OPPORTUNITY

THE NEXT MORNING ...

The sun beamed on the horizon and birds chirped in the morning and happiness woke up with a smile on her face. Sumire unexpectedly received a bouquet, a love letter, and one pair of earrings from Mort. It was delivered from Brethren City. Sitting so beautifully, her hair flowing around her like a morning mist. The maiden immediately took out the earrings that fit perfectly on her. The morning breeze gently stirred her raven hair as she read the handwritten love letter while drinking coffee in the garden. She smelled the special paper that Mort used and the scent of the hunk was left there which made Sumire smile.

"I love you." The maiden whispered under her breath while smelling the bouquet of red roses. The sweet smile plastered on her face while her white dress swayed against the current of the morning wind. She felt serene and thought nothing bad happen yesterday.

"That's really sweet." Suddenly, Chadwick spoke behind her who had just arrived and brought coffee, along with Dreygur who seemed to have a bad morning.

The sun rose bright and fair, and the morning was without a cloud. The clear blue sky and the breeze complement one another. The warmth was particularly pleasant with the invigorating freshness of the morning. But it seems a heavy cloud with thunder and lightning floating above Dreygur's head who had emanating heavy and dark atmosphere. Sumire felt that the Dreygur she was with yesterday and now was a different person.

"Thank you, Uncle Chad." She said while eyes darted at Dreygur who was also carrying a cup of coffee.

Dreygur couldn't look her in the eye. His head remained lower as if fell in deep thought. Sumire shifted her gaze to Chadwick and raised her left eyebrow slightly, asking what was going on with Dreygur, which Chadwick simply answered her with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Uncle, aren't you feel comfortable in bed?" Sumire asked and Dreygur quickly looked up at her. He could see the worries visible on the maiden's face. Dreygur wished that he was the only one who could see that kind of expression she made for him.

"Don't mind me. I just don't feel good when I wake up." Dreygur replied with a forced smile. Chadwick sipped his coffee while looking at the two of them.

"Do you need medicine or anything?" Sumire asked as she stood up. She then touched Dreygur's forehead head and neck and compared it to her own temperature. Dreygur swallowed hard at what Sumire did standing so close to him. Chadwick faked a cough.

"He is fine. You should start preparing by now. In a few minutes, we'll be leaving for the Davenford's country." Chadwick interrupted them which captured Sumire's attention. Dreygur disdainfully looks at him.

"But Uncle-" Sumire didn't finish what she had to say when Chadwick gave her a stern look.

"Just do it." Chadwick coldly said with a commanding tone. He oozes an air of authority that no one dares to defy him. He is much more strict than her dad Chaise. Mouth zipped, Sumire ran into her mansion without looking back. Dreygur looked at his cousin in disbelief.

"Do you really have to use that annoying tone of yours?" Dreygur shifted his gaze and asked Chadwick irritably to which his cousin just smirked.

"Yes. I hate it when she shows genuine concern for you unaware of what's going on in your brain, you disgusting piece of shit." Nailed on the chair. Dreygur was stunned by what Chadwick said.

Dreygur felt Chadwick knows something but his cousin just doesn't tell him. He couldn't believe it as he stared at Chadwick for so long, trying to read what was on his mind even though he had no emotion lingering on his face.

"What do you really want from me? Why are you helping me when we both know who will sit on the throne even though your mother is the current ruler? And I am also aware that you want to take over your mother's throne. But what can you do? You're not pure-blooded Davenford. You have Massoullève blood runs in you and we both know what that means. The worst case, you can't kill me either because that will kill you too. So what do you really want to happen?" Dreygur said out of frustration but Chadwick just looked at him with a frown. Asking Dreygur what nonsensical things he was saying.

"I don't know what you want to hear from me but you should be grateful because you can still see her until now." Chadwick meaningfully responded leaving Dreygur puzzled in his place.

"You should pack your things as well now." He added and followed Sumire inside the mansion, leaving Dreygur alone in the garden.

Dreygur gripped the glass tightly. Veins protruded, his hand shaking with anger he now felt towards Chadwick. His grip almost shattered and quickly let it go when he heard it cracks. He gritted his teeth out of frustration. It seems like Mort isn't the only one he's going to have a problem with, but Chadwick, who he used to dislike until now.

"Damn."

Dreygur audibly cursed and stood up. He went back to the mansion with big strides and headed straight to his room to prepare the things he had just arranged last night in the closet. He thought he would be staying with her for a long time. Dreygur didn't expect that his fantasies would just disappear like bubbles pop in the air. He thought he could 'do' something more with Sumire but his plans ended just like that.

Dreygur put all his stuff in the suitcase with a heavy feeling. When he got out, Sumire strode out of her room with excitement painted on her face. She obviously can't wait to be in his Uncle's country. She could hardly contain her happiness.

"Dreygur! I can't believe I will be able to see grandma and the country she rules! I so damn can't wait!" Sumire exclaimed and jump in happiness.

Everything she said didn't reach Dreygur's ears. His eyes were busy scanning the whole appearance of the maiden. She wears a black skirt and a stylish V-neck an off-the-shoulder knit top. Her hair was wetly disheveled. Dreygur's eyes were filled with admiration for her beauty, but quickly darkened when he realized that Sumire's earrings, necklace, bracelet, and ring were from Mort. He saw it in the reports of one of his men who were spying in the Brethren city.

"You are pretty as always." Dreygur genuine compliment made Sumire smile.

