Episode 95

"A case?"

"Boss you should check this article"

"Huh?"

Ivan Strauss took the laptop resting it over his lap and scrolled through frowning hard.

" This damn wench!!"

He gritted his teeth and shut the screen "Lawyer... I need a lawyer"

"But boss, Nicolas is nowhere to be found" The man argued.

" Not him, get me someone else" Ivan Strauss said.

" Alright sir " The man turned away.

Ivan Strauss rested back in the couch as the man left and rubbed his temples.

A maid knocked the door.

"What?!" He spoke angrily making the woman startled.

"Sir someone is- here to see you" She spoke with a nervous voice.

" I don't want to see anyone!! Just send them away!" He yelled at her.

"Hold up ma'am you can't just-" The woman was heard struggling with someone before the door got pushed open and Ivan Strauss stood up being quite mad but his mood changed after seeing who it was.

"Kirihara Mari" he mumbled

" Sir I tried to stop her but she-" The maid tried to excuse herself as Mari broke in.

" Leave" Ivan Strauss interrupted her and she just obediently lowered her head and moved back out closing the door.

Kirihara Mari walked in a took a seat on the couch without Ivan saying anything.

Ivan Strauss clenched his fists a little bit and then breathed in sitting down himself as well.

"Kirihara Mari, do you care to explain this?" He went right ahead opening the laptop screen turning it towards her.

" And what's wrong with that?" She said just by looking at the headline.

" Do you not care about your public image at all?!" Ivan Strauss raised his voice at her.

" The image of Kirihara family shattered to pieces along with Kirihara Christina and Uzawa" Mari replied

" All that was left were some financial assets but since now you own all the shares of Strauss estate, you own the losses too"

Ivan Strauss stared at her with widened eyes.

"Do you even understand what you've done? It's not just loss, it calls for an inquiry...how long have you been doing this?"

" The omega trade? You should've done your research, it's true that Himari Aoi brought justice to both my father and mother for being the killers of an omega servant but why didn't the Kirihara estate go down with them?" Mari raised a brow.

Ivan Strauss came to a realization

" Himari Aoi covered your actions"

"The actions of my parents helped me gain public sympathy, they'd thought I was a poor daughter of two f-ked up elites who was mistreated by them and even thrown in a psycho ward..all thanks to Aoi who just doesn't know when to give up on filth of the society... " Mari sighed.

It had been a while since she'd talked about those things, it wasn't visible on her stoic face but she was not very happy about talking regarding this matter.

"You and I have alot in common" Kirihara Mari lowered her head

" From being drug dealers to human traffickers..." she then looked at Ivan Strauss " to being disgusting filth who r-ped their own family" 

Ivan Strauss tried to say something but got interrupted right away without getting the chance to defend his lowly actions.

"But! We're different" Mari interrupted him to which he raised a brow

" Me? I wish I could die a thousand times over painfully...You? You have no regrets"

She gave him a disgusted look.

" Kirihara Mari you'll regret this" Ivan Strauss spoke with a menacing straight face.

" If I go down I'll drag you with me.."

"You see, I want to do just one right thing in life before I die" Kirihara Mari closed her eyes with a satisfied expression.

Ivan Strauss could tell that it was useless to say anything to her, this woman probably cared neither for money nor for reputation.

"Then what about Himari Aoi? Won't she be affected negatively too by this article about Kirihara estate being involved in omega trade??!" Ivan Strauss spoke in a negotiating manner.

" Check the author" Kirihara Mari spoke while getting up

Ivan Strauss hadn't seen it before but when Mari mentioned it, his attention went upon the publisher and seemingly the article was released by the Himari estate.

"You little-!" Ivan Strauss punched down into the desk hard bruising his knuckles.

"The stocks of Himari estate have shot up ever since this article was published, public opinion can truly be a fearsome thing" Kirihara Mari shrugged.

" What makes you think I can't handle this like always?" Ivan Strauss raised a brow at her.

She walked towards him

"What makes you think I can't ruin it for you?"

" And what if I get rid of you? " Ivan Strauss had a threatening tone to his voice.

"I'd like to see you try"

Mari somewhat smirked and walked out leaving Ivan Strauss all agitated enough that he punched a hole into the wall.

