UNDER HIS RULES

David hurriedly walked. Alfred’s command to search for data on a strange girl encountered obstacles. The network that Alfred had was extensive. Finding out someone’s background was not difficult for David to do. However, one thing made David think hard, clenching his fist tightly as he held the findings he had obtained.

“Sir,” he called out immediately upon entering his boss’s workspace.

“What is it?” Alfred asked calmly. He slowly placed the coffee cup he was enjoying down. The gentle breeze accompanying him this afternoon gently tousled his already graying hair.

“Please sit, David.” Alfred motioned for his assistant to approach. “You seem so stiff while working. Enjoy it while you can relax.”

“I can’t just relax, sir.”

Alfred chuckled. “Those were supposed to be my words.” He leaned back comfortably. “What brought you here in such a hurry? Wasn’t I asking you to meet Sam?”

“Sam is not at his headquarters.”

Alfred furrowed his brow. “So? What about the information I gave you?”

“I entrusted it to his subordinate, Hugo. I’m sure Hugo will deliver it. The intention to track Sam’s movements is indeed high, but considering how his subordinates guard their boss’s privacy, I think it would be excessive not to trust them.”

“Good.” Alfred smiled faintly. “So… is there something you want to convey?”

The file that was originally in David’s hand, he immediately handed it to his boss. “These are the search results I could obtain.”

Alfred briefly glanced at the file, examining each page one by one. Everything seemed ordinary, including the girl’s school and life. “Nothing special, David,” he sighed softly. “I thought there would be something I could hope for.”

“We checked on the lives of Wayne and his wife, Dewi. They have been married for almost ten years, but still haven’t been blessed with children.”

Alfred fell silent. Once again, he checked the history of the two individuals mentioned by David just now.

“Deane works as a laundry worker to support herself because Wayne is fond of heavy drinking and gambling.”

Alfred’s old eyes turned to a photo of Wayne. The middle-aged man with tanned skin indeed looked like a heavy drinker. His eye bags drooped. His gaze was unfocused, and his body was also thin.

“But it says here that they have a child, David,” Alfred pointed to the column with the name Beatrice Catalinna, listed as the child of Deane and Wayne.

“I don’t know how to say this or what to do, sir.” David nervously swallowed his saliva. “Miss Beatrice’s date of birth is exactly the same as the date of the accident involving Mr. Ethan and his family.”

Alfred’s gaze immediately went to the column where the date of birth was clearly visible. His hands trembled strongly.

“And according to a reliable source, Dewi indeed does not have a child. She found the lovingly raised child in a dump not far from… from where the accident occurred.” David took a deep breath. “From the location of that accident.”

“Is that true?” Alfred looked at David full of hope.

“Mrs. Deane was overjoyed to find the baby at that time. Even though it was pouring rain, sir. I distinctly remember the weather when Mr. Ethan’s car overturned. Yes, God!” David couldn’t continue his words. For him, all of this seemed impossible, but what if the hand of God was at play?

The innocent baby was saved and protected by angels so that she could meet her savior.

“Do you know how Dewi’s life has been since then?”

“Since the baby was found by Mrs. Deane, she has worked even harder. Making sure that the baby she considers her daughter is her own flesh and blood. The neighbors say how much Mrs. Dewi loves Miss Beatrice. Unfortunately… she passed away when Miss Beatrice was ten years old.”

Alfred’s mind was in turmoil. If Beatrice really was his granddaughter, he couldn’t imagine what her life was like out there. That’s why there was one strong desire driving him; to ensure that Beatrice was his Leora.

Leora Eddith Seraphine Quassano.

“The only way, if you truly believe that this girl is the last descendant of the Quassano family, is through a DNA test.”

“Then do it. And do it quickly, David,” Alfred ordered firmly.

“Did I forget to mention that Miss Beatrice is living with Sam?”

***[]***

Sam pursed his lips. He casually placed the gift box given by Alfred aside. “Eland,” Sam called out, and Eland, who was in the corner of the room, turned to him.

“Yes?”

“Have you checked the condition of the headquarters?”

“All good, Boss. The injured police officers have received treatment. Our people don’t need excessive care either. Some have returned to the headquarters and are tidying up the mess. Ferdi reported that Herry is in shock from yesterday’s events.”

