HI FAM! MANY THANKS FOR MAKING IT SO FAR.

Please stick with me through the following chapters.

GOD bless you,

Phela 🙏🏻❤️

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Aquilina willed herself to concentrate as she made a careful bypass around the aneurysm.

"The titanium clips go in now," she announced.

It was huge and required special attention. She placed the various clips in carefully.

When all was finally done, she inspected it again under the microscope to make sure a neat work had been done.

She glanced at the clock, it was almost 6 AM. They had been in surgery for 5 hours. She knew she had to hand over authority soon. Javier would be stopping by her house to pick her up.

Javier. Why does it have to be him?

Once again, she forced herself to pay attention. She could not let her mind wander.

"Over to you, Doctor Asbury."

Her co-surgeon nodded at her as Aqui drew back from the table.

"Thanks everyone for the amazing work done." The risk was past.

"We are very happy you've returned to work, Dr. Aquilina," a scrub nurse said.

"I'm happy too, and thanks everyone for your help. I know it wasn't an easy call."

They'd been working since midnight.

"Thank you too. Everything looks like it would be successful." Dr. Asbury said.

"I'll be back to check on her."

"Please do take your time."

"Finally," she whispered thanks to God as she took off her gloves and changed out of her surgical gown.

She had left every other work to Dr. Asbury and rushed to bath and change. She decided to wear her school uniform which she had brought along before heading home—because of the time.

As she rode home on her Kawasaki Ninja H2R, she finally thought back to the information she'd received from her brother Mike, the previous night.

She had not been expecting him, nor the offer he brought on board.

~

"I need your help with this case, achoti hakatana(my little sister). If not, some people you know might fall into grave danger."

He had been assigned a case by the WACO. They had discovered a threat against the Royals — Javier alarmingly being one of them.

Their investigations proved that the culprit might be someone close to them—perhaps even schooled with them. And with Aqui already at Velvet Regent, that would work to the organisation's advantage.

She had to be on the lookout. And as she was no longer working a lower position, her brother had to ask her.

"I'll do it." She knew she had to accept it the moment she had heard the details — and Javier's name.

"That will mean you'll have to still keep a low profile."

"No problem," she said softly.

"Toda raba," (Thank you) he smiled and patted her shoulder.

He had missed his younger sister, truthfully. And that was one reason why he had sought her out. He wanted to work with her once again.

~

Aqui thought hard and made a few plans in her head as she parked her bike at a point near her home, obscured from view.

She had to find out who it was — and fast.

————————

Aqui stepped out of Javier's car a quarter to 8 AM. He had driven fast, but his speed had been more controlled and smoother than Francesco's — if she was honest.

He joined her as they approached the checkpoint. With him being a Royal, he didn't have to go through the one everyone else had to use.

But he joined her nonetheless, which earned stares and whispers from the few that were around.

One glare from him silenced them.

"You don't have to," Aqui whispered softly to him.

"It's okay," his gaze softened when he glanced at her.

They passed through the checkpoint without incident.

Mike has stayed true to his word and informed the security, she thought approvingly. For that day, she had carried a phone and a weapon along—yes, she wasn't taking any chances.

And the WACO had approved and made every necessary arrangement to see to it that she could without raising many eyebrows.

They wanted her to report on any new developments and to be prepared in case any surprises cropped up.

But she felt her little triumph brought to an abrupt end when she noticed Francesco approach Javier.

He glanced at her briefly, his face unreadable.

"Javi, how are you?" He asked.

"Good, and you?"

"Uhm... I guess I'll see you all later, thanks Javier," Aqui had felt awkward standing beside them and thought it best to leave. She decided to use the restroom before class.

She felt weary. It had been a long time since she had performed any surgery. But the call had come in the previous night—an emergency.

She washed her hands and face at the sink in the glamorous restroom. It was huge but of course, this wasn't the one set aside for the Royals, or extremely rich. They had others set aside for them.

She stared at her face for a moment. The girl that stared back was a foreigner to whom she had been before her trial.

Her past self was sweet and lively. But in the mirror, she didn't see that anymore—but rather shattered pieces.

As she turned to dry her hands, she was surprised to see a fuming Rosa Vega staring back at her.

What is she doing here?

"We need to talk."

——————-

How I picture Mike,

And this chapter is dedicated to sereniity-
💙❤️💗