Chapter 35: 33 | Genelia

Trigger Warning: mentions of gun use and gang business

----------

"Why don't you have little Miss Newton answer that question, hm?"

Genelia looked very confused when Lee said that, but before Lee could lure Genelia into his trap and turn her against Nova too, Nova decided to take matters into her own hands.

"You're one to speak, Mister Lee Hiram." Said Nova, distaste on her tongue as she spit out his name.

And Genelia looked even more confused now.

"What?" she said, looking back and forth between Lee and Nova. Nova smirked as Lee scowled.

"Shut up, you bitch." Lee spat out.

It was fast the way Genelia's hand lifted up to smack Lee across the face as soon as the words left his mouth.

"You shut up, asshole. Don't talk to her like that." Genelia said, glaring at him before turning her gaze back to Nova. Her eyes were stone cold now, and that alone told Nova that Genelia no longer had her guard down. She was closed off now, even in front of Nova.

"What is he talking about." Genelia asked, her tone demanding. As if she expected nothing but the answer to come out of Nova's mouth should it open.

"I will tell you what he means, but you have to know this first. When I tell you, you have to listen to me till I'm finished. And you'll believe everything I say. And don't react any way I wouldn't, because if you know, it's going to be a big deal. Okay?" Nova explained.

Genelia took some time, her jaw ticking as she kept her guarded gaze trained on Nova. Then, finally, she took a sharp breath from her nose before closing her eyes for just a moment and nodded her head, stiffly.

"Okay." She said.

"Alright then." Nova saw Lee smirking and she had to hide her own smirk because if he thought that his little secret won't come out in the open any time soon, oh how gravely he was mistaken then.

"Adam and I have connections with the MI-6. I do, mostly, but Adam does too. Being one of the nation's top tech companies and all, he has to be. And I, well, you know about my father. He has connections and I know them. So, you might get in serious trouble today." Nova lied. Technically, it wasn't all a lie. It was just bending the truth a little. But it was still playing with someone's trust all the same.

Lee had seen them at the headquarters, but he didn't know why they were there. Or that they were a part of the investigation team even. For all he knew, they were there because he was caught doing his dirty deeds – the deeds he did being in Derek's company. So, really, Nova knew how to save herself. It was Lee who was at a disadvantage here. Because his secret was going to be out.

"How does he know that?" Genelia asked, and Nova suppressed a triumphant smile.

"Because he saw us there. Why don't you tell your own little story now, huh, Mr. Lee Hiram?"

Nova saw Lee's jaws clenching as he glared at Nova when she said that. He shouldn't have started playing. Not with her.

"What is she talking about, Lee? What were you doing there? Did you finally decide to get out of that hell hole, too? Did you finally –"

"No." Lee interrupted her.

"Huh?" Genelia let out.

"I didn't rat anyone out. I'm not that petty." Lee gritted out.

"Aren't you, though?" Nova took a chance, tilting her head sideways as she raised one of her eyebrows.

"Both of you, stop. Ms. Newton, you tell me. What was he doing there."

This time, Nova didn't hide her smile. "Oh, gladly," she said.

"You see, Genelia, Lee here did the exact opposite of what you just assumed he might've done. He got caught."

Genelia's eyes widened dramatically at that as she flipped her head to look over at Lee. "What?"

"Oh, yes." Nova confirmed, still smiling. "Did you know that he was laundering money, Genelia? For agang at that? A gang from overseas? Or that he was helping with human trafficking? Or that he even bought a sex slave? Did you know any of it? Did he tell you anything at all?"

But perhaps Nova said something she shouldn't have. Because now Genelia was looking at her, her eyes wide, colour draining out of her face.

"Bought a sex slave?" Genelia questioned, repeating the words Nova had just revealed in a whisper – her voice suddenly dropping low. But that wasn't the only alarming detail. It was the soft, surprised and almost horrified look on her face that put Nova off.

The odd feeling – as if Nova had said something that was triggering for the both of them, something she really shouldn't have said out loud – got even worse when she took in the ghostly pale face of Lee. He seemed horrified too, his hands even shaking.

"Shit." Nova heard from beside her. Derek. And she had to admit. Crap indeed.

"You bought me." Genelia said and now it was Nova who was left with her mouth open because what? What did she just say?

"Gen, listen to me." Lee tried.

"You- I thought you-"

"Gen, I had no choice."

