Fate's Game [GL]

Sasha gone, Bethea was exasperated.

Sitting back on her seat, mulling over the things she has done wrong in the past, to deserve this unloving relationship with her husband, that brought her to halt again and again after every wall she climbed over.

With frustration crawling all over her, gnawing on her restless heart, an unexpected guest came visiting.

Marching in with wide straits clad in military clothing and a brooding look, Marcus made his way in to the living room.

Even though petulant¹ about the previous conversation she had with Sasha, and now this surprising visiter, Bethea felt an impending headache arising.

Nonetheless, instead of letting her uprising temperament lead her on and make her do something stupid, she painted a calm air over herself, not letting the incoming Marcus catch on to her unstable state.

"Sir Anderson, nice to see you. Please, forgive me for my lacking hospitality, I have not expected you coming today." She stood up greeting him. "If it's my husband you need, he isn't here at the moment."

"No need to apologize Madam Evans, it is I who came without invitation."

Marcus looked at her dully, different than in the 'happy' time yesterday, where he was c.o.c.ky and lecherous, wantonly doing those intimate acts with the lady of the Evans household.

"I'm not here because of your husband" he started. "I'm here because of you."

Well, even if his face looked serious, his flirtatious style was still present and prominent to this day.

"What do you mean?" Bethea asked, catching under this ambiguity on to some deeper layered message, that whatever Marcus had to say was bad news.

Marcus didn't answer her staying in silence.

Except, Bethea took the silence as a signal, sending a sign to the only maid present in the living room to leave the room, allowing them to have a more privat talk.

She knew, being alone with a man in a room didn't give a good image to her family name if word may spread, but she knew too that Marcus was never a guy who would bring her in any kind of harm's way, were it not for something very important.

"Talk. What is it that is so important for you to openly come see me?"

She arched her eyebrow, that suggested a joke or more flirting would get him in big problem right now, so he should have a reasonable reason for appearing in front of her in broad daylight.

Yet unexpectedly, Marcus stood still with a grave face, indicating a bad thing, which rose foreboding thoughts to her mind.

Without thinking she spat out "Don't tell me Sasha found out about the affair!"

"No!" Marcus immediately reassured her, shaking his head.

"Then tell me what's wrong already and stop hampering around the bush!" Bethea complained.

Marcus raised a hand ruffling his short hair.

Actually, he didn't intent to make her anxious, he just didn't know how to word the news right, without making her paranoid.

But no matter how he looked at it, it stayed bad news and he couldn't just withhold it from her like that.

They had to deal with it when it comes knocking at their doors and letting Bethea tap in the dark was a bad move, that may hunt them for the rest of their lives.

He huffed ones before talking. "You will not like what I have to say my love. You- you-" He very dramatically looked away clutching his face in his hand.

"You were seen n.a.k.e.d by a stranger!"

"Hah?" An unladylike noise darted out from her.

Please someone tell her again, what was this crazy person saying? Someone saw her n.a.k.e.d!

Was it not him who saw her in her natural disposition, what bogus was he sproting now!

"MAR.CUS!" She hissed through clenched teeth.

Her calm mask shattered by this man's shamelessness, almost ready to spring at him and punch his lights out.

"No punching! I'm serious here!"

Marcus backed off a bit leaving Bethea's striking zone, just to make sure she really wouldn't jump at him.

"Yesterday, when we were having some fun, unknown to us there was someone eavesdropping and he or she might have seen you doing it with me."

"..."

"Hehe.."

'crash'

Betea took her half drunken tea cup smashing it at Marcus, who swiftly slipped away.

"Someone heard our secret conversation and you care about that person seeing me n.a.k.e.d! How stupid can you be!" Her voice went up a pitch at the end. "Did you at least take care of them?"

"My love, please quell your anger. I tried to follow them, but lost them in the end. They were too neat and tidy, knowing their job by the back of their hand, hence I haven't found any leading points."

"So you mean we don't know who it was who overheard us, nor know when that person can use this s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e information against us!"

"Yes" He confirmed, letting Bethea enter a state of permanent frenzy.

When she couldn't ascertain if they will come back using the information to wedge a dispute between her and Sasha then eventually, this info will sap out all her nerves.

If Emil knew what he has done unintentionally, he would have been so proud of himself to had the chance to take a stab on Bethea, but sadly he had no idea.

Marcus tried to calm her down saying they didn't have any evidence that could be hold up against them.

But like he had thought, this was a bad seed he planted and now it started to sprout into a twisted tree, nourished by Bethea's paranoia and to stack another on it, it made her unstable state from before even more unstable.

"Now we only can wait and lure in the dark my love, and when Sasha is able to track them down, I will end their lives for sure." He tried to assure her once more, when it even helped.

°°°°

In the military barracks office, Sasha was walking in circles, guilt and pain eating in his heart.

How could he let his most precious child be taken right under his nose. Will Emil ever forgive his inattentiveness?

Peaceful times must have dulled his sharpness and let his guard down, but could he blame himself, after Emil's death, he only focused on taking down the Black Vipers -which was a fruitless mission up to this day- and get his revenge for all his fallen brothers, and he blamed Emil's unfortunately early demise on them too, since they were the only ones plain unshrouded in his visor.

Meaning, they were the outlet of his pent up anger.

Yet he slacked down on many places on this special day, for one, he could have placed more security guards on this important day, what could have protected his little daughter, but he didn't.

'knock knock'

A knocking sound broke him from the self-blame.

"Enter"

Sasha stopped his pensive pacing, watching the incoming soldier intently.

"Sir, the whole area was combed though, yet we've found no trace of the kidnap-"

'BANG'

Sasha slapped his hand on the desk making the soldier flinch.

The soldier right now hated his oh so-called comrades, who made him do the reporting. If he hadn't had lost to them fair and square, he'd curse them out loud filled with profanities.

"I have dispatched every man in hand and you come back to me with nothing! Was I to mild in drilling you guys all those years, or what?!" Sasha reprimanded.

The soldier's back bathed in cold sweat. His face a little hesitant and marred with indecisiveness, should he say it, or better keep his mouth shut to live a few more minutes before Sasha choked him in his anger.

But, who was Sasha to let this detail slip away even in his agitated state, otherwise he wouldn't feel worthy to be the general standing over hundreds of thousands man and woman.

"Spit it out! What is it?"

"Ehmm.. the thing is sir, we... did not look everywhere, there is still-"

The soldier didn't finish his sentence not even daring to look at Sasha, neither did he have to finish his sentence, by know Sasha knew what he was trying to imply.

"The summerhouse"