Chapter 4

-Hades Then again, I saw her falling back to sleep peacefully like a baby. God! I loved this woman madly! She took my heart when she was just seven. I still remember the night that was painted in my memory. It wasn't easy to become a murderer at the age of twelve something. I lost my parents at a very young age. My mother died in a car accident, and my father, unable to bear the pain, took his own life right in front of me. I was the lucky one, the only one who survived. But surviving wasn’t really living. Watching the people I loved slip away before my eyes felt like a death sentence. Since then, something darker, far beyond the shadows, had taken root inside me. I was fortunate to fall into the underworld—it made surviving easier. Kill, get paid, eat, sleep, repeat. But that wasn’t enough. I promised myself I’d build my own empire. And I began to plot. Because of my age, they never saw me as a threat. That made it easy. One day, I slipped into their ranks and poisoned their food. Thirty men—more—died before my eyes, vomiting blood, choking on their final breaths. I felt nothing. No remorse, no pity. Only wicked pleasure at their suffering. It was then I realized: they had killed the child inside me. But I was out of luck that day. A few members were alive and they caught me red-handed. I was beaten brutally by the group. I was half dead when they put me in a cage like a dog. They wanted to torture me more but they had to move the bodies of their companions first. I was lying like a wounded dog in the cage, whimpering in pain. Right at that time, little Lexi appeared in front of my eyes like an angel from heaven. She was at first curious then asked innocently, "Are you...hurt? Uhh.. so much blood..." I could barely give her any answer because of the pain. She peered at me curiously and then asked again, "Ummm...are...are you locked here? Do…you… want to get out?" I finally managed to mutter a few words, lifting my head up slowly, "Heee..llll..ppp..meeeee..." Thankfully she understood the meaning and unlocked the cage door for me. Then she gave her little hands to drag me outside. I saw a small shining face with all the beauty of the world. She wasn't scared of me or the blood a little bit. Everyone in my group called me a ' little monster ' as I became a killing machine at a young age. I murmured with a smile, mesmerized to see her innocence, "Thank...you..." She huffed then looked at my wounds again, her eyes tearing up, "You are hurt..." I consoled her, wandering my eyes to find the exit, "It's nothing, Bella. Go back to the house. I have to leave immediately." Dragging my feet, I started heading to the front gate when she shouted at my back. "There are people...That...left side has a back door, little brother. Go that way. " Smart girl! She understood that I was in danger! I smiled at her and ruffled her hair after walking back to her, "grazie, angelo mio. I will never forget your help." She pouted her lips and asked back innocently, "Humph! You will forget me too. My big sister says that people forget everything when they are big… like daddy..." I laughed at her words and promised, that her beautiful smile would take all the pain away from me, "I keep my word. You are stuck with me forever, Bella. Now be a good girl and go back to the house." She watched me leave silently. I wouldn't have been alive without her help that day. It wasn't a favor to return to her. I fell in love with the girl who showed me her kindness when the whole world was standing against me, pushing me down, and making a monster that everyone loathed. There was my little Lexi! Now a grown-up woman! I found her right after I came back to the city. She was always mine from the beginning. No one had the right to take her away from me, not even her own father. I stamped her as mine when I got out of the gate. An angel like her deserved the best. I called Hunters after she fell asleep deeply. Hunters were taking care of Margery. I could tell that he had something special for Margery. Hunters answered the call a few times, "Find out everything about Lexi's past. I think I am missing out on something." Hunters replied, his tone sounding low, "Got it. I will let you know as soon as I find out anything." I hummed softly and sat back on the couch, watching her sleep from a distance. An hour later, Hunters called me again. "Margery just told me, something…uhh… weird." I narrowed my eyes and urged him to speak more, "Go ahead! Is it something about Lexi?" Hunters responded in a hushed voice. "Yes! I mean..she just said that Lexi has lost a few years of her memory. The reason is unknown. She is too drunk to say anything. I just managed to spill this out of her mouth." I hummed before ending the call and fell into deep thoughts. What happened to her when I was abroad? With the thought lingering in my mind, I fell asleep on the couch. By the time I woke up in the morning, I saw the room empty. A blanket was wrapped over my body carefully. She left a small note on the table with the ' Thank you ' note. I smiled at her concern for me. That was the reason that I loved her deeply. She always treated me like a human, not like a monster as everyone claimed. This soft side for me was the main reason that drove me crazy for her. I called Hunters again to remind him. "I don't care but I need to know who Lexi's next husband is and how she lost her memory.”