Kirihara Mari made a call while heading out. She was being escorted out by a maid just like every other guest so that they wouldn't wander in the mansion unnecessarily.

"He's not there" The voice from the other side got her clicking her tongue and she came out either ways.

'Rescuing someone really isn't my cup of tea'

She sighed.

Once she reached out of the mansion she took to her car and headed off somewhere, though soon enough noticing that she was being marked and drove off dodging those cars quite swiftly. Driving into a corner alley and completely misdirecting the tail.

From there on she took to another road and waited in the parking lot until the red headed man dressed in black, wearing sunglasses and a cap; came in and sat in the passenger seat.

"What do you mean he isn't there?" Mari asked without waiting much.

" I infiltrated thoroughly while you kept their attention, even though the time was limited but I'm sure, neither Nicolas nor Ian was in the mansion.." Josh told her.

"I see" Mari relaxed back.

" What should I do now?" Josh asked her and she gave him a look.

"Are you following me now because your master is not with you?" Mari spoke rather mockingly but Josh didn't react to it to her disappointment.

"You should atleast deny it"

"How do I get them back?" Josh asked yet again.

"It's a hunch but if Ivan Strauss changed their location then something must have happened within the mansion.. someone like him wouldn't keep his eye off Nicolas Strahovski even for a minute knowing how dangerous he is"

" What do you mean?" Josh asked her.

" Find out if something happened within the mansion..any incident or something" She told him.

" Okay" He replied without hesitation though didn't get out of the car.

"What is it?" She asked since he sat silently without moving.

"They were...tailing you just now..." He whispered with a lowered head.

" Joshua Hughes" Mari called him rather in a woke manner

" I will not die just yet" She told him impassively to which he got a bit surprised but ended up nodding trying to keep a straight face.

He got off the car and headed in his own direction.

She rested her forehead against the steering.

"If only she was here.. she'd know what to do..."

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"Did you guys find him yet?!"

The men stood in silence which agitated Ivan Strauss even further. He picked up a glass and tossed it right against the wall till it shattered to pieces all over the ground.

"Find Ian and whoever that woman was and bring her back alive! I need to teach that low life servant a lesson for myself! " Ivan Strauss yelled at them.

" Yes sir! " They yelled back in unision.

"What about Nicolas Strahovski?" Ivan Strauss rubbed his temples

"Sir we moved him to the warehouse as per your instructions" One of them told Ivan.

" Good, keep it properly guarded , don't lose this man at any cost, break his legs if you have to but don't let him escape alive" Ivan instructed.

" What about the lawyer ? " Ivan Strauss asked to which one of the men came forward.

" We've arranged a lawyer sir, he recently came here from abroad" He told Ivan.

"Did you do a background check?" Ivan asked

"Max Jones, omega male-"

The guys only started when Ivan blocked him.

" Omega? The hell is wrong with you? Do you think an omega can handle such an important case? What's he gonna do? stand in court and cry?" Ivan Strauss spoke spitefully

" I asked you to recommend me a lawyer not a f-king b-tch"

" Sorry sir, it's just.. he's known to be an exceptional lawyer abroad, rumors have it the Himari family tried to recruit him once to be the lawyer of Himari estate before Uzawa Keitarou took that post due to his personal relationship with Himari Aoi"

The man spoke shifting his eyes nervously at the angered boss

"Himari family did?" Ivan's interest had been piqued.

The man nodded to which Ivan Strauss gave it a thought

He seemed a bit curious now since the man was eligible enough for the Himari family to want him. There was no doubt that the previous owners as well as Himari Aoi herself were exceptionally good business leaders and that their judgement and decisions regarding the estate were top notch to have it standing where it was today.

There was even a story that said that the Himari couple started from two teen love birds who began from barely making ends meet to starting their own line and brands to now having multiple chains of brands in fashion and wear.

Nobody knew the validity of it though, it could be true but it could also be not true...

Though Ivan Strauss couldn't risk having any cheap lawyer at the moment or he'd end up destroying everything that he'd built in all these years.

Ivan Strauss was greedy and his greed had let a parasite latch onto the bulletproof defense of Strauss estate which was now building a hole into it.

