CHAPTER 65: 65

I stepped on the accelerator, my foot pressing down with increasing desperation. Each second felt like an eternity as I willed myself to reach Nix in the next blink of an eye. But the faster I pushed, the more the road seemed to stretch a cruel, infinite expanse mocking my efforts. Frustration clawed at my resolve as I slammed on the brake, yearning for a moment of reprieve, to calm the storm in my chest.

Panic clawed at the edges of my mind, a sensation I hadn’t felt in months, but it surged now with a vengeance. I could feel my pulse in my throat, heavy and erratic, as my body betrayed me. My breath hitched, a suffocating tightness spreading through my chest. I pressed harder on the brake pedal, but the car didn’t respond. It ignored me, defying my will.

For a moment, disbelief froze me in place, and then a bitter smile spread across my lips. Of course. Why would anything work in my favor now? My vision blurred as I caught sight of the truck approaching from the opposite lane. Its headlights pierced through the growing haze, bearing down on me like a predator locked onto its prey.

The world around me became a chaotic swirl a watercolor of light and sound bleeding together in frantic disarray. My knuckles whitened as I gripped the steering wheel, my heartbeat roaring in my ears, drowning out all coherent thought.

"No, no, no..." The words tumbled from my lips, barely audible over the engine’s roar and the wind howling through the open window.

I stole a glance in the rearview mirror, the image of the steep mountain road behind me hauntingly clear. It was a cruel reminder of how far I’d come and how little it mattered now. My stomach churned as I spotted the sharp curve ahead a hairpin turn bordered by a fragile guardrail, its thin metal mocking the forces bearing down on it.

The truck grew closer, its blaring horn slicing through the chaos. The sound was guttural, primal, reverberating through my ribcage and silencing the scream caught in my throat.

The dashboard lights cast an eerie, sickly glow on my face, reflecting the pale mask of terror I wore. My thoughts, once focused and clear, are now fragmented into shards of regret and fear: my unfulfilled quest for justice for my mother, the dreams I had abandoned, and Nix... His rare, fleeting smile, a sight I cherished but could never be the cause of.

And then, as if summoned by my desperation, the voice of his demon echoed in my mind, a cruel reminder of the choices I had made.

"Let’s make a deal," Nix demon had said, his tone cold and unyielding.

"About what?" I had asked, feigning indifference, though the weight of his gaze felt like a chain tightening around my neck.

"We both know Nix deserves better. He doesn’t deserve a flaw like me, and he doesn’t need a weakness like you," the demon had sneered, his words as sharp as a blade.

"You’re right about one thing," I had snapped, my voice trembling with controlled fury. "He doesn’t deserve a flaw like you. But as for me being his weakness, I suggest you rethink that."

The demon had smiled, a slow, calculated curve of his lips that chilled me to my core. "This isn’t up for debate. I’ll leave Nix forever but only if you do the same. Let him rise as the dynasty ruler, free of us both. Otherwise..."

His unfinished sentence had lingered, a threat heavy with implication. And now, as the truck bore down on me, that decision felt oddly liberating.

The collision was instant, violent, and all-consuming. Metal shrieked and groaned as it crumpled, the force of the impact flinging the car like a child’s toy. Shards of glass exploded inward, cutting into my skin with a sharp sting. The acrid stench of burning rubber and gasoline filled my lungs, choking me as my body slammed against the seatbelt.

Pain radiated through me, sharp and all-encompassing. Time seemed to shatter, each second stretching into an eternity. My head snapped forward, the collision sending a nauseating shockwave through my skull. Darkness crept at the edges of my vision, drawing closer with every breath.

The car finally came to a halt, teetering precariously on the edge of the guardrail. A deafening silence followed, the stillness almost surreal. I blinked slowly, my surroundings blurring into an unrecognizable haze. My thoughts drifted, fragmented and fleeting, but one thing remained clear Nix. His face burned in my mind, vivid and beautiful, a fleeting memory of what I couldn’t protect.

I smiled faintly as the darkness claimed me.

---

Nix stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat as chaos unraveled around him. The screech of twisted metal and the faint scent of gasoline filled the air, mingling with panicked voices and the wail of sirens in the distance. His chest heaved, but no air seemed to fill his lungs.

"Carmela..." The name escaped his lips, a broken whisper drowned by the cacophony around him.

His legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed to his knees on the cold asphalt. Trembling hands stretched out toward her still form, desperate to touch, to feel the warmth that seemed to slip further away with each passing second. Memories of her laughter, her voice, and the way she had looked at him when she thought he wasn’t watching ripped through him like shards of glass.

The paramedics swarmed, their movements swift and purposeful, but they blurred in Nix’s vision.

"Nix! Nix, let’s go!" Zamiel’s voice cut through the fog, a lifeline in the storm.

"She’s... she’s..." Nix stammered, his voice cracking as tears streamed down his face, carving silent paths of anguish.

"I’ve arranged everything at the hospital," Zamiel said firmly, pulling Nix to his feet.

Nix allowed himself to be led to the car, his expression vacant yet heavy with guilt. As the ambulance carrying Carmela sped away, Zamiel drove behind it, glancing nervously at Nix’s blank face.

He wondered how his friend was going to react if he told him about the secret he’d been hiding and what was going to happen to the Dean family after that.

"Tomline has been able to find the person behind the accident," he said, trying to divert his attention.

"Who?" His tone was filled with coldness.

"Ice, the beta... remember her?" He took a glance at him, but he still had a blank expression on his face, and his hand curled into a fist.

"Take me to the casino."

On hearing that, he quickly did a U-turn, sighing in relief as his plan had successfully diverted Nix.

He had already instructed the people at the hospital on what to do but feared Nix could be an obstacle, his biggest fear was actually him finding out the truth.

Upon arrival at the casino, Nix climbed out of the car, not even waiting for Zamiels to park properly, and headed straight to the Beta’s office. On spotting him, everyone avoided contact and simply paid their respects from afar. But Nix was in a bloodthirsty hurry and paid no attention to them. He slammed the door of the office open without knocking, startling Ice, who was busy having a drink.

"Oh my, what a pleasant surprise! The big boss finally came to visit me," she said with a wild smile as she stood to her feet, making her way towards him to welcome him. "And to what do I owe this pleasant visit?" she inquired, taking her seat across from him. And he faked a smile hiding his anger

"Well, I was passing through the area and decided to say hello to you, or is that a..."

"It’s no problem, boss; I’m just excited to have you around. Forgive my manners. What do I offer you?" Nix waved his hand still maintaining the smile, as thoughts of what he planned to do to her crossed his mind.

"A quick death would do her good" he heard his demon chip in but ignored

"Never mind, I’m about to take my leave either way... What a nice tattoo you’ve got there." He suddenly pointed at her, and she smiled, stretching her hand forward to him. "I recently got this and..." Her words were replaced with a scream as he pierced his pen through her palm.

"What the..."

"Shh, little girl... I warned you from the start to stay away from my wife, but still, you went ahead and organized her accident..." he scoffed in a low yet audible tone that sent fear into her. "How do I kill you? Amputation? Electrocution? Fire? Or maybe I should just render you useless?" He looked into the thin air as he twisted the pen.

"Let’s cut her into tiny pieces after all she did she doesn’t deserve to live" his demon chipped in again but he ignored gain not wanting to establish the conversation

"Ki... kill? Boss... boss... no, you... you can’t kill me..."

"Oh really? I didn’t even spare my uncle when he kidnapped her, and you think I’ll spare you after you tried to kill her?"

"She’s not worthy of your love nor support. Don’t forget she’s the daughter of the man who caused your affliction..."

"That’s an issue between husband and wife. I see no reason for you to intervene, girl. But don’t worry, I would not kill you.." he growled, his voice dangerously low "..not yet. First, you’ll beg at her feet." He rose to his feet. "You know I’m a gentleman, and I don’t touch ladies, so I’ll let my wife take care of you until then..how about a vacation?" On hearing this, she quickly rushed to his side, kneeling beside him, knowing what he meant by that.

"Please... don’t take me there," she begged, holding his leg, but he kicked her away before making his way towards the door.

He was once locked up in a mental hospital and knew the experience was worth more than death itself, and he wasn’t so generous as to give her a simple option, especially after what she did.

He stepped back, his eyes glinting with unrelenting fury.

"Enjoy your vacation," he added, malice dripping from every word as he turned and walked away, leaving her trembling in fear.

"Why do you keep ignoring me?" He heard his demon say half screaming as he stepped out of the room but he only remained calm trying to organize his words

"You and I know I’ve never been a fan of killing people so stop trying to make me have more blood on my hands unless I’ll find a way to evaluate you" he threatened leaving his demon speechless for the first time ever.