WE REPEAT: You are NOT eligible to continue this arc if you hadn't checked out the 'The Curse of the Frozen Watch' chapter posted in our Special Material book. This chapter contains a flashback into Rickard's past that y'all HAVE to know before you advance with this arc. 

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**Also, please note that any reference to any religious book or entity means no harm or offense in any way :)

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I rode the dark coloured limousine with Filberto Roman silently. 

Eyeing the man, a slight shudder crossed my body, as I saw his deadly numb expression. 

His green beads were frozen and empty, and he had ceased the tears that were escaping them when we got into the car, a minute ago. 

I bit my lips as I observed his tight hands on his lap, which he was looking intently at, lost in thoughts. 

"Wh-Why are you doing this, Filberto?" I finally forced out, my voice low and shaking. 

He didn't flinch, neither did he look in my direction, as though I spoke nothing.

"Alba..." I started, my heart aching at how we left her, "Alba has been suffering these four month–" 

"Alba Graçia is a selfish bitch." He cut me off, cleaning his knife with a towel beside him. "The next time I see her, I will not hesitate to kill her." 

I gasped, my body shaking, "What are you saying? Alba loves you!" I gestured madly, "The past months have been an emotional hell for her!" 

His fingers clenched over the knife, as his eyes darkened. "Of course, sucks to have me survive after she left me to die under the ruins." 

My breath stuck in my throat, "Wh-at?"

I shook my head, different images of Alba's grief coming to my mind, as I clenched my fists, "You're wrong! I don't know what you're saying! But you're definitely wro–"

His hand clenched further at the knife, as pure murder glinted through his eyes. "Had Master Trevor not removed me with his team, put me at a very elite hospital in London, and financed my medication, I would have been the food of decomposers by now. Do not even try sugarcoating the reality, Charlotte Thorne."

I shuddered, my eyes widening. 

Trevor Ellington Conway pulling him from under the ruins? What the...?? 

"What?!" I snapped, "The Chairman did not save you! What the hell are you talking about?!"

He flinched not, "I woke up in the care of the Chairman, Charlotte Thorne. The documents of my medical bills even show the payments were done by The Ellington Enterprises." 

I gasped, "That's because Mr. Ellington, the President, paid! Alba was working as a waitress with some of her wounds so she can pay for your hospital!" I clenched my fists, hardening my gaze in his direction, "And when Mr. Ellington found her, he offered her to be my bodyguard in return for your medica– AH!" 

I jumped, as the knife he was holding landed some centimetres away from me, well-aimed. 

"Be silent. I don't want to hear anything about that whore." He spat, "She probably deceived you too." 

I eyed him with wide eyes, my entire body shaking as I was not able to manage out anything. 

My phone started buzzing at this, and as I eyed the caller, my heart sank. 

Filberto seemed to notice this, as I shifted uncomfortable wanting to cut off the line. 

"Don't." I froze at the command, and looked up at the Adam before me. "Hand me over the phone." 

I shuddered, my eyes widening. 

What?

Why... Why would he want it?

It must be that he wants to... threaten him... with me...

I bit my lips hard, as I shook my head. "No need, I won't reply." 

He stood up at this, extending his hand in my direction, as though seeing no need to repeat his demand.

My heart ached, as helplessness crept into my senses. 

I don't... want to be that factor he's always pressured with...

I didn't comply, and the phone kept on buzzing. 

"F-Filberto, ple–" My sentence was cut off, as he shifted, and a click was heard.

My eyes widened, as I eyed his revolver aimed at me. 

His eyes reflected that demonic aura, as he clenched his jaw. "I was ordered not to kill you, but no specifications about paralysing you were mentioned. Hand the fucking phone over." 

I gulped, feeling some blood creep into my mouth from how hard I bit my lips, as I handed him the phone. 

And he picked up.

"Señor Rickard Ellington, son of Master Trevor, I assume?" Filberto spoke unflinching.

