Chapter 17
THE ELEVATOR ride seemed too long for Charles as panic and worry consumed his body and mind. He was internally panicking while standing, and for three years, he almost cursed the elevator.
Charles thought that they'll meet at LUST DAWN, so he was in such a hurry to drive when it became clear that he was being sent to Wynter's unit.
He didn't know what to think, but he's sure that he's the one to blame. If he hadn't been following Angelo, even if it was secretly, he wouldn't have been in his current situation.
When he parked the car earlier, he received a text from Wynter, which made him even more worried and hurried into the elevator.
After what seemed to be an eternity, the elevator door opened and Charles rushed his way to Wynter's unit. He hadn't even knocked when Wynter opened the door.
He was expecting her to cry but her cold expression made him shiver. Wyn widened the door so that he could enter.
He was stunned as he saw her laptop on her coffee table. It was facing them so he was more nervous than he saw what's on its screen.
He turned his back to look at Wynter but a strong punch from her was about to meet his face. He quickly blocked it, as well as the other attacks that Wynter did.
“What the hell, Wynter—” Charles blocked another punch.
“Don’t you dare ‘what the hell’ me, Williams!” Wynter continued to attack him with kicks and punches.
When Charles' last strand of patience snapped, he attacked as well. Not to get back at her but to make her calm down. “Stop it, Vazquez!”
“I’ll only stop when I kill you!” He felt the anger in the tone of his friend's shout. Her face showed rage and her attacks were meant to hurt him.
Finally, Charles saw an opening and was able to kick Wynter's left leg, enough to make her lose her balance for a moment. She was about to recover but he didn't let her. He ran towards her and pushed her down on her sofa. Charles pinned his best friend down.
“Calm down, Wyn. Calm down,” Charles calmly said.
Wynter wanted to fight back but she managed to calm down.
“That’s it. Calm down and let me explain.”
“Tss.”
Charles finally let her hands and legs go. He was sure that her body was finally relaxed. He decided to sit on the single sofa that had come quite a distance because of their fight earlier.
Charles glanced at Wynter's laptop before seriously facing her. “Let me explain.”
Umayos din ng upo si Wynter saka inayos ang buhok. “Make sure that it's a valid one, Williams.”
Charles let out a sigh. “I… I don't know, Wyn. What you watched is exactly what happened,” he was referring to the paused video.
It was similar to a CCTV record of Wynter's unit. She had all the rights to have a secret camera inside her unit and that’s what Charles lost in mind when the night he shared with Angelo happened.
He knew he won't be able to get away with the proof that Wynter has. He just wants to explain his side to her and hopes that she'll listen.
“If that's the case then it's over, Dom. Forget our friendship.” Wynter stood up.
Charles immediately stopped the woman from leaving. “Let me explain, Wyn—”
“You already did, right? And you had that nonsense explanation.” Wynter glared at him. “I made it clear, Dom. I made my fvcking conditions clear,” Wynter irritatedly answered.
“I tried! I really did—” Charles couldn't help but raise his voice.
“You tried?! That's not what I saw, D.” Wynter's eyes held rage as she pointed to her laptop. “I already told you. Stay away from my brother. Just how difficult was it?!”
“So much!” Charles could no longer hold his emotions. “So fvcking difficult. So much because I love him.” He looked at the floor.
“Love?” Wynter let out a humorless chuckle. “You’ll be the death of him, Dom. That's not 'love'.”
He immediately looked up. “I won’t let him die—”
“Tell that to your enemies—”
“Wyn, please understand. I love your brother—”
“And please understand. As a sister, I don't wanna see my brother’s cold body.”
“He won’t die, Wynter. Please, understand me.”
“Dom, I know what kind of world you’re living in. If I'm the only one involved, that's fine. But not my family.”
“I’ll protect him, Wyn,” Charles confidently said.
Wynter walked to the door. “No. And when something bad happens to Gabby, forget our friendship.” With that, Wynter left her unit.
Charles frustratedly messed up his hair and shouted in anger. He didn't know what else to do. He's mad at everything. He's mad at his best friend for not understanding him. He's mad at his father for bringing him into this sickening world he's currently in. He's mad at himself for not being able to protect the man he ever loved.
How fvcked up can my life be?!
He took out his phone and called the first one on his phone list. “Dad, I need my men suited in twenty minutes, here in Thailand.”
ANGELO hissed when he tried to open his eyes. That part of his eye hurts and slowly, he recalled why. Someone punched him hard. He wasn't able to avoid it immediately and that’s what he regrets.
But hang on, where the hell am I?
He tried again to open his eyes and see his surroundings, but a spotlight was focused on him so he found it a bit difficult.
When he was finally able to adjust, he saw heavily armed men across the room. He was nervous about his life. He doesn’t even know how he got into this situation.
Wait, is this because of that illegal client that I was about to have?
What the hell?! He did not leave me alone?!
Angelo wanted to move, to stand up, but he just realized that his hands and legs were tied on this chair he's sitting on.
“The hell?” his whispered reaction.
It was just a whisper for him but one of the guards heard him.
“Tell the boss that this one’s awake,” that guard said to another man coming out of that room.
A few moments later the door opened again and a man he did not know entered. This can't be one of Mr. Chua’s men, right?
The newcomer sat on the chair in front of him and then held his jaw tightly.
“Ahh… The Vazquez’ long lost son, and don’t forget being my mortal enemy’s apple of the eye,” the man said with a very thick Russian accent.
Angelo couldn't help but be hurt by the tightness of its grip on him. He's also starting to fear for his life. The man in front of him showed authority and a scary aura. As if a wrong move or word and he would shoot him.
Angelo didn't want it, but slowly, his mind unraveled something hidden there for a very long time.
The darkness. His mother's screams. Him being a worthless son. Armed men. Multiple gunshots.
Angelo's body began to tremble in fear. He thought he wouldn't be in that same situation ever again but here he was, tearing up and palpitating.
He knew the person in front of him was saying something but he could no longer comprehend. He was having a hard time breathing and little by little, he was losing his consciousness.
