Chapter Five: Can’t Trust Anyone

The maids have already brought the tray with food and water the moment Karlo went outside to leave me alone. I remained staring at the ceiling, trying to fight the headache caused by what Karlo said to me a while ago.

The Red Cartel. The government. The enemies and criminals of my parents…

Everything was overwhelming, and it made me think that all of it was a foolish joke.

But if I were to make scenes that transpired last night, the shooting with guns, the men Karlo were trying to fight while carrying me, and Helen pulling out a gun to point at me, wishing me dead, it made me have goosebumps and Karlo might be telling the truth.

I slowly sat on the bed and slapped my forehead. Suddenly, a phone rang beside my table. When I looked at it, it was beside the tray. My face lit up when I realized that it was Ian on the screen. I was about to grab it, but the door opened. Karlo also looked at my ringing phone before he took it and ended the call. I gasped in shock, my mouth dropping at what he did, as he turned off my phone and l stashing it in my pockets.

“What are you doing?!” I exclaimed in frantically.

“I’m sorry, Minerva. For now, you can’t trust anyone,” he said and shook his head.

“But-“

That was my boyfriend!

I stopped myself from saying that and just bit my lower lip. He stared at my phone for a while before he diverted his gaze at me. I know that he saw the name of Ian on the screen, but instead of saying something, he turned his back on me and walked silently towards the door. He closed it and sighed, holding the door knob and lowering his head like he is exhausted.

“You should eat,” he whispered. “At least you can gain your strength again.”

“I need my phone, Karlo,” I demanded.

“Your life is in danger and yet you are still thinking about your boyfriend,” he said and clenched his jaw.

“So you knew about Ian?”

Karlo lifted his head to regard me. He shifted his weight and stashed his hands in his pockets.

“I know everything about you,” he claimed. “And I am telling you right now that that guy you have been seeing is not good for you. He will just take advantage of you and your wealth. And God knows if he is a hired assassin to kill you.”

“You do not have the right to insult Ian!”

“I am not insulting him. I am just telling the truth-“

“He loves me!”

“And I fucking love you!”

The moment I raised my voice, he also snapped and made his voice louder and authoritative. I could even see the veins protruding from his neck, his chest heaving up and down, and his fists clenching. My lips parted, taken aback by the frustration across his expression.

“I do not care if you do not love me. You just have to let me protect you just like I promised to your parents, whether you like it or not, because I am your husband and you are my wife,” he said firmly. “You are the Red Cartel Queen now. The moment you are dead, many lives will be at stake, including this country.”

“I have no idea whether to believe you or not. To me, you are speaking gibberish.”

“Then why don’t you eat first and come with me the moment you are full? Seems like you are now fine, so I can show you that what I am saying is true.”

After bombarding those last words, he slammed the door angrily. I was also irritated because of his attitude. But mine was worse, though, I know. Who would not have a tantrum like this when he just grabbed my phone and ended the call from Ian? How could he?

Red Carted Queen, my ass…

Karlo was true to his words when he urged me to take a bath and dress myself up. Even though he was demanding me to come with him, I could hear from his tone that he was also worried. Maybe because I just came from fainting and sleeping the whole day, but because I was also desperate to know the absurd things he has been saying to me, I showed him that I was fine.

We were silent as usual in the car while he was driving. Though I was looking outside the window with my hand under my chin, I could sense him alternately looking at me. Eyes on the road, baby. You don’t want us to die young.

After fifteen minutes of driving, I heard him sigh like he was defeated.

“I’m sorry,” he uttered, making me look at him. “I did not mean to shout at you. I was just… irritated.”

“It’s fine,” I said. “I just want to see what you want me to know.”

He nodded. “We’re almost there.”

He made right turns and stopped in front of a mediocre hotel not far from our mansion. At first, I arched my eyebrow because I was confused why we are here. But I did not make any complaints when he started to go outside his car. He opened the door for me, so I followed.

We entered the hotel discreetly. It was just a normal hotel for normal people, so we were like out of place since I am wearing a fancy summer dress while he was wearing a suit, as if he was going to work. The rest of the people inside were just… ordinary.

After a while, we went inside the elevator, then he pressed the thirteenth button. I was getting bored because I knew that this was just stupid. I would have opened my mouth to say something, but before I could argue, the elevator opened and the dark hallway emerged from our eyes.

It was not a typical hallway with a bunch of room doors. There was only one door at the center where we were heading. I could feel my heart beating as I read the small placard of the door.

Red Cartel.