Nightmare

ERALD'S POV

"Yes young boss. While it's unclear the exact background she is, one thing is certain, she is definitely not Lukas Santiago's daughter." Josh stated with certainty.

Who exactly is this woman to Lukas Santiago?

"Alright, Josh. If she isn't Lukas Santiago's daughter, runs a chemical company and manages an illegal business that I doubt Lukas is involved in, then she is far from ordinary. Your task now is to dig into her background. Find out about her parents, her real name and her true connection to Lukas." I commanded, my tone sharp and direct.

"And make sure it begins tonight. By tomorrow, I need new information about her." I added my voice firm.

"Yes, young boss. I'll get it done." Josh replied before leaving.

Who is this woman, and how does she tie into Lukas? What exactly is their connection?

"Don Valentino, I'll be leaving now." I announced to my father, turning briefly to see Jake who appeared stunned by what we just learned.

"Alright, Erald." Dad acknowledged, his expression unreadable.

Jake, still seemingly processing the information, finally spoke as we left. "Dyde, don't you think something's off here? If that Kira girl is hiding under another identity, does that mean Lukas never had a daughter named Kira? Or is there an actual Kira? This twist is insane, my mind's about to explode." Jake muttered, confusion and curiosity mingling in his voice.

"I know," I replied, walking toward the elevator. "I didn't expect this either. To think Lukas supposed daughter isn't really his..."

Ring Ring Ring

My phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen and saw Dad calling.

"Yes, don Valentino." I answered.

"Erald, come back to my office immediately. Don't bring Jake, let him wait. I have a job for you." Dad instructed, his tone authoritative.

"Yes, Don Valentino." I said, ending the call.

"Jake, wait for me at the car. I'll be back soon."

"But Er..." Jake, started to protest.

"Not now, Jake," I interrupted. I'll be back soon." I said decisively before walking away.

When I reached Dad's office, he gestured for me to sit. "Erald, I've been informed by some guards that one of our workers has been leaking information about our operations. I need you to deal with the asshole immediately." Dad said, his tone laced with anger.

"Yes, Don Valentino. But can I see the person who gave you this information?" I asked firmly.

"Yes, you can. One moment," Dad replied, picking his phone. "Gabrielle, come to my office now!"

Minutes later, a man with a strawberry blonde hair and electric blue eyes, standing about 5'7, entered the office.

"Padrone, you called for me." he said, his voice steady until he noticed me. His demeanor shifted instantly, he began to slightly tremble, avoiding my gaze.

"Hey, look at me." I commanded coldly.

"Y-yes, boss." He stuttered.

"Don Valentino, says you found an informant. Who is it, and who are they passing information to?" I asked, my voice sharp, devoid of emotion.

"Boss Erald, it's a man named Kenneth. He's been leaking information to a member of the Cosa Nostra. J can't recall the member's name, but Kenneth said he despises you and Din Valentino for killing his brother. He's seeking revenge. I tried to dissuade him, but he wouldn't listen. I had no choice but to inform Don. I owe him my life, and everything." Gabrielle explained, his gratitude evident but his fear palpable.

"His brother must have done something to warrant his fate. I don't care about his grudge, but Kenneth will pay for his betrayal." I said icily, my aura cold and menacing.

"Erald," Dad interjected. "I'm leaving now, but I expect Kenneth to suffer. Torture him until he begs for death, but don't let him die easily. Let him be an example for everyone. No messy." He instructed, his tone unforgiving.

"Yes, Don. I'll ensure his punishment is slow and excruciating. Trust me." I replied with a sinister smirk.

"I trust you." Dad said, before l leaving.

After he left, Gabrielle suddenly remembered something. "Boss Erald, I recall the member's name, it's Lukas Santiago."

"Are you sure?" I asked sharply.

"Yes, boss." Gabrielle confirmed.

"Take me to that asshole Kenneth now." I demanded, my voice call yet simmering with suppressed fury.

"Yes, boss." He stuttered.

"Let's go."

I called Jake, telling him plans had changed. With Gabrielle leading the way, we set off to find my new prey.

MELA'S POV

I saw him... A man in an army green suit, with blonde curls and those piercing gray orbs that have haunted my nightmares.

"It's damn him, what the hell is he doing here?" The voice inside me whispered, petrified just like I am.

"How am I supposed to know." I replied back.

"What if he does same thing here?" My inner voice said but I couldn't answer cause I have lost all focus.

No, no, no ,noooooo!!! This can't be, what if he does that same thing to me here, no he won't do it here he wouldn't do such thing to me, ira won't let him do that.

"No Mela, calm down, just calm down."

Before I could control my anger it got to the better part of me.

"What is he doing here?" I muttered, trembling as a wave of fear washed over me.

"Calm down, Mela," I told myself, trying to steady my breathing but it was of no use. Memories surged back dragging me into a dark abyss.

"Ira, why did you bring him here!?" I shouted my voice trembling with fear and anger.

"He wanted to see you." Ira replied casually, as if this wasn't a big deal.

How can I forget she doesn't see it as any big deal, a father coming to meet his daughter after a while isn't any big deal, not until he is a monster covered in flesh

"So!? He wanted seeing me! You shouldn't have brought him here!" I yelled my anger overriding my fear.

Before Ira could respond, the man spoke. "Mela hear me out....."

"Don't! Don't you dare call my name with your filthy mouth, you monster." I screamed, cutting him off.

"Ira, take me to a hotel. I am not staying here for another second!" I yelled, contemptuous.

