From the other end of the line, Celestia’s laughter bubbled up, sweet and melodious but laced with her signature undertone of mischief. “Oh, Arthur,” she said, her voice practically dripping with amusement. “Nothing so dramatic. I just wanted to check in… to make sure my darling is alright.”
Lucian stiffened, his shoulders squaring as he glanced warily at the phone.
Celestia’s tone softened, shifting into something so saccharine it made Arthur shiver. “Hey, darling,” she cooed, her voice honeyed and affectionate, “was the ride okay? No injuries, right? Tell me if anything happened if even a hair on your head was harmed, I promise Arthur won’t be spared.”
Arthur froze, a sharp chill running down his spine. For a moment, he forgot to breathe, his hand tightening against the armrest as those words sank in.
Lucian scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, his lips twitching into an involuntary smile as he noticed Arthur’s expression a mix of confusion, frustration, and thinly veiled exasperation. “Uh, yeah,” Lucian replied, his voice uncertain as he tried to navigate the situation. “The ride was… fine. No injuries.”
But Arthur wasn’t paying attention to Lucian anymore. His mind snapped to something far more concerning. How does she know? His eyes flicked to the phone, his thoughts racing.
In all the chaos of Celestia’s “darling” and “husband” declarations, he had almost missed the most critical question: How did she know Lucian was with him? How did she know he had picked him up, let alone that he was sitting in front of him at this very moment?
Arthur’s sharp mind buzzed with realization. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his narrowed eyes locked onto the phone. “You knew I picked him up,” Arthur said suddenly, his voice quiet but heavy with suspicion.
Celestia’s laughter rang out again, light and teasing. “Of course, Arthur,” she replied, her tone almost condescending. “How could I not know when someone is planning something involving my darling?”
Her voice shifted into a low, obsessive purr that sent another chill down Arthur’s spine. “Kufufufufu… nothing escapes me.”
Lucian sighed audibly, running a hand through his hair in visible frustration. His earlier smile faded, replaced by a weariness that seemed to settle into his very bones.
Arthur took a slow, deep breath, trying to mask the irritation boiling inside him. He forced a calm smile onto his face a smile so practiced it would have fooled anyone but Lucian.
“Oh, how protective of you, big sister,” Arthur said, his voice light and sweet, though his eyes glinted with a sharp, dangerous edge. “So protective of your… husband that you even felt the need to interfere in my plans.”
Celestia’s laughter bubbled up again, carefree and unbothered. “Well, of course,” she replied smoothly. “My darling’s business is my business. That’s just how it is. Kufufufufu…”
Arthur’s jaw clenched, though his smile remained intact. “How thoughtful,” he said through gritted teeth. His mind raced, analyzing every word she said, every inflection in her tone.
She’s always playing these games, Arthur thought, his frustration mounting. Always acting like she’s in control of everything. He rubbed the side of the sofa, his fingers drumming lightly against the fabric as he fought to maintain his composure.
Arthur leaned back into the couch, his fingers steepled in front of him, a faint smirk curling his lips. His eyes flicked toward Lucian for a moment before settling on the phone resting innocently on the table. “I must admit, I’m surprised, sister,” he said smoothly, his voice dripping with mock sincerity. “You claim to care so much for your… hubby. But if you really did, you wouldn’t have let me pick him up the way I did.”
He turned slightly, his gaze shifting to RJ standing stoically behind him, the man’s rifle slung over his shoulder, ready to act at a moment’s notice. “I mean, really,” Arthur continued, his voice taking on a darker edge. “Six men armed with rifles? A terrifying show of force, don’t you think? What if I’d lost my mind and decided to…” He trailed off, letting the implications hang in the air.
Lucian raised an eyebrow but remained silent, watching Arthur’s performance with a calm curiosity, his hand resting under his chin.
Arthur’s smirk deepened, his voice softening into a near whisper. “Seems to me you don’t love him enough. Or perhaps your plans just aren’t as foolproof as you think.”
From the phone, Celestia’s laughter rang out, light and melodic, but with a razor-sharp edge that made the air in the room feel heavier. “Kufufufu… do you really think I’m that foolish, Arthur?” her voice dripped with condescension. “Nothing escapes me. I let it happen because I knew nothing would happen to my darling. Everything everything was as I planned. Even you, sitting there, running your mouth, is part of my design.”
Arthur’s smirk faltered ever so slightly, but he recovered quickly, leaning back further into the couch. “Oh, really? You’re that confident, are you?” he said, his tone still teasing, though a flicker of irritation passed through his eyes.
Celestia’s voice sharpened, honey turning to steel. “Let’s not pretend, Arthur. You wouldn’t dare harm him. Killing the son of the Kane family? It would bring you nothing but conflict no profit, only ruin. You wouldn’t risk it.”
Arthur laughed softly, but there was no humor in it. His eyes darkened, glinting with something dangerous. “You think you know me so well,” he said, his voice dropping an octave. “But isn’t it a little reckless, sister? Letting your so-called ‘darling’ be taken by six armed men? What if my mind truly had snapped? What if I decided to test your so-called ‘perfect plans’? Seems to me your confidence is just another flaw.”
Lucian, still observing, narrowed his eyes slightly but stayed quiet, his hand moving to rest under his chin as though contemplating something.
Arthur’s smirk returned, but this time it was sharper, more deliberate. “Let’s see, then,” he said, his voice calm but with a dangerous lilt. He gestured toward RJ without breaking eye contact with the phone. “RJ, point your rifle at Mr. Kane. Let’s find out what my dear sister’s plans can really do.”
RJ stiffened for a moment, hesitating just long enough to make Arthur’s smirk deepen. But then, with the practiced efficiency of a soldier, he raised his rifle, the barrel aimed directly at Lucian’s head.
Lucian didn’t flinch. His expression didn’t change, though his eyes flicked toward the rifle with mild irritation. Slowly, deliberately, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, this escalated quickly,” he said dryly, his tone calm but carrying a faint edge of disbelief.
Arthur leaned back further, clearly enjoying himself. His smirk widened as he spoke, his voice practically dripping with satisfaction. “Let’s see what happens now, dear sister,” he said, his eyes glinting as he glanced toward the phone.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, Arthur felt it something cold pressing against the back of his head. His smirk faltered, and his eyes widened just slightly before narrowing again, his body remaining perfectly still.
Celestia’s laughter rang out again, louder this time, filled with triumph. “Kufufufufu! Oh apologies,” she purred, her voice sweet and venomous. “You still have so much to learn.”
RJ, who just moments ago had been Arthur’s guard, now stood behind him, his rifle aimed squarely at the back of Arthur’s skull.
Arthur let out a slow breath, his voice calm and devoid of emotion. “You win again, sister,” he said softly, though his eyes were shadowed with something deeper loss, resignation.
The silence that followed was shattered by a single, deafening gunshot.
Flichhh!
The sharp sound reverberated through the room, followed by the sickening splatter of hot blood.
Arthur’s face was spattered with crimson drops, warm and sticky against his skin.
His expression remained eerily composed as he slowly reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a silk handkerchief. With practiced elegance, he dabbed the blood from his face, his movements unhurried and precise.
Behind him, RJ’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud, a gaping hole where his head used to be.
Arthur turned his gaze toward the window, where the faint glint of a sniper’s scope disappeared into the distance. He folded the bloodstained handkerchief neatly and tucked it away before standing, his posture relaxed but his smile cold and sharp.
——