*Mia's P.O.V*

It's easy to laugh when I'm mad.
It's easy to smile when I'm sad.

But it's taking everything in me not to slap Joe.

She hisses in pain and says, "Mia, listen to me. Whatever you're thinking is wrong."

"Oh?" I halt. "Enlighten me then."

"That boy is evil. Do you have any idea the stuff he has done?! He-he seduced and killed a fucking widower..."

Then, she divulges this argument for eight minutes straight. When done, she sniffs as I release her.

*
*

Immediately Joe will return into the sunlight, she will head to the family corporation for a meeting with Granny. Granny will ask her why Igor is yet to show his face, to which she'll say, "He's a bit indisposed, but be rest assured that I can handle things here."

"Handle things?" Granny will raise a brow.

"Yes. I've dealt with the boy, you know."

"Good."

"And I wouldn't get distracted by my -" Joe will gulp. "Hobbies."

To that, Granny will shut her newspaper. Her gaze will stick to the wall above Joe's head. "Your brother has an attractive wife now."

"I don't know her. Do you?"

"Mr Palviokinsky's daughter," Granny will say.

Joe will grimace, causing her mom to chortle, "She's smart, and her business is also getting her millions."

"In that case, perhaps she should handle things," Joe shall rise. When her mother doesn't show an ounce of emotion, she will burst, "I can't believe you pushed me into this monstrosity! I have a baby -"

"Whom you can guarantee a future for because of me."

"Ya, well, Igor sells kids, mom. He.. He's not just fucking -"

"Walls have ears," Granny will cut in.

Joe will shrug that comment off until she flies home, only to meet utter silence.

Frantically, she'll call Willem. He will warn her to report herself.

*
*

Cynthia scribbles fast on the right side of the board - pictures of Igor, other Yeltsin family members, and Jawl cover the left half.

Then, she points out, "We can't bank our hopes on one person. We need people in power, in law enforcement, witnesses -" She side-eyes Autumn.

"Do you think numbers over trust is our best shot?" I ask.

When she shrugs, I click my tongue in concentration until a thought pops up.

"What is it?" Autumn sees my creased brows.

My mind travels to when I saw Anna at my former class's prom. She seemed fine - apparently, no one reported her for the magazine drama.

"Is Anna's dad still a mayor?"

"An... na. Anna?" Autumn tries to recall her, whereas I google for an answer. When it turns out that her father is still mayor, doubts cloud my thoughts.

"Wouldn't things look bad for him, though? Cuz, like, all this crime happened during his term."

"Ur, Jawl's cartel has existed for over a decade. He was wanted even before the term of office began." Autumn informs me.

Hence, Cynthia writes Anna's name under the bold label, 'Power.'

Eventually, we call Anton, Leo, and Harry. Autumn tries to keep her composure as Harry offers to visit a former teacher of Charlie's, whereas Leo says Sil should be the one to talk to Anna.

"Oh, that's a horrible idea. I love it." Harry claps.

Before I can dwell on whatever drama that is, Anton informs us that Granny is holding a party for Igor, the winning CEO. Since he's injured, however, we won't find him there.

Leo grunts. "The way Charlie's father is on the cops' neck, Igor won't be able to hide soon enough."

"Oh shit! Charlie's dad knows?!" Harry shrieks.

"Ur, Sil told him she was kidnapped, and I couldn't lie to him. So ya, he's already gone to the police, and he almost chopped my head when I cursed so, so I follow him around -"

"Chopped your head?!" Cynthia gasps.

Leo chuckles, "Figuratively."

My newest friend sighs in relief. I pat her. From prom dresses to criminals, our conversations have been so dark lately. How did we get here?

How did I get here?

All I wanted was to know my mom and then find the mystery behind my dad's pills, and now, like, what the fuck?!

No wonder Dad never talked about Mom. He was right to keep me away from her sick family. We were happy until I pushed for more.

But if I didn't push for more - if I didn't get into Spencer High - would I have met the people I know today?

Would I know Charlie?

Oh, Charlie.

*

"Autumn, are you still in contact with Jawl?" Harry's voice breaks my trance.

