The next day,

9:30 am

Secret Room, The Penthouse

Azure Paradise

S T E F A N

I scanned my eyes around the room. Everybody is present. Roman was sporting a serious expression and holding his anger. Elizabeth told him about the death threats.

Reeve and Chris are present, as well as Dad, and Oliver's guards. Trevor and Devon had finished setting up. My mind is clear and I have figured out what to do.

We are currently inside a mini-conference room I had constructed for emergencies like this. The room is soundproofed and complete with facilities. I have a separate monitor for CCTVs and we have another one that we will use later for the formulation of our next move.

I had Mom and Oliver visit Noah downstairs, and I was rewarded by excited squeals from my baby and torrid kisses. Happy Ollie, happy boyfie. But soon, it will become fiance, then hubby. Soon. I'll settle for being the boyfriend. For now. Marrying Oliver is my goal. I will never let him go.

Oliver's excitement just doubled when he saw Jesse, the both of them bouncing up and down while hugging. I think they just saw each other two or three days ago but it looks like they haven't seen each other in a decade. Mom was also happy, having two adorable boys at her side. I had Devon's men guard them. We can't be too careful. We're dealing with an international drug cartel and a desperate Pietro. I need to strengthen my defenses.

The entire hotel is surrounded by agents from The Phantom. By now, Elena and Pietro will find out that Oliver holds the largest share of the empire. I want my baby beside me but I can't burden him with this. I know I will be breaking my promise with him but I can't get him involved directly. I just hope he understands when everything is over.

I cleared my throat and stood up. "Thank you for coming here, everyone. Looks like we're in deeper shit than we imagined," I said bluntly frankly, and Devon winced at my choice of words. Everyone went on full alert as Trevor explained the entire situation.

Roman's face was unreadable. "That piece of shit fucked up this time." He pulled his hair and rubbed his face in frustration.

"What's your plan, Stefan?" Reeve asked.

"I plan to negotiate." The room was immediately filled with a thousand protests, but I remained calm and held my ground.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"They won't negotiate! Your naivete will get you killed!"

"Criminals have a different mindset, Stefan!"

I glanced at Oliver's guards, and I can see the hesitance in their eyes, but this fucking guy surprised me.

"I agree. It's better to negotiate," Marc said simply and a heavy silence blanketed the room. "Think about it. This guy," Marc gestured towards me, "will never endanger Oliver like we did." The bitterness and poison in his voice made Roman flinch. "He won't suggest the negotiation if he doesn't have a plan in mind," then he looked at me intently, "right?"

I glanced at Roman, his expression blank and serious. At the very least, I feel sympathy for him. I fully understood his actions now. It was all Izen and Mara's plan. Roman even agreed to be a scapegoat out of his love for his grandson.

Dad also gave his approval. "I also agree to the negotiation. Stefan would not do something careless, especially if Oliver is concerned." Seeing my father look at me with pride was a confidence boost. Dad has no qualms praising us when we did a good job, and he is no pushover when we fail.

I nodded. "Yes. I thought this through. I'm not sure if any of you were aware, but I believe that the organization has something to do with Izen and Mara's accident. The couple knew too much."

Roman seemed startled. "How did you know that?" I gave them a gist of the video content I received from Izen Mara, but only the part about the plan. I never mentioned the fact that Roman volunteered to be a scapegoat. When he learned earlier that Izen and Mara sent me a message, he requested to not mention that he knows everything.

According to him, he still hurt Oliver. He still agreed to hurt his grandson. There's no need to justify his action. Nothing and no one can redeem his sins. It was then that I felt a spark of admiration for this man. The way he stood on his ground and takes responsibility for his actions was admirable.

Roman looked so heartbroken while Oliver's guards were devastated. I heard from Trevor how close Izen and Mara were to Marc and others.

In fact, they were Oliver's guards since he was a child, but the couple decided to have Marc and others lay low to give Oliver privacy and for his guards to go back to their respective countries, which turned out to be bad move. My fist clenched when I remembered Peterson.

Fuck. I'll deal with him after this.

