Chapter 44: Nick Destruction
2256words
"Hey, Sister. What are you doing here?" Nick started in a playful tone, smoking his cigar slowly. Hunter looked around the room, looking for Ramona's figure that he could not find.
"Ahhh... It doesn't seem like I'm the one you want to meet, huh? You have an appointment with someone, maybe?" quipped Nick with a small laugh that implied ridicule.
Hunter who was sick of the play didn't want to waste time. In a stern voice, he said, "I'm lazy to talk to people, Nick. We end it all today." He took a step forward, getting closer to Nick, his eyes staring sharply, full of pent-up anger.
But suddenly, from the side of the room, Sevano appeared who led Ramona. The woman's body was tied, her face looked bruised on the cheeks, her hair was messy as if it had been snatched up, and a gun was stuck to her temple.
Hunter's eyes widened, his chest as if he wanted to explode at the sight of Ramona's miserable condition. "Did you touch him?" asked Hunter, his voice full of emphasis, his teeth clenched tightly holding back the burning anger.
Nick just chuckled, shrugging his shoulders guiltlessly. "He keeps rejecting me, you know? Insist on wanting to be with you. In fact, before she wanted to marry me so that she could be free. But now? After the game was exposed, he threatened to kill me if I dared to touch you. Isn't that cunning?" quipped Nick with a satisfied smile.
Hunter remained calm even though anger burned his heart. With a quick movement, he reached into the revolver from inside his suit, pointing the gun at Nick. "Let him go. This affair has nothing to do with Ramona," he said firmly.
But Nick laughed again, this time in a louder tone, as if mocking Hunter's courage. "Is there no connection? He was the one who trapped me! Driving me crazy and blind because of his cunning. But it's a pity, Sevano made me uncomfortable, and now it's my turn to play."
Nick stood up, approached Ramona with slow steps, then pulled the woman's hair roughly. The gun now moved, pressing against Ramona's temples. "Throw away your guns," Nick ordered with a sly smile. "I won't touch him again if you obey."
The pained Ramona shivered, but she still shouted, "Don't, Hunter! Don't be stupid! Don't throw away your gun! You can kill them now!" his voice was panicked, full of fear.
However, Hunter chose the opposite. He threw his revolver far towards the corner of the room, then raised his hand slowly. Ramona looked at him in disbelief, tears soaking up her face. "No..." He muttered softly, feeling devastated to see Hunter just give up for him.
Nick laughed contentedly, and so did Sevano. "Prostrate at my feet," Nick ordered, pointing to his shiny black shoes.
Ramona shook her head loudly, begging Hunter not to comply with the request. But Hunter, with unanimous determination, snuggled up in front of Nick. "Oh my gosh, Hunter! I can't believe this!" Nick laughed out loud, kicking Hunter's revolver lying on the floor. "I've been trying to destroy you for years, you know? It starts with killing your father, so that you submit to me. But as it turns out, it's not that hard to get you down on your knees. You've been stupid since you met him," Nick scoffed, looking at Ramona sarcastically.
Hunter remained silent. Her cold face showed nothing, only her eyes were teary, full of restrained pain and anger. Finally, he asked, his voice trembling with tears, "Why did you kill my father, Nick?"
Nick was silent for a moment, thinking of the right answer before finally saying in a relaxed tone, "Actually, there's no particular reason for that."
The statement made Hunter instantly raise his head, looking at Nick with fiery red eyes, full of boiling anger. His sharp gaze was like embers that were ready to explode at any time.
Seeing the reaction, Nick laughed out loud, feeling satisfied that he had provoked Hunter's emotions. "I just want to make you scare me," Nick said in a triumphant tone, playing on the situation. "Submit to my orders. Because of what?" He paused, enjoyed the tense moment, then continued in a tone full of hatred. "Because you've always been ahead and won over me!"
Hunter narrowed his gaze, his eyes shining sharply like the eyes of an eagle ready to pounce. But Nick didn't care, he even poured out his envy even harder. "I also started a company from scratch, just like you. But why? Why are you so far ahead of me? Why do you have such a strong connection? How can you get everything you want, including power and the woman you love, when I don't?!"
Nick's tone of voice was now raised, full of frustration and resentment. His face turned red, reflecting the hatred he had harbored for years. Hunter remained silent, just staring at Nick furiously, his jaw clenched tightly. The atmosphere in the room was getting more tense, as if the air around them was getting harder to breathe.
Nick stomped on the iron table in front of him, evoking echoes that echoed throughout the warehouse. "You know, Hunter? I killed your father not because I had to, but because I wanted you to suffer. I want to see you collapse! But look at yourself now—you still stand at the top, while I am left at the bottom, always in your shadow!"
Hunter's anger was now uncontained. His hands on the floor tightened until his books turned white. His eyes were squinting sharper, full of burning flames of revenge. "Nick," he whispered softly but firmly, "you've just ensured your own destruction."
Hunter instantly rose with a surge of emotion, his fist soaring hard into Nick's jaw, causing Nick to stagger backwards and nearly fall. Without wasting any time, Hunter swiftly pulled Ramona into his embrace, making sure she was safe. However, the sound of the gun's eruption suddenly broke the tense atmosphere. Sevano, who quickly pointed his gun, opened fire. But unlucky for him, before he could finish his action, two bullets stopped him, paralyzing his body instantly.
Hunter and Ramona turned their heads quickly, looking for the source of the shot. From the barn door, Liam and a few of Hunter's men entered with a firm step, each holding a weapon ready to use. Nick was shocked, his eyes widened as he realized the number of troops Hunter was carrying. This is not just a small ambush—it is a war of power.
