"What'sup." The voice came the moment he stepped inside the sitting room, making him halt on his tracks. His mind deep in thought of whom that voice might belong to.
"Phelan?" he questioned the voice.
"Bravo! It been five years and I'm glad you can still tell it's me by the way I sound. I'm proud." The voice sounded again, and a shadow slowly appeared in front of Adrian, causing him to raise a brow. The shadow turns out to be a man Adrian knew very well and loathed as much.
The man smirked when he saw Adrian's reaction. He strode lazily towards him, his feet making a scratching noise on the black carpet. Well, long time no see, Adrian," the man added, a smug playing on his lips.
Adrian's jaw ticked, his fist clenched tightly while he glared at the asshole in front of him.
"I thought I made myself clear the last time I told never to let me lay my eyes on you," he reminded irritatedly.
The man chuckled silently, his lips curling into a mockery smile. "Is that how the new Adrian should welcome a precious guest? Not surprise at all, still as insolent as ever," the man said, his face turning into a smug that was making Adrian's blood boil in fury. He was fighting an intense urge to strangle him, murder him in the most extreme way he could think of. But he calmed down a little, he wasn't going to start an unnecessary fight with a fool who wasn't a worthy opponent for him. After all not now.
"I believe you came all the way here to deliver something. Get your business started, I don't think I have enough time to waste here with you. I have something important that I suddenly want to do, like arranging a perfect death," Adrian smirked evilly when he said the last sentence. He could see the fear that flashed through the man's eyes, but he was quick to mask his fear with arrogance.
"Indeed a very important thing to do, but let's wait and see if I die then," the man beamed in a challenging manner.
"Well! Let's not beat round the bush," the man said and drew a hard breath. "I actually came here to announce to you that your father wants to see you," he concluded, his lips inclining to the corner of his mouth.
Adrian's eyes narrowed darkly upon hearing the last remark. If he was angry earlier, now he was getting furious. His stoned-clenched fist itching to drive into someone.
However, he stayed still and gracefully walked passed the man. "Get out," he snarled.
"I have no choice but to force you." The man brought out a gun Adrian has noticed a while ago and aim at him.
"I'm warning you, phelan. Get out!"
"I told you I have no choice." He pulled the trigger in one smooth and controlled motion. The bullet went flying pass Adrian's shoulder and it collided with the wall behind him and dropped to the floor.
"I think you forgot who trained you, phelan." He strode towards the man, glaring down at him with a murderous gaze.
"This isn't the right place for your little showoff. Save a spot and some man power when I actually got your time. Until then, have a nice life," he smirked, brushing off some invisible dirt away from the man's shoulder.
After he has done that, he turned and ascend the stairs gracefully as usual, as if nothing happened.
Phelan isn't a fool to shoot for the second time, unless he doesn't want to live anymore. How the hell did he get inside the house without anyone noticing? Tsk.. tsk.. How could he forget the fool was the best secret agent in the organization. His father's right hand man.
Father must be so lame to send such an idiot to him, or does he want to tease him?
He hopes not, despite the fact that he left the organization, the blood still run inside of him, flowing through his vein, reminding him everyday who he was and where he belongs to.
He sighed and walked inside the bathroom. He was stressed as hell
___________
"I'm home..." I said, swinging the door shut behind me with a thud.
"Umm..." Mia muttered, her voice strained, as she looked up at me from where she was sprawled on the bed.
"How are you feeling, Mia?" I asked, my eyes narrowing as I took in the sight before me, her disheveled appearance and the dried blood on her nose. Was she bleeding from her nose?
"I'm fine," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart. I couldn't ignore the flicker of pain in her eyes.
"What about that?" I asked sharply, thrusting my finger toward her nose, pointing at the dried crimson stain.
"What?!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with defensive defiance.
"The dried blood on your nose!" I spat, my frustration boiling over. "Don't act like it's nothing!"
"Ohh... It was just a drop, not too much. I'm fine, don't worry," she whispered, her voice trembling with uncertainty. She tried to offer me a reassuring smile, but it faltered on her lips.
"Hmm... It's okay if you said so," I replied, my tone laced with skepticism as I placed the food I had brought from the club in front of her.
She ate in silence, the taste of the food barely registering on her tongue. The room was filled with an uncomfortable tension that hung in the air like a heavy fog. As she finished her meal, exhaustion overcame her, and she drifted off to sleep. I watched her, my mind consumed with a mix of anger and worry.
