While back in the hall, Callum's eyes widened at Azrael's decision.
"You want to do what?" Callum asked out loud. "Make the Fayes go bankrupt?" He repeated, unsure if he had heard correctly.
Azrael nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination. It seemed like the Fayes hadn't learned their lesson and continued to treat Rivana poorly. He hated himself even more for not coming earlier and taking her with him. At least that would have saved her from a miserable death. But now, he would ensure they paid dearly.
Callum ran a hand through his hair, clearly exasperated. This new possessive side of Azrael was giving him more work and a bigger headache.
"Let's talk about it later. First, our focus should be on clearing her out of this mess. Our Draxton branch is still growing here, and it will have adverse effects," Callum replied, earning a scowl from Azrael.
"And we also have the Hugons to conquer. Remember, the deadline your uncle gave for it is not too far away," he added, pressing his temples.
Azrael's eyes widened at the word deadline. He got up from his seat, his expression darkening, which made Callum blink in confusion.
"What's wrong now?" he grumbled, but Azrael ignored him and rushed upstairs.
------
Rivana stared at the word death, fear creeping in as she recalled that nightmare, the way she had tragically died in Viktor's arms. And then, Azrael washed away those memories. Was this the reason why he crashed her wedding and flashed a surprise marriage certificate? Was he reborn too? But he didn't act like it earlier in the car.
Just then, the door burst open, and Rivana jumped from her seat, her eyes fixed on the entrance.
Azrael stood in the doorway, his silhouette framed by the dim light in the room. His expression was unreadable, his midnight eyes mysterious like the depth of an ocean.
"Need any help?" Azrael casually asked, leaning against the door frame. His hands slipped into his pockets so she couldn't see how tightly they were clenched. His nose lightly twitched, showing the slightest hint of fear, but Rivana didn't notice it.
"N-No…" Rivana stammered, shaking her head.
Silence followed for a few tense seconds, both waiting for the other to speak.
Azrael noticed her tense expression, like a cat too scared to speak in front of a lion. "Alright. Call Callum once you are done," he said, before turning to leave.
"Wait!" Rivana called out instinctively. When he turned around, his brow raised, she continued, "W-why is my wedding anniversary marked as death here?"
Azrael's nose twitched again, his expression changing at the question. But he quickly masked it with confusion. Walking over to her, he leaned closer to the screen where she was looking.
Rivana pressed on the cursor, turning on the screen again, her heart thudding louder and louder.
"Oh, this?" Azrael asked, pointing his finger at the date on the calendar. When Rivana nodded, he continued, "That's the name of our new bike."
When Rivana blinked in confusion, Azrael added, "Draxton Automobiles is releasing a new sport bike named Death. That's the launch date."
"Oh?" Rivana murmured, still trying to make sense of his words. It was a weird name, and she couldn't quite recall it from the future. Yes, Draxton was launching something sporty two years from now, but was it exactly on her anniversary day?
"Oh, what a coincidence! It would be our second anniversary," Azrael mused, taking a closer look at the month and date.
Rivana looked at him, coming out of her thoughts. And when their eyes met, a tiny blush crept onto her cheeks at the way he called it our anniversary.
"What better day to launch than such a special day of our lives?" Azrael added with a smile.
Rivana had no clue if her mind was just being extra cautious about the rebirth or if he was smartly trapping her in his sweet words. But if he was really reborn, why would he try to hide it anyway?
"We can discuss that later. You need to concentrate on finding the culprit first," Azrael added, diverting her attention back to the task. With that, he left the room, a sigh escaping his lips.
Rivana stared at his back, her eyes fixed on the empty entrance. Shaking her head, she sat back in the chair, her focus entirely on her job.
Azrael descended the stairs, his expression blank. "We will be changing our new bike name from Phantom to Death. And the launch date will be exactly on my second wedding anniversary."
"What?" Callum frowned in confusion. Hadn't he scolded his team just a week ago that they needed to hurry and he needed the first model in a year? And why the heck were they changing the name absurdly to Death?
Azrael didn't reply and simply walked over to the dining room. He filled a glass of water and drank it, making Callum frown deeper. He had heard love makes people fools, but does it make them dumb too? He thought, crying over his new task!
Hours later, Rivana's success was sweet. Her fingers danced across the keyboard, her eyes glued to the black screen, watching the blinking GPS coordinates as they circled the map. After a few frustrating seconds, the coordinates locked on a specific dot.
"Yes!" Rivana beamed. Copying the details to a drive, she hurried downstairs.
When she entered the hall, Callum and Azrael were still in a meeting with their team, sorting through the day's tasks.
"I found him!" Rivana's voice rang out, her excitement drawing the men's attention. She rushed over to them and passed it to Callum.
Callum wasted no time, plugging the drive into his laptop. A smile spread across his tired face. "Perfect! I will be able to catch him before sunrise with this info! You are a genius, Rivana!" He said, admiring her skills.
Rivana grinned and then turned to Azrael, hoping he would say something too.
Reading her expression, Azrael got up from his seat. Walking over to her, he smiled warmly. "Good job, baby girl," he said, ruffling her hair just like he did in the past.
"Thanks," Rivana smiled, her eyes lowering to the floor. Heck! Why was she blushing like a teenage girl over a mere compliment?!
"I-I am tired. I'll go rest. Good night." Rivana murmured, before running upstairs to his room.
Azrael chuckled at her reaction, giving Callum almost goosebumps. He narrowed his eyes at him and ordered, "Why are you still here? Go, catch him!"
Callum scowled and got up from the couch. With a huff, he grimly walked out of the house. But just as he was about to drive away, his phone chimed again. A frown tugged at his lips, and he groaned out loud, walking back inside.
"We have a problem," Callum declared, drawing Azrael's attention.
"What's it now?" Azrael asked, feeling an incoming headache. For goodness' sake! It had only been two days since their marriage, but everyone kept trying to pull her down.
Callum showed the official note from Shadow Inc., Rivana's company, that read:
[This press note is addressing Ms Faye's recent scandals. She had not just disrespected our CEO but also caused a great loss to the company. Hence collectively, we have decided to remove her from the director position. She will no longer be a part of Shadow Inc.]
Below the statement was the signature of that pathetic loser, Viktor Hugon. So, he had decided to believe that recording and kick Rivana out of the company they had built together?
Azrael scoffed out loud. "Call the head director in Draxton," he declared, his voice intimidating. "We will be buying Shadow Inc. as a wedding gift for my wife."
Callum smirked. "Yes, boss!" he replied, jumping into action immediately.