"Yes, you did!" Genelia screamed and now, now Nova was scared. Because if this conversation had any truth to it and if Nova was reading this right, then Nova had royally screwed up again. And she knew that she had when she looked at Derek and found his jaw ticking, his eyes closed and nose flared up.

"No, Gen, I didn't! You have to listen to me, okay? There was no other way. Simply none. That was the only way and I had to do it. You couldn't have gotten out any other way, trust me when I say this because I'm telling the truth and I'm not lying."

It was silent when Lee was done explaining, and none of them tried to break it. Nova looked over at Derek while Genelia still had her head hung low, staring at the ground, her gaze unblinking.

Derek just gave her a nod, a nod that meant that they were safe, that they would get out of here soon and when Derek jutted his chin up and looked over at Lee for just a fraction of a second, Nova knew that they were waiting for Lee to give them something of value. Something they could use against him. Evidence.

"All of this." Came an eerily cold voice and Nova snapped her head back front. Her gaze fell on Genelia's now trembling figure, her eyes squeezed shut, her fists clenched close. It was when she lifted her gaze up and looked directly over at Derek that Nova felt fear. Not for her, but for Derek. Because the way Genelia looked at Derek – it was clear indication that she was on the verge of losing it all. And Nova was proved right when Genelia leapt forward suddenly, a squeak slipping past Nova's lips as she jumped from her seat but to no avail. Her restraints held her back.

But Genelia wasn't free now either, she was held back by Lee. A gasp left Nova as she saw that, the air that seemed to have left her lungs now filling her up as she breathed long and hard. This took a turn for the worst.

"All of this is your fault!" Genelia screamed and Nova was left gaping at her, her eyes wide as she took in the frenzied state of her assistant.

"You killed Mr. Lamb and I was left alone again! I had nowhere to go all because of you! Those officers who were in charge of the case," Genelia spat on the ground, still struggling in Lee's arms to spring free. "Those incompetent people who call themselves the ones we can rely on, they left me alone, too! And I had to wander around, with my only hope, the only person who was a family to me, with him gone! Killed! Murdered by your hands, Derek Adams!" Tears streamed down Genelia's face, her face red and scrunched up in nothing but agony.

"Because of you I was abducted, it was because of you that I was sold – just like that, like a thing being sold at some fish market, and just like that I was used and abused and I was beaten down till I was nothing but scum under people's feet. All because of you – because of your heartless murder, because of your own selfish reasons and while I went through hell, what were you doing? Oh, Derek Adams was flourishing, he was climbing up, higher and higher and he had support and he had everything. Everything that he took away from me – everything you," Genelia spat out, her eyes now red and her lips trembling along with her whole body as she kept speaking, kept going on, now no longer struggling in Lee's hold. "Eeverything you took away from me, Derek Adams.

"Everything you have – all the name and fame and the company and the luxuries – they're all mine, they're all stolen, they're all the things that you snatched away from me when you killed him."

Nova was just now realizing that she was crying too, along with Genelia. She couldn't help it, she knew she seemed weak, weaker than she already was but the hurt and pain that the girl in front of her felt, the way it was all so very real and how it came out painfully visible in the way her face was flushed, how her lips were stained with tears and spit and how there was this painful rage still present in her broken gaze.

Genelia didn't know the truth, but Nova knew that even if she did she wouldn't calm down. No, she'd already gone through too much and she'd already blamed it all on Derek. And it was years of pain and suffering and blame that they were talking here – decades even.

"Genelia," Nova whispered out, softly, her own lips trembling as she did. "Gen, darling, look at me." Nova didn't dare glance at Derek, not ready to see what was on his face – if he was shocked or pained or if he still remained stoic, still trying to come off as strong when Nova knew, she knew that he was hurting too, hurting more than Nova could ever even imagine.

But Genelia was a fragile case, and Nova would have to focus on her even if she couldn't do much but speak some words and try to show her that Nova was there, that she wasn't alone anymore and that Nova was willing to help.

But all those thoughts halted when Genelia trained her gaze on her, away from Derek. And her eyes were blank as she looked at her, her breathing now slow, too slow. Nova knew what was coming.

"You see what kind of man you're marrying so happily, Ms. Newton? You see what kind of monster he is?" As Genelia said that, her eyes were starting to droop low, her voice hoarse after all the yelling she just did and she could see the way she was starting to go lax in Lee's hold.

"Gen, it's going to be okay," Nova said, tone still soft as a feather, her eyes still leaking tears and her heart hurt. Perhaps she was too soft for this job.

