Loving The Temperamental Adonis
Chapter 253: Burn down

Chapter 253: Burn down

Neil’s mind was focused on his mission. He stormed out of the hospital, the cold night air biting at his skin, but he didn’t care. He was going to Mirage Mesa and finish his unfinished business before he found Mariana and made her save Mia, no matter what it took. He knew by now news of his wife’s hospitalization would have already spread, and he had to be extra careful while traveling to Mirage Mesa.

He’d called his men, and his private jet was already waiting for him at a clearing ten miles away from the hospital. All he had to do was board the jet, and he’d be in Mirage Mesa in thirty minutes from now. Neil made his plans in his head as he pulled on a shirt handed to him by one of his bodyguards standing outside and was about to get into a car when Liam rushed up to him, grabbing his arm.

"You can’t do this alone," Liam said, his voice firm. "I’m coming with you." He’d heard Neil’s plans from James when he was waiting for Neil in his room. Stepping into Kelvin Rodrigo’s territory wasn’t going to be an easy feat despite his fall from power. The man still had many men guarding him; his connections were still deep.

"This is something I have to do myself, Liam. I need you to stay here in case anything happens, and inform me about Mia’s condition." Neil said, trying to pull away from his grip.

Liam tightened his grip. "I understand you want to do this on your own, but you’re in no condition to handle it alone. Look at yourself. You’re covered in bruises, and you haven’t had a proper rest. Let me come with you. The nurses and doctors are here to keep an eye on your wife and children."

Neil hesitated for a moment, looking into Liam’s determined eyes. He knew his friend was right. He wasn’t at his best, and having Liam by his side could make a difference. "Fine. But we have to move quickly," he said as he hurriedly got into the car with Liam following behind him.

Once they got to Mirage Mesa, Neil was glad the reporters hadn’t known about his arrival, and where they landed was clear of people with his bodyguards keeping watch. Neil’s expression had turned so cold and emotionless by the time he’d arrived in the city, wearing a hoodie over his head and black pants with sunglasses, despite it being night.

Even his bodyguards could feel the change in the air as he walked past them to the car waiting for him. For the past few months of his marriage, they’d not seen him look so gloomy and aloof; he was always smiling and calling his wife every second of the day to check up on her. They had become so used to that side of him that now they felt wary of his mood. The air seemed to suddenly turn chilly around him, making them shiver in fear of what was to come.

The bodyguards didn’t have to be told to know that Neil Wayner was going to send doom to a certain someone tonight. They followed behind him in another car as his car moved through the night streets.

Twenty minutes later, Neil’s car pulled over outside a massive iron gate to a massive mansion. His bodyguards’ car was close behind his as he exited the car with Liam. There were security checkpoints at the gate, and they refused them entrance, as the men said the boss was already asleep and wasn’t expecting any visitors tonight.

Neil didn’t even bother to argue with them. He signaled his men to break in and clear the security out of his way. The men at the gate were soon knocked unconscious as Neil’s men opened the gate for him to enter. He walked into the gate like a king of hell ready to rain fire on earth, his hands tucked nonchalantly inside his pockets as he walked all the way from the gates to the main building where his men were already making way for him by taking down the bodyguards of the residence.

From the top-floor window, Kelvin peeked out at the commotion, but upon seeing the hooded man’s silhouette at the front, he realized immediately what was happening and who was here. Motherfucking Neil Wayner was here!

Cursing under his breath, he ran back inside to get his gun. He had intended to leave the country today, but Mariana had delayed him. He should have just left without her, but he couldn’t find it in his heart to leave that silly girl who was the only family he had left. He had raised her into a girl he wanted, and her purpose in life wasn’t yet over because he planned to start over again in Mexico with her. He dreamed of building another empire there and Mariana’s weapon making was the key to start over and make new connections with the underworld men there. And not even Neil Wayner would stop that.

Lately, the girl had been disobeying him because of Wayner but he knew she’d come around once he took her away to another country and start over. His private plan was already waiting for him, he’d leave first and order his men to bring that stubborn daughter of his afterwards. He couldn’t afford to spend another day here, not when that little motherfucker was here. Wayner had spared him at the hospital a week ago but he doubts he would again now.

Kelvin picked up his gun and tucked it into his pants, grabbed a few important documents from his closet, hurriedly put them in his suitcase, and began to exit the room. He was on his way down the stairs as he intended to follow his secret emagency exit when Neil walked in with his men blocking his path. Their guns drawn.

Neil took off his glasses and hood, his eyes taking in Kelvin’s suitcase and knowing immediately that the man was fleeing the country. A cold smirk graced Neil’s face as he asked, "Going somewhere, Rodrigo?"

Kelvin kept his composure as he asked, "What are you doing in my house at this time of night?" He knew exactly why they were here. His men had reported Mia’s condition, and he had expected Neil to come, but not tonight. That stupid girl had been the reason he lost everything. He should have killed her himself when he had the chance twenty years ago.

"To pay back twenty years of debt," Neil replied coldly.

Kelvin’s expression turned to anger as he said, "Haven’t you gotten your revenge by killing Ella and ruining my business? What else do you want?"

