Chapter 136: Messed Up
"Come on, Noelle."
I ignored Aziel as I closed my eyes and went back to sleep. I don’t know how long I’ve been staying in this place. ’I guess Night and the others are having a hard time finding me.’ But I trust them, I’ll wait for the chance and plan my escape.
"If you just give me the ring, I can let you go now." Aziel sighed. "Also, did you bring the handkerchief I let you borrow?"
My forehead creased as I remembered that. "Why would you let someone like me borrow something important like that?"
"It’s because you are dear to me, Noelle." He said.
’As if I’ll believe that.’
"I should tell Night to return that handkerchief before I let you go." He’s chuckling which made me get up on the bed. ’Why would he laugh like that? It’s annoying.’
Before I could even say something, Aziel’s phone started to ring and he couldn’t just ignore it so he accepted the call. "Z! What the hell?" I heard a familiar voice from the other line which made my forehead crease. "Did you kidnap Noelle? I’m going to call the police on you!" After hearing it more clearly, I realized that it was Ryzen.
Aziel made a gesture to keep me quiet. "She’s fine, and I’ll bring her back don’t worry." He said causing me to raise an eyebrow.
’How am I fine? My arm hurts, and I can’t even take a bath for three days straight.’ Even though I don’t know if it’s just three days since when I woke up after being abducted, Aziel didn’t say anything about how long I was asleep.
"Her friends’ been attacking me because of you." I heard Ryzen saying. "If you hurt Noelle, I swear."
Aziel laughed because of that. "Do I look like I hurt women?" He said as he smiled at me. "She’s doing great. But what about Night Fuentes?"
"Huh? Why are you asking about Night?"
I felt Aziel’s hand on my shoulder. "Nothing much."
"That reminds me, Night’s been skipping school and no one knows the reason. His fan girls were all devastated because of it." Hearing that made me feel a little hope, that maybe, just maybe... Night’s searching for me.
"It’s weird, and Noelle’s missing too. You better not be doing shady shits to Noelle."
Aziel laughed again. "Of course. Who do you think I am? I gotta go now." He hung up the call and looked at me. "Now, don’t you want to go back home?" He’s smiling as if it doesn’t depend on him if I could go home or not.
"Don’t you want to be with your precious Night again?"
"Why don’t you let me go then?"
He laughed. ’Why does he keep laughing like that?’ I sighed. "That’s only if you give me the ring."
"I don’t have it with me." I really don’t. It’s in the safest compartment of my bag after all.
"Don’t lie. Ryzen made you bring it with you, and like the good-natured person you are, you brought it, isn’t that right?" He rubbed my cheek making me move away from him. "Why don’t you just give it to me and I’ll tell Night to bring the handkerchief in exchange for you."
"What if he doesn’t know where it was?"
"Then you tell him." He gave me his phone. "He’ll know if you tell him, right?"
I gulped as I looked at Aziel’s phone. ’I want to talk to Night, but...’ It doesn’t feel right. "I don’t want to."
"I guess you’ll be staying with me for a while then." He said. "Come and eat with me."
I stared at his phone and thought, ’What if Night isn’t searching for me?’ But with what Ryzen said, he could be really searching for me. "I want to go home."
"You may if you only give me the ring now."
No... if Night’s truly searching for me then I only need to endure. With that thought, I decided to sit on the chair in front of Aziel. "Here, I know you like this." He said as he gave me a freshly cooked steak. "There’s a chocolate mint ice cream in the refrigerator. You like that, right?"
I ignored Aziel as I ate my food quietly. If I don’t eat well, I won’t be able to survive and I’ll add more problems to Night if I became sick. I’m going to try to help myself escape from this place, that way, I could unload some burden off Night.
"You know; you could have just given me the ring already," Aziel said while resting his chin on his palm. "I don’t understand why you keep holding onto it. You know it’s more dangerous for you to have it. It doesn’t belong to you, your father, or me. That ring belongs to someone else. Someone stronger than any of us."
