CHAPTER 45

I quickly moved as I reached the underground parking lot in Atlas' basement. I didn't know how many times I tapped my foot impatiently on the elevator floor until I reached the first floor of Atlas' basement. I was sure both Atlas and Oceanus were in the living area, discussing the digital invitation Cronus had posted on our organization's website.

"Hexia!" I heard Oceanus call out as soon as I stepped out of the elevator.

My suspicion was right. They were sitting on the long, soft sofa, focused on Oceanus' laptop resting on the center table. They were looking at the digital invitation Cronus had posted for our organization's upcoming anniversary.

"Did Cronus really agree so easily to let people back into Sanctuario Seguro, Atlas?" I asked, frowning.

That was the first thing I said as I approached them. I saw Oceanus stand up to come closer to me.

"Are your groceries still downstairs?" Oceanus asked.

I nodded and glanced at him. "Yes. Could you get them, please? I also need to talk to Atlas. I'll tell him now, Oceanus," I whispered softly.

Surprise flashed across Oceanus' eyes at what I said. "Are you sure?"

I felt his hand on my arm as he pulled me away from Atlas. We noticed Atlas glancing in our direction, but we ignored him for now.

I nodded. "Yes. It might make things easier for Atlas if he knows the truth. Otherwise, he might end up killing Helios. He might kill his own son," I said firmly. "That would be more help than doing nothing for him, don't you think?"

Oceanus sighed heavily at my words and nodded. He patted my shoulder and spoke before heading toward the open elevator.

"I have a feeling Atlas already knows that it wasn't just Perses who abducted you in the safe zone," he murmured softly to me.

"Why are you two whispering over there? Are you hiding something?"

I pushed Oceanus away from me forcefully and pointed at the elevator, signaling him to get in and take the groceries to the second floor of the basement.

"Atlas," I called his name as I approached him.

I sat beside him and glanced at Cronus' post. Many people had already reacted to it, and some had even left comments. Members of our organization freely commented on the post.

"I asked Pallas to help me find out who else was involved with Perses in your abduction," Atlas began as I settled next to him. "Cronus found out too, which is why he pushed through with the anniversary event at the safe zone—to expose the culprit. It turns out one of the underbosses or bosses handling arms and weapons trafficking was working with Perses. They share the same trade, so it was probably easy for them to align their plans against us."

I frowned at his words. He already knew—my suspicion about Faction Tres was correct. Was Perses so desperate to kill Atlas that he colluded with another faction?

Atlas leaned back in his seat, picked up Oceanus' laptop, and exited the website. He started drafting an email, which I assumed was intended for Ismael. He let out a faint chuckle, but his expression gradually darkened.

"The nerve of that old man to be mad at me when he did something worse. I'll make sure he dies," he muttered darkly.

"I know who Perses is to you, Atlas," I said.

Atlas stopped typing and turned to look at me. Even though I didn't know Perses' real name, I was sure of the connection—Helios himself had told me that Perses was his grandfather.

"What are you talking about?" Atlas asked, frowning.

"I know Perses is your father," I answered directly.

"Where did you hear that? From Oceanus again?" Atlas let out a soft laugh at my words, as if I'd just cracked a ridiculous joke. He turned back to the laptop screen while shaking his head to continue what he was doing.

"I know Rafael Zevallos is your son. Do I still look like I'm joking? The person you and Oceanus were talking about when I overheard you—it's the same person, because Rafael, the one you mentioned, is my best friend. And I already found out your real name, Atlas—Randy David Zevallos," I said firmly, emphasizing his name to make it clear I wasn't bluffing.

Atlas slowly turned to me, confusion evident on his face, probably wondering how I knew his true identity.

"And now, it's better you know everything before you end up killing your own son. Helios—"

"I just confirmed that Perses' right-hand man has feelings for you, Hexia," Atlas interrupted, cutting me off.

His words left me speechless. That was so random. I blinked a few times, trying to process what he said. I adjusted my seat and coughed awkwardly before replying.