When she shrugs, I gape at her, resulting in her sigh. "What? I still have a mission to finish."

"Please don't," Harry whimpers. That is when it dawns on me that they shouldn't be doing whatever they are doing with their eyes. My bad for hosting this call.

"Don't because," he flounders, "I'm sorry. I-we urm, I liked that you were kinda unhinged like me until I realised how seriously fucked up - Ur, I'm sorry, and despite everything, I care about you, so stop with this Jawl shit or else-" His teeth chatters. "Or else forget I ever existed."

Silence slices in. We all tilt to his ex. She chuckles, "So what? You want me to choose between you and the guy who saved my life?"

"That guy saved your life only to use you," Harry contests, "And yes, I did too, but like... I care about you. Autumn, I care about you -"

She storms out.

Leo groans, "Someone go get her. Everyone else, focus."

*
*

A day later, Cynthia and I untie Autumn, who hums the tune of one of Harry's songs. She halts to muse, "You know, the look on his face, it was the same one he had when I shot my uncle. It was."

A pause.

"Did I ruin him?"

"Almost."

"Huh." She massages her wrists. I give her a plane ticket. Soon, she gathers her stuff. I watch her until she freezes to mutter, "If I die, tell Ha -"

"You're not gonna die."

I help her carry the luggage to her ride. Once they are in the boot, she mutters, "Are you expecting an apology?"

I nod. She flips me the bird instead. Offering the same gesture, I watch her leave.

*
*

When she reaches her destination, she pleads, "Boss, give me one last chance. I promise I won't miss."

"Why did you miss in the first place?" Jawl snarks.

She grinds her palms together as the man pours her some tequila. Starting up at him, she takes a sip.

"Drink all."

"She obliges."

Her tummy hurts a few minutes later when Jawl asks, "Did anyone see you?"

"A guard - AGH -"

"Did you see his face?"

"Yes, boss."

Jawl grimaces at that. Autumn slips to his feet, and he jabs a syringe in her arm, barking, "Well now, you better not miss."

*
*

David already has difficulty convincing everyone that he didn't plot against Sir Igor. The boss's siblings relocated him swiftly, but David knows better than to jubilate. Igor is brilliant; if he hasn't said shit yet, things can rather get ugly.

When his colleagues, who once held him in high esteem, start slapping his butt and catcalling him, he gets out of their abandoned warehouse. It's better than the bare floor he'd pee and sleep on after being raped, though he wishes for more privacy.

He wishes for many things, and only one has been achieved - he knows his name. David.

Mr. David. Dr. David. Prof. David. He smiles. Unwraps a toffee. It doesn't touch his lips.

All David hears is some guards screaming, and then he ducks. Someone tries to pull him inside as bullets spray their enclosure.

"NO, MOVE!" He hears suddenly. Looking for the voice, it dawns on him that none of the bullets are hitting him. By now, he should be toast.

"MOVE WHERE?! -"

"What are you doing, man? You'll get killed!" One guard yells, dashing inside too.

"Man, I think I have powers!"

"You batch boys and your delusions, get your ass inside!"

"No, no, I'm hearing things and look!" He spreads his arms, only for a bullet to hit his bicep. Instantly, he yelps. He turns to the doorknob, but it doesn't budge. They locked him out. Great.

He swiftly slips the toffee in his mouth and crouches behind a wall. At least, he wants to die happy a little. The caramel goodness melts in his tongue as his eyes close.

It takes a nerve-racking moment for the noise to fester.

What he hears next is his name as a hand lifts his face. Someone in a mask appears before him. The several dead bodies behind her catch his view.

"Hey! Don't scream," she orders in a whisper.

*

"Did you kill all those men?" David asks her once she gets him in her car.

"No." She turns left.

He winces. "Jawl sent you, huh? And the men in that hideous mask of yours. You guys failed to sneak past security, didn't you? Oh man, you're dead -"

"No." She speeds up.

"So what? Are you taking me to Jawl?" David clutches his seatbelt.

"Shush," Autumn says.

*
*

When Harry goes to Mr. Henley's house, the teacher is stunned. He through even more flabbergasting intel about the thugs while Mrs. Henley gets units on the move.