Nova squeezed her eyes shut when she saw Genelia's eyes finally closing as her legs gave out. Just as the signs had indicated, Genelia passed out.

"No," a frantic voice came then and Nova snapped her head up. Lee.

"No! Gen! Gen, open your eyes what- why- Gen!"

"She's fine," Nova said, her voice still low so as to not cause any more panic than Lee already seemed to be in. "She's just unconscious."

"Shut up, you bitch!" Nova saw Derek flinch at that before she heard him take a quick, deep breath. But she still didn't turn to him, even though he seemed to have come back to reality, just as Nova had guessed. All that happened here, all that Genelia had said today, it took a toll on him. And right now, Nova couldn't do anything about it.

"It's all because of you!" Nova turned her attention back to him from where she didn't realise she'd been gazing at the floor a few feet away from the legs of her chair. And what she saw when she looked at him alarmed Nova, took her out of whatever gloomy headspace she'd gone into.

"No," she whispered to herself when Lee pulled out a gun. The safety was on, Nova quickly noted but the look in his eyes; the frantic look in them told her that that might not be the case for long.

"She was getting better! I was taking care of her and you were supposed to already be getting what you deserve! But no that old hag, that fucking Tori, she messed it all up and now my Gen is back to how she was! All that process went down the drain all because you," Lee pointed his gun at Nova, his eyes unfocused, the safety still on. It didn't stop Nova's breath from hitching in her throat, though.

"Because you wouldn't comply." Lee looked dangerous as he said that and Nova had to keep reminding herself that the safety was still on. That Lee held the trigger guard instead of the trigger itself.

"If only you had complied and I would've given you off to Tori she wouldn't have taken all my money. The bitch bet on you all because she wanted to flee this stupid country and you," Nova watched in silent horror as Lee cocked the safety off. "You decided to be a fucking bitch and escape."

Nova felt paralysed, like she couldn't do anything, couldn't even breathe. Her gaze glued on the trigger and at Lee's finger still on the trigger guard.

"But it's alright now, I'm going to give you to her and she can do whatever the fuck she wants so I can get the fuck away from the stupid fucking gang – just like my Gen wants – and she can rot between them instead. And so can you."

Somewhere in her hazy brain, she caught what Lee said. And when she processed it she finally took a deep breath in. Lee wouldn't shoot her. He needed her alive.

But the breath left her in a squeak when Lee shifted his aim a little to the right. Derek.

"But this fucker has to die."

Nova didn't dare look away from Lee's finger that still was on the trigger guard. Hanging on little hope that he wouldn't actually go through with whatever he had planned.

"By the way," Lee said, his gaze shifting back to Nova and something in his eyes and tone changed, there was something mocking in there, something sadistic. And Nova was petrified.

"I know he didn't kill the old man." Surprise filled Nova at his words. What? How?

"We didn't find where you were just like that, you know. I had you hunted down, had your past, all of it right here in the palms of my hands," he said, opening his hand in front of himself.

"Learned all about your own little sob story. Didn't tell my Gen, though, couldn't. She was way too obsessed with you. Wanted you dead and all. And I, well I love my Gen, you see. Even if she's too broken to do the same, I still love her. And she wouldn't stay if I didn't help her on this little mission. So you will have to sadly die, Mr. Boss." The way Lee said that and shifted his lazy gaze back to Derek, the uncaring way he did it, it was too dangerous.

"I know you trusted me with your finances and stuff and I'm sad it had to come to this but, well, I love this girl and I need her to find her peace so she can love me back." Lee said, his lips lifting up to show his teeth as he smiled. Mocking.

No, this couldn't be happening. Somewhere at the back of her mind, Nova knew that the way Derek sat beside her doing absolutely nothing was quite alarming. And how he didn't do whatever it was he'd planned even after Lee had blurted about his connections with the gang and Tor's name in the same sentence too, Nova knew that it was no longer to collect more evidence. What theyd gatherd up till now would pose to be more than enough but Nova had no time to question Derek.

It was like the time slowed down as Lee kept his gaze trained on Derek, aiming the gun. And it scared the life out of her when even through her peripheral she couldn't detect any movement at all. He should be talking, saying something – anything to dodge this situation but he wasn't and Nova was scared and she knew that if Derek wasn't in the position to do anything then it would have to be her who has to. So she did.

"She's already there." Nova heard herself say. She had to do all she could to turn this situation around. And she would. Even if it meant to go soft on the enemy that was already thirsty for someone's blood.

