I complain a lot, huh? I'm sorry. I know that I can't keep my mouth shut. Something's always bothering me, and I thought I could share it with you. I just wanted you to confront me; I didn't know that I was being a burden. I'm sorry... I'll try my best to stop complaining. I promise.

"But I don't care!" I yell, looking at the frightened guards, who look like they are about to piss their pants.

I pinch the end of my nose, trying to calm myself, which slowly begins to happen.

"I gave you guys a simple assignment; bring the little fucker here, and I'll do the rest. But you had to lose him when he was right in front of you... I don't even know why I keep you idiots around." I pace around my office, clinching my fist.

"We're sorry, boss." Seth, one of the men says, his voice low and steady.

Seth has been with me since day one, and he is also someone that can stand up to me, without blinking an eye.

He, unlike the others that are in the room, is part of the family. And that is why he doesn't sound fearful; he knows that I will not do shit to him.

"Sorry won't fix anything!" I yell, hitting my fist in the wall, a large dent forming.

I can hear some gasps in the room, which are followed by retreating footsteps.

"All of you, get out." I calmly say, my heaving heart steadying.

"But—"

"Don't try me, Seth. That fool has stolen millions from me. I won't listen to you right now." I state, turning to look at him.

I sigh in relief when I see that all my guards are long gone.

Seth shows no signs of leaving, and that is why I decide to ignore him. I walk towards my wine cabinet instead, grabbing my strongest whiskey, gulping a large amount straight from the bottle.

"Azrael, that isn't good for your liver... You'll kill yourself," Seth mutters, walking behind me, grabbing the bottle from my hands.

Seth's actions annoy me, and I strongly fight the urge to slam his head in the wall.

"You just had to ask me for the bottle; you didn't have to grab it like that." I shake my head, ignoring his previous words.

I walk passed him, walking towards my chair. I sit down, placing my head in the palm of my hand.

"I was serious, Azrael... We always have this conversation, and it's getting really old now. You really need to stop taking large amounts of this stuff; it isn't good for you." Seth says, placing the bottle on the table, right in front of my eyes.

He sits in the seat that's placed on the opposite side of my office desk, while I begin to wonder if he is being ignorant with me.

Who puts a bottle of alcohol in front of an almost recovering alcoholic?

I seriously wonder what they taught this guy at medical school. I know more about medicine, and I didn't even step foot in a medical school.

"– and that is why you need to restrain from this... poison." Seth's voice snaps me out of my thoughts, disgust clear on his face.

"You know; no one would believe you if you told them that you are my second in command. You sure don't act like you are part of the mafia." I state, my hand under my chin.

"Azrael," Seth sighs, looking at me with defeat in his eyes. "You didn't hear anything I said, did you?" He asks, looking into my eyes with defeat.

"No. I stopped listening to you when you tried to teach me about a woman's body parts; which was in third grade." I reply.

"I don't even know why I try with you," Seth sighs. "Let's talk about something else; the guy that stole the money actually had help from the inside. There are moles in this place, and I believe that the same guy is part of another mafia." He adds.

I sit up straight when I hear his words, leaning in, wanting to hear more of what he is saying.

"How do you know all this?" I question, my intense eyes looking into his soft eyes.

"Because I did more digging. I know that we are all family, but the mafia is full of moles. Everyone's an enemy—"

- and everyone's a threat." I finish on his behalf, remembering the words that my father said to us years ago.

The man made a lot of dumb things, but he sure did have wisdom.

"Yes... Not everyone is happy with you being the leader. You are currently the youngest mafia leader, and you have done things that not even uncle managed to accomplish. A lot of these people are in their late fifties, and they don't want a youngester to rule them." Seth says. "And before you say anything rude, know that I heard this in the restrooms during the gala," Seth murmurs, looking into my eyes.

"Why would you assume that I would say something rude? I'm trying to process everything you are saying to me... And when did you manage to go to the restroom? We didn't stay at the event for a full hour," I raise my eyebrow at Seth, who rolls his eyes at me.

"I went to the bathroom when you were busy looking at Don Shawn's daughter... You literally stood for five minutes, just staring at her and her little friend."

"Ah, please don't remind me of that," I roll my eyes, staring at my desktop, the house's footage meeting my eyes.

"Why should I? You seemed intrigued; I could literally see the love in your eyes."

"Gross, Seth. Love is nothing but a myth, and I wasn't looking at her with love... I was just wondering when she got so beautiful," I murmur, remembering the tomboyish girl I saw months ago.

The girl, woman, I saw a few weeks ago didn't look like the woman I saw at Don Shawn's house.

The woman I saw that time was looking like a teenager: big reading glasses, black shorts, and a huge basketball shirt, and her hair was also tied in a messy bun. She looked messy, but hot; that I admit.

I have never seen her all dressed up, except at the gala. The way the black dress clinged to her body was unexplainable, it was something that I can't stop thinking about.

And Seth bringing her up is a low blow.

"She did look gorgeous, but she sadly hates you." Seth reminds me, making me groan in frustration.

