Mafia Lord's Ultimate Payback

Lillian didn't know what was chasing her. All she knew was that she had to run.

The darkness stretched endlessly before her, her feet pounding against the unseen ground as she gasped for air. Her heart hammered violently against her ribs, terror clawing at her throat. A warm liquid trickled down her cheek, but she didn't stop to wipe it away.

She didn't even know why she was crying.

Whatever was behind her was getting closer. She could feel its presence, its hunger. Desperation seized her, and she tried to scream for help, but no sound left her lips. And just when she thought she could run no more...

She collided with something solid.

No, someone. A strong, towering body.

Before she could react, a hand clamped around her throat, and she was slammed against a wall. A sharp gasp left her lips as she clawed at the fingers tightening around her neck. She couldn't breathe. Panic surged through her veins as she stared up at the figure before her.

Cold, gray eyes pierced through the darkness, locking onto hers. Eyes that held nothing but raw, merciless cruelty.

"You can't escape from me, Dulzura."

[Sweetness]

The voice was deep, smooth, laced with deceptive softness but dripping with lethal threat.

A wicked grin curled on his lips, sending a violent shiver down her spine. His grip didn't loosen. If anything, it only tightened.

Lillian choked, her hands trembling as she struggled to pry his fingers away. She tried to fight back, to scream but before she could, a voice called her name, faint and distant.

"Lilly... Lilly..."

The sound pulled her from the suffocating darkness.

"Lillian!"

She jolted awake, gasping, her hands flying to her neck. Her chest heaved as she sucked in ragged breaths, the suffocating pressure still lingering. A cold sweat drenched her skin, making her shiver.

Blinking rapidly, she turned to see her best friend, Evelyn, standing at the door, worry etched across her face.

"Another nightmare?" Evelyn asked gently.

Lillian lowered her gaze, she didn't need to answer. The look on her face said it all. Her throat tightened, gripping the sheets tightly. She couldn't bring herself to speak, so she simply nodded, fresh tears welled in her eyes.

The nightmare felt so surreal this time. And nothing scares her more than that.

Evelyn sighed, walking over to sit beside her on the bed. She hesitated for a second, then pulled her into a warm hug, stroking her hair tenderly.

"Ssh, it's okay," she whispered, "You're safe."

Lillian squeezed her eyes shut, gripping onto her friend like a lifeline. "I don't feel safe, Evie," she admitted in a broken voice. "Every second, I feel like he's watching me. Like he's waiting to find me and take me. To kill me."

Frustration was laced in her voice. Evelyn pulled back slightly, cupping her tear-streaked face. "You've been in hiding for six months, Lilly. He doesn't even know where you are."

"But what if he does?" Her voice wavered, panic creeping in. "What if he finds me?"

Evelyn bit her lip before forcing a small smile. "Then we'll figure something out. But for now, you need to breathe. You can't keep living like this."

Lillian only kept looking down at her fingers with her blurry gaze, imagining the worse. His eyes, his palm on her throat like that night, the chilling smirk-all of it intensified the fear that had already rooted deep inside her. Her breathing grew unsteady, her vision blurring with fresh tears.

Evelyn watching her closely placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It's going to be okay," she said softly.

But they both knew that was a lie. Nothing was okay.

Lillian had abandoned everything-her career as a lawyer, her old life-just to disappear. To escape him so he wouldn't find her. Yet, she still lived in fear.

She wiped her tears, forcing a nod. "Where were you?"

Evelyn stiffened at the question then avoided her gaze, gulping the lump in her throat. "I was... at Alex's place." Her Fianceé.

Something about the way she said it didn't sit right with Lillian. There was a flicker of hesitation. She narrowed her eyes, studying her.

"Evie..."

Before she could say anything else, Evelyn suddenly pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, so quietly that Lillian barely heard her.

"What did you say?"

"I said, bless you," Evelyn quickly pulled away, covering her words smoothly.

Lillian frowned, but Evelyn playfully nudged her before she could dwell on it. "Forget about me. So... what do you plan on doing today?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

Lillian sniffled, wiping her remnant tears and answered the question. "I'm going to church."

"Church?"

"Yeah," She nodded. "I just need to feel... something. I need to talk to God."

She needed God more than ever. Maybe if she showed Him how desperate she was, He would finally answer her prayers.

Evelyn studied her for a moment before exhaling. "Okay. But which church?"

Lillian hesitated.

A creeping thought settled in her mind. What if he comes? What if he threatens Evie to get to me?

She couldn't risk it.

"I haven't decided yet," she lied smoothly.

Evelyn arched a brow, her eyes searching hers. "I need to know in case you're not back in three hours so I can call the cops."

Hearing this, Lillian relaxed slightly. "Eternal Life chapel. I don't want to be somewhere near."

The church was like an hour from their apartment. Evelyn nodded slowly, but her expression remained tense. Then her expression softened as she smiled at Lillian.

"Well, pray for me while you're at it."

Lillian chuckled, shaking off the uneasy feeling lingering in her chest.

After freshening up, she dressed in a simple black outfit, covering her hair with a scarf and slipping on dark shades. A black mask concealed the lower half of her face.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she barely recognized herself. Good.

With a deep breath, she stepped out of the house, and the moment the sun kissed her skin, she froze.

It had been too long since she last felt it. Too long since she had been outside, breathing in fresh air instead of the stale walls of her hiding place.

For a moment, she just stood there, letting the warmth soak in, closing her eyes as if trying to remember what it felt like to live without fear. But reality quickly pulled her back. She had to keep moving.

With her head down, she boarded a taxi and made her way to the church.

The moment she entered, a sense of peace washed over her. The large cross at the altar, the quiet hum of prayers left behind-it felt safe. It felt like home.

Slowly, she walked forward, kneeling before the cross. Her fingers gripped the Bible tightly as she bowed her head, tears slipping silently onto the floor.

"Lord, help me. I've lived in fear for six months, and I don't know when it will end. I've prayed, I've fasted and did charities. Please, just let him forget about me. Let him lose his memory of me. I never wanted this. I only wanted justice for my family."

Her body trembled as she wept.

"If you save me from him, I promise... I promise to serve you until my last breath. Please, God, grant me this one thing."

She wept until her body ached.

For nearly an hour, she stayed there, pouring her heart out to the heavens. And when she finally stood, wiping her tears, a small weight lifted from her chest.

Maybe, just maybe, she was finally safe.

With her Bible held close, she turned toward the exit, humming a quiet hymn to herself. The moment she reached the doorway, she froze.

A pair of polished black shoes stood at the entrance.

She stiffened.

She thought she was alone.

Dread crept up her spine as she felt the weight of someone's presence behind her. The air shifted. Her fingers tightened around the Bible with her pulse hammering.

Don't look. Don't turn around.

Slowly, she took a step forward.

"Our Father, who art in heaven..." she whispered, voice barely audible as she took another step. But before she could take another...

"Why did you run from me, Dulzura?" A deep, familiar voice rumbled behind her, sending ice through her veins.

The Bible slipped from her grasp that instant, hitting the floor with a dull thud. Her entire world stopped. And she didn't need to turn around.

She already knew.

He had found her.