Suddenly, Antonio's fists pounded into the guard's face and body, each blow landing with a sickening thud. The guard's cries of pain and pleas for mercy were drowned out by Antonio's rage, his anger, and fear for Angela's safety were consuming him. The guard's face was a bloody mess, his eyes swelling shut, his nose broken, and his teeth knocked out. Still, Antonio couldn't stop, his fury and helplessness driving him to keep punching. Kerry was still in the corner of the room, sobbing as she listened to their intense confrontation and pleas. She had no idea what her fate would be, as all she could see was darkness. Somehow she was panicking about Angela's situation and the twins too. They are her family after all, she had her heartbreaking at the thought of Angela and the twins being killed and their body disposed of.
"Please, pardon me, my sister…(sobs loudly) tell me, is she still alive?" Antonio's eyes darted towards her. His fists covered with the blood from the brutal beating he gave to the guard. He felt his heart skip at the question and a sudden heaviness gripped his chest. "Of course she must be alive!" Antonio's voice roared. "No one! No one will dare hurt her! Not as long as I live!" His eyes were close to a demon's at this point. No one could describe his emotions. Fear, anger, frustration, anxiety, sadness… Kerry sighed in relief after hearing his reply. "I know I am not in position to say this…but thank you for loving my sister Mr. Antonio… I have been a burden to her… I was so jealous that…"
"Save your trash apologies for your sister's ears only," Antonio said distastefully. Then his eyes went back to the guard. "How much were you paid for this nonsense?" Antonio's voice was cold, detached. The guard hesitated, knowing he was in grave danger, he dare not lie that he wasn't paid by Damon. "T-twenty thousand dollars, sir." Antonio's expression turned glacial. "You sold out my trust for twenty thousand dollars?" The guard nodded, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry. I was desperate, I needed the money…" Antonio's grip on the guard's collar tightened, his anger boiling over. "I paid you a good amount of wages, yet you were unsatisfied. You're going to regret ever crossing me," he snarled, his voice dripping with venom.
A gunshot was heard, then another. Kerry screamed on top of her voice in terror. Outside the dark room, the maids heard the gunshots and started panicking. One of the maids, out of breath, rushed into Antonio's grandmother, Elizabeth's mansion to inform her. Grandma Elizabeth was having a discussion with Antonio's cousin Courtney before the maid broke into the room. "Pardon me for breaking into the room this way." She bowed. Grandma Elizabeth looked up at the maid concerned. Courtney was also curious about the situation. "Speak, what is it?" She ordered. The maid's urgent voice cut through the tranquility.
"Young master Antonio had arrived. He's been hitting with one of the guards in the dark room. And there were gunshots." Grandma's expression turned grave, her eyes clouding with concern. Courtney's grin faltered, her eyes wide with worry. The room, once filled with laughter, was now tense with foreboding. "Antonio arrived? When?" Grandma Elizabeth asked, her voice laced with a mix of concern and authority. "Few minutes ago, ma'am." Mama Elizabeth and Antonio's cousin, Courtney, exchanged questionable glances. "What exactly happened?" Courtney asked the maid.
The maid hesitated, her eyes darting between the two women. "I think…it’s…it’s about lady Angela. She's…she's been taken." Grandma Elizabeth’s eyes widened in shock, her hands instinctively reaching for her rosary. Courtney's eyes went wide with disbelief, her mouth agape. "No, no, no," Grandma Elizabeth whispered, her voice trembling. "This can't be happening. How is it possible? Angela is a sweet girl." Courtney's eyes snapped back to the maid. "Who took her? When did this happen?"
"I have no idea, my lady, but young master Antonio was really furious, he…he attacked one of the guards and there were gunshots…we were concerned for young master's sake that's why I came to let you know, my lady." The maid's voice was laced with fear. Grandma Elizabeth's face crumpled, her body sagging under the weight of the news. Courtney noticed and rushed to her side, wrapping her arms around her to calm her down. "We have to call the authorities," she said, her voice firm. "We have to get Angela back."
But Grandma Elizabeth's eyes were filled with a deep sadness, a resignation. "It's not that simple. Antonio has a lot of enemies, and they won't hesitate to hurt Angela or even kill her. That's the only way to get to Antonio…I could imagine the pain he must be feeling at this moment…my poor little fox," she replied, her eyes brimming with tears. "I have to stop Antonio from killing the said guard before he regrets it," Courtney suggested and stood up. "Take me to the dark room," she instructed the maid.
"Wait," Grandma Elizabeth spoke softly. "I should go with you, Antonio is very stubborn in times like this," Grandma Elizabeth added. Courtney nodded in agreement. Mama Elizabeth was helped onto her wheelchair and the trio hastened towards the scene of the chaos. They could hear Antonio's enraged roar, and the guards' cries of pain also, surprisingly, there was a third voice that sounded like a lady's scream too. Grandma Elizabeth instructed the guard at the entrance of the secret room to open the door. He obeyed instantly.
As they stepped in, they saw Antonio, his face contorted in fury, pummeling the guard's bloody face. Who had his two legs crippled from the gunshot, bleeding heavily and near unconscious? Then their eyes went to the young woman bound, crying in the corner of the room. At first, Grandma Elizabeth was frozen in shock, unsure of how to intervene. Finally, she found her voice. "Antonio, stop! Please, stop immediately, you will kill him, he needs medical attention!" she snapped in anger.
"Who the hell let you in here?" Antonio replied slowly, almost exhausted from his rage…after hitting the guard’s face into an amoeba. His cousin, Courtney, rushed and grabbed his arm, trying to pull him away. "Please Antonio! You're going to kill him!" Antonio's gaze, wild with rage, turned to his cousin. "Get your filthy hands off me, bitch!"
"Antonio, I understand your pain, but this anger is never the solution please …do you think Angela will be happy to see you this way?" Antonio scoffed and let go of the guard. "Like she would care!" The guard, broken and battered, lay motionless on the ground. Courtney went to the guard to check on him. "Courtney quick, call the medicals," Grandma instructed her. She nodded and left the room. Grandma Elizabeth turned to Antonio.
"Who is the young woman?"
"I am… Angela's sister, Kerry," Kerry replied, hoping she will be freed. That answer was unexpected, it took her by surprise. Angela's sister? She turned to Antonio, her confused face asking a lot of questions. "What's going on here, Antonio, why? Why is Angela's sister in your dark room and bound up like a captive?" Antonio walked to a dispenser and got a glass of chilled water to quench his thirst.