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I gritted my teeth upon reading the message of Red Fox. The enemies were really on the move and now, they're aiming for the jackpot. Looked like they're in a hurry to finish what they started.

I then dialed Xerus' number. "Yes?" He said when he answered.

"Are you sure about this, Xerus? I am not comfortable leaving Athena behind like this." I voiced out my worry.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of everything while you're not here. I wanted to go instead of you but you know that I can't. You're the only one who could do this for now. If you manage to succeed on this mission, we could finally beat them for sure. We need to secure everything first before striking. You know how cunning Giuseppe is. I don't want him to outwit us again this time."

"Promise me that you won't let anything bad happen to her, Xerus. I'll keep my word so you should to." I couldn't believe that I'm actually asking this to him. Years ago, he was my enemy and I promised myself to take my revenge on him of what he's done but he saved me instead.

That was when I discovered the truth that he wasn't the one I should be destroying. If Giuseppe managed to cover up what he's done from the eyes of all the people of Nuevo Imperio, I would make sure to uncover it this time.

"You don't need to remind me about that. She's very dear to me to let something bad happen to her in my care. Since I am injured right now, Red Fox will surely keep an eye on her too. I know how important this is to you too so you shouldn't mess up. Our chance of clearing our names and living freely again is at stake here." I sighed. I knew that much but I couldn't help getting worried.

The last time I left her, something happened which made her hate me. I thought, I wouldn't have the chance to be with her after that but thankfully, our love for each other still won.

"Okay. Consider the mission done then." I assured him. He scoffed.

"Don't be over confident. You might miscalculate again." My jaw flexed. I knew I messed up big time back then because I got distracted. It was my first time experiencing love that I almost forgot everything.

Athena made me realize that I could be a better person yet it almost made me forget who I really was and about my goal which almost costed my life. But after everything that had happened, I learned from that experience. This time, everything's different, especially now that Athena is here by my side again. Her love with be my strength to finish this fight.

"I messed up once, yes, but it won't happen again. You know me, Xerus. Besides, it's not like you didn't experience that too." I answered with a hint of sarcasm; knowing what he did just to be with his wife again.

"Touché." He chuckled before his voice turned serous again. "I just don't want you to fail again."

"I won't. Not now that we're almost there. I need to go now. I'll be back soon." I said and then ended the call.

After I dropped Athena off at the hospital this morning, I stayed nearby to keep an eye on her. But the next day, I received a message from Xerus and now, I'm on my way to Nuevo Imperio. I couldn't believe that after a couple of years of staying in Costavia, I would finally step foot in Nuevo Imperio again.

I promised myself that I wouldn't go back there until I manage to find answers to my questions. But now, looked like the answers to my questions were there from the start all along. I just didn't see it because I was misled when I was young.

I looked outside the window of my private jet. I could see nothing but endless clouds but it didn't fail to make me remember about my mother...

"¿Por qué estás triste, hijo?" My mother asked with a gentle voice. We're on our way home and I couldn't help but to feel sad. I was so happy during my three-day vacation with my mother but now, we needed to go home because she has many obligations that she needed to do. I would see my father again but I wasn't excited about it.

(Why are you sad, son?"

"¿De verdad necesitamos volver a Nuevo Imperio, mamá?" (Do we really need to go back to Nuevo Imperio, mama?)

"Of course, hijo. Nuevo Imperio is our home." She answered as she strokes my hair. "Why do you look sad? Aren't you happy that you're going to see your papá again soon?"

I shook my head. "I don't want to go back to Nuevo Imperio, mamá. I don't even want to see him." I admitted. I thought, she would get surprised of my answer but her eyes went somber.

"¿Por qué?"

"Porque me odia. ¿Soy realmente su hijo?" (Because he hates me. Am I really his son?)

She gasped. "Z! What are you saying? How did you arrive in that kind of question?"

"Because he never treated me like his son." I answered full of bitterness. Even though I'm still 8 years old, I already have a lot of questions in m head about my relationship with my father.

I caught a strange emotion that passed through her eyes. Even though I couldn't understand, my heart tightened seeing her sadness like that.

"Are you okay, mama?" She forced a smile.

"Of course, hijo."

