Chapter 138: The price of silence.

"Malia," Zyra screamed. "Malia, Malia..."

Achilles suddenly covered her mouth. "Stop screaming, you are going to make my eardrums burst at this rate."

Hunter stood where he was, an amused smile on his face which she could not understand. His nanny had just died or fainted in her arms. If he was sane, he should have been the one doing the screaming, not her.

She bit Achilles’s hand, forcing him to pull it back and wince. "What are you two doing? Help me?"

Achilles rolled his eyes. "Nanny Rosita dies ten times a year."

Zyra remained confused while the old woman in her embrace remained stiff!

Hunter sniggered, alongside his cousin. He shook his head and exhaled, "Stop playing dead nanny, you are going to scare my wife. If she divorces me, you will never see great grand kids in your life."

Just like that, Nanny Rosita resurrected. She raised her head, sneering at Hunter. "Tch, you have found my weak spot. I am confiscating your wife. She is mine today, I am not letting her go."

Zyra shot a desperate, wide-eyed look over nanny’s shoulder to Hunter, silently screaming for help. It was hot. She didn’t want to hug the nanny all day!

Hunter immediately looked away, suddenly finding the architecture of the roof tiles absolutely fascinating. He rubbed the back of his neck, completely abandoning her.

Realizing she had no escape, Zyra sighed internally. She had no choice but to play along. Softening her posture, she wrapped her arms around the old woman and patted her back, smiling warmly. "It’s alright Miss Rosita. We can be together all day. But first, let’s get you inside the house so you can rest after your long journey."

Nanny Rosita pulled back, wiping her eyes, a fierce protectiveness suddenly taking over her features. "Call me Nanny, my dear! After all, you are Hunter’s wife now. We are family."

She then locked arms with Zyra, completely ignoring the others. "Come, let’s go inside. I want you to tell me every single bit of his shortcomings that you want corrected. If he ever gives you attitude, or acts like an arrogant young master, you just tell me. I brought my special wooden paddle, and I am not afraid to discipline him!"

Zyra smirked, looking back over her shoulder at Hunter with a look of pure triumph. "Oh, is that so? I think we are going to have a lot to talk about, Nanny. Starting with the whistle."

Hunter moved his eyes to the heavens, letting out a defeated sigh, and trudged inside the house behind them.

*****

Lita bolted out of the Kaelion house the absolute second the heavy books were dropped onto her bedroom floor. Stepping into the courtyard, she let out a sigh so heavy it felt like she was exhaling a week’s worth of inhaled breath.

But freedom wasn’t that simple in this place. Afraid that it would be taken back, she rushed to the black car was a driver assigned to her by Maverick.

It was her first car in life. Whether she was heading out to buy medicinal herbs or going to the local market for supplies restock, she had to use it and always go with a bodyguard who was supposed to protect her.

But they all knew he was nothing more than a spy.

Lita clicked her tongue in annoyance as he closed the car door for her. "What’s your name?" She asked, when he settled in the driver’s seat.

The man turned around. He was thin, of medium height, and possessed a gap between his front teeth wide enough to slide a finger through. "Jimmy, Young Mistress," he said, giving a bow that lacked even an ounce of real respect.

Lita sighed again. Everyone has a price, she thought, studying his shifty eyes. I just need to figure out what it takes to buy this guy’s amnesia.

She wasn’t one to waste time beating around the bush. Once they were out on the main road, away from the estate’s eyes and ears, she leaned forward. "How much will it cost for you to forget where I go? For your daily reports to Mother to suddenly become very boring, or better yet, nonexistent?"

Jimmy slammed on the brakes so hard the brakes screeched. He spun around, staring at her with wide eyes, looking as scandalized as if she had just insulted his ancestors.

Lita snickered, leaning back against the silk cushions. "Oh, don’t look at me like I just committed heresy. Name your price. Money is the one thing a Kaelion has too much of, and lucky for you, I will soon have access to the vault."

Jimmy’s shocked expression slowly melted away, his face twisting into a greasy, calculating smirk. He switched off the engine. "Money, you say? The Young Mistress thinks a few energy stones can buy my silence?"

Lita raised an eyebrow. "I’m not talking about a few energy stones, Jimmy. I’m talking about enough wealth to buy yourself a decent house and live comfortably for the rest of your life. Money that can free your children from servitude."

That struck a nerve. Jimmy’s smirk vanished, replaced by a look of raw greed. His eyes moved from her face and rested on her chest. "I am not interested in your money."

Lita gasped, her hand flying to her chest. "Are you insane? I am a Kaelion wife! You’re just a low driver...a nobody! I am trying to change your life."

"I am a lowly driver who holds your schedule in my hands, Young Mistress," Jimmy countered, his tone turning smug. "I will inform the madam if you go anywhere that is not on this schedule. But I will keep this conversation private to spare you from her rod."

Lita’s chest heaved with indignation. The sheer audacity of this man! A mere servant threatening her. For a second, she considered asking her beast to bite his face. But how would she explain it to Sabrina?

"We could make another arrangement." He suddenly said suggestively. "You are a pretty woman. I have never been with a pretty woman."

Lita’s eyes widened. "You...are insane. I am---"

Jimmy laughed, cutting her off. "You are a servant like me young miss. Do you really think Mr. Kaelion will ever touch you? He has women in almost every powerful clan around the world. He was supposed to marry a Soul maiden. You will be abandoned soon. If you are nice to me, I will be nice to you. Together, we can make sure you keep your place as a Kaelion."

She didn’t reply and maintained silence. She barely noticed when they car left the residential area and entered a back-alley road.

Jimmy’s voice came again, breaking through Lita’s thoughts. "If the Young Mistress needs time to think, that’s fine. But my memory is very sharp, and I will report everything I see today." ℴ

She sneered at him. "How do I know this is not a test? You could be working for mother or Loveline, trying to step me up. I won’t fall for it."

Jimmy laughed. "Cuckolding a Kaelion could get me killed. They don’t forgive betrayals. This is a simple private transaction that nobody has to know but the two of us."

"Fine! I will make arrangements!" Lita snapped, closing her eyes in absolute defeat.

Jimmy immediately brought the car to a halt, turning around with that wide-gaped smile back on his face. "Ah, a wise choice. Let us not waste time then, Mistress?"