Luzia herself seemed lost for words, pausing before saying, ¡°Perhaps you should be happy that you¡¯re not the other woman.¡±


    Vivian managed a wry smile, unable to trulyugh.


    ¡°Come on, dear, please tell me, why would you think such a thing? That you are the other woman?¡± Luzia inquired. ¡°Did Shelley say something to you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian shook her head, ¡°Nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°Then let me tell you,¡± Luzia said, sitting opposite Vivian and speaking earnestly. ¡°The Benoist family are some of Houston¡¯s most loyal followers. Shelley¡¯s father was the first elder to support jos, and her brother was one of the eighteen brave warriors who died following Uncle Kamden. She has adored jos since she was a child.¡±


    ¡°Would jos marry her?¡± Vivian asked cautiously, unsure of what kind of answer she needed-a ¡®yes¡¯ or a ¡®no¡¯.


    ¡°If Uncle Kamden hadn¡¯t died in battle, then he would have decided on jos¡¯s marriage. No one knew Uncle Kamden¡¯s true intentions,¡± Luzia exined, looking at her. ¡°Maybe he would have, maybe not.¡±


    Kamden was dead, and the living could not fathom the thoughts of the deceased; hence, the true answer was buried with Kamden¡¯s death.


    ¡­


    Luzia wasn¡¯t always at jos¡¯s apartment to keep Vivianpany; more often, Vivian was alone. Mare was there too, but he seldom made his presence known.


    On this day, the apartment was as usual, upied only by Vivian. She went upstairs, not to her own room, but turned a corner toward the other end of the hallway-toward jos¡¯s room.


    jos¡¯s apartment was muchrger than her Golden Hill Apartment, yet the number of rooms upstairs was not much greater because each room here wasrger than her room at Golden Hill, and the decor was significantly different.


    Vivian guessed that jos preferred a simple, bold, and bright style because the decorations in the apartment were almost devoid of overlyplex and vibrant elements. The walls were pristine white, the wooden floor was a deep brown, and the carpets were gray with light patterns. The coffee table in the living room was ck, and the storage cabs retained their natural wood color.


    Passing by jos¡¯s study, Vivian didn¡¯t intend to enter. She had no desire to pry into jos¡¯s business; she was merely interested in his room-after all, it was where she would be living in the future, and she felt entitled to a preview.


    Vivian pushed open the door in front of her. jos¡¯s room wasn¡¯t locked, revealing his private space as if expecting her arrival.

 Chapter 21

    The realization was not very kind to Vivian, for it sparked a budding fear within her, and she began to doubt whether her action was correct.


    However, the allure of jos¡¯s room was greater than she had imagined. Vivian had already pushed open the door, and the strong, masculine scent that greeted her was unmistakable ¨C it was the fragrance of jos¡¯s cologne.


    Vivian took a deep breath and slowly walked into the room.


    A plush carpety on the floor near the entrance, and a wooden lounge chair was adorned with a cushion and a gray nket, next to a firece capable of warming the coldest of rooms.


    One could only imagine thefort of lying in that chair by the firece on a snowy winter day, sipping coffee and eating mousse cake.


    From the chair, one could also see the ss door on the opposite side, leading to a balcony that overlooked the entire city. The balcony was furnished with casual tables and chairs, making it an excellent spot for an afternoon tea.


    Yet, the most attention-grabbing feature in the entire room was therge bed in the center, which Vivian noticed the moment she entered. It was exceptionally big, evenrger than the one in her Los Angeles mansion, and significantly higher  Vivian had to step on a footstool to climb onto it.


    The bed was covered with a silk duvet, the cover sea-blue in color, soft and warm to the touch, like a cloud. His pillows were neatly arranged at the head of the bed, with pillowcases of another shade of blue, devoid of any particr pattern.


    Vivian did not stay on the bed long, for it was jos¡¯s private space, and lingering there brought an inexplicable sense of shame. It was this very feeling that hastened her to leave jos¡¯s bed quickly, and as she jumped down, she identally knocked over something on the bedside table, hearing the sound of items being toppled inside.


    She hurriedly opened the drawer of the nightstand, worrying that she might have damaged something inside. To her surprise, she found condoms and lubricant inside the drawer!


    She was embarrassed and didn¡¯t know whether to close the drawer immediately or just turn around and leave. Nheless, she noticed that the boxes of condoms and lubricant were already open, and upon inspecting the lubricant, she found that more than half of the bottle had been used.


    Vivian realized that jos had used these items ¨C naturally, no one would buy such things to simply leave them lying around their room for no reason. Okay, the most important question now was, with whom had jos used them? They must have shared the bed right here.


    This realization made Vivian a bit unhappy, even depressed. After all, jos was her fiance in name, and she would mind and feel unhappy about him being with any woman.


    Vivian began to wonder who the woman could be. Was it the friend Luzia had mentioned? Or Shelley? Or perhaps one of jos¡¯s past femalepanions?


    She felt a strange emotion swirling in her chest, feeling oppressed and heavy. jos was that kind of man; he was charming and manly, no woman could resist being enchanted by him. jos could have any woman he wanted, but none could possess his love.


    Vivian intended to put the lubricant back into the drawer, but as she looked down, she couldn¡¯t avoid seeing the box of condoms and the ¡®XL¡¯ size printed on it.


    Heavens!


    Vivian gasped, XL-sized condoms!


    ¡°jos was the most valiant and enduring man she had ever encountered, not only in his leadership qualities,¡± Luzia¡¯s words echoed in her mind, leaving Vivian shocked and shaken, even unconsciously sizing up the ¡®XL¡¯ in her thoughts.


    Unfortunately, her father¡¯s traditional and strict upbringing did not allow her to explore these matters. Apart from her brothers, her opportunities to talk to men were extremely rare, and the private all-girls high school she attended would not openly teach them about such topics.


    Vivian was so lost in thought that she didn¡¯t hear the footstepsing down the hallway until Simpson was behind her, asking, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Startled and feeling guilty, Vivian nearly jumped. She didn¡¯t actually jump because her feet had gone numb from squatting, and she lost her bnce, sitting down hard on the floor.


    Simpson let out a timelyugh, turning Vivian¡¯s cheeks red. She scrambled to stuff the items back into the drawer and closed it with a snap, ¡°I¡­ I was just looking at my future room.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Are you satisfied with it?¡± Simpson walked over to the bedside table, ignoring Vivian¡¯s embarrassed attempts to block him, and opened the drawer, ¡°I¡¯m sure now you¡¯ve seen them.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s face flushed, and Simpsonoffered his hand in a gentlemanly gesture, pulling her up from the ground.


    Vivian adjusted her clothes, her cheeks still flushed, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, more so than I had imagined. So beautiful it doesn¡¯t seem like it belongs to jos.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Simpson replied.


    Vivian wasn¡¯t sure if he was agreeing with her about the room¡¯s beauty or affirming that it indeed didn¡¯t seem like jos¡¯s room. But soon she got her answer.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°The decor of this apartment was designed by our mother, including his room,¡± Simpson exined as he showed Vivian around the room, pointing at the long-furred carpet in front of the firece, ¡°Mother loved these fluffy things.¡±


    ¡°The styles our mother liked were always elegantly simple: white, beige, pink, these light and in things, as well as jos¡¯s preferred shade of blue.¡± Mentioning theirte mother, Simpson¡¯s expression softened, ¡°jos often says that Mother¡¯s designs don¡¯t really suit him, or the entire Hargrave family for that matter ¨C too pure for the sunlight.¡±


    What kind of a mafioso would be pure as sunlight? Darkness and danger were more befitting colors for them.


    ¡°But jos never changed the apartment¡¯s decor,¡± Simpson added. Their mother had passed away four years ago.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Simpson said, ¡°perhaps because it was designed by Mother.¡±


    ¡°He must have loved your mother very much,¡± Vivianmented.


    ¡°She was our mother,¡± even Simpson couldn¡¯t admit to love.


    Vivian watched him in silence.


    Simpson smiled and said, ¡°I heard you¡¯re reluctant to marry jos, that you¡¯ve attempted to escape a second time.¡±


    Vivian couldn¡¯t decipher Simpson¡¯s purpose for the visit today, but it didn¡¯t hinder her honesty, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why? Just because jos doesn¡¯t love you?¡±


    Vivian looked at him, knowing how childish her reason must seem to everyone, ¡°Can¡¯t that be enough?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it can be,¡± Simpson said, looking into her eyes, his bearing a simr hazel to jos¡¯s, ¡°It¡¯s your freedom, Vivian.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she dared not meet Simpson¡¯s eyes any longer.


    ¡°But you should also be aware, Vivian, that a marriage without love can also be a form of protection,¡± Simpson¡¯s voice was deep, his breath roaming around Vivian as if weaving a seductive spell, ¡°Love is a weakness. Anyone can easily grasp your love and then torment it, destroy it. Even if you are always vignt, you might not be able to protect it because you never know where your enemies might be hiding. Could it be your servants? Nanny? Chef? Or even your driver? It¡¯s all possible.¡±

 Chapter 22

    ¡°Of course, I know,¡± Vivian said, ¡°don¡¯t forget, Simpson, I am the daughter of the Jones family, and I am also Capo¡¯s child.¡±


    ¡°I know love is a weakness, a great danger, but that doesn¡¯t conflict with my desire to be loved.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to see you so clear-headed,¡± Simpson replied, touching her head. ¡°Now, we should leave here before joses back.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯sing back this early? He usually goes out for the entire day.¡± jos¡¯s business was substantial, and she had been staying here for several days now, with jos never returning early.


    ¡°He is busy, that¡¯s true. But he has been trying to cut down on his working hours recently, and his efficiency has increased a lot. Of course, he wants to have dinner with you today.¡±


    Vivian was surprised, ¡°Today?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Simpson closed the room¡¯s door, ¡°I came to take you there, and Luzia wille with us.¡±


    ¡°Why the sudden desire to invite me to dinner?¡± Vivian asked. ¡°I mean, I could have gone on my own.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same, you need more attention.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you will be our new family member. Wee, we will get along very well.¡± Simpson pushed Vivian towards her room, ¡°Now, you should change into something pretty.¡±


    jos had prepared many beautiful clothes for Vivian, a variety of tops, pants, skirts, and even dresses. She had also bought some skirts she liked on the day she went shopping with Luzia, including the blue long dress Simpson was now holding.


    Though it was revealing, wearing it would entirely expose Vivian¡¯s beautiful corbones to the gaze of men, and even her breasts would be supported, creating an enticing cleavage.


    Vivian loved this dress the most because its design entuated her hip curves perfectly, creating the illusion of longer legs, which kept her from appearing short.


    Aesthetically, Simpson really had a good eye, plus he was witty and humorous, much more approachable than jos, whose cold and authoritarian demeanor could be infuriating.


    Vivian remembered the affection Simpson had once confessed to her, and she had thought if only her betrothed were Simpson instead of Capo, perhaps he could give her the love Capo couldn¡¯t.


    But her father¡¯s wishes were not to be defied. If they could be, she wouldn¡¯t want to marry at all.


    Vivian didn¡¯t want to wear the blue dress, it was too revealing, but Simpson insisted, ¡°He likes the color blue.¡±


    He was referring to jos.


    Vivian angrily snatched the dress, ¡°Am I supposed to start pleasing him now? Will he skimp on my dinner if I don¡¯t?¡±


    Simpsonughed at her question, ¡°Don¡¯t talk in anger, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°I might be his wife, but I am not his ything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absolute.¡± Simpson apologized, ¡°I just think you will look beautiful in this dress.¡±


    ¡°It will end up in your closet, and I believe you really like it. Did you buy it just to let it gather dust?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Then why not wear it to show off your beauty?¡± Simpson put the dress back in Vivian¡¯s hands, coaxingly saying, ¡°Good girl, go change. Tonight, all the other girls will pale in your radiance, and the men¡¯s gaze will linger on you.¡±


    ¡°Besides the dress, is there anything else you¡¯d like to decide for me?¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t refuse Simpson, but her tone chilled, speaking sarcastically, ¡°Is it my shoes? Or my hair? Perhaps the bag I should carry?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my expertise,¡± Simpson whispered close to her ear, ¡°after all, I am a man. Men are only good at taking off a woman¡¯s sexy dress, not noticing the color of the bag she carries or the shoes she wears.¡±


    Vivian felt a sense of danger when he came close; the warm breath he exhaled brushed past her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.


    In her room with the door firmly shut, they were so close that she could have kissed his cheek-she had never been so close to a man, let alone the brother of her fiance!


    Vivian¡¯s heartbeat turned erratic, and her hands trembled uncontrobly at the thought of the word-taboo.


    Vivian dared not stay any longer; she took the dress into the bathroom. After closing the door, she could no longer see Simpson, but she heard the sound of the room door opening and then closing.


    Simpson must have left her room.


    This realization let Vivian breathe a sigh of relief. She began to take off her clothes and put on the blue dress.


    The dress was long, almost covering her ankles, and with high heels, only her white instep was revealed. The waistlinewas tailored to hug her figure, showcasing irresistible curves. The neckline plunged low, yet her full figure made the cleavage distinct and undeniably sexy.


    The color of the dressplemented her sea-blue eyes, which pleased her the most.


    Having swept her hair up, Vivian¡¯s neck, graceful as a swan¡¯s, was exposed. A pearl ne added a touch of elegance, and her earrings matched with pearl drops.


    With her makeup done, simple yet featuring mascara and lipstick on top of a thin foundation, her beauty was upromised.


    Opening the door, Vivian could tell by Simpson¡¯s reaction that her look was a triumph.


    To her surprise, Simpson had also changed into formal attire-a wine-red suit that wrapped his toned body, the kind that could make girls blush and hearts race.


    ¡°You¡¯re more beautiful than I imagined,¡± Simpson said, stepping towards her with a gentleman¡¯s bow, even reaching to touch her white neck as if to say, ¡°Your neck looks quite delicious.¡±


    Vivian shuddered slightly, dodging Simpson¡¯s touch. His gaze made her nervous, ¡°You¡¯re no vampire.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s apliment,¡± he replied.


    ¡°No one takes such threats aspliments, sir.¡±


    Simpson chuckled, checked the time, and said, ¡°We should leave now. My brother is waiting for us at the restaurant.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already there?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Luzia is there as well, just waiting for you, my beautiful sister-inw.¡±


    ¡°Please move your eyes away from my chest when you call me sister-inw.¡±


    Touching his nose with a smile, Simpson said, ¡°A liking for sensual women is amon fault among men, my brother included.¡±


    With a cold huff, Vivian turned and descended the stairs.


    Simpson followed her.


    Mare had the car ready; he would personally drive them to the restaurant where jos was waiting.


    ¡­


    Vivian was familiar with this restaurant; she had been here with her father and brothers. Vilem had told her it was owned by the Famiglia, and the proprietor was Catlito, a fifty-year-old, rotund gentleman.


    Upon entering the restaurant, Vivian immediately spotted jos-he stood out even in a crowd, an exemry man whose presence was unmistakable.

 Chapter 23

    Luzia had also arrived, taking a seat with her back to them. Vivian couldn¡¯t see her expression, but her shoulders shook violently. She might have beenughing, Vivian guessed.


    ¡°Oh, look who I see,¡± Catlito, the restaurant owner, suddenly appeared. ¡°Vivian Jones, it¡¯s been such a long time. How are you?¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Catlito hugged Vivian.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Catlito.¡± Vivian hugged him back. ¡°I¡¯m doing well. And I¡¯ve missed your Italian meat sauce pasta; it¡¯s the best I¡¯ve ever had.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure,¡± Catlito said happily. He also greeted Simpson, a regr patron here. His curiosity piqued at seeing them together, ¡°Is this a date? I mean I can prepare a couple¡¯s booth for you and a romantic set meal, if you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°Actually, we¡¯re not a couple,¡± Vivian said somewhat awkwardly, pointing towards jos. ¡°Someone is waiting for us over there, yes, this is a group gathering.¡±


    When Vivian raised her hand, Catlito saw the ring on it and eximed in surprise, ¡°Is that an engagement ring? Vivian, you¡¯re engaged? Who is the lucky man? He must be outstanding.¡±


    Outstanding, indeed.


    Yes, jos was truly outstanding, and though Vivian resisted this arranged marriage, she had never denied this fact.


    Her fiance was a very excellent man, and in Houston, it would be hard to find someone more formidable and outstanding than him.


    Vivian felt a hint of pride because of this.


    ¡°Is it you, Simpson?¡± In Catlito¡¯s eyes, Simpson was also one of the excellent choices.


    ¡°Unfortunately not.¡± Simpson shrugged his shoulders, jokingly regretting, ¡°The lucky man is not me; he¡¯s my brother, jos.¡±


    ¡°What wonderful news,¡± Catlito shrieked with joy, leading Vivian to jos. ¡°Maybe we need a bottle of wine, delicious champagne? Or sweet wine? Please enjoy your meal, my respected guests. I will offer my long-cherished wine to celebrate your union.¡±


    jos had already stood up when they approached. He stared nkly at Vivian, his admiring gaze traveling over her.


    Vivian felt where his gaze lingered and, remembering Simpson¡¯s words, suddenly felt a chill at her nape, as if jos might turn into a vampire and bite her neck the next second.


    Disregarding jos¡¯ autocracy and despotism, the man was really both handsome and gentlemanly. He would stand up to wait for his fiancee, freelypliment her beauty, pull out her chair, and after she was seated, would quietly ask her what she wanted to eat.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Vivian sipped water, blue eyes filled with appreciation for jos¡¯ handsome appearance.


    ¡°jos, my respected Capo,¡± Catlito indeed brought out his fine wine, pouring their sses full. ¡°Congrattions on finding such a beautiful and lovely fiancee. And congrattions to you, Vivian, for having such a handsome and wealthy fiance. You will certainly be very happy. Hurry up and have a little baby; he will surelybine all your best qualities.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your blessings, Catlito.¡± jos stood and embraced Catlito, raised his ss, clinked with Catlito, then with Vivian, and downed his wine in one gulp.


    Vivian looked down, taking a sip out of courtesy and not wishing to disrupt the cheerful atmosphere.


    Their ordered meals soon arrived-steak and pasta.


    Vivian elegantly cut her steak with knife and fork, like ady-this was one of the mandatory etiquettes taught in private girls¡¯ high schools.


    The steak and pasta were delicious; Vivian ate with satisfaction, while jos and Simpson preferred the wine Catlito sent. Luzia quietly ate the steak in front of her.


    Vivian was sensitive to the gazes of others. She noticed the man at the bar looking over at her frequently, perhaps because the neckline of her dress was too low, exposing her corbones and chest.


    Vivian didn¡¯t mind being looked at with admiration and surprise, but not while eating, as it affected her appetite.


    Vivian put down her knife and fork.


    Simpson nced at her and then at the two men.


    It seemed he also noticed that the men¡¯s gazes were not purely innocent.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they wouldn¡¯t dare to disturb us,¡± Simpson said. ¡°No one wants to die.¡±


    Vivian said nothing as jos had already stood up, turning his head to look at the two men.


    The two men seemed to be frightened by jos¡¯ fierce aura, their faces turning pale instantly. Vivian felt they could dash out of therestaurant any second.


    Vivian stopped jos; she didn¡¯t want to cause trouble, ¡°Let it go, jos, they haven¡¯t really harmed me.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± jos didn¡¯t heed Vivian¡¯s attempt to intervene, and walked straight towards the two men attempting to appearposed.


    ¡°Is the beautifuldy your sister?¡± jos¡¯s gentlemanly demeanor was so enchanting, the two men might have mistaken him for a calm and approachable man.


    ¡°She¡¯s my fiancee,¡± jos stood in front of the two men, smiling calmly, ¡°Any objections?¡±


    Being some distance away, Vivian couldn¡¯t hear their conversation. With jos¡¯s back to her, she couldn¡¯t see his expression but noticed one of the men smiling with a gesture over jos¡¯s shoulder, lifting his ss towards her.


    Vivian frowned, already a little displeased, wondering what jos had said to make the man smile so chillingly. But the next second, Vivian saw jos reveal a small knife. His movements were as fast as lightning, and with a swift gesture, the man in front of him copsed at jos¡¯s feet, clutching a bleeding neck.


    Vivian stood up in shock, and the restaurant¡¯s patrons took notice of the scene; some screamed and were ushered to the back by the staff while many others continued their meal with expressionless faces.


    Vivian couldn¡¯tprehend this insane world, but she knew this was just a small part of jos¡¯s life, one he was so ustomed to that he knew how to quickly kill a person without dirtying his hands.


    Vivian watched jos walk back nonchntly, her gaze uncontrobly drifting past him to the dead man¡¯spanion. His pale face was etched in Vivian¡¯s mind, filled with fear, panic, and sorrow as he rushed to the fallen man, trying to stem the flow of fresh blood from his neck, crying out in grief.


    Were they brothers? Best friends? ssmates? Colleagues? Vivian couldn¡¯t guess, and she couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer.


    Luzia had only eaten half of her steak but could no longer continue; she was angry, unsure if it was because jos¡¯s sudden act of violence had spoiled her appetite or because of the two men¡¯s disrespectful gazes.


    Compared to Vivian and Luzia, Simpson seemed much calmer, no, he was delighted, the kind of delight thates from watching a spectacle. The pained cry of the man losing hispanion pleased him; he enjoyed witnessing the brutality between brothers, even felt like apuding.


    Monster!


    Vivian suddenly remembered Vilem covered in blood in the Golden Hill Apartment, where he had said they were all instruments of murder, and jos, in his eyes, was a monster. Would theree a day when jos too woulde home to their apartment drenched in someone else¡¯s blood? Would he embrace her, kiss her, possess her with blood on his hands?


    It was truly terrifying.

 Chapter 24

    Vivian couldn¡¯t control the trembling in her heart; she felt a chill over her body and couldn¡¯t help but hug herself tightly.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Catlito ran out from the kitchen upon receiving the news, his heart ached as he looked at the dead man and hispanion, particrly distressed by the expensive carpet stained with blood. It was a handcrafted carpet he had shipped from Italy, with patterns he had designed himself, not just costly but also of significant meaning.


    jos took the initiative to ept responsibility, ¡°You can send the bill to me; I will take care of all the troubles.¡±


    Catlito covered his face in pain, ¡°You are my biggest problem, jos. Is there a day when you cane to my restaurant without causing a conflict?¡±


    ¡°They have only themselves to me for not watching where they were going. It¡¯s not my fault,¡± shrugged jos.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Catlitopromised, ¡°how did they provoke you?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°My fiancee is too beautiful; they were coveting my woman.¡±


    Catlito took a sharp breath, perhaps thinking the man had been overly bold. It was the man¡¯s fault for not controlling his gaze, he got what he deserved, because Catlito didn¡¯t seem as angry as before and showed no sympathy for the dead man.


    Catlito said something else, jos replied, but Vivian wasn¡¯t listening anymore. She had probably grasped the truth of the matter  the man might have made some disrespectful remarks towards her, and then jos killed him.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter; you could have just beaten him up instead of killing him.¡±


    ¡°You are my woman, my possession. Anyone who covets you and tries to take you away deserves to die.¡± jos growled angrily.


    ¡°Possession?¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at him, ¡°Am I just an object in your eyes?¡±


    Vivian was angry, her chest heaving violently, ¡°I am my own person, not your possession, nor your private property. Please forgive me, I cannot ept your statement.¡±


    Vivian pushed past the people blocking her way and ran towards the restaurant entrance. She needed to get outside; she had to get away from this bloody ce; she needed to breathe fresh air, or she would suffocate.


    Before the cold wind could brush her cheeks, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her into an embrace.


    The faint smell of blood was overshadowed by the strong scent of alcohol, but Vivian could still smell the cologne on jos, the intense male fragrance irresistibly assaulting her senses, as she was forcibly held in his embrace.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± Vivian struggled.


    jos certainly wasn¡¯t about to let go, even tightening his arms to leave no room for her to struggle, ¡°You need to go back now; your dinner isn¡¯t over yet.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to have dinner with you now, nor do I want to go back to the restaurant.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes were red with anger, her longshes wet with tears, ¡°You said I was your possession in front of everyone, as if I were a dog that could be bought and sold, a piece of cake to be thrown away. I am very upset; I have been insulted.¡±


    jos reached out to wipe away Vivian¡¯s tears, he sighed, ¡°I did not mean to insult you; it was just a way of expressing myself.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you express yourself in a different way?¡±


    ¡°I am used to this way of expression; it is hard to change.¡± jos said, ¡°I will not change for anyone, because I am the Capo, I need to maintain myposure and principles, uphold my dignity.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Just as that man dared to covet you, I had to kill him.¡± jos stroked Vivian¡¯s golden hair, his fingers sliding past her earlobe adorned with a pearl earring, and she trembled slightly in his arms.


    jos was pleased with Vivian¡¯s reaction, ¡°As I¡¯ve always said, you are my fiancee, my family, and it is my inescapable responsibility to protect you. Those men¡¯s brazen looks and covetousness, their disrespectful words and gazes, were all challenges to my authority as Capo. They need to clearly understand who rules Houston.¡±


    ¡°The Capo can be challenged, but the challenger must die; this is how I defend my authority. You will understand, one day.¡± jos took Vivian back into the restaurant, ¡°Now, we should go back and continue enjoying our dinner.¡±


    Vivian could not refuse jos; his arms, strong as steel, left her no chance to resist, as he half-dragged, half-carried her back to their seat.


    Vivian nced in the direction of the dead man; the body and hisfriend were no longer there; the carpet was reced with a brand new one, and the air was sprayed with lemon-scented perfume, fresh as if nothing had happened.


    Their dinner was also reced with new dishes; in front of her was a te of Italian meat sauce pasta, Luzia was elegantly slicing her steak, Simpson had finished his dinner and was savoring a new bottle of wine opened by Catlito.


    jos sat down beside her, his dinner consisting of pasta covered in tomato meat sauce, the silver soup spoon stirring inside, looking very appetizing.


    ¡°Do you want to try mine?¡± jos offered, scooping a spoonful of pasta with sauce and bringing it to her mouth.


    The sweet and sour taste of the tomato was truly tempting; after a moment¡¯s hesitation, Vivian couldn¡¯t resist and opened her mouth to eat the food jos offered.


    jos was pleased with herpliance, and then nced at her te of Italian meat sauce pasta, ¡°In exchange, may I try yours?¡±


    The deliciousness of the tomato meat sauce made it hard for Vivian to say no, ¡°Help yourself.¡± She gestured with her eyes to the fork beside jos¡¯ hand.


    jos just looked at her, showing no intention of moving.


    Next to them, Simpson propped his chin with his hand, watching them with interest, a smile ying on his lips making Vivian flush with embarrassment.


    To escape this awkward situation, she took the fork and twirled a few strands of the meat sauce-coated pasta, bringing it to jos¡¯ mouth.


    jos leaned in, opened his mouth, and ate the pasta, all the while keeping his gaze fixed on Vivian, filled with desire, ascivious look.


    Under his gaze, Vivian¡¯s breathing became rapid, her hand holding the fork trembling slightly, the delicious taste of the Italian meat sauce pasta almost imperceptible to her now.


    Simpson¡¯s yful gaze was barely there; he perfectly avoided jos and exchanged a nce with Vivian.


    Vivian paused in her breath, bowing her headpletely before jos noticed, pretending to focus on finishing her dinner.


    Night always fell quickly, but this bustling city never had a true night; there were people partying all night long, in bars, KTVs, in front of apartment radios¡­


    Vivian was very tired; Luzia¡¯s music library was too extensive for her to listen to in its entirety. Luzia could only regretfully turn off the radio and went back to her room to shower off the sweat from dancing.


    After washing up, Vivian climbed into bed, snuggled the soft pillow, yawned with fatigue, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.


    The entire apartment fell into a long silence; the twisted space conjured the bustle of the restaurant¡¯s lights, the smooth piano music turned tumultuous from the moment Vivian entered; she looked up to see jos¡¯ knife severing the man¡¯s carotid artery, the sound of blood gushing, the man¡¯s throat gurgling as it was slit, and the terror, resentment, and unwillingness in his eyes as he red at Vivian, his mouth opening and closing as if to spew the most vicious curse in the world.

 Chapter 25

    ¡°Ah!¡± Vivian awoke with a start, screaming at the top of her lungs. The door was thrust open the next second by Luzia.


    ¡°Vivian!¡± Luzia climbed onto her bed, holding her tightly in her arms, patting her back incessantly, trying to calm her down, ¡°It¡¯s okay now, it¡¯s okay, Vivian. You are in jos¡¯s apartment, you¡¯re safe, don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    Luzia turned on the light in the room. She saw Vivian¡¯s frightened tears and the sweat on her forehead. Holding her worriedly, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I had a terrible nightmare.¡± Vivian sobbed, covering her eyes. ¡°I dreamt that jos killed that man, and then that man came to kill me.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen. That man is already dead,¡± Luzia said. ¡°And jos won¡¯t let such a thing happen; he has the power to keep you safe. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    ¡°Why must he do that? Must he kill? He knows I would be scared.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of necessity,¡± Luzia soothed, patting her back. ¡°We both know that jos had no reason to spare him, but he had every reason to kill him.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Vivian said. ¡°For his authority.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important. The authority of a Capo can¡¯t be undermined. He needs to ensure his position is unshakeable. If he didn¡¯t do that, his enemies would easily kill him. And as his wife, if he can¡¯t protect you, his enemies will kill you too.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m scared,¡± Vivian cried, hiding in her embrace. ¡°He¡¯s too frightening; he will kill me.¡±


    ¡°No, Vivian, you¡¯re his wife, not his enemy.¡±


    ¡°But you know, I married him unwillingly. I¡¯ll run away; I¡¯ll refuse to make love with him.¡±


    Luzia sighed, feeling pity for Vivian, but she couldn¡¯t simply agree with her words tofort her, to tell her it¡¯s okay, that jos wouldn¡¯t force her, that jos would understand.


    In fact, if Vivian kept resisting jos like this, refusing to fulfill her wifely duties, jos would surely lose his mind. He would turn into a beast, shatter Vivian¡¯s dignity, lock her in a room until she bore his child.


    But looking at the Vivian, so beautiful even in tears, Luzia couldn¡¯t bring herself to utter these cruel truths. She could only continue patting Vivian¡¯s back, repeatedlyforting her, ¡°No, jos won¡¯t kill you. Don¡¯t be afraid of him.¡±


    ¡°Go to sleep, there¡¯s still time.¡± Luziay beside Vivian. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±


    Luzia¡¯s voice was soft, singing a melodious luby. The traces of tears still at the corners of Vivian¡¯s eyes, she closed them and slowly drifted back to sleep to the sound of Luzia¡¯s luby.


    Vivian felt like she had slept for a long time, but in reality, it wasn¡¯t more than a couple of hours. She looked at the time; it was less than two hours.


    Luzia was no longer in her room. Vivian didn¡¯t know when she had left, probably shortly after she had fallen asleep.


    Viviany back down, her eyes closed, but sleep eluded her.


    It wasn¡¯t yet dawn; it was just five in the morning, and the apartment was extremely quiet.


    Vivian turned on her side, looking at the muted beige curtains, probably the most vivid color in the room. The other items were either ck or grey, and the bedding was white, asionally taken out for sunbathing and reced with another color, but mostly monotonous.


    jos¡¯s apartment guest roomcked design, unlike the coziness of his master bedroom, and certainly unlike her room in Los Angeles, which was filled with handmade dolls she had made, with famous musical silhouettes and posters on the snow-white walls, her bookshelf overflowing with film and television books from around the world. She liked sitting on the plush carpet that covered the room, reading, drawing, pasting stickers, and doing crafts, her presence felt everywhere.


    But the room before her was really just a cold guest room that would imprison her until she was taken to another room to be confined.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    After waking up, Vivian couldn¡¯t fall back asleep, but she also didn¡¯t want to get up and face jos, so she pretended to be asleep until it was no longer early, and her stomach was growling from hunger.


    Vivian got up to wash and change her clothes. By this time, jos would have finished breakfast; he might already be out and busywith work, and she wondered what was left in the kitchen to eat.


    Vivian¡¯s mind was cluttered with messy thoughts as she opened her room door and stepped out. Before she even got close to the staircase, she heard a piercing cry, so sorrowful and intive it made her heart twinge.


    She recognized the voice; it was Luzia.


    What happened to Luzia? What tragic event had caused the always strong, sunny Luzia to cry like that?


    Vivian, worried, quickened her pace and peered through the gaps in the staircase down to the living room, where she could see jos¡¯s figure and Luzia sitting on the sofa to his right.


    Luzia, covering her face, was crying uncontrobly, her voice hoarse from the prolonged sobbing, ¡°I beg you, you¡¯ve sent me away once, can you not do it again this time. Just let me be a childless widow, I¡¯m willing to live this life alone.¡±


    Simpson sat beside Luzia, wiping her tears, his voice very low. Vivian couldn¡¯t hear clearly, but Luzia¡¯s response was violent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it, I don¡¯t want it.¡± Luzia screamed, crying even harder, ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a child anymore, Luzia,¡± jos growled, anger in his voice. He couldn¡¯tfort Luzia, her resistance seemed pointless to him.


    Luzia was frightened by his terrible expression, her crying stopped momentarily, ¡°I will die.¡±


    ¡°Will Vivian die marrying me? She won¡¯t, I will do everything to protect her,¡± jos said, suppressing his rage, ¡°Haven¡¯t you been trying to convince Vivian to ept this fact?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not Joseph; you won¡¯t kill Vivian, but Joseph will kill me. He¡¯s cold-blooded, brutal, a monster.¡±


    ¡°Who among us isn¡¯t a monster,¡± jos said. ¡°This is the mafia; no one survives this war without bing a monster. Only monsters have the right to wealth, status, and power.¡±


    ¡°You should feel honored, Luzia. The man you¡¯re going to marry will be the future Capo of Los Angeles, the most powerful man. Only he can make you ady, not a childless widow.¡±


    Vivian stood frozen on the stairs, unable to believe what she was hearing. Luzia was to marry her brother Joseph? My God, was she still in a nightmare? It was unimaginable, the cheerful and lively Luzia, always like a little sun, was to marry Joseph? How was this any different from an angel falling into a demon¡¯s trap?


    ¡°No,¡± Luzia refused to ept this cruel fate, ¡°Why must you be so cruel to me.¡±

 Chapter 26

    ¡°This is our responsibility; none of us can escape it,¡± jos said to her, his expression still terrifying, but his tone had softened considerably. ¡°ept the arrangements of fate, and you will find it much easier, Luzia.¡±


    Footsteps sounded from behind, jos turned his head; it was Vivian,ing down from the upstairs, the shock still evident on her face.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Vivian asked, ¡°Is Luzia going to marry Joseph?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± jos answered her calmly.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know about this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a decision that was just made,¡± jos said, looking into Vivian¡¯s eyes. ¡°A decision made by your father and me.¡±


    ¡°Another decision by you and my father? Why is it always you and my father¡¯s decision?¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t understand, a fire of anger roaring inside her chest, for her inability to control her own fate, for Luzia¡¯s simrly tragic destiny.


    ¡°Vivian,¡± Simpson stopped Vivian¡¯s interrogation, knowing that no matter what answer jos gave, it wouldn¡¯t be the one Vivian wanted to hear, and it would only lead to another argument.


    ¡°Can you help me persuade Luzia?¡± Simpson asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t,¡± Vivian said coldly.


    ¡°I know,¡± Simpson replied. ¡°I just wanted you tofort her, to stop being so sad. This doesn¡¯t solve any problems.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t we even have the chance to feel sad and heartbroken if we can¡¯t choose our own destiny?¡± Vivian was furious, she turned her face away, no longer wanting to say another word to the brothers.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have that attitude, Vivian,¡± jos seemed even angrier than she was. ¡°Joseph is your brother. After Luzia marries him, the rtionship between Houston and Los Angeles will only grow closer.¡±


    ¡°You only care about whether the alliance between Houston and Los Angeles can progress further. Have you considered whether Joseph is a suitable marriage partner? I am Joseph¡¯s sister; I understand him better than any of you,¡± Vivian said. ¡°Joseph is cold, ruthless, and brutal. He kills without blinking. He won¡¯t treat Luzia well; do you want her future to be filled with nothing but suffering?¡±


    ¡°Made Men in the mafia are all brutal, vicious, and kill without blinking-an essential quality for bing strong. Joseph is clearly a suitable sessor. And Luzia, she would have to marry someone eventually. If not Joseph, then some other man. Why not marry the most powerful one?¡±


    He yelled at Vivian, ¡°Stop talking to me about your naive thoughts. You don¡¯t understand anything.¡±


    Vivian was startled by his shouting.


    jos, with a face full of rage, turned to Luzia, ¡°Stop crying, Luzia. Your wedding to Joseph won¡¯t happen so soon, but you need to get used to your new status quickly-the wife of the next Capo of the Los Angeles mafia. You should feel honored.¡± jos pointed at Vivian, his expression fierce as if he could pull out a knife at any moment, ¡°The two most powerful men in the mafia will be your support. Your tears only make me angry.¡±


    jos left angrily, and Simpson patted Luzia on the shoulder before following jos out of the apartment.


    jos¡¯s fury made Vivian feel scared; she truly thought jos might kill them. She sat next to Luzia, shivering from fear and cold. Luzia was in a terrible state.


    She had cried too much, her makeup was smeared, mascara leaving ck streaks on her face, her eyes red and swollen, and tears fell again as soon as she spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been trying so hard to hold it in,¡± Luzia said through sobs. ¡°Although I have always been persuading you, when ites to me, I¡¯m not that strong.¡±


    Vivian handed her a tissue, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I know you¡¯re in pain.¡± No one likes to have their fate controlled by others, whether that person is their father or their brother.


    Luzia didn¡¯t like Joseph; she didn¡¯t want to marry him, just as she didn¡¯t want to marry jos. But just the same, she had no right to choose, and neither did Luzia.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always known my fate,¡± Luzia said as she wiped her nose, her voice hoarse from crying. ¡°Before, I was sent to my first husband in the same way. I didn¡¯t know him, and he didn¡¯t like me. We got familiar with each other over the days and nights that followed. Then he died.¡±


    ¡°After he died, I knew jos would pick a second husband for me whenever it suited him; even if it was a sixty-year-old man, he would send me away.¡±


    Luzia was stating the facts. After a good cry, she hade to ept such a fate calmly. But Vivian still felt sad.


    She leaned on Luzia, and Luzia leaned on her, both silent for a good while.


    ¡°Vivian,¡± Luzia called her name, but Vivian didn¡¯t have the courage to respond. ¡°Bless me, at least my betrothed is not a sixty-year-old man. He¡¯s handsome and tall, owns a vast fortune to maintain my current lifestyle, he has the power to protect me from his enemies, and he can give me a child.¡±


    At the mention of a child, a hint of a smile finally appeared on Luzia¡¯s face, ¡°With a child, I will no longer be lonely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to start calling you sister-inw,¡± Vivian said with a forced smile, which eased Luzia¡¯s sorrow a bit.


    Luzia smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll have to call you sister-inw, too.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what a mess,¡± Vivian frowned in frustration. They looked at each other andughed.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s watch a movie,¡± Luzia pulled Vivian upstairs, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the entertainment room. There¡¯s a TV there. What movie shall we watch?¡±


    ¡°Get some ice cream,¡± Vivian suggested as she went to the kitchen and opened the fridge.


    ¡°And bring some popcorn, something sweet. And c¡­¡±


    Vivian and Luzia spent the whole day in the entertainment room, watching several movies, each with a touch of tragedy. They were emotional girls,ughing with the protagonists, crying with them, freely expressing their emotions without having to deceive themselves by saying, ¡°Yes, this is my duty,¡± ¡°Yes, I should ept it calmly.¡±


    ¡°Maybe soon I will leave here, to Los Angeles, but I will still miss the days I spent with you,¡± Luzia hugged Vivian tightly. ¡°You are my best friend.¡±


    ¡°You are my best friend too, and I hope you find happiness,¡± Vivian wiped away her tears, her own face already tear-stained. She knew Luzia¡¯s chances of happiness were slim, but she would still pray to God for her.


    ¡­


    After spending a day in the entertainment room, alternating betweenughter and tears, Luzia was exhausted, but Vivian was somewhat unable to sleep. The night in Houston was brightly lit; she couldn¡¯t find a single star. The evening breeze was a bit cold, and she closed the window.


    Suddenly, a loud noise came from downstairs, and Vivian felt the floor shake. Startled, she wondered, was it a gunshot? It didn¡¯t seem like it.


    Vivian opened her door and ran out. There was no one else in the hallway, but the noise from downstairs didn¡¯t stop.


    It was jos!

 Chapter 27

    He was furious, roaring like an enraged lion, his roars and bellows filled the room as he kicked over chairs and upturned the coffee table. The ss coffee table shattered into fragments upon hitting the floor, and he continued his rampage, wrecking everything in the living room. Expensive vases decorating the cabs were thrown and smashed to the ground.


    ¡°My God!¡± Vivian almost got hit, ¡°jos, what are you doing?¡± She looked at the mess on the floor with a headache, cautioning jos to avoid the ss shards.


    jos seemed not to hear her, still swinging the object in his hands-a baseball bat. The bat swooped towards the storage cab, which protested with a loud bang. jos gripped the bat so tightly that the force of his swings made his hands go numb.


    Vivian was terrified, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to just run away. She hurried down the stairs, carefully sidestepping the ss, ¡°jos, listen to me.¡±


    The mes of rage turned jos¡¯s eyes blood-red, and he had lost all reason. His mind was consumed with one thought-destruction, destruction, destruction!


    ¡°jos, stop it!¡± Vivian shouted his name, ¡°You¡¯ll hurt yourself, for heaven¡¯s sake, stop this madness, you¡¯ve already destroyed the ce!¡±


    When there was nothing left in the living room to destroy, jos expanded his battleground. Vivian followed him, but before she could get close, he knocked her to the ground.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Vivian fell on her back, pain radiating from the impact. She couldn¡¯t help but cry out in pain, but what was more terrifying was jos grabbing her hand and beginning to tear her cotton nightgown apart.


    ¡°jos, stop!¡± Vivian screamed in desperation. Her hands were pinned to the floor, and jos¡¯s strength was overwhelming. Unable to break free, she began to kick at his shins.


    jos knelt beside her, one hand pinning her hands to the floor, the other abandoning the baseball bat to firmly grasp her slender ankle. He wedged a leg between hers, his heavy body pressing down on her, and soon, Vivian could no longer move.


    ¡°jos, snap out of it.¡± Vivian looked into his red eyes, trying to scream some sense into him, but it was in vain. jos¡¯s hand moved from her ankle up her calf and towards her thigh.


    Vivian felt utter fear as she cried out, begging him to stop, ¡°Please, jos, stop!¡±


    jos buried his face in the nape of her neck, his wet kisses trailing down her throat, her corbone, and slowly down to her breasts. Vivian cried out of fear, feeling his hand slip inside her undergarment, touching her in her most private area.


    She was shaking with fear and utterly powerless to resist.


    Suddenly, Vivian felt jos¡¯s movements be urgent, his hands left her body, and she heard the sound of a zipper being pulled. Her mind exploded with the thought of escape-she had to escape or she would lose her purity tonight!


    With this realization, Vivian found strength. She stopped struggling violently and feignedpliance, deceiving jos. As he rxed his brutality, she seized the chance to kick him between the legs.


    jos screamed in pain, and Vivian finally saw her chance to escape from beneath him. Her torn nightgown revealed her chest, and she frantically covered herself.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± jos groaned, clutching his groin in pain. His eyes were still red, but the desire had vanished, reced by unspeakable agony.


    He must have sobered up. Angrily, Vivian yelled, ¡°What am I doing? You¡¯re the one insulting me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m insulting you?¡± jos¡¯s voice was pained, cold sweat on his forehead.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see?¡± Vivian pointed to her shredded gown, ¡°You were trying to rape me.¡±


    jos gasped for air, and Vivian could see he was in severe pain, not just from her kick but from something else as well.


    Vivian thought back to jos¡¯s frenzy. What was wrong with him?


    ¡°You-¡±


    ¡°Get out!¡± Before Vivian could finish, jos cut her off, ¡°Go back to your room, and don¡¯t appear before me tonight.¡±


    ¡°I am furious with your attitude¡­¡±


    ¡°I said go upstairs!¡± jos shouted for Mare, who quickly came downstairs. jos roared, ¡°Take her away! Make sure she doesn¡¯t appear before me tonight.¡±


    ¡°No-I!¡±


    Without further words, Mare picked her up, her struggles meaningless against him.


    ¡°Mare! Put me down!¡±


    Mare carried her upstairs, ¡°Capo had a bad time, but as you can see, he¡¯s alright now, no need to worry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about him, it¡¯s what he did that¡¯s unforgivable.¡± Vivian crossed her arms, standing barefoot on the carpet in her room, ¡°His violence towards me is inexcusable.¡±


    That night, Vivian couldn¡¯t sleep; her mind was haunted by jos¡¯s desire-filled, bloodshot eyes, his heavy breathing, the roughness of his hands, and the heat of his body, which made her face flush and heart race.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    She felt a disturbing excitement rising from within, coursing through her veins, making her breath short and her throat dry.


    Viviany on the bed, her body twisting, the cotton sheets too soft to provide any friction as she grew damp. It was truly horrifying.


    Gasping for air, Vivian realized it was jos who had brought out this terrible side of her. She was beginning to crave his touch, to be treated roughly as he had done, pressed down upon her in shameful acts.


    He would bite and possess her, with a mix of release, desire, and sex, devoid of sweetness or love. It would be a bestial union, where all she had to do was lie down, let him act, and then bear his heir.


    What a desperate marriage it was.


    Vivian buried her face in the pillow and cried. The closer the wedding day approached, the sadder she became. She was about to lose her freedom, her purity, and all future possibilities.


    And Luzia was doomed to repeat her tragedy, to have a loveless marriage with a heartless husband, bing nothing but a tool for childbearing. Poor girl, would she too cry tonight, and then lose sleep over it?


    In the dark room, Vivian wondered if there was something she could do to save Luzia¡¯s fate.


    jos¡¯s shadow stretched long under the hallway lights. His hearing was sharp; he could hear Vivian¡¯s muffled cries through the door. She might have been terrified, or it was more than just fright. She often cried, holding Luzia andmenting not wanting to marry him.


    Luzia didn¡¯t want to marry Joseph either. From today on, Luzia would join those who held each other and wept.


    jos felt restless. He wanted to grab Vivian¡¯s shoulders and demand to know the reason for her fears, what was there to cry about, did they think marriage was so terrifying because they had not seen what true fear was? He faced real fear every day-death.

 Chapter 28

    Rtives, friends, subordinates-each death he witnessed firsthand, yet there was no possibility for him to retreat. Beyond holding the supreme position as a Capo, he bore an inescapable responsibility; he needed to lead his followers in an endless fight against the Russians.


    In fact, since the death of his father Kamden, the Houston mafia had been at a significant disadvantage. Many of his father¡¯s loyal and capable men had died in the ensuing chaos, dealing a heavy blow to Houston. jos needed Bryson¡¯s help, and the warriors sent from Los Angeles would give him a favorable advantage in the battle with the Russians.


    But the fight was escting. The Bratva lost men; so did jos¡¯s side. They attacked Houston¡¯s wineries, and jos responded by setting their warehouses aze. mes reached the sky, gunshots never ceased, and in that inferno, jos lost his childhood ymate-his best friend.


    For revenge, jos risked capturing a Bratva leader in Houston. He whipped him, pried off his fingernails, shattered his kneecaps, and cut strips of flesh from his body. When the man screamed in pain, jos pulled out his tongue.


    The news of his marriage spread too quickly, and the alliance between Houston and Los Angeles would cause the Bratva to be wary. Vivian had already be their target; the shootout outside Golden Hill Apartment was a carefully orchestrated attack by them.


    ¡°She¡¯s such a beautiful and sexy woman; just one nce ignites a desire to rape her. If I catch her outside Golden Hill Apartment, I¡¯ll tear her clothes apart and fuck her to death!¡± The Bratva leader in Houston was a disgustingly vile man, whose tales of toying with women were well known to jos.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Now, he had set his sights on Vivian. So, jos cut his throat.


    Blood sttered on jos, who didn¡¯t even blink, ordering the body to be dumped in the river. But the man¡¯s vile words had taken hold of him; he became crazed, turning everything in the living room into chaos, and almost raped Vivian when she came near.


    jos exhaled heavily and returned to his room. The rm clock on the nightstand reminded him there wasn¡¯t enough time to sleep; he needed to leave immediately. Opening the wardrobe, he saw the wedding suit someone had delivered; the wedding would take ce tomorrow.


    Looking at the suit, was he nervous? Excited? Expectant? Or feeling the same dread as Vivian-unease? Sadness? In fact, he felt nothing, waiting indifferently for the wedding day to arrive, to fulfill his duty as Capo-to marry Vivian for the alliance between Houston and Los Angeles.


    He couldn¡¯t offer Vivian what she wanted-a sweet love, a gentle husband, a happy marriage-but he would protect her at all costs.


    He promised.


    Luzia awoke from her sleep crying, her pillow soaked.


    She sighed, walked into the bathroom, and covered her eyes with a towel.


    Outside, the sun was rising; the weather seemed nice. She changed into a white dress and braided her brown hair into a it.


    She had to see jos, even if it might be pointless, but tomorrow was his wedding to Vivian.


    Standing at jos¡¯s door, Luzia knocked. He was indeed home, his voice deep and stern from within, ¡°Come in.¡±


    It was amanding tone, grim and fierce.


    Luzia shivered, a flicker of fear inside her.


    She hesitated at the door but, thinking of Vivian¡¯s tearful face, pushed it open and entered, ¡°Good morning, jos.¡±


    jos sat in an armchair by the firece, drinking. He seemed a bit impatient but softened his tone, ¡°Good morning, what is it?¡±


    He could already imagine the strange requests Luzia might have-shopping? Racing? Horseback riding? As long as it was within his power, he never skimped on indulging her.


    ¡°Can you cancel tomorrow¡¯s wedding?¡± Luzia stood at the doorway, hesitant to enter.


    jos was surprised by such a request, ¡°Did Vivian send you to ask me this?¡±


    ¡°No, no, Vivian doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here; it was my own idea.¡± Luzia quickly denied, adding, ¡°Vivian seems very sad.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s always been sad,¡± jos drained his ss, ¡°Not because of tomorrow¡¯s wedding, but because after the wedding, she¡¯ll lose all her freedom.¡±


    ¡°But you know, even after the wedding, I won¡¯t limit her freedom. She can still go shopping, stroll, watch movies with you. She can leave this apartment as long as she returns to sleep at night.¡±


    ¡°She¡­ she wants to go to school.¡±


    ¡°School?¡± jos pondered, ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware she had such a desire, but I can arrange that. Houston has some fine universities.¡±


    ¡°She also wants to work.¡±


    ¡°Work?¡± jos mused for a moment, perhaps not understanding why Vivian would be so insistent on working. He didn¡¯tck money, and after the wedding, his wealth would also be Vivian¡¯s. She had no need to work, ¡°Okay, if that¡¯s what she wants, it¡¯s not impossible.¡±


    Luzia fumbled for words, desperately trying to find the reason Vivian didn¡¯t want to marry jos and to convince him.


    jos shook his head, stood up, and fetched another bottle of wine from the mini-fridge in his room, ¡°She doesn¡¯t need a loveless marriage, but you know as well as I do, she can¡¯t escape it.¡±


    ¡°What is she afraid of, loveless intimacy?¡± jos mused, ¡°Perhaps without intimacy, marrying me wouldn¡¯t matter. But after the wedding, she bes my wife, and I can¡¯t not share a bed with my wife.¡±


    Luzia took a deep breath, her brow furrowed as she spoke, ¡°You¡¯re too rough, jos, you¡¯ll cause her pain.¡±


    ¡°The first time is always painful for a woman, you¡¯ve been through it, haven¡¯t you?¡± jos took a sip of his drink, the sunlight streaming into the room, falling on hisrge bed, at his feet, ¡°After the first time, she¡¯ll have experience. By the third time, she should find pleasure. She¡¯ll grow to love the pleasure I give her. No one dislikes the pleasure of intimacy I provide.¡±


    ¡°jos, why can¡¯t youpromise just once¡­¡±


    ¡°Why should Ipromise? She¡¯s my wife!¡± jos got angry, his voice roaring with irritation, ¡°I have the right to her body, and she has the duty to make love with me. Even without love, she has the responsibility toply with her husband, just like you did with Paavo.¡±


    ¡°Without love, there should be no intimacy. Without affection, one can¡¯t share a bed. She¡¯s neen, not a naive three-year-old. She should realize how ridiculous her ideas are by now!¡± jos finished thest of his wine, ¡°Stop thinking of those foolish excuses, Luzia. You and I both know the nature of this arranged marriage and what Vivian truly can¡¯t ept. But we are powerless, only able to follow the dictates of fate.¡±


    ¡°But you have the power to change all this, to end this cursed fate.¡±

 Chapter 29

    ¡°No.¡± jos refused her, ¡°To avoid plunging us all into misfortune, I need this marriage alliance.¡±


    ¡°Listen, Luzia, the wedding tomorrow will definitely not be canceled. What you should do now is to take Vivian shopping, to get a beauty treatment, to rx. Go on, I have things to handle, goodbye.¡±


    jos closed the room door, and Luzia had no choice but to drag her heavy steps to find Vivian.


    Simpson came up the stairs, watching Luzia knock on Vivian¡¯s room door, then he turned and walked towards his brother¡¯s room.


    Simpson knocked on the door, and jos quickly responded. He opened the door and entered; jos was changing his clothes.


    ¡°You¡¯vee at the right time.¡± jos, while fastening the buttons of his shirt, said to his brother, ¡°Are the people ready for the mission?¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have a mission today.¡± Simpson looked at jos¡¯s displeased face, certain that Luzia had said something to upset him, ¡°The wedding is tomorrow; you need to rest.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± jos changed his trousers, ¡°I need a mission; I feel like killing someone right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the right state of mind.¡± Simpson frowned, ¡°jos¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± jos roared with a headache, ¡°Tell me the mission.¡±


    ¡°There really isn¡¯t one that requires your personal involvement.¡± jos¡¯s anger did not make Simpson feel intimidated; he shrugged and said, ¡°Vilem has already gone to handle it, and it should be resolved soon.¡±


    Speaking of Vilem, Simpson was surprised by his capability, ¡°His business acumen is unexpectedly strong.¡±


    jos nced at him, ¡°Do not underestimate the Made Men sent from Los Angeles; he is one of Bryson¡¯s heirs.¡±


    ¡°In fact, Luzia marrying him wouldn¡¯t be a bad choice; he doesn¡¯t have a wife yet.¡± Simpson said, ¡°Maybe this way we could keep him in Houston.¡±


    jos shook his head, ¡°He won¡¯t stay in Houston, Bryson would not agree.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really a pity.¡± Simpson walked over and patted his sturdy shoulder, ¡°Stop thinking about the mission; you don¡¯t need it now. Maybe you can¡¯t feel it but we could go to a bar, drink, or to a club to y some games, have a small bachelor party of sorts; you should rx.¡±


    Simpson snapped his fingers, ¡°Yes, just like that,e on, jos.¡±


    Vivian and Luzia had already gone out; they would y until evening before returning. jos picked up his coat, and left a note for Vivian in the kitchen. They would not see each other in the 24 hours before the wedding, as was tradition. They always adhered to this tradition.


    Leaving the note, jos went out with Simpson, Simpson¡¯s driver drove them to the club he had mentioned.


    This club was actually operated by the Hargrave family, always managed by Simpson, who had turned it into avish den of iniquity-gambling, erotica, alcohol¡­ everything that could addict a person was avable here.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Simpson took him upstairs to the bar, where they sat down in a booth facing the dance floor, and the waiter quickly brought over several bottles of strong liquor.


    Simpson clinked sses with him, and as the alcohol hit, he loosened the tie around his neck, went down to the dance floor, and started dancing hotly with a sexydy.


    jos poured another ss of liquor down his throat, watching the men and women in the dance floor, lost in erotic and frenzied dance, unable to muster any interest, but for the moment he couldn¡¯t think of anywhere else to go-other than the office.


    jos took a sip of liquor, and a red-haired, green-eyed woman approached him. She wore a sexy tank top and a micro-mini skirt barely covering her buttocks, her ample bosom showing off white flesh. As she leaned over to pour the drink, jos could see the enticing inner view of her top.


    The woman had a great interest in jos. Holding a ss in one hand, she touched jos¡¯s sharply featured face with the other, her hand erotically sliding over his Adam¡¯s apple, then unbuttoned his shirt with one hand and touched his hard chest.


    She sat directly on jos¡¯sp, grinding her perky buttocks against jos¡¯s size through the thin fabric. She keenly felt the hardness beneath her bottom and smiled triumphantly and seductively, bringing the ss to the man¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Sir¡­¡±


    Just as the woman was about to deploy her seduction, jos¡¯s phone suddenly rang, causing the woman to pause, and as she triedto continue, she was pushed away by jos.


    The call was from one of his subordinates, reporting that Vilem¡¯s mission had encountered an unexpected problem. The Bratva had brought more people than they had known, and the small team led by Vilem had fallen into an ambush, with Vilem sustaining serious gunshot wounds.


    This was a grave mistake!


    jos felt a fire burning in his chest. He was furious. He quickly went onto the dance floor to find Simpson and pulled him out. Together they rushed to the hospital where Vilem was being treated.


    Vilem had taken two bullets, one in the abdomen, causing a significant amount of bleeding, and another in the leg, which, fortunately, hadn¡¯t hit any nerves and wouldn¡¯t cost him his right leg. By the time the Hargrave brothers arrived at the hospital, the doctors had already sessfullypleted the surgery.


    No one dared stop jos from visiting the patient, even though Vilem had just woken up from anesthesia.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I messed things up.¡±


    jos stood beside the bed with his arms crossed, his expressionless gaze fixed on a disheveled Vilem, ¡°You look terrible, Vilem.¡±


    Pain twisted Vilem¡¯s features, beads of cold sweat rolled down his forehead, and he breathed through an open mouth, trying to lessen the pain.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Vivian?¡±


    ¡°With my cousin Luzia, out shopping and beautifying.¡± jos said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t told her about your injury and hospitalization.¡±


    ¡°Why not tell her?¡± Vilem looked shocked; his injury was severe, he had nearly died, and he thought jos would tell Vivian, which could dy the wedding scheduled for tomorrow¡­


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± jos saw right through him and said coldly, ¡°If you weren¡¯t Vivian¡¯s brother, I would kill you right now because you tried to take away my bride.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to marry you!¡± Vilem growled in a low voice.


    ¡°Enough, if you dare say another word, I will kill you right now.¡± jos took out a gun and pressed it against Vilem¡¯s head.


    Vilem¡¯s breathing halted, and he looked at the gun in jos¡¯s hand with a trembling lip. He was scared.


    jos snorted coldly; the naivety of these siblings really couldn¡¯t make him happy.


    ¡°Tomorrow is our wedding, Vivian needs enough peace and rest, I don¡¯t want her to ruin the wedding with swollen eyes from crying.¡± Seeing Vilem bingpliant, jos put away his gun, ¡°Get some sleep, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to miss your sister¡¯s wedding tomorrow. She¡¯s the one you cherish the most.¡±


    jos left Simpson tofort him and went out to find Vilem¡¯s doctor to ensure he could attend the wedding the next day. After that, he set out to deal with the aftermath of Vilem¡¯s failure.


    On the day before the wedding, he shot fourteen Russians, including the sniper who had wounded Vilem.


    The gun barrel emitted searing heat as jos stood by the surging river, watching his subordinates throw the bodies into the water, and the wind by the river dispersed the stench of blood from his body.


    By the time he returned to the hospital, Vilem had been given painkillers and was now in a deep sleep. Good, he certainly needed enough rest to recover. Unexpectedly, outside the ward, Vilem¡¯s parents and his brother Joseph had already arrived.

 Chapter 30

    ¡°jos,¡± Bryson said, looking at him angrily.


    jos didn¡¯t know who had informed the Brysons; he hadn¡¯t asked anyone to do so, and Vilem wouldn¡¯t have either, as there were no phones in the ward for making contact.


    His piercing gaze swept over Simpson, who opened his hands towards him, signaling that he wasn¡¯t the informant either.


    Good. jos was furious; it seemed he needed to find out which member of his team was so disobedient.


    ¡°Bryson,¡± jos approached to greet him.


    ¡°He¡¯s injured, severely!¡± Bryson said angrily.


    ¡°The doctors will do their best to treat him without dying tomorrow¡¯s wedding.¡±


    ¡°The wedding tomorrow will certainly not be dyed. It doesn¡¯t matter if he can¡¯t attend. But he is my son! I sent him to Houston to help you, and it¡¯s your responsibility to protect him, not to indulge him in dangerous missions! Four of my elite men that I sent to you are already dead!¡±


    ¡°Are my men safe and sound?¡± jos roared back, ¡°We are doing dangerous work; deaths are inevitable. Your elites died four, mine twenty, and my father has died too-have you forgotten?¡±


    ¡°Los Angeles has been helping Houston resist Bratva¡¯s invasion. To repay you, I agreed to marry your daughter as you requested, gave my cousin Luzia to Joseph, and allowed Vilem to be fully trained with me, growing into a qualified Made Man. This is all the sincerity I have shown; there¡¯s nothing left.¡±


    The cooperation between Houston and Los Angeles had always been equal; his status was on par with Bryson¡¯s-neither superior nor inferior. But Bryson¡¯s authoritative tone had just put himself in a higher position than jos, scolding jos as if he were a subordinate. This had touched jos¡¯s bottom line.


    jos couldn¡¯t tolerate this; he had to assert his attitude more dominantly than Bryson to defend his status. Otherwise, sooner orter, Bryson would no longer respect him, and Houston would be a vassal to Los Angeles.


    The conversation with Bryson ended unpleasantly. jos returned to his apartment; it was alreadyte. Vivian and Luzia had gone to bed.


    He went upstairs, passing Vivian¡¯s room without pausing, and entered his own room. He undressed, entering the bathroom naked and turned on the shower overhead. Warm water cascaded down.


    The temperature didn¡¯t invigorate him, so jos turned it down. Cold water wet his hair and battered his heated skin.


    Leaning on the bathroom wall with one hand, his back and shoulders tensed, his breathing rapid, his fingers moved flexibly with his breaths. Suddenly, the image of Vivian appeared in his mind-beautiful, alluring. He imagined her in a pristine wedding dress, walking into the holy church, pledging eternal loyalty to him, never to betray. He kissed his bride before the witnesses, carried her into the bridal chamber, tossed her onto the bed strewn with rose petals.


    No one could stop him from tearing his bride¡¯s gown, no one could stop him from kissing, caressing, tearing as he took her roughly, his movements on her body wild¡­


    jos let out a roar, the icy water continuously pounding his body, the scent of shower gel unable to mask the strong musk. His breaths were heavy, his desire unabated.


    He came out of the bathroom, dried his hair, and put on a clean bathrobe. Then, sitting before the firece in a lounge chair, he poured himself a ss of whiskey. After drinking, he would lie in bed and sleep soundly. Tomorrow was the wedding; he should maintain a full spirit to deal with the tedious procedures.


    Vivian should do the same.


    But what about Vilem? Not tell her about Vilem¡¯s injury?


    Of course, that would be the best way-to avoid her being sad, crying swollen eyes on how to be a beautiful bride tomorrow.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    But that¡¯s her brother!


    jos hung his head. If Simpson were the one injured in the hospital, would he want everyone to hide it from him? No, he needed to know immediately, to rush to his brother¡¯s side.


    Alright, you selfish bastard, jos cursed, you can¡¯t pretend you know nothing.


    jos changed into clean clothes and rushed out the door, walking briskly to Vivian¡¯s room and knocked.


    Inside, it was silent; Vivian seemed to be sound asleep and didn¡¯t respond immediately. jos knocked patiently a couple more times before Vivian woke up groggily. She was sleeping more deeply than jos expected.


    Vivian looked haggard from being woken up, rubbing her eyes as she opened the door, staring nkly at jos.


    jos was also taken aback because Vivian emerged without a robe, clearly not fond of wearing a bra to bed, the way her nipples pressed against the soft fabric, bing erect with ease-small and pointed, he found them unexpectedly charming.


    Vivian wasn¡¯t fully awake yet; she didn¡¯t notice the desire in jos¡¯ eyes, or she would have certainly been frightened enough to retreat back into her room and lock the door immediately.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Vivian had to look up to see jos¡¯ face, he was over six feet four inches tall, and she had often felt frustrated by her own short stature.


    jos looked down at her and delivered the unfortunate news, ¡°Your brother¡¯s been hurt, he¡¯s in the hospital getting treated.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s legs gave way, but jos caught her, ¡°Who? Joseph? Or Vilem?¡± Her lips quivered, especially when she guessed Vilem, her fear was so evident.


    ¡°It¡¯s Vilem.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyes instantly reddened, tears streaming down her face as she clutched at jos¡¯ sleeve, ¡°Is he alright? Is he alive? Is it serious?¡±


    ¡°The surgery was sessful, there¡¯s no immediate danger to his life, the hospital will provide the best treatment,¡± jos reassured her, leading her into the room and turning on the light, ¡°Do you want to see him now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vivian, hearing that Vilem wasn¡¯t in danger of dying, regained some spirit, her groggy mind not entirely clear, ¡°Can we visit now? At three in the morning, will the hospital let us in? I know the wedding won¡¯t be canceled, I¡¯ve tried so much already-I mean aren¡¯t you tired? We both have to get up early tomorrow, we shouldn¡¯t even be seeing each other right now.¡±


    ¡°Listen to me, Vivian,¡± jos took her by the shoulders, feeling her tremble. Maybe she wasn¡¯t asposed as she appeared, she was worried about her brother, she could cry, even lose sleep over it all night.


    ¡°Do you want to see Vilem? You just need to answer me, yes or no.¡±


    Vivian calmed down under his deep voice, nodding, tearsnding on the back of her hand, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Get dressed now, it¡¯s cold outside, put on a jacket,¡± jos let her go and walked out of the room, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs.¡±


    Vivian dried her tears and quickly changed, remembering jos¡¯ words, she pulled a jacket out of the wardrobe.


    It wasn¡¯t long before jos was waiting for Vivian, now dressed, and they took the elevator to the underground garage where his driver was already waiting with the car.


    ¡°To the hospital,¡± jos told his driver.

 Chapter 31

    The car drove into the depths of the night in Houston, the deste and empty streets stretching into the endless darkness. Through the car window ss, Vivian struggled to look up at the lights, their shadows flickering uncertainly as the engine suddenly revved, filling the cabin with a tense atmosphere.


    With a click-ck, bullets were chambered, and the piercing sound of gunfire exploded next to Vivian¡¯s ears. Her eyes widened in shock, and before she could scream, jos pushed her head down beneath the seat.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Bratva.¡± Inside the life-and-death speed of the night, Mare¡¯s sharp gaze halted on a familiar face revealed through the windshield of the car behind them. The light was dim and the shadows were indistinct, yet this did not prevent Mare, like a sharpshooter, from blowing the head off the driver who was relentlessly tailing them.


    Sharp screeching brakes followed, and the high-speed car lost control due to the sudden halt, skidding a distance before crashing into the roadside barrier and flipping over. jos aimed at the leaking fuel tank, and with a booming explosion, mes shot into the sky, illuminating that stretch of the highway and exposing the Bratva members who were lying in ambush.


    The gunfire continued without pause. Vivian felt a violent impact and her body was thrown forward due to inertia. jos grabbed her cor and pressed her down beneath him.


    Vivian was too frightened to make a sound, her face smeared with tears and mucus, a pitiful yetical sight.


    jos dragged Vivian out of the car by the cor, and an abandoned house by the roadside became their only shelter.


    ¡°Take this.¡± jos handed a gun to Vivian.


    Terrified, she almost threw the gun away.


    jos tightened his grip on her hand. ¡°There¡¯s a traitor in the organization. He betrayed me, betrayed your brother. Don¡¯t you want to know who hurt Vilem?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian was consumed by fear, her mind nk, tears clinging to her eyshes. She wanted to say that Houston¡¯s traitors had nothing to do with her, that their betrayal of him had nothing to do with her, but that was Vilem, the man who had been shot twice and just barely saved, lying in a hospital bed!


    Vivian swallowed hard, gripping the gun tightly, ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Her entire body was shaking, her speech not fluent, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to use a gun.¡±


    This was all too crazy. Vivian was lost in wild thoughts amidst her extreme fear.


    Her father never allowed her to appear at any public events other than family gatherings or school. She was well-protected under her father¡¯s wings, and the worst terror she had ever seen was when the Bratva armed forces broke into the Walker family¡¯s estate during a banquet, a situation that was quickly suppressed by the head of the Walker family and her father.


    Even on her first day in Houston, when she had encountered an attack, she was afraid but had quickly escaped danger. She had never faced death so closely before-the bodyguard protecting them was shot through the heart, his blood spraying onto Vivian¡¯s white sleeve.


    Even through severalyers of fabric, Vivian could still feel the warm stter of blood.


    ¡°Load the gun, aim, and shoot.¡± jos wiped the tears from Vivian¡¯s face. ¡°There are only three bullets in the gun; you don¡¯t have to kill anyone, just protect yourself.¡±


    ¡°Mare!¡± jos shouted Mare¡¯s name, ¡°Keep her safe.¡±


    With those words, jos and the remaining bodyguards charged out.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know how many enemies there were, but judging from jos¡¯s serious expression and Mare¡¯s tense shoulders, there were probably far more than she imagined.


    Mare found a rtively safe room-a mezzanine between the first and second floors, used as a storage room. The clutter not yet cleared away served as a good cover. He stuffed Vivian inside, and she grabbed his hand, ¡°Is jos really okay?¡±


    ¡°Reinforcements have been called. Our people will arrive soon.¡± Mare urged Vivian to hide, ¡°Please trust our Capo, Miss Vivian.¡±


    The gun in her hand was cold and deadly. Vivian couldn¡¯t steady her hands, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her throat the next second.


    Mare hid behind the storage room door, his night vision excellent, easily distinguishing between friend and foe in the fight downstairs. He saw jos blow an enemy¡¯s head off with a shot, and a cold gun emerging from the darkness took down the bodyguard in front of jos.


    Both sides suffered casualties.


    ¡°jos!¡± A small exmation came from the storage room. Mare looked over to see Vivian moving to a small window in the room, from where she could see jos¡¯s arm bleeding-he was wounded!


    The bullet grazed jos¡¯s arm, and the searing pain of torn flesh took a second to reach his brain, but it did nothing to hinder his valor. He stood behind the broken wall, wielding dual guns, exchanging fire with the enemies lurking in the darkness.


    As bullets left the chambers, apanied by loud bangs, sparks from the muzzle became targets in the dark. Enemy cries of being hit echoed one after another.


    jos took cover, breathing heavily, his hands moving swiftly to reload, chamber, and fire. His men were dwindling.


    The wind carried the smell of gunpowder and blood. Mare¡¯s ears twitched, keenly picking up on movement behind the house-enemies were approaching!


    Sure enough, the next second, gunfire erupted as jos¡¯s men ambushed the enemy from behind the house. Then, the window near the back of the storage room shattered under brute force, ss shards flying everywhere. Vivian screamed, protecting her face as Mare fired his gun, followed by the sound of a heavy body hitting the ground.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Mare reached for Vivian.


    Her legs had turned to jelly from fear; she was almost dragged out of the storage room by Mare.


    As they left, the storage room was riddled with a barrage of gunfire, the rapid bursts straining jos¡¯s nerves to their limit. He turned in shock, his scalp nearly exploding.


    But the next second, he saw Mare pulling Vivian into the safety of the second-floor corridor. Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he heard the sound of a de cutting through the air behind him. He spun around, gun in hand, blocking the blow. The collision of weapons made a grating sound. jos pulled the trigger, the empty click startling the assant long enough for him to aim downward and fire a fatal shot into the attacker¡¯s heart.


    The Bratva¡¯s ambush was more ferocious than anticipated, with a reckless air about them-the wedding was tomorrow, and after it, Houston would gain more support from Los Angeles. Their numbers, weapons, and equipment would all be enhanced. The Bratva had sensed the threat.


    If they couldn¡¯t stop tomorrow¡¯s wedding, they were determined to kill jos tonight-that was the resolution set in every Bratva member¡¯s heart.


    But jos¡¯s bravery far exceeded their expectations. His zing guns could easily prate their bullets, his agile movements allowed him to dodge their attacks effortlessly, and his strong hands could snap their necks with ease.


    As the enemies fell one by one, the gunfire slowly ceased. The bullets on both sides were almost exhausted. jos punched an enemy in the temple, swept his leg back, gripping another enemy¡¯s neck, and with a crisp snap, broke it.

 Chapter 32

    jos gasped for air, his spirit rapidly draining from the prolonged, high-density battle. His eyes swept over the second-floor corridor, searching for Mare, who had disappeared with Vivian. He hoped she was safe.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    A bullet hit the broken wall behind him, cement and dirt spraying into the air. jos tilted his head, not having time to look toward the source of the shot. Whirling around, he delivered a flying kick that knocked an axe from an assant¡¯s grasp. A sh of cold light from a sharp dagger, and the assant¡¯s throat was slit by jos¡¯s swift cut. Clutching the knife, jos stabbed it into the man¡¯s heart, hastening his death.


    After doing all this, jos finally looked up to the second floor. Vivian had copsed on the ground, her body limp, her pistol rolling down the stairs.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± jos cursed through clenched teeth. ¡°Find somewhere to hide!¡±


    Gunshots rang out behind him. jos¡¯s run toward Vivian abruptly changed direction; he curled his arms over his head and rolled on the ground as bullets pierced the floorboards, kicking up a cloud of dust four feet high.


    At that moment, the roar of an engine thundered from the distant highway, like a fierce beast awakened from the dark. The rapid fire of machine guns drew closer, and the Bratva began to fall back, signaling a retreat.


    When Vivian learned that Simpson and jos¡¯s trusted men had arrived, her tense nerves finally rxed. Her hands gripped the stair railing as she tried to stand, but her legs were too weak, and she almost tumbled down the stairs.


    It was over. Tears streamed down Vivian¡¯s face. What terrible luck she had today-nearly killed by a gunshot, now close to dying from a fall.


    Vivian closed her eyes, bracing for the pain.


    But the expected pain never came. Instead, she felt strong arms and a warm chest steadying her.


    Surprised, Vivian looked up to find jos gazing down at her, his brown eyes reflecting her astonished face, her tear-streaked and red eyes, her disheveled hair, her white coat stained with dirt. She looked pitiful and disheveled, which somehow made jos want tough, dispelling his anger.


    ¡°You¡­¡± jos sighed and, unable to bring himself to scold her, carried her down the stairs.


    ¡°Should we head to the hospital?¡± Simpson asked nonchntly, wiping his precious gun with a handkerchief, his eyebrows raised with a roguish charm. His gaze lingered on Vivian¡¯s dirty face until she, blushing, turned her head and buried it in jos¡¯s neck, at which point he withdrew his gaze with a flirtatious smile.


    jos ced Vivian in the car and ordered someone to find clean clothes. ¡°Promised her,¡± he said.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Simpson replied, tucking his gun behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll take them back first. Don¡¯t forget toe over.¡±


    jos nodded in acknowledgment, then ducked into the car, where Vivian curled up next to him, unnaturally quiet.


    The rest of the journey passed without incident.


    Upon arriving at the hospital, instead of taking Vivian straight to see Vilem, jos guided her into a changing room with clean water and clothes.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°Clean your face, then change your clothes,¡± jos instructed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to worry your brother, would you?¡±


    Vivian nodded.


    jos waited outside the changing room while Mare fetched ointment and bandages from a nurse they knew. Both he and jos had various abrasions, especially jos¡¯s arm wound from a bullet that likely needed stitching.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about itter.¡± As soon as he finished dressing his wound, jos handed the medicine to Mare to deal with himself.


    Vivian emerged from the changing room, and jos donned his suit jacket, the bloodied bandages at his feet.


    Vivian gasped at the sight of his wound.


    ¡°It¡¯s been bandaged,¡± jos said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, guiding her to the inpatient department. ¡°Time to see your brother.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay?¡± The blood on the bandage seemed too much for a minor wound.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back now then,¡± jos said, his patience running thin.


    Vivian fell silent and followed jos through the corridors, into the elevator, and to the hospital floor where Vilem was staying.


    The Bryson family had already left, which relieved jos; he didn¡¯t want to argue with Vivian¡¯s father in front of her-it would be a headache.


    The duty nurse led them to Vilem¡¯s room-a breach of protocol, but no one dared refuse a request from jos.


    Vilem was still asleep, likely sedated by the doctors. Vivian¡¯s cries for her brother were met with silence as he didn¡¯t wake.


    ¡°Vilem,¡± Vivian sobbed his name, tears streaming down her face. jos sighed, feeling helpless against her tears.


    ¡°Is he okay? Why won¡¯t he wake up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ste, Vivian, he might just need rest,¡± josforted her. ¡°He¡¯s still alive. He¡¯ll be there on time for our wedding tomorrow. You should be reassured.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s like this, can he really attend the wedding?¡± Vivian shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t need him at the wedding; he needs to heal properly.¡±


    jos shrugged, clearly not taking Vivian¡¯s concerns to heart.


    Vivian didn¡¯t care if jos listened to her opinion; he never took her seriously anyway.


    Holding Vilem¡¯s hand, her tears never ceased. Perhaps fearing waking him, she cried softly, ¡°How did he get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Gunfight,¡± jos replied sinctly. Their battle with the Bratva was escting, with many dying gruesomely-eyes gouged, limbs severed, some even unounted for. If Vilem had died today, it would have been a dignified death inparison. But he couldn¡¯t detail this to Vivian; she would scream in fear.


    While they spoke in hushed tones, Vilem suddenly opened his eyes. Seeing his beloved sister, his face lit up with indescribable joy.


    ¡°Vivian?¡±


    ¡°Vilem!¡± Vivian¡¯s voice grew louder, unable to contain her relief. ¡°You¡¯re really okay, where are you hurt, does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± Vilem squeezed her hand. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°jos brought me. He told me you were injured,¡± Vivian said, leaning on his chest, her golden hair spreading over him like warm sunlight. ¡°I was so worried, but I¡¯m relieved you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay, I¡¯m doing well. The doctors here took great care of me,¡± Vilem stroked her hair, soothing her anxiety. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Vivian, I¡¯m really fine. I¡¯ll even attend your wedding tomorrow. I want to see you in your wedding dress, to witness your happiness.¡±


    ¡°No, you just had surgery today, your wounds haven¡¯t healed. You should stay and get treatment,¡± Vivian insisted. ¡°The wedding should be postponed, although I know that¡¯s unlikely.¡±


    jos crossed his arms, pleased. ¡°I¡¯m d your thinking has finally grown up, Vivian.¡±


    Hisment sounded mocking, and Vivian turned to re at jos angrily.


    jos wasn¡¯t upset; in fact, he seemed genuinely pleased.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be harsh, Vivian,¡± Vilem patted her shoulder. ¡°jos brought you to see me, he didn¡¯t hide anything from you, he hasn¡¯t wronged you, and the wedding should proceed as nned. Maybe he¡¯s a good man.¡±

 Chapter 33

    ¡°You previously called him a monster,¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t roll your eyes, it¡¯s notdylike,¡± Vilem apologized to jos, ¡°I am sorry for my earlier rashness.¡±


    jos looked at him indifferently, ¡°Should I say it¡¯s okay?¡±


    Vilem smiled and turned to Vivian, ¡°Vivian, good girl, you will be fine, at least jos won¡¯t bully you.¡±


    Vivian bit the corner of her mouth, tears threatening to fall again, but Vilem wiped them away in time, ¡°Just listen to me, go home and get some good sleep, dress up beautifully tomorrow, and embrace your new life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you, I want to stay with you.¡±


    Vilem felt a bit troubled, he looked at jos, who did not object.


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Vilem moved over to make room on his half of the bed, ¡°Will this do?¡±


    In fact, Vivian was very tired. Tonight¡¯s raid by the Bratva had been a huge shock to her; nerves that had been tightly wound in danger and tension now rxed in the safety of the hospital ward, nestled beside her brother. Once her nerves rxed, fatigue swept over her.


    Vivian obediently climbed into bed, lying on her side next to Vilem, her eyelids heavy with sleepiness.


    ¡°Go to sleep,¡± jos turned off the light, plunging the ward into darkness, with only the faint light from the window allowing for the outlines of objects to be discerned.


    Vilem patted his sister and whispered softly, ¡°Sleep, I¡¯m right here.¡±


    Vivian nodded in the dark, perhaps unseen by jos and Vilem, but she felt reassured in the rhythmic beating of Vilem¡¯s heart and gradually fell asleep.


    josy on the long sofa in the ward, which was a bit too short for him, but he didn¡¯t need sleep. In such an unfamiliar environment, and after a fierce battle, he was doomed to a sleepless night.


    jos¡¯s vision was excellent; he and Vilem locked eyes in the dark.


    As Vivian¡¯s breathing became steady, jos made sure she was asleep, then closed his eyes, his hand alertly resting on his gun.


    ¡°jos,¡± Vilem suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°Thank you for today.¡± He kept his voice very low, probably to avoid waking Vivian, ¡°Vivian is not just a sister to me, she is the most important person in my life. She has always relied on me, I¡¯ve been with her for neen years, but I won¡¯t be able to apany her anymore. She will be your wife.¡±


    jos opened his eyes in the dark, his brown eyes shaded with the color of the night, the moonlight filtering through the window curtains and reflecting in his eyes like the cold light on the back of a de.


    Vilem seemed not to notice jos¡¯s dangerous gaze and continued, ¡°Please be kind to her, do not hurt her.¡±


    ¡°You should teach your sister to grow up, not to be filled with childish notions of love,¡± jos replied coldly, ¡°as long as she bes mature, she will not be hurt by me.¡±


    Vilem frowned, ¡°A little softness in your attitude, and she won¡¯t be hurt.¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± jos growled, ¡°I brought her to visit you, not to get lectured on how to handle things. Vilem, you should be thankful that the wedding is tomorrow, I don¡¯t want the bride¡¯s brother to die on the eve of the wedding, otherwise you would be a dead man right now.¡±


    Vilem clenched his teeth in anger, ring at him. Vivian stirred in his arms, and he suddenly came to his senses, gently patting her back and swallowing all his anger.


    jos touched his gun and closed his eyes indifferently.


    ¡­


    Vivian woke up groggily; it was already light outside. She started, ¡°What time is it?¡±


    jos sat on the sofa, lifted his wrist to check his watch, ¡°Nine o¡¯clock.¡±


    Vivian moaned in distress, ¡°We should go back.¡± Although this wedding was not what she had hoped for, she did not wish to bete in front of so many people.


    Vivian climbed out of bed; Vilem was still deep in sleep, undisturbed by her movement.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Indeed, we should go,¡± jos stood up waiting for her, ¡°No need for goodbyes, we¡¯ll see each other again soon. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you back to the apartment.¡±


    That made sense. Vivian bent down and kissed Vilem¡¯s face, ¡°Have a good dream.¡±


    Vivian put on her shoes, grabbed her coat, ¡°I wonder if Luzia is awake yet, she¡¯ll definitely worry if she sees I¡¯m not there.¡±


    jos followed Vivian out of the ward, closing the door behind them. He ced his hand on Vivian¡¯s shoulder and nudged her forward, signaling her to walk faster.


    Vivian looked back at him; he seemed to be in decent spirits, but it couldn¡¯t hide the dark circles under his eyes.


    Had he not slept at all?


    This guess made Vivian feel a flutter of excitement. The wedding process wasplicated, and with a sleepless night, jos might be so tired that he would be dizzy, maybe too exhausted to make love to her.


    jos escorted Vivian back to his apartment, where her mother Tasneem, Luzia, the makeup artist, and the stylist were already waiting in her room.


    As soon as Vivian appeared, she was pulled to a chair to sit down. The makeup artist began to work on her, and the stylist fussed with her hair behind her. She was to sit in this chair for two to three hours which would make her back sore, tired, and in pain. But beauty demanded its price, and she had to endure.


    jos only stopped to nce at her before he was hurriedly whisked away by Simpson, who had stayed up all night.


    Simpson still wore the ck shirt from the previous night, his tie loosened and hanging around his neck, ¡°Hey, jos, I waited for you all night.¡±


    Simpsonined slightly about his disheveled state, ¡°You said you¡¯de.¡±


    jos didn¡¯t exin, just patted his solid shoulder, ¡°How did things go?¡±


    ¡°I pulled their nails, shattered their kneecaps, and those who still wouldn¡¯t talk got their tongues pulled out,¡± Simpson spread his hands casually, ¡°There¡¯s always someone who will confess out of fear of death.¡±


    jos had confidence in Simpson¡¯s interrogation methods and knowing this, he nodded, unbuttoned his suit jacket, took it off, and his arm wound started bleeding again, soaking half his sleeve.


    Simpson frowned, not understanding, ¡°You went to the hospital, why didn¡¯t you get it treated?¡±


    ¡°It can still be treated now.¡±


    Simpson followed jos downstairs; they had to rush to the ceremony hall.


    In the room, Vivian tried to engage her mother in conversation.


    ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Emily? I haven¡¯t seen her.¡± Emily was her ssmate from the private girls¡¯ high school, her best friend at school, and they hadn¡¯t seen each other for a long time.


    ¡°She couldn¡¯t make it,¡± her mother answered briefly, then turned to discuss Vivian¡¯s hairstyle with the stylist, ¡°I think an updo would be prettier, or maybe curl her hair? No, no, her curls look good¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Vivian resented her mother¡¯s emphasis on the wedding, her mother should be the most aware of the pain this marriage would bring her, but she seemed so happy today.


    Vivian was upset. Perhaps for her mother, today would be one of the happiest moments of her life, but for Vivian, it only brought pain and anxiety.


    ¡°What do you mean she couldn¡¯t make it?¡± Vivian persisted.

 Chapter 34

    ¡°Who?¡± Tasneem had not heard clearly what Vivian was saying. Having agreed on the hairstyle with the stylist, she went on to discuss Vivian¡¯s makeup for the day with the makeup artist, from foundation to lipstick to eyeshadow, ¡°I think gold eyeshadow would be better, it looks more upscale and suits Vivian¡¯s blue eyes perfectly.¡±


    Vivian painfully shifted her gaze away; she couldn¡¯t bear her mother¡¯s excitement and neglect, but she couldn¡¯tsh out at her mother either. Her mother was as pitiable as she was.


    Luzia had been silent since entering the room, standing aside and watching Tasneem and the others busy themselves. She lowered her head, ying with her hair, seemingly in no mood to talk to anyone.


    Pity appeared in Vivian¡¯s eyes; she knew Luzia had met with Joseph that morning. That brute Joseph must have done something rough, surely he had frightened Luzia.


    The thought of Luzia having to marry Joseph caused Vivian pain. She was such a good girl, she deserved a better man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with such eyes, Vivian,¡± Luzia approached her, tucking away all her sadness and showing only her smile, ¡°I am not a pitiful creature.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you are the best girl in the world,¡± Vivian responded immediately, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to pity you, I was just thinking about what I could do to help you.¡±


    Luzia shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine. But you don¡¯t look fine.¡± She pinched Vivian¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You look tense.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s body was stiff, her heartbeat elerated, she was indeed nervous, ¡°You know, this is not the wedding of my dreams. jos has no love for me, yet I have to marry him, strip naked and lie on his bed for him to touch and tear at me.¡±


    Vivian hugged herself, trembling, ¡°I will give away the most precious and sacred virginity of a girl, but my husband jos will regard this as a trophy of his conquest. He is the powerful Capo, he is the esteemed king, the Capos of Los Angeles have acknowledged his glory, willing to give their daughter¡¯s first time to him. The cold and ruthless political marriage binds us together, and the only one who suffers without any benefit is me. What a terrible reality I have to submit to.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how tofort you,¡± Luzia sighed softly, ¡°A loveless marriage is terrifying, but jos is indeed a very good match. Let go of your prejudice, Vivian, you can get along peacefully, as long as you don¡¯t cling to your love, you two could be good friends.¡±


    ¡°Family, friends, they are also rtionships with emotions, not necessarily love, right?¡± Luzia smiled yfully, Tasneem and the stylists had finished their mission and walked to the other side of the sofa, leaving a private space for the two girls.


    ¡°You know, if I want something from Paavo-anything I want, all I have to do is serve him well in bed, satisfy him, and he will grant all my wishes. Once their sexual desires are satisfied, men are very willing to let their women have everything they want. I believe jos is the same, as long as you don¡¯t talk to him about feelings.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian looked at her in surprise, really? As long as she satisfied him in bed, satisfied jos, he would agree to all her requests? Including canceling Luzia¡¯s engagement to Joseph?


    If that was true, Vivian thought, then she wasn¡¯t entirely against sleeping with jos, giving up her chastity for his pleasure. As long as jos agreed to cancel Luzia and Joseph¡¯s engagement.


    She couldn¡¯t have a tender husband, a happy marriage, her life was already rotten, but if she could free Luzia from trouble, let Luzia continue to live happily, there was nothing she couldn¡¯t do.


    Including sleeping with jos, serving him, pleasing him.


    ¡°We are almost ready for the final preparations.¡± Tasneem brought over a white veil, she looked at her girl, the golden eyeshadow, long thick eyshes, and pristine eyes like seawater, the delicate makeup hiding the faint freckles on her face, making her look even more radiant.


    Tasneem stroked her lush golden curls, unable to hold back her tears, ¡°You look so beautiful today.¡±


    Vivian took a deep breath and stepped forward to give her mother a hug, ¡°Mom.¡± She wanted to say ¡°I will be happy,¡± but they both knew, she was about to lose her happiness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Vivian.¡± Tasneem controlled herself, pushing away Vivian¡¯s hug and cing the veil on her head, a golden hairpin securing the veil, ¡°Makeup will run, and red eyeswill look bad.¡±


    Luzia handed her a tissue, praising Vivian¡¯s beauty and sighing, ¡°I am quite certain jos is lucky.¡±


    Bryson rudely pushed open the door, his arrival changing the room¡¯s rxed and simple atmosphere to one of tension. Vivian could not tell from his indifferent expression whether he was happy or angry.


    The marriage to jos was clearly orchestrated by her father, but he seemed utterly indifferent.


    ¡°Stop dawdling,¡± Bryson said sternly. He saw Vivian¡¯s red eyes and knew she had been crying. Bryson felt angry about this, ¡°Hold back your tears, Vivian, don¡¯t let your weakness ruin today¡¯s wedding.¡±


    Vivian turned her face away, giving Bryson no response.


    Bryson looked like he wanted to hit her, but today¡¯s wedding was too important, and Vivian couldn¡¯t show any bruises.


    The wedding car had been waiting downstairs for a long time, and one of jos¡¯s subordinates came up to remind them it was time to leave. Bryson had to give up further conversation with Vivian, urging everyone out.


    The church where the wedding was to take ce was not far from jos¡¯s apartment, only a forty-minute drive. The wedding car slowly stopped, and Vivian nervously fiddled with her fingers until the door on her side was opened.


    It was Bryson.


    Vivian nced left and right; Tasneem and Luzia were no longer there, probably already inside the church, sitting in their designated ces.


    ¡°I trust you are well aware of my expectations for you, Vivian,¡± Bryson said in a well-tailored suit, his hair meticulously styled, giving him an especially spirited look.


    He stared intently at Vivian, his gaze oppressive, his attitude firm, ensuring Vivian had no thoughts of escaping.


    Vivian felt a rush of panic, or perhaps fear and sadness. What her future held-unfortunate, sad, or dark-none of this mattered to her father as much as his power.


    Vivian held back her tears and responded with equal indifference, ¡°Yes, Father.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Bryson was pleased with Vivian¡¯spliance, ¡°I trust that tomorrow morning I won¡¯t have to feel ashamed of my daughter for not wanting to spread her legs for her man.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s tears fell, she couldn¡¯t believe these were her father¡¯s words, her eyes filled with shock as she looked at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass me, Vivian.¡± Bryson extended his arm to her, allowing her hand to rest in the crook of his arm, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about your escapades in Houston, your running away and rebellion seem to me aplete joke, and I don¡¯t want such things to happen again.¡±

 Chapter 35

    Bryson walked with Vivian along the long path outside the church. As they slowly approached the entrance, the double doors of the church swung open before them. The solemn and sacred music of the wedding flowed smoothly; the attendees arranged on either side rose to their feet at the moment the doors opened, casting a medley of gazes onto Vivian-joyous, curious, indifferent¡­


    Yet Vivian felt nothing; her gaze was already captivated by the man at the end of the aisle-her husband, jos.


    Bryson didn¡¯t linger at the entrance; he escorted Vivian into the church, towards jos. With each step, her heartbeat quickened, her legs began to tremble and shake; she felt unstable, and had it not been for her father¡¯s support, she would have turned and fled.


    But it was toote; they had reached jos. At the moment her father released her hand, jos took it, gently pulling, and she stood by his side.


    They ascended the steps together, the priest awaiting them with a benevolent and forgiving smile, beginning to recite God¡¯s will.


    The whole ceremony was solemn and sacred, with people blessing the union of the man and woman in traditional ways. Only Vivian¡¯s thoughts wandered; she couldn¡¯t settle down to listen seriously to the priest.


    Stealing a nce at jos, she had to admit-aside from not being able to offer her love, he was indeed a perfect husband. Handsome, with sharp and distinct features, and full of vitality, his dark circles were gone, his brown eyes clear and bright, betraying no sign of a sleepless night.


    His physique was impressive, too. Although Vivian had not seen his naked body, she could feel the strength of his muscles and his form even through his suit. He was like a lion in the midst of a hunt, vibrant and majestic.


    And yet, he was also a dangerous killer. In their brief eye contact, Vivian clearly saw the desire shing in his eyes.


    Vivian¡¯s breathing grew heavier.


    The priest concluded his prayer, and they began their vows, ¡°I promise to protect¡­,¡± ¡°In sickness and in health¡­,¡± ¡°For richer or poorer¡­,¡± the traditional content of the vows reflected tradition, not how much jos loved Vivian or how deep Vivian¡¯s feelings for jos were.


    The vows ended, and it was time to exchange rings. jos slid the wedding ring he had prepared onto her finger, a small band that felt like a heavy chain, shackling her firmly by his side.


    Vivian¡¯s hand trembled.


    jos¡¯s brown eyes stared intently at her, signaling it was time for her to ce the ring on his finger.


    Vivian picked up the ring.


    jos ced his hand in hers, and with shaking hands, Vivian finally fitted the ring onto his finger, binding them to each other in that moment.


    The audience in the hall erupted in cheers of blessing as jos cupped her face, preparing to kiss her.


    Vivian¡¯s heart was a whirlpool of fear; she quickly closed her eyes, her long eyshes trembling with fright.


    jos must have sensed her fear, for Vivian heard a very low, mockingugh from him, audible only to her. Annoyed, she was about to open her eyes when she felt jos¡¯s lips on hers, sucking, nibbling, dominating all her senses, forcing her to open her mouth to his probing tongue.


    The cheers around them grew even louder as jos finally released Vivian, whose legs were now weak and heart racing. She nearly fainted in his arms.


    It was terrifying. Vivian felt a pain on her lips; jos must have bitten her. Tears were threatening to escape again.


    Just moments ago, she thought jos would consume her.


    She wanted to run, but the wedding ring on her hand reminded her that she had no way out. She had be the wife of a Capo, bound to spend a long life with jos, his subordinates keeping a close watch on her, ensuring her safety and cutting off any route of escape.


    I hope I don¡¯t go insane, Vivian prayed helplessly in her heart.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡­


    The wedding reception was arranged on thergewn outside the church, with guests mingling and holding their sses of wine. jos, too, was pulled aside to drink.


    The wedding was undoubtedly a luxurious sess, the perfect wedding Vivian had dreamed of, if only with the wrong partner. But she couldn¡¯t truly hate jos; they had spent too little time together. As she had said, aside from not being able to share emotions, jos was a perfect marriage partner.


    But what was the use? She had no choice.


    ¡°Care for a drink?¡± Simpson approached her, holding up a ss, ¡°To the beautifulbride.¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t drink,¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t reciprocate his toast.


    ¡°What does it matter? If you can¡¯t drink, you learn,¡± Simpson offered the champagne to her, ¡°Our tradition is to pair every meal with fine wine. A bit of champagne should be nothing for you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian refused, ¡°I¡¯ll get drunk. I mean, today is my wedding, and I have important things to handle.¡±


    Simpson kept his gaze on her.


    Vivian swallowed, trying not to appear too nervous, ¡°I still need to attend to my husband.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this little alcohol won¡¯t affect your wedding night,¡± Simpson shrugged, cing down the ss, ¡°If you insist, then no drink.¡±


    ¡°However, your husband would like to dance with you now,¡± Simpson whispered to her.


    Vivian looked across the dance floor with him, and jos was also looking in their direction, his gaze resting on Vivian¡¯s perfect curves.


    ¡°Go on, have fun,¡± Simpson gestured with his ss towards jos.


    jos mirrored the gesture, his eagle-like eyes fixing on her firmly. Vivian felt a surge of apprehension.


    She couldn¡¯t look at jos directly anymore and turned to walk towards the restroom, pulling Luzia with her as she passed by.


    Luzia was startled; she had been in a daze all day, and Vivian guessed it had something to do with her brother, Joseph.


    Poor girl, what can I really do for you?


    Vivian felt irritable. She turned on the tap, cupped some water, and sshed it directly onto her face. The cold water stimted her senses, giving her a moment of rity.


    Luzia gasped, ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯ll ruin your makeup.¡±


    ¡°I just want to clear my head,¡± Vivian steadied herself against the sink, taking a deep breath.


    ¡°Are you still nervous about the wedding night?¡± Luzia sounded surprised.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m more afraid of losing my freedom,¡± Vivian showed her the wedding ring, ¡°It feels like a chain, binding me.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a wedding ring. It¡¯s a symbol of your union with jos, it won¡¯t affect your freedom, and jos won¡¯t keep you imprisoned in his apartment,¡± Luzia hugged her, smiling, but her eyes carried sadness.


    Vivian knew the reason for her sorrow but couldn¡¯t offer muchfort. They were both pitiable, unable to steer their own lives.

 Chapter 36

    Vivian did not want to worry Luzia, who was already stressed, ¡°I will try to convince myself.¡±


    She hoped jos wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to handle. If he agreed to cancel Luzia¡¯s engagement to Joseph, she would serve jos until he was satisfied, she swore.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for me to go,¡± said Vivian, covering her chest. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm her own, ¡°jos is waiting for me to dance.¡±


    Luzia was d to see Vivian¡¯splexion turn beautiful. She took out a tissue to dab at the water on Vivian¡¯s face; thankfully, the delicate makeup had not been washed away, which was a relief.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯vee around, even if it¡¯s just for now. But by letting go of your guard and prejudice, you¡¯ll find pleasure, and jos will please you.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Vivian said with a bitter smile, and she left the restroom with Luzia.


    The music at the banquet continued, and people were still dancing. jos, the Capo, put down his wine ss and watched Vivian without moving.


    Vivian knew jos was waiting for her. As the ruler, her husband, he had the right to manipte her, and she was expected to obey hismands, or she would be punished.


    Grinding her teeth, Vivian had to sumb to jos¡¯s silent threat and slowly walked over to him.


    jos didn¡¯t care about her deliberately slow approach; he took Vivian¡¯s hand in his, the soft, delicate skin soothing his mood. He leaned close to her ear, his voice low and maic, ¡°You look very enticing today.¡±


    Vivian trembled as his warm breath caressed her delicate skin; her blue eyes were moist, revealing timidity and shyness.


    josughed heartily, pleased with Vivian¡¯s expression. Taking her by the hand, he said, ¡°We should dance. Everyone¡¯s expecting it.¡±


    Vivian stumbled a few steps to keep up, cing her other hand on his arm, feeling his warmth through the suit, her face flushing quickly as she moved along with jos.


    Dancing among the crowd, Vivian¡¯s eyes saw only him, and all she could smell was his cologne.


    Their steps and turns made them the center of attention, and no one was watched more than them.


    No girl dislikes such stunning, envious attention, and Vivian was no exception. It allowed her to temporarily forget the pain of being manipted, proudly showing off her graceful dance to jos and the guests.


    But the joy was short-lived. As her gaze swept over Bryson and Joseph, her smile gradually faded.


    Vivian had thought that her wedding to jos would bring a smile to her father¡¯s face, but Bryson remained indifferent. Joseph stood by his side; they were talking in low voices, asionally ncing at her and jos.


    Vivian felt sad and even more so, a chill. Her father had no concern for her future; he only cared about what help and benefits he could get from this marriage.


    Joseph¡¯s gaze was not on the enchanting dance or the sensual figures of the women; he was staring intently at his fiancee, Luzia, the bride¡¯s cousin, with a hunter¡¯s gaze.


    Vivian saw a terrifying desire in his eyes, a man¡¯s desire for a woman.


    She didn¡¯t want Luzia to marry Joseph. She knew Joseph was as cold and violent as their father; if Luzia did not satisfy him, he would beat and humiliate her, tear her clothes, and his belt wouldsh on Luzia¡¯s smooth, white back.


    It was too horrible to contemte.


    Vivian¡¯s steps faltered, displeasing jos, who tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her close, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°Are you so concerned about our guests?¡± jos asked.


    Vivian wrapped her arms around his neck, spinning with him, ¡°Of course, that¡¯s my father and brother.¡±


    ¡°But today is our wedding. You should pay more attention to your husband.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Vivian said, staring into his eyes, ¡°He won¡¯t mind because he has my full attention for the entire night.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± jos¡¯s low chuckle was in Vivian¡¯s ear, and she sensed his pleasure.


    Vivian snorted coldly, ¡°Do you not believe me, or do you think you can¡¯t do it?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound like you want to make love, more like you want to fight,¡± jos said, leading her away from the dance floor, ¡°But that¡¯s okay too, I like it exciting.¡±


    Vivian disliked his teasing tone; it made her feel disrespected.


    Vilem was waiting for them.


    His leg injuries made itdifficult for him to walk, and after enduring the wedding ceremony, he sat in a wheelchair, conserving his strength. He had groomed himself to look spirited, and apart from his paleplexion, it was hard to tell that he had been shot twice and undergone surgery just the day before.


    jos generously allowed Vivian a brief moment with Vilem, who took her hand, ¡°I really want to do something for you.¡±


    But they both knew that whatever Vilem did, it wouldn¡¯t stop what was going to happen that night, and it would anger their father.


    ¡°Stop thinking about it, you need to rest,¡± Vivian sat on the sofa so Vilem didn¡¯t have to look up at her, ¡°Today is my wedding, you should be happy for me.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t look happy at all,¡± Vilem bluntly pierced her lie, ¡°I want to help you escape this predicament. Vivian, I¡¯m the only one who can help you, it breaks my heart to see you in pain.¡±


    ¡°Vivian,¡± Vilem called her name tenderly, ¡°Tell me, do you want to leave? Just say you want to leave, and I will find a way to get you out. Leave Houston, don¡¯t go back to Los Angeles, you could go to New York, to San Francisco¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Vivian eximed softly, ncing around to make sure no one overheard Vilem¡¯s words before she breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°jos will kill you.¡±


    ¡°Let him kill me then, as long as you can be happy.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t dare to be happy if you¡¯re dead,¡± Vivian clenched her teeth, rejecting Vilem¡¯s suggestion, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about this anymore, Vilem. I¡¯m married to jos now, the wedding is over.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really willing¡­¡± Vilem growled lowly.


    ¡°This marriage unites Los Angeles and Houston; it¡¯s about the family and our father¡¯s interests, Vilem, you shouldn¡¯t have brought it up. I¡¯vee to terms with it, please just wish me happiness.¡±


    Vilem¡¯s lips trembled; he couldn¡¯t do it.


    Before jos¡¯s patience ran out, he came over and wrapped his arm around Vivian¡¯s waist, ¡°What¡¯s this unhappy topic? You look so serious.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± Vivian red at him, ¡°I¡¯m excited.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± jos could forgive his bride¡¯s foolishness, ¡°What exciting thing were you discussing?¡±


    ¡°We were discussing what wascking at my wedding,¡± Vivian said huffily.


    jos¡¯s mood seemed very good today; Vivian¡¯s impudence didn¡¯t anger him. In fact, he found her expression lively and cute. Heughed heartily, and if it weren¡¯t for the risk of messing up Vivian¡¯s hairstyle, he might even have ruffled her hair.

 Chapter 37

    The wedding was gradually drawing to a close, with guests already beginning to leave. Thest to depart was jos¡¯s aunt. Vivian¡¯s heartbeat began to quicken; she knew what was toe next.


    Her father, Bryson, announced the end of the wedding, and jos would take Vivian to the new home he had prepared for them-the dreaded wedding night was imminent.


    jos took Vivian¡¯s hand and led her out of the banquet hall, with his bodyguard following closely behind. The ck car had been waiting at the entrance for quite a while.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Mare stepped forward to open the car door, and Vivian and jos sat together in the back seat. Despite the spacious interior, they sat close together, arm to arm, leg to leg, which made Vivian feel ufortably self-conscious.


    She looked away, out the car window, at an unfamiliar direction; she hardly knew any part of Houston well.


    Vivian stared at her fingers, feeling somewhat sad, and jos did not seem to have any intention of disturbing her. The entire car was silent.


    They soon arrived at the hotel entrance, where Mare was the first to open the door. jos got out of the car and walked around to Vivian¡¯s side, opening the door for her and extending his hand.


    Vivian looked at his broad, generous hand and, without much hesitation, ced her hand in his. jos led her by the hand and escorted her into the elevator.


    Vivian gazed at jos¡¯s tall figure and sighed internally. Apart from his mafia identity, he was indeed a gentleman.


    Her heart was racing too fast. The elevator was not cramped-only Mare followed them inside, while the rest stayed outside. But she felt a bit breathless, perhaps due to the tightness of her dress¡¯s zipper.


    The elevator dinged to a stop on the thirty-third floor.


    jos led Vivian across the corridor to their destination, the only room on the thirty-third floor with double oak doors-their bridal suite.


    Vivian felt dizzy and weak in the knees. She leaned on jos¡¯s arm, barely managing not to kneel down. Herplexion must have looked terrible.


    jos carried her into the room andid her on the soft,rge bed. Mare closed the suite¡¯s door behind them but did not leave. He would stay outside the door all night to ensure their safety.


    This realization made Vivian feel even more ufortable, knowing Mare could hear any noise from the room.


    jos went to a round table in the room, where a bottle of champagne and two sses were ced. Vivian nced around the room while he poured the drinks, noting almost everything was red.


    Red pillows, red bed coverings, and red rose petals covered the entire room. There was also a hot tub on the balcony-should they grow tired, they could lie down and rx in a warm bath.


    A warm bath?


    Vivian paused, suddenly realizing she had no nightgown.


    She hurriedly checked the room and indeed saw her small suitcase had already been brought over; her mother had packed her belongings, and she was not sure if her nightgown was among them.


    jos took off his suit jacket, revealing a white shirt underneath. He undid the cufflinks with one hand and rolled up the sleeves before pouring champagne into the sses. Handing one to Vivian, any movement from jos startled her like a frightened rabbit. ¡°I don¡¯t drink,¡± she said.


    ¡°You¡¯re too tense, Vivian,¡± jos looked at her with furrowed brows, displeased with her reaction. ¡°Alcohol can help ease your nerves.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Under the pressure of jos¡¯s gaze, Vivian hardly had the chance toplete her refusal and reluctantly epted the ss.


    jos¡¯s tense shoulders rxed as he pulled out a chair for Vivian. She shook her head, and he chuckled, sitting down himself. ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous, Vivian.¡± He kept his eyes on her, drinking his champagne, the desire in them barely concealed. ¡°There¡¯s a hot tub over there. Take a warm bath; hopefully, it will rx you.¡±


    jos¡¯s prating gaze made Vivian feel like amb to the ughter, vulnerable to his predatory nature at the slightest hint of exposed, tender skin.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian took a deep breath to steady herself, ¡°I don¡¯t have a nightgown¡­¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t need it,¡± jos said, drinking his champagne and staring at her with his brown eyes. ¡°You are my wife, and your naked body belongs to me.¡±


    His words were true but only served to instill fear in Vivian, whose very skin felt exposed under his lustful gaze. She crossed her arms, feeling slightly moreposed when her hands touched the smooth fabric of her dress. ¡°No¡­ then I¡­¡±


    Vivian tooka deep breath, ¡°I don¡¯t want to take a bath, thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± jos finished his champagne and approached her. He was too tall; Vivian had to look up at him, which only added to the feeling of oppression.


    Vivian clenched her teeth, saying nothing.


    jos¡¯s brows were furrowed, his patience running thin, but he did not want to be verbally harsh on their wedding night.


    ¡°In your own time, change into your clothes and then join me on the balcony,¡± he said with an authoritative tone.


    jos walked a few steps towards the balcony and then turned back to add, ¡°Of course, if you want to take a bath in that dress, I can ept that too.¡±


    With no other option, Vivian carried the suitcase her mother had packed into the bathroom. The bridal suite was spacious, and so was the bathroom. The tworge mirrors on the walls reflected her awkward state, making her feel even more ufortable at the thought of having sex there¡­


    Her face turned from red to pale in an instant. She must have been bewitched by jos, that dreadful man¡­


    Vivian opened the suitcase to find lingerie and several nightgowns. She felt a slight relief; at least she wouldn¡¯t have to go out naked. But her relief was short-lived as she examined the styles of the nightgowns.


    A strappyce slip that barely covered her buttocks, a whollyce see-through babydoll that left nothing to the imagination, ace bikini with no cups¡­ Vivian froze, knowing she could never wear those and then casually present herself to jos.


    With trembling hands, she kept searching and finally settled on a pure ckce nightdress. It had a plunging neckline but a long hem that reached her knees.


    Taking a deep breath, Vivian spent a full 30 minutes in therge bathroom, and only when she could no longer stay inside did she open the door and step out.


    jos had already filled the hot tub with warm water. Hey in the tub, his hands resting on the edge, with champagne and their sses beside him.


    Vivian noticed theyers of white bandages on his arm; they were immacte, with no trace of blood, which seemed like a good sign.


    jos opened his eyes as she emerged. The pure ckce of the nightdress hid little; he saw Vivian¡¯s full breasts, her t stomach, and¡­


    Hisscivious gaze slowly drifted down, and Vivian, feeling shy, wrapped her arms around herself, trying to cover her exposed skin. She abandoned her dying tactics and hurried into the tub, hoping the water would shield her from jos¡¯s view.

 Chapter 38

    The hot water was clear to the bottom, and though the rising steam offered little concealment, it at least allowed Vivian to rx somewhat. jos noticed Vivian¡¯s cautiousness but said nothing; only after she was fully immersed in the water did he hand her the second ss of wine for the evening. Vivian knew she couldn¡¯t refuse and epted it.


    Toasting with her, jos drank down his wine and then gazed up at the starry sky, appreciating the pleasant weather that made many stars visible. His attention shifted away from Vivian¡¯s nearly bare body, easing her tension. She took a sip of the wine, feeling the alcohol¡¯s warmth embolden her gaze toward jos.


    She admitted to herself that jos was the most handsome man she had ever met, and he was a gentleman-no amount of hot water could hide her exposed skin, nor could it conceal the desire evident beneath jos¡¯s underwear. Vivian thought jos would be eager to tear her clothes off.


    If only he weren¡¯t a Capo, shemented. Then she could confidently seduce him and pursue a rtionship with jos, trusting in her own charm.


    But such allure was nothing before a Capo with steadfast beliefs.


    Viviany backfortably in the tub, the stars in her view growing increasingly blurry. She felt herself falling asleep and must have done so for a good while, as she had surely soaked in the hot bath for a long time. When jos¡¯s hand touched her skin, her whole body felt like it was melting.


    jos?


    Vivian awoke with a start to find herself lifted out of the bathtub, cradled by jos who was supporting her from beneath. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, one arm wrapped around his neck for fear of falling, the other hand pressing against his sparsely hairy chest, resisting the intimacy of their skin-to-skin contact. ¡°Put me down first.¡±


    ¡°You fell asleep and nearly drowned,¡± jos teased, carrying her steadily into therger bathroom and setting her down by the edge of the grand bathtub. Vivian¡¯s kicking and pushing were to no avail, and she was left fuming.


    ¡°Then let me drown,¡± Vivian crossed her arms defiantly.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. A bride drowning on her wedding night would be too terrible a tale,¡± jos joked, reaching to lift the hem of Vivian¡¯s nightgown. ¡°Take off your wet clothes; we need to take another bath.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian, realizing his intent, held down his hand. ¡°I can do it myself.¡±


    jos frowned, clearly seeing Vivian¡¯s resistance. He could tolerate it momentarily, but she needed to understand that she was now his wife, and any further futile resistance was foolish in his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already refused me many times tonight, Vivian,¡± jos said sternly. ¡°Don¡¯t try to challenge me; you can¡¯t bear the consequences.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I just¡­¡± Vivian swallowed nervously, trying to appear less frightened. ¡°Please¡­ give me time to adapt. Let me go at my own pace, okay?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyes were timid, pleading, which softened jos momentarily. He said nothing but released the grip on her nightgown and stepped back. He remained in the bathroom, watching as Vivian slowly lifted her nightgown, removing thece garment to reveal her beautiful, sensual body. jos¡¯s breath grew heavy as he watched her nipples stiffen through the process.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian unconsciously squeezed her legs together, hurriedly covering her breasts with her hands as she tossed away the wet garment, embarrassed by jos¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, feeling like a beautiful object or a delectable meal.


    jos considerately prepared the bath with warm water and scattered rose petals in the bubbly tub before lifting Vivian and easing her into the water. She let out a sigh of contentment as thefortable temperature enveloped her, sliding deeper into the bath, the bubbles obscuring jos¡¯s view and giving her a sense of safety.


    This feeling of security was short-lived. She soon heard the sound of fabric rustling and turned in shock to see jos¡¯s bare back as he removed his underwear, his firm buttocks facing her. As he straightened up to turn around, Vivian quickly averted her gaze.


    jos stepped into the tub behind her, disturbing the water with his presence. Vivian moved forward, biting her lip to prevent a protest from escaping as a scream. jos¡¯s strong arms encircled her waist and pulled her back against his chest. To maintain bnce and to not impulsively knock away his hand that reached for her breast, Vivian had no choice but to rest her hands on his thighs.


    The solid muscle of the man did little to ease Vivian¡¯s tension; she stiffened, feelingjos¡¯s caresses from her breasts to her abdomen and down to her thighs. She could feel jos¡¯s persistent hardness against her lower back, rising slowly to press along the crease of her buttocks. Vivian¡¯s body began to tremble uncontrobly, her hands resting on jos¡¯s wrists as he explored between her legs. She didn¡¯t dare to pull away, her voice quivering with a plea, ¡°No¡­¡±


    jos¡¯s movements paused, and for a tense minute, neither moved. Then jos withdrew his hand slowly, the crisis averted, and Vivian breathed a sigh of relief.


    She then heard the sound of a bottle cap opening behind her, tensing again until the familiar scent of shampoo filled the air. jos wet her hair, gently applying shampoo, his massage skilled enough to intoxicate any woman. Vivian couldn¡¯t fathom why such a mundane action as washing hair could create such an intimate atmosphere.


    Thefort that flowed from her scalp made her want to prolong the moment, wishing jos¡¯s fingers would linger longer in her blond tresses. She took deep breaths, her nails slightly embedding into the flesh of jos¡¯s thighs, moaning uncontrobly as she felt a deep yearning, an itch both physical and emotional.


    Her body craved him, but her remaining sense told her no. Their marriage was a transaction; he didn¡¯t love her, she didn¡¯t know him, and she couldn¡¯t give herself to him unreservedly, even though he was now her husband.


    josid her t to rinse her hair, the water cascading from his hands through her locks as she cooperated by closing her eyes, feeling his fingersbing and untangling until her hair was deemed clean enough. He then helped her up, and Vivian exhaled in relief, not resisting as jos pulled her back into his arms-her resistance would be futile anyway.

 Chapter 39

    The entire process of bathing and grooming was attended to by jos, who served her with his rough,rge hands gliding over her entire body. He was reluctant to let Vivian out of his embrace, his breath quick and hot at her ear until he lifted her out of the bathtub, picking up the showerhead to rinse the foam off both of them.


    Vivian stepped aside, her gaze averted from jos¡¯s imposing figure. She took the towel he handed her and dried herself off, eager to get dressed. jos, with another towel, came up behind her to wipe her damp hair.


    Vivian held her breath, suppressing the urge to flee, but jos did nothing more after drying her hair. He went to find her suitcase and fetched a new nightgown for her.


    The new nightgown was still revealing, but this time Vivian hurriedly put it on, the garment providing her a little sense of security. She fled therge bathroom.


    Facing the king-sized bed in the room, Vivian¡¯s breathing quickened. She wanted to dive under the covers and close her eyes, pretending to sleep, but she knew jos wouldn¡¯t let her off so easily.


    jos, still bare-chested, walked over to the room¡¯s minibar and took out a new bottle of liquor, pouring it down his throat, the spicy liquid sliding into his stomach.


    He turned to look at Vivian as if having made a great decision. She slowly approached him, and when she was close enough for him to catch her scent, Vivian¡¯s soft, delicate hands were ced on his chest. She tiptoed, closed her eyes, and offered her lips in a sweet kiss.


    Perhaps Vivian needed a kiss simpler and shorter than the ones at the wedding, but jos¡¯s desire told him it wasn¡¯t enough. His hands slipped under her arms, supporting her back, pulling her entire body against his. He pressed his lips against hers, fiercely rolling, sucking, and biting. He forced her mouth open, and his agile tongue slipped in, tasting her sweet breath, fueling his wild desires.


    Unable to control herself, Vivian let out a sweet moan. She seemed startled, her hands pushing against his chest, her nails grazing his skin, leaving faint white marks. It was when she was almost out of breath that jos finally released her.


    Vivian gasped for air, her swollen lips freed as jos buried his head into her neck, nibbling her throat and corbone. His hand slipped into her neckline, easily grasping her breast, kneading it.


    Vivian shuddered, the hard heat pressing against her abdomen signaling jos¡¯s unresolved desire. It wasn¡¯t until he pushed her onto the bed, and hisrge body covered hers, that her body bounced slightly under his weight.


    Shadows loomed, and fear crept into Vivian, ¡°No, jos, please!¡±


    jos paused in tearing her nightgown, his brown eyes now red with desire. He stared at Vivian¡¯s tempting body, eager to crash into her, but her sad plea quenched his ardor like cold water.


    ¡°You¡­¡± jos rubbed his face in frustration and forced himself away from her, ¡°What do you want to do?!¡±


    He roared, feeling yed, ¡°You¡¯re my wife!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t forgotten,¡± Vivian trembled in fear, ¡°I¡¯m just too scared, I¡¯m not ready yet¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already married, I¡¯ve given you enough time to prepare!¡± jos shouted, pacing back and forth in the room like a furious lion, kicking over a small table with bottles that shattered, sending a shiver through Vivian.


    jos pointed at her and bellowed, ¡°I want you to truly understand, you¡¯re my wife now, your body should belong to mepletely!¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be willing,¡± jos panted.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know why she was so afraid. She had made up her mind and kissed jos willingly, but when his hand touched her breast, she recoiled.


    She wanted to apologize to jos, but he had already let her go, turning off the light and getting into bed in the darkness, ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling, I won¡¯t force you.¡±


    He tried to calm himself, ¡°Sleep now.¡±


    Wrapped in the nket and with his back to Vivian, jos seemed ready to sleep, his breathing gradually bing steady.


    Viviany there with widened, remorseful eyes, unsure of what to do. She feared further development with jos, yet his restraint and the confrontation with his frustrated rage left her feeling anxious and alone.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Did she do something wrong? But what exactly was her mistake?


    Vivian couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Anything I want, as long as I serve him well in bed, he¡¯ll fulfill all my requests,¡± Luzia¡¯s voice echoed in her head.


    If I satisfy him, could he really fulfill my requests, annul Luzia¡¯s engagement, and give Luzia true freedom?


    Vivian clutched at her chest, deciding not to dwell on the erratic emotions swirling within her any longer. She should think of Luzia, think of the violence she might endure at the hands of her devilish brother Joseph. Only jos-the powerful Houston Capo-could save Luzia.


    Vivian slid under the covers, jos still turned away, lying in silence.


    Yes, lying there. Vivian firmly believed he wasn¡¯t asleep yet.


    She reached out, her hand touching his bare back-she remembered several tattoos on jos¡¯s body, including on his back, which she had only clearly seen that day. A fierce beast with bared fangs and a ferocious countenance.


    But now, as Vivian¡¯s hand traced his back in the darkness, she didn¡¯t feel the tattoos. Under her hand was warm, stic skin. She could sense changes in jos¡¯s body, which gave her a bit more confidence.


    Vivian¡¯s hand moved from his back up to his shoulder, and then to his prominent Adam¡¯s apple, and down to his t chest.


    jos¡¯s breathing became ragged as Vivian¡¯s hand rested on him, her lips close to his ear, she whispered with a tremble, ¡°I think, we can continue¡­¡±


    jos suddenly grasped her hand, turned over, and pinned her into the soft bedding, forehead against hers, ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    The proximity was too close. The hot, musky scent of the man left Vivian with no escape, her doubt about her choice creeping in, but for Luzia¡¯s sake, she clenched her teeth and clung to jos¡¯s shoulders, ¡°Yes, can we start now?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s bashful invitation was irresistible to jos. He began to kiss her, starting from her cheek and lips, moving down to her neck and corbone. His fervent desire made Vivian¡¯s body grow limp and tremble. As his hand reached for her nightgown, and his firm grip kneaded her breast, Vivian let out a cry that sounded almost like a sob. But this time, jos wouldn¡¯t stop; his desires drove him to seek more.

 Chapter 40

    Vivian was terrified, unsure where to ce her hands. Should they rest on jos¡¯s neck? No, that seemed too inviting. Or on his solid arms? There, the biceps bulged with vigorous strength. Or perhaps on his abdomen, where eight defined abs hinted at his vitality?


    Her gaze grew hazy as jos, all too familiar with the art of pleasing women, took control. Vivian, a girl intent on maintaining her purity, struggled to keep pace and found herself manipted into shedding her clothes, revealing the naked beauty of her body.


    jos kissed her deeply, his tongue roaming freely in her mouth before moving to her chin, then down to her corbone, taking her nipple into his mouth and circling it with his wet tongue. Vivian arched her slender neck with a silent moan, unable to contain the pleasure that sent her body trembling.


    This response only increased jos¡¯s sense of achievement as his rough hands glided over Vivian¡¯s smooth, delicate skin, moving slowly towards the root of her thighs. Without allowing refusal, he parted her tightly closed legs and pressed himself between them.


    Vivian¡¯s legs were now syed on either side of him, her only option to clench around him as she tried in vain to resist his deeper exploration. The ticklish sensation from within made her resistance weak. jos, breathing heavily, lifted Vivian¡¯s fingers to his lips, kissing and nibbling with enough intensity to cause a tingling pain but not to harm her.


    Terrified, tears fell unconsciously onto the pillow as Vivian felt an itch she couldn¡¯t scratch, yearning for jos¡¯s touch which was far from enough to quench her longing. ¡°jos,¡± she whispered.


    Her legs wrapped uncontrobly around jos¡¯s lean waist, bringing them even closer. She could feel his erection pressing against the area that frightened her the most, knowing that with just a bit more force, he could tear through theirst barrier and im her brutally.


    She was on the verge of losing her virginity.


    She was doing what she had always resisted.


    Never had Vivian felt more ashamed.


    She silently prayed that jos would stop, preserving thest barrier between them and allowing her the chance to escape.


    But jos wouldn¡¯t cease. His finger hooked the edge of Vivian¡¯s underwear while his other hand lifted her hips, removing thest piece of fabric from her body.


    Vivian closed her eyes, feeling jos lower her legs and position himself between them once again, forcing her to open up to him.


    She let out a soft whimper as jos kissed her soothingly. His kisses no longer wandered between her lips and corbone but slowly traveled down from her breasts to her soft belly. His tongue flicked over her tender skin, which heaved with both breaths and fear, but jos didn¡¯t pause. He continued downward, kissing the dense hair below her belly button, then lower¡­


    Vivian¡¯s body shook violently, her fingers entwined in his thick hair, reflexively gripping to stop his advance. ¡°No¡­¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    But jos wouldn¡¯t listen; he was determined to give Vivian pleasure, and she had no choice but to receive it.


    Her hands were pinned beside her as his solid body pressed upon her, immobilizing her. She could only stare at the red canopy above, feeling his tongue visit her most private and sensitive spot for the first time. The moist warmth caused her entire body to erupt in goosebumps as she trembled violently, pleasure coursing through her veins. She gasped for air, her back arching, toes curling.


    Vivian fought the urge to pull him closer by his neck, almost cursing aloud, but her father¡¯s stern reprimands and herdylike upbringing forced her to swallow the expletives.


    ¡°Ooh¡­¡± she moaned softly, begging jos to stop.


    His tongue teased the untouched entrance, increasing tension and pleasure within her. Vivian didn¡¯t know how to release it and felt an overwhelming urge to cry.


    Was this an orgasm? So intense and overwhelming, threatening to engulf her entirely-could she die from such pleasure?


    Lost in ecstasy, Vivian felt jos¡¯s fingers enter her, intensifying the sensations. Her vision darkened, then burst into stars as she screamed out, her body trembling in his embrace.


    He kissed her lips, swallowing her cries, but Vivian was certain Mare in the corridor heard her sobs.


    As rity returned to Vivian¡¯s sight and sensations, jos¡¯s fingers were still inside her, now moving with a maddening rhythm. ¡°jos, please stop,¡± she whimpered. ¡°It hurts.¡±


    jos showed no sign of stopping, kissing Vivian¡¯s lips and gazing into her eyes, his desire undiminished by her climax. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Vivian, you¡¯ve felt it now, you will find pleasure.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­ oh¡­¡± jos¡¯s fingers moved deeper, bringing pleasure mixed with a sting of pain. She wanted to plead for mercy, but as jos kissed her again, her lips could only manage a muffled whimper.


    Vivian felt breathless from the kiss, her head spinning, not knowing when jos had released her. When she saw jos momentarily leave her body to remove his underwear, and then return, there was no longer anything between them.


    Vivian gasped, truly frightened now. She struggled to rise, but a gentle push from jos sent her back onto the bed. She stared nkly at the canopy as jos came to kiss her.


    ¡°jos¡­¡±


    ¡°Wrap your arms around my neck,¡± he instructed, his voice deep with desire. Vivian breathed heavily, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± josforted her softly by her ear, his hand gently patting her back.


    Vivian, seduced, wrapped her arms around his neck, tilting her head to kiss his earlobe.


    jos¡¯s hand inside her twitched, eliciting an unbearable moan from Vivian. He withdrew his fingers and reced them with his own size, breathing deeply as he slowly entered her.


    He heard Vivian¡¯s inhale sharply, felt her waist stiffen with pain. He massaged gently, kissing her tenderly, ¡°Tell me if it¡¯s too ufortable.¡±


    Would you stop if I told you? Vivian cursed internally, but she couldn¡¯t help pleading, ¡°It hurts, I¡¯m ufortable.¡±


    ¡°Does it really hurt that much?¡± jos gasped, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel any pleasure at all?¡±


    Vivian shook her head within his embrace, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

 Chapter 41

    Vivian had always been afraid to look at jos¡¯s things; she knew it must be huge, she could feel the oppressive presence jos brought to her, but to seriously take a nce and describe its shape and size, she really couldn¡¯t do it.


    The sense of oppression grew stronger, and Vivian felt him prating deeper, followed by a burst of sharp pain that made her cry out involuntarily. However, as the cry faded, the pain slowly numbed, and a tingling itch deep inside her body made her restless.


    jos was also enduring with difficulty, his forehead against Vivian¡¯s, his voice carrying restraint, ¡°Tell me when I can move.¡±


    Vivian opened her eyes to see the sweat on the tip of his nose.


    Men were rough, they would bite and gnaw on women in bed, even resort to violence. This was what her mother, Luzia, and all her female friends with sexual experience had told her.


    Vivian had thought jos was such a man. After all, he was one of the most powerful and fierce men in the world, but she didn¡¯t expect him to have such patience, forcefully restraining his desires, giving her time to breathe calmly.


    Vivian took several deep breaths; the feeling of jos inside her was too domineering, inescapable, tears forced from her as she hugged jos¡¯s neck to dispel her inner unease.


    jos was also continuouslyforting his bride in his own way. He left tender kisses on her, easing her overly tense nerves, until Vivian said, ¡°You can now.¡±


    jos felt his brain explode; he rhythmically moved inside Vivian, fulfilling both her and himself, watching Vivian¡¯s gaze be hazy under him, unable to stop like a madman.


    Vivian struggled to keep up with jos¡¯s movements. Gasping for air, she couldn¡¯t bear his sudden fierce thrusts and grasped his back tightly, her nails scratching his skin, surely leaving marks.


    ¡°jos, slow, wait, a bit slower, you, ah¡­¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I am already going slow, Vivian,¡± jos said, leaning down to exchange a moist kiss with her.


    Vivian arched her neck, and jos withdrew from her body, only to thrust back heavily, alleviating the itch inside her. She moanedfortably, which led jos to thrust even more forcefully.


    In this act of love, Vivian felt pleasure; she barely opened her eyes to see jos leaning over her, also staring at her, the intense desire in his brown eyes seeming to overflow. He clenched his teeth, forcefully tearing through Vivian¡¯s desire, his body muscles tensing due to the vigorous activity.


    My God.


    Vivian gasped, ¡°Is this what making love is?¡±


    jos¡¯s movements became faster, and Vivian could no longer keep up. She panted heavily, her arms around his neck were not enough, she wanted to wrap her legs around him, pressing against him, savoring the scent of his cologne. But jos was too fierce, her legs too weak to hook around his waist.


    It seemed jos knew what she wanted; he supported her legs on his waist, then grabbed her buttocks, lifting her entire body. Vivian screamed, clinging to him, feeling his increasingly fast thrusts. Pain mingled with surging pleasure rushed to her head, something approaching.


    Vivian thought she might know what it was, but the intense pleasure overwhelmed her, and she lost track.


    jos was also panting heavily above her, his thing changing angles as it thrust into her, faster and more cunning, even starting to lose rhythm. Vivian screamed out as jos¡¯s thing in her grewrger, spasmed, and a hot surge hit her inner passage.


    Both let out unbearable sighs, Vivian copsing on top of jos, sweat making their skin sticky.


    jos turned over, allowing Vivian to lie morefortably on him until their intense heartbeats gradually calmed down.


    Vivian felt jos¡¯s fingers threading through her hair, gently untangling the messy locks. She was extremely tired, her body limp as shey in his arms, sleep creeping up on her.


    Just as Vivian was about to drift off to sleep, she suddenly remembered what led her to bed with jos.


    Luzia!


    Vivian was filled with guilt; she had almost forgotten her good friend.


    ¡°Joseph and Luzia are not suited for marriage; Luzia deserves a better man.¡± Vivian felt jos¡¯s breathing pause, his gaze on her changing from just a moment ago.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Vivian said nervously, but she still posed a seductive posture to jos, ¡°Can you help them break off the engagement?¡±


    jos seemed unable toprehendVivian, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You can¡­¡± Vivian took a deep breath, intending to repeat her request, but jos rudely interrupted her.


    ¡°Why bring this up all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Because I feel that now¡­¡±


    ¡°Now is the best time?¡± jos cut her off again.


    Vivian frowned, ¡°Indeed, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed? Do you even hear what you¡¯re saying?¡± jos was on the verge of madness, lifting Vivian off himself and standing up, his brown eyes ring angrily, ¡°You have sex with me, just for this? To break off Luzia and Joseph¡¯s engagement? Just for this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so angry,¡± Vivian sat up, pulling the nket to cover her naked body, ¡°You¡¯ve already had my body, got what you wanted; can¡¯t I have what I want?¡±


    ¡°Is this some kind of transaction?¡± jos roared, anger surging through his body, pacing back and forth, unable to calm down for a long time, ¡°You are my wife; sex is my right, giving you pleasure is my duty and obligation. I¡¯m not a good husband, but I didn¡¯t tear you apart and send you bleeding to the hospital like other men.¡±


    ¡°I did everything I could; I thought you were at least willing,¡± josughed mockingly, ¡°I thought my wife was at least voluntary, cooperative; I was also willing to restrain my instincts to not hurt you¡­¡±


    Vivian frowned, looking at the almost crazed jos, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you are so angry, Luzia¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention Luzia to me again,¡± jos looked at her coldly, ¡°You deceived me, Vivian. Your deceit made me understand what kind of person you are and also made me realize my mistake.¡±


    ¡°What mistake?¡± Vivian started to feel uneasy.


    ¡°Pitying you and respecting you. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make that mistake again during sex next time, Capo indeed doesn¡¯t need such emotions,¡± jos said coldly, ¡°Goodnight, Vivian.¡±


    jos left Vivian and walked towards the balcony, the stars above him, but he was no longer in the mood to appreciate them.

 Chapter 42

    When Vivian woke up, daylight had already filled the room. She nced at the wall clock; it was 8:20 AM. Alone in the room, a wave of panic washed over her. ¡°jos?¡± she called out.


    She shouted jos¡¯s name, but the room remained eerily silent with no response. After calling out a few more times, Vivian wrapped a bedsheet around her naked body and began to search for jos in the room, therge bathroom, and on the balcony, but he was nowhere to be found. It was then that she realized, jos had truly left.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Copsing onto the bed, she noticed a note on the nightstand.


    It was from jos.


    ¡°Vivian, I¡¯ve decided to cut my vacation short. I¡¯ve already started back at work. I can¡¯t afford to be distracted, there¡¯s too much in the mafia that demands my attention. If you¡¯re awake, have Mare take you back to the apartment. If there¡¯s an emergency, call me ¨C jos.¡±


    That was it? He left just a note and didn¡¯t even wait for her to wake up?


    Vivian sat back on the bed, dazed, as she realized that jos was genuinely angry because of her foolish actions.


    Mare, following jos¡¯s instructions, escorted Vivian back to the apartment, where Luzia had already woken up. She was sitting on the living room couch, munching on chips and watching a TV series.


    Seeing Vivian, Luzia tilted her head with a puzzled look. ¡°Vivian?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, Luzia.¡± Vivian walked over and hugged Luzia dejectedly.


    Luzia patted her back, somewhat incredulously. ¡°Weren¡¯t you on your honeymoon with jos? You should be in New York or Hawaii by now. Why are you back?¡±


    Vivian began to cry on her shoulder. ¡°I messed things up. I slept with him.¡±


    ¡°Did he force you? He can be too rough. Are you hurt?¡± Luzia lifted her sleeve and lowered her cor to check for any serious injuries.


    ¡°No, quite the opposite.¡± Vivian, realizing that Mare was still present and could hear their entire conversation, blushed.


    She wanted to ask Mare to leave for a while, but he retreated to the kitchen, signifying that was as far from her as he could get. His task was to ensure Vivian¡¯s safety.


    ¡°The opposite?¡± Luzia eximed, cupping her face in shock. ¡°You mean he was gentle with you?¡± She could scarcely believe this was jos. But Luzia¡¯s confusion deepened. ¡°Then why are you back here? You should be on your honeymoon. You have to believe that a couple more times¡­¡±


    ¡°I messed up, and he¡¯s mad at me.¡± Vivian sobbed, covering her face. ¡°I asked if he could annul your marriage to Joseph, and he got angry, saying I deceived him. He regretted showing me pity and respect.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± Luzia grasped Vivian¡¯s hands, frowning. ¡°Did you sleep with jos because you heard me say that if I serve Paavo well, he¡¯d agree to anything, even to annul my marriage?¡±


    Vivian nodded, tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would end up like this.¡±


    ¡°I misled you,¡± Luzia said with regret. ¡°I¡¯ve been with Paavo long enough, and we¡¯ve developed enough rapport in bed that I gained hisplete trust before I dared to make any requests.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault. I was too impatient, too afraid,¡± Vivian said, unable to forget the angry look on jos¡¯s face. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of him treating her coldly and harshly in the future.


    Vivian cried out in pain. ¡°What should I do? I haven¡¯t been married for 24 hours and I¡¯ve driven my husband away. He¡¯s be indifferent to me, no longer showing pity or respect. He¡¯ll be my Capo, not willing to be the gentle husband to me anymore.¡±


    Luzia also felt at a loss. She had never encountered such a situation, but still offered Vivian advice. ¡°I think you should apologize to jos first. You need to do something to regain his trust.¡±


    Vivian wasn¡¯t sure if she could really win back jos¡¯s trust, and Luzia couldn¡¯t provide a definite answer. They both knew the Capo was stubborn and not easily swayed.


    Wiping her tears, Vivian choked up. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why he said I deceived him. It was a transaction, wasn¡¯t it? We had sex, and he got my body.¡±


    ¡°No, Vivian, jos was definitely not just angry about you deceiving him,¡± Luzia said while pressing tissues to Vivian¡¯s eyes, which quickly absorbed the tears. ¡°He¡¯s a cold man. The position of Capo and his followers demand that he be so; he never pities anyone. Yet, for the first time, he showed you pity, and all he got in return was what you call a ¡®transaction.''¡±


    ¡°Capo doesn¡¯t need weakness. But your ¡®transaction¡¯ made his pity seemughable. To him, it signifies weakness, a chance you gave to hurt him, which is lethal.¡± Luzia hoped Vivian would grasp the gravity of the situation. ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s angrier with himself than with you.¡±


    ¡°I never intended to hurt him.¡±


    ¡°Yet, in reality, your ¡®transaction¡¯ deeply wounded him,¡± Luzia shrugged helplessly.


    With a heavy sigh, the sensation of utter despair washed over Vivian. She felt weak and copsed onto the couch next to Luzia. ¡°I¡¯m so sad.¡±


    Luzia stroked her hair. ¡°Look at it from another perspective. At least your first time was beautiful. He was gentle with you.¡±


    Luzia¡¯s constion soothed Vivian somewhat.


    ¡°Paavo¡­ was he gentle?¡± Vivian inquired.


    Luzia paused, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never been with any other man.¡± Her voice was emotionless, and Vivian, leaning on her, couldn¡¯t see whether she was smiling or sad. ¡°I suppose he was gentle. Being too rough would cause a woman to bleed a lot, and I didn¡¯t bleed much.¡±


    ¡°He showed off our bedsheets to people, using them as a tool for boasting. Of course, it was about more than just bragging; it was also about status.¡± Luzia exined. Being jos¡¯s cousin, the Hargrave family had offered her to Paavo to affirm his status as a ruler.


    Luzia didn¡¯t mind being a pawn in a family alliance; at least she and Paavo were in sync in bed.


    Vivian blinked. Bedsheets? She hadn¡¯t paid attention to them. jos didn¡¯t seem to take them either; he was too angry.


    So, had she bled?


    Vivian couldn¡¯t remember.


    ¡°He said he would never pity me again. I don¡¯t know how he will treat me now,¡± Vivian said anxiously, clutching Luzia¡¯s hand. ¡°Will it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it will, maybe it won¡¯t,¡± Luzia couldn¡¯t give Vivian a precise answer.


    Vivian didn¡¯t me her; everyone¡¯s perception of pain is different.


    ¡°Has Paavo ever been angry with you? Has he¡­ treated you harshly?¡±


    Luzia pondered for a moment. ¡°Well¡­ at first, we didn¡¯t know each other well. All I had to do wasply with him to avoid a lot of trouble. As we lived together longer, there were bound to be arguments, and he would get angry, sometimes throwing things around roughly. But as long as I pleased him in bed, leading to mutual pleasure, his actions would be less harsh when I appeased him.¡±

 Chapter 43

    ¡°Vivian, if you want to obtain jos¡¯s forgiveness, perhaps you should be submissive to him during sex,¡± Luzia suggested.