I glanced at Trevor and he nodded. "Three days before the accident, Izen entrusted me a very important file. I don't know how he did it but the file can only be opened for a specific period. Big Boss thought of everything. He doesn't want the file getting into the wrong hands. Last night, I was able to decode it, and the video that Stefan received was part of the file."

That made sense. Just having that evidence was risky enough.

"We can use this file against the organization and negotiate. I can also pay for the debt that Pietro owed to the organization, but I know that it will not be that easy. So I have an ace up my sleeve. Care to tell everyone, older brother?" I glanced at Reeve and his lips twitched for a smirk

Everyone's attention went to Reeve. Trevor displayed Felipe's photo. "Well, it looks like Stefan is a lucky son of a gun. He's acquainted with a drug overlord." Everyone's eyes turned to him. Even Dad was shocked at the revelation.

"What the fuck?" Chris gasped and Roman's eyes widened. Trevor and Devon were also surprised. I turned to my friends and smirked. You don't know everything about me.

"Yeah. I'm awesome like that." Sorry Izen, for stealing your line. "We don't have to focus on the organization at the moment. Pietro is desperate. He will do everything to get Ollie and the company."

"Where is Ollie, by the way?" Chris asked and when he saw my smirk, he cursed and exhaled audibly. "Noah."

"Bingo." I smiled and snapped my fingers. Chris pouted and turned to Reeve for help.

Reeve frowned and hissed at Chris. "Behave and stop acting like a child, Chris. What's wrong with Oliver meeting Noah? It's not a secret how much you like him. You even designed The Rose Garden as a love offering. What's the fuss?" Chris gaped in shock and looked around the room, then groaned and covered his face in embarrassment.

I chuckled and everyone stifled their laughs. That's what I like about Reeve, very straightforward. It was good that the tension in the room lessened. We then discussed how to capture Elena and Pietro. It turned out that Pietro had a mountain of cases filed against him. Another reason for him to change his physical appearance.

"Where's Elena right now?" Marc asked his twin, and Trevor flashed some pictures on the screen.

"She's currently in Hong Kong, busy supervising the construction of her casino. So far, no suspicious movements from her," Trevor explained.

"What about Bryce? Where is he?" Roman's question made me clench my jaw and my knuckles white from too much force.

I glanced at him blankly. "I took care of it." Roman was perplexed but did not comment any further.

"What's the plan? I'll provide any support I can give," Dad offered and I gave him a thankful nod.

"Our priority is Pietro. He will do everything to get Ollie, so I need Marc and his team to search for him. You can use The Phantom's resources at your disposal," Marc nodded and Finn punched his fist in the air.

"That's what I'm talking about. I'm so excited to try the new inventions of Devon's team."

Jacques chuckled, excited as well, then he turned to me. "When you say everything, you mean, everything?" I glanced at Roman and he smiled.

I turned to Jacques and nodded. "Sure. Suit yourself. However, I need results. We need to find them ASAP. There's a huge possibility that he will undergo another surgery, so I'm having Trevor's team check every clinic and hospital in the United States. Pietro can't afford to get caught or he'll die. Time is of the essence. Devon's team will also help in the manhunt, while the others are on their way to Hong Kong. Elena still holds 15% of the stocks. We can't be too careful." Everyone nodded. "By the way, I want you all to be safe and traceable, so I got you this."

I turned to Devon and he distributed a transparent pea-sized sticker. "That's a tracker. Put it somewhere on your body, and then Trevor's team will register your location. Everyone in the family has one."

"How about Noah?" Chris asked worriedly.

"He's family, Chris. Noah will be protected." He sighed in relief and smiled, then stood up and hugged me.

"Thank you, little brother! Thank you! To think that you acknowledged Noah as family," Chris exclaimed and beamed.

I want to say that it's because Oliver will be sad if Noah got hurt, but I don't want to ruin my brother's happiness. Dealing with him when he's in a bad mood is extremely annoying. "Sure, sure. Now, let go. This is getting awkward. I'd rather receive a hug from Ollie than from you." Chris locked his arm on my neck playfully before excusing himself.

I sighed and leaned against the chair. Chris is so exhausting especially when in a good mood. He's so hyper and child-like. Well, it is far better than his moody self.

