ILLICIT #1 : New Moon

Chapter 38 - Try

Angelo Vander

I looked at Phoenix completely concerned. He's drinking alcohol like it's water and he's out of his mind. He looked out the window and it seemed like he got a lot of things going in his mind.

I heard from Adrian that Dean made Phoenix choose between ILLICIT or Lana. It was clear to us that he's in love with Lana. He's still not admitting it yet but for me.. it was pretty obvious.

Dean was pretty cruel to say that when he knew Phoenix needed both. Phoenix needs ILLICIT as equal as him needing Lana in his life. I don't know why Dean just let the rule gone when he knew Phoenix's starting to be happy.

"You okay?" I asked as I stopped him from drinking his sixth glass in 30 minutes.

"Lana wanted a divorce." Phoenix turned to the window and he sighed. He grabbed his glass and drank all of the liquid in one shot.

"I.. don't want to. How can I divorce her?" He laughed dryly and I looked at the glass in front of me blankly. I can't even say anything to him, we all know the consequences.

"If you really love her, then.. leave." I said as I turned to him. "She wanted to leave anyway, I don't think I can hold her back. She needs to heal herself." He added as he pour more alcohol.

"Then stay. Why making it a big deal?"

"Stupid rule, I can protect myself and I'm sure I can protect Lana too. What's wrong with Dean?" He hissed angrily.

"You know why, Phoenix. We all know why he did that." I said and took a sip of my cocktail. Phoenix sighed and turned to me.

"Have you ever been.. in this situation, Angelo? I think I'm going crazy." He said as he drank his seventh glass. I nodded lightly and Phoenix bursted out laughing all of the sudden. "Dean, that bastard, wait until you fall in love one day. You will be regreting every words that you said to me!"

"Is he even capable? He's heartless, cold, mean, strict and the list goes on." I chuckled.

"He and Chance deserve a slap on their face, how could they be so mean? They know that I can't choose!" Phoenix hissed.

"Rules aren't mean to be broken, Phoenix. We swore to it and there's no going back. I can't blame Dean nor you." I said as I grabbed his bottle of alcohol. I put it away and Phoenix sighed.

After drinking a lot, I dropped him at his penthouse and it seemed Lana's already asleep. Phoenix was a mess and I completely understand. I've been there before. Love isn't always the best thing in life, they broke you and ripped you to pieces.

I've been there and I wish I could turn back time so I could pull my heart away first before falling.

I went to the headquarters so I could do some of my work because these days, I've been needing distraction too. I saw Dean office's lights are on and I'm assuming he's still not done with work.

I knocked on the door and walked into his office. He looked up to me and raised his eyebrows. "What are you doing here?"

"Wanting to work, why are you still here?" I asked as I walked towards his desk.

"Work too." He said as he closed the file in front of him. I sat down in front of him and he took his iPad from the drawer.

"About Phoenix." I started the topic and he looked up to me. He put down his iPad and raised his eyebrows wanting to hear my thoughts on Phoenix.

"Could you.. just erase that rule? He's bee-"

"We all know he will leave everything, why are you so concern about him leaving? We made the rules, swore it.. and you should keep your promise. I'm not that nice." He cut me and he looked at me coldly.

"We need him, he needs us."

"If you're trying change my mind, it won't work. Might as well you follow his foot steps." He glared at me and I looked away.

"Do you think I don't know what you've been doing?" He scoffed and I looked down to the ground.

"I won't be like Phoenix." I said confidently.

"Of course, you need us more than you need anything else in this world. Am I right, Valentino?" I hate it when he said my real name.

"Phoenix will choose Lana, Dean. You will lose Phoenix just because you don't want to give any compensation to him." I tried to convience him one more time.

"He will choose her, but he won't be able to let ILLICIT go fully. You'll see, I'll be waiting for him crawling back." He's right. All 5 of us can't be separated from ILLICIT. If Phoenix ends up leaving, he will try to comeback one way or another.

ILLICIT is more than just a company or a corporation to us, they're our family. I can't even imagine if I have to leave ILLICIT.

"I certainly don't believe in Phoenix and Adrian when it comes to love but I believe in you and Chance." He said as he kept typing on his iPad.

"Why?"

"The three of us don't need to feel warmth and feel the need to find love. We're all fine without it, we grew up without it so.. don't even think about trying to jump into it because once you know how it feels.. there's no returning back." Dean looked straight to my eyes.

"You're doing great so far, Angelo. All you need to do is.. stop spying on her." My whole body went numb for a second.

"If you end up in the same whole as Phoenix, feel free to walk away from ILLICIT because I don't care if I'll be the last man standing." He smirked and I got up from my seat. I walked towards the door.

"Oh..  she's in Paris by the way." Shit.