Chapter 20 They might be connected...
Dahlia.
" I want to leave him a special gift," I whispered to the phone's speaker, my voice light, you would think I was talking about something nice, the most expensive gift ever, even.
For a minute, deep silence greeted me from my mother's end. I had no doubt, she must have been disappointed in me. But since she didn't want to paint my father as the villain in my heart, she could only swallow it down.
" The house is technically in your name. Do you want it transferred in your father's name?" She asked, calmly, as if she couldn't be bothered by what I did.
" No. I am not planning on gifting him the house. "
" I was wondering if you could sell it on my behalf. "
" I want him kicked out on my wedding day itself," I explained, but this time, I wasn't as calm as before. There were obvious ripples of anger in my voice as I spoke.
" It would be better if the reporters could get a whiff of the news. The scandalous, the better." I added, my voice steely.
Well, I was also surprised by how ruthless I sounded, but so what? That man? My father? He had betrayed me first. He had sided with Jason to fool me. He was even colluding with him to ruin my life after giving his blessings to Sofia and Jason.
And what more? He was even planning to name Sofia as his legitimate daughter, while their perfectly staged plan disgraced me and turned me into the city's laughing stock.
" You have matured, Dahlia. That's a relief. " After a brief moment of silence, my Mom finally spoke, and even then, the sparks of joy in her voice were obvious.
I guess she had known the kind of person my father was all along. And I bet, while I was trying to set them up, to create opportunities for them to reunite, she knew how impossible it was all along, but for my sake, she just didn't tell me. Even the failed encounters, the ones I had painstakingly created, she must have seen them coming and avoided them.
" Well, I am sorry for making you worry, Mommy," I whispered, my voice shrouded by remorse.
" It's all in the past now, baby." She assured and I could feel the shift in the air between us. We were now standing on the same grounds, not just as a Mother and a daughter, but as two partners, ready to rain hell on their enemies.
" Since I now have your permission, I will deal with Brooks accordingly. "
" I won't show him any mercy. The only reason I hadn't retaliated against him was because of you."
" But since he tried to hurt my precious daughter, his happy days have surely come to an end." My mom's words were cold and ruthless, and yet, her voice was unusually calm, so calm that it was terrifying. You would think she was talking about a mere shift in the weather.
But she was my Mom. I knew her well enough to know when hell was about to break loose. It was when she was that calm that she did the unimaginable...
And my heart? It was pulsating with excitement. I couldn't wait to watch as my father's empire crumbled, in the hands of the queen he once betrayed.
"Well, if that's all, take care, baby. I still have things to take care of." She added, her voice softening, only a little as she addressed me.
" Take care, Mother. " I added, softly, before ending the call and just then, the housekeeper came in.
" Madame? Your dinner is ready. "
Third Person.
In the capital, Citydalle, Dalton Riggs sat elegantly in his chair, a cold and suffocating aura emanating from him, a seemingly simple gun at hand. He were casually playing with its handle, and it looked more like a mere toy in his long and sleek fingers.
Well, compared to how relaxed he was, the other men in the room were seemingly soaking in hell.
One man stood a few meters from Dalton, that was his right-hand man, while three others, well-built, with snake tattoos painting their skins, were kneeling a few meters from Dalton, their bodies shivering, with beads of sweat soaking their entire bodies.
The fear that contoured their features was certainly hard to mask, and looking at them, it was more like they were scared of a more formidable existence, an existence far more scary than death itself, and that force was Dalton Riggs, the seemingly harmless youngster seated right before them.
To the outside society, to the world of business, and to the entire country, Dalton was the youngest in the formidable Riggs family. He was cold, strategic and a mogul when it came to business. To the entire world, he was a genius. At twenty, his tech company had already gone public, and on rough days, it was already making billions in profit.
And at twenty-seven, he was an established billionaire, self-made, even without counting his family's wealth.
But in the underworlds, he also had a reputation. He was cold and ruthless. He had established his empire on guns and blood. He killed with predatory precision, he could take a thousand lives without breaking a sweat, with a soft smile playing on his lips.
He was the youngest mafia Don in the country, best to work with, and the worst to cross paths with.
And the men who were seemingly counting their last seconds after every breath they took? They had happened to become his enemies.
" The shipment that was stolen, you were the one who leaked the dispatch date." After what felt like an eternity, Dalton finally spoke, his gaze soft, and comforting as he looked at the visibly shaking men. It was not a question, it was just a careless statement, and yet, it had the three almost peeing their pants.
" You have always known the rules. Traitors face a fate worse than death." He added, this time, his gaze locked on them.
"How much?" He asked.
" How much did they pay you three?" Once again, he asked, but the men were too scared to talk.
" Was it worth your lives?" Getting no response, he continued. It was obvious that he wasn't expecting any answer from them.
" Well, Today I am in a very good mood." He revealed, wearing a deep smile, one that even reached his eyes.
And as his words sank in, the three men relaxed, visibly, with disbelief contouring their faces.
On the other hand, the man who stood not far, his right-hand only shook his head in dismay. It was like he knew what Dalton was aiming at.
" So, I won't especially make things difficult for you," Dalton added, his fingers gently caressing the gun as he rose to his feet, and he took leisurely steps towards them.
" And for that, I won't ask for the person you sold the details to."
"I will personally investigate it." He added, now standing before them, and they nodded in unison, pure gratitude written on their faces. They looked like they had just been pardoned from a death sentence.
" As for you?' He paused, shooting them a cold glance.
" I am just going to give you a quick death."
And before they could process his words, blood splattered everywhere, and one after the other, they lay sprawled on the floor, their bodies cold, lifeless.
There were no sounds of shooting, no struggles, just clean killing.
"Have them clean this up."
" Send the footage to the internal workers' forum, let them know the fate they will face if they betray me " He instructed as he wiped his gun with a paper towel.
" Noted, Sir Dalton. " The man bowed, before he proceeded to give instructions through the earpiece.
" Also, the project I had instructed you to work on, send the report to my soon-to-be wife. Make it detailed." He instructed, and this time, he looked very serious, more serious than he had been while handling his Den's matters.
" Also, that girl from eight years ago, how far are the investigations?" He asked, his voice wrapped in the same seriousness.
" We don't have any leads yet, Sir." Once again, his right-hand answered, but this time he looked disturbed.
"Channel your investigations around Dahlia. I think they might be connected..."