A humorless laugh escaped Neil’s throat as he said, "I see your daughter has not only tricked my wife but you. She killed your Ella, not me. But I’m not here to talk about that, Rodrigo. Before I get to my business, I want to know: where is Mariana?"

Kelvin refused to believe what Neil said about Mariana being the one who had killed his Ella. Neil was just making things up, he assured himself. Mariana would never do such a thing. Furthermore, she was just a kid when Ella died. She knew how much he loved his wife; she would never deprive him of his lovely wife.

"Mariana is not here. I haven’t seen her in two days. Take your dogs and leave my premises. I have important business to attend to."

The light faded from Neil’s face as his expression turned murderous. "I will only leave after collecting your life." Before Kelvin could react or register anything, two bullets went straight into his skull, shattering his head. His body fell and rolled down the stairs like a sack of grain.

Neil turned on his heels, leaving his orders to his men, "Burn down the entire house and make it look like an accident."

Even though he wanted to make Kelvin suffer more, he knew the man was cunning and would easily escape his fate. Despite all the years he’d looked forward to killing the man responsible for his parents’ death, Neil felt no satisfaction or happiness after killing him. Instead, he was consumed by a soul-crushing emptiness that gripped his heart and made it difficult for him to breathe. The expected triumph was replaced by a profound, gnawing void, as if every ounce of his resolve had been hollowed out, leaving him adrift in a sea of darkness. With every passing second, he felt himself sinking into an abyss that would never go away until his wife was out of danger.

Walking out of the Rodrigo estate, he headed towards his car while picking up a call from his men, who informed him of Mariana Rodrigo’s whereabouts. "I’m on my way," he said, getting inside his car and never looking back, even as the house caught fire and burned in the background like his family’s house had burned before his eyes twenty years ago.

****

Chez Lumière.

In an upscale French restaurant in the big city of Mirage Mesa, Mariana sat in the VIP area surrounded by countless empty wine bottles on her table. She didn’t bother hiding her face this time with a mask. She sat elegantly as she watched the VIP performance on the stage where half-naked men danced erotically to impress her. Their chiseled bodies moved in rhythm to the sensual music, their muscles flexing and glistening under the spotlight. Though she was looking at the stage, she wasn’t seeing anything they were doing because her mind was somewhere else.

Her mind was on the warehouse in Sliverbrook. Had Mia died by now? Had the bomb exploded? Those questions had been wandering through her mind the entire time because she hadn’t stayed back to see the bomb explode. She’d been so heartbroken she’d left the town and come straight here to drink out her sorrow. Instead of feeling aroused by the men showing off their bodies to her, she felt angry. The only body she wanted to see and touch so badly was Xavier’s. She wanted to feel his body so badly she’d give her soul to have him even for one night.

For twenty years, she’d only imagined the feel of him, but her imagination had been that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. However, he had proved her wrong by rejecting her and pushing her away like the past they shared meant nothing. She had locked him in that room to go and clear her mind. And by the time he’d be awake, Mia would have already been gone. Good. Because once Mia was gone and he had no one else to console him, she’d come back into the picture again.

"Oh my goodness! Mia!" exclaimed one of the waitresses who’d come to clear off the empty bottles from her table. "Can I take a picture of you?!"

Mariana’s fingers dug into her palm at another person mistaking her for that backstabber again. This was the fourth time someone had come to her screaming that they were her fans and would like to take a picture with her. She’d purposely ignored them or yelled at them to scram.

The first lady who’d mistook her for Mia at the entrance had been so hurt when Mariana had mockingly told her, "I don’t take pictures with fat people. Go work out or do something about that jiggling belly of yours before you approach me for pictures. Out of my way."

Mariana had been so satisfied to spoil Mia’s reputation that she’d insulted anyone who approached her. But now she was annoyed beyond words as she looked at the dreamy waitress. Without hesitation, she picked up her drink and poured it on her face. "Get out of my face, you idiot!"

Why do they even like that Mia? She couldn’t for the life of her see anything likable in a person who would steal her sister’s place. The more she saw people liking Mia over her, the more she wished she’d stayed somewhere close to the bomb to watch the bitch burn!

She angrily began to scatter the bottles of drinks on her table while yelling and cursing at Mia, causing the men on the stage to momentarily pause in their dance. Their hips were still, mid-thrust, their faces masked with confusion and apprehension. But she yelled at them, "Why did you stop?! Continue!"

The men hesitated, their gaze shifting nervously to the VIP room’s entrance. Mariana swirled around at the same time men in black suits walked into the room. Right in the middle of them was a face she wanted to see so badly. But his face was devoid of any emotions. His gray eyes were as cold as steel, like twin glaciers ready to shatter anything in their path. His expression was hard, lips set in a thin line, exuding a chilling detachment that made the air around him seem to freeze.

Though he looked like that, Mariana didn’t care. Her heartbeat soared at the sight of him. She stared at him and didn’t even notice when Neil’s men sent the dancing men running for their lives as they fled the room at the sight of their guns. All she could see was the man she loved standing there, looking at her. For the first time in forever, a tear rolled down her cheek as she muttered, "I’ve missed you so much." She ran to hug him, muttering, "Stay with me. Mia is gone and nobody will ever separate us again!"