They Who Slaughtered Hope 🌈| 1-2 Updates a Month

Chapter 13

┏━━━༻✿༺━━━┓

𝙻𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚡

┗━━━༻✿༺━━━┛

𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘕𝘰𝘰𝘯

Lennox had just about everything he needed. He had seen Renato head towards the vegetable stands, so he hoped he had picked some up. 

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." The florist spied the dark-haired guy a few metres or so away, with another strangely familiar woman with orange hair—at least partially.

She was dressed like no woman he had ever met; a dark fedora adorned her wavy tresses, and she wore a suit better than he could, with the sharp edges accentuating her shoulders and pear-shaped figure. Arm extended, she pointed a gun at Renato's head for a half-second before lowering it to his heart. The woman's lips were parted in shock, retorting to words in a hushed tone that Lennox couldn't hear.

He prowled across the linoleum, attempting to get within earshot without being shot. The raid was still occurring in the background, and he was willingly going towards someone with a gun poised and ready to fire.

"Why are you here? You're an investigator, Trix. I know it's your job to get in other people's business, but this is a bit much."

"I do wherever the hell I want, Ren. I'm not going to let a liar like you control me."

Ren appeared to be a nickname of his, but who was that Trix person? How did Renato know her? Lennox wondered what their relationship could be.

Renato lowered his voice. "I never lied to you, Trix."

"In my playbook, omitting the truth and lying are one and the same. You could have told me."

Lennox made an effort to sneak closer, to glean what he was supposed to have told her, but he slipped on a dislodged nail. He nudged it aside and clutched a deteriorating pillar for support.

Alas, the commotion drew upon the pair's attention, and Renato swore. "Sorry, Trixcia. I have other things to attend to than your flawed accusations. It was never a secret that I owed your family money, I just didn't tell you it was blood money," he said rather loudly. As if he intended it to be heard.

"Ren, what the hell are you talking about? I don't even know who my parents—"

"We'll settle this some other time." Renato side-eyed Lennox.

He took a fleeting glance at Renato. What was he hiding beneath that pretty face? And what plans could he have for him and his family? He felt curious about Renato... There was so much mystery surrounding him. But that didn't mean the florist couldn't make some guesses and draw hasty conclusions.

"If you have time to eavesdrop, you're done with your errands, right, flower boy?"

"Uh, yeah." He had caught him eavesdropping... Had he known all along? "Who was that woman, anyway?"

Renato didn't answer. Instead, he sauntered up to Lennox, linked his arm with his own, and together they left the Syndicate raid unscathed—but shaken at the core.

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"You're back! Lennox, put away the groceries and Renato, help me in the kitchen," Emily commanded, addressing each haggard figure in turn as she cut onions on the sparkling dark countertop. "I'm glad you're here, Renato. I've always wanted a competent hand in the kitchen," she gushed, sending a pointed glance at Lennox that screamed: 'Renato has my vote to stay'.