Chapter 39: Fake.

Dua strolled in the garden, breathing in the fresh garden breeze, the scent of flowers invading her nostrils, serving her a sense of relief, and making her forget about her worries for a while.

Her phone buzzed through the peaceful air, and she looked at the screen that was displaying a name "Sesi." Without thinking much, she answered the phone and an angry voice rang through, "is this you showing your true colors now, Diane?"

"Who are you?" Dua asked.

"What?" The voice scoffed. "Who am I? Nice, Diane. Well played."

"Just because you're married now, doesn't mean you desert your friends, Diane. You'll need us one day." Another voice rang.

"I can only desert who I know, not someone I don't know." Dua replied.

The first voice scoffed again and hung up.

"Must be Diane's friends, but I don't know, so what's with them?" She hissed.

"I can see you're having a really great time," she heard behind her and she turned to find Mark.

"Who let you in here?" She raised a brow.

"I'm your brother. The only part of your house I shouldn't enter is your bedroom," he replied.

"You're Diane's brother," she said.

"Aren't you Diane?" He said and she rolled her eyes.

"Why are you here?" She gave him a hard look.

"Dad wants to see you," he replied.

"The same dad that disowned me," she scoffed. "Wait, why do I even bother? He disowned Diane, not me."

"He takes his word back. He didn't mean it." Mark said and she scoffed again.

"Please, Di... we'll be expecting you at home tomorrow," he continued but she just watched him, her eyes searching for his true intentions.

"Bye," he added and left.

As he left, she couldn't shake off the feeling that Diane's family were up to no good, and she made up her mind to unravel whatever they're up to.

At The Warehouse.

Steven checked through his goods, his eyes calculating and intense, making sure there were no errors. Each of his men at their stations giving him reports as he gets to them.

As he looked through a particular good, receiving reports from the men at the station, particularly the overseer of the station, his eyes suddenly darkened. "It's fake." His deep voice rang.

"Fake?" They were all shocked and confused, including Shane who was with him.

"What do you mean fake?" Shane raised a brow at him.

"Someone's tampered with it." Steven replied, his gaze searching the men at that station.

Then he took out his gun and pulled a bullet in the station's overseer's head and the man fell dead instantly, sending shivers through the spines of the others. The others already wet in their pants, already expecting the worse from the unpredictable Steven.

"Is the the culprit?" Shane asked.

"He's not." Steven replied, his cold gaze still on the men.

"Then why did you shoot him?" Shane asked.

"As the overseer of this station, he's incompetent in his job. Someone tampered with the goods right under his nose." Steven replied and Shane's mouth fell open, with no words coming out. At last he shook his head at Steven.

"You," Steven pointed at one of the men. "You're the new overseer," he said and the man nodded shakily.

With that Steven proceeded to the next station. But before Shane left he gave the men one last look. "Whoever tampered with the goods, just pray he doesn't get you. Because if he does, he'll definitely send you to the depths of hell." He said and left them, the men still unable to leave their positions, all still shaking in fear.

"Boss, Bob Sierre is here to see you." His most trusted bodyguard, Carl announced to Steven as he checked through some goods.

"Send him away." Steven replied.

"My King, please do not send me away," he heard Bob's voice behind him.

He turned and saw Bob bowing to him. "Why are you here?" Steven spoke, his voice deadly.

"I'm only here to remind you of our Mafia meeting tonight," Bob said, still bowing.

"Why are you here?" Steven asked again. He knew there was more to why Bob was here than this.

"Surely you're indeed wise, my King. If you would, let us speak privately." Bob sneered.

Being silent, Steven walked to his office while Bob followed. As Steven settled in his chair, Bob gave an hypocritic smile. "How have you been?" He asked but all he got was a face void of emotion or expression.

"As my son-in-law, can you grant me a favor?" He asked.

"I'm not your son-in-law. You gave Diane to me as a debt repayment, so how am I your son-in-law?" Steven replied.

Bob clenched his fists, his jaw clenching in anger but then he forced out a smile as there was nothing he could to do to Steven at that moment. "My apologies," he bowed.

"C...could you lend me some money? There's a huge investment that I can't miss." Bob said and Steven flashed him a deadly gaze that made him swallow hard. Even he's afraid of Steven.

"You have no other daughter, how will you pay me back? With your son?" Steven said, his tone sarcastic.

"I promise I'll pay back this time, just help me." Bob was desperate.

"Get out." Steven spat.

"P...please...." Bob begged.

"I said get out." Steven's voice dripped coldly, the room's temperature dropping.

Without further thinking, Bob knew better than to leave. As he stepped out of Steven’s office, he struggled to contain his boiling anger. Each step felt heavy as he grudgingly acknowledged the Steven’s power over him. He loathed being in such a powerless position, reduced to begging like a beggar to a young man. Yet, he couldn’t afford to show weakness, not when his plan was still in play. He had to find another way. "I swear, I'll bring you down and kill you with my two hand," he swore.

Meanwhile, back at the warehouse, Steven leaned back in his chair. His sharp gaze pierced through the stacks of goods around him, calculating and strategizing his next move. He had his empire to protect, and the threat of betrayal loomed large. The incident with the tampered goods was a stark reminder that he could trust no one.

As the shadows of the evening crept in, Steven packed up his things to leave the warehouse. He stepped out of his office to meet Shane who was about going in. "Good, you're ready. I'm starving." Shane said dramatically and Steven chuckled.

Then Shane's expression turned grim. “You know Bob won’t take rejection lightly,” he warned. “He’ll plot something.”

“Let him,” Steven replied dismissively. “Anyone who threatens me will face the consequences.”

“I just want you to be mindful, little brother. You know how crafty he can be,” Shane continued, concern lacing his tone.

Steven met his gaze, the intensity in his eyes unwavering. “If he wants war, I’ll give him a battle he’ll never forget.”

At The Sierre Home.

The tensions simmered, Sandra watching as Mark paced the living room, contemplating the return of his estranged sister, Diane.

“Do you think she’ll come tomorrow?” Sandra asked, marking the uncertainty in her voice.

“Knowing her, she likely won't,” Mark replied. His frustration was palpable. “But we can’t lose this chance. Dad’s wealth is declining, and if we don’t do something now, we'll fall too low that we'll never be able to rise again.”

“She’s stubborn, Mark. You know that better than anyone,” Sandra sighed, as her fingers nervously twisted a strand of hair.

"Let's hope she comes." Mark concluded.