Chapter # 20

'Mhm!" With a never ending scowl, Nathaniel was staring at the video of Zariah tied up, struggling endlessly to move. The blood of her mother was staining her body, evoking repulsion as how heartlessly they killed her only family member. And there she was, witnessing her fresh blood flowing out uncontrollably. She couldn't move an inch due to restraints and a fiery fire in her eyes, swearing to rip them apart for this. 'I told you this was a trap," Sighing, Nathaniel shook his head in disappointment and called Zoran with a deep frown. He certainly won't let anything happen to Zariah. But couldn't trust Zoran's intentions nor actions. 'Hello?" 'Did what you wanted, huh?" Nathaniel's slightly enraged tone came. Three buttons of his black shirt were opened. One hand pushing his brown locks behind with roughly rolled sleeves. Allowing his hair to scattered on his forehead, visible exasperation came to his handsome features. 'Look what your beloved apprentice did to you, Nathaniel, you had blind faith in him huh? That he would not betray you," Zoran snickered, proud of himself that he stole an important man from Nathaniel and would soon steal everyone else. 'So sad, I guess, money can change faith," He continued to piss him off. Nathaniel's jaw clenched, rolling his eyes. 'What do you want in return for Zariah?" Plopping himself on the couch, he leaned back using a bored tone, earning a staggered stare from De Villiers as much crazy as he was, he did not display wrath. Strange. Resting his one leg over the other and other hand extending towards the headrest, he asserted his dominance. He had no interest in talking to him. 'Let me think… whole trade of Italy," Zoran demanded. 'That belongs to her, not my possession," 'Don't lie, both Italy, Germany and France are yours, the rest of Europe belongs to Sebastian," Zoran hissed. Mentioning the countries Nathaniel owned as the Plague Doctor. He might have died yet the control of it was in his hands. 'And the whole middle east is in Zaviyaar's hands so if you are two minutes late in a decision, you will lose your life," Nathaniel snickered back. Zoran was also doing this because he needed power, else it would be a matter of time when Zaviyaar would launch an attack and obliterate him. 'I won't die alone, I have your beloved with me too," Zoran smirked in return. 'Try it," Nathaniel's confidence was infuriating Nathaniel, he expected anger, he expected senselessness but received none. 'Accept it, Nathaniel, Elton has betrayed you. Zariah's life is in my hands. You have to accept your defeat," 'Fine. Whatever, what are your conditions?" He hummed monotonously. Inclining his head against the headrest, closing his eyes to think in how many ways he could torment them. 'I told you, I want the authority of Italy," 'And I told you to take it if you can," Nathaniel shrugged. 'You know I can't," 'Then you are merely weak, Zoran" Earning a mocking chuckle from him, infuriating him at the degradation. He never considered him worthy of his attention. 'A stain on the name of aces, I guess new ones cannot compete with the old ones." 'And besides, playing dirty is your trait. Why don't you try before I find your father and start ripping his bones again?" He offered darkly. Knowing each time Nathaniel would lose his mind… he would take it out on Zoran's father. 'Do you even care about Zariah?" 'Why don't we find out?" Cutting the call, he threw his phone away, muttering a curse under his breath that he tested his non-existent mercy with them. 'Damn, now I want-" He was about to call Zaviyaar but stopped, slamming his hand down. 'Fuck, I have released Guru too. How am I supposed to release my wrath now?" Closing his eyes, he rubbed his temples, knowing his two best people were staring at him. Once again, failing to comprehend his personality while he was gradually gaining his posture and turned to his best friend. 'De Villiers," De Villiers narrowed his eyes to which Nathaniel started to whistle, indicating he would cause destruction as they gulped in dread. 'Now, I not only want Zariah back," Gathering an malicious aura of dominance, he rose from his seat, whistling with his hands in his pocket and glanced over his shoulders. 'But also the whole authority of India in my hands," 'What are you saying? East or Asia is not our expertise, that would be equal to challenging Zaviyaar, he knows the market there," De Villiers argued, accompanied by Amanda. 'De Villiers is right, except for India, all other gangs and legions there are in Zaviyaar's control, if we will pop there, it would cause troubles," Nathaniel arched an eyebrow devilishly, 'Who said I want it for myself?" They exchanged nervous glances as he chuckled darkly. ‘If he thinks I will let him win then he was gravely mistaken.' Nathaniel thought, concealing his wrath. Curling his hands in a fist, he rested them in his pockets. 