Signed in Blood: The Price of Secrets

pt~9 elated cavalier

Lilith stood frozen, unable to process what she was seeing. Right in front of her stood the one person she had trusted the most—the one who had disappeared years ago without a trace. How was this possible? How could he be here so suddenly, so abruptly?

But now wasn't the time for questions.

Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms, clinging to him as if he might vanish the moment she let go.

"Where were you, Axel?" she whispered, her voice quivering as she fought back the sob threatening to escape.

His arms tightened around her, his face resting in the crook of her neck.

"Will you take me home?" he asked, his voice laced with quiet amusement, yet something softer lingered beneath. "There's a lot I need to tell you."

The embrace spoke volumes—of comfort, of familiarity, of a connection that had withstood the test of time and separation. Axel had been there for her in the moments when no one else was. He was the one who held her when she missed her mother, the one who understood her without the need for words. Their bond was beyond explanation—something rare, something irreplaceable.

But then, he hissed in pain.

"You damn near killed me," he groaned, rubbing his thigh where a fresh bruise was forming. Thanks to his quick reflexes, the injury wasn't as deep as it could have been.

The drive back to Lilith's place was quiet, yet her mind was anything but. Axel followed her car, unfamiliar with the route, while she gripped the steering wheel, thoughts racing.

"Why now? Why so suddenly? Is everything okay?"

The weight of uncertainty pressed down on her, amplifying the overthinking that had always plagued her. Her father's recent messages added to the chaos—urging her to forget about family matters and focus on the case at hand.

Her world was in disarray. Yet, for the first time in years, seeing Axel had momentarily pushed everything else into the background. She was relieved. She was... happy.

When they reached her apartment complex, Lilith parked both her car and Axel's in the guest lot. She noticed a familiar vehicle a few spaces away—Jungkook and Taehyung's car. "Looks like they're back from their trip," she murmured.

Inside the elevator, she pressed the button for the 14th floor. As the doors closed, she glanced at Axel, taking in the subtle changes in his appearance. The tattoos crawling down his neck and forearms were new, adding an edge to his otherwise simple black t-shirt, blue jeans, and Timberlands. Yet, despite everything, he was still Axel.

"You haven't changed much," she remarked with a small smile.

He studied her in return. "You don't seem okay. What's wrong?"

His fingers interlocked with hers, a silent gesture of comfort. Lilith hesitated. All this time, she had been telling herself she was fine—that she could handle everything alone. But was it really true? Could she finally admit she was struggling? Could she allow herself to ask for help?

The elevator doors slid open.

"Apartment 02," she gestured, leading the way.

Axel took in her home with an approving nod. "You've really become the person you always wanted to be."

She shrugged, disappearing into her room to change. When she returned, he was sprawled on the couch, looking as at home as ever. She handed him a glass of chilled water before taking a seat.

"I'm not satisfied yet," she admitted, taking a sip.

Axel smirked. "Same old relentless Lilith."

She rolled her eyes. "I just know that settling isn't for me. I'm trading comfort for position and power. That's it."

"So, tell me," she continued, shifting gears. "Where have you been? Why now? How's your family?"

Axel exhaled deeply. "Mr. Creed passed away a few years ago—right around the time you started your company."

Lilith stilled.

She had never known. Memories resurfaced—afternoons spent with Axel's father, her own father, her brother. Peaceful moments she had long since buried.

"Mom took over," Axel added. "Thankfully, she's not forcing me into it."

Lilith exhaled in relief. She had never met Mrs. Creed, only heard whispers of her existence. In the underworld, power transfers were rarely peaceful. Usually, an underboss would betray the leader to seize control. But Mrs. Creed had been different—loyal to her husband even beyond his death.

"How did he...?" she trailed off.

"Stroke," Axel said simply. "When our families lost contact, it was because his health started declining. He became bedridden from partial paralysis. Sent me away for work as his last wish... It was like he knew his time was near."

Silence settled between them as Lilith absorbed the bitter truth.

Axel leaned back, watching her. "Enough about me. What's going on with you? You're stressed. And you've lost weight."

She sighed. "The son of the company's owner I'm in a joint contract with is pressuring me to involve my family in the murder case of his sister, Mira. Apparently, my dad handled the case for Mr. Cross."

Axel's expression darkened. "Then shouldn't Cross already know you?"

"It wasn't a real friendship," she explained. "More of a business deal. He needed a reliable person to close the case whenever he wanted. Dad later found out—"

"—that it was the Cross family who killed Mira," Axel finished for her.

Lilith nodded, impressed by how easily he still understood her.

"I have a feeling my mom is involved somehow," she admitted. "She was shot weeks before we moved near you all those years ago. I was in this business for the money, but now I'm solving cases for people I shouldn't even be crossing paths with."

Axel leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "Did you know Mr. Creed, Mr. Hawthorne, and Mr. Cross were once friends?"

Lilith stiffened. "What?"

"My mom told me once," Axel confirmed.

The weight of it all pressed down on her. "That's a lot to take in."

She turned to him, eyes filled with something rare—vulnerability. "Axel, I need your guidance. Like before."

He understood without needing further explanation.

"Don't worry about your family," he assured her. "The Creeds will protect them, just like we did after Mrs. Hawthorne passed away. Focus on your mother's case. Be a little ruthless in this situation. Get the answers you need. And Lilith..." He looked at her with quiet certainty. "I know you can handle whatever comes next."

Tears welled in her eyes—tears she had refused to shed until now. Axel wrapped his arms around her, letting her take a moment to grieve, to process.

Then, in typical Lilith fashion, she punched him in the stomach.

"Don't you dare leave me again, you piece of shit."

He groaned, smirking through the pain. "My thigh literally just stopped bleeding."

But little did she know what he was truly thinking.

"You've uncovered something, Lilith. Something no one else has."

And for the first time in a long time, Axel felt something close to admiration—because Lilith was far closer to the truth than she realized.