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In the shadows of the estate, Lucifer adjusted his cufflinks as he watched the chaos erupt from the eastern wing. Flames illuminated the night, casting ominous shadows across his sharp features.

"Timing is crucial," he said, his voice steady. "Rafe?"

Rafael stepped forward, holding haven in his arms.

"Haven's already sedated. Aerius will need a higher dose—he's stronger."

"Do it," Lucifer ordered.

Inside Izrael dragged Aerius from the dungeon, his movements precise. Aerius was unconscious, his face pale but still defiant even in sleep.

"I don't like this man," Michael hissed looking at now unconscious Aerius and threw him over his shoulder.

Having seen the way Aerius had behaved with her, he doesn't like even his presence. He couldn't understand why his brother was taking him along with Haven. Why couldn't they just leave him here to rot and die but he knew better than to question his Capo.

"Move faster," Lucifer commanded.

Soon they moved inside the Jet. Ares looked at Rafael who was carrying the unconscious haven protectively in his arms. Her long hair cascaded like a veil over her face, shielding her from their piercing stares.

His eyes flicked to the hidden girl in Rafael's embrace, then to Izrael who was carrying another unconscious man, lingering for a brief moment before returning to Lucifer.

"You kidnapped his newly wedded wife?" Ares's deep voice broke through the silence, low and cold, as if his question carried no judgment—just raw fact.

Lucifer paused mid-step, his sharp gaze snapping toward Rafael. His eyes zeroed in on Haven's left hand, the glint of a wedding band catching the dim cabin light. For a brief moment, his jaw tightened, a flicker of something dangerous flashing in his eyes. He reached out and grabbed Haven's hand with precision, pulling it toward him.

"She is not his," Lucifer said, his voice a mix of finality and disdain. He slipped the ring from her finger, holding it between his fingers for just a second before flinging it into the night sky. The faint sound of metal hitting the wind was the only acknowledgment of its existence. "Not anymore."

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The jet hummed softly as it soared through the night sky. In the bedroom, Haven lay unconscious on the bed, her face pale and peaceful.

Rafael leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed on Haven. "She looks so... small," he murmured, his voice heavy with emotion.

Izrael paced the room, his fists clenching and unclenching. "If that bastard Vincent touched her—" His voice broke, and he turned away, his anger barely contained.

Lucifer stood by the doorway, his expression unreadable. "We don't know if she's Haven yet," he said, his voice cold.

Rafael's gaze snapped to him. "You saw her, Luce. She has Izrael's eyes. Her features are so similar to mom. How can you doubt it?"

Lucifer's jaw tightened. "Because I can't afford to hope."

Izrael slammed his fist into the wall. "She's our sister! I don't need a DNA test to tell me that. Look at her!"

Lucifer's gaze shifted to the unconscious girl on the bed. For a moment, his mask cracked, and the weight of his emotions flickered in his eyes. "If she is Haven," he said quietly, "then we failed her. We left her to suffer while we hid in the shadows."

Gabriel stepped closer to the bed, his hand brushing against her hair. "Do you think she is aware about us, her real family?"

"Don't worry about that Gabe. Even if the mind forgets, blood remembers. It always does" lucifer spoke, his eyes never leaving Haven's fragile form.

He turned to Ares. "Prepare the Eastern Mansion."

Ares nodded, his expression grim and unreadable. The hum of the jet's engines was a stark contrast to the storm brewing within. "What about Vincent?" he asked, his voice steady, as though discussing the weather rather than plotting the downfall of one of the most powerful mafia leaders in the world.

Lucifer leaned back in his seat, a cold smirk curving his lips. The menace in his eyes was unmistakable, a promise of destruction that even the most hardened enemies feared.

"His countdown has begun," Lucifer said, his tone calm yet venomous. "He and his family wanted to take all of Europe, to rule as if the Romanovs never existed. But now?" He chuckled darkly, the sound low and foreboding. "Now, they won't even find a place for their burials."

