Looking at her carefree attitude made my heart warm. Her rigidness was at bay thanks to whatever drink she had before dancing. She smiled at me the entire time we spent on stage, and I loved it. Perhaps I was getting too drawn at her beauty, but who have I told and the fact that she was indeed the most beautiful woman I’ve come across to date? 

“This guy needs to keep his hands off of her,” I grumbled when I saw Vikrant holding Liara’s waist and pulling her closer. 

“Don’t you worry, my friend is more into you compared to the other guys around her.” I heard a female voice, and I held back a smile that was threatening to appear on my face. 

“Aliyah, what did she drink?” I asked, ignoring her comment earlier. 

“Tequila.” Aliyah shook her head, and so did I. 

“I’ve never seen someone so lightheaded,” I confessed when I saw Liara staggering on her steps and giggling along with Vikrant.

“Well, we’ve seen her like this only twice.” She said, and I was surprised. 

“Yeah, she doesn’t like the fact that alcohol makes her lightheaded, and she loses her composure to think straight.” She explained, and I shook my head. How composed and controlled was she? 

“She rarely remembers a thing she does while high,” Aliyah said, and I laughed. That was not the case with me, though. I thought to say but held back, remembering how Liara remembered the first night we met. 

“I should get going.” She said and vanished before I could say anything. I was a little boozed up myself too even though I had a high tolerance level, these drinks were different. They were raw, and more powerful, as were handmade by the downtown locals. 

“Man, she looks hot.” I heard a guy who came to the area near me. I followed his line of sight and saw Liara dancing with Hercules. He had his hands wrapped around her waist. Something stirred within me and I hated it. I held the glass of wine tighter, controlling the anger bubbling inside of me when I saw Liara moving closer to him every second. 

“Give me something strong,” I asked the waiter, who was juggling between the people around the podium. 

“Sure sir, any preference?” He asked, and I shook my head. “Most costly and strongest of all,” I said as soon as I heard some more nasty comments thrown at my wife. Of course, she wouldn’t like it when I would charge at those idiots, let alone her listening to me and my reasoning behind all I’d do for her. 

“But who am I to her, anyway?” I whispered as the strong drink made its way towards my throat, making it burn. I closed my eyes tryna stop the unwanted tears from flowing out when the drink made its way down my throat, burning my anger within. 

‘’Give me another glass of it," I said and clicked the empty glass on the table. Having too much to drink already, I thought of checking on her but found her nowhere on the stage. 

“Hello?” I picked up my call when I felt it vibrate in my pocket. My eyes were searching Liara everywhere as I made my way past the people dancing on the floor and up towards the rooms. “Hello?” I repeated as the music was too loud for me to hear from the other side of the unknown call. 

“Hold on,” I said to the caller when I could hear nothing and found a small passage towards the terrace, I guess. I walked as vastly as the music boomed the entire hallway along with the walls and the doors. The base of the music was so high, making the floor shiver. 

“Who is it?” I asked again, as I felt a little relieved when the music got a little lighter compared to before. 

“Master, we have news for you.” 

“Marco?” Hearing his accent, I recognized who the speaker was. 

“Yes, sorry to disturb you at this time of the day.” He said hurriedly. I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed as the alcohol had a bitter effect on me, making me feel unfocused. 

“Is it urgent Marco?” I asked. Because if this was not urgent, then I would better hang up before my alcohol consumption kicked all my senses.

“Yes, it is.” He said, and I heard a faint commotion behind him. 

“What is it?” I asked, frustrated with the fact that I couldn’t see Liara anywhere. I searched for her friends as well, but they vanished from the hallway. 

“Marco, just speak it out already.” As I was walking around the hallway to find Liara, I raised my voice. I saw a small door open, and the wind blew past that, pointing to perhaps it was a balcony. I walked faster and held my phone in my ears, waiting for Marco to speak.

“Charles sir, and I have got some clues regarding her highness’s mother.” He said at the same time my eyes landed on two figures in the moonlit night. Alone. 

“Master, can you hear me?” I heard him but I wasn’t listening to him. I focused my mind on the figures that stood so close to each other that my eyes burnt watching them. It shadowed their faces under the dark sky, but I recognized one of them being my wife.

I held back the next step that threatened to take toward the balcony and pried further. My hands unknowingly pushed my phone back into my pocket. It clouded my mind with the effect of the drink I had. I couldn’t think straight. Was I dreaming? I thought, but no, I was not when I heard her voice. 

“You know why I’ve married him. If I can’t hold the end of my bargain, then that’s unfair to him..” she whispered. The man before her was hiding behind the wall, but his hands held her shoulder tighter. I could see that she was tense but the anger that kept bubbling inside of me had stopped my rational thinking to surface. 

“Liara, but it’s too risky. I’ve seen it myself. They have captured her.” Anthony? I recognized the voice in an instant. But who were they talking about? I walked a few steps ahead, making sure not to wobble or dash into anything. 

