How does an immortal mourn for their mortal lover? How does it feel to live for eternity knowing you'll never feel eternal joy?

  Lina also wouldn't know.

  So, Lina pulled the trigger.

  Click.

  "Congratulations, you've just killed me."

  "Coward."

  Lina dropped the gun. There were only four bullets in there. The puny thing thudded onto his lap. She glanced at the spot where the bullet would've been.

  "You've just shot me dead, dove."

  Lina decided that if he wouldn't leave, she'd just get up. This was Ritan, a metropolis city with the quickest transportation in the world. The subway could take civilians anywhere in the city. Uptown, downtown, name the location, and a train could take you there. Taxis filled the streets, bright yellow and cheery. She decided someone was going to be tipped their entire monthly salary.

  "Estella, please inform our client we'll be five minutes late."

  Lina threw her car door open. She stepped onto the busy street and saw the entire place was wrapped by security. Her heart stopped. From left to right, men in black formed a protective barrier around the car. There was no one who could penetrate the human barrier of bodyguards.

  "Should we call the cops as well, Director?"

  "Not when the coward has every politician in his pockets," Lina returned, glancing over her shoulders.

  "Not the President, though," Kaden humored. "And I'd love it if you'd stop insulting me, dove."

  "Is it an insult if it's the truth?"

  "Is it love without a crush?"

  Lina didn't bother responding. Lina took her purse, approached a bodyguard who refused to move. Then, without warning, she hit her purse against the bodyguard's shoulders.

  For a split second, the man wavered in disbelief. Before he could recover, Lina smacked him with the heavy side of her purse. This time, he touched his cheek, feeling something warm like water trickle down his face.

  "No wonder you carry it like a brick," Kaden dryly commented, watching her push her way through his men.

  Lina didn't even laugh at his joke. Instead, Lina hailed down a taxi. A car immediately rolled up to her side, for this was the start of rush hour. Lina could hear the sound of Kaden taking a gun from his men.

  Before Kaden could aim for the tire, Lina stepped in front of it.

  "You underestimate my aim, dove."

  "I should really kick you in the balls," Lina cursed under her breath.

  "Kinky."

  "Crazy," Lina bit out.

  Lina threw the taxi door open and slid inside.

  "Step on it. To the Limitless Art Gallery," Lina instructed.

  Through the corner of her eyes, Lina saw Kaden approach her. She rolled down the window, flashed him a middle finger.

  Kaden loudly laughed. Lina shivered. The sound wrapped around her like an icy blanket. She had never heard something that hollow. It was like standing at the bottom of the well and glancing up to see the night sky. No light at the end of the tunnel. Just nothing but eternal darkness.

  That was all that Lina remembered of Kaden—an abyss of lost hope——

  "Mr. Leur, what brings you here?"

  The second Lina walked into her gallery filled with touring guests, she saw him. Entries to her art galleries were limited, with tickets frequently booked. She slowly blinked, glancing around her surroundings.

  "Did you change your perfume?" Mr. Leur returned, glancing at her.

  Lina gazed upon the sculpture he was observing. This was one of her favorite pieces. A frail woman was holding a flower above her with two hands, her head lowered, but her face filled with hatred. One could never tell if she forcibly was giving the flower away or accepting it as a reluctant gift.

  Symbolic, that was the name.

  Lina found it a bit cringe, but she did love cheesy things.

  "You smell of gunpowder and… blood?"

  Lina glanced at her purse, where the black material hid traces of what she did. Lina knew Kaden paid his people well enough for there to be benefits like covered hospital bills. Lord knows his employee need it, especially with how many assassinations attempt occur upon Kaden.

  "It's all the rage these days amongst ladies, haven't you heard?" Lina responded in a light voice.

  "'Course not, do I look like a lady?"

  Lina's lips twitched in amusement. She slightly smiled to the ground, tucked her arms behind her and raised her head to glance at him. She blinked. Mr. Leur was watching her the entire time, like a sailor captured by a siren.

  "You're just so beautiful, Director. Hard to believe you'll only be tied down to one man when you can have many."

  "Words like that make me throw up in my mouth," Lina deadpanned.

  "Good."

  Lina rolled her eyes. Something about Mr. Leur's teasing nature reminded her of her younger brother, Milo, even though the vampire was as old as time. Milo, on the other hand, turned out to be a rebellious young man. Ever since Lina left the family, he turned his attention to obscure joy. Women over working, alcohol over gaming, his heart grew numb.

  "I saw your younger brother at a club my friend owns," Mr. Leur informed her. "He was with some woman."

  "That'd be the fifth one of this week and it's only Monday," Lina dryly said.

  "Such a promising young man," Mr. Leur softly sighed. "He is a Yang, he could have anything he wanted, but chose this path. I wonder why."

  Pressure.

  Lina knew Lawrence's influence never died over the family. With Lina gone, Milo was Lawrence's latest obsession. Without a word, Lina took out her phone.

  "What are you doing?" Mr. Leur mused.

  "Deleting you from my contact list."

  "Awh, why?" Mr. Leur laughed. "Found out who the friend is?"

  Lina softly chuckled. With a shake of her head, she glanced at him. "I've always known."

  "Lies."

  "You know me best, Mr. Leur."

  Mr. Leur's eyes crinkled with his amusing smile. "So the facade is gone?"

  "Is it Atlantis or Kaden?"

  "What if it's neither?" Mr. Leur returned.

  Lina slowly blinked. If it was neither of them, who else could it be? Lina lowered her phone. Mr. Leur revealed a large grin.

  "I'm one of your highest paying clients, don't lose me over personal emotions, Director. You're better than that."

  Who was it? Who was Mr. Leur working for? Lina knew she got his money from his wealthy aristocratic mother. Vampires were always from old money. Humans were new cash. Lina licked her bottom lips. Mr. Leur gazed at the small emotion, smirked to himself, and returned his attention to the statue.

  Lina's heart slowly fell. Of course. It was either Atlantis or Kaden. She had a miscalculation. How could it be either of these two fools? They could barely breathe without banging their chest like King Kong, declaring Lina as their property. And they'd hate to let their trophy go to a servant.

  "A woman," Lina breathed out.

  "Well, by the dress, ample breasts, and long hair, I'd think the statue was a woman too, Director. You make great observations," Mr. Leur agreed with a purposeful nod of his head. He curled a finger under his chin and starred the art piece down.

  "I can never get you to sell this to me," Mr. Leur sighed. "Even though it is my mother's favorite. Won't you at least auction it off for charity?"

  Lina's head began to spin. Who was it? Which woman was he working for? She knew many powerful women, whether it was Isabelle, Krystal, or even the Queen of Wraith, Adeline.

  "Ah, that must be my good friend," Mr. Leur stated, glancing down at his buzzing phone. He saw the contact, let out a wistful sigh, and gazed at her with disappointment.

  "I was hoping to discuss commissioning a sculpture today, a gift to myself for hitting my conquest target of one hundred women. But I suppose that is for another time," Mr. Leur informed her.

  His phone buzzed. When he saw the photo, he let out a slight laugh. What a pitiful sight.

  "By the way, Director, you should pick up your brother. He's intoxicated in broad daylight," Mr. Leur said, showing the photo to her.

  Lina could feel her blood run cold. In the same club that she was drugged, Milo was slumped on the coach, arm on the ground, and another limply holding up a glass of alcohol.

  "Don't abandon him the same way you abandoned your childhood."

  With that said, Mr. Leur turned and headed for the door. He waved over his shoulder, holding back a humored smile, and set foot outside. The second he did so, his smile died down.

  The grim reaper was standing right infront of him.