Mr Henley gasps, "I can't believe Charlie was going through so much horror. He's such a good student. Nice boy. If only I knew what was happening to him."

"Ya, no offence, but there was a lot of shit which you teachers missed." Harry muses. "Like bullying, stabbing, drugs, kidnapping, assaults, all types of abuse, ur, criminal parents and guardians..."

*
*

"Boss, it was a massacre. All the other men died -"

"And you didn't?"

"Yes, boss. I played dead till the shootout ended."

To her response, Jawl squints at Autumn. Tension shrinks her before him.

"She came with the kid, sir." His butler breaks their staredown.

Autumn nods and then rolls David inside on a stroller.

"Good." Jawl smirks. "Go to the weaponry room with him. Get me the kind of gun you think is best for killing yourself."

"Pardon me, boss?"

"Did I mumble?"

"No, boss." Autumn flinches.

He snaps his fingers, and she turns only to hear the joyful sound of sirens. Instantly, Jawl tries to slap her, but he feels David's gun behind his head in a blink.

The butler leans on the stroller. "Jawl, let the girl go. You are under arrest."

*
*

"I don't get it?" Leo frowns. "How did you get him?"

"The list of rogue cops," Harry narrates. "When they were told their likely jail sentences, one was willing to throw Jawl under the bus so fast he got in touch with the butler, sent an undercover guy in his place, yada yada, and ta-dah!"

"Hm." Leo shakes his head, ending the call.

To think he was so scared of those thugs, and they are screwed. Several parents from Spencer High, Arden High, and all other schools in the district are throwing their support. The mayor is already receiving praise, though more work has to be done. Igor already planned for Jawl to get caught, considering the sudden hellfire on his cartel.

Mordecai's girlfriend even comes on national television. She thanks all the NGOs supporting her and Junior and then narrates everything Charlie was trying to say at the courthouse in a calm, revolutionary tone.

As Leo watches her, his heart swells. He calls Uncle Willem to help him get on a news platform, too.

*
*

*Mia's P.O.V still*

There is a fucking party. Granny is having a party. I should throw up on someone.

Desi beams as Anton gets her a chair away from the adults in the family. We sit with kids, although Joe shoots me a pleading look. She turns back to Granny when I scowl. Dolph sits on the opposite side of their mother.

"I can't believe him. What if I was one of those kids that Igor -" Anton grits his teeth.

My gaze darts to the Yeltsin adult table chatter. I request Desi to eavesdrop, but the girl resumes her social media scrolling.

"Desi, please! If you get up, I'll give you the magazines with my friend's face."

"Correction. My husband." Desi flips her hair.

After she does her child tantrum magic, she skips to tell us, "They are arguing about bees."

Anton, however, listens to Desi's rant and then says, "Seems like they are talking about Igor's wife. It doesn't sound like Joe likes her."

As if on cue, everyone tilts to the vrooming of several four wheels.

A lady with the lowest v-neck I've ever seen on a gown steps out. I glance at Joe, and indeed, she grimaces. The lady catwalks to the main family table and greets my Granny with her shades still on.

Granny tells her to take it off, so she does. I don't gawk at her as she epitomises attraction only due to wealth.

When it's time for toasts, she offers to go first. "I would like to thank this family for inviting me to this lovely event first of all. My husband truly has a support system that never wavers. I feel it's only fair for Madame Pom -" She turns to Granny. "To give me her blessing as I'll be taking care of all proceedings in Igor's absence."

Joe shoots her a what the fuck?! look. Granny Pom takes the mic and slithers to the centre. Exhaling in exuberance, she turns to her son's wife and says, "May God give you many children, my dear." Then she sets the mic down. There's dead silence.

Till Joe claps. Then Dolph. Soon, everyone claps. The new wife sits back, grinning.

"Should we wait for them to kill each other or?" Anton whispers. Before I can respond, my phone buzzes.

Joe tilts to me, although no one else minds. As she gets up, I see Leo's number.

"Crap," I say. "Anton, cover for me."
He nods, and I rush into the mansion. Running to my room, I'm stopped by Joe's voice.

