"You're in the Mafia too?" Cecilia's grip tightened around the thick covers on her after she heard everything that the stranger told her.

Who would think that this stranger who she even asked a favor to photograph her in Tagaytay, is also a freaking Don in the mafia. What a bloody small world, isn't it?

"You mean . . . you're also after my head?" The guy who revealed himself as Yelisei Ackerman stared at her the moment she asked again. "But why . . . why did you rescue me?"

Yelisei shook his head. "That night, when you're begging for my rescue, my only plan that time is to just drop you in the hospital. I'll send in my trusted men to guard you there 'till we could ensure that you recovered and you're safe. After that, you could've just called the police for this case for your protection as well. But when we realized who got killed in my territory last night, I don't think we could just let you go like that."

"You mean to say . . ."

"Now that the boss from the other mafia got killed inside my territory, the truce of peace between us just fell apart like that. Anytime soon, they're going to set a war to avenge their boss. And even though you're just a passerby who witnessed his murder, we couldn't be certain that you'll be safe with the police. They could be after you as well and we couldn't assure you that they're going to let you live too. That's why I couldn't just let you go like that. Let's say you'll be in protective custody, courtesy of us, Your Highness."

"This means that... I can't leave this place?" Cecilia asked. Realizing the possible outcome of her situation, she shook her head in utter disbelief. "No... no, this can't be. I need to leave!"

I came here to have my freedom, not to be a witness of a murder case of a mafia boss and to stay in another mafia boss' care!

"I need to leave! As the crown princess, I command you to let me leave this place in an instant!"

"Right now, in this situation, you're not a member of the royal family. You're not the crown princess of Eshasea. You are now the key witness of a crime and you're in the middle of a manhunt wherein if we're not careful, you're definitely going to die." Her amber eyes met his cold sterling gray orbs. "Not until we could find the real culprit, we can't let you go. I can't let you go."

"I already said what I saw last night—I even said everything to your brother and I promised to testify! This is too much that you even want me to stay here. And worse, to lock me up here!" Cecilia exclaimed, pointing at herself as she tried to prove her point. "I didn't intend to witness that murder! Why are you involving me?!"

Yelisei took a deep breath before responding. "Listen here, Princess. Those folks are still after your head. They intend to kill you, even if you're going to testify for them. That's how the syndicate works. We need this mess to get cleaned up before shit goes down."

"I won't stop you from anything that you want to do. I'll support you, even. But you see, Your Highness, you don't know the dangers outside the palace. There's no certainty that you'll be safe the moment you step out of the palace, go out of Eshasea, and go to another country you're unfamiliar with."

Cecilia paused, slowly looking down, and stared at her hands wrapped in bandages as she remembered what Childe told her before she left the palace.

She didn't want to admit it but at that moment, Childe was right.

She just wants to be free and experience the things commoners do before the palace and the crown will reign her as the queen of their nation and marries the duke who, she not once, she didn't meet or know personally. She just wanted her freedom even just for a short period of time but she didn't expect these things to happen to her.

It has only been three days since she savored the time of her life and now she's in this situation? What on Earth?

Suddenly, she felt Yelisei held her hands. She could see how his leather black-gloved hands wrapped gently on her hands that she couldn't help but raise her head to look at him. "I know this is very scary for you, Your Highness. And I can't apologize for that. What I can do right now is to keep you safe from gunpoint. You're not a prisoner nor a captive here, Your Highness. You're under my wing for security, for your protection. Until this mess ends and I can ensure that everything is already safe for you, I can let you go."

She silently listened to him. Compared to earlier, his tone is now gentle, as if he's trying to console and convince her at the same time.

"You haven't met my men. Unlike Khalil, they are much stronger, more trustworthy, and much more capable of protecting you at the same level as how your royal guards protect you. So, you don't have to worry, Your Highness. As long as you're with me, you're safe." Yelisei stood up. He looked around the room before settling his eyes on her once again.

"This is the biggest room in my penthouse, so you could stay here. For now, just focus on your recovery. If you need anything, just tell Mari and she'll give it to you. She's the maid I handpicked to serve you personally so just call her anytime. And if you want anything else, just tell me as well."

"Why . . . are you doing this?" Cecilia couldn't help but ask.

Yelisei's brows creased, took him a second to respond. "Doing what? Saving you?"

The princess nodded.

"Before I knew what the heck was happening, all I could see was that time was you asking desperately for someone's help. I just obliged," Yelisei responded. "Just rest, Your Highness."

He was about to leave the room when suddenly, he heard Cecilia's voice. "I saw . . . last night . . ."

As Yelisei turned his head, he met her eyes. She's already staring at her. "I-I couldn't tell that guy named Khalil about it but I did see something that night..." She then showed her arm. "The lights were so dim in that alley that I couldn't even see their faces but I clearly saw a huge spider tattoo on his arm. It seemed like that guy, that boss, was trying to fight back while he's trying to seize him or handcuff him that's why he got his sleeves ripped off."

After acquiring such information, Yelisei nodded. "Thank you for that information, Your Highness. We'll proceed to a much wider investigation after you recover. I'll take my leave, so you could rest."

Cecilia acknowledged his nod as he finally went out of the room. The moment Yelisei closed the door, his composed expression changed.

"A spider, huh . . ." Yelisei looked at his arm.

It was a huge spider tattoo.

"Maawa kayo sa akin! Have mercy on me! I'll give you all my money—"

A gunshot filled the whole warehouse. Yelisei's eyes settled on the man who was now crawling on the ground, trying to reach his shoe. But the guy didn't make it as Yelisei kept on shooting him until he's already dead.

Bahagyang lumuhod si Ryan para makita ang braso ng lalaki at muli s'yang tumingala sa kanilang boss. "This guy is not him."

Turning to his men with cold eyes, he tilted his head. "Clean this mess up."

"Yes, Boss."

He clicked his tongue and wiped his Magnum Research Desert Eagle 50 Action Express handgun. He motioned his men to get everything that belonged to the man he just killed, even his car. "That fucker. Doing such hideous crimes in our territory. I definitely won't forgive him if I see him face to face."

"I really thought you were going to ask this guy to pay up, but you're also investigating behind the culprit of Ellias' murder?" Ryan Dela Cruz, his consigliere, asked. "What made me think is that how bizarre was it that he got killed just like that? He has a much more powerful security system around him, so how come he easily got killed just like that, unless . . ."

Ryan met Yelisei's intense gaze as if they were using telepathy to know each other's thoughts.

"Do you think . . ."

Yelisei sighed and removed his right glove which got splattered with blood. "I need to talk to the princess and let her tell me everything that happened that time before we jump to a conclusion. Just don't let the police get involved on this one because they're such a pain in the ass."

"So, you want us to investigate this one personally?"

"I won't take any chances go to waste and I won't wait for the Montemayor Syndicate to declare war without us getting all on guard. We need to make the first move," answered Yelisei as he hid his gun back in his suit. "But right now, those fuckers are after that princess' head so we need to heighten our security. Let's move places if possible. You also need to contact that lazy fucker because I need to talk to him."

Ryan nodded in response. "I'll take care of that, Boss."

"Let's ensure her safety first. When all this mess ends, send her back to her country don't let her ever come back here."