Letting Kirihara estate merge with the Strauss estate had been a huge mistake that he'd failed to realize earlier.

Who could have thought that Kirihara Mari could have been indulged into the underworld affairs as well...

He just mistook her as a stupid disturbed girl with dysfunctional parents who was somehow seduced by Ian and lost her reason since she put so much at stake just to get Ian.

Initially he was planning to give a lollipop to Kirihara Mari in return for taking the huge bag of money off her back and then snatch the lollipop too once he'd gotten hold of the bag...

Though things had taken a turn for the worst due to him overestimating her...

Maybe he shouldn't underestimate this man either....

"Well there's no harm in seeing this man once then.. "

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"You're awake"

The woman whispered and Ian blinked hard looking up at her trying to get accustomed to the light bulb suspending from the ceiling.

"Why'd you do that?" Ian asked the first thing.

" How could I let you go... that man would surely catch you again and make you suffer.. don't worry you're safe here..." The maid replied.

" Safe you say..." Ian sighed tugging at the ropes that tied his hands to the chair that he'd been binded to.

"Why did you even let me free if you were gonna catch me again..."

"I'm sorry... I just wanted to protect you...but once you ran away I sat back there and realized it was of no use... that in the end you'll be at the mercy of that man again..." She spoke rather frantically.

" You can untie me though...I won't run away..." Ian tried to negotiate with her.

" No... you'll definitely run.. don't worry you're safe here, safe from all those bad people.." She argued.

" And what if they find this place?" Ian raised a brow.

" Don't worry, I'll kill you first and then kill myself... they won't get either of us, I'll protect us till the end" She replied.

Ian bit his lip, it was like being out of the frying pan and into the fire.

"Do you like me?" Ian Strauss asked with an intense gaze that made her face redden up a bit and she'd slightly nodded.

"You can't do this to people you like you know..."

" I'm just trying to protect you.." She argued.

" By tying me up and telling me you'll kill me...?" Ian said to which she had no answer.

" If I untie you...then you'll run to Kirihara Mari won't you...?" She lowered her head.

" You don't get it, she's also one of the scums! She's not a good person!"

"I know.. but are you any better? " Ian Strauss spoke with a dry expression.

"I can atleast protect you" She spoke with a stern expression cupping his cheeks.

" You're about to do something that I'll hate you forever for" Ian Strauss spoke impassively.

She was bothered but then gritted her teeth

"You're not gonna like me either way so..." She took her leggings off from under her skirt and straddled on top of Ian forcing a kiss on him to which he turned his head a bit avoiding it but she held his face by the jaws and so he bit her lips out of annoyance.

"You're hurting me!" She ended up slapping him to which she herself got shocked.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hit you... It's just you wouldn't let me..." She apologized for herself.

This woman was clearly out of her mind and it somewhat scared Ian.

"Uh but.. that got you up.." She looked down feeling it press onto her.

His body was accustomed to reacting to violence since childhood...it was a natural reaction that he'd long stopped blaming himself for...he didn't like it mentally and that's all that mattered for him.

"You're pathetic you know.." He said with a pitiful expression to which she teared up in annoyance.

"I just love you" She said and tried to kiss all over his neck through he just purposely bumped his chin into her head

"Stop hurting me!" She got mad enough to slap him again but this time didn't bother apologizing either.

"F-kin get off me then!" He yelled back at her to which she got up fuming in rage and brought over a knife from the kitchen.

"WHAT THE F-K ARE YOU-"

"Well at least your dead body will be more obedient than you!!!"

She raised her knife at him and he tightly shut his eyes being really out of breath.

"I'm sorry..." She spoke with widened eyes and threw the knife away "What was I about to do? I'm sorry!" She apologized right away " it's just you wouldn't let me.... It's your fault..."

Ian Strauss was scared out of his mind ... He sat there breathing hard with his eyes bulging out. Though he didn't dare move anymore.

"If only you stay still.... Nothing will happen I promise... " She told him as she started to kiss him yet again but this time his eyes were on the knife lying on the floor and he was scared sh-t so he didn't dare stop her from getting into his mouth and invading it with her tongue as she grinded against him and let her hands wander all over his clothed chest.