I turned to Roman who seemed amused by the situation. "I need your help. I know you have wide connections all over, so I want them to deploy their men and serve as the lookout for Pietro. I know something big will happen. We need to be vigilant." Roman nodded and started contacting his friends.

Marc and the others just left for their mission, while Reeve excused himself, but before he can go out, I stopped him.

"Are you alright?"

Reeve smirked and patted my head. "I'm a bad brother, having our youngest worry over me. I'm fine."

"But Alejandro... he..." Reeve's expression turned dark for a moment, then his eyes went blank.

"Not a word, Stefan. Not. a. word." I sighed and pulled my hair in frustration. Alejandro was familiar because he was involved in the rape and murder of Reeve's fiancee two years ago.

Dad and Chris thought it was just homicide, but upon weeks of extensive investigation, Reeve and I found footage showing his unconscious fiance being carried to an abandoned building. Reeve's mood has been going haywire because her death anniversary is coming up. He also buried himself in work just to make himself free from guilt and pain... even if it was only for a few days.

I can't let that motherfucker roam free: for Oliver, for Reeve, and Elizabeth. I need to wrap this up before something happens.

O L L I E

"OMG, Ollie. He's so handsome. He's also a great cook. He's eye candy," Jesse sighed dreamily and kept on staring at Noah.

Anna chuckled and I faked a gasp. "Oh no. You're breaking up with Trev, Jesse?" My friend snapped his head at me and stared at me in horror.

"Ollie! That's not what I meant!" He whined and pouted, so Anna pinched his cheeks. "Anna!" Anna and I giggled at the sulky baby.

"Boys, behave. He's coming," Anna warned when we saw Noah approaching our table. He was surprised when he saw me, but regained his composure.

"Hi!" I waved and beamed at him. "Can you recommend something for breakfast?"

Noah nodded and smiled. Oh. He's even more gorgeous when he smiles. "Are you a model?" Anna asked, a smile on her face.

Noah was taken aback and shook his head. "No, Ma'am. I'm just your average chef," he smiled sheepishly which made Jesse and Anna coo. I stared at Noah and was just thankful that he's safe now. It must have been hard for him, being in that situation with no one to turn to. I was also in the same situation, but now I have Stefan.

Noah turned to me and when he saw me staring, he looked at me in confusion. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nope. Don't mind me." He nodded, still bewildered. I just smiled and gave my orders.

When Noah left, Jesse nudged me. "What was that?"

I looked at him innocently and hummed. "Nothing. I just remembered something." Noah's experience is not my story to tell; even if it is Jesse who's asking. I respect Noah's privacy.

Jesse gave me a scrutinizing gaze and gave up, then he turned to Anna. "Anna, I heard that this garden restaurant was dedicated to Noah. Is that true?" Jesse asked excitedly, his eyes twinkling.

I giggled and Anna just smiled. "Well, what can I say? I raised children who are a sucker for love and romance," she replied and laughed a little. "It has also been my dream to arrange Stefan and Oliver's wedding," she added and winked at me. I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile while cupping my face. My cheeks must have been so beet-red.

Anna and Jesse cooed and teased me. A waiter approached our table and delivered our drinks. Mine was a passion fruit tea, Jesse ordered a chocolate drink, while Anna's was chamomile tea.

We started to talk about the latest series we're into, and for some reason, Jesse started to talk about one of his favorite characters dying. I also remembered a similar incident and my eyes watered. By the time our orders arrived, we were able to compose ourselves and started laughing. Anna was telling funny stories about Stefan and his brothers.

Even if we wanted Noah to join us, he was busy in the kitchen, but Jesse and I promised ourselves to steal Noah and get him to spend time with us. I excused myself and went to the comfort room. The moment I stepped inside, I felt something fishy. It was too quiet. I swallowed hard and dismissed the dreadful feeling settling in my stomach

I was just being paranoid. I am safe. The security is tight. Stefan won't let harm get my way. I finished washing my hands and fixed my hair, and was about to leave the room when I heard something creak.

My heart rate picked up and my fingers trembled. Do you know that feeling when you became hyper-aware of your surroundings when you're in flight mode? That is what I'm feeling at the moment.

Someone is here. Someone dangerous. I immediately fished out my phone and turned the knob but I was not fast enough. The suspicious person grabbed my mouth and I felt a prick on my neck.