"What did you say, bitch?" Lee snarled. Ignoring him and his choice of names, Nova went on, determined to have his focused changed or at the very least, deterred.

"She's already almost there; she's already close to loving you back." But Nova wasn't lying to get through to Lee either. She knew what she saw and she knew she was right. As dangerous as Lee was, it was still visible – the way he cared for Genelia. And perhaps he could improve, perhaps they could grow together because Nova was sure she heard relief fill Genelia's otherwise aggravated tone as soon as Lee stepped foot in here. And the way Lee cared for her and her honour spoke volumes.

It wasn't good, the way he tried to approach Genelia but from tonight, Nova knew that Lee wasn't forcing himself on her; he wasn't forcing Genelia to be with him either. If anything, from what she'd heard tonight, it seemed more like Lee had tried to become Genelia's support system – been there for her ever since he found her. And if he was willing to be there with no ulterior motive except for seeking love in return even after he knew what all she'd been through – for hoping Genelia would love him back if he tried his best to give her what he could, then Nova deduced that Lee deserved to know that he had a chance.

Lee scoffing was what brought Nova back to the reality. "And what would you know?"

Taking a deep breath in, she tried to muster up a believable front – one that would seem genuine.

"I know, trust me- believe me, I know. I know this stuff and I- I could see it – in her eyes when she looked at you. She was restless but she relaxed when you came near her and tried to comfort her. She wouldn't be like that with anyone after what she's been through- just- believe me, she's already almost there."

A moment of silence fell around them when Nova was done speaking before Lee inhaled deeply, his eyes widening just a fraction but the new glimmer in them was clear as day to Nova. She'd gotten through to him.

"Well then," He said eventually. "That's good to know." Nova waited before she took a breath of relief because she knew it wouldn't be as easy. And she was proved right when Lee lifted his arms up which had drooped a little low while Nova had been telling him about Genelia's possible feelings. "But this man has to go."

Before Nova could panic again, she blurted out whatever came to her. "If you tell her-" she started and when Lee shifted his gaze back to her – albeit annoyed – she felt a little more relieved. Nova was sure Derek had a plan, the nod he gave her before was an indication of that fact but what she didn't know was the reason why Derek was stalling. He should be getting on with whatever it was. And if Nova was right, then the reason why he wasn't acting up was because he needed time. Either that or he was still shaken up.

"If you tell her the truth," Nova continued. "If you help her cope with it, if you be by her side, she'll reach there. She'll reach the same point as you, she'll love you entirely. So- so don't do this. Don't do something that she hates another person for." She said, trying to find any sign of contemplation on Lee's face and where he pursed his lips, she knew it was working.

"You think it'll bring her peace if you killed him? It won't. You will lose her forever. I know this, I've learned this- you know what I am, you know what I do at Watson & Co. so you do believe me. If you do this today, here, you'll lose her forever and she won't ever come back to you, not even to herself because she'll be in her head after it happens. And you, you can stop that. You stop it all if you help her – help us help her. We'll help, I promise. We promise. She'll receive therapy, we'll give her priority and we'll support you financially. You- you can still have a job at the company."

Nova hoped that Lee wouldn't catch onto 'a job' because if he decided to clarify he might not like the answer and Nova couldn't have him upset. Because Nova was sure that no matter what he did, he won't be trusted to have his position back at the company. But Nova could promise him a job there nonetheless. At a lower position maybe but he could always gain their trust and eventually his position back that way. Plus he'd still have a job, a source of income. So, really, if Lee was the least bit smart, he would accept what she was offering because Nova was offering a lot. More than she could probably give. But she could hope and she would. She was. Hoping.

"You can help us track down the gang," Nova added when Lee didn't say anything. She needed to buy as much of him as she could and from the way he'd talked about the gang it seemed as if he hated it. So really, at this point Nova was straight out helping him save his own life as well as his lover's. And all she wanted in return was cooperation. It was the least he could do – for himself and for his lover. For everyone present in this room really.

"And we'll help the both of you. You won't go to jail, at least not for long and we'll have your sentences reduced. And we'll take full responsibility of Genelia. But you have to tell her the truth, she deserves that much. And I promise you she'll love you forever if you do the right thing – for her and ultimately also for your own self. I promise you. Please."

As Nova was done saying that she really hoped – prayed to anyone and everyone who was willing to listen and to help her, that Lee accepts everything she said, or even just considers dropping his godforsaken gun because Nova had officially run out of any more things to offer.

