............"It belongs to...."Before Astrid could finish speaking, Aarav's phone interrupted them with its insistent ringing."Ring... Ring...!""Who is calling me?" Aarav glanced at his phone with an annoyed expression, his brows furrowing in irritation at the interruption, but his annoyance softened when he saw who was calling, a flicker of concern replacing his initial irritation."Yes, Bella. What do you need?" Aarav answered the call gently, his voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and concern, as he tried to discern the reason behind her unexpected call."Um, I'm sorry for disturbing you, but... but, can you help me..." Bella's voice came through weakly, her tone quivering with uncertainty, like a fragile thread on the verge of snapping."What happened? Is there a problem? Tell me where you are..." Aarav's concern grew as he sensed something was amiss in her shaky voice, his mind already racing through the possibilities of what could be troubling her. Bella's uncharacte
............"So, Bella Rossi, what have you thought about our previous proposal? Think carefully before you answer!" Lorei's expression also turned serious as she awaited Bella's response, her gaze piercing."What proposal? I'm sorry, but I don't think we have anything to discuss," Bella sharply said, her fists clenched under the table with anger, her knuckles turning white.Ever since her family company, Rossi Energy Solutions, went bankrupt, cutting off her company's main investment and leading other investors to withdraw, Bella had been left with nothing. Despite having some profits from previous products, they barely covered production costs, office rent, and staff salaries, leaving her with zero balance.These two snakes sitting across from Bella saw an opportunity to trap her in their schemes, but she was wise to their nature and didn't fall for it.Now they were here again, and Bella knew she couldn't simply make them leave peacefully like last time, as they had discovered h
............"Ohh, you're here!" Aarav's eyes lit up upon spotting Bella, and he made his way over to her table with a sense of relief seeing her alright."Brother, you really came..." Bella's eyes lit up with relief, a hint of emotion shimmering in her gaze, as if she wanted to embrace him and pour out the grievance in her heart, but she held back, mindful of their surroundings."Yes, you called me here. So, what or who is causing you problems?" Aarav's brow furrowed with concern as he leaned in, hoping to understand the reason for Bella's distress."It's ...!" Bella began to explain, but her words got interrupted by another voice, laced with anger and hostility."Who are you and why the fuck, are you disturbing our private meeting..." Eirik, upon seeing the newcomer's face, felt like someone had splashed cold water on him. Bella was just one step away from signing the papers, but this newcomer had come at the worst possible time, messing everything up.Eirik and Lorei were livid
............"My lord, if you want to help Ms. Bella, then I would suggest asking Phia Lumara. From what I've seen, this girl has a very bright future in the fashion field, so partnering up with the Lumara family might give her the chance to finally showcase her talent in the bigger world!" Astrid whispered her suggestion, noticing his troubled look."Oh, good idea!" Aarav's eyes lit up with excitement upon hearing Astrid's suggestion, and he nodded in agreement."Brother, can you drop me off here? I still have things to do in my office," Bella called out, bringing the car to a stop as she decided to disembark.After the heavy lunch, Aarav decided to drop her off.So, Astrid, Aarav, and Bella left the Ocean's Flame Grill & BBQ shop."Oh, alright. Hey, Bella! Take this," Aarav rummaged in his pocket and retrieved a piece of paper, quickly jotting down his address. "When you have time, come to my home. I have a friend who might be able to help, and please don't hesitate about it. Okay
............In the quiet street, where only one or two people were passing by, Aarav heard distinctive footsteps following him from behind."Yup, my guess was right," Aarav muttered under his breath as he pretended to look around for people around him before standing in position as if he was about to take a leak."Baammmn...!" Suddenly, he felt a large hand gripping chopping his neck."Motherfu....!" Aarav half curse hung in air as he stumbled backward, his body half-falling into the bushes.The man who had neck-chopped him saw that their target was down, and he addressed the others in a low tone."Hurry up, put him under the cover and lift him into the van, quick... quick...!" Two men sprang into action, swiftly covering Aarav's body with a large cloth before pretending to take out the trash from the area, their movements quick and efficient.Another two men stood guard, scanning the surroundings for any witnesses, their eyes darting back and forth in vigilance.A black van suddenl
............A few moments later,"Ahhhh...Argh...!"The room echoed with the pained cries of the thugs, their bodies scattered across the floor, each one writhing in agony."Now then, are you going to talk peacefully or do I need to beat some more sense into your thick skull!" Aarav's voice was calm yet laced with an underlying threat as he remained seated in the chair. Meanwhile, Brother Joe lay sprawled beneath him, his face swollen and his clothes torn, blood trickling from his hands and legs."Ahhh...plea...please...n..no..no...more!" Brother Joe's pleas were desperate, his grip on Aarav's leg tight as he begged for mercy. Tears streaked down his swollen face, and snot threatened to drip onto Aarav's legs before he forcefully kicked him away."Ahhh...!" Brother Joe cried out as he stumbled backward, pain shooting through his injured body."Tell me, who was the one that instigated you all!" Aarav's tone remained steady, but his eyes burned with a chilling intensity that made Br
............"Huh, Aeliana Chauhan... Do I know this person?" Aarav furrowed his brows, trying to recall if he had heard the name before, but his memory failed him."No, I don't think so," Astrid shook her head, her uncertainty evident, as she hadn't been with her Lord long enough to know everyone he did."Alright, let's leave too. The cops seem to have taken all the thugs," Aarav shrugged, casting a final glance out the window before motioning for Astrid to leave the scene with him.At the same time in the Blackthorn Family, "What's happening? Why can't I get through to them... what on earth are they up to, damn it..." Lorei paced her bedroom, frustration boiling inside her as she tried and failed to reach her men. She needed to know what had happened with the task she'd given them. The thought of hearing the miserable cries of the man who dared to humiliate her in public gnawed at her."Fucking useless shits! Why can't I reach them? What the hell are they doing?" she muttered ang
............"Don't worry, Our Lord will understand and surely agree with us. Alright, let's finish here; I can smell the sweet aroma coming from the kitchen!" Phia joined in the embrace, wrapping her arms around both Aria and Astrid.As she spoke in a gentle tone, Phia caught the scent of food wafting from the kitchen, urging the two to finish their bath."Hey, dinner is ready," Aarav called out, as he came out from the kitchen carrying the delicious meal as he carefully arranged the plates on the table."Yes, we're coming right away!" Phia's voice chimed in eagerly, followed by the sound of quick footsteps as the three of them hurried down from Aria's bedroom, excitement evident in their movements.Before they settled into their chairs, Astrid paused to inhale deeply, closing her eyes for a moment as she savored the tantalizing aroma drifting from the dishes."Sniff...Sniff, how wonderful. I can never have enough of this heavenly aroma!" She couldn't help but express her delight wi