Happy New Year!!! I'm really happy we all made it into this year! I wish you all the best of this years. Stay healthy love❤ I will be giving out karma points to my readers that comment regularly, so please don't be a silent reader.

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"What happened to Aera?" Baekhyun asked. His tone was deep and his eyes bloodshot red in anger.

Mark and Jongdae immediately bowed their heads, but Baekhyun lost his cool. He could tell by their sudden behavior that Aera was no longer in his villa.

"Dammit!" He kicked the wall next to him in anger and frustration. "Mark came with me." Baekhyun stomped out of the living room. He headed straight for his car with Mark right behind him.

Once they were inside the car, Mark drove out at a high speed. He was scared, but he had to focus on the road.

"Slow down, and tell me what happened." Baekhyun's tone was low and filled with disappointment. He kept his eyes on the street in search of her.

"I guess she saw the gun in your hand and she got scared. She played a fast one on us by pretending that she was sick and short of breath. She also kicked the gateman on his , that was how she escaped. We're the sorry boss." Mark felt disappointed in himself, he has never let Baekhyun down, and it angered him that Aera made a fool out of him.

"Aera is such a fool. I hope Ki-Jung doesn't get a hold on her before I do." Baekhyun was angry due to Aera's stupidity, but he was also worried. "Where could she have gone to?" Baekhyun muttered worriedly.

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Aera coughed as she felt a sharp pain in her lungs. She has been running for hours, she felt extremely weak and exhausted and she couldn't move her feet any longer.

She stopped in front of a club as she tried to catch her breath. It was already getting dark and she began to regret why she had left Baekhyun's place in the first place. Perhaps her confusion had already cleared off, she was now faced with reality, but she couldn't go back to Baekhyun because she was lost.

She was panting harshly, she couldn't breathe properly. She was hurting all over and she was very scared. Passersby were giving her strange looks, while some were muttering amongst themselves.

Aera wasn't sure what was going on, but she was scared. She tried to avoid getting bumped into by people, but she was already tired. She bent over and sat on the floor, she wasn't herself, and her eyes were becoming heavy.

She folded her knees to her chest and rested her head on it. That was the only thing she could do at the moment till she regained her strength.

She remained in that position for almost twenty minutes, but she suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder and she flinched. She lifted her head weakly but gasped sharply when she saw the man standing in front of her.

Baekhyun said nothing, he stared down at her with worried eyes. He hated the sight she was in, but in the end she caused it to herself.

"Baekhyun?" She muttered, she was already feeling light-headed. She was glad to see him and tears began to well in her eyes. The mafia bent over and scooped her in his arms carefully, he looked down at her and made a small smile.

"Let's go home." Those were the only words the mafia said to her. He took her to his car, made sure she was properly seated before Mark drove off. He was angry but also relieved to have Aera back with him.

He looked at her and their eyes met. She was staring at him the whole time with tears in her eyes. He felt like scolding her, but he didn't. He couldn't, not when she was crying and scared.

"Why are you crying?" Baekhyun asked, he hates seeing women cry.

"I-I c-can't breathe, it hurts" those were the only words she could make out, and she began to pant harshly. Baekhyun began to panic, he didn't know what to do. She was so delicate, so fragile, he didn't know how to handle her.

"Mark, drive faster, now!" 

"Yes, boss." Mark increased his speed limit and in no time they were home, luckily Aera was still conscious. Baekhyun carried her in his arms, the moment Jongdae saw her, he knew something was wrong with her. He rushed after Baekhyun to her room, but Baekhyun had already laid her on the bed.

"She is having difficulty breathing. Please make sure she's alright. I know you can do it, so please don't let me down." Baekhyun gave Jongdae a small smile, and the doctor nodded.

"I won't let you down boss, I promise."

"Great. I will be in the living room." Baekhyun patted Jongdae back and stared at Aera for a while before leaving the room, and he headed straight to the living room.

"Boss please forgive my incompetency, what happened today will never repeat itself." Mark felt bad for disappointing Baekhyun, but the mafia stared at him for a while and he chuckled.

"It won't repeat itself because she will be under my care from now onwards. It's alright, I'm no longer upset with you." Baekhyun sat on the couch, he looked tired, but he was also relaxed.

"Thank you, boss." Mark gave him water to drink and that was exactly what he wanted at the moment.

"I saw the news about your parents. Are they Okay?" Mark asked. He was curious as well worried.

"My parents are fine and healthy, all thanks to Jongin. Hope you still remember him?"

"Yes boss, I do. But what happened?" Mark was already sitting beside Baekhyun, and the mafia slightly punched his arms.

"Aren't you being too inquisitive?" Baekhyun chuckled and also did Mark.

"I'm curious, boss. Please can you explain it to me? Please." 

"Of course, I will, but first give me a serious massage, only then will I be able to narrate all that happened to you. So are you in?"

"Yes boss, I'm in." Mark got up and started massaging Baekhyun's shoulders and arms, and the mafia kept to his word. He told Mark everything that happened including how Jongin saved his life.

Jongin who seemed to be rushing down to welcome Baekhyun saw the way Baekhyun was chatting and laughing with Mark, and he felt grateful for having a nice and kind boss like Baekhyun. He made his way to the living room and stood in front of Baekhyun with a calm smile on his face.

"Welcome back, boss. The kitchen was loaded with food ingredients, so I prepared dinner. Should I serve your food?" Jongin asked after greeting Mark.

"I will later, for now, I need to shower. Why don't you chat with Mark while waiting for me, get to know each other better." Baekhyun patted his back before heading straight to his room.

Mark gave Jongin a strange look for a while, then he headed to the kitchen. "Come with me," Mark said and Jongin followed him behind. He watched Mark grabbing some red apples, bananas, and watermelon and he quickly got a flat plate and gave it to Mark.

"So you turned out to be a good man after all." The right-hand man said as he collected the plate.

"I've always been a good man, but Ki-Jung forced me into working with him, else he would make my sixteen years old sister his toy. I had no other option than to give in," Jongin explained and Mark gestured for him to have some fruits of which he did.

"Thank you for saving Baekhyun and his parents." Mark made a small smile before biting on an apple.

"That was the least I could do. He once saved my life. I'd be an ungrateful fool if I let that disgusting Ki-Jung have his way." Jongin shook his head at the thought of the said man. He was enjoying his fruits with peace of mind for the first time in a long time.

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"What nonsense!" Ki-Jung screamed in frustration. He couldn't believe that Jongin played a fast one on him. Oh no, he didn't see it coming. He had thought he had Jongin under control, but he was wrong.

"Search everywhere for him, bring him to me and his kid sister too. I will make sure he pays heavily for his actions. Go now and bring him here." Ki-Jung was seriously pissed. He couldn't think straight, he was hurt and mad, but Camila shook her head and stopped Dust from leaving the mansion into the night.

"Calm down, will you. Jongin won't be in his house and certainly not around this area. I've always had a bad feeling about Jongin ever since the day he came back from Baekhyun's villa alive while the rest were all dead. He might be with Baekhyun as we speak, and that's a huge loss to us. We both know how talented and