Chapter 43: Revenge
2343words
He stepped into the mansion carefully, the heels of his shoes colliding with the cold marble floor. As soon as he entered the living room, his gaze immediately fell on three people who were sitting on a luxurious sofa in the middle of the room. Nick, with a stern posture and a hard-to-read gaze, sat down in the main chair. Next to her was Sevano, a man with a faint smile who Ramona could never fully trust. And beside Sevano, Jesleine, a woman who looked graceful but had a sharp mysterious aura, seemed to be talking casually while looking at Nick attentively.
Ramona was stunned in the doorway, her eyebrows raised. What's this? he thought to himself. He looked at the three people in confusion, feeling that this situation was unreasonable. Didn't Nick already trust Sevano anymore? he muttered to himself. How could they get together like this?
Sevano noticed Ramona's presence first and gave a big smile that was clearly not sincere. "Ah, Ramona. Finally you came," he greeted in a tone that almost sounded mocking.
Ramona didn't answer immediately, just glancing at Sevano with a cold look before her gaze turned to Nick, looking for an explanation from the man's expression. However, Nick remained calm, as if unbothered by the questions clearly drawn on Ramona's face.
Jesleine glanced at Ramona with a small smile, then returned to focus on her conversation with Nick. The situation felt awkward and enigmatic to Ramona, but she knew this was not the right time to express her concerns. He chose to keep his attitude, even though his heart was full of suspicion. Something was wrong here, he thought, trying to calm his mind which was beginning to be filled with all sorts of bad possibilities.
Ramona stepped deeper into the living room, her eyes glancing at Sevano and Jeseline who looked so relaxed, as if there was no tension in the room. Nick was standing in the corner of the room, busy lighting his cigar with a cold but calculating expression. With a bit of hesitation, Ramona walked over to him.
"What's this?" he asked, his tone calm but full of suspicion.
Nick just smiled faintly, then without warning hugged Ramona's shoulder tightly. "You must have been surprised by their arrival, right?" he said in a relaxed tone, but there was a sneaky glint in his eyes.
Behind them, Sevano and Jeseline waved with oblique smiles that were equally annoying. Ramona just glanced at them for a moment before focusing her gaze back on Nick, trying to read the man's mind. However, his gaze turned sharp as he felt that Nick's embrace on his shoulder was slowly turning into an intimidating grip.
Nick leaned slightly, his voice becoming lower, "How is the exercise? Is trying it on the couch really fun?"
Sevano and Jeseline instantly exploded in loud laughter, their voices echoing throughout the room. Ramona squinted, her chest tightening as she realized that Nick knew everything. He held his breath, his face trying to stay calm even though his mind was spinning.
Nick, who was still smiling sweetly, smoked his cigar slowly and then blew the smoke into the air, looking at Ramona with a triumphant look. "We're not stupid, Ramona," she said as she grabbed her bag lying on the sofa. He opened the bag, and from it he took out a ballpoint pen. With a relaxed movement, Nick opened the lid of the ballpoint pen, revealing a small device that turned out to be a voice interceptor.
"I know all your plans with Hunter very clearly," he continued in a cold tone.
Ramona was stunned, her mouth slightly open, trying to process what had just happened. Meanwhile, Sevano stood up from the sofa, approached her with a relaxed step, and without permission embraced her shoulder. "Your tricks are indeed very great," he said, his voice full of mockery. "You even played a very good role in front of Nick. This friend of mine is almost crazy and blind because of your cunning. Fortunately, there are those of us who can make him conscious."
Ramona roughly brushed Sevano's hand away from her shoulder, her eyes blazing with anger. But before she could say anything, Jeseline got up from the sofa and walked over, a cynical smile etched across her face.
"What if you end up being betrayed by Hunter?" asked Jeseline in a sharp tone. She laughed loudly, her voice like a dagger piercing Ramona's ears. "Do you really believe that Hunter will marry you?"
