"Don't you trust me?" Theodore was helpless when she didn't utter a word for a few minutes. "Do you think I'm trying to frame her to keep you two apart?"

"That wouldn't make any sense." Zaria rubbed her forehead. "I'm an adult now, dad. I can decide whether or not I want to be close to her and it will not interfere with my relationship with you."

Theodore was not entirely convinced. "To be honest, I would not let her ever get close to you if it were up to me. I know she feels the same way—but the difference between us is that she will do anything to get what she wants. I know she wants you back."

Zaria thought it made sense. No wonder Lucy bought Preston and Fort Group's shares and became the COO just to get close to her. For this very reason, she shook her head as she held Theodore's hand. "She is a smart woman, dad. I'm sure she knows that hurting the people around me would only make me hate her. Besides, if framing you is supposed to make me disappointed in you and run to her in tears, then strengthen my relationship with her, she doesn't need to do that. Because we are already in good terms. Why would she risk ruining that?"

"What? You have been meeting her?!" Theodore was flabbergasted by the meaning behind her words.

Zaria nodded. "She is my temporary boss. I'm sorry I didn't tell you…"

She knew that he must be disappointed. She didn't want to tell him before in fear that it might start a feud between them. However, she was telling him now to dispel his suspicions against Lucy.

"So when you realized that she was the one who had saved you years ago, you were already in contact?" He asked for confirmation. When she nodded, he frowned with unease. "There are two sides of a coin, Zaria. Tell me, what would you do if you witnessed a crime in which you are able to rescue the victim?"

She didn't know why he was asking, so she blinked in confusion. "I would save the victim and call the police so the perpetrator does not escape."

"That's what an ordinary citizen would do." He huffed. "But a mercenary will take the law into their own hands in the name of revenge. Do you know how Gabe died?"

She subconsciously shook her head, even though she knew where this was heading.

"He was tortured and killed by her in an agonising way. Of course, he deserved it for trying to hurt my daughter. I would have strangled him to death if I caught him first—but the way she did wasn't what you would imagine a mother doing to avenge her daughter. It was as though she enjoyed torturing living humans—like a hobby."

Her blood ran cold at his explanation. After a few seconds, she recovered her wits, stopping herself from imagining her mother torturing people. "I wouldn't blame her. Did you see how angry the Qins were when they took Laia? They would have shot us dead if they didn't have an agreement with Leo."

"I'm not blaming her either. I'm just saying that sacrificing a life or two just to get someone's attention does sound like something she would do." He crossed his arms.

Zaria didn't know what to believe anymore. On one side, her mother was constantly worried about her trust in Theodore. She had even once warned that trust should never exist in the world, and that she should not trust anyone—not even her parents. On the other hand, her father was certain that her mother was behind his predicament. Despite all this, she believed that neither of them was in the wrong. Was this possible?

"Hold on. Why do I feel like I'm in the middle of a couples spat?" She muttered.

Theodore heard her, which made him stiffen. "Don't speak nonsense."

Desmond was on his way back, so Theodore decided to drop the topic. "It's alright if you don't believe me. But if you want to, ask her about the leader of The Dark Night. Make sure to take note of her reaction."

"Did you just mention The Dark Night?" Desmond asked as he shoved his phone into the pocket.

"What's The Dark Night?" Zaria asked with a finger on her chin. Why did it sound like some gang of sorts?

"An organization as fierce as the mafia. They were in Russia before but now they are in Olphire. Speaking of which, their recent movements are quite odd." Desmond explained, then looked at Theodore.

The latter cleared his throat. "The answer to this, I would prefer if you asked Lucy."

Although he instructed them to ask Lucy, his meaning was obvious. Was Lucy associated with The Dark Night? To be more precise, was she the leader?

"I understand." Desmond didn't probe further. "Skeleton will hack into your phone and retrieve the call records. One we know who called you, we will be able to investigate their identity."

Theodore nodded, even though he still suspected that it was Lucy. Voice changers existed after all, and she could simply pretend to be a man on the calls. If not, she could use one of her henchmen. As for hacking, if the culprit was really Lucy, Desmond's friend was wasting his time trying to uncover her tracks.

"I still have something to take care of so I will leave first." Desmond stood, glancing at Zaria so she would see him off.

She followed him and when they reached the parking lot, she hugged his arm. "Thank you for helping me out, Desmond."

"You don't ever pay heed to my words, do you?" He pulled her to his chest and before she could process it, a slap landed on her backside.

Her face flushed furiously. "Desmond!" How dare he spank her?

"Did it hurt? I'll rub it for you." He ran his palm over her butt.

"You are so shameless! We are outside." She glanced around and hoped her dad did not think of coming out.

____

That evening.

"Mom, father was released." Zeus reported to Lucy who was sitting in her room, dazed as she held her phone.

"How is Zaria?" She asked without turning.

"She is happier now that father is back home." He stalked towards her. "Speaking of which, you would really do anything for her, wouldn't you? You even helped out the man you claim to hate with your life."

Still facing away from her son, a smile of ridicule donned her lips. Hate? That was an understatement. If she were to describe her former marriage with Theodore in simple terms, she would use three words—an utter disaster.

They loved each other—or claimed to love each other—until it boiled down to what was bound to happen.

______

It was six days since Lucy asked for a divorce. They had been avoiding each other at all costs. She didn't want to stay with him for a second longer than necessary, afraid that she would change her mind. At the same time, she knew that he was avoiding being alone with her because she would remind him about the divorce.

When she put Zaria to sleep that night, she turned only to see him disappear behind the wall. He rushed all the way to the bedroom and pretended to be asleep on the couch.

"I know you are awake." She started.

He opened his eyes and averted his gaze from her. "What do you want?"

"We already talked about it. I want a divorce." She did not look at him either.

Without warning, he grabbed her wrist. "Why?"

He had asked this question almost a thousand times when she brought it up, and her answer was bound to remain the same, which she stated calmly. "I cannot put up with this kind of lifestyle anymore." It was the perfect excuse. Following her marriage to Theodore, her parents had frozen all her accounts and done their best to oppress them. It had been hard on them even though they tried their best to get back on their feet each time.

Hearing the same excuse, Theodore found it ridiculous. "If I were to sign the divorce papers, and suddenly become a billionaire tomorrow, would you ask to nullify the divorce?"

This was the most difficult question she had ever been asked in her life. She was not leaving him for not being wealthy enough. How could she answer that?

"Think about it." He let go of her wrist and their gazes collided for the first time in the last six days. "I will give you one night. Think about your decision. Even if you don't care about our future, think about our daughter."

He left the room to let her think, but he didn't need to wait for one day. When he returned from the study, he had her phone in his trembling hand as his chest heaved.

"You had a call from some Knight who misses his love very much and can't wait to see her again. I answered it." He announced sarcastically.

Her heart dropped when she heard the name she had been dreading.