Chapter 92: Without You.

Chapter 92: Without You.
The meeting concluded, and Steven stepped out with Dua. Just as he reached his car, he sensed someone approaching from behind. It was Victoria, her expression a mix of urgency and concern. 
"We need to talk," she insisted, stepping closer. 
Steven glanced at her husband, who stepped aside, granting them the privacy they needed. He turned to Dua, who nodded, clearly understanding that some conversations required an audience of two. 
Once seated in Steven's car, Victoria wasted no time. "Tell me you have a plan for all those absurd things you agreed to." 
"Sort of," he replied, launching into an explanation of the chaotic situation he was now entangled in.
"You shouldn't have agreed to those deals, Steven," she insisted, her tone firm. He met her gaze, the weight of his choices hanging in the air.
"I just hope your wife knows what she's doing, and this plan of hers doesn't endanger us all," Victoria voiced her concern, her brow furrowed.
"Actually, I'll be taking over from her here," Steven replied, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "Her plan has revealed the blueprints of Bob's intentions, and I know just what to do about it."
"And what exactly is that?" Victoria asked, curiosity piqued.
"Bait his plans and turn them into a trap for him," he declared, the glimmer of strategy lighting up his eyes.
"Be careful... It's not just you anymore. You have a wife and a baby to think about," she warned firmly.
"Actually, it's two babies," Steven corrected her, his smile betraying his excitement.
Victoria’s eyes widened in surprise. “What?” she exclaimed. “That’s wonderful news!” Her face quickly shifted from concern to a bright smile. “But why did you tell me it was only one before?” 
“I just found out it's two,” he replied, his tone earnest.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Victoria nodded, her expression turning serious again. “Now, you know you have to be extra careful with whatever you do. This goes beyond you; it’s about your family now.”
Steven nodded in agreement, appreciating her sincerity. “Tell me when you need anything. I’ll always be here for you,” she said, opening the car door with a smile that seemed to lighten the heaviness that had settled around them. 
As Victoria stepped out, she walked over to where Shane and Dua were engaged in a lively conversation. With a warm smile, she approached Dua and asked, "May I speak with you for a moment?"
“Sure!” Dua responded, stepping aside with Victoria into a quieter corner. 
Curiosity bubbled as Dua initiated, “How did you meet Steven? I’ve always wanted to ask since I realized you’re friends.”
“Oh... Actually, it was a very funny and absurd first meeting,” Victoria chuckled, her eyes sparkling with nostalgia. “He showed up one night while we awaited our King for a meeting, boldly announcing he was our new Mafia King. We found out shortly thereafter that our King was dead, murdered by Steven,” she continued, and Dua froze in shock, her eyes widening.
"I tried to seduce him countless times, but it felt like I was trying to entice a log of wood. No woman seemed to register on his radar. And bloody hell, he hated me! But that didn't matter as long as I got what I wanted. Then one day, I overheard him discussing a problem with Shane. I offered my help, and though he doubted my abilities, he eventually caved in because he was out of options. I solved the issue flawlessly, and from that moment on, we transformed into allies—then friends," Victoria elaborated.
Dua's mouth dropped open, a single word escaping her lips, "Wow," as the shock of Victoria's story washed over her.
"But that's not why I wanted to talk to you," Victoria quickly added, her tone sharpening. "I need to make sure you know what you’re stepping into. You have to be cautious about the decisions you make in this high-stakes game with Bob. If not for you, then for your husband… for your children," she said, glancing at Dua's baby bump.
"You're the only wild card that can elevate Steven's position... and potentially be his downfall," Victoria elaborated, her gaze serious. "So tread carefully."
Dua nodded, the gravity of Victoria's words resonating within her. "Thank you," she replied, a hint of gratitude mixed with apprehension in her voice.
"Remember, I'm here if you need anything," Victoria offered as she pulled Dua into a brief, supportive hug before departing.
Returning to the car, Dua climbed in with Shane, where a tense silence enveloped them. After a moment, she broke it. "So what's next?" she asked, curiosity piquing beneath the weight of the situation.
"Next? Becoming the Mafia Lord," Steven answered, his tone matter-of-fact.
"And you really plan to kill someone for that?" Dua pressed, her heart racing at the thought. Her fears were confirmed as Steven nodded in response. 
"Why do you have to kill to claim a position?" Dua exhaled, frustration evident in her voice.
"Because it’s seen as a show of power and dominance. It's the Mafia way," Shane explained, a hint of resignation coloring his words.
“Well, that way sucks!” Dua cursed, frustration lacing her voice. “How did you both even get into something like this?”
“I got pulled in because of him,” Shane replied, shooting a glance at Steven.
Steven smirked, leaning back slightly in his seat. “I was getting bored after spending a thousand years in the same old routine. So, I decided to spice things up a bit. The Mafia? It was the most interesting of the lot.”
“Interesting? Mafia isn’t a good place, Steven. It’s dark and evil,” Dua admonished, concern evident in her eyes.
Steven shrugged, a glimmer of defiance in his gaze. “My heart was dark and empty without you. The Mafia just felt like an extension of that emptiness,” he said, his voice softening as he focused deeply on Dua. “Your absence drove me to do some insane things, and I thought maybe the darkness could fill that void.”
“Ahem…” Shane cleared his throat, sensing the charged atmosphere. “You might want to pay attention to the road,” he reminded Steven, pulling him back to reality.
“Right, but listen. Your plan helped me uncover Bob's true intentions,” Steven continued, his tone shifting to serious. “He’s trying to kill two birds with one stone.”
Both Dua and Shane raised their eyebrows, intrigued.
“All he wants is the position of Mafia Lord. He’s going to use me to eliminate the current Lord, and once I take the throne, he’ll just kill me and seize control. He’s been itching to get rid of me for a long time, and now Dua is probably his way in, so we need to tread carefully,” Steven explained, the weight of their situation settling heavily on all three of them.
“You mean he wants to be your adviser so he can keep tabs on every move you make?” Shane noted, his analytical mind working quickly.
“Exactly,” Steven affirmed, his expression grave.
Dua scoffed, irritation bubbling up within her at Bob's audacity. “Wow, he’s really a sly man.”
“And judging by how no one objected when he made those requests…” Shane began, his brow furrowing in realization.
“They’re all aligned with him,” Steven completed Shane’s thought, the reality hitting like a punch. “He’s gathered his allies, and now he's one step ahead of us."
"Which means we have to act fast," Dua replied, her brows knitted in determination, the weight of their predicament settling heavily on her shoulders.
"Very fast," Shane concurred. 
Silence enveloped them, thick with uncertainty as each of them retreated into their own minds, grappling with the gravity of their situation.