"I’ve been telling you. I don’t have it." How will I believe his words? After deceiving me and not even asking for an apology. I won’t believe his words anymore.
"Hmm." He was just staring at me while I eat. "You know, Night’s family is far more messed up than mine."
Where did that come from?
"Unlike mine, I’m the only heir to the mafia group. But Night, he has lots of cousins and uncles. There are lots of people fighting for the position of the boss, and even though Night’s the named heir, there’s no knowing what will happen. Even more now that his uncle Junichiro’s planning something."
"What is it?"
Aziel giggled as he pointed to me. "You’re only interested when it comes to Night, huh? I feel jealous." He said as he poked the tip of my nose. "Junichiro’s trying to take over the Yamaguchi-gumi. I don’t know how he’ll do it, but I know he will. He has a spy in the Yamaguchi-gumi after all."
Spy? "Do you know who the spy is?" Wait! Why am I following his pace again? I already said I won’t believe him.
"Why would I tell you? What will I gain?"
I clicked my tongue. "Cheapskate." That proves he might be telling the truth about Night’s uncle.
"You’re really being quite mean with your words now, dear Ellie." He said while giggling. "It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but it’s because I don’t know either. Why would I care who the spy was? All I wanted to do is destroy Junichiro and not stop him from doing anything. Maybe I’ll let him win and become the leader of the Yamaguchi-gumi, and then I’ll completely destroy him when he thinks that he’s finally got everything he ever wanted."
The expression on Aziel’s face gave such villain vibes. ’It keeps surprising me no matter how much he does that.’
"But I guess he wouldn’t succeed since he’s an idiot." He laughed. "You’re that worried about Night? How nice."
I ignored his words again. ’Of course, I’ll be worried about Night. He’s the person I— I... adores.’ It feels like my face will heat up just at the thought of admitting that I’m indeed in love with Night.
"If you want the ring so badly, why don’t you snatch it from me forcibly?"
"Hmm? Why?" He stared at me with those gentle-looking eyes.
’As if that’s the truth. He’s not gentle. It’s only an act to get my guard down again.’ I thought.
"It’s because I don’t want to force you on doing anything."
I raised an eyebrow. "You forced me to come here."
Aziel looked like he just remembered it now. "What I mean is I won’t use violence on you just to get the thing I need." He smiled.
"Your words contradict your actions."
He shrugged. "I’m just waiting for you to finally get tired. You’ll end up giving me the ring that way."
I shook my head. After eating, Aziel keeps talking to me but I only ignored him. There’s nothing for me to gain if I keep talking to him. The best thing I could do is to find an easier way to escape this place. "But where is this place anyway?" I muttered.
"Oh, you don’t know because we’re not in the Philippines anymore."
My eyes widened. "What do you mean?" Wait! Don’t believe him that quickly! What if he’s lying? I immediately shook my head. "Why should I believe you?"
I heard Aziel’s laugh echoing through the whole room. "It doesn’t matter even if you don’t, but the fact is we’re really not in the Philippines anymore."
S-Should I believe him? It’ll be too gullible of me if I do. The way he said it looks like he’s not joking but he doesn’t look all that serious either.
"Then where are we?"
His smile grew wider. "It’s a secret." He said. ’Don’t tell me... we’re in Italy right now!?’
"Are we... in Italy?"
Aziel shook his head. "No way. I won’t bring you to a dangerous place. We’re on a private island under my name, so you’re safe here." Private island?
"I think that’s why your hubby is having a hard time finding our location, it’s because this island isn’t on the map." He laughed whole-heartedly making me frown.
"Night will find this place."
Aziel brought out something from the refrigerator. "Good luck to him then." He said as he waved the ice cream he brought out. "Who wants ice cream?" He’s smiling from ear to ear.
’Doesn’t he feel ashamed when he’s acting like that?’
"I know you want it."
