Owned? - Chapter 42：Like a family

•Azalea

I was honestly expecting everyone would go all out while partying at the club but contrary to my expectations, they didn’t. Everyone stuck to light drinking, enough that they got to enjoy but didn’t lose their senses.

“Nora” I called her as the music was blasting in club but since we were sitting near the end of the room, it wasn’t so loud.

“What?”

“Congratulations.” I giggled, “Arius called you by your name.” He probably did because Nora got Caesar to give his exam.

She made a serious-funny face, “I know right! I was so shocked when he said my name! I didn’t know how to reply.” She got closer to me, “I see you both have gotten quite close. So does Arius seem any different now?”

“Well,” I started, “I have to say there are many things I learned about him and I’ll tell you somethings in detail, about what I learned. But overall, he’s not the villain we thought he was in the beginning.”

“I can see he’s not all bad. The members of the Alucard mafia are quite satisfied by him but they fear him a lot too.”

“Well, he is the boss.”

“Yeah but members often talk about him being heartless too.”

“Heartless?”

“Yeah. I heard the day his dad, Richard died he didn’t even stay at the funeral nor did he shed a single tear for the last of his blood. They say he’s a bit inhumane, his expressions are hard to read and he doesn’t show much anyway since he’s mostly smiling.” She glanced at Caesar, “Well Caesar’s hard to read too since he mostly has a blank expression on his face as well.”

“True, ” I said, “He’s very hard to read but I don’t think he’s inhumane.” I smiled, “I’ll tell you about Maria and Ayaan in detail too but for now I’ll tell you this. He saved us from something bad.”

“What?”

“You already know he’s not treating us like slaves, we’re more like his members.”

“Yeah, part of the reason neither of us actually tried to run away.” She said and I nodded.

“Yea. You know about The Blacks right? The third son, Ryan had the plan of making us his slaves and he would have done to us what he did to Maria.” Nora looked at me confused, “Maria was forced into prostitution by him till Arius bought Maria and Ayaan from him.”

“Did Arius tell you that?”

I nodded, “He told me about Maria and Ayaan. I’ll give you the detail back at the mansion but he didn’t tell me he saved us from the Blacks.”

“Then how can you be so sure?”

“Remember the time someone tried shooting me in a store?” She nodded, “And Arius lied and told me he was the target when clearly the aim was for me?” She nodded again, “I didn’t know who was behind it till he told me Ryan had Maria and Ayaan for years and that he always keeps a grudge. My suspicion was confirmed when I added another piece, we encountered a really high class assassin there and only the elite of the elite can hire them on special demand. It could only have been the Blacks.” She began thinking, her eyebrows furrowed. I sighed and stood up, “I said I’ll give you the details and I plan on confirming the Black’s part from Arius anyway.” I held out my hand for her to take, “So let’s enjoy for now.”

She smiled and we both made our way to  the dance floor. As we began dancing I suddenly remembered the time I danced with Arius in Lorelai.

Was it then? The first time my heart moved?

The members joined in but Caesar sat at the couch quietly looking at us.

I already knew Nora was a bar dancer but I wasn’t expecting her inner stripper would come out at this moment. She began intimately dancing with the members but just as she started touching Keel and keel had just started enjoying it when his facial expressions changed as if he was scared and he backed away.

Nora looked at him confused and then at the other members who were ready the first second but declined the very next.

Who are they looking at and getting scared?

I turned my head around and saw Caesar glaring at them. A menacing aura around him.

I turned around and grabbed Nora’s hands to dance with her.

“No guy wants to dance with me?” She seemed bewildered, “I’ve never been rejected before.” I snickered. Oh Nora, I doubt you’ll get to dance like that with any other guy. “Why are you laughing?”

“No reason. You can just dance with me.” I twirled around into her arms, “Besides you should be choosing me instead of the guys. I’m your best friend.”

She chuckled, “I can’t do that sort of stuff with you. But I’ll still dance with you.”

“Nora. You once told me you were never actually wanted to be a bar dancer. Now that you’re not, how about saving yourself for someone?” She raised her eyebrows at me, “Someone you really want to be with.”

“Who would actually want to be serious with me?”

Caesar, I said mentally,  “Me. I will gladly take you.” I grinned and she laughed. Gently slapping my cheek.

“Gee thanks.”

“But seriously. I know there is someone for you. Wait for him.” We both looked at each other and She nodded as she smiled somewhat sadly.

I’m glad she at least understood.

***

Considering how fit Huang-fei is, I never thought he would actually get sick.

“Is it bad?” I asked him as me, Nora, Ayaan, Caesar And Arius sat around on the bed and chairs while Huang-fei rested on his bed.

“Oh I’m fine. It’s just a fever.” He replied.

“I doubt it’s just a fever.” Arius folded his arms, “You never fall sick. It’s definitely because you’re working too much.” I don’t know if it was just me but it felt like he was a bit angry. “I’m cutting your workload from now on.”

“Young master there are many things only I can do.” Hunag-fei tried to defend himself.

“No! It’s time to act your age now. You’re eighty!”

No one was expecting that. Nora, Ayaan and my eyes went wide as we heard the age, “Eighty?!!” Nora and I spoke together.

Nora grabbed Caesar’s arm, “He’s eighty?” Caesar nodded but it was as if she still couldn’t believe it, so she asked Huang-fei, “You’re eighty?!!”

Huang-fei chuckled, “Is it that much of a surprise?”

“It is…” I said. He does look old, he has a few wrinkles on his body but he’s so fit, even more than me. I never could have imagined he was eighty!

“You should rest.” Caesar spoke in his usual calm light tone, “You’re old.” I could see that he was worried as well.

“I really don’t like that word, ‘old’” Huang-fei sighed while Arius took the wet cloth on his forehead and rinsed it in the cold water tub sitting on the side table. He then squeezed the water out, silently placing the cold small towel on his forehead again.

“How about a vacation?” Arius asked him, “Do you want to go to China?”

“I have work here.” I guess Huang-fei is as stubborn as Arius and that ticked Arius off.

“Huang-fei.” Arius gritted his teeth silently and everyone turned to see what was he going to say, “You’re fired.”

“Arius,” Caesar frowned but not out of worry rather it felt like he was trying to calm him.

Everyone else was astonished at his words except Huang-fei who calmly replied, “Even if I’m fired I’ll still continue working here.”

Caesar sighed and I could feel the heat coming out of Arius’s ears. It was taking him everything he had to control his anger.

I smiled.

They really are just like a family. The three of them.

***

“What! You’re taking me to Paris with you?” I yelled in confusion.

“Calm down. I already booked a flight for you.”

“The flight is in four hours and you’re telling me now?”

“Just grab some clothes and  we’ll leave.”

“Excuse you! How do you expect a girl to just grab clothes?!”

“Fine then don’t! We’ll leave like this.”

I was taken aback by his words, “F-fine… I’ll grab something.” I began to leave when something clicked in my mind, “Wait how did you get my passport?”

“I had your everything important confiscated when I took you.”

I turned around and rolled my eyes at myself. Why am I even surprised?

Running towards my room as I got excited.

Paris? I smiled.

Paris…

As we reached the airport, in the lobby a woman approached Arius.  Everything about her stood out. Medium blonde hair, red lipstick, blue short dress with matching heels and a bombastic figure.

“Arius!” She called out to him and he turned to her rather coldly.

“Yes Macy?” He smiled and kept himself professional.

“I have your child.”

Her declaration sent my soul to heaven.

What did she just say?