Ramona bit her lower lip, her heart burning with shame and frustration. Jeseline continued to laugh, making Ramona feel even more cornered. However, he still stood tall, not letting them see his weakness, even though his heart was slowly shattered in the face of this situation.
Nick dominantly embraced Ramona, forcing her body to sit on the couch beside her. Her movements don't give Ramona room to resist. Nick looked at her with a cold look, a cynical smile etched on his lips.
"Now it's my turn to play, isn't it?" he said in a mocking tone, the distance between them so close that Ramona could feel his breath.
Ramona looked at him with a flat look, yet clearly exuded deep hatred. He is not afraid to show what he feels, even if the situation is not in his favor. "You killed Hunter's father, weren't you?" he asked, his voice low but firm, full of pent-up emotion.
Hearing that, Nick glanced at Sevano for a moment before laughing out loud. His laughter filled the room, creating an even more tense atmosphere. "You've even investigated me so far," he said between laughter, his voice sounding satisfied and proud.
Ramona, who is starting to feel desperate, tries to release Nick's grip on her arm, but to no avail. The man's grip was too strong, as if deliberately showing that he had complete control over the situation. Nick didn't let go; Instead, it tightened its grip until their faces were only a few inches apart.
Nick stared at Ramona sharply, her eyes shining full of menace. "Obey, and follow my game. I won't touch your son," he threatened in a cold tone, his voice sounding like a hissing snake, forcing Ramona to realize that she had no choice.
Ramona glanced angrily, her chest feeling tight by the threat Nick thrown. He tried to hold back his tears, but the fear and anger were too great to ignore. Her frightened and frustrated face only made Sevano and Jesslyn enjoy the scene even more. They laughed out loud, as if this situation was the entertainment they were most looking forward to.
"Look at his face!" exclaimed Jesslyn with a laugh, his voice piercing like a dagger. "He looks like a trapped mouse!"
Sevano chimed in with a mocking tone. "You know, Nick, you're a real genius. The game has only just begun, but I'm already enjoying every second of it."
Ramona still tried to calm down even though the storm raged in her heart. He knew that this was not the end, and he had to persevere, no matter what. But Nick's threat kept ringing in his mind, adding to the already heavy burden on his shoulders.
Nick looked at Ramona intensely, his cold eyes like piercing into the woman's soul. He smoked his cigar casually, then exhaled a thick smoke right into Ramona's face. Ramona reflexively coughed, the air around her felt choked by the smoke of the cigar.
"Pick one," Nick said in a cold but threatening tone. "You want your son or Hunter?"
Ramona squinted, holding back her anger as well as frustration as she faced this very difficult choice. Nick, who was impatiently waiting for an answer, suddenly grabbed Ramona's neck tightly. Ramona moaned in pain, her hands trying to release the grip but in vain.
"Don't glare at me!" yelled Nick emotionally. "Just say your choice!"
Ramona took a deep breath, her sharp eyes staring at Nick with hatred. In a firm voice though trembling, he replied, "My son."
Nick laughed with satisfaction at the answer, then slowly let go of his grip. He stepped back a bit and muttered with a sarcastic smile. "Good choice," he said, then smoked his cigar once more before flicking it to the ashtray on the table. "Now, I have a task for you."
But before Nick could explain further, Ramona immediately got up from the couch with angry eyes. "You're so cunning, Nick!" he yelled loudly. But before he could continue, Sevano quickly pressed his shoulder hard, forcing him to lie down in front of Nick's feet.
"Cunning?" Nick smiled cynically and looked at him from above with contempt. "Then what about you?" he asked emphatically, as he casually stepped on Ramona's hand who was now on the floor. Ramona grimaced in pain, her voice sounded moaning, yet she refused to show weakness in front of the man.
Nick lowered his head slightly, his cold eyes looking back at Ramona's face. "Marry me or I kill Hunter? You have only one choice," he said in a voice that was so sharp and firm.