    Vivian¡¯s face couldn¡¯t quite be described as either shy or fearful as she weakly ruffled her hair, ¡°This is terrible, I don¡¯t think it will necessarily work.¡±


    ¡°Then shall we think of something else?¡± Luzia sounded distressed. ¡°Make him a delicious lunch? Buy him a suit that he likes?¡±


    ¡°Those are not good ideas.¡± jos wasn¡¯t someone who could be easily bought off.


    Luzia thought the most feasible n was to seduce jos in bed; no man would refuse a woman willing to perform oral sex for him, but she felt Vivian would be unwilling.


    ¡°Hey, Mare,¡± Luzia, unable toe up with any other strategy, turned her head to call Mare, who was preparing lunch in the kitchen, ¡°Do you have any good suggestions?¡±


    The kitchen was situated to the right of the living room, with no walls separating the two, and the voices of Vivian and Luzia were not quiet, so Luzia was sure Mare could hear their conversation.


    Mare spread his hands in a shrug, offering no answer.


    ¡°Hey, please give your suggestion,¡± Luzia said, ¡°Don¡¯t evade.¡±


    Vivian also cast a pleading look towards him.


    Mare, with no other option, honestly replied, ¡°Capo is a stubborn and intolerant man; he won¡¯t easily change his mind.¡±


    ¡°I asked for a suggestion, not an assessment of Capo,¡± Luzia said with exasperation. ¡°Forget it, you¡¯re no help.¡±


    Mare, undisturbed by the disapproval, simply bowed his head and continued preparing his lunch.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s really difficult, isn¡¯t it?¡± Luzia leaned back against Vivian, ¡°jos is such a difficult bastard, making us rack our brains here, damn it.¡±


    Vivian looked down in shock; from her angle, all she could see was the top of Luzia¡¯s head, ¡°You can¡¯t swear, Luzia, you¡¯re ady.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luzia sat up, turning her head to look at her, ¡°Who told youdies can¡¯t swear?¡±


    ¡°My parents,¡± Vivian said, ¡°And the nuns at school.¡±


    ¡°Forget about that, Vivian,¡± Luziaughed, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with swearing? It lets you vent all those bad emotions. Come on, learn from me, ¡®damn it, go to hell, bitch¡­''¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t learn that,¡± Vivian crossed her arms.


    ¡°Forget the constraints of your parents. The nuns at school are not saints either; they also curse like sailors in private. I assure you, jos won¡¯t mind his bride swearing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You need to vent, Vivian. Let out all your dissatisfaction and anger. Come on, curse with me, ¡®jos, you bastard, you jerk,¡¯e on, dear girl.¡±


    ¡°jos, you bastard, you jerk¡­ no, Luzia, I can¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great, Vivian, don¡¯t be afraid, keep going, ¡®to hell with you, jos, go die!''¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m delighted to hear your heartfelt wishes for me, my dear cousin,¡± jos¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind the two girls, startling both Vivian and Luzia.


    Luzia, frightened, jumped off the sofa and enthusiastically went to hug jos, ¡°Please don¡¯t mind my rudeness, jos, I was just teaching Vivian how to vent her negative emotions.¡±


    jos did not reciprocate the hug, nor did he nce at Vivian, which made her feel very ufortable.


    ¡°I just came back to pick up some things and will leave soon. You two carry on.¡± jos then headed upstairs.


    Mare asked him if he needed lunch, but jos declined.


    ¡°Go ahead, girl,¡± Luzia quietly encouraged Vivian from behind, ¡°Go up and scold him, say ¡®to hell with you, I¡¯ve had enough of you.''¡±


    ¡°That sounds silly,¡± Vivian said painfully, covering her face, ¡°I won¡¯t say it, just give up.¡±


    Mare¡¯s lunch wasn¡¯t tasty, and Luzia shouted about ending Haylee¡¯s holiday early; she would die on the spot if she had to eat another one of Mare¡¯s dinners.


    Haylee was the chef in jos¡¯s apartment, usually responsible for their three meals a day. She was skilled, baking fragrant cakes and baguettes, and making delicious buffalo wings. In her spare time, Vivian liked to go to the kitchen to watch Haylee prepare dinner, learning how to make delicious Italian pasta and baked ziti.


    Vivian decided to make dinner herself; pasta was the best choice, and the refrigerator still held ingredients left by Haylee, which Vivian took out.


    Perhaps if she prepared a delicious dinner, jos would be willing to sit down and taste it together, and their rtionship could be eased. At the very least, jos might not be so angry and stop ignoring her.


    The dinner took a bit longer to make, but the oue was quite satisfactory. Vivian cleaned up the kitchen and arranged everything on the dining table.


    Luzia stood aside, ¡°When is josing back?¡±


    Vivian looked towards Mare.


    ¡°Capo left a message; he¡¯ll be back before dinner.¡±


    Vivian nced at the living room clock; it was 30 minutes earlier than their usual dinner time. jos should be on his way back by now.


    Luzia and Mare sat aside, waiting with her.


    But after 30 minutes, and then another 30 minutes, the elevator remained silent, and there was no one at the door.


    The dinner had gone cold. Vivian warmed it up again while Luzia and Mare watched.


    ¡°You guys go ahead and eat,¡± Vivian sat down at the table, urging them to join, ¡°I¡¯ll wait a bit longer.¡±


    Luzia wanted Vivian to eat as well, but she shook her head, refusing. She was actually quite hungry, her stomach growling, but the thought of jos¡¯s cold, indifferent face made her lose all appetite.


    Luzia and Mare quickly finished their dinner, while Vivian continued to wait. Her stubborn waiting gave Luzia a headache, but she could not convince her.


    Vivian was sure she could wait for jos to return, though it might take a long time. Her te of pasta had gone cold again, but she didn¡¯t want to move; she¡¯d rather wait for jos to return to warm it up together. She really didn¡¯t have the energy anymore.


    Luzia was no longer in the living room; she might have gone back to her room. Mare was still there, standing at a distance, but she was sure Mare could see her tears-it allowed her privacy and also protected her.


    Vivian was grateful for Mare¡¯s thoughtfulness. She told herself not to cry; crying was useless. It couldn¡¯t win back jos¡¯s heart, yet she couldn¡¯t help it. She had lost a husband who was kind to her, her marriage had fallen into an irreparable chill; what was she to do?


    ¡­


    jos fired a shot into John¡¯s kneecap, the pain exploded in his mind, and he fell to the ground clutching his severely injured leg and screamed, ¡°I begged you to marry Luzia to me, but you wouldn¡¯t, you just wouldn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Luzia is your cousin, the first time you gave her to Paavo, and now you want to give her away a second time, jos, you¡¯re inhuman!¡±


    jos grabbed his thick, curly hair with a fierce tug, distorting John¡¯s face slightly; blood and saliva spilled onto the ground.


    Disgusted, jos tapped his face with the hot barrel of the gun, ¡°A disloyal dog will bite wherever it goes; don¡¯t use Luzia as an excuse. She is a woman of the Hargrave family; to marry Joseph is her honor.¡±


    ¡°And you are just a coward; you don¡¯t deserve my excellent cousin.¡± jos released his hair, and John curled up in agony on the ground.

 Chapter 44

    Six years ago, in the battle for the management rights of the Port of Houston, Kamden married Luzia off to Paavo, while John had already gone to study abroad in Ennd, and jos contacted him through Shelley. However, John did not appear even after the wedding was over.


    John¡¯s absence served to maintain the dignity of all three families involved. Once Kamden secured the management rights for the Port of Houston, he valued Charles even more, and the Benoist family reaped unimaginable benefits.


    jos sneered with ridicule, ¡°Rest assured, I won¡¯t let you die that easily. Traitors like you should go to hell.¡±


    ¡°Traitors deserve hell, but so do beasts like you who trade friends and family for profits!¡± John spat a mouthful of blood onto his face.


    jos turned his head to dodge, the specks of blood staining his clothes. Disgusted, he dropped John on the ground, and the organization¡¯s bodyguards dragged him aside, with his screams soon filling the warehouse.


    Simpson toyed with his newly acquired MPT-12 as the area around the warehouse was surrounded by abandoned factories. On the unlit dirt road, passing vehicles had to turn on their headlights for safety. The high beams revealed the vehicles¡¯ trajectories, leaving nowhere to hide.


    Simpson whistled sharply toward the area, his ck military boots crushing a cigarette butt on the ground. He walked into the warehouse just as John¡¯s screams weakened a bit, ¡°The old man from the Benoist family has arrived.¡±


    Richard Benoist was John¡¯s father, Charles¡¯s brother and the helmsman of the Benoist family. After Kamden¡¯s death, Charles was the first elder to publicly support jos as the new Capo, and the jos brothers held him in high regard.


    Therefore, jos was originally willing to show some respect to Richard and even allowed John, who had suddenly returned from Ennd without any merits, some power to exercise. But what he got in return was John¡¯s betrayal, which enraged jos.


    ¡°John!¡± Richard stumbled into the warehouse. jos stepped on John¡¯s gunshot wound on his leg and pressed down hard, reviving the nearly unconscious John with a surge of pain.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing, stop it now,¡± Richard attempted to rush to his son¡¯s aid but was kicked in the knee by Simpson who stood behind him. Unprepared, his heavy body lost bnce and crashed to the ground.


    Richard¡¯s bodyguards had just raised their guns when they felt something hard pressed against their heads.


    ¡°jos, what exactly do you want to do?¡± Richard, staring at the dark muzzle, had cold sweat on his forehead but dared not show any fear, ¡°If you dare kill us, do you think Charles would let you off?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Charles is well aware of the ¡®good deeds¡¯ your son John has done.¡± Simpson¡¯s gun pressed against the back of Richard¡¯s head, his voice cold as ice, ¡°Betraying Houston, colluding with the Bratva, attacking jos twice, shooting the esteemed guest Vilem from Houston, nning to sabotage the alliance between Houston and Los Angeles¡­ Which of these is not worth his dog¡¯s life?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, utter nonsense!¡± Richard looked pale as he gazed at his son sprawled on the ground, ¡°Why would you frame John? It¡¯s to weaken the power of the Benoist family, isn¡¯t it!¡±


    Richard hurled usations at jos, ¡°You ungrateful cur, Charles put you on the throne, and this is how you repay him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s up to Charles to decide now.¡±


    With a click of the pistol being cocked, jos handed the gun to the man who had been standing in the shadows, ¡°It¡¯s a choice between the rise of the Benoist family andplete disgrace.¡±


    Richard¡¯s eyes widened in shock as the tall figure emerged from the shadows. The middle-aged man¡¯s features were sharp, revealing a fierceness and bloodthirstiness honed from years of living on the edge. His brows pressed down,manding an authority that made Richard unable to look him in the eye.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Big brother!¡± Richard swallowed in fear, struggling to plead. But as his gaze met John¡¯s badly beaten form, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, ¡°Please, save John, he¡­¡±


    Bang!


    The gunshot rang out amidst Richard¡¯s pleas. Charles maintained his firing stance, his expression cold and indifferent. Silence fell around them, as if all the noise had been put on pause at that moment.


    jos returned to his apartment muchter than usual, troubled by Charles¡¯s too swift and clean execution of John.


    The elevator dinged open, and he pinched the bridge of his nose as he walked into the apartment. Seeing Vivian sitting at the dining table, he approached her. She didn¡¯t look up, focusing on the now-cold te of spaghetti.


    ¡°It¡¯s gotten cold,¡± jos said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time,¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes were red, her face still wet with un-wiped tears, ¡°You said you¡¯d be back before dinner, and I hoped I could wait for you.¡±


    ¡°Have you been waiting for me all this time?¡± jos nced back at the living room clock; it had been three and a half hours since their usual dinner time.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± Vivian¡¯s tears threatened to fall again as she wiped her eyes, only to smear more, ¡°I prepared the dinner myself, our first meal shared since we got married, I hoped¡­¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have waited.¡± jos paused for a moment, then said, ¡°You should have eaten it while it was still hot after making it, not let it go cold and then throw it away like this. It¡¯s a waste of food.¡±


    jos¡¯s tone grew stern, and Vivian stood up, trying to exin, ¡°I just¡­¡±


    ¡°You just wanted to show your pitiful state by waiting so long, to make me feel sorry for you, to pity you into eating your carefully prepared dinner, and then you could start making your demands,¡± he said coldly.


    Vivian swayed, tears rolling down her cheeks, ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°This is a transaction, isn¡¯t it?¡± jos said cruelly.


    His coldness was enough to hurt Vivian, ¡°Is that what you think of me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you said yourself.¡±


    Watching jos¡¯s impassive face, Vivian had never been so clearly aware of how badly things had turned out. Her husband couldn¡¯t give her love, and now he wouldn¡¯t even offer tenderness or trust. All her attempts to hold on were turning into transactions.


    What should she do?


    Vivian was at a loss, staring nkly at the beautifully set but now cold food on the table, tears dropping incessantly from her eyes.


    jos silently watched her, wanting to step forward to wipe away her tears, to tell her gently not to cry, that he was willing to show some rare tenderness to his new wife. But Vivian¡¯s idea of a transaction truly infuriated him.


    It shouldn¡¯t be like this. A Capo has no weaknesses; he can¡¯t allow Vivian to be his Achilles¡¯ heel, a weapon for the Bratva to exploit against him.


    jos poured out the dinner Vivian had carefully prepared right in front of her. The stained tes ttered as he tossed them into the sink, the sound of breaking tes echoing loudly.


    Vivian was frightened by jos¡¯s sudden rage, her blue eyes wide with horror.


    She moved to clean up the broken dishes in the sink but was rebuked by jos, ¡°Damn it, don¡¯t touch them. Do you want to get hurt? Or do you want to use your injury to gain my pity? Impossible, I¡¯ll just call the family doctor for you.¡±

 Chapter 45

    jos showed no trust in her whatsoever, a realization that made Vivian feel like copsing and crying her heart out. Yet, she refrained from doing so, fearing that jos might think her tears were just a ploy to gain his pity. To hell with pity. Vivian¡¯s face turned pale, both from the curse she had just uttered and from jos¡¯s indifferent attitude.


    Taking a deep breath, she wiped away her tears with her sleeve and turned to leave the dining room under the icy gaze of jos. She didn¡¯t care anymore; let jos be angry or ignore her as he wished-she was done. She intended to go upstairs, wash up, and sleep.


    Upon reaching the upper floor, Vivian pushed open the door to her room only to find Luzia had already imed herrge bed, sitting cross-legged leisurely flipping through a fashion magazine. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°This is my new room,¡± Luzia responded with surprise to Vivian¡¯s visit, ¡°It¡¯s thergest guest room in the apartment. You¡¯ve moved to jos¡¯s room, so I suppose I can have this one, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you can have it, but I don¡¯t want to sleep with jos. Not now, not ever.¡± ¡°Sleeping together doesn¡¯t always mean making love¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± said Vivian, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be in the same room with him.¡±


    But Vivian no longer wanted to hear Luzia¡¯s ¡®buts.¡¯ She turned and left the room, randomly choosing another guest room to enter. The guest rooms in jos¡¯s apartment all came with en-suite bathrooms. Vivian entered the bathroom, undressed, turned on the shower, and began to bathe.


    jos¡¯s coldness truly hurt her. This was only the first day of their marriage, and the thought of facing such an jos every day chilled her to the bone. She turned up the water temperature, letting the hot water cascade over her naked skin, gently flowing over her breasts, reminiscent of jos¡¯s tender caresses the night before.


    If anyone said jos hadn¡¯t brought her pleasurest night, they would be lying. He had been incredibly gentle, experienced in ways to quickly bring her to climax. He kissed and possessed her with a mix of tenderness and force, just enough to scratch the itch deep within her¡­


    Vivian let out a low moan, then quickly turned the water temperature to the lowest setting. The warm water turned cold, mercilessly washing away the fiery desires within her. She took the lemon-scented shampoo and body wash from the shelf, meticulously cleaning every strand of hair and every inch of her body until she felt free of jos¡¯s scent.


    The sensation was awful. Vivian exhaled deeply. The memories ofst night were hard to forget, but each recollection of jos¡¯s gentleness only added to her dejection and despair over his current indifference.


    After drying off with a towel, Vivian reached for clothes on the shelf but stopped, her hand freezing awkwardly in the air-she hadn¡¯t brought a change of clothes into the bathroom. In a dire situation, as the only alternative was the dirty clothes she had taken off, she realized her new clothes must have been moved to jos¡¯s room.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    With a pained moan and no other options, Vivian wrapped herself in a bath towel and crossed the hallway to jos¡¯s room. Upon entering, she found jos already there, lounging in a chair before the firece, drinking. Feeling embarrassed, she said, ¡°I¡­ came to get some clothes.¡±


    jos was silent, not even ncing her way, steadily drinking. His neglect and indifference made Vivian feel suffocated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happenedst night,¡± she mustered the courage to say, not daring to meet his eyes and staring at the carpet pattern instead, ¡°You don¡¯t love me, I thought you wanted me just for sex. My father traded me for your alliance, so why couldn¡¯t I make my own demands? I¡¯m sorry, I never dared to think you could be gentle¡­¡±


    ¡°I am not gentle. You¡¯re right, I am a cold, cruel, and heartless man. I don¡¯t love you. Our marriage is a transaction, I gained New York¡¯s support from your father, and you became my wife. My duty is to possess you, to protect you,¡± jos stated. ¡°I am Capo, and my job is to kill, to eliminate all my enemies. I feel no guilt for those who die by my gun.¡± Setting down his ss, he stood and faced Vivian, ¡°No need for apologies. My tenderness towards you was only because you¡¯re my wife, but I will never fall in love with you. Don¡¯t try to warm me with your neen-year-old body, put awayyour tears, Vivian. This isn¡¯t a romance movie; there are no romantic love stories here.¡±


    jos¡¯s harsh words cut through any fantasies Vivian might have harbored. She was a naive girl, instinctively longing for love. The movies were full of marriages born out of sex; why couldn¡¯t she have that? Now, jos told her she couldn¡¯t.


    Anger red in Vivian as she red at jos, thinking him too cruel. She turned to search for her suitcase, not wanting to stay in the same room as him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± jos blocked her, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°To a guest room. I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± ¡°We are married now, this is your room, and you can only sleep here,¡± jos insisted firmly. Vivian red back, her eyes reddening. jos held her arm steadfastly, and after several seconds of standoff, Vivian turned away to sneeze.


    jos let go of her arm. ¡°Go change and sleep,¡± hemanded, walking to his mini-fridge, pulling out a new bottle of whiskey, and pouring himself another ss. He drank heavily, quickly refilling his ss after finishing the first.


    Feeling cold on her bare shoulders, Vivian rubbed her nose and pulled out pajamas from her suitcase, retreating to the bathroom. When she emerged, jos was already in bed, asleep, his back to her, not bothering to turn around at her approach.


    Vivian bit her lip, climbed into bed, turned off the bedsidemp, and slipped under the covers. Lying facing jos¡¯s direction, in the dim room, she could barely make out his silhouette, as if he might vanish into the darkness at a blink.


    Fear crept into Vivian. She wanted to be closer to jos for a sense of security. It was aughable thought-why would she seek safety from jos, whom she had loathed and wished to escape just the night before? What were her feelings for jos now?


    Vivian couldn¡¯t figure it out, but she knew she didn¡¯t want this coldness from him. She yearned for the jos who tenderly kissed her on their wedding night, who would act only with her consent. She felt as though she had lost him.


    Tears streaming down her face, Vivian drifted into sleep.

 Chapter 46

    jos should have left early, for when Vivian awoke, he was nowhere to be found. He had been like this ever since their wedding night, constantly avoiding her.


    Could this be the way they were to continue their rtionship?


    The thought of having to spend decades with jos, now that they were married, made Vivian feel like she was on the verge of copse. No girl would not wish to marry a man who loved her, a man who would offer her love, sweetness, and care.


    Now, she could not taste any sweetness, only bitterness filled her mouth.


    Perhaps she should do something. If she couldn¡¯t receive what she needed from jos, could she find it elsewhere? This ce was so dull, maybe she should leave.


    After freshening up, Vivian went downstairs. Luzia and Mare were already up and enjoying the breakfast Haylee had prepared. Haylee quickly prepared a portion for her, and Vivian took her seat at the dining table.


    ¡°What shall we do today?¡± Luzia seemed to be in a good mood.


    Vivian, on the other hand, was not. She poked at her fried eggs with a fork but had no appetite to eat them.


    ¡°Finish your breakfast quickly; it won¡¯t taste good once it¡¯s cold,¡± Luzia said. ¡°After breakfast, change into your clothes. We¡¯re going to do your hair and let the makeup artist give you a delicate makeup look.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Makeup and styling sounded so tiring, and Vivian was not in the mood. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go. I¡¯m not in the mood.¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re not in the mood, that¡¯s when you need to put on beautiful clothes and makeup,¡± Luzia replied. ¡°They will beautify your mood. Then we can go shopping, to the biggest mall in Houston.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t need to buy anything.¡±


    ¡°You will find something. It¡¯s not about what you buy, but about going out and changing your spirits,¡± Luzia invited her warmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the price. jos¡¯s ck card has no limit; you can buy anything you want.¡±


    Luzia cheered and went upstairs to change.


    Vivian sighed and pushed her breakfast forward. ¡°You¡¯lle too, right?¡±


    Mare had finished his breakfast and wiped his mouth with a napkin. ¡°I need to protect you.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Vivian epted. ¡°Do you know where jos is?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°Working.¡±


    ¡°When will he be back?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll return after he finishes his work.¡±


    Vivian wanted to ask more, but Mare didn¡¯t give her the chance. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee the exact time. My main duty is to ensure your safety.¡±


    Vivian red at him angrily and turned to go upstairs.


    jos¡¯s room was unfamiliar to her, but there was no denying the luxurious decor. Of course, what she liked most was the bathroom.


    The bathroom wasrge, amodating a sizable massage bathtub where Vivian couldfortably soak in a bubble bath. Then, she¡¯d slip into herfy cotton dress. Her hair was casually styled, cascading over her shoulders, and she applied nude lipstick and mascara¡­


    Vivian looked into the mirror at her doll-like refinement and smiled faintly. She felt Luzia was right; beautiful clothes and makeup could indeed make a girl¡¯s mood beautiful. She should listen to Luzia and go shopping; perhaps she would have an experience that would cheer her up for the entire day.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re ready.¡± Luzia was waiting at the stairwell, pleased with Vivian¡¯s meticulous dress. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, my heart¡¯s racing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Cheer up, Vivian, don¡¯t be so down.¡± Luzia pulled her along, leading her downstairs. ¡°It¡¯s just a little fight with jos. Arguments happen between spouses; it¡¯s not the end of the world, the Earth isn¡¯t going to explode tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡±


    Luzia shrugged. ¡°Actually, I thought you would be happy.¡±


    Indeed, the Vivian before the wedding would have been pleased not to have more contact with jos, and Vivian had thought the same. But reality was not as she had believed.


    Vivian sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to describe it.¡±


    ¡°Then stop thinking about it. Listen, Vivian, let¡¯s cast aside all the troubles now, whether it¡¯s business, the marriage contract, or jos himself, throw them all away.¡±


    ¡°Throw them away?¡±


    ¡°Yes, throw them away. Stop letting these things bother you. We are young, we have plenty of time.¡± Luzia raised the unlimited ck card in her hand, her smile as bright as the sun. ¡°And we have this card without limit; we should go buy, buy, buy. Money can buy everything you want.¡±


    Vivian crossed her arms. ¡°Moneycannot buy happiness or freedom.¡±


    ¡°Nor can it buy love,¡± Luzia said, pulling Vivian toward the door. ¡°But it can buy joy.¡±


    Luzia pressed the elevator button while Mare followed, closing the apartment door and setting the security lock.


    A car was already waiting for them downstairs. Mare, as usual, took the passenger seat, while Vivian and Luzia settled in the back.


    Vivian had had countless opportunities to walk through the Houston mall, but she had never strolled the grand avenues of Houston on her own; everything in Houston was still so foreign to her.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thanked you yet,¡± Luzia said, leaning on Vivian.


    ¡°For what?¡± Vivian looked at her, puzzled.


    ¡°For asking jos to annul my engagement to Joseph.¡± Luzia was looking down, fiddling with her polished red nails. ¡°Actually, I had already epted my fate, but when I heard you were willing to trade with jos for me, even though you were so¡­ I really¡­¡±


    Luzia covered her mouth, trying to hide her crying.


    ¡°The truth is I wasn¡¯t able to secure anything for you,¡± Vivian felt sad. ¡°I really like you, Luzia. You¡¯re like a little sun, radiant and warm, and I think you¡¯ve always been that kind of girl.¡± But Joseph¡¯s violence would only destroy her.


    ¡°I told you before, I¡¯m just d I¡¯m not engaged to some sixty-year-old man; I¡¯m already very fortunate.¡±


    Vivian looked at her sadly. ¡°That¡¯s not fortune; it¡¯s another tragedy.¡±


    ¡°What does it matter? Fortune or tragedy, we can¡¯t escape it,¡± Luzia sighed. ¡°Vivian, we are the same kind of people, with the same fate of being sent away. But the difference between you and me is that I have epted my fate, while you are still fighting for yours. Every time you struggle, every time you run, it makes me proud of you, and I hope that one day you will sessfully find your own direction.¡±


    ¡°But deep down we both know, it¡¯s useless, we can¡¯t escape, our fates were sealed-to lose love and freedom in a marriage of trade. But we will have endless money; we can shop and party with friends to our hearts¡¯ content. Come on, let¡¯s enjoy the happiness of spending money together.¡±


    Luzia waved her arms cheerfully, and Vivian didn¡¯t know if she was truly that happy. She felt she wasn¡¯t, but she couldn¡¯t save anyone.


    Suddenly, Vivian remembered Shirley¡¯s cousin-John.

 Chapter 47

    Shirley imed that John had returned from Ennd for Luzia¡¯s sake, intending to take her away from Houston because of his affection for her. However, Luzia had never mentioned John to her even once.


    Vivian was unaware of Luzia¡¯s thoughts on John. Did she know that John hade back to the country for her? Was she aware of his feelings for her? And did she harbor any feelings for John herself?


    Vivian wanted to ask, but upon seeing Luzia¡¯s tear-stained face, she couldn¡¯t bear to pose the question.


    jos was the Capo of Houston, his word wasw there. He had decided to marry Luzia off to Joseph, and what could John, his subordinate, do but be another heartbroken soul?This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian sighed, turning to gaze at the rapidly passing scenery outside the window.


    If she had nevere to Houston, if she had never married jos, how different could her life have been? Perhaps she would have gone to college, earned a degree, found a respectable job, and then met her prince charming. She might have fallen in love, got married, had children, and walked through life enveloped in happiness and joy until her eightieth birthday. The mere thought felt so blissful, it was like a dream.


    But with a blink, the dream was meant to end. She had no prince charming, no children; she was married to jos, trapped in a loveless marriage, struggling to break free. However, since love was absent, why couldn¡¯t she have her own career?


    Luzia was right; jos¡¯s ck card had no limit-it could buy all the material things she desired, like online courses and a newptop. She could hide away in her room and study online, attend the school she wanted, and learn the art she aspired to. She could earn a bachelor¡¯s degree and even pursue a master¡¯s or a doctoral degree to be an outstanding performing artist.


    Vivian was already imagining herself on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House, with fans screaming below and her epting bouquets of victory amid their jubtion. She remained jos¡¯s wife; she had lost love, but she could have a career, happiness.


    The thought was so delightful that Vivian couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Luzia, noticing her expression, smiled in turn. ¡°You look very happy.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I was thinking, maybe I should sign up for some online courses,¡± Vivian replied. ¡°I want to continue my studies.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea,¡± Luzia responded with surprise, pleased to see Vivian not mired in sorrow. ¡°Do you know, I once thought about applying for a psychology degree at the University of Houston?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Vivian asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Because I married Paavo, and he wished for me to be a housewife. Whether his wife had a degree wasn¡¯t important to him.¡±


    If it were jos, Vivian would have cursed him as a ¡®selfish man.¡¯


    Luzia patted her back, smiling. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not a big deal. I think he was right; being a wife and mother is more important for a woman. I mean, babies are adorable, and both they and a husband require a lot of care.¡±


    Vivian remembered that Luzia had been with Paavo for several years but had never had a baby.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a pity; Paavo and I weren¡¯t blessed with children,¡± Luzia said with a sigh. ¡°I miscarried twice and before I could get pregnant a third time, Paavo died on a mission with Uncle Kamden.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Vivian embraced her. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Luzia said, snuggling into her soft embrace. ¡°I was initially relieved that I didn¡¯t have a child. My child wouldn¡¯t have to suffer from losing his father, and I wouldn¡¯t have to be a widow with a child. You know, no man wants to marry a woman with children; it¡¯s a loss of face for them.¡±


    The car slowly stopped in front of arge building. Luzia took the opportunity to slip out of her embrace and without waiting for Mare to open the door, she stepped out herself.


    Perhaps she didn¡¯t want Vivian to see her reddened eyes.


    Vivian sighed and followed her out, ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t mind, but I still want to say sorry for upsetting you, even if it wasn¡¯t intentional.¡±


    Luzia shook her head, her radiant smile returning, ¡°Let¡¯s forget those troubles for now, being here. Come on, let¡¯s indulge in some shopping.¡±


    Lifting the hem of her dress, she revealed little ck round-toed shoes underneath. ¡°I think I need a new pair of shoes.¡±


    Vivian, adjusting her mood, asked yfully, ¡°With sparkling diamonds?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s toomorous, suited for dancing at cocktail parties,¡± Luzia said regretfully. ¡°I have many pairs like that. Now, let¡¯s find something ordinary and simple; I want white ones.¡±


    ¡°We could go to an Italian restaurant for lunch; I¡¯m craving delicious pizza.¡±


    ¡°Good idea,¡± Luzia agreed.


    Luzia was right; the satisfaction of shopping desires could indeed make one happy. Vivian was reluctant to admit that she was a materialistic girl, but being dragged by Luzia to try on pretty dresses and seeing her morous reflection in the mirror, Vivian had to acknowledge, once again, Luzia was correct.


    Luzia had a strong sense of fashion, and every piece of clothing and essory she picked out for Vivian was irresistible. She wanted to refuse, yet couldn¡¯t help wanting to buy them, until the car¡¯s trunk was filled with bags of all sizes. It was then Vivian realized how wild their shopping spree had been.


    But despite Luzia¡¯s enthusiasm in choosing clothes for her, she bought very little for herself. Whenever Vivian asked, Luzia would say she had something simr at home. After a while, Vivian stopped asking.


    Vivian knew they weren¡¯t as happy as they appeared.


    Back at the apartment, as expected, jos had not returned, and while Vivian felt a hint of disappointment, she was getting used to it, sometimes even feeling relieved.


    jos¡¯s presence was too overpowering, making Vivian feel uneasy whenever he was in the apartment. But in his absence, the apartment was hers to roam freely, to walk in every corner, to sit on the sofa eating chips, to lie in bed reading, to turn on the radio and practice her musicals.


    Speaking of musicals, Vivian found jos¡¯sptop and nestled on the living room sofa, searching for online courses to enroll in. She meticulously reviewed the course schedules, noting the registration and start dates. In a few months, she could begin her studies.


    Vivian was excited; her college dream, her Metropolitan Opera House stage, awaited her.


    The elevator chimed. Luzia hadn¡¯t left, Mare stood in a corner of the living room staring at her, so it could only be jos returning.


    Vivian abruptly shut down theputer-she didn¡¯t know why she felt the need to hide her online course enrollment from jos, though she knew she couldn¡¯t really keep it a secret from him.


    jos entered the apartment, and Vivian, with theptop in her arms and wearing arge, fluffy robe, curled up on the sofa, her blue eyes fixed on his entrance.


    He set down his keys, took off his shoes, shed his coat, and unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt, which had someone¡¯s blood on it. Vivian obviously noticed, and jos saw her eyshes flutter.

 Chapter 48

    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Vivian swallowed and greeted him, ¡°Did work go smoothly today?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± jos walked indifferently towards the dining table and poured himself a ss of water.


    His attitude infuriated Vivian, but she didn¡¯t want to argue with him. Suppressing her sense of grievance, she exined, ¡°I just wanted to show some concern for you.¡±


    jos shot her a stern nce.


    ¡°OK, let¡¯s not talk about this.¡± Vivian put down herptop and followed him into the kitchen. ¡°Do you need something to eat? Haylee left you dinner; it just needs to be reheated.¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Vivian.¡± jos frowned, his arms crossed over his chest. ¡°You should be going to sleep now instead of putting on a y here.¡±


    ¡°A y?¡±


    ¡°Yes, pretending to care about me, to be concerned with my well-being, to prepare dinner for my health.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not pretending to care about you,¡± Vivian said angrily as she mmed the refrigerator door shut. ¡°I just don¡¯t want our rtionship to be full of indifference and neglect. You¡¯re my husband.¡±


    ¡°This is how our rtionship works. Every proper alliance should be like this, an exchange of interests without care or concern.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Vivian¡¯s heart ached as she looked at the indifferent jos before her-it hadn¡¯t always been this way.


    Vivian¡¯s tears softened jos. His tone was not as harsh. ¡°It should be this way. Love and affection are weaknesses, and I cannot allow myself to be someone weak, addicted to love. That would be foolish.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to continue like this?¡± Vivian wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. ¡°Coldly ignoring each other, not talking, not touching?¡±


    ¡°There will be touches,¡± jos said. ¡°You are my wife; you need to bear me an heir.¡± His icy words were truly hurtful. ¡°If necessary, I wille to you.¡±


    Vivian stared at him in shock. What did he take her for, a prostitute?


    Her voice trembled, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to? Are you going to rape me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I won¡¯t force you,¡± jos replied with such rationality. ¡°I will do as other high-ranking men do, keep a qualified mistress who will bear me a son.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t do that!¡± Vivian shouted.


    ¡°That¡¯s not certain.¡± jos shrugged nonchntly. ¡°After all, keeping a mistress is something to brag about among men of status.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not that kind of person. You won¡¯t.¡± Vivian stamped her foot in anger, her blue eyes filled with rage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, dear. You should be happy with my decision.¡± jos mocked. ¡°Think about how you used to despise the idea of sleeping together before we got married. I always felt that without sex, you would be quite happy to marry me.¡±


    Vivian wanted to scream that it wasn¡¯t true, but she couldn¡¯t refute it. She had indeed felt that way once, and even now, she still feared the idea of sleeping with jos.


    But she couldn¡¯t ept the idea of jos keeping a mistress, even if he could calmly discuss it in front of her, it didn¡¯t mean his words were a joke. Her father had many mistresses, and her mother knew but was powerless to resist; she had to share her husband with many women.


    There were many women like her mother, and jos was right-high-ranking men did like to keep mistresses and boast about how flirtatious and enchanting they were. Their pitiful wives had to hide at home, silently weeping, then dress up brightly to attend banquets with their husbands, numbly epting others¡¯ pitying gazes.


    Vivian had once expressed sympathy for them; she did not want to be such a woman. Standing by Capo¡¯s side, what she should have received were envious and jealous nces.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand me at all,¡± Vivian said, wiping away her tears, her eyes red. ¡°I just hoped to get along with you peacefully, like friends.¡±


    jos looked at her coldly. He didn¡¯t say anything, but his eyes told Vivian how ridiculous her thoughts were.


    ¡°You can¡¯t give me the love I want, yet you demand that I sleep with you, bear you an heir. I refuse you, and you ignore me, give me the silent treatment, and even consider keeping a mistress. You are truly a selfish man, jos.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I am a selfish man,¡± jos said as he started searching through the fridge behind her.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Vivian covered her eyes in grief; she was so disappointed in jos. ¡°Talking with you is truly heartbreaking, jos.¡±


    VivVivian ran out of the kitchen, supporting herself on the staircase as she returned to jos¡¯ room-now also her room. She had lived there long enough, from the second day of their marriage until now, over a month. But the room hardly carried her scent. Each time Vivian pushed the door open and entered, she was greeted by the fragrance of jos¡¯ cologne.


    It was a terrible thing, and her mood plummeted. She had lost a space that was solely hers. She had to share everything with jos-her room, the bathroom, the bed¡­ including her body.


    ¡­


    Vivian was awakened by sunlight; jos was gone from the bed, just as she had anticipated. She didn¡¯t know exactly when he had left, but she guessed it must have been very early to perfectly avoid her upon waking up.


    Annoyed by jos¡¯ stubbornness and coldness, Vivian had no way to change his behavior and was forced to ept his deliberate cold shoulder as she got up and began her morning routine.


    Luzia was supposed to visit her aunt, Mrs. Yazmin, today; she must have already left since Vivian didn¡¯t find her in the dining room.


    Haylee had already prepared breakfast for Vivian-eggs, bacon, and hot milk. Vivian wasn¡¯t fond of hot milk, but faced with Haylee¡¯s bright, expectant eyes, she finished it anyway.


    Haylee was delighted, humming a tune as she cleaned the dishes. She began to prepare the ingredients for lunch.


    Vivian, unable to help much, returned to the living room and turned on the TV, finding no particr program of interest.


    Without Luzia, she felt a silent loneliness. This made Vivian somewhat anxious. Luzia was just visiting her aunt and would return in the evening to keep herpany, yet Vivian already felt lonely. She didn¡¯t dare to think about the near future when Luzia would go to live in Los Angeles with Joseph-how dull her life would be.


    Waking up every day to an empty bed in her bedroom, her husband busy with work during the day, returning home only to treat her with indifference, eating alone, sleeping alone, watching TV alone, shopping alone, doing everything alone that would only be joyous with another person¡­ The thought alone was maddening.


    To her relief, Vilem came, still nursing injuries that hadn¡¯t fully healed. Fortunately, he seemed in good spirits and no longer needed a wheelchair, though he still walked with a limp.

 Chapter 49

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt much anymore,¡± Vilem said, lifting his shirt to show Vivian the wound on his lower abdomen. ¡°I just can¡¯t walk fast. A few more days of rest and I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyes were red, holding back tears, ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Vivian was delighted to see Vilem healthy and his wounds healing quickly, which was a good thing. Conflicts between Houston and Bratva urred daily, and Vilem needed to recover as quickly as possible to work better for jos, demonstrating his value.


    Conversing with Vilem was always a pleasure. He would approach Vivian openly, speaking gently to her. With Vilem, Vivian didn¡¯t have to endure the coldness, alienation, or violence. Vilem also shared with her some of jos¡¯s whereabouts-Vivian could only obtain this information through Mare or Vilem.


    Vilem was more forting than Mare, as he didn¡¯t need to report to jos, and Vivian could get more news from him.


    Vivian didn¡¯t understand why she was so concerned about jos. She told herself to ¡°be friends with jos, don¡¯t expect his love,¡± while she couldn¡¯t help but yearn for the tender kisses and love she felt from jos on their wedding night. She couldn¡¯t bear his endless aloofness.


    ¡°Bratva attacked a warehouse in Houston; many people died.¡± Vilem raised his hands to rub his face, trying to soften his angry expression, ¡°jos has been busytely, but it doesn¡¯t look good.¡±


    Vilem, who had been healing for over a month, was surprisingly well-informed about the situation in Houston.


    Vivian, concerned, took his hand, ¡°Did he tell you this to seek help from father?¡±


    Vilem nodded, ¡°He will borrow more men from father.¡±


    ¡°Will father agree?¡±


    ¡°Father will demand something in return.¡±


    What could Houston have that would repay father? Money? Women?


    Vivian thought of Luzia, ¡°Luzia¡­¡±


    Vilem told her father¡¯s decision, ¡°They¡¯ve moved up Luzia and Joseph¡¯s wedding date. The engagement will be announced soon.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vivian stood up in shock. She knew Luzia would leave her eventually, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be so soon; she hadn¡¯t been able to do anything for Luzia yet.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re close to Luzia and don¡¯t want her to marry Joseph,¡± Vilem sighed, ¡°but it¡¯s father¡¯s decision, and we can¡¯t change it.¡±


    ¡°No, how can this be!¡± Vivian eximed. ¡°Luzia is such a beautiful and bright girl, how can she marry Joseph? Joseph is a devil, a cruel executioner; he¡¯ll ruin Luzia.¡±


    ¡°She has no choice, neither do we.¡± Vilem embraced Vivian. He knew Vivian had many regrets marrying jos; she didn¡¯t want Luzia to fall into the same predicament, but, ¡°The family has raised us, given us wealth, estates, and servants. This alles at a price. Boys be warriors, fighting for the family for life; girls offer their chastity for alliances. It¡¯s our destiny.¡±


    ¡°To hell with destiny.¡± Vivian kicked a table, not strong enough to overturn it, but making a significant noise, drawing Mare¡¯s probing gaze-as he said, he needed to protect Vivian¡¯s safety at all times, even now, with her brother in front of her.


    ¡°She¡¯s my only friend here, brother,¡± Vivian cried in Vilem¡¯s arms, ¡°this marriage makes me feel hopeless. Luzia is the only one who can apany me, bringing me joy. I can¡¯t save her, and now I¡¯m losing her.¡±


    Hearing his sister¡¯s painful sobs, Vilem felt very ufortable, ¡°Did he hit you? Is he treating you badly? Did he¡­ force you?¡±


    ¡°If I say yes, can you take me away? Can you give me a one-way ticket to Norway?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± Vilem looked into her eyes, their identical blue eyes staring intently at each other.


    Vivian sobbed, ¡°He would kill you.¡±


    ¡°If you ask me to.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Vivian shook her head, grateful for Vilem¡¯s willingness to risk his life for her, but she couldn¡¯t, ¡°He hasn¡¯t.¡±


    Vilem fell silent for a while, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Will jos get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s very capable,¡± Vilem assured, ¡°and he has many bodyguards protecting him.¡±


    ¡°Will he talk about me with you guys?¡±


    ¡°No, men don¡¯t specifically talk about their wives with other men. Unless it¡¯s to boast about their bravery in bed.¡±


    Vivian widened her eyes athim.


    Vilem stroked her hair, ¡°But jos won¡¯t. He¡¯s a Capo, his lofty status doesn¡¯t allow him to talk about his wife, nor allow her name to be mentioned by other irrelevant men.¡± If anyone did, jos would execute hisw, killing them.


    Vivian slumped back onto the couch, frustrated, ¡°I don¡¯t know what he wants, I know nothing about his affairs.¡±


    ¡°This is family business, you don¡¯t need to know.¡±


    ¡°Why? Because I¡¯m a girl?¡± Vivian red at him angrily.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Vilem smoothed her hair, looking into her beautiful eyes, ¡°jos is a powerful Capo, he¡¯s busy with the family¡¯s business, battling his enemies. Just like father, he faces Bratva and other family foes; it¡¯s very dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Every day?¡±


    ¡°Yes, every day.¡± Vilem said solemnly, ¡°I know it¡¯s cruel, you might think we¡¯re bloodthirsty, it might disgust you, you might not ept it. Vivian, this is our job. jos is always fighting; he can¡¯t stop. To stop for him means death.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to think too much; just live happily.¡± Vilem said, ¡°You can go to the library, go shopping, maybe you need some social events, make new friends to distract yourself.¡±


    Vivian poured herself a cup of tea, ¡°I¡¯ve enrolled in online courses.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Your expression tells me you don¡¯t quite agree.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Vilem took the tea and drank, ¡°It¡¯s mainly because I don¡¯t quite understand the purpose of you continuing to study. Getting a degree won¡¯t be very useful for you; you can¡¯t go out to work, and jos will make a lot of money, you don¡¯t have to worry about money.¡±


    ¡°I just want to keep myself busy,¡± Vivian said helplessly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the library or attend social events.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Vilem supported her decision, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t cause trouble for yourself.¡±


    ¡°In fact, I can¡¯t even cause trouble; I can¡¯t even meet my ssmates,¡± Vivian said, ¡°because I can¡¯t go to school to attend offline sses, jos would never agree.¡±


    Vilem stayed in the apartment for a long time; he had lunch with Vivian, watched TV, yed games, and had tea in the afternoon. Vivian asked him to stay for dinner, but he declined.

 Chapter 50

    ¡°If I don¡¯t get back to lie in my bed soon, my doctor will think I died in a corner somewhere,¡± Vilem joked. He bid farewell to Vivian and hurried back to the hospital by car.


    The sunset today was spectacr, a fiery red spread across the sky. Vivian stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, admiring it for a while, as Luzia had not yet returned from her aunt¡¯s house.


    Haylee was already preparing dinner. Vivian decided to pull Mare into ying a game.


    ¡°No,¡± Mare refused without hesitation. ¡°It will distract me and prevent me from protecting you wholeheartedly.¡±


    ¡°Am I some sort of ss artifact, always on the verge of shattering?¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t understand his logic. ¡°I don¡¯t see how Monopoly can be so distracting. It¡¯s just a game.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t make this difficult for me.¡±


    Vivian was annoyed by Mare¡¯s stubbornness, which was as irritating as jos¡¯s.


    Sitting on the sofa and sulking, she was truly bored. She yed with a toy for a while, but it failed to bring her joy. Eventually, she picked up the phone to call Los Angeles, needing to talk to her mother for some entertaining suggestions.


    In truth, Vivian did not believe her mother could offer any useful advice, for her mother was a weak-willed person,cking in her father¡¯s love and respect. Yet, Vivian still looked forward to talking to her, hoping to discuss her recent troubles and perhaps get some inspiration.


    The phone rang, but no one answered. Was her mother not at home? Were the servants also absent?


    Vivian, full of questions, dialed again. This time, a servant answered, but the only response she received was that her mother was busy.


    It was a truly frustrating experience. Vivian looked at the disconnected call and took a deep breath. She decided not to make a fuss with the servant, but she would need to make another callter.


    Dinner was only for Vivian and Mare since Luzia stayed at her aunt¡¯s, making Vivian¡¯s day feel even more dull. She decided to take a bath.


    Switching to a different scented bubble bath, Vivian rxed entirely in the tub, the hot water enveloping her skinfortingly. She closed her eyes and nearly fell asleep.


    When she had soaked enough and got out, rinsing off the foam with the shower and wrapping herself in a bath towel, an hour had already passed. jos had returned at some point and was sitting in the armchair in front of the firece, his whiskey ss empty, yet still in his hand, probably contemting another drink.


    Hearing the bathroom door, he turned his gaze from the balcony to Vivian.


    ¡°How did work go?¡± Vivian walked out under his intense scrutiny.


    ¡°What do you want to know? How many people I killed? Or how I killed them?¡± jos set down his ss. ¡°Do you want to know?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyes widened in fear, and she shook her head.


    jos¡¯s gaze lingered on her exposed cleavage, the desire in his brown eyes burning intensely.


    Vivian nervously swallowed and grabbed a piece of clothing, darting back into the bathroom.


    But jos¡¯s tall figure was already pressing upon her, his hand sping her wrist and pulling her into his embrace. ¡°To the bed.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian clutched the bath towel tightly.


    ¡°Do you not want to?¡± jos¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian shook her head, trying to break free from jos¡¯s hold. ¡°We haven¡¯te to an agreement, you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought I made myself clear.¡± jos tightened his grip on her wrist, moving her onto the bed. ¡°Making love to me is your obligation.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian trembled, and as her back touched the cold silk of the duvet, she shivered more violently. ¡°Please, I don¡¯t want this.¡±


    jos stared at her intently, the desire in his eyes turning into mes of anger. He was determined to show Vivian his rough side, to ensure she would never again dare to use sex as a bargaining chip. But when he saw her wet, blue eyes, he found he couldn¡¯t bring himself to shred her defenses.


    Damn it! jos cursed under his breath. This was definitely not a good thing!


    To stop the pity in his heart from spreading further, jos released Vivian¡¯s wrist. The woman¡¯s skin was delicate, and without much force, he had left red marks on her wrists.


    jos left the bedroom angrily and did not return for the rest of the night. Vivian had no idea where he had gone; perhaps he slept in another guest room, or maybe he had left the apartment altogether.


    Vivian had a restless sleep that night, frightened by the thought of jos returning to force himself on her against her will, and yet also dreading the continuation of her life under his cold indifference if he did not return.


    Feeling nearly tormented to madness, Vivian descended the stairs the next morning with dark circles under her eyes.


    Luzia, upon seeing her, gasped in shock, ¡°My goodness, Vivian, I was only gone for a day, how did you end up like this? Did something happen?¡±


    Mare looked at her with concern.


    Vivian had no desire to discuss the nightmares of the previous night; she rubbed her face and said, ¡°Maybe I should go back to bed and get some more sleep.¡±


    ¡°You should have breakfast first,¡± Luzia suggested, bringing over her breakfast. ¡°Is it about jos?¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian sighed and began to eat her breakfast with a wooden expression.


    Luzia knew she had guessed correctly by the look on Vivian¡¯s face, but she felt helpless to assist her.


    ¡°Cheer up, dear,¡± Luzia pped her hands together with a radiant smile. ¡°Guess what I brought back from my aunt¡¯s estate?¡±


    Luzia¡¯s cheerful demeanor indeed lifted the spirits, and after a few bites of her breakfast, Vivian perked up a bit, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Strawberries, blueberries, and honey!¡± Luzia announced excitedly. ¡°We can have Haylee teach us how to make delicious jam to go with toast. And with the honey, we can make sweet pancakes, I remember you like pancakes.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I do like sweets,¡± Vivian said with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡± Seeing Vivian¡¯s smile, Luzia breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Hurry up and finish your breakfast, and let¡¯s get moving.¡±


    Luzia had brought back quite a lot of strawberries and blueberries. Vivian kept some to eat fresh and made the rest into jam, nning to give some to Willem if there was any left over.


    Staying busy could momentarily distract one from their troubles, at least until jos appeared again. When night fell and she was alone with jos in the bedroom, an awkward silence filled the space between them-avoidance, and nothing to say. It was wrong.


    Vivian thought that perhaps she should do something to change the situation.


    But jos began to get busier, his work hours stretched endlessly, sometimes noting home for the entire night.


    Where could he be at such times? A bar? A club? Or perhaps at some mistress¡¯s apartment?


    Vivian¡¯s heart began to sink. Ever since she had rejected jos¡¯s invitation to bed, he had not made that request again. If a man¡¯s sexual desires are not fulfilled, what would he do? ¨C Find a mistress!

 Chapter 51

    No, no, no! Vivian shook her head frantically. jos is not that kind of person.


    Then how do you exin jos¡¯ increasingly frequentte nights out?


    Vivian turned over. Isn¡¯t it good that jos doesn¡¯te back to sleep? She doesn¡¯t have to argue with jos about whether they are friends or in business, she doesn¡¯t have to worry about jos¡¯ sudden sexual urges, he will go to find other women to resolve them, he will roll, hit, and kiss with his mistress in bed.


    Just thinking about this, she felt jealous to the point of going crazy. Vivian hated herself. Why was she so jealous? Why couldn¡¯t she be as indifferent as jos? Has she fallen in love with jos?


    Vivian¡¯s face turned pale. No, she couldn¡¯t have fallen in love with jos. jos is a heartless person, he cannot reciprocate the same love to her.


    She just longed for a rtionship, she wanted a lover who could kiss and cuddle with her, a lover who could give her tender affection. She was destined not to have such a lover, she could only look for substitutes around her, and the closest to her fantasy was jos on their wedding night. She wanted to make love to jos, she wanted to regain the respect and tenderness she once had.


    Vivian sighed, preparing to go to sleep facing the floor-to-ceiling window.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t remember how many times she woke up to find the other side of the bed empty, and suddenly seeing jos lying quietly next to her made her think she was dreaming.


    She reached out and lightly touched jos, hot, real, not a dream.


    Vivian rxed, her eyes involuntarily lingering on jos.


    Hey on his side, bare-chested, breathing steadily, sleeping deeply. Vivian¡¯s hand touched his cheek, his brows furrowed, as if something was troubling him in his dreams.


    Her fingers slid down his cheek, over his broad shoulders, t chest, and slowly to his firm abdomen. The smooth and taut skin exuded the slightly elevated body temperature of a man, and along with Vivian¡¯s fingertips, warmth seeped into her body.


    Vivian felt the heat, she longed for jos.


    Just as Vivian was indulging in jos¡¯ body, her wrist suddenly felt pain. jos abruptly woke up, grabbing her wrist and rolling over to pin her down on the bed.


    Vivian stared with frightened eyes. jos was about to break her neck in the next second, but luckily he woke up in time, preventing substantial harm to Vivian.


    ¡°Oh my God, Vivian,¡± jos was sweating with fear, ¡°don¡¯te so close to me, I could hurt you.¡±


    Vivian was so scared that tears almost came, but jos¡¯ words hurt even more. ¡°Do you hate me so much? Can¡¯t I evene close to you?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean,¡± jos wiped his face and got up from Vivian, ¡°In fact, I¡¯m not used to sharing a bed with someone else. I¡¯ve been sleeping alone for over twenty years, and suddenly having someone next to me¡­ I¡¯m sorry to have frightened you.¡±


    Vivian could understand jos¡¯ reaction. He was a Capo, surrounded by danger, with enemies constantly seeking his life.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Vivian also calmed down. ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be sorry.¡±


    Vivian propped herself up on the bed, her loose strap nightgown slipping off her shoulder, revealing her ample, snow-white breasts. The sensitive nipples grew taut under jos¡¯ naked gaze, and Vivian heard jos¡¯ breath grow heavy.


    Vivian involuntarily swallowed, her gaze fixed on jos¡¯ thin lips. She wanted the warmth of jos¡¯ breath to envelop her body, she wanted to wrap her arms around jos¡¯ neck, pull him close and kiss him, she wanted jos to hold her, just like their wedding night, gently iming her.


    The longing in her body flowed through her veins, and Vivian¡¯s breathing grew heavier. Her fingers curled, and just as she was about to act, jos moved first ¨C he turned over, got off the bed, and put on the trousers from the chair.


    Vivian saw the tented outline under his briefs. He desired her too, but now he was leaving?


    Vivian felt devastated. She didn¡¯t know if her previous rejection had made jos unwilling to touch her. If so, this would be a terrible situation.


    She gritted her teeth. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    jos began to put on his ck shirt, buttoning it up as he spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t pry into my work.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to work? Now?¡± Vivian nced at the clock, it was five in the morning.


    ¡°In fact¡­¡± jos picked up his tie and suit jacket. ¡°No.¡±


    The exposed skin sent a chill through Vivian, and she pulled the nket over herself. She suddenly realized she had made a mistake. She should have continued to expose her breasts to try to keep her husband around.


    ¡°Then where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡± jos was getting annoyed. He turned and left the room. ¡°You can go back to sleep, I¡¯ll be back tonight.¡±


    The room was once again left with Vivian alone. Her shoulders slumped, a sense of dejection enveloping her. Shey back in bed, closed her eyes, trying to get more sleep, but she couldn¡¯t.


    Finally getting up at six, Vivian¡¯s mood hadn¡¯t improved. She sighed and prepared to take a hot bath to rx.


    The warm water flowed over her body as Vivian closed her eyes, imagining the water was jos¡¯ fingers, running down her shoulders to her back, kneading her buttocks, hisrge hands gripping her waist and turning her around, his wet lips taking her nipple¡­


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Vivian let out a moan of desire, feeling the itch in her body, but no one to relieve it. She could only rub her legs, crying amidst heavy breathing.


    Flushed, Vivian left the bathroom, the scent of lemon shower gel unable to mask the cologne in the bedroom. It was jos¡¯ scent. Her recently relieved body was once again filled with heat.


    Vivian looked at herself in the mirror, feeling anxious. She was bing someone she didn¡¯t recognize. Despite her fear of loveless sex, her body longed for jos¡¯ caress. Her body was betraying her.


    Dressed, Vivian went downstairs. She didn¡¯t feel like going out with Luzia today. She just wanted to lie on the couch, quietly by herself.


    To Vivian¡¯s surprise, there was no one downstairs. She checked the living room, the kitchen, the entertainment room, and the entire apartment was quiet.


    Had no one woken up yet? Or had everyone gone out?


    Vivian returned to the kitchen and took out the breakfast Haylee had prepared for her. After heating it up, she settled down to eat.


    After breakfast, she wrapped herself in a nket and sat on the sofa, reading a book. It was a love story about a young nobleman from New York and a youngdy from a rival family. Vivian had just read the part where their love was identally discovered by their families, and thedy faced the prospect of being sent away from her homnd. She flipped to the next chapter and continued reading.


    Vivian thought she would enjoy this quiet moment. Since arriving in Houston, she hadn¡¯t truly been alone. She appreciated Luzia¡¯spany, but Mare¡¯s constant watchful eyes were more of a nuisance. Of course, Mare was there to protect her, and she couldn¡¯t me¡­


    Mare!

 Chapter 52

    Vivian suddenly woke up, realizing she hadn¡¯t seen Mare today. This was something that simply couldn¡¯t happen. If she was reading in the living room, Mare would be sitting on the single sofa behind her to the left, or in the kitchen. But now he was neither on the sofa, nor in the kitchen.


    Luzia was also absent, possibly at her aunt¡¯s ce, but where was Mare? Was he still asleep?


    Vivian was no longer in the mood for reading. She prepared to go upstairs and knock on Mare¡¯s door to see if he was unwell.


    Mare¡¯s room was on the second floor, the first one along the corridor. Wrapped in her nket, Vivian reached out and knocked on the door. She waited for a while but received no response.


    Was he not in? Vivian pondered for a moment, ncing at the next room-her former room, now belonging to Luzia.


    Is Luzia not in the apartment?


    Vivian walked over and knocked on the door. She didn¡¯t receive a e in¡± response, but she keenly heard a different sound-a hurried, ambiguous scream. Without immediately understanding the significance of the scream, she pushed open the door, her abrupt movement bringing regret to Vivian.


    Mare and Luzia, who had disappeared that morning, were collectively in that room. Marey naked on the bed, while Luzia was straddling him, her movements generating moans that made Vivian¡¯s face flush.


    Mare keenly sensed the disturbance at the door and was the first to notice Vivian. He immediately reached out to grasp Luzia¡¯s waist, halting her movements, and cursed under his breath, ¡°Damn.¡±


    Confused, Luzia turned to see Vivian, her scalp almost exploding at the sight, quickly grabbing the nearby sheet to cover her naked body. Vivian could even see the beads of sweat on her back.


    ¡°Vivian, please let me exin,¡± Luzia disengaged from Mare.


    Vivian had averted her gaze and stepped out of the room. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to exin.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Vivian closed the door and quickly ran downstairs. Her heart was pounding fiercely, echoing in her ears. She sat down, clutching her chest and wrapping her nket tightly around herself.


    Unable to focus on reading, she turned on the television, searching for a 1970s old movie she often watched. She had a fondness for the male lead, James. His brave actions in rescuing hisrades amidst gunfire always captivated Vivian. However, this time, Vivian was somewhat distracted.


    Sitting with her back to the staircase, she didn¡¯t miss the soundsing from the top of the stairs.


    It was Luzia and Mare.


    Luzia sat next to Vivian, taking her hand. ¡°Vivian.¡±


    Her expression was sorrowful. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    ¡°I like James,¡± Vivian¡¯s gaze flickered. She wanted to avoid meeting Luzia¡¯s eyes. ¡°If I could, I would marry him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably an old man now.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s a gentle husband.¡± Vivian gripped a corner of the nket, studying the patterns on it. ¡°He would be better than jos.¡±


    At the mention of jos, Luzia fell silent for a moment, looking worriedly at Mare before turning back to gaze at Vivian¡¯s serene profile, as if she had made a resolute decision. ¡°Let¡¯s talk, Vivian.¡±


    Vivian withdrew her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have anything to talk about.¡±


    ¡°We do.¡± Luzia cupped Vivian¡¯s face, speaking softly. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss what you just saw.¡±


    Vivian looked up, meeting her gaze. ¡°Are you afraid, Luzia?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Luzia bit her lip, nodding in admission. ¡°You are my best friend, I don¡¯t want you to start avoiding me because of this, and I don¡¯t want our rtionship to be awkward. More importantly¡­¡± She nced at Mare and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want Mare to face consequences because of this, if¡­¡±


    ¡°If I were to tell jos about this?¡± Vivian looked at Luzia. Vivian had reasons to do so. Mare was her bodyguard, yet he was in bed with her future sister-inw¡­


    Vivian covered her heart, suddenly grateful that she was not engaged to Vilem¡­


    Luzia didn¡¯t know what Vivian was thinking, but Vivian¡¯splexion was indeed not good. This made Luzia extremely uneasy, and she bit her lip, watching her.


    Mare, as he had done every day before, stood silently a short distance behind her, expressionless. He did not join in the conversation with Vivian and Luzia, as if the punishment Luzia mentioned didn¡¯t pose any threat to him.


    But the truth was, Mare was jos¡¯s bodyguard, sent to protect Vivian¡¯s safety. If jos found out that he had left Vivian¡¯s side without permission, potentially exposing her to danger, jos would not hesitate to kill Mare. Not to mention what would happen if Joseph found out¡­ heavens, she couldn¡¯t imagine the dreadful treatment Mare and Luzia would face.


    Vivian pinched the bridge of her nose, realizing the reality was even worse than she had imagined. She didn¡¯t know the exact nature of the rtionship between Luzia and Mare. Was it a one-night stand? Or were they a couple? When did they get together? Was it before Mare became her bodyguard or after? How many times had they been together?


    Just the thought that while she might have been in her apartment, reading, bathing, sleeping, or at any time she couldn¡¯t see Luzia and Mare, they might have been passionately kissing, moving together, making love, made her feel nauseous.


    No, perhaps not nauseous.


    Vivian took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. Maybe it was envy.


    She couldn¡¯t forget the expression on Luzia¡¯s face as she moved on top of Mare. She seemed to hear the sticky sounds between them, the quickened breaths, the tender caresses. Mare was undoubtedly an excellent lover; he could provide Luzia withplete satisfaction, both physically and emotionally.


    Vivian felt jealous.


    She sighed. On the television, James was handling his Winchester Rifle, ending a battle back-to-back with his closestpanion. The deafening gunfire ceased, the smoke had not yet cleared, and the birds had fallen silent.


    ¡°You won¡¯t tell jos, I believe,¡± Luzia said firmly, she truly believed in Vivian. But from her worried expression, Vivian also saw that she genuinely feared that Mare would get into trouble.


    Vivian also had to doubt their rtionship in her heart, wondering if Luzia had fallen in love with Mare. If she had, Vivian would be very saddened. Joseph would not give up on Luzia.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell jos. I also don¡¯t want to delve into what your rtionship is, how far it has progressed. Let¡¯s just let it go,¡± Vivian held Luzia¡¯s hand, trying to banish the imagery of their intimacy from her mind. ¡°You are my best friend, Luzia.¡± Just as James and his friend found sce in each other amidst the cruelty of war, their friendship broughtfort in simr fates. No one wished for Luzia¡¯s ongoing happiness more than she did.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d to have your friendship, Vivian.¡± Luzia cried in Vivian¡¯s embrace. She rarely disyed negative emotions in front of Vivian, understanding her hardships and not wanting to add unnecessary pressure.


    After crying for a while, Luzia quickly wiped her tears and regained herposure. Her smile was so bright, it could heal many negative emotions. ¡°Let me think, where should we go today to find happiness¡­¡±

 Chapter 53

    Luzia regained her liveliness, which eased Vivian¡¯s mind. She slumped onto the couch, the war on the television paused, and the main characters entered a brief moment of joy, which was Vivian¡¯s favorite part of the plot.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go out,¡± Vivian tightened the nket around her, ¡°I feel weak all over, and I¡¯m in a bad mood.¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re in a bad mood, that¡¯s when you need to go out and find joy. We can go to the amusement park, get our nails done, or have a massage¡­ How about a massage to rx your body?¡±


    ¡°No, Luzia, I really don¡¯t want to,¡± Vivian shook her head.


    ¡°Watching 70s TV dramas here won¡¯t give you strength; you need to pull yourself together.¡±


    Vivian managed a tired smile, ¡°You go, good girl, I really don¡¯t want to move.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Persuasion failed, and Luzia could only sit down, pick up a throw pillow from the couch, and watch the TV series with Vivian. This was probably Vivian¡¯s favorite film and television series. Only when she chatted with Vivian about the plot would Vivian muster the energy to introduce the story background to her.


    Luzia probably wasn¡¯t the type to sit quietly. Making her stay in the apartment all day to watch TV with Vivian would probably bore her. No matter how exciting the plot, it couldn¡¯t lift her spirits. Vivian had seen her nodding off while hugging her knees more than once.


    Vivian nced back at Mare, who was sitting on a single couch not far from her, sitting upright, unwavering. From his position, he could see Vivian and the entire television.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know if he was also engrossed in the plot, but she was grateful that Mare and Luzia were willing to spend a day watching TV with her instead of insisting she go out. If jos were here today, he would surely have sternly said, ¡°Vivian, Imand you to go shopping now.¡±


    Vivian hummed to herself, silently cursing jos.


    Dictatorial!


    Tyrannical!


    Unreasonable!


    The elevator rang ¡°ding,¡± startling Vivian for no reason. She quickly looked up at the clock hanging on the living room wall. Was jos back early?


    Vivian wanted to ask Mare if he probably knew jos¡¯s schedule. But before she could turn around, Mare rushed up to her.


    He yelled at Vivian to get down, swiftly pulling out his gun and aiming it at the entrance. Startled by Vivian¡¯s pulling, Luzia was just about to scream and ask what was happening when Vivian covered her mouth and pressed her down under the couch.


    The door clicked open, and Vivian, from behind the couch, heard Mare¡¯s furious roar, ¡°Damn it! You should have told me you wereing early!¡±


    Vivian got up from behind the couch and saw Simpson at the door, smiling brightly. He was wearing a burgundy suit, with his hair neatly styled. ¡°Are you guys ying a game?¡±


    Vivian got up from the floor, dusting off the dirt, her tone not the best, ¡°Stop joking, we thought you were Bratva.¡±


    Vivian pointed to the gun in Mare¡¯s hand, threatening, ¡°Mare will blow your head off.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint you,¡± Simpson shrugged, ignoring Mare¡¯s icy gaze. ¡°I came to invite you to a party.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Luzia, who had been cooped up in the apartment all day, was excited, ¡°Where is the party being held?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s at a club. Once you get there, you¡¯ll know where it is. But for now, let¡¯s keep it a mystery.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go,¡± Vivian crossed her arms, refusing, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go out today.¡±


    Luziapletely misunderstood Vivian¡¯s resistance, ¡°I got a beautiful dress; it¡¯s perfect for the asion.¡±


    Vivian was sure Luzia was feeling cooped up because she was too excited, not giving Vivian a chance to refuse again.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, Simpson. What have you been up to?¡±


    ¡°I was just on a business trip for a month, just doing my job, no need to worry, I¡¯m very safe.¡± Simpson sat on the couch. ¡°Alright, dear girls, you should get ready.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Vivian was infuriated that Simpson ignored her opinion. She refused again, ¡°Please take Luzia, you guys can have fun, but I don¡¯t want to attend. I just want to stay in the apartment, perhaps I should go to bed.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rash, Vivian. You have a reason to attend tonight¡¯s party.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes were about to shoot fire,¡±I have to follow your orders?¡±


    This argument was going nowhere. Simpson, impatient with Vivian¡¯s resistance, simply lifted her onto his shoulder and headed upstairs.


    Mare tried to stop him, but was given a stern look, ¡°Don¡¯t waste time, Mare.¡±


    ¡°Let me down,¡± Vivian struggled on Simpson¡¯s shoulder, hitting his back and waist, ¡°Simpson!¡±


    Simpson paid no attention to her feeble efforts, carrying Vivian through the hallway into jos¡¯s room, tossing her onto the bed, and then turning to open the closet. He pulled out a few casual-style dresses, in, simple, and understated, not fitting his taste.


    He shook his head, ¡°Where are your other clothes? You need some exquisite, gorgeous dresses to showcase your graceful figure. You should be dazzling. These won¡¯t do for tonight¡¯s party.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think my husband would want others to see me with a low neckline, especially when he¡¯s not around.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if jos isn¡¯t here, I can assure you no man will dare to gaze at your cleavage for long.¡±


    Vivian red at him.


    Simpson smiled, ¡°The club where the party is being held is co-operated by jos and me. As the hostess, you need to dress up. jos will also be at tonight¡¯s party, you don¡¯t have to worry about uncouth ruffians.¡±


    ¡°Rx, Vivian, you¡¯re too tense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not tense,¡± Vivian retorted, ¡°I¡¯m just annoyed. I don¡¯t want to go out, don¡¯t want to attend the party, but you won¡¯t listen to me, will you?¡±


    Simpson nodded, unapologetic, ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±


    Angrily, Vivian huffed as Simpson carried her to the closet. She chose an evening gown suitable for the party, low-cut, narrow-waisted, with a long skirt adorned with snowke-shaped crystals.


    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful dress, you¡¯ll look stunning in it,¡± Simpson turned to the balcony, gentlemanly.


    Vivian carried the dress into the bathroom, her desire to stay indoors reaching its peak at this moment. She had to take off herfortable, loose casual wear and put on the bra and panties that matched the evening gown. Every move seemed so perfect, mechanical, like a puppet being manipted.


    She was indeed a puppet being manipted, destined to spend her miserable life in this marriage, devoid of freedom.


    Perhaps jumping from the balcony of the high-rise now would set her free?


    Vivian was startled by her own thoughts; she must have been too angry to have such irrational thoughts.


    Struggling with the zipper of the dress at the back, Vivian had to step out of the bathroom for help.

 Chapter 54

    ¡°Can you help me pull up the zipper?¡± Vivian walked up to Simpson, holding her hair back with one hand, turning her back to him.


    Simpson approached, one hand pulling the fabric of her back and the other pulling the zipper upwards with force, but suddenly the zipper got stuck.


    Vivian felt the pressure of the tightening clothes, she held her breath, Simpson tried again to pull the zipper up, but it got stuck once more.


    Vivian looked nk, she seemed to realize something, but she couldn¡¯t believe it, her lips trembling, ¡°Is it still not working?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t pull it up,¡± Simpson rubbed his nose. He was a naturally affectionate man, unlike jos, who was stubborn and traditional. He was happy to engage in various flirtatious gestures with his femalepanions, rarely doing anything to embarrass or upset them, but¡­


    ¡°How is this possible!¡± Vivian shouted, she tried to pull the zipper up herself.


    As soon as Simpson couldn¡¯t pull the zipper, he knew what was going on, but manners kept him from speaking out. It was very impolite to say ady had gained weight.


    But Vivian¡¯s sudden emotional breakdown startled him, ¡°Vivian, calm down!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to calm down!¡± Vivian, with unknown strength, kept pulling the zipper, determined to get it up. She wasn¡¯t fat, she wasn¡¯t! She had maintained her figure well to be able to perform on stage, for her musical, her dance, but how long had she been in Houston? Her newly bought dress couldn¡¯t fit her anymore!


    ¡°Rip,¡± the well-made dress tore open at the zipper, Vivian looked at the zipper head in her hand, her mind briefly went nk, really brief-she suddenly took off the dress in front of Simpson, ¡°I¡¯m not going, whoever wants to go can go!¡±


    Vivian angrily threw the dress at Simpson and locked herself in the bathroom.


    Simpson was taken aback by her sudden outburst, he could understand Vivian to some extent-well, actually, he couldn¡¯t quite understand Vivian¡¯s feelings. Judging from the size of the clothes, she might have gained weight, but it didn¡¯t affect her beauty. He found Vivian¡¯s breakdown a bit inexplicable.


    He went to knock on the bathroom door. The next second the bathroom door was hit by a heavy object, shaking a bit. Vivian was throwing things inside and yelling, ¡°Don¡¯t bother me, go away!¡±


    Okay, even ¡°go away¡± came out. Simpson shrugged and stopped trying to persuade Vivian.


    Vivian heard footsteps growing distant, the room door opened and closed again, Simpson had left. She squatted on the bathroom floor, the cold tiles beneath her, but nothing felt as cold as her heart at that moment.


    Vivian buried her head in her arms, hiding like an ostrich, burying herself away.


    Houston was a city that couldn¡¯t be friendly to her, she hadn¡¯t encountered anything pleasant since she arrived.


    She was forced to marry jos, she handed herself over to jos, but he remained indifferent to her. Her good friend Luzia was about to marry her cruel brother, and now she found out she had gained weight!


    Vivian couldn¡¯t ept this terrible reality, how big a blow it was for a musical actress to gain weight.


    But she couldn¡¯t figure out the reason for her weight gain. Was it because the days in Houston were toofortable, or because the progress of this marriage was too depressing-emotions had a great impact on one¡¯s appetite-people often had thoughts like, ¡°I feel so sad, I need food tofort my wounded heart,¡± or ¡°I¡¯m so happy today, I¡¯ll treat myself to a big meal.¡±


    ¡­


    jos and Simpson¡¯s club was called the Celebrity Club, located on the twenty-third floor of the Celebrity Hotel, with a spiral staircase leading up to the twenty-fourth-floor hotel hall, two floorsbined into a duplex, a club that integrated leisure and formality.


    If there was an important banquet for the Hargrave family that couldn¡¯t be held at the mansion, it would be held here.


    Tonight, a charity auction was being held here as the main event.


    As the host, jos arrived early, he stood with several celebrities, drinking and discussing business. Simpson escorted Luzia to the venue, reaching out to take a ss of champagne from a waiter¡¯s tray.


    Luzia naturally did not participate in their business discussions, she first greeted a few familiar sisters, then a gentleman came to invite her to dance, she glided elegantly into the dance floor, the waltz quietly flowed under their feet, surrounded by people¡¯s praise and admiration.


    Luzia enjoyed this moment of glory, as if all the admiring nces in the room fell on her, she was the esteemed Miss Hargrave, she was Luzia Hargrave.


    Vivian would have been fine.


    After the song ended, Luzia declined the next dance invitation from a man, lifted her skirt, and walked towards the dessert table. She looked around, the auction was about to start, people started to disperse, she didn¡¯t see jos, nor did she see Simpson.


    Luzia was preparing to go to the twenty-fourth floor, where tonight¡¯s auction would take ce. She had just turned around to leave when she saw Shelley hiding behind the dessert table.


    ¡°Hey, Shelley,¡± Luzia greeted her cheerfully, ¡°Are you ying hide and seek with someone?¡± Luzia actually had a mocking tone, she and Shelley were not exactly friends.


    Who knew Shelley didn¡¯t pretend to be obedient and understanding to go along with her, she just looked up at Luzia, then looked away, ignoring her.


    Luzia was a little surprised, why were Shelley¡¯s eyes red? ¡°Are you crying?¡±


    Shelley was Charles¡¯ daughter, who dared to bully her?


    ¡°Has Charles finally decided to marry you off to Roscente¡¯s sixty-year-old geezer?¡± Luzia teased Shelley, hoping Shelley would jump up and grab her neck as she used to. She even leaned back slightly, waiting for Shelley to jump up so she could step back faster.


    But no, Shelley just looked at her, then turned her head away.


    Luzia was shocked, a thousand times over, could it be true?


    Luzia didn¡¯t want to marry Paavo before, now she didn¡¯t want to marry Joseph, but her fate was never in her own hands, she saw Vivian¡¯s suffering, and now she was experiencing the same suffering herself, she couldn¡¯t bear to see others suffer the same way.


    Although her rtionship with Shelley had never been good, she was still very sad, ¡°You¡­¡±


    Luzia scratched her hair, somewhat awkwardly not knowing how tofort her, ¡°Stop crying, it¡¯s no use just crying about it, you should talk to Charles about it, Roscente isn¡¯t a formidable old man, he still has five sons vying for the family fortune, you won¡¯t get anything by marrying him.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m going to marry Roscente, don¡¯t spread rumors,¡± Shelley wiped her tears, ring at Luzia indignantly, ¡°I knew you were a bad girl, hoping I¡¯d have a hard time all the time.¡±


    Luzia was also confused, ¡°If it¡¯s not marrying Roscente, why are you crying, it is not like¡­¡±


    ¡°Your dad¡¯s dead,¡± such words naturally couldn¡¯t burst out of ady¡¯s mouth.

 Chapter 55

    ¡°I¡¯ll cry if I want to cry, what¡¯s it to you?¡± Shelley wiped her tears, a fierce look in her eyes.


    Luzia, provoked by her tone, became irritable. With hands on her hips, she said, ¡°I guess I should mind my own business, right? Cry, cry, cry, cry yourself to death.¡±


    Shaking off Luzia¡¯s hand, she angrily headed for the twenty-fourth floor.


    Suddenly, Shelley called out, ¡°Luzia!¡±


    Annoyed, Luzia didn¡¯t want to turn back, but Shelley looked so pitifully tearful that she couldn¡¯t help herself, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Shelley hupped, she didn¡¯t want to ask, but she had lost another brother.


    ¡°Do you still like John?¡±


    Luzia was taken aback, then looked at her strangely, ¡°Do you know I¡¯m engaged to Joseph Jones from Los Angeles?¡±


    It dawned on Shelley how inappropriate her question was. Joseph Jones was said to be extremely domineering and possessive. If he heard her asking his fiancee if she likes another man, he would undoubtedly go mad, perhaps even kill her and Luzia. Shelley silently rejoiced that Joseph was thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, and there were no members of the Jones family at tonight¡¯s charity event, not even Joseph¡¯s sister Vivian.


    ¡°So, do you still like John?¡± Shelley swallowed hard, insisting.


    Luzia looked at Shelley in silence, her eyes conveying emotions like ¡°you have some nerve¡± and ¡°you must have never been beaten up,¡± but in reality, she was also a little dazed. Did she still like John?


    The rtionship between the Hargrave and Benoist families had always been very friendly. Shelley¡¯s grandfather had been Uncle Kamden¡¯s right-hand man from the start. Later, Charles took over his father¡¯s position, continuing to serve Kamden. If all went as expected, John would continue to fight for the Hargrave family, just like Shelley¡¯s brother, until the moment of his death.


    jos, Simpson, John, Shelley, and Luzia, they had all grown up together. Luzia and John¡¯s mutual affection was no secret, and it seemed that their elders also had the intention of forming a union between the two families. Luzia had dreamed of being John¡¯s bride.


    But things changed. When Luzia was seventeen, six years ago, John suddenly applied to study in Ennd. Then, at arge banquet, Uncle Kamden announced that a monthter, she would marry Paavo ¨C she was given to Paavo by the family, in exchange for the management rights of the Houston port.


    Luzia had resisted, she had waited, she had even begged jos to help her find John, but he never came. Until Paavo tied her to the bed and took her virginity, she didn¡¯t wait for her beloved.


    Now six years had passed, her husband Paavo died in the war defending the honor of the Capos. She was a childless widow, handed over to Joseph in Los Angeles by jos¡­ Her tumultuous fate had long eroded her love for John, she had resigned herself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like him anymore,¡± Luzia told Shelley. ¡°It¡¯s been too long, I¡¯ve forgotten what it¡¯s like to like John, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be sweet.¡±


    Shelley suddenly felt very sad, which puzzled Luzia, as if Shelley had lost her own lover. But Luzia didn¡¯t pay any more attention to Shelley ¨C for her, John was a past she had already passed, time couldn¡¯t turn back, and she couldn¡¯t turn back. Whoever she would be with in the future, it wouldn¡¯t be John.


    Arriving at the charity auction venue, Simpson arranged for her to sit in the front row ¨C it was necessary, after all, she was Luzia Hargrave.


    She hadn¡¯t been sitting for long before someone came over to greet her. This was one of the annoyances of being Luzia Hargrave; she had to get up and socialize.


    Luzia was used to this kind of socializing. Although the Hargrave family was the leader of the Houston Mafia, keen on various dark trades such as arms, drugs, and smuggling, both Uncle Kamden and jos were willing to use events like charity auctions to provide brief relief to suffering children in poverty.


    Of course, Luzia also had to admit the real purpose behind their actions ¨C moneyundering and wooing leaders from various sectors in Houston.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She hoped Vivian wouldn¡¯t tire of these activities, as she would certainly have many opportunities to attend them in the future. In fact, the socializing of thedies was also very important.


    Perhaps because of Shelley¡¯s inexplicable question, Luzia found herself paying attention to the Benoist family¡¯s side; she hadn¡¯t seen John.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±Simpson tapped her on the head from behind, nearly disheveling her hair. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear when Annie was talking to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I might be a little intoxicated,¡± Luzia said, propping up her flushed face and apologizing to Annie.


    Annie didn¡¯t mind and after chatting for a bit, she returned to her mother¡¯s side.


    Luzia grabbed Simpson and asked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen John?¡±


    Simpson¡¯s eyes flickered darkly. ¡°Do you still have contact with John?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Luzia shrugged. ¡°Shelley said something inexplicable to me, and it made me think of it for a moment.¡±


    Simpson narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t John returned to Houston to serve jos again? Why isn¡¯t he here for such an asion?¡± Luzia asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone back to Ennd,¡± Simpson adjusted his tie, his expression unchanged. ¡°He won¡¯t being back.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luzia looked at Simpson in shock. ¡°Are you kidding?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± It was jos and Charles¡¯s decision not to disclose news of John¡¯s death, only stating that John had returned to live in Ennd and would no longer meddle in Houston Mafia affairs.


    ¡°Shelley¡¯s brother is already dead. Besides John, the Benoist family has no male heirs left. Why would Charles let John go back to Ennd?¡±


    ¡°Because John is fundamentally a selfish bastard! He gave up his family for his freedom, just as he gave you up years ago.¡± Simpson¡¯s angry gaze made Luzia apprehensive, even if that anger onlysted a second.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, Simpson,¡± Luzia wanted to give Simpson a hug, but there were too many people around. She pulled Simpson aside. ¡°I know you¡¯re upset for me, but this thing happened many years ago, and I¡¯ve already forgotten about it.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me the real reason John went back to Ennd?¡± Luzia looked at Simpson, her brown eyes sparkling like ss. ¡°I mean, now that John has left, what will the Benoist family do? They¡¯ve lost their only heir, will they continue to serve jos?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Simpson said confidently. ¡°Charles didn¡¯t want John to return to Houston, and his rtionship with his brother Richard is not harmonious. Perhaps you should know something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Hanson¡¯s death wasn¡¯t due to an idental exposure; Richard leaked his secret to the Bratva. He was brutally executed by the Bratva.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Luzia was extremely shocked.


    Hanson Benoist, Shelley¡¯s own brother, Charles¡¯s son, was an outstanding and powerful undercover agent who had infiltrated the Bratva for many years without being exposed. Yet due to an unexpected exposure, Bratva killed him and sent his head to Charles.


    Luzia had spected on countless reasons for Hanson¡¯s exposure, but she never expected that it was Richard who betrayed him. Richard was his own uncle!


    ¡°Goodness!¡±

 Chapter 56

    ¡°Lower your voice,¡± Simpson warned Luzia. ¡°This is a secret, and no one else can know. Houston needs stability, Benoist can¡¯t be in chaos yet.¡±


    Luzia took a sharp breath, then quickly calmed herself. ¡°I, I understand.¡±


    So, Shelley also didn¡¯t know the cause of Hanson¡¯s death. Is that why she¡¯s grieving for another brother¡¯s departure? Luzia felt sorry for Shelley, the poor girl.


    ¡°Alright, the auction is about to start. Hurry back to your seat,¡± Simpson gently nudged Luzia¡¯s shoulder, bringing her back into the public eye.


    jos sat in his designated seat, his face dark and grim.


    ¡°Hey, I just heard someone asking about Vivian,¡± Luzia said to Simpson in a hushed tone, shrinking under jos¡¯s gaze. ¡°jos looks really angry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. This charity event is significant. It¡¯s a great opportunity for the first official introduction of the newdy.¡±


    ¡°I hope Vivian is okay,¡± Luzia prayed for her good friend silently.


    ¡­


    By the time the auction ended, it was already veryte. Luzia and jos took a car back together.


    In the dimly lit car, only the lights outside danced on the windows. Luzia nced at jos, sitting in the darkness. She couldn¡¯t make out his expression, but her intuition told her that jos was not in a good mood.


    ¡°Vivian didn¡¯t intentionally skip the auction,¡± Luzia spoke up to exin for Vivian. ¡°You should allow her to have bad moods, or feel unwell.¡±


    jos crossed his arms and looked at her expressionlessly.


    ¡°She¡¯s emotionally unstable. You should pay more attention to her,¡± Luzia said.


    Still expressionless, jos asked, ¡°Are you telling me how to handle things, Luzia?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, dear Capo,¡± Luzia shrunk her neck and said, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about Vivian.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern for my wife, but I am her husband.¡±


    The car entered the underground garage and parked steadily in its space. jos got out first, then walked around to the other side to open the door for Luzia. ¡°Good night, cousin.¡±


    Luzia blinked, watching jos stride quickly toward the elevator without a pause.


    ¡°Is he in a hurry?¡± Luzia turned to the driver, Diego, and asked.


    Diego remained silent, his face impassive.


    Vivian had slept deeply, and by the time she woke up, it was already dark outside. The bedroom lights were bright. Vivian nced at the rm clock on the bedside table-it was already 2 a. m.


    Goodness, she had slept for ten hours straight, missing dinner and supper.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t help but cover her face. Was she a pig?


    ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re not in a good mood. Are you feeling unwell?¡± jos came out from the bathroom, drying his hair.


    He must have just finished showering, his body still had droplets of water, and he was shirtless, revealing his strong and muscr six-pack abs.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian felt her face heat up. Unconsciously, her eyes moved down his abs. When her gaze reached the towel wrapped around his lower body, a sense of loss unexpectedly shed through her mind.


    Feeling ashamed of this momentary thought, she quickly lowered her head, staring at the patterns on the bedspread. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°But your face tells me otherwise,¡± jos approached her.


    Perhaps men are naturally hot-tempered. Whenever he came close, Vivian felt the temperature rise around her.


    ¡°Do you need me to call the family doctor for you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not feeling unwell,¡± Vivian denied once again.


    jos stood by the bed, staring straight at her, his brows furrowed as if to ascertain whether she was truly okay and not feeling unwell.


    Feeling uneasy under his gaze, Vivian pulled the nket up, wrapping herself, ¡°I¡¯m not in a good mental state, I don¡¯t want to move¡­¡±


    ¡°So, are you lying? Why?¡± jos looked somewhat angry. ¡°Just to avoid tonight¡¯s banquet? Do you know how important tonight¡¯s event is? All of Houston¡¯s influential figures will be there. I should introduce you to them formally, and yet you¡¯re here hiding, sleeping!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know tonight¡¯s event was so important. I thought it was just a regr gathering,¡± Vivian frowned. ¡°And I don¡¯t have a dress suitable for such an event in my closet.¡±


    ¡°No, you do.¡± jos found her excuse ridiculous. ¡°You should open your closet and take a good look. You have many beautiful and exquisite evening gowns that are suitable for any formal event.¡±


    ¡°What if I told you they don¡¯tfit me anymore?¡± Vivian didn¡¯t want to argue with jos; it was pointless. But she couldn¡¯t control her temper. The sense of grievance and sadness engulfed her, flooding over her like a tide.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve gained weight. My figure isn¡¯t as slim, and I even have some extra fat on my belly,¡± Vivian¡¯s tears fell onto the bedspread, leaving dark marks. ¡°I¡¯m truly awful. I¡¯m going to be ugly, and standing by your side will make you aughingstock in the circles of power.¡±


    jos clearly couldn¡¯tprehend Vivian¡¯s definition of being overweight. He scrutinized Vivian, and to the naked eye, there wasn¡¯t much of a change, just a bit more flesh on her face, and her chest seemed fuller. Her posture, tightly wrapped in theforter, entuated her cleavage, which appeared deeper and more prominent than before.


    It was a sight that could excite any man. jos¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but linger on her fair bosom, then continued downwards.


    jos¡¯s fingers curled, a tingling sensation at his fingertips-a desire to uncover Vivian, to tear her nightgown. However, he was a man of strong self-control. He couldn¡¯t control the heat in his body, the surge of desire, but he could control his hands from harming Vivian.


    Stepping back, he forcibly diverted his gaze from Vivian¡¯s cleavage. ¡°Listen, Vivian, stop these meaningless spections and negative emotions. The weather has been lovelytely, the sky is so blue, the sunshine is so bright, it¡¯s neither too cold nor too hot. It¡¯s perfect for going out shopping or for a leisurely walk. Why don¡¯t you go?¡±


    ¡°Take Luzia and Mare with you. Mare will look after you, and Luzia will help you select plenty of evening gowns that suit you. Don¡¯t worry about whether you¡¯ve gained weight, you¡¯re not overweight at all,¡± jos¡¯s tone tried to be gentle.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go. Malls, supermarkets, shopping, beauty treatments-every day, I¡¯m stuck in these things. You never cared about what I truly want. You¡¯ve never even been willing to sit down and have a proper conversation with me!¡± Vivian¡¯s emotions were getting the better of her as she yelled and screamed, feeling on the verge of a breakdown. ¡°You don¡¯t want to love me, you don¡¯t even want to be my friend. Every time you speak to me, it¡¯s always an order! An order! An order!¡±


    ¡°I am the Capo!¡± jos frowned.


    ¡°I am your wife!¡± Vivian shouted. ¡°I¡¯ve epted a husband who won¡¯t love me. Why can¡¯t you ept me as your friend, why can¡¯t you sit down and talk to me?¡±

 Chapter 57

    ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± jos sat on the edge of the bed, patting her shoulder soothingly.


    Vivian, head bowed, wiped away her tears, her voice choked, ¡°Talk about what I did today, what you did, talk about what I need, what you need, talk about the movie I watched today, what the movie was about, if your work went well today, if you encountered any difficulties.¡±


    ¡°There are many things we could talk about. If you don¡¯t want to discuss work, you can tell me where you went today, and if you saw any beautiful scenery along the way. Every time youe and go in haste, ignoring me, neglecting me, as if I don¡¯t exist. I¡¯ve had enough.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t ignored you or neglected you,¡± jos, bothered by Vivian¡¯s tears, said, ¡°I know what you do every day- it¡¯s not about monitoring you, I need to know you¡¯re safe. I know you ordered a newptop, enrolled in an online art performance course, right? I know you¡¯ve been enjoying 70s movies and reading Shakespeare. The fridge is filled with ice cream, only three left now. The cookies and popcorn in the cupboard are all gone, Haylee just bought new ones this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve had a good appetitetely, eating a te of spaghetti Bolognese, a bowl of cheesy tomato fusilli, two hot dogs, and two bowls of corn chowder for lunch. After finishing pizza in the evening, you even had ate-night snack¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Was she a pig, eating so much?


    ¡°You see, I know everything about you. I haven¡¯t ignored you, nor have I intended to treat you as if you were invisible in this apartment.¡±


    ¡°You never told me these things.¡± Vivian looked at him, her eyes filled with a sense of injustice. ¡°Your indifference is driving me crazy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± jos said, ¡°Because I am a Capo, everything I love will attract extra attention from others. It could be from Bratva, from otherpetitors, or even from people who seek benefits from me. Their actions could jeopardize the things I love, do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Their eyes will always be on you, and you never know who¡¯s listening,¡± Vivian said.


    ¡°Yes.¡± jos nodded. ¡°Poison in your favorite food, an ambush along your regr route, enemies will do anything to destroy your fortress, danger will be everywhere.¡±


    jos knew very well, ¡°We¡¯ve done such things before.¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Yes, us.¡±


    ¡°For whom?¡±


    ¡°Irina Peleri Elf,¡± jos said. He still remembered that it was a full moon night, moonlight falling on the balcony, seeping through the curtains into the living room. They stealthily entered, killed the guard on duty, and sneaked into that woman¡¯s room.


    A scream of terror echoed through the long night. As the knife fell, blood sttered on the ground. In the struggle of despair, the dying woman reluctantly released the tightly gripped curtain. A bloodstain was left on the whitece curtain, eerie and sinister.


    ¡°Who is she?¡± Vivian didn¡¯t recognize the person jos mentioned, but connecting jos¡¯ previous words, Vivian could easily imagine her fate.


    Vivian was somewhat afraid to know the truth, yet couldn¡¯t help but listen.


    ¡°Andre Vyazemsky, have you heard this name?¡± jos didn¡¯t immediately answer her, instead asked.


    Vivian nodded, ¡°When I was in Los Angeles, I heard Joseph mention him. He¡¯s the leader of the Bratva.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he holds a position in Bratva simr to mine in the Mafia; Irina Peleri Elf is his woman. Not a mistress, but his woman,¡± jos emphasized, ¡°We once had an excellent undercover agent, his name was Hanson Benoist. He infiltrated Bratva, gained absolute trust from Andre Vyazemsky. In a conversation between Andre Vyazemsky and his close friend, he learned about Irina Peleri Elf¡¯s existence. Andre Vyazemsky deeply loved her, and was nning to propose to her. Hanson ryed this information back to Houston.¡±


    ¡°Then, we killed her, and arranged her limbs in a humiliating position.¡± jos exhaled softly. ¡°Andre Vyazemsky became insane and paranoid as a result. His attacks became frequent but no longer meticulous; he started having ws.¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t know what expression to wear in front of jos. They always said that women couldn¡¯t get involved in the Mafia business, yet both organizations coincidentally aimed their guns at innocent women.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t me jos¡¯ brutal methods, as she knew the Bratva¡¯s methods towards the Mafia were equally brutal. She was constantly in danger due to such brutality.


    Would one day, when she was alone in this apartment, some member of the Bratva break in and torture her?


    ¡°Vivian, I hope you are safe. Everything I do is to protect you to the best of my ability,¡± jos said, cing a kiss on her forehead. ¡°It¡¯ste, you should go to sleep.¡±


    Viviany down on the bed with his help, feeling empty inside. She didn¡¯t know if she felt lost or uncertain.


    It seemed like she had found answers with jos, yet she felt like she was back where she started.


    Vivian could only close her eyes and let the darkness envelop her.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Vivian.¡±


    ¡­


    After that night¡¯s conversation, jos continued with his busy schedule,ing and going as usual. Vivian¡¯s online course was about to begin, and she was nervous, wanting to buy some books to bolster her confidence.


    Vivian rarely took the initiative to go out, but Luzia was excited, singing and hopping around. Mare, on the other hand, seemed a bit distant, showing some contempt. Vivian was envious, both she and Luzia were in simr predicaments, but Luzia could always maintain a passionate and sunny disposition.


    ¡°After we buy the books, let¡¯s go for a massage,¡± Vivian suggested. Luzia was familiar with the ce they were going to, it was near the spa they had visitedst time. ¡°It¡¯s on the way and will help us rx.¡±


    ¡°Do we need to make a reservation for the massage?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re different. You are a Hargrave.¡±


    In fact, just mentioning the surname Hargrave in Houston would grant them unconditional ess to any high-end establishment. No terms could bind their actions, and even the masseurs who came to serve them would be the best in the shop.


    That¡¯s the advantage of power.


    Vivian understood why so many people were obsessed with power. After looking down on the ants from high above for so long, no one would want to strain their necks to look up.


    In the Mafia,cking power meant facing death at any moment.


    Mare usually followed Vivian. As she and Luzia walked ahead chatting, Mare followed silently behind, keeping a distance, quietly observing their surroundings.


    Who was he watching?


    Vivian couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    In the past, she was sure Mare¡¯s gaze was fixed on her-out of her trust in jos-Mare was jos¡¯s most skilled and loyal bodyguard. But now, Vivian wasn¡¯t so sure.


    Did Mare like Luzia?This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    When walking behind her and Luzia, did his gaze secretly linger on Luzia? Such spection was indeed an insult to Mare¡¯s professional integrity, and every time Vivian spected, she felt a twinge of guilt.


    But she couldn¡¯t forget the chaotic morning, Luzia¡¯s ambiguous moans and Mare¡¯s rough panting¡­


    ¡°Ah!¡± Perhaps Vivian was lost in thought, because she didn¡¯t notice the maning from the side and collided with him, falling to the ground.


    In her panic, as she looked up, she met the deep, intense eyes of the stranger.


    ¡°Be careful where you¡¯re going.¡±

 Chapter 58

    This sentence was very light, so light that it dispersed with the slightest breeze, so fast that Vivian thought she had misheard.


    Mare took a step forward and grabbed the man¡¯s cor, lifting him from the ground and swinging him violently into a nearby tree. The man¡¯s back suffered a heavy blow, causing him to curl up in pain, spitting out a mouthful of saliva.


    Mare had no intention of letting him go. He approached and continued to grab the man¡¯s cor, lifting him again andnding a punch on the side of his face.


    Mare might have been a natural boxer; his strength was remarkable. One punch made the man vomit blood and spit out a tooth.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Vivian intervened to stop Mare¡¯s violence. Thankfully, Luzia, who was walking beside her, promptly supported her-Vivian indicated she had just sprained her foot and wasn¡¯t seriously injured.


    However, the man who had collided with her paid a heavy price. Mare¡¯s ferocious demeanor and his burst of fierce strength made his legs go weak, crying in pain, ¡°Please spare me, it was not intentional.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who you knocked down?¡± Mare¡¯s face was menacing.


    The man was so scared he almost wet himself, ¡°I, I¡­¡±


    ¡°She is Vivian Hargrave.¡±


    In Houston, everyone knew the name Hargrave. It was a powerful and terrifying family, akin to a dark abyss. Those who offended them met a tragic end.


    Under Mare¡¯s intimidation, the man¡¯s body went limp. If Mare hadn¡¯t still been holding onto his cor, he might have copsed to the ground.


    ¡°Enough, Mare,¡± Vivian asked Mare to let him go. ¡°You¡¯ve already taught him a lesson, and I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Mare nced at Vivian, seemingly confirming whether she was truly uninjured, but his expression did not soften.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Mare red at him. ¡°Tell the truth, I¡¯ll know if you¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°Camar Smith,¡± Camar answered shakily.


    ¡°Good, Camar Smith, I¡¯ll remember your name,¡± Mare said.


    Camar trembled even more.


    However, Mare didn¡¯t do anything violent to Camar again and let him go.


    Camar stumbled to his feet and dared not stop, fleeing into the crowd, quickly disappearing from sight.


    Luzia, angry, crossed her arms, ¡°Why did you let him go?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Mare said indifferently. ¡°I¡¯ve got his name.¡±


    Vivian shuddered. She knew Mare would tell jos, and jos would not let Camar off easily.


    Distressed, Vivian said, ¡°Why did you do that? He didn¡¯t do anything to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain he did something,¡± Mare stared at her, imitating Camar¡¯s tone, ¡°Be careful where you¡¯re going.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s expression stiffened.


    She didn¡¯t know what that meant, but a chance encounter with a stranger, an inexplicable phrase, might be enough to trigger jos¡¯s sharp defenses. This could be a danger to the Hargrave family.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t persuade Mare to keep today¡¯s incident a secret. Although the incident was thrilling, it wouldn¡¯t affect their ns for the day. However, Vivian¡¯s enthusiasm was dampened; she no longer felt like browsing in the bookstore. She bought a few necessary professional books and followed Luzia into the spa.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The scheduled massage was just in time. After pressing on her stiff neck, Vivian changed into a robe andy on the small bed, with Luzia beside her.


    Massage was truly a great way to rx and soothe the nerves. The masseur was a man, yet this didn¡¯t affect the joy and rxation Vivian felt under his skilled hands. As his strong and flexible hands massaged her stiff neck and moved in a rhythmic pattern down her back, Vivian moaned in pain and pleasure, though she quickly bit her lip.


    Luzia seemed to be more uninhibited, moaning passionately under the man¡¯s touch. Vivian almost mistook her masseur for Mare.


    Vivian felt she could hardly get along peacefully with Luzia and Mare.


    ¡­


    After the massage, when they returned to the apartment, it was alreadyte. jos was sitting on the living room sofa, attending to his work. Vivian checked the clock; it was ten minutes to eight in the evening.


    ¡°You¡¯re back early today,¡± Vivian greeted him. ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±


    ¡°Haylee has it arranged for me, no need to worry,¡± jos said, taking a sip of the coffee on the table. He actually preferred the whiskey in the small fridge to the coffee. ¡°You look much better; it seems the massage worked wonders.¡±


    jos was d to see Vivian¡¯s smile brighten again. Her fair and smooth skin looked pleasant to touch.


    However, Mare seemed to be in a bad mood. As a bodyguard, such emotions never surfaced easily. Something must have happened. This spection made jos¡¯s expression darken, ¡°What happened, Mare?¡±


    Before Mare could answer, jos noticed Vivian¡¯s rmed expression; something had indeed gone wrong.


    Mare didn¡¯t hide anything, ¡°Someone knocked Vivian down, and I taught him a lesson.¡±


    jos caught the hint in Mare¡¯s words, ¡°You didn¡¯t kill him?¡±


    ¡°No, but I got his name, Camar Smith,¡± Mare said. ¡°I believe soon all his information will be on your phone.¡±


    ¡°Good job, Mare,¡± josmended him, standing up to prepare to leave.


    Vivian knew what he intended to do; he was going to kill that man.


    Vivian stood in his way, ¡°You can¡¯t, jos. He didn¡¯t harm me, and as you can see, I¡¯mpletely unharmed.¡±


    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t about whether you¡¯re hurt, Vivian,¡± jos brushed aside Vivian¡¯s hand, continuing toward the door. ¡°This concerns the family¡¯s honor, my authority as Capo. He offended you, which is a challenge to the Hargrave family¡¯s authority. I must give him a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Mare has already taught him a lesson, and he has apologized,¡± Vivian argued.


    ¡°Your innocence disgusts me, Vivian!¡± jos scolded, ¡°A lesson without any physical harm is just a warning, do you understand? A mere warning is not enough to deter people; it will only embolden the foolish.¡±


    ¡°Killing him, or taking an organ from him, is my greatest mercy to him.¡±


    In anger, jos entered the elevator. The light nted down from the ceiling, casting shadows on his face, making his darkplexion look even more terrifying.


    Vivian felt a chill in her heart; this version of jos frightened her from the core. It was this fear that prevented her from stopping jos.


    This was truly terrible.


    Vivian slumped onto the sofa, her face pale.


    ¡°Have some hot water,¡± Luzia poured a suitable temperature of water for her and ced it on the coffee table in front of her, ¡°or do you want coffee? Hot chocte?¡±


    ¡°No, hot water is fine, thank you, Luzia,¡± Vivian took a sip from the cup. The hot water flowed down her throat, warming her body instantly.


    Vivian let out a heavy sigh, seemingly trying to expel the remaining coldness from her body.


    ¡°Will jos kill him?¡± Vivian asked Luzia, essentially asking Mare.

 Chapter 59

    ¡°Capo won¡¯t be merciful,¡± Mare said coldly, ¡°You pay too much attention to Camar. He¡¯s just a stranger.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°This stranger is going to die because of me,¡± Vivian yelled.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault, or yours. It¡¯s because he¡¯s blind and offended the wrong people,¡± Mare said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel offended,¡± Vivian said, crossing her arms, her cheeks swelling with anger.


    ¡°No, he offended the Hargrave family. He¡¯s challenging the Houston Mafia¡¯s dominance. If left unchecked, more people will join his ranks, providing him with guns and ammunition,¡± Mare said. ¡°He will be the new enemy of the Mafia.¡±


    ¡°Goodness, all for a mere possibility?¡±


    ¡°All dangers should be nipped in the bud,¡± Mare said firmly. This must be a viewpoint instilled in him by jos.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious,¡± Luzia sat on a single sofa, her elbows on the armrest, her chin resting on the back of her hand, ¡°What would jos do if he knew that the masseur giving Vivian a massage tonight is a man?¡±


    Mare¡¯s face darkened instantly as he red at Luzia.


    Unfazed by his stare, Luzia continued to smile at him.


    Vivian¡¯s whole body was on edge, her eyes wide with shock, and it took her a while to recover.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a masseur!¡± Vivian said softly.


    Luzia shrugged, looking helpless, ¡°But he¡¯s a real man. For jos, it¡¯s wrong for a man to get close to you.¡±


    Mare added, ¡°Next time, we¡¯ll get a female masseur. I¡¯ll exin it to the spa.¡±


    Vivian red at Mare with indignation and then got up and went back to her room.


    ¡°Do you think jos will chop off his fingers, or cut off his ears?¡± Luzia made herself a cup of coffee and offered one to Mare. ¡°Do you want some?¡±


    Mare shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t specte on Capo¡¯s thoughts. It¡¯s very dangerous.¡±


    Luzia smiled nonchntly as she watched him go upstairs.


    At one in the morning, the night was dark, the temperature dropped suddenly, and thin fog floated in every crevice of the city. jos¡¯s ck car, fierce like a hunting beast, stopped with a ¡°click¡± in front of a rundown housing estate.


    ording to the information jos found, Camar Smith was an ordinary backend engineer, working for a smallpany in Houston, leading a monotonous life. Last year, he finally saved enough money to buy a house in this housing estate.


    jos suspected he was now hiding in his home, trembling with fear.


    jos was the first to get out of the car, apanied by his brother Simpson and his henchman, Emmert. Emmert was one of jos¡¯s most trusted men, and he was better at ambushes than Mare¡¯s fighting skills.


    Thete-night visitor was stopped by a security guard, who looked at the three tall, fierce, and bloodthirsty men in front of him, his voice trembling, ¡°Visitors need to register. Which unit are you looking for? Let the ownere down and see you.¡±


    ¡°Perfect, you can help us open the door,¡± Emmert smiled, slipping a stack of cash into the guard¡¯s pocket. ¡°It¡¯s for your benefit.¡±


    The guard didn¡¯t even see Emmert¡¯s movement clearly. He just felt a cold sensation on his neck, and a sharp knife de tore through his flesh, causing a stinging pain. His legs went weak.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me, I¡¯ll do whatever you ask,¡± the guard pleaded in a trembling voice.


    ¡°Open the door!¡± Emmert threatened coldly. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    As soon as the guard hesitated, the pain in his neck intensified, the threat of death looming over his head. His legs were shaking, and he quickly pressed his fingerprint to unlock the door.


    Emmert propped up the guard with one hand and half-dragged, half-pushed him to Camar¡¯s unit. He forcibly pressed the guard¡¯s hand onto the fingerprint lock. ¡°Hey, buddy, thanks.¡±


    Emmert tapped the guard¡¯s face with his knife. ¡°Don¡¯t call the police. You know the consequences.¡±


    The guard nodded frantically, and when Emmert released his grip, he stumbled away.


    Mocking the guard¡¯s retreating figure, Emmert sneered, ¡°Coward.¡±


    Simpson, in a good mood, opened the door and said to Emmert, ¡°You¡¯re too fierce.¡±


    ¡°Room number?¡± jos spoke in a low, dangerous voice.


    His dark eyes were bright, staring intently at the numbers on the screen in the elevator. His heart was pounding, and even the knife in his hand trembled uncontrobly.


    He longed for blood. With this knife in his hand. To pierce the flesh of that man.


    Simpson and Emmert stood silently behind him, both sensing jos¡¯s excitement. Emmert licked his lips, also sumbing to the bloodlust.


    The blood of their enemies was the fervor of every member of the Mafia.


    The elevator ¡°dinged¡± to a stop on the 12th floor. jos stepped out, leading the way through the dim corridor. The motion sensor lights seemed to be malfunctioning, and the fog outside obscured everything, with no moonlight tonight.


    Emmert swiftly slipped out, vanishing into the thick fog.


    jos found Building B, Apartment 1203, and pressed the doorbell.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± a man¡¯s voice quivered behind the door, but after waiting for a while, there was no response.


    The unexpected events during the day had made Camar as sensitive as a startled bird. He knew that the Hargrave family¡¯s retaliation was inevitable, but he had nowhere to run. He cowered in his room, waiting for the de of fate to fall.


    But when the doorbell rang, the de truly hung over him. Camar was not as resigned as he had imagined. He didn¡¯t want to open the door and face the judgment of fate. He wanted to escape. He should escape.


    jos wouldn¡¯t give him a chance to escape. Emmert had already climbed onto the balcony, the silenced gun shattered the ss door, and he pressed the still-warm muzzle against Camar¡¯s head amidst the shards.


    Emmert dragged Camar by the hair to jos¡¯s feet. Pain and fear covered his forehead with cold sweat. He tried to curl up, to minimize his presence. ¡°Who are you? What do you want?¡±


    ¡°You know who I am,¡± jos eyed the timid man in front of him, ordinary-looking, with thinning hair, dressed shabbily. He looked like he was 40, not the 30 stated in the records.


    ¡°No, no¡­¡± Camar shook his head desperately, as if that could help him escape punishment.


    His desperation and fear were truly exhrating. Emmert toyed with his gun, causing Camar to flinch reflexively. Extreme terror made him feel like his scalp was exploding.


    He was going to die. He was going to die¡­


    ¡°jos Hargrave,¡± jos bent down, closely admiring Camar¡¯s desperate expression, which slightly lifted his spirits. ¡°I heard that you knocked down my wife in the street?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t intentional, I¡¯ve already apologized, and I¡¯ve been punished for it,¡± Camar showed them the bruises and wounds on his face and body. The purplish bruises had not yet subsided, blood oozed from the severe areas, staining his t-shirt red.


    Camar was truly terrified. After the incident, he didn¡¯t dare to return to hispany and hastily took leave to hide at home, cowering in a corner, too frightened to change clothes or seek medical attention, but misfortune arrived as expected.

 Chapter 60

    ¡°Please spare me, I know I was wrong, I won¡¯t dare again,¡± Camar clung to jos¡¯s trousers, weeping in pain, ¡°I never had any intention of offending Hargrave, I respect Hargrave¡¯s rule, I really didn¡¯t mean to offend, please don¡¯t kill me¡­¡±


    ¡°But you offended my wife, this is an indisputable fact, you need to be punished more severely, not just a superficial beating, that won¡¯t extinguish my anger,¡± jos kicked him away, and Emmert quickly subdued Camar, twisting his arm and pushing him onto the sofa.


    Simpson sat on the other side of the sofa, enjoying Camar¡¯s miserable state, and suggested to jos, ¡°Perhaps we could carve something on his face, like ¡®How about Hargrave?''¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­¡± Camar struggled, pleading through tears, ¡°Please spare me¡­¡±


    ¡°If you like, you can be the one to do it,¡± jos generously handed over his prey to Simpson, ¡°But I¡¯ll take his fingers first.¡±


    Camar was horrified, he exerted all his strength to clench his fists, but he was no match for Emmert, who proceeded to break his fingers one by one, pressing his hand, with the syed-out fingers, onto the hard ss top of the coffee table.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Camar couldn¡¯t bear it, a sharp, agonizing scream escaped his mouth, the pain of his fingers being broken, the pain of them being forcibly straightened again, made him see stars, his body trembled uncontrobly under Emmert¡¯s control, ¡°Spare¡­ spare me¡­ ahhh!¡±


    jos raised his hand and brought down the knife, merciless and cruel, chopping at Camar. The excruciating pain of flesh and bone parting drove Camar insane, Emmert almost couldn¡¯t restrain him.


    jos promptly gave him a kick, crushing his leg bone, ¡°Crack,¡± the sound of the bone breaking was drowned in his increasingly intense screams of pain, jos then stepped on Camar¡¯s palm with the broken fingers, the pain shooting straight to his head made Camar wish he could die right then, ¡°Just kill me, you kill me.¡±


    jos turned a deaf ear to his plea for death, he disdainfully moved his foot, smeared with blood, on the sofa cushion. He looked at Simpson.


    Simpson knew it was his time for enjoyment.


    The piercing screams filled the narrow apartment once more, the fog outside gradually thickened, jos nced out, wiping his dagger clean amidst Camar¡¯s weakening voice.


    ¡­


    Vivian fell asleep before jos returned, she was really too tired, her eyelids drooped heavily, even pinching her thigh several times didn¡¯t keep her awake, she fell asleep anyway.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    When she abruptly woke up from her sleep, the clock¡¯s hands pointed to four o¡¯clock, the other side of the bed was still empty, Vivian reached out and felt it, it was cold.


    Vivian¡¯s heart sank, she guessed jos wouldn¡¯t be back so early, he might even stay out all night, but the reality was hard to ept, she hugged the nket, sitting at the head of the bed, feeling miserable by herself.


    On the other side of the city, jos emerged from Camar¡¯s home with Simpson and Emmert, the chilly evening breeze dispersed the smell of blood on him, but it couldn¡¯t immediately extinguish the fiery feeling in his heart ignited by the sight of blood.


    He really enjoyed this feeling too much, the pleasure of controlling someone¡¯s life, the ecstasy of having others grovel at his feet, it made his blood boil, he clenched the dagger in his hand, as if holding the scepter of ruling Houston, something no one could take from him.


    But that was just a dream. In reality, Houston¡¯s crisis hadn¡¯t eased due to the union of Houston and Los Angeles; Bratva¡¯s aggressive attacks hadn¡¯t diminished one bit. His men were severely injured or killed in the ongoing conflicts, several of his business chains were severed, Los Angeles¡¯ support kept flowing, but if Bryson¡¯s ambitions were left unchecked, Houston would sooner orter be a vassal of Los Angeles.


    jos absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow that to happen, he had to stabilize Houston¡¯s situation while quickly finding a way to reverse the situation, or divert Bratva¡¯s attention, to grant Houston a brief respite.


    jos had been silent since getting into the car, the dimly lit streetmps in the heavy fog barely illuminated the road, Simpson couldn¡¯t make out his brother¡¯s expression in the rearview mirror, but the heavy atmosphere in the car still affected him.


    Simpson thought of the deceased John and Richard, who had been forcibly sent abroad for house arrest. Although Charles had suppressed the dissenting voices within theBenoist family with a firm hand, the unstable threat still existed.


    If utilized properly, this could undoubtedly be an advantage for Hargrave to solidify his position. If mishandled, it could turn into a dagger aimed at Hargrave.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a drink, jos,¡± Simpson turned to ask jos, ¡°How about the Celebrity Club? Some newdies have arrived recently.¡±


    Simpson had a keen eye for selectingdies. Everydy he chose was alluring, passionate, enchanting, and seductive. Eighty percent of the patrons who visited the Celebrity Club were there for thedies.


    In the past, jos would have dly agreed. The high-intensity work had strained his nerves excessively, he needed some rest and rxation. Going to bed with a beautiful and seductive woman, releasing his stress and desires in bed, had been his favorite way to unwind.


    But today was different. When Simpson mentioned thedies, what jos remembered was not the ecstatic lovemaking, but Vivian¡¯s tear-drenched blue eyes, and her face flushed with desire.


    jos felt his breathing bing heated, but the next moment, Vivian¡¯s tearful resistance flooded his mind, like a bucket of cold water poured over his head.


    A ¡°no¡± was stuck in jos¡¯s throat, he gasped, and said hoarsely, ¡°Of course, why not.¡±


    At jos¡¯s instruction, Emmert changed direction and headed towards the Celebrity Club.


    Nighttime was the peak revelry at the Celebrity Club, the wild men and women drank and swung their arms, flicking their long hair as they swayed in the center of the dance floor. The shimmering stage lights illuminated the entire ce, and jos drank a whole ss of whiskey in silence.


    Emmert had already taken thedy he chose onto the dance floor, Simpson returned after a stroll around the bar, with a bottle of brandy in his hand.


    He poured a ss for jos ¨C his intention was to have a chat while drinking, but jos¡¯s urgent drinking posture revealed a sense of eagerness. He poured the drink down his throat in one go as soon as it was handed to him.


    ¡°Hey, jos,¡± Simpson was a little displeased, ¡°You drank too fast, you won¡¯t enjoy it this way.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m happy now,¡± jos continued to pour more into his ss, hoping the alcohol would numb his nerves, maybe that way he could expel Vivian from his mind.


    Simpson couldn¡¯t understand jos¡¯s happiness, he grumbled quietly about jos wasting his brandy, but soon he paid no attention to jos, instead, he embraced a passing delicatedy and led her into the dance floor.


    If the alcohol were stronger, and the crowd more fervent, he could enjoy a striptease, but at that moment, jos had no interest.


    Has Vivian fallen asleep?


    jos started feeling restless, he put down his ss, preparing to leave.


    ¡°Hey, your phone is ringing.¡± The rock band on the stage had finished their performance, Simpson let go of thedy he was dancing with.


    jos picked it up and looked, it was Joseph.

 Chapter 61

    ¡°It¡¯s rare that he would contact you proactively.¡± The two stood not far from each other. Even in the dim light around them, Simpson could still clearly see Joseph¡¯s name.


    jos¡¯s eyes darkened. Receiving a proactive call from Joseph meant that something in Los Angeles required Houston¡¯s cooperation. It was an announcement, not a negotiation.


    Whether it was Bryson or Joseph, in the current situation where Houston needed help from Los Angeles and was clearly at a disadvantage, both of them treated Houston as a vassal to Los Angeles, which made jos very unhappy.


    But as a Capo, he needed to rely on the strength of Los Angeles to protect his followers and his territory. He couldn¡¯t recklessly fall out with Bryson and his son.


    ¡°Joseph.¡± jos answered the phone in a low voice, carrying a hint of authority. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you calling me proactively.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to disturb, I just wanted to ask if my sister is doing well?¡± Joseph¡¯s voice came through the phone, not bothering to hide his malicious intent, like a venomous snake hissing and spitting venom, his triangr eyes staring sharply at jos, attempting to pry out his weaknesses with words.


    ¡°What kind of answer do you need?¡± jos said, ¡°I can satisfy you. But I believe your purpose isn¡¯t really about caring whether your sister is doing well.¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Josephughed, mentioning Vivian as casually as a street cat or dog, ¡°She is already your woman. How to train her to be loyal to you, that¡¯s your skill.¡±


    jos¡¯s expression soured. ¡°Loyal? She is my wife!¡±


    ¡°Okay! Okay!¡± Joseph¡¯s teasing tone was so annoying, ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you that I will arrive in Houston in two days to hold the engagement ceremony with your cousin Luzia.¡±


    This day woulde sooner orter, especially now that Los Angeles was sending more and more reinforcements to Houston. Bryson needed Joseph and Luzia¡¯s engagement to recoup some losses.


    ¡°I understand. I will tell Luzia to get ready.¡±


    ¡°Very good, jos.¡± Joseph praised jos as if he was praising his subordinate, which was nothing short of an insult to jos.


    jos felt a surge of anger rising within him. He mmed the phone down, and Joseph hadn¡¯t even hung up yet.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Simpson frowned at the shattered phone. ¡°Los Angeles¡¯s recent actions are bing more and more bold. Even marrying off Luzia won¡¯t stop Bryson and his son¡¯s ambitions.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We have no way out.¡± jos said, ¡°Only Los Angeles can help Houston out of this predicament.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Simpson couldn¡¯t think of a better solution. ¡°But people from Los Angeles can move freely in Houston, and Bryson¡¯s control here will only deepen. What if¡­¡±


    ¡°Stabilize Houston before Bryson crosses my bottom line. As long as our forces can develop, Los Angeles¡¯ people will have to withdraw from Houston. Then we can cause trouble for Los Angeles¡­¡± jos took a deep breath. He felt a nerve on his forehead throbbing violently, causing him a headache.


    jos took a gulp of brandy. Alcohol alleviated his headache. ¡°You should go find your dance partner.¡±


    jos patted Simpson on the shoulder. Thedy with whom Simpson had just danced was waiting at the bar, holding a ss of tequ.


    ¡°Her lips look very skillful.¡± Simpson raised an eyebrow yfully. ¡°I can imagine them wrapped around me.¡±


    ¡°Enjoy your night.¡± jos took his coat. ¡°I¡¯m going back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving? Now?¡± Simpson couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Is that not allowed?¡±


    ¡°Will Vivian wait for you?¡± Seeing jos¡¯s expression darken, Simpson quickly exined, ¡°I mean, she might be asleep by now. She might not be able to help you with your needs. You should stay, jos.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what I ¡®should¡¯ do, Simpson.¡± jos said angrily. Even if they were brothers, Simpson had no right to order him around.


    ¡°Of course, I know, I¡¯m not trying to force you. You just seem very tense.¡± Simpson was a bit worried about his state. ¡°You¡¯re the Capo, if you¡¯re too tense, your followers will be anxious too. How long has it been since you¡¯ve satisfied your desires?¡±


    ¡°I will take care of my mood. Please, don¡¯t mind me anymore.¡± jos growled. ¡°Now, you should go and dance with your partner in the dance floor or go to bed in the room.¡±


    jos left the club. The night wind raged through the empty streets, diluting the smell of alcohol on jos. Diego came to pick him up at the apartment.


    As jos passed throughthe living room, he nced at the clock. It was five in the morning.


    At this time, Vivian would certainly be immersed in her dreams. jos didn¡¯t want to wake her, avoiding having to face Vivian¡¯s tear-filled eyes and foolish questions.


    jos moved silently. His footsteps made almost no sound. But as he approached the edge of the bed, Vivian was awakened.


    He noticed the dark circles under Vivian¡¯s eyes and leaned in, concerned. ¡°Are you having trouble sleeping?¡±


    Vivian hadn¡¯t been having trouble sleeping. On the contrary, she had been feeling constantly fatiguedtely, dozing off inexplicably on the sofa. She would sleep until eleven in the morning and then need an hour¡¯s nap in the afternoon.


    But she was also easily startled, just like now.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­ uh!¡± The pungent smell of alcohol wafted from jos, making Vivian retch, although nothing came out.


    jos was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Vivian felt an unbearable surge of acid rising from her stomach. The intense nausea made her push jos away and rush into the bathroom, where her loud retching echoed quickly.


    jos¡¯s face darkened. He sniffed himself but didn¡¯t smell strongly of alcohol.


    Vivian¡¯s reaction was too extreme, especially when jos tried to approach her with a ss of water, and she only retched more violently. He had to keep his distance from her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± jos said, his face grim. ¡°I don¡¯t think the smell on me is so repulsive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening.¡± Vivian¡¯s intense retching didn¡¯t make her feel any better. She slumped weakly against the cold tiles of the bathroom, not wanting to move. But jos was angry, and she had to give an exnation. ¡°I think I might have eaten something bad.¡±


    ¡°Then you need to see a doctor,¡± jos said.


    ¡°No, let me just rest quietly for a while. It¡¯s early in the morning.¡± Vivian declined. ¡°Can you go and take a shower? You carry the scent of other women.¡±


    Vivian paused, then added by way of exnation, ¡°I mean the perfume of those women in the club doesn¡¯t smell as good as yours. I should go to sleep now.¡±


    jos looked at her in silence, his eyes dark. Vivian couldn¡¯t discern his mood.


    As long as jos didn¡¯t move, Vivian didn¡¯t dare to move either.


    The two stood and sat like this, facing each other from opposite sides of the bathroom door.


    In the end, it was jos who made the first move. He turned and fetched a change of clothes from the wardrobe, then left their bedroom.


    The bedroom door opened and closed in the next second. The room suddenly felt less suffocating, and Vivian felt like she could breathe freely.


    She breathed a heavy sigh of relief, exhausted, and crawled into bed, burying herself under the soft covers.

 Chapter 62

    The rose garden of Lady Yazmin always reminded Vivian of the rose garden in front of the vi in Los Angeles. When the breeze brushed her face, the familiar scent of roses made her feel as if she were back in her mother¡¯s embrace.


    In fact, Vivian hadn¡¯t heard from her mother, Tasneem, for a long time. Even the family in Los Angeles no longer contacted her individually. But that didn¡¯t mean she was eager to see Joseph.


    In the spacious living room of the vi, only three people sat: jos, Simpson, and Joseph. They were all smiling, looking pleased, with a light and cheerful tone, showing no sign of hostility.


    However, the rtionship between Los Angeles and Houston was not very good. Vivian was well aware of the blood and flesh behind their alliance.


    When Joseph heard a sound, he turned around, his gaze wandering over Vivian. ¡°I thought it was my fiancee.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint you,¡± Vivian snorted. She knew why Joseph hade to Houston.


    ¡°Yes, I am disappointed.¡± But Joseph¡¯s expression showed no disappointment; instead, it held a hint of disgust that made Vivian nauseous. ¡°So, where is my dear fiancee now? Can you help me find her?¡±


    Vivian wanted to say she couldn¡¯t, but jos spoke first, ¡°Of course she can.¡±


    He looked at Vivian, ¡°She should be in the strawberry field. Please bring her back.¡±


    jos¡¯ tone was firm, leaving no room for Vivian to refuse.


    Joseph seemed very satisfied with jos¡¯ cooperation.


    But Vivian didn¡¯t understand. Her eyes slightly reddened as she red at jos. ¡°She should have her freedom.¡±


    Privately, as a husband, jos could overlook Vivian¡¯s foolishness without reprimand. But in front of Joseph, he could only be Houston¡¯s Capo; everyone should respect his wishes and work for him. He had to maintain the dignity of a Capo.


    ¡°Stop your foolishness, Vivian,¡± jos¡¯ expression was unyielding as hemanded, ¡°Go and bring Luzia back.¡±


    jos¡¯ expression was too harsh, and Vivian was somewhat afraid of him. Reluctantly, she walked out of the vi and, guided by a servant, made her way to the strawberry field.


    Lady Yazmin was not there; perhaps she was in the kitchen preparing tea and snacks for the guests.


    Would there be cookies that Luzia liked?


    Vivian pushed open the door of the greenhouse. Her clean white casual shoes stepped onto the deep brown soil, making a faint creaking sound. She walked through the shelves and looked around the yard, but she didn¡¯t see Luzia¡¯s figure.


    jos said Luzia was here. Did he lie?


    Vivian tentatively called out, ¡°Luzia?¡±


    The rustling of the grass made a faint sound, and Vivian saw a head cautiously poking out from the dense strawberry bushes in the corner to the right.


    It was Luzia.


    ¡°Oh my goodness,¡± Vivian walked around the wooden frame, heading into the field. ¡°How did you manage to get yourself into this state?¡±


    Luzia, confirming that it was Vivian, let out a heavy sigh. ¡°I thought it was your brother.¡±


    Vivian paused. ¡°You know he¡¯s here?¡±


    ¡°jos told me. He¡¯s here to discuss the engagement ceremony with my parents.¡± Luzia pulled herself out of the strawberry field in frustration.


    Vivian¡¯s arrival had been too sudden, and Luzia had hidden too hastily, ending up covered in mud.


    Vivian handed her a wet tissue. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Joseph is stubborn and self-centered. He has learned a hundred percent of his father¡¯s autocratic rule, and no one can change his mind. Even though I am now jos¡¯ wife, a Capo¡¯s wife with certain rights, I cannot shake Joseph¡¯s determination.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help her friend.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize, Vivian. You are my best friend.¡± Luzia wiped her face with the wet tissue. ¡°Truth be told, I¡¯m very afraid.¡±


    ¡°Engagement means the wedding wille soon. After the wedding, I must go to live with him in Los Angeles, away from Houston, away from you, away from jos¡­ I can¡¯t imagine such a life.¡± Tears fell, and Luzia sobbed softly. ¡°In fact, I have been avoiding it. I thought that as long as I didn¡¯t think about Joseph, didn¡¯t think about Los Angeles, that day would nevere.¡±


    ¡°I really wish this was just a nightmare,¡± Luzia said.


    Nightmares always have a time to wake up, but misfortune doesn¡¯t.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know how tofort her friend. She was trapped in an unhappy marriage herself, unable to see the direction ofthe future. What¡¯s more, she was now going to watch Luzia fall into a marriage even more unbearable than her own. She was tormented by her own helplessness.


    Apart from ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, Vivian didn¡¯t know what else to say to Luzia. Should she tell her that Joseph was a cruel and narrow-minded man? Or should she lie and say that the real Joseph wasn¡¯t as ruthless and cruel as the rumors suggested, that he would cherish and care for his wife?


    Lies are always exposed, and when the brutal truthes to light, the strong collision of reality and ideals could lead a person into an even greater tragedy. Vivian wished that Luzia had seen Joseph¡¯s true nature from the beginning.


    ¡°May God bless you, dear girl,¡± Vivian embraced Luzia, earnestly praying.


    Luzia cried in her arms, too distressed. Vivian¡¯s embrace was the only refuge from the storm for her at that moment, and she couldn¡¯t stop crying.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian¡¯s heart twisted. Neither of them had noticed time slipping away.


    Washing her face with the clean water outside the strawberry field, the cold water eased Luzia¡¯s emotions a bit, but her eyes were still red.


    Vivian stood by, handing her a clean tissue. She caught a glimpse of someone walking from the direction of the vi, realizing that she and Luzia had lingered for quite some time.


    ¡°Vivian, did you make my bride cry?¡± Joseph frowned, questioning Vivian in a displeased tone.


    jos also wore a grim expression, not only because Joseph had scolded his wife, but also because Vivian had once again defied his will.


    ¡°No, she¡­¡± Luzia exined, ¡°I¡¯m just not feeling well¡­¡±


    Joseph looked coldly at Luzia, his icy gaze not befitting that of a fiance, but rather that of someone looking at a toy without self-will.


    Vivian feared that gaze. She had seen it too many times, from her father.


    A shiver ran down Vivian¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Joseph sneered, ¡°My fiancee is feeling unwell because of my arrival¡­¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Luzia instinctively countered, sensing the threat in Joseph¡¯s words. She nervously swallowed, ¡°It¡¯s just too sudden. I¡¯m not ready for the wedding yet.¡±


    Luzia¡¯s timely disy of fear satisfied Joseph. He no longer pursued the previous question and even softened his facial expression a bit.


    Ignoring Luzia¡¯s resistance, he forcibly grasped her hand and led her back toward the vi. ¡°Now you should go change into something new, and I will visit your parents to discuss the engagement ceremony three days from now.¡±


    Luzia stumbled at his grip.


    Simpson stood in Joseph¡¯s way. ¡°Don¡¯t be so rude, Joseph. She is your fiancee.¡±


    Simpson¡¯s warning angered Joseph, and he poked Simpson¡¯s chest with his finger, over and over, ¡°Don¡¯t order me!¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°Simpson!¡± jos growled, stopping Simpson. Then he looked at Joseph, ¡°Luzia is also a cherished member of our family. Her union with you represents a renewed alliance between the Houston and Los Angeles mobs. I hope you can show sincerity in how you treat an ally, Joseph.¡±

 Chapter 63

    jos¡¯s reproach made Joseph feel embarrassed. Kamden was already dead, Houston was at its weakest, while Los Angeles remained strong. If a war were to break out between the two cities, Joseph was absolutely confident that he could crush Houston. But it seemed that Houston¡¯s Capo hadn¡¯t truly grasped this point, even attempting to direct him here.


    Joseph wanted to roar, ¡°Do you even realize the predicament Houston is currently in? Without Los Angeles¡¯s support, Houston will be no match for the Bratva!¡± But on the other hand, Joseph felt a faint excitement at jos¡¯s obtuseness. He acknowledged that jos was a formidable opponent, but if he showed any ws or weariness due to Houston¡¯s many troubles, Joseph didn¡¯t mind turning his gun on his good brother-inw.


    Waiting for the right moment, Joseph remembered his father¡¯s words. ¡°Of course, I respect the alliance between Los Angeles and Houston, and I¡¯m even willing to toast to our friendship.¡± Joseph disregarded Luzia¡¯s struggle and embraced her slender waist. ¡°But Luzia is different; she is my future wife, and how I treat my wife is my business.¡± He turned his gaze to Vivian, a sinister look making one feel difort from within. ¡°I believe you also wouldn¡¯t want me to dictate how you should treat your wife, right, jos?¡±


    It had to be said that Joseph understood his enemy very well, or rather, they were actually the same kind of people-authoritarian, dictatorial, and possessive. Each of Joseph¡¯s words precisely treaded on jos¡¯s bottom line, preventing him from making the next move.


    From the moment jos decided to send Luzia away, Luzia¡¯s fate had already fallen into Joseph¡¯s hands. Vivian watched helplessly as Joseph dragged Luzia away, fearfully grabbing jos¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Can¡¯t you save her? Save her, jos. Joseph will abuse her, and Luzia will die.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that dreadful, Vivian,¡± jos said, cing his hands on Vivian¡¯s shoulders, his heavy touch bringing reassurance, calming her emotions. ¡°As long as Luzia is obedient enough, Joseph won¡¯t harm her.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand,¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s a born devil, a cruel killer. You haven¡¯t seen how he brutally treats a girl.¡± Vivian had seen it more than once.


    It was back in Joseph¡¯s student days, a girl who admired him handed him a love letter, and he took the girl to bed, manipting her, whipping her, binding her, the room filled with the smell of blood. Joseph remained unchanged in his brutal and savage behavior in bed, many of his mistresses ending up covered in wounds. If there was any resistance or struggle, and he became displeased, he would hand the person over to his henchmen to trample.


    His brutality disgusted Vivian, and now Luzia was about to fall into such a fate. Vivian felt deeply powerless, even harboring hatred amidst this profound powerlessness, toward jos, toward her father, toward Joseph, toward those rtives who could clearly save them but pushed them into deeper misery.


    After that day, Luzia never returned to their apartment; she stayed at her parents¡¯ estate, waiting for the engagement ceremony.


    Vivian experienced in advance the days without Luzia¡¯spany.


    Loneliness, destion, and boredom-all unavoidable, unrelievable, Vivian could only walk through the corners of the apartment, nestling to read books, scripts, and watch movies, time and time again.


    Very asionally, she would think of Mare, who always stood not far from her, and she would ask him, ¡°Do you like Luzia?¡±


    After asking, Vivian felt afraid; she feared that Mare¡¯s answer would be ¡°not like¡±, and then she would feel sad. But she was even more afraid that Mare¡¯s answer would be ¡°like¡±, that would make her sadder, so sad that she would die.


    Vivian, of course, would not get an answer. Mare was a cautious and excellent bodyguard, knowing the correct way to keep his employer safe.


    After that, Vivian never asked this foolish question again, knowing that the day of Luzia¡¯s engagement was approaching.


    Vivian tied up her long hair, revealing her slender fair neck. She had a pearl ne that matched her pearl hair essory, but she had no dress to wear.


    What a disaster.


    Vivian stood in front of the wardrobe in a bathrobe, feeling increasingly troubled; she had already dyed for a long time.


    jos had changed into his dark blue suit and was buttoning his cuff. ¡°You should change your clothes, Vivian,¡± he said, raising his hand to check the time on his wrist. ¡°If you change now, we¡¯ll stillhave time for lunch.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t have a suitable dress,¡± Vivian said, increasingly disheartened. ¡°They are all too small for me.¡±


    jos walked over, frowning, and encircled Vivian¡¯s waist with his hands, noticing she had gained some flesh.


    ¡°Or you could borrow one from Luzia,¡± jos suggested.


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian shook her head, having made simr attempts before. ¡°Luzia¡¯s clothes won¡¯t save me either.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs for lunch,¡± jos said, embracing Vivian and leading her downstairs. ¡°Trust me, I will arrange everything for you.¡±


    jos possessed everything in Houston, including the finest tailors. He had prepared a light blue dress of the right size for Vivian, matching his own suit.


    Upon wearing the well-fitting dress, Vivian thought she would be happy, but in reality, she wasn¡¯t. She gestured at her waist, now thicker than before by more than an inch, sinking into greater despair.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly too ugly,¡± shemented, feeling imprisoned, missing the chance to take the stage. Even her body had betrayed her, distancing herpletely from the stage.


    Perhaps she should eat less temporarily, or exercise more-running, yoga, aerobics, anything.


    ¡°There¡¯s a gym at the club, it¡¯s very safe,¡± jos stood behind her, observing his wife in the mirror. Vivian had gained some weight, but it didn¡¯t change her beauty, or perhaps¡­


    jos¡¯s gaze lingered on Vivian¡¯s chest; he felt she had be slightly more well-endowed.


    ¡°If you need, you can have Mare take you there,¡± he suggested.


    Vivian didn¡¯t refuse jos¡¯s proposal because she truly needed the gym¡¯s help to slim down to her previous weight.


    Luzia¡¯s parents¡¯ home was in a beautiful estate on the outskirts of Houston, surrounded by colorful flowers. Vivian could only name two or three varieties of the flowers; the rest were unfamiliar to her.


    Vivian found Luzia in her room; the engagement ceremony was about to begin, and Luzia had cried off her makeup, with the makeup artist trying to fix it.


    ¡°Luzia,¡± Vivian stood behind Luzia, cing her hands on her shoulders.


    Vivian looked at Luzia in the mirror, ¡°Today¡­ ¡± Vivian choked up, finally controlling her tears. ¡°You look beautiful today.¡±


    The immacte engagement dress wrapped around Luzia¡¯s slender figure. She was neither tall nor short, with a delicate waist and a slightly bulging chest. The low-cut dress tightened around her bust, exposing her captivating cleavage to the eyes of men.


    It was a well-designed low-cut mermaid dress, the form-fitting design showcasing Luzia¡¯s curves perfectly, while the narrow hem restricted her movements, forcing her to take elegant small steps.


    She is truly beautiful.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    But the beautiful princess was about to fall into the hands of a cruel beast.


    Vivian felt her heart bleeding.

 Chapter 64

    In the banquet hall, the invited guests had all arrived. Luzia had been taken away by her mother, leaving Vivian standing alone in a corner. Her gaze swept over the people drinking champagne, each face wearing a smile. They were allworking, even conducting business, oblivious to the fact that behind this engagement ceremony, a girl was about to lose her lifelong happiness.


    As one of the protagonists of the engagement banquet, Joseph was surrounded by sessful individuals, all praising andplimenting him, waiting for Vilem¡¯s arrival.


    Suddenly, Vivian remembered that she hadn¡¯t seen Vilem in a long time. Thest time she asked jos, she only knew that he was safe, but she had no idea what he had been up to.


    Vivian decided to go and greet Vilem. Just as she took a step, she saw Vilem angrily grabbing Joseph by his suit cor.


    They were quarreling!


    But why?


    Of course, Joseph wouldn¡¯t tolerate any disrespect from Vilem. He forcefully grabbed Vilem¡¯s wrist, pulling his hand down with a fierce expression, ring coldly at his brother.


    Vivian staggered. She knew Joseph truly wanted to harm Vilem. That selfish and indifferent demon didn¡¯t care about Vilem, his own brother. Vilem was going to be at a huge disadvantage.


    Vivian wanted to step forward to intervene, but jos stopped her. ¡°This is an internal struggle in Los Angeles. We can¡¯t get involved.¡±


    ¡°But they are my brothers,¡± Vivian reminded him.


    jos cruelly informed her, ¡°You are already married to me. You are now Vivian Hargrave.¡±


    Vivian was furious, but she couldn¡¯t argue with jos.


    The engagement ceremony was about to begin. Joseph let go of Vilem and headed towards Luzia, led by Luzia¡¯s parents, to announce their engagement to the attendees. Vivian heard the same enthusiastic apuse as the day of her own engagement.


    Vivian felt suffocated. She couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and turned to leave the banquet hall.


    A breeze brought a cool air, and Vivian breathed deeply, suppressing the nausea rising from her stomach.


    The banquet officially started. Gentlemen led their partners onto the dance floor, swaying to the melodious piano tunes. jos was surrounded by people discussing business and temporarily didn¡¯t notice Vivian.


    After taking two deep breaths, Vivian turned and walked out, leaving the music and lights behind.


    Luzia¡¯s parents were interesting people, emphasizing a high-quality life andfortable surroundings. They had personally arranged and designed everything in the mansion.


    Vivian particrly liked the small courtyard outside the vi. A winding path of cobblestones disappeared into knee-high flowerbeds. Artfully shaped stone formations resembled small mountains, and the sound of flowing water filled the air.


    Luzia¡¯s mother had ced a swing in the courtyard, apanied by rustic lighting.


    Vivian sat on the swing. The piano music from the banquet hall became soothing, and as she looked up at the stars, she pushed her feet, causing the swing to gently sway.


    The cool evening breeze eased her troubled mind, and Vivian began to feel calmer. However, she knew it was only temporary. Once she returned to the bright banquet hall, she would still feel sorry for Luzia.


