Bound by Shadows

19

Together, we arrived at the 'Zenith' club, positioned at the entrance upon receiving notice that they were a few minutes away. Caelus, grappling with his shoulder, now supported it with a sling recommended by Nicholas.

"Is this truly necessary? They could schedule a meeting once Caelus is better," I voiced, teeth gritted, directing my question to Zavian, who stood with crossed hands, neck cracking.

"It's urgent. Our club in Wisconsin fell victim to an arson attack. Not only that, there's cargo issues and unnecessary significant losses. Something huge is happening right under our noses and none of us knows what's happening," Zavian explained, gesturing toward Caelus. "Ask him. He was the one who insisted on the meeting today. Injured or not, we proceed."

Facing Caelus, his silence affirmed my brother's insistence on the immediate meeting. I nervously tapped my feet, uneasy about the situation. Just a few hours earlier, we were being shot at, and now we were preparing to attend a meeting with drug lords from the other side of the world. It didn't feel safe at all. Despite my concerns, Stella and the others appeared calm, making me feel out of place. This wasn't the world I wanted to be in, but I insisted on staying with Caelus wherever he went.

It wasn't about being attached. When I said I couldn't imagine life without him, I meant it. Seeing him hurt made me want to protect him even more. Caelus hadn't resisted me coming along either since both of us understood the reason behind it.

"I've got a feeling your wife won't be liking her," Tadashi remarked to Caelus, who responded with visible irritation, rolling his eyes. Curious, I turned towards Tadashi, eager to learn who he was referring to.

"Her? Who?"

"Here they come," Stella announced, and at that moment, two Cadillac cars glided to a stop at the entrance.

From the leading car emerged an elderly man, perhaps in his sixties, accompanied by his imposing bodyguard sporting a prominent scar over one eye, rendering him blind on that side. Their expressions remained stoic as they observed our presence.

Simultaneously, the second car revealed a woman stepping out, a cigarette dangling between her fingers as she exuded an aura of mysterious enchantment in her black jumpsuit. Her features possessed a serpentine charm, a beauty unique to her. Following closely behind her was her burly bodyguard, with ears reminiscent of professional athletes, perhaps those of an MMA fighter.

Both of them ascended the steps, facing all of us. "Who's this, Caelus?" the woman from earlier inquired, flicking her cigarette as she scrutinized me from head to toe. Judging by her accent, she was Korean.

"My wife," he replied, dismissing her as he shook hands with the older man, engrossed in their conversation.

"Sumin, have I ever mentioned how much more divine you appear since the last time I saw you?" Zavian's grin stretched wide as he extended his arms for a hug, but Sumin offered no reciprocation.

"You seem even more unsightly than the last time I laid eyes on you," she retorted, her gaze oscillating between Zavian and me. "You both look alike. Siblings?"

Was she insinuating I was ugly too? Bitch.

Summoning my composure, I stepped forward, extending my hand towards Sumin. "I'm Zanya," I introduced myself, meeting her gaze with a firm resolve.

Sumin regarded me with a cool demeanor, her lips curling into a smirk. "Ah, the wife," she remarked, her tone tinged with amusement as she shook my hand briefly before retracting hers.