chapter 13

“Get him,” Derek ordered.

Paulo left without saying a word. There was no time to waste in situations like that. They've never gotten themselves into something like this before.

While Paulo was gone, Derek thought of all possible ways to get rid of Lewis without drawing attention from the public.

He was not scared of them. He just wanted to stay clear because of his businesses. Unnecessary attention like that one will cause a lot of damage and he didn't like damages at all, not even the slightest.

Paulo returned with Lewis a few minutes later.

Lewis stepped into the hallway cautiously, his shoulders tense as if he expected someone to jump out at him at any moment. His eyes moved quickly between Derek and Paulo.

Derek stood near the staircase, his arms folded. An irritated look etched on his face.

“Come here,” Derek said.

Lewis didn’t move at first.

Paulo gently nudged him forward.

Lewis walked closer, stopping a few steps away from Derek.

Derek studied him carefully.

“You’re leaving.”

Lewis blinked.

“I… am?”

“Yes.”

Relief flooded Lewis’s face so quickly it was almost dramatic.

“Oh thank God.”

But Derek raised a finger. “On one condition,” he said.

Lewis’s relief immediately disappeared.

“What condition?”

Derek stepped closer, his voice dropping into a dangerous calm.

“You keep your mouth shut.”

Lewis nodded immediately.

“Yes. Of course.”

“About my house,” Derek added.

“Noted.” Lewis nodded again.

“My club.”

“Noted.”

“Everything you saw here,” Derek said, pointing at his surroundings.

“Noted,” Lewis repeated.

Derek’s gaze sharpened.

“If you tell anyone at all. The police, your family, your friends, even reporters, I'll…”

Lewis was already tired of Derek's threats. So he interrupted before he could finish.

“I won't!”

Derek continued anyway. “I will destroy you.”

Lewis nodded quickly.

“And your loved ones.”

Lewis’s nodding became even faster.

“Yes! Yes, understood! “I won’t tell anyone anything about you. In fact, I didn't see or hear anything in this house.”

Derek leaned slightly closer. “If you go against me, you'd wish you had never met me in your entire life.”

“I already wish that!” Lewis blurted out.

Paulo coughed to hide a laugh.

Derek straightened again. “You got a sharp mouth there, young man,” he said with a low voice.

Then he looked at Paulo. “Blindfold him.”

Lewis froze. “Blindfold me? Why?”

Paulo reached into his pocket.

Lewis’s eyes widened. “WAIT,” he yelled.

Paulo paused.

Lewis raised both hands dramatically. “I thought you wanted me to leave. Why are you talking about blindfolds now?” He lamented.

Paulo opened his mouth to explain but Lewis whined in a more dramatic way.

“If you were going to kill me, you should have done it sooner. But since you were to do it now, I would like to say a few words.”

Derek frowned, confused about his outburst.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“I’d like to say my final words.”

Derek stared at him in disbelief.

He clasped his hands together like someone in a church service. “Dear God,” he said loudly.

Paulo turned away slightly, shoulders shaking as he laughed.

“If today is the day I leave this world, please forgive my sins.”

Derek rubbed his temple. He didn't know if he was feeling amused or annoyed.

Lewis kept going. “And if anyone finds my body in a forest somewhere, please tell my girlfriend Barbie that I did love her.”

Derek was still staring at him in disbelief.

Lewis continued. “I already forgive everyone who has wronged me, including this man in front of me.”

Lewis pointed at Derek, dramatically. “He kissed me last night,” he said quietly.

Then, without warning, he shouted. “THE DRINK MADE ME DO IT.”

Paulo was now biting his lip to keep himself from uncontrollable laughter.

Lewis looked at Derek sadly.

“And sir, I hope you meet the lord and change your ways. I hope my life becomes the last one you take.”

Derek’s eyebrows furrowed. “No one is taking your life,” he said firmly.

Lewis stopped talking. He flashed Derek a questioning look to confirm if he heard him correctly.

“Can you say that again?”

“What the fuck where you thinking?”

“Are you not blindfolding me to kill me? Like they do in those gangster movies?”

Derek eyed him. “I’m not killing you.”

Paulo burst out laughing this time.

Derek sighed heavily. “You’re not dying.”

Lewis blinked. “…I’m not?”

“No.”

Lewis slowly lowered his hands.

“Oh.”

Derek gestured toward Paulo.

“He’s blindfolding you so you don't get to see more than you have seen.”

“That’s it?” Lewis asked.

“That’s it.”

Lewis looked mildly embarrassed.

“…I may have overreacted.”

“May?” Derek gave him a flat look. “You are more of a clown than a medical personnel. Your colleagues should be embarrassed to have you in their team.”

Lewis was too embarrassed to talk. He didn't even want to say something that could make Derek delay his freedom.

Paulo wiped the invisible tears from his eyes before placing the blindfold over Lewis’s eyes.

“Alright, comedian,” Paulo said, guiding him forward. “It’s time to leave.”

Lewis shuffled forward carefully. “Please don’t push me into a ditch.”

“You don't have to worry. The Lord is with you,” Paulo teased him.

Paulo led him outside to a waiting car. He helped him into the back seat, and the car drove away from the mansion.

Lewis sat stiffly the entire ride.

“Are we near a cliff?” he asked at one point.

“Not yet.” Paulo teased.

“A forest?”

“Wildlife matters,” Paulo retorted.

“A crocodile farm?”

“Relax, you are not in danger,” Paulo assured him.

Lewis signed but he didn't stop saying a prayer in his mind. He couldn't bring himself to trust Derek and Paulo completely.

After about twenty minutes, the car stopped.

Paulo removed the blindfold.

Lewis blinked as sunlight hit his eyes.

They were standing beside a main road outside the estate.

Cars passed occasionally, a sign of normal life.

Lewis exhaled in relief.

Paulo handed him his phone.

Lewis grabbed it quickly.

Then Paulo pulled out some cash and held it out.

“For a cab.”

Lewis looked at the money. Then he shook his head.

“No.”

Paulo raised an eyebrow. “No?”

“I can’t take your money,” Lewis declined.

Paulo pushed it toward him again.

“Take it.”

Lewis shook his head again.

“No.”

Paulo smirked as he asked. “Why? pride?”

Lewis folded his arms. “I’m not accepting charity from kidnappers.”

Paulo chuckled. “It’s not charity.”

Lewis still refused.

Paulo leaned closer. “You’re too poor and penniless to refuse money,” he whispered.

Lewis looked offended. “I am not poor.”

“You were literally kidnapped in an ambulance.”

“That doesn’t prove anything.”

Paulo shoved the money into his hand anyway.

“Take it. Don't let your pride stop you from taking a cab.”

Lewis looked down at the cash.

“Fine.”

Paulo grinned as Lewis accepted the cash.

“Good boy,” he said.

Lewis immediately frowned. “Don’t call me that.”

Ignoring him, Paulo started walking back toward the car.

Lewis stood there holding his phone and the cash.

Just before Paulo got inside the car, Lewis shouted,

“Tell Derek he’s insane!”

Paulo smirked, “I’ll let him know.”

Then the car drove away, leaving Lewis standing alone on the roadside.

Lewis looked around slowly. He was finally free from Derek.

As he stopped a cab, he hoped to never meet Derek Stygian again.