    Suddenly, she heard rustling behind her. Someone was walking along the cobblestone path covered with small flowers. Vivian thought it might be josing for her. She kept her eyes closed and didn¡¯t move.


    But soon, she caught a scent that wasn¡¯t jos¡¯s cologne, a scent as cold as snow.


    Vivian abruptly opened her eyes and felt a push. The swing unexpectedly began to sway.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Vivian was startled and instinctively grabbed the ropes of the swing to prevent herself from being thrown off by the inertia.


    However, the swing didn¡¯t sway as violently as she had imagined. It just gently rocked back and forth, lifting her feet off the ground for only a second.


    Regardless, Vivian was genuinely frightened. She had barely managed to calm her nausea, but she couldn¡¯t think too much about it. As soon as her feet were back on the ground, she quickly jumped off.


    ¡°You really have no sense of danger, Miss Vivian.¡±


    The person behind her finally revealed herself. Vivian widened her eyes. ¡°Benoist?¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hello, Miss Vivian.¡± Shelley unceremoniously upied Vivian¡¯s spot. ¡°We meet again, not an easy feat.¡±


    ¡°Was it you who pushed me?¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t see anyone else besides Shelley.


    ¡°It¡¯s more dangerous for you to sneak out here alone,¡± imitating Vivian, Shelley gave the swing a light push. ¡°Do you know how many Bratva might be lurking around here? Their eyes are all on you, waiting for the moment when you are alone so they can capture you.¡±


    Only then did Vivian realize how improper her behavior had been. She cautiously nced around. Darkness enveloped arge area, and the tree shadows swayed in the night, resembling human figures.


    Just as Vivian felt a shiver down her spine, Shelley chuckled. Startled, Vivian red at her in embarrassment. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sneaking out as well? Aren¡¯t you afraid of Bratva?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not alone.¡± Shelley pointed behind her towards the ss door leading from the banquet hall to the courtyard. At the border between light and darkness, two tall and sturdy figures stood silently. Vivian couldn¡¯t see their faces, but she could feel their gaze directed towards them.


    ¡°They are the bodyguards my father assigned to me, to protect me and prevent me from escaping.¡±


    ¡°Escape?¡± Vivian blinked, puzzled.


    ¡°I have a brother, his name is Hanson.¡± Shelley looked up at Vivian, her tone gentle and unhurried, in stark contrast to theirst encounter. ¡°He was my father¡¯s outstanding heir, but he¡¯s dead.¡±


    The name Hanson sounded familiar to Vivian.


    ¡°My father lost his heir. Uncle Richard¡¯s family hoped John could rece my brother as the new heir of the Benoist family.¡±


    Vivian was bewildered. How did this rte to her?


    ¡°That¡­ ¡± Shelley continued, ¡°my father won¡¯t allow that. Uncle Richard has always wanted to rece my father as the head of the Benoist family. Once John bes the heir, my father will lose absolute control over the Benoist family.¡±


    It was inevitable. Those who have tasted power would never easily let go, especially those who have fallen from grace never had a good ending.


    ¡°I heard that¡­¡± Vivian nervously fidgeted, ¡°John was sent back to Ennd. He didn¡¯t be the heir of the Benoist family.¡±


    Of course, this information was from her inquiry with Vilem, who also heard it, but it wasn¡¯t confirmed. However, judging from Shelley¡¯s expression, Vivian thought that perhaps Vilem¡¯s information was urate.


    Indeed, John had been sent back to Ennd by Shelley¡¯s father-so as not to let John take away his power.


    ¡°My brother is dead, and my father only has me, a daughter. But I am not the heir of my father.¡±

 Chapter 65

    Vivian was not surprised at all. In the tradition of the Mafia, unlike boys who were born as natural fighters, girls were merely tools for their families to form alliances. Girls could be gifts from the family to anyone, except they couldn¡¯t be the heirs of their fathers.


    ¡°It¡¯s so unfair!¡± Vivian clenched her fists, but she was helpless about it.


    Feeling the same injustice and also clenching her fists was Shelley. ¡°My father has chosen a husband for me, Festus of the Roscente family.¡±


    Luzia once joked that her father would marry her off to a sixty-year-old man from the Roscente family. Unfortunately, she turned out to be right. Fortunately, Festus was 29 this year, still thirty years away from sixty.


    But Shelley couldn¡¯t be happy. ¡°Father said our first son will be his heir, and the Roscente family, including Festus himself, has agreed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Everyone can be my father¡¯s heir, why can¡¯t I?¡± Shelley gritted her teeth, growling softly. She was unwilling. ¡°For the sake of my father¡¯s heir, I have to marry a man I don¡¯t love. I refuse. I won¡¯t!¡±


    Vivian saw the redness in her eyes, her straight lips bitten by her own teeth, a drop of blood oozing out.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t quite describe what she was feeling. She knew that Shelley liked jos, but she married jos, and Shelley lost the chance to be with her beloved.


    Deep down, Vivian felt a mix ofplexity and sadness, but she was not sorry at all. If she had a choice, she wouldn¡¯t want to marry jos like a gift sent out by her father.


    At that moment, Vivian smelled a simr scent of sorrow from Shelley.


    ¡°Because we are girls,¡± Vivian handed the answer she had received to Shelley.


    ¡°No.¡± Shelley shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡°Being girls is not our fault, not being recognized as heirs by our fathers is not our fault. The fault lies with the rules of this world.¡±


    ¡°Girls can only be tools for alliances, used by fathers and brothers to ingratiate themselves with other families. This is wrong!¡± Shelley suddenly stood up, tightly gripping Vivian¡¯s hand. ¡°Boys can, why can¡¯t we?¡±


    Shelley¡¯s actions startled Vivian, causing her to take a step back involuntarily. Her hand trembled slightly, and her voice followed suit. ¡°Can¡¯t what?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we be heirs?¡± Shelley asked decisively, not waiting for Vivian¡¯s weak response. She gave herself a firm answer. ¡°Girls can also wield power, girls can also determine the life and death of others!¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± This idea was too crazy. Vivian looked at Shelley as if she were looking at a madwoman. ¡°The rules of the Mafia cannot be broken.¡±


    ¡°Nothing is unbreakable,¡± Shelley held tightly to Vivian¡¯s hand. ¡°Let us together¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian shook off Shelley¡¯s hand. She did it too forcefully and felt a wave of dizziness, a nauseating feeling rising up. ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hate it?¡± Shelley approached her. ¡°Being sent to marry in Houston like an object by Bryson, being possessed like private property by jos, being imprisoned and crippled like a bird in a cage, never to be free in life. Are you really okay with that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you friends with Luzia? Have you seen her tears?¡± Shelley¡¯s questions forced Vivian to keep backing away. ¡°Six years ago, for the control of the Houston port, Luzia was given to Paavo by her uncle Kamden. She lost the chance to marry John. Today, she has been given to your brother Joseph by her cousin jos. Do you not understand how miserable her life will be from now on? Don¡¯t you want to save her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too hard!¡± Vivian held onto the swing set, struggling to endure the rising nausea in her stomach. ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about how naive your words are? Who are we? We are girls, abandoned by our families from birth. We have no money, no power, no followers. If we were to leave the protection of the family, the Bratva would kidnap us and use us to extort our families.¡±


    ¡°And the boys? They are raised as heirs from childhood, the family teaches them to fight, teaches them business. They have guns, power, and numerous followers. They could easily kill us with a snap of their fingers.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Shelley stared at Vivian, her chest heaving violently, seemingly not yet free from her earlier frenzy. But Vivian¡¯s words did seed in pouring cold water on her, forcing her to calm down a bit.


    Vivian clutched her chest, not wanting to stay with Shelleyanymore. She felt a slight ache in her lower abdomen.


    Was she about to have her period?


    Vivian froze, suddenly realizing something terrifying.


    It had been over two months since she married jos, and she hadn¡¯t had a period. Was it a hormonal imbnce, or¡­


    No, no, no!


    Before that answer could surface, Vivian vetoed it herself, insisting it must be just a hormonal imbnce. Her periods had always been irregr, asionally causing abdominal pain.


    But did menstrual pain feel like this?


    Vivian¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of confusion. Perhaps it was dark enough not to notice, or Shelley¡¯s own emotional turmoil had preupied her, but she didn¡¯t pick up on Vivian¡¯s odd behavior.


    Vivian felt relieved that she managed topose herself quickly, leaving Shelley behind and stumbling back to the banquet hall along the cobblestone path.


    Fortunately, the abdominal pain didn¡¯tst long, which allowed Vivian to breathe a sigh of relief. However, once she rxed, her stomach, which had gone without food all night, began to grumble.


    As she walked towards the dessert table, Vivian nced around the banquet hall and noticed the absence of Joseph and Luzia. She furrowed her brow, a little worried.


    Not paying attention as she walked, Vivian bumped into jos, who had been waiting for her, and hit her forehead against his solid chest, causing a slight headache.


    Vivian¡¯s clumsy gesture pleased jos. His voice contained a smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you all night. Where did you disappear to?¡±


    ¡°You were discussing business, and I couldn¡¯t understand a word,¡± Vivianined softly as she picked up a pastry with a fork.


    Realizing how dangerous it was to be alone in the courtyard, Vivian naturally couldn¡¯t tell jos the truth. She didn¡¯t want to be scolded.


    ¡°I¡¯m very hungry, I feel like¡­¡± The greasy smell of sausages reached her, and the familiar nausea hit her hard. Vivian couldn¡¯t cover it up and immediately put her hand over her mouth, retching.


    Oh no!


    Vivian handed the te to jos and pushed through the crowd towards the restroom.


    Having hardly eaten anything that night, she only managed to bring up acidic water. Weakly leaning on the toilet, she saw stars.


    Then, a pair of strong arms reached out from behind, lifting her up and holding her close, a warm towel covering her pale face. Vivian began to recover a bit.

 Chapter 66

    ¡°What¡¯s going on with you?¡± jos¡¯ serious voice echoed above her head. ¡°You¡¯ve been like this for a long time. I¡¯m sure you need a doctor.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to go to the hospital,¡± Vivian instinctively refused, weakly leaning against jos, who helped her out of the bathroom.


    ¡°I can call a family doctor for you,¡± jos said, frowning as he looked at Vivian¡¯s pale face.


    Although calling a family doctor could solve the immediate problem, Vivian suspected that her ailment was not just a stomach issue. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was what she thought, or if jos would be able to ept such a result.


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian grit her teeth and refused again. ¡°I really just have a stomach ache. Let me rest, please. I don¡¯t want to see a doctor.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s overly obvious avoidance made jos feel anxious. He didn¡¯t understand why she resisted seeing a doctor so much. His tone became more forceful as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn, Vivian. Your health is important to me. You¡¯ve been vomiting for no reason and have had no appetite for the past two weeks. This is not a good sign. It affects my work mood.¡±


    ¡°You can pretend not to know. You can continue to ignore me. You have done that before,¡± Vivian said as she sat on the couch, this corner was quiet, and their conversation wouldn¡¯t be overheard by anyone.


    ¡°Vivian, you really have no conscience,¡± jos¡¯ expression turned grim. ¡°Don¡¯t say things that make me feel like you¡¯re being foolish again. You will bring me endless trouble.¡±


    ¡°I will have Mare take you back to the apartment, the family doctor will be here soon, and he will give you a detailed physical examination. You have to be healthy, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to,¡± Vivian abruptly stood up, her vision went dark, and she fell back down.


    This is really terrible.


    Vivian thought to herself, she couldn¡¯t control her own body at all. Showing weakness in front of jos was not good behavior. He would demand even more strongly that she see a doctor, and even force her to go to the hospital. Then, nothing could be hidden.


    If it¡¯s just a stomach problem, thank goodness. But what if it¡¯s really pregnancy? Would jos be happy? Or would he be very angry? Would he be willing to keep this child?


    Just thinking about it made Vivian feel suffocated.


    She was in a loveless marriage, jos treated her with coldness and indifference. She was lonely and lived in a splendid prison, perhaps never to be free in her lifetime.


    Would her child be like her? Would jos, like her father Bryson, provide their children with exquisite material life, fulfill all their material needs, send her to a private girls¡¯ high school, teach her etiquette, teach her to be ady, and turn her into the perfect creation.


    And one day, when the family needed it, give her to an heir of a certain family, make her another Vivian, or even another Luzia.


    Heaven, this is too terrible.


    Vivian hugged herself tightly, shivering on the couch.


    Just then, a pair of soft hands touched her cheek, wiping away her tears, and Vivian was embraced in a warm, rose-scented hug.


    ¡°Darling, don¡¯t be afraid, everything is okay now,¡± the woman¡¯s hand reached Vivian¡¯s back, gently stroking her spine until she felt Vivian¡¯s tense body gradually rx, and then she sighed in relief.


    ¡°Tell me, okay, darling?¡± Mrs. Yazmin let Vivian lean against her, stroking her golden hair. ¡°Is jos bullying you?¡±


    Vivian broke free from the terrible imagination. She broke out in a cold sweat on her back, and fear made her limbs feel weak. She could only slump in Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s arms and sob softly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me why?¡± Mrs. Yazmin was a gentle person. When she softened her voice, speaking softly and slowly, it unconsciously rxed the nerves and lowered the guard.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m scared,¡± Vivian whispered. She was afraid of being pregnant, afraid that jos didn¡¯t want this child, and even more afraid of giving birth to a girl, repeating her own tragic fate.


    A girl born into the mafia, her fate had excluded any possibility of luck from the start.


    ¡°But your body is ufortable, and jos is very worried about you,¡± Mrs. Yazmin said. Clearly, Mrs. Yazmin was the mediator jos had brought in. ¡°The doctor can relieve your pain.¡±


    Vivian just shook her head, crying. The option of seeing a doctor made her veryresistant. It was a form of evasion.


    Vivian was well aware that this behavior would eventually raise suspicions from jos. Once those suspicions deepened, jos would undoubtedlypel the family doctor to diagnose her condition, and sooner orter, he would know that it wasn¡¯t just a stomach ailment, but a pregnancy.


    But Vivian no longer wanted to consider the consequences. She just wanted to bury her head in the sand like an ostrich, to escape for another day.


    Perhaps Vivian had be too resistant, her emotions too agitated, her sadness infecting Mrs. Yazmin.


    Mrs. Yazmin couldn¡¯t bear it. She said to jos, ¡°Why not just let it be? Have Haylee pay more attention and make some nutritious meals for her stomach. Cook some of her favorite dishes.¡±


    jos didn¡¯t seem entirely in agreement, but because Mrs. Yazmin was his aunt, he couldn¡¯t lose his temper.


    ¡°Stomach problems can¡¯t be solved with medication. It mostly requires gradual care,¡± Mrs. Yazmin said. ¡°I heard she¡¯s good friends with Luzia? Luzia is about to marry her brother and move to Los Angeles. It¡¯s truly a sad thing to be separated from a good friend. Give her some time to recover.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times, jos,¡± Mrs. Yazmin said emphatically, ¡°Vivian is your wife. You mustn¡¯t treat your wife with rudeness and brutality. You need to be gentle, attentive, and soothing. Instead of ming her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not a porcin doll, Aunt,¡± jos pressed his aching temple. He was willing to listen to the advice of his elders, but he was not willing to change. A change in attitude would only prove his weakness. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be so fragile.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the woman of the Capo, the future mother of the Capo¡¯s heir. She has many dangerous enemies around her. She needs to discard her sensitivity and naivety and be strong.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll protect her, won¡¯t you?¡± Mrs. Yazmin looked at him.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s my wife, my family. I will do everything to protect her, to take care of her,¡± jos said wearily, closing his eyes. ¡°But, Aunt, a person¡¯s energy is limited. The Capo is not a god; he also has moments of weakness, moments of negligence.¡±


    ¡°Like my father Kamden, he was too powerful and too arrogant. He forever lost my mother,¡± jos¡¯ expression was full of grief. ¡°I don¡¯t want Vivian to repeat my mother¡¯s fate.¡±


    As jos spoke, Mrs. Yazmin was drawn into her own sorrowful memories. She too teared up, and she embraced jos, ¡°My poor child, may God bless you both.¡±

 Chapter 67

    Vivian didn¡¯t know how Mrs. Yazmin had negotiated with jos, but when she returned to the apartment that day, jos indeed did not bring a family doctor to examine her, nor did he insist on her going to the hospital for a check-up, which made Vivian feel considerably relieved.


    At the same time, in the uncertain situation of her possible pregnancy, Vivian began to behave more cautiously. She was no longer enthusiastic about shopping, nor did she schedule any more massages. Instead, she spent more time lounging on the living room sofa watching TV or hiding in her room reading.


    Her life moved forward calmly, except for the increasingly severe morning sickness she experienced every day. But she was grateful that jos always left before she woke up.


    On the second day of the engagement ceremony, Vivian overslept a bit, feeling tired. She lingered in bed for a while before getting up to freshen up.


    Haylee had already prepared breakfast for her. As per jos¡¯s request, today¡¯s breakfast consisted of a bacon and egg sandwich, a fruit and vegetable sd, and a cup of hot milk.


    The moment Vivian picked up the hot milk, she regretted it. She rushed to the bathroom, vomiting for three minutes amidst Haylee¡¯s exmation and Mare¡¯s furrowed brow.


    Mare, arms crossed, stood at the bathroom door, expressionless, and told her, ¡°I will tell jos.¡±


    Mare¡¯s surveince and the difort in her stomach made Vivian furious. She tossed the towel into the basin, staring with her blue eyes wide open, ¡°Speak up. What do you have that you don¡¯t report to jos?¡±


    Vivian asked Haylee to take away the milk; she didn¡¯t like drinking it now.


    Vivian angrily jabbed at the strawberries in the sd with her fork. Just then, the elevator ¡°dinged,¡± and Vivian saw someone she didn¡¯t expect.


    ¡°Luzia!¡± Vivian¡¯s face lit up with surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, Vivian,¡± Luzia said, her voice slightly choked up, as she embraced Vivian.


    Vivian felt a twinge of unease; her surprise faded instantly.


    ¡°Have you had breakfast?¡±


    Luzia nodded.


    Vivian silently scrutinized Luzia, ensuring her face was unharmed. Only then did she rx a bit, pulling Luzia to sit on the sofa. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Luzia¡¯s tears began to fall instantly. ¡°I¡­¡±


    After crying for a while, Luzia continued, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She was lying.


    Vivian¡¯s heart sank. ¡°He hit you, didn¡¯t he? That jerk, Joseph!¡±


    Vivian cursed her brother in her mind, unable to fathom how he could do this, especially on the second day of her engagement.


    Luzia dabbed at her eyes with several tissues, pressing them against her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s a brute,¡± she said softly, crying. Vivian keenly sensed the truth from her tears. She took Luzia upstairs, evading Mare¡¯s gaze.


    Vivian reached out, pulling down Luzia¡¯s cor. There were still bruises on Luzia¡¯s corbone, along with other marks.


    Vivian trembled with heartache. Instinctively fearful and unable to control herself, she rolled up Luzia¡¯s sleeves and lifted the hem of her shirt¡­ Vivian¡¯s tears fell before she could clearly see those distressing scars.


    Luzia¡¯s fair, wless skin was covered in bruises, with clear finger marks around her slim waist, indicating how intense the encounter had been. Vivian could even imagine the ferocious expression on Joseph¡¯s face as he violently assaulted Luzia.


    Vivian shook with rage because the most dreadful thing wasn¡¯t the traces of their intimacy on Luzia but the savage wounds amid those bruises. They were from a belt, long and swollen, some even oozing blood.


    How much pain that must have caused.


    ¡°Damn it! Damn it!¡± Vivian was like a trapped beast, her hoarse cries subdued, her tears falling on Luzia¡¯s hand, mingling with Luzia¡¯s tears. ¡°How could he do this to you? How could he!¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not his first,¡± Luzia said, wiping her tears. ¡°Giving a man a woman¡¯s virginity is something he can boast about. It earns him the envious and admiring gazes of men, giving his hypocritical heart immense satisfaction.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not. I gave my virginity to my first husband, Paavo. I can¡¯t fulfill Joseph¡¯s vanity, and that¡¯s a shame to him.¡±


    Luzia covered her face with her hands, crying, her fear palpable. ¡°Last night, he forced his way intomy room. My parents couldn¡¯t stop his savagery. He pounced on me like a wild animal, tore my clothes, positioned me as he liked, and forced himself on me. He even made me perform oral sex on him.¡±


    ¡°Whenever I resisted, he choked me, whipped me with a belt. I couldn¡¯t escape. I¡¯m going to die, Vivian,¡± Luzia cried, embracing Vivian and wailing loudly. Vivian had never seen her cry so loudly and painfully, as if this was her only chance to vent, and from then on, she would be forever trapped in darkness, unable to find release.


    ¡°He knows I¡¯m not his first. He hung me up and beat me, making me admit that I¡¯m a whore, a slut. He¡¯s humiliating me. I¡¯m not his wife; I¡¯m just a tool for his carnal desires. What should I do, Vivian?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t think of anything helpful. The news of Houston and Los Angeles¡¯s union had already been released, and the wedding was set for next month. Regardless of whether jos would worry about Luzia and send someone to monitor her, Joseph wouldn¡¯t give her much freedom.


    Luzia was already trapped.


    From the depths of her heart, Vivian felt sorrow.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Both she and Luzia were the closest rtives of the Capo family. They were the highest-ranking women in the mafia, able to enjoy the family¡¯s wealth, live in luxurious mansions, and frequent high-end restaurants and spas.


    But they were not happy because theycked freedom.


    They were the family¡¯s gifts, the husbands¡¯ captives.


    Luzia cried fiercely, and Vivian cried with her, their sobs loud and desperate. Mare stood silently outside the room, leaning against the wall, gazing into the void for a long, long time.


    After what seemed like an eternity, the room door clicked open.


    Mare snapped out of his thoughts.


    It was Vivian.


    Vivian hadn¡¯t expected Mare to be standing here. Her eyes swollen, she stared at Mare for a while.


    Mare opened his mouth to say something but ultimately remained silent.


    Vivian¡¯s voice was hoarse from crying. ¡°Do you have a first aid kit?¡±


    Luzia¡¯s wounds looked terrifying and needed attention.


    Mare nodded silently and turned to leave the room. Soon, he returned with a first aid kit and even prepared ice packs for her eyes.


    ¡°I can handle this,¡± Vivian said, taking the items and blocking Mare¡¯s path. ¡°I learned some medical first aid at a private girls¡¯ high school. My instructor was an excellent doctor. You can trust me.¡±


    ¡°Youing in won¡¯t be convenient.¡±


    Indeed, Luzia was now Joseph¡¯s fiancee.


    Just as Luzia feared Mare¡¯s punishment, Mare also didn¡¯t want Luzia to suffer because of him. So, he obediently nodded and took a step back.


    Vivian closed the door, and Mare leaned against the wall, continuing to stand at the door in silence, asionally hearing the muffled conversation between Vivian and Luzia inside the bedroom.

 Chapter 68

    When Vivian and Luzia emerged from the room again, an hour had already passed. Haylee was about to start preparing lunch, but they were getting ready to leave.


    ¡°Will you be back for dinner?¡± Haylee stood at the door with a spat, watching Vivian change her shoes.


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Vivian nced at Luzia. ¡°We need to go to Nirupama¡¯s bridal shop to buy a wedding dress; it might take a while¡­¡±


    Haylee nodded, indicating understanding. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare supper then.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Haylee.¡± Vivian waved at her and then turned to walk into the elevator with Luzia and Mare.


    There was a car waiting downstairs, driven by Diego as usual. Diego was very familiar with Nirupama¡¯s bridal shop. He silently drove the car, with Mare sitting in the front passenger seat and Vivian and Luzia in the back, sitting close, their arms touching, as if in this way they could findfort from each other¡¯s presence.


    ¡°The weather is lovely today, Luzia,¡± Vivian said, looking through the car window at the blue sky and sunshine. ¡°Try to be happy, okay?¡±


    ¡°I feel okay now,¡± Luzia smiled back at Vivian, her smile weak and listless, her light brown eyes dull.


    Vivian felt very sad; she missed Luzia¡¯s radiant smile, now gone. It¡¯s all Joseph¡¯s fault, that dreadful demon; he ruined Luzia!


    Nirupama still showed her warmth to Vivian and Luzia.


    ¡°I heard from Catlito that you¡¯re getting married? Who is the lucky person to have you? I can¡¯t wait to meet him,¡± Nirupama hugged Luzia. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you; I have some new designs, you¡¯ll love them.¡±


    ¡°You can wait here, Vivian,¡± Nirupama led Vivian to the lounge area, where there was arge sofa and a single sofa, both soft andfortable, almost like being enveloped in cotton. In front of the sofas was a round wooden table with fruits and cookies. Nirupama poured tea for Vivian.


    ¡°You look much better than thest time we met,¡± Nirupama squinted and smiled at her. ¡°It seems our Capo knows how to take care of his wife, that¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    Vivian shyly smiled. She couldn¡¯t confide her pain in Nirupama, but Nirupama¡¯s kind smile reminded her of her mother back in Los Angeles.


    It had been a long time since she had spoken to her mother. The staff at the Los Angeles mansion had been evasive, or her mother had been avoiding her. Whenever she called, she couldn¡¯t reach her mother.


    Worrying about her mother led to anxiety, and Vivian felt an inexplicable unease. Maybe she should ask Joseph, he had recentlye from Los Angeles¡­


    No. Vivian immediately dismissed the thought. Her intuition told her that directly asking Joseph was not a good idea; he wouldn¡¯t tell her the truth about her mother and would ridicule and scold her, telling her to mind her own business.


    Goodness, just the thought of Joseph¡¯s detestable face made Vivian choke.


    But apart from Joseph, Vivian couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who could help her find out about her mother¡¯s current situation. Making more calls back home would likely yield the same result.


    Vivian knew without guessing that her father, for some reason, did not want her to contact her mother. She couldn¡¯t figure out whether her father was worried that her mother might reveal the secrets of Los Angeles out of concern for her daughter¡¯s well-being, or simply felt that after her marriage, she would have no more ties to the Jones family.


    Who else could help her?N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Vivian thought of one person, her brother Vilem.


    While Vivian was contemting her next move, Luzia had already been taken by Nirupama to the dressing room to choose a wedding dress. Nirupama had prepared three wedding dresses for Luzia, each an exclusive creation of a renowned designer, handcrafted by an Italian master tailor, the epitome of luxury.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always hoped for your happiness,¡± Nirupama smiled, her chubby face showing genuine blessings for Luzia.


    Unfortunately, I¡¯m about to disappoint you. While moved by Nirupama¡¯s blessing, Luzia felt sad, her eyes downcast, her hands gently touching the pure white wedding dress, but her heart couldn¡¯t soften.


    She knew Joseph wasn¡¯t a good husband; she was destined to never feel an ounce of happiness with him. She had a premonition that one day she would die at Joseph¡¯s hands.


    She wanted to escape.


    But she couldn¡¯t.


    This marriage was an important coboration between Houston and Los Angeles. If she fled, it would lead to war between the two cities, and vulnerable Houston would suffer once again, with many people dying.


    Luzia didn¡¯t want to die; she wanted to live.


    Nirupama was the best bridal designer Luzia had ever met. Her designs were not only innovative but also exceptionally perceptive. Any gown that came out of her shop, whether personally designed by her or handpicked by her, was adored by Luzia.


    This time was no exception.


    Her gaze lingered for a long time on a low-cut, waist-huggingce wedding gown with a voluminous, bejeweled skirt, reminiscent of the grandeur of ancient European royal gowns. It was a dress that would captivate any girl.


    Yet Luzia just stood there, gazing at it, caressing the pure white skirt, showing no intention of trying it on.


    Vivian approached her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Luzia shook her head.


    Vivian and Nirupama exchanged a puzzled nce. ¡°Why not? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Vivian could sense that Luzia did like it.


    Nirupama pulled out another gown from a different rack, all of them pure white. ¡°You can take a look at this one. But I believe the one you have on is more beautiful and suits you better.¡±


    Still, Luzia shook her head, hesitating as she looked at Nirupama. ¡°Do you have an off-white wedding dress or a light gray one?¡±


    Vivian widened her eyes, watching Luzia; she couldn¡¯t understand Luzia¡¯s thoughts. ¡°No bride dislikes a pure white wedding dress, Luzia.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I admit what you said is right.¡± Luzia turned her head away; she couldn¡¯t look Vivian in the eyes, fearing she might start to cry. ¡°But I need a dress that is not pure white.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Vivian barely got the question out before she guessed the answer. ¡°Is it Joseph? Did he request it?¡±


    Luzia¡¯s face turned pale.


    Vivian knew she had guessed correctly; she cursed that jerk through clenched teeth. ¡°What is he doing? This is his wedding, and he¡¯s asking his bride to wear an off-white or light gray wedding dress?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s humiliating someone. What a jerk!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he likes those colors,¡± Luzia forced a smile, trying to find a reasonable exnation for Joseph¡¯s unreasonable request.


    But they both knew the real reason Joseph was doing this- to subdue Luzia, with his violence and targeted humiliation.


    Vivian sighed deeply in her heart; the only thing she could do was ept Luzia¡¯s exnation, to spare her from further embarrassment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never tried such a color, but maybe off-white will unexpectedly look good,¡± Vivian turned to Nirupama. ¡°Can you design a beautiful wedding dress for Luzia in off-white?¡±

 Chapter 69

    Nirupama looked puzzled, but tactfully didn¡¯t inquire further, ¡°When do you need it?¡±


    ¡°Next month,¡± Vivian stated the wedding date.


    It was a tight schedule, but for Luzia¡¯s wedding, Nirupama agreed, ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Nirupama,¡± Luzia embraced Nirupama, expressing her gratitude.


    While Nirupama was taking measurements for Luzia, Vivian nned to take Luzia shopping and find some entertainment.


    Of course, Vivian was not very familiar with Houston, the ces she knew best were the ones Luzia had taken her to. Now it was her turn to take Luzia to find some joy.


    Vivian chuckled self-deprecatingly and pulled out her phone to book a beauty treatment for Luzia. Of course, limited to facial treatment only, as she was not ready to undress in front of a masseuse.


    Just as Vivian was selecting a suitable package, the ss door of the bridal shop was violently pushed open, the bell at the door rang frantically, startling even Nirupama.


    She looked up from her measuring notebook, screaming as she looked at the two tall men who had suddenly barged in, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Nirupama rushed out like a mother hen to stand in front of Luzia, but her protection was feeble, so Mare stepped in front of her and pulled out his gun, ¡°Get out!¡±


    The two men were tall and strong, standing together like mountains. They were both dressed in ck suits and white shirts, expressionless and unafraid as they stared down the barrel of Mare¡¯s gun.


    Soon, their gaze passed beyond Mare and fell on Luzia at the back.


    One of them said, ¡°We are Mr. Joseph¡¯s bodyguards, here to take Miss Luzia home at hismand.¡±


    Just hearing Joseph¡¯s name made Luzia tremble uncontrobly.


    Vivian looked at her anxiously, lightly squeezing her shoulder to help her rx.


    Mare tightened his grip on his gun, ¡°I can¡¯t verify your identity.¡±


    The bodyguard frowned, ¡°Miss Luzia has seen us.¡±


    This person was not wrong, Luzia had indeed seen them. It wasst night when Joseph barged into her room and assaulted her, they had stopped her parents and stood guard outside her room the whole night.


    Luzia was certain, all her crying, screaming, and pleading fromst night, they had heard it all, but no one could save her.


    Just like now, she had to go with them, to Joseph¡¯s side, to ept her fate.


    Luzia was about to confirm their identity when Mare threw his gun, tensing his muscles and clenching his fists, pouncing like a fierce lion, his fistnding with a heavy thud.


    The scene immediately descended into chaos, three women involuntarily screamed, expressing their maximum shock and horror at this sudden physical altercation.


    Vivian hadn¡¯t expected Mare to be so fierce. Nervously and excitedly, she clenched her fists, egging Mare on. It was impossible for her to hit Joseph, and she didn¡¯t dare. But taking it out on Joseph¡¯s bodyguards was a satisfying outlet.


    At the same time, Vivian was very aware of the reason for Mare¡¯s sudden outburst. She nced sideways at Luzia, who looked tense and worried, and her heart sank.


    Luzia and Mare¡­


    She lowered her eyes sadly.


    With a loud crash, one of the men twisted the ss door into a tangled mess with a kick, Nirupama¡¯s scream almost pierced the eardrums of everyone present, and the entire bridal shop was thrown into chaos.


    Finally, Simpson personally brought people to stop them. In the scuffle, Simpson identally took a punch, and his mouth quickly swelled.


    He angrily pulled out his MPT-12, stabbing the palm of one of the bodyguards, and the pig-like screams ended this chaotic melee.


    ¡°You need to reflect on this, Mare,¡± Simpson wiped his mouth, the sharp pain making him hiss, ¡°jos will demand you pay the price.¡±


    Simpson stared coldly at Mare, as if trying to see the regret after the impulse from Mare¡¯s face, but Mare, with an expressionless face, epted Simpson¡¯s scrutiny, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps our Capo needs to talk to Joseph again, about how to restrain his henchmen from running amok in Houston like mad dogs,¡± Simpson said, not allowing the two bodyguards to take Luzia away, ¡°My dear cousin, would you honor me with your presence for dinner?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Luzia wiped away her tears.


    Simpson couldn¡¯t stop Joseph from taking Luzia away, the dinner was just a dy, after jos and Joseph finished their business and came over, Luzia still had to leave with Joseph.


    The night wind made Vivian shiver, she watched the car carrying Joseph and Luzia disappear into the night, her worry for Luzia weighing heavily on her heart.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop him?¡± Vivian questioned jos.


    ¡°No one can stop him from taking his fiancee.¡± Facing Vivian¡¯s inquiry, jos sounded weary as he pinched the bridge of his nose, ¡°It¡¯s his right.¡±


    ¡°Is a man¡¯s right to violently assault his fiancee?¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Why can¡¯t you look at the injuries on her body?¡±


    ¡°This has nothing to do with us, Vivian,¡± jos said.


    ¡°What?¡± Vivian looked at him in disbelief, ¡°But she¡¯s Luzia, she¡¯s your cousin!¡±


    ¡°And then what? Can it change anything?¡± jos¡¯ face darkened, his tone growing heavier as he spoke to Vivian, ¡°Their wedding is in a month. My interference would only make things worse. If there are any changes to the wedding because of it, it would be a disaster for the cooperation between Houston and Los Angeles. It would be a war between two cities, do you understand, Vivian?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Put away your ridiculous sympathy, you can¡¯t do anything,¡± jos angrily ushered Vivian into the car, and Diego drove them back to the apartment.


    Haylee had already returned home, Luzia wouldn¡¯t being back here, and the apartment felt empty.


    Vivian wearily slipped off her round-toe ts, no longer attempting to argue with jos, and she changed into slippers before heading upstairs.


    She took off her chiffon blouse and jeans, then walked into the bathroom bare, turning on the shower.


    She needed a hot, soothing shower to rx her muscles and dispel the chill creeping from her bones.


    Blinking her tired, sore eyes in the warm water, she tasted the saltiness  why was the water salty?


    Vivian realized she was hungry again.


    Stepping out of the bathroom, Vivian heard her stomach growl  despite having eaten dinner not long ago.


    Lately, she always felt hungry, her appetite increasing at mealtimes, and she found herself snackingte at night. She felt sure her weight had increased.


    Was she really pregnant?


    Vivian felt the need to confirm as soon as possible, but it would have to wait until Joseph returned to Los Angeles.


    Vivian had a hunch that she had to keep her pregnancy a secret from Joseph.


    Vivian went downstairs to look for something to eat, finding both jos and Mare absent, with only Simpson rummaging through the medicine cab in the living room.


    At the sight of Vivian, Simpson breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Just in time, help me with this ointment.¡±


    ¡°But your hand isn¡¯t injured.¡±

 Chapter 70

    ¡°At any rate, it was because of your bodyguard¡¯s mistake,¡± Simpsony sprawled on the sofa, refusing to move.


    Vivian pursed her lips butpromised and walked over. She rummaged through the medical kit, pulling out iodine and cotton swabs. ¡°Will Mare be punished?¡±


    ¡°Of course, hiss¡­¡± Simpson winced, ¡°be gentle.¡±


    Vivian nced at him, puzzled.


    Simpson asked, ¡°What¡¯s that expression for?¡±


    ¡°I thought none of you were afraid of pain,¡± Vivian said. After all, being in the mafia was like eating and killing, getting hurt was habitual.


    Despite her words, Vivian eased her touch.


    ¡°Frequent injuries don¡¯t make one immune to pain,¡± Simpson found Vivian¡¯s logic strange.


    After disinfecting the wound, Vivian lowered her head to rummage through the medical kit again. ¡°What kind of punishment will Mare face?¡±


    Simpson, squinting in pain, watched Vivian working closely on his injury. She was focused and serious, as if in her eyes, nothing else mattered more than the bruise before her.


    Focusing too closely can strain the eyes, so Simpson simply closed his.


    ¡°You seem to care a lot about Mare,¡± he said.


    Vivian paused, realizing her concern was indeed improper¡­ she couldn¡¯t exin Luzia and Mare¡¯s rtionship.


    ¡°Because,¡± Vivian hesitated, ¡°Mare is my bodyguard, responsible for my safety.¡±


    Vivian said, ¡°I need to know about any changes around me to ensure my safety.¡±


    Simpson seemed to ept her reasoning, nodding. ¡°jos will punish him for his actions today. It could be a pay cut, a transfer, a beating, or even expulsion.¡±


    ¡°Expulsion?¡± Vivian hadn¡¯t expected the consequences to be so severe. Shocked, her hand slipped, pressing the medicated cotton directly onto Simpson¡¯s wound.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Simpson cried out in pain, almost jumping up. ¡°Do you have a grudge against me?¡±


    Simpson¡¯s voice changed with the pain.


    Vivian was startled too. She quickly moved away from him-she feared being hit.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± Vivian apologized, genuinely not intending harm.


    Simpson was in agony but couldn¡¯t physically retaliate. He slumped back onto the sofa.


    The sofa was filled with sponge, soft and stic. When he sat heavily, his body bounced upward twice.


    Simpson¡¯s mouth felt numb.


    Vivian probably never expected that the medical kit in the apartment would be used so frequently.


    She looked at Mare¡¯s back, covered in welts and blood. ¡°Did jos do this?¡±


    The intense smell of blood permeated the room, making Vivian feel unwell. The nausea rose within her, her legs giving way.


    ¡°How can I help you?¡± Vivian held onto the doorframe, struggling not to copse.


    ¡°Thank you, I can manage,¡± Mare said, opening the medical kit and pouring disinfectant on his back.


    The pungent smell of the disinfectant made Vivian cover her mouth and rush out of Mare¡¯s room.


    ¡°Oh, Vivian?¡± It was jos¡¯s family doctor, Felise. ¡°Our Capo told me you¡¯re not feeling well, but you¡¯ve been reluctant to let me check on you.¡±


    Felise followed Vivian to the bedroom door but stayed outside, listening to the sounds of retchinging from the bathroom.


    Felise frowned. ording to jos¡¯s description, Vivian had been in this state for some time, with frequent vomiting, increased appetite, and lethargy.


    Before Felise could gather her thoughts, Vivian recovered. Sshing cold water on her face, she regained someposure.


    ¡°Perhaps you should go to the hospital for a check-up,¡± Felise suggested professionally. ¡°I think you might¡­¡±


    ¡°Felise!¡± Vivian interrupted loudly, forcing down her erratic heartbeat. ¡°Mare¡¯s situation is very bad. Can you please check on him first?¡±


    ¡°You can rest assured, Mare is in great shape. A few welts are nothing to him,¡± Felise reassured Vivian gently.


    Felise, being a careful and perceptive family doctor, previously had a very friendly rtionship with Vivian and had a certain understanding of her.


    Through Felise¡¯s observations, she could sense that Vivian had some understanding of her own physical condition and was somewhat averse to it.


    As a doctor, Felise couldn¡¯t force her patient to do anything against her will, so she decided to pause that topic and ept Vivian¡¯s suggestion to check on Mare first.


    ¡°You need to rest. It¡¯s past midnight, you should be in bed asleep,¡± before leaving, Felise reminded her worriedly, ¡°It¡¯s cold at night, you should wear a coat. It would be troublesome if you catch a cold-I mean, the flu is rampant, and it will exhaust you mentallyand physically.¡±


    ¡°Maintain bnced nutrition with three meals a day, eat less snacks, consume protein-rich food, and eat plenty of vegetables and fruits.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I understand¡­¡± Felise¡¯s advice hit Vivian hard. Was she really pregnant? Vivian was grateful that Felise didn¡¯t reveal the result right away.


    Let¡¯s wait a bit longer, Vivian thought.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know when Felise left. By that time, she must have been lying in her warm andfortable bed in the bedroom, and when she woke up, the day was already bright.


    jos hadn¡¯t returned all night.


    Mare was up early. Vivian suspected he hadn¡¯t slept at allst night, given the appearance of two new bruises on his skin, something she hadn¡¯t seen before.


    But thankfully, he seemed in good spirits, eating breakfast naturally with a knife and fork. His muscr upper body was concealed in a ck sweatshirt, not revealing any of the marks on his back.


    Mare seemed alright, and Vivian was relieved. She had been in Houston for a while, and besides Luzia, Mare had been the one who had been with her the longest. With Luzia about to leave for Los Angeles, if Mare was also to be transferred due to a mistake, she would truly be alone.


    A sudden and strong feeling of loneliness enveloped Vivian. She sat on the sofa, pulling a nket over herself securely. It seemed as if she had made a big decision before making a call.


    Soon, she heard a familiar voice on the other end of the line, but Vivian didn¡¯t feel an ounce of joy-it was the maid from the Los Angeles mansion.


    ¡°Where is my mother?¡± Vivian asked again about her mother¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°I need to speak to her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Vivian,¡± the maid¡¯s tone was polite yet distant, almost robotic. ¡°Madam is busy and unable to take your call. Do you need me to find Capo for you?¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t want to hear her father¡¯s feigned concern and stern guidance. ¡°No¡­¡±


    The maid hung up directly.


    This must have been instructed by her father!

 Chapter 71

    Vivian was so angry that she wanted to m the phone down, but she held back. She muttered curses unclearly until her pent-up frustration eased a little, then she dialed Vilem¡¯s number.


    ¡°Hey, Vivian, how have you beentely?¡± Vilem¡¯s cheerful voice came through the phone.


    They hadn¡¯t seen each other for a while. At the engagement ceremony the day before yesterday, Vivian had only caught a glimpse of Vilem in passing, and the two siblings hadn¡¯t even exchanged a single word.


    jos seemed to value Vilem a lot. Vilem was now his capable subordinate, responsible for too many important business matters. He didn¡¯t have much time to listen to his sisterment about her unhappy marriage.


    Vilem was exhausted, shuttling back and forth between different business scenes in Houston without pause-drugs, arms, smuggling-every link in the business chain involved him. The conflict between Bratva and Houston kept escting, and people were dying every day.


    The thirty people who had initiallye to Houston with Vilem had now dwindled to only seven.


    Vilem didn¡¯t know when the grim reaper woulde for him. He was prepared for death, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to tell his dear sister.


    Vilem rubbed his face harshly with the palms of his hands, deliberately controlling his emotions, using as cheerful and energetic a tone as possible to deal with his sister¡¯s uing demands, but he only had half an hour.


    He had a task today.


    A new shipment was due at the Houston port tonight, and he needed to personally go to the port to arrange the reception. In his heart, he silently prayed to God, hoping that everything would go smoothly tonight.


    ¡°Have you been in touch with Mom recently?¡± Vivian asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Vilem inquired.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Vivian emphasized, ¡°I can¡¯t find her.¡±


    Vilem, being a boy, was not as attached to his mother as Vivian was, and he checked in with his mother in Los Angeles regrly, but not as clingingly as Vivian, who hoped her mother would consider her in everything. But Vivian said she couldn¡¯t find their mother?


    While puzzled, Vilem also felt a hint of unease.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for her,¡± Vivian said. ¡°Since the wedding, I¡¯ve been trying to reach her, but she hasn¡¯t answered the calls to the mansion. The servants said she was busy, constantly busy.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s speech sped up, carrying an anxious urgency.


    Vilem¡¯s heart sank. He realized that he might not have contacted his mother for a long time. His father¡¯s calls were frequent, inquiring about his safety, the situation in Houston, and jos¡¯s deployment. His father¡¯s calls never mentioned Los Angeles, let alone their mother.


    ¡°Have you asked Joseph?¡± Vilem asked, but he immediately negated his own question. Vivian would not actively seek Joseph¡¯s input on their mother¡¯s situation, and even if she did, Joseph would never easily give her an answer.


    As expected, Vivian said, ¡°No, he wouldn¡¯t tell me anything. It¡¯s pointless to ask him.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Vilem¡¯s tone became somber. He acted veryposed, just to reassure Vivian. ¡°I will inquire, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Vilem,¡± just as Vilem was about to hang up the phone, Vivian called out softly, with a mix of fear of the unknown truth and hope for ast straw, ¡°Mom will be okay, won¡¯t she?¡±


    Vilem fell silent for a while.


    Honestly, he had been away from Los Angeles for too long. So long that his father had ced all his hopes on Joseph. He had been away for so long that his traces within the Los Angeles mafia could be erased. He had no connections or informants in Los Angeles. Just like how he had no idea that their mother had disappeared from Vivian¡¯s life a long time ago.


    Vivian¡¯s sobbing came through the phone, and Vilem realized that he had been silent for too long. ¡°She will be fine, Vivian. Perhaps, Mom is just too busy.¡±


    Vilem¡¯s gaze drifted, the wind tousling his hair. ¡°Father intends to have Joseph take over as Capo after the wedding. This will lead to a lot of trouble, and Mother certainly needs to make some preparations. It¡¯s normal¡­¡±


    His father never allowed their mother to be involved in the mafia¡¯s internal matters. Vilem didn¡¯t know why their mother would be so busy when Joseph was to inherit the Capo position. She was so busy that she could forget about her poor daughter who neededfort.


    But Vilem could only say this, even if it was full of errors; he had to make the lie believable.


    ¡°Joseph¡¯s wedding ising soon, Father wile from Los Angeles, and Mother will definitelye as well. You will be able to see her then.¡±


    Because of Vilem¡¯s words, Vivian began to look forward to the day of the wedding, which made her feel guilty towards Luzia.


    As the wedding day approached, Luzia continued to live in her parents¡¯ estate. Joseph was busy with business alongside jos, but he was said to frequently visit the estate to see her. Vivian had met with Luzia a few times, and it was evident that Luzia¡¯s spirits were low, with dark circles under her eyes growing heavier.


    ¡°Do you keep having nightmares?¡± Vivian embraced Luzia, gently patting her back.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in a nightmare all this time,¡± Luzia closed her eyes. ¡°But with you here, my nightmares are a little less.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯lle to keep youpany more often.¡± Vivian even considered moving in with Luzia, but Joseph wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    ¡°You¡¯re too domineering, not letting Luzia return to the apartment and not allowing me to stay in the estate,¡± Vivian red at Joseph. ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose.¡±


    Joseph sneered, looking fierce. ¡°Is your apartment such a great ce? It¡¯s not just you and your husband living there, but also your bodyguards.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t trust my fiancee to live in an apartment with a strange man. She can¡¯t prove her chastity to me,¡± Joseph¡¯s smile was malicious. ¡°I won¡¯t allow my fiancee to live with a strange man in an apartment. She can¡¯t prove her chastity to me.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Vivian raised her hand to strike him, but Joseph grabbed her wrist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get so worked up, my dear sister,¡± Joseph¡¯s serpent-like gaze lingered on Mare. He said to Vivian, ¡°Your reaction is so intense that it makes me think my suspicions are true.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she dared not make any unnecessary moves.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far, Joseph,¡± Vivian pretended to be calm. ¡°Luzia is your fiancee. What¡¯s the benefit of humiliating her?¡±


    ¡°Luzia is my fiancee, and how I treat her is my business,¡± Joseph turned the words back on Vivian, warning her with a stern look. ¡°Don¡¯t meddle in my affairs!¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Joseph ignored Vivian and walked over to Luzia, lifting her over his shoulder, while Vivian screamed and struggled.


    This was true powerlessness. Vivian could only watch helplessly as Joseph humiliated Luzia. She had to stop Mare from acting impulsively; if their rtionship with Luzia were exposed, she would be in absolute danger.


    Joseph would kill Luzia. There was no doubt about that.


    Exhausted, Vivian returned to her apartment. It was veryte now, possibly even past the time for a midnight snack.


    But Vivian couldn¡¯t eat anything. She just wanted to take a hot bath and then bury herself under the covers.


    jos had been unusually busytely, and Vivian hadn¡¯t seen him for a week. However, the living room, which should have been dark, was unexpectedly lit, and Vivian caught a whiff of blood in the air.

 Chapter 72

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The smell of blood made Vivian very ufortable. The nauseating sourness was about to surge up from her stomach again. Vivian swallowed several mouthfuls of saliva to barely restrain the urge to rush into the bathroom.


    jos was lying on the spacious sofa, his abdomen heaving violently as fresh blood gushed from the wound. A stranger, sweating profusely, held a medical kit, while Simpson, holding a scalpel, looked uncertain.


    ¡°He¡¯s been shot,¡± Simpson said as he rummaged through the medical kit. ¡°I need help getting the bullet out.¡±


    Enduring intense pain, jos propped himself up on the sofa, barely preventing himself from copsing. ¡°Go downstairs, Vivian,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian shook her head. ¡°You should go to the hospital.¡±


    Simpson looked at jos, evidently agreeing with Vivian¡¯s viewpoint.


    Only jos stubbornly shook his head, his attitude resolute. ¡°It¡¯s not possible.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m the Capo,¡± jos emphasized. ¡°A Capo cannot be injured. Being injured means bing weak, and weakness will attract countless enemies, putting the entire Houston Mafia in danger.¡±


    jos¡¯s gaze was stern, leaving no room for negotiation. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    Vivian understood. jos¡¯s concerns were valid. Everyone was watching the Capo-Bratva, followers, and even Joseph, whom Vivian reluctantly had to admit was also watching him.


    His health, his strength, his continued youthful vigor-all of these were crucial factors for maintaining stability in Houston.


    Vivian understood, she understood it all.


    But¡­


    ¡°Then let Felisee,¡± Vivian suggested again.


    jos shook his head once more, rejecting the proposal. ¡°Simpson can do it.¡± Even as the family doctor, he wasn¡¯t entirely trustworthy. At least when he became weak, there was no one he could trust.


    ¡°Stubborn!¡± Vivian was furious. Simpson¡¯s actions seemed unfamiliar, he might not even know how to treat a gunshot wound.


    But Vivian couldn¡¯t change jos¡¯s mind. She could only endure the difort in her stomach and step forward to take Simpson¡¯s ce.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    jos frowned at her. She held the scalpel in a standard manner. ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Although I might not be better than a real doctor, I¡¯m definitely better than Simpson,¡± Vivian pretended to be calm.


    She poured alcohol onto a hurriedly grabbed towel. ¡°It¡¯s going to sting a bit,¡± she warned jos before using the towel to wipe away the blood around the wound and disinfect it.


    A sharp stinging sensation ensued. jos gritted his teeth as a low growl forced its way from his throat. His fingers clutched the leather edge of the sofa, the veins on the back of his hand standing out from the exertion.


    Vivian disinfected the scalpel and forceps in the same way. She nced at jos. She needed to use the scalpel to cut open the flesh near the wound, then use the forceps to extract the bullet from inside the wound. It would be painful, but they had no anesthetic at the moment.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± jos closed his eyes, indicating that Vivian could begin.


    Vivian pursed her lips. Her hands were steady. In truth, she had no experience. When she was in Los Angeles, her father and brothers never brought business matters, including bloody wounds, back to their residence, including gunshot wounds.


    Vivian only remembered one asion, the most intense battle between Los Angeles and Bratva. Her grandfather lost his life in that battle, and her father was shot twice. The old Capo had already passed away, and news of the heir being injured would have spelled the end for the Los Angeles Mafia.


    So her father retreated to their residence, and her mother tended to his wounds. A young Vivian stood by, wide-eyed, trying to help.


    To explore the bullet inside jos¡¯s body more urately, Vivian crouched down, pressing her body as low as possible so that her line of sight was parallel to the wound.


    The scalpel cut through the flesh, and blood almost instantly welled up. Vivian could feel jos¡¯s body trembling, but she dared not look at his expression, nor did she dare to stop.


    jos, however, kept watching Vivian, watching her restrained face, her trembling eyshes, her furrowed brow and the beads of sweat on her forehead. Focus, endurance, resilience-this was a side of Vivian that jos had never seen before.


    The icy forceps probing into the flesh didn¡¯t feel good. jos almost gnashed his teeth, barely preventing himself from screaming in agony.


    With a ¡°clink,¡± the bullet fell into the tray. Vivian felt her hands trembling, but she didn¡¯t stop. She took the sterilized needle from Simpson and began to stitch jos¡¯s wound.


    Truly, jos was a resilient and powerful man. Throughout the entire procedure of bullet extraction and stitching without anesthesia, he only let out a couple of involuntary cries, but never let himself lose control. When Vivian finished treating the wound, he remained alert.


    After crouching for so long, Vivian¡¯s feet had gone numb. When she stood up, she nearly stumbled backward, but Mare, who had been keeping an eye on her, steadied her just in time.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Vivian said as she moved to sit on a nearby armchair. ¡°jos should go back to his room.¡±


    Vivian learned from Simpson that the unfamiliar man was named Festus, also one of jos¡¯s men.


    Assisted by Simpson and Festus, jos made his way upstairs, supported on both sides.


    Once jos¡¯s figure disappeared up the staircase, Vivian¡¯s tense nerves slowly rxed. Her right hand held the scalpel and the needle, both stained with jos¡¯s blood, damp and sticky, heavy with the smell of blood.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. She brushed off Mare¡¯s attempt to assist her and rushed into the downstairs bathroom, leaning over the toilet to vomit.


    Dinner was with the Luzia family, and Joseph was there too. Faced with Joseph¡¯s terrifying presence, Vivian had no appetite at all.


    She hadn¡¯t eaten much, so there wasn¡¯t much to vomit, and in the end, she dry-heaved. Mare helped her heat up a kettle of water. ¡°Do you need to drink some?¡±


    Vivian couldn¡¯t speak. She gestured with her hand and then leaned over the toilet for a while before slowly recovering.


    Mare helped her up-Vivian¡¯s weight was inconsequential to him-and brought her to the washbasin. Vivian turned on the tap, sshing cold water on her face, gradually reviving.


    At the same time, her dizzy head began to clear.


    Festus?


    ¡°What¡¯s the name of jos¡¯s bodyguard?¡± Vivian asked.


    Mare answered, ¡°Festus.¡±


    Vivian remembered Shirley. ¡°Is his full name Festus Roscente?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mare replied. ¡°Festus¡¯s brother is the heir of the Roscente family. Both brothers are elite members groomed by the Houston Mafia. The older brother, Emmert, specializes in ambushes, while Festus is a hacker. They are both valuable assistants to jos.¡±


    Because the heir was Emmert, the Roscente family agreed to the marriage proposal from Shirley¡¯s father and allowed Shirley¡¯s future children to be heirs of the Benoist family?


    Vivian realized that she truly didn¡¯t understand the power structure in Houston. Before, she didn¡¯t want to understand, and now, when she wanted to, there seemed to be no way to learn.


    Perhaps she could ask jos? But would he tell her?

 Chapter 73

    After recovering from that burst of strength, Vivian returned to the living room to find jos¡¯ medicine. She was worried that jos might have a fever at night, so she took some anti-inmmatory and cold medicine upstairs.


    Simpson and Festus had already settled jos. jos, mustering his strength, was exining something to them until Vivian came in, at which point the three stopped talking.


    It was already veryte, having been restless all night, Simpson and Festus were exhausted. Vivian arranged for them to stay in the guest room and had Mare take them to rest.


    Simpson naturally found his way, while Festus thanked Vivian before following behind Mare to leave.


    ¡°It seems like you are very interested in my men.¡± josy on the bed, his expression unable to convey whether he was happy or not.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t met him,¡± Vivian timely expressed her curiosity about strangers.


    ¡°There will be plenty of opportunities to meet in the future,¡± jos said.


    Vivian poured him a ss of water and ced it on his bedside table, ¡°You should rest.¡±


    ¡°And you should rest too,¡± jos raised his hand to touch Vivian¡¯s face. Vivian leaned down so that his hand could touch her.


    jos¡¯ rough fingertips slid over the bruise under her eye, frowning, he said, ¡°Have you not been sleeping well these days?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been having nightmares,¡± Vivian sighed, moving to the other side of the bed, lying down facing jos. ¡°I always dream about Luzia.¡±


    ¡°Poor Luzia. Joseph constantly abuses and humiliates her in my dreams, she is about to die.¡±


    This topic made jos irritable. He endured the pain in his abdomen, turned over, andy face to face with Vivian, ¡°I thought we had agreed not to discuss this matter anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t help my dreams,¡± Vivian said.


    ¡°You need to forget about this, Vivian. You can¡¯t change it,¡± jos sighed, looking at Vivian¡¯s distressed expression, unsure whether to be angry or feel sorry for her, ¡°You need to learn to forget things that make you unhappy. You remember too much, and it will only make you more unhappy.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± Vivian rested her forehead on jos¡¯ shoulder. His body temperature was slightly higher than hers, which made her feel warm and reassured. But Vivian dared not lean too close, fearing she might touch his wound.


    It¡¯s hard to imagine such serious gunshot wounds on jos. Yet, in fact, on his well-built body, there were knife wounds, gunshot wounds, burns, at least seven or eight scars that Vivian could see.


    But jos is a Capo, he should have many people protecting him.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Vivian asked.


    jos opened his eyes in the darkness. The curtains in the bedroom were not drawn, and tonight was a full moon, its cold and bright light quietly falling into the bedroom, allowing jos to count his wife¡¯s long and curly eyshes just by opening his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± jos replied.


    ¡°Are you in trouble?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t inquire about my business, Vivian.¡±


    Vivian pouted unhappily, ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡±


    ¡°All you need to know is that I¡¯m fine, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± jos¡¯ tone was firm, leaving Vivian feeling defeated, ¡°How¡¯s my brother? Is Vilem okay?¡±


    jos patiently answered her question, ¡°He¡¯s fine too, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Vivian nodded drowsily. She heard jos say softly, ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    Vivian also wanted to say ¡°goodnight¡± to him, but before she could, her consciousness blurred.


    This was the first time Vivian woke up in jos¡¯ arms; it was so warm that she was reluctant to open her eyes.


    She felt a soft touch and moisture on her forehead. She drowsily opened her eyes, and the bright sunlight in the bedroom made her somewhat ufortable.


    She seemed to hear jos¡¯ suppressedughter, tinged with theziness of just waking up.


    Vivian rubbed her eyes and looked at jos; the distance was too close! It was at this moment that Vivian realized she was lying in jos¡¯ arms.


    Vivian was startled. What if she touched jos¡¯ wound?


    Vivian moved back a little and looked down to check jos¡¯ wound.


    Thankfully, the bandages were pristine, with no signs of bleeding.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Vivian apologized to jos, ¡°I don¡¯t know why I sleep so poorly.¡±


    However, jos¡¯ embrace was truly warm.


    Vivian was reluctant to leave.


    ¡°Why apologize?¡± jos rested one arm under his head, keeping his side position.


    ¡°You¡¯re injured, getting close to you might worsen your condition,¡± Vivian pped her own face, trying to wake herself up a bit. ¡°Good morning, jos, do you need some water?¡±


    ¡°Good morning,¡± jos said, ¡°I want to kiss you.¡±


    Vivian felt her face burning. She dared not look directly into jos¡¯ eyes; the heat in them might scorch her. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡±


    ¡°I can pour it myself.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re injured. It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t move around,¡± Vivian quickly got out of bed. She wanted to fetch a ss of water, using it as an excuse to escape jos¡¯ fiery gaze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think of me as too fragile, Vivian,¡± jos followed behind her, his intense desire-filled gaze never leaving her.


    Vivian turned her back to him, feeling her back heating up. She knew her face must be bright red.


    ¡°You should drink some water,¡± Vivian handed him the ss, ¡°Luckily, there¡¯s no infection, so you¡¯re doing well.¡±


    jos drank the water, moistening his dry lips.


    He licked his lips, then reached for Vivian¡¯s waist. ¡°I want to kiss you.¡±


    Forced to look into his eyes, Vivian felt the growing intensity of his desire, seemingly endless. His arm around her waist was strong and firm, lifting her slightly. Vivian had to stand on her tiptoes, watching jos¡¯ approaching face.


    jos lifted her chin and kissed her.


    They exchanged a passionate kiss, the sound of their heavy breathing echoing in the quiet bedroom, making it embarrassing to hear. Vivian was almost breathless.


    Only when jos had his fill of her lips, did Vivian finally get some fresh air. She copsed onto jos, breathing heavily, feeling a burning hardness against her waist.


    Vivian stiffened.


    She knew what it was.


    Thankfully, jos still had his senses and released Vivian in time. However, his long-contained desire remained rigidly pressing against her. Vivian felt scared.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± jos stopped Vivian¡¯s struggle.


    Vivian seemed to hear jos¡¯ pained voice. She nestled into jos¡¯ embrace, letting his warm, rough breath sweep over her ears. She wanted to hide, but was afraid that doing so would only ignite more desire in jos.


    Eventually, jos took her hand and slowly guided it towards the hot and stiff bulge between his thighs.


    Vivian froze, her face and neck quickly turning red.


    ¡°Vivian, help me,¡± jos¡¯ hoarse voice sounded in her ear.


    Vivian felt ticklish in her ears, wanting to hide, but jos wouldn¡¯t let her. Vivian was terrified, she sobbed softly, ¡°jos¡­¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Her soft hand finally wrapped around that thick, hard object. It was difficult for Vivian to hold onto, as jos guided her in an awkward, stuttering motion, her pale wrist colliding with the man¡¯s pelvis, making an ambiguous ¡°smack¡± sound. Vivian dared not listen or look, burying her head into jos¡¯ embrace.

 Chapter 74

    ¡°Vivian, Vivian¡­¡±


    jos¡¯s gasps became more and more intense, and Vivian felt something growing in the palm of her hand. The man¡¯s arms around her tightened, and her heart pounded as she realized something amidst the man¡¯s groans.


    Hot!


    Vivian¡¯s fingers instinctively recoiled upon touching the sticky, scalding liquid. jos let out a satisfied groan, and she widened her eyes, feeling as if something had exploded in her head.


    The smell of blood filled the bedroom, and Vivian and jos maintained a dignified appearance with their clothes intact, except for the fact that what was beneath their closeness could no longer be seen.


    The white liquid stained Vivian¡¯s nightgown and jos¡¯s pajamas. He simply lifted Vivian horizontally and walked into the bathroom amid her gasps.


    ¡°No, jos.¡± Vivian¡¯s sudden aerial movement brought her back from the ambiguous affair. She pressed her hands against jos¡¯s chest and let out a hoarse growl, ¡°You¡¯re still injured, you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything,¡± jos ced her in the bathtub. ¡°I just want to help you clean up.¡±


    ¡°Of course, as a return favor, I think you should help clean me up too.¡±


    ¡­


    When the two emerged clean from the bathroom, it had been three hours. jos had indeed not done anything to Vivian, but she felt sore in her hands and her legs were trembling¡­


    josy on the bed and pulled Vivian into his embrace.


    Exhausted, Vivian was truly afraid of him and refused to let him hold her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to, please let me go¡­¡±


    ¡°Be good, I won¡¯t do anything,¡± jos rested his chin on her head.


    Rolling her eyes in his embrace, Vivian no longer believed jos¡¯s sweet talk.


    Fortunately, jos was still a patient; his desires had indeed subsided, allowing Vivian to enjoy afortable rest in his embrace, and then¡­This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She opened her eyes to a bright sunlight!


    ¡°What time is it?¡± Vivian bounced in jos¡¯s embrace, but as they were lying down, she was pressed back down by jos.


    ¡°Ten thirty,¡± there was a squirrel-shaped rm clock on Vivian¡¯s bedside table, easily visible to jos.


    ¡°Ten thirty?¡± Vivian¡¯s voice raised a decibel, ¡°Heavens, we should get up, you need to go to work, and I need to go downstairs.¡±


    ¡°No, I am a wounded soldier,¡± jos did not release his hold on Vivian¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t get up, nor did he let Vivian get up. ¡°No work today.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t believe it, muttering softly, ¡°I thought you were a workaholic.¡±


    jos lowered his head to look at her, raising an eyebrow, ¡°Am I?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Vivian rested her forehead on his chest, her fingertip tracing a scar on his chest, ¡°You¡¯re always so busy, never have time to eat with me, or chat with me.¡±


    Vivian sighed, ¡°If work could impregnate a woman, would you marry your work?¡±


    jos was taken aback, then couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°You might have some misunderstanding about me, Vivian,¡± josughed, ¡°I don¡¯t love work as much as you think. Really, no one enjoys being tense day in and day out, and no one would marry their work, this assumption is invalid.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t love me either, I know,¡± Vivian said.


    ¡°Vivian,¡± jos sighed, stroking her golden hair, ¡°Capo doesn¡¯t fall in love with anyone, but I will protect you. You are my wife, my family, do you understand?¡±


    Vivian wanted to say she didn¡¯t understand, but she did. She just couldn¡¯t ept it.


    She hade from Los Angeles to Houston; she had been given to jos as a gift by her father. She had married a handsome man, perhaps she had already fallen for him, but he could never reciprocate the same feelings.


    She had married Capo, she was unfortunate.


    But she had married jos, she was lucky.


    Vivian gave up; she didn¡¯t want to cling to an answer that could never be. She sniffed and quietly blinked away her tears.


    The scene before her blurred and then cleared again. Vivian was seeing jos¡¯s tattoos up close for the first time in such a bright environment.


    jos had many tattoos on his body-on his arms, chest, and back. Unlike the back tattoo, which was clearly a whole piece, the tattoos on his arm were made up of multiple individual patterns.


    The two fell into silence, and the tender atmosphere slowly dissipated.


    Seemingly not ready to continue the conversation, Vivian pretended to study his tattoos earnestly, from a string of cursive words to a fierce skull, from a cluster of dark mes to the profile of a beautiful woman.


    Vivian¡¯s cool fingertips gently traced the woman¡¯s luscious ck hair, her straight nose, and her full red lips, finally resting on her beautiful eyes. ¡°Who is she?¡±


    Following her finger, jos¡¯s gaze settled on the exquisite and beautiful face of the woman, gradually bing deep andplex.


    After waiting for a long time without receiving an answer, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but look up into jos¡¯s eyes.


    What was that feeling?


    It seemed like reminiscing about someone deeply rooted in memory.


    She must be very important to jos.


    Vivian quietly withdrew her hand. She didn¡¯t want to specte about jos¡¯s past and his inner thoughts. She was afraid she would not be able to hold onto her hard-won conviction-do not fall in love with jos, do not yearn for his affection, just be an ordinary couple.


    Vivian decided she didn¡¯t need jos¡¯s answer. With one hand supporting herself on the bed, she sat up, leaving jos¡¯s embrace. ¡°You should go back to sleep, I¡¯ll go prepare lunch for you.¡±


    Just as Vivian was about to leave, jos, as if awakening from a dream, reached out and grabbed her wrist, gently pulling her towards him.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t resist his strength and was pulled back, forced to turn in his direction. She almost fell into jos¡¯s arms, unable to control her body, and unavoidably came into contact with jos¡¯s wound.


    She heard him let out a painful ¡°hiss.¡± Panicked, Vivian quickly moved her hands away, cing them on the bed frame on either side of jos¡¯s body to reduce the weight on him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± jos embraced her again, closing his eyes, waiting for the intense pain to pass. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead from the pain, and his breathing went from heavy to light.


    ¡°She is my mother.¡± jos¡¯s deep voice sounded from above Vivian as she remained still in his embrace. He seemed to sigh faintly, like an expressionless narrator.


    ¡°Four years ago, my father announced her death publicly, stating it was due to cancer.¡±


    Vivian knew about this. Four years ago, she had attended Mrs. Hargrave¡¯s funeral with her father and mother. It was her first time in Houston and her first meeting with jos¡¯s brothers.


    Vivian wasn¡¯t a perceptive person, and she wasn¡¯t good at turning seemingly normal things into conspiracies. But she sensed something unusual in jos¡¯s words.


    So, jos¡¯s mother didn¡¯t die of cancer?

 Chapter 75

    jos quickly gave an answer, ¡°My father deceived everyone.¡±


    Sure enough¡­


    Vivian¡¯s heart sank.


    ¡°The despicable Bratva captured her-until now, we don¡¯t know how Bratva managed it. There were many people protecting her. Bratva sent her fingers and a video of her being assaulted.¡±


    Vivian pressed close to jos¡¯ chest. She could feel the change in jos¡¯ emotions instantly. He was furious, mixed with a sense of powerlessness for the past.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t heal the wounds in his heart. She could only pry open his tightly clenched fists, and the soft tips of her fingers traced the deep nail marks in his palm.


    Vivian¡¯s tenderness made jos¡¯ heart tremble. His hands crossed over Vivian¡¯s shoulders, pulling her tightly into his embrace. Their bodies clung closely through the thin nightclothes, her warmthforting him.


    ¡°This is Bratva¡¯s demonstration. They are attempting to drive my father mad in this way. He will be impulsive, irritable, and angry. His decisions will be wed, and Houston¡¯s counterattacks will be feeble.¡±


    ¡°But my father is probably naturally indifferent. He ignored Bratva¡¯s demonstration and warned all those who knew- including Simpson and me-not to reveal the news of my mother¡¯s kidnapping. Houston¡¯s mafia had no idea. They desecrated Bratva¡¯s elegant Capo wife by subjecting her to countless filthy men.¡±


    jos¡¯ body trembled slightly. Vivian trembled more violently than he did, holding onto jos tightly, unsure if she wanted to stop her own trembling or his.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak, don¡¯t speak,¡± Vivian shook her head, stopping jos from continuing this cursed memory. She regretted it; she shouldn¡¯t have asked.


    jos soothingly stroked Vivian¡¯s back, one stroke after another. ¡°Bratva insulted her, cut off her fingers, and presented them to my father. The first time, my father remained unaffected. The second time they brought her tongue, and the third time, her eyes¡­ My father¡¯s indifference is the greatest mockery of Bratva¡¯s brutality. Enraged, Bratva dismembered her body, tossing it in front of my father like discarded meat.¡±


    jos closed his eyes, but instead of a bottomless darkness, he saw an imprable blood red, a red that stained his father¡¯s eyes, his extreme indifference finally giving way to madness.


    He collected his mother¡¯s broken body, announced her death from cancer, held a grand funeral for her. Four yearster, Houstonunched a frenzied retaliation against Bratva. Arge number of elites poured out, surrounding Bratva¡¯s warehouses, intercepting their ships at sea, and kidnapping hundreds of their associates.


    The ughter never ceased, but it couldn¡¯t extinguish his father¡¯s rage, only escte Bratva¡¯s increasingly frenzied counterattacks. Four yearster, his father died in a riot nned by Bratva. Houston, in panic, lost its powerful Capo and dozens of elite assassins, leaving the new Capo no choice but to seek help from Los Angeles.


    Vivian once again regretted her rashness. She shouldn¡¯t have asked jos such questions, because from his ount, she guessed his purpose in dissecting these memories.


    Kamden was a formidable and respected Capo, but he fell in love with jos¡¯ mother. Thus, such a powerful man had his weakness, and Bratva seized it, invading his heart and driving him to uncontroble madness.


    Bratva suffered great losses, but they also gained abundant rewards-they killed Kamden and routed Houston.


    jos inherited a crumbling Houston, forced to seek help from Los Angeles, ept his father¡¯s seemingly benevolent yet sharp-edged gifts, marry Vivian, and have Luzia marry Joseph.


    Houston and Los Angeles imed to be in an alliance, but in reality, Los Angeles¡¯ dominance was apparent. If left unchecked, Houston would eventually be a vassal of Los Angeles.


    Who are the good guys? At least Bryson and Joseph aren¡¯t.


    Vivian felt sorrow for the calctions and conspiracies behind it, for the entrapment of herself, jos, and Luzia. They were all pitifully entangled by fate.


    Perhaps it was this shared sorrow that gave rise to an unwarranted delusion in Vivian. She longed forfort from jos and hoped to offer him equalfort. She hazily lifted her head and kissed jos on the lips.


    She thought jos would pull away, but he didn¡¯t. He even deepened the kiss, covering her eyes with his hand, feeling the tickle of Vivian¡¯s trembling eyshes against his palm, the itch spreading from his palm to his heart.


    Suddenly, jos ced his hand on the back of her head, drawing her closer to him, sucking on Vivian¡¯s soft lips, his agile tongue parting her teeth, delving into her mouth, sweet juices flowing between their lips and teeth, making a ¡°tsk tsk¡± sound.


    Vivian was overwhelmed by his forceful and wild kiss, she copsed weakly into jos¡¯ embrace, her hands weakly clutching at jos¡¯ shirt. She felt jos¡¯ hand move away from her eyes, and she opened them slightly, seeing jos¡¯ enraptured face.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Vivian let out a weak sob, breathing in deeply when jos released her lips, shey down on the bed, looking at the rose-colored canopy.


    jos pressed against her, his kisses moving from her jaw to her neck, from her corbone down to her exposed chest. His rough palm slipped inside her nightclothes, caressing her soft flesh, eliciting sensitive shivers from Vivian.


    It wasn¡¯t until jos¡¯ hand ventured into a certain moist ce between her rounded hips that Vivian snapped out of her shivers.


    She grabbed jos¡¯ hand abruptly. Both of them were burning with passion, breathing heavily. ¡°No¡­ this can¡¯t happen.¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t dare to look at the bulge forming in jos¡¯ pants, but the fiery desire burning in his eyes made her feel timid. However, in the moment she refused, she felt a slight rxation in jos¡¯ force that imprisoned her.


    This gave Vivian a sense of gratitude and relief. She struggled to crawl out from under jos, hastily dressing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±


    Blushing, Vivian admitted her mistake. The passionate yet forcibly halted actions filled her with embarrassment. She didn¡¯t care to see how awful jos¡¯ expression was and hurriedly wrapped herself in her clothes before retreating into the bathroom.


    As soon as she left jos¡¯ fiery gaze that seemed to pierce through her, Vivian¡¯s legs turned to jelly. She leaned against the wall, managing to stand, turning on the shower above her, adjusting the temperature to cold.


    The cold water poured down, ruthlessly beating against her passionate body, helping her suppress her desire bit by bit.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Vivian let out a deep breath, as if she was exhaling all the remaining desire.

 Chapter 76

    Vivian took a cold shower for an hour. As she emerged from the bathroom, enveloped in the chilly mist, time was slowly inching toward noon.


    ¡°Vivian,¡± jos drawled casually from the bed, where he reclined with a finance magazine resting on his legs, his gaze teasing.


    Blushing, Vivian instinctively pulled her bathrobe closer around her and hastily grabbed a couple of clothes from the wardrobe, retreating back into the bathroom for another fifteen minutes.


    ¡°Let me change your dressing,¡± jos offered, his gaze lingering on her, his smile gentle in a way Vivian had never experienced before, causing her hand to tremble as she applied the ointment, almost losing control.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Vivian murmured.


    ¡°Are you feeling shy?¡± jos seemed to enjoy Vivian¡¯s reaction, reaching out to yfully tug at her blushing earlobe.


    Startled, Vivian took a step back, distancing herself from jos. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    jos ran his warm fingers over her skin, his brown eyes filled with hungry longing. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Vivian shivered, sensing that jos¡¯s hunger was different from what she had anticipated.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you some food,¡± she hurriedly escaped the room.


    Haylee had prepared their lunch, and Vivian brought it on a tray. ¡°Let¡¯s eat in the room.¡±


    Haylee, an excellent cook from her years of preparing meals for Capo, rarely questioned things, which spared Vivian a lot of trouble. At least she didn¡¯t have to exin why they were having lunch in the room instead of the kitchen or why she suddenly wanted spinach for dinner as an iron supplement.


    Carrying the lunch into the room, Vivian found jos already engrossed in a new magazine, this time a political one.


    The two finished their lunch in silence. jos was insistent on getting out of bed, and Vivian couldn¡¯t stop him, so she confined his activities to the room.


    Perhaps it was because of his good mood that jos didn¡¯t argue with Vivian about her earlier impropriety. This was probably the most peaceful day jos had had since his father¡¯s death. The warm afternoon sunlight bathed his sharply chiseled face, and he was starting to feel drowsy.


    He decided to take a nap.


    As jos¡¯s breathing gradually steadied, Vivian knew he had fallen asleep. She quietly slipped out of the room, finding Simpson and Festus preparing to leave.


    ¡°Not having dinner?¡± Vivian descended the stairs.


    ¡°No,¡± Simpson shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s some work I need to attend to. How¡¯s jos?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s doing okay,¡± Vivian said. ¡°No fever, and the wound looks quite good.¡±


    Simpson felt relieved upon hearing this. He smiled at Vivian, a tender warmth in his brown eyes, entirely different from the way jos expressed himself. Simpson was a charming rogue, always knowing how to quickly capture a woman¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Thank you for taking care of jos.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    After seeing off Simpson and Festus, Vivian went into the kitchen to help Haylee prepare dinner. She took the spinach out of the fridge.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    In order to groom her as a suitable wife, Vivian¡¯s father allowed her to attend a girls¡¯ high school, where she learned many things a wife should know, such as graceful manners and culinary skills.


    Vivian¡¯s cooking was quite good, earning unanimous approval from Haylee and Luzia. She was confident that she could impress jos. Indeed, when jos expressed surprise at the delicious dinnering from his wife¡¯s hands, Vivian felt proud and pleased.


    After tidying the kitchen, Vivian turned on the TV and settled on the couch to watch her drama. jos stood behind the couch and, after observing Vivian for a moment, predictably stopped on a movie featuring James.


    A low chuckle escaped jos, and Vivian couldn¡¯t tell if it was mocking or jesting.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Vivian asked.


    ¡°I was just thinking, did you want to watch a movie with James?¡± jos¡¯s amusement was evident in his voice. ¡°I guessed right.¡±


    ¡°Is that so amusing?¡± Vivian didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I really like James.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± jos said. ¡°After all, you watch his movies every day, without getting tired. Girls like heroism.¡±


    ¡°I admit what you say is true,¡± Vivian nodded. She didn¡¯t deny jos¡¯s assessment of James¡¯s roles in his movies, but what she liked about James went beyond his heroism.


    ¡°He¡¯s a very gentle person, and he loves his wife very much,¡± Vivian said. ¡°I once dreamt of marrying him.¡± Of course, that was before she married jos. Now she was married to jos, and fate had destined them to be bound together for a lifetime, impossible to divorce.


    jos remained silent, sitting beside Vivian as they continued watching the plot unfold, until Vivian felt drowsy and he apanied her to bed.


    Such a night was a rare and tender experience for Vivian. Nestled in jos¡¯s embrace, she listened to the rhythmic beating of his heart beneath his flesh, eventually sumbing to a deep slumber, dreaming about death.


    The dream began warmly and beautifully. jos tenderly kissed her forehead and shared a romantic candlelit dinner with her. Her cheeks flushed with the effects of wine, and she endured jos¡¯s passionate kisses.


    However, in the next moment, jos vanished. She stumbled around downstairs for a long time, unable to find him. Suddenly, Simpson burst through the apartment door. His expression was calm, but his words were the cruelest.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡±


    Vivian seemed to know who ¡°he¡± was. She refused to ept it, shaking her head frantically. ¡°No, no, no¡­¡±


    Simpson grabbed her hand, blood seeping through his suit from jos¡¯s wound. ¡°Bratva chopped off his head. He¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not true, he can¡¯t be!¡±


    Just as Vivian screamed, Simpson abruptly pulled her forward. She staggered, following his movement, and in an instant, she found herself in another room. Luzia¡¯s shrill cries pierced her ears as she watched Joseph tear at Luzia¡¯s clothes, viciouslyshing her with a belt.


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian woke from her nightmare, a wave of nausea rising in her throat. She leaped out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom, retching.


    It was utterly nauseating!


    jos, awakened by her screams, stood at the bathroom door, frowning. When Vivian had finished vomiting, he handed her a ss of water. ¡°Take a sip.¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t refuse. She took a sip, holding the water in her mouth for a while before spitting it out.


    ¡°Your condition is worse than I thought,¡± jos said, puzzled by her insistence on not going to the hospital. ¡°Can¡¯t we have the family doctor take a look?¡±

 Chapter 77

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Vivian shook her head, refusing, ¡°I just had a terrible nightmare.¡±


    ¡°Joseph¡¯s face disgusts me,¡± Vivian said. She didn¡¯t tell jos the entire dream, nor did she tell him the real reason that might have caused her to vomit. She needed time.


    ¡°You should forget about these things instead of always dwelling on them,¡± jos sighed, feeling a headacheing on from Vivian¡¯s stubbornness.


    ¡°I¡¯m just thinking, what can I do for Luzia?¡± Luzia¡¯s wedding is the day after tomorrow, ¡°Can¡¯t we really do anything?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Waiting for the wedding toe is the only thing we can do,¡± jos said.


    Vivian¡¯s eyes turned red, she said, ¡°You are cruel.¡±


    jos nodded, epting Vivian¡¯s assessment of him, ¡°That¡¯s why I will be a qualified Capo.¡±


    jos carried Vivian back to bed and pulled the covers over her, ¡°You need to rest well. Get rid of your dark circles and don¡¯t let Luzia worry about you anymore.¡±


    Vivian clutched the nket tightly around her, jos turned off the light andy down beside her.


    Vivian turned over, lying on her side facing jos, her gaze fell on jos¡¯s handsome face, then slowly closed her eyes.


    She had always known that being a Capo was a dangerous profession. When their guns aimed at the enemy, the enemy¡¯s guns were also aimed at them. Death could happen at any time, just like jos¡¯ste father, Kamden.


    The wounds on jos told Vivian that he couldn¡¯t escape this fate either, furthermore, she knew that Houston was not as powerful as before. People were dying every day, and even jos hated Los Angeles, where he had to bow his head for help.


    Vivian was very scared. Reality told her that no one is invincible, including jos. But she hoped that jos was invincible. She would lose her husband sooner orter, so why couldn¡¯t it be at the age of eighty?


    On the day of Luzia¡¯s wedding, Vivian was sent to the mansion of Luzia¡¯s parents early. She walked up to Luzia, thinking she would see a tearful Luzia, but in fact, she was smiling happily.


    Vivian, however, did not feel happy at all. She held back her sadness and reached out to embrace Luzia.


    Luzia hugged Vivian back, her smile faded when she thought no one could see it, ¡°Don¡¯t feel sad for me, Vivian. Just like I said a long time ago, I have long epted my fate.¡±


    ¡°Fate wants me to marry Joseph, to leave Houston, and live with him in Los Angeles. I cried, I resisted, but I couldn¡¯t change my fate.¡± Luzia wiped away Vivian¡¯s tears. Her eyes were red, but her lips always curved up, she was always smiling.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to dedicate my marriage to my family, my parents, and my cousin, and go towards my predetermined fate. Vivian, I don¡¯t need you to wish me happiness, just wish me good luck.¡±


    Vivian felt ashamed. Clearly, Luzia was already very sad, and she couldn¡¯t offer any constion to Luzia, but instead, she neededfort from Luzia.


    ¡°Wish you all the best, my friend.¡± Vivian cupped Luzia¡¯s face and nted a kiss on her forehead, ¡°May God bless you.¡±


    The hall for the wedding was familiar to Vivian, it was the same hall where she and jos got married, they set off from Luzia¡¯s parents¡¯ home and arrived at the hall without any hindrance.


    Vivian entered the hall ahead of Luzia¡¯s mother, Joseph put on his tuxedo and stood next to the priest. There was a hint of triumph on his fierce face, still as sickening as ever.


    Vivian quickly averted her gaze, finding jos¡¯s position. She was about to walk over when she happened to meet her father¡¯s gaze.


    Vivian¡¯s scalp tingled instantly. Honestly, she was still quite afraid of her father. But soon she noticed the problem, her mother wasn¡¯t there¡­


    Vivian¡¯s dazed gaze swept around the hall, there was no sign of her mother, her mother wasn¡¯t there!


    This realization sent chills down Vivian¡¯s spine. How could her mother not attend Joseph¡¯s wedding? Could something have happened to her mother?


    Vivian didn¡¯t know how she ended up sitting next to jos, nor did she know when the wedding started, she even missed the priest¡¯s promation, and when jos gently nudged her awake, Luzia and Joseph had already exchanged rings, and now they were supposed to set off to the venue for the reception.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± jos looked at her with concern. ¡°Feeling unwell?¡±


    Vivian shook her head and, gritting her teeth, murmured, ¡°I didn¡¯t see my mother.¡±


    jos paused, looking around at the departing crowd. The venue was crowded, blocking his view. He couldn¡¯t even spot Bryson, who had just greeted him.


    jos couldn¡¯t ascertain Tasneem¡¯s whereabouts and could only console Vivian, suggesting they leave with the crowd first and ask her fatherter.


    Vivian had no better option. Distraught, she followed jos¡¯s footsteps.


    She gripped jos¡¯s sleeve tightly, her lips pressed together. ¡°My mother will be okay, won¡¯t she?¡±


    jos gently patted her head. ¡°Please, have faith.¡±


    Perhaps jos¡¯s gentle reassurance or Vivian¡¯s selfforting had an effect. Vivian gradually calmed down, following jos out of the hall and into the car, heading to the reception venue.


    It was a new venue, luxurious and grand. Champagne, red wine, and beautiful women filled the space. Men and women alike enjoyed themselves.


    As Vivian walked past the dance floor with her champagne, drunken men waltzed with their partners, their graceful movements flowing effortlessly. Over the crowd, she caught sight of her brother Joseph and Luzia.


    They were both superb actors. Perhaps, performing affection in front of others was their prerequisite, because Joseph¡¯s gaze towards Luzia was tender and affectionate. If she didn¡¯t know Joseph¡¯s true nature, she might have thought he was deeply in love with Luzia.


    Luzia¡¯s performance was equally impressive. No matter the depth of Joseph¡¯s affection, Luzia reciprocated with equal emotion, gazing at him with admiration and love, her eyes never leaving Joseph.


    Unable to bear watching any longer, Vivian turned away. The false smile on Luzia¡¯s face felt like a clown¡¯s mask, causing her heart to ache.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to feel upset, then don¡¯t watch,¡± jos concluded a conversation and joined Vivian.


    ¡°Sorry, I just¡­¡± Vivian held her chest. ¡°I just feel nauseated.¡±


    ¡°This kind of pretense¡­ you¡¯ll get used to it, Vivian,¡± jos looked at Joseph and the smiling Luzia, then quickly looked away. ¡°In important gatherings and events, such performances aremonce. Everyone knows, but no one breaks the facade.¡±


    ¡°People all have secrets.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Vivian took a sip of champagne, struggling to swallow down the nausea. ¡°I feel terrible.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go dance,¡± jos took the champagne from Vivian¡¯s hand and set it aside, leading her into the dance floor.


    Vivian looked around, her thoughts scattered.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

 Chapter 78

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see my father and Vilem,¡± she also wanted to ask about her mother.


    ¡°I just¡­ saw Bryson,¡± jos hesitated, considering whether to tell Vivian this fact, but Vivian¡¯s pleading eyes told him the answer, ¡°He had apanion, but it wasn¡¯t your mother.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s heart plummeted instantly.


    Not because her father might be having an affair, but because her mother was truly missing, she had disappeared.


    Oh my! Vivian absentmindedly finished a dance, as the music paused, she lifted her skirts and left the dance floor. She needed to confront her father and find out from Vilem what had happened.


    But as she looked around, all she saw were happy people and tipsy guests. Her father and brother were nowhere to be found.


    ¡°Who?¡± Her wrist was suddenly grabbed from behind, startling Vivian. jos quickly spoke up, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be rmed, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°jos!¡± Vivian angrily called his name, tears almost welling up, ¡°You scared me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± jos chuckled, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so easily frightened.¡±


    Vivian red at him sullenly.


    jos stated his purpose, ¡°I know where Bryson is, I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    Only then did Vivian temporarily forgive him and followed him to the second floor of the venue, where they found Bryson taking a drunken rest, with thepanion jos mentioned by his side.


    Vivian had never seen thispanion before; it seemed to be her father¡¯s new lover.


    Yes, her father had countless lovers outside, this was no longer a secret.


    But today was Joseph¡¯s wedding, her father had never so openly brought his lovers to such an important asion. It should have been her mother by his side.


    Vivian¡¯s concern for her mother deepened, and this worry made her forget her fear of Bryson. Anxiously, she asked, ¡°Where is my mother?¡±


    Under Vivian¡¯s questioning gaze, Bryson narrowed his eyes. His look was sinister and dangerous, like a predatory vulture. ¡°Are you speaking to me?¡±


    Bryson¡¯s voice was steady, almost emotionless, which sent a chill down Vivian¡¯s spine. ¡°I¡­¡±


    Bryson¡¯s sinister gaze shifted to jos, for this somewhat satisfactory son-inw, or perhaps considering the Houston Mafia behind him, Bryson¡¯s attitude was much friendlier, but still condescending, as if lecturing a junior.


    ¡°I appreciate your kindness to my daughter, jos. But your tolerance and kindness seem to have gone too far, turning my polite and respectful daughter into such rudeness.¡±


    jos was disgusted by Bryson¡¯s condescending tone, but he had to temporarily lower his head in front of Bryson. ¡°I don¡¯t think Vivian meant any disrespect to her father. She¡¯s just too worried about her mother.¡±


    Bryson snorted, ¡°She¡¯s married to you now. As your wife, she should care about your well-being and daily life, not constantly interrogating me about my wife, where she is!¡±


    Bryson was getting angry, obviously recalling how Vivian often called the Los Angeles vi to inquire about Tasneem¡¯s whereabouts.


    ¡°I just want to know if my mother is safe. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s wrong.¡± Vivian clutched her chest as if to suppress the deep-rooted fear of her father.


    ¡°For you toe and question me, that¡¯s wrong.¡± Bryson suddenly stood up from the sofa, he was tall, Vivian stood a head shorter in front of him. A man¡¯s overwhelming height over a woman was a natural advantage, not only making Vivian seem small in front of him, but also exerting immense psychological pressure on her.


    Bryson¡¯s approach frightened Vivian, causing her to take a step back. Her father red at her fiercely, as if he might p her at any moment.


    ¡°Bryson!¡± jos stepped in front of Vivian, warning him as he looked at him, ¡°I respect our cooperation and undoubtedly, I don¡¯t pry into your family¡¯s private affairs. I ask you to give my wife enough respect. She just wants to know if her unfortunate mother is safe and where she is.¡±


    Bryson¡¯s deep gaze bore into jos, who stood his ground, refusing to back down.


    In this confrontation, jos made it clear to Bryson that he couldpromise on the benefits he had given out, but Houston was not a puppet to be manipted by Los Angeles.


    Los Angeles should give Houston the respect it deserves.


    Finally, for whatever reason, Bryson relented, ¡°Your mother is unwell, she¡¯s currently recuperating in Europe. You shouldn¡¯t disturb her.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡¯s sick?¡± Vivian grew anxious, ¡°Is it serious? Has she seen a doctor? Why hasnshe hasn¡¯t called me?¡±


    ¡°Because she needs quiet to recuperate; the doctor is with her.¡± Bryson was irritated by Vivian¡¯s questions and shouted, ¡°Enough, Vivian, you already know about your mother¡¯s condition, that should be sufficient.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­¡± Vivian was about to argue, but jos tugged at her sleeve.


    She looked at jos, who shook his head at her.


    Biting her lip, Vivian realized that her father was resistant to talking about her mother at the moment. Pressing further would only provoke more resentment from her father, which would not benefit her at all. It might even anger him and cause harm to her mother.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Vivian reluctantly gave up on further questioning.


    Leaving Bryson¡¯s lounge and entering an empty corridor, Vivian tugged at her sleeve, holding back tears as she said, ¡°His reaction tells me that my mother must be in great danger now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone keep an eye out,¡± josfortingly patted her on the back, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go downstairs first. Maybe you can ask Vilem; he might know something.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s Vilem,¡± Vivian hurriedly followed jos downstairs.


    The first floor was still lively, the music resumed, and there were even more people on the dance floor than before.


    Avoiding guests inviting her for drinks, she wandered through various corners of the venue in search of Vilem, but he was nowhere to be found.


    Just as she started to feel dejected, she saw Luzia.


    Joseph had finally let Luzia go, leaving her alone in a corner, lost in thought. There was champagne by her side, but she hadn¡¯t touched it, her gaze vacant, not even noticing Vivian¡¯s approach.


    Vivian silently sat next to her on the couch. Only when the leather creaked did Luzia snap out of her reverie.


    She was calm, ¡°After tonight, I¡¯m flying back to Los Angeles.¡±


    Vivian felt a pang of sadness, grasping Luzia¡¯s hand, ¡°We will see each other again.¡±


    ¡°I dare not imagine what I¡¯ll be like the next time we meet,¡± Luzia¡¯s expression grew increasingly sorrowful, ¡°I will live on.¡±


    Vivian couldn¡¯t help but let out a sob, ¡°Luzia, I can¡¯t bear to see you go.¡±


    Luzia embraced her, patting her gently on the back, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve had a chat like this. I¡¯ve been busy dealing with Joseph; he¡¯s left me physically and mentally exhausted.¡±


    ¡°How have you been recently, Vivian?¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 79

    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian suddenly didn¡¯t know how to respond to her.


    Was she doing well? But where was the good? She was trapped within the safety boundaries allowed by jos, living a boring and uninteresting life day after day. She would eventually be trapped to death in such a life.


    Or should she answer that she was not doing well? Vivian vaguely felt that she was unwilling to answer that way. Why? Probably because in recent days, jos had been apanying her frequently, and something called warmth had appeared in her life.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Luzia shook Vivian¡¯s hand, reminding her toe back to her senses. ¡°Did you have a fight with jos? It doesn¡¯t feel like it.¡±


    Luzia rubbed Vivian¡¯s face, unable to analyze whether Vivian¡¯s current expression should be called sad or happy, or something in between.


    Vivian shook her head. She didn¡¯t know whether she should let Luzia know about jos¡¯s injury. After all, that was in the past. jos could still attend the wedding, indicating that the gunshot wound didn¡¯t affect him much.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing pretty well recently, just feeling a bit unwell physically,¡± Vivian said.


    ¡°Are you sick?¡± Luzia asked, looking a bit worried. ¡°Have you seen a doctor?¡±


    Vivian intended to tell Luzia her spection, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she was actually pregnant, so she had to give up. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a doctor. It¡¯s just amon stomach difort. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Luzia grabbed her hand and sighed. ¡°Since you came to Houston, we¡¯ve been living together, and now I really can¡¯t bear to be separated from you.¡±


    Luzia sniffled. ¡°Vivian, I¡¯m really scared. Joseph is aplete devil, that¡¯s our consensus.¡±


    Both girls teared up at the same time.


    This quiet corner was most suitable for silent tears and wordless embraces. Vivian and Luzia sat side by side, silently reminiscing about the joyful times they couldn¡¯t return to, but Joseph¡¯s appearance ruined the beauty of this moment.


    He was unpleasant as soon as he opened his mouth. ¡°Vivian, you¡¯ve made my bride cry again.¡±


    Joseph stood to the side like an ominous figure, enough to make one¡¯s legs go weak and heart tremble.


    Vivian had feared Joseph since childhood, a fear different from the awe and respect she held for her father Bryson, a fear mixed with deep disgust and inherent dread.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°We¡¯re just saying goodbye,¡± Luzia calmly protected Vivian behind her. ¡°You know, I and Vivian have a deep friendship. She¡¯s my best friend.¡±


    ¡°Goodbyes between friends are always filled with sadness and tears, because we don¡¯t know if there will be a chance to meet again after this separation,¡± Joseph said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel troubled about this,¡± Joseph said lightly. ¡°If you really miss Vivian, you can talk to your cousin about bringing Vivian to Los Angeles to apany you. I¡¯m sure your cousin would agree to this trivial request of yours.¡±


    At the gathering, Joseph was more than happy to y the role of a gentle and considerate husband. He put his arm around Luzia,pletely ignoring her sudden stiffness, affectionately kissing her forehead.


    jos hade over with Joseph. He stood by, expressionless, watching Joseph¡¯s performance and said, ¡°You¡¯re really good at arranging things for me, Joseph.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, brother-inw,¡± Joseph said, dangling his sharp eyes at jos with an air of superiority.


    Such a gaze would irk anyone, let alone jos. He tightly clenched his fists, so hard that his knuckles even made a cracking sound. He silently admonished himself to endure it. He detested Joseph and Los Angeles, but he did need their help right now.


    However, one day, he would definitely repay this humiliation of being at someone¡¯s mercy to the Bryson father and son.


    ¡°You should know that I won¡¯t feel at ease letting my wife travel to Los Angeles alone,¡± jos calmly refused Joseph¡¯s proposal.


    ¡°You could alsoe along on the business trip,¡± Joseph said with a fake smile. ¡°We have plenty of opportunities to coborate.¡±


    jos replied with an equally fake smile, ¡°I look forward to it.¡±


    The conversation ended there, and Joseph took Luzia away.


    Vivian leaned against jos, sadly watching them get into the car.


    ¡°God bless Luzia,¡± Vivian silently prayed for Luzia.


    Until the end of the wedding, Vivian didn¡¯t see Vilem.


    She asked jos, ¡°Did Vilem really attend the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see him in the church?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± the distance was a bit far, and she didn¡¯t have time to talk to Vilem.


    ¡°Maybe he had some priormitment,¡± jos said, patting her head.


    Vivian had long, soft, golden hair, and jos had recently taken to touching her hair. Strands coiled around his fingertips, gently sliding through his palm like the tender embrace of lovers reluctant to part.


    ¡°Is he very busytely?¡± Vivian asked with concern. She was naturally happy that Vilem was being highly regarded by jos, which indicated that his abilities were recognized by the organization. However, high-intensity tasks also meant high danger, and Vivian always worried about him getting hurt.


    ¡°Yes,¡± jos said. ¡°He¡¯s growing quickly. I¡¯ve entrusted the drug business at the Houston port to him, and he¡¯s been doing an excellent job.¡±


    This was the first time jos had mentioned his business to Vivian, and she felt surprised and pleased, but also gained new insight into Vilem¡¯s current upation, which brought new worries.


    Hopefully, Vilem would be a bit more cautious in exchange for a bit more safety.


    God bless.


    After the wedding, jos became busy again. He left early in the morning and didn¡¯t return until the early hours, asionally waking Vivian from her sleep. She would see him sitting alone on the balcony with a dim light, apanied by the vast night sky of Houston.


    Was the work very challenging? Or was the pressure too much?


    Vivian had tried to inquire tentatively, but since the wedding, jos had reverted to his previous attitude and remained tight-lipped about his work.


    Vivian had no choice but to ask Mare. Mare¡¯s answer was simply ¡°busy.¡±


    It had been three days since Luzia had left, and Vivian seemed to finally grasp the reality that Luzia had departed from Houston and was now starting a new and difficult life in distant Los Angeles. Her spirits had also dwindled.


    Even sitting in the living room watching her favorite show, she appeared listless.


    ¡°Perhaps we should make a change,¡± Vivian tried to cheer herself up, patting her face to make herself look a bit more lively. ¡°Do you have any good ideas?¡±


    Mare was just a dutiful bodyguard, responsible for Vivian¡¯s safety, not adept at nning leisure activities for her. He picked from his meager knowledge of leisure activities and asked, ¡°Shopping?¡±


    This idea suited Vivian¡¯s fancy, and she immediately agreed, pping her hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go shopping!¡±


    However, this shopping trip was different from all the previous ones. Vivian didn¡¯t visit any luxury stores; instead, she went to a high-end import supermarket, where all sorts of daily necessities were avable.


    Mare pushed the cart behind Vivian, his gaze fixed on her. ¡°Haylee will take care of purchasing all the daily necessities. You don¡¯t need toe here.¡±

 Chapter 80

    Vivian was choosing spices. She spent ten minutes deciding between two brands of ck pepper. ¡°I know, but I¡¯ll wait for Haylee to finish the shopping. It¡¯s more fun to shop when everything is gathered,¡± she said.


    ¡°You tend to fuss over trivial matters,¡± Mare pointed at the few items in the shopping cart. ¡°You¡¯ve spent a whole hour and onlypleted 12% of the shopping list.¡±


    Vivian finally chose the ck pepper. ¡°What does it matter? I have plenty of time.¡±


    As she said this, Vivian¡¯s expression was deste. At the same time, she had been contemting what she could do to change the current situation.


    They walked to the women¡¯s products section, next to which were shelves of adult items. Vivian saw various vors of lubricants.


    Her face turned red, but her eyes couldn¡¯t help but sneak nces in that direction, imagining jos¡¯ tall and strong naked body. Even her neck turned red.


    Just as she didn¡¯t know there were so many vors of lubricant, she also didn¡¯t know there were so many different brands of condoms. She buried her head like an ostrich, yet couldn¡¯t bring herself to move away from there.


    Blushing, she pretended she needed to buy sanitary pads. ¡°You¡¯re right, we¡¯re shopping too slowly. Why don¡¯t you take the shopping list and buy other things?¡±


    Mare looked at the shopping list in his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know what vor of jelly and potato chips you want, along with shampoo and toothpaste. There are too many choices.¡±


    ¡°You should know I¡¯m not that picky,¡± Vivian said, controlling her eyes from ncing at the adult items. ¡°Go on, once you¡¯re done, we can go home.¡±


    Mare couldn¡¯t possibly miss Vivian¡¯s gaze lingering on the adult items. His eyes revealed his realization. ¡°Alright, if you insist.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I insist,¡± Vivian pretended to earnestly choose sanitary pads.


    Mare looked at the shopping list with some distress. ¡°Don¡¯t wander off.¡±


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll obediently wait here for you toe back,¡± Vivian said. ¡°Or I¡¯lle and help you in a while.¡±


    Mare shrugged, seemingly not expecting Vivian¡¯s help. He left the shopping cart with Vivian and walked towards the food section.


    Only when Mare¡¯s figure was blocked by the shelves, making sure he couldn¡¯t see this side, did Vivian finally set her sights on the several rows of pregnancy tests next to the adult items.


    Yes, Vivian¡¯s real goal was not condoms or sanitary pads, but pregnancy tests.


    What made Vivian feel terrible was that the pregnancy tests also had several different styles. She didn¡¯t know which one would be more urate, and she didn¡¯t have much time. Mare coulde back at any moment.


    Vivian had to randomly grab three different brands of pregnancy tests, hoping her luck would be better.


    Although Vivian didn¡¯t know if being pregnant would be considered lucky, or not being pregnant would be considered lucky.


    The sense of urgency that Mare could return at any moment drove Vivian to her limits. She even managed to pick a few packs of sanitary pads to disguise her actions. Blushing, she reached out and took a box of condoms.


    She hid the pregnancy tests and condoms under the sanitary pads. But unlike the carefully concealed pregnancy tests, she deliberately left a corner of the condom box visible, creating the illusion of a hurried mistake.


    After doing all this, Vivian pushed the shopping cart to find Mare.


    Just as she turned out of the women¡¯s products section, Vivian ran into ady behind the shelves selecting products, startling both of them.


    Vivian was startled because of guilt, while the stranger was startled by Vivian¡¯s sudden exmation. Thedy patted her ample chest and eximed, ¡°You scared me!¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Vivian apologized softly. ¡°I was too loud.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this next time. Your behavior is really impolite,¡± thedy reprimanded Vivian, grabbed her chosen items, and went to the women¡¯s products section.


    ¡°You have a bad temper, don¡¯t you?¡± Shelley patted her from behind, causing Vivian to tremble, almost jumping.


    Shelley blinked, looking at Vivian in confusion. ¡°What guilty thing did you do to be this nervous?¡±


    Shelley keenly spotted the condoms in her shopping cart and instantly understood. ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Vivian quickly covered the items with a product, her face turning red. ¡°You didn¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Shelley didn¡¯t mean to tease her, shrugged, and said, ¡°If you say so, then you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Are you here shopping too?¡± Vivian quickly changed the subject.


    Shelley, empty-handed, with no shopping cart even from the two bodyguards following her, made Vivian doubt her motive foring to the supermarket.


    Indeed, Shelley said,¡±I saw you and Maree in, I came to find you.¡±


    Vivian still remembered Shelley¡¯s previous antics and felt uneasy. ¡°No, we have nothing to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, I haven¡¯t even spoken, and you¡¯re already rejecting me. I¡¯m so sad,¡± Shelley leaned in, blinking cutely, resembling a lively doll, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the bar and have a drink, my treat.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian refused again. ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡±


    Vivian pushed the shopping cart, preparing to leave, passing by Shelley.


    ¡°Let¡¯s cooperate, Vivian,¡± Shelley deliberately lowered her voice, speaking in Vivian¡¯s ear.


    Vivian paused. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give up? You¡¯re being delusional.¡±


    ¡°How would you know if you don¡¯t try?¡± Shelley gritted her teeth. ¡°Are you really content with this?¡±


    Vivian had a moment of silence. She felt a headache from Shelley¡¯s persistence and annoyance from her words.


    She was not content. She was fed up with being manipted, unable to control her own future. But what was the use? They couldn¡¯t do anything!


    Vivian didn¡¯t answer Shelley. She silently pushed the shopping cart and left.


    Just as Vivian was about to go to the food section to find Mare, she ran into Mare behind the shelves, staring at various shampoos.


    Once again, Vivian was startled.


    ¡°I!¡± Mare nced at her with a calm expression.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Vivian silently retracted the curse that was about toe out of her mouth. She looked back apprehensively. Thankfully, from this angle, he couldn¡¯t see her picking out the pregnancy tests or hear her conversation with Shelley.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said, I can¡¯t judge which shampoo you need,¡± Mare faced the numerous brands of shampoo, at a loss.


    Vivian casually grabbed a bottle of shampoo. ¡°One we usually use at home, this one is fine.¡±


    Mare had no objections. He took over the shopping cart and headed to the fresh food section ording to the shopping list.


    Soon, the shopping cart had a fish, a chicken, meat for making spaghetti bolognese, and various fresh vegetables added to it.


    When thest item on the shopping list was put into the cart, it was almost full. Vivian walked contentedly towards the checkout counter.


    The cashier helped scan and bag the items for their convenience. Mare stood nearby, watching the cashier¡¯s movements.

 Chapter 81

    Vivian immediately realized a very serious problem- if Mare continued to look on, he would definitely discover the contraceptive stick beneath the sanitary pad, and her secret would not be hidden anymore. Mare would definitely tell jos.


    Regardless of whether she was pregnant or not, Vivian was not prepared to tell jos. She didn¡¯t even know if jos would wee the arrival of a new life.


    ¡°Mare,¡± Vivian¡¯s voice captured Mare¡¯s attention swiftly, just as she intended, ¡°Where are Diego and the car? Is heing to pick us up?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think he should be arriving soon,¡± Mare said.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you call him to confirm his location? What if he can¡¯t find us?¡± Vivian asked.


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t happen,¡± Mare shook his head, ¡°You have to trust Diego. He¡¯s a professional driver; he knows where to park the car to pick you up faster.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you worried about?¡± Mare furrowed his brows, looking at her, ¡°I feel like you¡¯re hiding something from me.¡±


    Mare¡¯s perceptiveness surprised Vivian deeply. She dared not continue to press the issue, fearing that the more she said, the sooner Mare would notice.


    Vivian feigned a smile, saying, ¡°I¡¯m exposed to your scrutiny all day long. What could I possibly hide from you? I just want to show my concern for you in the right way.¡±


    Mare nced at her again.


    He didn¡¯t say anything, not even a change in expression, but Vivian inexplicably felt as if he had seen right through her, making her unease grow.


    Fortunately, after her persistent questioning, the cashier quickly scanned and packed all the items. Vivian hurriedly used the ck card jos had given her to pay and followed Mare, who was carrying the shopping bags, out of the supermarket.


    Just as Mare had said, Diego was waiting with the car in a very conspicuous and convenient location. They spotted him as soon as they left the mall.


    Vivian got into the car, Mare ced the items in the trunk, and then, as always, he sat in the passenger seat.


    He still hadn¡¯t noticed the pregnancy test stick in the shopping bag.


    This fact relieved Vivian, but soon a new anxiety surged within her.


    As she turned to look at the rapidly passing scenery outside the window, Vivian¡¯s fingers clenched tightly around the sleeve of her pink shirt. She was nervous, her heart pounding restlessly.


    The missed period, sudden weight gain, a protruding belly, relentless morning sickness, and drastic changes in eating habits¡­ all of these loomed over Vivian like a shadow, each one telling her the terrifying truth.


    She might be pregnant.


    There might be a little life growing inside her; it would be her and jos¡¯s child, possibly a girl, possibly a boy.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t decide if she wanted a girl or a boy. She had known for a long time what fate this child might have, so she felt afraid.


    She didn¡¯t know if jos would wee this child, but if she was truly pregnant, she had to tell jos about this cruel reality as soon as possible.


    Because once she bore jos¡¯s child, regardless of whether he loved her or not, she would be his weakness, and his enemies would not hesitate to aim their guns at her.


    Only jos could protect her.


    Suddenly, Vivian felt nauseous. Just as they were about to enter the apartment¡¯s underground garage, she urgently tapped on the car window, signaling for Diego to stop.


    The car hadn¡¯t even stopped when Vivian opened the door and rushed out, crouching by the roadside, vomiting uncontrobly.


    Footsteps approached from behind; Vivian knew it was Mare catching up.


    He silently stood by Vivian, tensely observing everything around them, until Vivian finished vomiting, and only then did he hand her a bottle of water.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivian took the water, rinsed her mouth with several sips, and finally calmed down. Her voice had be hoarse due to vomiting, ¡°I¡¯m okay now.¡±


    Mare nodded and escorted Vivian into the apartment.


    First, Diego drove the car to the underground garage, then brought up the items from the trunk.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Diego didn¡¯t stay in the apartment; he left after delivering the items.


    Mare watched the elevator doors close, confirming the disy screen had started to change, leaving only him and Vivian in the apartment, before returning inside.


    He saw Vivian rummaging through the shopping bag and, as soon as he entered, she immediately hid whatever she had in her hands behind her back, trying to pretend as if she hadn¡¯t done anything.


    Her acting was really terrible.


    Mare sighed and told Vivian, ¡°Stop hiding. I know what you¡¯ve sold.¡±


    Mare said to Vivian with a shocked expression, ¡°Isaw it.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ what are you talking about?¡± Vivian wanted to struggle again, perhaps Mare was deceiving her?


    Little did she know, Mare¡¯s next words shattered her self-deceptionpletely, ¡°Pregnancy test stick.¡±


    Vivian took a step back.


    ¡°Are you pregnant?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Vivian quickly shook her head, her anxious denial only making her seem more suspicious, ¡°I will tell jos.¡± Mare stopped arguing with Vivian and directly told her what he would do.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t,¡± Vivian pleaded with him with a look of supplication, hoping he would change his mind, ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I haven¡¯t tested it. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m really pregnant. Please don¡¯t tell him yet.¡±


    Mare furrowed his brows. Vivian¡¯s request put him in a difficult position. His job was to protect her safety and report everything to jos.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, Mare, let me keep a little secret,¡± Vivian saw Mare¡¯s hesitation and assured him, ¡°Just give me some time. Please promise me that if I am indeed pregnant, I will tell jos immediately, regardless of whether he wants this child or not.¡±


    Would jos really not want this child?


    Mare couldn¡¯t be sure. Houston was too dangerous, and jos didn¡¯t have much energy to spare for Vivian now. If this child truly existed, it would be a burden to jos.


    But no father would be willing to kill his own child, except for a demon.


    And Mare was certain, jos was not a demon.


    So, under Vivian¡¯s sincere assurance, Mare relented.


    ¡°Alright, I can promise you,¡± Mare said, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell jos, I will tell him in a week.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Vivian breathed a sigh of relief.


    Vivian took the pregnancy test stick and returned to her room. She urgently wanted to know the result. As soon as she closed the door, she went into the bathroom.


    This was Vivian¡¯s first time using a pregnancy test stick. The newly purchased sticks were neatly arranged in front of her. She picked up the first one, carefully read the instructions, and only when she was sure she understood how to use it, so as not to get an inurate result due to improper operation, did she pick up the second, then the third stick.


    The method of using the pregnancy test sticks was basically the same. Vivian unwrapped all of them at once and, as instructed, sat on the toilet to perform the tests.


    The wait for the results was a long and arduous process. Vivian stared intently at the three pregnancy test sticks in front of her, not daring to blink. Her heartbeat was chaotic, and cold sweat began to form on her palms.

 Chapter 82

    Is she pregnant?


    Is she about to be a mother?


    Will jos wee the arrival of this child?


    Vivian had countless questions in her mind, and the answers were about to be revealed along with the test results.


    Three more minutes.


    Vivian silently counted the time in her mind.


    Two more minutes.


    ¡°Bang! Bang!¡±


    The bathroom door was suddenly knocked, nearly causing Vivian to drop the pregnancy test.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± jos¡¯ voice sounded from outside the door. He rattled the doorknob, unable to open it. ¡°Why did you lock the door? Mare said you weren¡¯t feeling well. Did you vomit again?¡±


    Mare! Traitor! Vivian cursed Mare in her mind, hurriedly gathering the pregnancy test and its packaging. The test result had note out yet, and there was still one minute.


    jos, outside the door, didn¡¯t receive a response from Vivian. Worried that something might have happened to her in the bathroom, he began knocking louder. ¡°Open the door, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll be right out.¡± Seeing jos¡¯s agitation, as if he could break down the bathroom door at any moment, Vivian didn¡¯t dare to dy any longer. She quickly stuffed everything haphazardly into the small cab under the washbasin.


    Before jos¡¯s patience ran out, Vivian promptly opened the door. Indeed, jos noticed her paleplexion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t frown, it¡¯s scary,¡± Vivian pretended to be scared by him, trying to conceal her nervousness.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, you need to see a doctor,¡± jos frowned, looking at her. ¡°It¡¯s been a while now, and your stomach issues have been troubling you.¡±


    ¡°I know, I will see a doctor, but not right now,¡± Vivian could only promise jos for the time being, but she was sure she wouldn¡¯t go see a doctor right away. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Vivian touched her stomach, which wasn¡¯t a lie; she really was hungry.


    ¡°Haylee left dinner,¡± seeing that Vivian finally agreed to see a doctor, jos felt somewhat relieved and went downstairs with her.


    Mare had already heated up dinner and was standing by the dining table, receiving an intense re from Vivian.


    Pretending not to notice, Mare shifted his gaze without any guilt.


    He hadn¡¯t told jos about the possibility of Vivian being pregnant; he had only told jos that ¡°Vivian didn¡¯t seem well,¡± that was all.


    He hadn¡¯t even lied.


    Naturally, Vivian didn¡¯t dare to confront Mare, so dinner was enjoyed in silence.


    However, Vivian had little appetite and was still concerned about the pregnancy test results.


    Perhaps she could sneak a peek at the results while taking a shower. jos wouldn¡¯t notice. The problem was disposing of the used test, as she couldn¡¯t stop jos from using the bathroom, and she couldn¡¯t guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t touch the small cab under the washbasin.


    This was probably the most enthusiastic Vivian had ever been about taking a shower. As soon as dinner was over, she hurried back to her room, grabbed her clean clothes, and went into the bathroom. She was even afraid of making unusual sounds that might attract jos¡¯s attention, so she turned the shower on directly.


    The hot water soaked her clothes before she had a chance to take them off, and her pink chiffon shirt clung tightly to her body, entuating her curves, even with the added weight. This didn¡¯t detract from her beauty; in fact, it made her look more delicious.


    jos¡¯s gaze was dark and naked, revealing his desire for Vivian. Vivian shuddered instinctively, fear rising from the back of her mind.


    She straightened up silently, retreating a step in avoidance, but this only intensified jos¡¯s possessiveness.


    He immediately took off his shirt, revealing his bare chest with sparse ck chest hair and a fierce tiger head tattoo, a ck me, and a lifelike skull tattoo on his abdomen, wrapped in thick bandages-Vivian hadn¡¯t changed jos¡¯s dressing in a while, and she didn¡¯t know how well his wound had healed.


    But that didn¡¯t stop jos from approaching her step by step. He threw his shirt into the corner, then took a big step toward Vivian.


    Vivian hadn¡¯t expected him to take such a big step, and the man, who was already very imposing, suddenly appeared before her. Vivian¡¯s heart raced from the shock, and she instinctively stepped back.


    Her calf hit the bathtub behind her, causing Vivian to lose her bnce, but jos was quicker, reaching around her waist and pulling her into his arms with a forceful movement.


    The hot water poured down on them like rain, thoroughly soaking both of them. Vivian was forced to tilt her head back; the water beat down on her eyes, leaving them barely open.


    In the remaining line of sight, jos lowered his head, capturing her lips with his, and as she parted her lips in pain, his agile tongue invaded her mouth once again.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    This kiss was different from the previous ones; it was more aggressive, more possessive. Vivian was tightly held by his strong arms, and the back of her head was firmly controlled by his other hand, forced to endure his teasing and sucking.


    ¡°jos¡­¡±


    His rough hand slipped into her clothes, gently yet forcefully caressing her delicate skin. Vivian trembled uncontrobly, but her show of weakness only seemed to excite him further.


    Like a wild animal, jos tore off Vivian¡¯s top. His kisses, full of desire, moved urgently from her corbone to her chest. jos didn¡¯t hesitate and took one of her rosy nipples into his mouth.


    After more than three months, jos still remembered Vivian¡¯s sensitive spots. As his agile tongue rolled over her nipple, Vivian let out a sweet moan and trembled more violently than before.


    jos was clearly pleased with Vivian¡¯s response. He left even more of his marks on her body. He had already unbuttoned her tight jeans, and with a strong effort, he lifted her body, causing Vivian to exim. Her legs instinctively tightened around jos¡¯s sturdy waist.


    Seizing the opportunity, jos pulled down Vivian¡¯s jeans, revealing her round and fair buttocks in the light. His hands moved over them.


    ¡°jos¡­ jos¡­¡± Vivian gasped, calling out his name. Her consciousness had been overwhelmed by the intense desire, and only a tiny bit of rationality made her shed tears of embarrassment. ¡°Go¡­ to the bed¡­¡±


    In these moments, jos was more than willing to fulfill Vivian¡¯s desires, especially when Vivian obediently let him remove her jeans. He removed herst piece of clothing, pulled a nearby towel haphazardly to dry the water from her body, andid her down on the bed.


    When Vivian was thrown onto the bed, she waspletely naked, while jos still wore his soaking ck suit trousers. A hard bulge had formed under his hips, but his belt remained securely fastened.


    jos supported himself with both hands on either side of Vivian¡¯s body, suspended above her. His dark eyes exuded deep animal desire. ¡°Vivian, help me.¡±

 Chapter 83

    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s gaze uncontrobly drifted towards the bulge at his crotch, its rming size making Vivian struggle to swallow, ¡°I won¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Just help me take it out.¡± jos¡¯ kissesnded on her forehead, eyes, nose, and lips, his seductive voice coaxing her.


    Enchanted by jos, Vivian extended her hand, cing it on the metal buckle of his belt. One hand couldn¡¯t undo it, so she reached out with both hands. However, her trembling wristscked strength, and the metal buckle made a faint noise but wouldn¡¯t budge.


    The swelling between jos¡¯ legs made him intolerably hot all over. He breathed out a heated breath, guiding Vivian¡¯s hand with his own, patiently teaching her how to undo his belt, how to unzip his trousers, and how to extract his enormous member.


    Vivian was nearly suffocating. As her hand grasped therge, hot, hard object, her throat tightened, forcing her to gasp for air, aiding her lungs to take in more.


    jos¡¯ movements remained relentless. One hand gripped her waist, the other guided her hand up and down his member. Her boneless fingers tightly encircled it, bringing a different, pleasurable sensation, sending shivers up her spine, straight to her brain.


    ¡°jos¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s hand ached, her body engulfed by overwhelming desire, leaving her floundering in helplessness, seeking assistance from jos.


    jos tenderly caressed her sweaty face. Vivian stared at him with dazed eyes, suddenly hearing the rustle of clothes falling to the ground. As their bare skin met once more, jos¡¯ heated member pressed against her thigh, and only then did Vivian slowly realize what he had done.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    jos raised her hand above her head, parted her fair legs, and forcefully, irresistibly entered her body.


    His domination overwhelmed Vivian, her heart pounding, unable to distinguish whether she liked it or not. Her mind was filled only with the sensation of that round, substantial object prating her tightness, feeling foreign.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t endure it. Her hands weakly clutched the edge of the pillow. ¡°jos¡­¡±


    Vivian¡¯s pitiful cry was as gentle as a feather brushing against the skin, itching the heart. His breathing grew more urgent, his thrusts faster. He could feel her wetness, the ambiguous sound of water bringing a sweet fragrance.


    jos was bewitched, obsessed with Vivian¡¯s body. He bent down in the overwhelming passion, swallowing all of her moans and pleas.


    After the intense passion subsided, jos copsed on Vivian¡¯s sweaty body, kissing her in fits and starts.


    After the intense surge of desire, Vivian¡¯s mind went nk, her weariness urging her to sleep, disturbed by jos¡¯ kisses.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Vivian weakly ced her hand on jos¡¯ head, unable to push him away, ¡°Let me sleep¡­¡±


    jos kissed her palm, his moist breath hitting her hand, stirring Vivian¡¯s heart, slightly awakening her.


    ¡°Not taking a bath?¡± jos buried his head in her neck.


    Vivian looked at him pitifully. ¡°I¡¯m too tired.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± A man satisfied in desire is willing to serve his wife. He carried Vivian horizontally, walking naked to the bathroom.


    The bathroom door closed, the sound of running water, and increasingly urgent moans and gasps.


    ¡°No, jos.¡±


    ¡°Stop, stop, stop!¡±


    ¡°Almost there, Vivian, Vivian¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Returning to the warm, soft bed, Vivian was so exhausted, she didn¡¯t want to move a finger. She spread herself out on the bed, sumbing to a deep sleep.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    josy beside Vivian, turning off the bedroom light. He propped his head, the moonlight, unobstructed by curtains, gently falling on Vivian.


    Unconsciously, he reached out, his fingertipsnding on her moonlit brows and eyes, gently brushing along her eyebrows, the soft touch making his heart tender.


    This was forbidden.


    Capo was the ruler of the Mafia, his heart needed to be as hard as a rock, unbreakable, to better lead his followers and withstand all harm from their enemies.


    If he had a weakness, if he wasn¡¯t unbreakable, what could he use to protect his family, to protect Vivian?


    jos always knew what he wanted, what he should do. He knew he couldn¡¯t continue to sink. Vivian was his wife, but also a fragile, foolish, naive, and weak woman. jos could protect her, but he absolutely couldn¡¯t let himself love her.


    jos got out of bed and went into the bathroom.


    Soon, thethe sound of running water trickled in, lessening the heat that consumed him.


    jos let out a heavy breath, reaching for the soap on the shelf. The soap, wet and slippery, slipped from his hand, flying out as he tried to grasp it. As he bent to pick it up, he hit his head on the cab, producing a loud thud.


    ¡°Dong!¡± The impact left jos dazed, as he held his aching head and carelessly closed the cab door he had identally opened.


    Turning back to continue his shower, jos suddenly froze.


    What was that just now?


    With a surge of curiosity, jos swiftly opened the cab, revealing in a disarrayed manner three pregnancy tests and their packaging.


    jos recognized the tests at a nce. His movements halted, as he thought of Vivian¡¯s unexined and persistent nausea over the past month.


    Could it be more than just a stomach issue? Could it be¡­


    jos¡¯ face darkened suddenly, realizing the gravity of the situation.


    Vivian was pregnant?


    How could Vivian be pregnant? She was taking birth control¡­


    jos felt a knot in his stomach, aware of the severity of the problem.


    Vivian hadn¡¯t taken her birth control; she was pregnant now!


    Admitting that he needed an heir, jos knew that Vivian, as his wife, had to bear him a child. It was his right, and Vivian¡¯s duty.


    But not now.


    Vivian could have his child, but it absolutely could not be now!


    Frustrated, jos ran his hand through his hair. Did Vivian know she was pregnant? What was she thinking?


    Staring at the pregnancy tests in his hand, jos realized that Vivian had hidden them. She knew she was pregnant, but she hadn¡¯t told him. She had decided to conceal the existence of this child. Why?


    Anger and unease filled jos¡¯ heart, not only because of Vivian¡¯s concealment but also because the sudden arrival of this child disrupted all his current ns and arrangements. Their beliefs prevented them from terminating the pregnancy; Vivian could only bear the child, but it was so fragile.


    Could he survive?

 Chapter 84

    Vivian was awakened by the re of the light. The incandescent light seriously affected her sleep, just like now.


    Having just experienced an intense love, Vivian¡¯s body still carried ambiguous traces. She felt weak and powerless, lying in the bed, not wanting to move.


    ¡°jos¡­¡± Vivian murmured his name into the cotton pillow with a heavy, sleepy tone, sounding somewhat coquettish. ¡°Why did you leave the light on?¡±


    jos stood silently by the window, his handsome face dark, his expression fierce and terrifying. Vivian, in a daze, looked at him and was suddenly startled, instantly bing mostly awake.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Vivian instinctively pulled the nket higher, as if the warmth it brought could give her the courage to face jos¡¯s anger. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s mind was still a bit fuzzy; she couldn¡¯t remember the pregnancy test in the bathroom. Consequently, she naturally forgot what she had done to anger jos. She just felt that jos¡¯s anger was so inexplicable.


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant,¡± jos said, looking at her with a dark expression, devoid of any joy at the thought of his wife being pregnant.


    jos¡¯s words and his attitude poured cold water on Vivian. She stared at jos nkly, and after a long while, she managed to ask in response, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m pregnant?¡±


    jos threw the pregnancy test at her.


    Three pregnancy tests, all intact, disying two clear lines. The emergency self-study session on pregnancy tests informed Vivian that she was indeed pregnant.


    She was pregnant, carrying jos¡¯s child.


    So, all her recent strangeness had an exnation.


    She was pregnant.


    Vivian was thunderstruck by this news, and she couldn¡¯t believe it as she ced her hand on her slightly swollen belly.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She wasn¡¯t getting fat; she was pregnant. Right here, she was nurturing a new life, the child of her and jos.


    All her previous worries and fears dissolved with the revtion of the truth. The little life inside her womb wouldn¡¯t be her nightmare; it was the start of everything beautiful.


    Vivian¡¯s joy and excitement were evident on her face, devoid of any fear or concealment. This truly struck jos, giving rise to another doubt in his mind.


    Did Vivian not know she was pregnant?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡± Vivian hadn¡¯t forgotten jos¡¯s dark expression.


    jos took a deep breath, seemingly suppressing his raging anger. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take birth control pills?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± jos¡¯s question left Vivian bewildered. ¡°Why should I take birth control pills?¡±


    Exactly! jos instantly understood what was going on. No wonder, no wonder Vivian was pregnant!


    ¡°Bastard!¡± jos shouted, kicking over a nearby low stool. ¡°He deceived me, damn bastard!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Vivian was startled by jos¡¯s sudden outburst. ¡°You¡¯re confusing me. Who deceived you? What do birth control pills have to do with my pregnancy?¡±


    ¡°On our wedding night, we didn¡¯t take any contraceptive measures. I didn¡¯t use a condom, and you didn¡¯t take birth control pills, so you¡¯re pregnant!¡±


    ¡°Do you¡­ not want me to be pregnant?¡± Vivian¡¯s voice trembled.


    ¡°No, at least not now,¡± jos said. ¡°Houston is very dangerous right now. Your pregnancy will only plunge Houston into greater crisis. My enemies will stop at nothing to kill you or capture you to use you as a means to force me to submit to their tyranny!¡±


    The dreadful reality pierced jos¡¯s words. Vivian turned pale. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take any contraceptive measures? No one told me to take birth control pills.¡±


    ¡°Because of your father! Bryson!¡± jos¡¯s voice rose again, as if he were trying to lift the ceiling. ¡°He deceived me, he orchestrated a conspiracy, he used you to weaken me.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian shook her head. She had heard something dreadful.


    ¡°Listen, Vivian, it was Bryson, your father. On the day of the wedding, he told me that he had informed you about Houston¡¯s plight and gave you birth control pills to take after we slept together.¡± jos asked her, ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you, did he? Answer me, Vivian, did he tell you to take birth control pills?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Under jos¡¯s relentless questioning, Vivian shook her head desperately, tears streaming down her face. ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me to take birth control pills. I didn¡¯t know.¡±


    jos had already guessed as much. His blind confidence had dealt him a heavy blow. Bryson was indeed cunning and malicious; he had set up a big game using his daughter and grandson.


    If Bryson foundout that Vivian was pregnant¡­


    jos slumped on the bed, running his hands through his hair, pulling hard. There had to be a way, he had to find a way.


    Vivian cried, realizing she was done for. She had be not only a gift to lure Houston, but also a weapon to destroy it; she was finished, her father hadpletely abandoned her.


    The joy of the new lifested less than a minute. The shadow of reality was about to crush her.


    The two sat silently for a long time. Vivian went from crying loudly to sobbing softly, her tears drying up along with thest remnants of warmth and hope for her father.


    She knew all too well the extent of Bryson¡¯s cold-bloodedness; that man was no longer her father.


    ¡°Are you going to abort this child?¡± Vivian choked, every syble trembling.


    jos silently looked at her. It was the best solution.


    jos¡¯s silence made Vivian even more desperate. She thought her tears had dried up, but they hadn¡¯t. ¡°This is also your child, jos.¡±


    Vivian took jos¡¯s hand and ced it on her slightly swollen belly. ¡°Feel him, feel him. He¡¯s almost four months old; he¡¯s our child.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s too fragile, Vivian. He can¡¯t even withstand a major setback,¡± jos said, stroking Vivian¡¯s tear-stained cheeks, expressing his concern. ¡°The child will make you vulnerable. I will need to divert more of my energy and resources to protect you, which will weaken my strength.¡±


    ¡°Once the child¡¯s existence is exposed, it will attract more attention and attacks from Bratva and Los Angeles,¡± jos paused when he mentioned Los Angeles, but continued, ¡°Los Angeles has never been our friend. They have always had their eyes on Houston. A war between the two cities is inevitable.¡±


    Vivian knew, she had always known, the intentions behind her father and Joseph¡¯s covetousness of Houston. So, when she found out her father had concealed the birth control pills, tacitly allowing her to be pregnant with jos¡¯s child to weaken his power, she knew her father¡¯s coldness far exceeded her imagination.


    From now on, Los Angeles was no longer her home.


    ¡°I know this is selfish, but¡­¡± Vivian sobbed softly, pleading, ¡°Can you please let this child stay? I can¡¯t lose him.¡±

 Chapter 85

    jos could never bear to lose him, this was his and Vivian¡¯s first child, he was about to be a father.


    jos gently touched the little one, who was still unaware of the outside world, through Vivian¡¯s belly. His once hardened heart seemed to soften a bit.


    ¡°By having him, you also have ten times more danger than now. Are you still willing?¡± jos¡¯s words revealed a hint of hesitation.


    Hearing the slight wavering in jos¡¯s words, Vivian nodded eagerly, as if afraid that any dy would make jos change his mind. ¡°I am willing, I am willing! Even if I die, I will protect him.¡±


    ¡°Please, jos, please, keep him.¡±


    jos looked at Vivian¡¯s earnest face and couldn¡¯t bear to disappoint her. He gently kissed her forehead, a promise.


    ¡°I will protect you and the child, for sure.¡±


    With jos¡¯s firm promise, Vivian¡¯s tense nerves finally rxed, and she wept in his arms.


    jos let her hold onto his pajamas tightly, crying and wiping her snot and tears on his clothes.


    The moon outside was beautiful.


    Once Vivian cried herself out, shey in jos¡¯s arms, unwilling to get up. jos amusedly teased her, ¡°Are you feeling shy?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian retorted fiercely, sitting up and covering her face with a hint of tears, ¡°It¡¯s too embarrassing.¡±


    josughed and went into the bathroom.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know what he was doing, only hearing the sound of running water from the bathroom. She got out of bed, shaking her weak legs, and went to the wardrobe, pulling out a nightgown to change into.


    jos soon came out of the bathroom, holding a hot towel.


    As he wiped Vivian¡¯s face, he said, ¡°I am your husband, Vivian. There¡¯s no shame in crying in front of me.¡±


    Vivian stared at him nkly. jos seemed different today.


    Vivian¡¯s hand rested on her belly, her blue eyes blinking with a hint of confusion.


    Was it because of their child?


    ¡°Did you hear me, Vivian?¡± jos asked.


    Actually, Vivian didn¡¯t hear clearly what jos had just said. She mumbled in response, ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    After wiping her face, jos tossed the towel and tucked Vivian into bed. ¡°It¡¯ste, you should sleep now,¡± he said, running his fingers through her hair. ¡°Anything else can wait until tomorrow.¡±


    Vivian obediently nodded and closed her eyes, but she was not sleepy at all. She heard jos go into the bathroom, the sound of running water filling the room. After a while, jos came out.


    He must have taken a shower and changed into a new nightgown.


    Vivian could hear jos pacing in the room, opening the mini-fridge, probably getting his favorite whiskey. This time he didn¡¯t sit in his usual armchair but took the whiskey and the ss to the balcony.


    The small balcony connected to the bedroom, separated only by a sliding ss door. The blue curtains, with drifting white clouds, were not drawn. Viviany in bed, quietly opening her eyes.


    She saw the whiskey bottle ced on the small round table, and jos standing in front of the balcony railing, one elbow resting on the railing, the other hand holding the ss, as if about to drink but not drinking.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    He gazed into the distance for a long time, his serene face no longer showing the initial anger and sorrow. But Vivian knew that no Capo would remain calm after such maniption. Beneath jos¡¯s apparently calm demeanor, a storm that would affect two cities was brewing.


    She slowly closed her eyes, letting the darkness engulf her entirely.


    Father, before all this conspiracy begins, before you abandon your only daughter, do you feel guilt and unease in your heart?


    No, you wouldn¡¯t, would you?


    Your daughter, Vivian Jones, is just a pawn in your conquest of Houston. When she falls on the chessboard, she bes a discarded piece.


    She felt a rustling sound by her side. Vivian distinctly felt a weight next to her.


    It was jos.


    In the darkness, she felt his rough fingertips wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. jos looked at her gently quivering long eyshes, his hand moved around her arm, gently patting her back.


    Vivian didn¡¯t open her eyes, and jos didn¡¯t expose her lie. They embraced each other in silence and fell asleep.


    Outside the window, dawn had not yet arrived.


    ¡­


    Vivian unsurprisingly woke upte, and jos was already not in the room.


    Vivian reached out to touch the ce where Aljos had slept, but the bed was cold; he had left a long time ago.


    Vivian knew he was busy with work, and the frequent Bratva attacks had left him exhausted. Now that she was pregnant with their child, she knew that jos would be even busier for a long time.


    Vivian sighed. She hated her own weakness and helplessness. She couldn¡¯t provide any effective help to jos, and she might even distract him.


    Her father must be pleased with her weakness. His conspiracy was working, weakening jos.


    Vivian wearily dragged her feet to the bathroom. She picked up her pink toothbrush, applied toothpaste, and the faint taste of mint filled her mouth. The faucet above the washbasin gushed water. After a simple wash, she changed into clean andfortable clothes.


    Closing the wardrobe, Vivian no longer felt sorry for the gorgeous dresses that no longer suited her. It wasn¡¯t because of an indulgent and dissolute life that she had gained weight, but because she was pregnant.


    Setting aside all the crises and unfavorable factors, the fact that she was going to be a mother filled her with joy. As she walked, her steps were light, and she spun in ce, the elegant steps of a waltz flowing beneath her feet.


    She wanted to announce this good news to everyone.


    The first person she thought of was her mother.


    This halted her good mood.


    Her mother was far away in Europe¡­ no, she didn¡¯t even know if her mother was truly recuperating in Europe. If her father had lied¡­


    No, no, how could her father lie about her mother?


    But her father had once panicked jos¡­


    The more Vivian thought, the more anxious she became, and half of her good mood had vanished. When she saw the note jos had deliberately left behind, the other half of her good mood disappeared as well.


    ¡°Vivian, I¡¯ve gone to work. Remember to have breakfast. Regarding your pregnancy, I hope you can keep it a secret for now, including from your brother Vilem. You should be well aware of how many pairs of eyes and ears there are in Los Angeles around you. For your and the child¡¯s safety.¡±


    The note was signed with jos¡¯s name.


    After spending some time together, jos had some understanding of Vivian, and as for Vivian¡­


    After realizing that seeking her mother had yielded no results, she had indeed thought of going to find Vilem and sharing this good news with him.


    But jos was right. Her father had sent many elite soldiers from Los Angeles to Houston, supposedly to help Houston through its difficulties. But how could it not be to monitor her and Vilem?


    Her father was a cunning businessman, an excellent plotter.

 Chapter 86

    Vivian tore up the note left by jos and flushed it down the drain. She remembered the pregnancy tests from yesterday but couldn¡¯t find them anywhere in the bedroom. Had jos taken them? Maybe that was good news, Vivian thought. After all, she didn¡¯t have a better way to handle those three pregnancy tests, but jos might. Vivian went downstairs and decided to follow jos¡¯s arrangement to have breakfast. In truth, she was hungry. Vivian no longer felt embarrassed about her sudden increase in appetite because she knew the baby inside her needed nutrition to grow, although she didn¡¯t show it very obviously, sheined to Haylee while eating. Haylee was constantly trying to cheer Vivian up, while Mare sat silently on the other side of the dining table reading his New York Times. It was a normal morning, and Vivian made it through safely.


    Haylee was about to go out to buy ingredients for dinner, as Vivian suddenly wanted steak, and there was none in stock at home. The elevator chimed, the doors closed slowly, and with Haylee on her way to the underground garage, Vivian immediately threw away the remote control.


    ¡°I need you to contact jos,¡± Vivian said to Mare.


    Mare hesitated, wanting to refuse, but Vivian continued, ¡°I know you can reach him. You report my every move to jos every day, and I believe that no matter what jos is doing, he can receive your messages.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Mare maintained his silence, which was an admission in itself.


    Vivian snorted coldly; she believed in Mare¡¯s loyalty to jos, so she believed that Mare would protect her with his life. However, this bodyguard could never betray jos and obey her orders.


    Vivian was lonely. She didn¡¯t have a bodyguard of her own. Those who protected her did so because she was someone else¡¯s appendage. It used to be her father, Bryson, and now it was her husband, jos.


    ¡°What did you tell him?¡± After a moment of stalemate, Mare took out a ck phone from his suit pocket. It looked no different from their usual phones, but Mare told Vivian that it was a specialmunicator, the only way to reach jos when he was on a mission.


    ¡°I want to see Shelley,¡± Vivian said.


    Upon hearing Shelley¡¯s name, Mare was surprised. He knew that Vivian¡¯s previous encounters with Shelley had not been very pleasant, including the one in the supermarket yesterday  yes, Mare not only saw Vivian buying the pregnancy tests but also saw her meeting with Shelley.


    ¡°Can I invite her to the apartment?¡± Vivian asked.


    Maybe not a good idea, Mare thought. He could tell that Shelley wasn¡¯t very friendly towards Vivian. Of course, that was understandable; Shelley was very fond of jos, and before Vivian, they both thought that the person to marry jos would be Shelley.


    ¡°I can ask jos,¡± Mare took out his other regr phone. It wasn¡¯t anything urgent, jos just needed to reply in his leisure time.