My muscles weakened and I sagged against the attacker. My vision got blurry and before I lost consciousness, I saw a pair of gray eyes and a small scar on his left brow. "D-daddy... help."

S T E F A N

We have to finalize the plans first before I went downstairs and meet with Oliver. I miss my baby. I want to have him on my lap and hug his small and soft body. I want to inhale his scent and feel his fingers on my scalp.

"Son, focus. We won't be able to finish here if you keep on daydreaming," Dad caught my attention, his expression full of amusement.

I groaned and sat straight. "I miss Ollie, Dad--" My hand went to my nape when I felt goosebumps. I instantly went on alert. It only means one thing. Something bad is about to happen. I have experienced this kind of thing before and my gut instincts never failed me.

"Trevor! Display all the footage in the hotel," I commanded urgently, my foot tapping on the floor nervously.

"Son, you'll see Oliver later--"

"That's not it, Dad! Something's off. I want to make sure that Ollie's fine and--" The blaring sound of the alarm alerted us and we burst out of the room in a hurry.

"Trevor, check all the CCTV. Devon, communicate with your team. I'll go down and assess the situation." The two nodded and I ran outside of the penthouse and headed straight to the private elevator. I got in and pushed the button for the first floor, then pressed my in-ear. "Trevor, any updates? Fuck! Why is this elevator so slow?! This is supposed to be fast! Devon! What the hell is your team doing?" I bellowed, my knuckles clenched so tight as I grit my teeth. I can feel my heartbeat in my head, ringing continuously, adding to my nervousness.

Calm down, Stefan. Oliver is safe. Nothing is going on. Someone just accidentally tripped the alarm. Fuck!

The elevator dinged; 20th floor. Dammit! Just how slow is this elevator?! I shouldn't have let him be on his own. I should've trapped him in my arms, where he's safe. I won't be able to forgive myself if something happened to my baby. The one-minute elevator ride felt like an hour to me. Every second lost is a possibility of Oliver getting hurt. How can I be so careless?

When the elevator opened, I ran to the restaurant against the crowd of frantic people looking for a way out. The alarm was still ringing and people were screaming. The commotion was out of control. Despite that, I swam against the sea of wild people. I didn't care if I was scratched or stepped on.

What's important is Oliver. I need to see him. He will surely panic and I need to be there to calm him down. I need to make sure that he's not hyperventilating and does not have a single scratch on his skin. I want to hold him in my arms and tell him that I got him; that I got his back and he will be okay.

When I finally got free from the sea of people, I was broken into pieces and my heart was ripped out of my chest when I saw Mom and Jesse crying. All my energy left me, as I stared at both of them in bewilderment. Where's Ollie?

I scanned the entire restaurant and forced myself to approach my mother. I grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Mom. Where's Ollie? Where is he?"

Mom shook her head and burst into tears. "W-we don't know, Stefan. He was just here and--" I frowned and swore internally.

I let go of her and went to the garden. "Ollie? Baby boy? Daddy's here! Come on, we'll still go to the amusement park later, right? You like that, right?" Despite my shaking voice, I kept on calling out to him, but I got no response.

I checked every room and corner of the restaurant, but I did not see him. My throat hurts from shouting and my voice hoarse, but I don't care. I need to see Oliver. I need to find my baby and hear his voice calling for me. I turned every room upside down, and my heart breaks a little more when I found no signs of Oliver's presence. My breathing started to get heavier and my head throbbed in pain. I clenched my teeth and blinked away the tears.

"No...m-my baby... no..." The tears that I was holding back flowed freely, blurring my vision. The things that Devon and Trevor were telling me on the line did not register as I frantically screamed for Oliver's name like a madman.

Dad and Roman arrived and stopped me from turning the wrecking the entire restaurant but I struggled. The place was a mess and I was kicking and throwing things around out of frustration. "No! Let me go! Ollie is waiting for me. He's here! I'm sure. He's probably scared right now and--"

"Stefan Alexandrei!" My father's loud voice roared in the room. He sighed and grabbed my neck. "Son, stop this. Calm yourself down. Oliver is missing, and we can't have you like this. We need to find him."