CHAPTER 446: COUNT YOUR DAYS, LAYLA

Eveline looked at the man with a scar in front of her. Her heartbeat stopped for a second upon recognizing the man.

"Who are you?" Eveline asked, still trying to pretend. Cleverly, she dialed the number of the security guard when she felt the tip of the gun pointed right at the middle of her forehead.

"You think I’m a fool!?" Tsar snapped at her. He snatched the phone from her.

"Please, don’t shoot me. I didn’t do anything," Eveline said, holding the arms of the chair tightly.

"Says the woman who gave birth to my bastard brother," Tsar muttered.

Eveline looked up into his eyes. "Lucius never did anything to you or Vladimir. Then, why are you after his life?" she questioned. "And what do you want from me? If you think I can help you in any way, then you are wrong. I am not related to Lucius. I abandoned him a long time ago."

Tsar laughed sinisterly. "You think I’m here to spare you!? Of course, I have to send your corpse to your son because of whom my everything has been destroyed," he said.

Eveline’s eyes widened in horror. "No, Tsar. I beg you to let me live. I did nothing. I never once–" A shot rang out and the bullet hit the middle of her forehead. The blood trickled down her forehead, making her look lifeless on the chair.

"The war has begun Lucius. One by one you’ll lose everyone, especially that bitch, Layla," Tsar muttered, taking Eveline’s phone from her lap. He made his way out of the hotel room, and at the very moment, the entire hotel went into a blackout.

Tsar moved out quietly from the premises of the hotel. He was escorted out with the help of a black car and checked for Lucius’s contact.

Dialing that number, he waited for him to answer the call.

Layla lay curled on the mattress with her phone in her hands, hand eard Lucius’s phone ringing. She turned her head and checked the name flashing on it.

"Not to answer." She murmured and got confused seeing such a number on Lucius’s phone. She looked toward the door, expecting Lucius to walk in any moment.

Out of curiosity, she answered that call and brought the phone to her ear.

"Hello," Layla said in her soft tone.

Tsar’s eyes grew big hearing that voice.

"Hello?" Layla said again and looked at the screen.

"Hey, Layla," Tsar finally responded.

Layla furrowed his brows together. "Who are you? If you’re Lucius’s friend, I’ll tell him later," she asserted.

Tsar chuckled to hear her words. "I’m Tsar Romanov."

Layla’s breath caught in her throat the moment she heard that name.

"How could you forget me, Layla? Surprised, right? How did I return alive?" Tsar mockingly asked. "Count your days, Layla. The way you took everything from me, I’ll do the same to you and Lucius. Tell him to be prepared because the storm is coming."

The phone disconnected and the phone from Layla’s hand fell to the bed.

Just then, Lucius entered the room. The smile on his lips had faded seeing the disturbing look on Layla’s face.

"What happened?" he asked, walking toward her.

Layla lifted her head and quickly got down from the bed. "Tsar called you. It was a strange contact and I picked it up. Lucius, he’s in the hunt. Wasn’t he dead? How come he’s alive?"

Her heart began palpitating, her lips quivering because of the sudden fear that developed in her.

Lucius quickly moved to the bed and picked up his phone. He checked the number from which the call came.

’Why did he call from my mother’s number?’ Lucius thought. He quickly dialed the number, but it was unavailable.

Layla turned to him, wanting him to say something.

"Layla, don’t worry. I-I will catch him," said Lucius. He approached her and hugged her. Patting her back gently, Lucius frowned as his mind started swirling with negative thoughts. Tsar shouldn’t have called with his mother’s number, so how did he do that?

"Lucius, he sounded dangerous," Layla said, pulling back and looking into his eyes with fear. "He’s after our lives. We need to act. Let’s tell Luca. We have to warn him before something terrible happens. I’m pregnant, Lucius. I can’t lose you... or our baby. And Tsar could target any of our families."

"Layla, breathe," Lucius said calmly, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "Tsar won’t touch you, our child, or anyone close to us. I promise."

Layla searched his eyes, confused by his composure. Her voice trembled, "You didn’t hear him like I did. He wasn’t just angry, he was out for blood. His voice... it was filled with hatred. He wants revenge. For what happened to him and Vladimir."

Lucius didn’t speak immediately. He slid his hand to the small of her back, guiding her gently toward the bed. Sitting down beside her, he took her hands in his, rubbing them softly as if to ease her anxiety.

"You kept Tsar’s number?" she asked hesitantly.

Lucius shook his head. "It wasn’t his number. It was my mother’s... I don’t know how he called me using it."

Layla’s heart skipped. "Wait, what if he went after your mother?" she gasped, eyes widening in panic.

Lucius’s expression hardened for a moment, but he shook his head. "No... I don’t think so," he said.

Again, his phone rang, and he saw it was his father’s.

Answering the call, he greeted his father.

"Lucius, did you hear?" asked Alekis in a low and worried tone.

"Heard what, Dad?" Lucius questioned.

"Eve... Your mother... She’s no more," Alekis said, gasping.

Roderick was quick to take the phone from his grandfather. "Uncle, come home. Your stepbrother called from England. It’s a big news there."

Lucius lowered the phone, his hands clenching hard.

"What happened?" Layla asked, looking at him in a worried expression.

"Lucius!" Layla called out his name.

"My mother... She’s no more," Lucius replied, and he gulped.