    Half an hourter, Mare received a response from jos. ¡°Shelley has already officially be engaged to Festus, and Charles has announced her new identity to the public. Her first son with Festus will be Benoist¡¯s heir,¡± Mare said. ¡°She attracted a lot of attention with her new identity, so her sudden visit to the apartment would raise suspicions.¡±


    ¡°jos won¡¯t allow it?¡±


    ¡°No, jos has arranged a new meeting ce for you,¡± Mare said, rying jos¡¯s decision. ¡°I will be responsible for taking you there.¡±


    ¡°Will it be safer than the apartment?¡± Vivian asked. She didn¡¯t want others to overhear their conversation. Vivian believed that Shelley also wouldn¡¯t want any extra ears.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mare said confidently, ¡°jos¡¯s arrangements will be the best.¡±


    Alright, Vivian was willing to believe jos. Just after lunch, a formal invitation from Mrs. Yazmin arrived at the apartment.


    ¡°Afternoon tea?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mare replied, ¡°Mrs. Yazmin has obtained some delicious jams, and the estate¡¯s chefs have used them to make pancakes and waffles. She invites you and a few otherdies to the estate to taste them.¡±


    Vivian heard Shelley¡¯s name on the guest list. ¡°So, Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate is the new ce arranged by jos?¡± Mare smiled silently, not giving a direct answer. But Vivian knew she was right.


    Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate was far outside the city but heavily guarded, especially after Vivian¡¯s attempt to escape from there almost seeded. Mrs. Yazmin reluctantly added twenty more bodyguards, so it was very secure.


    It was indeed a good ce for a conversation, Vivian thought. But theestate was far from the apartment, and time was a bit tight. Vivian quickly went upstairs to change into a polite and elegant little white dress and grabbed some of Haylee¡¯s specialty pastries and a few cans of Brazilian coffee beans before hurriedly getting into Diego¡¯s car headed for the estate.


    When Vivian arrived at the estate, Shelley and her mother, Mrs. Benoist, were already there. Mrs. Benoist was chatting with Mrs. Yazmin, while Shelley sat quietly beside her mother, smiling as she listened to the twodies¡¯ conversation.


    ¡°Darling, you¡¯re here,¡± Mrs. Yazmin got up to greet Vivian, embracing her. ¡°I am so d you agreed to join us today.¡±


    ¡°This is our Capo¡¯s wife, Vivian Hargrave,¡± Mrs. Yazmin introduced them to each other, ¡°This is Charles¡¯s wife, Celinda Benoist, and their daughter, Shelley Benoist.¡±


    Mrs. Celinda Benoist was a gentle and smilingdy with a pleasant voice. ¡°Capo¡¯s wife is as beautiful as a flower, Capo will be enchanted by you,¡± she said.


    After that, several otherdies arrived one after another, all of their husbands being supporters of the Hargrave family in Houston. Mrs. Yazmin introduced each of them to Vivian.


    The Jones family also had many supporters in Los Angeles, and the families behind these supporters were the ones Capo had to win over, so hosting small gatherings to connect was amon urrence.


    When Vivian was in Los Angeles, she had attended many such gatherings with her mother. The number of people at these gatherings was notrge, but they were the people Vivian had to remember names and faces of. After a while, she got used to it.


    So, remembering and recognizing Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s guests was not difficult for Vivian. Mrs. Yazmin was also pleased with Vivian¡¯s adept demeanor. While their Capo fought in the forefront for their superior living environment, Capo¡¯s wife also needed to fight at gatherings in the background to win over the strength that would help Capo win. Only by achieving mutual sess could the future of Houston go further.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re attending today¡¯s gathering,¡± Shelley didn¡¯t know why today¡¯s gathering was organized. Mrs. Yazmin was someone who loved socializing and often held such afternoon teas.


    ¡°You know, Luzia now lives in Los Angeles and can no longer apany me through these boring afternoons. I¡¯ve lost my friend, and I need something to keep myself from feeling too lonely,¡± as soon as Shelley spoke, Vivian knew what the situation was.


    jos didn¡¯t know what she wanted to do, so he helped organize this afternoon tea, facilitating her meeting with Shelley, but he didn¡¯t reveal her initiative to Shelley. Instead, he let Shelley think that their meeting today was just a coincidence.


    No, perhaps it wasn¡¯t a coincidence.

 Chapter 87

    Just as Vivian was able to obtain the guest list for this gathering, Shelley also knew who would be attending. She saw Vivian¡¯s name; she hade for Vivian. She came seeking Vivian¡¯s help, rather than Vivian seeking her out.


    jos knew nothing, yet he still held the upper hand for Vivian.


    ¡°Perhaps attending gatherings is the best way to dispel loneliness, but if you don¡¯t make changes yourself, you will always be lonely,¡± Shelley said, supporting her head with her hand. Her meticulously groomed, shiny, long hair cascaded from her shoulders. ¡°Work with me, Vivian. You will get what you want.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what I want?¡± Vivian asked, looking at her.


    Shelley looked back at her, not concealing her ambition. ¡°Freedom, money, power.¡±


    No, Vivian replied in her mind. Perhaps she had once desired freedom, but money and power were never her pursuit. But now, she didn¡¯t even want freedom; she wanted self-preservation. She wanted to protect her child. If freedom, money, and power were the paths to self-preservation, she was willing to make an attempt. What¡¯s the worst that could happen? At least it wouldn¡¯t be worse than it is now.


    ¡°What can I offer you?¡± Vivian knew she stood alone, with nothing.


    ¡°I want to be the leader of the Benoist family,¡± Shelley said firmly, looking at her.


    ¡°The family matriarch?¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That has never happened¡­¡±


    ¡°Then it will start with me,¡± Shelley seemed to radiate with the sun, shining as she had never before. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a gift of the family, a mere appendage of a father, husband, or son. I am Shelley Benoist, and I want to control my own destiny.¡±


    Vivian stared nkly at Shelley, her hand rising to cover the left side of her chest, feeling her thumping heart in her palm.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know why she was trembling, why her nose felt tingly, why she wanted to cry. She only knew¡­ she was moved.


    She was moved by the vision Shelley had depicted for the future. No longer a gift, no longer an appendage. Just herself.


    Once, Vivian was a dreamy girl, but now her dreams had awakened. ¡°jos won¡¯t change his mind because of me.¡±


    ¡°Then change him,¡± Shelley said. ¡°Make him fall in love with you, make himpromise for you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian shook her head. ¡°I have tried. jos is a strong man, resolute in his heart, with clear goals. He adheres to the duties of a Capo, and he has said he will not love any woman.¡±


    ¡°If he hasn¡¯t fallen in love with you, it means your efforts haven¡¯t been enough,¡± Shelley¡¯s fingertips lightly brushed Vivian¡¯s face.


    She had once been jealous, resentful. This beautiful face had taken away the man she loved the most. But now, this face had be her weapon. ¡°Your beauty is enough to captivate any man, be confident, Vivian.¡±


    Vivian pushed away her hand. ¡°You have also tried, but you haven¡¯t made jos fall in love with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite harsh,¡± Shelley shrugged, seemingly unfazed by Vivian¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°I admit, I have encountered failure with jos. He¡¯s a tough nut to crack.¡±


    ¡°You are the one who is a dog,¡± Vivian red at her.


    Shelleyughed twice, ¡°Coborate?¡±


    ¡°If jos falls in love with me, he will be very dangerous, and I will be very dangerous,¡± Vivian walked into the rose garden. ¡°I have paid the price of my safety, what¡¯s your price?¡±


    Shelley followed behind Vivian, maintaining a distance of 2 feet between them. This distance was enough for them to hear each other¡¯s whispers, and the rose garden was spacious, with low nts offering no hiding ces, no risk of eavesdropping. There was no better ce for a conversation.


    Vivian was satisfied.


    ¡°The Benoist family will always be loyal to you,¡± Shelley said. ¡°You should know, in the Mafia, loyalty always lies with the Capo, not the Capo¡¯s wife. As long as you help me, you will have the support of a powerful family. Even if jos wants to do something to you, he will have to consider the wishes of the Benoist family.¡±


    Vivian shook her head.


    Shelley frowned, ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°Your bargaining chip isn¡¯t enough,¡± Vivian said. ¡°I admit, the support of the Benoist family is very important to me, but your father Charles isn¡¯t a fool. As long as he holds power, the support of the Benfamily will only be for jos, and I may not live to see the day when you control the Benoist family.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°The price you pay is in the future, it¡¯s an advance payment. But I am paying my price now, or every moment,¡± It¡¯s not worth it for me,¡± Shelley frowned. ¡°If that¡¯s how you see it, then this coboration may not continue.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Vivian said.


    ¡°So it seems you do want something,¡± Shelley looked excitedly at Vivian. Wanting something meant their coboration had hope.


    ¡°I heard that the Benoist family operates several shooting clubs,¡± Shelley looked surprised at Vivian. She was a clever girl, immediately guessing Vivian¡¯s need. ¡°Do you want to learn shooting?¡±


    Vivian nodded.


    Shelley didn¡¯t quite agree, ¡°That¡¯s not adylike pursuit.¡±


    ¡°Ladylike has to die,¡± Vivian gained permission to pick the best roses in the rose garden. ¡°Ladylike pursuits won¡¯t protect me, they will only put me in deadly danger. If I want to live, I have to abandon them.¡±


    Her father sent her to a private girls¡¯ high school, using money and etiquette to shape her into an obedientdy, making her lose the ability to protect herself, and then threw her into a den of wolves, crushing all her hopes of escape.


    Yes, all hopes.


    From the moment Vivian found out that Bryson had concealed the fact that she needed contraception, she knew she had no way out. She was bound to jos; she could only live if jos lived. If Bryson¡¯s conspiracy seeded one day, if jos died, she would be a widow with a child. Houston would no longer be her sanctuary, and there would be no ce in Los Angeles that could amodate her.


    This child was not only jos¡¯s weakness but also Vivian¡¯s death knell.


    Getting rid of him was the best way to protect herself.


    But Vivian loved him.


    So, she had to find another way. Like shooting.


    ¡°Can you help me?¡± Vivian looked at Shelley.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Shelley truly hadn¡¯t expected Vivian to make such a request. ¡°Do you know that jos¡¯s marksmanship is better than the shooting club¡¯s instructors? He never misses.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she had seen it.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you let jos teach you, or let Mare teach you?¡± Shelley looked toward Mare outside the rose garden, he and Shelley¡¯s two bodyguards stood apart on either side, at a distance, but his eyes were always on Vivian.


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s too conspicuous, I need secrecy.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Shelley didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°I am weak, and I may not learn shooting well, so I need the element of surprise,¡± Vivian exined to Shelley, ¡°So I can¡¯t let anyone know that I am learning shooting. I need to maintain the image of weakness in the eyes of others.¡±

 Chapter 88

    Shelley, being a daughter of the Mafia, naturally understood Vivian¡¯s caution. ¡°We are surrounded by ears.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivian nodded, ¡°perhaps countless pairs of eyes too.¡±


    Shelley didn¡¯t like this kind of life at all. She gloomily caressed the delicate petals of a rose. ¡°I used to think I was happy.¡±


    Vivian remained silent, watching her.


    ¡°I was luckier than you. My mother is the daughter of the Capo of Washington. My father respected her greatly. I had a very capable and loving older brother. I was raised as ady, but my father and brother never treated me as a gift to be married off.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    As she spoke of her family, Shelley¡¯s lips remained curved in a smile, warm and beautiful. She was truly happy.


    Vivian felt a pang of sourness within her, unsure if it was more jealousy or envy.


    ¡°But, my brother died.¡±


    The heartwarming and happy story took a sudden turn. The passing of a family member cast a shadow over this once happy family. The powerful father, who had lived a lifetime, lost his heir and suddenly aged. Shelley¡¯s life also underwent significant changes. Her loving father made a decision that could shatter her life, aligning Shelley with Festus of the Roscente family, making her the new heir of the Benoist family.


    And so, Shelley became nothing more than a breeding machine for the Benoist family.


    How could she ept this? How could she?


    She was the daughter of the Benoist family. With her brother Hanson dead and her cousin John imprisoned in Ennd, she should have naturally be the heir of the Benoist family, instead of being handed over to that son who knows not when he will arrive!


    ¡°Here¡¯s to a pleasant coboration!¡± Shelley snipped a rose and used it to touch the rose in Vivian¡¯s hand, as though making a toast.


    Shelley soon fulfilled her promise, obtaining a tinum card for the club¡¯s manager for Vivian.


    They arranged to meet at a mall in downtown Houston, pretending to bump into each other. Shelley rmended a spa for a massage to Vivian and discreetly handed over the tinum card disguised as a spa membership card.


    ¡°You know those shooting clubs that the Benoist family put out in the open as targets, you definitely can¡¯t go there. I¡¯ll tell you the addresses of a few underground spots, find time for Mare to take you there.¡±


    Shelley paused. ¡°Does jos know about your desire to learn shooting?¡±


    Vivian snatched the card from her hand. ¡°You¡¯re only asking me now, isn¡¯t it a bitte?¡±


    Shelley¡¯s voice rose in terror. ¡°So he doesn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± Vivian covered her mouth. ¡°Can you keep it down?¡±


    Shelley drew in a sharp breath. Now she was scared, she felt like crying. ¡°Will I die? If jos finds out I¡¯m teaching you to shoot, will he kill me?¡±


    The more Shelley thought about it, the more she felt it was possible. Shivers ran down her spine.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that dramatic.¡± Vivian looked at Shelley wordlessly. ¡°It¡¯s not about being brave or not. That¡¯s jos we¡¯re talking about. I was counting on his support for me to be the head.¡±


    Vivian rolled her eyes. ¡°Rx, I¡¯ve already discussed it with jos in advance. He agreed to my learning to shoot.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s willingness to learn to shoot made jos very happy. He couldn¡¯t be by Vivian¡¯s side all the time to protect her. Even with Mare¡¯s close protection, there were times when Mare couldn¡¯t be there. If Vivian knew how to use a gun or some other means of self-defense, her chances of survival would greatly increase.


    ¡°Don¡¯t roll your eyes.¡± Shelley picked up a book to shield herself from Vivian¡¯s disdainful gaze. ¡°Remember, you¡¯re ady.¡±


    ¡°Let thedy go to hell.¡± Vivian no longer cared. ¡°She can¡¯t hold me back anymore.¡±


    Shelley expressed her contentment.


    After handing over the card, Shelley left. She and Vivian didn¡¯t have much of a rtionship. Spending too much time together would raise suspicions, and they might even expose their coboration.


    Or maybe they should find some time to deepen their bond? Sneaking around and pretending to coincidentally meet every time wasn¡¯t a sustainable solution.


    Shelley nned to discuss this with Vivian the next time they met.


    After Shelley left, Vivian didn¡¯t rush to leave. She carefully ced Shelley¡¯s card in apartment in her bag and then took the list of today¡¯s massage packages from the spa receptionist.


    Her fingertips slid over one item after another, involuntarily bringing Luzia to mind.


    Was Luzia doing well in Los Angeles? Had she adapted to her new life? WasJoseph treating her well? Is he still abusive?


    Thinking of Luzia made Vivian feel a pang in her heart, ruining her good mood and leaving her feeling low.


    Mare, who had been waiting for her, suddenly received a call. He spoke quietly for a moment before hanging up.


    He could see Vivian¡¯s low spirits and knew that the massage for today probably wouldn¡¯t happen.


    ¡°Is it jos on the phone?¡± Sometimes, Vivian was very sensitive.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mare said.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Vivian sighed. If she didn¡¯t ask, Mare wouldn¡¯t tell her. This stubborn man!


    Mare thought for a moment, then said, ¡°jos said if you have time now, you should go see him.¡±


    ¡°Go see him where?¡±


    ¡°At the hospital,¡± Mare replied.


    ¡°The hospital?¡± Vivian almost jumped up. ¡°Is he injured?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Mare tried to reassure her. He had scared Vivian. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor issue, definitely not an injury. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re going to the hospital right now.¡± Why would Vivian believe it was a minor issue based on what Mare said? jos was someone who wouldn¡¯t go to the hospital even if he was shot. Would he go just for a minor issue?


    Vivian was worried, and Mare couldn¡¯t persuade her, so he followed her. Luckily, Vivian remembered that she was pregnant, so she didn¡¯t run too hard.


    Diego was almost bing Vivian¡¯s personal driver now. He received the order and quickly took Vivian and Mare to the hospital designated by jos. Someone was waiting for them at the entrance.


    It was someone familiar to Mare, Emmert.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know him.


    ¡°Capo is really alright. He came to the hospital today for another purpose.¡± Emmert could see Vivian¡¯s unusual anxiety at a nce. He nced at Mare, silently asking how he had exined it to thedy.


    Mare shrugged. He really didn¡¯t exaggerate jos¡¯s condition, it was Vivian who was overthinking it.


    Emmert gestured to him without speaking and then led Vivian into the hospital lobby.


    ¡°Where¡¯s jos?¡± Without seeing jos safe and sound with her own eyes, Vivian wouldn¡¯t believe anyone.


    ¡°Please follow me.¡± Emmert led them through the hospital lobby, turned twice, took an elevator, went up to the fourth floor, got off, and guided them through a long corridor, past the nurse¡¯s station, into an empty elevator, which went directly to the seventh floor. They walked a bit further and took another elevator down to the sixth floor.


    Vivian was already feeling dizzy from Emmert¡¯s roundabout route, but Mare was always following behind her, which reassured her and made her forget the only thing that was still not quite right.

 Chapter 89

    Dizzy, Vivian followed Emmert around until they stopped in front of an office door on the sixth-floor corridor.


    Vivian didn¡¯t even nce at the namete on the office door before it swung open from the inside.


    ¡°jos!¡± Vivian eximed, looking at the man opening the door, and hurriedly gave him a hug. ¡°You¡¯re okay, that¡¯s wonderful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± jos said as he embraced her and led her into the room. ¡°I had to do this to make sure you were safe.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Vivian generously forgave his well-intentioned lie. ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Stepping out of jos¡¯s embrace, Vivian finally had time to take in the spacious office. It was more like a clinic than an office,plete with doctors, nurses, a hospital bed, and examination instruments.


    Vivian looked at jos in surprise. ¡°They are¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Vivian, they are all trustworthy people,¡± jos assured her, tucking Vivian¡¯s hair behind her ear and introducing the first doctor. ¡°This is Yoshiye James, an obstetrician and gynecologist.¡±


    An obstetrician and gynecologist?N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Vivian¡¯s fingers twitched.


    Noticing Vivian¡¯s tension as he held her hand, jos quickly exined in a low voice, ¡°Yoshiye is an old acquaintance. She helped my mother during her pregnancies with me and Simpson. She is someone we can trust.¡±


    After hearing jos¡¯s exnation, Vivian, who had been tense, rxed a little, but she was still overly sensitive to the topic of the child, keeping her heart in suspense.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Vivian,¡± good manners prompted Vivian to greet her, but her fingers anxiously fidgeted with the flesh of jos¡¯s palm.


    ¡°Hello, madam,¡± Yoshiye, a slightly plump middle-aged woman, greeted her warmly. Her sunny smile helped Vivian rx a bit. ¡°We just need to do a small check-up. Don¡¯t worry, it will be quick. We just need to confirm the existence of the baby and see if everything is healthy.¡±


    Dr. Yoshiye handed her a small cup. ¡°I need a bit of your urine as a sample.¡±


    There was a bathroom in the room, showing thoughtful consideration.


    Collecting the urine was not difficult, but waiting for the results was.


    jos carried Vivian to the only bed in the room, sitting at the edge and pulling her into his embrace.


    The results of the pregnancy test were not absolute. Although the chance of error with three pregnancy tests was very small, it couldn¡¯t bepletely ruled out. jos needed to be a hundred percent sure that Vivian was pregnant in order to proceed with the next n.


    Vivian moved in his arms, pulling jos from his thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s throat went dry, and she struggled to speak. ¡°I¡¯m a little scared.¡±


    ¡°Scared of what?¡± jos¡¯s voice was unusually gentle, perhaps because he was just as unsettled as Vivian.


    ¡°Scared of being pregnant,¡± Vivian said, a mix of joy and confusion in her voice. ¡°I know I¡¯m in danger. Can I really protect the baby?¡±


    ¡°You still have me, Vivian.¡± jos tightened his arms around her, trying to make Vivian feel his presence. ¡°Protecting the baby is also my responsibility, it¡¯s our joint responsibility.¡±


    Time passed quietly, and before they could exchange more than a few words, Dr. Yoshiye returned with the test results.


    Vivian looked at her with a mix of expectation and fear. Was she really pregnant, or had the pregnancy tests been wrong?


    Vivian didn¡¯t know which answer she was hoping for more. Her heart was pounding, jumping from the left side of her chest to her throat, almost leaping out.


    ¡°Congrattions, you are pregnant,¡± Dr. Yoshiye announced with a smile. She observed the changing expressions on jos¡¯s face and Vivian¡¯s confusion, then considerately remained silent, giving them time to digest this surprise.


    jos wasn¡¯t sure what Vivian was thinking, but he knew that in his game with Bryson, he had lost the first step, closely followed by the second.


    Vivian was really pregnant.


    He couldn¡¯t say he wasn¡¯t happy; this was his first child. But the arrival of new life brought not just joy, but also a heavier burden on his shoulders.


    He was the Capo of Houston, the head of the Hargrave family, burdened with the future of the Houston Mafia and the Hargrave family. Vivian, Simpson, and Luzia were his family to protect, and now, he had one more person to protect.


    He was happy, so happy that his hands trembled uncontrobly, but he was also worried. Babies are fragile, the most vulnerable, and now he had an equally fragile mother to worry about.


    Bryson, he truly was a masterful schemer; he had put jos in a difficult position.


    Vivian¡¯s happiness naturally didn¡¯t need much exnation. She looked at jos with excitement, but his somber expression and silence made her fearful.


    ¡°jos,¡± Vivian trembled as she called his name, snapping him out of his contemtion. ¡°Do you want to keep him?¡±


    jos frowned, misunderstanding Vivian¡¯s question. ¡°You don¡¯t want to keep him?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­¡±


    ¡°I have prepared myself for the worst. I thought we had reached an agreement,¡± jos¡¯s agitation made his emotions unstable, and he yelled, trying to drive away his wavering thoughts with the force of his anger.


    Tears in her eyes, Vivian, watching his intense anger, found her heartbeat gradually calming. She could be certain that, like her, jos was also determined to keep the baby, even though they were unsure if it was a good or bad decision. They were both resolute about keeping their child.


    Never before had Vivian felt as close to jos as she did in that moment.


    ¡°I want to keep him,¡± Vivian embraced the angrily fuming jos from behind, earnestly expressing her willingness. ¡°Please let me keep him, okay?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s gentle reassurance worked. jos, his agitation dissipated, calmed down.


    Seeing both of them firm in their decision, Dr. Yoshiye reappeared. This time, she held a tube of gel in her hand.


    ¡°Come on, madam, lie down on the bed. I need to do an ultrasound,¡± Dr. Yoshiye patted the hospital bed and reached for the equipment beside the bed. ¡°Let¡¯s see if the little baby in the mother¡¯s womb is healthy.¡±


    Viviany on the hospital bed, wearing a loose,fortable white half-sleeve T-shirt. It was loose enough to allow her slightly bulging belly to be exposed easily.


    Dr. Yoshiye applied the transparent gel to Vivian¡¯s belly, the cold temperature causing Vivian¡¯s arms to break out in goosebumps. Dr. Yoshiye picked up the instrument and gently and slowly moved the gel around.


    Images quickly appeared on theputer screen connected to the ultrasound device. Vivian turned her head, listening attentively as Dr. Yoshiye pointed to a small dot, saying it was the baby¡¯s hand, and then to another, saying it was the foot. It was then that Vivian truly realized she was about to be a mother.


    Excited tears flowed from her eyes. In a choked voice, she heard Dr. Yoshiye solemnly announce that the baby was healthy. Finally, she let go of thest bit of tension she had been holding onto.

 Chapter 90

    At the end of the examination, Dr. Yoshiye wiped off the gel from Vivian¡¯s belly with a tissue, and asked the two new parents, ¡°The baby has been developing for 19 weeks, and he is very healthy. Do you want to know his gender?¡±


    Tears in her eyes, Vivian looked at jos.


    jos lowered his head and looked at her, his gaze questioning.


    Vivian shook her head, ¡°I love a boy or a girl.¡±


    Respecting Vivian¡¯s decision, jos told Dr. Yoshiye, ¡°We won¡¯t look.¡±


    Dr. Yoshiye nodded in understanding.


    The examination for today ended here, but in the subsequent pregnancy, Vivian would need to undergo several more check-ups. Dr. Yoshiye and jos walked to the side to quietly discuss the arrangements for the next check-up.


    Due to the special nature of Vivian¡¯s identity, it was destined that she could not openly go to the hospital for prenatal check-ups like an ordinary pregnant woman. Every check-up carried the risk of exposing her secret, so they needed to be extra careful, even more careful. jos had the responsibility to ensure that every check-up n was perfected.


    After spending some time finalizing the details of the next check-up with Dr. Yoshiye, jos left the hospital with Vivian. They used the hospital staff passage, directly taking the elevator from the back to the underground garage.


    Diego had received instructions and was already waiting there. As soon as jos and the others exited the elevator, they immediately got into the car.


    Diego slowly drove out of the underground garage, bypassed the front flower bed, and merged into the traffic on the road.


    Back at the apartment, jos arranged for Vivian to leave.


    Before leaving, jos kissed Vivian¡¯s forehead, ¡°I will be very busy next.¡±


    ¡°Because of me?¡± Vivian asked, feeling disheartened.


    ¡°Not entirely,¡± jos said, ¡°Bratva attacked our warehouse again, and they took the drugs we had hidden in the warehouse.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the first time Vivian had heard about Bratva attacking the warehouse in Houston. Vivian had never been involved in the mafia¡¯s business, but she knew that warehouses in every city were located in discreet ces, just like the warehouse in Los Angeles. It was difficult for Bratva to locate and destroy one, so why was it so frequent in Houston?


    Vivian voiced her confusion, and this was the first time jos had mentioned his business so calmly. ¡°My father died, along with over thirty elite soldiers of our organization.¡±


    ¡°Their deaths have dealt a heavy blow to Houston, making it vulnerable. We can¡¯t protect our warehouse in Houston. So, I¡¯ve requested support from Los Angeles,¡± jos said, ¡°This is a necessary means for survival.¡±


    ¡°Why can Bratva find your warehouses?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­¡± jos narrowed his eyes, ¡°There¡¯s a traitor among us.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vivian widened her eyes. A traitor in the organization was deadly. A powerful traitor could destroy the entire organization; he could even easily kill jos. ¡°You¡¯re in danger!¡±


    ¡°We are all in danger,¡± jos kissed Vivian on the lips.


    ¡°Have you found the traitor?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± jos looked regretful, ¡°We haven¡¯t found him.¡±


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Vivian was anxious, worrying about jos¡¯s safety.


    ¡°I think we need a n,¡± jos said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you just need to take care of yourself; leave the rest to me.¡±


    He patted Vivian¡¯s belly through her clothes, ¡°Hey, little one, I have to go to work. Goodbye.¡±


    Vivian tugged at his sleeve, feeling tender inside.


    ¡°Goodbye, jos,¡± Vivian prayed, ¡°I hope you stay safe.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± jos officially bid farewell to Vivian and walked into the elevator.


    The elevator took jos away, and Vivian returned to the empty room, taking out the tinum card Shelley had given her.


    She couldn¡¯t afford to be weak anymore; she needed to be strong.


    After making up her mind, Vivian knocked on Mare¡¯s room door.


    ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡± Mare had just finished showering, her hair still not dried.


    ¡°I want to go to the shooting club to take a look,¡± Vivian handed the tinum card to Mare, and she swore she actually saw a hint of nostalgia on Mare¡¯s expressionless face.


    ¡°I know,¡± Mare returned the tinum card to Vivian, ¡°I¡¯ll take you there tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Vivian said, ¡°Shall we set a time?¡±


    ¡°Depart at 8 in the morning,¡± Mare said, ¡°It takes an hour and a half to get to the shooting club from here.¡±


    ¡°Eight o¡¯clock? Vivian put on a pained expression, ¡°That¡¯s too early, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°We practice shooting, so we get up at six,¡± Mare nced at her, ¡°Emmert is the best shooter among us, and he gets up at four to practice.¡±


    Vivian obediently fell silent; she was afraid Mare would make her get up at four. She couldn¡¯t even get up at six.


    Vivian gritted her teeth, went back to her room, and set her squirrel rm clock for eight o¡¯clock the next morning.


    The next morning at eight o¡¯clock.


    Vivian turned off the rm clock with a pained expression, pulled the covers over her head, and curled up in bed.


    ¡°Just a little more sleep, just a tiny bit.¡±


    Just as Vivian was about to drift back to sleep, she suddenly felt a cold sensation, her covers were pulled off, and Mare appeared, expressionless, by her bedside.


    It was as terrifying as a horror movie, causing Vivian to scream and jump out of bed.


    ¡°What are you doing!¡± Vivian, still shaken, found it frightening that it was Mare, and then she got angry and threw a pillow at her, ¡°You scared me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already eight thirteen!¡± Mare reminded Vivian of the time, with a cold expression.


    Vivian had fallen back asleep, directly sleeping through thirteen minutes.


    Since Vivian was taking too long to get ready after eating breakfast, an hour had passed, and it was already eleven o¡¯clock when they left the apartment to go to the shooting club, which normally took an hour and a half.


    It was already time for lunch.


    Vivian covered her face, feeling extremely guilty.


    Today was her first day of ss, and Shelley had found an excuse toe to the club to meet Vivian. She had been waiting for half a day, and now she was ring at Vivian in frustration, ¡°With yourzy habits, you still want to learn how to shoot? Forget it.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian felt even more ashamed, ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to. I just can¡¯t get up.¡±


    After getting pregnant, she had be very sleepy, and waking up at ten in the morning was normal for her. She also needed an hour¡¯s nap in the afternoon to stay alert the whole day.


    Shelley knew that some habits were hard to change, and it was always the one who had to wake up early that suffered. So, she onlyined for a few moments, then took Vivian to eat.


    The club provided food, and the chef was a renowned chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant. The pasta he made was just as good as Catlito¡¯s restaurant. Vivian ate non-stop, astonishing Shelley.

 Chapter 91

    ¡°Is it really that delicious?¡± Although Shelley admitted that the chef¡¯s spaghetti was delicious, it didn¡¯t seem to be that delicious. ¡°You have quite the appetite.¡±


    Entering her fourth month of pregnancy, Vivian¡¯s morning sickness had improved, and her appetite had increased. Combined with her favorite spaghetti Bolognese, Vivian couldn¡¯t help herself. After finishing, she realized she had eaten too much.


    Vivian awkwardly put down her fork. She couldn¡¯t tell Shelley about her pregnancy, so she could only say, ¡°I¡¯ve always had a big appetite.¡±


    Shelley was shocked. ¡°You look so thin.¡±


    Vivian felt a bit guilty. ¡°Maybe I just can¡¯t gain weight.¡±


    Shelley stared at her. ¡°Are you showing off?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± Vivian pinched her belly and said, ¡°The weight¡¯s all here.¡±


    Shelley couldn¡¯t help butugh. She didn¡¯t dwell on the pregnancy. ¡°You should lose weight.¡±


    Vivian, feeling a sting, looked at her in silence.


    The two looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    Shelley said, ¡°Rest after eating, I¡¯ll introduce you to your coach. I assure you, he is the best teacher at the club.¡±


    Yawning, Vivian nodded.


    Seeing her looking drowsy, Shelley couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is jos aggressive in bed?¡±


    Vivian startled, her face turning slightly red. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­st night¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to hide, I know,¡± Shelley said knowingly. ¡°Seeing the dark circles under your eyes, you didn¡¯t sleep all night.¡±


    ¡°Really didn¡¯t,¡± Vivian said, rubbing her eyes, her face flushing, unable to meet Shelley¡¯s eyes. But soon she realized that Shelley was fond of jos and nearly became his bride.


    Did they¡­?


    Vivian bit her lip, looking down, stirring her coffee with a small spoon, stealing nces at Shelley.


    Vivian thought her actions were discreet, but Shelley had long seen her hesitation. She raised her iced coffee, taking a sip, meeting Vivian¡¯s gaze boldly.


    ¡°If you have a question, ask,¡± Shelley said. ¡°Is it about jos?¡±


    Vivian, feeling frustrated, put down her coffee. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Just the way you¡¯re fidgeting, anyone can tell,¡± Shelley rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes, I used to like jos a lot. My biggest dream was to marry him and be his bride.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Shelley shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s already married, and I¡¯m engaged to Festus. My father and the Roscente family have already set the wedding date. It might take a month, maybe two, who knows.¡±


    ¡°But I still like him,¡± Shelley admitted candidly, seeing Vivian¡¯s widened eyes, looking very surprised. ¡°Jealous?¡± Shelley couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Vivian did feel ufortable, but she couldn¡¯t control others¡¯ feelings. What did it matter who liked jos? The important thing was who jos liked.


    Stirring her coffee, ¡°You two¡­¡± This question wasn¡¯t appropriate, and Vivian knew she shouldn¡¯t ask, but she still cared. ¡°Have you two¡­?¡±


    ¡°Slept together?¡± Shelley asked bluntly.


    Vivian¡¯s face reddened deeper, feeling uneasy, she nodded, unable to express if it was embarrassment or regret.


    ¡°No,¡± Shelley answered firmly, meeting Vivian¡¯s questioning gaze without any guilt. She emphasized, ¡°No.¡±


    Even though her father adored her, he wouldn¡¯t allow her to sleep with jos without his formal approval. It¡¯s a pity, Shelley thought. If only she had seduced him before jos got married. After all those years of waiting, she didn¡¯t even get a taste of him.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Shelley¡¯s frankness surprised Vivian, and she didn¡¯t want to appear so indifferent, as if it didn¡¯t matter to her whether Shelley and jos had slept together.


    But aside from an ¡°Oh,¡± nothing she said felt right. So Vivian chose to keep quiet.


    Shelley didn¡¯t mind at all. After finishing her coffee, while their break time still remained, she took Vivian for a tour around the club.


    The shooting club in the city area, although spacious, was mostly indoors, with rtively simple equipment. However, for beginners like Vivian, it was more than enough.


    Shelley carefully introduced Vivian to the various facilities. As they passed the training room, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but sneak a few more nces.


    ¡°They are all jos¡¯ followers. Once they pass the shooting assessment, they can be soldiers for the Mafia,¡± Shelley exined in a hushed tone, ¡°They¡¯ll be assigned to various warehouses or docks in Houston, serving the business lines under jos¡¯ control.¡±


    These students had been here for some time, and their progressin learning was uneven. However, when facing fixed targets, not a single person scored less than eight rings. Vivian felt both admiration and excitement.


    After she finished her shooting course, could she be this skilled too?


    Shelley, with a proud expression, exined that the shooting club¡¯s robust talent development was fundamental to the Benoist family¡¯s establishment in Houston.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go this way. Your coach should be here by now,¡± Shelley said, leading Vivian down a corridor and opening a separate practice room.


    A man stood inside, dressed in the club¡¯s standard-issue ck vest, wearing earmuffs and standing with a proper shooting stance, holding a gun.


    ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡­¡± Several shots in quick session, each hitting the bullseye.


    All tens!


    Vivian was stunned by the man¡¯s perfect marksmanship. Mare clearly recognized him, pausing for a moment.


    Shelley, however, reacted as usual, apuding. ¡°Every time I watch you shoot, it¡¯s a visual feast, Emmert. Would you reconsider my father¡¯s invitation to join the club officially? I can offer you double the sry.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re openly poaching Capo¡¯s talent, little sister,¡± Emmert said as he took off his earmuffs and goggles, revealing his handsome and sunny smile.


    Vivian suddenly realized he was the man who had guided her at the hospital. After returning from the hospital, Mare had introduced her to this person.


    Emmert Roscente, the next heir of the Roscente family, and Shelley¡¯s fiance Festus¡¯s brother. He was one of jos¡¯s most trusted soldiers, skilled in ambush tactics.


    Vivian hadn¡¯t expected him to be her shooting instructor.


    Looking baffled, Vivian turned to Shelley. Wasn¡¯t he responsible for protecting jos¡¯s safety?


    In response to Vivian¡¯s confusion, Shelley shrugged, giving her the reason. ¡°No one has better shooting skills than him, and it was jos¡¯s request for him to be your shooting instructor.¡±


    Emmert, very formally, bowed to Vivian and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to serve you, madam.¡±


    Emmert¡¯s overly formal attitude made Vivian feel a bit awkward. She waved her hand and gave adylike bow in return, ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me madam. I¡¯d be happier if you called me Vivian.¡±


    Emmert quickly agreed, ¡°Of course, Vivian.¡±


    Mare stood behind, crossing his arms, raising an eyebrow as he watched the overly serious Emmert.


    If they hadn¡¯t grown up together, he might have actually believed it.

 Chapter 92

    On Vivian¡¯s first day of ss, Shelley, bored out of her mind, listened alongside her as Emmert lectured them on various firearms knowledge.


    Vivian found it all rather confusing. She could only barely recognize the functions of a fewponents within aplete gun. Emmert¡¯s actions were fluid and seamless, ¡°Bang!¡± Another perfect shot.


    It seemed so simple?


    After all, the target was stationary; it wouldn¡¯t move. Vivian was eager to give it a try.


    Emmert chuckled as he ced the prepared ear protectors and safety goggles on her. He went through the shooting essentials with her once more, then let Vivian have a go on her own.


    Nervously, Vivian gripped the gun tightly with both hands, her gaze fixed firmly on the red heart on the target in front of her. She felt she was aiming well, but when she pulled the trigger, ¡°Bang!¡± The bullet missed the mark, and the powerful recoil shook her hands, almost causing her to drop the gun.


    The sudden unexpected shock triggered an adrenaline rush, and Vivian¡¯s heart pounded violently. She stared in shock at her trembling hands, almost frightened out of her wits.


    This¡­ was terrifying.


    Emmert was startled as well, seeming to have misjudged Vivian¡¯s strength.


    Several people gathered around, worried. Shelley, holding her pounding chest, said, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Vivian was still a bit dazed, staring nkly at Shelley for a while beforeing back to her senses. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    Mare quickly helped her to a resting chair, ring angrily at Emmert. ¡°Emmert!¡±


    Emmert, feeling a bit guilty, said, ¡°It was an ident, I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t expect Vivian to have such little strength, unable to handle a conventional handgun¡¯s recoil.


    Trying to make amends, Emmert quickly brought out a solution, ¡°Use this one, the Glock26. It¡¯s lightweight, convenient, with almost no recoil. Perfect for someone like you.¡±


    ¡°And thepact pistol has the advantage of being easy to carry.¡± Emmert demonstrated, ¡°jos will probably gift you a Glock26. Practice with it.¡±


    No one expected Vivian to be extremely skilled, but her approach was not wrong. Learning to use firearms could make it easier for her to protect herself.


    Thest time Vivian had fired a gun was before her marriage, the night she visited Vilem. She fired her first shot for jos. Though she didn¡¯t kill anyone, the feeling of hitting flesh with a bullet was oddly fascinating.


    After that, she often dreamt of shooting, it felt cool, but also dangerous.


    Once Vivian became a bit more familiar with the gun, Emmert resumed teaching her to shoot. That¡¯s how it is with shooting practice, constantly aiming at the bullseye, continuous practice, and continuous shooting.


    Emmert always believed that every drop of sweat during practice would eventually turn into every bullet aimed at the enemy¡¯s heart.


    Though Emmert didn¡¯t expect Vivian to be exceptionally skilled, from the moment he started teaching her, he was absolutely serious, so he was very strict with her, setting a daily practice time, the number of shots, and the ratio of hits. If she didn¡¯t meet the standard, she would have extra training. Within just a week, Vivian copsed.


    Shelley returned to the shooting club and happened to see Vivian lying on a bench, ying dead after extra training.


    It was already break time, Emmert wasn¡¯t in the practice room, and Shelley pushed the door open and sat on Vivian¡¯s legs without a second thought.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Vivian was startled by her, quickly sitting up and instinctively covering her abdomen, ¡°You scared me.¡±


    ¡°You have such a small courage,¡± Shelley sarcastically remarked without mercy.


    Vivian was exhausted, too tired to pay attention to her sarcasm.


    ¡°What are you aiming for, wearing yourself out like this?¡± Shelley sighed, ¡°Can¡¯t jos protect you?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°Why do you have to be the head of the Capo family? Your son will definitely be the head of the Capo family.¡± Vivian retorted.


    Shelley looked at her silently.


    Vivian opened her weary eyes and looked at her, ¡°Our goals are temporarily aligned. Your efforts are to take control of your destiny, mine too.¡±


    Shelley didn¡¯t argue with Vivian¡¯s words.


    ¡°jos got you a day off, did you know?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Vivian said, ¡°Is there a banquet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my family¡¯s banquet,¡± Shelley said, ¡°My grandparents heard the news of my engagement, and they¡¯ve decided toe to Houston to meet my fiance.¡±


    Vivian remembered that Shelley¡¯s grandfather was a Capo in Washington, a powerful man equal to jos. The banquet held for him would undoubtedly bemagnificent, and jos had to attend with his wife.


    ¡°I n to confess to my mother and grandfather about my intention topete for the head of the Capo family,¡± Shelley¡¯s eyes no longer focused on Vivian, she lowered her head, the hem of her white dress was long, covering her shiny ck shoes.


    Vivian sensed the unease in her expression. ¡°What¡¯s your purpose in doing this?¡±


    ¡°I want to gain my grandfather¡¯s support,¡± Shelley said, ¡°I need his support.¡±


    ¡°But are you sure he will support you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shelley said despondently, ¡°Girls shouldn¡¯t meddle in the affairs of the Mafia; only boys can be Mafia warriors. This is a tradition the Mafia has always followed, and Washington is no exception.¡±


    Vivian understood the feeling of being pulled forward by tradition, but she couldn¡¯t offer Shelley any effectivefort.


    ¡°Why did your mothere to marry your father in Houston? Why did she marry your father?¡±


    ¡°Because of interests,¡± Shelley answered without hesitation, ¡°Love is a luxury for women in the Mafia, it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°My father respects my mother, but that¡¯s not love,¡± Shelley was clear about how much emotion existed between her parents, her brother died, and her father didn¡¯t bring back another son from his lover, all because the Capo in Washington was always powerful.


    ¡°Then use interests to persuade your grandfather,¡± Vivian said, ¡°just as you persuaded me.¡±


    ¡°The Capo in Houston is jos, but the Benoist family is crucial in Houston. Washington certainly cares about the alliance with the Benoist family. And as the granddaughter of the Capo in Washington, if you be the head, the alliance between the two families can continue. If your son bes the head, it¡¯s not certain.¡±


    ¡°Grandfather may not care about that. Anyone can be the head, as long as they can bring benefit to Washington. But you¡¯re right, I have to give it a try.¡± Shelley rallied, ¡°Have a good time tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Vivian said.


    After a brief conversation, Shelley left. Because there was a banquet to attend the next day, Vivian gave up the idea of practicing for another hour, went to the club¡¯s restroom to freshen up, and then went home.


    She returned to the apartment just in time at nine o¡¯clock. jos had already returned and prepared a dress for Vivian to wear to the banquet the next day.


    Vivian joyfully ran her fingers over the patterns on the dress, thece outlining the shape of a rose.


    ¡°I hope you like it,¡± jos appeared behind her.


    Vivian turned and embraced him, rising on her tiptoes to return his kiss, ¡°I really like it, thank you.¡±


    jos responded by holding the back of her head tightly, deepening the kiss.


    That night, jos was gentler than the previous two times. His actions were still forceful, but perhaps out of concern for the child in Vivian¡¯s belly, he didn¡¯t go as deep or as fiercely.

 Chapter 93

    jos kisses Vivian gently, his forehead against hers, his eyes filled with desire, fixed on Vivian¡¯s hazy blue eyes, like a thin mist rising from a distant sea.


    The affair ends with a deep kiss. Vivian lies weakly in jos¡¯s arms, the aftermath of passion causing her body to tremble uncontrobly.


    jos embraces her from behind, teasing her sensitive pink earlobes.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s earlobes are sensitive, especially when jos deliberately teases them with his tongue. Unable to resist his teasing, Vivian, still under the spell of desire, can only helplessly gasp and shiver in his arms, once again reaching the peak of passion.


    Capo Fidelio Williams of Washington is an old acquaintance of Houston. jos¡¯s father, Kamden, was close to him while he was alive. After Kamden¡¯s death, Houston faced internal and external troubles, leading to a temporary disconnect between the two cities.


    Fidelio¡¯s visit to Houston is ostensibly to see Shelley¡¯s fiance, Festus, but in reality, it is to rebuild the rtionship and coborate once again with Houston.


    Today¡¯s Houston is still weak. The frequent attacks by the Bratva have left jos¡¯s warriors exhausted, while Los Angeles keeps a watchful eye-after sensing Bryson¡¯s treacherous intentions, how could jos possibly remain inactive? Cooperation with the Washington Mafia is the first step.


    Vivian is not good with alcohol, but this doesn¡¯t hinder her pleasant interaction with thedies at the banquet. With Lady Yazmin by her side, few dare to show disrespect to this Capo¡¯s wife.


    Just two sses of champagne, and although Vivian doesn¡¯t show it, her head is starting to feel a bit dizzy. She quickly exchanges a few words with Lady Yazmin and exits the circle ofdies.


    Vivian intends to catch some fresh air in the small garden, but before that, she needs to get some cake.


    The table with the cakes is on the other side of the dance floor. Vivian lifts her skirt and makes her way through the crowd. Along the way, people recognize her and attempt to engage her in conversation, raising their sses. Each time, Vivian politely declines.


    At this moment, the music starts again, and the elegant gentlemen lead their partners onto the dance floor. Those without partners stand alone in the crowd. Peoplee and go, and no one notices the figure slipping quietly out of the ballroom entrance.


    Vivian finally arrives at the cake table. She picks up a small te and carefully selects the cakes she desires. Shelley and her fiance approach.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you dancing?¡± Shelley clings to Festus¡¯s arm, the two of them disying an affectionate appearance.


    Thest time Vivian saw such false affection was at Luzia and Joseph¡¯s wedding.


    ¡°Here¡¯s my fiance, Festus Roscente.¡±


    Vivian has met Festus before, and they are not strangers to each other. They exchange nods and greetings.


    ¡°My dance partner was kidnapped by his job,¡± Vivianins, pursing her lips as she picks a piece of mango mousse.


    Shelley looks at Vivian¡¯s small te, already holding three different cakes, and is momentarily speechless. ¡°You can eat so much.¡±


    Vivian uses a small fork to eat the mango off the mango mousse. ¡°Today¡¯s banquet is for you. You should be dancing instead of watching me eat.¡±


    ¡°We just finished dancing,¡± Shelley pouts, showing Vivian her heels. The area where the leather of her high heels makes contact has turned red and blistered. ¡°High heels, they¡¯ve made my feet hurt terribly.¡±


    Festus and Vivian are both startled.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± Festus asks her sympathetically, then refrains from ming her. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the lounge.¡±


    Festus bends down to pick her up but is coldly rejected by Shelley, ¡°No, it¡¯s just a little injury, it¡¯s not that big a deal.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already blistered,¡± Festus frowns, showing his dissatisfaction with Shelley¡¯s indifferent attitude. ¡°You should apply some ointment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a little blister, just get me a band-aid,¡± Shelley holds her hands across her chest, refusing Festus¡¯s attempt to carry her. ¡°There are so many people here, I still want to save face.¡±


    Shelley resolutely refuses, leaving Festus with no choice but to help her to sit on the nearby sofa and quickly fetch a first aid kit.


    Vivian holds her te of small cakes, watching Festus walk away and then nces at Shelley. She suddenly realizes something, drawing out her words, ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Shelley is given goosebumps by her ¡°Oh¡±. She wanted to scold Vivian, but when she met Vivian¡¯s mocking eyes, she couldncouldn¡¯t help but blush.


    ¡°What are youughing at? Stopughing!¡± Shelley says gruffly.


    Vivian isn¡¯t afraid of her. She wants to show her a smile. ¡°Does Festus like you?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s question reminds Shelley of Festus¡¯s confession the night before. Shelley blushes a little more, ¡°Who knows if it¡¯s true or not.¡±


    Shelley says, ¡°Whether he likes me or not, he can only marry me. There¡¯s no difference.¡±


    ¡°How is there no difference?¡± Vivian raises her voice slightly. She¡¯s been trying to control it, but still inadvertently draws attention. ¡°If your husband likes you, how is it the same as when he doesn¡¯t like you? Which one would you choose?¡±


    ¡°Lower your voice,¡± Shelley pats Vivian¡¯s arm, disheartened, ¡°I would choose the one I like.¡±


    The person Shelley likes is jos, isn¡¯t it? Vivian is speechless. How can she respond to that?


    Shelley realizes she misspoke, she hits herself and apologizes to Vivian, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, I just¡­¡±


    Shelley grabs her hair, ¡°If I could choose, I would want someone I like, who also likes me. It¡¯s impossible with jos, he doesn¡¯t like me.¡±


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t want that,¡± Vivian tries not to dwell on Shelley and jos¡¯s past, it¡¯s nothing, who doesn¡¯t have a past? ¡°I want to take a walk in the garden.¡±


    Shelley realizes she misspoke and can¡¯t exin herself. It would be awkward to stay with Vivian any longer, ¡°It¡¯s very safe here, but it¡¯s best to let Mare go with you.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Vivian carries her small cake and leaves the banquet hall.


    Mare follows her at a distance.


    Shelley¡¯s garden isn¡¯t as big as Luzia¡¯s parents¡¯ house, but Shelley¡¯s mother is fond of tending to flowers. There are more varieties of flowers here than in Lady Yazmin¡¯s estate:vender, roses, tulips, chamomile, sunflowers¡­ Vivian can name seven or eight types of flowers. The air is filled with the fragrance of flowers and a hint of lemon.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Did Lady Celinda have a lemon tree in her garden?


    Following the scent of lemon, Vivian slowly walks to the corner of the garden.


    Mare reminds her to be careful, ¡°There are no lights there, don¡¯t go any further.¡±


    Such quiet and dark corners are often difficult to ensure safety, and without surveince, it is a significant security loophole.


    After returning, Mare decides to remind Festus. He¡¯s an excellent hacker, and it should be his strength to protect the security of an estate with surveince.


    At times like this, Vivian is very obedient. Although she is tempted by Lady Celinda¡¯s lemons, she can ask Lady Celinda to give her a few, rather than risk picking them herself.


    Just as Vivian is about to return to the banquet hall with Mare, a vague and ambiguous moan can be heard.

 Chapter 94

    Vivian and Mare both froze at the same time, staring at each other for a second.


    ¡°Should we leave?¡± Vivian asked.


    In the darkness, Mare maintained his expressionless face, so much so that Vivian didn¡¯t even notice the pink tinge rising on his neck.


    He nodded silently, gesturing for Vivian to go ahead while he followed closely behind.


    They hastily returned to the banquet hall.


    Meanwhile, in the unmonitored dark corner, Richard, dressed sharply in a suit, embraced a delicately made-up woman from behind. His head buried in the nape of her neck, only a pair of sinister, hate-filled eyes were visible. ¡°Do you see her? That¡¯s Vivian, the wife of our great Capo,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Vivian Hargrave.¡± The woman hidden in the darkness murmured Vivian¡¯s name, as if saying it aloud would etch her image more deeply into her mind. She stuck out her tongue, licked her crimson lips, and revealed a cruel smile. ¡°Do you want her arm, or her leg?¡±


    ¡°I want her life!¡± Richard¡¯s venomous voice echoed in the woman¡¯s ear.


    The woman chuckled silently. ¡°Understood, my guest.¡±


    Back in the banquet hall, Shelley remained seated on the same couch, while Festus returned with a medical kit. He squatted in front of Shelley, preparing to dress her wound with iodine and medical gauze.


    Shelley couldn¡¯t stand his demeanor, and after a brief argument, she suddenly lost her temper, kicking Festus in the knee. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she said dismissively.


    Shelley pushed Festus away and tended to her wound using a bandage from the medical kit.


    As this episode concluded, Shelley looked up to see Vivian and Mare return in a hurry. She wore a puzzled expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you being chased by dogs?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing like that,¡± Vivian said, sitting down beside her uneasily.


    Shelley looked at her slightly flushed face. ¡°Why are you blushing?¡± She nced at Mare, who still wore the same expressionless look, giving no clue as to what was happening.


    Just as Shelley was deeply puzzled, the lively music and chatter in the banquet hall momentarily hushed, diverting her attention.


    It was jos and her grandfather.


    The banquet wasing to a close, and jos had finally sealed the deal with Fidelio, who also reminded jos, ¡°Bryson is very ambitious. His son Joseph has inherited his talent and ambition perfectly. He will be an outstanding Capo just like his father.¡±


    But there¡¯s only one position of Capo, and Bryson is still young. If Joseph wants to be the Capo of Los Angeles, it would require Bryson to die. In the mafia, conflicts between father and son, between brothers, aremon urrences. Only the victor deserves to hold the high position, power, and wealth.


    ¡°Joseph has never given up on recing his father.¡± Bryson is a very shrewd person, how could he not see through Joseph¡¯s ambition, the heir he has painstakingly nurtured.


    While Bryson was pleased with the strength of his heir, would he willingly give up his position as Capo?


    jos¡¯ thoughts were the same as Fidelio¡¯s-impossible!


    So what should they do?


    A city can only have one Capo.


    The best way is to aim the gun at the weakening Houston, drive their new Capo jos off the stage, and let Joseph take his ce.


    This is the best way.


    In fact, Bryson has already begun to do so. Los Angeles generously sent dozens of elites, not only to support Houston but also to silently encroach on it.


    ¡°Your wife is very beautiful,¡± Fidelio stood at the railing on the second floor, overlooking the lounge.


    jos followed his gaze to the lounge, where Vivian sat with Shelley. Shelley leaned her head as she spoke to Vivian, looking somewhat distracted.


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment,¡± jos said. ¡°If my wife hears your praise, she will be very happy.¡±


    jos referred to Vivian as ¡°my wife,¡± which surprised Fidelio.


    Fidelio felt that he was hinting very clearly-that¡¯s Bryson¡¯s daughter.


    jos responded equally clearly-she is my wife.


    ¡°You¡¯ve taken a liking to her, jos,¡± Fidelio said, staring straight into jos¡¯ eyes, as if trying to see through all his disguises. However, jos remained unchanged, saying, ¡°Vivian is my wife.¡±


    Whether he likes her or not is irrelevant; as long as Vivian is his wife, he has a responsibility to protect her.


    Fidelio nodded and said no more, walking down the stairs.


    ¡°Grandfather.¡± Shelley and Festus had alreadye up to him, and Vivian followed behind them.


    ¡°My little rose has grown up,¡± Fidelio affectionately patted Shelley¡¯s head. ¡°If Hanson were still here¡­¡±


    ¡°Hanson would be happy for me too,¡± Shelley grabbed Fidelio¡¯s aged hand, smiling.


    ¡°Yes, he would be happy for you,¡± a glint of moisture appeared in Fidelio¡¯s wise eyes for a moment, then quickly disappeared.


    After a brief chat, Shelley¡¯s father Charles came out to announce the end of the banquet, and the guests began to leave one after another.


    Charles had something to discuss with jos, so Vivian got into the car ahead of him.


    ¡°Mare,¡± Vivian called out to Mare in front, and he turned to look at her.


    ¡°Has Vilem been in touch with youtely?¡± Vivian asked. Shelley mentioning her brother Hanson made Vivian realize that she hadn¡¯t contacted Vilem in a long time.


    Mare shook his head. Vilem rarely initiates contact with him.


    ¡°He might be on a business trip,¡± Vivian thought. She¡¯d ask jos about itter.


    As Vivian thought about this, jos, finishing his conversation with Charles, came back. He lowered his head and got into the car, closing the door.


    The car carrying them slowly pulled out, and the streetlights on either side of the road weren¡¯t very bright.


    In the dimly lit car, Vivian soughtfort by holding jos¡¯s hand. jos silently tightened his grip,forting her silently.


    Back at the apartment, Vivian took her nightclothes and went to the bathroom, while jos unbuttoned his suit, loosened his tie, and twisted his stiff neck, producing cracking sounds.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He took ice cubes from a ss, grabbed a whiskey bottle from the bedroom¡¯s mini-fridge, and sat on a chair on the balcony, overlooking the city¡¯s lights beneath his feet.


    Cooperating with Washington wasn¡¯t without its drawbacks. Just as Los Angeles coveted Houston, Washington also sought benefits from him. Allowing Washington¡¯s ambitions to expand could easily lead to it bing the next Los Angeles.


    Tapping his fingers lightly on the table, jos squinted his eyes slightly. Those two old men¡­


    The bathroom door was pushed open softly, and the misty steam rushed out eagerly from the wide-open bathroom door. Vivian stepped barefoot on the carpet, holding a clean towel, drying her hair as she walked out.


    jos, sipping his drink, squinted his brown eyes slightly, and his gaze, filled with affectionate desire, traveled over her body through the ss door, until it settled on her slightly curved abdomen. His desire softened into tenderness, and his sharp features also softened considerably.


    He beckoned to Vivian, and she walked over with the towel in her hand. jos took the towel from her and draped it over her head.

 Chapter 95

    Vivian couldn¡¯t urately describe the feeling. Wiping her hair was a small thing, but she always felt that wiping each other¡¯s hair between a man and a woman was very ambiguous and intimate, especially when jos¡¯s fingers passed through her long hair, the rough fingertips with calluses grazed her scalp, making her hair almost stand on end with a tingling sensation.


    jos gently massaged her scalp, his technique was too professional. Viviany in his arms with her eyes closed, feeling sofortable that she almost moaned.


    ¡°I want to call Vilem, but I don¡¯t know if it will disturb him,¡± Vivian turned in jos¡¯s arms, reached out and hugged his strong waist, and affectionately nuzzled her head against him.


    jos was softened by her actions, he stroked Vivian¡¯s long hair, ¡°You can try to contact him tomorrow morning, if he answers the phone.¡±


    With permission, Vivian breathed a sigh of relief. Although she was very worried about Vilem, she wisely refrained from asking too much. When it came to business matters, jos would be irritable and short-tempered.


    Capos all loved dictatorship, and jos was no exception. He respected tradition and simrly disliked women being involved in the mafia¡¯s business.


    For this, Vivian was very worried. Could Shelley¡¯s desire to be the head of the family reallye true?


    The next day before leaving, Vivian tried to contact Vilem. The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered.


    ¡°We use specialmunicators when we carry out our tasks. You can¡¯t find someone using a regr phone,¡± Mare exined. ¡°Vilem didn¡¯t answer the phone, he might be on a mission.¡±


    Vivian nodded, got into Diego¡¯s car, and set off for the shooting club.


    ¡°Emmert didn¡¯te?¡± When she arrived at the club, Vivian learned that Emmert had taken on a sudden mission and gone on a business trip, hastily assigning Vivian some exercises to practice shooting on her own.


    Vivian frowned as she looked at the practice list. ¡°They seem very busy?¡±


    Today, jos left the apartment before dawn. Though Vivian wasn¡¯t awakened by the noise, she still had some impression. It had been almost three weeks since shest contacted Vilem, and there was no sign of Simpson, who had vanished suddenly on a business trip.


    Mare didn¡¯t know the specifics, but he knew that Houston had reached a new cooperation with Washington, and Los Angeles definitely wouldn¡¯t sit idly by.


    With the teacher absent, Vivian could only pick up the gun to practice on her own. With the gic gift from Bryson, the Capo, she had gained a natural talent for shooting. In just a short half month, she had already transitioned from hitting fixed targets to moving ones.


    The difficulty of hitting moving targets had increased by more than a few points. Vivian could hit the fixed targets in the eight or nine rings, asionally the bullseye, but the moving targets were often three or four rings, with a high probability of missing the target.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your hand shake,¡± Mare temporarily took on the role of a teacher, holding Vivian¡¯s elbow. ¡°Keep your bnce, pay attention to the direction the target is moving¡­¡±


    Bang!


    A direct hit, seven rings!


    Emmert was good at ambushes, and Mare¡¯s ambush was not bad either.


    At least they were both better than her, Vivian thought wryly.


    After practicing all morning, Vivian felt her back and legs ache, but the most sore was her hands. Keeping the same shooting stance and firing over a hundred shots had made her arms too tired.


    ¡°You can rest in the afternoon.¡± Emmert, who was on a business trip, kindly gave Vivian half a day off. Mare asked, ¡°Do you want to go shopping?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian shook her head. ¡°I think I need a massage.¡±


    ¡°I will arrange it for you.¡± Mare picked up his notebook and went out to make an appointment for Vivian at the spa she often visited.


    Not long after Mare left, Vivian received a call back from Vilem.


    ¡°Oh, Vilem, you finally replied to me. Do you know how worried I¡¯ve been?¡± Vivian¡¯s voice, full of joy, conveyed her excitement to Vilem over the phone.


    Vilem was infected by her enthusiasm. In his weary voice, a hint of a smile could be heard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have worried you. Are you okay, Vivian?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Vivian gripped her phone tightly, her expression conflicted. She hesitated, whether to tell Vilem about her pregnancy.


    She didn¡¯t know if doing so would cause trouble for jos, but Vilem was the closest family to her, and she really wanted to sharethis joyful secret with him.


    ¡°I¡¯m just so worried about you. I don¡¯t know where you are, and I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re safe,¡± Vivian said. ¡°Tell me, Vilem, tell me you haven¡¯t been hurt, tell me you¡¯re safe.¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Vilem subconsciously moved his fingers, feeling the piercing pain of his fractured finger bones. He endured it,yer uponyer of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.


    ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t been hurt. I¡¯m very safe.¡±


    The distorted sound of the electric current resonated in Vivian¡¯s ears. She strained to listen, trying to discern, wanting to determine if Vilem was lying through his voice.


    But Vilem concealed it too well. He didn¡¯t reveal any more of his pain, sessfully making Vivian believe he was safe.


    Vivian breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°When will you be back?¡±


    Vivian touched her abdomen, a gentle smile on her lips. A feeling of happiness filled her heart to the brim, almost overflowing.


    ¡°Wait for you toe back, I want to tell you good news,¡± Vivian said. ¡°Can youe back soon?¡±


    Wiping the blood off his face, Vilem¡¯s newly added scar at the corner of his eyebrow marred his handsome features, giving him a fierce and menacing look.


    If Vivian were there in person, she would have noticed how much this version of Vilem resembled their father, Bryson.


    Unfortunately, Vivian couldn¡¯t see it. Vilem would never reveal such an ugly side of himself to Vivian. He smoothed out his brow, softening his facial expression, portraying himself as harmless, even the scar at the corner of his brow looked pitiful.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Vilem agreed outright. ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯lle back after I finish this business.¡±


    Before hanging up, Vilem asked about their mother¡¯s condition. Vivian responded with silence.


    Vilem remained silent for a long time, finally saying, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Uneasiness surged within Vivian. ¡°Father said mother is sick, he sent her to Europe for recuperation, but he didn¡¯t give me the phone number, nor allow me to contact her or her caretaker. It¡¯s too suspicious, Vilem.¡±


    ¡°Is mother really in Europe?¡± To be honest, Vivian didn¡¯t believe it. But she couldn¡¯t leave Houston now, nor could she return to Los Angeles.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Vilem seemed to have made a decision. He gravely advised Vivian, ¡°I will confirm mother¡¯s safety with father and Los Angeles again. If there¡¯s any news, I will let you know. Vivian, listen to me, don¡¯t contact father again, and don¡¯t call the mansion in Los Angeles.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been away from Los Angeles for too long, both you and I have new identities and new lives. Los Angeles has expelled us, it¡¯s no longer the Los Angeles we once knew.¡±


    Vivian found it hard to ept. She struggled to speak, ¡°I¡­¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

 Chapter 96

    ¡°Don¡¯t hold any illusions, Vivian,¡± Vilem¡¯s expression was serious. ¡°You understand father, and you understand Joseph. They are not good people.¡±


    Yes, they are both demons.


    Vivian struggled to swallow. ¡°I understand, Vilem.¡±


    Vilemforted Vivian for a few more moments before hanging up the phone.


    This call left Vivian in a whirlwind of emotions. Concern for her mother and joy for Vilem¡¯s safety tugged at her, leaving Vivian both happy and sad, wishing she could sprout wings and fly to her mother¡¯s side.


    Mare had already arranged an afternoon massage for Vivian. The masseuse was selected by jos and was a lovely girl with a lively personality and a smile as radiant as sunshine. This inevitably reminded Vivian of Luzia, who was now far away in Los Angeles.


    Vivian felt a closer connection to her, unable to resist speaking with her.


    ¡°Why did you be a masseuse?¡± During their conversation, Vivian learned that the girl¡¯s university was nearby, and she studied management.


    ¡°I do it part-time to earn some pocket money,¡± the girl said yfully. ¡°The high-end spa only serves high-end clients. Those whoe for massages have to book at least a day in advance. The tips alone from generous clients are enough to cover a week¡¯s living expenses for me.¡±


    ¡°I save up the tips, spend carefully, and during summer, I can go traveling. I want to go to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, see the Statue of Liberty in New York, go to Disnend in Los Angeles, ride roller coasters, and Ferris wheels¡­¡±


    Vivian listened quietly as the girl listed her dream travel destinations, feeling the breath of freedom.


    She slowly closed her eyes, drifting off in the girl¡¯s skillful massage.


    Right before consciousness slipped into darkness, a loud rumble erupted in her ears, and Vivian felt the bed beneath her violently shaking, the entire building swaying.


    An earthquake?


    It¡¯s an attack!


    In her panic, Vivian managed only to slip on a robe. Her masseuse had already fearfully hidden under a table, a ce offering her no protection.


    Mare did not arrive by Vivian¡¯s side immediately, so Vivian decided to find him.


    The spa was under attack. Vivian saw a breach emitting thick ck smoke, and armed men fiercely barged in.


    Everyone in the spa was engulfed in extreme panic, screaming as they ran in different directions. The sound of machine gun fire reverberated, bullets hitting the floor and walls, dust and debris swirling.


    Mare finally broke through the chaotic crowd to find Vivian, pulling her hand and leading her into a nearby corridor, rushing along.


    Vivian was still bewildered. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Who are these people?¡±


    ¡°Bratva,¡± Mare said, uttering a dreadful name.


    Vivian¡¯s legs gave way. ¡°Are they after me?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t think of any other reason.¡± Mare cursed at the footsteps closely following them. He pushed Vivian into a smallpartment and hid in a blind spot, ready to strike when the pursuer came close.


    ¡°Ah!¡± A sharp, frightened scream rang out, a familiar voice that made Vivian pause cautiously, ¡°Emilija?¡±


    Emilija was the girl who had given Vivian a massage.


    ¡°Madam!¡± Emilija cried like a wounded fawn, pitiful and heartrending, making it hard not to feel sorry for her. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±


    ¡°Mare,¡± Vivian pleaded for her, ¡°she¡¯s just an innocent girl.¡±


    ¡°Her behavior is suspicious.¡± If it weren¡¯t for the gunfire exposing their position, Mare would have wanted to shoot her. ¡°Why is she following us?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not,¡± Emilija shifted slightly in Vivian¡¯s direction.


    As soon as she moved, the sound of a round being chambered in a pistol froze her in ce.


    Mare¡¯s gaze was stern. His left hand, which wasn¡¯t holding the gun, reached behind him, feeling for the dagger he always carried. ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Tears streamed down Emilija¡¯s face. She was too frightened, trembling all over, her voice quavering, ¡°I¡¯m so scared, I just wanted to find a safe ce to hide.¡±


    ¡°Mare,¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t bear it, ¡°she¡¯s just a student. She happened to choose the same escape route as us¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in coincidences.¡± Mare pulled Vivian behind him, the gun pointed steadily at the girl. ¡°Choose a different way to leave, don¡¯t follow me¡­¡±


    Boom!


    The sound of an explosion rang out again, causing the building to shake. Cracks tore open in the walls, bricks and rubble incessantly falling from the ceiling, the corridor lights flickered and went outpletely.


    The corridor plunged into darkness. Mare took the opportunity to hand the dagger toVivian.


    The surroundings were too dark for Emilija to notice Mare¡¯s movement. She couldn¡¯t see Vivian¡¯s momentary shocked expression, falling to the ground, unable to get up.


    Mare, navigating through the darkness, pulled Vivian away. He didn¡¯t care if Emilija continued following them. The furious shouts of the Bratva grew increasingly clear. They had to leave immediately.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to help her?¡± Vivian struggled against Mare¡¯s iron-like grip, forced to be dragged along. ¡°She¡¯ll die!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my concern. My duty is to protect you and ensure your absolute safety.¡± Mare¡¯s response was unusually indifferent, but his goal remained clear.


    Once again, they turned a corner, only to find the passage to the side door blocked by Bratva men, armed with guns.


    Mare wasn¡¯t sure if they could reason with them. He quickly pulled Vivian back, running towards another corridor, frantically searching the sides of the hallway.


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust anyone easily,¡± Mare panted, ¡°you never know who is an undercover agent or a traitor. Disguise is a mandatory course for undercover agents and traitors. You can¡¯t see through them, but they can stab you in the back, hitting you right in the heart.¡±


    Vivian was too exhausted from running. She couldn¡¯t engage in too much physical activity. She held her stomach, panting heavily. ¡°Is Emilija an undercover agent?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mare said. ¡°I suspect her.¡± Everyone who came near Vivian was met with Mare¡¯s suspicion. He verified the true identity of each person through his heightened vignce, ensuring Vivian¡¯s safety.


    Safety exit!


    Mare¡¯s eyes lit up. He pulled Vivian towards it, but at that moment, a barrage of bullets sprayed towards them. A soldier, with a thick Russian ent, shouted, ¡°They¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Damn it, don¡¯t shoot, we need them alive.¡± Mare heard amanding voice, followed by a heavy pnding on the head of the soldier who had been shooting at them. The gunfire ceased.


    Now was the time!


    Mare pulled Vivian and shoved her behind the safety door, then locked it with a click.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The Bratva quickly caught up. The locked safety door became their obstacle. The man in the front kicked the safety door, making a loud ¡°bang,¡± but the heavy door didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± The man wiped his face. ¡°st it open for me!¡±

 Chapter 97

    The safe exit led directly to the ground floor, but the ground floor exit was already blocked by the Bratva. Mare swore under his breath and, with Vivian in tow, charged up to the second floor.


    Everywhere was a chaotic crowd, congested on every escape route. The once bustling and prosperous shopping mall had be a maddening cage. The criminals brandished their guns, firing wildly, warm blood sttering up to three feet high. The sharp screams of women, the wails of infants, and the curses of men pierced Vivian¡¯s eardrums, as she clutched her abdomen, feeling a dull ache.


    But Vivian dared not show any sign of distress. She feared bing a burden to Mare, feared being caught by the Bratva, feared death.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°There!¡± A bearded Russian, his gaze sharp, locked onto Mare and Vivian¡¯s direction through the dense crowd. He shouted, simultaneously raising his gun and firing.


    Bang! A man in front of Vivian was hit in the shoulder, blood sttering as he let out a painful cry. Vivian¡¯s heart quivered, a strong difort oveing her, almost making her want to retch.


    Several Bratva members came tumbling down the stairs, having been summoned by the bearded man, quickly closing in on Mare and Vivian.


    Mare raised his hand and fired, aiming not at a person, but at the crystal chandelier on the corridor ceiling.


    Mare¡¯s ambush was not the best, but that depended on who he was beingpared to. His ambush was indeed no match for Emmert, but that was the extent of it.


    The crystal chandelier fell with a resounding crash,nding squarely on the Bratva members responsible for the pursuit, engulfing them in sudden darkness and chaos. Mare pulled Vivian into a luxury store on the second floor, kicking open a small door amidst the screams of the staff.


    The pursuing Bratva followed closely, firing a shot into the wall and cursing loudly before rushing after them.


    Vivian used to frequent this luxury store. She and Luzia had once passed through this door, knowing that behind it was a staff corridor with a freight elevator leading directly to the underground parking garage.


    ¡°You go first,¡± Mare pushed her towards the staircase. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed jos; he¡¯s bringing people over, and Diego is waiting for you in the underground garage.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take the elevator. It would be disastrous if someone is lurking at the elevator exit.¡±


    Vivian hadn¡¯t engaged in such strenuous activity for a long time. Her legs were sore and weak, not just from exhaustion but also from fear.


    She clung tightly to the handrail, fearing her knees would give way, ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the tail.¡± Mare urged her to hurry. ¡°I wille to meet you.¡±


    Vivian wanted to say ¡°No,¡± but the words wouldn¡¯te out. She knew that by staying here, she would only hinder Mare.


    ¡°Stay safe, Mare,¡± Vivian said with difficulty, ¡°for Luzia¡¯s sake.¡±


    Mare was taken aback. He instinctively wanted to deny it, to say ¡°What are you talking about,¡± but when his eyes met Vivian¡¯s determined gaze, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to deny it. He didn¡¯t know if his thoughts were too obvious or if Vivian¡¯s observation was too keen, but she had truly seen through him.


    At that moment, Mare didn¡¯t want to deny it anymore. ¡°You stay safe too, for jos¡­¡± He nced at Vivian¡¯s belly, ¡°for¡­¡±


    For the child.


    Vivian gritted her teeth and turned, rushing down the spiral staircase.


    Her condition was not good. The intense running had left her tired, her lower abdomen aching. Her gown was toorge and hindered her steps; in the chaos of escape, she had even lost a slipper.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t worry about that now. She kicked off the remaining slipper, tied up the loose hem of her gown around her waist, and, clutching onto the handrail, sprinted as fast as she could towards the ground floor. Just then¡­


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Consecutive gunshots rang out above her. Vivian¡¯s scalp tingled, and she instinctively huddled, seeking cover.


    It was Mare!


    He was engaged in a firefight with the enemy.


    As Vivian looked up in astonishment, a dark figure fell from above andnded heavily on the ground.


    Mare!


    A wave of dizziness washed over her, and a nauseating desire to vomit surged. Vivian clutched the handrail tightly, her body bent over as she retched loudly, tears of both pain and despair welling up in her eyes. She dared not look at the figure that had fallen not far from her, fearing it might be a familiar face, fearing it might be Mare.


    What should Ido?


    What should I do?


    There was a voice in her head, screaming incessantly, repeating the same helpless sound. She instinctively curled up, imagining herself as an ostrich, burying her head in the sand. If she didn¡¯t see, didn¡¯t hear, didn¡¯t think, she would be safe.


    Until the figure moved a finger within her peripheral vision, and alongside him, a handgun dropped to the ground.


    Vivian shuddered, looking up, and was met with an unfamiliar, terrifying face.


    Suddenly, she let out a breath of relief. It wasn¡¯t Mare.


    Thank goodness it wasn¡¯t Mare.


    But then, a sense of horror gripped her. A chill ran up her spine.


    The man, severely wounded and barely clinging to life, recognized Vivian. He struggled to aim the gun at her, the barrel pointed at her abdomen.


    In that moment, Vivian¡¯s mind was clouded. She didn¡¯t know where she found the courage, but she charged forward, brandishing a dagger, and ruthlessly plunged it into the man¡¯s chest.


    When the first stab missed, she stabbed again, and again, until the man¡¯s wrist went limp, his pupils dted. Vivian stabbed onest time.


    Squelch!


    The sharp dagger pierced flesh, making a squelching sound, sttering thick blood, dampening Vivian¡¯s soft, white hands and staining her wless face, but she was oblivious, her eyes vacant, wielding the de as if possessed.


    ¡°Vivian!¡± Mare embraced her from behind, avoiding her iling dagger and seizing her hand.


    Mare¡¯s grip was strong, firmly holding Vivian¡¯s wrist. She screamed and struggled, but couldn¡¯t break free.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, Vivian.¡± Mare patted her face, calling her name repeatedly. ¡°Vivian! Look at me, we¡¯re both okay!¡±


    ¡°Mare?¡± Vivian seemed to startle awake from a nightmare, trembling all over. Her gaze drifted to Mare¡¯s face, where a fresh wound had appeared on his jaw. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    Seeing Viviane to her senses, Mare breathed a sigh of relief. Exhaustion and pain surged through him; he spat out blood, feeling like his back had been sted against a wall.


    His breath grew increasingly fiery, each inhtionden with the taste of blood, as if his lungs were burning.


    Mare discreetly prodded his rib, self-diagnosing. He was certain that he had at least two broken ribs. But he didn¡¯t dare let Vivian know. Herplexion was too poor, pallid with a hint of gray, as if she was barely hanging on.


    ¡°Just a little scratch,¡± Mare wiped the blood from his face, picked up the dead man¡¯s handgun from the ground, and supported Vivian as they helped each other stand. ¡°We must leave here as soon as possible.¡±

 Chapter 98

    ¡°Have you found them?¡±


    ¡°Have you seen anyone?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s blood here¡­ Damn it!¡±


    Amidst the chaotic sound of footsteps overhead, Mare realized the urgency and, disregarding his own injuries, swiftly led Vivian to the safety door on the basement level. The safety door was extremely heavy, and the pain from his broken bones caused his strength to rapidly diminish. Just as he managed to push the safety door open a crack, it mmed shut again due to his waning power.


    ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re downstairs, they¡¯re downstairs.¡±


    Bang!


    Bullets struck the handrail of the staircase, sparking against the stainless steel surface. Mare instinctively shielded Vivian and, with his pistol aimed and loaded, fired a session of shots, forcing the individuals at the stairwell to take cover.


    Since the pistol bullets were limited, such blind firing only depleted ammunition without any real value.


    The Bratvas hiding around the corner were all waiting for the moment when Mare¡¯s bullets ran out, and Vivian also realized this issue. Her worried gaze shifted between Mare and the corner, failing to notice the safety door behind her being forcefully pushed open.


    Dim light from the underground garage slipped in. Vivian looked in astonishment at the abruptly opened half-door and shakily raised her pistol.


    At that moment, Mare¡¯s bullets ran out. Seizing the opportunity, a Bratva member rushed down and aimed at Mare, firing a shot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shoot, it¡¯s Diego¡­ Ugh!¡± Mare pushed Vivian through the open safety door, but a bullet struck his shoulder, causing blood to gush out, leaving Vivian feeling her back dampen.


    ¡°Mare!¡± Vivian cried out Mare¡¯s name in terror, and as Diego raised his hand to shoot at Mare¡¯s back.


    Mare pushed Vivian through the safety door, Diego released his grip, and the safety door mmed shut once again.


    Diego secured the door with an iron chain, ensuring it couldn¡¯t be opened temporarily, then quickly caught up with Mare and Vivian ahead.


    ¡°We need a doctor,¡± Mare said as he helped Vivian into the car.


    ¡°Lie down!¡± Mare¡¯s hand pressed on Vivian¡¯s back, indicating she should lower herself.


    Diego quickly got in the car, stepped on the gas, and the engine roared as the car surged forward.


    Just as they drove a short distance, two cars suddenly darted out from the corners, one from the left and one from the right, sandwiching them in the middle.


    Vivian had just fastened her seatbelt when she felt a fierce impact, her body thrown forward and then pulled back by the seatbelt. The belt cut into her stomach, and the ignored pain struck again as Vivian curled up in the back seat.


    Diego forcefully steered the car, almost ramming the car on the left as the ck car on the right circled around for another collision. Mare¡¯s left shoulder was almost immobile, but that didn¡¯t stop him from raising the pistol in his right hand, now refilled with bullets, and shooting, shattering the opponent¡¯s windshield.


    Just as the sniper on the passenger side of the other car raised his gun to shoot, jos finally arrived. He maneuvered the car and raced in at 120 miles per hour, crashing into the enemies¡¯ vehicle in the underground garage, sending both the car and its upants flying.


    Behind jos, car after car drove in, the massive roar of the engines sounding like imprisoned beasts suddenly unleashed, roaring as they charged forward.


    Simpson led his soldiers in a fierce gun battle against the Bratvas, and amidst the continuous gunfire, jos rushed to Vivian.


    ¡°Vivian, Vivian!¡±


    ¡°jos, you¡¯re here.¡± Vivian curled up in the back seat, the pain making her dizzy. She shook and reached for jos¡¯s face, surprised it wasn¡¯t an illusion, seeing her hand covered in blood.


    ¡°I¡­ ¡± Vivian raised her hands, murmuring absentmindedly, ¡°I killed someone, I killed someone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± jos unfastened Vivian¡¯s seatbelt and held her in his arms,forting her and patting her back, kissing her head, ¡°They wanted to kill you, that¡¯s their fault.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Vivian.¡± jos kissed the corner of her mouth, his tone gentle yet filled with temptation. ¡°You¡¯re brave. You protected yourself and our child.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Brave girl, you should be proud of your strength, not afraid of it.¡±


    Vivian nestled in jos¡¯s embrace. She wanted to shake her head, she wanted to say it wasn¡¯t like that, she didn¡¯t raise the gun to kill. But she couldn¡¯t speak. She knew jos was right; she wanted to protect herself, and to do that, she had to kill anyone who tried to harm her and her child.


    Her handswere destined to be stained with blood.


    This was just the beginning.


    Diego drove them to the hospital. The shooting at the downtown mall couldn¡¯t be kept under wraps; many innocent bystanders were affected. The hospital was filled with casualties brought in from the shooting, and Vivian and the others were not the first, nor would they be thest.


    So,ing to the hospital at this time, they weren¡¯t afraid of being questioned by the doctors, exposing their ties to the mafia.


    Mare was quickly taken into the operating room for surgery, and Vivian was transferred to the gynecology department for a series of examinations. jos stood by her side, tightly holding her hand. This finally allowed Vivian, who had been tense all day, to rx, and she eventually fell asleep amidst the numerous examinations.


    When she woke up again, it was already pitch ck outside. Only a smallmp was lit in the ward, casting a soft, non-ring light.


    Vivian was startled awake by a nightmare. She had dreamt that the man she had stabbed through the heart hade back to life, grabbing her by the neck and pinning her against the mottled wall of the stairwell, before viciously punching her in the stomach.


    Before the intense pain could manifest, Vivian was pulled out of the dream. She sat up abruptly, feeling the suffocation extend from the dream into reality, breathing heavily as if a drowning person struggling to the surface, the relief of survival made her unable to hold back tears.


    ¡°Was it a nightmare? Or do you feel unwell?¡± A broad hand rested on her shoulder, while the other gently patted her back, soothing her as it followed the curve of her spine with each pat.


    Tears blurred Vivian¡¯s vision, but it didn¡¯t hinder her from recognizing the personforting her.


    ¡°Vilem!¡±


    Before Vivian could contain her surprise, she reached out and embraced Vilem, unable to hold back her tears, as if she wanted to cry out all the grievances and fears.


    She cried so hard that Vilem was taken aback, fearing she was in pain or difort. But Vivian was beyond words, so Vilem could only hold her, letting her cry until she was exhausted, then handed her a tissue to wipe her eyes.


    The tissue quickly soaked up the tears, and Vilem handed her another, which she took, embarrassed, and wiped her tear-stained face. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, Vilem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been away for so long.¡±


    ¡°No need to apologize, I know you¡¯ve been busy with work,¡± Vivian leaned against him, softly sobbing, ¡°I¡¯ve been weak.¡±

 Chapter 99

    ¡°No, we all need to admit, you have been very brave,¡± Vilem patted Vivian¡¯s back,fortingly saying, ¡°This is good, Vivian, you already have the ability to protect yourself. It will get better in the future, no one can hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Can I?¡± Vivian said she wanted to learn self-defense, practice shooting, and cooperate with Shirley, but in reality, she had no confidence. Her strength was too weak. Her father had trained her to be ady without muscles or strength. She couldn¡¯t handle a heavy gun, she couldn¡¯t understand financial statements, and she knew nothing about the family¡¯s business.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask if you can, Vivian, you need to try, enjoy the process, cherish the results, reality will tell you the answer.¡±


    Perhaps Vilem¡¯s gaze was too firm, perhaps Vilem¡¯s trust was too heavy, Vivian inexplicably gained great courage, as if a burning fire had been lit in her heart.


    She clenched her fists and told Vilem with the same firm tone, ¡°I will work hard. I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you and jos.¡±


    ¡°You have never been a burden to me. You are my sister.¡±


    The siblings leaned on each other, quietly enjoying a moment of peace and tranquility. They didn¡¯t have to do anything, they emptied their minds and let time pass by, cuddling each other.


    After a long time, noticing that Vivian was about to fall asleep leaning against him, Vilem came to his senses. He helped Vivian lie down, pulled up the nket to cover her, and then sat up and stretched.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve rxed like this,¡± Vilem said cheerfully, rubbing his stiff neck. Since he arrived in Houston, his nerves had been constantly taut. The tense, gripping battle had been ongoing, people around him came and went, some were injured, some were maimed, some died. The cycle of life and death yed out every day, and Vilem had almost be numb.


    He thought he had be numb until the Bratva attacked the spa, Vivian was trapped in the mall by the Bratvas. When her life was in danger, Vilem¡¯s hands trembled so much he could barely hold the gun.


    It was then that Vilem realized that no one ispletely unaware when facing death. Fear, tension, panic, avoidance-these negative emotions are the most normal reactions for people.


    He was grateful that his sister was safe.


    As for those who sought to harm Vivian, they would pay the price.


    ¡°Goodnight, Vivian,¡± Vilem kissed the back of her hand, preparing to leave, but Vivian grabbed his wrist with her other hand.


    ¡°Has there been any news from Mother?¡± Vivian forced herself to stay awake, her hand only weakly holding onto Vilem¡¯s hand, and he could have easily pulled his hand away.


    But Vilem didn¡¯t. Yielding to Vivian¡¯s strength, he leaned down slightly. ¡°I will find her.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s heart tightened. Her guess was correct; her mother had indeed disappeared. She wasn¡¯t convalescing in Europe as her father had said, otherwise Vilem wouldn¡¯t be unable to find her.


    Vivian wanted to cry, but she couldn¡¯t. She already knew that crying wouldn¡¯t solve any problems. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡±


    ¡°If one day I stand against Father and Joseph, I will kill many people. My hands may even be stained with the blood of the Jones family. Will you be afraid of me?¡± Vilem looked at Vivian with some nervousness. He knew Vivian hated her father and Joseph, but she was always soft-hearted. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to kill her father and brother, and she didn¡¯t even dare to think about it.


    Because she didn¡¯t dare, because she didn¡¯t dare to think, in the face of her father and Joseph¡¯s indifference and disregard for family ties, Vivian was so afraid and resistant.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    If one day he became like them, would Vivian be afraid of him? Would she disgust him?


    Suddenly Vilem felt afraid. Afraid that Vivian would look at him with the same eyes she used to look at Joseph, as if he were trash, a terrifying killing machine.


    Vilem¡¯s question was too direct, Vivian couldn¡¯t ignore the possible meaning in his words. She widened her eyes and stared at Vilem, shock flickering in her blue eyes.


    She couldn¡¯t believe that Vilem would say such things. The Vilem who once detested war, detested killing, detested the mafia, and wanted to break free, how could he be like this?


    Vilem noticed her gaze and thought her shock was disappointment. His heart seemed to be ruthlessly twisted by an invisible hand, sharp and sour painswept over him. He didn¡¯t dare to look into Vivian¡¯s eyes; he feared seeing the hidden fear in them.


    Just as he lowered his head, Vivian reached out with warm hands and cupped his face. The shock in her eyes hadn¡¯t disappeared, but the fear that terrified Vilem didn¡¯t materialize. ¡°Vilem, my poor brother, what has happened to you?¡±


    What made you be like this? What made you determined to be the person you once detested the most?


    Compassion turned into mist, veiling Vivian¡¯s blue eyes with maternal tenderness. Her hand caressed the scar at the corner of Vilem¡¯s eye. ¡°Whatever you have been through, whatever you want to do, you are still my brother.¡±


    ¡°I will always stand by you unconditionally,¡± Vivian said earnestly, covering her heart as if making a vow. ¡°You will always be my brother.¡±


    Vilem trembled as he exhaled a hot, heavy breath from his chest. His heart raced in his chest, and he btedly rxed his tense muscles, his back already damp with sweat.


    ¡°Can you tell me about your ns?¡± Vivian squeezed Vilem¡¯s hand, helping him to rx.


    Vilem¡¯s fingers unconsciously twitched, he wiped his face and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡±


    Vivian squeezed his hand again, this time coquettishly, ¡°I want to hear.¡±


    Before Vilem could refuse, Vivian provided her reason, ¡°You said I need to have the ability to protect myself, I need to be strong, so I can¡¯t continue to be ignorant. I need to know your ns, jos¡¯s ns, I need to know about your business, your influence, and even your enemies.¡±


    Vivian ced her hand on her abdomen, her face filled with a maternal gentleness and affection. ¡°I haven¡¯t congratted you. You are going to be an uncle.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vilem¡¯s expression was like he had just been struck with a stick, bewildered, shocked, and at a loss. He stared nkly at Vivian¡¯s abdomen, covered by a nket, unable to discern the slight curve. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am pregnant,¡± Vivian confirmed.


    Vilem definitely hadn¡¯t registered it, because he asked dazedly, ¡°I¡¯m going to be an uncle?¡±


    Vivian smiled gently, patiently answering him, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re going to be an uncle.¡±


    Vilem didn¡¯t know what to say. He reached out and touched Vivian¡¯s belly; the slight curve brought him out of his dreamlike daze. More shock and disbelief surged within him. He grabbed his hair, pacing back and forth in the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be an uncle? Vivian is pregnant?¡± Vilem murmured, his voice even trembling.

 Chapter 100

    Vivian was a little confused at this point, she couldn¡¯t figure out Vilem¡¯s thoughts. Was he unwilling for her to be pregnant? ¡°Are you not happy, Vilem?¡± Vivian asked tentatively.


    ¡°Happy, I am very happy,¡± Vilem replied. Knowing that his state had startled Vivian, he grabbed his hair, desperately trying to calm himself down. ¡°I am, indeed, too happy. I¡¯m going to have a niece.¡±


    Vilem¡¯s joy transmitted to Vivian, and she gently caressed her belly. ¡°Yes, I am going to be a mother.¡±


    The timing of Vivian¡¯s pregnancy might not be ideal and it would disrupt some of his ns, but Vilem never felt that the child came at the wrong time. He was genuinely happy for Vivian. However, for now, he had to make some adjustments to his ns. He needed to ensure Vivian and the child¡¯s safety. An attack like today¡¯s could not happen again.


    ¡°I need to discuss with jos. We need to ensure your safety. You didn¡¯t tell Father about this, did you?¡± Vivian knew that he was worried about the same thing as jos, and she shook her head firmly, ¡°No, I was going to tell Mother. Vilem, before that, can you answer my question?¡± Vivian persisted.


    If Vilem had any hesitation before, he didn¡¯t dare to hesitate now. Vivian was right. If they wanted Vivian to have the ability to protect herself, she needed to know about all their power distribution and ns, and understand the fierce and brutal enemies they were facing.


    Vilem¡¯s only concern was whether Vivian could ept their father, Bryson, and his malignant intentions hidden beneath his facade.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Do you know why Father left us in Houston?¡± Vilem decided to test the waters first.


    ¡°Of course, his purpose is very clear,¡± Vivian nodded, ¡°to solidify the alliance between the two cities through my marriage to jos and to leave you to help Houston. It¡¯s Los Angeles¡¯ biggest sincerity.¡±


    Indeed. Vilem lowered his head, his lowered eyelids hiding his gloomy eyes. Vivian¡¯s thoughts were exactly the same as his previous ones. They still held respect and expectations for their father, who was far away in Los Angeles, imagining that one day they could return to their old lives there.


    Father was cruel, indifferent, authoritarian, a powerful Capo, but he was also their father. They were all betting that their father still had a lingering attachment and affection. But they were all wrong. Father¡¯s cruelty was absolute. The child he valued was only Joseph, who was as cold and despicable as him, his proud creation, his heir. As for him and Vivian, they were probably considered shameful failures by him. Now, these failures were exerting theirst bit of influence, embroiled in the struggles of Houston, making the final contributions to his cannibalistic ns.


    Vilem couldn¡¯t help butugh, tears in his eyes.


    He finally admitted that his father was an outstanding conspirator.


    ¡°You are wrong, Vivian,¡± Vilem¡¯s expression carried a hint of cruelty. He knew that his next words would drag his sister into the abyss, but he couldn¡¯t help it. He had been in the abyss for a long time, he was too lonely.


    But he was also afraid. He was afraid that Vivian would me him, would hate him, he would lose his only family. He only had Vivian.


    His voice trembled with irrepressible fear, ¡°Father¡¯s generosity is not to help Houston, he wants to obtain Houston.¡±


    ¡°Obtain Houston?¡± Vivian repeated Vilem¡¯s words in a whisper, each letter felt like a steel knife, cutting into her heart, making it hard for her to breathe. Yet, at some moment, she felt calm, as if the person being betrayed repeatedly by their father was not her.


    She had sensed it for a long time. Even at the moment of learning the truth, there was a sense of relief from the burden of a thousand catties finally being lifted.


    She could actually calmly ept the cruel reality of being abandoned.


    Vivian¡¯s reaction was too calm, beyond Vilem¡¯s expectations, and it made him deeply worried. ¡°Vivian, you¡­¡±


    Beforeforting words could be spoken, Vivian burst into a smile, tears glistening in her eyes. It was a bleak, sorrowful smile, yet also a relieved one.


    ¡°On the day I married jos, Father explicitly told jos, and warned me to take contraceptive measures, to use birth control pills,¡± Vivian thought she had already epted this fact quite calmly, but her trembling voice betrayed her, ¡°I didn¡¯t know anything about birth control pills. Father never told me these things.¡±


    Vilem stood stunned.


    Because of Father¡¯s deliberate concealment, intentional misdirection, Vivian had indeed be pregnant at the most inappropriate time.


    Father had bound jos¡¯s hands and feet with a weak wife and a fragile child, forcing him to spend more time and effort protecting Vivian and the child.


    Houston was constantly weakening, while Los Angeles was steadily infiltrating.


    Vilem couldn¡¯t help butugh,ughing until he cried.


    ¡°What a calction!¡± Vilem said fiercely. ¡°Our father is truly a great father!¡±


    ¡°Vilem,¡± Vivian looked at Vilem with tearful eyes, ¡°we cannot allow the situation to continue to deteriorate. Father has abandoned us. I no longer trust him. I don¡¯t believe that one day, if he defeats Houston, Los Angeles will wee us back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Vivian,¡± Vilem grasped his hair fiercely, the pain pulling him back from the abyss, restoring a bit of his spirit. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±


    ¡°Now that you know Father¡¯s goal, you should understand the warriors Father sent to Houston. Their task is definitely more than just helping Houston against Bratva,¡± Vilem said, ¡°They were all handpicked elites, loyal either to Father or to Joseph.¡±


    ¡°Father sent three waves of people to Houston, a total of 123. In the battles with Bratva, 25 died, leaving 98. I took a team of 20 people, the rest are under the management of Chaquille and Lopaka.¡±


    Vivian knew these two, Chaquille was Father¡¯s most loyal follower, and Lopaka was one of Joseph¡¯s most trusted soldiers. Their families held high positions in Los Angeles.


    ¡°They are all formidable warriors,¡± Vivian said, worried.


    ¡°I told you a long time ago, Vivian, that no one is invincible,¡± Vilem said. ¡°Lopaka is just like Joseph, arrogant, overbearing, and violent. He is the heir of the Miller family, used to being superior, never caring for his soldiers, even looking down on and despising those from humble backgrounds.¡±


    ¡°His deputy, Kasin,es from the slums, without a powerful family backing, but he is exceptionally strong and capable, excelling in everything. Lopaka often targets him.¡±


    ¡°Is this Kasin one of Joseph¡¯s people?¡± Vivian asked. If so, he would undoubtedly be loyal to Joseph, and might not be a good breakthrough point.


    ¡°No,¡± Vilem gave her an unexpected answer, ¡°he has conflicts with Lopaka. Lopaka has always targeted him. You know, the support of the Miller family is too important for Joseph. He won¡¯t argue with Lopaka for an unknown soldier.¡±

 Chapter 101

    ¡°No one helped him, Kasin was suppressed miserably, almost having no way out, but for some reason, Lopaka never killed him until he came to Houston,¡± Vilem squinted and said, ¡°His name wasn¡¯t originally on the list, Lopaka manipted it, and that¡¯s how he became Lopaka¡¯s right-hand man.¡±


    ¡°Aftering to Houston, Lopaka arranged several dangerous tasks for him, and he narrowly escaped death several times. Finally, in another explosion, he was injured, almost losing his legs, and I saved him,¡± Vilem mentioned the danger of that task, unable to suppress a shiver. The explosion had a wide impact, and he himself almost didn¡¯t make it back.


    Vivian held his hand with concern.


    Vilem smiled in relief, soothingly patting her hand, ¡°I turned him. He¡¯s on my side now.¡±


    Vivian found it hard to express her feelings at the moment. Not knowing Kasin, she couldn¡¯t trust him. ¡°Can he be trusted?¡±


    ¡°Help me, or die at the hands of Lopaka. He had no choice,¡± Vilem nodded. Vivian distrusted Kasin, but she believed in Vilem.


    Vilem continued, ¡°Chaquille and Lopaka¡¯s people are mingling in the ports and warehouses of Houston. I don¡¯t know if they leaked the warehouse location to the Bratva, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯re involved. However, Houston still needs their strength to resist Bratva, so for now, we can only be on guard.¡±


    ¡°jos is in great danger now,¡± Vivian, worried, covered her trembling heart.


    ¡°Houston has reached an agreement with Washington. Soon, people from Washington will also enter Houston. We need to find a way to make them fight each other.¡±


    ¡°What way?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll discuss the specific n with jos. You should go to sleep, Vivian,¡± Vilem urged, ¡°Close your eyes, good girl.¡±


    ¡°Onest question,¡± Vivian looked at him, her blue eyes reflecting moonlight. ¡°Have you made an agreement with jos?¡±


    Vilem didn¡¯t hide it, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be the Capo of Los Angeles?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the second question,¡± Vilem chuckled lightly, putting his finger on Vivian¡¯s lips. ¡°Shh, go to sleep.¡±


    Vilem refused to answer further, and Vivian had to give up for the time being.


    She told herself it was okay, there was still time, and she could ask tomorrow. She was too tired. The life-and-death chase, the imminent threat of death, had kept her nerves on edge. Even when she fainted in jos¡¯s arms, the gunshots that felt like the arrival of the Grim Reaper didn¡¯t stop.


    It was only now, lying on the somewhat hard hospital bed, even with the annoying smell of disinfectant in her nose, that she finally felt at peace.


    She once again drifted off into a deep sleep, the monitoring instruments by the bed glowing steadily with asional faint electrical sounds, the light blue curtains asionally swaying in the breeze.


    Vilem silently got up and walked to the window, closing it.


    He watched over Vivian until dawn, when the busy jos arrived at the hospital, knocking on the door of the ward.


    Bang!


    As soon as jos opened the door to the ward, Vilem rushed forward, grabbing jos by the cor and pushing him out of the ward, mming him against the opposite wall.


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant, and you didn¡¯t protect her!¡± Vilem suppressed his voice, reprimanding him fiercely, like a beast with a low, menacing growl. ¡°This is the second time, jos, the second time you¡¯ve put her in danger. Do you have the ability to protect your wife and child?¡±


    jos, with a stern face, forcefully countered his hands, also suppressing a low growl in his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t need your questioning, Vilem. Take care of your own business!¡±


    ¡°Vivian is my sister, ensuring her safety is my responsibility and a condition of our cooperation!¡± Vilem shouted back. ¡°If you can¡¯t protect her, let me take her away.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± jos exerted force with his hands, restraining Vilem¡¯s tightened knuckles. Both of them gritted their teeth, the mounting pressure making their neck veins stand out, their faces turning red.


    ¡°No one can take my wife away from me,¡± jos gritted his teeth.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Vilem gritted his teeth as well. ¡°If you continue to be ipetent, the Grim Reaper will take your wife.¡±


    jos suddenly let go of Vilem¡¯s hands, punching Vilem in the face. Vilem didn¡¯t hold back either, retaliating with a punch of his own. Their equally matched fists pounded flesh, themotion so intense even onlookers like Simpson winced in pain. Simpson observed for a moment, realizing the fight was too intense. If he intervened now, he¡¯d likely catch a few punches himself. Deciding against getting involved, he opted to visit Knight in the hospital room, who had two broken ribs from a gunshot.


    With no one to stop them, jos and Vilem fought fervently, from initial animosity to pure release, until they were both too exhausted to throw another punch.


    ¡°The chaos in Houston is astonishing,¡± Vilem sat against the wall, one leg propped up, his hand touching his lip, the sting making him involuntarily hiss. Damn, jos really hit hard!


    Of course, he didn¡¯t hold back on jos either. Thinking about this, Vilem felt a lot happier. ¡°They¡¯ve already targeted Vivian.¡±


    ¡°Vivian¡¯s whereabouts were betrayed to the Bratva. Their actions are quicker than we anticipated,¡± jos stood up, straightening his rumpled shirt due to the recent scuffle, ¡°thanks to your father.¡±


    Vilem red at jos.


    jos suddenly seemed morefortable. ¡°Keep your cool, Vilem, don¡¯t let anger cloud your judgment.¡±


    ¡°If you can protect Vivian,¡± Vilem said with resentment.


    ¡°I will protect her, but first, Vivian is a person; she needs freedom.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Freedom?¡± Vilem sneered. ¡°The irony of that wording from your mouth, jos.¡±


    ¡°If she had true freedom, she wouldn¡¯t have married you, and she wouldn¡¯t have evene to Houston.¡±


    jos fell silent, lifting his gaze to the end of the hospital corridor, where a window was open to the endless darkness of Houston, like an abyss, like the gaping mouth of a beast.


    ¡°If given the choice again, I would still choose the marriage,¡± jos¡¯s low voice resonated in the silent hallway.


    It took Vilem a while to realize what jos had said. He furrowed his brow, ¡°You¡­¡±


    jos didn¡¯t care about Vilem¡¯s anger; he was stating a fact, ¡°We can¡¯t deny it. Marrying Vivian, securing the alliance with Los Angeles, was the best choice for Houston at the time.¡±


    jos¡¯s gaze was steady, fixed on Vilem, ¡°If you were in my position, you would have made the same choice.¡±


    Vilem¡¯s anger stemmed from not wanting to admit that jos was right, yet he couldn¡¯t deny jos¡¯s correctness. It was precisely this that his father had seen, prompting him to dispatch so many elites to Houston, even at the cost of sending his other son and only daughter.

 Chapter 102

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Vilem leaned back until the back of his head thudded against the wall. He squinted at the corridor¡¯s ceiling, the ring light of the incandescentmp dispersing above. He stared at it until his eyes stung, and a tear fell as he lowered his head to avoid the piercing light. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he muttered.


    Huddled in the corner, Vilem held his head in his hands. jos stood by the door of Vivian¡¯s room, arms crossed. They remained silent for a while, until jos broke the silence, ¡°Vivian needs to grow up.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s no longer a fledgling hiding under her father¡¯s wing. She needs to learn to shed her innocence and fend off danger,¡± he said. ¡°What do you n to do?¡± Vilem asked, his eyes red.


    ¡°Adieu, a high-end bar, is my private property. I¡¯m willing to give it to her without conditions,¡± jos said. ¡°She can gather, host parties, and socialize with people from various families at the bar. She needs to manage the bar¡¯s ounts and coordinate with the manager.¡±


    ¡°There will be numerous bodyguards around her and the bar for protection.¡±


    Vilem understood his n, ¡°You want to assign more people to protect Vivian under the guise of taking over the bar?¡±


    ¡°Only in this way can we avoid suspicion. The news of Vivian¡¯s pregnancy must not be leaked,¡± jos stated.


    Vilem furrowed his brow, not expressing agreement or disagreement, ¡°They targeted Vivian suddenly in the mall, it must be for a reason.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure the news of Vivian¡¯s pregnancy hasn¡¯t leaked?¡±


    ¡°I will check,¡± Vilem replied.


    Before Vilem could say more, jos fiercely snapped back, ¡°Don¡¯t try tomand me, Vilem. You are just my partner, understand your position.¡±


    Vilem knew when to stop. He swallowed his remaining words and took a breath, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your result, jos.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± jos said as he unlocked the door and entered Vivian¡¯s room.


    Vilem didn¡¯t follow; he went to the next room, where the knight who had protected his sister was staying. He needed to thank him.


    Vivian was unaware that jos and Vilem had quarreled for her, or what ¡°friendly¡± conversation they had. She slept deeply, perhaps assured of her safety, sleeping soundly until dawn without any nightmares.


    When she woke up groggily, the clock pointed to nine o¡¯clock. Vivian¡¯s head was still muddled. She blinked at the snow-white ceiling, full of confusion. Where was her red rose butterfly canopy? Had thieves broken into the house?


    After a moment of confusion, she remembered, oh, she was in the hospital now, so everything was fine¡­


    Perhaps Vivian¡¯s expression was too vivid; jos, who was watching, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    Vivian turned her head in confusion, her hair rustling against the cotton pillow. She saw jos, and her blue eyes suddenly lit up, ¡°jos!¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Vivian,¡± jos reached out and gently touched Vivian¡¯s cheek.


    Vivian nuzzled his fingertips like she was yearning for warmth, ¡°Good morning, jos.¡±


    She furrowed her brow gently, ¡°You look tired. Did you not sleepst night? And your injury¡­¡± Vivian cautiously touched his wound.


    jos sat on the small chair next to the bed, cupping Vivian¡¯s hand. He lightly kissed the back of her hand, ¡°I was very worried about you,¡± not mentioning how he got his injury.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Vivian apologized softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such an ident to happen.¡±


    ¡°No need to apologize, it¡¯s not your fault,¡± jos said harshly. ¡°It¡¯s the damned Bratva. They stormed the mall and shot in a crowded ce, trying to kidnap you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very grateful that Mare was with you. He did his duty, and you are safe because of him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for bringing Mare to me,¡± Vivian embraced him, feeling his warmth, ¡°How is Mare?¡±


    ¡°He was shot in the shoulder and broke two ribs,¡± jos asked her if she was hungry and what she wanted for breakfast. After getting Vivian¡¯s answer, he continued, ¡°Soft tissue bruises and minor fractures, the doctors have taken care of him. He¡¯s resting in the room next door.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°I want to go see him,¡± Vivian took a bite of the food jos had handed her. ¡°He protected me, I should go visit him.¡±


    jos did not object but said, ¡°Wait a couple of days; you almost had a miscarriage. The doctor said you should rest in bed and not move around casually for these two days.¡±


    ¡°A miscarriage?¡± Vivian didn¡¯t feel anything at the moment, but she remembered the increasing pain in her lower abdomen yesterday, as if something was constantly falling inside her belly. She had almost had a miscarriage?


    Vivian¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything¡¯s fine now,¡± josforted her, cing his hand on her belly. ¡°He¡¯s healthy now.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes welled with tears, still feeling unsettled. She dared not move recklessly. ¡°I will rest well.¡±


    jos also mentioned preparing her to help manage the bar. Vivian¡¯s mood couldn¡¯t be described as shocked but rather horrified, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°To protect you,¡± jos didn¡¯t conceal his intentions. ¡°By sending more people around you, they will think it¡¯s for the bar¡¯s operations, not because you¡¯re pregnant.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Vivian touched her gradually swelling belly, ¡°How long can we keep it a secret?¡±


    ¡°As long as we can,¡± jos sighed, ¡°It¡¯s better than exposing it now.¡±


    ¡°Vivian, we need more time to prepare for the confrontation with Los Angeles,¡± he brushed Vivian¡¯s disheveled hair, tucking it behind her shoulders. ¡°Vivian, grow up quickly.¡±


    After breakfast, the doctor came for a check-up. jos stood by, waiting. When the routine check-up was over and the doctor said there was nothing major wrong with Vivian, jos finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Still, you need to pay attention to resting in bed. It¡¯s better not to move around casually for these two days,¡± the doctor advised.


    Vivian nodded obediently, watching the doctor leave.


    jos had work to do. Bratva had attacked his wife, and he had to make Bratva pay. The longer it dragged on, the more it would shake things within the mafia, and that wouldn¡¯t be good.


    jos left two people to guard the door of Vivian¡¯s room and then departed.


    The room quieted down. Vivian couldn¡¯t sleep. Shey bored in bed, considering whether to call the guards outside the door to ask the nurse for two magazines to read when the door was gently knocked.


    Someone was guarding the door, so whoever could approach and knock on this door couldn¡¯t be a dangerous person. Vivian felt at ease and curious, so she called out, ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Hi!¡± the door was gently pushed open, revealing a familiar face. ¡°Are you alright, Vivian?¡±


    ¡°Shelley?¡± Vivian looked at her in surprise. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

 Chapter 103

    Shelley shrugged, ¡°Although I don¡¯t want to admit it, jos is too fierce.¡±


    Vivian looked puzzled.


    Shelley exined to her, ¡°jos called me and threatened that if I didn¡¯te to the hospital to apany you, he would twist my head.¡±


    Pretending to cry, Shelleyined to Vivian, ¡°You see, isn¡¯t he very fierce?¡±


    ¡°Too fierce,¡± Vivian nodded in agreement, joking, ¡°He should have said that if you didn¡¯te to the hospital, he would tie you up, and use a knife to cut pieces of your flesh one by one.¡±


    Shelley was startled, immediately moving three feet away from her, ¡°You¡¯re too scary.¡±


    Vivian smiled, ¡°Did I scare you?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Shelley patted her chest, saying, ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days since west met, how did you be so brutal?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I became brutal, it¡¯s that I suddenly understood a truth.¡±


    ¡°What truth?¡±


    ¡°No one will refrain from harming you because you are weak; on the contrary, the weaker you are, the more likely someone will bully you,¡± Vivian said.


    Shelley¡¯s mouth fell open.


    What shocked her was not Vivian¡¯s words, but Vivian¡¯s expression, that mature, indifferent, and even peaceful expression, as if blood could no longer make her tremble, and fear would no longer be an obstacle to her progress.


    Shelley sat nkly in the small chair next to Vivian¡¯s bed, ¡°What on earth happened? I heard you were attacked. Are you alright, Vivian?¡±


    ¡°I killed someone,¡± Vivian said calmly.


    Shelley felt something was off, reaching out and holding her hand.


    Only when she held Vivian¡¯s hand did Shelley realize what was hidden beneath Vivian¡¯s calm and indifferent surface-a trembling hand, a soul quivering with fear.


    She wasn¡¯t unafraid, she simply concealed her fear, forcing herself to grow.


    ¡°Vivian¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯tfort me, Shelley, I don¡¯t needfort,¡± Vivian rejected thefort she hadn¡¯t yet expressed, ¡°I killed a person, I had a nightmare about killingst night, I am afraid, I can¡¯t help but recall that moment.¡±


    ¡°I plunged the dagger deeply into the person¡¯s body, I wanted to stab his heart. The first thrust didn¡¯t go well, I pulled the dagger out, then stabbed again, still not getting it right, I pulled it out and stabbed again¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore, Vivian!¡± Shelley stood up suddenly, in her haste her shin knocked against the small chair, the chair and the floor scraped against each other, emitting a sharp sound that pierced her eardrums and heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to frighten you,¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes were wide and bright, ¡°I just want to tell you how gratifying it is to control someone¡¯s fate. They all love it. I also¡­ love it.¡±


    ¡°No, Vivian, having power is one thing, ying with lives is another,¡± Shelley grabbed Vivian, as if shaking her awake, ¡°Let the guilty go to hell, hurting innocent people will only plunge you deeper into nightmares. Wake up!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s innocent? The Mafia is a cradle of sin, it¡¯s filth, and whoever enters can¡¯t leave cleanly,¡± Vivian roared.


    ¡°Who isn¡¯t innocent? You, me, Luzia, the girls of the Mafia, which one of us isn¡¯t innocent?¡± Shelley yelled back with the same intensity, even overpowering Vivian¡¯s questioning, ¡°We¡¯re all ythings, tools for fathers, brothers, and the family. We are forced to ept a stranger as our husband, bing his appendage, and bearing children for him, bing a tool for reproduction.¡±


    ¡°But what have we done wrong, Vivian?¡± Shelley¡¯s eyes reddened, her chest heaving with intense emotions.


    She sat back at the edge of Vivian¡¯s bed, staring at the chair pushed away by her, tears falling one by one.


    ¡°We are all waiting for you to be strong, Vivian.¡± Silence spread in the ward for a long time before Shelley spoke again, ¡°You can be strong, resilient, confident, but please don¡¯t discard your kindness, innocence, andpassion. These beautiful virtues are absent in the men of the Mafia.¡±


    ¡°You can do what they can do, and you can do what they can¡¯t. Who has more ability, that¡¯s how it¡¯spared.¡±


    The long silence did not free Vivian from her predicament, her mind filled with the man she had stabbed to death. She enjoyed the thrill of controlling life and death, yet feared ending a life in her hands. These twopletely different emotions tore her soul in half, attacking each other, rejecting each other.


    She couldn¡¯t contain the smile on her lips, nor the tears that fell. She was truly on the brink of madness.


    Vivian coveredher face and wept, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shelley, I really don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Shelley embraced her, repeating ¡°I know¡± continuously. She looked out the window, where the world was vast and the sunlight was brilliant, but this morning in the ward was in shadow, with no sunlight able toe in.


    So Shelley¡¯s mood also turned into the shadow where sunlight couldn¡¯t reach, heavy and cold, ¡°Do you know why I like jos so much?¡±


    Vivian shook her head, her voice filled with tears, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I also killed someone, when I was thirteen,¡± Shelley¡¯s eyes never left the sunlight outside the window, as if she wouldn¡¯t be swallowed by darkness this way, ¡°I was kidnapped.¡±


    This was a verymon story in the Mafia; they were important family members in the Mafia, and the family protected them, while enemies nned to abduct them. Shelley was taken in a nned car ident by the Bratva. Along with her, her ssmates and the injured driver who were in the same car heading home were also taken.


    The Bratva didn¡¯t act themselves; they hired several international mercenaries, speaking with British ents, demanding ransom from the family, confusing the family and causing Shelley to remain unretrieved.


    The second day of the abduction, these despicable mercenaries raped her ssmate.


    The third day¡­


    The fourth day¡­


    The memories were too distant, Shelley couldn¡¯t even remember which day it was. She only remembered her ssmate being dragged out of the warehouse countless times, the wailing and crying sounding like they wanted to tear the roof off. She cowered in a corner of the warehouse, pleading for these cruel and filthy mercenaries to forget her existence.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    But nightmares never arrivete; one day, the person being dragged out of the warehouse became her.


    To this day, Shelley remembered the disgusting sensation of crawling creatures licking her skin. The thought that what happened to her ssmate would soon be reyed on her made her break down. She screamed, kicked, and bit like a madwoman, blood oozing from her sharp teeth, flooding her mouth, making her retch.


    The driver, injured in the ident and left without timely medical treatment, had festering wounds exposed to the dirty environment, and on the second day of being imprisoned, he developed a high fever. It was already a testament to his strong will that he could hold on until this day.


    Shelley didn¡¯t know where he got the strength, but just as she was about to be dragged out of the warehouse, the driver pounced on her like a leopard, shielding her beneath him.

 Chapter 104

    Fists and kicks fell on the driver like a torrential downpour, each blownding without mercy. They flipped the driver to the ground, beating and kicking him until he coughed up blood. A steel rod as thick as an arm shattered his kneecap, his agonized screams haunting Shelley for a long time.


    In the midst of this turmoil, when a mercenary broke away from the group assaulting the driver and crudely pushed her to the ground, preparing tomit an atrocity, Shelley plunged a knife into his heart.


    As it turned out, Shelley was much more adept at killing than Vivian. Her stab was precise and ruthless. Fearing it wasn¡¯t deep enough, that the death wasn¡¯t thorough, she withdrew the knife and struck again, equally precise.


    Throughout the entire process, Shelley remained eerily calm and detached, her hand gripping the knife without so much as a tremor.


    The driver, abandoned in a pool of blood,y next to his deceased colleague. Shocked and incensed by the sight of their fallenrade under the hands of someone who seemed as innocent as amb, the mercenaries, in a synchronized surge of shame, anger, and bloodthirsty excitement, viciously lunged at Shelley. They tore her clothes, bit her lips. As she wielded the dagger, striking yet another of their own, she even broke her hand bones.


    Excruciating pain jolted through Shelley¡¯s mind. She clenched her teeth, wanting to pass out, but unable to. She could only watch helplessly as the mercenaries disarmed her, pinned her limbs to the cold and filthy ground. The leader of the mercenaries, after removing his pants, pressed himself against her.


    She was done for.


    Shelley had lost all possibility of resistance. Her mind gradually emptied, tears streaming down her cheeks, yet the pain had not fully arrived when she heard a ¡°bang,¡± the sound of a gunshot.


    She saw the mercenary on top of her struck through the temple, blood sttering. Death hade too suddenly; even in his final moments, the mercenary¡¯s expression bore a cruel smirk.


    Shelley was bewildered, horrified, and then overwhelmed with the euphoria of surviving such a harrowing experience, followed by a profound sense of dread.


    The single gunshot shattered the debauchery within the warehouse. The mercenaries swiftly abandoned Shelley, cursing and reaching for their guns, but before they could grasp them, they were surrounded by a rush of members from the underworld.


    For Shelley, who had been at death¡¯s door one moment and then given a new lease on life the next, jos, who could coldly kill and then tenderly drape her in clean clothes, seemed like a god. Later, hiding in the back seat of the car, when she went mad from her first kill, jos¡¯ guidance became another form of redemption for her, just like it had been for Vivian.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Upon hearing the story, Vivian couldn¡¯t help feeling a pang of jealousy. jos had never offered her sce after her first kill.


    Shelley vividly remembered jos¡¯ words. Without hesitation, she responded, ¡°Good job killing!¡±


    Vivian was taken aback. ¡°¡­ Huh? Is that supposed to beforting?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t thatforting?¡± Shelley asked unapologetically.


    ¡°Is that supposed to beforting?¡± Vivian muttered.


    Silence lingered in the hospital room.


    After a moment, Vivian stirred.


    Rubbing her temple as if with a headache, she let out a mix of exasperation and amusement. ¡°Hmph.¡±


    This single sound, ¡°hmph,¡± seemed to act as a switch breaking the silence, and Shelley couldn¡¯t help but join in, and the two girls burst intoughter.


    ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t know what I was thinking at the time,¡± Shelley said with augh, her voice tinged with confusion and helplessness. ¡°Maybe I was just too foolish and scared at the time. He hadn¡¯t done much, just a simple ¡®good job killing¡¯ with almost no emotional fluctuation, and I took it as if it were a divine decree, interpreting, consoling, and convincing myself.¡±


    ¡°Was he praising me?¡±


    ¡°Why would he praise me?¡±


    ¡°Because I killed those who tried to harm me. They were vile, malicious, despicable. If I hadn¡¯t killed him, he would have hurt me, even others. By killing him, I don¡¯t need to be afraid or feel guilty.¡±


    Vivian rested her forehead on Shelley¡¯s shoulder and wrapped her arms around her waist, offering silentfort.


    Shelley patted her back, ¡°This is a hurdle you have to cross on your own, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Vivian held onto Shelley, refusing to let go.


    Shelley let her hold on, while the sunlight danced on her fingertips.


    Silence settled in the hospital room once again.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s muffled voice came from behind, and Shelley turned her head slightly, ¡°What is it?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Vivian hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should ask, ¡°What about your ssmate¡­ what happened to her?¡±


    Shelley fell into a prolonged silence once again, and Vivian¡¯s heart sank. She knew she had made a mistake, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Shelley sighed, her eyes slightly moist. She looked up at the ceiling, unable to stop the tears from spilling over, ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°On the night we were rescued, she took a gun from jos and shot herself.¡±


    Vivian had already guessed the oue of Shelley¡¯s ssmate¡¯s death before Shelley spoke, but she hadn¡¯t expected that Shelley¡¯s ssmate had taken her own life.


    ¡°Topensate her family, my family provided a lot. Her father was a gambling addict, he had squandered the family fortune and borrowed at high interest rates. My father paid off his hefty debts. Her brother was mediocre, just a nameless thug in the organization. My brother brought him to his side, made him his right-hand man, and personally taught him how to handle the family¡¯s business. My mother even sent countless luxury clothes and jewelry to her mother, taking her to various high-society events.¡±


    ¡°They all indulged in immense wealth and luxury, not shedding a single tear for the innocent girl who died so tragically.¡± Shelley¡¯s voice carried a poignant tone, ¡°You see, Vivian, there are so many wretched people in this world, but it¡¯s always the innocent who suffer.¡±


    ¡°Why!¡± Shelley demanded loudly, but Vivian couldn¡¯t provide her with an answer.


    ¡°Did we do something wrong?¡± Shelley didn¡¯t wait for Vivian¡¯s answer, she answered her own question, ¡°No! It¡¯s those in power, those who control life and death, who are wrong. They are indifferent, despicable, and tyrannical, trampling the innocent underfoot.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be one of them, Vivian?¡±

 Chapter 105

    ¡°No!¡± Vivian blinked at Shelley without blinking for a long time. Just when Shelley was about to be disappointed, just when Shelley thought she wouldn¡¯t answer, Vivian wiped her face. Although dejected, her voice was absolutely firm in Shelley¡¯s ears.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be that kind of person,¡± Vivian said. ¡°I want to protect myself, I want to protect my family, but that¡¯s not a reason to plunder the flesh and blood of innocent people.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Shelley. Controlling the life and death of others is exhrating, but kindness is a shackle. While it traps me, it also protects me from being overwhelmed by this kind of terrible exhration,¡± Vivian said with a smile. ¡°Kindness is a beautiful virtue, and none of us should discard it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve recovered, that¡¯s wonderful,¡± Shelley said happily. ¡°My story wasn¡¯t wasted.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Vivian hugged her gently. ¡°I made you recall such a sad memory.¡±


    ¡°It has always been my nightmare, but I have ovee it, and it is no longer terrifying,¡± Shelley¡¯s smile was one of relief.


    ¡°By the way, I have good news to tell you,¡± Shelley said.


    ¡°What?¡± Vivian looked at her in confusion.


    This news might really be good. Shelley was a bit excited just thinking about it, and she infected Vivian too. ¡°My grandfather persuaded my father to let me participate in the operation of the Houston Port.¡±


    ¡°Although the position is not high, jos has already signed the documents, so I will be able to take office at the port soon.¡±


    This was indeed an uplifting piece of news. Vivianpletely understood Shelley¡¯s excitement and exhration, and she sincerely felt happy for Shelley. ¡°Congrattions, Shelley. You¡¯re one step closer to your dream.¡±


    ¡°I have good news to tell you too.¡± In Shelley¡¯s expectant gaze, Vivian talked about the bar.


    ¡°Oh my goodness,¡± Shelley said, surprised, covering her mouth. Of course, she knew Adieu was jos¡¯s private property. Just knowing this made her even more incredulous. ¡°jos gave Adieu to you? He really gave it to you?¡±


    Shelley¡¯s shock didn¡¯t seem feigned. Vivian was somewhat startled by her question. ¡°He did say that, but there is no document to prove it yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Shelley let out a horrified scream. ¡°What on earth happened to jos? Why did he change so much?¡±


    Vivian was a little taken aback by her. ¡°Is there a problem? Adieu is just a bar, isn¡¯t it? Could there be some kind of secret behind it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Adieu is just a bar, a high-end bar. It¡¯s no different from the bars outside, just a little more expensive. But-¡± Shelley deliberately emphasized her tone. She paused for a long time, which made Vivian feel uneasy and nervous at the same time. She even held her breath, waiting for Shelley¡¯s answer.


    Shelley did not disappoint Vivian. She revealed the story behind the bar. ¡°It¡¯s the bar of jos¡¯s mother.¡±


    ¡°jos¡¯s mother¡¯s bar?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shelley said. ¡°jos¡¯s mother, Lady Hyna, her father is the famous tycoon Mr. Lopez. He owns a street of bars in Houston, and Adieu is managed by his daughter, Lady Hyna herself.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Mr. Kamden met Lady Hyna in this bar and decided to marry her and have children with her. This bar means something different to jos.¡±


    Vivian remembered the tattoo on jos¡¯s arm about his mother. Although jos and Simpson had both denied it, Vivian always believed that jos loved his mother.


    It¡¯s just that the responsibility of being a Capo was too heavy, weighing on him like a giant boulder on his shoulders, forcing him to abandon all emotions and be cold and unfeeling.


    ¡°Thank you, Shelley,¡± Vivian thanked Shelley. ¡°Thank you for telling me all this. I think jos definitely wouldn¡¯t mention the story of the bar to me. Just thinking about how much beauty I might miss makes me feel regretful.¡±


    Shelley chuckled, teasing her, ¡°I suspect that jos has fallen in love with you.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Vivian¡¯s face flushed slightly, and her fingers unconsciously picked at the white quilt. ¡°He is the Capo.¡±


    ¡°So what about being the Capo?¡± Shelley disapproved, ¡°Capo is not a stone, they also have emotions.¡±


    The desire for power, the desire to control the weak, the desire for wealth¡­ how are these not considered emotions? How can they not be considered love? Even pathological love is still love.


    ¡°That¡¯s not love at all,¡± Vivian objected to Shelley¡¯s view. ¡°True love should be healthy, sunny, and progressive. As for the desire for control and possession, those are just base desires of men, imposed on women, and it¡¯s simply disastrous.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to praise abnormal behavior. Okay, I misspoke,¡± Shelley apologized to her. ¡°Let¡¯s curse them out loud, ¡®down with the psychos!''¡±


    Vivian chuckled and cursed, ¡°Childish!¡±


    ¡°Back to the point,¡± Shelley looked at Vivian, her expression serious. ¡°I feel jos is different toward you, more confident.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Vivian said. But she knew it wasn¡¯t true. All of jos¡¯s recent tenderness and goodwill were because of the child.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t tell Shelley that she was pregnant, nor could she exin jos¡¯s change to Shelley. She could only vaguely agree with her guess, ¡°I hope so.¡±


    Shelley was more excited than if she had discovered that jos liked her and said, ¡°You have to seize the opportunity, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°I know, Shelley,¡± Vivian pressed her trembling hand. ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± Shelley tightly held her own hand, stood tall, took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for too long.¡±


    ¡°May we both find our freedom,¡± Vivian said with a smile.


    The sunshine was dazzling by her side.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡­


    Benoist Family.


    Richard¡¯s mansion, study.


    Richard angrily crumpled the appointment document signed by jos into a ball, then fiercely threw it to the ground. His unwilling resentment made his face look ferocious. ¡°He actually gave the management rights of the port to Shelley! Why? How dare he!¡±


    ¡°Miss Shelley?¡± Richard¡¯s assistant looked shocked, evidently not expecting Shelley to be an option. ¡°Is there some misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°The appointment documents have been issued, and jos¡¯s signature is on them,¡± Richard roared, mming the table with force, his neck veins terrifyingly prominent. ¡°He wants to take away my rights, he wants to ruin me!¡±


    ¡°Damn Bratvas, damn Signia. They didn¡¯t kidnap Vivian, they didn¡¯t kill her, and now jos is angry. He will stop at nothing to kill me!¡± Richard swept everything on his desk to the ground ¨C papers, pens, ink, various ornaments ¨C it all made a mess, just like Richard¡¯s mind, in utter chaos.


    This was terrible. The situation was developing in a very unfavorable direction for him. Sooner orter, jos would find out about him. No, perhaps he already knew.


    ¡°I have to leave immediately,¡± Richard instructed his assistant. ¡°Gather our people, the car, money, guns. We¡¯re leaving Houston tonight.¡±

 Chapter 106

    The deputy hadn¡¯t thought things would be this dire. Time was running short and he couldn¡¯t think of where they could escape to. ¡°Where do we go?¡±


    ¡°Bratva,¡± Richard said without hesitation.


    The deputy nodded, about to leave, when Richard had a change of heart. ¡°Wait.¡±


    He stopped the deputy. ¡°Bratva may not be reliable. They have angered jos, and jos will surelye after them.¡± To appease jos¡¯ anger, Bratva might even hand them over.


    But besides Bratva, who else could take them in, even if it meant offending Houston?


    Los Angeles?


    Yes, Los Angeles!


    ¡°We¡¯re going to Los Angeles, prepare a private ne. We¡¯re flying to Los Angeles tonight.¡±


    They both knew that Capo Bryson¡¯s generous assistance to Houston had a true motive ¨C to take over Houston, to rece jos as Houston¡¯s new owner!


    If he could seek refuge with Bryson with Houston¡¯s confidential documents, Bryson would surely be willing to take them in.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to Los Angeles!¡± Richard said firmly.


    With the destination confirmed, the deputy no longer hesitated. He quickly went to contact Richard¡¯s men at various locations to make arrangements. Of course, not everyone could go to the airport to board the private ne. Some would be assigned to confuse pursuers, while others wouldunch an armed attack on Houston¡¯s warehouse, pretending to be a Bratva assault. Only a small group of elites could personally protect Richard and fly to Los Angeles, ensuring their true safety.


    The deputy was certainly one of the elite few, so for the sake of his own life, he would certainly ensure that everything about the escape was properly arranged.


    Richard was not worried about this.


    Richard emerged from his study and slipped into his bedroom.


    His wife had passed away a long time ago, and he had never brought a lover home to spend the night. This was his own bedroom, secluded, private, perfect for hiding things that shouldn¡¯t be seen ¨C partial maps of Houston¡¯s arms smuggling routes and the confidential location managed by the Benoist family.


    These things would be his gift to Bryson, and with this, he would gain refuge in Los Angeles.


    Taking the items out of the safe, Richard made sure that they were securely packed. He vowed not to let these things leave him by more than an arm¡¯s length. He slumped onto the bed, waiting for the signal to depart.


    In these brief ten minutes of waiting, Richard stared nkly at the floor in front of him. Perhaps many questions and thoughts shed through his mind. He didn¡¯t know how he hade to this point today. His only son, John, had been killed by jos. He had lost the right to vie for control of the Benoist family, and his power had been undermined by jos and Charles. Now, he had even fallen to the point of fleeing Houston to beg for refuge in Los Angeles.


    Or perhaps his mind was nk, and he didn¡¯t have time to think. The moment of escape hade swiftly.


    It would take time to rally the men, but Richard couldn¡¯t wait for that. When the deputy hurriedly came to tell him that only a few men were in position, Richard made up his mind. ¡°We¡¯re not waiting, we¡¯re leaving now!¡±


    As the sky darkened, three or four ck cars stopped in front of Richard¡¯s vi. Each car was filled with four or five bodyguards, each carrying assault rifles and shotguns, with several hand grenades strapped to their waists.


    Even Richard was nked by two tall, sturdy bodyguards in the back seat of the car. He too held a Colt M2000 loaded with bullets, with two homemade grenades in his pocket.


    ¡°Quick, let¡¯s go!¡± Richard urged the driver.


    Under his urgent prodding, the driver, inevitably nervous, pressed down on the elerator. The ck cars sped out at seventy miles per hour, and as they continued, they grew faster and faster until they reached the deserted, straight highway at a speed of 120.


    This speed was truly too fast. The driver cautiously steered the car, gradually applying the brakes to slow down a bit. But Richard was too sharp. As the speeding car slowed down, he noticed. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you slowing down? Don¡¯t slow down! Are you sent by jos?¡±


    Richard¡¯s neurotic questioning and the gun pressed against the driver¡¯s head nearly scared him to death, afraid that if Richard got too agitated, he might identally pull the trigger.


    The driver¡¯s sudden action also sessfully startled the deputy. The massive steel beast momentarily lost control, swerving in an rming ¡°S¡± shape on the deserted road. Luckily, the driver¡¯s professionalism at the crucial moment saved the lives of the five people in the car.


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m not¡­¡± The driver tightly gripped the steering wheel, shooting pleading looks atthe deputy with a shiver of fear in his eyes.


    Regardless of whether he was or not, they were all in the same car now!


    The deputy wiped a cold sweat in his mind and looked to Richard. ¡°Sir, rest assured, he is someone we can trust. The key now is to get to the airport as quickly as possible¡­¡±


    Bang!


    Just as the deputy was trying to soothe Richard¡¯s emotions, a car suddenly shot out from the right fork in the road, directly colliding with their car. The tremendous impact nearly threw them out, and the driver, in an emergency, mmed on the brakes. But in the darkness, another car suddenly appeared, ramming into them once again.


    With the car traveling at high speed, the sessive impacts and emergency braking finally led to a rollover. The shattered ss scattered all over, leaving long skid marks on the road. The doors were dented, blood and gasoline spilling out simultaneously, a scene of carnage that one could imagine without seeing it firsthand.


    In the moment of the ident, the trailing drivers realized that this was a premeditated attack. They all raised their guns in vignce as the driver, pressing the elerator, tried to rush over to rescue them.


    Gunshots rang out at that moment, one after another, forming a continuous barrage. Numerous vehicles emerged from the darkness, shining their headlights directly into the eyes of Richard¡¯s men, forcing them to close their eyes to shield themselves. But in that moment of closure, they were met with a hail of deadly bullets.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Richard was trapped in the overturned car, a burly bodyguard¡¯s weight pressing on his fractured leg, his internal organs bleeding from the impact, rising up to his throat and spilling out of his mouth.


    He was severely injured, almost losing consciousness. His ears seemed damaged too, the sounds were muffled, as if covered by something.


    But he recognized the gunfire and the man who walked up to the wrecked steel beast, his voice filled with regret, ¡°What a shame for this McLaren¡­¡±


    It was¡­ it was¡­


    Richard struggled to drag the man¡¯s name from his fading consciousness.


    It was Simpson!


    Struggling to breathe, his lungs must have been injured. Every breath he took was apanied by a wheezing sound from his throat.


    They hade so quickly. Richard thought in despair, he hadn¡¯t even managed to escape to the airport.

 Chapter 107

    jos stood on the open space in front of the warehouse, winding bloodstains spreading to his feet. Emmert was leading his men to drag the bodies away.


    Simpson¡¯s voice came through the phone, ¡°What a pity for this McLaren¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him die.¡± jos, with a cold expression, tossed the slightly heated handgun to Emmert and walked towards the car parked in front of the warehouse.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure he stays alive for you,¡± Simpson assured. They pried open the car door; the driver and the assistant in front had already been confirmed dead. The bodyguard pinning Richard underneath still had a breath left. Simpson¡¯s men first dragged the bodyguard out, and the unexpected incident urred at that moment.


    With crimson eyes, Richard revealed the hand grenade at his waist, ¡°Let¡¯s die together!¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Simpson roared and, at an inhuman speed, mped Richard¡¯s hand reaching for the fuse.


    Richard had only one thought: not to fall into jos¡¯s hands, not into theirs. He would suffer more than death!


    A fear more terrifying than death enveloped Richard¡¯s mind, causing him to let out a desperate roar. But having just experienced a brutal car ident, his body was already in ruins. He couldn¡¯t resist Simpson¡¯s formidable strength. His arm reaching for the fuse was twisted into a gruesome position by brute force.


    Crack!


    ¡°Ah!¡± Richard¡¯s cries of agony and the sound of bones breaking rang out simultaneously as Simpson forcibly snapped his arm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your time to die wille,¡± Simpson said, dragging him out of the carpartment by his broken bones.


    Richard fell to the ground, clutching his arm, almost unable to cry out.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Simpson, finding his hands dirty, wiped them meticulously with a damp tissue before Richard nearly lost his breath, then had a doctor brought in for emergency treatment.


    On the other side, Vilem had also finished his battle. He had personally handled the people left behind at the port, and Festus had been a great help.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Vilem said, holstering his gun.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Festus said, putting away hisputer. ¡°I¡¯ll bring people over tomorrow to install the new firewall.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Vilem said, taking off his gloves, revealing hands covered in scars, some already oozing blood. ¡°Shelley is taking office tomorrow. You cane with her.¡±


    Mentioning Shelley softened Festus¡¯s expression a lot, and his attitude towards Vilem became more affectionate. ¡°She¡¯s just arrived and might not be familiar with the port¡¯s affairs. Please take good care of her.¡±


    This slight change was enough to surprise Vilem. ¡°You¡­¡±


    Festus shyly smiled at him.


    Vilem instantly understood and found it somewhat amusing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    This long night had finally passed.


    At eight in the morning, Vivian¡¯s ward weed its first visitor.


    It was Mare.


    ¡°Are you okay, Mare?¡± Vivian looked at him with concern.


    Mare had cleaned himself up. Apart from the paleness brought on by blood loss and pain, he looked healthier than Vivian. ¡°I¡¯m fine, please don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Vivian had witnessed him being shot. How could she not worry? ¡°You should rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will,¡± Mare said, sitting down and holding his injured ribs. Every slight movement made him feel suffocating pain, but as Vivian¡¯s bodyguard, he needed to stay by her side.


    ¡°You can leave the hospital tomorrow,¡± jos still wasn¡¯t at ease with Vivian staying in the hospital. Hospitals were crowded ces, and there could be too many idents.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back to the apartment to continue recuperating,¡± Vivian had already discussed it with jos. ¡°You can rest assured and stay in the hospital to recover. When you¡¯re discharged, apany me to Adieu.¡±


    ¡°Do you know about Adieu?¡± Mare had initially wanted to refuse the proposal to continue staying in the hospital, but Vivian, being clever, quickly changed the subject, diverting Mare¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mare¡¯s mind raced, quickly summarizing his knowledge of Adieu. ¡°It¡¯s a high-end bar under jos¡¯s name, previously owned by Lady Hyna.¡±


    Mare added, ¡°Lady Hyna is jos¡¯s mother.¡±


    Vivian nodded, her knowledge matching what she had heard from Shelley.


    ¡°Have you been involved in managing Adieu?¡± Truth be told, Vivian wasn¡¯t good at business management. Her education as ady had only taught her how to please her husband. She didn¡¯t understand bars or management. She urgently needed someone with knowledge to help her, and at the moment, Mare was her best choice.


    ¡°No,¡± unfortunately, Mare couldn¡¯t give Vivian the answer she wanted. ¡°Perhaps you can ask jos for advice,¡± Mare sincerely suggested.


    Alright, the problem had returned to its original point, but it indeed was the best solution.


    Vivian sighed, full of anticipation for taking over Adieu. She had a feeling that this was the first step towards her new life.


    ¡°I hope I can provide assistance to jos,¡± Vivian devoutly made a wish in her heart, ¡°instead of continuing to be a burden to him.¡±


    ¡­


    The incident of Vivian being attacked by the Bratva was not deliberately concealed. After all, the attack had urred in the bustling downtown of Houston, and too many innocent people had been affected. Even if jos had intended to hide it, it wouldn¡¯t have remained hidden for long.


    News spreads quickly in the new era. Shortly after Vivian returned to her apartment, she received concern and condolences from various quarters. Some were genuinely concerned about her safety, such as Madame Yazmin, while others were undoubtedly testing the waters, such as members of the various families in Houston,rge and small.


    Vivian felt bothered by the calls, but she had to maintain a gracious demeanor, responding warmly and graciously to every genuine or false expression of concern, until she received a call from Los Angeles.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d to hear your voice again,¡± Vivian said excitedly, grasping the phone. ¡°How are you, Luzia? I miss you so much.¡±


    ¡°I miss you too, Vivian,¡± came Luzia¡¯s slightly distorted voice from the phone, making Vivian keenly aware, once again, of the distance between them.


    Vivian felt sad; her longing was uncontroble at the moment, causing her heart to ache with a poignant pain.


    ¡°I heard about the attack on you, and I¡¯m really worried about you. Are you okay?¡± Through the phone line, Luzia expressed her concern and apologies in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be there with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Vivian said. ¡°I know you¡¯re in a difficult situation. Joseph is a demon; he has imprisoned you, and I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t escape the chains of fate. I¡¯ve told you before, I¡¯ve resigned myself,¡± said Luzia, her voice unable to conceal her despondency and weariness.