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Michael folded his arms, his voice sharp with frustration. "Why didn't we just take Vincent out tonight? We had him. One bullet, and his reign ends."

Lucifer didn't look up immediately, swirling the whiskey in his glass. The deliberate slowness of his actions only added to Izrael's irritation. Finally, Lucifer set the glass down on the table beside him and fixed his younger brother with a steely gaze.

"Do you think killing Vincent is the end of this war?" Lucifer asked, his tone calm but laced with authority.

Izrael's jaw tightened. "It would've been a start. That bastard dare to hurt her. Our blood. He doesn't deserve to live."

Rafael leaned forward from where he was seated, his brow furrowed. "Lucifer, I have to agree with Izrael and Michael. We had the perfect opportunity. Why let him live?"

Lucifer's lips curled into a cold, calculating smirk. "You think killing Vincent would end this? No. It would barely scratch the surface. Vincent is just one head of the hydra. If we take him out, Sebastian will step in to claim the throne. And if we take out Sebastian? Maverick will rise. It's not just Vincent we're after—it's their entire bloodline."

Gabriel's hands clenched into fists at his sides, his expression dark. "So what? We're just supposed to let him walk away?"

"No," Lucifer said firmly, his voice a low rumble. "We're not letting him walk away. We're going to do worse than kill him. We're going to destroy everything he's built. His power, his alliances, his legacy. By the time we're finished, there won't be anyone left to take the throne. Their entire bloodline will be dust beneath our feet."

Rafael frowned, his eyes narrowing. "This is about humiliation."

Lucifer's gaze hardened. "Exactly. They didn't just try to destroy us—they tried to humiliate us. To bring us to our knees. Now it's their turn. Killing Vincent would be a mercy, and I don't deal in mercy."

Michael looked at his brothers and hesitantly asked "A-Are you going to use her as pawn because clearly nobody in mafia knows that she is our sister and not Aerius's that she is actually a Romanov and not a castillion"

Michael was really concerned about Haven, he didn't want her to be stuck in a cross fire.

"She won't be," Lucifer said, his tone final. "She would never be a pawn or a weapon. No one touches her again. Not Vincent, not anyone. They'll pay for what they've done to her—but on our terms, not theirs."

Izrael paused, his gaze flickering toward the closed door of the bedroom where Haven rested. He let out a sharp exhale, his jaw tightening. "We can take care of Vincent later on as well but how are we gonna explain her the situation"

The brothers went silent for a while before Michael spoke.

"I would like to talk to her first," The brothers nodded, it was better if she sees a familiar face before seeing a bunch of strangers.

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Vincent's head pounded as he woke, the sunlight streaming through the window. He groaned, pressing a hand to his temple.

"Eva?" he called out, his voice groggy.

No response.

He sat up, his chest tightening. "Eva!" he shouted, louder this time.

Still nothing.

Panic surged through him as he stumbled out of bed, searching the room. It was empty. The silence was deafening.

He ran down the stairs, his heart racing. "Marco!" he bellowed.

Marco appeared, his face pale. "Boss?"

"Where is she?" Vincent demanded, grabbing Marco by the collar.

"B-but do-Donna was with you," Marco stammered.

Vincent's blood ran cold. He turned and stormed toward the dungeon, his mind racing.

The sight that greeted him stopped him in his tracks. The guards lay lifeless, their bodies sprawled across the floor. The cell where Aerius had been held was empty.

"No..." Vincent's voice was a low growl, his vision blurring with rage. "Aerius, you fucking bastard!"

Marco hesitated behind him. "Boss, the fire in the eastern wing—"

"Shut up!" Vincent snapped. He turned to Marco, his eyes wild. "Find them. I don't care what it takes. Find her, find him, and bring them to me."

Marco nodded, scrambling to obey.

Vincent stood in the carnage, his chest heaving with fury. "My Eva... I'll burn the world to find you and when I do I will chain you to our fucking bed."

Oooohhhhh Vincent is mad but so are the sinisters. 🫣

What's gonna happen next 🤭