"Mia, where are you going?"

"None of your business."

She rocks on her feet. "Guess you're still not convinced by what I told you, huh."

"Joe, we'll talk later -" Before I know it, she's cutting me off with her hand. The other reaches for my phone, but I twist away from her.

"It's Charlie, isn't it? Mia, I've warned you about him- In fact, let me find his location -" She digs her nails into the back of my palm. Inhaling the pain, I push us into a wall. Joe yelps, and I slam us incessantly. My head pounds as Joe tries to break free between me and the wall. Her phone slips, and she kicks it quickly. It flies straight to Igor's wife's heel. The lady picks it up and strides towards us as we struggle.

Joe shoves backwards, and I land on the floor, only for her to climb over me.

"MIA, CALM DOW-" Her head is smacked. She reverts to the culprit just in time for me to roll her over. In a split second, Igor's wife hands me my great grandma's walking stick. I hit Joe.

"You liar! You fucking bitch! Has anything you've ever said been true?!"

"Mia, of course. I didn't know -" She's cut off by my phone ringing again.

I slap her before huffing, "Leo, what is it?!"

"Ur, I was just asking if I can -"

"Whatever it is, do it!" I hang up, snatch Joe's phone from Igor's wife and get out.

Anton is the next person to find me, so I give her phone to him, mumbling, "Check for Igor's location or something. I'm done with his family."

*
*

Still in Russia, I knock on the door, and Charlie bursts out with a beam.

"You are back!" He pulls me into a hug. My breath hitches. Heart stops. Then, I remember we are running out of time.

"Hey, let go -" I shove him back and match into his room. He winces, but I look away, grabbing his stuff and essentials. Returning to the door, I drag him out.

"Mia, what -"

"We gotta go!" I heave, getting into a car. Charlie looks at me in utmost fear. My driving skills do everything but help him relax.

"Mia, you're going too fast."

"We are pressed for time."

"Mia, if a police officer stops us, we won't even go to wherever. Slow down."

I oblige begrudgingly. We get on a bridge when Charlie says he has no passport. I give him my bag, upon which he takes our passports, papers, and wallets and tells me to park. Then he jumps out and yeets the bag with what's left straight into the water.

My eyes widen at him. "ARE YOU CRAZY!"

"I have a bad feeling, Mia."

"Huh?!" This boy is putting me through a whirlwind of emotions. "Oh my goodness, you know what? Go sit at the back and sleep!"

He holds his waist, entering the backseat nonetheless.

We make it to the airport on time. Cops come for us when we land in the UK.

*
*

"Reporting live from Moscow, Russia, I'm at the bridge where the 'Water Fountain' was seen -"

"Oh, shit." I gape at the screen. The two police officers with me turn off their television.

"Y'all realise they were trying to kill us, right?" I blurt, "my grandmom and my aunt. They put something in my bag -"

"Dear, calm down. Sit, please." The female officer says.

The nerve.

They keep me in the room for hours and then relocate me to a heavily guarded penthouse. They tell me that Charlie is under witness protection with David, Autumn, and Leo, who told BBC that he'd rather die than watch Igor go scot-free.

They haven't found Igor yet, so until then, I'm all alone in this damn penthouse.

I spend my mornings exercising, afternoons eating, and evenings worrying, especially Charlie. If this suspense is driving me crazy, imagine him.

When I'm allowed visitors, I'm more than glad the first person is him.

Charlie sits on the opposite sofa and smiles. I smile back. He looks out the windows at the officers watching us. Resuming our staredown, he sips water.

My knee is jerking. "How are you? Really?"

"I want to cry," he replies.

"Ok, then. Do that."

"I doubt there are any more tears left in me."

I inhale to that. He sips again, and the air grows thicker.

"Maybe they'll come when the court case starts. And then I'll choke -"

"No, you won't," I interrupt him. His brows crease.

"Charlie, you won't choke." I move to his side. His eyes trail me to the end of the sofa, after which they fall to his feet. I lift his chin up. He flushes, and I drop my hand.

"Are you ok, Charlie?"

"Please don't do that."

"Huh?"

