CHAPTER 224: CHAPTER 224

At that moment, hearing what Benjamin just said about the K-Zone, a heavy silence swept across the room. Raymond’s fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight. The reality hit everyone at once—Valentina had been taken to a place no one thought to check, a dead zone, forgotten and avoided, and they had left her to face it all alone. Rage and guilt surged through Raymond’s veins like wildfire. He couldn’t help but blame himself. He had promised her safety, sworn he’d protect her no matter what—but now, she was out there, maybe suffering, maybe worse, and all because they underestimated their enemies.

Benjamin could feel the tension rising in the air. His heart pounded—not out of fear for himself, but fear of what this failure could cost them all. He lowered his eyes, ashamed, unsure what else to say. But Raymond wasn’t looking for apologies. He was already thinking ahead.

So, without wasting another second, Raymond turned to him and said in a deadly calm voice, "In 4 hours, 20 minutes... if you don’t hear from me—if I don’t make contact—come to the K-Zone. Come to that location. Do what you swore your allegiance for. Do what is required of you."

Benjamin lifted his head, eyes narrowing, sensing the weight of what Raymond was asking. "You mean—?"

Raymond cut him off, voice firmer now. "You’ll know what to do. It might be difficult... it might not. But if Valentina is there, if you find her in that place... then the work won’t be too much for you."

So, without wasting any more time, Raymond stepped out of the room with a burning storm in his chest. He didn’t speak another word to Benjamin, didn’t glance at anyone else. He simply moved—fast, calculated, dangerous. As soon as he got outside, he opened the driver’s door and got in. The ignition roared to life like it shared his fury.

His hands tightened around the steering wheel as the tires screeched against the pavement. The car sped through the quiet city streets, slicing through the night like a blade. His heart was pounding—not out of fear, but out of rage and urgency. He had no time for doubt, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t there, whispering behind his thoughts.

Raymond was furious. Not just angry, but deep-down, gut-twisting furious. Furious at himself for not seeing this coming. Furious at Cecilia and Rebecca—for being the very monsters Valentina was running from. And more than anything, furious that he let Valentina walk into a trap while he stood back, blind to it all.

As the car surged forward, his thoughts spiraled. He had heard of creatures that fed on blood, old tales, rumors that circled around certain cursed families. Rebecca... there had always been something about her that didn’t seem human. Her presence was always too cold, too sharp. And if she really was feeding on human blood now, then this wouldn’t be a rescue—it would be a war.

Even though Raymond had power—power beyond most men—this fight wasn’t just about strength. He didn’t know how long he could hold out against two of them. Cecilia’s manipulation, Rebecca’s bloodlust... together, they could be unstoppable. But that wasn’t going to stop him. Not today.

He wasn’t just fighting to protect Valentina. He was fighting for the years she lost, the lives she was robbed of, the quiet moments she never had. And if this was truly her last reincarnation, then this was also his last chance to save her.

He gritted his teeth, jaw tight, eyes never leaving the road. The world outside blurred by, but his mind was razor-focused.

He didn’t care how many guards, monsters, or shadows stood in his way. He was going to bring Valentina back. Alive.

Finally, after cutting through several abandoned roads and past eerie silence, he reached the K-Zone. The road bent into a long, private path flanked by towering trees and thick shadows.

Raymond’s car slowed.

Up ahead was the mansion.

And from the look of things, he could tell that this place is very massive and it feels like it belongs to a very rich family, a very well respected family.

As Raymond sat behind the wheel and looked up at the towering gates of the mansion, he knew—without a doubt—that something was going on here. This wasn’t just any mansion. The atmosphere was too still, too controlled. And if this place was tied to the Black family, and the last signal from Valentina’s phone pointed here, then this was more than just a coincidence. This was deliberate. This was where she was being kept. Or worse.

His car slowly rolled to a halt in front of the massive iron gates. The place was heavily guarded. Before he could even step out of the vehicle, four men dressed in sharp black uniforms moved in. Each of them had an earpiece, a cold face, and the kind of stance that said they were not here for negotiation.

"Step out of the car," one of the guards ordered, hand resting near his side holster.

Raymond opened the door calmly and stepped out without a hint of fear. His expression was blank—cold—but his eyes burned with purpose.

"This is private property," another guard said, his tone firm. "If you don’t have an invitation or clearance, you’re not allowed in. Turn around and leave. Now."

Raymond’s voice was low, but every word carried weight. "I’m not here for trouble. I’m here to see the master of the mansion."

"Then you’re wasting your time," the third guard cut in. "The Black family does not take walk-in visitors. Especially not ones who show up unannounced. So if you weren’t invited—"

"I wasn’t," Raymond interrupted, pulling his coat tighter as he stepped closer. "But I have a reason to be here. A very serious one."

The fourth guard scoffed. "Do you have an invitation card?"

Raymond didn’t flinch. He reached into his car, pulled out a piece of paper—it wasn’t anything special, just a note he used earlier—and walked toward them.

"I don’t have an invitation card," he said, voice firm and unwavering, "but I need to see the master of this mansion. Right now."

The guards looked at each other, clearly unimpressed.

"You need to turn your car around and leave," the lead guard said sharply. "This is the Black estate. You don’t get to demand anything here. We don’t owe you any answers. This isn’t a place for begging or negotiation."

Raymond remained still, watching them with a steady gaze.

"We don’t answer to you. We don’t owe you anything. You’re not welcome here. So turn back and leave before we decide to get aggressive."

Raymond took a breath, his tone remaining composed but laced with iron.

"I’m not here to beg," he said slowly. "And I’m not here to cause a scene. But I’m not going anywhere either. I just want to see the master of this mansion."