"Papá was the one who gave me my name, right, mamá?" I then asked.

"Sí. ¿Por qué?"

"Because I always wonder why he gave me that name when he acts like he isn't happy that I am his son." I voiced out the question that has been residing inside of me for a long time. She took my hand and held it.

"Listen to me, hijo. Someday, your father will surely tell you that he's happy that you're his son. He gave you that name because he was so proud of you being his son. For us, you are our 'greatest happiness'. Tu papá y yo te amamos mucho. Always remember that." I slowly nodded my head even though I was doubtful that my father really loves me.

(Your papa and I love you so much.)

"C'mon, hijo. Smile now. Look outside. The weather is so nice but your face is sad as if it's raining." She teased me and then gently squeezed my nose. I smiled.

"But there's nothing outside but endless clouds."

"Yes, but it's sunny, right? Doesn't it brighten your day too?" I laughed.

"That's corny, mamá." She laughed as well.

"But at least, I made you smile. Are you feeling okay now?"

I hugged her. "Yes, mamá. Gracias. Te quiero."

"Yo te quiero también, hijo." She then kissed my forehead as her arms tightened around me. I instantly felt better. Being in my mother's arms is the best. I don't need my father's affection if he doesn't want to give it to me. My mother's is enough for me. She's the best...

A pained smile broke across my face because of that memory. I've never thought that time that my mother would be gone too soon and leave me behind all alone. Even though I was lack of father's love since I was born, I was a happy child because the love of my mother was enough for me.

I thought, everything was okay because she was always been there for me. She was my strength that when she passed away, I felt like I lost everything...

After the internment of my mother, I didn't know what to do. My father was always out of the palace, doing something and whenever he comes home, he never even threw me a single glance as if I wasn't there.

Then, the first night after the internment, I couldn't sleep at all. I was crying while calling for my mother. As a child, being alone after such tragedy was so difficult.

After crying for I didn't know how long, I decided to go down to the kitchen to get myself a warm milk but then when I stepped out of my door, I noticed the door of my parents' room was slightly open.

I decided to go in, thinking of checking if my father was already home but then, my eyebrows creased when I saw the last person on my mind to be there.

He was standing there, staring at my mother's portrait. The sadness on his face was unexplainable. I've never seen him like that before and it surprised me.

He slowly raised his hand and touched my mother's portrait, on her cheek to be exact, and whispered something before closing his eyes in misery.

"Manuel?" I called for him and he looked surprised. I caught him furtively wipe his tears before looking at my direction.

"Prince Z, why are you still awake?" Even his voice was weird. Even in my young mind, I could tell that he was forcing to appear fine in front of me.

"I couldn't sleep." I felt my throat tighten. "I missed mamma so much already." My voice cracked. I couldn't hold back the tears that quickly fell from my eyes.

"Z..." I heard him mumble before he knelt on his knee before me and to my surprise, he hugged me. I could feel his body shaking a little bit.

Since my mother passed, this was the first time that someone hugged me and it broke my control. I cried in his arms for I didn't know how long.

"Everything's going to be okay, Prince Z. I will always be here to protect you whatever happens." He promised after that as he ruffled my hair gently. The sadness and sorrow in his eyes were so evident.

"Thank you, Manuel." He nodded his head before he stood up.

"C'mon, Prince Z. Let's go get you a warm milk."

"Okay." I wanted to ask him what he was doing in my parents' room but I decided not to. Maybe, he was just sad too.

The morning after that, I ate breakfast alone which only made me lonelier. I barely touched my food because I didn't have any appetite. After that, I decided to check if my father was already home, so I went to his study room.

I was about to knock when someone came out of the door. It was his Private Secretary. He bowed his head to greet me and then went on ahead without totally closing the door.

I was about to go in when I overheard my father's voice. Looked like he was talking to someone. I decided to just come back later and was about to close the door when I heard what they were talking about.

"What do you mean by that, Commissioner? Are you saying that my wife has been poisoned? How? Her food was thoroughly being checked before they serve it to her."

"You heard it right, Your Majesty."

"Damn it! And who had the guts to do this to her?!"