Silence came from the other side of the call for some long deadly seconds, before the deep absolutely frozen vocals of Rickard Ellington Conway echoed through Filberto's senses:

"There exists two categories of individuals who would dare reply to me while having my private secretary captive, Filberto Roman."

I shuddered at the massive brutality and mercilessness mirrored in my employer's voice, as he continued:

"Either the suicidal; who have a death wish, or the foolish; who realize not what it means to mess with me."

I gulped. Yikes. I can already imagine how hard he must be clenching his wristwatch.

My blood froze at the expression of the man before me, seeing he did not even flinch.

As though this reaction of Mr. Ellington....

Was something he was warned about...

By someone who knew Mr. Ellington so well.

"You neglected to mention a category, young President." –came the man's reply from before me, as he twirled the gun he has in hand around his finger recklessly.

"For example, a category that has a message to deliver to you from the Chairman."

My eyes widened, and cold sweat drenched my back at this, as Filberto Roman waited not for a reply from his majesty Ellington.

"President Ellington, the Chairman asked me to deliver the following verse," He spoke in composed, utterly inhumane tone.

"Whose loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance."

And he cut the line off, shutting my phone down before waiting for a reply from his majesty.

My body shook in complete shiver waves, as cold sweat drenched my back.

This.... what Filberto just mentioned was... a verse from the bible... It... It was one of the proverbs, I remember my mom used to read some verses to us from time to time.

But... why...

Why would he say such a thing to Mr. Ellington....

Why now...?

I knew what the proverb meant, basically pointing at the fact that a wise son makes his father glad, and that if this son accompanies... prostitutes... he'll spend his wealth away...

I saw the parallelism.

Between the Chairman, the father in the verse.

The president, the son.

And me, the... harlot.

But... I still did't see the point in referencing the bible particularly.

Not when neither the father nor the son were any close to religion.

Not when the father was a murderer and a criminal on so many aspects.

And not when the son never mentioned Jesus or God since I've first known him, and when he occasionally even showed signs of... sacrilege by telling me he destroyed a church–

Wait...

Back then...

He also told me it was the Chairman who told him about Reina...

Could this all be... related...?

Can their relationship be this....complicated?

My body kept on shaking, as Filberto Roman stood up at this, approaching me to return my phone. 

As he placed it between my hands, he shifted, taking me by surprise. 

As he placed a cloth on my mouth. 

Like the one he'd placed on that of Alba's.

"Mmphh!!!!" I started wriggling, as he forced the cloth still, and my eyes started blurring.

"I forgot to mention," He started, cold-bloodedly. "You're not allowed to know where we're taking you." 

And... blank.

.

.

.

Cold wind slapped against my face, relatively gently, as I straightened dazedly. 

The world around me gave a slight sway, as I attempted rubbing my blurry-visioned eyes, and looked around.

Where... am I?

I was on the ground, for one, and my... shirt was different... huh?

I looked around, as my eyes widened. 

Wait... I... was at a rooftop?

I tried standing up, but my body felt so heavy, and so I just settled for mere observation.

There, mere and direct scenery around us made me sure we were at a high-rise building, considering I could not see any buildings but few similar to the height I was at. 

Good God... Where am... I?!

I turned on my phone which was to my side, and grimaced. 

Shit, no signal. 

I sighed, as I tried standing up again, but pain stabbed through my back at this, reminding me of the slash from Filberto's knife. "Unh...!" 

I tried shifting, as I reached out for my back at this, trying to touch where the pain came from.

"So you've woken up, hm?"

I gasped, jumping slightly in my place at the feminine voice, as I looked at the source.

My eyes widened. A woman had emerged from the door at the far edge of the rooftop opposite to me.

She had a brown-to-red brick coloured hair, which cascaded down in straight, yet different length layers, ranging from her shoulders, to her lower back. 

She had a pair of framed glasses, behind of which was a huge pair of dark green eyes, in addition to full dark coloured looks.

