29 Alexa, Call Adeline

Yuri's eyes fluttered rapidly, and his lips slightly parted as he looked up at him. His chest was tight, and he had no room to breathe. It was suffocating, and he felt like he could collapse at any time.

This was actual fear.

"Sir, Nikolai just didn't have a way to tell you. T-t-that moron thought he could find a way to fix everything before you found out." He clicked his tongue, annoyed as well.

"Please pardon him. I'll take over and figure out how to deal with the-"

His heart jumped to his throat, the second Caesar's furious fist burst through the glass next to his head, shattering it into pieces. He breathed heavily, swallowing hard to contain the sudden, deep rush of fear in his system.

Goosebumps had risen on his skin, and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe. The cold night breeze blew against his back through the hole and he shuddered, gulping.

"I think I'll get a checkup after this. I might be having a heart attack." He hungrily drew deep breaths and slipped to the floor on his bum, fear still glinting in his pupils.

Ceasar's shoulder fell in deep frustration, and he stormed off to drop into his office chair.

"I knew that idiot messed up. I could tell from his nervousness," he rasped, gritting his teeth.

Yuri clutched his chest and took long, deep breaths of relief. "I survived. Good."

"Have you figured anything out?" Caesar questioned, taking out the metal lighter in his pocket, wanting to calm himself down.

Yuri shook his head, walking over to sit down on the chair at the desk. "I haven't."

"I see." Caesar twirled the chair, his eyes shut in deep thought. "Does my old man know about this?"

"No. Nikolai has only told me about it. And that window will need to be fixed," Yuri responded, reaching to grab a chocolate from its box.

But Caesar slapped his hand away, his face wrinkling into a frown.

"You think you deserve a chocolate?"

"Let me have it, sir! You can buy thousands of this," Yuri whined, grabbing one from the box. "I still find it weird that a man like you likes things such as sweets, candies, and whatnot. It's bizarre."

"Got a problem with it?" Caesar asked, his brow tugging upwards. "Smoking is not in the chapter anymore, so this does it for me."

"Is that why you keep that lighter with you all the time?" Yuri inquired, biting off a good amount of the chocolate.

Caesar shook his head. "No, I hold onto this because the sound it makes keeps me calm in moments like this."

"Oh…" Yuri nodded and sucked off the tiny piece of chocolate that got stuck in his teeth.

An unsettling silence fell between them before Caesar suddenly smirked with narrowed eyes, jerking his head up.

"Yuri," he mused. "I have an idea."

"An…idea?" Yuri asked, crinkling his brow in perplexity and curiosity. He was lost.

Caesar gave a nod. 

"She'll like it…" Devilish lips spoke as they stretched into a mischievous smile. "I might be receiving another kiss soon." One of his fingers, whose nail had lengthened into a sharp claw, scraped the desk, hinting at his excitement.

Yuri was lost and could only sit and stare at him. "Sir…what's going-"

"Alexa, call Adeline," Caesar ordered, getting up from his seat.

[Calling Adeline now]

——

[Eight p.m]

Adeline's face scrunched in confusion as she stared at the screen of her phone. She was still left perplexed after her conversation with Caesar the day before.

"Find out what Mr. Petrov offered Rurik"

Her left eye twitched, her brows furrowing in bewilderment.

Who the hell was Rurik? And why did she need to find out what was offered to him? How was she to do that? What was the reason?

It was eight p.m. in the evening, and she was about to leave the mansion and meet up with Caesar, this time at a hotel. Just as she'd thought, Mr. Petrov wasn't going to let her go out without having his men follow her.

She had told Caesar about it, and surprisingly, he'd urged her to come as if he had everything under control.

What was he planning?

"Mrs. Adeline…" One of the bodyguards gestured as he opened the car door.

Adeline glanced at Sokolov, who wasn't going to be tagging along. Mr. Petrov didn't allow it, and she couldn't exactly understand why. There was no way he could possibly be suspecting Sokolov.

Mr. Sokolov was a careful man, and she was sure he'd done nothing worthy of suspicion. But tonight, she was on her own.

A soft breath fled her nose, and she got into the car.

The dark-haired bodyguard, with a scar close to his right eye, shut the door and moved over to sit down in the front next to the driver. The chauffeur started the engine and drove off onto the road.

"Mrs. Adeline, where are we taking you to?" the scar-faced asked amidst the ride.

Adeline looked at him, and her lips stretched into a charming smile. "Pompane hotel."

The scar-faced was taken aback, his expression switching into a mix of frown and shock.

The Pompane Hotel was a well-known five-star hotel, if not the best and most recognized. What sort of rich man was she going to meet? Why such a grand hotel for a hookup night?

He was the closest to Mikhail, therefore, he had some insight into the issue going on.

"Is there a problem?" Adeline asked, her dark lashes fluttering innocently.

The scar-faced blinked rapidly and quickly averted his suspicious gaze with an apologetic smile. "I-it's nothing. Don't mind me."

Adeline squinted her eyes into a thin line and looked away from him. She could tell he was suspecting her—it was more than clear in his pupils.

What the heck was Caesar even thinking, inviting her to such a grand hotel? Did he disregard the fact that it would cause suspicion, or was he just utterly reckless?

She slumped back into the seat with a grunt.

The car eventually slowed down in front of the massive hotel building, completely basking in pleasant bright lights. Adeline got out and adjusted the black dress she wore and her gaze stretched forward to examine the building.

Where was Caesar? Her eyes were searching, hoping he wasn't out there waiting for her.

"Would you wait out here for me?" She turned her head to look at the two men with a lifted eyebrow.

They politely shook their heads at her in response, declining. "We can't do that, Mrs. Adeline. We have to follow you in."

Pests! She shot them a glare and began to ascend the stairs that led straight to the entrance.

The security guard at the door smiled and gestured her in.

Adeline walked inside, the two men following suit. She examined the interior of the hotel, a bit in awe of its beauty.

With such luxurious and expensive materials, lights, and whatnot, it was indeed worthy of its fame. Their service must be good too.

Now to find Caesar without these idiots following her every—

"Adeline!"

A voice she'd never heard before clamored, causing her to glance ahead with a bemused look. Her gaze halted on a fine young man, quite shorter than Caesar and slightly smaller in body size.

He had short blonde hair with two bangs falling over his forehead to his light blonde-colored eyebrows. His gray eyes were curved pleasantly as he gestured at her with the widest smile she'd ever seen—almost like a child.

"Adeline, come here!" He waved her over.