In the evening, Lucius arrived at Demitri’s house.
"So, what have you discovered?" Lucius asked, leaning slightly forward, eager for answers.
Demitri glanced at him and then at the computer screen in front of him. "X left the airport in a car the night he landed. I tracked the number plate from the footage, and it led sowhere unexpected," Demitri said, his tone asured but laced with unease.
He clicked on a folder and displayed a picture of a house on the screen. "This is where the trail ends. X hasn’t been seen leaving this place, at least not on any caras I could access," Demitri explained with his steady gaze.
Lucius moved closer to the monitor, his sharp eyes analyzing the image of the house. "Where is this located?" he asked.
Demitri hesitated before answering, "It’s far away from your mansion. But there’s sothing... unsettling about this place. I think it would be wise to inform Zayne for further investigation."
Lucius let out a frustrated sigh, his jaw tightening. "The police? They won’t do anything, just like they didn’t in my brother’s case—or Matteo’s."
"Those were different situations, Lucius," Demitri countered calmly.
"How exactly?" Lucius shot back with irritation.
"Antoine died in what appeared to be an accident. Matteo, on the other hand, fell victim to his own recklessness," Demitri explained carefully, as though trying not to provoke him further.
Lucius turned to Demitri with a piercing glare. His disappointnt was evident, though he had no intention of justifying his thoughts. "Thanks for your help, buddy. I’ll take it from here. Now, give the address of that place."
"Lucius, no," Demitri said firmly. "You shouldn’t go there alone. I’ll send the details to the police instead."
Lucius’s frustration boiled over. "The police?" he repeated in an incredulous tone. "They’ve been useless for years! Do you not understand? Even with all my influence, money, and power, they couldn’t solve Matteo’s murder. They didn’t even scratch the surface of what happened to him. The underworld operates beyond their reach, and they’re either too scared or too corrupt to intervene."
"Lucius," Demitri interrupted in a cautionary tone, "don’t do this. Don’t follow in Matteo’s footsteps. You know where his recklessness led him."
"I’m not Matteo," Lucius answered in a high tone this ti.
"You’re acting like him," Demitri argued, his voice tinged with worry. "He kept chasing danger until it finally caught up to him. Don’t make the sa mistake."
Lucius’s eyes narrowed. "It won’t happen to ," he said as if he knew he was safe of all those things.
"And what makes you so confident about that?" Demitri frowned, his concern deepening.
Lucius hesitated for a mont, then revealed, "Soone t Seraphina in prison. They offered her freedom in exchange for killing Layla."
Demitri’s eyes widened in shock. "What? Who approached her?"
"I don’t know who it was, but it’s clear they have connections inside the system. Officers are working with criminals. If even the law enforcent is compromised, then my influence is worthless against theirs. That’s why I need the address, Demitri. I have to find out who orchestrated this. Layla’s life is at stake, and I won’t stand by and do nothing," Lucius declared, his voice filled with grim determination.
Demitri stared at him, conflicted. "Lucius, this path you’re choosing—"
"I’ve already chosen," Lucius interrupted, cutting him off. "Now give the address."
"Tell Layla first," Demitri said.
"She already knows what I am upto," Lucius replied.
**Flashback started**
When Lucius confided in Layla, saying he would stop searching for his father for her sake, she looked at him and replied,
"For , you don’t need to do that, Lucius. Do it for yourself. Do what you feel is right for your peace of mind. Don’t live with regrets. You told earlier you would never be hard, and I believe that confidence stems from your real father. If he’s truly an untouchable mafia figure and knows about you, then he’s already ensuring nothing happens to you."
She paused, "You need to uncover the truth, Lucius. Not for , not for the father who raised you here, not even for your late brother or friend. Do it for yourself. You owe it to yourself to find the answers and finally be free of the weight you’ve been carrying."
**Flashback ended**
"But I won’t tell you anything, even if Layla has given her permission," Demitri said firmly, his tone resolute. "If you want to beat or even kill , go ahead," he added.
"Are you serious, Demitri?" Lucius clenched his fists, his temper flaring now. "Don’t act like a child. This is important to !"
"I regretted helping Matteo," Demitri admitted, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"What!?" Lucius exclaid, his brows furrowing deeply. "Did you hide sothing from ?"
"I didn’t want to, but Matteo asked to," Demitri confessed, his voice trembling this ti. "And to this day, I regret that decision. You two are the sa. Neither of you ever listens to anyone!"
Lucius’s glare intensified, his frustration mounting further. "What did you do for him?" he demanded, stepping closer towards him.
"I’m not telling you," Demitri replied, his jaw tightening in defiance.
Lucius’s patience snapped. He grabbed Demitri by the collar in a tight grip. "You should have told !" he shouted, his voice echoing in the room. "I was the first person you should’ve co to if it ant saving Matteo! Why? Why did you hide it?"
His knuckles whitened as he tightened his hold on the fabric. "Now, tell , Demitri. Or I swear you’ll never see again!"
"That will be better. Don’t see ," Demitri said when a punch landed across his face. The pain shot through Demitri’s face while Lucius’s right arm also ached because the wound still hadn’t healed.
Demitri stumbled but Lucius grabbed him from the collar again. "This friendship is over here! Don’t ever show your face. If you do, I’ll shoot you myself," he said, pushing away Demitri and leaving his sight.
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