Not only Liam and Hunter's men, two familiar figures, Jess and Snowi, also appeared. They were Hunter's old friends, notorious for an equally cruel reputation. With sarcastic smiles, they stood up, ready to finish off the opponent at any moment. Hunter, without hesitation, released the bond in Ramona's hands. Now that Nick and Sevano were surrounded from all directions, Hunter's bodyguards pointed their weapons at their bodies, making sure they had no loopholes to escape. Jess and Snowi, in particular, kept them with a cold and sharp look.
Nick, even though he was in a cornered position, laughed out loud. He stood up with difficulty, his face still implying pride. "You've really played so far, Hunter. You're working hard to catch me, but I'm sure you won't get what you've been wanting all along!" he said in a mocking tone.
Ramona, who was now standing beside Hunter, looked at Nick sharply. "Your arrogance will only destroy you, Nick," he said angrily.
Nick was silent for a moment, then grinned. "Oh, you're looking for evidence of the murder, right?" he asked in a sly tone. He laughed again, then reached for his phone and calmly called Jeseline. "Yes, Nick," Jeseline's voice came over the phone.
"Burn all the evidence of the murder," Nick ordered in a confident tone. In a matter of minutes, Nick rolls his phone screen, showing Jeseline burning evidence of the murder in a remote location.
However, to Nick's confusion, Hunter and Ramona's expressions remained flat. There was no panic or fear on their faces. They just stared at him coldly. Jess, who was notoriously impatient, glanced at Hunter in frustration. "Is it okay to be killed now?" he asked in a tone full of murderous passion.
Hunter just shook his head softly, making Jess hiss in annoyance. Snowi, on the other hand, sneered as he said casually, "It seems like making their heads a shot is an interesting entertainment." His sharp gaze turned to Sevano, who was still holding a weapon in his hand.
Jess and Snowi glanced at each other, giving each other codes. In a matter of seconds, the two acted in unison. With a quick movement, they opened fire at Nick and Sevano. The bullet shot right on target, sending Nick and Sevano's bodies tumbling to the floor. The Hunter bodyguards immediately advanced to secure their weapons, ensuring there were no further threats.
Sevano who was lying with blood flowing, looked at Nick with an annoyed look. He whimpered, his voice sounding weak but full of emotion. "Why are you stupid, Nick? You've never been this sloppy. Why don't you bring a bodyguard? Do you really believe the two of them can be separated?"
Nick was silent, his breathing heavy and his eyes full of vengeance. He stared intently at Hunter and Ramona, as if to convey that this was not over. But this time, there was no more victory for Nick—it was all over.
Nick laughed out loud even though his hands were locked in the clutches of Hunter's bodyguards. His eyes full of pride stared at Hunter and Ramona sharply. "You guys think this is the end of me?" he said, his tone full of taunts. He laughed again, louder this time, before adding, "You didn't forget, did you, that your son is still in school?"
Nick's words made Ramona instantly stiffen. He looked at Hunter in a panic, fear clearly reflected on his face. However, Hunter remained calm. He shook his head gently, then pulled Ramona into his warm embrace. "Our son is already home with the bodyguards," he whispered softly, his voice full of confidence. Ramona breathed a sigh of relief at that, her tense body slowly softening in Hunter's embrace.
Hunter looked at Nick sharply, his smile full of triumph. "Just bury all your fantasies right now," he said in a firm tone. "Be prepared to receive your punishment in prison."
Nick squinted, his expression a mixture of disbelief and confusion. Before he could say anything, the roar of a police car broke the tension. Several armed police and special teams entered the room at a brisk pace, directly approaching Nick and Sevano.
"What the hell is this?!" Nick rebelled, trying to escape as the police handcuffed him. One of the officers spoke in a formal tone, "Mr. Nick, you are suspected of having committed a serial murder, starting with the murder of your own uncle when you were 19 years old. You have the right to hire a lawyer to help you speak."
Nick laughed loudly, trying to cover up his panic. "Do you guys have the proof? The case has been closed for a long time, it has even expired!" he mocked.
The police calmly opened the bag of evidence they were carrying. From inside, they took out several items: a black glove, a knife, a syringe filled with liquid, an anesthetic, and a murder notebook. Nick fell silent, his jaw gaping in disbelief when he saw all the evidence.
"How is that possible?! I've burned it!" muttered Nick, his voice full of panic and disbelief. His gaze turned to Ramona, hoping to find an answer. However, Ramona just smiled obliviously, her smile meaningful, as if to tell that she had won in this game.
Nick hissed angrily, trying to utter a curse, but before he could speak, the police dragged him away by force. Ramona let out a long sigh, relieved that all of this was finally over.
Hunter wasted no time. He immediately held Ramona tight, sinking his face on top of his wife's head. His lips landed repeatedly in Ramona's hair, as if to confirm that she was really there, in his arms. "I'm afraid something happened to you," she whispered hoarsely, almost holding back tears. His embrace grew tighter, as if he would never let go of it again.
"I believe you're going to come to save me," Ramona muttered as Hunter unwrapped his arms and cupped Ramona's face, red cheeks, torn corners of lips and messy hair, really making Hunter only get angrier when he saw Ramona's condition.
"You've suffered because of me," Ramona shook her head and buried her face in Hunter's chest, hugging the burly body tightly in gratitude that it was finally over.
Hunter immediately lifted Ramona's body, leading her out of the armory followed by Jess, Snowi and Liam from behind, like a prince who had just rescued the princess.
Finally Hunter can end it, he wants to create a new world together with Ramona and her son.
A new world full of love and affection.
