Chapter 93: Observing From Afar I dropped the stack of papers I’ve been working on since yesterday. The rat problem wasn’t so much of it anymore. The workers’ profiles for the ball came out clean. There was no suspect. Voss may have been involved, but it didn’t seem like they had anyone on the inside, but I had a feeling someone helped that hitman. His attempts were too precise, and it could only mean that they knew where I was enough to make such a loud assassination. I was dying to find out who, but no one on the list matched. I had my men profile every single one of them, where they were at that time, their movements, and the cameras located in those areas were checked. I rubbed my jawline, feeling more prickly than ever, and it wasn’t about this damn hit on me. Why did she leave? That question has stuck with me throughout the night, but I haven’t found the answer. I could have easily brought her back to my bed, but I wanted to use a different approach, the very one I’ve always been used to, until it became a habit. Observing her from afar. It was Deja vu all over again, but this time I wasn’t sure how long I could handle not having her within arm’s reach. I’ve had her, and I want more. This was getting far too addictive, and I’m like an addict without my daily dose. Unable to hold off for long, I pushed to my feet and stepped out onto the balcony, my hands resting on the solid stone balustrade. I eyed the pool beneath, pale stones shaped in elegant curves. The blue-green water rippled softly as Catherine rocked her legs back and forth, her hands resting on her sides. Her brimmed hat covered her face, so I couldn’t see, but I could tell she was talking with her friend, who was dipped in the pool beside her. The sound of the door opening distracted me, and I threw a look over my shoulder. Turning my gaze back to Catherine, I lingered for far too long before I walked back inside. "Hope I’m not intruding," Agatha said. "What do you want?" "Is that the way to speak to your mother?" I shot her a grimace, and she simply smiled. "I came to ask about the progress of the rat problem." "..." "I know I shouldn’t concern myself with such matters. But this breach... You were the target, and I’m worried." When I didn’t reply, she sighed and continued. "More importantly, I have a guest coming for our dinner tonight." Dinner? At my pause, she replied. "One last dinner to end the weekend, who knows when I’ll get to see you again." I moved my eyes back to the papers, stacking them in order, when I heard her footsteps. "I miss you," she said in longing. A shifty feeling settled low in my abdomen, and when she tried to touch me, I snatched her wrist in a bruising hold, pinning her with a stone-cold look. "Ares—" I shoved her hand away, and her eyes turned glassy. "You can’t keep doing this—" I seized her chin, feeling a crawling sensation at the feel of her skin, disgust searing through my blood. "Get. Out. Of. My. Sight." She yanked away from my hold, anger burning in her eyes. "You don’t wanna make me your enemy." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞 "You’ve always been." Pent-up rage cracked my impassive countenance. We just stood there, eyes glued, no words said, but there was plenty. I grew more uncomfortable as her mismatched eyes bore into mine before I looked away. "You, me, and Adrian could have had it all," she began, and when I showed no interest in her words, she grew more desperate. "The more you push, the harder I’m gonna come back. I’ll take everything from you until there’s nothing left." "You already did." I flickered my eyes back to her. "The shell’s empty." Agatha blinked away. "This marriage of yours was a wasted effort. You were careless, Ares, and now everything that’s meant to be yours will be Adrian’s." "That’s not for you to decide." She exhaled sharply, turned on her heels, and walked to the door, but it opened as Athena stepped through. "You—" Agatha didn’t let her speak as she pushed past her. "Athena," I said, snapping her out of a bloodthirsty glare. She closed the door and hurried to my side. "Are you okay?" I said nothing as I pulled open the drawer, grabbed a leather case, and drew out my Cuban cigar. "Ares, talk to me." I shoved it between my lips and murmured. "You worry too much." Athena sighed, taking the zippo and lighting the end for me. "You smoke when you’re deeply stressed about something." The silence grew loud between us until I broke it. "She can’t do anything... not anymore." "I know... but that doesn’t mean she won’t try. As long as Daddy lives, you can’t touch her. I want you to give the witch what she deserves, but I don’t want Daddy to die just yet. It’s frustrating shit, really." I took a drag from my cigar and sat down on the leather chair, relaxing as I released the smoke into the air. "She wants Adrian to take control of everything that should be yours. He’s a sweet boy, but he has a witch for a mother, so there goes the charms." She leaned against the table edge and folded her arms. "I know you’re in some kind of contract with Cat. I figured that much when you made her your wife publicly. Daddy’s will did state you should have a wife before he hands the empire to you." "That was just a bonus," I replied, tapping the cigar on the ashtray. "Of course..." She rolled her eyes. "Catherine Lane is your obsession. You killed two birds with one stone." A ghostly smile flashed on my lips. "Found the rat yet?" "No." "Hmm... these are all the papers of the workers. Where’s the guest list?" I blinked. "Guest list?" "The rat could’ve been a part of the guests."