It was an emotional scene for the couple; if only Vincencio could hold still, it would be splendid, but he started snickering.
"Well, you're good. You could be an actress if you decided to retire as CEO." He teasingly whispered, earning a slight pinch on his side.
"Shut up and just flow with me." She responded, rolling her eyes, smirking secretly, but letting her tears mark her face before adding, "The camera is still rolling."
"If you say so." He snickered amusingly before pulling away from the hug. He cupped his wife's face delicately, saying, "We'll get her. I promise. Just calm down and be the collected boss that I kept falling in love with."
"Very well said." She sadly smiled as he helped her drying tears away from her face. "You'd better get going. I must be the boss, as you said."
"That's my wife. I'll check on you later." He smiled encouragingly before kissing her temple and leaving her office.
When she was fully alone in her office, she glanced at her wall clock, listening its tick before heading to the window, staring at the city view beneath her tower. She was watching every move that was happening around the city, which is very typical of the daily activities of busy people. She sighed, thinking about her daughter, when her personal phone rang. She picked it up and heard the voice she's longing to hear.
"You good?" Skylar answered the call with a teary eye and only to hear a baby's voice.
'Pretty much, Mommy. Daddy said to call.'
"Hubby, this is dangerous. I'll make sure to get back to you." She thought slyly before responding to the kid. "Well, we need encouragement, and you did well. Thank you."
'Welcome, Mommy. Oh, Mommy, they said Hurry and end the game.'
"Soon. It'll come, just be patient and be good there. Take care." She politely responded.
'I will. I love you, Mommy and Daddy.'
"Baby…" She thought deeply as soon as the call ended. She took a deep breath and let her tears fall before staring darkly at the city, clenching her phone. "I'll make sure the game will tick on their right time in their perfect place."
Skylar went back to her CEO job and was still letting her storm put everyone on edge. She kept shouting, demanding an efficient working pace, revising formats and designs, and even ripping Vincencio's design idea proposal in front of everyone in the department.
"Don't waste my time on petty ideas. Show me why you're even working here and it's not because you're my husband." Skylar darkly spat, throwing back the ripped proposal on the table before adding firmly, "Do it again and be sure to finish it before your clock ends. I'll be in the office. And for you, go back to work. NOW!"
'Wifey, that's too much. I've been doing overtime for that proposal.'
"Suck it up, Hubby. We're spreading rumors, and it's only a matter of time to reach a certain target." Skylar responded telepathically as she headed back to her office. She leaned against the lift's wall, sighing a little.
'Fine, but don't rip my masterpiece.'
"Make it extravagant and catchy but not annoyingly disapproving." She demanded, making Vincencio snicker.
'Noted.'
"And that's for making her call me." She spat amusingly as she got off the lift and walked down the hall confidently.
'Ohh, I didn't tell her to call during working time.'
"But she still did." She said with a sigh and grabbed something from Medina's desk before entering her office. "Gladly, my words were general while blocking her tone from eavesdroppers."
'Sorry, wifey. Forgive me.'
"Forgiven, but not your connection with my brother before our marriage." She grinned as soon as she closed the door and went to her desk to do a few more paperwork.
'Yeah, yeah, I still remember. I hope it will be on bed.'
"Ohhoo, perhaps, but worse. You won't be able to walk for me." She answered.
'Damn, that's hot when you talk dirty.'
"Seriously, hubby." She said, almost choking on the coffee she just prepared, before adding with a sigh, "Too much."
'Hahaha, not kidding though, I feel hot.'
"Then jerk off in the toilet." She said sarcastically, making him chuckle.
'Can I do on your toilet there? It's much cozy and pleasing to do it than in the cubicle here.'
"HUBBY! WORK NOW!" She shouted through their telepathy even though her cheeks were in flame.
'Hahaha, it's good to piss you off out of our target's plan.'
"Why you!" She groaned grumpily.
'I love you.'
"Love you too." She reciprocated with a sigh before adding, "This is going to be a long day today."
***
After working hours, Skylar was cleaning up her desk, getting ready to leave, when Vincencio entered her office without knocking as he had promised to pick her up. It took Skylar a brief moment to check for the last time before clinging her arm around Vincencio, but before they could even leave, a knock made them look at each other, sensing Medina. Medina looked serious and a little worn out, but still looked pleasing as she entered the office, making the couple brace themselves for the news she had for them.
"Got something for us, Medina?" Smiled, Vincencio asked carefully, making the secretary nod.
"Yes, it's about the news around the SaiRus Corp." Medina seriously replied, making Skylar take a seat on the couch, letting Medina do the same while Vincencio grabbed something for her to drink.
"Proceed." Skylar commandingly said after Medina settled in and drank water.
"The SaiRus Corp's rumors were getting out of hand, and some of them were true. A few investors started pulling out their shares, funding, and some of their clients backed down their projects with the company since none of them wanted to get entangled with the accusations." She reported the news, which was technically nothing new to Skylar's hearing, and yet, she had to pretend to be curious and skeptical about it.
"Accusation like what?" She wondered carefully.
"The company, the boss, is being accused of being involved with mass murdering before, despite not having concrete evidence, and rumors about him getting involved with the mafia." She replied, making Skylar's eyes squint. It was a little bit new to her.
"And Fredric? What does he say among these accusations?" She asked, pitching her tone up.