    Vivian bit her lip, feeling sad. ¡°Aren¡¯t you resentful? To ept this fate, to be locked up and let yourself fall into endless hell.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Luzia gritted her teeth, hesitating and struggling. Perhaps the buried resentment was surfacing in her struggle, and Luzia squeezed out a sentence from between her teeth, ¡°asionally, just asionally, I still feel resentful.¡±


    Emphasizing the ¡°asionally,¡± Luzia¡¯s voice conveyed a desperate, hoarse howl from the depths of her heart. She kept questioning, ¡°Why? Why?¡±


    Yes, why? Why should they be born to be yed with by men like toys, why should they be deprived of the right to freedom, and why should they be men¡¯s tools for reproduction, living a life controlled and exploited in the dark.

 Chapter 108

    Vivian listened silently to the faint weeping on the other end of the phone. The more she understood Luzia¡¯s plight, the more her aversion to Joseph and Los Angeles grew, and the more grateful she felt for jos¡¯s tolerance.


    Perhaps she should truly detach herself from thend that had once nurtured her, she needed a more thorough battle to resolve the crisis in Houston and rescue Luzia from hell.


    However, they were far from being able to control everything in Los Angeles from Houston, and Luzia was being closely monitored. She needed to avoid Joseph¡¯s violence, and there wasn¡¯t much she could do.


    Was there anyone who could help them, be their ears and eyes in Los Angeles?


    ¡°Luzia, maybe I need your help¡­¡± Vivian hesitated about whether to involve Luzia in her alliance with Shelley, but the person on the other end of the line suddenly changed to Joseph, and his contemptuous tone sent shivers down Vivian¡¯s spine as if he were toying with a hapless ant.


    ¡°Hey, Vivian, are you trying to tempt my wife into doing something foolish?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s hand trembled as she held the phone, her breath involuntarily bing heavier. She waspletely unaware, almost unable to control a scream, ¡°Joseph!¡±


    Joseph on the other end of the phone watched Luzia¡¯s fearful expression with a mocking gaze. Her trembling, helpless appearance resembled that of a small animal facing its archenemy, and it stirred something in him, making him want to crush her in the palm of his hand and make her cry out in despair.


    ¡°Vivian, tell me, what foolishness are you trying to tempt my wife into?¡± A chill ran down Vivian¡¯s spine as she heard Joseph¡¯s voice, like that of a demon, lingering in her ears.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Vivian denied vehemently.


    ¡°I heard it,¡± Joseph said, his voice like that of an evil spirit.


    ¡°You have no evidence.¡± Vivian shouted, ¡°You are ndering me!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Josephpletely disregarded Vivian¡¯s usations. He was convinced that she was trying to lead his wife into criminal acts, and he wanted to sever her connection with Luzia by any means necessary.


    Joseph knew Vivian too well, and Vivian was too afraid of Joseph. A simple threat from him was enough to throw her into disarray.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this, Joseph.¡± Vivian clutched her chest, desperately telling herself that Joseph was far away in Los Angeles and couldn¡¯t hurt her. She didn¡¯t need to be afraid. She didn¡¯t need to be afraid. ¡°I was just thinking about showing concern for Luzia. You misunderstood me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t think I misunderstood,¡± Joseph sneered. ¡°Vivian, you must understand, you have no credibility with me. Your weakness and foolishness could influence my wife. I must ensure that her mind remains clear.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, she must know who truly controls her life.¡±


    ¡°Joseph, I think we need to have a deeper discussion.¡± Just as Vivian gritted her teeth, jos lightly tapped her shoulder and took over the conversation on the phone, amidst her tears.


    Realizing that the person on the other end had changed, Joseph expressed his surprise appropriately, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s jos. We haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy, and I may not have time to meet with you recently.¡± jos declined Joseph¡¯s veiled invitation to meet, while also proactively bringing up the topic that Joseph was trying to avoid. ¡°I believe my cousin Luzia is an independent person. She should have the right to maintain contact with the outside world at all times.¡±


    ¡°Most importantly, she has the right to live, and her life should be under her control.¡±


    jos¡¯s excessively firm and instructive words sessfully darkened Joseph¡¯s face. His anger and roaring could not be restrained by the phone line, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to teach me how to do things, jos!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you not to forget the cooperation between Houston and Los Angeles.¡± jos said firmly, ¡°The cooperation between the two cities is equal. I hope you don¡¯t forget your responsibilities and make decisions that harm the alliance rtionship without authorization.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite something, jos.¡± Joseph gritted his teeth in hatred, but jos¡¯s words did remind him that the n to nibble away at Los Angeles was in progress. Although progress was slow, the harvest was rich. His father had warned him repeatedly not to act recklessly. They had to carefully wait for the right time to reap the rewards.


    jos was definitely not a fool. His cooperation with Washington proved that. They now had to be even more cautious than before topletely control Houston and avoid Washington¡¯s assistance.


    Honestly, Joseph didn¡¯t think much of jos. In his view, jos was still not perfect enough. He had a fatal weakness  he was too emotional.


    His care for Luzia and his tolerance for Vivian revealed his soft heart. Joseph¡¯s father, Bryson, had seen this long ago, so after Kamden¡¯s death, Bryson had immediately sent Vivian to jos before his heart had be colder and harder due to Capo¡¯s responsibilities and relentless killings. This was a brilliant first step, albeit at the cost of Bryson losing a useless daughter.


    There probably wasn¡¯t a more profitable deal in the world. Joseph thought to himself, his father Bryson was truly a born conspirator.


    Joseph angrily hung up the phone. Vivian felt uneasy. She could almost predict how cruelly Joseph in his rage would treat Luzia. ¡°What can we do? Is there no way for us to save her?¡±


    ¡°For now, Houston cannot sever ties with Los Angeles. It would be an unimaginable disaster,¡± jos also felt the pain. All the suffering Luzia was enduring was for the Hargrave family, for Houston.


    jos covered his face in pain. He suspected that Bryson¡¯s cunning n had seeded. He was bing softer, not only towards Vivian but also in considering whether Luzia was doing well in Los Angeles. He regretted marrying Luzia to Joseph.


    But another cruel voice in his mind chastised jos. Regret what? There¡¯s no room for regret! Because he had no other choice. Sacrificing Luzia could protect the entirety of Houston, giving the weary soldiers of war a chance to breathe. This was a low-cost deal, and Luzia¡¯s sacrifice was more than worth it.


    At the same time, jos wanted to contradict himself loudly. No! It¡¯s not like this!


    But he couldn¡¯t contradict himself because he knew very well that when he had willingly epted Bryson¡¯s proposal to marry Luzia to Joseph, this was exactly what he had thought.


    Sacrificing one person, Luzia, could save thousands and thousands of people in Houston. This deal was too worthwhile.


    Why was he regretting it now? Because his heart had be weak.


    Now his regret made him feel weak.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    jos helplessly and painfully epted this cruel reality. He had hardly considered a way to change this reality.


    After that phone call, Vivian felt that jos had suddenly be so distressed. She couldn¡¯t understand why, but she could feel that his pain was somehow rted to her. She didn¡¯t know how to console jos. Was he worried about Luzia just like herself? Or did he despise Joseph¡¯s arrogance? Either way, she was grateful that, in this critical moment, jos had spoken up for Luzia.


    Now, she understood jos¡¯s predicament better than before.


    She was willing to sit silently by his side, silently apanying him as he emerged from his pain.


    They were like two buoys floating in the vast sea, swaying with the wind and waves, at the mercy of the flying birds. Even after drifting far, far away, they still couldn¡¯t find a stable point of support, and so they relied on each other, seeking that tiny bit of bnce.

 Chapter 109

    Vivian didn¡¯t know how long they had been sitting shoulder to shoulder, leaning against each other until she felt her buttocks going numb from sitting for so long. As the sunlight streaming into the living room began to shorten inch by inch, and the hazy darkness descended, jos shifted.


    He nced at the wall clock and muttered to himself, ¡°It¡¯s seven o¡¯clock.¡±


    After speaking, he vigorously rubbed his face. Then, as he raised his head, all the pain, confusion, and neurotic emotions seemed to disappear, as if those dilemmas had never existed.


    He was still the authoritarian and indifferent Capo of Houston. However, now, facing Vivian, he knew how to release his tenderness and kindness in moderation, so as not to make his fragile and sensitive wife tremble like a rabbit facing a big bad wolf.


    ¡°You should eat something,¡± jos left the living room and entered the kitchen. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡±


    During Vivian¡¯s hospitalization, jos had been busy with the aftermath of the attack. He had been running between the hospital, the port, and the warehouse; he hadn¡¯t had time to return to the apartment for a meal alone. Thus, he straightforwardly granted Haylee an indefinite vacation. Today, when Vivian returned, he had forgotten to inform Haylee.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Because he was worried that no one had been in the apartment for a long time, and the vegetables in the refrigerator might spoil, Haylee had not replenished much. She had left some longsting eggs, tomatoes, and soybeans in the refrigerator. jos found a sealed jar of meat sauce in the toppartment of the refrigerator.


    ¡°Would spaghetti be okay?¡± jos asked Vivian, holding up the jar of meat sauce from the refrigerator.


    As soon as the cold ss jar left the refrigerator, a thinyer of mist quickly formed on its surface. When Vivian pressed her finger against it, it left a fingerprint.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Vivian epted dly. ¡°I like spaghetti.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I only know how to make spaghetti,¡± jos admitted frankly, ¡°but it has to be with meat sauce. Not everyone has Haylee¡¯s culinary skills.¡±


    ¡°Girls¡¯ high school has a special cooking course. I can bake cakes and make delicious apple pies,¡± Vivian looked at him expectantly. ¡°If you have time to sit down and taste them, I can make them for you.¡±


    ¡°I think I would really like your apple pie, it¡¯s just a pity we don¡¯t have the ingredients,¡± jos said regretfully, opening the refrigerator which didn¡¯t contain many ingredients.


    jos¡¯s regret pleased Vivian. Regardless of whether he genuinely liked apple pies or not, Vivian couldn¡¯t deny that she was moved at that moment.


    She was content with this kind of situation, saying that when she was with jos, this rxed, asionally humorous state was satisfying. She immersed herself wholeheartedly in thisfortable state and silently prayed to God in her heart, hoping for more moments like this, a little longer, and even longer.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we still have plenty of time together,¡± Vivian said, sitting at the table, watching jos busy in the kitchen. ¡°When our child is born next year, I can make applesauce for him.¡±


    jos¡¯s thoughts couldn¡¯t help but follow Vivian¡¯s words. In his mind¡¯s eye, there appeared a small, soft child, with tiny fingers clutching Vivian¡¯s golden long hair. The child looked at him with ss-like blue eyes, coaxed into eating a spoonful of applesauce.


    jos softened at the thought and as the steam rose from the boiling water in the stainless steel pot, it veiled his face.


    So, he allowed himself to smile, a rxed and contented smile.


    It was time to make a decision.


    jos admonished himself in his mind. He was in a dilemma, but there was still room for maneuvering, wanting to achieve the best of both worlds. However, reality told him that it was not possible. The battles between cities never stopped; alliances were not permanent, interests were.


    He didn¡¯t want to be stuck in the Mafia¡¯s struggles like his father, struggling until death. But now, reality forced him to make the same choice as his father.


    Fight, pick up the gun, until thest moment of his life.


    After having dinner with Vivian, jos nned to watch a movie she liked with her, but Vivian decisively refused.


    ¡°I got Adieu¡¯s financial statements and daily cash flow,¡± Vivian took out a new folder, intending to organize the documents belonging to Adieu into it, but the dense graphics and data on it made her dizzy and confused, ¡°But I don¡¯t understand it.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s eyelids drooped, and jos felt that if she had ears on top of her head, they would probably be drooping too. He inexplicably sensed Vivian¡¯s feeling of injustice.


    jos chuckled, patting her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can teach you.¡±


    Adieu was a gift from his mother for his eighteenth birthday. It had been under jos¡¯s management since it was handed to him as a gift. Until four years ago, when his mother passed away, and his father, like a madman, became increasingly involved in the internal affairs of the Mafia, jos was entangled and had no time to spare. He then hired a professional manager to take care of it. However, jos still personally reviewed the monthly financial statements, so teaching Vivian was not a big problem.


    Vivian was smarter than he had imagined. She loved to grasp details and could easily get entangled in a small issue, but it was okay.


    ¡°Adieu¡¯s operational model is already very mature. The bar manager will take care of most of the troubles for you. You just need to focus on the daily cash flow and interpersonal rtionships,¡± jos took out a nk piece of paper and wrote down a few names with a pen. ¡°These people are regrs at the bar. Their fathers are either businessmen or politicians, all well-connected individuals.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already greeted them in advance. They won¡¯te to bother you on purpose. If there¡¯s something you can¡¯t handle, you can call me, and I will help you,¡± jos said. ¡°Tomorrow, I will have someone provide you with more detailed information.¡±


    Vivian took a deep breath, feeling reassured by jos¡¯s early arrangements, knowing that she wouldn¡¯t be left to face it alone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will definitely do well,¡± she assured him.


    jos smiled and didn¡¯t say anything more to make Vivian more nervous.


    In fact, his arrangements were meant to help Vivian improve her abilities, but more importantly, it was to increase the protection around Vivian through the needs of Adieu¡¯s operations.


    This way, he could confidently execute his n.


    The moonlight was beautiful that night. jos briefly exined some of Adieu¡¯s business principles to Vivian and then urged her to take a bath and go to bed.


    The clock pointed to two in the morning. jos, using the moonlight, nced at the sleeping Vivian. He quietly got up, put on the coat he had casually thrown on the chair, and walked out of the room.


    The unique sound of the lock turning in the front door echoed through the house. jos entered the kitchen, took out a bottle of brandy and two sses from the liquor cab.


    ¡°It¡¯s two in the morning,¡± Simpson nced at the time, speechless, andy down on the single sofa. ¡°Did you call me here just to have a drink?¡±

 Chapter 110

    jos ignored his inquiries, silently pouring drink after drink into his own mouth until Simpson couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.


    Simpson halted his attempt to get himself drunk. ¡°Hey, did you bring me here just to watch you drink?¡±


    ¡°Vivian is pregnant,¡± jos hated his drinking, unable to drown himself in it.


    ¡°What?¡± Simpson doubted he heard right.


    ¡°Damn it! Don¡¯t make me repeat my mistakes, Simpson,¡± jos suppressed a low growl, frustration and regret consuming him.


    From jos¡¯s reaction, Simpson reluctantly drew his conclusion, ¡°Vivian is pregnant?¡±


    At first, Simpson was overjoyed, but soon he realized jos¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t quite right, and then there were his words¡­


    Furrowing his brow, Simpson asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on, jos? Vivian is pregnant, I thought you would be happy.¡±


    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be pregnant.¡± jos poured a drink, downing it in one go. ¡°You know how weak Houston is now. I can¡¯t protect her. This child might not make it.¡±


    Simpson knew, precisely because he knew, so he fell silent.


    ¡°If the child is lost, Vivian will be deeply affected. I can¡¯t imagine that scene. I might go mad too.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you use any contraception?¡± Simpson frowned, not believing jos could be so careless. ¡°Condoms, birth control pills, anything?¡±


    ¡°I was foolish,¡± jos regretted, ¡°I believed Bryson.¡±


    jos could still remember Bryson¡¯s hypocritical and cunning face at that time, but unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t seen through Bryson.


    jos didn¡¯t even want to think deeply about whether Bryson was too cunning, easily gaining his trust, or if it was Vivian¡¯s beauty that made him forget these machinations¡­


    He still remembered the day Bryson raised a champagne ss to him and asked, ¡°How¡¯s my daughter?¡±


    At that time, as the groom, jos had been socializing all day, exhausted. But as long as his gaze followed Vivian in her wedding dress, fatigue naturally drifted away from him.


    He admired Vivian¡¯s graceful figure as she moved about, like a hunter eyeing his prey soon to be captured. He knew Vivian was nervous; she didn¡¯t want to marry him, to surrender her virginity to him. But that didn¡¯t matter; he would seize it.


    Perhaps his gaze on Vivian had been too focused, forgetting that Bryson was also an experienced hunter. In Bryson¡¯s eyes, perhaps he was also prey that could be easily bagged with a well-aimed shot.


    ¡°She¡¯s very beautiful,¡± jos, unaware, fell into the hunter¡¯s trap.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to have your praise,¡± Bryson showed his usual hypocritical smile, ¡°I know the plight of Houston, I¡¯m here to help you.¡±


    ¡°I assure you, Vivian fully understands her duty. Tonight, she will be an obedient wife to you. She¡¯s yours. Also, to reduce your troubles, my wife has imparted necessary sexual knowledge and contraception to her. The birth control pills are ready for her. On the wedding night, I believe a man doesn¡¯t need to do anything extra to enjoy a woman¡¯s beauty.¡±


    Bryson¡¯s words were vulgar, utterly revolting for a father to describe his own daughter in such a manner, but at that time, jos was grateful for Bryson and his family¡¯s thoughtfulness.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± jos breathed a sigh of relief. He didn¡¯t want a child for the time being; Houston¡¯s current situation didn¡¯t allow him to have his own child, it would be his unavoidable weakness. Therefore, when Bryson said that he had informed Vivian to take birth control pills, jos was grateful and even fortunate. He didn¡¯t even delve into whether Bryson was lying.


    To unravel the lie was a very simple matter; all he needed was to ask Vivian a question, or to wear a condom. But he did nothing, as Bryson said, he only needed to enjoy.


    Thus, jos tacitly assumed Bryson hadn¡¯t lied, that Vivian already knew to take birth control pills, letting things develop to an irreparable point.


    As the memory ended, Simpson angrily muttered, ¡°Damn Bryson!¡±


    Simpson now knew, everything was ¡°Damn Bryson, he actually deceived you!¡± The memory ended, turning into Simpson¡¯s angry muttering, ¡°Now, as he wished, Vivian is pregnant!¡±


    ¡°He must have other ns. He can¡¯t know Vivian is pregnant,¡± Simpson clenched his fists, looking in the direction of the second floor, a hint of murderous intent shing in his eyes.


    Killing Vivian might destroy Bryson¡¯s ns from their very inception.


    As the thought emerged, Simpson met jos¡¯s eyes, those deep, dark brown eyeswere saturated with the night.


    The unspoken understanding between the brothers allowed him toprehend jos¡¯s choice with just a nce.


    No!


    It can¡¯t be!


    He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to harm Vivian.


    jos¡¯s determination left Simpson feeling despondent. ¡°jos, you¡­¡±


    Simpson looked at him, and with difficulty, said, ¡°Have you fallen in love with Vivian?¡±


    jos furrowed his brow, not answering immediately.


    Simpson sighed softly, unsure whether tough or cry, but resigned nheless.


    He said, ¡°You are finished, jos.¡±


    Regarding Simpson¡¯s assessment, jos felt no anger. He felt somewhat lost, yet oddly clear. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s my wife.¡±


    jos made no effort to conceal his defense of Vivian. Simpson understood. ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡±


    ¡°The fact that Vivian is pregnant won¡¯t satisfy for long; the child is healthy, her belly is growing,¡± jos said. ¡°I can¡¯t keep her hidden at home for six months, it¡¯s not practical.¡±


    ¡°Getting through pregnancy and childbirth, the infant is still vulnerable. At least until he learns to use a gun to kill his enemies, he¡¯ll need very careful protection,¡± Simpson had also grown from a child to an adult, having owned his first gun at thirteen and killed his first person that same night. He had been independent ever since.


    But the years before thirteen weren¡¯t without danger; he and his brother jos had faced numerous attacks and kidnappings, even losing a cousin and a niece because of it.


    ¡°Even with precise protection, enemies can find vulnerabilities, danger is everywhere,¡± jos shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Bryson has any connections to the Bratva, but the war between Houston and the Bratva won¡¯t stop. Los Angeles is too strong now, while Houston is too weak. In any war, Houston will always be the loser.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s make Los Angeles as weak as Houston,¡± Simpson dangerously narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Kill Bryson,¡± jos revealed his n. ¡°Stage an ident, make him die. Joseph will inherit his position; he¡¯s an excellent sessor, but the old men in the Los Angeles Mafia will give him some trouble.¡±


    This was an inevitable oue; the transition of power between old and new was always a chaotic period, the best time for asserting influence, for everyone to vie for a higher position.


    ¡°Let me think, what kind of ¡®ident¡¯ should we arrange for him?¡± Simpson was getting excited. Honestly, he had disliked the father and son in Los Angeles for a long time.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°A car ident? An attack? Let Emmert shoot him in the head, make it look like the Bratva¡¯s doing?¡±


    This was too exhrating.


    The more Simpson thought, the more excited he became.


    ¡°We need a more precise n,¡± jos had a general idea, but the details needed careful consideration, to avoid dragging Houston into even more trouble. ¡°It seems more fitting to bribe the Bratva to do this.¡±

 Chapter 111

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Simpson shook his head, ¡°How can you ensure that Bratva won¡¯t tear up the treaty and help Bryson?¡±


    Bratva is not trustworthy.


    Moreover, Bratva may not be willing to cooperate with them, and they might even take their ns to coborate with Bryson. Once the hypocritical facade is removed, the false friendship between the two cities can no longer be sustained. jos cannot guarantee Houston¡¯s victory, it¡¯s too risky for him.


    ¡°The best way to stir up a city is to create conflict between two forces,¡± jos said, ¡°Houston cannot cooperate with Bratva, so we¡¯ll intensify the conflict between Bratva and Los Angeles, prompting Bratva to attack Los Angeles proactively.¡±


    ¡°It seems like you already have a n,¡± Simpson raised his ss to jos.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Leave it to Fidelio.¡± jos clinked sses with Simpson, the liquid inside the ss swayed, the light and shadow shattered, ¡°Houston has shown sincerity to him, and he should also show sincerity to us in Washington.¡±


    Simpson shrugged and said, ¡°I can¡¯t understand why you involve Shelley in the port business. She knows nothing, just a naive little girl.¡±


    ¡°We have to admit, Charles has a sharp eye indeed.¡± jos openly admired Charles, he said, ¡°Rosente has eleven sons, he bypassed the heir Emmert and chose Festus.¡±


    ¡°Festus, a genius hacker, with the help of thework¡¯s tentacles, he can reach anywhere if he wishes.¡± jos¡¯s eyes shed with determination, ¡°Charles has added a very weighty bargaining chip for Shelley¡¯s value.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Simpson joked, ¡°I thought it was because Festus likes Shelley.¡±


    Simpson half-jokingly sneered, ¡°That old man Charles.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind him using such means, as long as they are loyal to me, I am willing to maximize their interests, which will make me powerful.¡± jos put down his empty ss, ¡°Both Fidelio and Charles have clear aims, to push Shelley forward, to rece Hanson as the heir.¡±


    ¡°Let Shelley rece Hanson? Our most outstanding and brave undercover agent?¡± Simpson seemed to find it a joke.


    ¡°I know it sounds ridiculous, but that¡¯s their n indeed,¡± jos said, ¡°Shelley will give birth to a son, and if her son survives to adulthood, Benoist will do his utmost to foster Shelley.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s absurd.¡± They grew up together since childhood, Simpson saw some potential in Shelley. Letting Shelley temporarily be the heir of the Benoist family and taking over Benoist¡¯s business? Is this child¡¯s y?


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± jos said, ¡°Benoist is willing to y this game with her, so let them y.¡±


    jos¡¯s generosity exceeded Simpson¡¯s imagination, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid they¡¯ll mess it up?¡±


    ¡°No, they won¡¯t.¡± jos, of course, had his own calctions, ¡°Benoist and Washington will allocate more people to help Shelley, weakening their control over thend business, I need a part of the dominance.¡±


    At this point, jos remembered the two arms trafficking routes he took back from Richard, he wanted to hand one of them over to Vilem.


    Simpson was silent for a moment, ¡°We need to target Bryson, but you trust Vilem so much.¡±


    ¡°Killing Bryson is necessary, and then Joseph will be the new Capo, Los Angeles will fall into chaos, and that will surely be Joseph¡¯s weakest moment.¡±


    Simpson was a clever man, he immediately understood jos¡¯s intention, ¡°You want to persuade Vilem to return to Los Angeles topete with Joseph for the position of Capo?¡±


    ¡°Before that, Vilem needs to have a stronger force.¡± The current Vilem still has a long way to gopared to Joseph.


    ¡°Vilem may not agree.¡± Simpson knew Vilem¡¯s rtionship was not bad, he knew this friend quite well.


    Vilem is impatient but soft-hearted, he does not like killing, but fate has made him a Made Man, he cannot resist and suffers for it. Perhaps it is this suffering that made Bryson give up on him, and focus all his attention on Joseph, who has already be a perfect heir.


    Not getting his father¡¯s approval is certainly painful, but Vilem is both pained and happy, he has always believed that one day he will be able to rid himself of his current identity and start a new life.


    Simpson could guarantee that Vilem¡¯s desired new life definitely did not include bing the new Capo of Los Angeles.


    ¡°He has no choice.¡± At this moment, jos was cruel, he tore apart Vilem¡¯s unrealistic fantasies, exposing the ugliness under the curtain to the sunlight, ¡°Josephis a brutal, despicable, and ruthless killing machine. He will be a more ferocious and terrifying Capo than Bryson. Will he spare Vilem, who poses a threat to him? Will he spare Vivian, who has be my wife?¡±


    ¡°I firmly believe Joseph is a terrible antisocial element, he willunch a full-scale war, plunder Houston, and trample on everything and everyone that poses a threat to him.¡±


    Simpson believed jos¡¯s judgment, and Vilem was no fool either. He even understood his brother more than jos did. But perhaps it¡¯s the human nature of avoiding reality, Vilem exiles himself in one task after another, unwilling to face it.


    ¡­


    Vivian had a dreamless night, sleepingfortably and rxed.


    Maybe it was because she was back in a familiar environment, or maybe it was the reassuring warmth behind her.


    Vivian nced at her squirrel rm clock, it was nine in the morning.


    ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± Vivian quickly got up, her movement woke jos.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± jos, who was constantly vignt, became alert the moment he opened his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s already nine o¡¯clock.¡± Vivian threw back the covers and got out of bed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to go to work? I need to go to Adieu today.¡±


    The crisis was over, and jos¡¯s tense shoulders rxed, ¡°No, I took the day off for myself.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but I won¡¯t be able to apany you.¡± Vivian opened the wardrobe, choosing suitable clothes to wear to the bar. Of course, she was going to work, so she should pick something more formal.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, I¡¯lle with you.¡± jos threw back the covers and got out of bed, picking up the slippers by the bed and handing them to Vivian, ¡°Put these on.¡±


    Vivian obediently put them on, ¡°Where are you apanying me to?¡±


    ¡°Adieu,¡± jos said, ¡°It¡¯s my first day at work today, I have to apany you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Vivian said in surprise, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me. I¡¯m so happy.¡± She had been feeling nervous about taking over the bar. She had no experience in working and managing. jos had handed over his mother¡¯s bar to her, and she was worried that she would not do well and disappoint jos.


    But having jos with her made all the difference. Even if he just went along without saying anything or doing anything, she would be at ease.


    ¡°The bar operates at night. We¡¯ll go over at three in the afternoon to prepare, and it officially opens at five.¡± jos picked out his light blue shirt from the wardrobe, ¡°We¡¯ll go after having lunch, and I can briefly hand over to the bar manager.¡±


    Seeing that jos had everything arranged for her, Vivian¡¯s suspended heart finally found a ce to rest. She unconsciously sighed with relief and responded cheerfully, ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 112

    Adieu was located in a street of bars on the east side of the city. This was Houston¡¯s famous nocturnal city-the Golden Nest, with daily flows of up to tens of millions of dors. But that was the scene at night. Now, it was 2:15 in the afternoon, still not the official opening time for the bar street. The deserted street had only sporadic pedestrians. Bar staff took advantage of this lull to bring out adder to repair the awning outside. They conversed in low voices, frequently ncing at the newest McLaren parked in front of Adieu.


    Adieu¡¯s manager personally opened the car door for jos, but he didn¡¯t enter the bar right away. Instead, he walked around to the other side of the car, gantly opened the door for Vivian, and whispered to her to mind her head. The bar manager was almost dumbfounded. If it weren¡¯t for maintaining his professional demeanor, he truly wanted to rub his eyes to check if he hadn¡¯t slept well and was experiencing an illusion fromst night. The big boss was actually smiling, and so tenderly? The bar manager felt a sense of terror!


    jos¡¯s hand affectionately rested at Vivian¡¯s side, a protective posture. He led Vivian to the bar manager and said, ¡°This is Fillid, the professional manager responsible for Adieu.¡± Fillid was very courteous and took the initiative to step forward with a smile. ¡°Madam, hello, I am Fillid.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Fillid,¡± Vivian¡¯sdylike demeanor greatly helped her, preventing her from appearing timid in front of strangers. ¡°Nice to meet you. We will be working together in the future. I am a novice and will need your guidance.¡±


    ¡°Madam is too kind,¡± Fillid said. ¡°Boss, madam, the lounge is ready. Please follow me.¡±


    Although Adieu was a well-known high-end bar, its business model was straightforward. jos had no intention of further expansion, so the bar¡¯s real manager was only Fillid. jos was only responsible for significant events that Fillid couldn¡¯t handle. Now that Vivian was involved in the bar¡¯s operations, jos transferred most of his duties to her, telling Fillid, ¡°Report to madam as you used to report to me.¡±


    Fillid understood jos¡¯s meaning. ¡°Okay, boss.¡±


    Most of the bar¡¯s staff had gathered. They would perform a series of tasks before the official opening, such as counting the drinks, washing the fruits, baking the meals, and checking the facilities. The part-time DJ at the bar would be adjusting the sound on the stage, while the bartender stood in front of the bar wiping the sses, instructing the servers on where to ce the vodka in the liquor cab. Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.


    Fillid stood at the railing on the second floor, exining the bar¡¯syout, the distribution of security forces, and the underground boxing ring to Vivian.


    ¡°Underground boxing ring?¡± Vivian looked at jos in surprise. ¡°There¡¯s underground boxing here?¡±


    ¡°Over here.¡± jos led Vivian downstairs. ¡°Most bars around here have simr gray businesses. Prizefighting is just a physical contest; it¡¯s already considered the gentlest means of making money.¡±


    Vivian fell silent. Her living environment meant she would never have the opportunity to visit an underground boxing ring. But that didn¡¯t stop her from knowing what an underground boxing ring was and what prizefighting meant.


    Now, jos summarily referred to this bloody and brutal sport as ¡°the gentlest means of making money.¡± Vivian truly dared not imagine what the less gentle ways of making money could be. Was it holding a gun to someone¡¯s head, ready to blow their brains out for saying the wrong thing?


    Vivian didn¡¯t know that there were plenty of torturous methods in the world. Compared to barely surviving on the edge of life and death, dying directly in the boxing ring was the most merciful.


    jos also didn¡¯t want to tell Vivian that, given the choice, Richard would rather stand in the boxing ring and be beaten to death.


    The underground boxing ring was located on the negative first floor of the bar. Apart from the central tform, there were only a few VIP seats with leather sofas, and several maintenance workers were doing a final check on the tform.


    ¡°Adieu has stipted that both the attacker and the defender must not abuse drugs, cannot use weapons, and the opponent must immediately withdraw from the match upon admitting defeat. These are restrictive uses. In this area, this kind of boxing ring is rtively fair and has the highest survival rate,¡± jos casually leaned back in a sofa chair, introducing the rules of the boxing ring to Vivian. ¡°Many people who want to make money but are unwilling to risk their livese here for a gamble. We organize betting and also provide lending services withpletely transparent interest rates.¡±


    ¡°Take your time getting acquainted; you have time to understand it,¡± jos said. ¡°Fillid is responsible for teaching you.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fillid nodded at Vivian. ¡°I am pleased to help you, madam.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Vivian said. ¡°I will work hard.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    After the tour of the underground boxing ring, Fillid led jos and Vivian back to the lounge on the second floor. This lounge belonged to jos. When he managed the bar before, he would asionally spend the night here.


    Fillid sat on a single sofa on the side, cing the bar¡¯s profits and financial reports for the past six months, as well as moreprehensive information on VIP guests, in front of Vivian. jos had briefly exined the key points to her yesterday, and when Fillid went over them again, Vivian found that she understood a lot. asionally, when she encountered something she didn¡¯t understand, she would ask again. She could resolve most of the basic questions.


    As the operation model of the bar gradually became clear to her, Vivian¡¯s confusion and uneasiness also dissipated somewhat.


    jos had been with Vivian in the bar all along. As Fillid exined the bar¡¯s operations to Vivian, he poured himself a ss of whiskey, listening to their back-and-forth.


    Vivian listened attentively, and jos watched her with equal concentration. At some moments, jos also thought that having more of this kind of time seemed to be not much of a problem.


    Dinner was eaten outside. jos took Vivian to a French restaurant he particrly liked, and they had a sumptuous and refined dinner. Vivian couldn¡¯t eat caviar now, but she very much enjoyed the foie gras on toast.


    After dinner, they returned to the bar. It had been open for nearly three hours. It was now 7:40 in the evening, and the neon lights outside had just been on for an hour. It wasn¡¯t yet the peak period for the bar¡¯s business, but there was already arge influx of customers inside.


    Vivian sat in front of the bar, sipping on her lemon water, curiously observing the lively booths and dance floor. On the stage, a stripper was energetically performing a sensual pole dance, jazz music fueling the atmosphere to a climax. The young people were cheering and dancing wildly, as if they were alreadypletely drunk without having had a drink.


    The bartender served jos a Bloody Mary. He epted it and tapped the ss containing Vivian¡¯s lemon water. ¡°Cheers.¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± jos leaned in close to her ear, ensuring she could hear him. ¡°Have you been to a bar before?¡±

 Chapter 113

    Vivian didn¡¯t want to appear timid, but she indeed had no experience in bars, and she had never seen pole dancing up close.


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian decided to answer honestly, ¡°but I will being in and out of here often.¡±


    jos was amused by her words, his body shaking withughter, the drink in his ss trembling, almost spilling.


    His free hand gently rested on Vivian¡¯s head, patting it. ¡°Don¡¯t confine yourself here. I will show you a broader world.¡±


    Vivian was stunned. She looked at jos¡¯s earnest face, feeling her heart skip a beat for a few seconds.


    The next moment, an inexplicable sadness surged within her.


    jos didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crying,¡± Vivian sniffed, lowering her head so jos couldn¡¯t see.


    ¡°Then what¡¯s this?¡± jos¡¯s fingertip brushed over Vivian¡¯s eye, her tears moistening his dry finger.


    ¡°Lemonade,¡± Vivian said softly.


    josughed. ¡°Alright, lemonade.¡±


    He asked the bartender for a tissue and handed it to Vivian.


    Vivian took it and dabbed at the corner of her eye. jos enveloped her in his arms, his forehead against hers. ¡°Tell me, what are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about where you will take me,¡± Vivian said honestly.


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°Many ces.¡±


    ¡°Like?¡±


    ¡°I want to go to the Nethends to see windmills and tulips, I want to go to Provence, I want to see the London Eye¡­¡± There were so many ces she wanted to go, Vivian wanted to be the wind, blowing through every corner of the world. She thought, perhaps that was freedom.


    ¡°If it¡¯s too far, then we can go somewhere closer,¡± Vivian said. ¡°Hawaii is also nice.¡±


    ¡°If you want to go,¡± jos said, ¡°we have plenty of opportunities to go.¡±


    Vivian nuzzled his forehead and said softly, ¡°No one has ever told me such things. No one has been willing to take me to see the world.¡±


    ¡°I am willing,¡± jos vowed just as softly and devoutly into her ear.


    ¡°I am very happy,¡± Vivian said, reaching up to encircle his neck, nting a kiss near his lips. ¡°Thank you, jos.¡± Regardless of the purpose behind ¡°I am willing,¡± she was grateful to jos for giving her a beautiful hope, giving her the motivation to grow in this desperate swamp.


    jos paid no mind to the onlookers, exchanging an ambiguous and intimate kiss with Vivian amidst the noisy music and cheers of the bar.


    ¡­


    At ten o¡¯clock in the evening, the bar reached its peak of excitement. The underground boxing ring quietly opened, and VIP customers with tickets entered the minus one floor through a special passage. Tonight, a Mexican boxing champion was challenging the reigning champion who had won seven consecutive victories.


    Before the match even began, the spectators and gamblers below the stage were already boiling with excitement, tossing their chips boldly in front of the names of their favored fighters.


    Vivian was drawn to the lively atmosphere, but she didn¡¯t want to witness the bloody scenes, so she left the underground boxing ring before the match started.


    jos, who had nned to apany Vivian all day, received a sudden work call and had to leave. Before departing, he made a call, and soon a big red sports car swished and stopped at the VIP parking spot in front of Adieu.


    Emmert, dressed in all ck leather, exuded a cool vibe. ¡°Hey, I thought you wanted to invite me for a drink.¡±


    ¡°Emmert Rosente,¡± jos reintroduced Vivian to him, ¡°one of my most capable subordinates, your shooting instructor, and will also be your bodyguard for the next few days.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Bodyguard?¡± Vivian widened her eyes in astonishment.


    Emmert gantly bowed slightly to Vivian,pletely unsurprised about being her bodyguard. ¡°Respected Miss Vivian, hello. It is my pleasure to serve you.¡±


    Vivian blinked, looking at Emmert, then back at jos. ¡°So¡­ where¡¯s Mare?¡±


    ¡°Mare needs rest for his injury, but I can¡¯t let you be without protection,¡± jos exined. ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone else with this task, only Emmert is worthy of my trust.¡±


    Does this mean Mare wille back?


    Vivian did not ask this question, fearing it might make Emmert ufortable. But she did hope that Mare woulde back. Since she arrived in Houston, it had been Mare and Luzia who had been with her. Luzia¡¯s absence had already left her feeling lonely, and if Mare were to leave as well, she couldn¡¯t bearit.


    ¡°Let Emmert take you back to the apartment tonight,¡± jos handed Vivian over to Emmert and then left in another car.


    ¡°Are you wanting to ask if Mare wille back?¡± Emmert¡¯s demeanor was much more cheerful than Vivian had imagined. His yful appearance was nothing like the strict and serious shooting instructor she knew.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Vivian didn¡¯t deny after being seen through, and apologized candidly.


    ¡°No need to apologize,¡± Emmert said. ¡°You seem to have a good rtionship with Mare, and it¡¯s good that someone remembers him.¡±


    ¡°Your heart is soft enough,¡± Emmert said with a smile, as if it were apliment.


    Vivian, sitting in the passenger seat, tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Is that worthy of praise?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Emmert smiled, but then suddenly turned grim. ¡°It¡¯s a fatal weakness.¡±


    ¡°A heart that¡¯s too soft means anyone can use it to get close to you, make you drop your guard, then kidnap you and threaten jos by chopping off your little finger.¡±


    Vivian was frightened by his words. ¡°Please stop.¡±


    ¡°Scared?¡± Emmert¡¯s smile changed again, this time to a mischievous one that suggested a sessful prank. ¡°Knowing fear is a good thing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean,¡± Vivian said, fastening her seatbelt, crossing her arms, and staring at him, feeling a bit suffocated. ¡°Are you teasing me?¡±


    ¡°If I were, you seeded,¡± Vivian snorted.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m warning you,¡± Emmert¡¯s voice suddenly turned cold. ¡°Don¡¯t easily expose your vulnerability to strangers.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t seem to have the chance to interact with any strangers,¡± Vivian said. ¡°Even though I participate in Adieu¡¯s operations, the bar¡¯s security is all arranged by jos, and Fillid, they won¡¯t let real strangers get close to me.¡±


    ¡°If the enemy is determined, there will always be an opportunity,¡± Emmert said. ¡°Do you remember Emilija?¡±


    Emilija?


    Vivian thought for a while before remembering who she was. ¡°The massage therapist at the spa? What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°Mare told us about the attack that day, and this masseuse seemed very suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Is she with the Bratva?¡± Vivian looked surprised.


    ¡°Not confirmed yet,¡± Emmert shook his head.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Emilija¡¯s identity is real; she is indeed a student at a nearby university, her student records match up, but her face doesn¡¯t.¡± Emmert frowned. ¡°We brought that female student to Mare to identify. Mare said she didn¡¯t have that face that day, but her identity is real, and her student records are also real. Teachers and ssmates at the school all recognize her.¡±


    He looked at Vivian. ¡°Do you know what this means?¡±


    Vivian knew.


    The female student¡¯s identity had been used by someone else. The ¡°Emilija¡± she met at the spa might be a fake.

 Chapter 114

    Vivian took in a breath of cold air, finally realizing the peril she had been in. If the situation had not allowed for an easy escape, if the false ¡°Emilija¡± had truly been a Bratva assassin, she could have easily slit Vivian¡¯s throat without a moment¡¯s notice. A viscous malice enveloped Vivian deeply; she shuddered, unable to shake off the goosebumps. ¡°You¡­,¡± Vivian struggled, her fear making her voice hoarse, ¡°Have you found out her true identity?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± this was what truly raised Emmert¡¯s guard. Vivian was taken aback, ¡°Isn¡¯t she from Bratva?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Emmert sighed, ¡°We¡¯ve exhausted all our resources to uncover this woman¡¯s background, but not even Festus could find her true identity.¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t fully grasp the implications, but ¡°Emilija¡± had certainly not entered the spa under false pretenses just to give her a massage. That woman definitely harbored unseen secrets.


    An unknown fear hung over Vivian like a dark cloud, leaving her with lingering trepidation as she silently made her way back to the apartment. During the days Emmert served as her bodyguard, he would stay in the apartment. Fortunately, there were plenty of guest rooms, and he picked one at random to stay in.


    Vivian felt a chill run through her body and longed to take a hot bath in her bedroom. Emmert stopped her, ¡°jos doesn¡¯t want us to tell you about ¡®Emilija¡¯ for fear of scaring you.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Vivian¡¯s hand tightened on the doorknob unconsciously, ¡°Then why did you tell me?¡±


    ¡°Even though it might be frightening, I think you should know,¡± Emmert handed something over. Vivian looked down and saw a Glock26.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need it,¡± Emmert said, ¡°No one can protect you around the clock-neither jos, nor Mare, nor I. When real dangeres, the only ones who can save you are yourself and this.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian felt her throat constricting. She looked at the gun in Emmert¡¯s hand in silence for several minutes, while Emmert maintained the gesture of offering the gun.


    With great difficulty, Vivian swallowed and, as if making a momentous decision, released her grip on the doorknob and took the gun from Emmert¡¯s hand, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Returning to her room, Vivian closed the door behind her and paced around with the gun for a long time. She didn¡¯t know where the safest ce to keep the gun was, and her mind was still muddled, her hands and feet icy cold. She had been so close to death, and had that girl been a bit more ruthless, a bit more reckless, Vivian would have been dead.


    This realization made Vivian feel as though she had fallen into an ice cer. She dropped the gun and rushed into the bathroom for a shower. As she turned on the faucet, the hot water sshed her face, momentarily bringing her to her senses. She dried her face with a towel and then ran back out, bringing the gun from the carpet into the bathroom with her.


    The sound of trickling water filled the air again, and the white water mist blurred the mirror above the washbasin. The warm water on her face made Vivian¡¯s vision blurry, but as her body gradually warmed under the flow, she became acutely aware-she was still alive.


    Regardless of the mystery surrounding ¡°Emilija¡¯s¡± identity and whether they could unravel it, the fact remained that she had failed to kill Vivian. She had lost the one opportunity most likely to have taken Vivian¡¯s life, and there wouldn¡¯t be a second chance.


    Vivian wiped the water from her face and, once her hands and feet were no longer cold, she turned off the faucet. A small pool of water had gathered beneath her feet. She dried herself with a clean towel, wrapped herself in a bath towel, and walked out of the bathroom.


    jos wouldn¡¯t being back tonight, leaving her alone in the empty room. She ced the gun under her pillow, dried her hair, and burrowed into the covers. Her solitary shadow was cast on the blue sheets under the light.


    Suddenly, she yearned for her mother. She found the phone and dialed the number for the Los Angeles vi, but hesitated when it started ringing.


    She was fully aware that this call couldn¡¯t bring her mother¡¯s voice to her, but she still held onto hope.


    What if¡­


    The phone rang at that moment, its vibration making Vivian¡¯s palms tingle. She looked at the caller ID-a number from Los Angeles.


    It wasn¡¯t the number for the vi, but Vivian still recognized it-it was Bryson¡¯s personal number.


    As she recognized the caller ID, Vivian¡¯s breath trembled. She was afraid of being alone with her father, even more afraid of having a private conversation with him. She would lose her agency, sumb to her father¡¯s control.


    She tossed the phone aside and buried herself in the covers, allowing the phone to buzz until it finally fell silent.


    Vivian let out a breath, feeling a moment of relief. As long as she didn¡¯t answer the phone, she could pretend that nothing had happened. But no sooner had she rxed than the ghostly phone began to ring again, persisting for a long time as if the person on the other end had decided to keep calling until she picked up.


    The phone disconnected due to no answer, but the next second, it rang again, its buzzing piercing Vivian¡¯s head like a needle. Reluctantly, she answered.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    On the other end of the line, Bryson¡¯s voice carried a sinister veneer of cordiality. ¡°I¡¯m delighted, Vivian, that your life is going so well that you¡¯ve forgotten about your father.¡±


    Vivian couldn¡¯t help shivering. ¡°I¡­ I was in the shower, I didn¡¯t hear the phone, father.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Vivian could imagine Bryson¡¯s smirking and raised eyebrows on the other end of the line. ¡°I thought you were avoiding my call out of guilt.¡±


    ¡°You disappoint me, Vivian,¡± Bryson¡¯s voice came through the phone, ¡°You haven¡¯t served your husband properly, nor have you fulfilled your duty in maintaining the alliance between Los Angeles and Houston. You have failed me and my teachings.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Vivian¡¯s heart pounded in her chest, fear constricting her throat. ¡°jos and I haven¡¯t argued, our rtionship is amicable, and the soldiers from Los Angeles can still freely move in Houston.¡±


    ¡°Houston has reached an agreement with Washington and formed a new alliance, a betrayal to Los Angeles!¡± Bryson¡¯s voice was filled with fury. He growled, ¡°You failed to advise appropriately, causing your husband to break his agreement with Los Angeles. You must acknowledge your mistakes, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian refused to ept Bryson¡¯s usations. ¡°You restrict me from participating in your business, forcing me to y the role of a good wife, keeping me imprisoned in the apartment, indulging in shopping, beauty treatments, and leisure activities.¡±


    ¡°I epted this arrangement, tried to adapt to this lifestyle, and I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve done anything wrong,¡± Vivian retorted. ¡°If mother were to meddle in your affairs, would you like it, father?¡±

 Chapter 115

    ¡°Enough!¡± Bryson reprimanded, ¡°You are just as foolish, Vivian. You¡¯ve inherited your mother¡¯s weakness and stupidity.¡±


    Vivian bit her lip, restraining the urge to inquire about her mother¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t meet your expectations. I¡¯m your failed child. Perhaps only Joseph can be considered your child; he is your perfect heir.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t me jos¡¯s actions. Perhaps he has his reasons for coborating with Washington, but please believe me, he has no intention of undermining the alliance between Los Angeles and Houston,¡± Vivian tried to persuade Bryson. ¡°Vilem has been rehired by jos, he¡¯s been on a business trip.¡±


    Bryson didn¡¯t care whether Vilem had been rehired by jos. Like his sister, Vilem had inherited his mother¡¯s weakness and ipetence. Bryson had felt disappointed in him more than once.


    ¡°Undermine the alliance between Houston and Washington, Vivian,¡± Bryson assigned a task to his daughter from Los Angeles. ¡°The interests of Los Angeles must remain unwavering and indivisible. My generosity requires genuine reciprocation, not just airy thanks.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that,¡± Vivian refused. ¡°You¡¯ve already handed me over to jos; you said it yourself, I am no longer Los Angeles¡¯s daughter. I can¡¯t obey yourmands.¡±


    ¡°You will obey,¡± Bryson paid no heed to Vivian¡¯s futile resistance. He had ways of making Vivian obedient. ¡°Your mother misses you a lot, Vivian.¡±


    Bryson¡¯s voice was terrifyingly ominous, like a summons from hell. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to hear her voice? I can make it so you never hear it again.¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± Vivian eximed in fear. ¡°What are you going to do to her? She¡¯s your wife.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s also your mother,¡± Bryson said. ¡°She gave birth to you, raised you, and brought you up to be timid and mediocre. You no longer heed your father¡¯s teachings and instructions; you¡¯ve be a rebellious disciple. This is her fault; she needs to be punished.¡±


    ¡°No! No!¡± Vivian pleaded in terror.


    Every word Bryson uttered felt like a knife shing at Vivian¡¯s heart, tearing flesh and causing blood to flow. Vivian felt the pain and fear acutely.


    She knew all too well that her father was a true demon. He would torment her mother as he said, and her mother would die.


    ¡°I promise you, I promise you!¡± Vivian grabbed the phone tightly, shouting loudly, putting a stop to Bryson¡¯s threats. ¡°I promise you anything, please, let me see my mother.¡±


    ¡°As long as you satisfy me, I will let you see her,¡± Bryson chuckled with satisfaction, pleased with Vivian¡¯spromise. He had endured Tasneem¡¯s presence with difficulty, and at this moment, he felt rewarded.


    ¡°I can promise you, but I can¡¯t guarantee the oue,¡± Vivian wasn¡¯t blindly confident, nor did she give Bryson a definitemitment. ¡°You know Capo won¡¯t allow a woman to meddle in his business. He will kill me.¡±


    ¡°If I die, the alliance between Los Angeles and Houston will truly be irreparable, won¡¯t it?¡±


    Bryson¡¯s coldughter came through the phone. ¡°Vivian, you¡¯ve be bolder, learning to threaten me.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian hastily concealed her true intentions. ¡°I haven¡¯t. I¡¯m only considering Los Angeles¡¯s interests.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re sincere, Vivian,¡± Bryson said. ¡°You¡¯ve been away from Los Angeles for a long time. You can tell jos that you miss the city that raised you. I will invite you both to Los Angeles as guests.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian instinctively objected.


    Bryson was displeased. ¡°Tonight, you¡¯ve said ¡®no¡¯ to me too many times, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Vivian quickly apologized. ¡°But I really can¡¯t. In a few days, it¡¯s Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s birthday, and jos and I both need to attend her birthday party. We can¡¯t go to Los Angeles for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s birthday party?¡± Bryson smiled and said, ¡°Mrs. Yazmin is also Luzia¡¯s aunt. How can her birthday party be without Luzia?¡±


    ¡°I will have Joseph take Luzia back to Houston to visit Mrs. Yazmin.¡±


    Joseph wasing to Houston?


    Vivian instinctively didn¡¯t want to see him. She opened her mouth, ¡°But¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Bryson hung up the phone, and there was a ¡°beep¡± in the receiver. Vivian slumped on the bed, the phone falling to her feet.


    The empty bedroom was silent. The incandescent light snapped off, and a lump rose under thenket. Buried beneath it, the person trembled slightly, emitting a low sob.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know when she had fallen asleep. She only remembered her mother in her dream, her mouth bloody, moaning in agony. She had rushed to check, only to discover her mother¡¯s tongue had been gruesomely removed.


    Vivian was drenched in sweat, her eyes swollen from crying. She could barely open them; they felt dry and ufortable.


    Hastily, she ran into the bathroom, grabbing a cold towel to soothe her eyes. She hadn¡¯t forgotten her father¡¯s threat from the previous night. She firmly believed Joseph was a callous thug. Her mother¡¯s fate wouldn¡¯t be taken seriously; it could only be used as leverage against her and Vilem.


    She had to find a way to locate her mother and help her escape her father¡¯s control.


    While applying the coldpress, Vivian retrieved the phone she had discardedst night. She dialed Vilem¡¯s number. She needed his assistance.


    No one answered the phone. Vivian dialed again and again, but no one picked up, not even an automated response to end the call.


    Was he still on a business trip? Or was he on a mission?


    Vivian didn¡¯t know. She hadn¡¯t lied to Bryson; she truly hadn¡¯t been involved in Houston¡¯s affairs. She didn¡¯t even know what urgent work jos had been attending to the previous night.


    For now, Vivian had to give up.


    After confirming that her eyes had somewhat reduced in swelling, Vivian went downstairs to find something to eat.


    She needed to go to the shooting club in the morning for target practice and to Adieu in the afternoon to check on the business.


    Emmert was up early. When Vivian came downstairs, he had already finished breakfast and was sitting at the dining table, reading today¡¯s military magazine.


    Haylee had ended her vacation and had helped prepare breakfast.


    ¡°Why are your eyes so swollen?¡± Emmert diverted a bit of attention from his magazine to Vivian. ¡°Did I scare you to tears?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vivian instinctively touched her eyes. ¡°Are they still swollen?¡±


    ¡°At least I can tell,¡± Emmert asked seriously, ¡°Did something happen?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Should she tell him about her father¡¯s threat? Vivian hesitated, her hand hovering over the sandwich. Ultimately, she dismissed the idea.


    No, she might tell jos, but she couldn¡¯t let anyone else know about this before that.


    ¡°I just had a terrible nightmare,¡± Vivian said, still shaken. ¡°It was too frightening.¡±


    Vivian had no intention of confessing, and Emmert didn¡¯t press further. After all, he would report all of Vivian¡¯s actions and states of mind to jos truthfully. If there were any secrets, jos would naturally dig them out.


    Emmert¡¯sck of questioning relieved Vivian greatly because she hadn¡¯t prepared a reason in advance. If Emmert had insisted on probing, she wouldn¡¯t have known how to respond.

 Chapter 116

    After finishing breakfast, it was no longer early when Vivian followed Emmert out the door. On the way to the shooting club, Vivian asked Emmert, ¡°Have you been able to contact Vilem?¡±


    ¡°You can call him.¡± Emmert, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to suggest.


    ¡°I did, but he didn¡¯t answer.¡± Vivian felt frustrated. She had found it increasingly difficult to find Vilemtely. It was often Vilem who actively contacted her, allowing her to have a few words with him.


    Emmert had no better way to help her. ¡°Then he might be busy. You can try contacting himter, or leave him a message.¡±


    Vivian nodded and left a message for Vilem.


    Emmert was a strict teacher; he closely monitored Vivian¡¯s shooting practice, constantly demanding that she be quick and steady, and the angle of shooting alone scrutinized Vivian for several sses.


    After a set of shooting exercises, Vivian¡¯s eyes were sore, her hands felt numb, and she put down the gun and slumped in the chair, not wanting to get up.


    Emmert sat beside her and discussed the shooting practice they had just done. ¡°The moving target is to train your reaction ability. You need to aim quickly, react swiftly, aim directly at the vital points when facing the enemy, disable them with one shot to ensure your safety to the fullest.¡±


    ¡°Why did you hesitate on the fourth shot?¡± Emmert reyed the video, urately freezing the time at the fourth shot of the practice when the moving target approached, and Vivian clearly hesitated for a moment.


    Emmert paused at the point in time when she hesitated. ¡°You doubted your judgment.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian nced at Emmert, who gave her an encouraging look.


    ¡°I felt like it was moving faster.¡± In previous moving target exercises, the speed of each target was fixed, and Emmert had set the targets based on Vivian¡¯s abilities, giving her enough time to react while not giving her extra time to hesitate.


    Her heart was too soft. The more time she had to react, the more empathy took over, and the gun in her hand became useless. So, he wanted Vivian to develop an instinct to shoot decisively as soon as she raised the gun.


    ¡°Be more confident.¡± Emmert showed her the timer remote control. ¡°I¡¯ve sped up the time.¡±


    ¡°People are not targets; they don¡¯t stay fixed in one ce, nor do they appear in front of you at a constant speed. You need to learn to adapt to sudden urrences, agility, confidence, precision, observation. Every shot must be made with the determination to kill the enemy with one shot, understand?¡±


    Vivian had also killed people, but she had little experience. A part of her heart still retained a soft bottom line, making it impossible for her to talk about killing people as lightly and casually as Emmert did.


    But she couldn¡¯t me Emmert because now she was bing the kind of person Emmert was, learning to be indifferent, learning to kill.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian said, ¡°I will try my best.¡±


    Emmert also knew that this was not something that could be done in a hurry. Vivian had been too well protected. Bryson had trapped her in a safe cage, teaching her docility, teaching her weakness, teaching her humility, and turning her into a soft rabbit.


    Now this rabbit had fallen into the group of carnivores. It was not so simple to avoid being skinned and eviscerated. jos had asked Emmert to teach her to use firearms, to teach her shooting skills, just tofort her anxious heart and give her some support.


    Emmert never expected Vivian to be a great shooter. Even if she achieved nothing, they would still protect their Capo¡¯s wife. Otherwise, what use were their bodyguards?


    ¡­


    At two thirty in the afternoon, Vivian arrived at Adieu.


    Fillid held a brief meeting with her, briefly discussing yesterday¡¯s profits and a couple of important matters. He emphasized that there were two rtively important boxing matches arranged in the underground boxing ring today, and there was an important VIP customer appointment tonight.


    Vivian found it a bit difficult to go through the financial records alone, but Fillid could answer her questions, which saved Vivian a lot of trouble.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    When Fillid mentioned that there was an important guest who had booked a private room tonight, Vivian remembered jos¡¯s list of precautions and asked, ¡°Do you need me to attend to them?¡±


    Fillid was startled and quickly said, ¡°No, no, no.¡± He wouldn¡¯t dare to let Vivian attend to the guests. ¡°I¡¯ll go and say hello. If thedy stays here tonight, the other party might want to visit her upon hearing that thedy is here.¡±


    In the evening, during the busiest time at the bar, Vivian received a call from jos, sayinghe woulde to pick her up. Vivian thought for a moment and decided to stay and wait for him.


    Vivian didn¡¯t expect that the first person to knock on her dressing room door was not jos, but Shelley.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Vivian put down the financial report, delighted to see Shelley as if meeting a rtive. ¡°Are you okay? Is everything going smoothly at the port?¡±


    ¡°Thank God, your good brother came to assist me.¡± Shelley gratefully gave Vivian a hug. ¡°My friends arranged a celebration for me, and knowing that you are involved in Adieu¡¯s management, I wanted to see if I could meet you.¡±


    Shelley shed a bright smile. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m in luck.¡±


    ¡°Have you seen Vilem?¡± Vivian grabbed Shelley in surprise, asking her, ¡°I¡¯ve been unable to contact him. Is he okay?¡±


    ¡°He seems to be in good spirits.¡± Shelley¡¯s words made Vivian feel somewhat relieved. ¡°He received me at the port yesterday, introduced me to the main people in charge, and helped me organize the main shipping routes and business at the port. He really helped me a lot.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s on a business trip today, and I haven¡¯t seen him all day.¡± Shelley said, ¡°His deputy said that this mission is highly confidential, and even the deputy doesn¡¯t know the specifics of the mission. Anyway, Vilem won¡¯t be back at the port for three days.¡±


    Shelley looked at Vivian¡¯s expression, tentatively asking, ¡°Do you have an urgent matter to discuss with him?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Vivian led Shelley to sit on the sofa. ¡°If you see him when he returns, please tell him to call me, or just let me know. I often can¡¯t reach him, and I¡¯m very worried about him.¡±


    ¡°You need to learn to ease your mind.¡± Shelley advised her. ¡°Their work is like this, often with urgent and secret missions, gone for ten days or half a month.¡±


    ¡°I remember when I was young, my father was often like this, gone for many days on a mission. Once he didn¡¯te home for a month, didn¡¯t even call, and my mother had to go to Mrs. Hyna, just to get his call.¡±


    ¡°Vilem is different.¡± Vivian poured a ss of lemon water for Shelley. ¡°I know he doesn¡¯t like his current life.¡±


    Shelley took the water and took a sip. ¡°Who does?¡±


    Shelley nced at the scattered financial reports on the coffee table, the fluctuating lines on the charts, and the densely written numerical analyses, making her feel dizzy with just one look.


    She gestured towards the pile of reports and said, ¡°Do you like your current life?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Vivian admitted, ¡°But it¡¯s definitely better than living aimlessly as I did before.¡±

 Chapter 117

    ¡°This is the truth,¡± Shelley set down the water ss. ¡°I will keep an eye out for you. When Vilemes back, I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivian said sincerely.


    ¡°No need to be formal with me,¡± Shelley waved her hand, leaned back on the sofa, ¡°My mind has been filled with a lot of things these days, almost crashed.¡±


    Vivian tidied up the coffee table, slipping several reports into a folder. ¡°You should rest more at night instead ofing out to y.¡±


    ¡°ying is rxing. How about going to the bar in the next room for a drink?¡± Shelley invited Vivian.


    ¡°I don¡¯t drink,¡± Vivian refused.


    ¡°You own a bar, not drinking is not an option,¡± Shelley imparted her wisdom to Vivian, ¡°When you¡¯re out, there are always one or two drinks you can¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Vivian ruthlessly refused again, ¡°I can refuse you.¡±


    Shelley clutched her chest, making a hurt expression, ¡°I¡¯m hurt, my heart hurts.¡±


    Looking at Shelley, who was so rxed and joking, Vivian felt a little dazed, as if she had seen Luzia.


    ¡°How about going dancing together? You know how to dance, right?¡±


    Vivian shook her head, ¡°jos ising to pick me up. Maybe next time.¡±


    Once Vivian mentioned jos, Shelley had no way to insist, only puffing her cheeks inint, ¡°You¡¯re no fun, Vivian. It would be great if Luzia were here.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    After that, both of them fell silent for a moment.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been in touch with Luzia for a long time,¡± Shelley said. Even though she and Luzia had a strained rtionship, they both lived in Houston. They used to have many opportunities to meet at family gatherings and while out shopping. Unlike now, Luzia had married and moved to Los Angeles, now Shelley couldn¡¯t even find someone to argue with.


    Thinking about Bryson¡¯s callst night, Vivian felt uneasy, but Luzia might fly back to Houston to celebrate Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s birthday, which could be considered good news, at least.


    ¡°Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s birthday party is in a few days, Luzia mighte back,¡± along with her brother Joseph.


    Just thinking about Joseph¡¯s annoying face made Vivian feel a bit overwhelmed.


    It wasn¡¯t until jos confirmed that Joseph and Luzia would fly back to Houston for Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s birthday that Vivian was half excited and half worried.


    jos squeezed Vivian¡¯s hand, ¡°Luzia ising back, you should be happy.¡±


    ¡°I am happy,¡± Vivian tried to smile for jos, but she struggled for a long time and couldn¡¯t manage it. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±


    jos patted her hand, ¡°Scared of Joseph?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m often afraid of Joseph¡¯s presence,¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t understand why there was such a cruel antisocial figure like Joseph in the world, ¡°But I¡¯m more afraid of seeing the scars on Luzia. I will feel heartbroken for her, but I am powerless in her situation.¡±


    Bringing up Luzia, jos couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He regretted this decision, but Luzia¡¯s sacrifice was worth it. Now, the only thing he could do was to quickly carry out their n and kill Bryson.


    Once Bryson was dead, Los Angeles would be in chaos, and Houston would be able to take advantage, just as they had once taken advantage of Los Angeles, weakening Joseph¡¯s power. Then he would support Vilem, help him challenge Joseph, and vie for the position of Capo.


    At that time, Luzia could get a divorce and return to Houston.


    But this n couldn¡¯t be told to Vivian. She wasn¡¯t strong enough yet, her fear and hatred of Bryson weren¡¯t enough for her to watch him die. Maybe she would keep their secret, but she would also do something to make Bryson more cautious.


    While Vivian cried for Luzia¡¯s future, jos could only silently embrace her.


    ¡­


    At 25 weeks pregnant, Vivian had two more check-ups without telling anyone. Hearing that their baby was safely growing in her womb, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but grab jos¡¯s hand, unable to hold back her tears.


    Her belly wasrger than it was at thest check-up. She had switched her usual home clothes to loose andfortable styles, and her pants had changed from tight jeans to loose trousers. With the weather getting colder, she would reluctantly put on a coat, barely concealing her belly a little.


    As her belly grew, Vivian became more and more distressed. This was the eleventh time tonight that she stood in front of the closet and sighed. jos put down his financial magazine and found it amusing, ¡°If you don¡¯t have the clothes you likein your closet, you can go shopping. There are many clothing stores in the mall where you can find what you like.¡±


    ¡°No, there are no clothes that fit me in the mall either,¡± Vivian said sadly, touching her protruding belly. ¡°They fit slender girls, not me.¡±


    ¡°I should go to the maternity section,¡± Vivianmented, ¡°But there are no suitable dresses for attending a birthday party. I don¡¯t want to be too disrespectful.¡±


    Maybe she just shouldn¡¯t go, which would conveniently avoid Joseph, keeping her from having her secret revealed.


    Vivian bit her lip, contemting how to persuade jos.


    Seeing that Vivian was having second thoughts, jos shook his head and refused her, ¡°If Joseph can¡¯t see you, he will demand toe to the apartment to see you, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°And, don¡¯t you want to see Luzia?¡±


    Of course, Vivian wanted to see Luzia, ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the dress,¡± jos said, prepared. ¡°I have instructed Nirupama to customize a dress for you. She will bring it over for you to try on tomorrow, and if it doesn¡¯t fit, she can make adjustments.¡±


    ¡°Nirupama? Doesn¡¯t she only make wedding dresses?¡±


    ¡°No one can resist triple the price,¡± jos said confidently.


    Nirupama¡¯s custom dresses were expensive. Vivian didn¡¯t dare to imagine how much triple the price would be in dors, she didn¡¯t dare to ask, but it didn¡¯t stop her from feeling distressed.


    ¡°It¡¯s too expensive,¡± Vivian said, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±


    ¡°Even for just a birthday party, my wife deserves the most beautiful things,¡± jos embraced Vivian¡¯s waist, caressing her belly. ¡°You deserve to have everything expensive and beautiful.¡±


    His gaze was focused, containing emotions that Vivian didn¡¯t dare to look at directly. She was afraid she might misinterpret, but also afraid of missing something.


    She reached up to touch his handsome face, her fingertips brushing over the scar on his forehead. The ferocity and brutality she had seen when they first met had faded after spending days and nights together. The more she touched, the closer she got, the more her heart ached.


    Vivian had never asked jos about the origin of this scar. She couldn¡¯t imagine how dangerous it must have been at the time to leave such a deep mark.


    There was more than just this particr scar.


    During kisses, moments of passion, and lovemaking, Vivian had countless times touched the scars on jos¡¯ body: cuts, burns, gunshot wounds, and even a horizontal scar across his chest, each one extremely dangerous, each one a narrow escape from death.


    There was a new scar on his abdomen, one she had participated in.


    The stitching at the time wasn¡¯t very good, and the scar looked uglier than the others. Every time she touched or kissed it, she felt particrly sorry.


    This always made jos unable to resist his emotions.


    But besides feeling sorry, all Vivian could do was silently pray for jos. She prayed that every time he went on a mission, he woulde back safe and sound. She didn¡¯t dare hope that he woulde back unscathed every time, she just prayed that his injuries would be lighter, and lighter.


    When would these days end?


    Vivian had painfully thought this more than once.


    But deep down, she knew the answer to this question.


    They wouldn¡¯t end.


    Neither jos nor she had a way back, especially jos, who couldn¡¯t afford to stop. Stopping meant death.


    The only way to be free was through death.

 Chapter 118

    Nirupama had her proud capital, with her skilled hands capable of rescuing women trapped in body anxieties. The dress she tailored perfectly fit Vivian¡¯s figure, with the loose dress covering her pregnant belly. The puffy bubble sleevesplemented the loose cut of the dress, and the ankle-length skirt adorned her long legs, visually elongating them.


    Vivian was originally slender, and aside from her slightly rounder face, once her belly was hidden, her corbones and limbs didn¡¯t reveal her pregnancy.


    Vivian kissed Nirupama¡¯s cheek excitedly, almost crying, ¡°Thank you so much, Nirupama. You¡¯ve saved me from my anxieties.¡±


    Cupping her weary face, Vivian said, ¡°I¡¯ve been so worried that I couldn¡¯t eat for days, couldn¡¯t sleep well, and now I¡¯ve got dark circles.¡±


    Indeed. Nirupama nced and saw the obvious dark circles under Vivian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Darling, you should trust my skills. I didn¡¯t charge three times the usual fee for nothing.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Now you should put away the dress, go back, and get some rest to get rid of those dark circles,¡± Nirupama helped Vivian change out of the dress. ¡°I miss my good friend Luzia. If she has time, please bring her to my bridal shop. I¡¯d like to treat you both to honey cakes.¡±


    ¡°I will bring her to see you, Nirupama,¡± Vivian changed into herfortable loungewear. ¡°I think she¡¯ll really miss your honey cakes.¡±


    Nirupama joyfully sped her hands together. ¡°I look forward to your visit.¡±


    ¡­


    On the day of the birthday party, Mare finally left the hospital and returned to his familiar position, apanying Vivian to the party venue.


    The birthday party was held at Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate, a ce Vivian was already familiar with. Yazmin weed her.


    ¡°Vivian, my dear,¡± Yazmin warmly kissed Vivian¡¯s cheek, then looked behind her, not seeing jos.


    Yazmin wasn¡¯t particrly surprised but seemed a bit troubled. ¡°jos is being quite inconsiderate, letting youe alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aunt,¡± Vivian said, linking her arm with Yazmin¡¯s. ¡°jos might be a littlete; he¡¯s been very busytely.¡±


    ¡°I know he¡¯s busy,¡± Yazminined in a low voice. ¡°He¡¯s busy every day. But he shouldn¡¯t have let his beautiful wifee to the party alone. That¡¯s not very gentlemanly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Vivianforted Yazmin. ¡°I guess I¡¯m getting used to his busyness.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too forgiving, Vivian,¡± Yazmin disapproved. ¡°This won¡¯t do. Any qualified husband shouldn¡¯t let his wife attend a party alone. Being busy is no excuse.¡±


    Yazmin was indignant. ¡°I¡¯ll help you educate him.¡±


    After talking about jos, Yazmin brought up Luzia. ¡°Luzia called me. She and her husband Joseph will be attending the party together.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivian had known for a long time and had been looking forward to seeing Luzia again. ¡°Have they arrived?¡±


    Yazmin said, ¡°They should be arriving soon. Luzia called to say they¡¯ve justnded.¡±


    Yazmin sighed. Luzia had always been her favorite and most cherished child. Her first husband, Paavo, may not have been a perfect husband, with the typical traits of men in the Mafia ¨C possessive and controlling. But Paavo had always been a gentle and affectionate man. When Luzia was willing to submit to him, he was willing to give her enough warmth and care.


    Joseph was different. Yazmin had seen many men in her life, of all kinds and styles. At first sight, she knew what kind of man Joseph was. Violent, dictatorial, selfish, and ruthless. How could she believe that he could treat Luzia kindly and lovingly?


    Yazmin was worried, but she couldn¡¯t tell Vivian. Joseph had a million ws, but he was also Vivian¡¯s brother.


    Yazmin had always been a gentle person and didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for Vivian.


    Guests arrived one after another. Yazmin asked Vivian to go to the rest area; there were a few important guests she needed to personally wee.


    As jos¡¯s aunt and the wife of Kamden¡¯s brother Dalon Hargrave, the younger generations of the Hargrave family naturally had to attend Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s birthday party. Except for a few who were temporarily away on missions, most people were there.


    At Kamden¡¯s funeral, Vivian had seen them once, and she had seen them again at her and jos¡¯s wedding banquet. This was the third time Vivian had seen them sopletely present.


    Vivian politely greeted them and found a solosofa in a corner to sit down. As soon as she sat down, one of jos¡¯s cousins spoke up, ¡°Looks like big brother is really busy, to let his wifee alone.¡±


    The man¡¯s tone was suggestive, clearly hinting at some story. Indeed, before Vivian could respond, he sneered, ¡°Vivian should have a good talk with big brother. My mother just wanted to visit Vivian, and big brother repeatedly obstructed it. If you didn¡¯t know any better, you¡¯d think Vivian was some kind of scandalous mistress.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s face immediately turned cold. ¡°No wonder jos keeps me hidden so well. It seems people outside have filthy mouths, and he¡¯s afraid of polluting my ears.¡± Vivian forced a smile. ¡°Cousin should understand his thoughtful intentions.¡±


    The man suddenly stood up, cursing, ¡°Who the hell are you calling foul-mouthed-ouch!¡±


    Suddenly, a foot fiercely kicked the man¡¯s knee pit from behind. He couldn¡¯t help but let out a pained cry as his knee buckled, and the cup of lemon tea on the coffee table spilled all over the ce. Simpson, with a grim expression, forcefully stepped on the man¡¯s back. ¡°Who the hell are you cursing?¡±


    ¡°Simpson! How dare you hit me?¡± Pressed down and in pain, the man¡¯s thin chest hit the coffee table, the sound of cracking, he could hardly bear the pain. ¡°Let go, oh! Let go¡­¡±


    Simpson¡¯s ferocity was evident, especially now. He seemed like he hadn¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep in a long time, with a worn-out and irritable look. He didn¡¯t hold back, throwing a punch at the man¡¯s nose, causing it to bleed.


    Vivian was frightened. She had never seen this side of Simpson¡¯s bad temper. In her presence, he had always been charming and cunning.


    Not only Vivian was frightened, but also the other cousins present. They had never expected Simpson to suddenly act this way. It seemed he was ready to beat the man to a pulp.


    Several quick-thinking cousins hurried forward to break up the fight, but unexpectedly, like a madman, Simpsonshed out at anyone who touched him. The men of the Hargrave family were all spirited and a bit crazy. Simpson¡¯s indiscriminate punching led to a brawl among the cousins.


    The situation escted too quickly, and the cousins couldn¡¯t intervene, only watching in horror as the chaos of broken porcin and futile screams unfolded.


    ¡°Enough, stop fighting!¡± Mare quickly whisked Vivian away from the battleground, anxiously calling out Simpson¡¯s name. ¡°Stop, Simpson! Simpson!¡±


    The men, with their eyes bloodshot, couldn¡¯t hear her feeble plea, and Simpson took a hit to the abdomen.

 Chapter 119

    ¡°Oh my God, Simpson!¡± Vivian also screamed, pushing Mare, ¡°Go help him, quickly. Stop fighting, Simpson, be careful of your face.¡±


    Mare ultimately couldn¡¯t join the fight. His hand was just about to touch the enemy¡¯s cor when a gunshot warning stopped him. But that didn¡¯t stop Mare from kicking the man pressing down on Simpson, nor did it stop him from taking the opportunity to stomp on another man¡¯s finger bones.


    jos, who had rushed from his busy work to the party, looked at the mess in the resting area and the pale-faced Vivian, who had almost been involved in the fight. A nameless anger surged up, zing into a fire.


    ¡°Simpson, Floren, Keaun¡­¡± jos called out several names in a row, unable to contain his anger, ¡°You need to exin why this foolish behavior! Today is Aunt¡¯s birthday party!¡±


    The intense fighting had stirred up the participants¡¯ passions. Everyone was heated, emotions inmed. Some used Simpson of being ruthless to his cousin, some said Floren had a foul mouth, while others excused themselves, saying they were just trying to break up the fight. The buzzing voices created a chaotic scene.


    jos¡¯s cousin, Floren, who mocked Vivian like a mistress, held his nose, which was bleeding profusely, and buzzed and wailed, ¡°It¡¯s Simpson, he started it!¡±


    jos¡¯s fierce gaze bore into Simpson. ¡°Exin!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± Vivian walked through the melee and came to jos¡¯s side, with a sense of grievance and unease, ¡°When Florenpared me to a mistress, I shouldn¡¯t have argued back. If I hadn¡¯t argued back, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten angry and cursed at me, and Simpson wouldn¡¯t have fought for me.¡±


    That was the fact, but why did it sound like a different storying from Vivian¡¯s mouth?


    Floren shocked everyone by cursing.


    jos heard this clearly, his face dark as ink, his eyes sharp as if ready to cut, ¡°Floren!¡±


    Floren shivered, ¡°jos, let me exin!¡±


    ¡°Vivian is my wife, and you dared to insult my wife!¡±


    jos shot Floren in the thigh, and Floren cried out in pain, falling to the ground and rolling, ¡°Ah! My leg, my leg!¡±


    Onlookers screamed, but in the Hargrave family, no one would object to jos¡¯s punishment, not even Mrs. Yazmin.


    jos still hadn¡¯t lowered his gun.


    ¡°jos!¡± Keaun, who was closest to Floren, looked at jos reproachfully, ¡°How could you¡­¡±


    ¡°After insulting my wife, no one can walk away unharmed,¡± jos said coldly.


    ¡°Floren just¡­¡±


    jos¡¯s gun was still aimed at Floren, ¡°You can choose to take him away now, or I¡¯ll give him another shot.¡±


    Keaun knew jos always followed through on his words, so he didn¡¯t dare argue further and helped Floren out of the resting area.


    Mrs. Yazmin had already sent for the family doctor, and the servants would take them to the lounge for some basic treatment.


    Keaun had always been a polite young man, showing respect to Mrs. Yazmin.


    ¡°I apologize on behalf of Floren, Aunt, for causing unpleasantness at your birthday party.¡±


    Mrs. Yazmin didn¡¯t dwell on their mistakes. She had always been tolerant towards the younger generation, but her authority was also feared by them. She coldly replied, ¡°It¡¯s all right, I have epted your apologies. Go to the lounge, the doctor is waiting for you.¡±


    Keaun escorted Floren away.


    jos sternly reprimanded the cousins who had been involved in the brawl, especially Simpson, who had thrown the first punch, ¡°Why did you start a fight? You should have just put a gun to his head and made him apologize to Vivian!¡±


    The other cousins were dumbfounded.


    Simpson: ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Mrs. Yazmin pped his arm, angrily saying, ¡°How did you teach your brother, you jerk!¡±


    ¡°I did it for their own good,¡± jos argued slyly, ¡°It¡¯s the fastest way to end a fight.¡±


    Mrs. Yazminughed angrily, pushing him to leave the chaotic resting area, ¡°Go andfort Vivian, she¡¯s frightened.¡±


    Vivian apologized to Mrs. Yazmin, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aunt.¡±


    Mrs. Yazminforted her with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s Floren¡¯s wrong words. Don¡¯t worry, I will make him apologize to you.¡±


    ¡°Luzia and your brother have arrived. Let jos take you to see them,¡± Mrs. Yazminsaid, ¡°Cheer up, Vivian.¡±


    Vivian looked outside the resting area and indeed saw the figures of Luzia and Joseph among the crowd.


    Joseph¡¯s gaze still held the same venomous coldness that Vivian remembered, making her shiver involuntarily.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite a spectacle, isn¡¯t it, Luzia?¡± He seemed pleased.


    Luzia couldn¡¯t share his joy. She was both worried about Vivian¡¯s situation and excited to see her again. In the end, she couldn¡¯t control herself and tears fell.


    ¡°Luzia,¡± Vivian worriedly stepped forward and embraced Luzia.


    Luzia wiped her tears in Vivian¡¯s embrace, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m just so happy. I¡¯m so happy to see you again. I¡¯m really, really happy.¡±


    It was indeed a joy to meet again, but Vivian knew too well about Luzia¡¯s situation. She knew that the tears at this moment were not just of joy, but also of grievances and a brief moment of relief.


    It¡¯s all because of Joseph, that devil!


    ¡°What¡¯s with that look, Vivian?¡± Joseph expressed his dissatisfaction with Vivian¡¯s unadulterated resentment, his face cold, ¡°You¡¯ve moved away from Los Angeles, away from father¡¯s teachings. Has Houston¡¯s indulgence made you forget who you are? Do you think that now you have someone to rely on, you don¡¯t have to be bound by Los Angeles anymore?¡±


    Gritting her teeth, Vivian said, ¡°I thought father sent me to Houston, gifted me to jos, and I became jos¡¯s property.¡±


    ¡°Houston and Los Angeles are two separate cities. Los Angeles should not have authority over the woman of the Houston Capo.¡±


    In the past, Joseph couldn¡¯t have imagined these wordsing from Vivian¡¯s mouth.


    jos was a weak-hearted man. He harbored feelings that a Capo shouldn¡¯t have-so-called affection, friendship, and even love. He used these venomous substances to taint Vivian, turning her into a sharp-tongued woman who dared to contradict and rebuke him in front of many guests.


    ¡°Perhaps jos should reflect on whether he can be a qualified Capo,¡± Joseph said fiercely, clenching his fists, ¡°A qualified Capo should learn to tame his woman, make her obedient, rather than letting here out and defy guests and her own brother.¡±


    ¡°Compared to you, the heir, I think I, as the Houston Capo, have a better understanding of how to be a Capo.¡± After handling the matters in the resting area for Mrs. Yazmin, jos finally arrived.


    He reached out and took Vivian¡¯s shoulder, handing a clean tissue to Luzia.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Luzia quietly thanked him.


    ¡°I think Vivian is fine this way,¡± jos said to Joseph, ¡°Her confident and vibrant demeanor has charmed many people, my aunt especially likes her.¡±


    ¡°As for Luzia, in just over a month in Los Angeles, she has lost weight and looks haggard. It seems that Los Angeles doesn¡¯t know how to take care of the heir¡¯s wife.¡±

 Chapter 120

    ¡°How to take care of my wife is my business, jos,¡± Joseph warned.


    jos sneered, ¡°You can inquire about my wife¡¯s life in Houston, so why can¡¯t I inquire about Luzia¡¯s life in Los Angeles? Our alliance is equal, Joseph, what you can do, I can do.¡±


    ¡°Now I feel that Los Angeles can¡¯t take care of Luzia, I want to bring her back to Houston for a few days of rest,¡± jos suggested.


    Vivian and Luzia both looked surprised at jos.


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Joseph directly refused, ¡°Luzia muste back with me to Los Angeles, she is my wife.¡±


    ¡°You can also stay, once Luzia has recovered mentally, she can return to Los Angeles with you,¡± jos proposed a solution, while telling him, ¡°You can choose to stay or leave, but Luzia must stay, she needs to go home to see her mother.¡±


    Joseph wasughed at by jos¡¯manding manner, he was the kind of person who, once his face turned dark, became ferocious, and now he was beingughed at, his twisted smile looked even more terrifying.


    ¡°Very well!¡± Joseph gritted his teeth, ¡°I hope mypromise will be met with equal reciprocation.¡±


    Joseph looked at Vivian, his brown eyes radiating a cold light, he was warning Vivian, ¡°My mother also misses her only daughter. I hope when we return to Los Angeles, I can bring Vivian back with us.¡±


    Joseph deliberately emphasized ¡°mother¡±, and Vivian shivered; he knew Vivian had received his warning.


    Joseph was triumphant, he generously told jos, ¡°Of course, if you have the time, Los Angeles also wees your visit, great Houston Capo.¡±


    ¡°If Vivian is willing to go, I am naturally willing to apany her,¡± jos inwardly detested Joseph, but he wouldn¡¯t show it on the surface, ¡°I am just very curious, I heard that Mrs. Tasneem is recuperating in Europe?¡±


    ¡°Father will naturally arrange everything for mother, no need to worry,¡± Joseph didn¡¯t want to discuss this topic further, he dismissed jos, ¡°Alright, you have guestsing.¡±


    Vivian also didn¡¯t want to be alone with Joseph, she found an excuse to take Luzia and escape from Joseph¡¯s line of sight.


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot, Vivian,¡± Luzia sat in the corner of the sofa, looking at Vivian with a mixture of joy and envy in her eyes.


    Vivian brought her sweet fruit tea, with transparent ice cubes floating on top, supporting a small fan-shaped slice of lemon, ¡°Have I changed for the better?¡±


    ¡°Good, very good.¡± The ice-cold temperature of the fruit tea had condensed a fineyer of droplets on the surface of the ss, and when Luzia¡¯s palm touched it, it became moist, ¡°You¡¯ve be brave and confident, no longer the little girl who cried and didn¡¯t want to marry jos.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Seeing both you and jos doing so well, I¡¯m relieved,¡± said Luzia.


    ¡°You will also do well, Luzia,¡± Vivian firmly held Luzia¡¯s hand, ¡°No one understands your pain more than me, and no one wants you to break free from Joseph¡¯s control more than I do.¡±


    ¡°I am already his wife, there is nothing that can take me away from him,¡± Luzia shook her head, sounding desperate, ¡°except death.¡±


    Except death.


    Luzia closed her eyes in agony.


    At the most painful times, when she was tied to the bed and whipped by Joseph, when he pressed her against the frosted ss door, manipting her in front of the bodyguards, Luzia thought of death.


    Los Angeles nights always seemed particrly long, so long that she often felt like she was walking back and forth between life and death, unable to end the cycle. asionally, when Joseph was away on a business trip and didn¡¯t return to the apartment to sleep, she thought of death while lying in the bathtub, which could amodate two people.


    But as she raised and then lowered the razor de in her hand, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to cut.


    She thought about swallowing sleeping pills, pouring a handful into her palm, mixing it with water and swallowing it, but it got stuck in her throat and she couldn¡¯t swallow it. She rushed into the bathroom, scraping her throat and gagging, crying silently.


    At that moment, Luzia knew that she probably couldn¡¯t die.


    No, even if she could die, she probably would only die at the hands of Joseph¡¯s violence, under his body.


    This suffocating rity tormented Luzia, making her mentally dazed and haggard. She didn¡¯t want to worry Vivian, so she deliberately dressed up, but she was still seen through by jos at a nce.


    ¡°Vivian, life is so longLuziamented, burying her head on Vivian¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m only 23 years old.¡±


    Luzia¡¯s distress brought tears to Vivian¡¯s eyes; that phrase ¡°except death¡± pierced Vivian¡¯s heart like a sharp dagger, causing her to cringe in pain.


    The two embraced each other, hiding in a corner of the banquet hall, suppressing their painful sobs, but even as they wept, they only dared to cry softly, fearing to attract attention and disturb Yazmin¡¯s birthday party.


    It wasn¡¯t until their sobs became hoarse, the tissues dampened one after another, that the stifling, hair-raising cries gradually subsided, leaving only the quiet sobbing that couldn¡¯t be stopped after the big cry.


    ¡°Luzia, be strong, my dear,¡± Vivian wiped away her tears and offered the fruit tea again to Luzia, ¡°Have some water to soothe your throat.¡±


    After crying, the relief of the pent-up emotions, Luzia¡¯s spirits seemed much better. Blinking her eyes, dampened by tears, she lowered her head and took a sip of the fruit tea.


    The ice cubes in the fruit tea hadpletely melted, and the tea had been infected by room temperature, no longer cold, and had be a bit bitter upon drinking, but Luzia still drank half a cup, quenching her parched throat, finally feeling some relief.


    ¡°Thank you, Vivian,¡± Luzia coughed, relieving her throat difort, ¡°I¡¯m okay now.¡±


    Vivian knew it was aforting statement.


    As long as Joseph was around, Luzia would never be okay.


    ¡°I know these words may sound false, and saying ¡®be strong¡¯ is too easy, only the person going through it knows the weight of being ¡®strong,''¡± Vivian stood up, brought back cake, hot dogs, and waffles from the food area, and ced the new fruit tea in front of Luzia, ¡°But Luzia, we are all trying, and I ask you not to give up.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I won¡¯t be able to wait for that day toe,¡± the sweet cake barely saved Luzia¡¯s spirits, ¡°I hope I can.¡±


    ¡°You definitely will,¡± Vivian said with certainty, ¡°You know, you have always been my little sun in my heart, and I envy you.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you,¡± Vivian said sincerely, ¡°Thank you for apanying me through that dark and confused time; your smile has shone on me like the sun. I once prayed to God, hoping that you could always be so happy.¡±


    ¡°Will God hear it?¡±


    ¡°He will,¡± Vivian said, ¡°I am a devout believer, and God will bless us.¡±


    Moved, Luzia tugged at the corners of her mouth and smiled, with a little rxation.


    ¡°Well, I believe you, Vivian.¡±


    Luzia was willing to entrust her trust to Vivian because she was her best friend.


    Even while in the hell of Los Angeles, Luzia always kept her good friend in her thoughts, hoping she was safe and happy.


    Now it seemed that she was indeed safe and happy.


    That was good.

 Chapter 121

    Vivian had just finished eating a waffle and a hot dog from the food area, and then she brought back a mango mousse and a blueberry mousse. There was also a small portion of vegetable sd and a bacon and foie gras sandwich.


    Luzia, holding a champagne ss, looked at her in shock as she ordered a chocte ice cream scoop, a vani ice cream scoop, and a strawberry ice cream scoop, unable to say a word.


    While waiting for the ice cream scoops, Vivian had finished eating a small piece of the sandwich. She took a small sip of grape juice and looked at Luzia, who was still not moving, and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡±


    Enthusiastically, Vivian pushed the sandwich in front of Luzia. ¡°Try this bacon and foie gras sandwich, it¡¯s especially delicious.¡±


    Luzia wasn¡¯t very hungry, but she didn¡¯t refuse Vivian¡¯s enthusiasm. Vivian lowered her head and continued to eat her vegetable sd.


    Finally, Luzia couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What were you doing at noon? Didn¡¯t you have time to eat lunch?¡±


    Vivian fell silent for a moment. At the banquet, with peopleing and going, Vivian didn¡¯t dare to be sure if there were eyes and ears sent by the enemy to monitor. She didn¡¯t dare to rashly tell Luzia about the pregnancy. But she wanted to share this joy with Luzia.


    She quietly told Luzia, ¡°I have a secret.¡±


    Curiously, Luzia blinked and asked quietly, ¡°What secret?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you right now,¡± Vivian said with a smile in her eyes, ¡°Can you stay with me tonight?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± Luzia said eagerly. She wanted to disappear beside Joseph, but she was very rational. ¡°jos wouldn¡¯t be happy to lend me his wife for a whole night. Joseph wouldn¡¯t allow me to stay out overnight.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll stay at the mansion tonight,¡± Vivian said, winking mischievously, ¡°It¡¯s toote today, it¡¯s not safe to drive back.¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± Luzia¡¯s eyes lit up. Staying at the mansion might make Joseph¡¯s behavior a bit more restrained. But that couldn¡¯t stop Joseph from viting her. ¡°But what about Joseph¡­¡±


    ¡°My brother is here,¡± Vivian had been keeping an eye on the entrance to the banquet hall. When she went to get the ice cream scoop, she saw Vileming.


    ¡°I think Joseph has a lot to say to Vilem. They¡¯re going for drinks and won¡¯t be back tonight.¡±


    Everything was going too smoothly, just as nned.


    Luzia couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. ¡°You all¡­¡±


    Vivian smiled, her eyes showing a sly light. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you toe back, Luzia.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s tone was too serious, and Luzia looked at her in astonishment, her eyes slowly turning moist. ¡°Vivian¡­¡±


    ***


    On the other side of the banquet hall, Vilem expressed his birthday wishes to Mrs. Yazmin and presented his carefully prepared gift. Then, holding champagne, he left the social circle. He moved away from the crowd and sat in a corner of the lounge area. Dressed in a ck suit with a ck tie, he sat in the backlight like a silent shadow.


    Joseph, on the other hand, was exactly the opposite. He was radiant, the center of attention. He moved effortlessly among the people of Houston, greeting everyone. He seemed to be the ruler of Houston.


    No wonder jos detested him so much. Vilem thought to himself.


    How could Vilem not detest Joseph? Fate had made them brothers, but their father¡¯s strict upbringing had turned them into natural rivals. Living constantly in Joseph¡¯s shadow, Vilem couldn¡¯t help but despise his brother.


    Vilem finished the champagne in his ss in one gulp, then asked a waiter for a bottle of whiskey and settled back into the sofa. It seemed he had no intention of engaging in conversation with anyone. He was just here to deliver a gift, say ¡°Happy Birthday,¡± and wait for enough time to pass so he could leave unnoticed, just as he hade.


    Even though he had left Los Angeles and the shadow of his brother, Vilem still lived as if he were a ghost, unnoticed by anyone.


    Joseph was pleased, and he didn¡¯t mind enjoying Vilem¡¯s distress.


    Vivian had once told Bryson that jos held Vilem in high regard, entrusting him with important business concerning ports and shipping routes. Vilem was bing powerful.


    Joseph had never taken Vivian¡¯s words to heart. He knew Vivian¡¯s feelings for Vilem. He thought Vilem was nothing but a coward. But in Vivian¡¯s eyes, he had be a hero who couldsave the world.


    Seeing Vilem being ignored reinforced Joseph¡¯s belief. Vivian, who only exaggerated and boasted, was simply foolish.


    ¡°Your demeanor disappoints me, Vilem,¡± Joseph walked up to Vilem, looking down at him across the table. ¡°Houston is like a cage that breeds docile kittens. It can¡¯t train fierce lions or agile eagles.¡±


    Vilem raised his eyelids slightly, casting a sidelong nce at Joseph, then buried his head in his drink.


    Vilem¡¯s state was off. He didn¡¯t explosively jump up and smash the bottle on Joseph¡¯s head.


    Joseph frowned. He didn¡¯t believe Vilem had truly be a meek kitten. ¡°I heard jos entrusted you with the business of the port and a shipping route controlled by the Benoist family.¡±


    The ports and shipping routes in Houston had always been coveted by various factions. Father had generously helped Houston survive its initial crisis to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Bratva.


    Sooner orter, Houston would be his, and the ports and shipping routes would be his as well.


    ¡°Lopaka is incredibly loyal to you,¡± Vilem finally looked at Joseph, a mocking smile ying on his lips. ¡°Does he report everything that happens in Houston to you?¡±


    ¡°You should reflect on your ipetence, else you could have loyal eyes and ears in Los Angeles,¡± Joseph sneered.


    Vilem tightened his grip on the ss, the knuckles turning white from the pressure. ¡°With your formidable abilities and eyes and ears all over Houston, they should have told you that I have been searching for our mother.¡±


    Vilem finally showed a hint of his former irascible self, and Joseph was subtly excited. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me, where is our mother?¡± Vilem restrained his impulse, gritting his teeth as he asked.


    ¡°I am not obligated to tell you.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my mother!¡± Vilem suddenly stood up, staring at Joseph across the table. ¡°She¡¯s your mother too!¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    Joseph¡¯s indifferent attitude truly infuriated Vilem. He lunged forward, his shin hitting the edge of the table, making a loud noise that indicated it was quite painful. But Vilem no longer cared about the pain. He grabbed Joseph¡¯s suit cor with both hands, pulling him close. ¡°Our mother is missing, we don¡¯t know if she¡¯s alive or dead, and you can still be so indifferent and say ¡®so what¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Will all your foolish actions bring our mother back?¡± Joseph¡¯s hands gripped Vilem¡¯s wrists like iron. ¡°Let go!¡±


    ¡°Where is our mother?¡± Vilem, like a trapped animal with no options left, persistently sought answers from Joseph.


    ¡°Father said she¡¯s recuperating in Europe.¡±


    ¡°Lies!¡± Vilem roared. ¡°I¡¯ve searched all the Jones family estates in Europe, and mother is not in Europe!¡±

 Chapter 122

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask Father about that,¡± Joseph said with a fierce smile, his grip so tight that the faint sound of Vilem¡¯s wrist bones cracking could be heard.


    Just as Joseph was about to violently break Vilem¡¯s hand bones, jos arrived just in time, along with Simpson, and separated the two brothers who were at a standoff.


    jos warned them, ¡°Today is my aunt, Lady Yazmin¡¯s birthday. Are you nning to ruin the friendship between Houston and Los Angeles by fighting at her party?¡± Although he had just shot someone, it didn¡¯t mean he would allow others to brawl at his aunt¡¯s ce.


    Joseph broke free from jos¡¯s grip on his hand, straightened out the creases in his suit jacket that Vilem had pulled, and said, ¡°This is unfair, jos. It¡¯s clear that he struck first.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Vilem!¡± jos halted Vilem, who still wanted to argue. ¡°We can all understand your urgent search for your mother, but fighting won¡¯t solve the problem.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You are all esteemed guests of Houston, and the whereabouts of Lady Tasneem are private matters of Los Angeles, but¡­¡± jos looked at Joseph, expressing his intention not to offend him, ¡°Vilem is our strong and capable warrior of Houston. He has helped Houston through many difficult times, and we regard him as a dear friend.¡±


    ¡°At the same time, Lady Tasneem is also Vivian¡¯s mother. As Vivian¡¯s husband and Vilem¡¯s close friend, I believe I am qualified to inquire on behalf of them, where is Lady Tasneem now?¡±


    jos didn¡¯t give Joseph a chance to retort, and asked directly, ¡°Los Angeles? New York? Phdelphia?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s in Europe, may I ask specifically where? Norway? Nethends? France?¡±


    ¡°Or should I ask, is Lady Tasneem still alive?¡±


    Joseph looked horrified. He was thrown off by jos¡¯s bold questioning. ¡°jos!¡±


    Unafraid of Joseph¡¯s anger, jos continued to press, ¡°Answer me, Joseph!¡±


    Their dispute was not discreet, and jos and Joseph were already the focus of everyone¡¯s attention. As jos¡¯s questions grew sharper, the respectful, admiring gazes gradually turned into covert suspicion.


    Joseph couldn¡¯t ept this turn. He was Bryson¡¯s heir, the future Capo of Los Angeles. He had grown up under the envious gazes of the people, stepping on Vilem, and had never, until now, be a joke in the eyes of the public. This made Joseph feel ashamed.


    And this shame was bestowed upon him by jos and Vilem, whom he had always scorned and belittled!


    Joseph clenched his fists, the muscles of his biceps bulging under his suit, as if he might lose control of his anger in the next moment and punch jos in the face.


    ¡°My mother is naturally alive!¡± Joseph¡¯s gaze was sinister as he reprimanded jos, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you would think otherwise, but jos, your baseless suspicions constitute defamation. It not only damages the bond between us brothers, but also causes irreparable harm to the alliance between the two cities!¡±


    jos responded calmly, ¡°I understand your anger, Joseph. Please also understand Vilem and Vivian¡¯s feelings. They can¡¯t reach your mother, and Bryson¡¯s exnations are vague. It¡¯s normal for them to worry.¡±


    Joseph snorted, ¡°Their fragile mentalitypletely fits the behavior of the weak.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I apologize to you. Houston will always be the best friend of Los Angeles.¡± jos asked a waiter for wine, ¡°Respected Mr. Joseph, please cherish yourpassion and tell these two poor children, where their mother is now?¡±


    If Joseph continued to evade revealing his mother¡¯s whereabouts in public, tomorrow, rumors of Joseph killing his own mother would spread through Houston¡¯s high society, even reaching Los Angeles and other cities.


    Joseph was never afraid to show his brutality to people. The Mafia had no mercy. Only enough violence could silence opposition, which was a symbol of his strength and a guarantee that he could be the heir.


    And the image he had in the minds of these Houston elites would determine whether, if he pushed down jos, they would be obstacles to his rule over Houston.


    ¡°Compassion?¡± Joseph found itughable, ¡°Does the Mafia need such a thing?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always a little bit,¡± jos said with a smile, ¡°like an asional stroke of insight.¡±


    Joseph chuckled mockingly, ¡°Don¡¯t evade my question.¡±


    jos¡¯s smile faded a bit, his patience wearing thin, ¡°Don¡¯t evade my question, Joseph!¡±


    Joseph¡¯s reluctance to answer jos¡¯s question directly aroused more suspicion among the spectators, who began to whisper and gossip amongthemselves, casting more doubt. Joseph had to restrain his fierce gaze, focusing it solely on jos, ¡°Our mother has always been soft-hearted. Her sensitivity has been her downfall.¡±


    Facing the public¡¯s scrutiny, Joseph continued, ¡°She longs for Vivian and Vilem too much. Her longing has made her seriously ill. The environment in Los Angeles is not suitable for her recovery, so Father sent her to the Nethends.¡±


    ¡°Lies!¡± Vilem red with bloodshot eyes, staring intensely at Joseph, trying to detect any trace of deceit on his face. ¡°I searched every estate in the Nethends, and Mother is not there!¡±


    Vilem¡¯s conviction sparked another round of murmurs and discussions among the crowd, and an infuriated Joseph had to control the urge to reach for his gun.


    ¡°Your stupidity disgusts me!¡± Joseph¡¯s tone towards Vilem was far from friendly as he rebuked, ¡°Our enemies are everywhere, and the Bratva¡¯s surveince is omnipresent. Mother left Father, losing the protection of Los Angeles. If Father doesn¡¯t hide her away, is he going to expose her to the Bratva¡¯s guns?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I reach Mother on the phone?¡± Vivian pushed through the crowd, questioning, ¡°You haven¡¯t told me her new contact information.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t either,¡± Joseph ground his teeth, looking at Vivian¡¯s lovely face, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ask Father?¡±


    If asking Bryson was effective, they wouldn¡¯t have publicly pressured Joseph at Lady Yazmin¡¯s birthday party.


    Joseph was certain that they wouldn¡¯t dare to use the same methods to press Bryson, so he shifted all the questions onto Bryson. He spread his hands to show the crowd the empty palms, his face, which usually epitomized a violent thug, now disyed an innocent expression, as if to say, ¡®See, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s being kept in the dark.¡¯


    Vilem¡¯s hatred made him grind his teeth, but he was held back by Simpson and Mare, unable to get close to Joseph.


    ¡°Although the process ofmunication was not very pleasant, please believe that we have no ill intentions,¡± jos said. ¡°Come, my friend, let¡¯s raise our sses and forget this moment¡¯s troubles.¡±


    jos handed a ss of wine to Joseph, ¡°As an apology to you, I¡¯ve arranged a celebration at the club.¡±

 Chapter 123

    ¡°If your apology is sincere, promise me, take Vivian to Los Angeles as a guest,¡± Joseph clinked sses with jos, ¡°In Los Angeles, you will get all the answers you want.¡±


    jos downed the contents of his ss, not directly responding to Joseph¡¯s invitation.


    As the birthday party neared its end, the guests of Mrs. Yazmin began to leave one by one. jos invited Joseph to a celebrity club to attend another specially prepared revelry, taking Simpson and Vilem with him.


    ¡°Can¡¯t my wifee?¡± Joseph found Luzia in the crowd.


    Luzia shrank a little, barely managing not to hide behind Vivian.


    Before Joseph could voice a threatening word, jos interrupted, putting his arm around Joseph¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You can bring your wife, but I assure you, the sexydies in the club won¡¯t be pleased.¡±


    Joseph paused, wondering why jos spoke as if it were amon urrence.


    He nced at Vivian and indeed, Vivian cast a resentful look at jos, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    In his mind, Joseph sneered; jos wasn¡¯t that foolish to fall in love with Vivian as his father had wished. It was just as well; the stronger the opponent, the more interesting the fight would be.


    Mrs. Yazmin timely appeared, expressing that she hadn¡¯t seen Luzia for a long time and wished to keep Luzia overnight to have a chat.


    Joseph couldn¡¯t refuse Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s request. He reluctantly disyed his gentlemanly manners to Mrs. Yazmin, ¡°A true gentleman naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse ady¡¯s request. I wish you both a pleasant evening, beautifuldy.¡±


    Mrs. Yazmin was indeed a beautiful and elegantdy, whose smile no man could resist, ¡°I wish you gentlemen a fun evening as well.¡±


    The men left together, and Shelley followed her mother to bid farewell to Mrs. Yazmin. While the twodies chatted, Shelley finally had the chance to embrace Luzia, ¡°I think we are friends now.¡±


    Luzia hugged her tightly, her eyes moist, ¡°I apologize for my recklessness towards you.¡±


    Smiling, Shelley said, ¡°I ept your apology, and I ask you to ept mine. I was too immature in the past.¡±


    Luziaughed through tears, ¡°I¡¯m not that mature either.¡±


    ¡°I still regret that you didn¡¯t be my family,¡± Joseph was more ruthless than any mobster Shelley had met. He treated Luzia without any tenderness, ¡°You and John are truly suited.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say such things again, Shelley. It¡¯s impossible between John and me.¡± Luzia shook her head, warning her in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t let Joseph hear, he will kill John.¡±


    Shelley bit her lip, ncing at Vivian who was eavesdropping.


    Vivian shrugged in agreement with Luzia¡¯s point, ¡°I assure you, Joseph is that kind of person.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shelley fell silent. She didn¡¯t want to mention the unfortunate John again. The three girls huddled together, exchanging whispers.


    Mrs. Yazmin envied their bond as she spoke to Mrs. Celinda, ¡°They have such a good rtionship.¡±


    Knowing her daughter well, Mrs. Celinda was surprised when she heard Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s sigh, wondering when Shelley and Luzia had be so close.


    Mrs. Celinda smiled and said, ¡°Girls of simr age find it easier tomunicate. It¡¯s a good thing they get along.¡±


    Mrs. Yazmin asked her, ¡°Has Shelley¡¯s wedding date been set?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been arranged with Festus¡¯s parents.¡± Speaking of Shelley¡¯s wedding, Mrs. Celinda¡¯s smile became real, ¡°It¡¯s set for next month.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Mrs. Yazmin said, ¡°Festus is a capable young man, and he and Shelley are well-matched.¡±


    Most importantly, Festus is said to be very fond of Shelley. This is quite rare in the experience of mafia alliances. Mrs. Yazmin herself had been through two marriages, having a lover in her youth whom she was forced to leave due to her father¡¯s opposition, and being forced to marry her first husband through a family alliance.


    She and her first husband had a child together, but theycked any real affection for each other. Even after her husband and child both passed away, they still hadn¡¯t developed any feelings for each other.


    Having been immersed in a cold marriage for so long, she couldn¡¯t help but feel despair about her future. Mrs. Yazmin knew that, as a widow who had lost her child, she still held value within the family, and she awaited the scythe of fate to swing her way once more.


    But incredibly, she met Dalon Hargrave, her second husband.


    Dalon Hargrave was a gentle and romantic man who immediately fell in love with Yazmin. Hesought her father¡¯s permission to marry her and gave her a fairytale-like marriage. Even after many years since Dalon¡¯s passing, Yazmin still cherished his memory and kept herself imprisoned in the mansion that Dalon had personally built for her.


    Mrs. Yazmin marveled at how simr Shelley¡¯s fate was to her own and felt deeply relieved that Shelley was luckier than she had been.


    After bidding farewell to Shelley and her mother, only Vivian and Luzia remained in the mansion, along with Mare, who was responsible for ensuring Vivian¡¯s safety.


    Mrs. Yazmin had prepared rooms for them. The rooms were located at the end of the corridor on the right side of the vi¡¯s second floor, with Luzia and Vivian sharing a room and Mare staying in the adjacent room.


    ¡°Goodnight, girls. Don¡¯t stay up toote,¡± knowing that Vivian and Luzia had things to discuss, Mrs. Yazmin, being very considerate, didn¡¯t linger, ¡°Wishing you sweet dreams.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Aunt,¡± Luzia hugged Yazmin, whispering, ¡°Wishing you sweet dreams too.¡±


    After a simple wash, Luzia quickly slipped under the covers.


    The weather was getting colder, and Luzia put on long-sleeved pajamas, which was just a casual choice, but Vivian deliberately took notice of her wrists.


    Sure enough, the long sleeves couldn¡¯t hide the bruises and swelling on her skin.


    Vivian lowered her head, afraid that Luzia would see her flushed eyes.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    But Vivian wasn¡¯t good at hiding her emotions, and after enduring Joseph¡¯s long-term violence, Luzia had be very sensitive. How could she not notice Vivian¡¯s momentary low spirits?


    Luzia sighed and shifted her body, tentatively moving closer to Vivian, gently embracing her and seekingfort in return.


    ¡°If I say ¡®I¡¯m fine,¡¯ would you believe me?¡±


    Vivian pursed her lips, ¡°If I say ¡®I believe you,¡¯ would you believe me?¡±


    Neither of them believed it in their hearts.


    ¡°In that case, there¡¯s no need to say it,¡± Luzia said.


    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s not say it,¡± Vivian sniffled, holding back her tears.


    They embraced each other, seeking warmth from each other¡¯s bodies.


    ¡°It feels like we¡¯ve been through a nightmare,¡± a long timeter, nestled in Vivian¡¯s embrace, Luzia sighed, still trembling, ¡°I don¡¯t know when the nightmare will end.¡±


    ¡°It wille to an end,¡± Vivian gently patted Luzia¡¯s back, ¡°I believe jos has already taken action.¡±


    Luzia hesitated for a moment. She instinctively felt that Vivian was too optimistic. Truth be told, she didn¡¯t trust jos.


    The men of the mafia were all about self-interest. She had been given to Joseph, losing her rights to marry freely, and now her only valuey in bearing a child for Joseph. But in jos¡¯s eyes, the value of a child, whether a boy or a girl, and whether it qualified as Joseph¡¯s heir, wasn¡¯t significant.


    Luzia didn¡¯t believe that jos would make any effort for her, now that she no longer had any utilitarian value.

 Chapter 124

    ¡°Let¡¯s forget these hair-pulling worries,¡± Luzia waved her hand, nonchntly saying, ¡°We should enjoy this rare free time.¡±


    Speaking of enjoyment, Luzia crawled out of Vivian¡¯s embrace, the nket slipping off her, revealing her cute bear-print pajamas. ¡°We should find something fun to do.¡±


    ¡°How about going to the movies?¡± Luzia eximed with excitement. ¡°There¡¯s a mini theater in the vi, I know where the snacks are, and I¡¯d like a c. What movie do you want to watch?¡±


    Luzia felt regret once again. ¡°If only we could go dancing, I haven¡¯t been to a bar in ages.¡±


    ¡°Shelley would be thrilled to hear you want to go dancing,¡± Vivian sighed, ¡°But I can¡¯t apany you right now.¡±


    ¡°I know, jos has restricted your movements.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian shook her head, denying Luzia¡¯s usation against jos.


    She lifted the nket, revealing her slightly swollen belly under loose pajamas. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    Luzia¡¯s eyes widened in shock, eximing, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Luzia couldn¡¯t believe her ears; she thought she must have misheard.


    Yes, she was sure she misheard.


    Of course, her certainty in mishearing was not because she hoped Vivian was infertile, but because she had overheard jos telling Auntie that he didn¡¯t want Vivian to get pregnant.


    The situation in Houston was too dire; jos could not ept his own weakness at this time, a fragile child was enough to drag jos down.


    But no matter how much Luzia refused to believe it, Vivian¡¯s swollen belly was telling her the absolute truth-she was pregnant, and jos was going to be a father.


    ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Unimaginable shock was followed by unimaginable delight. Tears welled in Luzia¡¯s eyes; she was happier than if she had been the one pregnant. ¡°I¡¯m going to be an aunt!¡±


    Vivian was infected with joy by Luzia, watching her happily waving her arms in the room,ughing gently. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re going to be an aunt, no doubt about it.¡±


    ¡°But you need to keep it quiet, don¡¯t let anyone find out; this is our secret,¡± Vivian said. ¡°Not many people know.¡±


    Luzia calmed down a bit, but only in that she lowered her voice. ¡°Does jos know?¡±


    As soon as this question came out, Luzia knew she had asked a foolish question; how could jos not know?


    Sure enough, Vivian nodded. ¡°He knows.¡±


    ¡°Simpson, Mare, Emmert, Doctor Yoshiye who did my check-up, Nirupama who helped me with measurements for clothes,¡± Vivian counted the people who knew she was pregnant. ¡°And now, you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and Nirupama wants to invite you for honey pancakes. If you¡¯re free, we can go have coffee with her,¡± Vivian didn¡¯t forget to extend an invitation from Nirupama.


    ¡°As long as Joseph is busy with his work, he can¡¯t control my time,¡± Luzia epted Nirupama¡¯s invitation. But now she was more interested in the fact that Vivian was pregnant.


    Luzia cautiously ced her hands on both sides of Vivian¡¯s swollen belly, feeling a bit excited and a bit scared, her hands trembling.


    ¡°You can feel him,¡± Vivian said. ¡°He moves asionally. But he prefers jos; he moves more when jos is around.¡±


    Gently touching the belly, the warm sensation conveyed nerves. Luzia didn¡¯t feel the baby¡¯s movements, but she still felt a sense of wonder. ¡°How far along is he?¡±


    ¡°25 weeks,¡± Vivian touched her belly.


    Luzia did the math herself. ¡°So, he still needs about 25 more weeks toe out, right? That¡¯s a long time. How long can you keep it a secret?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re trying to dy the time as much as possible,¡± Vivian felt uneasy too, but they had their reasons for doing so. ¡°You have to keep this secret for us, Luzia, absolutely do not let Joseph know.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Luzia asked. ¡°I know Joseph is aplete devil, but this is his nephew; he¡¯s going to be an uncle.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Vivian shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand him enough, Luzia. He doesn¡¯t understand family ties, to him, anyone who obstructs him is an enemy.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how this child came about?¡±


    The answer to this question was embarrassing, and Luzia didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    But Vivian wasn¡¯t embarrassed. She said, ¡°My father told jos that I was on birth control.¡±


    Luzia was puzzled for a moment, not understanding Vivian¡¯s meaning.


    Vivian was on birth control? Thenwhy did she get pregnant? Did she take fake birth control pills? No, perhaps Vivian never took birth control pills at all. Luzia felt like she had glimpsed a secret.


    ¡°He was lying?¡± Luzia saw Vivian nod, unable to believe it. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what jos and I want to figure out,¡± Vivian shook her head, ¡°You know, jos actually didn¡¯t want a child, right?¡±


    Luzia wasn¡¯t surprised that Vivian knew; since they knew Bryson was talking, they must havemunicated.


    ¡°Of course, jos wouldn¡¯t allow anything to make him vulnerable. That¡¯s also why he¡¯s afraid to love you. Love is a weakness, whether it¡¯s love for a wife or love for a child; it can easily kill a person.¡±


    Luzia sighed, burying herself back in the covers. ¡°Bratva is trying everything to get close to jos. If they can¡¯t kill him in the turmoil, they send spies, send assassins, targeting people around jos. A child is the best choice.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t see through my father,¡± Vivian said disheartened, ¡°I can guess that he gave up on me, but I can¡¯t determine the real reason for his actions. Kill jos, and then what, rece him?¡±


    ¡°Houston may be weak, but its army still maintains strongbat capability. If jos dies, there¡¯s still Simpson, there¡¯s their cousins, the Hargrave family will always have someone to take the Capo¡¯s position.¡±


    Luzia couldn¡¯t figure it out either; she was naturally optimistic and couldn¡¯t engage in too muchplicated thinking.


    ¡°All of this is what jos should consider. You shouldn¡¯t think about it,¡± Luzia said.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to have a child,¡± Vivian slid down andy shoulder to shoulder with Luzia under the covers, they looked up at the canopy together.


    ¡°I¡¯m also afraid of having a child,¡± Vivian quietly expressed her worries. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to protect him, that he¡¯ll be kidnapped, dismembered, and his fingers and toes will be ced in front of jos and me. I¡¯ll copse.¡±


    ¡°No, jos will protect his child,¡± Luzia leaned her head against Vivian¡¯s,forting her softly. ¡°You have to believe in him.¡±


    ¡°I hope jos is trustworthy,¡± Vivian turned off the bedsidemp, and the bedroom fell into darkness. She could feel Luzia¡¯s hand on her arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go to sleep, Auntie will take us apple picking tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather have cherries,¡± Luzia sighed, ¡°But Auntie doesn¡¯t grow cherries well, and she doesn¡¯t like having a gardener take care of the fruit trees for her.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Yazmin is a stubborn woman,¡± Vivian¡¯s voice gradually softened.


    ¡°You should call her Auntie, Vivian,¡± Luzia corrected Vivian¡¯s address.


    Vivian¡¯s answer was the gradually calming and lengthening breaths.


    Vivian fell asleep.


    Luzia closed her eyes for a moment and curiously touched her belly.


    It seemed that this child still favored jos; she didn¡¯t have the luck to feel the baby¡¯s movements.


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± Luzia said.

 Chapter 125

    Luzia didn¡¯t often have nightmares, but after marrying Joseph, her nightmares were always about him.


    In her dreams, Luzia often cried and screamed, only to wake up and endure Joseph¡¯s increasingly brutal treatment.


    It was a nightmare that seemed to have no end, neither in reality nor in sleep, and Luzia felt powerless to unravel it.


    She nced sideways at Vivian, whoy quietly beside her, and saw Vivian smiling slightly in her sleep. It seemed like she was having a pleasant dream. Was it about the child?


    Luzia felt fortunate that her nightmare hadn¡¯t woken Vivian, and that she hadn¡¯t inadvertently kicked or disturbed her. But Luzia couldn¡¯t sleep anymore; she felt thirsty. So, she quietly lifted a corner of the nket and got out of bed.


    Her jacket, which she had taken off before sleeping, was draped over a chair by the bed. Luzia put it on, slipped into a new pair of cotton slippers, and quietly opened the bedroom door.


    The hallway lights had been deliberately dimmed, but Luzia quickly adjusted to the reduced brightness. She stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind her.


    The thick carpet in the hallway was the perfect sound muffler, so even though she didn¡¯t walk softly, Luzia didn¡¯t worry about waking the sleeping upants.


    There was water in the guest room, but Luzia still wanted to go for a walk. She told herself she just wanted some fresh air, to quietly move around the deserted mansion in the middle of the night, and to grab a can of c she had wanted to drink before bed but hadn¡¯t. With this excuse to leave her room, Luzia set off. She slowly made her way to the stairs on the other side of the hallway.


    One step, two steps.


    Three steps, four steps¡­


    Finally, she stopped at the door of the adjacent room, two rooms away from the stairs. But Luzia couldn¡¯t move any further.


    She told herself she should move her feet, not stop, and keep walking forward. But she still stopped.


    She knew who lived in this room; it was the person she longed for day and night, the person with whom she had once passionately entwined in bed, and now the person she wanted to see but dared not.


    Mare¡­


    Luzia cautiously moved her feet. Despite knowing that the carpet would help muffle all sound, she couldn¡¯t help holding her breath, taking careful steps, inching closer and closer until her forehead pressed against the cold door.


    She imagined pressing against Mare¡¯s strong chest, but the door was too hard and too cold. It made her eyes well up in distress, tears silently dropping onto the carpet in front of the door.


    Her long nails quietly scratched the door panel, imagining the living person standing in front of her.


    Do you miss me too?


    Do you dream of me?


    Do you dream of us kissing, making love?


    The door was too thick, and Luzia¡¯s voice was too soft to convey her questions or to elicit any response from Mare.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Luzia dragged her heavy feet downstairs, rubbing her tired eyes, and made her way into the kitchen.


    She had been to Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate many times. Aunt Yazmin, worried about her after Paavo¡¯s death, had specially brought her to the estate for a while. The fridge in the kitchen had been filled with her favorite fried foods.


    Sure enough, Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s affection for her was unmatched. Fried chicken, chicken wings, c, and beer were neatly arranged in their familiar spots.


    Luzia opened the overhead cab; there were also chips and biscuits.


    She tore open a bag of chips and took out a can of ice-cold c from the fridge. Bncing the fried chicken and wings, she used her shoulder to close the fridge door.


    Her steps made a ¡°shh-shh¡± sound as she walked, her cotton slippers rubbing against the floor. She walked through the ss door outside the kitchen, entering the darkness outside the mansion, apanied by the cool breeze and the cold moon.


    In the corner, there was a round table and three chairs. This used to be the ce where Mrs. Yazmin and Luzia enjoyed their afternoon tea together. Now, there was someone sitting there, like a shadow lurking in the dark for a long time.


    As soon as Luzia appeared, the figure suddenly stood up, startling her. ¡°Ah!¡± she eximed, and her hands, already filled with items, lost bnce, and the chips spilled onto the floor.


    If the person hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, reaching out to grab her arm, the te of chicken and wings would have fallen too.


    Luzia stared nkly at the person in front of her. Even in the darkness, she recognized those eyes-she had often secretly pictured them in the dark.


    ¡°Mare,¡± Luzia opened her mouth, and the name thaty buried deep in her heart slipped out, but she couldn¡¯t hear her ownvoice, nor could she hear his. Her mind was nk.


    Mare didn¡¯t have a cold appearance. When he stood expressionless in front of people, the first thought that came to mind wasn¡¯t ¡°this person is so cold¡± or ¡°this person is so fierce,¡± but rather, ¡°why doesn¡¯t he smile?¡±


    Luzia had often tried to address this question through action, but she usually received silence from Mare in response. However, Luzia didn¡¯t mind; in fact, she found some amusement in it.


    She often teased Mare withments like ¡°Why don¡¯t you smile¡± or ¡°Give me a smile.¡± Later, these turned into ¡°You look so gentle when you smile¡± or ¡°I love your smile.¡±


    Gradually, Mare started to smile, but only for Luzia.


    Luzia often thought that she might have been wrong; she shouldn¡¯t have teased Mare. But the mistake had been made, and she couldn¡¯t undo it.


    She could only ept the reality and indulge herself in falling into Mare¡¯s arms.


    Mare took the fried chicken from her hands and ced them carefully on the small round table. He then turned back to face Luzia, his eyes softened, a familiar gentle smile appearing on his lips.


    His fingertips carried a familiar warmth as they lightly touched her lips, and his softly spoken words were like a gentle sigh. ¡°Is it okay?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask,¡± Luzia replied to his question with a gentle kiss, rising on her tiptoes.


    Mare¡¯s breath became erratic; he held her face as if cradling a treasure, his lips moving, his agile tongue parting her teeth, deepening the kiss.


    In the dark of the night, they kissed, just as they always had, with caution and fervor.


    Luzia was more passionate than Mare; one of her hands still held the cold c can, which made a faint sound in her palm, while the other hand, following his warmth, moved towards Mare¡¯s waist.


    Mare suddenly felt a chill at his waist, and the next moment, her touch made him flinch.


    The chill brought Mare back to his senses. He hastily ended the lingering, passionate kiss. He lowered his head, resting his forehead against Luzia¡¯s, eyes fixed on her, breathing heavily. ¡°You¡­¡±

 Chapter 126

    Luzia yfully blinked in his gaze andined with a pout, ¡°My hands are cold.¡±


    ¡°Would you warm them for me?¡±


    Mare¡¯s breath halted, his heart pounding loudly. He restrained his intense desire. Reason told him that kissing was already too much; he couldn¡¯t let Luzia be in a more embarrassing situation.


    However, Luzia¡¯s teasing didn¡¯t stop. She was no longer satisfied with the slight warmth of Mare¡¯s waist and abdomen. Her fingertips slid down his strong abdominal muscles, and the metal buckle on the belt made a ¡°click¡± in the darkness.


    Mare tried to control his breathing, but when her soft, cool hand enveloped his warmth, Mare couldn¡¯t control his breath anymore.


    ¡°Luzia,¡± Mare grabbed her hand through his pajamas, his voice hoarse, ¡°don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. My love belongs only to you.¡± Luzia kissed near his lips, ¡°Caress me, Mare, please love me.¡±


    Her voice was undeniably tempting to Mare. ¡°Be gentle,¡± he said.


    Luzia ignited a fire within Mare. The zing mes of desire engulfed his rationality, and he staggered forward, causing Luzia¡¯s back to press against the cold ss door.


    Luzia shivered as she came into contact with the cold ss. Not giving Mare a chance to feel remorse, she kissed his lips.


    The next moment, their bodies lifted, and their eye contactpletely reversed. Luzia bowed her head, her fingers entwined in Mare¡¯s thick hair, her exposed, snow-white skin receiving the adoration of a devout worshipper.


    ¡°Mare¡­¡± Tingling pleasure spread from the point where their skins touched. Luzia¡¯s body trembled, her slender neck arched gracefully, and unbearable moans escaped from her lips, affirming and encouraging Mare.


    Mare kissed Luzia devoutly, his kisses light and slow, gliding like feathers across her neck, corbone, and finallynding on her waist and abdomen, whererge, bruised marks were revealed. His trembling lips left only tenderness.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Mare¡¯s deep eyes were already soaked in desire, but upon seeing the bruises on Luzia¡¯s body, desire was reced by tenderness and resentment.


    His eyes red, even touching her fingertips made him tremble.


    These bruises, some even showing signs of oozing blood in severe areas, were not from intense lovemaking; this was abuse!


    Joseph, that brute! The devil!


    ¡°Mare, don¡¯t look at my injuries.¡± Luzia touched Mare¡¯s face, tracing his deep features with her fingers, ¡°Look at me, caress me, love me.¡±


    Controlled by Mare, her hips couldn¡¯t help but twist. Luzia¡¯s body pressed closer to his, teasing, tempting, shamelessly seducing him, tempting him tomit a crime. ¡°Love me.¡±


    In matters of intimacy, Luzia was always passionate and bold. Her courage and initiative were undoubtedly the best encouragement. Mare finally stopped hesitating, obeying the call of desire, freeing himself from the constraints of fabric in the darkness, seeking a more desirable entrance.


    The sticky sound of water echoed in their ears. Luzia gasped uncontrobly, her hazel eyes already clouded with mist, unconsciously tightening her grip on Mare¡¯s hair, emitting indistinct moans.


    ¡°Mare¡­ Mare¡­¡± She called out his name, as Mare¡¯s movements gradually advanced. Luzia widened her eyes between his actions, a glistening teardrop sliding from the corner of her eye.


    ¡°It¡¯s too much¡­¡± Luzia sighed, teasingly, amidst Mare¡¯s panting, ¡°Move, my love.¡±


    Mare couldn¡¯t resist her teasing. He firmly supported her body with his hands, forcefully and rapidly entering her.


    They had made love many times before. Just as Luzia knew how to quickly arouse Mare¡¯s desire, Mare also knew all of Luzia¡¯s sensitive points, knowing where to touch, and how much force to use to make Luzia feel the most extreme pleasure.


    Luzia was struck by Mare, panting tenderly. She tried hard to control her voice, but found it impossible. She could only follow her instincts, emitting sweet, breathy moans and groans in sync with Mare¡¯s thrusts.


    ¡°Ah! Not¡­ too fast!¡± Luzia delightedly screamed, then realizing her voice was too loud, quickly bit her lip to stifle any louder sounds, ¡°Slow down¡­ Mare, slow¡­¡±


    ¡°Luzia¡­ darling! You¡¯re amazing,¡± Mare breathed heavily, ¡°So tight¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah! Mare¡­¡± Luzia released Mare¡¯s hair, instead wrapping her hands around his neck, her legs climbing onto Mare¡¯s waist, bringing their bodies even closer together.


    When overwhelmed by passion, Luzia¡¯s nails would uncontrobly grip the fabric on Mare¡¯s back, her long nails grazing his skin through the fabric, not leaving deep marks, but still making Mare feel a subtletingling sensation.


    Mare held Luzia¡¯s hips firmly, vigorously thrusting into her, causing her body to continuously undte. Luzia was brought to tears, her mouth hanging open, emitting feeble, broken moans, saliva glistening at the corners of her mouth.


    ¡­


    After 25 weeks of pregnancy, Vivian was often troubled by leg cramps in the middle of the night, forcing her to wake up from deep slumber. At such times, if jos were sleeping beside her, he would wake up and help her massage her cramped legs.


    Tonight, the person sleeping beside her was Luzia. Vivian was worried about waking Luzia, but to her surprise, when she opened her eyes, Luzia was nowhere to be found.


    As her legs cramped, Vivian sprang out of bed like a dying rabbit, and, struggling, she stood by the bedside, trying to relieve the cramp by straightening her legs. This took some time.


    Then, with a hazy mind, she nced worriedly towards Luzia¡¯s side.


    Where was Luzia?


    Lady Yazmin¡¯s estate was at least secure, and Vivian was not worried that someone from the Bratva would suddenly break in and take Luzia. Her concern was Joseph.


    Had the nightclub¡¯s revelry ended early? Or had jos and the others failed to keep Joseph and allowed him to return to the estate before dawn, taking Luzia with him? What would he do to Luzia?


    At this thought, Vivian became a little more awake. A chill ran up her spine, giving her goosebumps all over.


    She wanted to call jos to inquire about Joseph¡¯s whereabouts, but ultimately, she didn¡¯t call.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    After the cramping had subsided, Vivian put on her coat and quietly left the room.


    The corridor was dimly lit, not dark enough to hinder her vision. Vivian felt her way to Mare¡¯s door and hesitated whether to wake him, so he could help her search for Luzia.


    But Vivian was afraid that Joseph had taken Luzia away. If Mare were to see Joseph doing something to Luzia, it would truly be a disastrous scene.


    After weighing the pros and cons, Vivian decided not to wake Mare. She tiptoed past Mare¡¯s room and cautiously checked the other two rooms.

 Chapter 127

    There was no one in the room.


    Joseph and Luzia were both not here.


    So where could they be?


    Vivian stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor. Up the stairs was the third floor, and down was the first floor.


    The third floor was Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s room. Joseph wouldn¡¯t have taken Luzia up there, so could they be on the first floor?


    Vivian held onto the handrail of the stairs, stepping lightly.


    Just as she cautiously stepped onto the floor of the first floor, Mare, facing the living room through the French doors, caught sight of her at once. He paused, cursing silently, and then with force, he turned around, holding Luzia tightly, and left the French doors, hiding in a corner.


    Mare¡¯s sudden movement startled Luzia. Friction from the parts where they were tightly connected caused both of them to involuntarily let out a moan. Mare reacted the fastest, raising his hand to cover Luzia¡¯s mouth. ¡°Shh, Vivian.¡±


    Mare nced into the living room, signaling to Luzia.


    Luzia widened her eyes, forgetting to even breathe.


    She signaled to Mare to release her, silently forming the shape of a mouth, ¡°She can¡¯t see.¡±


    Mare, of course, knew they couldn¡¯t let Vivian find them, but from this corner, turning would lead them into the surveince area. The only way to avoid surveince was through the French doors, behind which was Vivian.


    Both were dead ends; they couldn¡¯t escape.


    Vivian, who was in the living room searching for Joseph and Luzia, did not notice any movement from their side. She continued from the living room toward the banquet hall.


    It was still early in the morning, and the people staying at the mansion were all still sound asleep. The vi was extremely quiet, with only the sound of Vivian¡¯s footsteps audible.


    The dim lighting around was not enough to illuminate every corner of the vi. With every piece of furniture passed, Vivian¡¯s heart would beat a little faster. She was afraid that something might suddenly jump out from these dark shadows.


    ¡°Luzia?¡± Vivian¡¯s faint voice trembled. ¡°Are you here? Luzia?¡±


    There was a rustling sound from behind her, causing Vivian to startle, almost jumping.


    ¡°Luzia?¡± Her voice trembled even more, almost as if she was about to cry. ¡°Is that you?¡±


    Vivian tried to echo where the sound hade from just now. Was it from the kitchen?


    Vivian remembered that before going to bed, Luzia had said she wanted to drink c and watch a movie. Could she be in the kitchen?


    Vivian had been to Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate several times, but she was not as familiar with the estate as Luzia. She did not know where the home theater was, but she knew the kitchen.


    Vivian returned to the living room and made her way to the kitchen. ¡°Luzia?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m, I¡¯m here!¡± came Luzia¡¯s slightly panicked voice from the kitchen.


    Vivian did not notice, she was almost scared to death. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± Luzia, with traces still not wiped clean off her body, hastily put on her clothes, grabbed a piece of fried chicken from the small round table, and raised her hand to scrape against the French doors. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Luzia didn¡¯t dare linger in front of the French doors. She was worried that Vivian woulde over and spot Mare hiding in the shadow of the house.


    She entered the room, closing the French doors behind her. ¡°I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯m going to find something to eat downstairs.¡±


    Vivian looked at the full piece of fried chicken in her hand, it didn¡¯t look freshly fried. ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine after a quick heat in the microwave.¡± Luzia headed to the microwave. ¡°And another sip of c¡­¡±


    Luzia paused for a moment, realizing she didn¡¯t know where her c had gone.


    Luckily, Luzia reacted quickly, and before Vivian could get suspicious, she opened the fridge and took out a new can of c.


    She pulled the tab of the can, taking a big gulp in front of Vivian. The carbonated drink stimted her taste buds, satisfying her culinary exploration.


    Luzia sighed contentedly. ¡°Fried chicken with c is simply delicious.¡±


    Vivian chuckled, just as the microwave beeped, indicating their meal was ready.


    Vivian walked over, and as soon as she opened the microwave door, the fragrant smell of the fried chicken wafted out. Vivian¡¯s stomach grumbled.


    Vivian held her stomach, her face turning slightly red. She hadn¡¯t even noticed she was hungry.


    Luzia couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°It seems my little nephew or niece ishungry too.¡±


    ¡°It could also be a little niece,¡± Vivian said, trying to suppress the warmth rising in her face, as she put on heat-resistant gloves and took out the fried chicken.


    Luzia leaned against the fridge, using the action of drinking c to discreetly nce behind the French doors but couldn¡¯t see Mare anywhere.


    Until she was sure Mare had hidden well, Luzia breathed a sigh of relief, gathered her courage, and spoke to Vivian. ¡°Have you checked the baby¡¯s gender?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Yoshiye told us we could find out at 20 weeks, but I refused,¡± Vivian replied.


    ¡°Why?¡± Luzia tilted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know if it¡¯s a boy or a girl?¡±


    Vivian shook her head. ¡°A boy or a girl, they are both my children, and I will love them both.¡±


    ¡°And once I know the gender, I won¡¯t be able to help being afraid.¡±


    ¡°Afraid?¡±


    ¡°Yes, afraid.¡± Vivian carried the fried chicken and looked puzzled.


    As the child grew slowly in her womb, she had rarely felt confused, but asionally, when emotions arose, she couldn¡¯t help but fantasize about the child¡¯s future. Once the spection started, it inevitably involved the child¡¯s gender.


    Gender would determine the child¡¯s position in the Mafia. Boys and girls in the Mafia were destined to follow different paths from birth.


    Would they be soldiers for the Mafia, fighting to protect its honor?


    Or would they be pawns, sacrificing their freedom to maintain the Mafia¡¯s alliances?


    Neither scenario was what Vivian hoped for.


    Because she didn¡¯t want this, she wanted to change it.


    Because she couldn¡¯t change it, she felt scared.


    ¡°Sometimes I wonder if keeping this child is the right thing to do,¡± Vivian ced the fried chicken on the kitchen ind, took off the heat-resistant gloves and set them aside. ¡°If it could choose, would it want to be my child? Would it willingly ept this fate?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s already here,¡± Luzia took Vivian¡¯s hand, wanting tofort her. But as soon as she spoke, she realized all thefort seemed too feeble in the face of helplessness. ¡°Whether it¡¯s willing or not, it¡¯s already your child.¡±


    ¡°But I can choose to keep it or terminate it.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Luzia shook her head. ¡°Our faith does not allow you to terminate it.¡±


    ¡°I will feel happy about the arrival of this child, but I will also feel sad about its existence. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m more happy or more sad.¡± Vivian opened a drawer, looking for disposable gloves. She opened two drawers in a row but didn¡¯t find any. ¡°Do you know where the gloves are?¡±


    Luzia walked to the back of the kitchen ind, and found the gloves under the cutlery cab. She handed them to Vivian. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the happiness a little more.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s already so much sadness; we need a bit more happiness to dilute the sadness, otherwise life would be too bitter,¡± Luzia said, watching as Vivian put on the gloves, seeming to n on getting rid of the fried chicken in the kitchen. Then, suddenly, her scalp tingled. ¡°Vivian!¡±

 Chapter 128

    Vivian was startled by Luzia, causing her to shake and drop the fried chicken back onto the te. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I suddenly feel like watching a movie; let¡¯s go upstairs to watch one.¡± Luzia knew her smile was awkward, but to coax Vivian upstairs, she had to persist with her awkward grin.


    Fortunately, the lighting was dim enough that Vivian didn¡¯t notice her difort. ¡°To the media room?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the room.¡± Luzia needed to go back to take another shower. ¡°There¡¯s a TV and inte in the room too.¡±


    Vivian had no objections and went upstairs first with the fried chicken.


    Luzia returned to get some c and beer, and she sneakily nced behind the ss door. Mare took a step forward, entering the cold moonlight, and locked eyes with Luzia through the ss door.


    Luzia briefly smiled at him and, urged by Vivian, quickly took the c and beer and went upstairs.


    Vivian found the remote on the bedside table, turned on the TV, and asked Luzia, who came in with c and beer, what movie she wanted to watch.


    ¡°We can watch some of James¡¯ 70s movies you like so much, right?¡± Luzia handed Vivian the c, ced the beer on the bedside table, and turned to open the closet.


    Vivian was pleased with Luzia¡¯s choice. As she operated the TV to select the movie she wanted to watch, she looked at Luzia¡¯s back in confusion. ¡°Are you going to shower? Didn¡¯t you already do that before bed?¡±


    Luzia¡¯s back stiffened as she entered the bathroom. She chuckled a couple of times, masking her guilt under her smile. ¡°I felt a bit cold after a breeze earlier. I¡¯ll go take a hot shower.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s memory shed back to the kitchen; it seemed like Luzia hade in from the yard. Vivian nodded, showing her understanding. ¡°I¡¯ll pause for a while and wait for you.¡±


    Vivian meant pausing the movie.


    Luzia wasn¡¯t too focused on the movie. She closed the bathroom door behind her and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You go ahead and watch.¡±


    After taking off her dirty clothes, she turned on the shower, and thefortably warm water poured down on Luzia¡¯s back. The water flowed down her slender and graceful back, gathering at her feet, mixing with the white viscous mist between her legs, and was then washed away into the drain by the water flow.


    Luzia propped herself against the wall with one hand, barely supporting her weakened legs, and breathed heavily. The warm water hit her body, stimting the abused scars with a tingling sensation.


    Luzia maintained her posture with one hand against the wall and turned her head to see the mirror above the washbasin, where seven or eight long and narrow scars crisscrossed her beautifully shaped naked back. Some of the scars had settled in color, nearly healed, while others were still fresh and swollen. Under her self-inflicted rinse, the edges had started to turn white.


    All these scars were from Joseph¡¯s beltshes.


    Luzia suspected Joseph was a natural abuser, perhaps suffering from some emotional disorder. Whether in rage or passion, Joseph always exhibited suffocating violence. The furniture in their new apartment was repeatedly reced, and Joseph¡¯s familiar belt repeatedly broke. Several times, Luzia feared she would die in bed.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    But what made Luzia feel happy was, despite her body bing so ugly, Mare¡¯s gaze towards her had not changed much, except for a little more pity and a little deeper love.


    Luzia hugged herself, imagining that the person embracing her at that moment was Mare, and she gained the courage to continue fighting the darkness.


    She didn¡¯t know if there would be a day when she would step out of the darkness and return to Mare, but at the thought of Mare, thoughts of death couldn¡¯t catch up with her escape.


    She wanted to live, to live until the day she stepped out of the darkness and returned to Mare.


    ¡­


    By the time Luzia finished her shower and came out of the bathroom, it had been 40 minutes. The movie had passed the halfway point and reached the moment of the male and female lead¡¯s joyful reunion. The handsome male lead kissed the female lead in a fiercely racing off-road vehicle, then turned back and shot the opponent¡¯s tire, breaking through the blockade and winning a thrilling victory.


    With a flushed face from the hot water, Luzia sat next to Vivian. Vivian nced at her, didn¡¯t say anything, and soon focused her gaze back on the movie.


    Luzia¡¯s tense shoulders rxed, her body slumped, and she let out a sigh, releasing her pent-up tension.


    Luzia couldn¡¯t help but specte whether Vivian knew what had happened between her and Mare, butshe was grateful that Vivian didn¡¯t ask anything.


    As soon as a person rxes, their nerves loosen, making them susceptible to drowsiness. One moment of drowsiness leads to falling asleep, and the next time they open their eyes, it¡¯s already morning.


    The curtains were pulled open with a ¡°whoosh,¡± and the brilliant sunlight poured in from the balcony, bathing the room in warmth.


    The sunlight dazzled Luzia¡¯s eyes, and she huddled under the covers, finally turning over and facing away from the balcony.


