~No matter how much you tried, you'll never reach enough~
~Mina.

SERAPHINA'S POV
I was air locked.

My throat closed up to the point of suffocation.

"Close your mouth, honey. We don't wanna catch flies now, do we?"

"And Ben?"

"Yes, Boss." He curtsied.

God please, if this is a way to test my loyalty, please end it now for I'm ready to own up to all my sins and repent. I'll do anything but just wake me up from this nightmare.

"Turn the car around, we're going back to the base." She ordered. Turns out I wasn't exactly dreaming.

"Yes, Boss."

I shook my head and literally laughed out.

"No fucking way!". I gasped, unable to contain my bewilderment.

"Surprise surprise."

"I should've known,"

"Known what? your stupidity? naivety? ignorance?"

Leila tried to discreetly reach for the lock but unfortunately, Maya was quicker than I gave her credit for.

"Try that bitch and I'll blow your brain out." She menaced, pointing a fully-loaded pistol at the poor girl's forehead.

With shaky hands, I gently took Leila's cold ones in mine.

"That won't be necessary. Leila, let go of the lock please."

"Awww, how cute." She gushed, pretending to wipe fake tears.

"And you, I want you to call Tyler right now and tell him to back down." She redirected the gun at Zara with an evil grin.

"I won't go by your stupid commands." Zara snarled.

"Okay then, let's see how Tyler takes it after seeing his previous girlfriend decapitated."

"You wouldn't dare." Zara hissed out in implicit panic.

"I wouldn't try me Mahmat. The choice is yours. Call your Lil cousin or Latina here dies, right now. I haven't spilt blood for a while and I'm kinda desperate, so don't test the waters." She giggled, curling a loose strand around her index.

"It's okay. Call Tyler." I assured.

Zara gave her a murderous glare, but dialed Tyler's number nonetheless.

"Hey Ty, I want you to stay right where you're, okay? Yes, just stay right there at lake Skaneateles. Well, we're kinda tra...

"Give me that, you bitch!" Maya snatched the phone and hit Zara with the gunstock so hard that blood oozed from her nose.

Leila gasped out in terror and shrunk further into her seat, tears of fear raining down her pale cheeks.

"Whoo, some blood at once. Now let me call my kid and alert him of the current situation. "

I cleaned Zara's bloodied nose with a tissue, then quickly dispose of it off through the opened window while Maya was communicating with someone at the other end. We could never go wrong with clues in case Tyler and his team decide to embark on a rescue mission.

"I'm so sorry." I apologised in barely above a whisper.

"It's alright. Everything will be alright." She gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

Maya blasted music throughout the ride, and I used this opportunity to drop some of my body accessories on the way.

Girl where's the point? you'll die anyway.
I ignored my subconscious and continued on my mini escape plan. Where there's life, there's hope.

I was surprised when the car drove through our mansion gates and sped to the end of the long driveway before parking near the garden. Why are we here?

Aren't we supposed to be taken to some empty warehouse or something?

"Get out, now! Move! Try anything stupid and you're dead." Knowing Maya wasn't one to give empty threats, we all obliged and stepped out.

"What the hell, man." Asher cursed. Just like us, they were all shocked by the unexpected turn of events. However, I don't think they're aware of the award-winning plot twist of the millennium.

Maya tucked the pistol in the waistband of her Jean, and when I was least expecting it, kicked me so hard on the abdomen. I fell on the wet grass and clutched my stomach. Wheezing, and coughing up blood as pain surged in my body.

"Maya, what the fuck? are you high?" Severina snapped.

Zara helped me up and wrapped a supportive arm around my mid-section. I was too weak to stand alone.

Asher rushed forward but Maya aimed a pistol at him.

"Uh, uh Ashy. Careful boy." She drawled, smirking.

"What. in.the.name.of.brown.algae." Malu gawked.

"Today is the day of surprises." Maya cheered, bouncing on her toes.

She whistled and out of nowhere, hefty guys dressed in black suits appeared in their mass numbers.

"Okay, what is going on?" Ace shouted.

"For a possible valedictorian, you're too damn slow, but don't stress it, you'll know in no time. Restrain them, boys." She ordered in an authoritative tone.

"Yes, Boss." They cuffed everyone and followed Maya's lead into the garden.

When we reached the centre of the spacious land, just under the huge apple tree, Maya pressed a button on the bark. The grass violently shook, lowering down to multiple staircases.

I couldn't fathom my emotions, hence I did what I thought was best, and just went with the flow.

"Home sweet home. Bring them in boys." The bitch cackled.

We were painfully shoved down the never-ending staircase to what seemed to be a huge room, half of which was occupied with electronic gadgets. There were multiple projectors, all displaying different scenes, alongside desktops, laptops, weapons and CCTV cameras.

We were seated on a round table, each on a separate chair. The boss has respect after all.

"Can you get me off these stupid things J? I've exhausted my script?" Bia rolled her eyes.

I gave her a questioning look, which she returned with an amused one of her own.

"Yeah right. I wanted to punish you further. You and Q both, but come to think of it, I may need an extra hand. Remove her cuffs, Ben." Maya ordered.

I watched with a dislocated jaw as Bia's cuffs got removed. She walked over to where Maya stood, spotting a mischievous smirk.