"Like everyone would react, furious, but from what I heard from his secretary, he's amused by the turn of events around him. It was like he was expecting it to happen." She answered what she learned before adding, and looking a little terrified, "At first, I didn't understand it until I heard another rumor about threatening whoever tried to betray him, he'll bring them down with him."
"I see, and what made you look terrified?" Skylar noticed the sudden change in Medina's reaction when she stated the last information. But her secretary was skeptical about sharing what she knew, making Skylar commandingly demand, "Medina, spill it out before I do."
"I'm not sure if you would like what I found out." Medina warily answered, making Skylar's eyes narrow.
"Share them, then I'll decide." She firmly said, and Medina sighed.
"He's that mafia." She said, dropping a bomb on Skylar's head.
At first, Skylar didn't understand what she just said, but seeing Medina's worry and petrified reaction, she began to understand who she was referring to. Her eyes went wide from realization, letting issues from the past click; the familiarity and the bond began clicking like a lightning strike, making her shake her head in disbelief.
"No…no…it can't be…he's married…and…" She began mumbling, shaking, disbelieving, and crying, making Vincencio worried.
"Wifey, I've got you…" He muttered and pulled her in his arms, calming her down before asking Medina sternly, "What else you got, Medina?"
"Ahm, he has been watching and here…" Medina answered as she handed an envelope. Carefully, Vincencio opened it, and the couple looked horrified at what they received.
"No…no…no…" Skylar mumbled terrifyingly before shouting, "WHY DID HE HAVE A PHOTO OF MY DAUGHTER?!"
Medina was about to answer, but Vincencio shook his head and firmly looked at her.
"Medina, call the siblings and tell them to ready my men." Vincencio's voice turned grim as he commanded, and for the first time, Medina cowered at his commanding voice before immediately making a call.
"Vince…" Skylar whimpered, making him soften a little.
"Don't worry, I've got this. I'll deal with him. You're not alone." He reassured firmly, making Skylar nod before he turned to Medina and firmly said, "Medina, stay with her and make sure nothing will harm her, or I'll kill you."
"Vince, where are you going?" She asked softly as she grabbed Vincencio's wrist, stopping him from getting up from the couch.
"Find his tracks. Stay home, search from there. I'll contact you once I get some leads." With a colder voice, he answered firmly before growling, "He's going to pay."
Without waiting for her response, Vincencio stood up and left the company furiously. Meanwhile, back in the CEO's office, Skylar was sitting pretty, slightly relaxed, and her eyes were filled with a sinister look.
"Seriously, you two are playing it well." Medina softly commented as she handed a cup of tea, making her boss relaxed from the news she shared, although the news was nothing new at all, aside from one thing.
"Softly. Somebody might hear you." Skylar's voice dropped colder, reminding Medina to speak more softly before asking something serious, "Is it true that he is that mafia?"
"Yes, and he's behind everything that happened to you, as well as Monica." She answered honestly before drinking her water, checking her work tablet.
"Make sense on how I wanted to beat him and where I found myself enjoying our battle. He's molding me to be a tough fighter, a survivor, but…" She concluded, smirking through her mind before wondering, "…why was he involved with Monica?"
"Remember what she did with you?" Medina asked, making her nod before she continued, showing something on her work tablet, saying, "I think that made him furious."
"He manipulated her, ensuring she'll fall into her deepest misery." She muttered, watching a copy of surveillance footage of how Fredric tortured Monica, manipulating her.
In the captured footage, where Monica was beaten, tied to the chair, bleeding, Fredric stepped in as a sinister mafia boss. He lifted her chin, forcing her to look straight into his eyes and using his vampire compulsion, manipulating the beaten soldier for an honest confession.
Boss Rico: How does it taste when you fuck her fiancé, breaking your friendship with her?
Monica: I…I don't know what you're talking about…
Boss Rico: You can't lie. I've been watching her and her surroundings. I know who were loyal to her and those people who would use her and hurt her. But what I didn't expect was for you to be the one who would end her, break her, than anyone could.
Monica: I DIDN'T MEAN TO! THEY MADE ME AND I CAN'T DRAG HER WHERE I'VE FALLEN! I HAVE TO…I…I have to protect her from them…
Boss Rico: What are you talking about? Spill it out.
Monica: I know I've been jealous of her achievements and life, but she never forgets me. She shared them with me, but they wanted her. They have desired her to fall from the service so they could have her in their arms, in their arms. I made sure they wouldn't, intercepting their plan, letting them swallow me whole and be worse than to make her be in my position…
Boss Rico: And why should I believe you? You're just like your parents. Thieves. Traitors. Liars.
Monica: I don't betray without an acceptable reason. She taught me that.
Fredric stopped. He carefully studied the woman, reading like an open book as his eyes went crimson red, manipulating the woman's mind even further. He stopped when he found something hidden beneath the woman's eyes.
Boss Rico: You love her more than your life, but didn't confess after learning of her engagement with your best friend. How tragic a love story you got entangled with…but sadly, none of you is rightfully hers…her heart belongs to someone else, which will make her easily heal from the heartache you've caused. However, I have something for you. Do you still want to be with her?
Monica: What are you talking about?
Boss Rico: Hurt her more. Kill her if you must. It's the only way she'll come to you, and when she does, it's up to you what you will do afterwards. But do remember, only her love can bring you back to the light you've once lost.
Fredric began releasing her chains before placing his index finger on her temple. His eyes fixated deeply into hers, binding.
Boss Rico: Once we're gone, you have no recollection of this meeting until the right time comes. Remember, end her so she'll come after you. Only she could bring you back.