"I—I don't know what you're talking about—"

"I confirmed it during Hyperion's birthday. I let the fake news spread on our website, even though it wasn't true. But when I noticed something off about the way he looked at you—and at me—I knew he had feelings for you," Atlas said seriously.

I sighed deeply. "Atlas, Rafael, and Helios are the same person," I admitted, deciding it was better to lay everything out in the open before his thoughts ran wild. "Your son is alive. Did I ever mention to you, before you deleted my contacts, that I left just one in my phone? That was Rafael. Back then, the news spread that he was dead, but the truth is, he's alive. He changed his appearance, his name, and his identity. He's no longer Rafael Zevallos—he's now Amadeus Alejandro Zevallos."

"He's dead," Atlas said firmly. I saw the redness in his eyes, and after a moment, he sighed heavily. "Okay, I won't deny it anymore. Rafael was my son, but he's been dead for a long time, Hexia. That Amadeus Alejandro Zevallos you're talking about? He's just a fake Zevallos."

I frowned. "What makes you think he's a fake Zevallos?"

"Perses is just making up stories. When the time comes for Perses to pass on his position, he plans to hand it over to Helios. My son died under Perses' care, so now he's fabricating someone to replace him," Atlas replied.

I shook my head. "Atlas, I've confirmed it myself. Rafael and Amadeus are one and the same. I understand why you're reacting this way, but please believe me. If you don't, you might end up killing your own son."

"Of course! He's next after I killed Perses!" Atlas shouted, his voice rising as he suddenly stood up. "Perses let my son die under his watch, and now he's using this imposter to mock me!"

I just sat there, watching as Atlas stormed off to his office. I let out a deep sigh, deciding not to follow him since he was clearly still furious.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

"Want to hear something?"

I quickly turned around when I heard Atlas' voice behind me. I was in the kitchen, preparing a glass of warm milk because I couldn't sleep. We were now on the second floor of Atlas' basement, intending to rest since it was already late at night.

"What's that? Can't sleep?" I asked, placing the milk glass down on the kitchen island.

I sat on a high chair and watched as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet, followed by a glass. He poured himself a drink and added ice cubes from the double-door refrigerator's freezer.

"Do you believe me now about what I said earlier?" I asked as I observed him.

He sat on the empty high chair across from me, sipping his drink.

"Fifty-fifty," he replied curtly.

I couldn't help but sigh at his answer.

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth. I realized he's your son when I saw your picture. He looks just like you when Rafael and I were together before he became Amadeus. If you want, once this problem is over, you can take a DNA test to confirm it. But I'm telling you now, he's your son."

"Helios said that Perses is his grandfather. He's the one who helped us to escape so we could return here. I don't know what excuse he gave to get us through their territory, but I know how impossible it is to leave with all Perses' men patrolling there."

Atlas exhaled sharply and took another drink. "Oceanus already told me that."

"I'm begging you, Atlas. Don't kill Helios. Oceanus and I will help you with whatever you plan to do to Perses, but leave your son out of it. I love him, Atlas. I love your son. And I understand why you're so angry at your father—"

"That's not the only reason I want to kill Perses, Hexia," he interrupted. "He killed my wife... He killed Sienna. And what's worse, he shot her right in front of me while she was holding our five-month-old son."

My eyes widened, and without thinking, I covered my mouth with my hand. I stared at Atlas, his expression dark and his eyes red. This was it—the missing piece I'd been searching for, the deeper reason behind Atlas' rage against Perses.

Perses killed Atlas' wife.

"Do you think what he did was right?" Atlas asked me, his voice filled with emotion. "Even now, I still feel the pain of losing Sienna because of him."

I swallowed hard, unable to respond. Anyone in Atlas' situation would feel the same. It wasn't just about the loss—it was the cruel way it happened, right before his eyes. Moving on from something like that would be nearly impossible.

Then a thought struck me, and I looked at him with wide eyes. "Sienna? She's the owner of that golden stiletto-type weapon you gave me, isn't she?" I asked for confirmation.