'And… Zariah?" De Villiers asked vaguely. 'I made incredible efforts to hold the privilege of some good moments with Zari, do you think I will let anyone steal it away?" 'Boss-" 'Don't worry, this is going according to my plan, De Villiers," To that statement, he received a hissed from De Villiers. He was suspecting this already. 'So you are using Zariah, right?" 'Depends upon point of view, I don't think I am, I didn't force her to save her mother, did I?" He replied nonchalantly, grabbing his phone and doing some work. 'Still, this is wrong," He argued. 'I have no explanation to provide you, De Villiers," At his nonchalance, De Villiers got enraged, never explaining his intentions, always planning something lethal, taking lives for granted. 'What is wrong with you? What are you becoming?" Nathaniel exhaled, facing him partially with transparent confusion on his face, placing his phone back. 'First for Zariah, you killed Issac and Axel, became insane then you stumbled the balance of the whole underworld last year," Growling, De Villiers continued angrily, done with his games too. 'Then you set Guru free too. Took France from Sebastian, gave it to me and hid here, in Amsterdam. What exactly is happening to you?" To his series of complaints, Nathaniel liberated an uneven breath. '... To be honest, De Villiers," Loosening his shoulders and displaying a deeply grieved expression as if he was exhausted. 'I don't know myself," 'Then I was wrong," 'Hmm?" 'You haven't become like this. You were always like this, before your objective you see nothing," De Villiers snarled. Frowning at the statement because not once he saw himself from the perspective. He moved closer, wanting to hear what ‘selfishness' he did. 'Elaborate," 'You entered this world for Zariah, you did everything for it, right?" He nodded, 'Okay, one, it was a promise, I never liked it," 'Then you married her to save her from Issac, you broke her terribly but that didn't change your objective of freeing her," 'Okay… second, it was to save her," And he wrapped his intention with another reason. 'Faking your execution as the plague doctor," 'What are you trying to prove by saying all this?" 'That you are selfish as fuck, you don't care about anything except your goals!" Nathaniel snapped, 'So what!?" 'De Villiers, please," Amanda gasped at the friend's rage and held De Villiers back, not wanting to lose him just in a few months of their marriage. 'No, Amanda, he is always like this. Does whatever he wants, doesn't care about his life, about himself, Zariah this, Zariah that, my fucking promise, save her," 'Exactly. All my dreams, goals, ambitions, are linked to her. I have one aim of my own- revenge. Everything else is for Zari. What's so selfish about it!?" Nathaniel snarled, curling his hand in a fist. He never considered his actions in a way De Villiers placed, he labeled them as the work of a worshiper. And upon his feelings being belittled, it made him outraged. 'What if my actions were linked to Zariah, good, bad, worse?" 'Exactly. Where are you? Where is your life in this?" De Villiers' voice broke which Nathaniel ignored, turning his head again. 'I just want revenge from Guru and his fucking family, nothing else is for me. Does that make me self-centered? And what if-" His voice broke a little which he hid by swallowing hard. "What if I used her as a medium to enter India? I needed a reason to step on that land. As long as Sufiyan was there, I couldn't. Now he is gone, this is my chance." Nathaniel enunciated, slamming his hand on the wall due to a powerlessness. He did not intend to but it all occurred unwillingly. "She just happened to come in between, she wanted to help anyways," Taking a deep breath, De Villiers scoffed, 'Mark my words." With a fire and hatred against Zariah in his eyes, De Villiers knew this path Nathaniel led was extremely wrong and won't end up well. 'This woman will become the end of you," Nathaniel smirked hysterically in return, 'Good. I want that too. Now, if you are coming or not?" De Villiers opened his mouth to argue and curse him but seeing the madness in his eyes, his mouth was left hanging. 'Damn it, you know me I can't leave you. You need someone to control you," De Villiers coated his worry and folded his arms at his chest with a rude mutter. 'How could the Plague Doctor's sniper not join him?" 'And his torture specialist?" Amanda smiled nervously, holding De Villiers' arm. 'Too bad you are stuck here with me in this life, De Villiers," Nathaniel smirked, knowing he had nowhere to go. 'I swear, if you weren't my brother-like and only friend, I would have either killed you or betrayed you first," 'Try it,"