NIGHT [GXG] (BOOK 2)

Chapter 8

HADES

What a gorgeous girl, too bad, she's the daughter of my enemy. But no one can stop me from the things that I want.

I want her. She's mine.

The Antonovs will pay for what they've done, and Valor will be my key to their downfall.

Regarding Stella, talagang walang kasal ang magaganap. She's better off as my Consigliere alone. I have to invest in this offspring of an Antonov who is now under my control. This is just the start of my revenge, the start of a war.

Oh, Valor, dolce amore...

My phone suddenly rang, si Zenith. "Hello?" I answered.

"Ate, I think ikaw na ang makakatulong sa amin. Ayokong makisingit sa time mo pero this is really urgent, yung best friend ko po kasi, ilang days na siyang nawawala. We've been looking for her everywhere," I heard her say through the other line.

"Damn that's too bad, don't worry, I will send off my men to look for her." I said.

"Thank you so much po Ate, I'm very worried about her, sana ligtas siya." I can hear her worried tone.

"Mahahanap natin siya, li'l sissy." I assured her, my words a promise, a threat.

Nahanap ko na siya, and she's safe with me.

I'm sorry, Zenith. I have to do this.

"What's wrong with you, Hades!" Stella barged into my office, her face flushed with anger, a paper clutched tightly in her hand. Malakas na nilapag niya yung papers sa table ko, the force of her action making the papers scatter. "Why did you call off our engagement?"

I rubbed my temples, trying to quell the headache that was steadily building. "You have to remember that I'm still the Boss here, Stella. I get to decide whatever I want."

"You can't just decide to call off our engagement like it's nothing!" she shouted, her voice shaking with anger. "We've been engaged for years Hades, FOR FUCKING YEARS! and you just... threw it all away?"

"It's not like that, Stella," I said, trying to calm her down. "It's just... things have changed."

"What things?" she demanded, her eyes narrowed. "What's changed?"

I hesitated, knowing that I couldn't tell her the truth. Not yet. Not until I had everything in place.

"It's not important," I said, my voice flat.  "Just trust me, Stella. I'm doing this for the best."

"For the best?" she scoffed, disbelief lacing her voice. "For the best? What are you talking about? You're breaking my heart, Hades. Ano bang ibig sabihin nito? You're keeping secrets from me... I'm your Consigliere, Hades, you should have talked to me about this."

"I'm sorry, Stella," I said, my voice softening slightly.  "But I have to do this. It's for the greater good."

"The greater good?" she repeated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What greater good? Is it the greater good of your ambition? Of your desire for power?"

I stood up, my gaze meeting hers. "I'm not going to explain myself to you, Stella. You're not my wife, you're not my equal. And ayun nga ikaw na mismo ang nagsabi, you're my Consigliere and nothing else should be more than that."

Her eyes widened in shock, but she didn't back down. "You're a monster, Hades," she whispered, "You're a monster."

She turned and stormed out of my office, leaving me standing there, alone with the weight of my choices.

I knew that I had hurt her, but I had to do it.

This is a war, and I was playing to win.

And I wouldn't let anything, not even her, stand in my way. Kakalma din siya, alam kong maiintindihin niya rin kung bakit ko ito ginagawa.

Someone knocked and Trevor walked in with his group, I had made him the Capo Tres. Yung pinalitan niyang dating Capo ay , I can't let him use that just to take revenge. I already know what and how they think, they're so unpredictable.

Someone knocked and Trevor walked in with his group, a confident swagger in his step. I had made him the Capo Tres, a promotion he had earned with his unwavering loyalty and ruthless efficiency. The man he replaced, the former Capo, was no longer a concern. He was gone, silenced permanently. He had become a liability, a loose end that needed to be tied. Wala rin namang silbi, laging palpak. Besides, marami na rin siyang nalalaman tungkol sa amin. I couldn't let him use that knowledge to seek revenge. They were all predictable, their minds were a labyrinth of secrets and desires. I knew their ways, their games, and their hunger for power. Pare-pareho lang naman silang lahat.

"Good evening, Boss," they all greeted, their voices a chorus of respect and deference.

"Nandito po kami ngayon para mag-report," Trevor started in a  professional way.

"Proceed," I said, giving him permission. My gaze sweeping over the men, assessing their posture and their expressions.

"Regarding po sa mga Antonov, according po sa spy ng group namin, si Chuck," he said, gesturing towards a man with a wiry frame and a sharp gaze.

Chuck bowed at me, his eyes alert.  "Nalaman po ni Don Vodka na isang Mafia ang dumukot kay Ma'am Nyx, pero it's a good thing that they haven't figured it out if sino pong specific na mob family." He spilled, his voice a low murmur,

I nodded my head, taking a sip of my wine, savoring the rich and velvety texture. "Good, continue doing your work. Yung grupo niyo ang first ranking ngayong buwan, alam niyo naman ang premyo sa first rank. You're doing good, Capo Tres, hindi ako nagkamali sa pagpili sayo noon," I winked at Trevor, who flushed crimson under my gaze. "I commend you for that."

"Maraming salamat po, Boss. Ipagpapatuloy po namin ang trabaho namin, my group will not disappoint you." He stated, his voice was filled with unwavering loyalty.

I smiled, a predatory glint in my eyes. "I know you won't, Trevor. You're a valuable asset. And I'll make sure you're rewarded."

The Antonovs were already making their moves, their desperation palpable. They were blind to the true threat, they can't see the one lurking in the shadows. At alam ko pa namang they're known for having their eyes wide open to see what's going on around them, they failed to see it this time.

I proceed to my room where I locked up Valor, nakaupo lang siya sa kama at nagulat siya nung nakita niya akong pumasok. I saw how fast she built the barrier between us again.

"Hello there, dolce amore. Naboboring ka na ba dito? Do you want to get out of this room for a while and let's take a walk?" I offered.

I saw how her eyes brightened at what I said, ilang araw na siyang nakakulong dito. I visit her daily, lagi kaming nagsusumbatan in the end. Alam kong may balak siyang tumakas kapag ilalabas ko siya dito, that's why I had to make everything set in place.

She gave me her famous glare, the one that could freeze a man's blood. "Hanggang kailan mo ba ako ikukulong dito?"

"Until the end of The Antonov," I smiled at her, enjoying the way her eyes narrowed in response.

She rolled her eyes, her disdain evident.  "Kailangan mo nang magpa-check up, may sira ka na kasi sa ulo." She spat, the words laced with venom.

I held my chest with my arm, feigning offense. "That hurts, dolce amore."

She scoffed, her lips twisting into a sneer.  "Don't play innocent with me, Zephyr. You know exactly what you're doing. You're using me, manipulating me, to get what you want."

"And what's wrong with that?" I asked, my voice was smooth and seductive. "We all have our own ways of getting what we want. I just happen to be very good at it. And you, baby girl, are a crucial part of those goals." I grinned at her.

But she only gave me a middle finger.