Lucian took a deep breath and addressed them, “Anyway, I'm sure you’ve all been through a lot. The loss of our Godfather has been devastating, and I want to address how we’re going to move forward.”Lino nodded in agreement. “We are here with you no matter what, Lucian. We are certain you will get us through such a big loss. It’s what the Godfather — Donald—would have wanted.” Lino sighed, feeling sad as he remembered his best friend. He still couldn't believe the Godfather would just die like that. Lucian lowered his gaze, knowing Lino was right. “I’m sure with you being here, I can handle this,” he nodded, giving himself an assurance before speaking up, “We’ve lost not just a leader but a mentor and a protector. But we can’t afford to crumble under this loss. We need to stand united, now more than ever.”A murmur of agreement swept through the room.Lucian continued, “Our first priority is to stabilize our operations. The Godfather’s death has left a power vacuum, and it’s crucial
Everyone had left, but Lucian remained in the warehouse, lost in deep thought. He set the crutches aside and walked over to the window, gazing out at the moon shining in the night sky.He tried to push thoughts of Riya out of his mind, but he couldn’t help it. He loved her, and the realization that he had already lost her made him angry.Could he just let her go? Just like that?Lucian was the kind of person who never really found girls to be amusing or special enough to give them his heart. Nah… all he did was fu¢k them.But the day he met Riya, something changed. He wanted her all to himself, and he succeeded even though he knew she didn’t like him—largely because she thought he was poor.Who wouldn’t like Lucian aside from that?He couldn’t exactly tell her he was a gangster. He probably just wanted her to love him for who he was.It all backfired though. Jakob came into the picture and ran him out of the way. Like mother, like son, huh?They seemed to love taking things that didn’
Lucian collapsed to the ground with a groan, finding himself back in front of the warehouse. He looked down at his hand clutching his stomach and saw his blood on his hands. Getting stabbed wasn’t an illusion, it seemed.Taking a shaky breath, he shifted backward as the imp materialized in front of him, this time in the guise of his godfather.Oooh, okay, what am I gonna do? How am I gonna kill it?! For a low-level demon, it’s pretty strong, don’t you think? What is its weakness?[Imps are sensitive to bright light, which can disorient and weaken them.]Lucian felt a surge of frustration as he scanned the area. There was no source of bright light.He groaned, feeling the sting of the wound in his stomach, wondering how long it would take to heal.“Recognize me?” the imp taunted with a grin. “I remember when I killed him. I felt his blood on my hands, and I loved it. Although, I have to admit, he tried to put up a fight, but it was useless against me. How can a puny human fight me? You
Lucian was back home in his spacious room, a place that should have brought him comfort but failed to do so.He felt really satisfied to know he had killed the pawn sent to assassinate his godfather, and the thrill of gaining experience points, but...He was restless.Memories, ones he never actually had, plagued him. He couldn’t shake the image of his mother’s death, wondering if it had truly happened that way or if there was more to the story. He tried sleeping off, but the accident replayed endlessly in his mind, haunting himHe couldn't sleep.As the first light of dawn seeped through his curtains, Lucian got out of bed, heading to the fridge for something cold to drink. Just as he reached for a beer, he sensed someone behind him.“No, no, I’m sorry, boss Lucian.”It was Madame Jane, a woman in her mid-forties who had been part of his household since the godfather had found him. She often acted as a mother figure, though Lucian never wanted her and would always push her away.“
“It was me!” Lino shouted repeatedly, his voice trembling with disbelief. “I can’t believe I’m saying this! I shouldn’t be saying this! Why can’t I stop?!”Lino was painfully aware of his own words, yet powerless to hold them back. His confession poured out uncontrollably, as if a dam had burst within him, releasing a torrent of long-buried guilt and frustration.Lucian watched him, his expression unreadable. These were the words he had dreaded hearing, but somehow, deep down, he had expected them. But from Lino? He hadn’t expected that. Lino was the least suspicious person in his circle, but Lucian had learned long ago that it’s often the least suspicious who turn out to be the betrayers.Never let your guard down, no matter what.But what had changed? Lino, who had been a father figure to him. Lino, who had been Godfather’s closest friend, a man Lucian had trusted without question. What had gone wrong along the way?“Why?” Lucian finally asked, his voice cold and sharp. “Why di
Davis’ gaze dropped, feeling as though he’d just been dealt a harsh reality check. His only biological son had been missing for over a decade, but the finality of accepting his death was something Davis had never fully come to terms with. The thought caused a tremor of grief to run through him.He exhaled a shaky breath, his heart suddenly feeling heavier than ever. “Get out of my sight, Jakob,” he commanded, his voice laced with barely controlled anger. “If you want anything from me, you’d better learn some respect. Provoking me won’t get you anywhere.”Jakob wasn’t fazed by his father’s reaction. He knew all too well that the mere mention of Davis’s lost son could set him off. ‘Foolish old man,’ Jakob thought, a sneer curling his lips as he turned to leave the room. ‘He has no idea what he’s up against.’As Jakob stepped into the hallway, he was met with the piercing gaze of his sister, Melanie Winchester. She stood there, her expression a mixture of disapproval and concern. Me
Dana, Drake, Jace, Lino, and the others all blinked groggily, their confusion evident as they looked around at each other.“What’s happening here?” Lino asked, his frown deepening as he struggled to clear his foggy mind.“Yeah, well, ask me, old man,” Jace shot back, his tone laced with sarcasm.Lino let out a scoff and managed to push himself up from the ground, wincing as the pounding in his head became more pronounced.Drake, meanwhile, was assisting Dana to her feet. She quickly shrugged off his help, casting a wary glance around the room before checking her wristwatch. The time read 10:43 AM. They had arrived at the warehouse by 8:00 AM, which meant over two hours had passed without their knowledge.‘What on earth happened during that time?’Drake’s attention was drawn to the table where he noticed an unfinished bottle of beer, and wandered toward it.“Looks like the boss was here,” he announced, his words drawing the group’s attention.“Maybe he couldn’t wait any longer and lef
Lucian found himself reluctantly driving the unknown girl to the hospital, feeling like he had no other option. As they rode in silence, he caught her sneaking glances at him, a small smile playing on her lips.Sighing, he broke the silence. “You should call someone who can meet you at the hospital,” he suggested.The girl’s smile faded, replaced by a pout as she seemed to remember something unpleasant. “No one I know would bother to come. They’re all too busy,” she said, her voice tinged with disappointment.Lucian glanced over and saw the sadness etched on her face. He nodded slightly, deciding not to press the issue.After a moment, the girl looked back at him. “So, what’s your name, Sir? I can’t keep calling you ‘Sir.’ It feels weird,” she said with a teasing tone.“And why is that?” Lucian replied, amused. “I’m clearly older than you.”“I’ll have you know that I'm going to be twenty this year,” she announced proudly. “I’m not that young.”Lucian chuckled softly. “Maybe so, but