    Vivian watched her bedridden behavior all the while, unable to hold back a chuckle. She stepped forward and, tapping Luzia¡¯s buttocks over the covers, she said, ¡°Get up quickly, Yazmin is already waiting for us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Aunt Yazmin,¡± Luzia replied, feeling drowsy, but not forgetting to correct her address. ¡°What time is it?¡±


    All the guest rooms in the vi had clocks, including their room.


    Vivian checked the time and said, ¡°It¡¯s eight fifty.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luzia wailed. ¡°You¡¯ve really changed, Vivian. Weren¡¯t you the type who wouldn¡¯t get up until ten?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve turned over a new leaf, haven¡¯t I,¡± Vivian said. Last night, she had told Luzia about her coboration with Shelley and her current lessons in marksmanship under Emmert.


    At first, Luzia was confused when she heard about it. To be honest, she didn¡¯t think much of Vivian¡¯s coboration with Shelley because it sounded unreliable. As for Emmert teaching Vivian marksmanship, she thought he was just obeying jos¡¯s orders and ying around with Vivian. But now, she couldn¡¯t help but think Vivian was serious. And if Vivian was serious, then jos and Emmert were serious too.


    Luzia was shocked. ¡°Are you really learning marksmanship?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m quite serious,¡± Vivian said, indicating she wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°I even have a gun.¡±


    ¡°Goodness!¡± Luzia couldn¡¯t fathom it. ¡°What made you undergo such a big change?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve been through,¡± Vivian said, sitting down and briefly recounting her psychological journey after bing pregnant and the attack she experienced at the spa.


    It had been a long time since these events had passed, and no amount of detail could change anything. Vivian didn¡¯t want to worry Luzia, so she skipped over the part about killing someone and focused on the fake ¡°Emilija¡± and the lurking danger, cautioning Luzia to be careful around strangers and learn from her experience.


    However, Luzia¡¯s focus was clearly different from Vivian¡¯s.


    ¡°Is Mare injured?¡±

 Chapter 129

    Vivian fell silent for a moment. Confronted with Vivian¡¯s silence, Luzia also realized what secret she had blurted out. She bit her lip and lowered her head. She didn¡¯t dare to look into Vivian¡¯s eyes, afraid of seeing disdain or disappointment in them.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Luzia struggled to speak, eager to exin or say something to cover up her unusual concern for Mare. But perhaps because of her urgency, the more she wanted to say something, the more her mind went nk. Being speechless was her current predicament.


    Vivian sat silently on the edge of the bed opposite Luzia for a while. She had a slight headache and more so a sense of helplessness. She rubbed her forehead, sighed, and said, ¡°You¡­¡±


    Just as she started to speak, she faltered. Vivian ran her hand through her hair, reorganized her thoughts, and said, ¡°The situation was chaotic at the time, and I wasn¡¯t in a good condition. I¡¯m not sure about the specifics of Mare¡¯s injuries.¡±


    Vivian recalled and said, ¡°jos told me that Mare was shot in the shoulder and had two broken ribs. He underwent surgery the night he was taken to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the information they told me, but there¡¯s probably more than that. His injuries might be more severe than what I know.¡± This spection had existed for a while.


    Even though Mare was staying in the room next to hers, they wouldn¡¯t let her confirm Mare¡¯s condition. Why, other than the severity of his injuries, could Vivian not think of any other reason?


    Upon hearing this, Luzia couldn¡¯t care less about being discovered by Vivian. She burst into tears, covering her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know anything. He suffered so many injuries, and he didn¡¯t tell me anything. Last night, he was in pain for the injuries he suffered for me. But he kept his own injuries tightly hidden, not revealing a single bit to me. Even if it was just to seek a bit of sympathy from me, he didn¡¯t.¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t try to stop her from crying. She quietly sat on the edge of the bed, apanying Luzia as she released her pent-up emotions. When Luzia had cried enough, Vivian went into the bathroom and wrung out a cold towel, handing it to Luzia.


    ¡°Wipe away your tears,¡± Vivian said. ¡°And also apply it to your eyes, crying for too long will make them swell.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Luzia responded sullenly, pressing the cold, damp towel against her burning eyes.


    The stinging sensation in her eyes was relieved. Luzia buried her face in the towel, taking in a deep breath of the damp air.


    Finally, as if she had made a decision, she gathered the courage to face Vivian. ¡°If you have any questions, ask them.¡±


    Vivian looked at her in surprise, blinking repeatedly, unable to shake off the doubts in her eyes. ¡°What do I need to ask?¡±


    ¡°Such as¡­¡± Luzia nervously gripped the towel, her knuckles turning white from the pressure. ¡°Such as asking about me and Mare¡­¡±


    Vivian looked at her calmly.


    Although Luzia was timid, she also stared at Vivian, watching her closely, afraid of missing even the slightest change in her expression.


    But there was none. Vivian¡¯s expression remained consistently calm, her gaze serene and gentle, exuding tolerance.


    Luzia suddenly realized something and her eyes reddened. ¡°You¡­¡±


    Her throat tightened, and she almost couldn¡¯t speak. Luzia hastened to cough a bit before finding her voice, though it was still quite hoarse. ¡°You know, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Vivian¡¯s expression remained calm, except for a sigh. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t know. But you won¡¯t lie, Luzia.¡±


    Luzia pressed her lips together.


    She heard Vivian ask, ¡°Last night, the one you were with was Mare, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Thinking about what she and Mare had donest night, Luzia¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She didn¡¯t need to answer; Vivian already knew the answer. Since seeing Luzia yesterday, Vivian had sighed countless times. ¡°You two are quite daring.¡±


    It was as if Vivian knew that she and Mare had made love outdoorsst night. Luzia blushed even more. ¡°Vivian, would you, would you mind?¡±


    Luzia was a bit hesitant. ¡°Would you mind me¡­ being with Mare¡­¡±


    ¡°Saying that I don¡¯t mind would be a lie. You are my friend, and Mare is my friend too.¡± Vivian¡¯s expression kept changing, overall, it could be described as awkward. ¡°I may return to Los Angeles, but I still have to face Mare. I¡¯m not sure how to deal with him.¡±


    Despite her dislike for Joseph, he was still her brother. Luzia felt sorry, she had put Vivian in a difficult position. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to apologize,¡± Vivian understood Luzia. ¡°If it were me, I would choose to love Mare, not Joseph.¡±


    ¡°I was originally going to pretend not to know, but as I said, you don¡¯t lie,¡± Vivian cautioned Luzia to be careful and to learn to lie. ¡°This cannot continue; you will be discovered, and you will be killed. Joseph is a violently loyal follower, he is a sociopath, and violence and bloodshed have long reced the goodness in his humanity. He won¡¯t forgive traitors.¡±


    ¡°No one forgives traitors,¡± Luzia swallowed hard, speaking with difficulty. ¡°But no one is willing to follow a demon, and I have never been his loyal follower.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t reveal your secret to anyone, neither to my husband jos nor to my brother Vilem. But you need to hide your secret well; you have to learn to lie,¡± Vivian warned Luzia to be cautious. If a fourth person found out, both Luzia and Mare would die, and it would be a gruesome death.


    Luzia imagined the horrific scenes and her face turned pale, as if she had taken Vivian¡¯s advice to heart.


    Vivian breathed a sigh of relief, giving her some time topose herself. ¡°You should go and freshen up first.¡±


    Vivian left the room, closing the door behind her. At that moment, there was a ¡°click¡± from the next room. Mare turned the doorknob and walked out of his room.


    In truth, Vivian also had not fullyposed her own feelings. Mare¡¯s sudden appearance always made her unable to help but wonder what he and Luzia had been doing behind the ss doorst night.


    Both of them stood awkwardly in the corridor.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Vivian tried to break the awkwardness. ¡°Today we are going to Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s apple orchard to pick apples. Would you like toe with us?¡±


    Mare blinked. He might not have known Vivian¡¯s difort, only that the atmosphere was strange. He remained as expressionless as before. ¡°Of course. I need to protect you.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go downstairs for breakfast first,¡± Vivian said, heading towards the stairs.


    ording to their usual habit, Mare would agree with her and silently follow her downstairs for breakfast. But today, he briefly paused, and when he resumed walking, his steps were noticeably slower, as if waiting for something.


    Yet, even as they descended the stairs, the doors to Vivian¡¯s and Luzia¡¯s rooms remained tightly shut.


    ¡°Has Luzia not gotten up yet?¡± Mare mentioned casually, as if by chance.

 Chapter 130

    Vivian paused and said, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t she have breakfast downstairs?¡±


    Because she knew she hadn¡¯t gotten up yet.


    Was it the poor soundproofing in the vi that allowed him to easily pick up on all the noises from the adjacent room, or had he always been keeping an eye on Luzia¡¯s movements?


    Vivian knew the answer.


    Vivian¡¯s headache worsened.


    She couldn¡¯t imagine how, when the three of them lived in jos¡¯s apartment before, Mare and Luzia managed to avoidmunicating with her and not let her catch a clue.


    She almost wanted to travel back and mock the former foolish Vivian.


    She was going crazy!


    Mare responded to Vivian¡¯s question with silence, and Vivian didn¡¯t expect much from his response either.


    The chef prepared oatmeal, sandwiches, bacon, and sausages for breakfast, and Mrs. Yazmin also made Luzia¡¯s favorite egg pancakes.


    The dining table was set up behind the ss door in the kitchen, with Mrs. Yazmin sitting in a chair next to the small round table, having finished her breakfast and now sipping on coffee.


    ¡°Good morning, Vivian,¡± Mrs. Yazmin greeted her, ¡°Did you sleep wellst night?¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Yazmin,¡± Vivian sat across from Mrs. Yazmin with her breakfast, ¡°The bed and pillows in the guest room are veryfortable, and I really like the perfume on the bedside table.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great that you like it,¡± Mrs. Yazmin winked at Vivian, ¡°I specifically asked jos about your favorite perfume brand, and he was very urate.¡±


    Mrs. Yazmin was pleased to see that jos understood Vivian so well, indicating that they got along well in their daily lives, and jos was earnestly learning how to be a qualified husband.


    Of course, Mrs. Yazmin was also concerned about Simpson.


    Mrs. Yazmin held her face in worry andined to Vivian about Simpson¡¯s non-cooperation, ¡°Giulia is such a lovely girl, and he doesn¡¯t even want to meet her. He even dared to fight with Floren yesterday. Now Giulia will think that Simpson is a rude gentleman.¡±


    Thinking about why Simpson had fought with Floren yesterday, Vivian felt somewhat guilty, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Yazmin.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, Vivian,¡± Mrs. Yazminforted her, ¡°I¡¯m not ming you. In fact, it¡¯s Floren¡¯s fault. Simpson did nothing wrong in fighting Floren; it was just a coincidence.¡±


    Mrs. Yazmin defended her, saying, ¡°You are jos¡¯s wife, our Capo¡¯sdy. No one can underestimate or insult you. This is an offense to the entire Houston. Floren must be punished.¡±


    ¡°Today, Floren¡¯s mother, Mrs. Fe, wille to apologize to you.¡±


    ¡°Floren has already been punished.¡±


    ¡°Yes, jos gave him a shot. But Mrs. Fe muste personally to apologize to you. Only by obtaining your forgiveness can jos get along with Floren peacefully. Otherwise, Floren will be exiled.¡±


    Mrs. Yazmin brought up this matter on purpose, and Vivian didn¡¯t know if Mrs. Yazmin hoped she would forgive Floren¡¯s rudeness.


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Vivian asked Mrs. Yazmin.


    Mrs. Yazmin looked at Vivian in surprise, ¡°My dear, why would you think that? Did I give you the wrong impression?¡±


    Mrs. Yazmin smiled gently and said, ¡°Don¡¯t take my words too seriously, Vivian. I just want to remind you that you need to free up your afternoon for tea to entertain Mrs. Fe. I informed Mrs. Fe in advance that she would apologize to you, so you need to think in advance whether to ept or reject her apology. I absolutely did not mean to influence your decision.¡±


    Realizing that she had misunderstood Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s intentions, Vivian blushed and replied softly, ¡°I understand, thank you.¡±


    Mrs. Yazmin smiled, and they did not continue discussing the topic, instead chatting about today¡¯s schedule, first going to pick apples and thening back to make apple pie. Vivian thought thetter was more worth looking forward to.


    ¡­


    Luzia didn¡¯t keep them waiting for too long. She had tidied up her emotions very well, at least Vivian didn¡¯t see her swollen eyes from crying.


    But when facing both Vivian and Mare at the same time, Luzia couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit awkward, especially when facing Vivian, she always had a sense of guilt for betraying Vivian.


    Luckily, this feeling was short-lived and was not noticed by Mrs. Yazmin.


    The egg pancakes made by Mrs. Yazmin herself were delicious, and Luzia ate them satisfactorily.


    After breakfast, it was already nine-thirty in the morning, and Luzia took the basket prepared by the vi¡¯s servant and led the way.


    ¡°The cherry orchard is next to the apple orchard,¡± Luzia was still thinking about her cherries, ¡°Have the cherries borne fruit this year?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they have borne a lot of fruit.¡± This year, the cherry yield was very high, and Mrs. Yazmin was very satisfied with her achievement, ¡°Later, you can take Vivian to pick cherries and eat them.¡±


    Luzia expressed her delight and took Vivian to the front.


    When they were out of earshot of Mrs. Yazmin, Luzia whispered to Vivian, ¡°I heard that Simpson is going on a blind date with Giulia.¡±


    Vivian had always wanted to ask, ¡°Who is Giulia?¡±


    ¡°Giulia Guardi,¡± Luzia said, ¡°Guardi is a famous noble family in Venice, and Giulia is the youngest daughter of the current head of the Guardi family.¡±


    ¡°jos and Simpson¡¯s mother, as well as their aunt, their mother is the daughter of Romano, the head of the Rome Mafia, who, when Romano had no sons, was inherited by her son-inw, Mr. Lopez, their father.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lopez also had no sons, but he had two outstanding grandsons, so he always hoped that Simpson would go to Rome and be his heir.¡±


    ¡°But Simpson didn¡¯t go,¡± Vivian said.


    ¡°Yes, Simpson chose to stay in Houston to help jos,¡± Luzia said, ¡°But we all know that Romano has no sons, and Simpson is destined to be his heir; it¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Aunt wants Simpson to marry Giulia for this reason as well; Giulia¡¯s family will be a support for Simpson, helping him to gain Rome.¡±


    ¡°Is Simpson willing?¡± In Vivian¡¯s impression, Simpson was a libertine and a romantic, free-spirited and unrestrained like the wind.


    ¡°He probably is not willing,¡± Luzia shrugged, ¡°But who cares.¡±


    This statement was cruel, but it was the truth.


    Because of this statement, Vivian and Luzia fell silent at the same time. Perhaps they both thought about their own helpless fate at the same time, realizing that they actually had no right to sympathize with others.


    The apple orchard wasrge, with abundant fruits, and Vivian was immediately dazzled.


    Luzia was clearly much more skilled than Vivian in apple picking, always finding the biggest and reddest ones. Moreover, Luzia was good at climbingdders; she could climb high and pick any apple she fancied.


    ¡°Will Simpson marry Giulia?¡± Vivian looked up at Luzia, who was up in the tree picking apples.


    Luzia was very daring; she dared to step on the thin branches without much support to pick the red apple at the edge. The soft branches couldn¡¯t support the weight of an adult, and they shook violently. Vivian watched nervously and quickly asked Mare to stand under the tree, ready to catch Luzia at any moment if she fell.


    ¡°There¡¯s no better choice than Giulia,¡± Luzia picked the apple and proudly threw it to Mare below.


    With one hand grabbing the branch and the other reaching out to grab the sturdy trunk, Luzia struggled to maintain her bnce on the swaying branch, even in such a precarious situation, she didn¡¯t forget to talk to Vivian, ¡°Unless Romano gives up on Simpson, Simpson is destined to be the Capo of Rome, and Giulia will also be his wife.¡±

 Chapter 131

    ¡°I can¡¯t get down,¡± Luzia finally realized she couldn¡¯t get out of the danger, waving her hands with branches, seeking help like a person under the tree.


    Vivian nced at Mare, unsure whether to be embarrassed or to sigh first, but in the end, she turned her back, keeping an eye out for any signs of peopleing in and out of the apple orchard.


    Luzia shot Vivian a grateful look and mischievously winked at Mare. Squatting on the branch, she spread her arms, gesturing for a hug.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    With great restraint, Mare reached out and pulled Luzia down from the apple tree.


    At the moment Luzia¡¯s feet touched the ground, Mare, though reluctant, quickly let go of Luzia¡¯s hand, stepping back and keeping a certain distance from her.


    Luzia, displeased, took a step towards him, but quickly realized and redirected her steps toward Vivian.


    No one else entered the apple orchard, and their secret remained undiscovered. Vivian, nervous, felt her heart pounding and her palms slightly sweaty.


    ¡°Are we going back?¡± Vivian held the heavy basket. ¡°We should have enough apples.¡±


    ¡°I want to pick some cherries.¡± The cherry orchard was right nearby, conveniently on the way from the apple orchard.


    So, Luzia took Vivian to the cherry orchard, while Mare took the apples back, handing them over to the maid at the vi for processing, making it convenient to make apple pie in the afternoon.


    New guests arrived at the manor.


    Giulia flew from Italy to Houston with her brother to celebrate Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s birthday. She knew her father was working with Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s father, Romano, with the intention of having her marry Romano¡¯s grandson, Simpson.


    Giulia had known Simpson since she was little, as he had lived in Italy for a long time.


    Romano had intended to groom him as the heir of Rome. However, after Simpson¡¯s mother passed away, Houston fell into turmoil, and Simpson, in order to help his brother jos, voluntarily gave up his status as an heir.


    After returning to Houston, Giulia hadn¡¯t seen Simpson for over four years.


    ¡°I have been looking forward to meeting you, as I heard your brother would bring you here,¡± Mrs. Yazmin personally made tea and ced it on the table in front of Giulia. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry about yesterday. The children at home are not sensible and caused a little conflict. It didn¡¯t frighten you, did it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Giulia said.


    ¡°You saw Simpson yesterday, didn¡¯t you?¡± Mrs. Yazmin asked.


    Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s directness surprised Giulia, sessfully diverting her thoughts to Simpson.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Giulia replied softly.


    She lowered her head and drank her tea. Mrs. Yazmin failed to see her expression and thought she had been frightened by Simpson¡¯s rudeness.


    In her mind, Mrs. Yazmin med Simpson for being unreliable and exined on his behalf, ¡°Yesterday¡¯s incident can¡¯t all be med on Simpson. Floren was the first to be disrespectful, and Simpson fought on behalf of his sister-inw.¡±


    ¡°You know Simpson too. He is a true gentleman, always very friendly to girls.¡±


    ¡°Simpson¡¯s sister-inw?¡±


    ¡°Yes, her name is Vivian, jos¡¯s wife,¡± Mrs. Yazmin said. ¡°She is now in the apple orchard picking apples with Luzia. In the afternoon, we n to make apple pie. ¡°Mrs. Yazmin then invited Giulia to make apple pie together.


    Giulia didn¡¯t refuse, which made Mrs. Yazmin very happy. She called Simpson and asked him toe to the manor in the afternoon.


    Simpson felt very distressed on the phone, but he couldn¡¯t refuse his aunt¡¯s request.


    jos watched on the side, ¡°Aunt is anxious for your marriage.¡±


    Simpson hung up the phone, feeling powerless. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to get married.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± jos asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t the marriage partner chosen by your aunt good?¡±


    ¡°No, I admit Giulia is a lovely girl,¡± Simpson said, spreading his hands, ¡°but I don¡¯t want to get married. I don¡¯tck women, but marriage would make me loyal to only one woman, robbing me of the freedom to choose.¡±


    ¡°Your wife can¡¯t stop you from having mistresses,¡± jos said. ¡°You can have many lovers.¡±


    ¡°Vivian also can¡¯t stop you from having mistresses. Why is she the only woman for you now?¡± Simpson countered.


    jos wasn¡¯t very pleased. ¡°Don¡¯tpare Vivian with others; she is different.¡±


    ¡°Yes, a wife bes a different presence from other women or mistresses; your heart will belong only to her.¡± Simpson stood up, looking down at jos sitting on the sofa from a higher position, his eyes filled withan inexplicable emotion, ¡°She drives you all crazy.¡±


    Inexplicably, jos thought of his father Kamden, who had gone mad after his mother¡¯s death, and suddenly didn¡¯t know how to argue with Simpson.


    ¡°Grandfather has been calling me,¡± jos¡¯s voice lowered, ¡°He wants me to persuade you to return to Italy, to Rome, and continue as his heir.¡±


    Simpson ran his hand through his hair, sounding irritated, ¡°Hasn¡¯t he found a new heir? It¡¯s been four years!¡±


    ¡°The new heir doesn¡¯t meet his expectations. He¡¯s a damn coward who betrayed his teammates in a shootout, lost the goods, and fled alone.¡± Betraying teammates and deserting the organization was a disgraceful act in any city, jos said with disgust, ¡°Grandfather executed him, and Romano once again lost their heir.¡±


    ¡°So, Giulia¡¯s fiance went from being a coward to me?¡± Simpson found it amusing.


    ¡°Giulia was not engaged to that coward. Guardi¡¯s head of the family is a shrewd middle-aged man; Giulia is his only daughter, he wouldn¡¯t easily hand her over.¡± jos conveyed the wishes of their grandfather in Italy, ¡°But if you are willing to return to Italy, be Romano¡¯s heir again, Guardi would be willing to hand his daughter to you, and the entire Guardi family would support you.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, Simpson? Would you consider it?¡± jos was not in a hurry to be honest.


    Simpson also didn¡¯t immediately fall into his brother¡¯s trap, saying, ¡°You tell me first.¡±


    ¡°If the conditions are indeed generous, I don¡¯t mind considering it.¡±


    ¡°Romano¡¯s elite forces and a one-fifth stake in the operation of the Port of Palermo.¡± jos said.


    ¡°Who owns the remaining four-fifths of the operation rights?¡±


    ¡°Two-fifths are in the hands of the Guardi family, and three-fifths are with our grandfather,¡± jos yed with his MPT-12, ¡°The one-fifth promised to me will be split from our grandfather¡¯s share.¡±


    As a result, the Guardi family and their grandfather would each have two-fifths of the control of the Port of Palermo, maintaining a delicate bnce, with the real decision-maker being jos, who would control the one-fifth stake.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel quite right,¡± Simpson suddenly said after silently listening to all this.

 Chapter 132

    ¡°This isn¡¯t right,¡± Simpson said, sping his hands in front of him. ¡°My grandfather is not foolish.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± jos replied, ¡°He¡¯s a sly fox.¡±


    ¡°The Guardi family agrees, as long as you be the heir, Giulia will be engaged to you, and the Guardi family will give Giulia one-fifth of the operating rights as a dowry, to be given to you.¡±


    This meant that the Guardi family would only have one-fifth of the operating rights left, while Simpson¡¯s grandfather still had two-fifths. Moreover, since Simpson was his heir, if necessary, Simpson¡¯s one-fifth of the operating rights must serve him, leaving the Guardi family with only one-third of the operating rights.


    ¡°You old fox!¡± Simpsonughed, cursing.


    jos did not argue, clearly agreeing.


    Simpson was particrly interested in why the Guardi family was willing to give up so much, just to marry Romano, ¡°What¡¯s the Guardi family¡¯s trick?¡±


    ¡°The Cbresi family has been vying with the Guardi family for territory, and they have set their sights on the operating rights of the Port of Palermo,¡± jos generously shared his intelligence with Simpson, ¡°The Guardi family has suffered several defeats. If they don¡¯t seek my grandfather¡¯s help, they probably won¡¯t even be able to keep the remaining one-fifth of the operating rights.¡±


    That exined a lot. It¡¯s no wonder his grandfather was tempted.


    ¡°The conditions are indeed generous, and I was also tempted when I heard them,¡± Simpson sighed.


    jos chuckled, opened his hands, and ced them on the back of the sofa, sitting in a veryfortable position. ¡°Are you considering it?¡±


    ¡°I will consider it,¡± Simpson said, preparing to leave. With his back to jos, he waved and said, ¡°But not now.¡±


    Right now they had more important things to do.


    As scheduled, Simpson arrived at Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate. Fresh apple pie had juste out of the oven, steaming hot and ced in front of him.


    Giulia was seated next to him, arranged by Mrs. Yazmin. ¡°This is apple pie made by Giulia herself. You are the first to taste it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very skilled,¡± Giulia said, somewhat embarrassed.


    Simpson graciously took a small piece. He actually didn¡¯t quite like sweets, but a gentleman wouldn¡¯t refuse the kindness ofdies. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    Simpson and jos were actually quite simr. They both had the same chestnut hair, light brown eyes, and handsome faces that were enough to make girls swoon. However,pared to jos¡¯s rough and wild style, Simpson¡¯s temperament was rtively gentle. His face often carried a hint of a smile, with a loving tenderness.


    Giulia couldn¡¯t meet such gentle eyes directly, her heartbeats would be irregr.


    She looked down, her cheeks starting to blush. ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡±


    Luzia was hiding in the kitchen, peeking at Vivian, who was making pancakes. ¡°Simpson is deceiving the young girl again; his words can be so charming.¡±


    Vivian took out fresh cream from the refrigerator and poured it into an oil-free and water-free ss bowl, ¡°Simpson often deceives you too. When he does, why don¡¯t you call him out for it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Luzia said, tasting a bit of the whipped cream on her finger, ¡°I won¡¯t be his lover.¡±


    ¡°Miss Giulia won¡¯t either,¡± Vivian said, spreading the cream on the pie crust, putting freshly cut mangoes on it, and carefully rolling it up. ¡°You said she¡¯s the woman who will be Simpson¡¯s wife.¡±


    ¡°Simpson is a man who will respect his wife.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Luzia muttered something under her breath; Vivian didn¡¯t hear clearly. She then handed the pancake to Luzia, and Luzia took a hesitant bite. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    Luzia took the chance to ce her order. ¡°I want a sugar cream pancake, and also an egg and ham pancake with some cheese.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Egg and ham pancake? Vivian looked at Luzia in confusion. ¡°I thought you liked sweet things?¡±


    Luzia pursed her lips, smiling at Vivian without saying a word.


    Vivian didn¡¯t understand, but she understood.


    For Mare.


    Vivian sighed to herself again.


    Eventually, Vivian made a pancake ording to Luzia¡¯s request, with added cheese. Unfortunately, this pancake was intercepted halfway by Simpson.


    ¡°Pancakes? Give me one too.¡±


    ¡°Simpson! This is mine!¡± Luzia wanted to grab it, but Simpson was faster and took a bite.


    Luzia was close to tears, and she stomped heavily on Simpson¡¯s foot.


    Simpson winced in pain, ¡°Aren¡¯t you fond of sweet pancakes?¡±


    ¡°I now prefer egg and ham ones. Is that not allowed?¡± Luzia stomped her foot in frustration.


    ¡°It is, it is,¡± Simpson said, wincing at his sore left foot. He handed her the pancake he had taken a bite of. ¡°Do you still want it?¡±


    Luzia was close to tears because of him.


    Giulia stood in the kitchen, watching this scene, feeling a bit bewildered.


    Vivian quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. ¡°I¡¯ll make another one for you, Luzia. Come and help.¡±


    ¡°Childish,¡± Vivian scolded Simpson, then turned to Giulia outside the kitchen and said with a smile, ¡°Would you like a pancake, Giulia? How about a hot chocte pancake?¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you,¡± Giulia smiled shyly, ¡°You can call me Giulia.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Giulia, please wait a moment.¡±


    Vivian returned to the kitchen, first making a hot chocte pancake for Giulia and then carrying it to the living room, not allowing Simpson to disturb the kitchen again.


    ¡°You should go on your date, Simpson,¡± Vivian warned him, ¡°or else I will tell Mrs. Yazmin that you bullied Luzia.¡±


    ¡°Little tattletale,¡± Simpson scoffed.


    Vivian rolled her eyes at him and shooed him away, saying, ¡°Childish!¡±


    Late at night, after finishing his date, Simpson returned to the estate and knocked on Luzia¡¯s door.


    Luzia, trembling, opened the door and, upon seeing who was outside, nearly fainted. ¡°You scared me!¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of? Didn¡¯t I tell you in the afternoon that Joseph went to meet with Lopaka and won¡¯t be back tonight?¡± Simpson found her frightened look amusing.


    Luzia red at him, ¡°That still doesn¡¯t give you the right toe knocking in the middle of the night.¡±


    Luzia pointed at the clock to show him, ¡°It¡¯s three in the morning now!¡±


    Only then did she notice that he was still wearing the same outfit he had on for his date with Giulia in the afternoon. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go on a date with Giulia? You just finished?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thanks to you and Vivian,¡± Simpson replied.


    This responsecked any hint of praise, and Luzia decided to keep quiet.


    Simpson snorted, expressing his dissatisfaction with her and Vivian¡¯s behavior. He then raised his hand to stop her from closing the door, lowering his voice and said, ¡°Let me in first.¡±


    This indicated that he had something to say to her alone, and though Luzia wasn¡¯t quite sure of his intentions, she let him in and then quietly closed and locked the door after making sure there was no one else around. The vi¡¯s soundproofing was quite good; as long as they kept their voices down, even pressing an ear to the door wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to hear their conversation.


    Simpson made sure to carefully check the room for any listening devices before taking out something from his pocket.

 Chapter 133

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Luzia took the object Simpson handed to her. ¡°A phone?¡±


    ¡°This is a specialmunication device, you need to keep it with you,¡± Simpson said. ¡°You are in Los Angeles, and allmunication devices should be under Joseph¡¯s control. He will monitor all your conversations with Houston. The phone I¡¯m giving you is secure; you must hide it well.¡±


    Luzia tightly held the phone in her hand, feeling somewhat bewildered and vaguely apprehensive. ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡±


    She swallowed and changed the subject, ¡°What do you want me to do? Spy?¡±


    Simpson looked deeply into her eyes, expressing a hint of surprise that Luzia could guess their intentions so quickly, but he wasn¡¯t taken aback.


    Luzia might be a fragile girl, much like most mafia bosses¡¯ daughters, overly protected by the family, untrained, and shielded from the real darkness, her timid nature still holding on to naive foolishness.


    But Luzia wasn¡¯t foolish.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Simpson affirmed her guess. ¡°We need you, Luzia.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Luzia was terrified and almost dropped the phone. She was trembling all over. ¡°I can¡¯t do it, I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You can do it, Luzia.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯ll be discovered, Joseph will kill me,¡± Luzia screamed in terror.


    Simpson immediately stepped forward and covered her mouth, preventing her from making too much noise. ¡°Calm down, Luzia!¡±


    Luzia cried out in fear under his hand, her terror-filled sobs escaping. She was too scared; she couldn¡¯t do it.


    Simpson let Luzia cry, he held her tightly, patting her back as if to soothe her.


    Finally, Luzia cried until her head ached. Then, she turned her head and bit down on Simpson¡¯s arm viciously.


    Simpson let out a short ¡°Ah!¡± and cursed under his breath, ¡°Damn, that hurts!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want, for you to feel pain!¡± Luzia¡¯s cheeks were sore from the biting, and she still resented, ¡°You want me dead, don¡¯t you!¡±


    ¡°No one wants you dead, Luzia,¡± Simpson sighed and rubbed his sore arm, saying, ¡°You are our sister, our family, you have a greater value. Wishing for your death is not a rational act.¡±


    ¡°Value?¡± Luzia opened her mouth wide, sitting back on the bed, crying, ¡°Thank you for affirming me, but I can¡¯t ept it.¡±


    ¡°Joseph is a terrifying devil, aplete antisocial. He hates anyone who opposes him, he will kill anyone who betrays him,¡± Luzia suppressed her howls, her despair suffocating.


    ¡°Then, before he kills you, kill him,¡± Simpson clenched his fists, rebuking, ¡°You can¡¯t escape, Luzia.¡±


    Luzia hated Simpson so much.


    Simpson didn¡¯t continue to pressure Luzia. He didn¡¯t need an immediate answer from her, but he needed Luzia to think clearly about the future. Even if Luzia couldn¡¯t be their asset, she couldn¡¯t be their obstacle.


    ¡°Bryson brought Vivian and his loyal followers. Vivian became jos¡¯s weakness, Chaquille and Lopaka became his eyes and ears in Houston. They freely spied on all of Houston¡¯s secrets, making Houston weak under Bratva¡¯s attack.¡±


    Simpson emphasized Los Angeles¡¯s ambition with a heavy tone, ¡°Both Bryson and Joseph are narrow-minded men. Their generosity towards Houston is only superficial. They are looking for an opportunity to overthrow jos, then kill him, and make Houston theirplete ve¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore!¡± Luzia shouted, telling Simpson to leave. ¡°Get out, get out!¡±


    Luzia was too agitated, enveloped in despair and sadness. Simpson knew he couldn¡¯tmunicate with her any further. He raised his hands, gesturing for Luzia to calm down.


    ¡°I hope you consider our proposal carefully. Of course, you can also choose to refuse,¡± he walked step by step to the door, considerately closing it behind him, ¡°Goodnight, Luzia. I wish you sweet dreams.¡±


    In response, Luzia threw a cotton pillow at Simpson, hitting the closed door. Exhausted, she copsed onto the bed, burying her face in the covers.


    The muffled sobs were somewhat absorbed by the covers, but they couldn¡¯t stop the sounds of her mournful weeping. Luzia despaired, thinking she should just go die now, then she wouldn¡¯t have to endure this crying anymore.


    But a strong will to survive gripped her rationality, roaring, how could you die, you can¡¯t die, Joseph hasn¡¯t been punished yet, Mel is still waiting for her, she should have a bright future.


    Can she still have a bright future?


    Luzia was very confused.


    Tired of crying, she finally turned her whole face into the covers, feeling suffocated by the position. She had to turn over, lying on her back, staring nkly at the ceiling, her eyes wide open.


    If she could still have a future¡­


    She hoped the future could be with Mare.


    Mare¡­


    Can I still have you?


    ¡­


    3:30 AM, jos¡¯s apartment.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    jos opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of cold water, and drank half of it in one go, cooling down the heat in his body. The phone on the table buzzed, and he absentmindedly answered it.


    As soon as the call connected, a fierce wind sound immediately rushed through the receiver, dispersing the explosion sounds from the fire.


    ¡°Respected Mr. jos,¡± the person on the other end exuded a sense of triumph, ¡°We have not disappointed your expectations and bring you good news.¡±


    Hearing the diluted explosion sound by the wind, jos knew their n was sessful. The Bratva warehouse in Los Angeles was destroyed, the attackers¡¯ identities were well concealed, but the fleeing Bratva members discovered their identities-armed forces from Bryson!


    How would those escaped Bratva members report to the Bratva leadership?


    -Bryson¡¯s armed forces attacked our warehouse, Bryson betrayed our alliance!


    As long as this message reached the Bratva leadership, Bryson would be questioned by the Bratva, their n would be halfway sessful. The other half of the n would mercilessly drag Bryson toward the abyss of death.


    jos hung up the phone, finished the remaining half bottle of water, threw the stic bottle into the trash, and went upstairs.


    Vivian had returned from Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate in the evening. There were too many people at the estate, and the longer Vivian stayed there, the greater the risk of exposure.


    Fortunately, Mrs. Yazmin, although not understanding why Vivian insisted on returning to the apartment, didn¡¯t ask much, only instructing Diego and Mel to safely escort Vivian back.


    At this time, Vivian had already fallen asleep, and jos tried to step as lightly as possible, standing by the bed and looking down at Vivian¡¯s sleeping face.


    His heart was warm, and he reached out to touch her face but abruptly pulled back, suddenly awakened.


    He had been increasingly offtely.


    jos knew very well why. He was trying to control himself, but the effect wasn¡¯t great.


    He was the Capo of Houston, how could he indulge in love and expose his weakness to others?


    So jos hoped to find a bnce between restraint and indulgence.

 Chapter 134

    Los Angeles, bar back alley.


    A man angrily kicked over the beer crates piled in the corner of the bar, the ss bottles ttering to the ground.


    ¡°Jay!¡± Jay¡¯spanion ran out from the bar, stepping on broken ss to catch Jay. ¡°You¡¯re too impulsive. You shouldn¡¯t be confronting Dniel.¡±


    ¡°Dniel is an arrogant man. His foolishness led him to trust Bryson, but Bryson led his armed forces to burn down our warehouse and kill my men!¡± Jay shouted with bloodshot eyes, forcefully breaking free from hispanion¡¯s grasp. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill Bryson!¡±


    ¡°Andre personally negotiated the deal with Bryson. If you go and kill Bryson now, are you telling Andre that you¡¯ve betrayed him?¡±


    ¡°Andre is clouded by hatred. He has lost hisposure and wisdom.¡± Jay¡¯s chest heaved with anger, fists clenched. ¡°He is no longer worthy of our loyalty!¡±


    ¡°Jay!¡± Barron shouted in fear, looking around the bar back alley, deserted and separated from the wild revelry of the bar by an iron door. No one would notice them, and no one would hear what Jay had just said.


    Barron breathed a sigh of relief, his face pale with shock. ¡°I understand your anger. You¡¯ve lost a loyal lieutenant, and the warehouse, worth a billion dors, has been destroyed. But you can¡¯t challenge Andre¡¯s position and authority within the Bratva. He will kill you.¡±


    ¡°Andre is like a lion with its teeth pulled, its ws clipped. He has lost his ability to hunt and the right to lead the pride!¡± Jay, unafraid of his own outburst, felt a release of pent-up frustration, more convinced that his thoughts were right.


    ¡°We should rmend a new leader to rece Andre, overturn all his unreasonablemands, cut ties with Los Angeles, kill Bryson, and recover our losses.¡±


    ¡°Enough, Jay!¡± The more Jay spoke, the more intense Barron¡¯s trembling became. He wanted to grab Jay¡¯s shoulders, shake him vigorously, wake him up. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t lose your loyalty! Andre is an excellent leader; he has led the Bratva to greatness. We all swore to be loyal to him forever.¡±


    Barron wiped his face, trembling. ¡°Your thoughts are dangerous. You are betraying Andre, betraying your oath to God.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand me at all, Barron!¡± Jay roared, pushing Barron aside. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me anymore.¡±


    Barron indeed did not follow. Perhaps Jay¡¯s words had been too much for him. He looked at Jay with red eyes, hesitating, not knowing what to do.


    As Jay walked deeper into the alley, he did not notice the changes around him. He had been drinking, feeling a bit woozy, everything he looked at seemed to sway and spin, circling in front of his eyes, until it made him dizzy.


    After vomiting, Jay stumbled, treading upon the vomit. He stared with bleary eyes at the road at the end of the alley. The dim light cast a long shadow of a person at the alley¡¯s entrance, the gun¡¯s dark barrel gleaming coldly, pointed at his head. The thunderous gunshot was muffled by a silencer.


    Jay¡¯s eyes remained wide open, lying in the dirty alley, unable to close them. The first rays of dawn pierced through the heavy clouds and narrow gaps between buildings, falling on the bullet hole in his forehead.


    Jay died, in the back alley of the bar street, just three feet from the intersection, only to be discovered the next day by a bartender heading home after closing.


    When Barron arrived at the scene from home, Jay¡¯s body had already been taken away by his family. Dniel, with a hangover still evident on his face, wiped his face and squatted in a corner, easing the burning in his stomach.


    ¡°Although I dislike Jay¡¯s arrogance, I didn¡¯t expect him to die,¡± Dniel sighed heavily, finding it difficult to stand, and sat on the ground, staring nkly at where Jay had fallen.


    ¡°Jay was Andre¡¯s capable assistant. Many wished for his death, but in Los Angeles, few dared to act against him,¡± Barron said, his gaze coldly fixed on Dniel.


    ¡°Bryson wouldn¡¯t do something so foolish,¡± Dniel said. ¡°You¡¯re saying he¡¯s behind our alliance¡¯s deaths? That¡¯s absurd.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have stopped Jay,¡± Barron reprimanded Jay for hisck of reason the night before, now filled with regret.


    Perhaps Jay was right after all. Cooperating with Bryson wasn¡¯t a wise decision. Bryson wanted control of Houston, while Andre only wanted to kill jos Hargrave. They paid a painful price, and the victory ended up in the hands of their former enemy, temporary ally Bryson.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    If that was the case, their fallen brothers meant nothing?


    ¡­


    The news of Jay¡¯s death quickly reached Houston. jos hung up the phone. ¡°Where is Joseph now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s aboard Vilem¡¯s ship.¡± Simpson had just received an email from Festus, opened it and read, ¡°The reason is to see Vilem¡¯s working environment, to ensure that we assign tasks to Vilem beyond his capabilities. Tasks that are too dangerous will cost him his life.¡±


    Simpson sneered, ¡°But what is his real purpose? To scout our routes, find a way to breach them, and take them over.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fond of Joseph¡¯s arrogance,¡± jos didn¡¯t mind. He hoped Joseph would stay on the ship a little longer, preferably until news of Bryson¡¯s death arrived, then return. ¡°When is the Bratva ready to make a move?¡±


    ¡°Dniel is close to Bryson¡¯s faction, he insists Bryson wouldn¡¯t break their alliance,¡± Simpson said. ¡°But Jay is dead, that¡¯s a fact. Barron has suspicions aimed at Dniel and Bryson.¡±


    ¡°Dniel was in the bar all night, he has witnesses,¡± jos said.


    ¡°Bryson does not, and he has ample reason to kill Jay,¡± Simpson shared his intelligence with jos. ¡°Jay was a staunch opponent of Bryson, and Jay had caused troublest week, leading to the FBI raiding a drug factory in the outskirts of Los Angeles.¡±


    ¡°Bryson was furious and demanded an exnation from Dniel. But you know, Jay sat in the same position as Dniel; Dniel couldn¡¯t discipline Jay, he couldn¡¯t exin to Bryson,¡± Simpson said. ¡°So, to retaliate against Jay, Bryson undoubtedly killed him. It¡¯s a perfect motive.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. But they didn¡¯t realize that, whether it¡¯s Jay¡¯s death or Bryson¡¯s betrayal, it was all orchestrated by us, Hargrave,¡± jos rarelyughed heartily, taking out a bottle and ice from the office¡¯s mini-fridge. ¡°We should celebrate.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s necessary,¡± Simpson epted the drink from jos. ¡°Cheers!¡±


    The amber liquid swirled in the ss, the ice clinking against the sides, making a pleasant sound. Simpson enjoyed the brief happiness that came from the preliminary sess of their n and asked jos a question, ¡°Will you tell Vivian?¡±


    jos finished his drink and poured himself another. ¡°No,¡± jos said.

 Chapter 135

    Simpson¡¯sputer sat within arm¡¯s reach, and jos could see Bryson¡¯s nauseating face on theputer screen with just a nce.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to know,¡± jos said. ¡°This is a war between men, she doesn¡¯t need to be involved.¡±


    ¡°The end of this war will either be Bryson¡¯s death or yours,¡± Simpson said with his tender eyes, speaking extremely cold words.


    ¡°If Bryson dies, I won¡¯t harm her,¡± jos promised. ¡°But if I die, Bryson won¡¯t spare her and the child.¡±


    ¡°Anyone hindering Joseph¡¯s sess, Bryson will eliminate. Vilem is a good example.¡±


    Simpson understood this, so they secretly executed this n, making Vilem unwittingly part of the n.


    Simpson sighed inwardly. ¡°I hope Vilem never finds out about this, or I will lose my friend.¡±


    ¡°Put away your kindness, Simpson,¡± jos warned.


    ¡°I know,¡± Simpsonposed himself, his heart growing cold and hardened in the process. ¡°Our goal is to keep Houston alive. Anyone obstructing this goal deserves to die.¡± Bryson would be the first, but not thest.


    Simpson reactivated theputer screen, opened the email software, and began writing an email. ¡°We need to know Bratva¡¯s next move. I guess Barron will be the one to finally go after Bryson.¡±


    ¡°Have Fidelio¡¯s people keep a close eye on Barron,¡± jos requested. ¡°For Washington¡¯s elites, it¡¯s as simple as eating and drinking.¡±


    Following jos¡¯s instructions, Simpson wrote the email. ¡°We also can¡¯t rely too much on Washington. Be cautious that Washington doesn¡¯t be the next Los Angeles.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± jos had a n in mind. ¡°Emmert is already on a flight to Los Angeles; he is our finest sniper.¡±


    ¡°If Bratva is incapable of killing Bryson, Emmert will take action.¡±


    Simpson paused as he typed on the keyboard, looking at jos in surprise. ¡°I thought you sent Emmert to be Vivian¡¯s teacher so that he wouldn¡¯t have to carry out this task. Aren¡¯t you afraid Vivian will suspect something?¡±


    ¡°Emmert has never stopped his mission. Business trips are very normal; Vivian won¡¯t suspect anything,¡± jos stated confidently. ¡°I have everything arranged.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Feeling a bit reassured by his words, Simpson smiled. ¡°You took Vivian¡¯s teacher away. Who will teach her shooting now?¡±


    jos fell silent, his gaze fixed on Simpson.


    Simpson was taken aback, pointing to himself. ¡°Me?¡±


    jos neither nodded nor shook his head, as if he agreed.


    Simpson¡¯s mouth twitched, refusing. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re refusing me?¡± jos raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Simpson pleaded with him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to create any unnecessary shadows with Vivian.¡±


    jos stayed silent for a moment and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Vivian is not that fragile.¡±


    ¡°I am!¡± Simpson¡¯s typing speed increased,pleting the final string of words, entering the recipient¡¯s email, and clicking send.


    Afterpleting these actions, Simpson swiftly closed theptop screen with a snap and grabbed theputer, running. ¡°I have other things to attend to. I¡¯m busy, I have to go.¡±


    Simpson ran so fast that he didn¡¯t give jos a chance to persuade him further.


    After Simpson had vanished, jos moved his finger and pondered to himself, would it be toote to call Emmert back now?


    ¡­


    Vivian epted Nirupama¡¯s invitation and went to her bridal shop for an afternoon tea with Luzia. Shelley also joined them; her wedding was approaching, and she needed to pick out a suitable wedding dress.


    Nirupama prepared delicious scones, adorned with fresh fruits picked from Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate, drizzled with honey. The sweet taste delighted Luzia, a lover of sweets, even lifting her somber mood considerably.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been longing for Nirupama and your scones in Los Angeles,¡± Luzia, moved by the delicious taste, almost teared up. ¡°The chefs in Los Angeles are ipetent. They don¡¯t know how to make scones or small cakes.¡±


    ¡°Poor thing,¡± Nirupama sympathetically patted Luzia¡¯s head, promising to give her many small cakes and cookies when she leaves Houston.


    Although Luzia would be very sad on the day she leaves Houston, receiving many delicious small cakes and cookies might help salvage her mood.


    Vivian tasted the tea that Nirupama had personally brewed. The rich tea aroma and the tartness of the lemon bnced perfectly. She nced at Shelley, who was selecting a wedding dress, and asked Luzia, ¡°You should stay to attend Shelley¡¯s wedding, right?¡±


    Neither Shelley nor Festus were heirs of the Benoist or Rosente families, so Joseph¡¯s attendance at the wedding was inconsequential. However, Shelley¡¯s maternal grandfather, Capo Fidelio Williams of Washington, had decided to fly to Houston for the wedding. Given Joseph¡¯s nature, he would undoubtedly stay to investigate the alliance between Houston and Washington.


    If Joseph were to stay, Luzia definitely would not fly back to Los Angeles alone.


    Luzia couldn¡¯t provide Vivian with a definite answer. In fact, she had been staying at Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate during her time in Los Angeles, and Joseph had not been seen since the birthday party.


    Of course, if Joseph was busy with his work, Luzia would never proactively contact him. She was increasingly fond of solitary moments; only in solitude was she truly free.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make decisions for Joseph,¡± Luzia said with a dim look in her eyes. ¡°But I am willing to stay by your side, for as long as possible.¡±


    ¡°I need yourpany,¡± Vivian immediately expressed.


    ¡°Thank you, Vivian. Your need makes me feel valued. But¡­¡± Luzia grasped Vivian¡¯s hand. ¡°In reality, the longer I stay by your side, the greater the danger you are exposed to.¡±


    Luzia¡¯s ability to remain in Houston hinged on Joseph also staying in Houston. Vivian was heavily pregnant, and keeping the pregnancy a secret had been the result of a concerted effort from multiple parties. Furthermore, Joseph¡¯s focus was not on Vivian; he consistently held a dismissive and neglectful attitude towards her. Otherwise, he would have noticed Vivian¡¯s pregnancy at the birthday party.


    Now, the longer Joseph stayed in Houston, the more likely he would discover the existence of the child. Once he found out, both Vivian and Houston would face danger.


    Could Vivian, jos, and Houston bear this risk?


    Luzia didn¡¯t know the answer. Or rather, she subconsciously did not want to specte on the answer.


    ¡°I will pray to God,¡± Luzia said, ¡°for a smooth delivery for you, for your safety and health, my dear friend, my Vivian. I wish you eternal happiness.¡±


    ¡°I wish the same blessings for you, Luzia,¡± Vivian said. ¡°God will bless his faithful, and our prayers will surely be answered.¡±


    Luzia was not as optimistic as Vivian, having endured too much hardship from Joseph. Still, she harbored hope, hoping that, as Vivian said, their prayers would one day be answered.

 Chapter 136

    Shelley emerged from the fitting room, already donned in her wedding gown. Nirupama¡¯s creations always embodied a seamless blend of sensuality, beauty, and grandeur, each gown carrying its own significance and emotions. This particr dress exuded an overall sense of sweetness; the form-fittingce delicately concealed sensitive areas, while theyered chiffon created a sense of allure and mystery.


    At that moment, Festus was left speechless when Shelley stepped out. ¡°You look stunning, my princess,¡± he uttered, presenting her with a rose. Shelley blushed as she took the rose from his hand, delicate petals adorned with fresh dew, infusing her fair fingertips with a subtle floral fragrance.


    ¡°Absolutely gorgeous, Festus has an eye for beauty,¡± Luzia remarked upon learning that Festus had personally selected the gown. ¡°Unlike me and Vivian, who even chose their own bridal shops.¡±


    Receivingpliments about her fiance naturally made Shelley proud and happy, but when Luzia praised only Festus and not her, Shelley felt a bit displeased. ¡°Festus has a good eye, but isn¡¯t it because I look good?¡± she retorted.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Indeed, you are right,¡± Vivian chuckled, covering her mouth. ¡°Festus has a good eye for choosing a wedding gown, and the bride is even more beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Vivian always knows what to say,¡± Shelley said, triumphantly touching Luzia¡¯s hand with the rose. ¡°Stay and attend my wedding, my friend.¡±


    ¡°I hope to,¡± Luzia shrugged, saying, ¡°I really do.¡± Without a definitive answer, Shelley didn¡¯t feel disheartened. While she hoped Luzia would stay, she wouldn¡¯t do anything to make her ufortable.


    ¡°My waist feels a bit loose,¡± Shelley found Nirupama and showed her the problem. ¡°Your waist is too slender, dear,¡± Nirupama said, removing the tape measure hanging around her neck to re-measure Shelley¡¯s waist. ¡°Please give me some time. I need to make adjustments to this dress to perfectly entuate your charm. Your groom will certainly be captivated by you.¡±


    As Shelley turned to check her measurements, finishing her afternoon tea, they bid Nirupama farewell. Shelley was heading to the harbor, with Festus driving her. Vivian and Luzia, on the other hand, returned to the apartment with Mare.


    Just outside Nirupama¡¯s shop, Mare¡¯s phone rang. He went to the side to answer the call, while Vivian and Luzia stood waiting at the door.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving yet?¡± Shelley, sitting in the passenger seat, asked Vivian and Luzia standing at the door.


    Luzia pointed to Mare, ¡°He¡¯s on the phone.¡±


    Just as Mare answered the call, a furious shout from jos on the other end came through, ¡°Richard has escaped. He might go looking for Vivian. Mare, where are you guys now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mare couldn¡¯t contain his shock, scanning the surroundings vigntly.


    As his gaze fell upon Vivian, he suddenly noticed a red dot trained on her.


    Ambush!


    ¡°Vivian, get down!¡± Mare shouted in horror, lunging towards Vivian and pulling Luzia down with him.


    Bullets pierced through the ss disy of the bridal shop, the shattering of ss and gunfire causing panic among passersby, screams echoing through the street.


    Festus was startled; he nearly hit the gas pedal, but thankfully, he reacted quickly and hit the brakes in time.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Shelley was terrified. Having just realized what had urred, her face turned pale.


    Shelley leaned out the car window, incessantly tapping the door, asking from the huddled trio on the ground, ¡°Are you all okay? Luzia? Vivian? Mare?¡±


    ¡°Lie down,¡± Festus reached out, pressing down Shelley¡¯s head, a gun in his hand cocking. ¡°Mare, get in quickly.¡±


    Without Festus having to say, Mare knew it was toote to call for the driver now. He immediately opened Festus¡¯s car door for easier ess for Luzia to get in, helping Vivian to her feet. As Mare raised his head, there were two shots hitting Festus¡¯s car, one grazing the roof, the other hitting the bridal shop¡¯s sign.


    Trembling in Mare¡¯s arms, Vivian clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms, barely suppressing the scream rising in her throat.


    Don¡¯t scream, don¡¯t panic. Mare will protect her; she will be fine.


    Vivian¡¯s breath was rapid. The sudden fall caught her off guard, her hand instinctively cushioning her stomach, the 25-week-old bump experiencing a dull ache.


    ¡°Vivian! Vivian!¡± Luzia leaned over the car seat, assisting Mare in pulling Vivian into the car.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    ¡°Mare!¡± Luzia held Vivian tightly in her arms, as Mare held onto thecar door, drawing his gun to fire outside.


    Bratva members emerged from both sides of the street, surrounding the red sports car. Festus hit the gas, swerving ahead.


    Shelley bent down, hands wrapped around her head, trying to curl into a ball as much as possible. The seatbelt secured her, preventing her from being thrown out in the high-speed rush of Festus¡¯s driving.


    She covered her pounding heart, feeling dizzy and almost nauseous. ¡°Bratva? Are they really this audacious now?¡± As soon as she spoke, Shelley realized her folly. Wasn¡¯t it also broad daylight when Vivian was attacked at the spast time?


    Fortunately, despite the thrilling Bratva attack, after escaping their encirclement, there was no pursuit. They had safely escaped.

 Chapter 137

    With the temporary calm, the tense atmosphere in the car finally eased a bit. Festus slowly released the elerator, gradually reducing the speed of the car.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Mare?¡± Festus had a hunch that this attack was rted to the call Mare had just received.


    Mare, with a tense face, nced at Shelley as if to say something without speaking, not immediately answering Festus.


    Festus suddenly became serious.


    From Mare¡¯s expression, it seemed the situation had something to do with Shelley. The only person from the Benoist family who would attack Vivian was Richard, but hadn¡¯t Richard been imprisoned by jos?


    Did Richard escape?


    Festus discreetly nced at Mare through the rearview mirror. Mare seemed to sense it and met Festus¡¯s gaze through the mirror, answering Festus¡¯s question with his eyes.


    Indeed, Richard had escaped.


    Considering his personality, if he had just escaped, he would need time to regroup and wouldn¡¯t be able to attack Vivian immediately. It would be tantamount to seeking death.


    There was only one possibility: Richard¡¯s escape wasn¡¯t smooth. The Bratva¡¯s attack on Vivian was not only to kill her, but also to divert jos¡¯s attention and to take Richard away.


    So the Bratva had no intention of a prolonged fight. Once their car reached the main street, they stopped pursuing.


    Although Vivian was still shaken, she also sensed the silentmunication between the two men. She also guessed that everything was not simply a surprise attack by the Bratva. It was likely rted to the Benoist family.


    A piercing sound of a mobile phone startled Vivian, who was lost in thought, nearly causing her to scream.


    Mare reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s the boss.¡±


    ¡°Okay, yes, everything is fine,¡± Mare answered calmly.


    Luzia asked nervously, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Mare replied, ¡°jos asked you both to go to the apartment first. He¡¯s on his way back.¡±


    Shelley eximed beside them, startling Festus, causing the steering wheel to slip, and the red sports car swerved in the traffic, narrowly missing the adjacent vehicle.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Festus asked nervously.


    Shelley, worried, said, ¡°There was just a shootout in front of the bridal shop. Is Nirupama okay?¡±


    It seemed that Shelley hadn¡¯t noticed the hint about Richard in their conversation.


    Luzia reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nirupama runs a bridal shop on themercial street; she naturally has her ways.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, the Bratva¡¯s target is us. We¡¯ve all fled, and they wouldn¡¯t dare linger in the city center; it would cause too much trouble with the FBI.¡±


    Amid their conversation, Vivian gradually rxed, but her abdominal pain intensified. Was the baby also frightened?


    Don¡¯t be afraid, Mom is protecting you¡­


    ¡°Vivian?¡± Luzia, holding Vivian, was the first to notice that something was wrong. Vivian¡¯s forehead was covered inyers of cold sweat, her hands tightly grasping the fabric over her swollen abdomen.


    It hurts! It hurts so much!


    If space permitted, Vivian felt like she would roll on the ground in pain.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shelley, the only one present who didn¡¯t know Vivian was pregnant, looked confused. Restrained by the seatbelt, she leaned back to look at Vivian from the back seat, and from her angle, she could clearly see Vivian¡¯s swollen abdomen.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Shelley widened her eyes, ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡±


    Shelley immediately looked at Festus, her eyes showing confusion and a plea for help.


    But Vivian seemed very unwell, and Festus had no time to ponder Shelley¡¯s plea. Under his control, the red sports car swiftly overtook three cars, elerating to a hundred and twenty miles per hour.


    This speed was most keenly felt by Shelley in the front passenger seat, but the two in the backseat could more viscerally feel Vivian¡¯s pain and wondered why Festus was driving so slowly.


    ¡°Vivian, how are you feeling?¡± Luzia handed Vivian a tissue to wipe her sweat and, with Mare¡¯s help, adjusted her position to make her morefortable.


    ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Vivian finally couldn¡¯t help but cry out. She clutched her stomach, as if every breath and movement exacerbated the pain in her abdomen.


    Luzia, hearing Vivian cry out in pain, was terrified. Whileforting Vivian, she reached out to touch Vivian¡¯s pants.


    Dry, there was no blood, and no dampness.


    But Vivian was in a lot of pain, and Luzia dared not rx.


    ¡°Drink some water, see if it helps,¡± Shelley in the front offered a bottle of water. ¡°Is it stomach pain or lower abdominal pain?¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t know either. Her internal organsand everything hurt. She was in pain all over.


    Luzia took the water, unscrewed the cap, and held it to Vivian¡¯s lips, ¡°Can you drink some water?¡±


    Perhaps Luzia was too frightened; her voice trembled greatly. Vivian felt ufortable hearing it, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Vivian did feel a bit parched. With Luzia¡¯s help, she took a sip of water, moistening her dry lips. Her sweaty hands rested on her belly through the fabric, and she spoke softly to her child, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s okay, everything¡¯s fine, baby, don¡¯t be afraid, uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital, to the hospital,¡± Luzia shouted over the phone to Mare. jos was still in contact with Mare. Luzia knew jos could hear her, ¡°She¡¯s in too much pain, jos, she needs a doctor. What¡¯s more important than Vivian and the baby?¡±


    Upon hearing Vivian¡¯s condition from Mare, jos hit the steering wheel angrily, the horn ring sharply.


    As long as Festus¡¯s car entered the hospital, Vivian¡¯s pregnancy could no longer be kept a secret. Not going to the hospital, would they just watch Vivian suffer? Maybe she would have a miscarriage, and she might also die.


    This was not a multiple-choice question. jos had no alternative. Luzia was right-nothing was more important than Vivian¡¯s life.


    Through the phone, jos ordered Festus, ¡°I¡¯m sending you the address. Bring Vivian to the hospital, and be quick!¡±


    After instructing Festus, jos ended the call with Mare and dialed another number.


    ¡°Hello?¡± A woman¡¯s gentle and affectionate voice came through the phone, ¡°jos? Is that you, dear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Dr. Yoshiye, it¡¯s me, jos.¡±


    ¡°As for Vivian¡¯s prenatal check-up, I think we¡¯ve discussed it thoroughlyst time.¡± Dr. Yoshiye spoke on the phone, flipping through Vivian¡¯s file, ¡°And it¡¯s not time for the check-up yet, so why are you calling me?¡±


    ¡°I think I will ept your advice,¡± jos said, turning to look out the window. He had to admit that Dr. Yoshiye was right.


    Dr. Yoshiye was very surprised. jos had always given her the impression of being as domineering, stubborn, and headstrong as his father Kamden. Especially stubbornness, which was the most headache-inducing trait for the doctor.


    But Dr. Yoshiye was most curious, ¡°I¡¯m very curious to know what changed your mind, jos?¡±


    ¡°Richard has escaped, Vivian has been attacked by the Bratva, and Vivian is in great danger now.¡±


    Richard had betrayed Houston. This was an internal matter of Houston, and jos had no intention of exining the ins and outs to outsiders. But when jos decided to heed Dr. Yoshiye¡¯s advice and take Vivian to the sanatorium, Dr. Yoshiye had to know the danger Vivian was about to face.

 Chapter 138

    ¡°I think I understand, jos,¡± Doctor Yoshiye, who had previously worked as an obstetrician for Mrs. Hyna, clearly had experience in assisting pregnant women associated with the mafia in evading attacks from the Bratva. ¡°Please feel at ease to entrust Vivian to me.¡±


    On Vivian¡¯s end, Festus managed to overtake other cars and arrived at the hospital rtively smoothly.


    Doctor Yoshiye received a call from jos, knowing that Vivian¡¯s current condition was not too good, and had already arranged the emergency room and doctors in advance.


    Before Festus could even bring the car to aplete stop, Mare had already opened the car door and taken Vivian from Luzia, cing her securely on a gurney.


    The doctors and nurses from the emergency room led them through the emergency passage, with Mare and Luzia following closely, while Shelley apanied Festus to find a parking spot.


    Shelley was still in a daze, sitting in the passenger seat with a vacant look. After Festus had parked the car, seeing Shelley not moving, he had no choice but toe over and help her unfasten her seatbelt.


    ¡°Vivian is pregnant, isn¡¯t she?¡± Shelley spoke as the seatbelt ¡°clicked¡± open.


    This question was expected, and Festus was prepared. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You knew about this already?¡± Shelley never had been pregnant, but she had basic knowledge. From the size of Vivian¡¯s belly, she had been pregnant for more than just a month or two, perhaps three or four months, or even earlier.


    And judging from Luzia and Mare¡¯s reactions, they probably knew, not to mention jos.


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one who didn¡¯t know.¡± Shelley pursed her lips.


    Festus was hesitant to answer, but the answer was obvious. Whether he answered or not didn¡¯t matter much to Shelley; what concerned him more was whether Shelley would mind.


    Festus carefully observed Shelley¡¯s expression. ¡°Are you angry, Shelley?¡±


    ¡°I should be,¡± Shelley said with a less than pleasant tone. ¡°I thought we were good friends already, but she concealed such an important thing as pregnancy from me. After so many interactions with her, I didn¡¯t know?¡±


    But she was a daughter of the mafia. There were too many instances of pregnancy leading to miscarriages, and even cases of being captured and killed by the Bratva-like Uncle Richard¡¯s wife, who met such a fate.


    So Shelley could actually understand why Vivian had kept her pregnancy a secret. It was to protect herself and her child.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m angry, I¡¯m also happy,¡± Shelley said. ¡°Vivian didn¡¯t naively trust everyone; she protected herself and the child very well.¡±


    But things would be different after today. The scene at the emergency room had been too chaotic, and there were too many people at the hospital entrance. Who knew if there were Bratva¡¯s eyes or ears hidden in the crowd.


    ¡°Is Vivian in danger?¡± Shelley was worried.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget our Capo,¡± Festus opened the car door and, with Shelley, quickly made their way towards the emergency area. ¡°He will find a way to protect Vivian.¡±


    ¡­


    When jos arrived at the hospital, Vivian¡¯s condition had already stabilized, and she had been transferred to the inpatient ward.


    Luzia and the others tactfully exited the ward, giving them space to be alone.


    Vivian had just awakened from aa, lookingpletely exhausted, her face pale.


    jos¡¯s heart ached, and he tightly held her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t protect you.¡±


    Vivian shook her head and, grabbing jos¡¯s hand, ced it on her abdomen. ¡°I¡¯m fine, the child is fine. You don¡¯t have to apologize. No one would want idents to happen.¡±


    ¡°So what exactly happened?¡± Vivian asked.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Richard has escaped,¡± jos said in a lowered voice.


    Behind the door, his voice was low, and Shelley, who was standing guard, didn¡¯t catch a single word.


    ¡°Richard?¡± The name sounded familiar, but Vivian couldn¡¯t remember where she had heard it before.


    ¡°He is Charles¡¯s brother, and Shelley¡¯s uncle.¡±


    Vivian finally remembered. Richard, John¡¯s father, he was a board member of the Benoist family, right?


    He escaped? What did that mean? Did he betray jos¡¯s intentions?


    ¡°Why did he want to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Because John is dead,¡± jos¡¯s eyes turned cold, filled with anger. ¡°John betrayed me, and I killed him in front of Richard, but for the stability of the family, Charles asked me to spare his life.¡±


    jos loathed his own kindness, which had led to today¡¯s disaster. ¡°The attack on the spa was also his coboration with the Bratva. He wanted to kill you, tomake me suffer, to make me be as insane as my father.¡±


    ¡°But he failed. I tightly imprisoned him, severed his tendons, broke his fingers, and cut off his ears. He is now worthless.¡±


    Vivian couldn¡¯t bear to listen to jos¡¯s cruel actions, but Richard¡¯s escape made her afraid. Her earlier spection was correct: the participants in the attack were not just the Bratva.


    She knew how insane the mafia¡¯s retaliation could be. ¡°How did he escape?¡±


    ¡°The Bratva helped him. They sent an armed force to attack our ship which was about to dock and another group to attack you. They took advantage of my distraction and managed to sneak into the dungeon to rescue him.¡±


    The Bratva had nned meticulously, making a fool out of him. His frustration could be imagined. ¡°I don¡¯t know why the Bratva agreed to rescue Richard. I don¡¯t think he has any more value, but I won¡¯t allow Richard to escape freely. His freedom muste at the cost of his life.¡±


    ¡°But he has already escaped.¡± If the Bratva¡¯s speed was fast enough, Richard might have already boarded a private ne and fled Houston. ¡°Where will you go to find him?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± jos revealed a cruel smile. ¡°I have already imnted a tracking chip inside him, within his flesh.¡±


    And not just one.


    Richard had suffered countless tortures in the dungeon. His body bore numerous wounds, some deep enough to reveal bone, and not every wound had a tracking chip imnted. If he wanted to remove the tracking chip, he would have to open up all his wounds and search through the bloody flesh.


    jos did this to deter Richard from attempting to escape, but his teammates did not know.


    ¡°He dared to betray Houston, so he must pay for his actions.¡± jos gritted his teeth.


    Weakly leaning into jos¡¯s embrace, Vivian still couldn¡¯t ept the brutality within the mafia, but she knew it was the determination of jos and countless Made Men to protect themselves. Richard and the Bratva were not innocent either.


    Vivian no longer had the strength to criticize anything. Her fragile heart had gradually be numb through numerous attacks and narrow escapes. Her determination to protect her child had be increasingly firm.


    ¡°There is one more thing I must tell you,¡± jos suddenly said.


    jos¡¯s solemn tone made Vivian straighten her posture, feeling somewhat uneasy. ¡°What is it?¡±


    jos fell silent for a moment, seeming to hesitate, but upon meeting Vivian¡¯s worried eyes, he made up his mind. ¡°I want to send you to a sanatorium.¡±

 Chapter 139

    ¡°What?¡± Vivian doubted she had heard correctly, and asked uncertainly, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s voice suddenly rose, and Luzia and the others outside the ward all heard. The four of them looked at each other, not knowing what had suddenly changed from being fine just now.


    Shelley looked through the transparent ss on the ward door and saw that Vivian seemed a bit agitated. ¡°Are they quarreling? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Luzia was also a bit confused, but based on experience, it was definitely something jos said that he shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°It must be jos being his usual self.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Shelley agreed, ¡°jos is such an egomaniac!¡±


    Luzia followed up with a mutter, ¡°Yes, and he¡¯s selfish, domineering, and authoritarian!¡±


    Mare and Festus stood on either side of the door, listening to the two women¡¯s usations against jos. They nced at each other and then silently averted their eyes, tacitly refraining frommenting on the usations.


    When the emotions of the two arguing inside had calmed down a bit, Mare gently knocked on the door.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Vivian needed rest; her emotions couldn¡¯t be that agitated.


    The door to the ward was opened, and the four people at the door entered one after the other. Luzia was the first to run to Vivian and reached out to embrace her.


    ¡°What foolish thing have you done again, jos?¡± Luzia questioned loudly.


    ¡°Are you using me, Luzia?¡± jos suppressed his anger.


    Luzia rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Of course, jos. Vivian is pregnant, she has just encountered danger, and she is still weak. Even if you can¡¯t be gentle with her, you shouldn¡¯t be so irritable!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, don¡¯t voice your ridiculous and stupid opinions!¡± jos roared.


    ¡°jos, please calm down,¡± Shelley said, reaching out and handing a tissue to Vivian. ¡°Vivian, are you feeling better? Can you tell us what happened?¡±


    Vivian cried, her eyes reddening. She covered her face with the tissue and said with a sob, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the sanatorium.¡±


    Luzia understood as soon as she heard this. Frowning, she asked jos, ¡°Are you nning to send Vivian to the sanatorium?¡±


    ¡°This is the most prudent course of action,¡± jos said with a serious expression.


    ¡°But how can you ensure that the sanatorium is safe?¡± Luzia asked. ¡°Which sanatorium do you n to send Vivian to?¡±


    ¡°The MD Rehabilitation Sanatorium,¡± jos said.


    ¡°What?¡± Luzia searched for the sanatorium in Houston in her mind; it seemed that there was no such name. It was Shelley who reminded her, ¡°The MD Rehabilitation Sanatorium is one of the most well-known sanatoriums in Hawaii, famed for itspletely independent and highly secure security system. Many internationally renowned politicians and prominent figures in the business sector have stayed there.¡±


    Shelley knew more than Vivian and Luzia, and she was calmer than them. ¡°If Vivian can stay there, safety will be guaranteed. Perhaps it¡¯s a good choice.¡±


    ¡°Hawaii¡­¡± Luzia muttered. ¡°Do we really have to go there? It¡¯s too far.¡±


    ¡°And who will go with Vivian?¡± jos was definitely out of the question. He couldn¡¯t leave Houston for more than a month. Simpson and Vilem were both busy with their own tasks, and even she herself would soon return to Los Angeles with Joseph.


    Luzia counted and realized that apart from Mare, who was Vivian¡¯s bodyguard, there was no one familiar to Vivian who could apany her to the sanatorium in Hawaii for more than five months.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡± A strange ce, jos¡¯s strong attitude had caused great panic for Vivian. ¡°Just let me stay in Houston. I will stay obediently in the apartment; I won¡¯t go anywhere. I beg you to let me stay.¡±


    Vivian looked pitiful, and jos couldn¡¯t bear it, but his decision wouldn¡¯t change. ¡°I really hope you can stay by my side, let me see you healthy, and the child safe.¡±


    ¡°But Vivian, you¡¯ve been exposed. Whether it¡¯s Bratva, Joseph, or Bryson, they should all know that you are pregnant. This is a huge disaster that could make me lose you at any time.¡± jos analyzed the current situation with a heavy heart. ¡°I can¡¯t bear the risk of losing you, and Houston can¡¯t afford any more setbacks. I have to send you away.¡±


    ¡°But I, I¡­¡± Vivian cried, ¡°I will be afraid.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Vivian. Marewill be with you. When Emmert finishes his mission and returns, I will have him fly to Hawaii to protect you.¡± jos tried to control his emotions andforted her, ¡°You know Emmert, he¡¯s a genius sniper. No enemy can escape his ambush. With him and Mare, you will be very safe.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Vivian grabbed his sleeve and asked, ¡°Will you apany me?¡±


    jos paused.


    Vivian knew that jos was so busy; Houston needed his protection. He couldn¡¯t leave Houston to go to Hawaii with her.


    ¡°Will youe to see me?¡± Vivian knew she couldn¡¯t refuse jos. She couldn¡¯t change jos¡¯s decision; she could only choose topromise.


    ¡°I wille to see you at the right time.¡±


    jos made a promise, and Vivian chose to believe him.


    Even though they both knew that this ¡°right time¡± might be a very long time in the future.


    Although Dr. Yoshiye had suggested to jos a long time ago to send Vivian to Hawaii, jos had not considered this aspect. The preparations on the Hawaii side were stillcking, and Vivian¡¯s current condition was not good enough to depart immediately.


    ¡°I will inform Hawaii to prepare as soon as possible.¡± Dr. Yoshiye came over to examine Vivian, and also discussed further arrangements with jos. ¡°Vivian¡¯s physical condition is very good, the baby is also healthy, a few days of bed rest and she can leave the hospital.¡±


    ¡°By then, the procedures on the Hawaii side should also be almost ready, and Vivian can go directly there.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your trouble,¡± jos thanked Dr. Yoshiye.


    Dr. Yoshiye smiled and said it was no trouble, ¡°I am d that my advice can be of help to you.¡±


    Dr. Yoshiye had been the personal doctor of jos¡¯s brother¡¯s mother, Lady Hyna, since childhood, and had watched the brothers grow up. It was inevitable that he would have a little extra care, ¡°Unfortunately, I can only help you so much.¡±


    ¡°You have already helped me a lot.¡±


    Knowing that jos needed to discuss further arrangements with Dr. Yoshiye and that Mare also needed to stay behind to protect Vivian, Shelley, who was anxious to go to the port, walked past the two of them and asked Luzia, ¡°Do you want to go back with us first?¡±


    ¡°No, I want to stay and apany Vivian,¡± Luzia refused Shelley¡¯s proposal. ¡°If you have urgent matters, you go first. Festus, please safely take Shelley home.¡±


    ¡°I will, Miss Luzia,¡± Festus, who was Shelley¡¯s exclusive driver today, said.


    Festus walked to the elevator and pressed the button.


    ¡°Today was really thrilling, fortunately Vivian is okay.¡± While waiting for the elevator, Shelley said to Luzia, ¡°With such a big thing happening to Vivian, her brothers should being back soon, right?¡±


    Shelley was mainly inquiring about Joseph.

 Chapter 140

    Luzia knew that Joseph had followed Vilem¡¯s ship out to sea, and he wouldn¡¯t be back for at least half a month. But now that Vivian¡¯s pregnancy was exposed, he wouldn¡¯t miss this perfect opportunity to ¡°show concern¡± for his sister.


    Luzia was even more worried. If Joseph ended up in a fight between Houston and Los Angeles, would he use her as a threat against jos?


    ¡­


    On the other side.


    Shelley and Festus said goodbye to Vivian, getting ready to leave.


    Festus pressed the first floor button, and the elevator doors slowly closed.


    ¡°I feel like you¡¯re hiding something from me,¡± Shelley said.


    Festus quickly denied, ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Shelley nced at him sideways. ¡°Then why are you so nervous?¡±


    ¡°I, I¡¯m not¡­¡± Festus exined nervously, avoiding Shelley¡¯s inquisitive gaze. He didn¡¯t dare look at her as she approached, with her round and cute face like an apple suddenly erged in front of Festus¡¯ eyes. They were so close that they could feel each other¡¯s breath. Festus stared intently at her long fluttering eyshes, feeling as if thoseshes were brushing against his heart, both tickling and causing him to daydream.


    Too close!


    Festus started to feel his heart racing, struggling to breathe.


    He was suffocating.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Festus leaned slightly backward, managing to create a little distance between him and Shelley. He didn¡¯t even dare to take a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m shy¡­¡±


    This didn¡¯t sound like a lie because Festus¡¯ face was already turning red.


    Shelley was somewhat surprised. She reached out and poked Festus¡¯ face, which was burning hot.


    To his surprise, just that slight poke on his face made him blush even more. He felt as if he was about to cook in the next second.


    Amidst her astonishment, Shelley¡¯s mind was filled with mischievous thoughts.


    This innocent and easily embarrassed man belonged to her.


    His innocence and shyness belonged only to her.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean Shelley had forgotten the question from before. They were definitely hiding something from her!


    What could it be?


    Since the attack, he and the others had a strange feeling. Could it be that the Benoist family was behind the organization¡¯s assault?


    Festus parked his car a bit far away, and Shelley waited for him at the hospital entrance until he drove over.


    If that was really the case, it meant that there was a traitor within the Benoist family, someone who betrayed Houston and jos!


    Lost in her thoughts, Shelley didn¡¯t notice the girl who stumbled around the corner and fell into her arms.


    Shelley let out a cry of surprise, narrowly catching her. ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt?¡±


    The girl held onto her dizzy head and, with Shelley¡¯s help, managed to stand up straight. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Shelley looked at her paleplexion. ¡°You don¡¯t look well.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I might have low blood sugar.¡± The girl pointed to a bench ahead and said, ¡°Could you please help me over there?¡±


    ¡°Of course. But don¡¯t you need to see a doctor?¡± Shelley asked with concern.


    The girl seemed a bit embarrassed. She tugged at her worn-out denim jacket, washed so many times that it had turned white. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money.¡±


    ¡°I have some, I can lend it to you.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll just sit there for a while.¡± The girl shyly said, ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re really kind.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The girl insisted on not going into the hospital, so Shelley had no choice but to help her over to the bench as she had asked.


    ¡°By the way, my name is Emilija.¡±


    ¡°Emilija?¡± The name sounded familiar. Shelley pondered for a moment before answering, ¡°I¡¯m Shelley.¡±


    Screech! A ck sedan abruptly stopped by the roadside, startling Shelley. A sense of unease washed over her.


    In the next second, the car door swung open forcefully, and two tall, muscr men ran towards her. Sensing danger, Shelley grabbed Emilija¡¯s hand, intending to flee. But Emilija held her back firmly and said, ¡°Wait, Shelley, the gentleman misses you and would like to invite you for a cup of coffee.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know any gentleman! Um¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, you¡¯ll get to know each other once you meet.¡±


    Emilija directly covered Shelley¡¯s mouth and nose with a prepared handkerchief. As Shelley breathed in the drug on the cloth, she started feeling drowsy. The two men who had gotten out of the car took charge and forcefully carried Shelley into the ck sedan.


    As Emilija was about to get into the passenger seat, a red sports car came rushing from a distance and crashed into the rear of the ck sedan with great force, causing it to jolt forward slightly.


    Both the driver of the ck sedan and Emilija cursed, and Emilija opened the car window and fired a shot towards the pursuing sports car. ¡°Bastard!¡± Festus fiercely turned the steering wheel, and the driver of the ck sedan stepped on the elerator. The car¡¯s engine roared, and it zoomed ahead.


    Festus chased after them at high speed, taking out his phone to call Mare. Mare had just brought water for Vivian, while Luzia was brewing coffee.


    ¡°Festus?¡± Mare answered the phone with confusion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Shelley has been kidnapped!¡± Festus¡¯s urgent roar and the roaring sound of the engine came through the phone.


    ¡°What happened to Shelley?¡± Luzia¡¯s hand trembled, causing the cup to tilt and spill coffee all over the table. ¡°Who kidnapped her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m chasing them. It¡¯s a Ford, license te number TX4556, but I suspect it¡¯s fake. We may need to look into used car transactions.¡± Festus gritted his teeth and stared intently at the ck sedan in front, stepping on the gas pedal recklessly.


    ¡°Damn it, can¡¯t shake them off!¡± The driver of the ck sedan raced through the streets of Houston, frequently ncing at the rearview mirror. The red sports car, like a mad beast, closely followed from behind, asionally elerating and forcefully colliding with the back of his car.


    The driver of the ck sedan couldn¡¯t afford to rx even for a moment. He said to Emilija, ¡°Get someone to deal with him!¡±


    Emilija nodded.


    As she was about to retrieve her phone, the sports car rammed into the ck sedan once again. Due to the inertia, she lunged forward, losing her grip on the phone, which fell to the ground with a tter.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Emilija cursed and picked up the phone to make a call. ¡°Dam, at the intersection, kill him!¡±


    There was a crackling sound on the other end of the line, followed by a deep voice saying, ¡°Received!¡±


    Unaware of the impending disaster, Festus continued reporting his location and direction to Mare.


    The ck sedan zoomed through an intersection, closely pursued by Festus. A white van suddenly emerged from the other side of the intersection, speeding at a hundred miles per hour, and collided with the sports car.

 Chapter 141

    The red sports car was pushed by a van, forcibly crashing into anotherne. The unlucky sedan had its rear end dented by the sports car. In a state of panic, the driver mistakenly pressed the elerator instead of the brake, and the car collided with the guardrail all the way.


    The intense sound of the continuous crashes reached the other end of the phone without missing a beat. Everyone in Vivian¡¯s hospital room trembled with fear. Luzia held Mare¡¯s hand, anxiously shouting into the phone, ¡°What happened? Are you okay? Festus? Festus!¡±


    Festus couldn¡¯t answer Luzia. He had just climbed out of the overturned sports car when someone pointed a gun at his head.


    A man with a stubble on his chin shouted something in Russian to him. Under the tremendous impact, Festus banged his head on the steering wheel, and his head was buzzing. The words reached his ears like they were separated by severalyers of ss, and he couldn¡¯t make out anything clearly.


    ¡°What the f***, shoot!¡±


    The man¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and his finger instinctively pulled the trigger. But in the next second, Festus suddenly erupted. His hands coiled around the man¡¯s wrist like snakes, and he forcefully twisted the elbow joint, causing the gun to miss its target.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    ¡°Bang! Bang!¡±


    Several gunshots in session were the result of the struggle between Festus and the man. However, the Russian man was tall and strong, and hand-to-handbat was not Festus¡¯ strong suit. With a simple shoulder throw, the man flipped him onto the ground.


    His fragile back mmed hard against the concrete, delivering another heavy blow to Festus¡¯ already injured internal organs. He vomited a mouthful of hot blood and, when the man¡¯s iron fist came down again, Festus used all his strength to fiercely twist his slender waist, locking his legs around the man¡¯s neck. Both of them lost their bnce and crashed heavily into the nearly scrapped red sports car.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    The car emitted its finalment as Festus swallowed the blood in his mouth and grabbed the man¡¯s hair, forcefully smashing his head towards the car window.


    The shattering of the window ss and the man¡¯s cries of pain sounded at the same time. He grabbed Festus¡¯ arm in reverse and exerted all his strength to twist it, while delivering a powerful kick to the sports car, creating a resounding ¡°ng¡±.


    The onlookers on the road, who had been curious due to the car ident, watched this life-and-death struggle unfold right before their eyes. Both sides were giving their all, trying to strangle each other, refusing to give up.


    The more cautious onlookers quickly retreated and called the police while keeping their distance. The sound of sirens approached from a distance. The man clenched his teeth and used his strength to flip Festus over, then ran off amid the piercing and ear-piercing sirens.


    Festus had already lost track of Shelley. He couldn¡¯t let the man escape. He cursed, stood up, and was about to chase after him when he felt a sharp pain under his ribs. His footsteps staggered for a moment.


    He had to keep this person here!


    A burning and intense desire to kill shed through Festus¡¯ mind.


    The man ran to the front of the van and climbed into the driver¡¯s seat. Just as he was about to reach for the door, Festus rushed up to him like a gust of wind. He firmly grasped the door with both hands, propelled himself into the air, and kicked the man directly in the chest, sending him tumbling into the car.


    His hand found the dagger inside the vehicle. As Festus lunged forward to deliver another blow, he pulled out the dagger and thrust it towards him.


    Festus had nowhere to hide. He could only face the dagger head-on, and it deeply cut through his palm, causing blood to gush out instantly. Enduring the excruciating pain, Festus used his uninjured hand to grip the man¡¯s neck and asked in English, ¡°Why did you capture Shelley? What do you intend to do with her?¡±


    The man grinned ferociously, his teeth stained red with blood. Constrained by Festus, his neck emitted a horrifying ¡°giggling¡± sound as he replied in English with a Russian ent, ¡°Go to hell, you¡¯ll find out soon enough!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Richard, isn¡¯t it?¡± Festus tightened his grip even more, and the man¡¯s face started turning purple due tock of oxygen.


    The man held onto the dagger tightly, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Festus. From his choking throat, he mockingly squeezed out a fragmented sentence, ¡°You¡¯ll soon meet your sweetheart!¡±


    Indeed! If it really was Richard, he wouldn¡¯t spare any affection for innocent Shelley, as he was now part of the Bratva. Festus¡¯s mind buzzed with this thought, and seizing the opportunity, the man kicked Festus forcefully in the chest.


    Festus was sent flying instantly. The man took control of the steering wheel, jumped into the van, and stepped on the elerator.


    The vehicle rushed out, crashing into the rear of a car forced to stop by the roadside, and fled into the distance.


    Festus struggled to get up, leaving a bloody handprint on the ground. Enduring the pain, he staggered forward a few steps, his knees weakened, almost falling down again.


    ¡°Festus!¡± Mare rushed over from the hospital and caught Festus as he was about to copse to the ground.


    Festus gripped Mare¡¯s hand, a trace of blood foam appearing at the corner of his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s Richard, he took Shelley.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Mare¡¯s face turned cold, showing no surprise. ¡°Just now, Charles received a call from the kidnappers. Richard demanded that Charles meet him in person.¡±


    ¡°Shelley isn¡¯t his target, Charles is.¡±


    Festus shook his head with effort, his breath filled with a strong scent of blood. ¡°Charles killed John, an eye for an eye. Richard will kill Shelley.¡±


    Festus began to feel resentful. If he had arrived at the hospital entrance a little earlier, or if he had let Shelleye with him to find the car, would this have happened?


    Charles wouldn¡¯tply with Richard¡¯s demands and go meet him alone- that would be wise. Trusting the kidnapper and following their advice is the most foolish thing in the world.


    But Charles could also abandon Shelley at any time for the sake of Washington¡¯s interests. After all, she was just his daughter.


    ¡°No, no!¡± Festus¡¯s hand trembled.

 Chapter 142

    ¡°We have to inform Shelley¡¯s mother, Celinda! She can protect Shelley! Charles will give up Shelley!¡± Mare shouted back, ¡°He won¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°He will!¡± Festus was on the verge of copse. He grabbed his own hair and roared angrily, ¡°Charles doesn¡¯t care about Shelley as much as you think. Like all mafia fathers, he¡¯s selfish, cold-blooded, and ruthless. His son and daughter are tools for consolidating his power!¡±


    ¡°He never allowed Shelley to marry because he thought she would be jos¡¯s wife, the next Capo¡¯sdy. But Kamden died, he¡¯s dead! Houston is in crisis. jos chose Bryson over him and married Vivian. Shelley married me to maintain the bnce between Washington, Houston, and our three families. Compared to the immense value of Washington, Shelley can be sacrificed!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Festus!¡± Mare grabbed him by the cor and pulled him closer, controlling his voice, ¡°Don¡¯t lose your sanity. Shelley is still waiting for you to save her!¡±


    Festus finally managed to pull himself back from the edge of remorse and copse, but the adrenaline rushing through his body couldn¡¯t ease the intense pain in his ribs.


    Mare dragged Festus into the passenger seat, leaving the police to negotiate. He drove away from the scene of the ident with Festus.


    Festus was covered in injuries, with footprints or bloodstains on his off-white T-shirt. More importantly, he was breathing heavily and asionally coughing up blood.


    Festus leaned back against the chair, holding his aching ribs, and struggled to speak with intermittent gasps, ¡°Should we go find Shelley now?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mare¡¯s concern was evident, ¡°We¡¯ll go to the hospital first. You need medical help right now.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Festus adamantly refused, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the hospital. Please take me to find Shelley.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Mare firmly rejected him and evaded Festus¡¯ attempt to grab the steering wheel, shouting angrily, ¡°Do you want to die?¡±


    After saying this, Festus coughed up another mouthful of blood. Mare cursed and stepped on the gas even harder, racing to the hospital. ¡°We will do everything we can to save Shelley, but you need to ensure your own health first, Festus!¡±


    Mare handed Festus over to the doctors in the emergency room, and at that moment, jos called.


    ¡°They are in the abandoned warehouse at the harbor, as you know.¡± jos¡¯ heavy voice came through the phone. Based on the information from Festus¡¯ call, they quickly pinpointed the direction in which the ck Ford car was fleeing.


    Upon hearing the address of the kidnappers, Mare¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. John died in that abandoned warehouse at the harbor, and Richard, dragging his half-dead body, was seeking revenge against Charles!


    ¡°I¡¯ll rush over there right away,¡± Mare exhaled heavily.


    jos spoke in a deep voice, ¡°You go back to protect Vivian, I¡¯ll go to the warehouse.¡±


    Mare was taken aback by jos¡¯ decision, but he quickly reacted and said, ¡°No, jos, for Vivian¡¯s sake, and for your safety, you should stay in the hospital.¡±


    Mare said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    jos walked out of the ward and stood silently in the corridor.


    Mare said, ¡°Boss, you are more important than anyone else. The Houston Mafia members cannot afford to lose their Capo.¡±


    jos understood all of this. Charles was their most loyal subordinate in Hargrave, and Shelley was Washington¡¯s favorite granddaughter. Some matters required his personal intervention in order to give Washington an irresistible favor.


    And Richard, consumed by hatred, was just struggling in his final moments.


    Just as jos was about to speak, there came a mor and the sound of whistling wind from the other end of the phone. Then Mare cursed and said loudly to him, ¡°Festus escaped, he injured a doctor and jumped out the window.¡±


    Mare ran out of the emergency room and happened to see Festus driving his car out of the hospital gate.


    Mare reached into his empty pockets, when did Festus steal it?


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    ¡­


    Festus drove Mare¡¯s car onto the highway and dialed Emmert¡¯s phone number using the phone he had just snatched.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Emmert stood on a street in Los Angeles, looking up at the towering buildings, quickly calcting in his mind which floor of the building would provide a better angle for an ambush. ¡°Who is this?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    The traffic light showed the green signal to cross. Emmert took long strides and followed the bustling crowd across the intersection, heading towards the building he favored.


    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s me, Festus.¡±


    ¡°Festus?¡± Emmert, who was far away in Los Angeles, had no idea what was happening in Houston, but he keenly noticed something off in Festus¡¯ breathing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Shelley has been kidnapped, by Richard!¡± Festus¡¯s chest heaved violently, and cold sweat dripped into his eyes. Unable to bear the pain in his eyes, Festus wiped them with his hand, making his eyes turn red. ¡°I need your help. Please, brother, help me! I¡¯m begging you.¡±


    Festus¡¯ vision was already blurred, but he dared not stop, driving recklessly on the highway.

 Chapter 143

    Emmert instinctively felt it was impossible. Richard had been imprisoned by jos, tortured beyond recognition.


    Emmert felt uneasy and asked in the calmest voice possible, ¡°What do you need me to do for you?¡± He was in Los Angeles, and even if he turned around and went to the airport now, by the time he flew back to Houston, Shelley¡¯s body would likely be cold.


    Festus didn¡¯t need Emmert to give up his own mission for him. ¡°I need aputer and a gun.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± These were minor things that Emmert could easily handle with a phone call. What worried him now was Festus¡¯s condition. ¡°Where are you right now? Are you okay, Festus?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, brother. Please don¡¯t worry,¡± Festus said in the most cheerful tone possible. ¡°Wish me luck, brother.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    After hanging up the phone, Festus no longer held back his overwhelming emotions. He pressed the elerator to the floor, with only one destination in mind-the abandoned warehouse at the Houston port.


    ¡­


    At the same time, inside the abandoned warehouse at the Houston port.


    Shelley woke up from a hazy daze. Shey on the cold ground, with only a pair of ck shoes on dusty cement in her sight.


    Experience and fragments of memory before she lost consciousness told her that she had been kidnapped.


    Shelley tried to move her hands and feet, but she was tightly bound. She was indeed kidnapped!


    Shelley secretly shed tears in her heart.


    ¡°Oh, awake now?¡± ¡°Emilija¡± kicked Shelley¡¯s buttocks.


    This was unbearable!


    Shelley red at ¡°Emilija¡± in anger.


    ¡°So fierce.¡± ¡°Emilija¡± pinched Shelley¡¯s face.


    Shelley winced in pain and tried to bite ¡°Emilija¡¯s¡± hand, but she was pped backhandedly.


    A burning pain spread across her cheek, and a trace of blood trickled from Shelley¡¯s mouth.


    Damn it, her face must be swollen!


    Shelley spat blood at ¡°Emilija¡± in resentment.


    Such actions were undoubtedly provocative to ¡°Emilija,¡± and Shelley would only receive more brutal treatment. But Shelley couldn¡¯t bear to swallow her anger.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Emilija¡± grabbed her light golden hair and pped her face twice. Feeling unsatisfied, she yanked her hair, lifting Shelley¡¯s upper body.


    ¡°Pain!¡± Shelley cried out in pain, feeling like her hair was about to be torn out by ¡°Emilija.¡±


    ¡°Shelley,¡± she threw her to the men guarding the warehouse, ¡°Strip her clothes off. She¡¯s all yours.¡±


    The unfamiliar men caught her with their hands all over her, roughly touching her through the fabric.


    ¡°No!¡± Shelley was terrified, desperately wriggling and struggling her body. ¡°Let go of me, take your hands off, get away!¡±


    ¡°Emilija¡± watched Shelley¡¯s despair with great satisfaction. The dim light in the warehouse fell into her eyes, turning into cold, sinister rays.


    The warehouse door burst open amidst Shelley¡¯s desperate screams. A wheelchair rolled over the dusty cement floor, and moonlight couldn¡¯t reach this gloomy corner.


    ¡°Signia, you scared my lovely niece,¡± said the fake ¡°Emilija,¡± whose real name was Signia. She was a killer from the dispersed Bratva organization in Houston and also Richard¡¯s lover.


    ¡°Darling, your niece is being so naughty,¡± Signiained to Richard in a coquettish manner. She walked quickly to Richard¡¯s side, cupped his face, and gave him a kiss. Then, she took over from the assistant pushing the wheelchair and assumed control of Richard¡¯s wheelchair.


    Shelley shivered uncontrobly, unsure whether it was because Signia¡¯s flirtatious tone disgusted her or because she heard Richard¡¯s voice. She couldn¡¯t believe it. With her head lowered, she stared at the ground with wide eyes.


    ¡°Shelley, won¡¯t you look up at me?¡± Richard¡¯s voice, filled with a smile, was so kind. It was just like the love he had shown Shelley all those years ago, and it didn¡¯t seem fake.


    Tears welled up in Shelley¡¯s eyes and fell onto the concrete ground, mingling with the dust and appearing so dirty.


    ¡°Uncle Richard?¡± Shelley wanted to ask him why, but as soon as she looked up and saw Richard¡¯s current condition, her words were incoherent with shock. ¡°You¡­ your legs, and your ears¡­ what happened to you, Uncle Richard? Who¡­¡±


    Shelley widened her eyes in horror, thinking of one possibility.


    As soon as Richard saw her expression, he knew she had understood something. Richard had always been fond of Shelley, and he never hid his praises for her. ¡°You truly are a smart child, Shelley. Now, tell me, who severed my tendons and cut off my ears?¡±


    ¡°No! No!¡± Shelley shook her head, tears streaming down continuously. She didn¡¯t want to answer Richard¡¯s question. She was too foolish, and she couldn¡¯t figure it out. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You know, Shelley.¡± Richard¡¯s expression suddenly turned fierce. He bent forward, futilely pounding the armrests of the wheelchair with his fists. ¡°It was my own dear brother, Charles. He leaked my escape route to jos. He turned me into this ghostly state. It was him, him!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Shelley struggled fiercely, and it took a great deal of force from the two men restraining her to push her down to the ground.


    Shelley refused to believe this cruel reality no matter what.


    ¡°So, Vivian¡¯s attack is rted to you?¡± Shelley seemed to understand the question that Festus had concealed.


    Richard was not some insignificant pawn. He was his father¡¯s capable assistant, the second-inmand of the Benoist family wielding real power. Richard¡¯s imprisonment and torture were orchestrated by his own father, not handled directly within the family, but handed over to jos.


    There was only one possibility: Richard had betrayed Houston!


    Shelley was pinned to the ground, trembling uncontrobly. At this point, Shelley couldn¡¯t fail to understand what Richard intended to do.


    As the daughter of the Mafia, Shelley had already anticipated her own fate.


    ¡°Why betray jos?¡± Shelley couldn¡¯t understand.


    In return for Charles¡¯s unwavering support, jos had treated the Benoist family exceptionally well. He even entrusted the management of the two most important shipping routes to the Benoist family, relinquishing almost half of the business rights.


    jos had shown considerable favor to Richard and Charles. What more could he want? Why would he betray them?

 Chapter 144

    ¡°Why?¡± Richardughed bitterly, ¡°Why are you asking me why?¡±


    Signia, at Richard¡¯s signal, pushed the wheelchair forward a few steps. Richard, using his hands, broken bone by bone by jos, gestured around. ¡°Do you know where this ce is?¡±


    Shelley¡¯s eyes followed Richard¡¯s words, scanning the surroundings.


    Houston¡¯s warehouses all looked alike, crude, enclosed, emitting a suffocating stench due to the stagnant air.


    Shelley did not know.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Richard said, ¡°You are the little princess constructed of gold and silver by the Benoist family, adorned with the most expensive jewelry, wearing the most beautiful dresses. Your feet could never touch such dirty ground in a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°But!¡± Richard emphasized, his expression both mournful and crazed, ¡°My son died here! In an abandoned warehouse in Houston port!¡±


    A series of thundering explosions followed, leaving Shelley numb, unable to express shock.


    Richard had only one son, John!


    ¡°Impossible, impossible!¡± Shelley, somehow finding the strength, lunged towards Richard.


    But her hands and feet were bound, making it very inconvenient for her to move. She was soon pushed back down.


    With red eyes, she knelt on the ground, twisting her body, her throat hoarse from screaming, ¡°You¡¯re lying, you¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°John is safe in Ennd. He¡¯s fine in Ennd. Why would you curse him? Why?¡±


    ¡°If this were true, how wonderful it would be,¡± Richard weakly smiled at Shelley. In that moment of the smile, Richard seemed to age instantly, his hair turning white, leaving him nothing but a pile of bones.


    Shelley fell silent. All the crying seemed to have been abruptly cut off as if by an invisible hand. The entire warehouse fell into silence, with only the faint, flickering light above.


    After some time, a suppressed sob broke the silence, like a switch being turned on, the sobbing turning into wailing, from contained to unleashed.


    Richard looked on, coldly, at Shelley, who sobbed breathlessly. This child, whom he had cherished so much, whom even the slightest cough would cause him intense pain, who would have thought that one day, she would be bound and thrown in such a sorry state before him, and he could coldly stand by and watch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t me Uncle, Shelley,¡± Richard¡¯s indifferent voice echoed in the empty abandoned warehouse, ¡°me jos for protecting Vivian too well. Iunched two attacks but couldn¡¯t capture her, so I had to target you.¡±


    Familiar engine sounds echoed from outside the warehouse. Richard knew who wasing.


    He sighed gently, looking up at the high ceiling of the warehouse, ¡°It will be over soon.¡±


    Signia pushed the wheelchair, slowly turning Richard to face the warehouse door.


    Despite the dark night, his vision was clear enough to see the silver car speeding towards them along the winding path.


    It was Charles¡¯ car.


    ¡°Shelley,¡± Richard turned to look at Shelley, using a tone she was familiar with, ¡°Let¡¯s guess, is Charles alone?¡±


    What would happen if she guessed right? What if she guessed wrong? Shelley dared not think.


    But Richard would not pay attention to her refusal, a single nce made his men drag Shelley out.


    Signia pushed Richard¡¯s wheelchair, slowly moving towards the warehouse door.


    ¡°After today, you will be free,¡± Richard ced his hand on the woman¡¯s back. She reached out, looking at Richard, who kissed her hand.


    Richard¡¯s voice was gentle, ¡°Are you happy, my dear?¡±


    Signia¡¯s eyes were deep and dark, sinking with emotion.


    Richard didn¡¯t mind her silence. Perhaps for Signia, after today, it would be a fresh start, but for him, today was the end.


    Charles¡¯ car approached, elerating and not slowing down even when less than 3 miles from the warehouse. The engine roared like a wild beast, the silver sports car charging forward like a cheetah.


    The barriers set up couldn¡¯t halt the roaring steel beast. Richard, unperturbed, regretted, ¡°It seems he isn¡¯t alone.¡±


    As Richard finished speaking, gunshots suddenly rang out, ¡°Ah!¡± Shelley let out a pained scream. There was a gruesome wound on her leg, blood gushing out. If the man wasn¡¯t pulling Shelley¡¯s hair, she would have fallen to the ground.


    This was the price Charles should pay for not cooperating.


    A gun battle erupted as the car charged into the warehouse. Shelley was dragged back into the warehouse, Charles¡¯ men engaging in intense gunfire with Richard¡¯s men.


    Yes, Charles did not appear in the warehouse; he was currently in the secure point at the port, a temporarymand center set up by jos.


    Simpson, acting as themander, hurriedly abandoned his post and rushed over, ¡°Charles? You didn¡¯t go tothe abandoned warehouse?¡±


    ¡°Following the kidnapper¡¯s orders is a foolish act, I thought you knew that, Simpson,¡± Charles said coldly.


    Simpson¡¯s face darkened instantly. ¡°Your daughter was kidnapped, the kidnappers demanded to see you, and you hid in a secure location?¡±


    ¡°Richard has gone mad, there¡¯s no negotiating with a madman. If I show up, he¡¯ll kill me and Shelley. Only if I don¡¯t appear is Shelley safe,¡± Charles said, with a cold and rational tone.


    Simpson couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing from this elder he had always admired. He didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it; he just grabbed his gun and rushed out of the temporarymand center.


    Charles stood on the square in front of the temporarymand center, the briny sea breeze billowing his shirt. He squinted, gazing in the direction of the abandoned warehouse. People hurriedly passed through the square, none knowing what he was thinking.


    In less than five minutes after Simpson rushed out, a thunderous explosion came from the direction of the abandoned warehouse, with billowing ck smoke rising from the partially blown-off roof of the warehouse, spreading far, far away.

 Chapter 145

    Skid-! Festus mmed on the brake, eyes wide as billows of ck smoke filled the sky, his expression beyond terror.


    It was his lifelong nightmare!


    Shelleyy in the ruins of the warehouse after the explosion, a massive beam crashed down from above, hitting the man dragging her, sttering his brain on impact.


    Shelley, too, was impacted, her head thudding against the wall, leaving her mind nk. Yet, the most agonizing was the incessant reverberating boom, piercing her mind sharply.


    Soon, Shelley noticed something more rming; despite the loud noise in her head, why couldn¡¯t she hear the gunfire inside and outside the warehouse?


    Warm, wet liquid slid down her cheek from her ear. Shelley wanted to touch it, but her limbs were tightly bound by ropes, making movement arduous.


    Blind and unable to touch, Shelley¡¯s panic amplified infinitely. Was it blood? Was her eardrum ruptured? Was she going deaf?


    Despair overwhelmed her, but even her cries seemed muffled, as if trapped in a ss jar, inaudible.


    What should she do? How would she make it? Who woulde to her rescue? Was anyoneing to save her?


    Father¡­


    Mother¡­


    Festus¡­


    Where are you? Why isn¡¯t anyoneing to save me¡­


    Please, I beg you,e and rescue me!


    Save me¡­


    Save me¡­


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian woke from the nightmare, sweat beading on her forehead.


    jos sat on the edge of the bed, embracing her, soothingly running his hand through her hair. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Vivian? Did you have a nightmare?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I dreamt¡­¡± Vivian rested her head on jos¡¯s shoulder, trying to speak, but her long eyshes fluttered like butterfly wings as tears welled up, choking her words in her throat.


    She wanted to say that she dreamt of Shelley calling for help, but in reality? The voice filled with sadness and despair wasn¡¯t Shelley¡¯s. Whose voice was it? Vivian didn¡¯t dare to dwell on it.


    ¡°What did you dream?¡± jos asked softly.


    Vivian shook her head, unwilling to speak.


    ¡°What about Shelley? Any news?¡± Vivian grabbed jos¡¯s sleeve, peering past him at the long sofa in the sickroom.


    Luziay there, exhausted, quickly drifting into a deep sleep. jos covered her with a thin nket.


    ¡°Festus will bring her back safely, believe in him, okay?¡± jos kissed Vivian¡¯s forehead gently, ¡°The doctor said you need to ensure sufficient sleep now. Can you sleep for me?¡±


    ¡°But I¡­¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    jos¡¯s hand blocked Vivian¡¯s view, firm yet gentle, ¡°Sleep, be a good girl.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t refuse jos and obedientlyy down.


    jos tucked her in.


    Before closing her eyes, Vivian extracted a promise from jos, ¡°When theye back, if I¡¯m still asleep, please wake me up, okay?¡±


    jos promised her, ¡°Rest assured, sleep. I¡¯ll watch over you all.¡±


    As Vivian drifted into a deep sleep, jos quietly left the sickroom, calling Simpson. The explosion sounded as Simpson answered the phone, like an ominous bell tolling.


    jos¡¯s heart skipped irregrly, unease spreading within him. He almost shouted, ¡°Why the explosion? Are you alright? Simpson? Simpson!¡±


    Though mentally prepared, Simpson was still covered in dust from the explosion, he quickly retreated under cover with his men, spitting out sand identally ingested, coughing sadly.


    ¡°Hey, jos?¡±


    Hearing Simpson still lively, jos let out half a sigh of relief, but the other half lingered high due to the unexined explosion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The intense gunfire continued, asional explosions raising gusts of wind, weakening Simpson¡¯s voice. He had to shout to answer jos¡¯s question, ¡°That maniac Richard, he nted bombs near the warehouse, I damn¡­¡±


    Another explosion erupted, igniting the debris piled in the corner of the warehouse, perfect kindling for a raging fire.


    Simpson held the phone in one hand, gun in the other, staring wide-eyed as the warehouse was engulfed in mes, his mind filled with curses.


    He realized in horror-Shelley was still inside the warehouse!


    Thebustibles at the explosion site were stacked by Richard, the warehouse¡¯s consumption by fire was within his expectations-he never nned to live through today!


    Richard knew his brother Charles well, Charlescked the courage to confront him face to face.


    The rapidly spreading fire blocked Simpson and his team¡¯s rescue, but it didn¡¯t stop their bullets aimed at Richard. The madman held a remote control, and who knew how many bombs were buried near the warehouse.


    Richard¡¯s wheelchair had beenpushed into a corner, concealed by towering shelves. Bullets were constantly deflected by the metal racks, any scratches left on him failed to halt his maniacalughter.


    The remote control was pressed again, a bomb on the right side of the warehouse detonated. The thunderous explosion shook the earth, and those outside the warehouse heard Richard¡¯s triumphant shout amidst the mes, ¡°Charles, you coward, I didn¡¯t misjudge you, hahaha!¡±


    Where are you hiding now, Charles?


    In the Benoist family¡¯s mansion?


    No!


    Shelley was kidnapped, she¡¯s your and Celinda¡¯s only child. If you don¡¯t save her, you¡¯re definitely keeping it from Celinda and Washington. If Shelley dies, can you face Celinda again?!


    Richardughed manically, the hatred in his eyes bursting with excitement.


    ¡°Let¡¯s die together, Charles! Let¡¯s go to hell together!¡±


    Boom!


    Amidst Richard¡¯s madughter, the explosions sounded one after another, mixed with crackling mes and piercing, terrifying screams.


    Shelley was trapped in the inferno, the searing heat surrounding her, the sensation of burning pain engulfing her.

 Chapter 146

    Shelley struggled to shrink herself as much as possible, trying to minimize the space she upied, in an attempt to avoid the increasingly fierce mes from licking her smooth skin.


    But the fire grewrger and the safe circle grew smaller. There was no one to rescue her and she couldn¡¯t wait for help. She would die here.


    But she refused to ept this fate!


    Perhaps God heard her strong desire to live. The continuous explosions suddenly ceased, and Richard¡¯s manicughter got stuck in his throat.


    What¡¯s happening? Why did the explosions stop? Why?


    Richard pressed the remote control again, but there was no response! Still no response!


    Richard pressed the remote control faster and faster, almost reaching a point of madness, but there was no response. How could there be no response!


    ¡°Useless!¡± Richard harshly threw the remote control to the ground, ring at Shelley with a sinister look across the sea of mes.


    Richard raised the gun toward Shelley. ¡°Your father didn¡¯t want to die with me, so you¡¯ll apany me, Shelley.¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± Shelley desperately shook her head, the hands bound behind her touched the scorching ground, blistering her skin, but Shelley no longer felt the pain. She wanted to escape, she did not want to die.


    Save me, save me¡­


    Helplessly, Shelley opened her mouth, seeking help from someone in the void. She didn¡¯t know who to hope for; it seemed like she couldn¡¯t hope for anyone.


    In the high-temperature, oxygen-deprived sea of fire, Shelley felt as though she had been thrown into the icy waters of Antarctica. Coldness spread from her heart to her limbs. She no longer felt the burning pain of the mes on her skin, she couldn¡¯t even hear the chaotic sounds mixed in with the mes. Shelley only saw the dark barrel pointed at her and the sparks shooting from it.


    Three gunshots rang out.


    Shelley felt intense pain rushing towards her as a tall figure rushed through the mes and fell beside her.


    ¡°Shelley!¡± Festus lifted her from the filthy ground, one hand tightly covering her bleeding wound, the other behind her, helping cut the ropes binding her hands and feet.


    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Her hands and feet had been bound for too long, theck of cirction causing a tingling sensation that prevented Shelley from wiping away her tears.


    In reality, there were no tears; in this extreme heat, tears evaporated before they could fall from her eyes.


    But Shelley still felt as if he cried so sorrowfully, so sorrowfully.


    Shelley wanted to ask him, do you really like me so much, otherwise why would you be so upset?


    But before she could ask, Shelley¡¯s peripheral vision caught sight of Richard, who had been shot, raising the gun at them again.


    In panic, Shelley pushed and shoved Festus with all her might, but she was weak and Festus was determined to shield her; she couldn¡¯t push him away.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Although he didn¡¯t feel much pain from being shot, the rapid loss of blood made Festus dizzy and weak.


    Festus didn¡¯t want to let go of Shelley, but he was already too weak to continue.


    ¡°Festus!¡± Shelley caught the falling Festus in her arms.


    She didn¡¯t know where she found the strength, she took the gun that fell from him, aimed it at Richard, without hesitation, and quickly pulled the trigger.


    Bang!


    Richard widened his eyes in disbelief; the bullet at his brow sent him to hell.


    It was all over.


    Shelley slowly closed her eyes.


    ¡­


    Simpson could no longer describe the scene¡¯s brutality and his own copse to jos.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Damn it, where did that bastard Festus get the strength? He just charged into the fire, and I couldn¡¯t stop him!


    Later, Mare told him that Festus had just experienced a brutal car ident and fight. He had three broken ribs, one of which had pierced his spleen.


    After hearing this, Simpson¡­


    He was even more devastated!


    ¡°A family of lunatics!¡± Simpson cursed.


    Simpson¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t getting any better.


    But Simpson knew the fire department wasn¡¯t able to rescue them, so he gritted his teeth, went crazy, and carried Shelley out, wearing a wet jacket.


    ¡°I¡¯m damn lucky; I could¡¯ve been crushed by a beam right then and there!¡± Simpson said indignantly.


    Meanwhile, Charles¡¯s men arrived at the port and carried Festus out with him.


    Richard¡¯s body was buried in the ze.


    ¡°Okay, remember toe back for a change of dressings, don¡¯t let the wound touch water,¡± the doctor treating Simpson reminded him. ¡°Be careful of infection; that¡¯s the worst-case scenario.¡±


    After the doctor finished speaking, he left the ward.


    Luzia carefully lifted Mare¡¯s sleeve; his arm also had ayer of skin burned by the fire. ¡°You went in too?¡±


    ¡°I almost got hit when I was about to leavethe warehouse. Mare helped me out.¡± Simpson exined, ¡°Thanks, brother.¡±


    Mare nodded silently, without saying a word. The door of the ward was forcefully pushed open. Luzia, who had been sitting next to him, stood up abruptly, as if shocked.


    Mare frowned and looked at the ward¡¯s doorway. It was Joseph.


    Joseph¡¯s mouth held a smile familiar to them all, but his gaze was sharp and cold as it swept over Mare andnded on Luzia.


    Luzia felt her whole body stand on end from his gaze, her hair almost standing on end.


    Fortunately, Joseph did not linger on her for long, no more than five seconds, and then moved away as if uninterested.


    Just as Luzia let out a sigh of relief, her heart had notpletely settled when Joseph¡¯s next words provoked her once more.


    He said to Vivian, ¡°I heard you¡¯re pregnant, Vivian.¡±

 Chapter 147

    The air in the ward froze for a moment. Vivian shrank back in fear, not daring to look at Joseph¡¯s eyes. jos sat by the bedside, showing no surprise at Joseph¡¯s sudden appearance. Instead, hefortingly patted Vivian¡¯s hand.


    Smiling at Joseph, he made no attempt to conceal, ¡°Yes, Vivian is pregnant, I¡¯m going to be a father.¡±


    jos asked, ¡°Are you congratting me, Joseph?¡±


    ¡°Of course, this is something everyone should be happy about. I certainly want to congratte you,¡± Joseph said, looking down at jos with an air of superiority.


    jos always found Joseph¡¯s sense of superiority puzzling. They held nearly equal status in the mafia, and Joseph had not even be a true Capo. In terms of rank, Joseph was lower than jos. Yet, he always managed to disy an air of superiority and disdain towards everyone, which jos found quite perplexing.


    ¡°Hey, Vivian,¡± Joseph greeted her, ¡°why are you afraid to look at me? What are you afraid of?¡±


    No matter how friendly Joseph¡¯s expression was, it couldn¡¯t conceal his cruel nature. Vivian had been afraid of him since she was a child. ¡°No, I, I¡¯m not afraid,¡± she stammered.


    ¡°Then why can¡¯t you look into my eyes?¡± Joseph pressed.


    Vivian flinched even more.


    Joseph reprimanded, ¡°Look at me, Vivian!¡±


    Trembling, Vivian timidly raised her head. Her fearful gaze didn¡¯t meet Joseph¡¯s sinister eyes before she felt pressure on her head ¨C it was jos.


    jos¡¯s hand covered Vivian¡¯s head, gently pushing it down. She instinctivelyplied with his force, lowering her head. She heard jos speak to Joseph in a displeased tone, ¡°You¡¯ve frightened my wife, Joseph! Are you forcing her?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, my dear brother-inw, I¡¯m just having a friendly conversation with my pregnant sister.¡± Joseph¡¯s expression and tone always changed rapidly and drastically when facing jos.


    jos sneered, ¡°I don¡¯t feel your friendliness, Joseph. Perhaps you should go back to school and relearn the course on friendliness. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself here any longer.¡±


    jos arranged for a car to take Joseph back to the apartment. ¡°You should go back to the room I arranged for you and get a good night¡¯s sleep. I know the journey at sea hasn¡¯t been easy.¡±


    Yes, their recent voyage had been exceptionally difficult. They had encountered naval patrols twice in the Three Seas just before reaching the open sea. They had to turn back, unload cargo at the transfer station, and return to the port of Houston.


    As soon as the ship docked, an explosion urred at the port square. Joseph and the sailors had to drift at sea for an additional three hours until the port authorities cleared the remaining bombs before they coulde ashore.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your lectures, jos,¡± Joseph suppressed his anger, ¡°We don¡¯t share amon understanding of friendliness, but that¡¯s okay. Now I¡¯m taking my wife with me, please show your understanding of friendliness.¡±


    Luzia subconsciously wanted to escape, but Joseph was quick. He grabbed her shoulder almost the moment she turned around.


    Feeling the weight on her shoulder, Luzia¡¯s body stiffened, goosebumps immediately covering her whole body.


    ¡°Where are you going, Luzia?¡± Joseph felt the shiver of her body under his palm. He revealed a cruel and eerie smile, like some kind of sticky, soft-bodied creature crawling inch by inch over the back of Luzia¡¯s fair neck.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Luzia felt a chill from his smile. She was on the verge of tears, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m worried about Shelley. She¡¯s still in surgery, and I¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a doctor, Luzia. Your presence does nothing to heal the patients¡¯ pain, but¡­¡± Joseph¡¯s chest pressed against Luzia¡¯s back.


    Luzia widened her eyes in terror, tears welling up in her eyes, ready to trickle down at the blink of an eye.


    Because of her extreme fear, Luzia¡¯s body stiffened like a stone, unable to shiver anymore.


    She heard Joseph¡¯s voice draw near, like a demon¡¯s call, ¡°I need you, Luzia.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Luzia struggled to force a syble out of her throat, but she couldn¡¯t find more words.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t bear to watch and quietly said to jos, ¡°I want Luzia to stay with me.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s voice was soft, but it didn¡¯t escape Joseph¡¯s ears.


    Joseph turned around, and with just a gentle nce, the fierceness in his eyes couldn¡¯t be hidden.


    If Joseph had fangs, they would have been bared in an instant to sever theprey¡¯s neck. ¡°Vivian, you should believe that I need my wife more than you do.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t anger me, Vivian,¡± Joseph licked his teeth like a vampire, ¡°I believe your husband wouldn¡¯t want to see us engage in a more ¡®friendly¡¯ conversation than we just did.¡±


    Vivian tightened her grip on jos¡¯s sleeve.


    jos stared at Joseph with a dark look.


    Joseph fearlessly met his gaze, his eyes shifting asionally, revealing a hint of malice as he aimed at Vivian¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Am I right, jos?¡±


    It was a tant threat and a provocation to jos.


    But jos had to grit his teeth and endure.


    ¡°Am I not right, jos?¡± Joseph¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, his tone growing heavier, expressing dissatisfaction with jos¡¯s brief silence.


    ¡°Of course, you can take your wife, Joseph. It¡¯s your right.¡± jos struggled to steady his breath, resisting the urge to explosively shoot Joseph in the head. He reminded himself that the time was not yet right, to endure, to endure!


    ¡°I suppose you have also heard that my grandfather in distant Italy has selected a bride for my brother, Simpson. They are getting along quite well,¡± jos said. ¡°My aunt is preparing to host a family gathering for them. As a member of this family, I hope you and Luzia can join. Can you?¡±


    Joseph sneered, ¡°You can tell me the time of the gathering.¡±


    ¡°Out of respect and courtesy, my aunt will personally send you a formal invitation,¡± jos seized the opportunity to make his request, ¡°Aunt Yazmin is very fond of Luzia, please don¡¯t let her be saddened by Luzia¡¯s scars.¡±


    Joseph looked at jos with a cold gaze. He must have cursed jos angrily in his mind more than once, but at least he maintained a facade of peace, ¡°If it¡¯s the wish of the beautiful and noble Lady Yazmin, I am happy to oblige.¡±


    In the end, Luzia was taken away by Joseph, and Mare silently left the room. Simpson raised his eyebrows, looking at jos, not very pleased, ¡°A family gathering for me and Giulia? Why wasn¡¯t I informed?¡±

 Chapter 148

    ¡°It¡¯s just a family gathering, which can ensure Luzia¡¯s safety and provide an opportunity for you and Giulia to get along. This is a super valuable gathering, its value has exceeded the gathering itself,¡± jos said.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Simpson was speechless, ¡°Do you believe what you just said?¡±


    jos, dissatisfied with his questioning of his wise decision, replied, ¡°There¡¯s no point in discussing this.¡±


    Simpson, holding back an eye roll, left the ward without looking back, mming the door behind him. Still, he could hear jos¡¯sughter.


    When everyone had left the ward, Vivian¡¯s tense posture copsed, and she leaned against jos, her eyes welling up.


    ¡°If you want to cry, go ahead,¡± jos patted her back and said, ¡°I won¡¯t bother you.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t just want to cry,¡± Vivian left jos¡¯s shoulder, her eyes still red, ¡°I know you have ns regarding Joseph. You will ensure Luzia¡¯s safety, won¡¯t you?¡±


    jos¡¯s brief silence made Vivian feel afraid, ¡°jos.¡±


    Vivian held his hand, her voice slightly trembling, ¡°Please let me believe that you will treat every one of your family members kindly, okay?¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of, Vivian?¡± jos replied, squeezing her hand, furrowing his brow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m just afraid,¡± Vivian admitted, ¡°You will love our child, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s our child,¡± jos¡¯s expression carried a hint of impatience and disbelief, ¡°Why would you have such doubts?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­¡± Because Luzia¡¯s experience is so sympathetic, because facing this kind of Luzia, your expression is too indifferent. Your indifference makes me feel like your statement of love is not an evasion or a titude, but a genuine feeling.


    But Vivian didn¡¯t dare to speak out loud; she was too enamored with jos¡¯s tenderness during this time. She had a premonition that if she said all these words, jos would revert to being that cold, selfish jos.


    ¡°Do you want to hear my story?¡± Vivian said.


    jos kissed her forehead, ¡°If you¡¯re willing to tell, I¡¯m willing to listen.¡±


    ¡°That was many years ago,¡± Vivian found a ce to lean against in jos¡¯s embrace, seeming to seek support in his arms.


    jos understood her thoughts, embraced her from behind, and ced his hands over her abdomen.


    He quietly listened to Vivian recounting the events from several years ago.


    ¡°I vividly remember that year, I was twelve, Vilem was fourteen, and Joseph was even older, he was already seventeen,¡± Vivian said, ¡°We were kidnapped at a family banquet.¡±


    jos asked his question, ¡°Family banquets have always been a focus of security, the children of the Capo would receive priority protection, and unfamiliar bodyguards and servants should not appear around you. With such tight protection, why were the three of you still kidnapped together?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Vivian shook her head, perhaps she had been too scared, and many details from that year she had already forgotten, ¡°I only remember that day, I was supposed to stay by my mother¡¯s side, but one of my father¡¯s bodyguards told me that Vilem wanted me to find him in the garden, so I went, and then I fainted.¡±


    ¡°When I woke up from thea, we had already been kidnapped. Vilem, Joseph, and I were all locked in a warehouse, Vilem and Joseph were thrown into a corner, and only I was dragged in front of those men.¡±


    Perhaps as her memories started to resurface, that terrifying feeling of being surrounded by strange men, the pulling at her clothes, came back to Vivian, and she started feeling cold, shivering.


    ¡°They wanted to assault me,¡± Vivian fought back tears, but as soon as she spoke, the sound of her crying leaked out, ¡°They pinned me to the ground, tore my clothes, and tried to force me to perform oral sex.¡±


    jos, hearing such a thing, was deeply angered. He knew the methods of the mafia, but that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t want to tear those men apart.


    Feeling jos¡¯s arm tighten and his rapid breaths, Vivian struggled to calm him down and continued, ¡°That day, Vilem saved me. He broke free from his bindings ¨C he dislocated his own hand ¨C and charged at those men, but he was only fourteen, he had no gun, no strong body, or agile skills, those men were all tall, strong Russians, they subdued Vilem. One of them¡­¡±


    Vivian, with tears streaming down her face, gestured with her hand, speaking intermittently, ¡°One of them took a thick, long stick and viciously struck Vilem, shattering his knees.¡±


    This oue seemed expected; jos had no doubt about Vilem¡¯s bravery. He believed that even if faced with danger, Vilem, no matter how weak, could summon infinite courage when it came to protecting Vivian.


    He asked, ¡°What about Joseph? He didn¡¯t break free from his restraints and rescue you, did he?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian choked, gritting her teeth, ¡°He ran away.¡± That selfish man, their own brother, when she was nearly assaulted, when Vilem¡¯s knees were shattered, and he was coughing up blood, Joseph took the opportunity to cut his own restraints and escape.


    If the kidnappers hadn¡¯t hidden their tracks so well, if they hadn¡¯t kidnapped the son and daughter of the Capo of Los Angeles, if Vilem¡¯s life had been even slightly more fragile, they might not have waited for rescue and died in that remote warehouse.


    Vivian thought her aversion and fear of Joseph probably reached its peak at that moment. She knew all too well how selfish Joseph was; he was self-serving and disregarded family ties. In Joseph¡¯s eyes, she and Vilem were not siblings, but rather obstacles that could be removed at any time.


    If one day their interests shed with Joseph¡¯s, Vivian had every reason to believe that he would not hesitate to kill them.


    But the story didn¡¯t end with their rescue; many things that happenedter were things Vivian didn¡¯t want to remember.


    ¡°My father loves me very much. He gave me everything a Mafia princess could have, and while he did tame me, he also made promises to me. As long as I graduated from high school, he hadn¡¯t given me away as a gift to any man, he would let me go to college in New York. I would study fine arts, learn musicals, as long as I worked hard enough, I had a chance to step onto the grandest stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera.¡±


    Vivian covered her face, tears escaping despite her efforts to hold them back, they raced down her cheeks, dripping onto the pure white hospital sheets, leaving a small wet patch.


    ¡°Since I was twelve, I¡¯ve been hypnotizing myself like this. I told myself I was happy, my father loved me, not to argue, not to escape, not to cause any trouble for Vilem; he had already lost too much for me.¡±

 Chapter 149

    jos didn¡¯t quite understand the direction of this story. He thought maybe Vivian had concealed something, hadn¡¯t said it. He didn¡¯t want to ask, but Vivian cried so sadly, crying as if his heart was burning like fire.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Vivian? Did he do something? What did he do?¡±


    ¡°He¡­¡± Vivian choked up several times, unable to speak. ¡°I heard him talking to Mark, saying he arranged for us to be kidnapped, and it was him who sent those people to rape me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± jos was not just shocked; he felt Bryson was simply insane. No, Bryson might be even crazier than he imagined. ¡°How could he, how dare he!¡±


    ¡°When Joseph was thirteen, he passed his test and became his heir, but Vilem disappointed him. Yet, he told everyone he was a forgiving father, willing to give Vilem a new chance.¡±


    jos suddenly understood. This kidnapping nned by Bryson was his new chance for Vilem.


    In this kidnapping, Vilem did not protect himself well, but he protected Vivian. His bravery and responsibility were unquestionable.


    But¡­


    jos was also Capo¡¯s son; he had also undergone tests from his father Kamden and Simpson. He knew what the standards were. So once he understood the nature of this kidnapping, jos knew that Vilem had not passed Bryson¡¯s test. He lost; he lost to the bravery and responsibility he had given to Vivian.


    At the same time, jos also understood why Vivian had told him this.


    ¡°Are you afraid that, like Bryson, I will treat our children the same? Will I set such tests, let people rape our daughter, just to test if our son is too sentimental, if our daughter will be his fatal weakness?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Please answer me seriously, don¡¯t evade, Vivian!¡± mes seemed to burn in jos¡¯s eyes. He was angry, furious. How could Vivianpare him to Bryson, that cunning and sly man! He wanted to roar, to grab Vivian¡¯s shoulders and shake her hard, to make her see who he really was!


    But when he met Vivian¡¯s fearful gaze and the tears in her eyes, he couldn¡¯t shout.


    Defeated, he buried his head in Vivian¡¯s neck. He felt Vivian¡¯s stiffness and thought he couldn¡¯t control his temper. Vivian was too sensitive and fragile. He had worked so hard to make his tenderness influence her, but suddenly it was as if he had been reset.


    A sense of unwillingness rose from the bottom of his heart, then turned to resentment, and he found himself biting into Vivian¡¯s delicate, fair neck.


    Vivian winced, instinctively trying to struggle, but jos held her shoulders, and she dared not move.


    He bit hard, the faint taste of blood spreading between his lips and teeth, then slowly rxed the pressure between his teeth.


    ¡°jos, let go, it hurts!¡±


    Before his teethpletely left Vivian¡¯s neck, his soft tongue lightly brushed over the fresh teeth marks, a gentle touch like a feather, yet also like an electric current. Vivian¡¯s body couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly, emitting an unbearable low groan from her mouth.


    This slightly sticky moan,bined with a slight sense of shame, lit a fire in jos¡¯s body, igniting his desire.


    ¡°Vivian, you are mine, don¡¯t fear me, don¡¯t hide from me!¡± jos¡¯s voice was hoarse as he said this, one hand cupping her perfectly contoured chin, looking into her moist eyes, and deeply kissed her.


    This kiss seemed heavier than ever, the intertwining of lips and teeth carrying a hint of blood, whether it was from Vivian or from jos, no one knew.


    The sticky sound reverberated in the empty hospital room. jos pushed Vivian onto the bed, and the kiss deepened repeatedly. Vivian was forced to open her mouth, extend her tongue, allowing jos to toy with her, entangle her, kiss her until her breathing became rapid and her mind unclear.


    There were times when she resisted, pressing her hands against jos¡¯s strong chest, trying to push him away to give herself a bit of relief, but jos was too dominant. He was used to controlling everything, including the rhythm of their affairs.


    jos pinned her resisting hands above her head, and the kissing gradually moved from the entanglement of lips and teeth downward. He kissed her slender neck, her sexy corbone, and unbuttoned her hospital gown, kissing all the way to her breasts.


    Perhaps due to the pregnancy, Vivian¡¯s breasts had clearly grownrger and be more sensitive. With just a gentle kiss from jos, Vivian sensually let out a softmoan, her body trembling even more intensely.


    jos loved this reaction from Vivian. He took it as her appreciation and an invitation ¨C ¡°Love me, jos! Kiss me, possess me, make me yours.¡±


    Therefore, jos kissed his wife even more fervently. One hand kneaded her full and delicate breasts like kneading dough, then he lowered his head to lightly suck on her nipple, finally taking it into his mouth.


    Once her sensitive nipple was enveloped by his warm, moist mouth, Vivian couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. She couldn¡¯t control her body¡¯s tremors or the moans escaping her lips.


    Her futile attempts to resist, with her hands weakly struggling against jos¡¯s chest, fingers curling as if trying to grasp something, only to find emptiness, left her feeling empty inside. She could only helplessly call out jos¡¯s name, ¡°jos, jos¡­¡±


    jos¡¯s calloused fingers caressed Vivian¡¯s clitoris, continually pressing and kneading, causing her to move in tandem with his touch.


    Vivian¡¯s climax came suddenly and naturally, like a surging tide, then receded. Tears of pleasure welled up in Vivian¡¯s eyes, her chest rising and falling helplessly, her mind nk for a moment.


    It wasn¡¯t until jos, lying on top of her, cursed ¡°damn it¡± through gritted teeth, loosened his hold on her hands, and got up to leave that Vivian¡¯s consciousness was still unclear, yet her longing for jos wasn¡¯t subconscious.


    Her body and heart both told her that at this moment, she didn¡¯t want jos to leave, that she even wanted jos¡­ to possess her forcibly.


    As this thought surfaced, Vivian felt a wave of shame. Oh God, why did she have such thoughts? Was she such ascivious woman?


    But her body was always more honest than her mind. Just as jos was about to get up, showing a hint of wanting to leave, Vivian¡¯s hand had already grabbed jos¡¯s hand faster than her thoughts.


    It was a gesture of retention, a hint that said ¡°you can continue.¡± At this moment, it was undoubtedly a naked seduction for jos, who was currently brimming with desire.


    Normally, jos would have dly epted her invitation ¨C as a qualified and perfect husband, he could never refuse his wife¡¯s sexual invitation.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    But this was different now.


    When jos, with eyes reddened by desire, saw Vivian¡¯s slightly bulging belly, there was an obvious pause. Their child was growing there, his and Vivian¡¯s child. He couldn¡¯t make any move that might harm Vivian and the child.

 Chapter 150

    ¡°Darling, we can¡¯t.¡± In order to protect Vivian and the child, jos could only regretfully refuse Vivian, kissing her forehead to offer sce, ¡°You¡¯ve juste out of danger, I can¡¯t let you get hurt again.¡±


    ¡°But, you¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s face flushed, she wanted to look down at jos¡¯s crotch but felt too embarrassed to do so. Even without looking, she knew for sure that there was a tent pitched there.


    As a wife, her husband had genuine desires for her, but due to her pregnancy, she couldn¡¯t fulfill his needs. While it was understandable, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but remember asional rumors she had heard.


    Men of the upper ss possessed wealth and status that many ordinary people worked their whole lives for. They had beautiful wives and lovely children, yet due to discord within the family or various other reasons, they maintained mistresses outside, one reason being that their wives couldn¡¯t fulfill their desires during pregnancy.


    Vivian had always known that men of jos¡¯s stature couldn¡¯t possibly abstain from keeping one or more mistresses. She had been trying her best to ignore this issue, not asking, not probing, but now she was pregnant.


    As the days of her pregnancy grew longer, the number of times jos shared their bed grew fewer. Most of the times, like today, after she reached climax, jos, in the height of desire, would withdraw.


    Of course, Vivian appreciated jos¡¯s consideration and care, but making jos, who was often filled with desire, endure, made her feel very guilty.


    asionally, she felt afraid. What would jos, unable to satisfy his desires with his wife, do? Would he seek out his mistresses?


    Just the thought of jos kissing, sleeping with, making love to other women made Vivian nauseous, but more than that, it made her feel panic and heartache.


    This panic and heartache drove Vivian to reach out to jos, ¡°I¡­ I can help you.¡±


    Her slender, soft fingers hooked onto jos¡¯s belt.


    jos wasn¡¯t unaffected, he stood by the bed, not taking a step back. He lowered his head, looking at his wife¡¯s blushing cheeks, she was shy.


    His wife was still so easily embarrassed.


    In jos¡¯s heart, an infinite tenderness arose, desire that couldn¡¯t be hidden in his deep eyes.


    His throat rolled, jos¡¯s voice roughened by desire, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Vivian lowered her head, facing jos sideways.


    jos couldn¡¯t clearly see her expression, but her visibly trembling long eyshes betrayed her emotions.


    She was starting to get nervous.


    But since she had spoken first, jos didn¡¯t intend to be a gentleman or a perfect husband anymore. If not for fear of hurting the child, he even wanted to turn into a beast.


    ¡°How do you want to help me, Vivian?¡± jos took a step forward, delivering the tent in his crotch into Vivian¡¯s hands, ¡°Show me with your actions, Vivian.¡±


    So, blushing, Vivian used both hands to help jos release.


    jos¡¯s erection was enduring, and Vivian¡¯s efforts made her hands ache. Then she looked at jos, God knows how tempting her expression was, jos¡¯s eyes burst into mes, his body yearning for her warmth.


    Vivian moved her head to the side, sticking out her tongue like a kitten, trying to lick his penis head.


    ¡°Oh, my God.¡± jos had received oral pleasure from extremely skilled prostitutes before, but never had anyone made him feel trembling all over like Vivian did.


    Vivian had never done this before, she simply tried to take the penis into her mouth, being careful not to graze his sensitive tissue with her teeth, and began to move slowly, but jos¡¯s penis was too big, too hot, like an iron, and had an unpleasant taste.


    Vivian was inexperienced, and asionally caused jos pain. She couldn¡¯t figure out how to swallow, she touched jos¡¯s scrotum, her eyes filled with tears, seeking help from him.


    jos cursed under his breath, caressing the back of Vivian¡¯s head and finally began the final thrust.


    Vivian was manipted to the point of suffocation, her breath almost cut off, her throat hurting. She couldn¡¯t bear jos¡¯s assault, but fortunately, in the end, jos didn¡¯t ejacte in her mouth.


    ¡°Darling, you¡¯ve really intoxicated me.¡±


    After everything was over, he kissed Vivian¡¯s mouth affectionately.


    jos lifted her horizontally and took her to the bathroom in the ward to clean her hands, then carried her back to the bed.


    As soon as Vivian¡¯s buttockstouched the bed, she blushed and pulled the covers over herself, drawing an uncontrobleugh from jos.


    jos pinched Vivian¡¯s red ear that peeked out from under the covers, ¡°Why are you so shy?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying,¡± Vivian¡¯s muffled voice came from under the covers, she even pulled the covers over her head, not leaving a single strand of hair for jos.


    josughed even louder, gently patting the raised covers, then turned and went into the bathroom to get a ss of water for Vivian to rinse her mouth, and he himself went in to wash up.


    After getting ready, when he came out again, the room was already bright outside the window, it was already 7:30 in the morning.


    Vivian was still under the covers, jos helped her tidy up.


    ¡°Have a bit more sleep, I¡¯ll go see how Festus and Shelley are doing.¡±


    Vivian, who was still a little groggy, also woke up, ¡°How are they doing?¡±


    ¡°The operation is not over yet,¡± jos stopped Vivian from getting up, ¡°Charles, Celinda, and Festus¡¯s parents are all waiting outside the operating room, I need to go over. You be a good girl and rest, okay?¡±


    ¡°I want to go too,¡± Vivian pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m really worried.¡±


    ¡°No need to worry, the doctors performing the surgery are the best.¡± jos refused Vivian¡¯s request, ¡°You are a patient now, you need to rest.¡±


    Vivian wanted to argue a little more, jos said, ¡°Vilem will being over soon, he won¡¯t be able to stay for long, are you sure you don¡¯t want to see him?¡±


    Vivian wasn¡¯t sure.


    Joseph had returned from the sea, he knew about her pregnancy, and Houston was now full of danger, jos might send her to Hawaii at any time.


    Before going to Hawaii, Vivian still wanted to see Vilem one more time.


    Vivian¡¯s choice was not hard for jos to guess. He let Vivian return to bed, ¡°I won¡¯t hide anything from you about what¡¯s going on, please rest assured.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vivian nodded.


    An hourter, Vilem arrived at Vivian¡¯s ward. Vivian held his face and said he looked thin.


    ¡°I have to look at Joseph¡¯s disgusting face every day at dinner, it¡¯s too easy to lose weight,¡± Vilem said.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Upon hearing this, Vivian couldn¡¯t help butugh, she knew Joseph was deliberately trying to make her happy.


    But soon, she showed an expression that was almost about to cry. Vilem disliked seeing her like that, and quickly flexed his arm, striking a strongman pose to show off his muscles to Vivian, ¡°Although I¡¯ve lost weight, I haven¡¯t lost an ounce of muscle. I¡¯m still a muscle man.¡±


    Vivianughed and reached out to touch his muscles,plimenting, ¡°They feel really good.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t have to worry about me, Vivian,¡± Vilem said, ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you. Joseph already knows about your pregnancy, I saw him making a call at the port, it must have been to his father.¡±


    His father¡¯s wish hade true, Vivian had be pregnant with jos¡¯s child, bing jos¡¯s most vulnerable point. Vilem did not believe that his father, upon learning this great news, would remain inactive.


    ¡°Has father called you?¡± Vilem asked worriedly.


    Vivian shook her head, saying, ¡°You see, there¡¯s nothing in the ward, jos took away my phone, except for the people he allows, the only one who has been with me in the ward every day is Mare, I haven¡¯t been able to contact anyone else, no one has told me whether my father has called me.¡±


    ¡°jos is right,¡± Vilem agreed with jos¡¯s approach, ¡°Father is too cunning, and you¡¯re afraid of him. He could easily get all the information he wants from you. Not letting youmunicate is the best.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s easy for father to find you, he just needs to let Josephe see you,¡± Vilem scratched his head, excessive worry making him irritable, ¡°Joseph has already seen you, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he came in the middle of the night and took Luzia away,¡± mentioning Luzia, Vivian couldn¡¯t help feeling a little sad.


    ¡°Did he do anything to you?¡±


    ¡°He said some scary things,¡± Vivian said, ¡°but jos and others were there, Joseph didn¡¯t mention father.¡±

 Chapter 151

    Vilem heard that Vivian didn¡¯t meet Joseph alone, and he felt relieved. ¡°Does jos have any arrangements? Houston is no longer safe. Will he take you away?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he wants to send me to Hawaii.¡±


    ¡°Hawaii?¡± Vilem paced back and forth in front of Vivian¡¯s sickbed, pondering many things. Is Hawaii really safer than Houston? How will jos ensure that? Traveling from Houston to Hawaii would certainly require a private ne. Are private nes safe? How can he be sure that his father and Joseph won¡¯t tamper with the ne?