And there was now a slight hesitation on Lee's face where his lips were pressed together in a thin line and his gaze locked somewhere on the floor in front of him as if he were thinking. But before Lee could come to any conclusion – before Nova could read him right – a loud bang echoed in the dark room.

Nova flinched up again, because the sound seemed to have come from her right and she gasped when she realised that it was Derek on her right. Scared out of her senses she looked Derek up and down, trying to spot any place where blood flowed out but she paused when her gaze landed on his face. He was breathing fast, his eyes closed shut and his nose still flaring – his jaw still ticking.

Nova looked back at Lee and saw him looking around, probably trying to find where the sound came from because since he was away from them and basically in the middle of the empty room in which every sound echoed, he wouldn't know where it came from.

But Nova knew. She knew when her eyes shifted back to Derek and dropped down his shoulders, to his arms and eventually to the gun present in his hands that were no longer bound together but were still pressed behind the chair he sat on. It was him who shot but he didn't shoot it to cause any harm to anyone. The gun was still pointed backwards, toward the wall behind them and the confusion only remained for a few more seconds before Nova figured that it was a sign before men entered the room.

Soon enough Lee was held back by two people – one holding his hand that held the gun away from him with one hand and holding him in a choke hold with the other one and a second person who took the gun away before joining both of his hands to lock them up in handcuffs.

Noise seemed to cancel out for Nova as James came behind her to undo the knots that restrained her hands and then in front of her to free her legs as well. Derek had already freed his hands – that was how he was able to fire the gun – and was now giving instructions to someone.

When Nova tried to stand after being free she couldn't the first time she tried and that caught Derek's attention. He looked her way and their gazes locked. And Nova saw it all. How Derek had closed off again. How his eyes were cold like ice again. And honestly, Nova didn't blame him.

Trying a second time to get up Nova succeeded to make her shaking legs work again. She didn't understand why she was shaking, the worst was avoided and overall the situation was handled. She saw some people rush towards Genelia who had been laid down on the table previously by Lee. They checked her pulse and said something to another person who pulled their phone out and after pressing on it a few times held it up to their ears.

Nova slid her eyes away from Genelia and looked in front of her where she felt a presence. The static still seemed to be around her when Derek looked down at her, his lips pursed and eyes guarded – as was his entire face, even his posture. Stiff and straight.

He nodded down at her and after only a few seconds of staring into his icy blue eyes, she nodded her head too before taking Derek's hand in hers as he lead her out of the warehouse. It was then – the moment she stepped foot into the cold, dark, winter night that the noise seemed to come back to Nova and she gasped without meaning to.

She saw Derek look down at her from her peripheral but he just squeezed her hand before guiding her to another black car. She was still shaking, and she hesitated before stepping into the car but did so when she felt a hand pressing down on the small of her back. She didn't want to let go of Derek's other hand that was still tightly clasped by her own but she had to when Derek softly slipped it away from hers using the other one that he had pressed against her back. She looked at him and kept looking at him as he closed her side of the door and went to the other side of it. And as soon as he sat down and closed his side of the door as well, Nova was reaching her hand out to take his back in hers immediately. And Derek didn't protest so she shifted closer to him.

She pressed her head on his shoulder and sighed softly when Derek nodded his head to the driver of the car before the car started and they began moving. Flashes of the last time she was in the car this same day flashed behind her eyelids as she closed her eyes and she couldn't help but press closer to Derek and squeeze his arm that she'd wrapped both of hers around.

Nova knew that Derek wasn't okay, that he was hurting too, even more than her but she just wanted some time, some space with him. And she guessed it was what Derek wanted too when she felt Derek press a kiss on the top of her head before his other hand found its way to one of Nova's, uncurling it from pressing into his bicep and held it in his large palm before giving it a soft squeeze.

Taking a deep breath in to calm herself down she closed her eyes again and this time when she didn't see any more zooming headlights, she released a breath before allowing herself to calm down and before she knew it, she fell into a much needed slumber.

Today had been a long, long day. For the both of them. For all four of them. And all Nova wanted – needed, was a little time to heal from it.

--------

A/N:

I don't know what's happening lol but I'm on a roll lmao. I know it's a good thing and I'm enjoying it!

Anyways, so shit went down and it got back up now all there's left is to see the aftereffects and all that stuff. Basically what I mean to say is this story is coming to an end. (I might also have an epilogue planned ;))

Anyways, bye-bye now! Hope you liked this chap. Read, comment, vote, add, share, follow, enjoy!

-Z.