MAFIA LOVE SCANDAL

The car that Kaivan was riding in has just arrived at the courtyard of the Pullman building in Canary Wharf. Canary Wharf itself is a business district located in London, United Kingdom. This district is one of the two major financial districts in London that features many of the tallest buildings in the United Kingdom.

Mike, who was accompanying Kaivan, quickly exited the car and promptly opened the door, allowing his superior to get out. They then confidently entered the building to meet their business associates who were waiting.

Inside the building, Harold Van Douglas, a Dutch entrepreneur and the owner of Intercontinental Group, was already present. This group owns a well-known network of malls and shopping centers in mainland Europe. The 40-year-old man had specifically come to the UK to oversee his new mall construction project in the London area. Additionally, he intended to establish a business partnership with Kaivan’s Four Season Inc to expand his business reach.

“Welcome, Mr. Maximilian. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” greeted Harold as he extended his hand to shake Kaivan’s.

“I’m also pleased to be invited by someone like Harold Van Douglas,” Kaivan replied, shaking Harold’s hand and smiling. They both then entered an exclusive lounge to start their business discussion.

During their meeting, Kaivan’s phone rang a few times. Glancing briefly, he noticed several colleagues were trying to contact him. Wanting to maintain his focus, he temporarily turned off his phone and asked his assistant to keep it while he was in the meeting.

“Then, we agree to choose Westfield Stratford City as the location for building the largest shopping mall in the United Kingdom,” Harold said, signing the provided business agreement.

Kaivan responded with a smile and a nod. He received the document that Harold had signed and proceeded to do the same. “I believe Stratford City is the perfect place to build a business empire. I’m even confident that the shopping mall we’re building together will attract a lot of attention,” Kaivan said earnestly.

After concluding their discussion and signing agreements, they both stood up. Now, it was time for them to enjoy a lunch while continuing to discuss business matters.

“Thank you very much for the hospitality, Mr. Harold. See you next month in Amsterdam. I can’t wait to have my wife join us on the trip to your country,” Kaivan said with great enthusiasm.

“Of course,” Harold replied. “My wife and I will be happy to host both of you again.”

Kaivan nodded and got ready to leave the building. “Well then, I’ll take my leave. Thank you again for your time.”

Entering the car, Kaivan glanced at his wristwatch, and it showed three in the afternoon. He smiled, realizing that he would be able to reach the hotel earlier than anticipated. He guessed Anne would be pleased to see him returning earlier than expected.

To inform his wife, Kaivan retrieved his phone from his suit pocket. As he turned on the device, intending to contact Anne, a text message came in. Quickly, he opened the message, realizing it was from Anne. He was sure that she was trying to find him as he had deliberately turned off his phone earlier.

Slowly, Kaivan swiped the phone screen and began to read Anne’s message.

Anna Maria: [Kai, where are you?]

Kaivan immediately smiled after reading Anne’s message. His assumption was correct; his wife was indeed searching for him.

However, the smile didn’t last long. It faded as he received another message, this time a voice note from Anne.

Anna Maria: [voice note] “Kai… Where are you? For God’s sake, contact me as soon as you hear this voice message.”

Kaivan’s face turned panicked. He sensed that something was wrong with his wife. Without wasting any time, he decided to call back. Unfortunately, Anne’s phone was unreachable this time.

“Mike, speed up the vehicle. I need to get to the hotel as soon as possible,” Kaivan commanded.

Mike, who was calmly seated in the front, followed the order. He instructed Kaivan’s personal driver to accelerate the car so that they could reach their destination quickly.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Kaivan quickly exited the car and hurriedly made his way to his room. Mike, feeling that something was amiss, followed his boss from behind.

“Darling…” Kaivan called out upon reaching the room. “Where are you?” he asked.

Repeatedly calling out without receiving an answer increased Kaivan’s worry. He searched every corner of the room, trying to find his wife. Eventually, his deep blue eyes accidentally fell upon a piece of paper lying on the nightstand.

Curious about what was written there, Kaivan grabbed it and read the words carefully.

Kai, where are you?

I’ve tried to reach you many times, but I’ve always failed.

.

By the time you read this, I assure you that I’m very far away from you.

I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye. There’s an emergency mission that I absolutely have to complete. Please understand my situation.

.

Forgive my sudden departure.

I beg you, wait for me.

I won’t say goodbye, because I’m sure that someday, we will meet again.

.

From me who loves you.

Anna Maria

.

Kaivan’s face turned pale. Unconsciously, his body slumped to the floor. He had completely lost control over himself and didn’t know what to do anymore.

Being left by the woman he cared for deeply left Kaivan visibly frustrated. Mike, who was still standing there, saw his boss close his eyes tightly multiple times. Perhaps he was struggling to hold back the surge of sadness that was overwhelming him.

“Mike…” Kaivan whispered suddenly. “Contact Hans and Dominique. Tell them to come to the hotel immediately. I need to find out where my wife is right now!”

****

Anne and her partner had just set foot in Italy. Exiting the airport, they quickly got into a waiting car and sped off to the location where Giorgino was being held captive.