Angry at the injustice of it all, at the world that had dealt us this hard. Life was indeed so unfair, and I couldn't help but feel a simmering rage building within me. Mia deserved better, and I vowed to myself that I would make things right.
****
I was abruptly jolted awake by the sound of hurried footsteps echoing through the room. My drowsy eyes struggled to focus, and as I blinked away the sleep, I realized it was Mia. Panic surged through me as I quickly rose from the mattress, rushing toward the bathroom where she had disappeared into.
My heart pounded in my chest as I approached the bathroom, and what I saw made my blood run cold. The floor was smeared with crimson, a grotesque canvas of bloodstains.
"Mia?!..." I called out, my voice trembling with fear, as I hurried towards her, afraid she might collapse at any moment.
"Are you okay? I thought you said you were fine...?" I pleaded, desperation tainting my words, but she remained silent.
"Please... say something—" I pleaded, but before she could respond, she doubled over, expelling a mouthful of blood onto the floor.
"Good lord, Mia! You're scaring me! What's wrong?" I cried out, my voice laced with a mix of terror and helplessness. Still, she didn't utter a word, instead continuing to spill more and more blood onto the already stained floor.
"Water..." she murmured weakly, her voice barely audible.
"Here it is." I handed her a glass of water, watching as she rinsed the blood from her mouth and then staggered back to bed.
I glanced out of the broken wooden panel covering the window and gasped—it was nearly sunrise, and I was already late for work. But the weight of Mia's illness bore heavy on my conscience, rendering any thought of leaving for work unthinkable.
Today, work would have to wait. Today, my priority was my little sister, whose battle with cancer seemed to be worsening with each passing day. The weight of my obligations collided with the cruel reality that I had no money, no means to secure her the treatment she so desperately needed. Life had always been harsh, but why did it have to strike at this moment, when all I wanted was a peaceful life with my family? Why did nature always find a way to strip away everything I held dear?
Tears streamed down my cheeks, my mind inundated by a tempest of unanswered questions. But now was not the time for introspection; now was the time for action. I needed to find a way to save Mia, to procure the funds for her surgery without spending years toiling away in futile labor.
How? How could I amass such a colossal sum of money in such a short span of time? My mind raced, searching for a solution, until a daring idea struck me like lightning.
The Elite Club!
A place where wealthy businessmen indulged in their vices, where women were paid exorbitant sums for their services. It was a path I had never considered before, for I had never been willing to sacrifice my principles and dignity for money. But now, in the face of desperation, I was willing to do whatever it took to save Mia's life.
Yet, before I resorted to such extremes, I needed to exhaust all other possibilities. I couldn't bear the thought of facing the remorse that would surely follow if I allowed myself to be consumed by such a dark world. I couldn't fathom the idea of confronting the manageress at my workplace, knowing that my absence would likely result in my dismissal—she already harbored enough disdain for me.
The day slipped by like sand through my fingers, and soon evening enveloped the world outside. For now, Mia's bleeding had subsided, and I breathed a temporary sigh of relief, grateful that she was spared from the torment, if only for a little while.
Thankful for the respite, I resolved to explore every avenue available to me, leaving no stone unturned in my quest for a solution. The night stretched before me, pregnant with uncertainty, but I clung to a glimmer of hope. No matter the challenges that lay ahead, I was determined to find a way to save Mia, to rewrite the cruel fate that had befallen us.
****
Morning arrived, casting its familiar light upon the world, but it held no solace for me. I went through my usual morning routine with a heavy heart, the weight of my worries lingering in every step I took. The hospital beckoned, and with a sense of urgency, I hurried to fulfill my daily duties.
"I'm sorry I was absent yesterday, I didn't mean to..." I apologized, my voice filled with genuine remorse, as I approached one of the hospital wardens who had been quick to voice their disapproval of my absence.
They should have been grateful, considering the sacrifices I made. After all, the work I did here was not for the meager paycheck I received—it was a desperate exchange for my sister's life-saving medication.
The day job passed by in a blur, the monotony of routine washing over me. As evening descended, I decided to take a leisurely walk home, hoping to clear my mind of the mounting worries that plagued me.
"I'm ho..." I trailed off, the words catching in my throat, as a horrifying scene unfolded before my eyes.
A nightmare I had always dreaded, a scene that played out in my darkest fears, had become a chilling reality. Mia lay lifeless on the floor, her fragile form immersed in a pool of her own blood.
"Mia...? Mia...?" I choked out, my voice a desperate plea, hoping against hope that she would respond, that this nightmare would dissipate like morning mist.