654 Aziz Was Elijah
Marcel had to get his shit as he watched the rest of the recording and when it got to the part where Arianna got into the living room, his heart began to pound louder. Even though he already had an inkling of what happened, Marcel couldnât help but be nervous.
He gripped the edge of the table on which the laptop was placed so hard that if he had superhuman strength, he could have crushed it already. With his heart still pounding, he saw the moment Arianna noticed that she was in danger. She started to retreat and Marcel jerked forward as if he could reach out and somehow pull her out of the video.
But then he got himself at the last minute and withdrew his hand, watching as the masked man tackled her to the ground. Sheâs half-naked! Marcel wanted to yell out in anger. Arianna hadnât gotten the chance to dress up after stepping out of the pool.
How dare the bastard touch what was his? His body was pulsing with great rage, but he swallowed it up, watching as the bastard manhandled in the struggle that ensued between the both of them. Although there wasnât any audio support yet Marcel could read Ariannaâs lips and she was calling his name.
His heart clenched tightly and Marcel felt like he couldnât breathe. Arianna had been there, calling for him, waiting for him to come to help her and he didnât. It was all his fault! He shouldnât have left her alone! He shouldnât have gone to rescue his sister. But then, his sister was important to him as well, no! .... Marcelâs mind was a mess as he battled between guilt and duty.
His eyes were red and swollen as he fought against the tears that threatened to slip down his cheeks while watching the recording. No, this was not the time! He couldnât show weakness in front of his men. But then... It was too much... he needed to breathe.
However, Marcelâs attention was drawn when he saw the assailant begin to walk to the surveillance camera until he was directly in front of it. Marcelâs expression hardened, the assailant was intentionally sending him a message.
What would it be? Marcel was still wondering what the challenge would be when he saw the bastard take off his mask, and instantly, a chill washed over Marcel.
You know that moment an explosion happens and the victim close to the site suffers ear deafness for a while, that was how Marcel felt when he saw the face staring back at him. It felt like a dream to him as he muted everyone and everything around him, his gaze focused on that familiar face.
.....
It was him.
He was Elijah.
And just like that, everything began to make sense to Marcel. The only way the base could have been attacked today was because there was an inside man. Elijah had infiltrated his gang a long time and played it safe, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Everything began to come back to him as in a movie. The bastard was the one that Arianna had been protecting all this while. The signs were there, he just didnât notice them. He had been blinded by feelings not to see it.
The day Arianna fainted, of course, Elijah was the only one who could have made her react that way. He never let her leave the base, it would make sense that she fainted after seeing his face that day. The asshole had dared to step into the lionâs den. He had not been afraid of coming to see his woman while being in his territory.
It was expected.
Marcel grabbed the laptop and flung it halfway across the room and no one said a word, if anything they became alert. Marcelâs breathing was ragged as he went over the memories and the possibilities of what he would have done had he known the truth.
He ran his hand through his hair, his mind working. Elijah came into his organization in the name of Aziz and deceived everyone. He even dared to use his cousin, Adele?! Marcel was boiling with anger and he needed to explode.
Everything was driving him crazy as he thought about how all of this would have gone differently had Arianna told him the truth. The bastard had been hiding right under his nose and he didnât even know! Marcel felt stupid! Betrayed! Embarrassed! Angry!
Arianna... betrayed him!
Who knew what they had discussed that day they met? Had they discussed her escape that day? How is it that she happened to swim when the gas was deployed? Was it a coincidence or a show put on to hide her involvement? So many questions ran through his mind, making him dizzy.
But then, Arianna wouldnât do that to him. She loved him, right? Arianna gave up on her idea of running away months ago and wouldnât do this? Marcel didnât know what to believe anymore. Nonetheless, it didnât take away the fact that she brought this upon herself! If she had only told him Elijahâs identity, this wouldnât have happened. And to think that Elijah was quite close, made Marcel angrier. They both made a fool of him!
What had she been fucking thinking?! Keeping Elijah close was like playing with fire and asking not to get burnt. Perhaps, inwardly, she had been wishing for something like this to happen, so she could finally be away from him without lifting a finger.
Marcel took a step back, cold realization dawning on him. He had been the one who loved Arianna too much. He just kept on giving and giving and giving and never receiving, hoping that one day she would love him the same way, with the same measure. But then, all he got, in the end, was heartbreak.
As usual, Instead of the rage in Marcelâs heart growing, it began to colden instead. There was a hollow and empty feeling in his chest and his heart froze as something broke inside of him.
Marcel turned to his cousin and said to him, âLetâs find that bastard,â
Victorâs brows drew together, his face painted with worry. He knew that look on Marcel and he didnât like it one bit. If angry Marcel was dangerous, then callous Marcel was lethal. When Marcel turns off his feelings, he was no different from his father Daniel, and Victor was worried that Arianna leaving him might turn him into the monster he dreaded becoming.
Being raised by a madman called Daniel, the only thing that made Marcel any different was his emotions, it made him less psychopathic, and more human. But if he decides to turn that off, then you have it, Danielâs perfect creature. Like father, like son.
âWhere are we going?â Victor asked cautiously. He hoped that he wasnât about to go do something stupid.
But Marcel glared at him, âSince when do you begin to question my orders.â
Victor swallowed stiffly. There you have it, the beginning of the dark days aka asshole Marcel. He better finds Arianna as soon as possible before this idiot becomes a pain in the ass.
When Victor didnât answer his question, Marcelâs glare intensified. However, Victor still didnât budge and when it became obvious that he was giving him the attitude, Marcel said to him,
âBetter catch up then.â
And with those words, he left.
Victor joined him, albeit reluctantly, and found out in the end, that it was Azizâs, no, Elijahâs apartment.
âSearch this place thoroughly, donât leave a stone unturned,â Marcel commanded his soldiers who all nodded and got to work.
But while they did their work, Victor simply leaned against the wall with his arms folded across his chest and watched as Marcel tossed anything in his way with the hopes of finding anything that would lead him to Elijah.
Victor wasnât lazy, he was merely a consigliere, an advisor to Marcel, and not his lackey. So he wasnât going to get his hands dirty doing those searches. It was time that he did his job instead.
He came over to Marcel, observing him before saying, âHolding all of that in isnât going to help you, Marcel.â
âI never remembered asking for your help,â He retorted, going through any stuff in the room that he could get his hands on â and avoid his annoying cousin right now.
âI have known you for years now Marcel and when youâre this angry, you tend to push it out on the people closest to you.â
Marcel glanced up at him, âYou would make a great therapist,â his words dripped with sarcasm.
âI wouldnât mind having a session like this with you all day,â Victor sassed back.
Marcel opened his mouth to say something only to hear, âI find something, boss!â
The soldier ran up to him and placed a note on his palm. He looked at it, âWhat is...?â Then he saw who it was addressed to
[Dear Adele,
I know by the time youâre reading this, the truth is out and you already know my true identity. I am really sorry and didnât mean to hurt you, and although my goal had been to get Arianna for my own selfish reasons, my missionâs changed and now, I must bring her home to her mother. I get that you wonât forgive me but you should know that those moments we spent together were real to me.
Yours apologetic, Aziz]
As soon as Marcel finished reading that note, a cruel smirk tugged his lips to the side and he crumbled the note with his hand.
Bastard.