Theron's POV
My entire body ached. At first, I couldn't open my eyes. Everything was spinning. When I finally managed to open them, my vision was blurry. Slowly, everything brightened.
Blink once. Blink twice.
"Boss…!" I heard John's excited voice.
"What… Reduce your noise. My head is already ringing," I muttered.
"What? Do you have a hearing problem?" He ran toward me, turning my head left and right to check.
"John… can you stop hurting me? I just told you to lower your voice. Stop being a drama queen."
"Hmph… Do you even know how worried I was? The doctor said the medicine would take effect in an hour, but after they ran blood tests, they were shocked. It was a strong one."
"They were surprised you handled it for so long. That drug usually takes effect within minutes and lasts at least eight hours… with a woman's help."
"WHAT… You mean—"
"Yes. That drug is meant for…" He hesitated.
I forced myself to sit up.
"WHO DID THIS?" My voice was low, but John visibly shivered.
"About that…"
"Finish your sentence," I ordered. My voice remained calm, but the fury beneath it was unmistakable.
"The CCTV footage was blacked out."
"WHAT…?"
I tried to stand, but my body protested.
"Boss, where do you think you're going?"
"To find that bastard."
"You're completely dehydrated. There are side effects to that drug—heavy breathing, increased heart rate. The doctor suggested staying for a couple of nights."
"NO. I—"
John suddenly hugged me. "Please, boss, don't make me worry."
Ughhh… This bastard. I regret hiring him. He's such a child.
"Fine… just don't get your snot on me. Get up." I urged him, and he immediately stepped back.
"The entire day's CCTV footage was deleted. What's worse… we might need more time than expected to recover it."
"WHY?"
"The DVR was destroyed."
"Just as I expected."
"Boss… do you think someone followed you there?"
"Possibly. But I can't be sure. The only people who knew I was going to the pub were you and me."
"Boss… I would never—"
"Stop it, idiot. Since when did I ever doubt you?"
John sighed in relief.
"This isn't random, John. It was carefully planned and executed perfectly… or they planned this for someone else, and I got caught in the middle. Either way, investigate thoroughly. Once I find the culprit, I'll destroy their entire family."
John nodded and left the room.
Just wait, bastard—your doom's day is coming.
At the Same Time…
Ughhhhh…
Isabella had lost her mind.
Her secretary arrived to find the entire house in ruins. Sheets and curtains were torn. Curtain rods had collapsed. The wine cellar was a disaster, bottles shattered, liquid pooling on the floor. The entire place reeked of alcohol and chaos.
Anxiously, she searched for Isabella.
There she was.
Sitting in a corner.
Drinking straight from a bottle of wine.
Blood dripped from her other hand, the wound deep.
The secretary sighed and rushed to find the first aid kit. Carefully, she approached Isabella, sat in front of her, and reached for her injured hand.
SLAP—
The sound echoed through the house.
"You said the drug was very strong, didn't you? Then how did he escape?" Isabella seethed. "I spent almost forty-five minutes searching for him. I didn't expect him to hide in the private room."
"Ms. Wilson…" Her secretary trembled, unable to form words. The slap had left her stunned.
"And he still managed to kick in his instincts! Thanks to your incompetence, I couldn't avenge myself or… get to fuck him."
"Ms. Wilson… I swear, I got the drug from the black market. The effects were supposed to kick in within seconds. There's no way he should've been able to withstand it for forty-five minutes. I honestly didn't know his body was capable of handling it."
"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!" Isabella shrieked. "Not only is everything ruined, but if he finds out I drugged him, he will mercilessly come after my entire family."
Isn't she the one who wanted revenge for Aurora? her secretary thought bitterly. Now she's blaming me? Why am I the bad guy here?
"Young madam, Mr. Wilson already handled the mess. Our men cleared everything. There won't be any trace."
"WHAT?" Isabella paused. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Dad knows the plan failed…?"
The secretary lowered her head.
"FUCK YOU, LENAAA! You destroyed my life!"
"Ms. Wilson… I didn't know you were targeting Mr. Drakos."
"Stop your nonsense—"
Ring.
Her phone vibrated.
She looked at the screen.
Dad.
She hesitated.
The phone rang again.
Third time.
Now, her secretary's phone lit up.
"Mr. Wilson…"
"Give the phone to Bella."
"M-Madam… your father…"
Isabella grabbed the phone with shaky hands.
"D-Dad…"
"Come home. Now."
Beep.
The line went dead.
She clenched the phone in frustration and glared at Lena. "Drive me home."
She knew what was waiting for her.
The entire ride was silent.
As she stepped into the house, her legs felt weak.
Her father valued his reputation more than anything. If she had made a mistake, he wouldn't forgive her.
"Mom…"
Her mother looked up and smiled warmly. "Baby, you finally came home. You should visit once in a while, even though you hate how your father controls you."
"Yes, Mom…" She doesn't know anything. I can't let her worry.
"Go. Your father is waiting in his study."
Inside Her Father's Study
She stepped inside cautiously.
"Dad…" she whispered.
SLAP—
The impact sent her stumbling to the floor.
"Dad…" she gasped.
"I told you so many times not to act recklessly." His voice was dangerously low.
"Not only did you try to drug Aurora, but you ended up spiking Theron Drakos's drink… and failed spectacularly."
"Dad… I thought I had the upper hand… Please, forgive me."
"YOU IDIOT." His voice thundered through the room. "Do you think your forgiveness is in my hands? Even though we covered it up, it's only a matter of time before he finds out."
"Dad… our men handled it perfectly"
"Isabella, you don't know Theron Drakos. Even his own family fears him. He is a ruthless, emotionless devil. He never forgives mistakes. Right now, all I can do is hope everything stays buried."
"..."
"Stay out of trouble. Lay low for a while."
"But… okay, Dad."
Isabella clenched her fists, biting her lower lip to stop it from trembling.
She had lost. And worse she had failed.
Her father's warning rang in her ears.
"Theron Drakos never forgives."
She swallowed hard, a cold shiver running down her spine.
But what Isabella didn't know was…
Theron wasn't the only one coming after her.