And she was attired in a pair of leather black pants, alongside a white shirt, both emphasising her curves. 

Smiling casually, she stepped in my direction, her heels making harmonious echoes in the process. 

I eyed her more intently. 

Wait... I've... seen her somewhere. I'm sure...

I gulped, frowning in her direction cautiously. "Wh-Where am I?" 

She reached me at this, towering me with her impressive height. "London." 

I shifted, "What?! We came back to Lond–Ugh!" I swayed after I'd attempted to stand up, and my body just ached. 

Her smile remained unfazed. "Easy, there. I'd barely injected that wound of yours with some anti-inflammatory and anaesthetic doses. I also covered it up with sanitised medical gauze and changed your shirt, because your old shirt was soaked. However, you still need to have it checked at the hospital because it's slightly deep." She explained unflinching, "So if I were you, I wouldn't really move roughly on it." 

I bit my lips, keeping my frown at her. "And who are you?" I spoke seriously, "I slept the entirety of the flight! Where's Filberto? And why am I here?!"

She chuckled at my anger, "My, you sure ask a lot for a hostage, hm?" 

I pursed my lips, keeping my glare at her. 

She didn't flinch, taking a seat before me regardless of her classy outfit. 

"Filberto's mission is done for the day, he was sent for some... check up on his psychological state." She smirked at me.

I clenched my fists, remembering the earlier incidents with Filberto. 

Goodness... He... 

Eyeing her expression, I noticed the woman before me seemed to know what was up. Clenching my jaw, I kept my orbs fixed into hers. "You mean some re-affirming of his brainwashing?"

She blinked for some seconds, then chuckled loudly, "My, you figured that out?" 

I bit my lips. What... What the hell? Who the heck is this?! And why is she this chill?! Talking about everything so openly and sitting this close to me! Isn't she worried I'll attack her?

I gulped, "What did you do to Filberto?!" I spat. "How did you brainwash him into thinking Alba betrayed him?!" 

My heartbeat rate increased with anger at this, seeing she just fixed her glasses as she fixed me in amuse.

Her eyes darkened, as she wet her lips haughtily, fixing her glasses once more.

"Why, humans are such easy creatures to manipulate when they're in a dark place, no?"

My eyes widened at her composed, arrogantly amused voice, as she shrugged. 

"A traumatised warrior wakes up lonely following a tragic assassination of his old employer and after months of coma," She purred, "Oh, and of course, not to forget being injected with memory-fogging anaesthetic?" She chuckled in my direction.

"He'll want to hold on to the thinnest strand of reassurance, no matter how far from reality it is."

My entire body shook, and my heart sank, as I remembered the scene of Alba and Filberto fighting over each other's lives, earlier.

I gulped, again. 

"You didn't tell me," I tried keeping my cool, "Who are you?! Why are you the only one here?! Are you an assassin or what?!" 

She laughed again with unrivalled amuse, eyeing me with interest, and I noticed she had an eyebrow piercing at this. "Relax, I am not an assassin." 

I blinked, as she stretched coolly. Seriously now, wasn't she worried I'd attack her?

The woman before me fixed her dangerous eyes into mine again at that.

"At least, not the kind that bares around revolvers and knives."

My eyes slightly widened at her words, "Huh?" 

Licking her lips, she let her perfect teeth show afterwords, as she flipped her hair in show off.

"My name is Keira Lami Wright. I go by Lami, though."

My eyes widened at the name, as images shot to my head. 

From magazines, to TV shows, to newsletters and scientific websites. 

"Y-You..." I started, and she shifted, pulling out something from her pocket at this. 

I gasped, trying to move away, but my nervous system failed me, as she moved the thing towards my neck.

And the needle made contact with my skin, causing me to shiver, yet it didn't go in.  

From the edge of my eyes, I could tell the syringe and needle she had pointed at my neck were empty. 

Yet it only served in emphasising my memory of where I'd seen her before. 