A few hours earlier, the Sicilian faction responsible for Giorgino’s capture had sent a short message. They provided an address where Anne and her partner could find Giorgino’s whereabouts.

After a journey of about 45 minutes, the car they were in arrived at a secluded district on the outskirts of an Italian city.

Earlier, the mafia group had attempted to negotiate with them. They offered a deal to exchange Giorgino’s life for an important chip that Anne had been safeguarding. They argued that they wouldn’t harm Anne or any other M16 agents and would even forget the battle if they complied with their demand.

Anne, who hadn’t budged from the car, rechecked all her gear. She made sure that all the weapons she carried were ready for use.

“I’m not sure about this negotiation,” the man next to Anne said as he loaded bullets into his pistol. “You know how cunning the mafia out there can be. Some might keep their promises, but still hurt their enemies first so they can’t retaliate later.”

Anne turned to him and nodded, acknowledging his words. “Yes, we have to stay cautious. Let’s follow their game for now. When an opportunity arises, seize it and rescue the hostage. Then, do our best to defeat any enemies that get in our way.”

After preparing their gear, they both got out of the car. They began to search the area until they finally reached a warehouse where Giorgino was being held.

There, they were greeted by a group of armed men. One of them initiated a conversation. “Welcome. Let’s not waste time. Do you have the chip we asked for?” asked the tall and burly man.NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.

Anne nodded in her position and pointed to the pendant she was wearing. “I have it. But before I give you the chip, show me where Giorgino is. We won’t give you what you want until we see the agent we’re looking for with our own eyes.”

The man across from Anne smiled. He clapped his hands shortly and two others entered the building, bringing with them a captive whose face was hidden and hands were bound.

“Uncover his face,” the large man instructed his companions.

When the face covering was removed, Anne saw her father right in front of her. The middle-aged man looked downhearted, but he managed to smile as if assuring her that he was alright.

“What you want, we’ve complied. So, hand over the chip. I’ll then release this old man,” Anne agreed. She cautiously walked forward, ready to hand over what was requested.

“Please check first. I’m afraid you might not believe what I’m giving you,” Anne said sarcastically. She then stepped back to her initial position.

Meanwhile, the mafia members took the chip to inspect it. They used a specialized device to confirm its contents.

Anne waited for a while until one of the mafia members ensured that the chip contained what they were looking for.

“I’ve given you what you wanted. Now, hand over our agent peacefully.”

The large man immediately signaled his comrades to untie Giorgino’s legs and uncover his face. Carefully, one of them led Giorgino toward Anna Maria.

With what they wanted secured, Anne swiftly escorted Giorgino into the car and drove away.

With all the anticipation, Anne and her partner were certain that escaping from the mafia’s territory wouldn’t be easy. It was evident that just a few kilometers into their drive, their car was once again being pursued. One of the vehicles managed to match their speed.

“Anne… be prepared. I’m sure a gunfight will break out shortly,” the man next to Anne warned again.

And it didn’t take long before their car was blocked. Without much thought, the three of them, including Giorgino, immediately went into a defensive stance, ready for a fight.

Gunfire echoed as they exited the car, engaging in a battle. They displayed teamwork and combat skills to defend themselves. Anne expended countless bullets attacking the increasing number of enemies, who seemed to keep coming.

“We’re running low on ammo. I’m certain we won’t be able to push them all back,” Anne whispered as the three of them took cover behind the parked car.

“Anne…” Now it was Giorgino who spoke. “You should get out of here. Go to MI6 headquarters and seek help. Show them my ID card so they can confirm the validity of your report.” Giorgino spoke as he handed over his identification card. “Let us two handle them afterward to divert their attention.”

Anne took the ID card but instead of leaving, she handed it to the man next to Giorgino.

“This time, you go. I’ll stay here.”

“But, Anne-”

“Go quickly! Find Kaivan and ask him for help. I told you before, only he and his friends can assist us in fighting the Sicilian mafia.”

The man in front of Anne fell silent, hesitating to leave, frustrating Anne even more.

“Hurry! Before we all get captured. And don’t forget, the original chip is still in Kaivan’s room. You need to hand it directly to the higher-ups at MI6.”

The man’s eyebrows furrowed.

“What do you mean?”

Anne nodded decisively.

“What we gave them earlier was just a temporary duplicate. The data on the backup chip will disappear within 24 hours.”

Indeed, Anne had anticipated all of this. She knew dealing with the mafia wouldn’t be easy. They were notorious for being cunning and untrustworthy in negotiations. That’s why Anne took the initiative to copy the data from the chip she had. She handed them a duplicate to deceive the enemy, while the original chip was intentionally left in Kaivan’s room for him to discover.

“Goodness, you’re really clever, Anna Maria. I’ll go find help then.”

Anne nodded. She and Giorgino were ready to divert their attention. In a count of three, they both stood up. They once again unleashed a barrage of gunfire at the enemy ahead, utilizing the remaining energy they had to continue resisting. Meanwhile, one of them attempted to slip away unnoticed and find help.

At first, Anne and Giorgino managed to control the battle. However, it didn’t last long. The enemies returned with reinforcements, overpowering Anne and Giorgino. Eventually, they couldn’t keep up and were captured.