"And you? won't you beg to be released?" She mused, staring in my direction.

"Oh, you know Q and his ego." Bia scoffed. That accent though sounds so smooth and easy flowing. Nothing like the thick one she used in school.

"You got that right, R." A voice stated from my right. I turned around and came face to face with Enrique.

"Is she talking to you?" I whispered, not wanting to draw the attention of the witch.

Instead of responding, Enrique smirked and raised his cuffed wrists high above his head. A guard came over and opened the cuffs.

"Does that answer your question?" He smirked, joining the duo at the head table.

"Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?" Severina exasperated.

"First off, lower that tone with me, bitch. Secondly, as much as I'll love to answer your  questions, I've missed my baby so much."

To my breath-hitching terror, Maya locked her arms around Enrique's neck, who pulled her by the waist, flushed to his chest, and together they shared a sensual kiss.

They

kissed

in

my

presence!

My head went completely haywire as I took in the baffling scene.

"Their faces. Guys, please stop. I can't. " Bia cackled.

After what seemed to be forever, they broke apart, with Enrique's arm still secured around Maya's waist.

"That face, though. Killer." Bia cracked up.

"You know, I can't believe she outright denied me sex for two years straight." Enrique raised an amused brow in my direction.

"You should've slaughtered her ass to death." Bia scoffed, staring at me in distaste. In normal circumstances, I would've fired back, but right now, the relationship between my brain and mouth has long since ended.

"Believe me, she would've lead Sophia to the grave, but J here had other plans." Enrique chastised.

"In my defence, I wanted her to witness this day and experience the slowest, painful death, ever." Maya's lips morphed into a coy grin.

"I get to kill her today. Bitch cock blocked me for two damned years."

"Who knows? Maybe she's decided to die a virgin." Bia shrugged.

"Patience, Quin. We'll all have our fair share, but the boss takes the head."

"I just want her dead. Bitch annoyed me with boring-ass emotional talk. Like I was a psychotherapist or something. "

"I can relate, although with a particular somebody." Bia mockingly gestured towards Kabia, causing Enrique and Maya to double over.

"Oh, Lord. I can't begin to describe mine." Maya fake whimpered.

"Yup, the perfect best friend. " Enrique taunted, putting air quotations on best friend.

"It was horrible. Though nothing compared to the day she called me and was like "hey, do you wanna talk? Enrique and I are kinda taking a break"." She imitated in what she thought was a perfect depiction of my voice but honestly sounded like a starved cat.

"Now, onto the juicy part. Where do I start, mmm? Don't be awkward Jocelyn. You've waited your entire life for this day. Fought for it, killed. Hell, even suffered injuries." Maya paced about the room, giving herself affirmations.

"You know, I played fair, Seraphina. I let you in on more clues than I can keep track of. From raising suspicions to using an untraceable wireless land phone. Sadly, your numbskull was and is still deficient in sufficient processing space. God, I've never seen someone so dumb before. For a science student and the daughter of one of the wisest business tycoons in the world, you're pretty loggerheaded.

I wanted to stay very low key and make sure all missions are accomplished before summoning this special day, but, Quin here, for once came up with a masterpiece. That being, to give you clues sure to keep you up on your toes all day long, making you restless and stress over something you'll never find the roots to. And to spice things up, Rebecca thought what a better way there is, than using an untraceable land phone. Ladies and gentlemen, that's the hidden history behind the Unknown number.

Aside from the trio and guards, the rest of us were just like the audience when an unexpected plot twist happens in a movie. Nobody knew how to react.

"Zara you're good. I've to give it to you. You outright stalked me for a year without my knowledge. Ruining my plans and making me look like a fool after failing missions, in the presence of hundreds of agents. But thank God for Rebecca's sharp brain, we've been able to detect you."

No one uttered a word during her revelation. However, I didn't miss the vague tap of Zara's shoe on the ground.

What is she doing? I gave her a questioning look, but she discreetly raised a finger.

"That photoshop was so perfect. Zara and Tyler looking all cosy while, I-don't-want-to-mention-who was busy being a lone ass at home.

You're one ungrateful bitch, Seraphina. The siblings were just planning a grande birthday party for you, and I was just testing out my photographing skills." She ended with a pout.

I clenched my jaw and sucked in a sharp breath.

"The photoshop was splendid." Bia giggled.

I may be listening to Maya, but was mostly engaged in a heated exchange with Enrique. The guy whom I thought would give up the world for me. Promised me eternal love and cherish.

Turned out that not only has Enrique been lying to my face about everything for two damned years, he'd also planned countless murder attempts on me. What hurts the most is going the extra length to lie about his name. When I gave him my heart and trust to protect, he showed me what a fool I was by weaponizing them against me.

Congratulations Seraphina, for maintaining your top rank as the world's most celebrated fool.

"My favourite was the poisoning though. The mission was exhilarating. Although everything would've transpired as planned if Quin hadn't hired that sad excuse of a trainee. The disappointment I felt when the plan fell through was unimaginable, and to think that I almost lost a finger during the retrieval of that bacteria."

Maya paused for a breath and stared at me dead in the eyes, her lips stretching into an evil grin.

"On countless occasions, our careers and lives got threatened, just because you were playing hard to get. Seraphina Del Varia, you'll suffer ten times as much pain as we did"