    Vilem had many such questions, and the more he thought, the more chaotic his thoughts became, and the more uneasy he felt.


    Calm down, Vilem.


    Vilem stopped the tumultuous thoughts and took a deep breath.


    ¡°jos has made a decision, and he must have made sufficient preparations. We have to trust him,¡± Vilem told Vivian, also telling himself.


    He couldn¡¯t change jos¡¯s mind, nor could he salvage the current chaotic situation. All he could do was trust jos, refrain from unnecessary suspicion, so as not to disrupt jos¡¯s n.


    Vilem calmed his mind a bit and sat down on a small chair next to Vivian¡¯s bed. ¡°How many people has jos arranged for you? Mare will definitely go to Hawaii with you. Who else?¡±


    Vivian shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a list.¡±


    Frowning, Vilem asked, ¡°He didn¡¯t mention it to you?¡±


    ¡°I only know Mare and Emmert.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Emmert, the most outstanding sniper in the Houston underworld.


    Vilem had an idea. He nodded, indicating that he understood.


    ¡°I want to go to Hawaii with you,¡± Vilem said. ¡°The only reason for me to stay in Houston is you. I need to protect you.¡±


    ¡°But jos told me you were going on a business trip.¡± Vivian would certainly be very happy if Vilem could apany her to Hawaii. She didn¡¯t know anyone in Hawaii, and jos wouldn¡¯t be by her side. She had always been very afraid.


    But Vivian didn¡¯t know if jos would agree to let Vilem go with her, especially since he had just informed her in the morning that Vilem would be going on a business trip.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vilem said, dismayed. ¡°Damn, I forgot.¡± This was a very important task; Vilem had to personally deliver the cargo he was currently handling.


    Vilem felt a bit frustrated. ¡°I can¡¯t go with you.¡±


    Vivian couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed, but she still smiled andforted Vilem, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have Mare and Emmert. They will take care of me.¡±


    Vivian touched her stomach, smiling very gently. ¡°The next time we meet, you will have a little nephew or niece.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably the happiest thing I¡¯ve heard recently,¡± Vilem said, patting Vivian¡¯s stomach. He couldn¡¯t describe the feeling, but he felt his heart soften, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Suddenly, he had an idea. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask jos for leave.¡±


    ¡°Leave?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vilem said, ¡°Afterpleting this task, I will ask jos for leave, and then go to Hawaii to find you.¡±


    Vilem¡¯s thoughts were beautiful. ¡°As long as Iplete this task exceptionally and have sufficient reasons, he will definitely agree.¡±


    Vivian, however, was not as optimistic as he was. ¡°Will jos agree?¡±


    ¡°I mean, jos values you a lot and entrusts you with many important tasks. You will be very busy.¡±


    ¡°He will,¡± Vilem said confidently. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t agree, it doesn¡¯t matter. I will definitely go to find you. I will leave without him being able to stop me.¡±


    Vivian felt this was not good, ¡°But¡­¡±


    Vilem sped Vivian¡¯s hand, looking at her seriously. ¡°Vivian, I am not lying. I stayed in Houston for you. If it weren¡¯t for you being here, I would have left a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°I have always longed for my father¡¯s approval, even if it¡¯s not as his heir, just as his son. I have made great efforts for this.¡±


    ¡°But unfortunately, I am destined not to gain my father¡¯s approval.¡± In the more than half a year in Houston, he had faced many life and death situations, oveing hardships time and time again. He had gained jos¡¯s approval and the respect of the Houston underworld. He felt that he had achieved great sess and was entitled to seek approval from his father.


    But the truth was, his father had given up on Vivian andhimself.


    Los Angeles, the city that had raised them, hadpletely abandoned them.


    Vilem sighed inwardly, having to admit that for so many years, the only child his father truly cared about was Joseph.


    ¡°Vivian, you are my only family now,¡± Vilem thought he would be very sad, but when he said it out loud, the feeling of relief in his heart was much stronger than his sadness, so much so that it made his sorrow seem faint.


    When he said this, it reminded Vivian of her mother, who had disappeared without a trace. She felt sad, and Vilem knew what she was worrying about and reassured her, ¡°Your mother will be fine.¡±


    ¡°I am willing to stay in Houston for you, and I am willing to go to Hawaii with you, but I don¡¯t want to stay in a ce without you,¡± Vilem lowered his head and kissed the back of her hand. ¡°My dear princess, please let me follow you.¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t know how to persuade Vilem to give up his idea. He was, first and foremost, an independent person who should have his own life, not be bound by her or anyone else to any ce.


    Secondly, Vilem¡¯s self-analysis made her feel a lot of pressure. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder, is the sacrifice he made for her worth it? Is he happy?


    For the past twenty years, Vilem¡¯s pain had been caused by his father. What about now? Would she also be the kind of person her father was, causing Vilem pain? If so, she would be very sad.


    But she couldn¡¯t refuse Vilem¡¯s kindness because she was also afraid of going alone to a strange city, where she would have to live for a very long time.


    It turned out she was a selfish person too.


    Vivianughed bitterly in her heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vilem,¡± Vivian lowered her head.


    Vilem thought Vivian had rejected his proposal, feeling a bit dejected, and yet unusually persistent. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. You should say, ¡®Yes, I allow you to follow, Sir Knight¡¯.¡±


    Vivian was amused by his words, but her voice inexplicably choked up, ¡°Why not ¡®Your Highness¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Because only a knight can protect his princess. Because you already have a prince, though he may not be perfect, Vilem knew that jos was trying very hard to learn how to be a good husband and father.


    He hoped that Vivian would be luckier than her mother and meet a husband who truly cared for her.


    He also hoped that Vivian¡¯s child would be luckier than all of them, having a father who wasn¡¯t perfect but loved them deeply.


    Wiping away the tears from her eyes, Vilem said, ¡°Let me apany you, okay, Vivian?¡±


    ¡°Then you must protect me, my Sir Knight,¡± Vivian cried andughed, looking extremely pitiful.


    Vilem looked at her lovingly, performed a hesitant knightly gesture, and made the most solemn promise of his life, ¡°At yourmand, my Princess.¡±

 Chapter 152

    Vilem couldn¡¯t apany Vivian for long, as he had an urgent task and had to leave immediately, without time to see Vivian off.


    Vilem said to Vivian, ¡°We¡¯ll meet in Hawaii.¡±


    Vivian also looked forward to meeting him in Hawaii, ¡°Let¡¯s meet in Hawaii, Vilem. Take care.¡±


    ¡°You too, may God bless you.¡±


    Vilem bid her farewell and walked away.


    The ward regained its calm. Vivian felt tired, wanting to rest, yet worried about Shelley.


    She got out of bed, putting on the coat by the bedside.


    Mare remained outside the door, not leaving unless necessary.


    After Vilem left, there were no visitors in the ward. He thought Vivian might need to rest, but before long, the ward door opened from the inside.


    Mare looked at Vivian in confusion, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me where Shelley is having surgery?¡± Vivian zipped up her coat, saying to him, ¡°I want to go and see.¡±


    ¡°jos has already gone.¡± The building where Shelley was having surgery was some distance from theirs, and the security there wasn¡¯t as good as here. Mare was not at ease. ¡°You can wait a little longer; jos will call.¡±


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s been a long time, and I¡¯m worried.¡± Vivian walked out of the ward towards the elevator. ¡°I¡¯ll just go and see.¡±


    ¡°You should stay here.¡± Mare blocked her way. ¡°Only here is safe. Vivian, your situation is very dangerous right now. We need to be more careful.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Vivian looked in the direction of the elevator. ¡°Isn¡¯t Richard dead?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Richard is dead. But do you really think Richard is your biggest enemy?¡±


    Mare¡¯s words exploded like a bomb in Vivian¡¯s mind without any warning. She stared at Mare in surprise, wanting to refute, yet feeling inadequate.


    She silently took a step back, her eyes evasive. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so afraid of Joseph?¡± Mare said. ¡°In fact, you know everything.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Vivian wanted to argue, but Mare¡¯s phone rang at that moment, interrupting their conversation.


    Mare answered the phone immediately; it was jos calling.


    During the call, Mare¡¯s expression did not change much, making it impossible for Vivian, although anxious, to glean any information about Shelley from his expression.


    At this point, Mare handed her the phone. ¡°jos wants to talk to you.¡±


    Vivian took it apprehensively. ¡°jos, Shelley¡­¡±


    ¡°The surgery was a sess.¡± jos announced the good news to her. ¡°The doctors are already making arrangements; she will be transferred to your building¡¯s ward soon. Mare will take you there.¡±


    Upon hearing that Shelley was fine, Vivian finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°And Festus?¡±


    At the mention of Festus, jos fell silent for a moment before saying heavily, ¡°Festus is seriously injured; he may need to be observed in the ICU for a few days.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s heart sank; the joy of Shelley¡¯s well-being was somewhat overshadowed. ¡°How did this happen?¡±


    ¡°He was in a car ident; broken ribs punctured his spleen,¡± jos frowned, looking up at the just-extinguished light of the operating room. ¡°That¡¯s not the worst part. The worst part is that he was shot, the bullet was only 2 millimeters away from his heart. Fortunately, he¡¯s been lucky; the grim reaper didn¡¯t take him away from us.¡±


    Vivian was both shocked and relieved, her heart racing as jos described it, feeling as if she were on a rollercoaster, her heart pounding so much that it almost stopped. ¡°Is Festus out of danger now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait for him to wake up to be sure.¡± jos was currently heading to the intensive care unit with Festus¡¯s parents. ¡°After sorting things out here, I need to go to the port; I¡¯lle back to see you tonight.¡±


    ¡°Joseph is currently at his aunt¡¯s estate for a family gathering; he probably won¡¯t have time toe to the hospital to see you. But if he doese, keep your distance from him, don¡¯t meet him alone. Promise me, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°jos¡­¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Vivian, we are in this together.¡± jos¡¯ tone suddenly became serious. ¡°I know you have matured; you are no longer the naive girl you once were, are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian swallowed hard, finding it difficult to answer jos.


    jos didn¡¯t force her, but he needed to ensure that Vivian was fully aware of the current situation. So, he spoke solemnly and earnestly to Vivian, ¡°Listen, Vivian, what I¡¯m about to tell you, you may already know, or you may not, but now that I¡¯m telling you, you must know, understand?¡±


    Vivian wanted to say she didn¡¯t know, she wanted to escape. But she also knew she couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°There will be a war between Houston and Los Angeles, perhaps today, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps some day in the future. I don¡¯t know when it wille, but I know it wille.¡±


    ¡°At that time, only one person between me and your father, Bryson, will survive.¡± jos was almost cold to the point of ruthlessness, but he still retained a hint of tenderness for Vivian. ¡°I won¡¯t force you to make a choice, but you must know, I won¡¯t harm you for your father, but your father will surely kidnap you to threaten me.¡±


    ¡°Joseph is in Houston right now. If Bryson starts the war, Joseph will undoubtedly be the one to kidnap you for Bryson. I don¡¯t care how you feel about your brother, but you must be careful with him, keep your distance from him, at least don¡¯t meet him alone. You must have Mare with you. Understand?¡± jos emphasized, asking again, ¡°Understand, Vivian? Answer me!¡±


    ¡°Under¡­ understood,¡± Vivian covered her mouth and wept. ¡°Why does there have to be a war?¡±


    ¡°Because Bryson wants to take over Houston, and I need to protect it.¡± jos waspletely transparent, exposing Bryson¡¯s deceit. ¡°His generosity to Houston has been aplete conspiracy from start to finish. Now, it¡¯s time for him to remove his mask of hypocrisy.¡± And they had to be one step ahead of Bryson¡¯s actions.


    The first step of his n was to get Vilem out of Houston.


    jos quickly hung up the phone.


    This time, there was no need for Mare to dissuade her; Vivian returned to the ward on her own, lost in thought.


    Mare was somewhat concerned about her state, but jos hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. Instead of letting Vivian continue to deceive herself like an ostrich, which could lead to a greater copse and danger in the future, it was better to have Vivian ept it from the beginning.


    Mare silently left the ward, closing the door behind him.

 Chapter 153

    In the afternoon, after Vivian finished her IV drip, a nurse came to remove the needle. Just as the nurse finished, amotion of things being thrown came from the neighboring ward. It was Shelley! Vivian lifted the covers, preparing to get out of bed, and just then, Mel pushed the door open and entered.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Vivian didn¡¯t even bother to put on her coat and was about to walk out the door. Mel stopped her and motioned for the nurse to leave.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Shelley¡¯s crying was loud, but from across the ward, Vivian couldn¡¯t make out what she was saying clearly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go over, Vivian,¡± Mel said. ¡°Shelley is arguing with her father.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vivian didn¡¯t initially react, but it was only temporary. She quickly understood why Shelley was crying. Perhaps she still couldn¡¯t ept it. Even though after Shelley¡¯s brother died, her father did show some change in attitude towards her, at that time Shelley could console herself by saying, ¡°Father has no heir¡±, ¡°He needs an heir¡±, forcing herself to understand her father, to ept the betrothal to Festus. But now? What reasons would Shelley have to exin her father¡¯s actions of abandoning her when his precious daughter was kidnapped? How could Shelley ept that her respected father was actually a selfish man who didn¡¯t love her as much as she thought?


    Vivian sighed inwardly. She no longer tried to persuade Mare to let her visit Shelley. She thought Shelley needed time to vent, time alone, just like she used to, even though she was unwilling to believe that her own father was so cold and heartless. Faced with such irond facts, she had no choice but to ept.


    The sunlight outside the window was so beautiful, with an unknown little bird perched on the power line, flying away in the blink of an eye.


    Vivian absentmindedly looked in the direction the bird flew, wondering, ¡°Would Hawaii have such good weather?¡±


    ¡­


    In Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate, an impromptu family gathering was taking ce.


    Although the gathering was impromptu, the preparations were not rushed. The chefs in the estate prepared a very sumptuous dinner, and the gardeners brought in fresh fruits from the orchard.


    Luzia handed a te of grapes to Simpson, who was sitting alone in the garden. ¡°You should go and apany your fiancee, Simpson.¡±


    Simpson was troubled. ¡°Giulia is not yet my fiancee, dear.¡±


    Seeing him like this, Luzia felt likeughing. ¡°You look very troubled.¡±


    ¡°I thought I was making it quite obvious,¡± Simpson shrugged.


    ¡°Why?¡± Luzia didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Giulia is a very good girl, elegant, beautiful, and with a family background that matches yours.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is very good, very perfect. Her intellectual elegance meets the fantasies of most men about their partners, even surpassing the general standards of men. I never denied this,¡± Simpson said.


    Luzia was very satisfied with his answer because Simpson was speaking the truth, indicating his genuine appreciation for Giulia. But what particrly caught Luzia¡¯s attention was when he said, ¡°most men¡±?


    ¡°Most men? Does that not include you?¡± Luzia voiced her confusion.


    ¡°No, it includes me,¡± Simpson gave the opposite answer.


    Luzia was even more puzzled. ¡°Then why won¡¯t you get engaged to Giulia? You know, getting engaged to Giulia is the best for Houston and for you. You will have the support of both the Romano and Guardi families. You will be the Capo of Rome, Italy. No one can oppose you.¡±


    Simpson asked a question that caught Luzia off guard, ¡°Is that good?¡±


    Luzia was surprised, so surprised that she forgot to eat the grapes. ¡°Not good?¡±


    Simpson fell silent for a moment in response to Luzia¡¯s question, then he smiled and said, ¡°No, you are right. It¡¯s good.¡±


    The Italian Mafia has always been powerful, with Rome being the most powerful. If he became the Capo of Rome and had the support of both the Romano and Guardi families, as well as the Houston families, his future power would even surpass that of his grandfather. No one would dare show him a disgusting expression, or say nauseating things to him. He could even start a war at will.


    But Simpson still insisted, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to get married.¡±


    It seemed that men of the Mafia had the inherent right to say ¡°no,¡± while women only had the fate of eptance.


    ¡°Although I tried very hard to tell you the benefits that marriage could bring you, well, I admit that was all my fantasy. If the person you marry is a bastard, marriage is undoubtedly a disaster,¡± Luzia sighed, saying, ¡°Perhaps I should support your decision.¡±


    Simpsonughed, raisinghis cup of tea to her. ¡°Thank you for your support.¡±


    Simpson took a sip of tea, and in that moment, he saw Joseph emerging from the banquet hall with a dark expression, heading straight towards them.


    Simpson raised his eyebrows, pretending surprise. ¡°I seem to have done something to upset you, Joseph.¡±


    Joseph ignored him,ing over to grab Luzia and pull her outside.


    Joseph¡¯s grip on her wrist was painful, and she couldn¡¯t help but cry out, ¡°Joseph! Let go, it hurts.¡±


    ¡°Joseph!¡± Simpson stood up abruptly, intercepting the furious Joseph. ¡°You¡¯re hurting Luzia. Let go!¡±


    ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Joseph¡¯s gaze was dark and menacing.


    Simpson seemed to realize the situation wasn¡¯t good, furrowing his brow. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Luzia¡¯s cries brought Mrs. Yazmin, elegantly draped in her shawl, hurrying over. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Behind Mrs. Yazmin, Giulia and her brother followed.


    Joseph was a remarkable actor. He naturally changed his expression a bit, sounding nervous yet polite as he spoke to Mrs. Yazmin, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. I have some urgent business and need to return to Los Angeles immediately. Luzia wille with me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luzia eximed, despair flooding over her in an instant. She was overwhelmed with fear and trepidation.


    She was going back to Los Angeles, that hellish city.


    ¡°No!¡± Luzia instinctively refused.


    ¡°No?¡± Joseph narrowed his eyes, his gaze threatening.


    Luzia recoiled, tears welling up. ¡°I¡­ I haven¡¯t said goodbye to Vivian. I¡­¡±


    ¡°This is so sudden,¡± Mrs. Yazmin spoke up for Luzia. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to say goodbye to Vivian? Does jos know? My jam isn¡¯t ready yet, I was going to give it to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the jam, Mrs. Yazmin, but business cannot be dyed. This is a very important deal, and I must be there in person,¡± Joseph said, unquestionably. ¡°You can say goodbye to Vivian over the phone, Luzia. I will also inform jos over the phone.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Goodbye, everyone.¡± Joseph bid them farewell, pulling Luzia out of the mansion. Their car was already waiting outside.

 Chapter 154

    The incident happened too suddenly. It wasn¡¯t until Mrs. Yazmin couldn¡¯t see the car¡¯s taillights anymore that she fully reacted. She worriedly asked Simpson, ¡°Joseph¡¯splexion looks terrible, is he going to do something to Luzia?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Simpson thought to himself, ¡°I¡¯m just keeping Luzia as a hostage.¡± Outwardly, he calmly reassured Mrs. Yazmin, ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t worry, Joseph probably just has urgent matters.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°If you¡¯re really worried, I can go find jos now,¡± Simpson took his coat from the servant, politely bid farewell to the Giulia siblings, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the terrible experience, I willpensate you.¡±


    ¡°This was just an ident, please don¡¯t mind it,¡± Giulia considerately said, ¡°You can go attend to your matters, we will manage ourselves.¡±


    Simpson once again expressed his apologies to her and left the vi.


    After Simpson left, Mrs. Yazmin also gathered herself to continue entertaining the guests. Although the family gathering had dwindled down to just the three of them, the time together was still pleasant.


    On the way back in the car, Giulia¡¯s brother fastened his seatbelt and said to Giulia, ¡°It seems that Los Angeles is not very friendly towards Houston.¡±


    Giulia smiled, ¡°I thought you had noticed that a long time ago.¡±


    Giulia¡¯s brother shrugged, cautiously saying, ¡°After Kamden¡¯s death, Los Angeles has been too generous towards Houston. I need to rule out the possibility of them putting on a show.¡±


    ¡°Have you ruled it out now?¡± Giulia asked.


    ¡°Yes, the situation might be more favorable to us. Giulia, your dream mighte true,¡± he said.


    Giulia smiled but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Her dream was not to be Simpson¡¯s wife.


    ¡­


    At the hospital.


    Vivian received a call from Luzia.


    ¡°Back to Los Angeles? Now?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Luzia said sadly on the phone.


    This was too sudden for Vivian to ept. ¡°Why? Have you already left?¡±


    ¡°Joseph has an urgent task,¡± Luzia held the phone with both hands, stealing a nce at Joseph in the gap between speaking. Joseph¡¯s grim face made her very uneasy, but she dared not reveal anything to Vivian. ¡°We¡¯ve already left and are on our way to the airport.¡±


    Luzia lowered her gaze, focusing on the pattern at the hem of her skirt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vivian, I couldn¡¯t say goodbye to you in person.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luzia, this is not something we can decide,¡± Vivian held the phone, not knowing how tofort Luzia.


    A deep sense of powerlessness spread silently at both ends of the line, and Vivian dared not speak again, afraid it might make Luzia sadder.


    The call was ended in silence between the two, leaving Vivian slumped on the hospital bed, her hand hanging weakly.


    She stared nkly at the pure white sheet on her, catching sight of something out of the corner of her eye, she looked up dazedly.


    It was Mare.


    He didn¡¯t know how long he had been standing at the door, whether he had heard her talking to Luzia on the phone.


    The question had just arisen when Vivian inexplicably knew the answer.


    ¡°Did you hear?¡±


    Mare nodded expressionlessly.


    The light from the door fell on him, casting shadows on his features.


    Vivian felt inexplicably sad and her eyes grew warm.


    ¡°Luzia has left,¡± Vivian looked out of the window, gazing at the high sky. The city she had once been determined to return to, she could no longer go back to, but Luzia, who did not want to stay there, couldn¡¯t escape.


    Different fates, but equally ridiculous and sad.


    Vivian was very sad, for Luzia, and for herself.


    ¡°Will we meet again?¡± Vivian didn¡¯t know if she was asking Mare or herself.


    ¡°We will meet again,¡± Mare gave her an answer, ¡°We will definitely meet again.¡±


    Mare sounded very sure.


    Vivian also admired Mare¡¯s confidence, she really wanted to ask Mare where his confidence came from, but she didn¡¯t want to ask, she wanted to believe in Mare¡¯s confidence.


    Or rather, she unwillingly refused to think about the consequences of this confidence not bing reality.


    Vivian was going to visit Shelley next door. She put on her clothes, just as she walked out of the ward, she saw Mrs. Celinda pushing Shelley in a wheelchair out of the elevator.


    This time shouldn¡¯t be for an examination.


    Vivian greeted Mrs. Celinda, and Shelley weakly greeted her too.


    Mrs. Celinda looked a bit tired, but still maintained her elegance, ¡°Are you resting well? Are you used to sleeping? I¡¯m sorry, Shelley is always so willful, living nextdoor to you must have been very disturbing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m resting well, Mrs. Celinda, and I¡¯m happy to keep Shelleypany,¡± Vivian followed them into Shelley¡¯s ward.


    Mrs. Celinda said, ¡°Shelley was frightened, and I¡¯m worried about her, so I¡¯ll stay here with her these nights.¡±


    Vivian nodded, understanding Mrs. Celinda¡¯s feelings.


    ¡°Are you okay, Shelley?¡± Vivian sat by Shelley¡¯s bed, looking at her, ¡°How are you feeling today?¡±


    Shelley¡¯s spirits were still a bit low, and her face was very pale. When she got off the wheelchair and onto the bed, she identally pulled at her wound, causing her to break out in a cold sweat from the pain.


    She smiled weakly at Vivian, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Vivian.¡±


    Vivian wanted to say ¡°You¡¯re not fine at all,¡± but when she saw Shelley¡¯s despondent look, she swallowed the words.


    ¡°The doctors are all professionals, you must listen to them and rest, you¡¯ll be better soon,¡± Vivian said.


    Shelley nodded. Everyone who came to visit her would say the same thing, and she would respond in the same way, as if there were no better or more reassuring response.


    Most importantly, her mother was also by her side. Shelley couldn¡¯t let her worry any more.


    Vivian hesitated whether to tell Shelley about Luzia¡¯s return to Los Angeles. Even if she didn¡¯t say it now, Shelley would find outter. But telling her now would make Shelley feel even more upset. Before Vivian could finish hesitating, Shelley sensed her dilemma and spoke first, ¡°Do you have something to tell me?¡±


    Vivian was taken aback. Was she too obvious, or had Shelley be more sensitive?


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivian nodded.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you say it?¡± Shelley asked.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± Vivian sighed, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it will upset you.¡±


    Shelley smiled, and Vivian could tell that her smile was weak and helpless.


    Shelley almost mockingly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what else could make me more upset right now.¡± What else could be more upsetting than knowing for sure that she had once been abandoned by her most beloved father?


    Nothing, Shelley thought.


    ¡°Shelley¡­¡± Vivian held her hand tightly, hoping to give her some strength.


    Shelley gave her a grateful look and forced a smile, ¡°Just say it, what¡¯s the matter that¡¯s making you so uneasy?¡±

 Chapter 155

    ¡°It¡¯s about Luzia,¡± Vivian hesitated for a moment, then decided to speak, ¡°She has been taken by Joseph and has returned to Los Angeles.¡±


    This day woulde sooner orter. As Joseph¡¯s wife, Luzia couldn¡¯t stay in Houston forever. But as a friend, they all hoped this day woulde a littleter, just a bitter. However, no matter howte, this day arrived.


    Shelley was somewhat taken aback, her expression dazed, ¡°So suddenly? Why?¡±


    Vivian shook her head, ¡°Luzia didn¡¯t give details, just said Joseph received an urgent mission and needed to return to Los Angeles immediately. When Luzia called me, she was already on her way to the airport.¡±


    Calcting the time, they should be almost at the airport by now, right?


    ¡°An urgent mission?¡± Shelley keenly caught something, she looked towards Mare behind Vivian, her inquiring gaze so evident.


    Mare pursed her lips and shook her head.


    Mare didn¡¯t know either?


    Shelley instinctively felt it was unlikely, but Mare¡¯s genuinely puzzled expression didn¡¯t seem fake.


    ¡°Is the time for Hawaii set?¡± Shelley asked.


    ¡°It should be in the next couple of days,¡± jos mentioned it to her when they left in the morning.


    But now, with Joseph preparing to return to Los Angeles, and Richard gone, the crisis seemed to have passed. Did she still need to go to Hawaii?


    Vivian had doubts. If it were up to her, she wouldn¡¯t want to leave Houston, wouldn¡¯t want to leave jos. But unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t the decision-maker.


    Shelley could sense Vivian¡¯s helplessness, but her own mood was equally grim. She couldn¡¯t offer any useful help orfort to Vivian.


    The two sat quietly, pondering the direction of the future and worrying about the unknown fate of their mutual friend.


    ¡°Vivian, do you want an apple?¡± Mrs. Celinda cut an apple. Her voice broke the silence in the ward.


    ¡°Just give me half, thank you.¡± Vivian took half an apple from Mrs. Celinda¡¯s hand, took a bite, the sweet and sour crispness, the texture she liked, ¡°Delicious.¡±


    Mrs. Celinda, seeing her enjoying it, also smiled happily, ¡°As long as you like it, Shelley is quite picky.¡±


    Shelley was eating an apple and couldn¡¯t help but retort upon hearing her mother¡¯s words, ¡°As if your cooking is so delicious.¡±


    Mrs. Celinda blushed and scolded Shelley with a re.


    Vivianughed, a tinge of envy showing in her eyes unintentionally. Despite being a Mafia family, Shelley and her mother got along very well.


    If only her mother were here.


    She lowered her head and touched her growing belly. Would her father tell her mother about her pregnancy? Would her mother be happy for her? When would she be able to see her mother again?


    As if sensing Vivian¡¯s sadness, the baby sleeping inside her belly suddenly kicked her gently, like a silentfort, making Vivian feel an indescribable warmth.


    ¡°Did you just go to see Festus?¡± Vivian asked Shelley.


    At the mention of Festus, Shelley¡¯s mood plummeted again. She nodded.


    ¡°Is he okay? Has he woken up?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Shelley said, ¡°But the doctor said his vital signs are still stable, which is barely good news, right?¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re worried, Shelley. But worrying won¡¯t solve the current predicament. Festus can¡¯t just get better right away,¡± Vivianforted her.


    ¡°I know. You can rest assured, I¡¯ll obediently follow the doctor¡¯s orders, take my medicine, injections, and rest. I¡¯ll get better soon, and when Festus is out of danger and transferred to a regr ward, I still need to take care of him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great that you can think like that,¡± Vivian breathed a sigh of relief.


    After chatting with Shelley for a while, it was evident her spirits were strained. Vivian got up and said goodbye, returning to her ward.


    In the corridor, Mare was on the phone. As she saw Vivianing out, she hung up.


    At that moment, when their eyes met, Vivian had a certain spection in her heart, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°The preparations for Hawaii are ready. jos has prepared a private ne for you. We need to leave for the airport now.¡±


    Vivian said to herself ¡°As expected¡± in her mind. She contained her surprise and quickly figured out what she needed to do now in her head-she needed to pack her things and say goodbye to her friends.


    But in Houston, she didn¡¯t really have any friends to say goodbye to. Luzia should be on the ne to Los Angeles by now, leaving only Shelley.


    As Vivian regained her senses, she wanted to go knock on Shelley¡¯s door again, but Mare stopped her, ¡°She¡¯ll knowter. Don¡¯t let anyone know the specific time the ne takes off now. Come with me.¡±


    ¡°But I¡­¡±


    Vivian wanted to say she needed to pack her things, but Mare interrupted her, saying, ¡°Your things have already been packed for you, and preparations have been made in Hawaii. Juste with me.¡±


    At that moment, Vivian sensed that something was amiss. She looked deeply at Mare and asked, ¡°Has something happened?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s sudden acuteness made Mare unable to help but look away, but he also wasn¡¯t fully informed. He only mentioned what he knew, ¡°Bratva is assembling their troops. jos suspects they willunch an attack in the near future. He will be busier and won¡¯t be able to ensure your safety.¡±


    ¡°Sending you to Hawaii now for protection is the safest option,¡± Mare said as he led Vivian into the elevator and pressed the button for the basement floor.


    As the elevator doors slowly closed, taking them down to the basement, Diego was waiting at the exit.


    As she was being pushed into the car, Vivian struggled to ask, ¡°Is jos in danger?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as you are safe, jos won¡¯t be distracted. If he¡¯s not distracted, he¡¯ll be safe,¡± Mare assured her.


    Mare¡¯s statement had a strong basis in reality, and Vivian couldn¡¯t argue. She stopped resisting the fact that she was about to leave for Hawaii immediately. She obediently sat in her seat, waiting for Mare to close the passenger door and for Diego to slowly drive them to the airport.


    Half a year ago, Vivian had flown from Los Angeles to Houston with her parents and two brothers to attend the funeral of jos¡¯s father, Kamden. Then her father, Bryson, had given her as a gift to jos, and she had been left in Houston.


    Vivian had countless fantasies, hoping to return to Houston¡¯s airport, board a flight to Los Angeles, and escape from this despairing marriage.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Now, she was still jos¡¯s wife, and soon to be the mother of jos¡¯s child. Her wish came true half a yearter as she arrived at the airport again, boarding the private ne jos had prepared for her. However, her destination was no longer her dreamy Los Angeles; it was Hawaii, a city even more foreign to her.


    There, she had no family, no friends, no Vilem, and certainly no jos. She was utterly alone.

 Chapter 156

    Upon safely arriving at the airport and boarding with Mare¡¯s escort, Vivian asked him, ¡°Does Vilem know I¡¯m going to Hawaii today?¡±


    Mare shook his head, ¡°No, he¡¯s currently on a mission.¡± No one could reach Vilem while he was on a mission, ¡°But once in Hawaii, you can try calling him. If he¡¯s free, he¡¯ll answer.¡±


    Meanwhile, jos hung up the phone from the airport.


    Simpson, holding the car door with one hand, looked back at him, ¡°Is Vivian on the ne?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± jos opened the car door and got in, ¡°We should also set off.¡±


    Simpson had no objections, sitting in the passenger seat and fastening his seatbelt.


    He nced at jos through the rearview mirror, ¡°The news from Los Angeles is that Emmert wasn¡¯t the one behind the attack.¡±


    Simpson spoke with evident regret in his tone, ¡°A bullet hit Bryson, but it missed the center of the heart.¡±


    jos sat in the back seat, opening his email, preparing to receive the files sent back from Los Angeles.


    ¡°The Bratva is preparing for a second attack on Los Angeles, and the person organizing the attack is Barron Oden, a typical ¡®anti-Bryson¡¯ figure,¡± Simpson said.


    ¡°What about Dniel?¡± jos hadn¡¯t forgotten this leader supporting Andre¡¯s ¡®pro-Bryson¡¯ faction, and half a month ago, Jay¡¯s death hadpletely ignited the war between the two families.


    ¡°Dniel is strongly opposed, but he couldn¡¯t stop Barron¡¯s first attack,¡± Simpson said coldly, ¡°In fact, aside from Barron¡¯s own intentions, Jay Vyazemsky¡¯s father also supported Barron¡¯s attack n. He wanted to kill Bryson to avenge his son.¡±


    With the full support of Jay Vyazemsky¡¯s father, Barron finally had the resources to confront Dniel.


    ¡°However, Dniel is not alone; he has found their leader, Andre,¡± jos looked up from theputer and locked eyes with Simpson in the rearview mirror.


    Simpson recalled the intelligence about this, nodding, ¡°They are still Bratva people, everything has to obey Capo Andre¡¯s orders. As long as Dniel gains Andre¡¯s opposition, Barron¡¯s attack will be stillborn.¡±


    But without being able to incite Bratva to attack Los Angeles and weaken its power, the n to dismantle Los Angeles from Houston might fall apart.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± jos said, ¡°We still have Emmert.¡±


    Simpson revealed a cruel, bloody smile, ¡°To let Emmert take the opportunity to go to the hospital to assassinate Bryson?¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    jos said, ¡°No, Bryson¡¯s life and death are no longer so important. However, now Joseph has returned to Los Angeles, and his ambition will be a dagger aimed at Bryson¡¯s heart. There will be a war within Los Angeles itself.¡±


    ¡°We just need to start with the alliance between Bratva and Los Angeles at the same time,¡± jos gritted his teeth, ¡°Their internal turmoil, the dilemma of Capo¡¯s recement, and theck of ally support, these changes will make them as fragile as a critically ill patient.¡±


    ¡°I support your decision,¡± Simpson licked his lips with his tongue, his smile cruel and bloody, ¡°Although I would love to kill Bryson with my own hands, for the sake of a peaceful future with Vilem, I have decided to follow your arrangements.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no news more exciting than Joseph killing Bryson himself,¡± Simpson was already getting impatient.


    ¡­


    After a long flight, the private ne carrying Vivian and Mare finallynded at Honolulu International Airport on Oahu. The driver sent by the sanatorium picked up Vivian and Mare and took them to the sanatorium located in Honolulu.


    Vivian was assigned a two-story independent vi, surrounded by a ck painted iron fence with many unfamiliar climbing nts nted beneath the fence.


    Vivian only took a brief nce when she entered and did not pay any more attention. She followed the vi¡¯s housekeeper with Mare to view the two-story vi where they would stay for at least six months.


    Vivian¡¯s room was arranged on the second floor. The room was not asrge as jos¡¯s room in the apartment, and the bed was a standard double bed. However, it was tidy and clean, with arge floor-to-ceiling window that offered a view of the sea, veryfortable. It was so soothing here, as if she could forget about the war and danger in Houston.


    What surprised Vivian even more was an item ced on the bedside.


    ¡°Oh my goodness,¡± Vivian eximed in surprise, ¡°Look what I found, a squirrel clock!¡±


    Vivian walked over to pick up the clock for inspection and indeed found a faint scratch on the winding knob behind the clock ¨C it was the same scratch from when she identally slipped while fighting for it with her younger cousin at her grandparents¡¯ house.


    This was her squirrel clock! The one that was in jos¡¯s room in the apartment.


    ¡°You brought this over too?¡±


    ¡°jos instructed it,¡± Mare, infected by her joy, answered in a slightly lighter tone, ¡°You see, I didn¡¯t lie to you. jos has already arranged everything for you.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Vivian admitted, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Vivian held the squirrel clock, feeling sweetness in her heart, and longing for jos.


    Half-jokingly, she said, ¡°What am I going to do? I¡¯m already starting to miss jos. Will hee to see me?¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s done with his work,¡± Mare couldn¡¯t give her a definite answer, after all, his current task was to protect Vivian and her unborn child, not to find out about jos¡¯s progress.


    But because of Mare¡¯s words, Vivian fell into imagination.


    She imagined the day jos came to Hawaii, perhaps it would be a sunny day just like today, with a warm sea breeze gently brushing their faces. jos would walk towards her, the sea behind him would be as blue as the sky, her eyes as blue as the ocean would be filled only with him.


    Vivian didn¡¯t know when jos woulde, perhaps after she gave birth to the child? She would hold the child in a flower garden, waiting for jos to slowly approach them, then y with her child for a while, and say ¡°Well done¡± to her.


    At that moment, she would definitely ask jos for a kiss.


    As Vivian thought about it, sheughed. Although it was a very long wait, she still looked forward to that day.

 Chapter 157

    The sanatorium was built by the seaside, not far from Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. From Vivian¡¯s room balcony, one could even see people surfing on the sea.


    Standing on the balcony, Vivian gazed for a while, inevitably feeling a longing. Unfortunately, with her current physical condition, she wasn¡¯t allowed to experience the dangerous extreme sport of surfing. She wasn¡¯t even allowed near the crowded beach.


    ¡°Why did they choose this ce?¡± Vivianined to Mare, feeling frustrated. ¡°I can see the beach, but I can¡¯t go into the water, or even step onto the sand.¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s safe here,¡± Mare replied.


    This was the third time Vivian had received such a response, and she was getting bored of it. ¡°Can¡¯t youe up with a different answer?¡± she asked.


    Mare replied expressionlessly, ¡°Can¡¯t you ask a different question?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s response was to ask him to leave.


    Mare¡¯s room was right next to Vivian¡¯s, with the same balcony and the same coastal view. Vivian stood on her balcony and called out to Mare, ¡°I want to nt flowers in the yard downstairs.¡±


    Mare thought about the potted roses that Vivian had previously killed on the apartment balcony and fell into silence.


    ¡°Mare, can you hear me? Mare?¡± Not receiving a response, Vivian muttered under her breath, ¡°The soundproofing here is too good,¡± and then called Mare.


    Mare massaged his aching temple and walked onto the balcony to respond to Vivian, ¡°What kind of flowers do you want to nt?¡± There probably weren¡¯t readily avable flower seeds in the vi, but he could ask the vi¡¯s caretaker where to buy them.


    ¡°Roses?¡± Vivian asked.


    Mare fell into an eerie silence once again.


    Seeing Mare¡¯s reaction, Vivian thought he didn¡¯t like roses and tentatively asked, ¡°How about sunflowers?¡±


    After confirming that the vi¡¯s security was sufficient, Mare went out to find a flower shop, along with surveying the surrounding area.


    He had visited Oahu with jos before, back when jos wasn¡¯t yet Capo, and their main purpose for the trip was vacation.


    He remembered the good weather that day, the sky high and blue, with hardly a cloud in sight, the sunlight radiant enough to illuminate every dark corner.


    Near Waikiki Beach, there were plenty of recreational activities. jos enjoyed surfing, Emmert had booked a scuba diving session, and only Luzia stayed in the shallows to y in the water.


    He also remembered, the sunlight was so good, it outlined her healthy body like a brush, her skin slightly reddened, clean, without any scars.


    He hoped that they could hold a party here eventually, and see everyone rxed andfortable as they used to be.


    Mare finally returned to the vi with a bag of flower seeds.


    Vivian counted, there were a total of eight different types of flowers, including roses and sunflowers.


    Vivian was overjoyed and began learning how to handle the flower seeds under the guidance of the vi¡¯s caretaker, Loomis.


    Loomis was a witty and humorous middle-aged man who had once worked as a gardener on an Earl¡¯s estate in Ennd. The climbing nts beneath the vi¡¯s iron fence were his masterpiece.


    Loomis enthusiastically began to introduce Vivian to his precious climbing nts.


    Vivian listened attentively, but the only one she could remember was the Amnesty International nt that happened to be in bloom.


    After the gardening activity, Vivian washed her hands and went to have lunch, followed by her usual nap time.


    Vivian tried calling Vilem a few times, but no one answered. She looked at her phone in confusion. Was he still on a mission?


    Initially, Vivian didn¡¯t pay much attention. It wasmon for Vilem not to answer his phone in such situations. He would call her back once he had finished his mission.


    At three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Dr. Yoshiye arrived with her medical team to perform a check-up on Vivian.


    Vivian¡¯s face lit up with a familiar expression upon seeing the doctor. ¡°Dr. Yoshiye, you¡¯re here too?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Dr. Yoshiye greeted Vivian warmly, ¡°jos specifically asked me toe and give you a check-up. This is my assistant, Tabdon.¡±


    ¡°Now, pleasee with me, Vivian,¡± Dr. Yoshiye seemed familiar with the vi, easily finding the examination room at the end of the ground floor corridor. Vivian was surprised to find all the necessary equipment there, including an ultrasound machine.


    ¡°All of this was arranged by jos,¡± Dr. Yoshiye said. ¡°It¡¯s for your safety and to monitor your health at any time. Your and the baby¡¯s health are too important to him, Vivian.¡±


    Vivian ced her hand over herheart and suddenly realized her heart was beating rapidly.


    ¡°I know, so I can endure a brief separation ande here alone.¡± Following Dr. Yoshiye¡¯s instructions, Viviany down on the examination bed and lifted her shirt.


    Dr. Yoshiye began applying gel to her belly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much. It¡¯s very safe here. When you have free time, you can walk around, but make sure Mare apanies you. Don¡¯t move alone.¡±


    ¡°The beach in front of the sanatorium is Waikiki, one of Hawaii¡¯s tourist destinations. People from all over the worlde here for vacation every day, and the situation is quiteplex. It¡¯s best for you not to go there.¡±


    Vivian could tell that Dr. Yoshiye was not only familiar with her vi, but also with the sanatorium and the surrounding area.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Curiously, Vivian asked, ¡°What about Houston? Are you going back there?¡±


    ¡°Of course, dear,¡± Dr. Yoshiye smiled. ¡°I wille to Hawaii for academic exchanges at fixed times and wille to give you check-ups. The hospital I work for has a long-term partnership with this sanatorium. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡±


    ¡°Here, dear, look at the screen.¡± Dr. Yoshiye moved the device across Vivian¡¯s abdomen, pointing to the image on theputer. ¡°It¡¯s a lively little one. Look, here¡¯s its hand, here¡¯s its foot. It¡¯s waving at you.¡±


    Vivian followed Dr. Yoshiye¡¯s words, her face beaming with happiness, with a hint of mncholy asionally shing through.


    ¡°Can you give me an electronic report, Dr. Yoshiye?¡± After the examination, Vivian took the tissue handed to her by the assistant and wiped off the gel from her belly. ¡°I want to send it to jos.¡±


    ¡°Of course, dear,¡± Dr. Yoshiye said. ¡°Later, I¡¯ll have Tabdon send it to you. jos will be very excited to receive it.¡±


    Soon, Vivian received the examination report sent by Tabdon, which included clear ultrasound images of the baby and a section with professional terminology, stating the child was healthy.


    Vivian felt sweet as she read through it and eagerly opened jos¡¯s email, clicking on pose.¡±

 Chapter 158

    The phone vibrated silently in his pocket. jos had just gotten off the ne and was on his way to Joseph¡¯s apartment in Los Angeles.


    Yes, jos received news of Bryson being attacked and injured and hade to visit at Joseph¡¯s request. Of course, jos automatically ignored thetter part of the request ¨C ¡°Please bring Vivian back with you. My father misses her and his grandson very much.¡±


    After Joseph married Luzia, he moved out of Bryson¡¯s vi and into an apartment he had bought in downtown Los Angeles. The driver took jos¡¯s car into the underground garage and led jos to the top floor apartment in an elevator.


    Luzia calcted the time to run down the stairs, just in time to see jos at the moment the servant opened the apartment door.


    ¡°jos,¡± Luzia threw herself into jos¡¯s arms directly, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much. I couldn¡¯t stand being next to Joseph for even a moment. I want to go home. I want to go back to Houston.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay, Luzia?¡± jos held her hand and easily saw the bruises under her sleeve.


    jos frowned, staring at Joseph, who was walking towards him leisurely. He angrily asked, ¡°Did you hit her, Joseph?¡±


    ¡°I thought you understood, jos,¡± Joseph shrugged, his wicked smile carrying a hint of innocence, ¡°This is a matter of husband and wife. Don¡¯t you and Vivian have that?¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I am not a scoundrel who abuses his wife in bed,¡± jos sarcastically retorted with anger.


    Joseph shrugged, not caring at all about jos¡¯s mockery. He even put on a face that said, ¡°This is a pleasure you don¡¯t understand,¡± which made jos feel extremely furious, almost wishing to shoot him in the head right now.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Joseph looked behind jos, not seeing Vivian.


    ¡°Where is Vivian?¡± Joseph frowned.


    ¡°Her health didn¡¯t allow her to fly,¡± jos said, ¡°She stayed in Houston.¡±


    ¡°Damn it! What are you doing?¡± Joseph was surprisingly angry, taking a big step forward and grabbing jos¡¯s cor, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring her back? My father is dying, he just wants to see his daughter and grandson. You¡¯ve ruined his final wish!¡±


    jos held back Joseph¡¯s wrist, the two of them wrestling, the intense struggle making their faces look exceptionally hideous.


    ¡°When you sent her over, didn¡¯t you think about bringing her back?¡± jos spoke the truth, but this was all in the past. Now Joseph¡¯s n needed her.


    ¡°She will always be my father¡¯s daughter, my sister. When the family needs her, she muste back!¡± Joseph roared, his father¡¯s illness causing jos, who once needed their protection in Los Angeles, to be rebellious.


    ¡°Please respect that she is also my wife. I believe she wants to see her father more than anyone,¡± jos emphasized the word ¡°anyone.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you are right, jos.¡± Joseph knew this was not the time for childish arguments. He smiled apologetically as he let go of jos¡¯s cor, ¡°My father¡¯s illness has disturbed my thinking and made me act recklessly. I hope you can forgive me.¡±


    jos had no intention of fighting Joseph either.


    ¡°I hope you truly realize your mistake, Joseph,¡± jos said coldly, without mincing words, ¡°Your recklessness gives me a headache, I don¡¯t want there to be a next time. Now, can you take me to see Bryson?¡±


    jos needed to see Bryson¡¯s injuries with his own eyes to be reassured. ¡°Vivian is very worried about him. I need to call her after seeing him, or we need to FaceTime.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we can leave now,¡± Joseph said, ready to take jos out.


    Luzia had been watching them nervously all along. She spoke softly as they were about to leave, ¡°jos¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you called Vivian?¡± jos interrupted Luzia, ¡°You haven¡¯t contacted her since you returned to Los Angeles; she¡¯s very worried about you.¡±


    Luzia hesitated for a moment, sure she had seen some kind of hint in jos¡¯s eyes. Under the double gaze of jos and Joseph, she nodded lightly. ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll call her in a while.¡±


    ¡°Call Mare,¡± jos said, ¡°Vivian might be sleeping, don¡¯t wake her up.¡±


    Joseph frowned beside them and said unhappily, ¡°Hey, jos, are you teaching my wife to contact other men?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, Joseph, I¡¯m just concerned about my wife,¡± jos said, ¡°Ever since Bryson was injured, her sleep has been troubled. She needs enough rest now to ensure her health. I believe Luzia¡¯sfort is helpful to her, but unfortunately, you have always prevented Luzia from contacting her, so I had to inquire personally.¡±


    Joseph snorted and walked towards the elevator.


    Luzia saw them off and then picked up her phone.


    She had long memorized Mare¡¯s phone number and could dial it almost effortlessly.


    The receiver yed waiting music, and Luzia clenched her phone, unsure of what was making her nervous.


    ¡°Mary, could you make me a cup of coffee?¡± She caught sight of Mary standing at the dining room door. Mare¡¯s familiar voice came through the receiver, and Luzia quickly stifled a low sob in her throat.


    ¡°Luzia?¡± Mare walked to the balcony, looking at the clear sky outside.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Mare.¡± Luzia watched Mary enter the kitchen to prepare the coffee, then replied to Mare, ¡°Is Vivian okay? I heard from jos that she¡¯s not doing well, is she asleep?¡±


    Mare paused, pursed his lips, and said, ¡°Yes, she just fell asleep. Do you need me to wake her up for you?¡±


    ¡°No, let her sleep. jos asked me not to disturb her,¡± Luzia said calmly, unsure of the purpose behind conveying this message.


    But on the other end of the line, Mare replied sinctly, ¡°Understood.¡±

 Chapter 159

    Luzia asked about other matters, ¡°Is Festus awake? And Simpson, he must be very tired, please remind him to take care of himself.¡±


    Luzia mentioned the current situation, she hadn¡¯t been in touch with people for a long time since she came back, and Mare had been silent all this time, but Luzia knew he was listening attentively.


    ¡°I know,¡± Luzia stared at the coffee in her cup, lost in thought for a moment, ¡°Joseph hasn¡¯t allowed me to go shoppingtely. Last night, there was a Bratva attack near the apartment building, and many people died.¡±


    It seems that the situation in Los Angeles is indeed very grave.


    Mare asked, ¡°Has Joseph arranged bodyguards for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Luzia said, ¡°but Joseph doesn¡¯t like the bodyguards to stay in the apartment. They are all outside the apartment. If I don¡¯t go out shopping, I won¡¯t be able to find them.¡±


    After chatting for a while, there was no movement from Vivian¡¯s balcony, she must still be napping, so Luzia said she wouldn¡¯t disturb her.


    Yawning, she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a nap too.¡±


    ¡°But you just had coffee,¡± Mare said, ¡°Will you be able to sleep?¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m very tired now,¡± Luzia rubbed her eyes, ¡°Say hello to Simpson for me, goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    ¡­


    Theputer made a sound indicating sessful receipt of an email. Simpson opened his inbox and nced at it, his expression instantly turning cold.


    Floren sat on the sofa next to him, tilting his head slightly to see hisputer screen, ¡°Bryson, are you sure he¡¯s still alive?¡±


    Simpson abruptly closed theptop with an unfriendly tone, tinged with a hint of gloating, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Right now, Joseph¡¯s concern isn¡¯t Bryson, nor is it my brother, because he will soon receive news of Dniel¡¯s death. He will be as busy as a beaver for Barron.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we should also set off,¡± Simpson picked up hisputer.


    ¡­


    Leaving Joseph¡¯s apartment, the car drove for a long time, and the scenery outside the window kept changing. For jos, the streets of Los Angeles were still too unfamiliar. He easily lost his way after just a couple of turns.


    But jos was always sharp, he noticed that they had at least passed the same stretch of road twice, but the direction they were heading waspletely opposite.


    Pretending not to have noticed, he focused on dealing with his emails.


    jos saw an email from Vivian, he opened the attachment, which was a B-ultrasound report.


    Obviously, jos hadn¡¯t expected Vivian to send a B-ultrasound report. He was momentarily stunned, and it was clear that Joseph sitting next to him had noticed.


    Joseph looked at his cold expression, which gradually softened, and he even showed a hint of tenderness. Joseph was curious about what he saw, ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°The baby¡¯s B-ultrasound report,¡± jos pointed to show him, ¡°This is its head, hands, and feet¡­ The report says the baby is very healthy.¡±


    A B-ultrasound report turned a cruel and brutal mafia Capo into this foolish appearance. A hint of disdain and contempt appeared on Joseph¡¯s face. He thought that jos¡¯s strong heart had indeed been eroded by love. The father¡¯s n was sessful, Vivian had made jos weak, jos was no longer worthy of sitting in this position.


    But Joseph concealed it well, he even showed a timely interest, ¡°It¡¯s my little nephew. It seems Vivian has recovered well. Can I invite her to Los Angeles? Luzia has no friends in Los Angeles, she would be very happy toe.¡±


    ¡°If she can mature and not faint again due to Bryson¡¯s injuries,¡± jos lightly blocked Joseph¡¯s proposal.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The proposal was rejected again, but Joseph was not discouraged. He said jokingly, ¡°It seems my sister still can¡¯t satisfy you. But I can understand, Vivian¡¯s weakness and foolishness often give me a headache.¡±


    ¡°But Los Angeles has sent this imperfect Vivian to Houston as a gift to ally the two cities.¡± jos¡¯s tone and expression were somewhat subtle, making it difficult for Joseph to urately understand his true thoughts.


    ¡°Are we there yet?¡± jos took a nce at his watch during the gap when Joseph was pondering, ¡°We¡¯ve been on the road for over an hour since we set off.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Joseph looked at the road ahead, counting the time it took for the car to turn in his mind, ¡°My father was seriously injured in an attack. In order to ensure his safety, I must protect him tightly. Not revealing his true whereabouts is just a means to an end.¡±


    The car slowly entered a one-wayne, with tall, dense trees nted on both sides of thene, and the intertwining branches formed a canopy that blocked the sun.


    It was in this y of light and shadow that Joseph showed a strange smile, while exining to jos, and at the same time, he answered his phone, ¡°Do you mind if I take this call?¡±


    jos made a ¡°please¡± gesture.


    Joseph answered the call, but before he could speak, the person on the other end of the line urgently said, ¡°Dniel is dead!¡±

 Chapter 160

    The news of Dniel¡¯s death was like a bomb going off in the carriage, Joseph¡¯s dark expression resembling the sky before a storm. The driver in front nced in the rearview mirror, so startled that he almost stepped on the wrong pedal.


    jos, noticing Joseph¡¯s expression, asked knowingly, ¡°Who died?¡±


    In the eyes of the Bratva¡¯s rival mafia, Dniel¡¯s death was undoubtedly a great boon. Unable to exin the impending challenges he faced to jos, Joseph casually remarked, ¡°Just a disobedient underling getting into trouble.¡±


    Joseph manually lowered the window, the brisk and cold wind cutting through the stuffy atmosphere in the carriage. Looking outside, Joseph¡¯s gaze turned cold and fierce as he scanned the hidden gun muzzles in the dense forest.


    Those were the best snipers in the Los Angeles organization, prepared by Joseph for jos. They could urately shoot an enemy¡¯s head from over a kilometer away, their excellence and bravery befitting jos¡¯s status.


    But now, Joseph had no use for them.


    With Dniel dead, Barron would rece him as the new leader of the Los Angeles Bratva. Barron had always been against cooperating with the Jones family, and his ascension would bring endless troubles for Joseph. If Joseph insisted on killing jos at this time, he would face a pincer attack from Barron and Houston.


    It could be said that Dniel¡¯s deathpletely disrupted Joseph¡¯s ns.


    Joseph grew somewhat irritable, but he believed he hid it well.


    Meanwhile, jos, who had orchestrated Dniel¡¯s death, didn¡¯t think so. He could easily see through Joseph¡¯s facade to the furious soul beneath, manipting Joseph¡¯s emotions with ease.


    This maniption of emotions truly put one at ease. jos lowered his head to check his email, a fleeting smile ying on his lips.


    The car smoothly entered the vi area, and jos immediately sensed the tension in the air. Bodyguards were systematically positioned in visible corners, and he could confirm at least two ambushes hidden from his view.


    ¡°jos, wee.¡± Mark, Bryson¡¯s deputy, who had briefly cooperated with jos during a joint Los Angeles and Houston mission, hurriedly walked out of the vi, craning his neck to peer into the car. ¡°Where¡¯s Vivian? Quickly bring her out to see her injured father. The poor girl must be so anxious.¡±


    But the only one meeting his gaze from the driver¡¯s seat was the driver.


    ¡°Vivian is pregnant,¡± jos informed Mark.


    ¡°I know, Vivian is pregnant. Bryson must be thrilled,¡± Mark said, ncing into the car, asking, ¡°Where¡¯s Vivian?¡±


    jos expressed regret, ¡°Vivian couldn¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Mark looked shocked.


    ¡°Vivian was scared and nearly miscarried, so she was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. The doctor didn¡¯t allow her to leave,¡± jos exined.


    Mark furrowed his brows, seeming to disagree with jos. ¡°Bryson is Vivian¡¯s father; she has a responsibility to visit him.¡±


    jos looked firm, locking eyes with Mark. ¡°Vivian is my wife, carrying my child. I must ensure her and the child¡¯s safety first.¡±


    ¡°Los Angeles is Vivian¡¯s home; it¡¯s safe here,¡± Mark argued.


    ¡°I doubt you would like to discuss where the truly safe ce for Vivian is with me, Mark.¡± jos refused to be drawn into further discussion on this trivial matter, his gaze shifting past Mark to the vi¡¯s main entrance. ¡°Can I see Bryson now? My wife is waiting for my message in Houston.¡±


    A subtle nod from Joseph behind indicated Mark toply.


    After taking a deep breath, Mark stepped aside. ¡°Please follow me.¡±


    Mark led the way, with jos and Joseph silently trailing behind.


    Mark couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°Barron is a madman; he actually organized assassins to attack Bryson. They broke into the office area, a foolish suicide move.¡±


    jos, following Mark upstairs, frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Barron; he¡¯s a seasoned and cautious assassin. This reckless behavior doesn¡¯t seem like his style. Could someone be framing him?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re certain this is Barron¡¯s doing. He¡¯s gone mad,¡± Mark gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because of Jay Vyazemsky¡¯s death!¡± Mark cursed under his breath, ¡°That bastard Barron has pinned it on Bryson. He nned this attack to avenge Jay.¡±


    ¡°Truly¡­¡± jos hoped his expression conveyed regret for the situation rather than satisfaction.


    Joseph, who was observing jos¡¯s expressions from behind, had always suspected jos of framing Bryson¡¯s assant.


    The sterile and grand master bedroom turned into a hospital room, equipped with expensive precision instruments imported from Germany by Joseph. Several world-ss doctors responsible for Bryson¡¯s condition had conducted multiple joint consultations and two surgeries with Joseph¡¯s permission, effectively controlling Bryson¡¯s condition.


    However, Bryson still hadn¡¯t regained consciousness.


    jos changed into protective gear, and after disinfection, he followed Mark into the sickroom to visit Bryson. Bryson remained in aa, oblivious to their presence.


    jos looked down at Bryson¡¯s pallid face, the bullet wounds and two major surgeries causing him to rapidly lose weight. This shrewd and cunning old man now only had weak breaths left. jos believed that in the near future, he would lose the right to breathe, turning into a decaying corpse.


    Without a flicker in his gaze, Joseph viewed Bryson on the hospital bed as though he weren¡¯t his father but an insignificant stranger on the street.


    Rushing through discussions with the doctors about the next treatment n, Joseph bid farewell to jos.


    ¡°I have urgent matters to attend to now and can¡¯t continue apanying you, my friend.¡± As they spoke, Joseph¡¯s phone urgently rang once more.


    jos was well aware of Joseph¡¯s busyness and pretended to frown disapprovingly but didn¡¯t stop him from leaving.


    Helping to calm him down, Mark said, ¡°Bryson¡¯s condition has made Joseph very upied.¡±


    jos immediately showed understanding. ¡°Will Joseph rece Bryson as the new Capo if Bryson remains unconscious?¡±


    ¡°If Bryson continues not to awaken,¡± Mark sighed. ¡°Los Angeles can¡¯t be without a leader, and Joseph is Bryson¡¯s most outstanding heir.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°What about Vilem?¡±

 Chapter 161

    ¡°Vilem?¡± Mark smiled, saying casually, ¡°He is Joseph¡¯s capable right-hand man, and we are trying to contact him.¡±


    ¡°He is on a mission,¡± jos said.


    ¡°No wonder,¡± Mark sighed, ¡°we have been unable to reach him.¡±


    ¡°When he finishes his mission and returns to Houston, I will have someone bring him directly to Los Angeles,¡± jos stared at Mark intently, not missing the slightest change in his expression, ¡°He has been away from Los Angeles for a long time, I hope Los Angeles still wees him as before.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mark¡¯s expression showed no ws, ¡°Vilem is Bryson¡¯s son, Los Angeles will always be his home.¡±


    jos smiled, about to say something, when a hurried phone call interrupted them, and they quickly left the sterile ward.


    Mark, who was leading the way, turned back to look at jos, only then did jos realize that it was his phone ringing.


    Frowning, jos took out his phone from his pocket.


    ¡°jos,¡± the voice on the other end of the phone told him a piece of unsettling news, struggling, ¡°Vilem has disappeared.¡±


    Hawaii, Oahu Ind.


    Vivian had just finished breakfast and was walking back, holding a watering can to water the flowers in the yard behind Loomis.


    Mare stood not far from them, answering the phone, jos¡¯s cousin Keaun also called Mare at the same time. He hesitated for a second, then decisively turned and walked out.


    Mare¡¯s mood was simrly heavy; Vilem¡¯s disappearance was a very bad sign. ¡°What has jos arranged?¡± Keaun asked.


    ¡°Simpson and Floren have already left for Los Angeles, the situation there is not very good,¡± Keaun, temporarily taking over some affairs in ce of Festus, carefully analyzed the new trends in Los Angeles with Mare. Bryson was greatlypromised, Joseph had the greatest likelihood of bing Capo, but there were many internal objections, or it could be a good opportunity to elect Vilem as the new Capo.


    But just at this moment, Vilem disappeared! They had to temporarily halt their ns to target Joseph.


    The same worries were weighing on Mare¡¯s mind, but what he was more concerned about was Vivian. He knew Vivian and Vilem had always had a good rtionship, and Vilem had promised toe to Hawaii to see her. Mare couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of frenzy Vivian would be plunged into if something happened to Vilem.


    However, as he nced back at Vivian¡¯s room, he saw Vivian standing not far away, pale-faced.


    ¡°Vivian¡­¡± Mare¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    Keaun on the other end of the phone was puzzled, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Something happened to Vilem?¡± Mare asked.


    The voice on the phone suddenly changed, and Keaun, caught off guard, realized whose voice it was, sending shivers down his spine. He cautiously asked, ¡°Vivian?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Vivian¡¯s voice shook uncontrobly, she bit her lip, determined not to let her sobbing sound go into the receiver.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Keaun chose to conceal the truth in the end.


    But Vivian didn¡¯t believe it, ¡°I just heard it, Vilem disappeared, didn¡¯t he? You can¡¯t find him, can you?¡±


    Keaun and Mare¡¯s collective silence told her the answer.


    ¡°No wonder,¡± Vivian covered her face, unable to hold back her tears, ¡°No wonder I couldn¡¯t reach him. But this situation was toomon, so much so that Vivian ignored the inexplicable unease deep within her heart.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Vivian,¡± Mare reassured her, ¡°jos has sent people to look for him, I believe there will be news soon.¡±


    Vivian knew that crying was useless, but she couldn¡¯t control her fear; her hands were trembling with fear.


    ¡°I have faith in jos,¡± Vivian repeated to herself in her mind, ¡°He will find Vilem; he wouldn¡¯t disregard Vilem¡¯s safety.¡± But she couldn¡¯t help but want to know further about the arrangements, ¡°Who are the people going out to find Vilem?¡±


    Vivian suddenly remembered someone, ¡°Does Kasin know about Vilem¡¯s disappearance?¡±


    ¡°Kasin?¡± The person from Los Angeles sent to assist Houston had a list with Keaun, and after a brief moment, he remembered who Kasin was, but he was Joseph¡¯s man.


    Vivian didn¡¯t exin much to Keaun, ¡°Tell Kasin about this, maybe he can find Vilem.¡± Vivian didn¡¯t have much assurance.


    Vivian¡¯s emotions wereplex at the moment, silently praying that Kasin could find Vilem while at the same time hoping Vilem¡¯s disappearance had nothing to do with Joseph.


    They were brothers, were they really going to go to such extremes?


    But deep down, a voice in her heart kept telling her, don¡¯t hold out any hope for Joseph; remember who he is, Vivian!


    ¡°I need to go back to Houston¡­ no, I need to go to Los Angeles,¡± Vivian hung up the phone on Keaun and said to Mare.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°No!¡± Mare¡¯s immediate reaction was to refuse, ¡°You know how dangerous it is.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t lose Vilem,¡± Vivian said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to admit that Joseph kidnapped Vilem, but in fact, besides him, no one else has a reason to do so. Is something happening in Los Angeles?¡±

 Chapter 162

    Mare avoided Vivian¡¯s piercing gaze, ¡°I can¡¯t answer you.¡±


    ¡°No, you can answer me, you know the answer.¡± Originally uncertain, but when Mare¡¯s gaze began to dodge, Vivian had already gotten the answer she wanted, ¡°Or should I say, my father Bryson is in trouble, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Surprised by Vivian¡¯s keenness, Mare said, ¡°You¡­¡±


    Mare¡¯s astonishment was a confirmation, and Vivian found herself surprisingly unsurprised. She said with a bitter smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, Mare. Please believe me, I am also Capo¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°I know of course, I just¡­¡± Mare rubbed his face, feeling annoyed that he couldn¡¯t hide his emotions. He said heavily, ¡°jos was adamant about sending you to Hawaii for a reason. In fact, Los Angeles had long been encroaching on Houston, and Bryson¡­ he had chosen to cooperate with Bratva¡¯s leader, Andre, a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vivian widened her eyes in surprise, ¡°That can¡¯t be!¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t want to believe it either, but it was confirmed by multiple sources.¡± Mare ran his hands through his hair in frustration, needing to stop Vivian from leaving Hawaii.


    ¡°Do you know Irina Peleri Elf?¡± Mare asked.


    Vivian trembled all over, crossing her arms tightly across her chest, ¡°I¡­¡±


    Struggling to swallow her saliva, her thoughts were in chaos, but her mind managed to turn sluggishly, ¡°I know her.¡±


    jos had told her the story of Irina Peleri Elf, a pitiful woman who fell in love with a man but got caught in the battle between two terror organizations, bing an innocent sacrifice.


    ¡°She was Andre¡¯s woman, and jos killed her.¡±


    Mare looked at the on-the-verge-of-copse Vivian with pity, and his tone softened unknowingly, ¡°Irina Peleri Elf¡¯s death is a double-edged sword. It killed Andre¡¯s lover, weakening him terribly. Some members of Bratva started questioning his orders, like Jay and Barron. Meanwhile, it struck at Houston, with Andre¡¯s revenge being ruthless and without consequence. He chose to cooperate with Bryson, to take down jos.¡±


    ¡°Shelley¡¯s brother, Hanson, had infiltrated Bratva for many years. He helped us kill Irina Peleri Elf, crippling Andre¡¯s rule. However, he misced his trust in his uncle, Richard, who eventually betrayed Hanson and concealed Bryson¡¯s betrayal.¡±


    Mare sighed, ¡°Just recently, Richard was exposed for his attack and caught by Simpson with a document he was going to use to ckmail Bratva. Bryson¡¯s despicable betrayal was finally revealed to the public.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why would he do this?¡± An alliance willing to sacrifice his own daughter to destroy his enemies, while former enemies be reluctant friends by betraying. In such a situation, what was she?


    ¡°I¡¯ve known all along, in his heart, Joseph is the only one he cares about, the only one he considers to be his heir.¡± Vivian sat on the ground, admitting painfully, ¡°And me? I was just a beautifully dressed gift, a means of deception, a generous chip for him. He used me to design jos and used my child to weaken jos¡¯s power. We were all part of his schemes!¡±


    Vivian cried andughed, her emotions erratic, terrifying Mare.


    Before Mare could console her, Vivian couldn¡¯t bear the pain in her abdomen and cried out. Mare was startled and quickly informed the doctor.


    Doctor Yoshiye immediately rushed in with her assistant.


    Mare waited outside, wiping his face. He knew he should call jos. But the situation in Los Angeles wasn¡¯t optimistic either, and Vivian¡¯s condition would likely distract jos.


    Given Vilem¡¯s situation, it was likely Joseph¡¯s clumsy tactic to crush Vivian first and weaken jos, and they couldn¡¯t let him seed.


    Finally, as Mare anxiously waited, Dr. Yoshiye came out with her assistant, ¡°There¡¯s nothing major going on; she shouldn¡¯t have such emotional turmoil during pregnancy. You must take care of her, she¡¯s already asleep.¡±


    Mare breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Yoshiye.¡±


    ¡°I must remind you, Mare,¡± Dr. Yoshiye warned him, looking at him sternly, ¡°Don¡¯t let Vivian get upset again. She needs rest. She didn¡¯t just fly to Hawaii from Houston to avoid danger; recuperation is crucial.¡±


    Reflecting on his improper behavior, Mare said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dr. Yoshiye.¡±


    Knowing Vivian¡¯s condition well, Dr. Yoshiye asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    Mare nced cautiously at her assistant, Tabdon.


    ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs,¡± Tabdon said.


    Dr. Yoshiye nodded.


    Once Tabdon¡¯s figure disappeared at the staircase, Mare simplified the whole event, mentioning that Vivian wanted to leave Hawaii because she was worried about her father and brother Vilem.


    Mare had ways to keep Vivian from leaving, but he couldn¡¯t resort to force.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    After a moment of thought, Dr. Yoshiye said, ¡°Perhaps she needs to talk to jos.¡±


    ¡°My rationality tells me it¡¯s best not to contact jos,¡± Mare said.


    ¡°Then tell Vivian about jos¡¯s difficulties,¡± Dr. Yoshiye suggested, not delving into the rtionship dynamics but calmingly said with her limited experience, ¡°I know Vivian is a sensitive and somewhat naive child, but if you shield her from everything and don¡¯t let her make choices on her own, how can she learn to be rational?¡±

 Chapter 163

    Vivian slept for a long time, aided by medication and her own exhaustion. When she awoke from her slumber, Oahu Ind had already embraced its twilight.


    Shey back on thefortable bed, gazing at the ceiling. Her emotions were stable, showing no sign of the impending breakdown before hera.


    ¡°Has Vilem sent any news?¡± Vivian asked, her tone ethereal and gentle, almost like a whisper.


    Although Mare heard her, he had been sitting on the couch in Vivian¡¯s room for hours, causing his legs to feel slightly numb. ncing at his phone for emails, he replied, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Vivian closed her eyes expressionlessly, unsurprised by the oue.


    ¡°Vivian¡­¡± Mare stood up and approached Vivian¡¯s bed. He was unsure how to console her, but he couldn¡¯t let Vivian leave Hawaii for the sake of her and the child¡¯s safety, as jos had made extensive efforts¡­


    ¡°I know.¡± Vivian interrupted Mare, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please forget my previous request. I won¡¯t leave here.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Vivian¡¯s change of heart caught Mare off guard. He widened his eyes, feeling puzzled by Vivian¡¯s sudden shift. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯ve made that decision, but can you tell me why?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­¡± Vivian blinked at the ceiling, feeling mentally clear but also floating in the air, ¡°Yoshiye told me that I¡¯m not alone now. My safety concerns not just me, but the child and jos. Whether I¡¯m in Houston or Los Angeles, it won¡¯t change anything. Staying in Hawaii is the best way to help jos, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Though Vivian spoke the truth, Mare felt both relieved and saddened by her realization. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, rest assured, believe that Vilem will have news soon.¡± Mareforted.


    Weary, Vivian closed her eyes, feeling a heavy sense of helplessness engulfing her from within, heart to body. No one to confide in, no one to aid her in escape.


    A whole week passed, with no useful news from those searching for Vilem. Barron led Bratva members in a second attack on a warehouse in Los Angeles, destroying millions worth of goods and mercilessly ughtering the guards.


    This was the second major attack in a week, and Joseph had no effective response, further fueling the discontent of those in the organization who had already doubted him.


    After another questioning phone call ended, a series of smashing sounds echoed behind Mark.


    Joseph fiercely smashed the decor on the table to the ground, ¡°Is there no way to stop him?¡±


    Mark waited for Joseph to calm down, then wearily touched his forehead, ¡°To show ourmitment to Bratva, Bryson voluntarily exposed the locations of several major warehouses in Los Angeles to them. Barron attacked two of them.¡±


    Joseph cursed, ¡°What about Houston?¡±


    ¡°jos has been trying to find Vilem¡¯s whereabouts, but with little sess,¡± Mark shrugged, ¡°Are you considering taking action?¡±


    ¡°Killing Vilem?¡± Joseph sneered, ¡°He¡¯s not as ipetent as we thought. Damn it, I can¡¯t even find the nail he buried within the organization!¡± If Joseph hadn¡¯t sensed the presence of a force loyal to Bryson within the organization, he would have killed Vilem on the first day of his abduction.


    ¡°No, not Vilem.¡± Mark said, ¡°I¡¯m talking about Vivian.¡±


    ¡°Vivian? nning to use her as leverage against jos?¡± Joseph frowned, ¡°We¡¯ve discussed this, not touching jos for now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but the situation we¡¯re facing is dire. Barron knows too many of our secrets and is too aggressive. We need to kill him to turn the tide.¡± Markid out his n, ¡°Kidnap Vivian, use her to threaten jos, and have Houston provide us with battle assistance, without expecting anything in return.¡±


    Lopaka, Joseph¡¯s most trusted subordinate, had kidnapped Vilem to ensure his information remained secure, preventing Lopaka¡¯s men from leaving the Los Angeles area for a short time.


    Mark suggested using his own man, Chaquille.


    ¡°Chaquille has people near Vivian, right?¡±


    Mark looked at Joseph, smiled, revealing a row of pristine white teeth, ¡°Indeed, a very capable assistant.¡±


    Meanwhile, in Joseph¡¯s apartment, Luzia heard the door open and descended from upstairs.


    ncing at the kitchen, Mary seemed to be out.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Luzia rushed towards jos, whispering, ¡°Any news?¡±


    Luzia addressed Vivian¡¯s mother, Tasneem.


    Locating Tasneem and bringing her to Hawaii was one of the significant reasons jos had remained in Los Angeles.


    jos shook his head.


    Although she had already suspected this oue, Luzia couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed when she received confirmation, ¡°Where could she be hidden?¡±


    Luzia started to doubt herself, ¡°Could I have been wrong? Did Mrs. Tasneem actually leave Los Angeles and travel to Europe for recovery, as Bryson imed?¡±


    jos was less optimistic than Luzia, ¡°I lean more towards the possibility that she¡¯s already dead.¡±

 Chapter 164

    ¡°No!¡± Luzia¡¯s expression could no longer be described as shocked. ¡°Tell me, you¡¯re just kidding, jos.¡±


    ¡°I wish that were the case, but all the signs currently point to my guess being the most urate.¡± jos revealed his regret.


    They tried various methods, inquiring and searching through various channels. jos even contacted Vivian¡¯s good friend Emily for help. But after many days of waiting, they still had no results.


    No trace of a person could be erased so cleanly unless she was already dead.


    Luzia slumped onto the sofa. She couldn¡¯t ept this possibility, couldn¡¯t imagine how Vivian would react if she knew.


    She would definitely break down. Luzia thought.


    Luzia never doubted jos¡¯s judgment, but who killed Lady Tasneem brought to mind Irina Peleri Elf¡¯s death. Both held the same status. Lady Tasneem was Bryson¡¯s wife and future heir Joseph¡¯s mother. Who could bypass these two formidable men to kill her, erase all traces of her in Los Angeles, and even make Bryson and Joseph conceal her death simultaneously?


    The more Luzia thought about it, the more frightened she became. A chill crawled up her spine, causing her to shiver violently. ¡°It is¡­ is¡­¡±


    Luzia tried several times to speak, but the name of the killer just wouldn¡¯te out of her mouth.


    jos looked at her silently, without surprise or contradiction.


    jos¡¯s silence confirmed Luzia¡¯s suspicions. The killer might be Bryson and his son.


    Suddenly feeling restless, she jumped up from the sofa and threw herself at jos. ¡°Take me away, jos. I can¡¯t stay here anymore. I¡¯ll die, I really will.¡±


    They were a group of demons. They could even kill Lady Tasneem. What did that make her? She was just a gift from Houston to Los Angeles, a ything in Joseph¡¯s hands. With a mere flick of his finger, Joseph could crush her effortlessly, not even needing to hide her death as he did with Lady Tasneem¡¯s.


    If she died, vanished, it would only be more thorough than Lady Tasneem¡¯s disappearance.


    Luzia was too scared. She had lived fervently like the sun for over twenty years until she met Joseph. He put an end to her fervor. Someday in the future, he would end her life as well.


    The main reason jos agreed to stay in Los Angeles was to find out Lady Tasneem¡¯s whereabouts. Now that they couldn¡¯t find her, he should indeed leave. Her safety became precarious with jos¡¯s departure, especially when Los Angeles was on the brink of changing ownership.


    ¡°We should¡­¡± The phone rang, interrupting jos. Cursing inwardly, he rudely pulled out the phone from his pocket. It was Simpson.


    ¡°We¡¯re in Los Angeles.¡± With Bryson seriously injured and Los Angelespletely breaking ties with Bratva, the situation in Los Angeles was extremely unstable. To prevent other forces from taking advantage,nd, sea, and air in Los Angeles were all restricted. Simpson and his team had to sneak into the docks and then into the city.


    ¡°You need to break free from Joseph as soon as possible and take a private ne from Washington to leave.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± jos hung up the call indifferently, ignoring Luzia¡¯s anxious gaze. He grabbed Luzia and ran, taking the elevator to the underground garage, where a ck car was ready.


    Just as jos was about to take out the keys, a car drove into the entrance of the underground garage, its bright headlights shining on him. jos barely recognized it as Joseph¡¯s car.


    There were three cars in total, speeding towards them and surrounding jos and Luzia, blocking their way.


    Joseph got out of the first car. ¡°Can you tell me where you intend to take my wife, jos?¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Luzia was afraid, her fingers turning white as she nervously approached jos.


    ¡°Your apartment is too boring. I was just about to take my cousin shopping,¡± jos shrugged helplessly, looking like he had no choice. ¡°You know, women always love shopping. They enjoy the process of swiping their cards.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Women¡¯s love for shopping is like men¡¯s obsession with liquor and sex, a natural sensual pleasure.¡±


    Joseph smiled warmly, but as he approached them step by step, Luzia only wanted to escape.


    Before she could act on her thoughts, Joseph was quicker. He reached out and dragged her into his arms. ¡°Hey, my beautiful wife, where do you think you can escape to?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Luzia stammered timidly, continuously seeking help from jos with her eyes. But jos¡¯s demeanor was too indifferent. She couldn¡¯t see any hope, so she had to save herself. ¡°I¡¯m not running away.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Joseph ced hisrge hand on Luzia¡¯s slender waist, the calluses on his palm rubbing against her delicate skin through her clothes, teasing the sensitive spot at her waist.


    Frequent encounters with Joseph had made him familiar with Luzia¡¯s body, knowing how to touch her to make her quickly reach climax, so she would lose all resistance in pleasure and shame.


    Luzia didn¡¯t disappoint him. She couldn¡¯t control the tremors in her body, the waves of pleasure surging from her deepest core as he yed with her sensitive spots. She couldn¡¯t control her flushed face and sticky moans even in front of jos and the bodyguards.


    Pleasure and shame engaged in a tug-of-war over desire in Luzia¡¯s body, and Luzia was destined to lose. She raised her hand to cover her eyes, unable to look into jos¡¯s eyes, fearing to see contempt, disdain, and disappointment.


    With her back to Joseph, she couldn¡¯t see the provocative gleam in his eyes. And in the face of Joseph¡¯s provocation, jos openly disyed his dissatisfaction.


    ¡°I heard from Mark that Los Angeles is preparing for the Capo session ceremony.¡± jos suppressed his anger.


    ¡°You know, my father has been seriously injured and fallen into a prolongeda. Doctors say the chances of him waking up and recovering are slim.¡± Joseph bit Luzia¡¯s lip, leaving a rough kiss. ¡°Los Angeles can¡¯t be without a Capo for long, especially now.¡±


    jos nodded. ¡°I agree with your reasoning and Los Angeles¡¯s decision. But as the new Capo of Los Angeles, shouldn¡¯t you pay attention to your actions?¡±


    Joseph didn¡¯t explode in anger at jos¡¯s authoritarian tone but humbly asked, a hint of a smile ying on his lips. ¡°Such as?¡±

 Chapter 165

    ¡°Learn to respect your wife in front of your soldiers,¡± jos almost gritted his teeth as he spoke, ¡°As the Capo¡¯s wife, she should be given enough respect by the outside world. How much respect she receives from the outside world depends on your attitude towards her.¡±


    As jos spoke, his tone turned almost admonishing, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t let your followers think lightly of your wife. She also represents your prestige outside. You don¡¯t want the Capo¡¯s authority to be turned into a joke, do you?¡±


    Joseph narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint hiding underneath.


    jos fearlessly met his cold gaze, showing no signs of backing down.


    Luzia trembled between the two men¡¯s confrontation, she could even see sparks flying when their eyes met.


    Was she going to die?


    Luzia felt her legs weaken, almost copsing in Joseph¡¯s arms.


    Joseph sneered, ¡°You¡¯ve scared my wife, jos.¡±


    jos ignored his sarcasm.


    ¡°Houston has always been Los Angeles¡¯ friendliest coborator, I naturally humbly ept your reminder,¡± Joseph coerced Luzia to turn around, leading her back to the elevator that led straight to the top floor apartment, ¡°As a token of thanks for your selfless teaching, I have something good to show you.¡±


    jos stood still, his bodyguards surrounded him, unmoving. The two sides fell into a stalemate once again.


    ¡°jos is my guest, don¡¯t be rude like this,¡± Joseph reprimanded, making the bodyguards step aside, not blocking jos¡¯ path, ¡°Hawaii has beautiful scenery, I believe Vivian will love it, don¡¯t you think so, jos?¡±


    The reminder stopped there, and the elevator door ¡°dinged¡± open, Joseph was pleased to see jos approaching with a dark expression, the three of them entered the elevator together, all the way to the top floor apartment.


    Mary was waiting in the living room, already prepared with coffee and snacks.


    jos looked at her with a heavy gaze, Mary, as if unaware of the intense killing intent in jos¡¯ eyes, nodded politely at Joseph, then left the living room.


    ¡°What do you want to show me?¡± jos asked directly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so impatient,¡± Joseph picked up his coffee, with a rxed expression, ¡°Try the coffee Mary brewed, it¡¯s better than what the professional baristas serve outside, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    jos had no mood to continue ying games with Joseph, from Joseph¡¯s words just now, he could almost deduce that Joseph already knew Vivian¡¯s true whereabouts and had taken action.


    jos had no doubt, something happened to Vivian!


    Damn it! jos couldn¡¯t control the raging anger in his heart, ring at Joseph almost bloodshot, ¡°If you don¡¯t intend to show me, then I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    He knew Joseph still didn¡¯t dare to act against him, he must have some ulterior motive. But jos needed to find Mare as soon as possible, confirm Vivian¡¯s safety.


    As jos spoke, his movements became faster, Joseph¡¯s bodyguards didn¡¯t stop him, and he strode towards the door.


    Just three steps away from the exit, Vivian¡¯s cry suddenly came from behind!


    jos froze, his steps halted momentarily.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The kidnappers had recorded the entire process of kidnapping Vivian, which was now being yed on an iPad by Joseph.


    jos clenched his fists, unable to control the boiling rage inside him, before the bodyguards reacted, he rushed towards Joseph, lifting his fist and swinging it towards Joseph.


    Joseph undoubtedly took jos¡¯ punch, but he had also undergone the most rigorous training, his body had trained the most direct response mechanism. As jos swung his fist towards him, his fist alsonded on jos¡¯ chest.


    The two ferocious men quickly became entangled, the bodyguards quickly reacted, pulling out their guns, clicking the safety off and aiming at jos¡¯ head, hoping to deter him.


    Luzia was petrified by the sudden fight, her scream suppressed by the guns of the bodyguards, ¡°jos¡­¡±


    Luzia¡¯s voice trembled, but it still didn¡¯t bring jos back to his senses, he pounced on Joseph, hands firmly gripping Joseph¡¯s throat, Joseph¡¯s foot against his abdomen, hands countering his arms, his face turning red and purple in the thin air.


    ¡°Do you¡­ want Vivian to die?¡± Joseph struggled to squeeze out a few words from his oppressed lungs, his eyes red and bulging, showing a fierce killing intent.


    It was this inevitable killing intent and Vivian¡¯s name that finally pulled jos¡¯ sanity back from the brink of copse.


    jos somewhat slowly released his grip on Joseph¡¯s throat, Joseph¡¯s bodyguards hurriedly pounced on him, pulling jos away and helping Joseph up.


    Joseph¡¯s face turned red, and before jos could stand stably, Joseph kicked him to the ground, ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Out of frustration, Joseph kicked jos again.


    jos didn¡¯t dodge, he struggled to swallow the blood in his mouth, wiped the corner of his mouth, and smiled, ¡°You¡¯d better be polite to me, without my orders, Houston won¡¯t provide any help to Los Angeles.¡±


    The fiery pain in his throat made Joseph furious, he kicked the tea table, revealing his beastly fangs, ¡°Do you still think Houston is your Houston?¡±


    ¡°Before you make a move against Vilem, Houston indeed can¡¯tpletely be considered my Houston,¡± jos also showed his ruthlessness, ¡°But once you make a move against him, Lopaka, this nail, is finished.¡±


    Although Joseph was in a fit of rage, he couldn¡¯t retort jos¡¯ words. While Vilem leaving Los Angeles might not be too much of a threat, damn, he had grown in Houston, bing more perceptive and ruthless than before. He no longer feared using his weapons to kill enemies, letting their blood stain his clean new clothes.


    Lopaka once had the absolute strength to crush Vilem, but now he only abducted Vilem, paying a huge price-he exposed his identity, and even his deputy was turned, losing an elite team.


    Lopaka¡¯s carefulyout in Houston waspletely shattered due to this kidnapping.


    But thankfully, Bryson had prepared in advance, he had quietly stationed another confidant, Chaquille, so that at a critical moment, he could approach Vivian in Hawaii without jos noticing.

 Chapter 166

    Joseph stood triumphantly amidst the mess on the ground, as if he had jos beneath his feet. He extended a devilish invitation to jos, ¡°Do you want your wife to live? Do you want your child to live? jos, cooperate with me and submit to mymands.¡±


    jos sat up, supporting himself on his arms, the pain in his abdomen making his breath heavy. He nonchntly lifted his eyelids, seemingly uninterested in Joseph¡¯s offer, ¡°What if I refuse?¡±


    Joseph seized a guard¡¯s gun and aimed at Luzia¡¯s thigh, pulling the trigger.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The silenced gun was supposed to be noiseless, yet jos felt as though a thunderous explosion resounded in his ears before Luzia¡¯s agonizing scream followed.


    Joseph grinned cruelly and bloodthirsty at jos, excitement gleaming in his brown eyes, ¡°The next shot will be aimed at Vivian¡¯s stomach.¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡± Joseph mimicked the sound of a bullet fired from the chamber, his smile chilling, ¡°Guess who will die first, the child or Vivian?¡±


    ¡°Joseph!¡± If looks could kill, Joseph would have died a thousand deaths by now. ¡°You will pay for your actions today!¡±


    Joseph was a deranged gambler; indeed, a mature Capo would never gamble all their chips on kidnapping another man¡¯s wife in such a trivial move. His actions proved he was desperate.


    jos¡¯s rationality told him victory was within reach, having pressured Joseph to make such a foolish move. Yet, he despised himself for falling into Joseph¡¯s trap, unwilling to let Vivian suffer even a bit, despite being on the brink of victory.


    Joseph raised the gun, passionately kissing it, as if the gun were his wife, his lover, ¡°Before making me pay the price, you must first learn to obey, jos.¡±


    Joseph didn¡¯t conceal his ambitions; he had long prepared for this day. ¡°Give me the power in Houston, help me subdue Barron and the Bratva behind him, this is your destiny¡¯s ultimate pinnacle.¡±


    ¡°I, Joseph Jones, am the ultimate victor in this war!¡±


    Vivian awoke from her daze, struggling to open her heavy eyelids in the dimly lit room. She tried to move her arm, seeking relief for her pounding head, only to discover her hands bound behind her, lying not on the soft bed in the vi but on hard, cold wooden boards.


    A pungent scent of cleaner filled the air, overwhelming Vivian¡¯s sensitive senses, making her nauseous. The unpleasant odor triggered her disoriented memories from before she passed out ¨C armed thugs bursting into the supposedly secure vi, shooting the staff indiscriminately with machine guns, drugging her into unconsciousness after Yoshiye¡¯s death, and subsequently kidnapping her.


    Herst sight before losing consciousness was Loomis being shot, clutching Mare as they tumbled down the stairs, leaving her in the dark about what followed.


    Residual effects of the drugs slowed Vivian¡¯s mind, rendering her incapable of immediate, rational judgment. While she felt she should panic, emotions dulled, turning her into a passive, indifferent mannequin lying in bed, enveloped by the darkness.


    The sudden flicker of a bright light above her startled Vivian, forcing her shut her eyes as footsteps approached. The echoing cks on the concrete floor resembled the hard soles of men¡¯s boots.


    Was it Tabdon?


    Upon adjusting to the light, Vivian surveyed her surroundings, recognizing the warehouse-like setting and the solitary incandescent bulb casting harsh light on the filth-stained environment. The tattered nket in the corner bore dark stains, matching those on the wooden boards where shey.


    Her stomach turned, suspecting the stains were blood left by others.


    Instead of screaming or pleading like a helpless sheep, Vivian¡¯s calm demeanor surprised the man, evoking both astonishment and bewilderment.


    ¡°You truly surprise me, Vivian,¡± the man sighed, his voice akin to a relieved elder witnessing a wayward junioring of age. ¡°You¡¯ve finally grown up, unfortunately, your parents won¡¯t see it.¡±


    Wide-eyed, Vivian recognized the familiar face, despite thepse of time. ¡°Chaquille¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you remember me, Vivian. It¡¯s been a while,¡± Chaquille maintained his friendly smile, ever gracious and approachable in public, embodying benevolence and tolerance towards juniors and subordinates.


    However, the tightly bound Vivian lying on the dirty bed felt a chill creep over her, even Chaquille¡¯s smile turning repulsive.


    ¡°Is my father behind this kidnapping?¡± Vivian clung to a flicker of hope. It seemed apparent, wouldn¡¯t it? Chaquille was her father¡¯s right-hand man, acting solely on his orders!


    ¡°No,¡± Chaquille denied.


    Through gritted teeth, Vivian inquired angrily, ¡°What¡¯s there to hide? Your presence here is evidence enough! Or do you want to tell me you¡¯ve betrayed my father and now serve under Joseph?¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Chaquille¡¯s gaze held pity as he spoke, ¡°Concealing the kidnapping from you does Bryson no favors. Whether you realize it or not, your abduction does not affect our ns; you are in our grasp, Vivian.¡±


    The truth stung, still, Vivian felt humiliation for her helplessness, learning to silence her screams and tears, knowing they would only infuriate the captors.


    Her priority shifted to safeguarding herself, her child, and finding a way out to reunite with jos.


    Where was jos? Did he know about her abduction by Chaquille? And what did Chaquille intend with her?


    Chaquille obeyed father¡¯s orders, yet denied involvement with her kidnapping. Who else couldmand him?


    Joseph?


    Vivian leaned towards this answer; after all, Joseph was the heir apparent, unrivaled in Los Angeles by Vilem. Joseph seemed the most likely to coerce Chaquille.


    However, Chaquille¡¯s recent denial left Vivian with doubts. If not Joseph, who else in LA held the power and leverage tomand Chaquille?


    Suddenly, a name popped in Vivian¡¯s mind ¨C Mark, Bryson¡¯s right-hand man.

 Chapter 167

    Could it be him? Why would he kidnap her again?


    And, the sentence from Chaquille that Vivian found particrly intriguing, ¡°Unfortunately, your father and mother can¡¯t see this,¡± what does it mean?


    Vivian couldn¡¯t make sense of it, and she fell back into a slumber due to the lingering effects of the drugs in her system.


    Chaquille gazed at her deeply for a long time before slowly turning around with a snap to switch off the incandescent light and walked out of the warehouse.


    Outside the warehouse, the chilly night wind carried the salty smell of the ocean, causing Tabdon, dressed thinly, with fresh scrapes on his face, to shiver in the sea breeze.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Tabdon mmed his phone down, trembling in the ocean wind. ¡°Mare, that lunatic, he actually called the police! A mobster like him, calling the police!¡±


    ¡°Now all the transportation to the airport and port are under strict inspection, we¡¯re trapped on the ind.¡± No matter how big Oahu Ind is, it¡¯s still an ind, and the carpet-style search will eventually find them.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t nning on leaving the ind the normal way anyway.¡± Chaquille climbed the rocks by the sea, gazing into the distance through the dark night.


    Tabdon followed his gaze and saw a small yacht slowly moving on the horizon  one of the Beach Club¡¯s reserved items, a night diving boat.


    ¡­


    jos was held captive in Joseph¡¯s penthouse in downtown Los Angeles, where his phone was confiscated, his movements restricted, and at night, two guards kept a close eye on him. He wasn¡¯t allowed to contact anyone unless under Joseph¡¯s surveince.


    When Simpson learned of jos¡¯ request for them to join forces with the armed forces in Los Angeles against the Bratva and found out that Vivian had been kidnapped by Chaquille, he smashed his phone.


    ¡°Damn it! Damn it!¡± Simpson forcefully pounded the table in the cheap rental room that was not so sturdy. The table was about to copse, but Floren couldn¡¯t bear to sit and watch anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill Joseph!¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Someone more impulsive than him, Simpson barely calmed down. ¡°Do you want jos to die?¡±


    ¡°Are we just going to let Joseph hold jos hostage and make the entire Houston serve him?¡± Floren didn¡¯t have any feelings for the couple jos and Vivian. His involvement in jos¡¯ n and following Simpson to Los Angeles was driven by interests, for Houston¡¯s future.


    And now, with jos in Joseph¡¯s custody, Houston would fall under Los Angeles¡¯s control, what benefits could they talk about, what future could they discuss?


    Floren absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow it!


    ¡°Come back, Floren!¡± Simpson loaded his gun and pointed it at Floren¡¯s chest. ¡°If you take one step out of this room, I¡¯ll shoot you dead right now!¡±


    Floren gritted his teeth, ring at Simpson.


    Simpson held the gun firmly, reprimanding him, ¡°Come back!¡±


    Floren grunted heavily and reluctantly turned back.


    Simpson grabbed his cor, pulling him closer to warn, ¡°jos¡¯ life is more important than anything else, you better remember that!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Keaun is still in Houston, and Houston still has Charles.¡± The Benoist family had always been loyal to jos.


    Floren widened his eyes at Simpson, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    Simpson let go of Floren¡¯s cor, looking disdainful. ¡°Threatening? No, I just don¡¯t want to clean up after your recklessness.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act rashly, Floren. I can bring you and Keaun up to where you are now, and I can bring you down just as easily!¡±


    ¡°Kasin has found Vilem, our n can begin.¡±


    Floren furrowed his brows, ¡°But¡­¡± What about Vivian?Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Simpson shot Floren a desperate nce, and Floren understood the message in his eyes, suddenly taking a sharp breath.


    Yes, when jos and Vivian were put on the same scale, he chose his brother without hesitation. Vivian was always Bryson¡¯s person. The two brothers had supported each other since their father¡¯s passing, and they had long made up their minds, no matter what difficulties they facedter on, they would try to preserve everything in Houston!


    And now, with jos under control, Houston¡¯s fate rested in Simpson¡¯s hands, and he would make the best decision for Houston.


    jos, imprisoned in the penthouse, was unaware of Simpson¡¯s crazy n. The surveince from the guards day and night made him anxious, irritable, and easily angered. He tried to negotiate with Joseph, but Joseph had been avoiding him for days.


    ¡°I said I need an iced coffee! Iced coffee!¡± jos swept the coffee off the table in front of him, the brown liquid spilling on the gray carpet, instantly forming a stubborn stain that was hard to remove.


    This was already the third cup of coffee Mary had prepared, just fifteen minutes ago, jos clearly demanded hot coffee.


    He was deliberately making things difficult for Mary, but Mary had no choice but to tidy up the broken cups on the floor obediently and then enter the kitchen to prepare another iced coffee. Though the fate of this iced coffee might end up spilled on the floor as well.


    Luzia came out of the room, holding onto the wall, cautiously approaching the stairs. Before she reached the staircase, she heard a series of loud crashes and Mary¡¯s screamsing from the kitchen downstairs. The guard standing outside the kitchen rushed in, but the crazed jos was not easy to control, so they had to use the inte to call thepanions upstairs for help.


    The guards on the second floor swiftly crossed over Luzia and ran down to join the first-floor guards in restraining jos.


    Luzia, hearing jos¡¯ frenzied roars, felt legs as if they were made of cement, unable to move from her spot. But she couldn¡¯t control her eyes, forcing herself to lean against the railing and look down.


    She saw the guards carrying Mary out of the kitchen. Maryy on the floor of the living room, hands covering her bloody neck, her breathing bing as broken and wheezing as a broken windpipe, harsh and hard to listen to.


    Luzia supported herself against the wall, ignoring the pain in her thighs, stumbling along the empty second-floor corridor until she finally twisted open jos¡¯ room door.


    The guards made an emergency call, and paramedics took Mary away.


    After a brief chaos in the penthouse, it quickly returned to order. The well-trained guards swiftly brought jos back to his room and informed Joseph of the situation here, thinking jos had gone insane.


    The guards didn¡¯t dare to stay close to jos in the room anymore but also didn¡¯t want to go far, so they stayed at the door of the room.


    The moment the door was closed, all the madness and anger on jos¡¯ face vanished instantly, and he quickly got out of bed, turned over the pillow and sheets, and found themunicator hidden on the mattress  the samemunicator Simpson had given to Luzia.


    To ensure the secrecy and convenience of themunicator, it was originally designed with a limited number of uses and difficult to rece batteries. jos didn¡¯t know how many times Luzia had used it, so every message he sent out now had to be carefully considered.

 Chapter 168

    jos sent a message to Emmert.


    Hope everything goes smoothly.


    ¡­


    Awoken by the sound of turbulent waves, Vivian ¡°wow¡± vomited all over the floor without warning, sttering Tabdon¡¯s pants with filth. Irritated, he jumped two times, viciously pping Vivian across the face.


    The p sent Vivian¡¯s face tilting to one side, a fiery pain rushing into her brain, making her tears well up. She knew her face must be swollen.


    With tear-filled eyes and a fierce expression, Vivian red at Tabdon.


    Tabdon sneered at Vivian¡¯s feeble resistance.


    Now he needed to go to the deck to get some fresh air; the foul stench of vomit in the cabin was unbearable.


    Chaquille reced Tabdon on the deck, always wearing a smile familiar to Vivian, reminding her of Bryson¡¯s hypocritical demeanor.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°I advise you not to anger him,¡± Chaquille pointed towards Tabdon¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°no matter how good the disguise, a thug remains a thug. Someone like you, amb, he can easily snap your neck barehanded.¡±


    Feeling increasingly ufortable, Vivian¡¯s body swayed with the rocking ship, her head throbbing, face in pain, stomach churning violently. She suspected that if she opened her mouth now, she would definitely vomit again.


    To avoid another p, Vivian chose to stay silent. She needed to conserve her strength and focus toe up with a n and protect her unborn child.


    Seeing Vivian close her eyes and adopt a passive attitude, Chaquille was not angry; he was always very tolerant of the younger ones.


    The consistent and rhythmic swaying easily exhausted the mind. As Vivian drifted off to sleep, her consciousness gradually began to blur. She didn¡¯t know how long she had been dozing when the rocking of the cruise ship intensified. Vivian heard the urgent roar of the engines, as if there was a monstrous beast with its jaws wide open chasing them, suddenly picking up speed.


    This thought sent Vivian¡¯s heart racing. Was it Mare chasing them?


    No one could provide answers for Vivian; the cramped cabin felt like a crew lounge, with no one but Vivian inside. Chaquille and Tabdon were too preupied to notice her.


    Bound tightly with ropes, unable to move, Viviany on her side to protect her belly. But the prolonged immobility had left half of her body numb, feeling as if millions of ants were crawling inside her.


    What to do? Unable to get up, unable to escape.


    Feeling hopeless, Vivian gradually stopped struggling. Why waste energy fighting for something futile?


    Vivian did not know. She was never a clever girl, unable to find the answers.


    Perhaps influenced by her mother¡¯s low spirits, the unborn child in her womb began to move restlessly.


    ¡°Hiss¡­¡± feeling the baby¡¯s reaction, Vivian gained a bit of spirit, leaning her head against the hard bed with a pale smile, ¡°You¡¯re quite lively, little one.¡±


    Her child¡¯s strong will to live moved her as a mother to muster up her strength.


    ncing toward the high-legged table not far from the bed, Vivian saw arge white ceramic cup left by a crew member on the ship.


    It was the only weapon Vivian could find at the moment  if she could shatter the cup, the sharp ceramic shards could help her cut the ropes.


    Wriggling on the bed like arge insect, the flimsy bed made squeaky sounds under Vivian¡¯s movements. Fortunately, the creaking was masked by the engine and waves, not alerting the captors.


    Struggling to reach the table, Vivian¡¯s feet bent, stretched, bent, and reached out, using the friction and wriggling to push her head out.


    Just as she was about to touch the table, the ship suddenly jerked, sending everyone and everything on board rolling forward with the ship towards a loud crash.


    Tabdon mmed his palm against the wall to steady himself, a gun in his hand pressed firmly against the captain¡¯s head.


    ¡°Damn it! Go faster!¡± Tabdon jabbed the captain¡¯s head.


    The captain, his voice trembling with fear, said, ¡°We¡¯re going as fast as we can, this is just a regr fishing boat.¡± The crude boat, in a bid for lightness, had a simple motor that couldn¡¯t go faster. The current speed was the limit.


    But Tabdon didn¡¯t believe him. He suspected the captain was stalling, allowing their pursuers to catch up!


    ¡°Tabdon!¡± Chaquille stopped Tabdon¡¯s rough actions, ¡°Now is not the time to kill him. We need to know the real purpose and bring Vivian up.¡±


    ¡°They must be Hawaiian police!¡± Tabdon roared in anger.


    Chaquille shook his head, remaining calm and collected, ¡°Police couldn¡¯t have found us this fast.¡± Even if it were the police, they wouldn¡¯t want to get involved in the underworld¡¯s fights and would likely only dy the chase.


    Listening to Chaquille¡¯s instructions, Tabdon released the pitiful captain, striding out of the cabin in a hurry.


    The pursuing boat seemed to be a professional speedboat, much stronger and more secure than the small cruise boat.


    Unaware of the danger outside at this moment, just after the ship shook, the cup on the edge fell to the floor, ceramic shards scattering.


    Clutching thergest piece of ceramic in her mouth, Vivian, hands bloody from cutting the ropes, was startled when Tabdon somersaulted into the cabin to escape the gunfire from outside.


    Startled, Vivian instinctively hid the broken ss in her hand.

 Chapter 169

    ¡°Damn you!¡± Tabdon saw the shattered porcin shards and cut ropes on the floor and knew what Vivian had been up to. The fiery anger from being chased and toyed with had now turned into a curse. He strode forward, grabbing Vivian by her hair, pressing her down to the ground amidst her terrified screams.


    Tabdon was like a madman. ¡°Like to run, huh? Run, then, run! I¡¯ll make sure you run!¡±


    Grabbing Vivian¡¯s right hand, she seemed to realize what he intended to do, screaming and struggling to hide her hand behind her back. But there was no way her strength could resist Tabdon, and he eventually pulled her hand out, firmly pinning it to the cold floor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you run, make you run!¡± Tabdon picked up a sharp piece of porcin from the floor.


    ¡°No, no!¡± Vivian, ovee with fear, forgot to struggle. Her eyes widened in horror as she watched him raise the shard and bring it down sharply, piercing deep into her hand, straight through her palm.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Vivian let out a heart-wrenching scream, her vision ckening as the pain made her faint. But Tabdon was not done yet; he cruelly pulled out the shard from her hand once again.


    The pain of removing the weapon made Vivian¡¯s vision blur, cold sweat covering her body, her heart rapidly contracting, making it difficult to even breathe.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Pain, so much pain!¡± Vivian cried out in agony as Tabdon unleashed all his rage on her that was supposed for the pursuers, grabbing her hair to lift her up.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± In extreme pain, Vivian¡¯s eyes widened as tears uncontrobly poured out.


    Why did she have to endure this pain, why did she have to suffer this torment, why did she have to be so weak, why¡­


    jos¡­ Mare¡­ Anyone, someone save her, someone save her¡­


    No one heard her cries because no one could save her. The only one who could save her was herself!


    Another impact from outside was more powerful than all the previous ones, causing the small boat to give out an unbearable sound. Tabdon, weakened by blood loss, was affected, not to mention Vivian.


    Vivian¡¯s body uncontrobly leaned forward, and Tabdon struggled to keep his bnce, tripping over the high table underneath, both of them falling heavily.


    As they fell, her stomach was facing downwards. Despite her efforts to adjust her falling posture, she couldn¡¯t do it in time.


    The excruciating pain from her stomach made Vivian feel her child struggling frantically, making her more anxious.


    Her child, her child¡­


    Vivian¡¯s mind went nk; she knew no one could save her. She was going to die, her child too¡­


    But why, why should I die, why should my child die!


    Malice flourished and spread in extreme terror. Vivian grasped the shard tightly, a fierce gleam in her eyes. ¡°Die!¡±


    The sudden outburst of emotions made Vivian lose aim; she may have aimed for Tabdon¡¯s neck, but the shard ended up piercing his eye, causing him unbearable pain. He howled in agony, kneeling on the ground, clutching his eye, losing control of Vivian in an instant.


    The will to survivepelled Vivian to swiftly move away, the pain all over her body making it hard for her to stand. But she refused to give up. Despite several attempts to stand, she fell due to her weakness, Tabdon clutching her ankle.


    That hand, drenched in thick blood, from a demon, was icy cold against her skin. Vivian kicked and struggled in fear, but Tabdon held onto her ankle firmly. Using herst strength, she picked up the shard again and drove it deeply into Tabdon¡¯s throat this time.


    The adrenaline rush was astonishing; even Tabdon couldn¡¯t break free. His fingers dug deep into Vivian¡¯s arm, trying to pull her away, but his futile struggles were in vain.


    Gasping for breath, her eyes bloodshot, the shard cutting her hand and piercing Tabdon¡¯s throat. Blood gushed from his throat as Vivian copsed with all her might.


    But just as she thought everything was over, Tabdon suddenly flipped and choked her neck, his face pale from blood loss, eyes bulging, unable to speak, his throat making a heaving sound.


    Vivian¡¯s ears rang; she felt the pain in her stomach, the acute pain in her heart and lungs.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    A loud gunshot echoed in her ears; Tabdon¡¯s blood and brain matter sttered all over her face, the pressure on her throat vanished instantly.


    Tabdony weakly on top of her.


    Before Vivian could regain her consciousness, her body trembled reflexively.


    ¡°Vivian? Vivian!¡± Someone pulled her away from Tabdon, holding her in their arms, shaking her vigorously. ¡°How are you, wake up, Vivian?¡±


    Vivian struggled to lift her eyelids, wanting to see the person in front of her, wanting to see his face.


    Is it you who came to rescue me, jos?


    Before her consciousness plunged into darkness, Vivian heard a stranger exim, ¡°She, she seems to have miscarried!¡±


    ¡­


    Los Angeles.


    Joseph had just finished a battle, with a gunshot wound on his arm inflicted by Balen. On his way to the top-floor apartment, an emergency family doctor who was urgently called helped him remove the bullet.


    ¡°The elites of Houston are courageous enough; they bore at least a third of Balen¡¯sbat power.¡± The smell of blood made Joseph unusually excited. ¡°Father was right; Houston should be a strong team, but because of Kamden, they are weakened. joscks the ability to turn the tide; only I can help them regain their former glory, only I am the Capo they should follow.¡±

 Chapter 170

    ¡°This is it, Joseph,¡± Mark¡¯s voice came through the speakerphone, a mysterious excitement in his tone that Joseph couldn¡¯t perceive. ¡°There¡¯s nothing stopping you now, head towards that peak, Joseph.¡±


    The moon outside was so bright, hanging high in the gray-blue sky, generously casting its light upon the vast expanse ofnd.


    Joseph rode in a car from the port to the top-floor apartment in the city center to ¡°visit¡± the ¡°mad¡± jos as mentioned by the bodyguard.


    The mess downstairs had already been cleaned up diligently by the bodyguards, with the new cook yet to arrive. Luzia had simply eaten two slices of bread and retreated to her room, noting out again.


    The bodyguards paid no attention to Luzia, seeming to never consider her as a valuable person in Joseph¡¯s eyes.


    Joseph crossed the living room and went straight upstairs to jos¡¯s room.


    It waste at night, and the room was not lit.


    Joseph entered the room without locking the door, while the bodyguards stood outside, their sharp eyes fixed on the man sleeping in bed, muscles tense, minds alert, prepared for any unexpected incidents at any moment.


    But what they expected  madness, attack, and unforeseen events  did not ur. jos seemed to truly be asleep, peacefully wrapped in the moonlight, sound asleep.


    A scoff escaped Joseph¡¯s throat as he disregarded the worried gazes of the bodyguards and walked into the room, his hawk-like gaze locked on jos.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re awake, jos,¡± Joseph approached the bed step by step. ¡°You¡¯re putting on this madness act just to see me, aren¡¯t you? Well, here I am.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, you want to talk to me about the fight with Bratva? My next n? Or Vivian?¡±


    No one answered Joseph¡¯s words in the silent room. He was like a clown on the stage, singing a soliloquy lost in his own world.


    But Joseph heard it, jos¡¯s slow breaths in the darkness quickening at the mention of Vivian¡¯s name.


    A determined smile curved Joseph¡¯s lips, his disdain for jos seemingly ingrained in his very being. He fell into his father¡¯s trap, falling in love with Vivian, making her more important than power.


    jos Hargrave, his once sole adversary, the man standing at the pinnacle of Houston, had be a love captive, no longer a barrier to Joseph ruling Houston.


    jos Hargrave, from the moment he fell in love with Vivian, was out.


    Joseph was now close to jos¡¯s bed.


    He forgot the distance for attacks his teacher mentioned in fighting ss, so in the moment he thought he had won, his tense nerves rxed.


    Almost as soon as jos opened his eyes, he covered Joseph¡¯s head with the nket, as if he had rehearsed this move countless times in his mind.


    As the darkness fell over him, Joseph¡¯s first reaction was to raise his hands to shield himself. jos seized this opportunity to leap from the bed and kick Joseph back towards the wardrobe.


    The bodyguards at the door also reacted quickly, rushing in the moment of crisis, but due to the small size of the room, only two could push in side by side, and then


    ¡°Bang, bang!¡±


    Bullets pierced through the window ss, hitting the bodyguard at the front urately.


    Snipers!


    More than one!


    The bodyguards couldn¡¯t determine the source of the gunfire, their footsteps hesitating. Joseph cursed under his breath and suddenly saw jos swiftly approaching with a weapon shing with a cold glint in his hands.


    Joseph straightened his waist, dodging the trap set by jos, his hands gripping jos¡¯s wrists, forcing them down with a sharp turn


    jos¡¯s reaction was quick, the weapon in his hand changing direction immediately, continuing to strike at Joseph.


    The two men, fierce as beasts, wrestled, and the bodyguards were trying to join the fray upstairs. This left the entire apartment¡¯s security exposed, and Simpson, who had long been lying in ambush outside the apartment, signaled his men to storm in with Floren, machine guns zing as they tore through the few remaining bodyguards downstairs.


    jos¡¯s attack was fierce, and he had a knife, making it difficult for Joseph who was barehanded. jos also used the darkness of the room to flip over the table and chairs, preventing the bodyguards from entering. The two were too close for the bodyguards to find a way to shoot without harming Joseph.


    Seeing Joseph¡¯s resistance weakening, jos forcefully pushed the de towards Joseph¡¯s heart.


    Just as the de was about half an inch from Joseph¡¯s chest, he caught it with force.


    ¡°You truly surprised me, jos,¡± Joseph gritted his teeth through the pain of his palm being cut, breathing heavily. ¡°I must admit my mistake to you  you are not weak. Instead, you are cunning and crafty.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your admission, I only need you to die!¡± jos exerted more force, the veins on his forehead throbbing.


    Joseph¡¯s gaze sharpened, as the de was about to pierce his skin, he thrust his knee, fiercely colliding with jos¡¯s abdomen.


    jos grunted, loosening his grip as he staggered back two steps, but the de still cut a deep wound in Joseph¡¯s palm, leaving him with a matching injury.


    Luzia hid in her closet, surrounded byyers of clothes, knowing that a battle was about to unfold tonight.


    The sound of gunfire and screams outside the room continued, turning the once peaceful apartment into a hellish scene.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Luzia dared not guess whether the one to open the closet door would be jos or Joseph?


    A loud noise came from the guest room on the second floor of the top-floor apartment, followed by gunfire. The rhythm of the gunshots was all too familiar to jos, it was Houston¡¯s finest sniper, Emmert, carrying out his protective duties.

 Chapter 171

    As Simpson stepped over the body of thest bodyguard and entered the guest room on the second floor, all he saw was a scene of chaos akin to a tornado ravaging through. All the decorations and furnishings in the room were strewn across the floor, tables and chairs overturned, and the grey shag carpet stained with blood.


    Joseph¡¯s neck had been shed open, and fresh blood gushed out from the ruptured artery, soaking half of his sky-blue shirt. He stared ahead in disbelief, his dying body writhing like a stranded fish, the damaged throat emitting a wheezing sound of extreme defiance.


    Joseph never imagined he would meet his end at the hands of jos in this manner. jos kicked him away, struggling to get up from the floor. His entire body was covered in injuries.


    Quickly rushing to support him, Simpson prevented him from falling to the ground, ¡°jos, are you alright?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Get out of here,¡± jos tossed aside the de in his hand. Due to the force, the wound in his palm was deeper than he thought, with the white bones visible among the bloody mess. But there was no time left for him to bandage it-Joseph was dead, Bryson still unconscious, and chaos was imminent in Los Angeles. They could not stay here any longer.


    jos¡¯ condition was truly dire. Before he could step out of the room, everything began to blur before his eyes. The blows Joseph inflicted on his back were throbbing, and the metal piece embedded in him from the chair had possibly punctured his ribs or even his organs.


    He heard the sound of Luzia running towards them, hearing her speak to Simpson in a panic and embrace him. With great effort, he opened his eyes, trying to force a smile. He wanted to tell Luzia that it was all over, Joseph was dead, and he could finally bring Vivian home.


    ¡°jos?¡± Simpson was the first to notice something amiss with jos. Reaching out his hand to grasp him from behind, he touched something warm and wet.


    Simpson looked down at his hand, now covered in blood. Startled, he turned to see arge pool of blood on jos¡¯ back, drenching him entirely.


    Almost shouting, ¡°Quick, get out of here, find a doctor, hurry!¡±


    ¡­


    This was a standalone vi situated on a private ind in Hawaii. The ground floor housed the butler, chef, and a Filipino maid in separate rooms, while the only guest of the vi resided on the second floor.


    Humming a rural tune, Camar approached the guest¡¯s room, lightly knocking on the door three times. With no answer from within, he raised his voice, ¡°I¡¯ming in.¡±


    With a click, Camar twisted the door lock and pushed it open. Inside, the room was pitch ck.


    Taking a nce at his costly Patek Philippe wristwatch in the faint hallway light, disying ten twenty in the evening, Camar admitted his tardiness in visiting the patient. It didn¡¯t matter, he assumed the patient would¨C


    ¡°Ugh!¡± A tablemp flew past him, crashing into the door behind him, scattering itsponents on the floor.


    Camar, with a sigh of relief, patted his chest. Thank God, thank his boss for honing his reflexes in this shark tank of a job, allowing him to narrowly escape this unwarranted incident.


    Not daring to be distracted any longer, his first action upon entry was to flick on all the room lights, exposing the guest hidden in the darkness.


    ¡°Hi, Vivian!¡±


    The response to Camar was a tossed rm clock.


    Ducking and covering his head, Camar tried to exin, ¡°Listen to me, Vivian!¡±


    ¡°Who are you people, and why have you taken me? Where is my child? Give him back to me!¡±


    Vivian couldn¡¯t describe the fear within her. She was getting used to waking up from unconsciousness in different ces each time, but this time was different-she had gone into prematurebor.


    She remembered everything from that day at sea-the shards of porcin piercing her palm, Tabdon¡¯s terrifying gaze, and narrowly avoiding a miscarriage before being taken to the hospital for an early delivery. Then she slipped back into unconsciousness until ten days ago.


    She didn¡¯t know where she was now, not allowed to leave the bed or the room. Besides the doctor administering medication and the maid in the vi, she had no otherpany. Initially weak and unable to resist, her spirits gradually improved, only to be told her wound was infected, preventing her from getting out of bed. But no one told her where her child was. Any emotional outburst was met with a sedative injection.


    Vivian had had enough of these days.


    ¡°Please, give my child back to me.¡± Sobbing uncontrobly, she clutched onto a decorative vase tightly, ready to strike if Camar made any move towards her.


    Equally helpless, Camar had only brought Vivian to the ind to recuperate. It was his first time setting foot on the ind, and whatever happened to Vivian or her child had nothing to do with him-it was all his boss¡¯s doing. Why should he now bear the wrath of a mother?


    Camar felt like crying too.


    ¡°Vivian, do you not recognize me? Have you ever felt that I look familiar?¡± Camar ran his hand through his hair, recalling their encounter in the streets of Houston. ¡°Your bodyguard even beat me up.¡±


    Clearing his throat, Camar remembered his tone of voice from that time, ¡°Beware of where you¡¯re going.¡±


    She looked up, meeting Camar¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡±

 Chapter 172

    Vivian couldn¡¯t be certain, but Camar¡¯s gaze was so familiar, deep and hinting with a touch of anticipation, encouraging her to voice her guess, ¡°Are you Camar Smith?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, it¡¯s me.¡± Camar finally recognized, heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Listen to me¡­ What are you doing!¡±


    Vivian suddenly smashed the million-dor precious antique vase she held in her hand-the antique!


    Wait, the main point should be-


    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t point it at your neck, drop it, drop it!¡± Camar almost cried. He realized Vivian¡¯s hobby was notdylike at all, why did she like to harm people with broken porcin? This time, she injured herself instead. ¡°Let¡¯s talk, can we? I beg you, Vivian.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯te near me!¡± Camar¡¯s pleading posture made Vivian confirm her thoughts-maybe they really didn¡¯t intend to harm her, or they had to help her for some ulterior motive.


    But she was equally sure, she couldn¡¯t afford to gamble.


    She was not alone now, she was a mother. She had her child. She couldn¡¯t bear the cost of trusting the wrong person; it would cost her child¡¯s life.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯te over, I won¡¯te over.¡± Camar retracted the foot he was about to step forward with, retreated to a safe distance in Vivian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Just calm down, okay? Put down the broken porcin, doesn¡¯t your hand hurt? It¡¯s bleeding.¡±


    Camar was on the verge of tears, more upset than being injured himself. ¡°Or how about this, you put down the porcin, and I¡¯ll take you to see your child?¡±


    Camar¡¯s words indeed made Vivian hesitate, but as he shifted his gaze forward, the sharp corner of the broken porcin approached his neck. Simultaneously, he sternly reprimanded, ¡°Don¡¯te near me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t, I¡¯m stepping back, isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    Camar helplessly retreated behind the sofa. ¡°Is this okay?¡±


    With the sofa as a barrier, Camar¡¯s advance was blocked, and Vivian indeed felt somewhat safer. This made her rx her guard slightly, her tense shoulders eased a bit.


    Seeing the deadlock soften, Camar also breathed a sigh of relief. Seizing the opportunity, he said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to harm you; you don¡¯t have to be so scared.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s suspicious gaze never left him.


    Camar told Vivian, ¡°Do you know how difficult it was to get you back from Chaquille¡¯s hands? Do you know how many special elites Chaquille has?¡±


    ¡°Thirty, exactly thirty!¡± Camar¡¯s eyes held tears of envy. To be fair, Bryson really trusted Chaquille. To give thirty special elites at Chaquille¡¯s request, was it so easy to train a special elite?


    Enough said, more talk would only lead to envy, jealousy, and hatred!


    ¡°Chaquille brought ten people to the ind, and besides him and Tabdon, everyone else died on the ind.¡± Camar admitted. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for this, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to save you so smoothly.¡±


    Keep in mind that Chaquille left twenty people on standby in the open sea. If they hadn¡¯t rescued Vivian before Chaquille and Tabdon escaped to the open sea, they would have been subjected to the firepower suppression of those twenty special elites, resulting in heavy losses.


    Camar really wanted to tell Vivian the reason he appeared, but it wasn¡¯t the time to talk about these matters. He could only win Vivian¡¯s sympathy and trust by describing the crisis of that day.


    Vivian clutched the broken porcin and refused to let go, the wound on her hand was pressed, fresh blood kept flowing, dripping on the exquisite carpet, leaving a ring red mark.


    ¡°And what about my child? Why did you take my child? Give my child back to me!¡± She didn¡¯t even know if she had given birth to a daughter or a son. No mother could ept such an oue.


    Camar finally shouted out ¡°wrongfully,¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t take your child, and I also want to return the child to you, but I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± In that second, countless reasons shed through Vivian¡¯s mind. Were they going to use the child to threaten jos? Or had the child already died?


    Oh my god! Vivian couldn¡¯t ept this reality. Her face turned pale in an instant, the body and mind that had been through so much torment had suffered an even more fatal blow, and her barely supported body began to falter.


    Seizing the opportunity, Camar quickly propped himself up on the back of the sofa with one hand, exerted force on his hand, executed a beautiful hurdle, and rushed to Vivian¡¯s side.


    Before Vivian could react, she felt her wrist tapped by Camar. Her entire arm instantly went numb, the broken porcin fell to the ground, and she was pressed down by Camar on the bed.


    Camar raised his hand to press the emergency call button on the bedside, and soon a group of doctors, nurses, and the vi¡¯s housekeeper rushed in from outside the bedroom.


    Vivian¡¯s emotions began to spiral out of control. She kicked and hit Camar who was pressing her, seemingly having a high tolerance for her, enduring two ps without getting angry, only urging the doctors to speed up.


    Eventually, Vivian was injected with a sedative and gradually calmed down under the influence of the medication.


    Camar let out a breath with a tinge of blood in it, getting up from Vivian¡¯s body. ¡°Quick, help me check if my face is swollen.¡±


    Not only was it swollen, but there were also two nail marks on his left cheek.


    Pitiful, truly pitiful.


    The housekeeper couldn¡¯t console Camar, hurriedly having the doctors bandage Vivian¡¯s injured hand.


    This time, Vivian¡¯s left hand was injured, her right hand had already been pierced by Tabdon, wrapped inyers of gauze like a bear¡¯s paw. Of course, now her left hand couldn¡¯t escape the fate of bing a bear¡¯s paw either.


    The housekeeper looked at Vivian¡¯s scarred hands with heartache, ¡°May God bless you, my child.¡±


    With the help of the nurses, Camar quickly dealt with the wounds on his face. ¡°She should be able to sleep peacefully until dawn.¡±


    Camar stood near the door, raising the hand with the ck leather glove to touch the wound on his face.


    Once, there were several hideous scars on his face, twisted and pieced together into the word ¡°Hargrave.¡± Later, his stic surgeon had them removed with advanced techniques, but the pain of the cold de cutting through his flesh and skin would never be forgotten in his lifetime, not to mention¡­


    Camar tried to clench his hand with the ck leather glove, but no matter how hard he tried, only three fingers tightened, his ring finger and little finger were straight, without any sensation.


    Camar had permanently lost his ring finger and little finger, all thanks to jos Hargrave!


    ¡°But she can¡¯t see the child, she¡¯ll be upset tomorrow.¡± The housekeeper was at a loss. ¡°We can¡¯t just keep giving her sedatives.¡±


    In that split second as the housekeeper turned around, Camar swiftly concealed the hatred on his face. This ordinary-looking man, without the cowardice when unmasked, appeared more calm andposed than the housekeeper in his distress. ¡°Call the boss, check on the situation over there.¡±


    Camar said, ¡°If it¡¯s possible, have him send a video of the child. Show it to Vivian tomorrow. Maybe then she won¡¯t be as agitated.¡±


    The housekeeper couldn¡¯t think of a better solution, nodding in agreement.

 Chapter 173

    Vivian, who had been given a tranquilizer as Camar had suggested, did not wake up until the next day.


    ncing at the bedroom clock, Vivian saw that it was nine-twenty-five.


    She sat up against the bedhead, her head heavy with sleep, looking like she hadn¡¯t fully woken up yet. However, at the slightest sound from the door, her nerves would instantly tighten, her breathing heavy, her muscles tense, like a rabbit about to dart away at any moment.


    The butler came in with breakfast, his cloudy old eyes squinting as he smiled kindly and said, ¡°You¡¯re awake, I¡¯ve prepared breakfast for you. Would you like some?¡±


    Vivian hugged the nket and shrank back.


    The butler was used to Vivian¡¯s vignce. Just like the past few days, he ced the breakfast on the coffee table in front of the sofa and didn¡¯t move forward. However, he didn¡¯t leave immediately but took out a ck phone from his pocket.


    He was very old, his eyesight not very good. Putting on his reading sses, he fiddled with the phone for a while before finding what he was looking for. ¡°Take a look at this.¡±


    The butler ced the phone on the coffee table, turning up the volume.


    For a long time, there was silence in the video, and Vivian could only hear faint breathing and the sound of shoes tapping the ground.


    Furrowing her brows, Vivian was about to ask the butler what he was doing when the person in the video seemed to find the silence awkward and hesitantly spoke, ¡°Baby, look at Mommy¡­¡±


    As soon as she heard the word ¡°baby,¡± Vivian realized what the video was about. She covered her mouth, trembling uncontrobly as she stumbled towards the butler¡¯s phone, struggling to hold it up with her shaky hands, wanting to see more clearly. ¡°Is this my child?¡±


    In the video, the tiny child asionally waved her small hand in response to the man recording, lying in an incubator with various tubes that Vivian couldn¡¯t understand but immediately felt sorry for.


    Tears streamed down Vivian¡¯s face, crying so hard that she could barely catch her breath. The butler stood silently by her side, waiting for her to finish crying.


    The video wasn¡¯t long, and after it finished, it would loop back. Vivian couldn¡¯t remember how many times the video had reyed that day, only that her eyes were swollen, her tear streaks on her face still wet, her face sticky with tears and snot. The butler continued to look at her lovingly, handing her a warm towel after she finished crying.


    Perhaps it was seeing her child atst, perhaps it was the release of emotions, perhaps it was this silentpanionship, Vivian¡¯s guard against the butler inexplicably rxed a bit. She took the warm towel from the butler, feeling a bit embarrassed. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Her voice was hoarse from crying too much, mumbling and sobbing. The butler didn¡¯t tease her but poured her a ss of water, waiting for her to finish breakfast.


    ¡°I¡¯m Charlie Davis,¡± the butler said with a smile.


    ¡°Davis?¡± Vivian looked at the old man in front of her in astonishment. His hair was gray, his once handsome face now wrinkled, but his old cloudy eyes still sparkled with the sharpness and wisdom of his youth.


    Those eyes were familiar to Vivian; she had seen them in her mother¡¯s photo album.


    Charlie Davis, her mother¡¯s godfather and her grandfather¡¯s deputy. Before her mother married into the Jones family and became Tasneem Jones, she was Tasneem Davis.


    ¡°You are¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, my dear child, I am Tasneem¡¯s godfather. I haven¡¯t seen her in many years.¡± Speaking of Tasneem, that fragile girl, Charlie was filled with pity and sighs.


    Thinking of her mother, Vivian couldn¡¯t help but cry. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from my mother in a long time. My father has imprisoned her, and no one knows where she is.¡±


    Charlie gently patted Vivian¡¯s head, unwilling to tell her the cruel truth.


    ¡°Your body is not well; you need to rest,¡± Charlie said. ¡°This ind is safe; it used to belong to your grandfather, and now it belongs to you. You can stay here and rest assured that no one can disturb you.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t stay here. I want my child; I want to be by her side.¡± Seeing her child, Vivian felt her heart had already flown away, not wanting to leave her for a moment.


    ¡°I have to tell you this unfortunate news, Vivian,¡± Charlie¡¯s words made Vivian stiffen, ¡°Your child is a premature baby. She lived in her mother¡¯s womb for 26 weeks and came into this world unexpectedly.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Is she? My baby is a girl?¡± Vivian asked, surprised.


    ¡°Yes, she is a beautiful little princess.¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad, tears streaming uncontrobly. She longed to hold her child, to kiss her, to tell her that Mommy loves her.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not your fault; you don¡¯t need to me yourself,¡± Charlieforted Vivian. ¡°But it can¡¯t be denied that she¡¯s still very young, her lung function hasn¡¯t fully developed. In order to survive, she has to stay in a special incubator until the doctor determines she can breathe on her own.¡±


    Though she had expected it, confirming the child¡¯s condition from Charlie still caused Vivian to have a bit of an emotional breakdown. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I couldn¡¯t protect her, it¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve done well, Vivian,¡± Charlie said, stroking her golden hair, so soft and simr to Tasneem¡¯s, making even his hardened heart soften a bit. ¡°You¡¯ve been brave in facing Tabdon, brave in protecting your child. You¡¯re already a qualified mother.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so small.¡± Vivian reyed the video, seeing her daughter for the first time.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Charlie said, ¡°You see, she¡¯s a beautiful girl. She¡¯ll have golden hair like yours in the future.¡±


    ¡°I want to see her,¡± Vivian pleaded with Charlie, ¡°Not in a video, but in person, where I can touch her. Can¡¯t I?¡±


    Charlie shook his head.


    The light in Vivian¡¯s eyes extinguished instantly. ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t I see her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s very weak, and so are you.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine now, I¡¯m really fine. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask the doctor.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to ask the doctor, and I don¡¯t know how unwell you are right now,¡± Charlie said firmly, ¡°You need to rest.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the child, you¡¯ll see her soon.¡±


    ¡°When is that?¡±


    ¡°Soon,¡± Charlie said, ¡°Noah will bring her over.¡±


    ¡°Noah?¡± This was a namepletely unfamiliar to Vivian.


    Charlie smiled as he exined, ¡°He¡¯s your brother.¡±


    Vivian found it absurd; she shook her head, ¡°My brother is Vilem.¡±


    Charlie smiled faintly, not saying anything more. After tidying up the tableware, he left with a simple ¡°rest well.¡±

 Chapter 174

    After Charlie left, Vivian quietly twisted the doorknob ¨C the door was not locked, and no one restricted her freedom.


    This meant Vivian could move freely in this vi, even leave the vi and walk outside.


    Vivian knew her freedom was limited to this.


    In a conversation between the doctor and the maid, she learned that she was still in Hawaii, but not on Oahu Ind, but on a private ind somewhere. Charlie just revealed the same.


    This was her grandfather¡¯s private ind, now belonging to her.


    Vivian nevercked money, but that was because she was Capo¡¯s daughter,ter bing another Capo¡¯s wife. She could freely use their property, but none of it was hers.


    But now, someone told her she owned an ind of her own. The ind no longer bore the names Bryson Jones or jos Hargrave, but her name, Vivian.


    This was absolutely a new experience for Vivian. If this had happened before, she would have jumped with joy, immediately called Luzia to tell her she owned an ind, an ind!N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    But now, Vivian only worried if her daughter was safe, if she could get through the current difficulties.


    And jos¡­ did he know they had a daughter? Had he already chosen a name for their child?


    With Joseph¡¯s death and Bryson¡¯s disappearance, Los Angeles was in unprecedented chaos, Vilem was rescued.


    With the current chaos in Los Angeles, Vilem could not receive effective treatment, which would only fully entangle him in the struggles of various forces. To protect him, Simpson decided to bring him back to a hospital in Houston for treatment.


    Also brought back to Houston for treatment was jos, his lower back wound contaminated with iron, causing fever, only waking up on the third day.


    The first thing jos did upon waking up was search for Vivian¡¯s whereabouts. When he heard that Chaquille¡¯s yacht had sunk and everyone onboard was missing, jos smashed the hospital room and demanded to leave that day but was forcefully restrained by Simpson.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a week, a whole week, and nothing has been found, no news at all. How can they do things like this!¡± jos finally erupted after being trapped in the hospital for a week.


    As Simpson came into the room, with a not-so-pleasant expression, ¡°Tabdon¡¯s body has been found.¡±


    jos held his breath, ¡°And Vivian?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no news yet.¡± Simpson¡¯s expression turned even graver.


    jos¡¯ expression wasn¡¯t any better, he clenched his fists, the blood from the IV returning; he didn¡¯t even feel the pain.


    Who, who on earth, who sunk Chaquille¡¯s yacht, who killed Tabdon, who took Vivian away?


    Is she¡­ still alive?


    jos dared not think of that negative possibility, he couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    He yanked the needle out of his hand, grabbed his clothes from the bedside, ¡°I¡¯m going to Hawaii, I must go!¡±


    This time, Simpson didn¡¯t stop him.


    Before leaving the hospital, jos took a look at Vilem.


    Through the ICU room ss, jos stared darkly at the man lying in bed,pletely bandaged, whom doctors said was lucky to still be alive. His tendons were severed, knee bones severely injured, and he would need a wheelchair for a long time, followed by grueling training to regain walking ability.


    But what was more serious was his hearing.


    After consultation with several experts, it was almost certain that Vilem had suffered severe damage to his auditory nerves, he could no longer hear, with very low chances of recovery.


    Would Los Angeles ept a Capo who couldn¡¯t walk and was deaf?


    jos didn¡¯t know, he couldn¡¯t care as much, he could only do his best to save Vilem¡¯s life and pray to God, hoping Vivian was still alive and he would do everything to find her.


    ¡°Joseph¡¯s cruelty exceeded our imagination.¡± Every time Simpson saw Vilem¡¯s miserable state, he hated Joseph, regretting letting Joseph die so easily that day. ¡°He almost crippled Vilem.¡±


    To torture an outstanding elite warrior into a waste was the cruelest torture for an enemy, worse than killing him, and Joseph used it on his own brother. It shows how much Joseph despised Vilem.


    Simpson couldn¡¯t understand it, jos and he were both Capo¡¯s sons, they were once like Joseph and Vilem, all were future heirs of Capo, they were brothers, but also each other¡¯s strongest opponents.


    However, even if jos became the new Capo of Houston, he never thought of killing Joseph. He was willing to be jos¡¯ deputy to assist him in ruling Houston.


    But Joseph and Vilem, the two brothers were different, they were like two lions trapped in a cage, they wouldn¡¯t give up until death.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find you in the room.¡± The elevator ¡°dinged¡± open, Shelley walked out from inside, ¡°You¡¯re indeed here, jos.¡±


    jos raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s the matter finding me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to find Vivian, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± jos said firmly, ¡°I will find her.¡±


    Shelley was satisfied with jos¡¯ answer, ¡°I brought you something, it may not be of much help, but it can provide you with a little direction.¡±


    jos took a ck phone from Shelley¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Festus found out that before Vivian was kidnapped, someone helped Chaquille open the security system of the sanatorium. Emmert identified the person.¡±


    jos didn¡¯t like Shelley¡¯s roundaboutnguage, he frowned impatiently, ¡°Just tell me directly, the person¡¯s name.¡±


    Shelley was used to jos¡¯ bad temper, shrugged and said, ¡°He lived in Houston for a long time. Festus found out all those residency records were fake, the real time he arrived in Houston was the same day as Uncle Kamden¡¯s funeral, also Vivian¡¯s second day in Houston. I think we can suspect he came for Vivian.¡±


    This knowledge intensified jos¡¯ anxiety, he looked at Shelley warningly, in a stern tone, ¡°Shelley!¡±


    ¡°Camar Smith.¡± Shelley finally stopped teasing jos, and revealed the name jos already suspected, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you still remember.¡±


    It was him!


    The man who had once crossed Vivian, he had already suspected this man was intentionally getting close to Vivian during the investigation, thought his warning was enough for the man to pay the price of risking his life.


    They and Simpson were too lenient!


    jos¡¯ eyes were dark and cold, a glint of killing intent shining through.

 Chapter 175

    ¡°A despicable man who covets another man¡¯s wife, remember he is my shame. But it doesn¡¯t matter, I will personally put an end to this shame,¡± jos said.


    This time, he would personally witness that man¡¯s head thrown into the Pacific Ocean to feed the sharks.


    Hawaii, on a private ind.


    The weather was splendid today, with the golden sunlight filling every corner of the ind, even the waves rolling onto the beach shimmered with a diamond-like sparkle.


    Unfortunately, Vivian was not allowed to go to the beach, she could only stay in the garden downstairs for thirty minutes.


    Initially, Vivian would protest, but Charlie was firm. If she dared to anger him, she wouldn¡¯t see the new video of their baby today.


    ¡°The doctor says the baby is recovering well. In another half a month, she can leave the incubator. If her autonomous breathing is smooth, she will stay under observation for a while, and if everything is fine, Noah will bring her back,¡± Charlie ced a delicious steak in front of Vivian. ¡°How about a ss of champagne to celebrate?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Vivian shook her head, refusing. ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡±


    Charlieughed, pouring himself a ss of brandy. ¡°You are so much like your mother, yet not quite.¡±


    Vivian sensed the longing in his voice. ¡°You loved my mother very much.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Charlie took a sip of the strong drink, the burning sensation traveling from his throat to his stomach. ¡°My wife has always longed for a child, but she became infertile from being shot for me. She developed depression, attempted suicide three times a year until Tasneem came into our lives.¡±


    ¡°We raised Tasneem together.¡± Charlie looked at the liquid in his ss, his expression gentle as if recalling their past. ¡°Tasneem is not only your grandfather¡¯s daughter but also ours.¡±


    Vivian stared at Charlie intently. Despite his tender expression andpassionate tone, all filled with love for her mother, Vivian felt a chill in her heart, a sense of injustice. ¡°But you married her to my father.¡±


    ¡°It was a political marriage,¡± Charlie stated matter-of-factly. ¡°We did our best to give your mother the best, and she should also give up everything for the family.¡±


    ¡°But this cannot be called love. Love is not like this.¡± Vivian stopped eating, feeling nauseated. ¡°This is a transaction.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste the food, Vivian,¡± Charlie cast a calm gaze at her, sending a shiver down Vivian¡¯s spine. ¡°Did the chef¡¯s skill decline? He would be upset.¡±


    Unable to meet Charlie¡¯s eyes, Vivian lowered her head, cutting the steak stiffly with her left hand. Her left hand had recovered well, but her right hand seemed stiff.


    Charlie didn¡¯t mind her stiffness and quickly shifted his gaze away from her, looking up at the sky, focusing on an unknown point.


    ¡°Bryson was a very outstanding young man back then. Kamden from Houston was impulsive, Fidelio from Washington was powerful, but his sons were not capable.¡± Charlie¡¯s pace of speech was leisurely, but his enunciation was clear. ¡°ET had to coborate with the local mafia to seek development in the country. Bryson had ambition and the ability to match it, he was the most powerful among that group of young people back then, and both your grandfather and I saw potential in him, reaching a consensus with his father.¡±


    Vivian lowered her head slightly. She refrained frommenting on Charlie¡¯s words of the past. Noments could change what had be the past.


    But she couldn¡¯t help but mock internally. Her grandfather and Charlie had indeed not misjudged. Compared to Kamden¡¯s death and Shelley¡¯s useless uncles, her father Bryson did possess ambitions and abilities not seen in his peers.


    He was hypocritical, ruthless, and cunning, willing to betray the mafia, seek cooperation with the Bratva, plot Kamden¡¯s death, and create chaos in Houston just to satisfy his thirst for power and ambition.


