"Layla, Uncle ntioned you wanted to speak with ," Roger said, his hand casually sliding into the pocket of his trousers.
"Yes, Rick," Layla replied, her voice tinged with concern. "Lucius isn’t doing well. On the surface, he keeps a straight face, but inside... so much is happening. Please, stay close to him. The last ti they t didn’t go well, and I fear Lucius might be blaming himself for everything that happened."
"You’re right," Roger said. "Uncle puts on this tough exterior, but deep down... only he knows how much it’s eating him. It started with Dad’s death, then Matteo’s... and now his mother. It must be weighing on him like a storm inside."
"Hmm." Layla’s composure broke, and she began sobbing softly, her tears audible enough for Roderick to notice.
"Hey," Roger’s voice softened. "Pull yourself together. I know it’s hard for everyone, especially you and my uncle. But you have to think of your baby. You’re in a crucial stage of your pregnancy."
"Yeah, I know... thanks, Rick," Layla murmured, dabbing at her tears.
"Anyti. I’ll hang up now," Roger said gently.
Layla lowered the phone onto the bed and headed to the washroom. She washed her face, letting her hands rest on the counter as her gaze fell on her wedding ring. The glint of the ring grounded her for a mont. She dabbed her face dry with a towel, stepped out, and picked up her phone to call Luca.
"Hey," Luca answered, his voice warm. "I was about to call you. Lucius already spoke to . I’m in London too, tracking Tsar’s movents."
"Will Lucius et you?" Layla asked, concern threading her voice.
"Yes, tomorrow," Luca replied. "Today is his mother’s funeral procession. Are you scared? What did Tsar say to you?" He paused, then added more gently, "Never mind, just don’t let his words occupy your mind. Tsar won’t leave London easily. There are three escape routes, and I’ve got eyes on all of them."
"Don’t let Lucius kill him," Layla said firmly. "I don’t want his hands stained with blood. He’s too angry right now, and he isn’t showing it, but I can feel it."
"I’ll try," Luca reassured her. Sensing her silence, he prompted gently, "What’s on your mind?"
"I... I feel scared, for Lucius, for you, and for everyone around ," she admitted, her voice trembling.
"That’s exactly what he wanted," Luca said, leaning against the railing. "But rember this, you’re stronger than you think. Right now, you need rest. It’s better to calm your mind than to let fear control it."
"I can’t rest," Layla replied. "I’m unable to."
"Fine, don’t rest. But just stop thinking about the worst. It will bring nothing. None of us knows the outco. But not always does evil win. Trust what Lucius has told you," Luca asserted.
Layla humd, lowering herself to the bed. Just then, she heard a knock on the door.
"Luca, I’ll talk to you later," Layla said softly, ending the call. She opened the door, and froze for a mont as she saw Orabela standing there.
"Layla!" Orabela exclaid, rushing forward to hug her tightly. The two sisters held onto each other as if the embrace could shield them from the world.
After a mont, Orabela gently pulled back, steadying herself. "Why did you co here?" Layla asked.
"I couldn’t stay ho knowing what happened to Lucius’s mother," Orabela said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She lifted her hand and gently pressed her thumb to Layla’s cheek, wiping away the remaining tears. "I thought... you might be alone, and you needed soone."
"You shouldn’t have traveled here. Things aren’t exactly safe. Did you co by yourself?" Layla asked, concern creeping into her tone as she guided Orabela inside the room.
"Yeah... I drove alone," Orabela replied, settling beside her sister. "But what exactly happened? Roger ca ho to tell us to stay indoors. Mom and Dad were both worried sick. I decided I had to co see you myself."
Layla drew a shaky breath, her fingers clutching the bedsheet. "Tsar... he’s back. He wasn’t dead. We miscalculated last ti." She paused, her voice faltering as fear overtook her. "And... he killed Lucius’s mother. He threatened ... said he’d do the sa to anyone connected to us."
Orabela’s eyes widened, and she took Layla’s hands in hers, squeezing them gently. "The police will catch him. Don’t worry."
"I hope so," Layla murmured, furrowing her brows together.
~~~~
Sylvia set the bag down on the couch and turned sharply toward Aiden, her voice trembling with fear and frustration. "Why didn’t you tell this before? Why hide it from ? I’ve been terrified, wondering why you weren’t answering my calls."
"I... I’m sorry," Aiden stamred, guilt written all over his face. "Boss was too worried, and I had to handle everything for him. It just slipped my mind while I was coordinating with Roger to make sure everyone’s safe."
"And Layla? Since Lucius is in London, she must be alone," Sylvia asked, her concern evident.
"I haven’t spoken to her yet, but she’s fine... she’s with Lucius’s family," Aiden replied, trying to sound reassuring.
Sylvia’s eyes narrowed, worry and resolve intertwining. "Tsar won’t stop here. His next target will be those who are easiest to reach. And Lucius... I can only imagine how furious he must be. I don’t know much about his mother, but he’s always had that simring anger toward her."
"Boss won’t spare Tsar," Aiden said firmly. "He threatened Layla on the phone. From what I’ve gathered, Tsar is hiding well in London, but all his escape routes are blocked."
"Are you sure?" Sylvia asked, her brow arched sharply. "What if Tsar manages to reach Italy? Don’t you understand how the mafias operate?"
A dangerous glint sparked in her eyes as she continued. "You should give a gun too. Who knows when I might run into him? He killed my brother... and if I ever get the chance, I won’t hesitate to empty the whole gun into his chest."
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