"We already have a suspect, Your Majesty. He was the last person that the witnesses have seen before the Queen was found lifeless in her royal chamber." The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police answered. My body went still. I couldn't believe of what I was hearing.

"And who is this person?"

"It's Prince Antonio Romano of Costavia." My eyes widened. I was beyond shock. I could still remember him. He was once introduced to me by my mother when I was around 7 years old. I felt like everything became quiet as the overwhelming loathe and wrath crept within me.

I've never felt that kind of overwhelming anger before and I promised myself that I would do everything I could to get the justice that my mother deserves. From that day on, everything was never been the same...

I sighed as I remembered about that. I felt like I've been doing nothing these past many years other than to seek justice for what happened to my mother and I. Now that I finally knew who was responsible of everything that had happened in the past, I could finally take my revenge on the right person.

He took everything from me so I would do the same to him. This time, I'm sure of everything unlike my first attempt. I went after the wrong person in the past and ended up doing that mistake. I ended up using Athena without her knowing it...

I was pulled out of my reverie when I heard the captain speaking, informing that we're about to land in a couple of minutes. I looked outside and saw the arial view of my home country. A pained smile broke across my face as I involuntarily reminisced about the past once again...

"Are you sure that everything's already arranged?" I then asked one of my men.

"Yes, boss. They're already waiting for us at the tarmac. We will head to the hideout before proceeding to our main target tonight." I looked at my watch. It was already past 1 pm.

"Good. We have a long night ahead of us so tell everyone to get ready."

"Of course, boss."

When the plane landed, we disembarked and then got in the cars that were there to pick us up. We directly went to one of my hideouts.

"You're staring at it again. You've already read what's written there, right?" I looked at the one who spoke. It was Onyx. Then, I stared at the papers that I was holding once again.

"I'm just making sure that I didn't miss anything. I can't believe that we're almost there, Nyx."

"Yes, that's why you can't afford to mess up." I huffed.

"I won't."

The corner of his lips twitched. "Good. After this, you can finally live in peace."

I hope so...

After that short conversation, we ate and then told my men everything that they needed to know beforehand before we got ready for our mission.

"Are you ready, Z?" Onyx asked me as we pulled up around 50 meters from the gate of the palace. It was already 3 pm.

I scoffed. "Don't fùcking ask the obvious." He smirked.

"Let the show begin then." I got out of the car with a duffel bag in my hand and walked towards the gate and just like I've expected, the guards stopped me upon seeing me.

"I got accepted here as an Imperial Guard. I'm going to start at 7 pm today." I informed them. My contact inside already fixed everything beforehand so that I could enter the palace without a hitch.

I disguised myself so that they wouldn't recognize me easily. I showed them my fake ID and the document that stating that I indeed got accepted to work there. We were prepared.

"Okay. My colleague will accompany you to the Imperial Guard's quarter." One of them said. There were at least 10 of them there.

"Okay. Thanks for the help." While we were walking towards the Imperial Guard's quarter, I was carefully observing my surroundings, making sure that everything was going smoothly.

"Let's wait for the Manager." The Imperial Guard said when we reached the office. I was about to answer when someone came in and spoke.

"You can go now. I'll take care of everything here." He instructed the Imperial Guard.

"Of course, sir." He answered upon recognizing him and then left. I smirked when then two of us were the only ones left in that room.

"Thanks, bud. I owe you one."

He smiled slyly. "No prob." He then took something out from the nearby cabinet. Of course, all my orders were already there.

"Everything you need is here."

"Okay. I already deposited the money in your account."

The corner of his lips lifted. "It's nice doing a business with you. I need to go."

"Don't forget that you still need to do something."

He chuckled. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. Everything's going according to your plan. Anyway, before I forget, here's the map, in case you already forgot some parts of this palace."

"Don't be silly. I know every corner of this palace even with my eyes close." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay. I'll be going then." After that, I contacted Onyx and the others and then readied myself for my next move.

A couple of hours later, everything was already set. I already settled everything in my target's chamber and waited for the right moment for him to come in. Then, I heard the door open and that person came in. I quickly got out of my hiding spot and pointed my gun at him. His back was on me.

"Long time no see, papá." I uttered menacingly as I cocked my gun. I could see how his body go still as he realized the danger he was now in.