Ian Strauss held his breath through this even his body had stopped reacting. He was too scared...

He thought he'd long gotten over this fear and became immune to it...that he'd grown strong enough to be not affected by any such thing...it was just when she'd brought that knife, he ended up remembering how helpless he'd been since the start....

.....that he might end up dying in this very room without making a difference....that his death would be as pathetic as his life...

He feared death not because he had any strong ties with this world...he just hated dying in such a sh-tty way....

He wanted to atleast close his eyes to the world in peace and happiness...

..... even if it's brief...

....just so when he could see his mother again, he could tell her that even his scarred life had it's happy moments..

Ian Strauss never once lost hope...

He believed in standing up and fighting for himself...

Though in that moment.....

....Like a child as if he'd reverted back to that state of mind where he just wanted to cry for his mother loudly....

He missed her so much in that moment.....

His eyes filled up even though he was trying hard to hold himself back while she kissed and licked all over his face and neck....

Though....he really froze up as he saw the long black haired woman standing behind the maid.

"Mama...?" He hiccupped through his blurry vision seeing Raina Strauss for a moment there though just as the tears rolled down and his eyes cleared up...

"Who are you calling mama?" The woman spoke up and the maid suddenly turned to reach the knife on the ground only to get her wrist get karate chopped and the knife moving further away.

"I really hate walking into such pitiful scenarios"

The black haired woman narrowed her pale grey eyes in disgust and turned the maid about slapping her in the face.

Just one slap had the maid falling to the ground with a bloody nose.

"I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HIM!!" The maid yelled holding her cheek, getting up to attack only to get a punch to her gut.

Ian was just in surprise....he still hadn't recovered from that hallucination he had earlier...

Her hair, it was probably her mess of thick black hair...that resembled his mother alot...

"Are you done?" Another woman came in out of nowhere.

" Not quite" The black haired woman said as she gave another kick to maid down there knocking her out.

Ian was sure, he didn't know this woman in any regard so he was a bit defensive too but he relaxed a little as she started untying him.

"Geez, what has Aoi gotten herself into again" The other blonde woman said while taking a sigh.

Since she'd mentioned Aoi, Ian got defensive again. These people would be someone Himari Aoi had sent...he wasn't sure if he could trust any of them.

"Are you okay though?" The black haired woman said squatting down to untie his legs.

Hearing her ask that he puckered up again.

"I'm not good at consoling people" The blonde woman said backing away as he did and walked out getting on her phone.

She freed him sitting infront of his knees.

"I'm okay... give me a minute..." He said trying to blink hard and look up to control his tears.

"Cry it out, you can't calm down otherwise..."

The black haired woman said.

It was as if her words triggered him...he started crying loudly and messily like a child, not even holding back his voice.

The woman stood up and took off her long coat putting it around him, covering him up from that miserable condition that he was in.

"There, there, you're safe now..."

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"Hey kiddo.."

"Dad...?"

What's he doing here...I clearly told Aoi not to tell him that he'd be worried sick....

"You're not doing very well" Dad said to Aoi putting a few shoppers over the bed side.

Staying with me for long is taking a toil on her.. she's been tired since morning..

"Get up and go out, take a break" Dad told her gently putting a hand over her head.

"And wake him up, I brought food"

He referred to little Lian sleeping with his head in my lap.

Aoi managed to stand up but she didn't look so well.

"Zhuang is waiting for you outside, he's got something to discuss" Dad told her and she gave a nod getting out.

"Dad are you mad at me?" I ended up asking not knowing why he was being so calm.

" I'm not mad, but you should atleast tell me if you're unwell" He said.

He's definitely mad!!!

"Wake up kiddo.. " Dad gave Lian a little shake to which he rubbed his eyes, stretching a bit.

"Dad I thought you'd panic...so I didn't..." I tried to present my side.

" I don't know what image you guys have of me..." He somewhat glared at me "...but you can atleast let me know the important things, so I don't actually get panicked"

Scary!!!!!

" Sorry " I apologized right away, he's pretty scary when he's mad.

He pulled out the lunch boxes one by one.

Uh those look home made for sure.....

