Bella's POV.
I remained quiet as I didn't want to disclose the actual reason for my runaway. And Lucifer didn't question anything further. After an hour, we arrived at the old construction site and Lucifer helped me to get down.
I looked around, the streets were rocky and curved out through the mountainous area. There were tall bushes and trees around, almost making me believe that we were in a forest or some mafia's territory. Lucifer looked back when he noticed I wasn't following him.
"Boss, worry not. I promised to help you out and this area is not under New York's cops."
"Then where is it?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at his nonchalant reply.
He hesitated for a moment before answering, "It's our guild's hideout area, and others were ordered to wait for me, Maria and Victor here."
"And you brought me here?"
"Yes, I mean Maria and Victor are yet to arrive. So we can escape before they come here and find us," Lucifer explained and I rolled my eyes at him.
He should have said that earlier, I grabbed his hand and ordered him to hurry up. Walking through the rocky road definitely wasn't easy, and I was being careful because of my unborn child. I don't want to run at my actual speed which might cause me to miscarry.
Lucifer, finding it weird, pointed out,"Boss, why aren't you speeding up? Are your legs hurt? Do you want me to carry you?"
Panicking, I ignored him and continued walking at my leisurely pace. After twenty minutes of continuous strolling through the deserted rocky road, we saw a small cabin with lights on. Placing my hands on my waist, I dragged a long breath in my lungs and smiled at the sight of the cabin. My legs were tired and it was also getting dark, so I followed Lucifer down the road.
Upon arriving in front of the cabin's door, Lucifer, and I loaded our guns and knocked on the door. It was for self-protection because sometimes we can encounter enemies hiding in our area.
"CODE?" Someone asked from inside and Lucifer quickly answered.
"MIDNIGHT SHADOW."
The door swung open and we brought ourselves inside. Lucifer slammed the door shut and we both looked at the remaining members of my guild.
John, Karlos, Paul, Isaac, Michael and Martin looked at us in shock as if they were expecting an explanation from Lucifer for why I was with him.
And before I could say anything, Karlos and Michael dragged Lucifer away from me. Tossing him on the ground, they thundered,"Why the fuck Boss is with you? Weren't you supposed to escort her back to France to the chairman?"
"And where's Victor and Maria?" John interrupted as he glanced at him.
Paul, Isaac and Martin were quiet as usual. They were snipers with very introverted personalities, and it's very rare to hear them talk. I sneaked my way towards them and squeezed myself between their seats.
"Hello guys, aren't you happy to see me again?" I said, changing the topic.
Michael and Karlos looked at me and with indifferent voices said,"No. Absolutely not. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for you to stay here?"
"Come on, I'm not planning on settling in this mountainous forest."
"Then where are you going?" John asked, getting curious.
I glanced at Lucifer and smiled. "I'm leaving with him and before you guys make a fuss about it, let me clear myself. I'm not returning to France."
That very moment, Karlos, Michael and John looked at each other in horror and hesitated to say anything. Confused, I turned my face back only to be horrified by my dad standing right in front of me.
"D-Dad?" I stuttered, getting up and steppinh backward. Why was he there? And why didn't my men inform me about this? I looked at Lucifer with a tense face when suddenly I was distracted by my dad's voice.
"I'm proud of you. You completed your task and avenged your brother's death."
"Thank you for praising me, Dad." I bowed and clenched my jaws. I was preparing myself for his next question and it came rather quickly.
"My beautiful daughter, why didn't you listen to Victor and Maria? I had everything prepared for your departure!"
''I-I..." My voice got stuck in my throat, I couldn't answer his question which made my blood run cold. My dad was sassy when in a good mood but I don't want to face him when he's disappointed in me. It's like standing in the trial room whose judge is the devil Lord himself.
After receiving no response from me, Dad stepped close to me and running his hands through my hair he said, "I understand why you are being like that!"
Did he understand? No, he did't. All he cared about were business and revenge. He prepared me for his revenge and saw me as a useful tool in his. I don't remember when he called my name without expecting anything in return. Clutching my fingers on my dress, I boldly answered, "I will overcome this. Please let me be alone for the time being, Dad."
As soon as those words left my mouth, my face was grabbed by his hand as he glared at me in rage. Not surprising at all; I saw that coming.
"Don't tell me you're going to mourn for that bastard! Are you?"
I remained quiet and Dad understood, he made an expression of disgust and embarrassment at me. I swallowed my pride and fell on his feet and begged, "Please, let me stay alone for some time. I won't be able to focus on work when my mind is in chaos."
"Do as you wish," he kicked me off and stormed out of the room. All of my men followed him while Lucifer stayed behind.
"Take care of Boss, we will be in touch and will come to visit occasionally," Michael said before leaving the room with the others.
And everyone was gone, my eyes tearing up. I couldn't help but ugly cry thinking about how my dad actually sees me. I felt like an empty shell who had lost everything in this world. That very moment I realized how attached I was to Caspar that he never made me feel like this.
Lucifer got up from the ground and helped me to get up. He carried me out because I was not in a state of walking or saying anything. Everything around me appeared blurry as tears continued crawling down my cheeks.
"Boss, the chairman has left the helicopter for you. I'll take you to London because there you can conceal your identity with the help of your friend's husband," Lucifer said as he made me sit in the helicopter.
"Are you talking about Helene and her husband?" I asked, wiping my tears.
"Yes, about John Rupert, the secret Shadow military's Lieutenant General ."
Oh, I remembered. My one and only childhood friend, Helene who was like an older sister to me. Although we separated from each other at the age of ten, I still wrote letters to her. And later connected with her on social media and we talked a lot about our boyfriends and exes. We stopped talking suddenly because she got married to an army man and became pregnant.
Years later I heard from my father that Helene's husband was Lieutenant General of the infamous Shadow military. The ones responsible for carrying out dangerous and difficult missions secretly. I envied her but never tried to talk to her. Yeah, I admit I'm stupid and dumb for abandoning my true friends and associating myself with fake ones.
"Boss, we will be landing soon in the secret landing area of Rupert mansion. Please sit tight," Lucifer said, and my heart raced.
I don't know how Helene reacted, and will her husband approve of me staying with her.