But as I tried to assert myself, a wave of panic sets in. My heart uncontrollably raised. My breathing became shallow, I felt as if hands were crawling out of my skin. Irritation, anger, hatred, pain, overwhelming anxiety, fear, all these emotions were creeping into me so easily like a knife cutting through water.

Then chaos erupted.

I suddenly couldn't move any longer, I felt pinned down to the bed, images of what he could possibly do right now came lurking.

I didn't know what to do anymore, I hid under the duvet, no, no, no, this can't be happening to me again, he would do it again. Yes he will, he is a beast after all. He wouldn't care if Mira was around he would do it. What if he harmed Mira? No! He wouldn't, she's like his daughter, no he could also harm Mira, if he could harm his own daughter then he could also harm her. I already got panicking at this point, I felt suffocated, restless and clueless, I don't know what to do and what not to do. The anxiety's increasing by the passing seconds.

"Mel, you're having a panic attack, calm down." My inner voice said calmly like this man's presence doesn't affect it's sanity.

"Ain't you affected by th...." I got speaking when I heard Ira's voice.

"Uncle, you need to leave right now, Mel isn't in the right condition to talk to you." She said with fears coated in her voice.

"Am not leaving. " He said scornfully.

"I won't leave." He yelled with furiousness and I could feel a dangerous anger seething from him.

Peeping out of the duvet, I saw his eyes piercing through my skin wanting to tear me apart with his gaze.

"Uncle, please you need to leave." Mira said while holding on to his arm but then he shrieked his hand pushing Mira down. Mira fell hitting her head on the edge of the table close to where she stood, as she fell limply on the floor blood gushed of the injury all over the floor.

She's soaked in her own pool of blood!

I watched as Mira's breathe became faint. Her breathe is becoming shallow. "No, Mira you can't leave like this, you can't leave me here with this monster." I shouted from the bed, my feet hurts, I couldn't stand on my feet.

"Oh no, this man just murder Ira." My inner voice said panicking.

"Mela?!?!?!"

I heard Brayan's voice from outside the door calling out to me. He came in and saw Mira's blood all over, she is completely soaked in her pool of blood, he began to panic.

"Mel, what happened to Ira?" He stuttered, turning to his back he saw the beast that just murdered my best friend standing there caring less about murdering his own friend's daughter.

"Uncle Arnoldo, why are you just watching, let's take Mira to the hospital." Brayan said with fear engulfing him completely. But still that beast stood there without any remorse for what he has done. He stood there like he hadn't just murdered a human being not just a human being, she's my best friend, the daughter to his friend. How could he be this heartless to this extent? Just how?

"Uncle Arnoldo, why aren't you moving?" Brayan began shouting at him at this point.

With no single emotions on his cold face he said "she's dead already." He said, his expression unreadable, but definitely not having regrets for what he did.

Hearing this words, I felt my heart sank to it's deepest dark hole. I suddenly felt lifeless, I felt numb, my body got weak, i didn't have the strength to talk or shout. I couldn't think anymore. Everything stopped. Forcefully got dragged to the unknown.

I heard a thunderous sound. Turning, I saw Brayan on the floor unconscious. Another fear rushed through me like a bolt of electricity. Another anxiety rushed through me much more than the previous one. Now, I am all alone with him defenseless. I had no one with me, he killed Mira and made Brayan unconscious because I could still see his chest going up and down.

I heard a devilish laughter that brought me back, I turned to face him.

"What did you do to Brayan?" I demanded for answers furiously. Instead he just kept staring at me, just like he had done before, those eyes, same way, nothing's changed.

"I said, what did you do to Brayan?" I shouted this time louder, taking him out of his trance.

"Nothing really, I just made him unconscious, he would be up after some few hours." He shrugged.

"How could you do this to the child and nephew of your best friend?" I asked him feeling nauseous and scared that he might do something but I kept my voice firm.

"You caused it, had you accepted my pleas and came back to me when I begged all these wouldn't happen. You're the cause of your best friend's death." He said, coldly whilst laughing.

"Don't believe him, Mel. His trying to guilt trick you." My inner voice screamed.

As he spoke he came close to me, how do I save myself from his clutch? My mind seems to have become blank. I don't know what to do anymore. I turned my head to find anything I could use as a weapon, just then I heard a sound of some one hitting something. I turned to the place where the sound came from. I saw a lady dressed half naked, I think she's the lady Brayan brought home. She's holding onto a large box in her hand which she used to hit that devil. Thinking he would go unconscious but sadly he didn't. He stood there hale and hearty like someone who wasn't just hit by a really large box and perhaps heavy.

"Oh no, he's going to do something to her also, he wouldn't let her go free." My inner voice said.

He turned and grabbed the lady's hair and threw her on the floor by slapping her so hard that blood got dripping from the corner of her lips.

"How dare you?" He shouted like a psychotic person.

"Just how dare you?" He shouted one more time picking her up by her arm and slapping her again.

He grabbed her neck and he began slamming her head against the wall angrily. Blood splattered against the wall but he still didn't stop until he was satisfied.

The scene devolves into escalating violence, fear and haunting realization.

He turned to me coming close to me, I

felt sick to my stomach, he brought his hand closed to my...

~~~

I jerked up from the bed sweating profusely, and I saw Ira closed to me. It was just a nightmare. But the dread lingered. Hugging Ira tightly, I whispered, "It was just a nightmare." Yet the fear remained, lurking at the edges of my mind.

A tear came out and I quickly wipe it off before she could notice.