Chapter 16: Slap Orabela
Lucius had his elbow rested on the armrest of the chair while his right leg rested on his left thigh.
"Lucius, it’s late at night. I wonder what happened which forced you to come here at this hour. I hope Layla isn’t giving you any kind of trouble," said Darius in his humble tone.
Lucius’s piercing eyes remained fixed on the two women before him as he ignored the question. "Who is Seraphina among you?" His voice was low, cutting through the silence with a quiet authority.
Darius and Miriam exchanged worried glances before their eyes shifted to the woman standing nervously at their left.
"I am," Seraphina answered, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hands were clasped tightly together, and she fidgeted nervously under Lucius’s unrelenting gaze.
Darius’s brow furrowed as he turned to her, his tone dropping to a worried hush, "What did you do?"
Before Seraphina could answer, Lucius’s voice sliced through the air again, commanding the room. "Stay quiet, both of you!" His tone left no room for argument, and both Darius and Miriam lowered their heads in submission, pursing their lips to keep silent.
Lucius’s voice cut through the tense air, calm but deadly. "Orabela, come forward and give me your phone," he demanded, his eyes narrowing with cold calculation.
"What?" Orabela snapped, her voice rising in defiance. "You can’t just demand someone’s phone!" Her tone was sharp, but fear flickered in her eyes.
Lucius didn’t even flinch. "Roger," he called, his right-hand man stepping forward with a silent nod. Without a word, Roger extended his hand toward Orabela, gesturing for the phone. When she refused, his patience ran out. He seized it from her with swift force.
"How dare you—ahhh!" Orabela’s words were cut short as a gunshot rang out. The bullet hit a vase behind her, shattering it into pieces. Her scream echoed in the room, along with panicked gasps from the others.