"Yes," she murmured agonisingly slowly, "Knives and revolvers are outdated..." 

She removed the needle at this, straightening as she smiled at me cheerfully.

"Biological weapons are the new military treasures."

I gulped, "You... You were featured all over the news last year..."

Her eyes glowed with pride, as she kept her smile, "Yes. Youngest British scientist to ever gain more than thirty science awards at twenty seven." She announced casually.

My heart clenched, as I remembered how the news defined her last year.

Keira Lami Wright.

Youngest British scientist to gain more than thirty awards at twenty seven in the British history.

She owns more than eleven research centers accross the country, aside from ones across the globe.

Acquired a full merit scholarship to Stanford to continue her doctorate studies.

A genius, and an innovator.

I gulped, "Wh-What the hell are you doing here?" 

She let out a blink, her smile remaining, "You mean providing illegal services to the man I treasure more than my own life?" 

My eyes widened, "Huh?" 

She gave me some minutes to register what she'd said, and her smile was gone now.
I gulped, "Y-You can't be talking about—"

She didn't hesitate to cut me off, as her smile widened at the thought of the name, "Yes, who else would I be talking about but Master Trevor, the man I owe everything to, from being alive to reaching Stanford."

Both her earlier statements hit me like a truck, and I shuddered, my blood going cold, "The hell..."

She seemed to have gotten similar reactions to mine before, as she went silent, observing my stun with amusement.

Oh but the difference was, my reaction was not one that was purely driven by stun.

But with shear madness.

Treasure more than her life?

The man she owes everything to?

That man...

That blood-thirsty criminal...

Being talked about like this?!

For the love of God?!

I clenched my musculature, fiercely. "You... Are you in your right mind?! The man you're speaking off is a criminal!" I forced out, madly.

Her expression twitched at this, and her eyes glowed with evil and grudge, but then directly snapped back to the dreamy look at the sky and the peaceful smile, as though talking about some heavenly figure. 

"Trevor Ellington Conway," She started slowly, and cold sweat drenched my back at her words, "Is a life saviour." She giggled at a thought at that, "It's a pity I'm not his own daughter, as he always told me that, had I been so, I would definitely be his sole heir." 

I bit my lips, my eyes remaining wide as I clenched my fists madly.

Life saviour...

This woman...

What... was she...

She turned to me again at this, "My, you look really surprised." She chuckled, and I fidgeted at this.

"I-I don't understand how... you're saying what you're saying..." I shivered, unable to muster out further words, as one single sentence replayed through my head.

From back when I first met Agatha Ellington Conway in The Ellington Ball.

'And I warn you to get in the way of a psychopath molded under the hands of The Chairman.'

I looked at Keira Lami before me... 

She was like that, if anything. 

Except the difference was that, unlike Lady Agatha, she realised not she was a psychopath for thinking that man was a kind human. 

She kept her smile at my baffled expression, as she observed me. "Jesus, I can even see how crazy you think I am!" 

I remained wordless, truthfully having no clue what to answer her.

She stretched at this, as she stood up, "Well, I never expected anyone to understand me." She murmured in tease. 

I shifted, seeing she was leaving, "W-Wait, are you just going to leave me here?!" 

She stopped her pace, arcing her head in my direction as she kept her back turned. "Master Trevor is on his way here, and you are of no threat, considering I drugged your entire musculature with Botulinum toxin, and the effect should last for about fifty more minutes." 

I shuddered. So that's why I am unable to move... What the hell?!!!

I looked towards her eyes. "Why are you helping him?! I don't understand... A genius like you... How don't you realise what he's doing?! He's evil towards his own son! What the hell?! What the hell?!!" 

She had moved at this, and yet paused her pace again. 

Arcing her head in my direction again, she kept her smile, "His son is a fucking brat. I believe in everything Master Trevor does, and I will never stop believing for once."

My eyes widened before she finished her statement.

And that when another voice came. 

Freezing. Merciless. Maddening