“I was in the beginning… But I can’t because I fell dangerously in love with you… I love you, Antonio,” Maya muttered, tears escaping her eyes.

______

Maya said what he had wanted to tell her that he loves her and can’t live without her.

He wanted to say those words to her, but he didn’t know how to tell her.

No words formed in his mind, and for the first time in his life, he was speechless.

He also wanted to wrap his hands around her waist and tell her that she was his life, his first love, the first woman he had slept with, and the reason he lived.

But he didn’t say anything and just walked out of her room.

“I love you, Antonio, I will always love you,I have always loved you! Please don’t go.” She mumbled.

“He left! He fûcking left me,he h@ťěs me now! he didn’t even blôody look at me!.” She kept muttering those words as she fell to the floor.

Vinegar suddenly entered, ran to her, and knelt in front of her.

“Hey,” she called, but Maya didn’t respond.

“Why are you crying?” Vinegar asked.

“He left me, he h@ťěs me now.” Maya ranted, and Vinegar understood immediately, having seen Antonio leave her room in tears.

Vinegar placed her head on Maya’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, Maya.” Vinegar said.

“It’s not… I said he h@ťěs me now… I didn’t want him to find out this way… I was going to tell him, but now he won’t talk to me anymore. I’m going to die if Antonio doesn’t talk to me, I’m sure he won’t want to see my face again.” Maya whimpered.

“Take control, Maya, it’s okay! everything will be fine.” Vinegar said, trying to calm her down.

Maya’s tears just fell down freely from her face.

✧✧✧✧

Antonio walked to his room briskly and started throwing things around, watching as they shattered into pieces and feeling a sense of catharsis wash over him. Blood ran down his hand, but it cooled him down.

He leaned against the wall as tears streamed down his face, and luck was on his side as he spotted his tobacco pipe and Moretti drink within reach.

He started puffing out thick and heavy smoke, downing the Moretti simultaneously. Smoke filled the four corners of his room, but he didn’t care.

He gazed at his bleeding hand, knowing that if Maya were beside him, she would have treated it already.

His heart stung, his heart hurt. He wanted to rid himself of this pain, but he felt like the devil who watched the world burn in pain without understanding it.

He didn’t have a heart, or so he thought. Yet, he couldn’t forgive Maya and hold her in his arms like he wanted to.

Maybe it was because he couldn’t trust her again, she had broken his trust.

Or maybe she hadn’t, since he wouldn’t have found his childhood sweetheart or experienced peace, comfort, and happiness without her.

His happiness lay in Maya, but he struggled to be grateful for the mission that had brought them together.

She had betrayed him, and he wished she had told him the truth beforehand or that he had discovered it earlier. But all he could think was “fûcking but…”

His hand continued bleeding, the droplets staining the marble floor, but he didn’t mind.

✧✧✧✧

MAYA ROOM*

After trying to console her, Vinegar told Maya to dress up because she was still in her robe.

“You still haven’t told me where we’re heading to?” Maya asked, and Vinegar smiled.

“I just thought we should head out, at least not to think about Antonio, and besides, you wanted to get some new dress, right?” Vinegar asked.

“You.know.that….i…..”

“You do not have any opinion, I will have the say in this, you’re following me,” Vinegar cut her off, and Maya rolled her eyes.

“Fine.” She said, and they both walked out from the room, heading to the empire parking lot.

Vinegar entered the driver’s seat and ignited the car engine, and the car drove off the clan.

The breeze blew through her hair, and all that was going through Maya’s head was how she was going to get back quicker and go see Antonio.

He might want to chase her out of the empire, never!! she would not let that happen. If it does, then she might not see Antonio’s face ever again.

Just the thought alone sent her wild spike flowing through her body.

“What’s going on in that dumb åss head of yours?” Vinegar asked.

“Nothing,” Maya said, and Vinegar stared at her. Finally, they arrived at the boutique.

They got down and entered, and the attendant led them to where the female clothes and dress accessories were kept.

Maya didn’t notice July and Grayson present, July was the first to turn and look at her.

“What a coincidence… Gray, Maya is here,” July said, tapping Grayson, who turned to look at her.

“We can’t get to her… she’s accompanied by someone,” Grayson said.

“Just wait here, I know what to do,” July said and went to mess with the electric.

The light suddenly went off, and she smirked, returning to Grayson.

“Why did the light suddenly go off?” Maya asked Vinegar, but was dragged away by both Grayson and July.

“Just hold me,” Vinegar was still saying, but she couldn’t see Maya.

“Maya,” she called.

The boutique attendants were running helter-skelter to get the light fixed.

“Let me go,” Maya screamed when they got inside the bathroom, July using her phone torch, and Maya’s eyes widened.

“What are you both doing here?” Maya asked, and July pulled her into a hug.

“Maya… gosh, I missed you,” July said, while Maya hugged her back, looking at Grayson.

“I’ve missed you too,” Maya said, and they broke the hug.

Grayson was about to pull her into a hug, but Maya used her hand to separate them.

Grayson was shocked for a moment.

“What are you both doing here?” Maya asked again.

“We lost your connection, and what happened to the device I fixed on you? Anyway, that’s not my concern! Emily is requesting you bring the devil’s head to him. What’s delaying you? Have you forgotten about the mission?” Grayson rushed his words.