"Why do you like acting weird around me? Do you recall that song you sang on your audition?" He scoots away and hums the tune.

That is when my nerves escalate. "Creep? ... Are you saying I'm a creep?"

"NO! Let me reframe my point."

"Dude, you better not say something worse."

"It's not that - what are you threatening me with?"

I don't know

"Ur, ya, I'll ... pinch your cheeks if you say worse."

"My cheeks are expensive. I can sue you for that."

"No, you can't. Who told you that?" I cringe.

"My besties. Goodwill to you if you dare." He gobbles the rest of his water.

"This dude." I shake my head. "How much is the cost?"

"Billions. But I'll reduce it for you by like 0.00674%."

"Oh, fuck off."

"Language."

I make a face.

He sticks his tongue out. He should thank goodness the officers come for him right afterwards.

*

My next visitor is Anton, who comes in, apologising. I tell him it's okay.

"No, Mia. Igor was not in the hospital I found, and now, Granny is pledging to help Interpol track him."

"What?!"

"Ya, she claims that she even wants to start a foundation for the kids being rescued."

"What the fuck?!!" I stand.

Anton huffs. "I know, right? The things people can get away with when they have money."

"What about the bridge?!"

"She's paying fines."

My jaw drops. "No way. This is - this is ridiculous!"

*

Matters get more ridiculous. Joe loses her child's custody to Willem, as well as her job. That's it.

Two months later, Igor is found in the Maldives. News channels all over bombard the public with his disgusting face. Talks of the trial of the century fill the airwaves. Many believe he might get life imprisonment like Jawl, while others push for a death penalty.

*
*

*Charlie's P.O.V*

When I see Igor again, he's sitting by a lawyer. The courtroom is chill, and everyone is seated like this is an event. I turn to my dad and my sister, who look fed up. Everyone I know here seems fed up. It's like, what's the point of this? There is literal evidence and everything, yet I have to stand here and say, " Please, yes, this man... Hurt me."

"How old were you when it started?"

"Please, 15."

Gasps erupt. The state lawyer shuts his eyes and then turns to the jury for a split second. Returning to me, he says, "Would you like to tell us more?"

"Objection, your honour, relevance -"

"Overruled." The judge silences Igor's lawyer, whom I glare at.

"Relevance? Please, do you think I'm irrelevant? Do you think I asked for this? Are you calling what happened to me irrelevant?! What about all the kids he's put through pain? Igor -" I scream, "Igor, look at me!"

"Your honour -"

"I didn't hurt you. Look at your face. Still fuckable," he interrupts his lawyer.

The entire jury hears it, and like that, the case is over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Sequel opener*

*Charlie's P.O.V*

"Hi, Vogue!" I say, the day after my college graduation. "Welcome to my home. Sorry if it is a bit messy." Then, I give them a mini tour while answering their questions. When we reach the kitchen, Leo rolls his eyes at them.

"Hi, Vogue!"

"That is not how I sound." I pull his ear. He flushes as I turn to the cameraman. "Zoom in on this homosapien, please."

"I see you two are still staying together." My interviewer grins.

Leo deadpans. "Why? Wanna join us?"

My interviewer giggles at that. I don't know what is funny, so I cringe till she says, "Anyway, how have you been since -"

Oh no.

Is she about to ask about Igor's court case? The number of journalists who have harrassed me about it -

"He's been doing great since - was it New York? Ya, New York fashion week," Leo quirks. I squeeze his hand in gratitude.

"Oh, good." My interviewer brushes her dark hair back. "Any thoughts on it?"

"Well, I like the designs, and there was a lot of effort and creativity put into a lot of the pieces."

"Yep." Leo waves his hand. The interviewer stares at it only to gush, "Oh my goodness. I love your rings."

"Oh, ur, thanks. He bought it." Leo nudges me. "You should see the one he bought for his wife, too -"

"Bye, Vogue!"

"Bye, Vogue!" Leo mimics me better.

As soon as the Vogue team leaves, I groan, "You are so annoying."

"You too." He ruffles my now strawberry blonde hair. We make dinner and take pictures till slumber overtakes us. Our dog ushers us to a new day, licking our faces.