It was strange seeing Atlas like this. He nodded as he fiddled with the ice in his glass.

I blinked a few times, watching him as he suddenly stood up. I downed the warm milk in one gulp and placed the glass in the sink. Atlas, on the other hand, finished his whiskey and set the glass on the counter.

"It's yours now. I know you'll take care of it. Besides, you're the only woman who knows how to use it. Instead of letting it sit in storage, it's better off being used," he said, walking ahead of me. He glanced back one last time before heading to his office and spoke again.

"And I know you'll be my son's wife in the future, so Sienna's weapon won't go to waste. Just take care of it so it lasts with you."

Those were his parting words before he walked away and entered his office, leaving me standing by the sink like a fool, trying to process what he had just said.

"And I know you'll be my son's wife in the future."

He believed me.

Atlas finally believed that Helios is his son!

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

"Why does it feel like I'm about to get married in this gown?" I asked the two of them with a frown as I walked into the living room on the second floor of Atlas's basement.

I was the only one they were waiting for since tonight was the anniversary of our organization. They were already dressed in their three-piece suits, the only difference being the color. Oceanus wore royal blue, while Atlas stuck to his usual black.

"It's looking fine for me," Oceanus said, eyeing me from head to toe. "It's just right. And your outfit isn't plain white, Hexia. Those red gloves add a touch of villainess vibes to your look."

I rolled my eyes at him and approached them. "Maybe you'd like to remind yourselves that you were the ones who picked this gown. Now it seems like it's my fault for even asking."

"Okay, chill," Oceanus replied with a laugh, while Atlas remained silent, sitting on the plush sofa as he checked something on his email.

I looked down at my luxurious, long, white, strapless gown made of French lace with a fitted, beaded corset. The only difference was the red lace gloves that went up to my elbows. The colors matched well, so it wasn't a problem. The gown had a slit on the right side, showing my white lace thigh-high stockings. Since weapons weren't allowed in our safe zone, I couldn't wear my leg holster with it.

I let out a sigh, grabbed the small velvet red clutch purse from the center table, and spoke.

"Let's go," I urged them, brushing my hair back and letting it fall over my back. I didn't bother curling it—it was left loose.

I entered the elevator first, and they followed. They were the ones who chose my gown because I was busy working in the main laboratory in Section 1, checking the new drugs and cocaine produced. We needed to distribute them to other countries as soon as possible.

There had been a delay when Perses abducted me since no one could properly manage the lab during that time. Ria couldn't take over my responsibilities either, as her workload had significantly increased in my absence.

When we got into Atlas' car, he started it immediately to leave the warehouse. I grabbed the two masks on the dashboard and handed one to Oceanus.

"Your mask," I said as I handed it to him.

"Thank you," Oceanus replied as he took it.

Atlas was already wearing his mask, focusing on the road ahead. I adjusted my seat, fastened my seatbelt, and leaned back with a sigh.

"You'll help me," Atlas suddenly said.

I turned to him in surprise. "With what?" I asked, frowning.

"You'll help me kill Perses," he replied without hesitation.

I quickly looked at Oceanus in the backseat through the rearview mirror. He gave me a single nod, and I nodded back in agreement. A few seconds passed before Atlas spoke again, this time glancing at me briefly.

"And when it's over, you'll introduce me to Helios, Hexia," he said seriously, his eyes fixed on the road.

A strange warmth spread through my chest at his words. He believed it now—he accepted that Rafael was still alive. The fear I had carried, that he might kill his own son, disappeared like smoke. I let out a breath and smiled at him.

"Yes, don't worry. Once this is over—"

"Everything will end tonight," he interrupted. "All the members of our organization will attend the anniversary party, so I'm certain the traitor will be there too. All you need to do is be ready because chaos will break out inside."

"Why are you telling us this just now when we're already on our way?" I asked, frowning. "We could've brought weapons and left them in your car. I know weapons aren't allowed inside the safe zone, but charging into a fight unarmed is a huge mistake."

I heard Oceanus clear his throat in the backseat, so I turned to look at him.