    Perhaps today¡¯s situation was what her grandfather and Charlie had envisioned, but they had never thought about how her timid and cowardly mother could handle such an ambitious and cunning husband.


    Vivian finished her lunch quickly, cut short her afternoon exercise, and returned to her room on the second floor.


    The room exuded a girlish aura, with everything from the sofa wardrobe to the tiny decorations on the side table in a cute girly style. Therge cupboard in the corner was neatly filled with dolls and stuffed animals.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t help but approach, looking through the ss of the cupboard at the dolls and stuffed animals. Each one inside was well preserved, the dolls¡¯ dresses neatly ironed, though the styles were quite old.


    Vivian could probably guess whose room it used to be, who used to carry these dolls and stuffed animals around the second-floor corridor.


    She just didn¡¯t want to think about it. Each time she did, the tsunami of longing surged within her.


    Camar didn¡¯t often appear on the ind. The only permanent residents on the ind were Charlie, the chef, and the maid, with the doctoring every other day to change Vivian¡¯s bandages and perform check-ups.


    Vivian stood on the balcony, watching the doctor being brought to the ind in the same yacht at the same time for treatment, leaving the same way afterward. She sometimes pondered Camar and their rtionship, but her heart at this moment could only amodate the baby and jos, no one else.


    Once she pretended to have stomach pains, and Charlie contacted the doctor toe over at midnight for her treatment, indicating that the ind was still connected to the outside world, but¡­


    Vivian¡¯s phone didn¡¯t have any signal.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Was it only Charlie¡¯s phone that could connect to the outside?


    Vivian couldn¡¯t get an answer. She opened her phone, reying the video. Her daughter opened her eyes today, with a pair of beautiful eyes resembling jos.


    Vivian loved her ocean-blue eyes, but her daughter already had the same golden hair as hers. She didn¡¯t mind her daughter¡¯s eyes resembling her father¡¯s. The light brown eyes were also beautiful, turning amber when filled with sunlight, she liked them very much.


    But Charlie seemed a bit disappointed when he found out the child¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t blue. Vivian guessed he must have thought of her mother, Tasneem.


    ¡°You are recovering better than I imagined, you¡¯re amazing, Vivian,¡± the doctor, a cheerful and enthusiastic middle-aged woman, praised Vivian without reservation, much like the dazzling sunlight in Hawaii. ¡°After removing the bandages, you¡¯ll be able to start rehabilitation training. Trust me, dear, your hands will be as agile as before.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s words eased Vivian¡¯s heart, evident from the joy in her tone. ¡°Thank you, doctor, you¡¯ve been very helpful.¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me, dear, it¡¯s my duty.¡± After disposing of the used bandages, the doctor washed her hands and left Vivian¡¯s room.

 Chapter 176

    Camar was heading up the stairs, greeting the doctor as he passed by.


    When Vivian spotted him, her smile faded slightly, and she turned to close the door. Camar quickly took a few steps and squeezed half his body into the doorway.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t offend you, so why are you avoiding me?¡± Camar¡¯s strength was immense, and despite Vivian¡¯s attempts, she couldn¡¯t close the door. Eventually giving up, she held onto the door, not letting Camar enter. ¡°I¡¯m tired and need to rest.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you tired when the doctores, but suddenly exhausted when I show up?¡± Camar¡¯s face disyed a hint of grievance.


    Vivian didn¡¯t sympathize with him. ¡°It¡¯s because the doctor came to change my medication, that¡¯s why I¡¯m tired.¡±


    Vivian prepared to close the door again.


    With injuries on her hand, Camar couldn¡¯t force his way in. So, he leaned against the doorframe, tempting her, ¡°Want to take a walk with me on the beach?¡±


    Vivian was tempted, but unsure of Camar¡¯s intentions. ¡°Charlie¡­¡±


    ¡°The doctor is here attending to Charlie¡¯s routine check-up, he won¡¯t keep an eye on you.¡± Camar added, ¡°Besides, no one else dares to take you out, and I might not be able toe next time.¡±


    Realizing the rare opportunity, Vivian gritted her teeth and went with Camar.


    Leaving the vi was not a challenge, but slipping away under Charlie¡¯s watchful eyes and reaching the yacht dock was another matter.


    ¡°Do you want to go to the small dock?¡± The wind was strong that day, making it hard for Camar¡¯s words to be heard clearly. He may not have understood what Vivian was saying.


    Vivian nodded, ¡°Did you sail here? I haven¡¯t been on a yacht before.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t be. You¡¯re a Jones, and the Jones family nevercks yachts.¡± Camar chuckled.


    Vivian frowned in disappointment. ¡°My father said, ady shouldn¡¯t y with those things.¡±


    Camar¡¯s heart softened. ¡°Let me take you there. Just don¡¯t tell Charlie.¡±


    Vivian chuckled, ¡°You sneak me out, yet you¡¯re not afraid of Charlie finding out?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± Camar whispered.


    ¡­


    jos sessfully met up with Mare 8 miles off the coast of Oahu.


    ¡°Chaquille¡¯s ship was probably sunk about 1 mile from here, and Tabdon¡¯s body drifted into the open sea. It¡¯s said that Chaquille left twenty elites waiting there for backup.¡± Mare¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°But currently, we have no clue about their whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°Any news from Camar?¡± jos informed Mare as soon as he found out that Camar took Vivian with him, asking him to organize a search for Camar¡¯s whereabouts on nearby inds.


    After examining the wounds on Tabdon¡¯s body, jos noted that the gunshot wound to the forehead was fatal, but the injury to his injured eye was caused by a sharp weapon. If Camar had such urate marksmanship, who injured his eye? Was it Vivian? Back then, Vivian was pregnant, unarmed, with no weapon orbat training, how did she injure Tabdon?


    jos dared not continue down that train of thought, but he knew the situation must have been dire, and Vivian must have been in danger. He couldn¡¯t even hope for the child¡¯s safety; as long as Vivian was alive, that was enough.


    ¡°We only found one outbound record.¡± Despite Festus mentioning Camar¡¯s expertise as a skilled hacker who was proficient in hiding his tracks, the days of effort only yielded one utterly useless piece of information. Mare felt guilty for Vivian¡¯s mishap, as she was under his protection.


    Mare did not dare think of the consequences if something happened to her¡­


    ¡°There will be a way.¡± jos handed the ck phone Shelley gave him to Mare. ¡°This is Festus¡¯s phone, with a new tracking program installed.¡±


    ¡°Mare, you have to believe in Festus; our hacker is the best in the world.¡±


    ¡­


    The seaside waves were strong, and Vivian bundled up in her coat, following behind Camar tentatively.


    ¡°Why did you take this roundabout path?¡± There was a shorter route to the beach.


    ¡°Because there are guards at the entrance.¡± The wind billowed Camar¡¯s coat, and he zipped it up. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to be halfway there and get taken back to the vi by Charlie¡¯s guards.¡±


    Certainly not. Vivian didn¡¯t know if Charlie¡¯s insistence on keeping her on the ind was really out of concern for her health or a disguised form of captivity. At this moment, all she wanted was to leave this ce, return to Houston, to be with jos, to find her daughter.


    Thinking of her daughter led Vivian to think of Noah, as Charlie imed he was her brother.


    ¡°Charlie said he¡¯s my brother.¡±


    The wind tousled Vivian¡¯s long hair, and she couldn¡¯t bear it. She pulled out a hair tie and secured her hair.


    ¡°Do you know Noah?¡± Vivian asked Camar as they walked. ¡°Is he your boss?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Noah¡¯s identity wasn¡¯t a secret, so Camar saw no need to hide it. ¡°Has Charlie mentioned him to you?¡±


    ¡°Charlie said he¡¯s my brother.¡± Vivian found it amusing. ¡°I don¡¯t remember having a brother besides Joseph and Vilem, my mother only had two sons.¡±


    ¡°You can ask Noah about it when he returns.¡± Camar sighed, getting sand in his shoes and stopping to shake them out.


    Under the golden sunlight, the beach felt warm, with the sea breeze carrying a hint of warmth.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Vivian took a few steps forward, spotting a small fishing boat docked at the pier, along with two yachts. The guards overseeing the dock and the doctor¡¯s driver were conversing under a parasol.


    She asked Camar, ¡°Where¡¯s your driver?¡±


    ¡°What driver?¡± Camar cleared his shoes of sand, slipping them back on.


    ¡°The yacht driver.¡± Vivian gestured ahead.


    Camar looked towards where Vivian pointed, squinting in the sunlight. ¡°The yacht driver? That¡¯s me.¡±


    Vivian was puzzled. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± Camar smirked, boasting, ¡°Is yacht driving that difficult?¡±


    Vivian, who had never been on a yacht, wanted to curse.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite impressive.¡± Vivian rolled her eyes.


    Camar was pleased with Vivian¡¯s expression. Heughed heartily, patting her head gently. ¡°No eye-rolling, that¡¯s not something ady should do.¡±


    Vivian remembered Vilem saying the same thing to her.


    Perhaps it was the ring sunlight, or maybe it was the overwhelming yearning, Vivian¡¯s vision suddenly blurred.


    She felt trapped alone on the deserted ind, cut off from the outside world without signal, uncertain of where jos was, whether Kasin had found Vilem, or if they had all escaped danger.


    Was Vilem okay? Were they looking for me?


    Charlie didn¡¯t give her any answers, and obviously, Camar wasn¡¯t the one to provide them.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sensing Vivian¡¯s troubled emotions, Camar worried she was unwell. ¡°Do you need to go back?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Vivian wiped her eyes on her sleeve, her blue eyes regaining their bright color. ¡°I still want to go to the dock to see the yachts.¡±


    The guards at the dock spotted them from afar, keeping a close eye on them until Camar led Vivian closer.

 Chapter 177

    ¡°Camar,¡± the bodyguard greeted Camar. ¡°Charlie instructed that Miss Vivian cannot approach the pier.¡±


    ¡°Hey, David, don¡¯t be so strict,¡± Camar friendly approached, pulling out a small bottle of whiskey from his pocket in front of them. ¡°This is what I stole from Charlie¡¯s liquor cab, care for a drink?¡±


    David likes to drink, it was no secret. Especially aftering to the ind, resources were scarce, and apart from the monthly supply trips, there was no way to replenish. David had finished his stash of alcohol a few days ago, with three more days until the next supply trip¡­


    Camar seemed to have predicted this, as the whiskey he brought was David¡¯s favorite, an offer David could not refuse.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Vivian just wants to see the yacht, we will leave after that,¡± Camar assured David.


    Vivian nodded beside him, her eyes filled with a plea that was hard for the men to resist. ¡°I¡¯ll just take a quick look and leave, please.¡±


    David hesitated for a moment, unable to resist the temptation of whiskey, he agreed, ¡°I can only give you fifteen minutes, Charlie will notice if we take too long.¡±


    Fifteen minutes seemed too short for Vivian, but Camar promised, ¡°Thank you, David, enjoy your drink, next time I¡¯ll bring you something better.¡±


    David was pleased with Camar¡¯s promise, and he paid no attention to Camar and Vivian, instead turning to share the bottle of whiskey with the doctor¡¯s driver.


    To save time, Vivian practically ran the rest of the way, with Camar following behind, telling her not to rush.


    How could Vivian not be in a rush, she only had fifteen minutes.


    Camar followed closely behind Vivian as they reached the pier, pointing to one of the yachts. ¡°This is my yacht.¡±


    Camar hopped on board, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°How about it, want toe aboard? I¡¯ll take you for a ride.¡±


    Vivian nced back at David, who was still drinking, his eyes never leaving their direction.


    Would hee to stop them?


    Her fifteen minutes would end too soon.


    But just watching, she couldn¡¯t do anything. The trip would be meaningless.


    As Camar steered the yacht, quietly waiting for her choice.


    He wasn¡¯t worried that Vivian would refuse, he knew why she came to the pier, and he was going to fulfill her wish.


    Of course, Vivian only needed to pay a small price to him.


    In Camar¡¯s waiting, Vivian finally made her choice.


    She jumped off and boarded Camar¡¯s yacht.


    Vivian¡¯s action made David stand up from his seat, frowning as he took a couple of steps forward, trying to see Vivian¡¯s intention clearly.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    At that moment, Camar started the engine of the yacht, the noise echoing loudly, overpowering even the sound of the waves.


    Vivian sat behind Camar, his driving skills were impable, the yacht taking them for a spin on the sea, the whistling sea breeze bringing a hint of cold that the warm sun on their skin dispelled.


    Camar drove the yacht, never leaving David¡¯s sight. After circling twice, David¡¯s tense nerves began to rx, asionally clinking sses with the doctor¡¯s driver, enjoying the warm afternoon sun and strong liquor.


    In between sips, David would nce up at the sea, seeing the wake of the yacht circling.


    It seemed that Camar really just wanted to take Vivian for a spin, to relieve her from the stress of the ind. Davidpletely rxed, tilting his head back and emptying his ss in one gulp.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The doctor¡¯s driver couldn¡¯t handle the whiskey as well as David, after two sips his gaze became hazy.


    Rubbing his eyes, he uttered in confusion, ¡°The yacht is gone.¡±


    The drunken murmur was like a thunderbolt in David¡¯s ears, he turned around abruptly, too fast, producing a sharp crack¨C


    Oh no!


    David looked at the calm sea surface, his mind nk.


    The yacht¡¯s engine kept chugging, amidst the rolling waves, the white foam sshes dampening Vivian¡¯s hands as she held onto the edge of the yacht.


    She nced back at the now distant ind, gradually bing a tiny dot before disappearing.


    Vivian pursed her lips, gripping the edge of the yacht tighter.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised at all,¡± Camar didn¡¯t turn back, but his tone revealed an understanding that pierced through Vivian.


    ¡°Why should I be surprised,¡± Vivian propped herself up on the yacht, sitting up straight. ¡°This is the oue I wanted.¡±


    Camar was surprised by Vivian¡¯s words, about to speak, when he felt something hard pressing against his lower back.


    It was a gun!


    The one holding the gun was Vivian behind him.


    Camar chuckled, seemingly unbothered by the threat of a gun pointed at him. ¡°You¡¯ve really changed, Vivian.¡±


    Camar kept his gaze forward, focusing on driving the yacht, his face devoid of any panic or fear, not even ncing back at Vivian. ¡°I really want to see your expression now, it must be fascinating.¡±


    Camar¡¯s tone changed, unsettling Vivian. She tried to ignore this creeping unease, steadying her hand holding the gun. ¡°You don¡¯t need to distract me with unnecessary words, Camar. You¡¯ve helped me, I don¡¯t want to harm you.¡±


    ¡°Now, please keep driving forward, don¡¯t try to call for Charlie, I have to leave.¡±


    Camar chuckled, a sense of mockery carried in the howling sea breeze. ¡°I won¡¯t call Charlie for help, I promise you that. Because that¡¯s also the oue I wanted.¡±


    Camar steered the yacht, following Vivian¡¯smand to keep moving forward. In the vast ocean, with no inds, boats, orndmarks in sight, the more they sailed, the more stagnant their sense of space became, making it easier to lose their direction. But Camar didn¡¯t warn Vivian, he kept moving forward.


    Unnoticed by Vivian, Camar subtly adjusted the direction of the yacht, making slight turns to keep them on course.


    At some point, the disy of Camar¡¯s wristwatch changed, the digital clock vanished to be reced by a simple radar map.


    If Vivian had noticed, she would have seen their blue dot rapidly approaching a red dot on the radar map.


    ¡°Can you tell me where you want to go, Vivian?¡± Camar seemed fatigued, gradually slowing down the yacht under his control.


    This realization rmed Vivian, pushing the gun forward against Camar¡¯s back, straightening his posture. ¡°Don¡¯t slow down, keep going forward.¡±


    Camar sighed, resigned. ¡°The yacht¡¯s fuel is limited, Vivian. Once it runs out, we will be stranded at sea without food or warm clothing. By nightfall, the temperature drops at sea, without rescue, we would freeze or starve.¡±


    ¡°I know you want to leave, you want to see your daughter, you don¡¯t want to die, right?¡± Camar coaxed her gently.

 Chapter 178

    There were traps in Camar¡¯s words, but he was certain that Vivian would fall for them-because she had desires, she wanted to live. Camar was right, if Vivian didn¡¯t want to live, she wouldn¡¯t have risked her life resisting Tabdon¡¯s atrocities, let alone given Camar the chance to take her off the ind.


    She was just too eager to live, she wanted to live to return to jos, she wanted to live to see her daughter.


    Vivian¡¯s desire to live was strong, but she was confused. Everything at sea was unknown to her, she didn¡¯t know where the ind Charlie was on was located in Hawaii, how far it was from Oahu. She also didn¡¯t know which ocean Camar¡¯s yacht was racing through, how long it would take before they could seend.


    The more confused Vivian was in her heart, the harder it was for her to remain calm. The more unsettled she was, the easier it was for Camar¡¯s words to lead her.


    ¡°Yes, I¡­¡± Vivian looked around the sea, nond, no crowds, just an endless expanse of sea shimmering with ripples, which was actually a beautiful scene, but looking at it for too long made people feel adrift and lost.


    She murmured softly, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡­ ah!¡±


    Vivian felt a pain in her hand, the gun fell out of her hand momentarily, she realized something was wrong and tried to reach for it, but Camar¡¯s speed was not something she could match, he kicked Vivian¡¯s gun into the water.


    As the gun entered the water, spraying up a ssh, before Vivian could react, she heard ¡°click click,¡± Camar somehow pulled out a pair of handcuffs from somewhere, securely shackled her hands, his gun pointing at Vivian¡¯s forehead.


    This ordinary looking man smiled brightly, even brighter than the sun, ¡°I might as well tell you where to go.¡±


    With the gun against her head, even the bravest warrior would not dare to move, Vivian could only obey, letting Camar tie her hands and feet roughly before throwing her next to the driver¡¯s seat.


    Vivian bumped her arm and winced in pain.


    She thought she was really unlucky, being kidnapped twice in such a short time. Fortunately, this time she was the only one kidnapped, her daughter didn¡¯t have to suffer with her anymore.


    Camar looked at Vivian¡¯s momentarily panicked yet incredibly calm face, a little curious, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask me why?¡±


    ¡°If I ask you, will you tell me?¡± Vivian¡¯s face was cold, turning her head away to avoid looking at him.


    ¡°How would you know if you don¡¯t try?¡± Camar chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m in a good mood now, maybe I¡¯ll answer if you ask?¡±


    Looking through the ss window at the shimmering sea, Vivian¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m taking you to see the person you want to see.¡± Camar replied happily.


    The person she wanted to see?


    Vivian was suddenly shocked, her brain working rapidly.


    There were actually many people she wanted to see, but when she thought about it, it boiled down to jos, her daughter, and Vilem¡­


    Among these people, the only one with some connection to Camar was jos. Camar kidnapped her for¡­


    Vivian suddenly looked at Camar¡¯s hand wearing ck leather gloves, she had noticed a long time ago that something was off about Camar¡¯s hand, his right hand¡¯s ring and pinky fingers were stiff like they were fake!


    Vivian actually didn¡¯t have a deep impression of Camar, she had been concerned about his safety before because she didn¡¯t want to bear the guilt of an innocent person¡¯s life. But if she had to recall whether Camar¡¯s right hand fingers were intact when they first met, Vivian had no memory of it.


    So, reuniting with Camar, Vivian had always been puzzled, what made jos give up on trying to take Camar¡¯s life.


    Now it seemed, was it the missing fingers?


    So Camar kidnapped her to seek revenge on jos. Are they going to find jos now?


    As this thought crossed Vivian¡¯s mind, she couldn¡¯t control her speeding heart. Was she finally going to see jos?


    But as she lifted her head and met Camar¡¯s face with a sly smile, Vivian felt like a bucket of icy water had been poured over her from head to toe.


    ¡°What exactly are you nning to do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Camar sneered, looking at the radar screen where the blue dot was gradually ovepping with the red dot, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill jos.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian was terrified, trying to muster up the strength to support her body, ¡°I don¡¯t know what jos did to you, but there¡¯s a misunderstanding here, I apologize on his behalf, you can ask for anypensation you want!¡±


    Vivian¡¯s words were not finished when she felt the yacht sink slightly.


    Someone boarded the yacht!


    Vivian subconsciously wanted to turn around and see who had boarded the yacht, only to hear Camar¡¯s cold voice say, ¡°I¡¯m now collecting thepensation I want, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°I really thought you had grown up, but I didn¡¯t expect you to still be so naive.¡± Camar said, ¡°Thepensation I want is jos¡¯ life!¡±


    The door of the cockpit was pushed open, two men in ck clothes with rifles walked in, tall in stature, with deep-set features, speaking with a heavy Russian ent.


    ¡°Hey, Camar, is this the littlemb you were talking about?¡± One of the men greeted Camar.


    These two men were Camar¡¯s partners during missions at ET, his most loyal associates. Yes, they didn¡¯t follow the old leader Charlie of ET, or the new leader Noah, they followed him, Camar.


    ¡°Did you bring everything?¡± Camar asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± the man speaking signaled the other man to open the bag he brought, their movements were casual yet cautious.


    Vivian was curious, stretching her neck to look into the bag. With just one look, she couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply.


    It was explosives!


    Bryson never allowed Vivian to touch the work of the mafia, she wasn¡¯t even allowed to touch guns and ammunition, but she had Vilem, andter Emmert¡¯s teachings. It could be said that all of her knowledge regarding explosives came from these two ¡°teachers¡± of hers.


    Although her knowledge didn¡¯t even reach entry-level, it was enough for her to realize that these explosives, let alone destroying this boat, could st through a three-story vi.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Watching Camar take out a bundle of explosives and walk towards her, Vivian¡¯s legs went weak, she desperately tried to shrink back, ¡°Don¡¯te near me, please, go away, go away!¡±


    But no matter how Vivian struggled, Camar still forcefully tied the explosives to her body, even tightening the ropes to ensure the explosives wouldn¡¯t fall off due to Vivian¡¯s struggles.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Be obedient, Vivian.¡± Camar lightly patted Vivian¡¯s face, imitating the sound of an explosion with his mouth, ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll be gone.¡±


    Saying she wasn¡¯t scared was impossible, Vivian was already controlling herself, but she still couldn¡¯t help but tremble all over, tears instantly streaming down her face, ¡°You will face retribution, Camar, God will punish you!¡±


    ¡°The one God will punish is jos! It¡¯s jos!¡± Camar finally dropped his pretense of kindness, grabbing Vivian¡¯s hair harshly, forcing her to tilt her head towards him, ¡°Do you know what he did to me? He allowed his brother to carve humiliating words on my face, he broke my fingers, cut them off! Do you know how important fingers are to a hacker? Did you know I couldn¡¯t hold a gun, nearly being abandoned by Noah?¡±

 Chapter 179

    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything,¡± Camar released Vivian¡¯s hair and threw her back into ce. ¡°You have been too well protected, Vivian. Everyone is protecting you, even me. Noah sent me to Houston to protect you.¡±


    ¡°In order to prevent foolish you from falling into Richard¡¯s trap, I had to expose my identity, but what did I get? Humiliation and a severed finger!¡± Camar angrily yelled as Vivian tried to evade him in fear, his eyes filled with fierce hatred, ¡°Noah no longer trusts me, he has betrayed our promise and confiscated all my wealth and power.¡±


    Camar grabbed Vivian¡¯s cor and roared in excitement, ¡°That is mine, do you know, that is mine! Why does he say he can confiscate it, why!¡±


    Vivian shook her head desperately, she didn¡¯t know, she didn¡¯t know anything.


    ¡°All of this is jos¡¯s fault,¡± Camar found an outlet for his anger, he wanted to kill jos, to kill him!


    Leaving Camar to guard Vivian, Camar¡¯s twopanions hid explosives in various corners of the yacht, and handed the detonator to Camar.


    Giving Vivian a kick, Camar made her look at the smaller yacht outside, much smaller than the one they were on now, which was brought over by Camar¡¯s twopanions. ¡°That one is also filled with explosives, prepared for jos.¡±


    Vivian widened her eyes in horror, ¡°You are insane!¡±


    ¡°As long as I can kill jos, let it be madness,¡± Camar¡¯s hatred for jos was indelible.


    He could not forget the pain of his severed finger, the humiliation scars on his face, the despicable faces of the ET organization¡¯s high-level officials, and the betrayal of Noah.


    He was filled with hatred! Every cell in his body was screaming, kill him, kill him, kill him!


    Camar opened his eyes and looked at the giant ship on the sea in the distance, smiling devilishly, ¡°Vivian, look ahead.¡±


    Vivian did not want to fulfill Camar¡¯s wish, she lowered her head and closed her eyes tightly, showing her resistance through action.


    But in front of the ruthless kidnapper, all her resistance was insignificant, and could not change anything except bring suffering to herself.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Camar impatiently grabbed Vivian¡¯s hair again, forcing her to lift her head. ¡°I told you to look, do you see!¡±


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Vivian¡¯s head tilted back by Camar¡¯s force, hoping to reduce the pain, but Camar was not willing to let her go so easily, forcibly pulling her hair to make her open her eyes in pain.


    ¡°Do you see, your jos is here, he¡¯sing to save you,¡± Camar¡¯s voice whispered into Vivian¡¯s ear, a demonic murmur, ¡°Guess, will jos gamble his life for you?¡±


    Vivian was in pain, feeling like her scalp was being ripped off. She gasped for breath as if it could alleviate the pain.


    ¡°But jos is a Capo!¡± Vivian struggled to say, ¡°A Capo will not sacrifice himself for anyone, a Capo has no weaknesses!¡±


    ¡°Now, he does,¡± Camarughed triumphantly, ¡°His weakness is in my hands!¡±


    On the ship elerating towards them, jos put on the minimunicator handed to him by Mare. Themunicator crackled with electric currents, and a voice of a stranger sounded.


    Understanding what the other party said, jos¡¯ face changed dramatically, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Mare put down the binocrs and looked anxiously at jos, with a questioning look.


    jos mmed his fist on the metal table, making a dull thud, ¡°There¡¯s a bomb on the yacht!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Inside the cockpit, Mare, Ferenc, and others all changed their expressions.


    Mare cursed, ¡°Is he out of his mind?¡±


    Ferenc crossed his arms, ¡°Not now, but soon.¡± He nced at jos¡¯s face, sure that Camar would meet a gruesome end.


    jos pressed the minimunicator to his ear, ¡°Is this what you call arrangements, Noah?¡±


    Noah, the new leader of the ET International Mercenary Organization. ¡°Save Vivian¡± n, jos¡¯ new ally on the other end of themunicator chuckled and said, ¡°I know Camar well. He used to be my most loyal partner.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your loyal partner who kidnapped your sister,¡± jos coldlyughed, ¡°He is now a madman!¡±


    ¡°You released this madman personally, jos,¡± Noah sneered, ¡°You have no right to use me. Working with you is just for Vivian.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± jos¡¯s tone was nasty, ¡°We won¡¯t have a second chance to work together.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Noah unterally cut off themunication, and the minimunicator soon crackled with only the sound of electric currents.


    jos took a deep breath and had to exert all his strength to resist the urge to smash the minimunicator onto the ground, ¡°Damn it!¡±


    jos stared menacingly at the approaching yacht, he turned abruptly, striding out of the cockpit, onto the deck.


    Mare and Ferenc nced at each other and followed him onto the deck.


    On the deck, the ambush expert Emmert was ready.


    Simpson heard footsteps and turned around, meeting jos¡¯s fierce gaze. He furrowed his brows slightly and reported Emmert¡¯s conclusion to him, ¡°The ambush angle is not ideal, Emmert is not a hundred percent sure.¡±


    Just as Simpson was feeling frustrated about the poor ambush angle, jos dropped another bomb on him, ¡°There are explosives on the yacht.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Simpson¡¯s scalp tingled, ¡°How do you know? Is the information reliable?¡±


    ¡°Noah said so.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Again, Noah.


    Simpson frowned, maintaining a skeptical attitude towards this ally who came looking for them, ¡°Can we trust this Noah?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s trustworthy or not.¡± Whether the ally is an angel or a demon, as long as he can save Vivian, what does it matter.


    jos looked ahead, his excellent eyesight and the increasing distance allowed him to gradually see everything on the yacht. He saw Camar pulling Vivian up, and Vivian¡¯s pained expression made him unable to help but curse, ¡°Bastard!¡±


    Simpson was about to warn jos to be cautious of Noah when jos¡¯s angry curse interrupted him. He turned around and also saw Vivian forced to look in their direction by Camar.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Simpson cursed even louder than jos.


    Camar brought Vivian to the deck, making sure they could see clearly the bomb strapped to Vivian¡¯s body. He was very satisfied to see the ship that had been elerating towards the yacht brake suddenly and stop less than half a nautical mile away from them.


    This distance was too close, so close that Camar knew they had entered the sniper¡¯s shooting range, but he waspletely confident and pushed Vivian in front as a shield.


    jos! Vivian trembled all over, looking at him from a distance, her eyes filled with more worry than fear.


    jos was also looking at her. After being separated for several days, the two finally reunited. jos never expected to meet under such circumstances, and he felt regretful.


    If he hadn¡¯t stubbornly sent Vivian to Hawaii, if his protection had been more thorough, if he hadn¡¯t killed Camar out of mercy, would they not be in this situation today?


    Vivian! jos¡¯ worried gaze met Vivian¡¯s eyes, hoping she could understand what he wanted to convey.


    Don¡¯t be afraid, Vivian, you will be alright!

 Chapter 180

    ¡°jos, I¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± Camar smiled, showing jos the detonator in his hand. ¡°Do you see what this is?¡±


    ¡°Camar!¡± jos gritted his teeth, shouting his name. ¡°Let Vivian go!¡±


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± Camarughed. ¡°I know you brought many people with you, and I¡¯m sure there¡¯s an excellent sniper on your ship. What¡¯s his name again?¡±


    Camar pretended to think and then urately called out the name, ¡°Emmert, right?¡±


    Emmert, hiding in the sniper spot, and Simpson and others on the deck frowned in unison.


    They had learned from Festus that Camar was also a highly skilled hacker, not much worse than Festus in terms of hacking skills.


    For such a top-notch hacker, knowing Emmert¡¯s name was an easy task, and they were not surprised or distressed by it.


    They worried about jos, as he had been influenced by Camar, being too concerned about Vivian.


    Camar¡¯s actions were clearly provoking jos, who was already on the brink of rage.


    Simpson had to remind jos, ¡°Don¡¯t let him affect your emotions, jos. Stay calm!¡±


    jos was not yet out of control at the moment, calmly analyzing the current situation. However, the anger he disyed was more due to Camar¡¯s insult and regret at not being able to kill him at that moment.


    Only he knew the restraint and panic buried beneath this surface.


    His deep gaze swept over the explosives tied to Vivian¡¯s stomach, tense all over, blood congealed, and fear pounding on his heart like tidal waves.


    As the Capo of Houston, jos was definitely an excellent explosives expert. With his familiarity with explosives, he could see at a nce that the amount of explosives on Vivian was enough to blow up a ten-foot wall. Once detonated, Vivian would be utterly destroyed.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± jos calmly stared at Camar¡¯s actions, calcting how to take the detonator from him while ensuring Vivian¡¯s safety. ¡°If you release Vivian, I can guarantee not to hold you ountable. Let you and yourpanions leave without pursuit.¡±


    jos threatened through clenched teeth, ¡°But if you dare to harm Vivian, I will kill you!¡±


    Camar¡¯s smile faded, his face darkening. ¡°Truly the Capo of Houston, your wife in my hands, yet you speak so stubbornly!¡±


    As Camar grabbed Vivian¡¯s hair, she cried out in pain. ¡°You can continue to be arrogant, Mr. Capo, but your wife is about to bid you a final farewell!¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± jos roared, the crackling sound of a miniaturemunicator in his ear once again. This time it was Emmert¡¯s voice, saying, ¡°No, can¡¯t find a shooting angle!¡±


    jos¡¯s eyes darkened as he looked at Vivian¡¯s pallid face, unable to wait any longer.


    ¡°What do you really want?¡± jos asked in a deep voice.


    ¡°I want your life!¡± Camar said coldly. ¡°Are you willing to give it, Mr. Capo?¡±


    ¡°jos!¡± The people on the deck turned pale, and Simpson aimed his gun at Camar. ¡°You¡¯re asking for death!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Camar shook the detonator in his hand, certain that Simpson would not dare to shoot. ¡°I really don¡¯t like the way this gentleman is pointing a gun at me. What do you say, Mr. Capo?¡±


    ¡°Simpson, step back!¡±


    ¡°jos!¡± Simpson red at jos.


    jos yelled again, ¡°Step back!¡±


    Simpson gritted his teeth. He couldn¡¯t really shoot disregarding Vivian¡¯s safety, but it felt suffocating to be led by the enemy.


    ¡°Simpson, obey orders!¡± jos nced at Floren, who reluctantly stepped forward to draw Simpson away.


    jos¡¯s ship was actually slightly higher than Camar¡¯s yacht, but Camar stood on the yacht, looking up at the brothers, who had once been full of confidence, now powerless due to a single word from him, provoking him immensely.


    ¡°Camar, state your terms,¡± jos said impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t try my patience anymore!¡±


    ¡°Getting impatient?¡± Camar forcefully yanked Vivian¡¯s long hair, forcing her to tilt her head up, letting out a painful moan. ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t care that much about Vivian. How about I kill her for you and give your precious daughter a new stepmother?¡±


    Daughter? jos trembled, looking at Vivian¡¯s belly in astonishment.


    He had been too worried, his heart had beenpletely chaotic since learning about Vivian¡¯s abduction, coupled with the explosives tied to her belly, he hadn¡¯t even reacted to it just now.


    So it¡¯s a daughter? Vivian had given birth to his daughter!


    But Vivian was only six months pregnant; premature birth at six months, was his daughter still alive?


    jos dared not think further. He was afraid he couldn¡¯t control his madness and do something irreparable.


    Forcing himself not to look at Vivian¡¯s painful expression, jos clenched his fists. ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    Simpson circled behind Emmert, and their low discussion through the miniaturemunicator reached jos¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Put on the diving suit, we¡¯re going around behind Camar.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous,¡± Floren hesitated. ¡°What if there are also explosives on the yacht¡­¡±


    Simpson didn¡¯t wait for Floren; he snatched the diving suit. ¡°I¡¯ll go myself¡­¡±


    jos heard their argument in full and spected that once Simpson nked Camar alongside Emmert at the sniper spot, with their years of cooperation, they could definitely take down Camar.


    ¡°I said, I want your life!¡± Camar said coldly. ¡°See that yacht over there? It¡¯s specially prepared for you. You go up alone!¡±


    That was the yacht on which Camar¡¯s two aplices had arrived, and it also concealed explosives!


    Vivian stiffened all over, seeing jos, oblivious to everything, ready to board the yacht. Vivian¡¯s heart was clenched, forgetting the warning not to provoke the captors. ¡°There are explosives on the yacht!¡±


    Vivian, with red eyes, shouted emotionally, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, leave, jos, leave!¡±


    As soon as the words left her mouth, Camar, provoked by Vivian, unhesitatingly pped her. Her already swollen face now swelled even more, tears streaming down from the pain of the p.


    ¡°Stop!¡± jos¡¯s eyes were bloodshot.


    Indeed, there were explosives on the yacht!


    Vivian¡¯s risky warning confirmed jos¡¯s suspicion. His originally vignt heart soared again, yet without hesitation, he jumped onto the yacht.


    Because of his uninhibited jump onto the yacht, Simpson, who had been about to dive into the sea, had to halt his n.


    Camar¡¯spanion beside him aimed a gun at jos¡¯s head across the space and gestured to his otherpanion to start the boat.


    Camar proudly watched jos, whom he had manipted, at his mercy, ordering, ¡°Start the boat!¡±


    ¡°No, jos!¡± Vivian cried out in tears, trying to break free from Camar¡¯s control but being held back tightly by him. All Vivian could do was watch as jos entered the cockpit and started the small yacht.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, jos, don¡¯t¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s heart was filled with fear, regretting her foolishness that had put jos in this position. ¡°Let me go, Camar! jos¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Camar impatiently tugged at Vivian¡¯s hair, pressing the gun against her head, the cold barrel hitting Vivian¡¯s forehead, causing her pain.

 Chapter 181

    Vivian ignored Camar¡¯s warning, struggling and crying while pleading with jos not to leave. ¡°You will die, jos, you will die.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Vivian.¡± jos rarely admitted his love in front of so many people, but at this moment he was fearless. Sincerely and passionately, he said those words, different from before with a sense of parting.


    Before boarding the ship, he tightly clenched his fist and silently looked back at her, ¡°Trust me, I wille back.¡±


    Heavy dark clouds hung over the sky, the sea breeze blew as cold as a knife, chilling to the bones.


    Two yachts set sail simultaneously, heading in opposite directions.


    Vivian was still sobbing, heartbroken. She regretteding out with Camar. She didn¡¯t get to see her daughter and lost jos.


    ¡°Let me be with him! Let us be together.¡± Vivian almost struggled to throw herself into the sea, but Camar restrained her.


    The situation was extremely dangerous, but others dared not move, only watching helplessly as the yachts sailed away.


    The helmsman was also at a loss, asking his captain, ¡°Should we chase after them?¡±


    jos¡¯ figure grew smaller, and Camar suddenly made a move.


    Vivian turned her head and saw Camar pressing the detonator.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Vivian cried out in despair, but the expected explosion did not happen. She saw the yacht carrying jos not exploding, but instead turning around and speeding towards them with a sense of ¡®together in death.¡¯


    In shock, Camar cursed and repeatedly pressed the detonator, but it seemed to be broken, and no explosion urred.


    What¡¯s going on? Could it be¡­


    In a sudden moment of rity amidst his frustration, Camar viciously looked at Vivian, attempting to press another switch. But it was toote, jos¡¯ yacht crashed into his yacht, and the detonator in Camar¡¯s hand fell into the sea.


    Such an attack was undoubtedly dangerous, as the bomb on Vivian could explode at any moment due to this impact.


    But they had no choice but to take a leap of faith.


    Camar immediately raised his gun to attack the detonator on Vivian, but Emmert was quicker. With a gunshot, Camar¡¯s hand holding the gun was sttered, and the gun dropped somewhere.


    At the same time, jos boarded their yacht, rushing to Vivian¡¯s side.


    Not forgetting the bomb tied to Vivian, jos bent down to disarm her and threw it forcefully into the sea.


    After experiencing life and death, the two embraced tightly, feeling each other¡¯s warmth and heartbeat. What seemed like a simple hug almost became a distant dream.


    jos continued tofort Vivian, her body still trembling, her breath quick from crying.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, darling, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Vivian sobbed, lifting her head from jos¡¯ embrace, her hands clumsily caressing his face. How long had they been apart? jos had scars on his face and had lost weight, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    Vivian reassured that jos was safe, kissed his forehead, saying, ¡°I missed you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, jos.¡±


    ¡°And I love you too, I will always love you.¡±


    On the other side, Camar was in agony, unable to get up, blood gushing from the bullet hole in his wrist.


    With seven or eight guns pointed at his head, Camar, with bloodshot eyes, stared in disbelief at his twopanions ¨C they were also pointing guns at him.


    ¡°Why?¡± Camar asked in anguish.


    ¡°The price of loyalty to you is damnation, while ET can bring them wealth and glory.¡± A ship with the ET logo silently approached, Noah in a suit, standing on the deck with a king-like attitude, cradling a baby in his arms.


    Standing on the ship¡¯s deck, overlooking the wretched Camar, ¡°Noah¡­¡±


    Camar¡¯s mouth trembled, eyes turning gray.


    Just with that one ¡°Noah¡± from Camar, unconsciously, Vivian turned to look at her unexpected ¡°brother.¡± Upon seeing the bundle in his arms, a strong wave of warmth surged from her heart.


    That was her child, her daughter!


    No evidence was needed; Vivian was absolutely certain.


    ¡°Finally, we meet, Vivian.¡± Facing Vivian, Noah¡¯s expression softened, ¡°I am your cousin, Noah Davis.¡±


    ¡°Cousin?¡± Vivian was more puzzled.


    But she couldn¡¯t wait for Noah¡¯s exnation; she eagerly wanted to hold her daughter, ¡°My child.¡±


    It was the first formal meeting of mother and daughter, but the baby, like recognizing her mother¡¯s breath,y in her arms, neither crying nor fussing. With a pair of light brown eyes resembling jos¡¯, she nced at her father, then her gentle mother, grinning without teeth.


    Full of tenderness, Vivian¡¯s heart, even in her disheveled state, couldn¡¯t hide the maternal radiance beneath her gentle demeanor.


    Such an adorable little baby, her daughter.


    jos held her and the child together from behind, never feeling so satisfied.


    His wife was safe, his daughter was lovely and healthy, what else could he ask for¡­


    The two gazed at the baby with the same tender yet foolish eyes, wanting to take another look, until Noah reminded them, ¡°She just came out of the incubator, can¡¯t stay outside for too long. Vivian, take her back to the cabin.¡±


    Vivian looked back at jos, and jos nodded, ¡°Let Mare escort you back.¡±


    Mare had already stood behind Vivian dutifully.


    Vivian smiled faintly at Mare, then nced at Camar, who was now subdued on the ground by everyone. He almost killed jos.


    Though Vivian still hadn¡¯t figured out what exactly happened, why the bomb didn¡¯t explode in the end, she was certain that it wasn¡¯t Camar¡¯s intention. Camar¡¯s hatred towards jos exceeded her imagination.


    Although she felt sorry and sympathetic towards Camar¡¯s plight, if Camar wanted to harm jos in this way¡­


    Sorry, she was Capo¡¯s wife, the queen of Houston¡¯s mafia, and she would never allow anyone to hurt her beloved husband and child.


    With her child in her arms, Vivian left without giving a second thought to pleading for Camar. This was unexpected for jos. It made him feel extremely surprised, though he had already made up his mind not to spare Camar regardless of Vivian¡¯s pleas.


    Noah clearly understood jos, as his first words to jos were to take Camar away.


    ¡°Not possible.¡± jos refused, ¡°I will kill him myself; he must pay for his actions.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Noah had no objection to this, but he wouldn¡¯t allow jos to act, ¡°Camar is an ET mercenary, he defied my orders, betrayed his oath of loyalty, he must face judgment in front of all ET mercenaries.¡±


    Noah tried to persuade jos, ¡°It is a ritual, a leader¡¯s deterrence to his followers.¡±


    ¡°You can bring his body back; that¡¯s the best deterrent!¡± jos said fiercely.


    ¡°I can judge him, even kill him personally, but that must be after the trial.¡± Noah pressed jos¡¯ gun, covering the barrel with his palm.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    His tone was not as blunt and domineering as jos¡¯, but it was firm, ¡°I must protect every member of ET.¡±


    jos scowled, ¡°He¡¯s a traitor!¡±


    ¡°Until the moment the judgment deres his death, he is still my follower.¡±


    jos red at Noah fiercely, their silent confrontation lingering until Noah said, ¡°Vivian is waiting for you.¡±


    With those words, the tense atmosphere suddenly eased, and jos showed a hint ofpromise. Noah finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Cooperate¡­¡±


    With a gunshot, Camar¡¯s agonizing scream resounded.

 Chapter 182

    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 ¨C 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 ¨C 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 ¨C 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 ¨C 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.

 Chapter 183

    jos didn¡¯t know how to make his promise sound more reliable, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for putting you through so much danger. I don¡¯t want you to leave my side again, so I won¡¯t let you go back to Hawaii alone.¡±


    Vivian stared at jos in disbelief at first, but when she understood what jos said, joy filled her entire heart, ¡°Really? Is this true? jos, please tell me, is this true?¡±


    Influenced by Vivian¡¯s joy, jos smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    If they weren¡¯t on an airne, Vivian felt she would have jumped for joy. ¡°Thank you, jos, for making me wait for you.¡±


    jos held her hand.


    Feeling the strength in his hand, Vivian finally felt her heart settle down.


    The private nended at Houston Airport at five in the morning, and the driver took jos, Vivian, and Mare to the hospital.


    When Vivian and the others reached Vilem¡¯s floor, Luzia was still asleep.


    She gestured to jos to be quiet and pushed the baby cot next to Luzia¡¯s bed, then quietly pushed jos out.


    ¡°Let her sleep a little longer. Let¡¯s go see Vilem.¡± Vivian was eager to see Vilem now, but she remembered the hospital¡¯s rules. ¡°Is it okay, it¡¯s not visiting hours?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± jos said. In Houston, no one could refuse Capo¡¯s request.


    Babies never slept soundly, and the baby started to make noises, looking sleepily at her mother.


    Vivian quickly picked up the child and said to Mare, ¡°Mare, can you watch them for a while? Let me know when Luzia wakes up. I¡¯m going to breastfeed the baby.¡± The moment Vivian looked into Mare¡¯s eyes, she understood his intentions. She was giving Mare and Luzia some time alone together.


    Mare appreciated Vivian¡¯s thoughtfulness, but he didn¡¯t immediately agree, instead, he looked at jos.


    jos was looking at him too, his light brown eyes filled with contemtion.


    jos weighed his options.


    The result of his deliberation was unknown to Mare, but jos not agreeing for a long time already made his stance clear.


    Mare wasn¡¯t disappointed by the oue; he knew his role ¨C he was just a bodyguard.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Mare opened his mouth, wanting to say, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± but jos interrupted him, ¡°Mare, stay behind.¡±


    Mare was surprised, why?


    Vivian didn¡¯t think too much about Mare, seeing jos also agreeing with her arrangement, she happily winked at Mare and pulled jos away.


    Before leaving, jos looked deeply at the absent-minded Mare, without much exnation, he left with Vivian.


    Vivian, holding her long-unseen child, yed with them in the hospital¡¯s mother and baby room. As a new mother, she still had many things to figure out. But watching her child suckle vigorously, Vivian felt all her exhaustion disappear.


    jos watched Vivian breastfeeding and felt she was more beautiful at this moment than ever. He vowed to protect the mother and daughter.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t decided on a name for her yet.¡±


    ¡°After everything is over, I¡¯ll give her the most beautiful name. She will be the happiest princess in Houston,¡± jos replied.


    Yes, she would be the happiest princess, spared from the fate her mother and grandmother endured. God bless her with a lifetime of happiness.


    After finishing breastfeeding, Mare informed them they could visit. Vivian quickly walked to Vilem¡¯s bedside. When she saw Vilem¡¯s condition clearly, even though she quickly covered her mouth, sobs still escaped.


    ¡°How could this happen?¡± Vivian cried as she looked at Vilem¡¯s swollen and bruised face. She reached out to touch him, then recoiled in fear, ¡°What did that damned Joseph do to you?¡±


    The man on the hospital bed was tortured to an unrecognizable state. His brown hair was shaved, revealing a scalp with stitches from surgery. His right arm was in a cast, and both wrists were wrapped in thick bandages, with cracked skin and some fingernails torn off¡­


    How much pain and hatred did this person have to endure?


    Vivian cursed Joseph a thousand times over in her mind, but it didn¡¯t diminish her anger. He died without pain, yet Vilem suffered such torment.


    Perhaps Vivian¡¯s sobs disturbed Vilem, or he woke from the pain, but Vilem¡¯s consciousness began to return, and when he saw Vivian, there was a glimmer of light in his eyes.


    ¡°Vilem.¡± Vivian noticed his awakening. To spare Vilem from seeing too much, she leaned down beside his bed, tears still in her eyes, ¡°Are you okay? I¡¯m sorry it took until today to visit you.¡±


    Getting closer, Vivian caught a glimpse of the bruises on his neck from his hospital gown. They were marks of being strangled.


    Someone had used a rope to strangle Vilem  was it to torture him or suffocate him to death?


    Vivian didn¡¯t know, and her fingertips trembled in pain. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Vilem just looked at her with tears in his eyes, as if he hadn¡¯t heard her speak.


    The thought was too frightening, and Vivian dared not dwell on it further. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Vilem?¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t hear you, Vivian.¡± jos stepped in, cing a hand on Vivian¡¯s shoulder tofort her, ¡°He¡¯s deaf.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Deaf?¡± Vivian¡¯s body stiffened, repeating jos¡¯s words dully. She almost didn¡¯t recognize the word ¡°deaf.¡±


    ¡°The doctor said his auditory nerves were damaged. Despite surgery to repair them, the possibility of permanent deafness remains, depending on his recovery. There¡¯s still hope, it¡¯s not hopeless yet. It¡¯s all temporary for now,¡± jos said, supporting the shaken Vivian. He knew this news was very hard to ept, but Vivian deserved to know the truth. ¡°We¡¯ll assess his condition further once he¡¯s better for possible additional surgery. For now, it¡¯s not the end. Everything is temporary.¡±


    With tears in her eyes, Vivian could only nod in response.


    Vilem seemed to sense how difficult it was for Vivian toe back, and the pain in his eyes was reced by joy. He struggled to raise his hand to touch his sister¡¯s hair, but his injured hand was immobile, and he had to give up.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, when you¡¯re better, you can touch my hair again.¡± Though she knew Vilem wouldn¡¯t hear, Vivian wanted to tell him, ¡°Not just mine, but my daughter¡¯s too.¡±


    Vivian showed him her t stomach, ¡°I had a daughter, Vilem, you¡¯re now an uncle.¡± She indicated towards Luzia, who was holding the baby outside the window.


    Because he couldn¡¯t hear, Vilem instinctively watched Vivian¡¯s moving lips and then looked out of the window following her finger.


    He blushed with excitement and tried to say, ¡°Hehe¡± but only a hoarse sound came out.


    The doctor had mentioned his vocal cords were also damaged to some extent, but luckily, it wasn¡¯t permanent damage and would improve as he recovered.


    To calm Vilem¡¯s emotions, Vivian took the whiteboard from the nurse and wrote messages like, ¡°I¡¯ll bring her to see you next time¡± and ¡°Get well soon.¡±

 Chapter 184

    Vilem stared intently at the ¡°her¡± on the whiteboard, his eyes sparkling with tears.


    Perhaps due to the explosion of emotions, Vilem¡¯s spirits quickly plummeted, and Vivian stayed with him for a while until he fell asleep.


    The nurse reassured Vivian that this was normal, ¡°The patient¡¯s body is still very weak, and he needs more sleep to help with recovery.¡±


    Vivian nodded, and after confirming that Vilem was sound asleep, she left the intensive care unit with the nurse¡¯s guidance.


    As they changed into fresh clothes, the doctor treating Vilem had just finished his rounds and invited them to his office to discuss Vilem¡¯s condition.


    ¡°Are you the patient¡¯s family?¡± The doctor opened Vilem¡¯s medical chart.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m his sister,¡± Vivian sat in the chair in front of the doctor¡¯s desk and replied.


    ¡°Your brother¡¯s body has suffered significant damage. He has various injuries on the front and back of his torso, broken ribs, arm bones, damaged nerves in both hands, impaired hearing, shattered kneecaps¡­¡± the doctor solemnly briefed Vivian on Vilem¡¯s condition, ¡°Recovery will take a very long time, especially in terms of nerve treatment, which may require multiple surgeries with no guaranteed sess. There will also be follow-up rehabilitation training, all requiring the patient¡¯s absolute resilience and full cooperation from family.¡±


    ¡°I will cooperate, I promise,¡± Vivian assured, ¡°Please make sure to heal him. He¡¯s still young, with endless possibilities ahead of him.¡±


    ¡°As doctors, we will do our utmost to treat the patient, so the family can rest assured,¡± the doctor assured.


    Wiping away her tears, Vivian said, ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡±


    Coming out of the doctor¡¯s office, Vivian finally couldn¡¯t control her emotions, shouting in frustration, ¡°I want them to die! All of them!¡±


    ¡°I understand, Vivian.¡± jos embraced her, gently soothing her by rubbing her back, expressing his support, ¡°They will surely pay for their savage actions!¡±


    Although Joseph was already dead, it didn¡¯t mean that the matter was over. At least Mark, who advised Joseph, was still alive, and Lopaka, who kidnapped Vilem, was also alive.


    ¡­


    Vilem¡¯s condition remained unstable, and jos did his best to take Vivian to the hospital, but he would not allow her to stay in the hospital.


    Vivian argued with jos several times about this, but she couldn¡¯t change his mind.


    ¡°He¡¯s my brother,¡± Vivian angrily told jos, ¡°He¡¯s injured, his condition is very bad, he¡¯s lying alone in the hospital bed, I should be taking care of him.¡±


    ¡°Taking care of him is not your duty, you¡¯re just his sister.¡± jos argued, ¡°There are doctors, nurses, and experienced caregivers in the hospital, Vilem is not alone, there are people working for him.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°But they are not his family. Family, do you understand, jos?!¡± Vivian gritted her teeth.


    ¡°Your questioning angers me, Vivian.¡± jos was trying to control his anger, but Vivian¡¯s questioning pierced his heart like a knife. No one understood the meaning of ¡°family¡± better than him.


    ¡°Am I not your family? Isn¡¯t our daughter your family?¡± jos raised his voice in frustration, ¡°Vilem is injured, I understand you¡¯re worried, but you can¡¯tpromise your health to take care of him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel that tired.¡± Vivian didn¡¯t need jos to speak for her exhaustion, ¡°The hospital has doctors, nurses, caregivers, they help share the burden of taking care of Vilem, I just need to wash his face and give him water.¡±


    ¡°Such tasks don¡¯t require you to be by his side all the time!¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m afraid.¡± Vivian finally voiced her concern, ¡°I tremble all over at the thought of not seeing him for a second. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll disappear, get hurt again when I can¡¯t see him. You know his physical condition, he can¡¯t withstand another injury.¡±


    jos looked at the tearful Vivian, her voice trembling with fear. jos suddenly softened, ¡°Your state is not good.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m just scared.¡± Vivian threw herself into jos¡¯s arms, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I know I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯m neglecting your feelings.¡±


    jos lifted Vivian¡¯s chin, kissing her soft lips gently, reassuringly, ¡°No need to apologize, but you need to rest well. Our daughter has been with her aunt for days, do you remember her? She must miss her mom.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­¡± Vivian guiltily lowered her head, ¡°I¡¯m not a good mother.¡± During this time, she couldn¡¯t sleep well, always having nightmares of someone taking her child, and Vilem dying.


    Her sleep had been erratic, and the baby¡¯s crying had made her nervous. jos brought Doctor Yoshiye to check on her.


    Yoshiye found nothing major wrong with her physically, but her postpartum recovery was poor, coupled with mental stress, and hormonal issues causing postpartum depression, requiring more rest.


    So the baby was left in the care of Mrs. Yazmin. Although at first, Vivian was reluctant and did not want to be separated from her daughter for a moment, after fainting due tock of sleep, it was only the daughter¡¯s cries that alerted Mare, who found her.


    After that, jos had to have a serious conversation with Vivian again, convincing her to agree to let her daughter stay with Mrs. Yazmin.


    ¡°But you love her, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Vivian quickly replied, ¡°No mother doesn¡¯t love her child.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go get her back, today.¡± jos said.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Vivian seemed hesitant, initially reluctant, but now constantly questioning if she was fit to be a mother.


    jos remained silent, his gaze calm as he looked at her.


    Vivian suddenly fell silent.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Vivianpromised, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Aunt¡¯s house first.¡±


    ¡°I have Kasin at the hospital.¡± jos made additional arrangements.


    Vivian then went with jos to Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate.


    Mrs. Yazmin had no children of her own; her beloved nephews had all grown up, busy with their own careers and marriages, unable to visit her frequently.


    The estate was toorge, the vi too empty, and Mrs. Yazmin often felt lonely. But now everything was different; jos¡¯s child was born, a lovely girl like a doll, and Mrs. Yazmin was overjoyed.


    Upon arriving, Vivian went straight to the child, and despite her previous reservations, the moment she held the baby, she admitted she couldn¡¯t be without her.


    ¡°Have you named her?¡± Shelley asked.


    Yazmin, gently holding the baby, replied, ¡°Dhanna Hyna Hargrave.¡± She looked tenderly at the baby, who gazed curiously at the adults around her with her light brown eyes.


    ¡°Hyna?¡± Celinda covered her mouth in surprise.


    Hyna, the name of jos¡¯s mother, whom he named his daughter after, in memory of the woman who raised and taught him love.


    ¡°Such a beautiful name, isn¡¯t it?¡± Vivian asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Celinda shifted her gaze to the sunlit ss conservatory softly creeping into her eyes, ¡°jos loves her very much.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I love her very much,¡± jos said tenderly.


    Although Celinda¡¯s reference to ¡°her¡± was vague, and no one knew exactly who she meant, it could be Mrs. Hyna, Vivian, or Dhanna; it didn¡¯t matter. Each person had their own answer in their hearts, but it didn¡¯t affect the current happiness of jos¡¯s family.

 Chapter 185

    ¡°Dhanna, this is truly a wonderful name.¡± In the ss flower house, Shelley sat on a rocking chair, sunlight streaming through the branches and falling on her pure white skirt, leaving behind beautiful beams of light. ¡°Did you choose this name?¡± Shelley asked Vivian.


    ¡°This name is taken from my teenage years.¡± With Luzia¡¯s help, Vivian trimmed the roses. ¡°jos did not refuse it.¡±


    The roses nted in the ss flower house were all edible varieties. Vivian neatly arranged them in a bamboo basket and took them to the kitchen for washing.


    ¡°Is Festus doing well?¡± Vivian brought in red tea and snacks from the kitchen, honey scones being Shelley¡¯s favorite. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve set a date for your wedding.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the doctor said he¡¯s recovering nicely.¡± Shelley picked up a fork and knife, cutting into the scone. The amber honey slowly flowed along the cut, emitting a sweet aroma. ¡°He has already resumed his work.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Vivian sighed and said, ¡°I hope Vilem will recover quickly like Festus.¡±


    Shelley was the one who could best understand Vivian¡¯s current state of mind. She held Vivian¡¯s hand and squeezed it tightly,forting her, ¡°You must trust the doctor¡¯s abilities and believe in Vilem. He will surely recover.¡±


    Vivian nodded.


    Seeing that Vivian¡¯s mood was not uplifted, Shelley did not continue the topic of Vilem. She stuffed a small piece of scone into her mouth and chewed slowly. ¡°Has jos arranged the baptism time with the priest?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± They had just discussed this topic before heading out in the morning, Vivian replied. ¡°It¡¯s scheduled for a week from now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s soon.¡± Shelley said, ¡°I guess Luzia is Dhanna¡¯s godmother, but who is the godfather?¡±


    ¡°I want Vilem to be the godfather.¡± Vivian said. ¡°But as you can see, Vilem is in very poor health, he won¡¯t be able to recover in a week.¡±


    identally bringing up Vilem again, Shelley apologized and smiled at Vivian, looking a bit silly. She tried tofort Vivian, ¡°It¡¯s okay, he can reserve a spot for your next child.¡±


    Vivian looked a bit strange, and it was evident to Shelley. ¡°What? Are you and jos nning to have only one child, Dhanna?¡±


    It was impossible for Shelley not to be surprised. No Capo has only one child, and Dhanna is a girl, not a boy. Only boys can engage in the Mafia¡¯s business. Although she was breaking this rule.


    ¡°Dhanna is still young.¡± Vivian did not deny it. ¡°jos and I have a lot of things to handle, whether it¡¯s in Houston or Los Angeles.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. The situation in Houston is improving, Dhanna will grow up, Vilem will also recover. Busyness will pass.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s not toote to consider when the busyness passes.¡± Vivian set down her cup, looking towards Luzia who was on the phone, and said, ¡°After Joseph¡¯s death, my father disappeared. His right-hand man, Mark, took his loyal men away. We don¡¯t know where they fled to, maybe still lurking in a corner of Los Angeles waiting for an opportunity, maybe they have alreadye to Houston.¡±


    Shelley now works at the Houston port. Compared to when she first started working, she now has a clearer understanding of the power division between cities. ¡°Some time ago, jos cleared the armed elite sent from Los Angeles to Houston, except for the Kasin team, Chaquille and Lopaka¡¯s men were all cleaned up, but there may still be some overlooked forces.¡± Festus was discharged early, grabbed by Simpson to help.


    Shelley nced at Luzia following Vivian¡¯s gaze, then turned back to her, ¡°Can I ask you a more personal question?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Joseph is already dead, but does Luzia¡¯s marital rtionship with him still exist?¡±


    Vivian was also caught off guard by Shelley¡¯s question. ¡°I think it should still exist.¡±


    ¡°They did not divorce.¡± ording to tradition, Luzia is still Joseph¡¯s wife. With Joseph dead, she became a widow once again.


    Though the title of widow may not sound pleasant, she regained the eligibility for marriage. For Luzia, being able to escape Joseph¡¯s violence was also a good thing in a way.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Will you let her move back to live in Joseph¡¯s apartment in Los Angeles?¡±


    Shelley¡¯s questions were all strange, and Vivian didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Why would you ask such a question?¡±


    ¡°I overheard a conversation between Luzia and her father.¡± Shelley was direct and wanted to help Luzia out of her current dilemma, not hiding anything from Vivian. ¡°Luzia¡¯s father doesn¡¯t want her toe back home, saying that she is a daughter who has been married off twice, living at home would embarrass him unless Luzia is willing to choose marriage again.¡±


    ¡°I never knew about this.¡± Vivian felt guilty. She was not only an inadequate mother but also an inadequate friend.


    ¡°Vilem is still very weak, he cannot return to Los Angeles immediately, but I¡¯m sure he will be the next Capo in Los Angeles. We all respect Luzia¡¯s own thoughts.¡± Vivian looked towards Luzia in the distance, who was on the phone, her expression not good, filled with tiredness.


    Vivian felt ufortable inside. ¡°Joseph¡¯s apartment will certainly belong to Luzia, but Luzia won¡¯t want to return to live in Los Angeles.¡±


    Shelley felt the same way. Every moment married to Joseph was a nightmare for Luzia.


    With the conversation at an end, Mrs. Celinda had to leave.


    Finally, Luzia finished her call. Shelley muttered under her breath about how busy she was, ¡°See you in a week, I hope you can be a bit happier, Luzia.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I will.¡± Luzia hugged her, ¡°My goddaughter is the most adorable person in the world. Taking care of her makes me happy.¡±


    After bidding farewell to Shelley and enjoying some time with Dhanna, Vivian pulled Luzia aside to talk. ¡°Is there something you want to tell me?¡±


    Luzia looked at her in surprise, and when she met Vivian¡¯s bright blue eyes, they both understood the meaning behind Vivian¡¯s question. At that moment, the pent-up grievances in her heart couldn¡¯t be contained any longer, turning into intermittent sobs. ¡°Can I stay in your and jos¡¯ apartment for a while? I promise not to disturb your lives.¡±


    ¡°Your room has always been kept for you. You can move in anytime you want.¡± Vivian gently wiped away Luzia¡¯s tears and said, ¡°Dhanna and I will be happy to have you around.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Luzia choked up, hugging Vivian. ¡°Thank you, Vivian.¡±


    And so, Luzia bid Mrs. Yazmin farewell and moved into jos and Vivian¡¯s penthouse apartment.


    ¡­


    The day of Dhanna¡¯s baptism was lively. Simpson secured the position of godfather, and the whole day was filled with joy as he proudly showed off his goddaughter to guests, earning several res from Mrs. Yazmin.


    jos and Vivian were in charge of hosting, having to personally greet the elders of the Hargrave family, keeping them both busy.


    Kasin was there representing Vilem, feeling regretful for not being able to attend personally as an uncle.


    Vivian was friendly towards Kasin, ¡°I never got the chance to thank you in person. Thank you for saving Vilem, Kasin.¡±

 Chapter 186

    Kasin is a man who knows how to temper his sharpness, ustomed to masking himself with humility. ¡°It is my honor to serve Vilem,¡± he said.


    ¡°Any word on Lopaka?¡± Vivian, aware of Kasin¡¯s history and his feud with Lopaka, suggested to jos to have Kasin lead the search for Lopaka.


    Kasin¡¯s capabilities were beyond doubt, and he did not disappoint Vivian. ¡°We will soon capture him. Does madam wish to interrogate him personally?¡±


    ¡°No need for interrogation,¡± Vivian said coldly. ¡°I will never forgive him for the crimes against Vilem. If he resists during capture, kill him without hesitation.¡±


    This reaction caught Kasin off guard. He thought Vivian would prefer to capture Lopaka and torture him cruelly, making him suffer before dying ¨C a style befitting the mafia. But obedience had be instinctual for Kasin; he was only briefly taken aback before returning to his usual demeanor. ¡°Yes, madam.¡±


    With tasks still at hand, Kasin bid farewell after conveying blessings and gifts from Vilem.


    At that moment, jos approached silently, encircling Vivian¡¯s waist with his left hand and drawing her into his embrace. Lifting her chin gently with his right hand, he remarked, ¡°Your eyes are filled with fierceness.¡±


    Following his lead, Vivian ced her hands on jos¡¯s shoulders. Though her gaze remained fierce, her tone was innocent as she asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    To jos¡¯s surprise, Vivian¡¯s fiery passion led him to be captivated. His features softened gradually. ¡°I do,¡± he confessed.


    Lowering his head, jos lightly tasted her red lips. ¡°I really do.¡±


    But Vivian wanted more, pulling him closer, bold and assertive in her desire.


    jos, taken aback by Vivian¡¯s ardor, did not miss the opportunity offered by her weing kiss.


    ¡°Your ardor surprises me,¡± he said after their intense embrace, struggling to catch his breath. Nuzzling against Vivian¡¯s sensitive skin, he left ambiguous red marks with his caresses.


    Feeling ticklish, Vivian was yet to react when a car pulled up behind them. A cough from the neer prompted them to behave appropriately.


    jos raised his head, ring at the man. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    The neer was Noah, dressed sharply in a suit with gleaming ck shoes and coiffed hair, looking spirited and handsome.


    Adjusting his tie without acknowledging jos¡¯s hostile gaze, Noah turned to Vivian. ¡°I believe I¡¯m notte.¡±


    Not sure how long Noah had been there or if he had witnessed her advances and kisses, Vivian timidly nodded, her face flushed. ¡°The ceremony will begin in half an hour.¡±


    ¡°Charlie asked me to apologize for not being able to attend Dhanna¡¯s baptism,¡± Noah paused. ¡°Is it Dhanna¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Vivian answered, epting the gift Noah offered and passing it on to jos. ¡°Pleasee in. You can take a look at Dhanna first; her uncle Simpson is with her.¡±


    ¡°Charlie adores Dhanna, and he¡¯s sorry he couldn¡¯t be here in person,¡± Noah exined, following Vivian towards the church. ¡°You know, he¡¯s getting old. But Charlie really hopes you can take Dhanna to the ind to see him.¡±


    Vivian hesitated over Noah¡¯s proposal ¨C grateful for Charlie and Noah¡¯s help but haunted by memories of confinement on the ind.


    Seeking help, Vivian nced at jos for support.


    Given Charlie¡¯s protective stance towards Vivian due to Lady Tasneem, jos was cautious about Charlie¡¯s intentions. Though grateful for Charlie and Noah¡¯s gestures, jos remained wary, especially after Camar¡¯s kidnapping incident. jos would not risk enmity with ET but also ensured Houston did not turn against them.


    ¡°Of course, Charlie is a revered elder for Vivian and Dhanna,¡± jos replied. ¡°But we¡¯ll wait until Dhanna grows a bit more, and then I¡¯ll apany them to visit Charlie.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hopefully, Mr. Capo won¡¯t be too upied to meet them,¡± Noah¡¯s tone was t though his gaze was sharp.


    ¡°No need for Mr. Noah to worry,¡± jos responded. ¡°I still have time to apany my wife and daughter on vacations.¡±


    The exchange between jos and Noah, filled with sarcasm and tension, was vivid enough for Luzia, who stood a distance away, to sense the strong undercurrents.


    Below, Shelley tugged on Luzia¡¯s sleeve, asking, ¡°Who is he?¡±


    Referring to Noah, of course. Living with Vivian now, assisting in Dhanna¡¯s care full-time, Luzia had heard about Noah. ¡°He¡¯s Noah Davis, Vivian¡¯s cousin. He took care of Dhanna when she was born weak.¡±


    ¡°Vivian has such a handsome cousin,¡± Shelley remarked, drooling over Noah¡¯s handsome features.


    Luzia nudged Shelley slightly, ¡°Your husband is right there; aren¡¯t you worried he might get jealous?¡±


    ¡°Oh, handsome men are just for looking at. Festus is my true love,¡± Shelley replied, sending a flying kiss towards Festus, her husband.


    Festus, engrossed in security duties while keeping an eye on Shelley¡¯s interactions, blushed and averted his gaze shyly at her gesture.


    Amused by his response, Shelley chuckled, ¡°I prefer cute Festus over handsome men any day.¡±


    Luzia, gobsmacked, gave Shelley a disdainful look. ¡°Who said I would only love jos in this lifetime?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that was ages ago. jos now has a wife and daughter. I prefer to look forward,¡± Shelley said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Life goes on.¡±


    But what about her? Did she have a chance at happiness? From the moment they entered the church, her father had not ceased his socializing, and the scrutinizing gazes had not shifted from her.


    Luzia felt like a piece of meat disyed for sale, her father and the onlookers the buyers and sellers!


    This was too humiliating!


    After the baptism came the luncheon. As guests transitioned to the Hargrave mansion, Vivian brought up the issue with jos.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind if Luzia remarries quickly, but this is her third marriage. Why can¡¯t her opinion be considered?¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t fathom her father¡¯s actions. ¡°He¡¯s being too obvious. Have you heard the rumors about Luzia recently?¡±

 Chapter 187

    ¡°Is it the rumor that Luzia is infertile, or the rumor that she is a ¡®cursed widow¡¯?¡± jos was busy with his work, not looking up.


    ¡°Do you know?¡± Vivian knew the situation was unstable, and jos was often busy workingte into the night, so he had no time to pay attention to these rumors that had nothing to do with him. But these rumors still reached him, indicating how widespread they were.


    ¡°Who started these rumors? They are damaging Luzia¡¯s reputation!¡± Vivian had made up her mind to find out the source of the rumors and demand an apology from them to Luzia.


    ¡°But Luzia cannot refute them.¡± jos, perhaps due to staring at theputer for too long, had tired eyes. ¡°She has been married twice, this being her second time as a widow. And in both marriages, she did not have any children.¡±


    ¡°She has had children before.¡± Vivian argued. ¡°You know the facts better than I do.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she has been pregnant.¡± jos stopped working, rubbing his forehead wearily. ¡°But even until her two husbands passed away, she still wasn¡¯t able to bear a child for them. ¡®Being pregnant¡¯ is not enough to dispel the rumors.¡±


    ¡°How can this be!¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes turned red with anger. ¡°Luzia must be very sad.¡±


    ¡°Luzia will handle it, she is not a child anymore.¡± jos¡¯s reaction was calm. ¡°If she wants something, she must first sacrifice something.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Vivian didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Are you doing something behind my back? Or like Luzia¡¯s father, do you also want to use Luzia for an alliance?¡±


    ¡°If the family needs it, Luzia still has value, so she must make sacrifices for the family¡¯s benefit.¡± jos said.


    ¡°jos!¡± Vivian looked horrified. ¡°What if it was our daughter? If the Hargrave family also needs her for an alliance, would you make her make such sacrifices?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s body trembled, and the baby in the nearby chair was awakened by their argument, starting to cry.


    Vivianforted the child, and the argument between the two seemed to quiet down because of the daughter. But Vivian¡¯s tightly pursed lips indicated her lingering anger.


    ¡°Hey, what are you thinking, Vivian?¡± jos didn¡¯t miss Vivian¡¯s slight movements, and he chuckled. ¡°Have you forgotten everything I told you, Vivian? Am I someone who doesn¡¯t keep promises for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s fluctuating emotions made her thoughts dull. She told herself to rx but struggled to do so.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± jos reached out his hand to her.


    Did she cry?


    Vivian blinked, tears falling from her eyes, wiped away by jos¡¯s rough fingertips.


    ¡°I have the ability to protect her and prevent her from being a family sacrifice. You have to trust me, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Vivian whispered, ¡°My father also has the ability to protect me.¡± Yet she became a tool for family alliances.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m like Bryson?¡± jos said, reaching across her to pinch their daughter¡¯s cheek, sessfully making the babyugh.


    ¡°No!¡± Vivian grabbed his hand, frantically refuting, ¡°You are not like him. You are my beloved.¡± I would never fall in love with someone as despicable as my father.


    The car slowly stopped in the vi¡¯s parking area. jos kissed away the tears at the corner of Vivian¡¯s eyes, helping her carry Dhanna out of the car. Although, as a mafia Capo, holding a baby might damage his dignity, jos believed this was what a real man should do.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Luzia.¡± jos whispered softly in her ear. ¡°She may be upset about her father¡¯s actions, but she knows what she wants. You have to believe her, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Vivian forced herself to focus on her daughter and other guests, but Luzia¡¯s father was too active, even beyond the youth of the family, setting his sights on Noah.


    Vivian felt angry and wanted to question why Luzia¡¯s father couldn¡¯t ask for Luzia¡¯s opinion?


    But jos handed over the child to Vivian, ¡°Dhanna seems hungry, and you¡¯ve had a long day. Why don¡¯t you both rest?¡±


    While jos seemed to be asking for Vivian¡¯s opinion, his hand was already on her shoulder, forcefully turning her towards the stairs. Vivian naturally understood the importance of today for Dhanna. Even giving Luzia face, Vivian couldn¡¯t embarrass Luzia¡¯s father publicly.


    jos was familiar with holding a baby, and Dhanna didn¡¯t cry or fuss in his arms. She was tired, her small eyes barely open.


    ¡°You¡¯re so good today.¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t resist her baby¡¯s needs, crying slightly and taking Dhanna from jos¡¯s arms,forting her softly. Luzia followed her, helping bring the child¡¯s things upstairs.


    As soon as they closed the door, Luzia heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Dhanna is my lucky star, she saved me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really embarrassing, did you see how they looked at me, Vivian?¡± Luzia shook off the embarrassment downstairs and rxed again, leaving Vivian puzzled.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Vivian was a bit slow to react. ¡°Were you pretending?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Luzia sighed, her father¡¯s actions also causing her distress. ¡°The rumors outside have spread like that, and my father hasn¡¯t given up his ns for me. He¡¯s very stubborn.¡± Luzia could understand her father¡¯s behavior because she knew him well.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Her father believed that daughters were tools for alliances. As long as she had no husband, no children, she still had value for alliances, until her husband no longer died, or she bore a child for one of her husbands.


    It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t sad, she had just experienced sadness so many times that it no longer affected her.


    ¡°What are you going to do then?¡± Vivian knew Luzia¡¯s father was also influential in Houston. If he insisted on finding a new husband for Luzia, not even jos could stop him.


    Vivian unbuttoned her cor, feeding Dhanna and watching her tiny face, able to ignore all worries and anxieties.


    She felt more and more capable of being a mother.


    ¡°Of course, I will let him know that I ampletely devoid of any value to him.¡± Luzia leaned against Dhanna¡¯s crib, gently poking her chubby cheek with a finger. ¡°She¡¯s so cute.¡±


    Vivian swatted her hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t wake her up.¡±


    Sitting next to Luzia, Vivian asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell him about you and Mare, you like Mare, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Like is not a necessary condition for everything, Vivian.¡± Luzia hugged her knees, resting her head. ¡°Not everyone is as lucky as Festus.¡±


    ¡°Why not give it a try?¡± Vivian encouraged her. ¡°I heard Shelley say that Festus volunteered to marry Shelley in ce of Emmert.¡±


    ¡°That was in a situation where the Benoist and Rosente families were of simr status.¡± Luzia exined to Vivian. ¡°Benoist is the first family after Hargrave, and Rosente is the second family. Their marriage was a result of mutual interest. But don¡¯t forget, I am Luzia Hargrave.¡±

 Chapter 188

    ¡°My grandfather and jos¡¯ grandfather were close brothers, and he was a trusted aide to two Capos. Later, when my grandfather passed away, my father inherited his position and became Kamden¡¯s right-hand man,¡± Luzia said. ¡°Even though Simpson has taken over his position now, he still has a say in Houston¡¯s management.¡±


    ¡°But Mare is different. Mare¡¯s family, though not small in Houston, is not enough in front of Hargrave. My father would never agree to me marrying him. If he finds out about us, he will kill Mare,¡± she continued.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± Vivian asked anxiously. ¡°You¡¯ve already missed out once, are you nning to miss out on the second chance as well?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luzia didn¡¯t lie to Vivian, she truly didn¡¯t know. She didn¡¯t even know what Mare was thinking, would he be willing to risk everything for her?


    Luzia¡¯s confusion was genuine, and it saddened Vivian. She knew Joseph was aplete thug, and Luzia had suffered abuse in this marriage. So Vivian always thought that as long as Luzia could get rid of Joseph, end this marriage, she would finally find happiness.


    But reality dealt Vivian a loud p. Luzia not only didn¡¯t find happiness, but also once again fell into the unfortunate fate of being treated as amodity.


    What should be done to help Luzia out of this predicament?


    Dhanna had finished nursing and fallen asleep deeply, oblivious to the luncheon downstairs ending and most guests departing; the child remained silent in her sweet dreams.


    Vivian secured Dhanna in her baby seat before having Diego¡¯s car prepared to return to the penthouse apartment.


    Luzia and Mare walked together with her, while jos stood next to Noah; they still had business to discuss.


    ¡°I will be backter; you go and rest,¡± jos kissed Vivian¡¯s forehead and bid her goodbye.


    Back in the apartment, Vivian took Dhanna to the master bedroom, as her nursery was not yet fully furnished, so her crib had to be temporarily ced in the master bedroom.


    ¡°Perhaps we should finish setting up the nursery sooner,¡± Luzia suggested. ¡°jos is too busy, and he will be busy until Dhanna grows up.¡±


    ¡°Then we can skip the nursery and go straight to decorating her children¡¯s room,¡± Vivian joked.


    ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, be a good mother,¡± Luzia weakly mocked. ¡°Dhanna also needs her own room.¡±


    ¡°What can we do?¡± Vivian was also frustrated. ¡°You know how much jos cares about Dhanna, he insists on personally setting up her nursery. And if we help himplete it, we¡¯ll rob him of that opportunity, and he¡¯ll be upset.¡±


    Dhanna¡¯s nursery was arranged next to the master bedroom, which was also jos¡¯ idea, to allow him to check on Dhanna¡¯s condition at any time. If Dhanna was hungry or cried, he could respond immediately.


    ¡°Is this the little princess¡¯s room?¡± Luzia eximed at the walls filled with a cartoon world, soft nkets on the floor, decorative lights and cards piled up. Dhanna¡¯s y area was already set up with Barbie dolls and plush toys. ¡°Dhanna is truly blessed. This is a limited edition.¡±


    Luzia envied sincerely, looking at Vivian, ¡°jos must be a good father.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Vivian sighed and took off her shoes, entering the room barefoot. She sorted through the cards strewn on the floor and found an ¡®a,¡¯ ¡°But Dhanna is a girl. Her future fills me with worry.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Luzia asked.


    ¡°Like us, she is a Mafia girl. Mafia girls are never free; they are imprisoned under the glory of their fathers and brothers, shackled by the bonds that maintain family alliances, forced to be gifts of trade.¡±


    Vivian had fallen into such a fate before, but luckily, she found jos, who was willing to say ¡®love¡¯ to her.


    In contrast to her, Luzia had faced two unfortunate marriages and was now forced into a third one.


    Vivian was scared. She now feared that Dhanna wouldn¡¯t have her luck and might end up as unfortunate as Luzia.


    ¡°But jos is different; he says ¡®love¡¯ to you, he says ¡®love¡¯ to Dhanna, something Mafia men can¡¯t do,¡± Luzia squeezed Vivian¡¯s hand, as if her grip could strengthen her conviction. ¡°He promised you that Dhanna wouldn¡¯t be a ¡®gift,¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± Viviancked faith. ¡°The future is long, who knows what it will turn into in a decade or so?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just creating problems for yourself,¡± Luzia said. ¡°You can¡¯t control the future, but you can influence the present. Every doubt, suspicion, only hurts jos.¡±


    ¡°jos has made changes difficultly; think about how much life and death you endured to arrive at such a change. Don¡¯t let your worries ruin it, okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± Vivian also reflected on herself.


    The future was long, and Dhanna was still young. Vivian couldn¡¯t keep carrying these doubts and worries, as it would not only affect Dhanna¡¯s healthy growth but also harm jos.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to me yourself, miss. I know you¡¯ve gone through a lot, but just as I have experienced all the misfortunes, I believe the Lord will let his faithful followers achieve good results,¡± Luzia said devoutly. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte; I should go back to sleep. Rest early, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Luzia,¡± they bid farewell at the doorway of the nursery.


    Vivian returned to her room, and Dhanna was already awake. The fully rested infant energetically waved her arms and legs, babbling incoherently to the air.


    ¡°Hello, sweetie, you¡¯re awake,¡± Vivian teased her with a doll. The little baby stared at her with her light brown eyes and suddenlyughed, reaching out with her chubby hands to grab her mother¡¯s golden hair.


    Vivian yed with her for a while and checked the time; it was close to midnight. The downstairs was quiet, and there was no phone ringing.


    Hadn¡¯t jos finished work yet?


    Vivianforted Dhanna for a while, as the infant slept a lot during the day but was difficult to soothe at night. Vivian wanted to freshen up but Dhanna refused to sleep.


    She hesitated between asking Luzia to help watch the child or leaving her alone in the crib to y. Before reaching the decision, she heard a scream from Luzia, followed by the forceful push of a door and gunshots.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Luzia!


    The chaotic sounds startled Vivian, her heart pounding frantically. She instinctively wanted to rush out to check on Luzia, but she knew she wasn¡¯t capable enough. Recklessly running out would not only fail to help Luzia but also burden Mare.


    After brief consideration, Vivian retrieved a gun hidden under the pillow, holding Dhanna as she retreated into the bathroom.


    Dhanna was still too young toprehend what was happening, unaware of the danger approaching them. She was well-behaved, even if loud gunshots were heard outside, she just blinked her eyes, grinned with her toothless gums, and babbled tofort her mother.

 Chapter 189

    ¡°Good girl.¡± Vivian lowered her head to kiss the little girl¡¯s cheek, holding her tighter. She had rushed out without taking her phone, needing to seek help from jos.


    Is Luzia okay? Is Mare okay?


    Luziay on the ground, feeling a numb pain in her tailbone that kept her from getting up, with two bloody bodies lying next to her, the very people who had just tried to abduct her.


    Fear drained the color from her face, making her tremble at every sound until she heard Mare¡¯s voice.


    Luzia looked up to see Mare running towards her in pajamas, holding a gun, a look of fear on his usually expressionless face.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Mare reached her, worried that she might be injured.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Luzia wrapped her arms around Mare¡¯s neck, and he lifted her up, checking her for injuries. ¡°Can you stand?¡±


    After the numbness in her tailbone subsided, and the numbness in her lower body gradually faded, Luzia¡¯s panic finally subsided a bit. She stood, leaning against the hallway wall. ¡°I¡¯m not hurt. Who were they?¡±


    Mare uncovered the faces of the two bodies, illuminating them with the dim corridor lights. Mare recognized their identities after a moment. ¡°Lopaka and his men.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Lopaka.¡± Mare searched the bodies.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Mare found a note in the dead man¡¯s pocket, filled with names.


    Luzia nced at it, all familiar names.


    ¡°Luzia, jos, Vivian, Vilem, Simpson¡­¡±


    ¡°Is this a hit list?¡± Luzia covered her mouth in horror, seeing her name at the top, ¡°Why?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Mare¡¯s face darkened significantly. He barely restrained himself from tearing up the note. ¡°Lopaka was loyal to Joseph, offering him hisplete loyalty.¡± His hatred towards Luzia surpassed even the act of killing Joseph by jos, which was understandable since Luzia was Joseph¡¯s wife. To Lopaka, Luzia was a traitor, someone who conspired with jos to kill her husband.


    ¡°Is there a third person?¡± Luzia¡¯s voice trembled. She looked around, shadows cast by the dim hallway lights filling every corner. Nervously, she felt as if an assassin with cold eyes lurked in each corner.


    ¡°Is there a third person?¡± Mare cursed silently, pulling out his phone to contact the guards outside the apartment.


    Luzia had no answer.


    If Mare didn¡¯t see him and couldn¡¯t kill him, did he escape? Where did he go?


    ¡°Where¡¯s Vivian? Where¡¯s Vivian?¡± Luzia felt her legs weaken, gripping Mare¡¯s sleeve to prevent herself from falling again.


    ¡­


    A sudden knocking at the door startled Vivian, sending chills up her spine. Her hands moved faster than her thoughts, raising the gun towards the door.


    Instinctively, as a mother, Vivian was afraid, but her gaze was steady, her hand holding the gun steady.


    She wouldn¡¯t let herself be passive like two months ago, she would kill anyone who tried to harm her.


    As she saw the doorknob turning, her breathing quickened, her finger almost pressing the trigger.


    ¡°Are you okay, Vivian? Vivian?¡± Mare¡¯s increasingly urgent knocking echoed, with no response from inside the room. He realized something was wrong and tried to open the locked door.


    Unable to open it, he knew it was locked.


    ¡°Mare?¡± Vivian sighed in relief, cautiously asking.


    Outside the door was Luzia¡¯s voice, indicating that things were resolved.


    ¡°Vivian, it¡¯s me, I¡¯m Luzia.¡± Luzia approached and knocked on the door, ¡°Are you okay? Is Dhanna okay?¡±


    Confirming that it was Mare and Luzia at the door, Vivian¡¯s heart finally rxed. She unlocked and opened the door, her eyes red. ¡°Are you okay, Luzia? You scared me.¡±


    ¡°Lopaka¡¯s men tried to abduct me, but Mare saved me, and now everything is fine.¡± Luzia replied.


    Suddenly hearing Lopaka¡¯s name, Vivian, still not fully rational, didn¡¯t react at first. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Lopaka.¡± Mare exined the situation to Vivian, his expression serious. ¡°He¡¯s back in Houston, but our people have no trace of him.¡±


    ¡°Someone helped him.¡± After hearing Mare¡¯s ount, Vivian quickly made her judgment.


    There couldn¡¯t be a second reason besides someone helping him.


    ¡°Is Dhanna okay?¡± Luzia looked at the baby in Vivian¡¯s arms. The baby, with bright eyes, smiled cutely at her. ¡°Look at this little one, she¡¯s so lively.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s unusually brave.¡± Vivian said with a wry smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to be a little brave; our Dhanna will surely be a talented girl in the future, right?¡± Luzia joked while ying with the baby, slowly rxing her tense nerves.


    ¡°Have you called jos?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call him now.¡± Mare went to find his phone.


    jos returned promptly upon receiving the message, apanied by Noah, Simpson, who were workingte together, and Emmert, who was called back to help Mare check the security around the apartment.


    As Vilem was also on Lopaka¡¯s hit list, Vivian was calling Kasin to ensure the security around Vilem¡¯s hospital room.


    They sat together on the sofa, each with a grim expression as they stared at the list spread out on the coffee table.


    ¡°Without a doubt, the person who helped Lopaka must be Mark.¡± Simpson said angrily. After Joseph¡¯s death, Los Angeles fell into chaos, with Bryson disappearing from his hiding ce in the vi, along with Mark, who took Bryson¡¯s followers and a significant amount of property.


    Los Angeles became weak without part of its armed forces, and Barron¡¯s Bratva was advancing aggressively. With the loss of property that provided wages, Los Angeles¡¯ remaining armed forces were copsing from within.


    Barron intensified his attacks on Los Angeles, and soon, Los Angeles would be Bratva¡¯s territory.


    ¡°He abandoned Los Angeles, gave up the direct confrontation with Bratva, and aimed his guns at Houston.¡± Simpson cursed loudly, ¡°Cowards, all of them!¡±

 Chapter 190

    ¡°Mark is a more clever decision-maker, and he is the undisputed soul of the Los Angeles Mafia,¡± Noah, Houston¡¯s current ally, calmly analyzed the situation. ¡°His methods may be even more sophisticated than Bryson¡¯s. Can you feel it, jos?¡±


    jos remained silent, but he understood what Noah was talking about.


    Mark set up a big game, perhaps starting it after Bryson was critically injured. Regardless of Bryson¡¯s life or death, Mark was not as loyal to Joseph as he appeared.


    While using sweet words to pacify Joseph, who was eager to kill Bryson and win the Capo position, Mark set traps and used various contradictions to stir up chaos, escaping in the confusion.


    Even more cunningly, Mark seemed to have predicted that when he took Bryson and the assets away, Los Angeles would be in dire straits, and jos would definitelye to Los Angeles¡¯s aid.


    It was inevitable. Although jos was happy to see Bryson¡¯s power crumble, the growing power of the Bratva would also pose a problem for him.


    Sending elite soldiers, reallocating assets to help Los Angeles, supporting Vilem to take the Capo¡¯s throne seemed to be jos¡¯s only choice. After all, only Vilem would strive to maintain the alliance between Los Angeles and Houston because of Vivian. Any change in leadership could lead to the rise of another Bryson or Joseph.


    Knowing that jos woulde to help Los Angeles, Houston¡¯s forces would weaken, allowing Mark to find an escape route.


    Mark found a loophole and enticed the fleeing Lopaka, sneaking into the penthouse under the cover of darkness, only to meet his end at Mare¡¯s gun.


    jos¡¯s face turned ashen. ¡°I have only one question.¡±


    ¡°What question?¡±


    ¡°Is Bryson still alive?¡± jos asked.


    Vivian, on the other side of the living room, put down the phone, looking at them with a mournful expression. She couldn¡¯t exin her feelings. Was she hoping her father was alive or dead? Did her father know about the hit list Lopaka nned? Did he know her and Vilem¡¯s names were on it?All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m so conflicted,¡± Vivian covered her face and whispered to Luzia, ¡°I will be sad if he¡¯s dead, he is my father. But if he¡¯s alive, all of this is a conspiracy between him and Mark, which would be terrifying.¡±


    ¡°This means he not only abandoned me and Vilem, he even abandoned Joseph,¡± Vivian said fearfully. ¡°Power is a terrible thing; perhaps I never truly understood my father.¡± Her father was colder and more ruthless than she imagined; Vivian shuddered.


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, Vivian.¡± Luzia ced Dhanna in her arms, the baby¡¯s soft, warm bodyforting her. ¡°Look, Dhanna is looking at you, don¡¯t worry her, okay?¡±


    Vivian looked down at Dhanna¡¯s big eyes, her heart softening uncontrobly into a warm mush.


    The men in the living room finished discussing matters. It was already three in the morning; Vivian¡¯s eyes were tired, but the little one in her arms was still full of energy.


    jos took her from Vivian¡¯s arms; his gloomy expression vanished instantly. ¡°Look at her, big eyes.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore,¡± Vivian rubbed her eyes. ¡°She looks like she¡¯ll stay up all night.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of putting her to sleep,¡± jos nudged Vivian gently from the back, indicating the stairs with his chin. ¡°I¡¯ll apany you back to bed.¡±


    Noah and Simpson were also leaving.


    Noah was staying temporarily at a hotel in Houston, his driver would pick him up when needed.


    Simpson, now an adult, had left the mansion where he grew up, just like his brother, buying an apartment near jos¡¯s.


    ¡°Are youing to stay with me?¡± Simpson asked Luzia with concern. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡±


    Lopaka had climbed into Luzia¡¯s balcony through the safe passage. Her room was in disarray, and even if it could still be lived in, Luzia surely didn¡¯t dare to stay here anymore.


    Only Luzia knew the extent of the psychological shadow that the kidnapper had made her wake up from her sleep, and now when she closed her eyes, she could see the terrifying grin Lopaka hid in the darkness.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Luzia swallowed hard, her gaze subconsciously drifting towards Mare. Of course, she wanted to go with Simpson, but she knew tonight was destined to be a nightmare. An empty room could not soothe her frightened soul; she craved for someone else¡¯s affection and warmth.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Luzia took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound less shaky, ¡°I will move to another guest room, no need to worry.¡±


    Luzia¡¯s refusal surprised Simpson. Based on his understanding of Luzia, she should be begging him to take her away from here before he even spoke. Why did she now choose to stay?


    Simpson was puzzled, but Lopaka was already dead, and jos had increased the security level of the apartment. Staying here was indeed safer than going to his apartment, so Simpson didn¡¯t think too much about it.


    ¡°Okay, get some rest,¡± Simpson gestured with a wave of his hand and left.


    The people in the living room dispersed, leaving only Luzia and Mare.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Luzia¡¯s hands involuntarily folded in front of her, feeling a bit uneasy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs,¡± Mare said. ¡°Which room do you want to stay in? I¡¯ll help you tidy up.¡±


    Luzia looked at his retreating figure, gritted her teeth, and then pounced on him. ¡°I want to stay in your room, is that okay?¡±


    Mare was pushed forward by her sudden move, his hand pping on the railing, making a crisp sound. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ll go sleep in the guest room¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I just want to sleep with you!¡± Luzia turned his face towards her, making him look into her eyes. ¡°Tell me, what are you thinking?¡±


    Luzia was too close, and Mare¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Mare chose to avoid, but Luzia insisted on him facing her. ¡°You saw it today; my father has already started looking for my third suitor. What do you think? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Noah is a very good choice, a talented young man, surpassing many sessful people in Houston¡­¡± Mare replied hesitantly.


    Luzia sneered, ¡°My skin is not that thick. To let such an outstanding man like Mr. Noah ept a widow like me who has been married twice and can¡¯t bear children¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± Before Luzia finished her self-deprecating words, Mare interrupted her. ¡°You are the best girl; Paavo¡¯s and Joseph¡¯s deaths have nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t be bothered by rumors.¡±


    ¡°You heard them too,¡± tears welled up in Luzia¡¯s eyes as she cried sorrowfully. ¡°They are not wrong. I am a ¡®cursed widow,¡¯ I am incapable of bearing children. If you want to break up with me, I won¡¯t me you¡­¡±

 Chapter 191

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you avoiding me then? Why are you indifferent to my father¡¯s actions?¡± Luzia¡¯s sobbing finally sounded somewhat genuine.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Mare tried to exin in frustration, but all exnations seemed powerless and futile in the face of reality. ¡°Mr. Hargrave¡¯s decision is one that no one can change.¡±


    ¡°Then you just gave up?¡± Luzia red at him with red eyes.


    ¡°No, I¡­ I was afraid that you would resist Mr. Hargrave, and he would punish you. I can die, but I can¡¯t let you get hurt because of me,¡± Mare said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just useless. I don¡¯t have the status to stand shoulder to shoulder with Hargrave, nor the ability of Festus. I¡¯m destined not to earn Mr. Hargrave¡¯s approval.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But I love you, Mare.¡± Luzia hugged him tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to make my father ept us, please don¡¯t give up on me, okay?¡±


    Mare lowered his head, resting it against her forehead. ¡°I love you, Luzia.¡±


    ¡°Love me, Mare.¡±


    Their breaths mingled, the sound of water softly echoing, in the bright living room, in the dimly lit room.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t help but let out a gasp, the bedsheets beneath her hands crumpled as jos¡­ Hmm, jos¡­


    Vivian covered jos¡¯ head with her hands, halting his next move. ¡°No, Dhanna is¡­ Ah¡­¡±


    The soft spot beneath her was taken into jos¡¯ mouth, his agile tongue teasing the trembling flesh due to pleasure, desire seeping into Vivian¡¯s body from his tongue, stimting a sensitive spot.


    As the tide of emotions gathered and surged, finally reaching a climax, Vivian let out a passionate scream as it cascaded like a flood bursting through a dam, flowing into jos¡¯ mouth.


    jos savored the sweet taste, lifting Vivian¡¯s legs to each side of his waist. Vivian instinctively closed her legs, invitingly raising her soft waist at a higher angle, presenting a watery and beautiful area to jos.


    jos was in the midst of heightened desire, unable to resist this temptation, he pressed against Vivian, slowly entering her body with his fullness.


    The sudden fullness made Vivian ufortable, and she twisted her waist unconsciously, seeking a gentler treatment. jos, already consumed by desire, was afraid she might escape, so he firmly held her waist, thrusting deeply to the bottom.


    Vivian gasped as she was pushed upward, broken moans escaping with each movement. Her gaze uncontrobly flickered towards the lit bathroom, ¡°Slow¡­ Slow down, Dhanna¡­¡±


    ¡°Look at me.¡± jos felt frustrated by Vivian¡¯s apparent distraction, intensifying his movements.


    Vivian¡¯s already fragileposure shattered as the ambiguous moans and creaking sounds continued for more than two hours, only stopping when the baby, unable to contain her physical desires in her sleep, began to cry loudly.


    The baby¡¯s cries left the new parents somewhat flustered. Vivian leaned against the bed, watching jos, covered in sweat, changing the baby¡¯s diaper and wiping her bottom with a smile.


    ¡°We should hire a nanny for her.¡± jos had be adept at these tasks, but he felt it would shorten their time together. By the time he finished tidying up, Dhanna had finished drinking milk in Vivian¡¯s arms, now peacefully asleep.


    He patted the baby¡¯s little bottom, mumbling, ¡°At least someone should be able to apany her at night, change her diapers, mix the milk powder, and so on.¡±


    Vivian burst the bubbles formed by her daughter in her sleep, not responding to jos¡¯ words.


    jos didn¡¯t continue his speech. The events in Hawaii had left an indelible shadow on Vivian, making her wary of outsourcing the care of her child. If the child was handed to an unfamiliar rtive for more than ten minutes, she would be restless. She was too nervous, almost neurotic.


    But jos understood her mood. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to correct her, continuously telling himself that everything would be better once Dhanna grew a little older.


    The topic of hiring a nanny was swept under the rug. Vivian fell asleep around six, waking up at eleven. In the meantime, Mare had taken Luzia home.


    Haylee had prepared avish lunch for them, but only jos and Vivian sat at the table.


    ¡°Where are Luzia and Mare?¡± Vivian asked in surprise. ¡°Haven¡¯t they woken up yet?¡±


    ¡°Luzia went back home.¡± jos stirred the bolognese pasta, serving it in front of Vivian. ¡°Her mother found out aboutst night, and she kept calling Luzia toe home. I had Mare take her home.¡±


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Vivian felt worried. ¡°Isn¡¯t her father opposed to her going back?¡±


    ¡°He may say a few words, but it¡¯s okay. Luzia can handle it.¡± jos said. ¡°I need to go out soon to discuss business with Noah. Emmert wille to take you to the hospital, with Dhanna. Does that work for you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Vivian twirled the pasta with her fork, taking a delicious bite. Haylee¡¯s cooking was still excellent. ¡°Vilem has been transferred to a normal ward; I can take Dhanna to see him. He has been looking forward to meeting Dhanna for the first time, he will be happy. The doctor said a cheerful mood is good for his recovery.¡±


    ¡°Then go, and be careful.¡± jos advised.


    After lunch, jos put on his coat and went out to negotiate business, while Vivian returned to her room. With Haylee¡¯s help, she packed some essentials that Dhanna might need.


    Diapers, milk powder, baby bottles, pacifiers, bibs, and a change of clothes; the bag was packed to the brim.


    Vivian looked at the bag, now slightly deformed from all the things inside, andmented, ¡°It seems that Dhanna really needs a backpack of her own.¡±


    Haylee chuckled beside her, ¡°Mr. Simpson also bought her a small stroller, which you should take. Children always cling to adults, making them tired easily.¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness Emmert ising to pick us up, otherwise going out would be quite a hassle.¡± Vivian booped Dhanna¡¯s nose, teasing her. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, sweetie?¡±


    Dhanna didn¡¯t understand, she only knew that her mother was ying with her, responding with babbling noises.


    At one in the afternoon, Emmert arrived in his sports car. He marveled at Vivian¡¯s numerous bags and swiftly helped her load everything into the car.


    Today, Emmert was not only Vivian¡¯s driver but also her bodyguard. So, after dropping Vivian off at the hospital, Emmert didn¡¯t immediately leave but apanied Vivian to Vilem¡¯s ward.


    Vilem¡¯s condition was gradually improving. As he recovered, he finally could leave the monitors that had watched over him day and night and move to a regr ward on the top floor.


    This wasn¡¯t Vivian¡¯s first time in this ward, but it was Dhanna¡¯s, and she received a warm wee from Vilem.


    Vilem was an excellent soldier, skilled in killing but not in holding babies. Vivian adjusted his posture several times until Dhanna didn¡¯t cry.


    ¡°She¡¯s so small, so soft,¡± Vilem held Dhanna awkwardly in a rigid manner, causing Dhanna to wriggle ufortably in his arms. ¡°She¡¯s as soft as tofu,¡± Vilem wasn¡¯t exaggerating; he was afraid to hold her too tightly, fearing she might break with a slight squeeze.

 Chapter 192

    ¡°Rx, Vilem,¡± Vivian once again helped him adjust his posture, ¡°She won¡¯t befortable if you keep like this.¡±


    Vilem tilted his head, struggling to listen to Vivian.


    Not long ago, Vilem underwent another surgery. This surgery went smoothly, and his recovery was as expected. His left ear started to hear faint sounds, but his right ear waspletely deaf.


    This was the best health oue the doctors could achieve for Vilem.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Vivian.¡± Due to his almost deafness, Vilem¡¯s voice was slightly affected. He spoke slowly and with difficulty, ¡°It¡¯s already, good.¡±


    From being unconscious to waking up, from the ICU to the regr ward, from initial disbelief to fainting several times, Vilem couldn¡¯t even be hysterical when his injuries were the worst. Until today, he had already epted the fact of his deafness.


    ¡°Did the doctor talk to you about the follow-up treatment for your left ear?¡± Vivian couldn¡¯t bear to see Vilem struggling to listen, so she slowed down her speech and wrote on a whiteboard.


    Vilem¡¯s hands had also undergone several surgeries, and although his fingers could move, the writing was wobbly and very challenging, ¡°It will be fine.¡±


    Vilem said briefly, ¡°Continued treatment, recovery, and I won¡¯t need a hearing aid.¡±


    ¡°You need to cooperate with the doctor, take your medication, and rest properly,¡± Vivian said.


    Vilem¡¯s cast had not been removed yet, and even the slightest movement was a burden for an injured person. Vivian insisted on bringing Dhanna to him from his arms.


    Vilem was reluctant, and he stared at Dhanna longingly.


    Vivian carried Dhanna to his bedside so he could see his niece up close.


    Vilem gently squeezed Dhanna¡¯s hand, her tiny fingers wrapping around his index finger, surprisingly strong.


    Dhanna was not shy at all. When she saw Vilem, she even smiled brightly, a smile like an angel that seemed to heal all of Vilem¡¯s pains.


    ¡°Is Luzia okay?¡± Vilem had already heard from Kasin about the abductionst night. ¡°Being so bold in jos¡¯s ce, Mark is arrogant, and Lopaka is just foolish.¡±


    ¡°Lopaka is reckless, but Mark isn¡¯t. Mark is the most terrifying mastermind behind all of this.¡± Recallingst night, Vivian shuddered. She couldn¡¯t imagine what horrifying things would have happened if it weren¡¯t for Mel, or if Luzia hadn¡¯t screamed for help, and Mel hadn¡¯t heard it.


    ¡°What do you think the likelihood is that our father is still alive?¡± Vivian finally asked the question she had been holding onto for a long time.


    ¡°What?¡± Vilem suspected he misheard because of his hearing impairment, his voice rising, ¡°Did jos tell you that our father is still alive?¡±


    ¡°No, they are also specting.¡± Vivian said with concern, ¡°Only jos saw our injured father, he couldn¡¯t disguise it, but Mark¡¯s actions are suspicious. This might be a huge conspiracy, and both Joseph and us are being deceived.¡±


    Vilem knew this suspicion was not unfounded. He knew how cunning his father Bryson was. With Joseph, who was considered the heir by their father, dead and with continuous Bratva attacks, Los Angeles was in a prolonged state of chaos.


    If this was indeed their father¡¯s scheme, then from the current results, it was undoubtedly a failure.


    Is it really like this?


    Given what Vilem knew about Bryson, he felt there was a bigger conspiracy waiting for them.


    ¡°Be careful, Vivian,¡± Vilem warned Vivian solemnly, ¡°Until we confirm our father¡¯s scheme, stay with Dhanna in the safe zone jos designated, don¡¯t wander around, and don¡¯te to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m worried about you.¡± Hearing Vilem say that, Vivian had a bad feeling. Vilem also felt that the possibility of their father being alive was greater.


    She was filled with anxiety. Could their father still be alive? Did he feign injury, set traps, but end up killing Joseph, making himself a fleeing traitor? Didn¡¯t he want his rights? Did he abandon his loyal followers?


    Vivian was full of doubts and couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°We can stay in touch via phone, send videos.¡± Vilem¡¯s tone was firm. Nothing was more important than Vivian and Dhanna¡¯s safety. ¡°jos works hard, don¡¯t cause him trouble, Vivian.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Vivian, holding Dhanna, sighed, feeling dejected, ¡°But where is truly safe? If Lopaka can break into jos¡¯s apartment and abduct Luzia, it proves that the apartment is also not safe.¡±


    ¡°As long as the conditions allow, the mafia can infiltrate anywhere and kill anyone. You understand this better than I do, right?¡± Vilem was momentarily speechless in the face of Vivian¡¯s question. In his reckless youth, he had also said things like, ¡°There is no absolutely safe ce in the world, only ces the mafia doesn¡¯t want to go,¡± and now he believed it to be true. But now he had to convince Vivian to follow the arrangements.


    ¡°Even for Dhanna¡¯s protection.¡± Vilem squeezed Dhanna¡¯s chubby little hand, trying to persuade Vivian in a negotiating tone, ¡°You don¡¯t want her to be a tool for father to threaten jos, right?¡±


    After the series of events in Hawaii, Vivian had to admit that Vilem was right. Their daughter Dhanna was not only jos¡¯s weak spot but hers as well.


    ¡°But Vilem, how long do we need to hide this time to be safe?¡± Vivian¡¯s speech was too quick, and Vilem listened carefully but still missed some details. Luckily, his keen senses helped him sense Vivian¡¯s feelings of frustration.


    He reached out and touched Vivian¡¯s hair. When they were young, Vilem used tofort Vivian like this when she was upset by their father¡¯s scolding or Joseph¡¯s mockery.


    Although thefort was minimal, having someone by your side naturally made things a lot better.


    Vivian nuzzled Vilem¡¯s palm, feeling like she was a child again. Vilem looked exhausted, and Vivian knew she shouldn¡¯t put too much worry and pressure on him.


    She sighed, ¡°I promise you.¡±


    After having dinner with Vilem, as Vivian prepared to leave the hospital, she ran into Shelley, who seemed to be waiting for her.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is there something you need from me?¡±


    ¡°I just miss my little Dhanna, can Ie and see her?¡± Shelley rolled her eyes sarcastically and said.


    ¡°You cane to the apartment to see Dhanna, there¡¯s no need to follow me to the hospital.¡± Vivian stated the fact.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I apany Festus for his follow-up appointment?¡± Shelley put her hands on her hips.


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Vivian cooperated, ¡°You can continue to apany Festus for his appointment. Dhanna has been out all day and needs to go back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Vivian!¡± Shelley stomped her foot.

 Chapter 193

    As a result, Vivian mischievously smiled at her, and Shelley couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter as they locked eyes.


    Once they had finishedughing, Shelley clearly exined the purpose of their meeting, saying, ¡°I heard that jos had Festus and his hackers searching for a man named Mark within the entire Houston area. Is he one of your father¡¯s men?¡±


    Vivian was somewhat tense. ¡°Did Festus find him?¡±


    Normally, when talking about Festus¡¯s hacking skills, Shelley would boast and brag, but not this time.


    Vivian suddenly felt afraid to know the oue.


    ¡°We found a few leads, with the most recent one¡­¡± Shelley nced at her with concern.


    Vivian looked at her firmly. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Mark¡¯stest whereabouts show that he was in the apartment building when Lopaka broke into jos¡¯s apartmentst night attempting to kidnap Luzia.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± This news struck Vivian with immense force, causing her to feel physically weak.


    So,st night, while she was hiding in the bathroom, thinking she was safe, Mark was lurking somewhere in the apartment building, waiting like a cheetah for the opportunity to strike, observing her and Dhanna¡¯s vulnerable throats.


    ¡°Vivian, are you okay?¡± Shelley helped her sit down on a nearby bench. ¡°Although we¡¯ve lost track of Mark again, rest assured, Festus has confirmed that jos¡¯s apartment is now absolutely secure.¡±


    ¡°Mark is cunning, and we don¡¯t know his specific ns, but he made a very foolish move by recruiting a brute like Lopaka as his aplice,¡± Shelley said. ¡°Lopaka exposed him, and in order to maintain some secrecy, jos and the others believe that Mark willy low for a while before taking action. Until then¡­¡±


    ¡°For how long?¡± Vivian interrupted Shelley¡¯sforting words.


    ¡°What?¡± Shelley didn¡¯t catch on.


    ¡°How long is ¡®for a while¡¯?¡± Vivian¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°A day? Two days? Or a month? Two months?¡±


    Shelley couldn¡¯t provide an answer.


    Vivian¡¯s emotions started to unravel. She tightened her grip on Dhanna¡¯s hand, her voice choking, ¡°Mark is like a time bomb. Only God knows when he will explode.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t dwell on it too much,¡± Shelleyforted her. ¡°The security system at the apartment has been enhanced, and until Mark is caught, security guards will patrol the building 24/7. My father has taken over some of Simpson¡¯s work at the harbor, and for the time being, Simpson and Emmert will move into the apartment to protect you and Dhanna. I believe this appointment wille soon.¡±


    ¡°Vivian, I told you this to raise your awareness. Dhanna is still young, she doesn¡¯t have the ability to protect herself, and you need to be vignt at all times to ensure her safety,¡± Shelley said. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to burden you too much with this.¡±


    ¡°I understand, thank you, Shelley.¡± Vivian looked down at her daughter sleeping peacefully in her arms. She was so adorable and so young. If she fell into Mark¡¯s or her father¡¯s hands¡­


    The image of Bryson¡¯s cruel smile holding a baby in a swaddle immediately shed before Vivian¡¯s eyes, his intentions clear.


    Dhanna would be killed!


    The scene was too brutal and bloody; just thinking about it tore Vivian¡¯s heart apart.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just sit around waiting for the worst.¡± Vivian clenched her lips until the taste of blood filled her mouth. ¡°Instead of letting others control my fate, I¡¯d rather take control myself.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shelley was shocked by Vivian¡¯s impassioned words. If she were to say something like that, it would be understandable, but Vivian¡¯s words¡­


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t act rashly!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Vivian denied, ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°If one day I truly fall into Mark¡¯s clutches with no chance of rescue, I can face death calmly. But I am a mother, and I have a duty to protect my daughter from harm.¡±


    ¡°If we can¡¯t dismantle Mark, who is like a time bomb, let¡¯s detonate him in a controlled environment.¡±


    Vivian¡¯s determined expression indicated to Shelley the crazy decision she had made. Shelley felt like either she or Vivian was losing their mind. ¡°What¡­ what do you want to do?¡±


    Vivian didn¡¯t directly respond to Shelley. ¡°Thank you for telling me this, Shelley. I¡¯m going back now, you should head home too.¡±


    Emmert¡¯s car pulled up at that moment, and Vivian bid farewell to Shelley once more before getting in.


    Shelley couldn¡¯t stop Vivian from leaving, feeling anxious, ¡°I hope nothing bad happens.¡± She hesitated to call Festus, feeling she had caused trouble.


    Unaware of Shelley¡¯s turmoil, Vivian gazed out the window at the bustling streets and crowds, her mind far from calm.


    If her father was truly alive, and if Mark was truly loyal to him, would he truly ept the status quo given her father¡¯s ambitions? Of course not!


    So, what would her father do to change the situation?


    Vivian thought of Lopaka¡¯s hit list.


    Would her father¡¯s goals align with Lopaka¡¯s?Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Lopaka wanted to kill them out of revenge or anger, but what about her father?


    Vivian had experienced Bryson¡¯s ruthlessness and cunning. His intentions couldn¡¯t possibly be as violent and lewd as Lopaka¡¯s.


    So, what were they?


    As the sports car sped through Houston¡¯s streets, heading towards jos¡¯s apartment, Vivian turned to Emmert.


    ¡°Emmert, we have to go to Auntie¡¯s ce.¡±


    Emmert was surprised by Vivian¡¯s sudden request and nced at her through the rearview mirror. ¡°Now?¡±


    Vivian nodded expressionlessly. ¡°Yes, please take me there now.¡±


    ¡°But, jos¡­¡± He was supposed to take you back to the apartment.

 Chapter 194

    ¡°I will talk to jos,¡± Vivian said. As she spoke, she picked up the phone and quickly sent an email to jos.


    jos did not reply immediately, perhaps he was busy. But it didn¡¯t matter, Vivian had made up her mind.


    Seeing Vivian¡¯s resolute attitude, Emmert left a brief message for jos and then turned the car towards Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate.


    It wasn¡¯t early anymore, the sky was slowly darkening, and the streets of Houston were gradually illuminated by streetlights, casting a clear path ahead.


    Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate was located in the outskirts, away from the city center. There weren¡¯t many vehicles on the road with them, so the journey was smooth.


    ¡°Why would Aunt¡¯s security system be the best in the entire mafia?¡± Vivian was puzzled. ¡°The Bratva has always targeted the Capos and their close family members in the mafia. Traditionally, shouldn¡¯t the security system around the Capo be the highest level?¡±


    ¡°Because of Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s husband, Dalon,¡± Emmert exined, observing Vivian through the rearview mirror.


    ¡°Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s husband, Mr. Dalon, is jos¡¯s third uncle. He is a strong and powerful man, both physically and mentally. He was once the strongestpetitor of Kamden Capo. At the age of thirty, he personally trained a formidable bodyguard team, known throughout the mafia as the ¡®steel shields¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Vivian was astonished.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Emmert confirmed Vivian¡¯s guess. ¡°On his deathbed, Mr. Dalon gave this bodyguard team to Mrs. Yazmin.¡±


    ¡°The captain of the bodyguard team was Mr. Dalon¡¯s trusted aide. He led the team to apany Mrs. Yazmin through her sad days and still fulfills his duty now, guarding Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s safety.¡± As he spoke, Emmert¡¯s expression turned regretful. ¡°Unfortunately, the captain of the bodyguard team is a stubborn old man. He is only loyal to Mr. Dalon¡¯s legacy.¡±


    jos had tried to borrow members from this old captain many times, wanting to better protect Vivian and Dhanna. Even Mrs. Yazmin had tried to mediate, but the old captain refused stubbornly, leaving jos with no choice but to give up.


    The sports car slowly entered the estate, and the guards at the gate recognized Emmert, letting them pass without much obstruction.


    Having received the news, Mrs. Yazmin was already waiting at the door of the vi.


    As the car came to a stop, Mrs. Yazmin eagerly approached, waiting for Vivian to carry Dhanna out of the car.


    ¡°Dhanna, my little darling,¡± Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s affection for Dhanna was evident, her eyes sparkling with joy. ¡°Have you missed Auntie? Auntie has missed you so much.¡±


    At the same time, Mrs. Yazmin invited Vivian inside. ¡°Why did you suddenlye over without any notice? I wasn¡¯t prepared at all.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Mrs. Yazmin asked with concern, ¡°Have you eaten? Are you hungry? Shall I ask the kitchen to make something for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten, I ate with Vilem at the hospital. Aunt, please don¡¯t worry.¡± Vivian stopped her.


    ¡°How is Vilem? Is he feeling better?¡± Mrs. Yazmin inquired.


    ¡°He¡¯s much better now. His left ear can already hear some sounds. He needs to rest and follow the treatment.¡± Vivian replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Mrs. Yazmin hugged Dhanna and led them into the warm interior. On the sofa in the living room, there was a woven basket filled with balls of yarn scattered inside.


    Mrs. Yazmin had been knitting when she heard Dhanna had arrived and rushed out.


    Mrs. Yazmin was preparing tea with the help of a maid. Vivian quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother, Aunt, I¡¯m leaving soon.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Mrs. Yazmin didn¡¯t react right away. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡±


    ¡°I brought Dhanna over. Let her stay with you for a few days.¡± Vivian suggested.


    Mrs. Yazmin immediately sensed something amiss. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is something happening? Are you nning to divorce jos?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Aunt. Please don¡¯t worry.¡± Vivian exined, ¡°I am nning a honeymoon trip with jos. Dhanna can¡¯te with us¡­¡±


    Mrs. Seeing Vivian¡¯s face turning slightly red, Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s doubts diminished. She was happy that Vivian and jos had a good rtionship. Since they got married, they had not enjoyed a proper honeymoon together. She understood and said, ¡°That¡¯s fine. If you want to go, go ahead. Leave Dhanna with me, I¡¯ll take good care of her.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Aunt.¡± Vivian looked reluctantly at her child, holding back tears. She didn¡¯t know if this parting would lead to anything else, but she tried not to dwell on it.


    She kissed her child on the forehead, whispering softly in her ear, ¡°Dhanna, mommy has to leave now. Mommy and daddy will always love you.¡±


    Finally, biting her lip, she turned away from her child, saying, ¡°Ah, jos is waiting for me to get back and pack up. I have to go.¡± She quickly turned around, not letting Mrs. Yazmin see her teary eyes.


    ¡°So urgent¡­¡± Mrs. Yazmin observed Vivian¡¯s state with some suspicion, but she didn¡¯t ask further. She held Dhanna¡¯s hand and waved goodbye to Vivian as she got into Emmert¡¯s car.


    Vivian got into the car, closed the door firmly. Her once smiling face now turned cold. She breathed heavily, covering her mouth, unable to stop her tears. ¡°Drive.¡±


    Emmert nced at her but didn¡¯t ask. He started the car as instructed and slowly drove out of the estate.


    ¡°Back to the apartment?¡± Emmert asked.


    ¡°Where is jos?¡± Vivian inquired.


    Emmert nced at the message on the phone and replied, ¡°He¡¯s on his way back to the apartment.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go back to the apartment. Please hurry,¡± Vivian said.


    Emmert silently sent a brief message to jos, exining the situation, then pressed on the gas pedal towards the direction of the apartment.


    jos worked at a port closer to the city than Mrs. Yazmin¡¯s estate. By the time Vivian returned to the apartment, jos had been sitting in the living room for a while.


    Upon hearing themotion at the front door, jos rose abruptly from the sofa in the living room, his gaze shifting from Vivian¡¯s hands to Emmert¡¯s.


    Nothing.


    Where was she?


    ¡°Where¡¯s Dhanna?¡± jos struggled to contain his anger as he questioned.


    Contrary to jos, Vivian remained unexpectedly calm. She replied, ¡°She¡¯s staying at Aunt¡¯s.¡±


    jos felt frustrated that Vivian seemed to be hiding something. Previously, he had agreed to leave their daughter with Aunt to allow Vivian to rest and recuperate, but since bringing their daughter back, she had hardly left her side. Now, sending their daughter over was unusual. It made him feel a bit anxious.


    ¡°What are you nning, Vivian?¡± jos grabbed her shoulders, shaking her gently. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything stupid. I just want to ensure greater safety,¡± Vivian said. ¡°Is my father still alive? What does Mark want to do? Where are they hiding in Houston? We urgently need answers to these questions; we are facing a major crisis.¡±


    ¡°No, Vivian, listen to me. The situation isn¡¯t as bad as you imagine. Mark isn¡¯t that terrifying,¡± jos reassured.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t find him,¡± Vivian pinpointed jos¡¯s sore spot. ¡°He, like my father, has no weaknesses. They are hiding in the dark.¡±


    ¡°We will find him,¡± jos promised.

 Chapter 195

    This time, Vivian chose to shake her head. ¡°I want to believe you, jos, but I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t see that day, and I¡¯m even more afraid that for the next year, two years, or even longer, our Dhanna will have to live under the threat of Mark¡¯s death.¡±


    Vivian was no longerpliant, her stubbornness causing jos a headache. ¡°Dhanna is Capo¡¯s daughter, destined to attract the attention of my enemies, not just Mark, but even the Bratva.¡±


    jos couldn¡¯t control his shout, ¡°You can¡¯t keep me out of these discussions because of this. She¡¯s our daughter, and I¡¯m her father!!¡±


    The harsh reality of what jos said made Vivian want to argue, but she realized she couldn¡¯t.


    Tears welled up in her eyes as Vivian shed tears of helplessness.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vivian, but you need to face the facts. The threat of death is like a dark cloud that will hang over Dhanna¡¯s head for the rest of her life, she is destined to be under the tightest protection.¡±


    At this point, Vivian was almost speechless, and jos embraced her, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault,¡± Vivian shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not ming anyone, but as a mother, I can¡¯t remain indifferent.¡±


    ¡°Help me, jos, let me be the bait.¡±


    Finally, Vivian spoke these words, and jos¡¯ expected reaction was one of anger, ¡°No, I refuse!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t find a better bait than me,¡± Vivian insisted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t see yourself as too important, Vivian,¡± jos said with a stern expression. ¡°You can¡¯t be the key to killing Mark.¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t be the bait today, Mark will kidnap Dhanna tomorrow, making her the key to breaking your defenses. Can you bear that?¡±


    jos clenched his fists, gritting his teeth in hatred. ¡°Dhanna is my weakness, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re my wife, the mother of my child. Protecting you is as much my duty and responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Just having you say that is enough, jos.¡± Vivian gently touched his handsome face. ¡°You¡¯ll arrive in time, won¡¯t let me get hurt, will you?¡±


    ¡°Vivian!¡± jos shouted her name like a warning.


    But Vivian, determined as ever, refused to back down. ¡°Let me go, jos.¡±


    In the end, jos relented. Despite his anger and reluctance, he had to admit that Vivian was indeed the best bait.


    jos was in agony, not wanting to agree to this request. He knew better than anyone the cruelty of the Mafia. However, he found no way to refute it. He stayed silent, but the visible veins on his forehead betrayed his suffering. Vivian returned to the apartment, and instead of immediately removing the security detail, he intensified surveince for a few days, lulling the guards into a false sense of calm. Vivian couldn¡¯t bear it any longer.


    Vivian knew he was still worried, but this wasn¡¯t the solution. So she took the initiative, arranging to meet Luzia at a downtown spa for a massage. She arrived half an hour early, decided to browse nearby first, and let the bodyguards follow her a little more loosely without attracting attention.


    After Luzia was kidnapped by Lopaka, she moved back to live with her mother, and Mare had been protecting her ever since. jos had assigned a new bodyguard to Vivian. This bodyguard had been with Vivian for several days and had be familiar with her way of doing things. He consciously stepped back a few steps, following Vivian as she wandered through various luxury stores, keeping a distance of about three people from her.


    For the past few days, their interaction had been this way, with no mishaps. However, this time, things went wrong. When Vivian felt the unusual atmosphere around her, she felt scared but quickly calmed down. The fish had taken the bait!


    Meanwhile, Simpson disconnected the call and dialed jos¡¯s number. ¡°Vivian has been kidnapped.¡±


    Instantly, jos felt his soul being squeezed on the sofa. He knew Vivian wouldn¡¯t stay quietly in the apartment, but he had prepared for this. Festus quickly tapped away at the keyboard, making a ttering sound. ¡°Target location locked.¡±


    As Festus finished speaking, jos¡¯s solemn voice resounded in the office, ¡°Move!¡± Calmly, jos ryed the message to the armed teams hidden throughout Houston via themunicator. Emmert grabbed his gun, straddled his sleek motorcycle, and shed a victory sign at Simpson. ¡°Wait for my good news.¡±


    Simpson chuckled and loaded the bullets into his clip. ¡°Who¡¯s waiting for whose good news is yet to be seen.¡±


    jos looked up at the darkening sky covered in clouds. The sunlight was fading fast. It was time for him to set off. Vivian was waiting for him!


    A cold ssh of river water hit Vivian¡¯s face, jolting her awake. She then saw Bryson¡¯s calm, usual smile.


    ¡°Good evening, Vivian. My daughter,¡± he greeted her, his tone as calm as if nothing had changed, as if she were still Vivian Jones living in Los Angeles.


    If it weren¡¯t for the pain of the ropes digging into her flesh and the numbness from constricted blood flow, Vivian might have been fooled by his demeanor.


    ¡°Why?¡± Vivian asked in anguish. ¡°Why do this? You already have unparalleled power and wealth. Why do you keep pushing us?¡±


    ¡°Joseph has been plotting my death. He wants to prove his ability by killing me to gain more support from Made Men, but as you can see, he can¡¯t kill me,¡± Bryson said in a t tone. ¡°He is my best heir, and I am willing to give up this position for his glory, but not now.¡±


    ¡°Houston is a good choice, with strong armed forces and arge following. Kamden is not a good leader, reckless and simple-minded, a fool softened by women. The two sons he raised are as weak as him, unworthy to lead Houston¡¯s powerful forces. Letting Joseph be Capo of Houston is the best choice.¡±


    ¡°This is all your wishful thinking! The political power in Houston was originally established by the Hargrave family!¡± Vivian retorted. ¡°Joseph is not fit to be a great leader!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Bryson was enraged by Vivian¡¯s retort, raising his hand to viciously p her. ¡°Joseph is your brother, your family. jos killed him, and you dare to speak up for him!¡±


    ¡°You have handed me over to jos, sacrificed me to help your good son Joseph seize Houston. You have abandoned me!¡± Vivian spat out a bloody mouthful, feeling nauseated by Bryson¡¯s patronizing look.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Daughters cannot be warriors. The family raised you, nurtured you, to await your growth and use your marriage to help your brother obtain stronger alliances and power. You should be proud of this, Vivian.¡±


    Bryson¡¯s condescending expression made Vivian sick to her stomach, her heart already cold and exhausted.


    Tiredly closing her eyes, Vivian felt too weak to argue with him any further. ¡°I wanted to ask you if everything that has happened since your severe injury was all part of your n. Joseph died, Vilem became disabled, Los Angeles fell into chaos, our family became what it is now. Do you ever regret?¡±


    ¡°Regret?¡± Bryson found it amusing. Vivian also found herself ridiculous, how could she expect someone like Bryson to regret? It was absurd, too absurd!


    ¡°You will pay the price for your actions!¡±


    ¡°A price?¡± Bryson found it even more amusing. ¡°By you? Or by jos? Do you really think you two can walk away unscathed? Vivian, you¡¯re really so naive!¡±

 Chapter 196

    Vivian red at him with red eyes, Bryson¡¯s gaze towards Vivian always seemed like he was watching a joke, ¡°I have been thinking, what should I take from you to send to jos, to be more convincing.¡±


    Bryson¡¯s sinister gaze roamed over Vivian, making her feel like a piece of meat on a cutting board, ready to be carved at his will.


    ¡°I believe my lovely granddaughter is called Dhanna, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Although Dhanna was well protected in Lady Yazmin¡¯s estate, Bryson¡¯s shadow was too heavy on her, and hearing the name of her daughter spoken from his mouth made Vivian instinctively lose her bnce.


    Trembling, she bit her lips and clenched her teeth, barely controlling the scream stuck in her throat.


    ¡°I am looking forward to meeting her for the first time. Her fragile cry is the best weapon to break jos¡¯ defenses, I will personally cut open her throat in front of jos, dig out her insides, just like he killed Joseph¡¯s daughter!¡±


    ¡°Ah! Ah!¡± Vivian finally let out a painful scream, she struggled desperately to lunge at Bryson, her once disappointed but innocent eyes now filled with fierce wolfishness, ¡°I will kill you, I will kill you!¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Your eyes are quite something,¡± Bryson admired Vivian¡¯s pain, a smile spreading across the wrinkles on his face, ¡°You have always been weak, just like you and Vilem, you both resemble your mother. This is wrong, I have been trying to tell you in my own way, but both you and Vilem disappoint me.¡±


    ¡°Tasneem passed on her inferior genes to you, she groomed your weakness, she ruined Vilem!¡± Bryson became agitated, ¡°Vilem is a mistake, his existence changes nothing, I lost my heir, but Tasneem is already dead.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand what this means? Tasneem lost the protection of the Davis family, her foolishness sent the guards to Vilem, exposed herself to danger, killing her would be too easy.¡± Bryson gloated in Vivian¡¯s shocked gaze over his n, ¡°When all this is over, I will marry a new bride, a healthy woman capable of perfect procreation, she will bear me a new heir.¡±


    ¡°Bastard!¡± Vivian copsed into tears. Her mother¡¯s whereabouts remained a mystery, the possibility of her demise had already haunted Vivian¡¯s mind a thousand times over, but when this terrible truth came out of Bryson¡¯s mouth, the immense grief drowned her like a sea.


    ¡°Bastard! You son of a b*tch! You will pay for this, you will pay for this!¡± Vivian cursed loudly.


    Bryson grabbed her by the hair, lifting her to his face, ¡°Before I face my reckoning, please fulfill your duties as a hostage. Don¡¯t worry, after jos dies, I will happily send you and your daughter on your way, you will reunite in hell.¡±


    B*stard! Beast!


    Vivian closed her eyes in grief, she did not want to see Bryson¡¯s repulsive face anymore, he killed her mother, allowed Joseph to harm Vilem, and now he wants to kill her, her husband, and daughter, Bryson¡¯s cruelty no longer deserved for her to call him father.


    Vivian¡¯s defiance did not anger Bryson, he needed to discuss the next course of action with Mark ¨C how to make jos willinglyy down his weapons ande alone to meet his end.


    It wasn¡¯t difficult, as jos¡¯ wife was now in their hands. Bryson thought, he had not misjudged, jos, like his father Kamden, was a weak-hearted person, easily swayed by a woman, learning the so-called ¡°love,¡± and then abandoning his duties as a Capo.


    jos would die in a riot just like his father.


    Ah, foolish!


    Just as Bryson was about to find Mark, three loud and brief explosions sounded from outside, chaotic gunshots followed in quick session, mixed with the crude men¡¯s dirty curses.


    Bryson immediately became alert at the sound of explosions, pulling out his gun from his waist, he walked to the closed door to listen for a moment, then quickly returned to Vivian¡¯s side, pointing the gun at her forehead, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    He already seemed to know their n, a look of disbelief in Bryson¡¯s eyes, ¡°jos actually threw you out as bait?¡± This was indeed something Bryson had not anticipated, he thought jos was a genuine romantic, love making him lose his masculinity and most basic judgment.


    Vivian shed a crazed smile, ¡°As long as it leads you to your death, he is capable of anything, as am I.¡±


    ¡°Stupid woman! Do you think he can save you by doing this?¡± Bryson angrily pped Vivian.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I will go to hell with you!¡± Vivianughed maniacally.


    ¡°B*tch! Wh*re!¡± Bryson pulled Vivian up from the ground,menting on jos¡¯ n, ¡°It¡¯s you who will go to hell!¡±


    At that moment, Mark, his face covered in blood and ashes, burst in with people, ¡°We need to leave, now!¡± Mark spat out blood rudely, saying, ¡°jos has surrounded this ce with armed forces, we need to go around the back mountain, there are cars and ammunition there.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, his vulnerability is still in our hands, not afraid of him rushing in.¡± Bryson pushed Vivian forward.


    Vivianughed at Bryson naively, ¡°At this moment, do you really think he cares about me?¡±


    Bryson pressed the gun against the back of her head, urging her to move forward, then said to Mark, ¡°Let¡¯s try it! Send a message to jos, if he wants Vivian to live, he shoulde alone to the back mountain, otherwise, he will see Vivian¡¯s body.¡±


    Vivian was pushed forward by Bryson, staggering along, the cold wind outside blew against her face, the strong smell of gunpowder mixed with blood stung her throat.


    This was a massacre on both sides, bodies strewn across each other showed signs of explosion wounds, blood flowed freely, quickly forming a small stream.


    Vivian couldn¡¯t help but bend over and vomit.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Bryson didn¡¯t even bother to wipe off the blood on his shoes, grabbing Vivian with the help of others, they escaped through another small door, jos¡¯ sudden attack disrupted his n.


    Bryson never doubted that he would emerge victorious, but the feeling of a n gone awry still left a fire in his heart.


    Roughly pushing Vivian into the car, he quickly followed into the back seat, Mark taking the front passenger seat. After the car doors mmed shut with a clunk, the car started.


    Through the rearview mirror, Mark saw jos chasing after them, cursing, ¡°He¡¯sing fast!¡±


    ¡°He dares not be slow, right, Vivian?¡± Bryson pointed the gun at Vivian¡¯s temple.


    Under the threat of death, with the pressure on her temple, Vivian maintained a look of panic, pursing her lips tightly, resisting the urge to answer him.


    Watching the car drive away from that ce, Vivian, who had been kidnapped multiple times, felt this time might be a final farewell.

 Chapter 197

    The driver probably sensed the looming threat of death following the car, so he ignored the bumps in the road and stepped on the gas pedal to speed away.


    Finally arriving at their destination, the driver mmed on the brakes, causing Vivian to be pushed forward by inertia, hitting her head on the passenger seat, causing a sharp pain that made her see stars.


    Dizzy from the impact, Vivian was roughly dragged out of the car by Bryson.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Vivian stumbled and bumped along the way, sporting bruises in several ces, feeling exhausted and in pain. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    Vivian¡¯s voice trailed off as she watched the soldiers emerging from various mounds and trees, their distinct Russian faces signaling trouble.


    Instinctively taking a step back, she was forcefully pushed forward by Bryson, stumbling and falling to the ground.


    Vivian, ignoring the pain, turned angrily to Bryson. ¡°You are indeed a traitor.¡±


    ¡°Remember, Vivian, this is my final lesson to you,¡± Bryson paid no heed to Vivian¡¯s anger. ¡°There are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.¡±


    ¡°jos is amon enemy of Andre and me. Andre provides me with soldiers and weapons to help me seize power in Houston, and I will kill jos for him. It¡¯s a fair trade.¡±


    Bryson abandoned Vivian to Mark, saying, ¡°jos has no credibility with me. He wouldn¡¯te alone to face death; he might bring along all his allies.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡± Mark never doubted this, and unlike Joseph, he was smarter in that he never underestimated his enemies. ¡°This is Houston after all.¡± Even if they were confident in having enough strength to oust jos, they still chose to cooperate with Andre to remain on amicable terms.


    Bryson instructed Mark to ambush jos¡¯ allies, while the rest of them continued hiding behind their respective covers.


    Listening to Bryson¡¯s n, Vivian pondered on how to warn jos about Bryson¡¯s schemes when suddenly a loud engine roared closer, followed by a ck object flying in a parabolic trajectory towards a hiding spot. The powerful explosion raised a cloud of dust, apanied by screams.


    As jos stepped out of the car, Vivian¡¯s eyes lit up. She was about to warn him of the ambush when Bryson pped her head aside, ¡°Shut up, Vivian, or I won¡¯t mind putting the gun in your mouth!¡±


    ¡°Bryson! You dare!¡± jos stepped forward, pointing the gun at Bryson. ¡°Let her go!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just teaching my daughter a lesson, teaching her to know what it means to speak appropriate words in appropriate circumstances.¡± Bryson innocently shrugged, warmly weing jos¡¯ arrival as his soldiers aimed their guns at jos in unison.


    ¡°Let Vivian go; she has nothing to do with all this,¡± jos ignored the menacing guns pointed at him, attempting to negotiate with Bryson. ¡°Let her leave, I promise she¡¯s just a weak woman, her presence won¡¯t affect you in any way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? She¡¯s my daughter. Why would I harm her?¡± Bryson held the gun against Vivian¡¯s head, revealing his entire n. ¡°You are not fit to be a Capo, jos. When you fall in love, when your gun cannot aim at your wife captured by the enemy, you¡¯ve lost the chance to be a qualified Capo. But there are others who can rece you.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Joseph?¡± jos sneered.


    ¡°Of course, Joseph is the most eligible to rece you, but you ruined everything!¡± Bryson grew more agitated, pressing his gun against Vivian¡¯s head as she reluctantly leaned it to the side. ¡°You killed Joseph, ruined all my ns, and you will pay the price.¡±


    Furiously pushing Vivian to the ground, Bryson¡¯s gun clicked as if realizing his intentions, causing Vivian to instinctively close her eyes.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    A gunshot rang out, nking Vivian¡¯s mind for a moment.


    Was she going to die? Was she going to leave this world forever, leaving jos, leaving her daughter? It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Vivian realized how reluctant she was.


    She didn¡¯t want to die; she was still so young, only neen years old.


    But the gunshot lingered for a long time, and the pain did note. Following the first shot, there was a second, then a third, causing Vivian¡¯s body to tremble amidst the continuous gunfire. Wanting to raise her head to see what was happening, she was forcefully pushed back down, a voice telling her, ¡°Stay down!¡±


    Vivian obediently stayed put, until a force pulled her up by the arm, revealing Noah as her savior.


    ¡°Why is it you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Hey, girl, is this how you talk to your savior?¡± Noah joked, half-dragging her out of the scene of the battle under the cover of hisrades.


    The support car parked by the roadside, Noah opened the door and forced her inside. Vivian resisted, reluctant to enter. ¡°Where¡¯s jos? My father¡­ Bryson?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t control that; my mission is to get you out safely.¡± Noah pushed her into the car, then forcefully shut the door. ¡°Off you go, girl.¡±


    With the door locked, the driver stepped on the gas, leaving behind the relentless gunfire.


    Vivian¡¯s memories of that day were faint. Her thoughts were still caught up in the chaos of entering and exiting the car, her body now out of the dangerous area, racing back to the safety of the vi.


    Later, she learned that her father was shot dead by Noah, Mark was killed in a trap on the way back, and the Russians hired by Bryson, prioritizing their own interests, scattered and were annihted by jos and Simpson at the foot of the mountain.


    ¡°Do you hate Noah?¡± For some reason, Vivian always felt that Noah was helping jos, waiting for the moment to kill Bryson with his own hands.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate him.¡± Noah answered Vivian¡¯s question one day, long after. ¡°Killing him was just to fulfill the obsession of the older generation.¡± Noah¡¯s father was just a foster child of the Davis family, with a lowly status. When old Davis and Charlie chose Noah as the sessor of ET, they had only one requirement-to kill Bryson and avenge Mrs. Tasneem.


    In reality, old Davis and Charlie had long since discovered that Mrs. Tasneem was already in dire straits, but they couldn¡¯t find justice for her. Thus, they tasked Noah with protecting her child and seeking an opportunity for revenge.


    The dark clouds hanging over the city of Houston dissipated silently with Bryson¡¯s death. Vilem was wheeled into the operating room for yet another round of recovery procedures.


    ¡­


    One monthter, the wound on jos¡¯ grazed by a stray bullet began to scab, and the annoying bandage was finally removed. He changed into a neatly ironed suit, wore the tie Vivian had carefully chosen for him, and meticulously styled his thick hair in front of the mirror.


    Vivian dressed Dhanna in her new clothes, dialing the third reminder.


    ¡°We should leave, jos,¡± Vivian called out to jos in the bathroom. ¡°The wedding car is almost at Shelley¡¯s house, we can¡¯t bete to the church after the bride, that would be impolite.¡±


    ¡°No need to rush, we have time,¡± jos buttoned his cuff, put on his suit jacket, and walked over to kiss Vivian. ¡°You look beautiful today.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mess up my lipstick,¡± Vivian yfully tapped him and teased, ¡°Is the bride beautiful today?¡±


    ¡°Of course. My wife is the most beautiful,¡± jos confirmed.


    Blushing, Vivian smiled coyly, ¡°I love hearing that.¡±


    ¡°I can say it to you forever.¡± jos held her chin, lowering his head to share a deep kiss with her.


    Vivian¡¯s voice was muffled, emitting ambiguous moans, ¡°Dhanna is watching.¡±


    ¡°She should know; her parents are very much in love.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me what happened¡­ mm¡­¡±


    ¡°Say you love me.¡± jos¡¯ tongue teased in her mouth.


    Gasping, Vivian uttered, ¡°I love you, jos.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡±


    Forever.


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