Ramona, despite being in a weak position, still looked at Nick with a sarcastic smile that sliced through. "Of course I chose to be with Hunter. Being with a cunning and a loser like you will only torture me!" she yelled courageously. "I don't want to have a husband or descendants of a murderer like you!"
Nick's anger was evident on his face. He gripped Ramona's jaw tightly, forcing her face to look up so that their eyes met. "You're talking more and more now," he said in a sharp, cold tone. "Do I have to stitch your lips to keep you quiet?"
However, after taking a deep breath to calm himself down, Nick smiled coldly, composing the words with a calmness that actually felt even more sinister. "Well, if you choose to be with Hunter, I'll grant it. But with one condition," he continued, his lips curling towards a cruel smile. "I'm going to kill you two... together."
The sound of loud laughter instantly filled the room, Sevano and Jeseline enjoyed the situation with a mocking laugh, as if Ramona's suffering was their best entertainment.
Nick sat quietly on the couch, picking up Ramona's phone that was lying on the table. Slowly, he searched for the contacts on the phone until he found the name he was looking for. "Hunter," he muttered with a sarcastic smile, then turned his head towards Ramona. "Tell him to meet you at my arsenal. Tell me that you have found the evidence of his father's murder that I kept there."
Ramona squinted her eyes, clearly showing her disapproval and unwillingness to follow Nick's orders. However, Nick, who already understands Ramona's weakness, immediately adds his threats casually. "Trovis School, isn't that your son's school?" said Nick in a low but stressed tone.
Hearing the threat, Ramona's eyes immediately narrowed sharply, showing burning anger even as she tried to hold it back. Nick smiled faintly, satisfied at the reaction, then without hesitation pressed the navigation button on Ramona's phone to call Hunter. Before long, the phone connected, and Hunter's soft voice was heard from the other side.
"Yes, honey, what's wrong?" asked Hunter gently, his voice sounding like the warmth that pierced Ramona's heart.
Ramona stared at Nick sharply, hoping to find a way out of this situation, but Nick's cold, menacing gaze gave her only one choice. In a forced voice, he said, "Hunter, I've found evidence of your father's murder. Nick keeps it in his arsenal."
Ramona's tone was made as if full of enthusiasm, even though in her heart it felt like a dagger that pierced deeply. She hates herself for lying to Hunter, the man who has always believed in her.
"Really? Okay, I'll go there," Hunter replied confidently. "Are you going there too?" he continued in a considerate tone.
Ramona glanced at Nick, who gave her a firm nod as a gesture. "Yes, I'll go there too," Ramona lied again. "Nick is going out," she added, trying to cover up the truth with falsehoods that made her heart even more filled with guilt.
"Okay, I'll be there soon," Hunter replied before ending the phone call.
Nick smiled with satisfaction, realizing that Hunter had gotten into his trap. He threw Ramona's phone on the couch in a relaxed manner, then approached and lifted Ramona's chin with his fingers. "You're really smart. Thank you for helping me. Now I just want to grant your request to be with Hunter," he said in a mocking tone.
Ramona looked at Nick with hatred, her eyes burning sharply. "Just try touching Hunter or my son, I'm really going to kill you," he threatened in a firm, confident voice.
Nick, who didn't like the challenge, immediately slapped Ramona hard in the face. The sound of the slap echoed through the room, leaving a red trail on his cheek. Even though she felt the heat of the slap, Ramona actually smiled obliviously. He looked at Nick sarcastically and said emphatically, "You're going to regret it really much."
The remark made Nick even angrier, but before he could react further, Sevano who was standing next to Ramona directly hit the back of his neck hard. Ramona's body collapsed instantly and fell unconscious.
Nick took a deep breath, then stood up from the couch and tidied up the collar of his shirt with a relaxed motion. "Hurry up and bring him. Let's go to the arsenal now," Nick ordered in a stern tone. Sevano and Jeseline immediately nodded, grabbing Ramona's unconscious body, and preparing to follow Nick to the planned place.