“You should have informed me before going to his office. She is in danger, and perhaps it’s all my fault.” She said the last words faintly audible to me. I furrowed my brows, trying to concentrate even in hazy conditions. I shouldn’t have asked for something that strong. I cursed internally. 

“Her being in danger was her doing. It has nothing to do with you or any of our plans.” Anthony said. Who the hell were they talking about? I grew frustrated with each passing minute. 

“Someone blew her cover, and I perhaps can figure out who did this.” I heard another voice and then that person came near Liara. Aliyah? 

“Who?” Liara and Anthony asked in unison. I felt it was related to her business that she wouldn’t want me to hear. That wasn’t my business, anyway. I slowly took a step back, holding the wall for support, as my heart was probably going to explode. 

“The traitor was someone who knew we were looking for Isabella.” I heard and froze. Isabella? Was I hearing that right?

“Who was it?” I heard a desperate voice.

“Master Muris got to know about Isabella’s current facade through someone amidst us who knew that we were searching for her.” I froze. Were they talking about my mother? 

“We will have to take serious action against whoever that person is, Agnes. Please keep looking for the traitor.” I heard Liara say. 

“Furthermore, we shall meet Muris and finish the unfinished business.” She said I couldn’t hold my anger anymore. Her hiding the fact that my mother was in danger made my blood boil so much that I lost hold of my sanity. 

“What did you just say? Where is my mother?” Did I ask? It’s been my life’s only hope of finding her and getting answers to my questions. I was so close. But she jeopardized it. 

“Zearo, calm down. You are not in the right state of mind.” Vikrant came rushing toward me, but I just pushed him away. 

“We are taking care of it.” I fixed my eyes on her as she looked straight into my eyes and spoke. 

“Oh, I see how you’ve taken care of things so far,” I said through gritted teeth. I heard no word from anyone around. It was just me and her. 

“Believe me. You don’t know the whole truth.” She said,

“Oh, fuck you and your explanations. There’s someone’s life at stake for some petty little behavior that you pulled.” I said, hunching at her. I saw her flinch, but her eyes never wavered away from mine.

“Zearo, you’ve mistaken. That’s no-“ I turned my head at Anthony, who came rushing towards us, but then Liara stopped him.

“Listen, you are drunk. You need to step back and sober up and then we'll talk.” She said, placing her hand on my chest and I was sure she felt how fast my heart was beating. My anger escalated by how calmly she behaved after she knew that my mother was in danger. 

“Oh, you are the almighty Liara who controls everything on just the tip of her fingers, don’t you? My mother’s life is at stake, and look at how calm you are.” I laughed, still dizzy with the alcohol. It was like blazing fire and her calmness was just adding fuel to it. I was feeling bothered by her attitude and the fact that my mother was in trouble because of her. 

“Zearo, can you please listen to us already?” Aliyah placed a hand on my shoulder, but I backed away. Was I overreacting? I don’t care. I couldn't care less about some egoistic woman when my mother was in danger. 

“Just give me the address. I will go there myself and bring her back.” I turned towards Anthony demanding him answers. 

“It isn’t safe going alone there. I will come with you.” He suggested. 

“You’ve not done enough. When you saw them torturing her, you could have saved her. You could have texted me, damn it.” I threw a punch at the wall. I knew I was high, but considering how they watched my mother getting tortured, I was dying for revenge. 

“You are highly mistaken. He was alone, and there were so many. We are planning on getting her out. Don’t worry.” I heard Liara as I was gazing at the sky to control the uneasiness that crept inside of me. 

“Oh, you are asking me not to worry? Of course, you would say that as you’ve never really cared about, your mother is still alive or dead, let alone some stranger’s mom.” I blurted, instantly regretting as a flash of hurt and pain was visible on her face, but then she was back to normal.

“Okay, do as you please.” Just like that, she just waved me off. Walking away from me, she didn’t bother to turn back and console me. It was going to be okay. I fisted my hand and controlled uneasiness and the alcohol. 

“Here’s the address. I’m coming with you.” Anthony said, but I refused. I was frustrated and hurt, perhaps guilty for bringing her mother into this chaos, but my entire body was shivering from knowing the fact that they had my mother. 

“You are going to put her life in danger by jumping into action right now. It’s not safe there. They are the tribal mafias who play rough. You’ve got to listen to me for once.” Anthony walked faster, catching up to my pace as I made my way towards the exit of the mansion. 

“I will take care of it,” I said, dismissing him and switching on the car that we brought along with us from the airport. Setting the location on the phone, I gripped the steering wheel and drove away from her wiping the lone tear that trailed down my eyes.

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Thank you so much to all my dear readers who've waited for the updates ❤. I'm really glad that some of you are waiting and believe me when I say, you've helped me to stay active here because if it was not because of you all then I might have had taken a break already. So lots of looovvveeeee. ❤❤❤❤❤❤

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