"Thank you!" The maiden responded enthusiastically and slightly bowed her head. Dreygur was about to come to reach for Sumire's hair when the door to the library opened and Chadwick came out there with only an attachment case.

"Let's go," Chadwick said and preceded them inside. Sumire and Dreygur exchange glances and look at him at the same time. The two of them followed Chadwick and got into his car. Sumire was about to get into the backseat next to Dreygur when Chadwick spoke.

"Sumire, get in the front seat," Chadwick ordered that he could clearly see Dreygur's reaction in the rearview mirror. Sumire followed and sit next to her Uncle Chadwick who took the steering wheel. They got to the airport and boarded inside the Davenfords' jet, but none of them speak a word. No tension builds between them and they prefer not to bother each other's business.

When the airplane took off, Sumire spoke. Even though she hesitated to ask her Uncle Chadwick as he looks busy on his laptop for something, the maiden courageously dared to disturb him.

"Uncle, when can we reach Grandma Zelle's country?" She asked making Chadwick look up at her.

"Two days," Chadwick replied shortly. Eyes slightly widen, Sumire was stunned. It's a good thing she texted Mort before they flew to her Grandma's place.

"How many times have you been there, Uncle?" Sumire asked again but this time Chadwick didn't take his eyes off his laptop.

"I don't count." He replied curtly. The maiden gulped hard. She found it really hard to talk to her Uncle Chad.

"I'm sorry I just have to do something," Chadwick added and stood up. He left Sumire and Dreygur alone in the large luxurious cabin and moved to one of the jet's outlandish rooms.

"Don't mind him. He is a busy person." Dreygur broke the deafening silence reigning between them.

Sumire nodded to him. Dreygur called the flight attendant to serve them. They brought world-class food and many more different dishes and placed them on the big table between the two of them. There were only Sumire and Dreygur to eat but the food served was good for twenty people.

"This is too much." The maiden complained that her face twitched sourly at the number of dishes in front of her.

"Well, don't worry. You are not obligated to consume all of that." Dreygur laughed as he started putting food on Sumire's plate again.

"But do they still need to prepare this much food for us?" Sumire asked in a serious tone and look at Dreygur.

"Well, it's a Davenfords thing. Don't mind about it." Dreygur said handsomely smiling and Sumire started to dig into the food with a phone in her one hand, looking at her and Mort's photos again.

Dreygur, on the other hand, was thinking about what he would do with Sumire when they reached their country. He can do anything he wants because he is the next on the throne. Even Chadwick can't do or say anything when he does something to Sumire. He smirked at the scene etching on his mind and his plan was easier to carry out. With or without the Massoullèves' consent, Sumire will be his. Their country, their rules. And soon he will be the ruler.

'Damn. I should have done this from the start.' Dreygur said while eyeing intently and eyes glinting in desire at the maiden happily chewing the food.

While Sumire was on the jet along with her Uncles headed to the Davenford's territory, Mort was busy fixing the Underground after the war.

"When will I have time to go after Sumire?" Mort asked while signing the pile of documents on his table. Klauss who was already standing next to him, look at his notebook.

"In two months," Klauss replied in a serious tone. Thick eyebrows deeply knitted, Mort shifted his gaze to the secretary.

"That long? Are you fucking serious?" Irritate, Mort asked in a monotonous tone and his face darkened.

"Yes." Mort sighed heavily.

There is a lot to clean up in the Underground, but two months is not possible with his and Sumire's current situation. Who knows what will happen in those two months while they are apart? Even though Dreygur is her uncle, Mort doesn't trust that man's intention for his beloved. He may not meet him in person but the fact that he is on Lucian's list as a puppeteer is enough to make him distrustful. Especially since everyone on Lucian's list is 100% surely brought no good to his territory. Mort still concerns a Massoullève who is also on the Consigliere's list. Though that person is not as suspicious as Dreygur, he couldn't comprehend what it wants or his motives.

"You can leave the work to us, Dad!" Narco butted in with one hand raised. Klauss shot him a cold glare.

"Don't give him that crappy idea." Klauss reprimanded Narco. Laurel was about to speak when Klauss raised an eyebrow at her.

"We still don't know who the puppeteer is." Lyric seconded with hands crossed at the back of his head.

"You are right. So that should be what Boss Mort worked on." Leroy said who is sitting on crossed legs. Klauss narrowed his eyes at him.

"Who cares about that Puppeteer? They didn't get anything from the war and the formula given by Mort is not true. So it shouldn't be a problem."

Klaus said. He was stressed out at them since yesterday. The truth is, he wanted to take a long break from work, but it's not gonna be possible. This is not an ordinary job that he can just leave at will. If they cannot control the situation, they lose greatly.

"What if the formula is really true?" Narco asked and Klauss exploded in anger.

"Just tell me if you don't want to live in Brethren City anymore," Klauss said that everyone fell quiet and focused on the job assigned to them.

Mort, on the other hand, can't get Sumire out of his mind going to the Davenfords' territory. He doesn't have access to that particular place. He has no connection. Even if he is the richest man in the world, only the country of Davenfords Mort wasn't able to penetrate. Money is not enough to bribe just to enter that country and they don't care even if he is the most feared and powerful figure in the Underground or surface world. He still couldn't follow Sumire there. He can't ask for help from the Massoullèves. If only someone can take him there, a Massoullève who doesn't hold a grudge against him.

"Narco, where is Blanche right now?" Mort asked suddenly in a serious demeanor, which startled the young man.

"At school." Narco quickly replied. Wondering what his Dad is up to Blanche.

"Call him."