"Takie -" I squeak as its warm tongue gets to my ears.

Leo chuckles, "Hey, don't eat his hair. It's more expensive than your dog food."

"Yes, Leo, save me!"

Instead, he frees himself. I have to rub Takie's back twenty-three times before it gets off me.

As revenge, I nick Leo's toothpaste and have a bath.

"Where's my toothpaste?!"

"Hm?"

"Charlie! My toothpaste, you -" He storms into my room. I grin sheepishly as he halts. "Wait, are you going out?"

"Yes."

"To where?"

"The cemetery." I rinse the honey on my face.

Leo takes the towel to clean my hair. "Do you want me to come along?"
My head shakes on an afterthought.

"You'll be fine, though, right?"

I nod, so he lets me use his car.

*

At the cemetery, I find Silver already in front of our mother's tomb.

Settling beside her, I breathe deeply. Silver rests her head on my shoulder. "How are you?"

"Good," I tell my sister.

"Congrats, again."

"Thank you." I smile.

She snorts, "So what? You'll be an accountant and model at the same time."

"It's possible."

"You're putting a lot of stress on yourself."

"I'm fine." I look her in the eye.

She shifts her weight forward, grunting. "You won't change?"

I don't reply. I wait for her amused smile, even though it does not reach her eyes. Our fingers intertwine. I feel her ribs quiver as she bows her head.

"Sil, what is it?"

She looks up. "I really messed up this family. Didn't I? What I did to you started all this -"

"No. It didn't."

"Anna told me -"

"You didn't!" I butt in.

Her confused stare makes me rant, "I'm your brother. I have tried everything to be there for you. I'm sorry if sometimes I wasn't, but you can't keep putting what others say above those who care about you. People tell you it's your fault, so you think the world is over. You almost killed -"

"Hey!" Her voice echoes. "What? You think you know everything about me?!"

"Actually, yes."

"Oh, really?" Her eyes bulge. "Ok, go ahead. I attempted suicide because what?"

I flinch. Her aura feels harsh. A quiet moment passes, and then she laughs.

"Sil, I had nightmares, and I-I was sleepwalking. I fell off a roof once. It's not funny."

She stops. I place a hand over my chest.

"What did Sydney do about them?"

"Don't remember."

"You don't remember, or she did nothing much?" Sil perks a brow.

"I didn't tell her."

"Oh, ok. So she was distracted. Was it a guy?"

When I don't respond to that, she jests, "What an interesting mother we had. Oops, I mean Sydney. What an interesting Sydney we had."

There's a pause. I consider my sister's stubborn look and rise.

"No matter what you think, she loved you. She loved us. And she taught us how to afresh, so I am going to. You better turn a new leaf, too. You can start by responding when I call you -"

"Bruv, just text. Learn how to text."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Igor stares at his yucky food. His stomach growls, but nothing else pushes him to eat. He can't wait to get out.

"Sir," a prisoner addresses him. The man slips a paper in his palm. It reads:

"There is a pill under your bed."

Finally! Igor thinks. What took his mother so long, anyway?

Once in his cell, he swallows the pill and waits. Minutes pass before he faints. The next thing he knows, officers are hurling him onto a stretcher. His mind falls to his best friend as he hears gasps on his left and right.

He feels hands exchange him until he gets to the gates. There's a heated argument about the mortuary arrangements. Igor crosses his chest till his body is moved into a vehicle.

Then he feels a hand tap him. "Wakey, wakey, hun."

Instantly, he sits up. "Water."

"Hey, you go," his wife offers him a bottle and another pill. He gulps it down and drinks to his heart's content.

"I thought my mom would come for me."

"And risk her life? Sorry dear, but she doesn't care about you that much."

"It's not her fault. I should have controlled myself in court." Igor sucks his teeth. His wife, Pamela, reveals the Chinese takeout she bought for him.

Igor scowls at the lame packaging but eats nonetheless. The vehicle speeds up. He mumbles, "So what actually has been happening since the case?"

"Nothing. The family business has a couple of losses, and the board put Desi's parents in charge."

"What? But they are Germans. That lousy cousin of mine has no idea how we run business here."