"There's a small room in the safe zone where weapons are hidden," Oceanus said.

I frowned at him. "Weapons aren't allowed inside, but there are weapons stored in the safe zone? Your safe zone rules are a bit confusing."

I turned back to Atlas as he spoke again.

"Very few know about it, Hexia," Atlas replied. "Only the big boss and bosses in the organization have access to that room."

"If only big bosses and bosses have access, how will you get weapons from there if needed?"

"We'll ask Pallas for help. He's already given Oceanus and me the code to access the room. The security there is doubled, so Pallas needs to stay on watch to ensure no one slips through."

"Did you tell him about the heightened security?" I asked.

"Yes. Our earpieces are connected to him as well. We can communicate with him if there are any issues with the CCTV," Atlas replied.

I felt Oceanus lean forward from the backseat, positioning himself between me and Atlas. He held onto the backrests of our seats, listening intently to the conversation.

"Don't worry, Hexia. Just be ready for what's coming later. And before that happens, Atlas and I might go ahead and grab a weapon for you from there."

I turned to him at his comment. "Why? You're not taking me with you? I'm not going to get kidnapped again, Oceanus, if that's what you're worried about."

He shrugged. "Who knows? It was Atlas who told me that, not me."

"Wait a second," I said, sitting up straighter and staring at Oceanus. "Did you guys plan all of this earlier without telling me first?"

Oceanus coughed awkwardly and lightly patted Atlas on the shoulder before retreating to his seat in the back, as if silently passing the responsibility of answering to him.

"The light machine gun you requested is in the car's compartment," Atlas said instead of addressing my question.

I shook my head at his response and leaned back again. At least they told me the plan rather than keeping it from me entirely. Now that Atlas mentioned the M249 machine gun I wanted was already in the car, I couldn't wait to use it if the situation called for it.

A spark of excitement lit up inside me. I had thought it would take much longer before I got my hands on it. Usually, shipments of these kinds of illegal items took months, so it felt fast that it had arrived.

"Thanks. I'll pay you back after this."

"No need. Let's just call it an early birthday gift," Atlas said.

I glanced at him, shaking my head. "So that's why you brought the car with the sunroof—for me to use it later, right?" I asked with a laugh.

"Yes," he replied simply.

"That's better than always using my car whenever you know things are going to get messy," Oceanus chimed in. "My car always comes back wrecked because of you two."

I rolled my eyes at him, glanced briefly his way, and then turned my attention back to the road

As we drove silently toward Sanctuario Seguro, my mind was overwhelmed with thoughts. Knowing what was about to happen in the safe zone made it impossible to stay calm. Atlas' earlier words kept replaying in my head—the weapon room, which only the big boss, Cronus, and the other bosses could access.

If weapons weren't allowed inside but such a room existed, and only the bosses and Cronus could enter, it could only mean one thing—someone among them had helped Perses smuggle a gun into the safe zone during our last visit.

"I have a question, Atlas," I broke the silence.

"What is it?"

"You mentioned that only Cronus and the bosses have access to the weapon room, right? Perses is just an underboss like you and wouldn't be able to get in there. I think he might have an accomplice in Faction Tres—a boss who helped him get weapons from that room. It's possible he did it to arm himself since no one can bring guns into our safe zone. Or maybe it's Theus! He could be involved too."

"Theus has nothing to do with this, Hexia," Oceanus interrupted. "We've already spoken with him in detail."

"If it's not Theus, then Perses must have partnered with someone in Faction Three before I was kidnapped. It's impossible for anyone to sneak a gun into the safe zone. And if we consider Pallas and Hyperion, it's highly unlikely they'd be involved, Atlas. So it must be someone in Faction Tres working with Perses."

I frowned when I heard Atlas chuckle softly while keeping his eyes on the road. The grin on his face disappeared quickly before he spoke again.

"I honestly thought you wouldn't figure out who Perses' ally, Hexia, was. But you're right—someone from Faction Tres helped Perses."

SHANGPU