“I haven’t forgotten, okay,” Maya said.

“Then do something, bring Antonio to the station. He’s going to be locked up, we’re going to torture him, and your mission there would be over… It’s been three months already,” Grayson said.

“I’ll do something about it,” Maya said.

“Geez, Maya, I thought you’re going to be lean, but I was shocked to my expectations you’re even more fresh than before. Guess the devil is really taking good care of you,” July said.

Grayson frowned at that.

“Maya, don’t you miss me? Huh?” Grayson said with a mischievous grin on his face.

Maya didn’t reply, as the light came back on.

“I’ll leave before Vinegar starts wondering where I went,” Maya said.

“About the mission… make it snappy… We’ll be waiting for you at the station,” Grayson said, and Maya scoffed.

She walked out of the bathroom, and Vinegar spotted her.

“Where the hell did you went to, you almost gave me a heart attack,” Vinegar said.

“Sorry… let’s just leave here,” Maya said and walked out.

“Wait! But we’re not done shopping,” Vinegar followed from behind.

✧✧✧✧

Antonio entered Maya’s room, his bleeding arm still untreated, but she was nowhere to be found.

He was about to leave when the door squeaked open and Maya entered with shopping bags in her hand.

She was shocked to see him, having planned to visit him after dropping off the bags.

“Antonio… I’m sorry,” she said, dropping the bags and rushing to his side.

Her eyes widened as she saw the bleeding arm.

“The fûck! Did you get hurt? How did this happen?” Maya asked, her words tumbling out in a rush.

“Stop acting like you care.” Antonio shoved her hand away.

“Stop saying that, I do care, I have always cared,” Maya replied, tears welling up in her eyes.

She went to get her medical kit and held his hand, but he jerked it away.

“Even if you’re annoyed with me and don’t want to speak to me, just let me treat this wound,” Maya pleaded.

This time, when she held his hand, he didn’t pull away.

“Does it hurt?” she asked, but Antonio remained silent.

“I’m sure it hurts,” Maya said, cleaning and dressing the wound.

“You were asked to cause pain to me, probably asked to bring my head to your boss,” Antonio accused.

“Antonio, I… ” Maya began, but he cut her off.

“Then take me to him. He wants to torture me like I’ve tortured my victims. Just take me to him,” Antonio whispered.

“How do I tell you that I cannot do this… I can’t.” Maya’s voice trembled.

“Is that not the reason you’re here? It was the reason you tried to seduce me at Sockett Club from the very beginning, and foolish me fell for it. I even brought you to my clan. Just do what you came here to do.” He muttered.

Tears finally flowed from Maya’s eyes.

✧✧✧✧

LIGHT STATION*

“Are you sure about what you’re saying, that Maya would bring Antonio here?” Emily asked, and Grayson nodded.

“I told her, and she said she would do something about it. Maya doesn’t lie! she would surely fulfill it,” Grayson said.

“Okay, but what’s taking her so long to get here?” Emily asked.

“You used to be the one saying it wouldn’t be that easy,” Grayson said.

“Have you forgotten? So, in her case, it won’t be easy bringing him here.”

They waited for a good 20 minutes, but there was no trace of Maya.

“I don’t think she’s coming,” July said.

Twenty minutes turned to an hour, and an hour turned to two hours before a car screeched at the entrance, and Maya was the first to get down.

Emily rushed to her and quickly pulled her into a hug.

“Gosh, I have missed you,” Emily said, and Maya rolled her eyes.

She didn’t say anything, she just went to sit down and crossed her leg.

“The most wanted criminal is there, go get him,” Maya said, and Grayson smiled.

He walked to the car and saw Antonio.

That bastard!!

Antonio recognized him,he was the one who stopped him after he got the Kohinoor diamond, but unfailingly, he failed. What guarantee did he have that he would be able to stop him now?

Antonio got down majestically, and tears escaped Maya’s eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. Grayson’s fist landed on Antonio’s cheek, and his lips burst. Maya watched this, but she couldn’t do anything.

He punched him again, and Antonio fell, landing in front of Emily. Emily had imagined this scene all his life, he couldn’t believe it was happening now, and it was all because of Maya.

Maya wanted to retaliate, but she just couldn’t, she felt powerless, and July noticed this.

“Are you okay?” July asked.

“I’m fine,” Maya replied, her voice low.

“Maya, what should we do to this devil?” Emily asked, facing her.

Maya stood up and walked to stand beside Emily. She grabbed Antonio up, his face blôody, and she fisted her head. Just then, she gave him an eye contact.

She grabbed her gun and made to $h00t him, but Antonio swiftly collected her gun and grabbed her hand, pointing the gun at her head.

“Drop your gun, else I will $h00t her. I’m not joking! I will pull this trigger inside her fûcking skull,” Antonio said menacingly.

But they refused to do that.

“Are you all deaf? He asked you all to drop your gun, or he would $h00t me. I can’t die, I don’t want to die,” Maya said, and started crying.

Antonio put his hand on the trigger, and when they saw it, they quickly dropped their guns.

Antonio began walking backward till he got to his car, they entered and drove out roughly.

“$h|t,” Grayson mumbled.

“THEY BLOODY ESCAPED.”

✱✧✱✧

Ｔ😍Ｂ🥰Ｃ

✧✱✧✱