Pamela agrees. "But you can't be CEO. Joe is a dummy. Dolph is busy being your dad's footstool, and who else?"

"Anton?"

"Na, that kid is a snitch. Remember?"

"Urr... Mia?" Igor tries to recall his niece. He hardly got to interact with her because Joe was protective of her.

"Ya, that girl is also trouble. I like her spirit, though. It's a shame she fled to the States. Just like her mother." Pamela mumbles. Igor glares at her, and she clears her throat.
"I'm not saying anything false about your deceased sister. She tried to run away, too. Didn't she? Even used Joe's name and tried to become a well-meaning pharmacist. Then married a co-worker... The immigrant whistleblower, right?"

Igor doubles back. "How do you know all that?"

"Research. I need to know the family I married into."

"You didn't marry the family. You married me," he retorts. She cringes, and he grabs her shoulders. "And anyway, your job is to support me, not snoop around."

"Ya, ya, ya." She swats his hands away.

The vehicle stops, and he asks, "At least tell me there's some business to handle."

"Oh yes, we have new drugs to sell. I was working on the product with Dolph since the pills from his pharmaceutical company are old news. We don't have a name for it yet, but it seems promising. Imagine meth, blueberry toffees, and the pills merged into a tiny tablet."

Igor doesn't imagine that. He imagines money. "And what about my kids left. Miami?"

"You just got out, dear. We can't start that yet." Pamela opens the container door. As she steps out, Igor looks at his environs. It seems like they are at a factory. Someone gives them protective clothing and goggles. Igor follows her inside.

The supervisor in the mixing section runs to them, tips his cap, and start explaining how the machines work. The tour goes on for so long that Igor yells, "Ok, when the fuck do we get to the money part?!"

"Sir, the finance office us not here. Kindly refrain from leaning on the rails."

"Why?" He chuckles. "You think I'm dumb enough to fall into this weird concoction -" He points to the ginormous blender of boiling pasty ingredients.

Pamela comes between Igor and the man, saying, "Let's just move on, please."

So they walk to the laboratories, Pamela asks questions and then they walk back and then Igor leans on the rail.

"Sir please -"

Before the man can finish, Pamela pushes him off. The man's jaw drops.

After Igor's screams subside, Pamela frowns. "How many blenders are operating in this section again? It would be a shame if we have to stop production due to a minor casualty."

*

*
*

*Mia's P.O.V*

After Charlie's graduation, Harry and I return to the States.

And now, we are returning from your visit to the mental institution keeping Autumn.

Harry sighs. I pat his back, and he says, "Guess, we gotta go to the studio now."

"Ur, I have to study though -" Before I can finish, my phone rings.

My younger cousin's voice resonates so fast that all I catch is;

"Wait, uncle is dead?!"

"I have to go to school," Desi mutters, "Auntie Joe was crying all over my homework. She didn't even sign -"

"Desi. Is uncle Igor dead?!"

"Yes." The girl says nonchalantly.

As concerned as I am for her lack of empathy, I squeal, "Yes!"

"Grandma is crying, too."

"Good."

"Big sister Mia, you are mean."

"So are you, Desi. Why aren't you mourning?"

No response.

Oh my goodness, this poor, stubborn child.

"I'll come for you. I promise. College is hella stressful, especially for us biochem students, but I'll get someone to stay with you."

Desi replies, "Ok," and then, just as she's about to cut the call, she freezes. "Wait, why is there a new ring on your finger?"

*

*

*
*
Author's note : thanks for reading, voting, and commenting. There is a sequel coming soon called "Lit Pills," and I need help with aesthetics for the characters.

Fanarts will also be appreciated. Anything at all to hype the sequel while I take a break. Also, the characters in this part are probably the most likely characters we will meet in the next book, so ya, if your favs are not mentioned, sorry ... but I'll think about it.

Yes, there will be new characters, too.

There will be cast interviews published, so please send questions here. Preferably the ones regarding them (don't expect spoilers).

Comment here:

Charlie:

Mia:

Leo:

Harry:

Others:

Finally, please suggest songs. My music taste is quite limited.