“What did he report?”

“Hugo took care of that. I’ve been mostly at the headquarters.”

Sam nodded. “Where is he now?”

“Probably playing games. There’s a rematch today. He lost yesterday. Don’t you know he gets angry?”

“That sneaky bastard! Call Hugo now!”

Eland chuckled. “Calling, Boss.”

“Got it, Boss!”

Sam leaned back comfortably in his chair. He raised his feet onto the table. There was still some pain whenever he moved too much. Once again, a cigar kept him company, waiting. Meanwhile, the corner of his eye observed Eland, who was busy with his phone again.

“Where’s Jack?”

Eland only glanced briefly at Sam. “At Flown.” Then he returned to focusing on his phone. “Sorry, Boss. I have some business to attend to.”

Sam simply shrugged. If Eland said that, it meant his matter was far more important than the games Hugo often played.

“I’ll go to the headquarters first,” Eland said, bidding farewell. Sam couldn’t stop him since he was forbidden to interfere with the cleanup process. Eland and Hugo knew what actions to take and wouldn’t make hasty decisions, especially regarding the police report as requested by Ferdi.

Shortly after Eland’s departure, Hugo rushed in. “You looking for me?”

“Sit.”

Hugo grumbled. “I was in the middle of something, Boss. You’re interrupting. I told Eland to take care of the headquarters. I’ll meet Ferdi in an hour, everything will be sorted.”

“If everything is sorted, then what’s this?” Sam pointed to the box he had opened earlier and looked inside.

“Ah, that box, huh.” Hugo finally put his phone in his pocket. His victory this afternoon was a failure. He had been eagerly anticipating this match. “Yesterday, Alfred’s subordinate came to the headquarters. Both Eland and I were present when this box was handed over.”

“Do you know what it means?”

“Just a message to be delivered to you as soon as possible.” Hugo shrugged. “I checked it because it wasn’t a bomb or anything dangerous. I thought it was some kind of warning because of our commotion at De Faux.”

Sam grinned. “You have an expanded mind, Hugo.”

“Well, come on. You’re so annoying even when you’re not sick, Boss!”

“I’m perfectly healthy, okay!”

Hugo laughed. “Yeah, you’re healthy. Beatrice takes care of you without a break. I’m not allowed to disturb you.”

Sam disregarded that fact a little. It’s not that he didn’t want to praise Beatrice in front of Hugo. He just felt it was his personal matter. He wouldn’t interfere with other matters, including the gift from Alfred that hinted at one thing: a new collaboration.

The Quassano emblem is on the small dagger placed in the box earlier. Thanks for the information provided by Sam’s people, Ute and Anne. Ah… both of them haven’t given any information on how they managed to escape from Alfred’s mansion without any losses. Was it because they made good use of the last card Sam gave them?

Sam thinks that’s what could have turned Alfred against him. Suddenly, he came to De Faux and put an end to all the chaos. Including taking care of the police protection that Jimmy Lee requested.

Hugo approached the open box. “What are you going to do now, Boss, since it’s like this?”

“I don’t need Quassano, Hugo. I just want to uncover the mastermind behind Tony’s death at my hands.”

“It seems impossible now that Jimmy is on Alfred’s side.”

Sam grinned. “Then what does Alfred want with this box that was sent to me?”

Hugo fell silent.

“He knows who betrayed him. His trust was betrayed. As far as I know about the Quassano family, he won’t let it slide. That’s why the commotion was stopped, because he himself wanted to take matters into his own hands and punish them.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Damn it, Paul aimed the shot at you. I can’t accept that, Sam.” Hugo growled in frustration.

“You’re wrong. Paul’s target wasn’t me, but Eland.”

Hugo furrowed his brow.

“Make sure Eland doesn’t act on his own. All the movements of the Twin Dragons are under my command. He shouldn’t act independently.”

“What’s the connection? Isn’t Paul an outsider who’s only loyal to Gerald’s Gang?”

Unfortunately, Sam didn’t want to continue the conversation. He chose to lean back and close his eyes.

“Prepare the campervan, Hugo.”

Hugo was confused. “For what?”

“Every time I want to enjoy the day with Beatrice, do I have to report to you?”