"Please, don't remind me... I don't even know what I did to her. Vivian, if I remember her name correctly, doesn't even like seeing my face. I can see the dislike in her eyes whenever I catch a glimpse of her; even though I can count our encounters on one hand." I state.

"She must have a pretty good reason for hating you." Seth says, making me shrug, my mind going back to the guy that stole my money and packages.

"Forget about that; let's talk about the bastard that stole the goods," I murmur, and just like that, our conversation takes a turn.

Vivian

"

"And then I'll add some chocolates, you can add some vanilla to yours, and Dad can add some strawberries to his," I excitedly announce, mixing my cake butter.

"Whatever you say, your majesty." Dad bows, Mom follows his actions, which makes me giggle.

Don't judge; I am not too old. I am still my parent's child, and I don't know if I will experience this again.

My parents and I spend a lot of time together now a days, and surprisingly both Mom and Dad decided to take a break from work.

They want to spend more time with me, and I love that we are doing exactly that.

"What should we do now?" My mother asks, washing the flour off her hands.

"We can cook dinner, since the chefs are out." Dad says, to which Mom and I agree.

Dad gets spices from the cabinets, Mom gets the rice, pasta and potatoes, and I get the chicken and vegetables from the fridge..

We all get to work, Dad seasons the food while I cook it. And the best part about everything is that I get to eat the food without anyone saying otherwise.

"Viv," Mom calls out to me.

"Yes, mommy?" I answer, calmly.

"Serena's calling you," She hands me my phone, coming to stand next to me as I stir the pot of rice.

"Can you answer it for me? And can you also put it on speaker?"

"Sure." Mom smiles, answering the call.

"Hello," I mutter, half of my concentration on the phone call.

"V-viv... I can't do this anymore," Selena says, her voice cracking as she utters the words.

I become alert when I hear her words, which results in me leaving the food alone.

I ask Mom, who has worry written all over her face, to look after the food, promising to tell her everything that is happening afterwards.

"What happened? Are you alright?" I asks, walking out of the kitchen.

"Where are you?" I worriedly ask, walking towards the key holder, wanting to go to my sister.

"I'm outside your house; in your garden."

"Alright. I'm coming," I reply, running out of the house.

The house has a fence and there are a lot of guards as well. But, Serena enters with little to no difficulty, because she is always here.

She is part of the family.

I spot Serena seated by the little fortune in the garden, tears rolling down her cheeks, her eyes cast to the ground as she looks at the doves that are a distance away from her.

"What's wrong?" I ask, sitting besides her, my hand slipping into hers while I place my other hand onto her forehead, wanting to see if she is sick.

"I'm not sick, Viv." She says, still not looking at me.

"But you don't seem alright. Please, talk to me... What's the matter?" I ask, looking into her eyes.

Selena looks at me for a few seconds, and something I didn't expect to happen, happens; Serena breaks down in tears, surprising me.

I automatically wrap my arms around her, her head laid on my shoulder as I smooth her arm.

I don't say anything, I comfort her instead, her sobs making my heart bleed in pain.

Serena is my sister, and best friend. I always end up feeling her pain. It hurts me to see her crying or upset.

She has been through so much, and everytime she cries, I end up feeling like I am the one in pain.

Her happiness is my happiness, and her pain is my pain as well.

"You're worrying me, Sere... Please, tell me what's going on," I helplessly murmur, after she begins to quiet down.

"V-viv, Dave wants to sell me to one of his friends; he wants me to become a whore for one of his old friends." Selena mutters, hiccupping in-between the sentences.

I become speechless when I hear this. My brain suddenly begins to process the information slower than usual, and it makes me feel like fire is in my brain.

"I was sitting in my room, since he and his wife don't like seeing me in the living room, when he came to tell me that he received a phone call from his sixty something year old friend... The man apparently saw me at the gala, and he took a liking to me. Dave came to tell me to pack my luggage, because I will be moving in with the man later this week... I tried to go against him, Viv. I tried to protest. I tried to talk back. I tried to tell him to fuck off. I tried to tell him that I have my own rights. I tried to tell him to leave me alone. I tried to tell him that I'm tired of his ill treatment. But then he slapped me, kicking me in the stomach afterwards; not wanting to ruin my face," Serena pauses, making me sit up straight, not wanting to hear her next words, feeling afraid.

"Viv, he called one of his guards in the room while I helplessly laid down on the floor... Viv, Dave commanded the guard to have his way with me–"

"What?!" I shout, my blood boiling as I stand up.

Serena looks at me with pain in her eyes, more tears rolling down her cheeks, clearing her voice before she begins to explain what happened.

"Viv, Dave said that I have to know my place, and that is why he called the guard... He left me with the guard. I could literally see the joy in the guard's eyes as he walked towards me. I was terrified. I felt helpless and weak when he was trying to pull my dress off; luckily, there was a lamp near me, and I used that to hit him on the head... I escaped through the back door, not wanting to dump into Dave. And thankfully, I managed to pass through the little door in the backyard, and now I'm here."

I stand in front of Serena, different emotions passing through my body as I try to put myself in her shoes.

My mouth begins to open, and in the end I speak words that I know I will fulfill.

"I'm going to kill Dave."