Episode 16

"I cannot believe this!" Luka exclaimed, his voice laden with disbelief and a hint of fear. "This can't be here."

Upon hearing Luka's outcry, I spun around to face his shocked expression. I couldn't grasp the full meaning behind his words, but his tone of surprise, tinged with an undertone of apprehension, left me astounded.

Soon after, all of our associates flooded into the room, each reporting that Amy was nowhere to be found. The only remnants within the mansion were the bodies—some brutalized severely, others simply slain.

We made our way back to the staircase, where I noticed that the family had been tortured before their demise. Standing before the man with a smile on my lips, I said, “This is nothing compared to what awaits you, scum. You deserved this, should have suffered more for the atrocity you committed.” I then turned to my teammates, “Let's return to the empire and debrief our leader.”

Leaving the mansion, the memory of Amy gnawed at me—where could she be? As we departed, my boss's subordinates set the mansion ablaze with their powers, it immediately consumed by fire down to its foundation.

Once free from the territory, Luka suggested we rest at his mansion before heading home. Accompanying them, everyone retired to their rooms, but I remained in the living room, pondering my friend's whereabouts and sipping a glass of wine while lost in thought.

"Helen," I heard my name called. I turned to see Luka, his gaze intense.

"What's up?" I inquired, and he took a seat opposite me.

"I know you're hiding information from me. Would you be so kind as to share it?" he asked, eyes locked on mine.

"I'm sorry, but no. The only person who might be able to inform you is perhaps your wife, and I doubt even she's fully in the picture."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.

"I can't tell you any more, I'm sorry," I apologized.

"Are you hiding things from my mother too?" His brow furrowed in suspicion.

"My boss is briefed on the situation, but I've taken an oath and I will honor it. Right now, I'm more concerned about my friend. I want to know what happened to her, where she is, and if she's dead, why we didn't find her body in the mansion," I expressed with concern. "Also, I've been thinking about what you said when we saw that fireplace in the house. Can you explain what happened there?"

"That fireplace is forbidden—it shouldn't be in a household unless the family is authorized."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you. It's a secret," he said firmly, and I ceased my questioning.

"I'm not the only one with secrets. All of us hide something—you, me, your parents, among others. We should tell the truth to resolve this, but we won't because we're bound by oaths."

"You know where my real wife is, don't you? Amy has nothing to do with it."

"Amy is heavily involved, and to answer your question, I don't know where your wife is," I said, rising from the couch. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. I have to return to work tomorrow and deliver some bad news." With that, I left before he could pry further.

Retiring to the room provided for me, sleep eluded me. The forbidden fireplace lingered in my mind, prompting me to resolve my doubts through an intense search. However, that would have to wait until my vacation ended, and my nursing job at the hospital concluded. After which, I would rejoin my leader's side.

Come early morning, I departed quietly, used a portal, and returned to the empire. Upon arrival, I prepared my resignation from the hospital, citing my non-imperial mother's illness as the reason. The resignation was accepted without delay, and I left the empire behind.

Luka's POV:

After leaving the mansion and having my parents' subordinates burn it down, I invited everyone to rest at my mansion. When we arrived, everyone went to sleep but I noticed that Helen did not. We had a conversation in which I asked her to give me information, since I knew she was hiding several things from me, she did not deny it but still refused to give me the information telling me that only my wife was capable of giving me those answers I was so eagerly searching for.

Sometime later, I accused her of treason and she replied that my mother knew what I did not, but left me paralyzed upon hearing about the fireplace. I revealed to her that it was forbidden but nothing more. As we delved into a conversation about my doctor, she told me that Amy had a lot to do with it. Suddenly, she got up and before I could ask anything more, Helen had already left.

I stayed in that place thinking about everything she had told me. I thought about the fireplace and knew that my mother was the closest person who knew all the answers to my questions. I got up from the couch and went to sleep, tomorrow I would talk to her and clear up all the doubts I had.

In the morning when I woke up, I noticed that Helen was no longer there, she had left. All the other subordinates and I went through the portal and returned to my mansion. Once we arrived, I saw my parents waiting for us.

"Good to see you have arrived," said my mother happily and I could only look at her with a frown. "what's wrong son?" she asked with a sad expression.

"We need to talk," I said seriously.

"Okay, let's talk."

"Alone," I said directly.

"Your father will come with us." said my mother.

We went up to my study, each one of us sitting in our respective spots and I could only stare at them intently.

"How could you hide something so important from me? You know who my wife is and you didn't tell me anything." I exclaimed letting out all my anger.

"Son, all of this is very complicated." my mother said.

"No, it's not, you just had to tell me that my wife is the surviving daughter of your best friend!!!"

"My son, this story is even deeper, Alessandra De Angelis is much more than our best friend and her daughters were much more than just her daughters."

"Are you going to tell me the truth?" I asked crossing my arms.

"We can't, you must find the answers yourself," my father said, "but right now the most important thing is to find Amy."

"Do you already know what happened?"

"Yes, Helen informed me of everything that happened," said my mother.

"Did she also tell you about the fireplace in that mansion?" I asked.

"Yes, she did and we couldn't believe it but we think we know why it was there." my father replied.

"And why was it there if those fireplaces are not supposed to be here?"

"We can't tell you, son, we are sorry."

"Then leave, I don't want to talk to you," I said angrily, "I will find Amy and I will find out the whole truth about this."

My parents left and I was left alone in that study thinking about everything that had happened but something was swirling in my mind and that was the fireplace. I remember seeing it somewhere, but I didn't know where until several hours had passed. But I needed information about that fireplace and I began my investigation.

***This work has been signed with NovelToon, and piracy such as reprinting without permission is strictly prohibited.***

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***