Chapter 3 Nightmare

• "Kuya."
• "How many hours have you been there?" Nero asked, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Justin, who had just emerged from the mortuary. The sterile white walls of the hospital seemed to amplify the grim silence that hung heavy in the air.
• "Not even an hour," Justin calmly replied, walking towards Nero and the others. He then stared at Kaizer, who was also staring at him.
• Justin's gaze was intense, as if accusing him of something he hadn't done, causing him to frown. The tension between them was palpable, a silent battle of wills playing out in the cold hallway.
• Nero noticed the tense exchange between the two, but simply focused back on his brother. He needed answers, needed to understand the web of deceit that had ensnared his family.
• "Who is that person who went out before you?"
• Justin shrugged, "I don't know. They also have a family member inside who was killed."
• "Was it a man? I thought I saw 'her curves,' indicating a woman."
• "Why even ask if you think it's a woman, brother?"
• "Come with us back inside," Nero commanded, and Justin nodded before returning to the room he had just left, followed by the others.
• As they entered the mortuary, the peculiar smell was undeniable. It clung to the air, a chilling reminder of the finality of death. Nero, with a furrowed brow, observed the bodies covered in sheets in the room. Each one represented a life cut short, a story left unfinished. He then focused his attention on the body lying on the cold slab, covered in a white sheet that Justin was now slowly removing.
• 'Dad.'
• He muttered to himself, silently clenching his fist. The grief that had been simmering beneath the surface began to rise, threatening to consume him. He knew his father was gone, but seeing his lifeless form, the reality of the situation slammed into him with brutal force.
• He noticed something strange about his father's neck.
• "What happened to his neck?" he asked curiously, his voice a low growl.
• "The investigation says Master might have been injured by a shard of glass from the window."
• Nero hissed, "And you think I'd believe that?"
• "No, you wouldn't, boss," Jake said.
• "That's a foul. They dared to mess with me. Those fucking White Rabbit Organization." He said calmly, but those around him knew how dangerous he was when he was calm. The air around him crackled with suppressed fury, a storm brewing beneath the surface. "Where's Mom, Justin?"
• "T...that...well, Mom is missing."
• "What?" Nero furrowed his brows, looking at his brother, who was bowing his head. The news hit him like a physical blow, a fresh wave of fear washing over him. "Let's head back to my room. Get everything ready for Dad's funeral," he added, looking at Jake.
• They started to leave, but Nero noticed something strange. From his line of sight, he saw a familiar bracelet on one of the dead bodies. The body's right hand was hanging out, making it visible.
• "Justin, isn't that your bracelet?" Everyone looked where Nero was pointing.
• "Nope, I have mine right here, kuya." Nero looked at Justin's hand and saw the bracelet there. He shrugged at what he saw before signaling Winston to continue pushing his wheelchair.
• They soon returned to his room and he lay down again. The sterile white walls of the hospital room felt like a prison, trapping him in a world of pain and uncertainty.
• "Where's Shaira?" Nero asked, reading a book. He and Kaizer were left in his hospital room while the others took care of his father's funeral and Justin went home, heartbroken over the loss of his parents.
• "Don Felix is with her," Kaizer replied.
• "Again?" Nero asked, but before Kaizer could reply, he added, "Psh, after all, Uncle is the one who convinced my father to marry that woman." The name 'Don Felix' was like a poison dart, injecting a fresh wave of anger into his veins.
• "So, are you still willing to marry her?"
• "Yeah. To know the foul in the game, you need to be in and add a flame to the fire. I will make sure that woman suffers for drugging me."
• Kaizer furrowed his brows, "So she really drugged you?"
• Nero just looked at him, and Kaizer already knew the answer. He understood the depth of Nero's anger, the burning desire for revenge that fueled his every thought.
• "Finish our mission from last week and report to me, everything you will discover."
• "Yes, boss. But, after that—what's your next plan?"
• "To be announced. For now, go ahead. I want to rest."
• Kaizer was the closest to Nero, but he knew that Nero didn't trust him or anyone else much. He understood the weight of the world that rested on Nero's shoulders, the burden of responsibility that had shaped him into the man he was. But he knew that the Nero he knew before was still there, buried beneath layers of grief and anger.
• "Hey, baby. Wake up!"
• "Hmm..." Nero replied, pulling the blanket over his body.
• "Hey, baby, wake up now."
• Nero slowly opened his eyes and saw a woman who looked like an angel because of her beauty. But he frowned when he realized who it was.
• "Chan, what the hell are you doing here?"
• "Well...I have a surprise."
• "Who cares..." He couldn't finish his sentence when he saw what she was holding in her hands. The sight of the weapon sent a jolt of adrenaline through his veins.
• "I'm here to kill you, honey."
• The words hung in the air, a chilling promise of violence. Nero knew he was in danger, but a strange sense of calm washed over him. He had faced death before, and he would face it again. But this time, he would fight back. He would make sure that those who had wronged him, those who had taken his father from him, would pay the ultimate price.