House of Cards

Chapter Two - Charlie

"Did you find anything?" I asked, looking at Damien who was staring at his screen bored, his hands fiddling with the mouse. "What can I find? There's nothing in the system. It's as if Ava never had a family." Damien spoke as his eyes shifted towards me. Tall, Sharp, Handsome, and Smart. Damien was one of the best hackers I knew around town. Whatever you needed, he would get it to you in under five minutes without breaking a sweat. He was the most trusted guy in my mafia after Rowan and I was willing to kill for him, just for his talent you know? Talent like his shouldn't go to waste and I preferred to keep him to myself. "She has a mother or father at least, she didn't just appear from an animal's womb, fuckwit." I narrowed my eyes at him. I had been overly pissed for the past few days at Yelena's words, now I was taking that anger out on Damien, which I shouldn't have. Deep Breath In. Deep Breath Out. Calm Down.

"I'm not letting go of Ava, Charlie."

Yelena's words kept repeating in my head as I cracked my knuckles, leaning back on my chair as I waited for Damien to speak. "What did you say was her last name?" Damien spoke as his attention was back to the computer. "Ava Meadows," I muttered dryly. Damien's nimble fingers danced across the keyboard, and his eyes remained fixated on the screen's cryptic codes. The room was filled with the soft hum of powerful computers, the screens displaying lines of data that could send shivers down the spine of even the most secure institutions.

As minutes turned into seconds, Damien's hacking skills transcended the ordinary. He bypassed firewalls and breached encrypted networks with an eerie ease. The virtual barriers guarding the government's secrets crumbled before him like a fragile dam against a surging flood.

I was already impatient as I watched Damien's every move. I knew that if anyone could find a trace of Ava's past, it was him. Damien. My fingers tapped impatiently on the armrest of my chair as I waited for Damien's voice and the top of the endless typing.

Then, at last, Damien froze, his expression shifting from casual boredom to intense focus. His eyes widened only to the slightest, reflecting the shocking discovery that unfolded before him. "I've got something, Charlie," he whispered, the gravity of his words sinking in. I raised my eyebrow and stood up, walking over to Damien and leaning in to see what was up.

Fuck. No way. No fucking way.

"You're kidding me." My eyes widened as I stepped back, my hands in my pockets. I wasn't nervous or scared, no I was fucking frustrated. Ava Meadows. Meadows. Hunter Meadows and Lia Medows. Ava's fucking parents. "Are you sure.." My fists slightly clenched inside my pockets as I looked away from the screen, trying to compose myself. "Are you fucking sure-" Damiens chuckle cut me off as he let his head fall back. "God really hates you, Charlie." Damien laughed. "Fuck off, asshole," I muttered as I clenched my jaw.

Hunter Meadows and Lia Meadows. The couple I 'accidentally' slaughtered in a fucking bomb blast 5 years ago. I never fucking knew they had a child. I checked their files over and over again, there was nothing about a child or even a relative. They were just a simple married couple, with no children whatsoever. I didn't even know they were near the bomb blast that day, but I was glad to have files of the innocent people I 'accidentally' killed. I was only there to kill Song fucking Jaehyun and his gang. An ex-employee of my company who started to work for my rival. Ian Kozlov. I couldn't afford for any of those dicks to open their mouth and spill my work ethic to Ian. He was an unpredictable psycho who most likely would've thrown a fucking party for knowing how my company works. Pussy pleaser. That's all he was good for from my perspective. I didn't notice how annoyed and irritated looked until Damien spoke up.

"You look like a Velociraptor right now." Damien's tone was filled with amusement and laughter as he leaned on his fist and smirked at me. That fucking smirk. Kill yourself, Damien. "I should be looking like that, I got to know that I killed a child's parents," I spoke. "The same child who lives with me, in my fucking penthouse and Yelena is close to." My shoulders tensed as I grabbed my jacket and relaxed my jaw.

"Where are you going now?"
"Somewhere."
"Don't be too violent to blow off steam, you would only get more pissed."
"Don't provoke me, Damien."
"I will, Charlie. I like pissing you off."

I left Damien's apartment, my fists still clenched, hard enough to sink into my palms. I killed Ava's parents. I didn't feel guilt, neither did I feel sadness. I just felt.. what did I feel? It was hard to tell. I was frustrated with myself, pissed, to say the least. Ava always looked at me with trust in her eyes, and now I would see hurt and hate in her eyes. She would probably distance herself from me, and hate me for the rest of her life. If not this reaction then maybe she would get uncomfortable with me. There was no way she would be like "Oh, Aunt Charlie, that's perfectly fine! I'm okay with you killing my parents!" or "Oh Aunt Charlie, I forgive you for killing my parents right after I was born." Okay now I started to feel bad, I wouldn't care if it was another child, I probably would've given them money and a nice family with a stable life ahead of them, but Ava was different. There were so many thoughts in my mind, so many fucking thoughts wrecking me, ruining me apart from Ava but I needed to tell the truth to her. I wasn't the type to lie to children. I needed to tell her the truth, it was a need. And.. I needed to blow off steam. I'm too frustrated.

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9:35 pm - Washington DC - Blackhill Club

The Blackhill Club was the largest in the mafia world. It was a club filled with luxury, fame, and wealth. The main foyer boasted marble floors that stretched for what seemed like miles, adorned with intricate, handwoven rugs that whispered tales of distant lands. Crystal chandeliers, hanging from the high vaulted ceilings, cast a warm, golden glow upon the patrons.

The Blackhill Club's interior was a maze of sumptuous rooms and lavish lounges, each with its unique theme and purpose. The Grand Hall, a cavernous space with towering pillars and marble statues, was where the most prominent mafiosos held their clandestine meetings. Its walls were adorned with priceless art and tapestries, a silent testament to the wealth and influence that flowed through the club. So much for being a wealthy Mafia and having its perks.

The boxing hall was expansive, rivaling even the finest commercial gyms in the city. Its walls were adorned with dark wood paneling, giving the space an air of sophistication. The low, soft lighting casts a warm and inviting atmosphere, providing a stark contrast to the cold, sterile ambiance of most regular gyms. It was nearly 10 pm, and no one usually came to the gym at this time, especially in Blackhill Club, most of the club members spent their time in the bar, the smoke room, the gun room, the mini strip club or just having sex in their private rooms which the club provides only the VVIP members.

The room was filled with the rhythmic thud of my fists meeting the leather-clad surface of the punching bag. I could freely punch and scream if I needed to, I needed to clear my mind. My shirt lay discarded on the floor, leaving me dressed only in a sleek black sports bra that hugged my toned torso, and matching black trousers that clung to my legs. I was so concentrated on punching, that I didn't hear the door open. I kept my eyes on the bag, music blasting in my ears and then suddenly the room got colder. Sweat dripped down my neck and torso, my arms slightly sore as my muscles flexed, I stopped punching and my heavy breathing filled the room. This presence. This coldness. No other person would have this presence but him. Like I suspected, his low yet husky voice spoke.

"Charlie."