Looks tasty, it's been a while eating dad's cooking.

He handed one over to me along with the spoons and forks and kept one in his lap for Lian.

"Sit up properly, why's your posture so wrong" He scolded little Lian.

This reminds me, dad can be pretty strict but he's actually one caring person when it comes to kids.

"Say Aaa" He filled up a spoon holding it infront of Lian who took it, though dropping some of the rice on bed.

Dad picked it up nevertheless and put them on the cap of the lunch box separately.

"Lian come on eat properly, you're dropping it everywhere" I ended up pulling his ear a little.

" Why are you making him stay in a hospital, isn't that really uncomfortable?" Dad asked feeding the kid side by side.

This is really tasty...

"About that...."

I took a deep breath.

" Aoi figured it's unhealthy for Lian to be moving around so much.. he's 9 and he still doesn't go to school either.."

" What are you guys thinking?" Dad raised a brow

" It's nothing much, we just want him to have a family...." I told him, Lian seemed least concerned, he just visibly loved that food so much that his eyes were glittering with every spoonful.

"If you're thinking about adopting him, don't do that, you can't raise him with your child... that's absolutely risky for him" He told me.

Uh... I already know that...

"Ah of course not, even I know that, don't worry I can't do that really... actually I meant Alex and Father...Aoi wants them to have legal custody of Lian...but that means..."

I gently played with Lian's hair.

".....Proving Alex's relationship with with Ivan Strauss... And we don't know how to approach Alex with that..." I said, dad got it anyways.

" Um I forgot-" Dad said lowkey with a twiching brow.

" Isn't that okay, Adrian can have an older brother"

I turned to the voice and it was Alex standing by the door holding Adrian's tiny hand.

EHHHHHHHHHH!!!

"I forgot to tell you he came as well..." Dad said.

You should tell me that sooner!!!

"Alex..." I tried to look at his face to judge his reaction but all he had was a gloomy smiling expression on.

" Brother" Little Lian quickly got off the bed and somewhat went to him right away. He squatted down to hug the little kid.

"Would you have any problem with having a big brother Adrian?" He asked right away to which Adrian shook his head and held Lian's hand.

"I'll share all my toys!" Adrian held up Lian's hands in his own.

That's my little brother there yall!

He's so pure!!!!

" Good boy " Alex gently caressed the side of Adrian's forehead.

"What about you? Would you like to become a part of our family?" Alex asked Lian but I felt that the kid didn't really understand that question which is why he just blinked blankly

"I want to be... with brother Ian.."

Lian replied.

" I see, it's like that....well we can't force you to be with us, in the end it's upto you" Alex spoke with a gentle smile...

I can't really tell what he's feeling but he doesn't feel like he normally is...

"When can I see brother Ian..." Lian asked hopefully.

" Soon I promise" Alex consoled him.

"But for today, will you go home with us?"

Lian nodded...well I guess, he doesn't really understand what Alex meant...for now baby steps would do..

Though I'm quite worried for Ian Strauss too ...is it really going to be okay?

Aoi said she's gonna get some help but I'm not so positive about it..

Afterall...

That's Mari san's past coming all together to face her back.....

I'm really curious to how'd that turn out...

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"What are you guys gonna do with her?"

Ian asked with his reddened up nose and eyes making him look all sick.

" Interrogate her of course" The blonde woman replied.

" You both... Himari Aoi sent you right? How much did she pay you? I'll pay you double if you let me out of here"

Ian ended up asking nervously to which both the women cracked up a bit, laughing and he got flustered up.

"What?!!"

"Sorry sorry.. no you're right we should be doing this for money by logic... Technically" The blonde woman said laughing a bit freely.

Ian couldn't understand but he felt bothered being laughed at without knowing.

"Rather than money, you could say it was more of curiosity" The black haired woman gave a dramatic sigh.

" Yuki chan here wanted to see who this infamous person is that Aoi told, 'Mari fell head over heels for' you see" The blonde haired woman giggled.

" Stop making fun of me already Sam, geez..." The black haired woman whined.

"Yuki chan....?"

Ian repeated the name to which the black haired woman turned her head and grinned at Ian Strauss.

"That's Yuki sama for you kid!"