The wind blowing against Beatrice's face, she didn't want it to end. She didn't even want to close her helmet visor. Instead, she raised her hand to catch the air. It was futile because air could only be felt and not grasped. But Beatrice didn't care. For her, this journey that Sam took her on, to an unknown destination, she didn't care.
As long as she was with Sam, she felt safe.
Besides, after everything that had happened, Beatrice was not blind to the rumors circulating around her, especially regarding the improving security situation. She was also relieved to know that the chaotic headquarters was being renovated to stand as it once was.
Beatrice didn't forget how that incident had unfolded. During the emotional funeral of Sam's subordinates, Beatrice was there. Sam stood there silently, staring at the row of mounds of earth covered with flower petals. That event left a deep impression on Beatrice. Fear. Truly, Beatrice was afraid that something like that might happen again.
However, she realized that the only way to face this fear was to go through it. Even though she trembled and heard the buzzing sound of gunfire still directed towards the headquarters, she tried to be brave. Holding hands with Anne, who was never far from her, the funeral procession went smoothly. Hera always followed her wherever she went, and from her face, it was evident that she had experienced shock.
Everything has passed, Beatrice, there's nothing to worry about. She repeated that affirmation to herself almost every day. Especially when she opened her eyes after flying to the realm of dreams.
"We're almost there," Sam said amidst the rustling wind.
Since Beatrice hadn't fully snapped out of her reverie, she didn't respond to Sam's statement. This puzzled Sam a little. This journey was indeed quite long. Intentionally so. Sam took Beatrice to a place that, in his opinion, only a few people needed to know about, a place of utmost privacy. He didn't want to share it with anyone except those who were close to his heart.
One of them was Beatrice Catalina. No, Sam didn't want to change Beatrice's name to Leora unless absolutely necessary. And even then, it would only be in front of Alfred. The name Sam knew, the name he recognized, and the name imprinted in his mind was Beatrice Catalina.
"Beatrice?" Sam slowed down the speed of his motorcycle.
"Yeah?" Beatrice responded, startled by Sam's call. "What's up?"
"You didn't hear me talking?"
Beatrice shook her head but then realized that Sam might not have seen her. "No, Sam. I'm sorry."
"Is there something on your mind?" Sam sighed irritably. He wanted to stop the motorcycle, but his eyes quickly scanned the surroundings. The sky was darkening. Damn. It was a sunny day, but why did it change so quickly? Sam wished he would reach the destination, where the highlands awaited, and surely the view there would be breathtaking.
There was no response from Beatrice, which only frustrated Sam further. "What about you?" But for some reason, Sam couldn't press Beatrice as hard as before. Instead, his left hand, which was originally holding the handlebar, was used to caress the girl's knee. "What's wrong?"
"Um... I've been thinking about the funeral yesterday," Beatrice whispered.
The helmet Sam placed on Beatrice was equipped with an intercom that allowed communication without raising their voices against the wind. The soft voice of Beatrice's words could be clearly heard by Sam without any difficulty.
"Why?" Sam continued his attempts to calm Beatrice through his touch.
"If at that time God wasn't kind to me and you ... I..." Beatrice's breath caught. Suddenly, a terrifying image struck her, causing her to tighten her embrace on the figure still riding with focus. Although the road wasn't too crowded, the track they were taking made Beatrice's courage waver slightly. It was similar to the path she took when visiting the Quassano mansion on the hill, marking the border between the North and South territories.
The difference was that this time, Beatrice wasn't greeted by pine forests. Instead, there was the calm blue sea on her left side. It was incredibly beautiful, if Beatrice could express her thoughts. But before reaching the coastline, there was a steep cliff along the road they were traversing. Beatrice was completely unfamiliar with this road.
"Everything is in the past. You don't need to be afraid, Beatrice," Sam chuckled softly. "As long as I'm still breathing, I ensure your primary protection. Understand?"
"It's not about me thinking of myself. It's about you," Beatrice replied.
Sam laughed. "Are you worried about my safety?"
"Yes!" Beatrice leaned comfortably against Sam's broad back.
"Your fears are baseless. There's so much you can enjoy now."
Beatrice fell silent.
"I'm speeding up a bit. It might rain. I'm afraid we'll get drenched before reaching the top."
"Okay."
"Hold on tight," Sam commanded, gently tapping Beatrice's knee. Then his hand returned to the handlebars that he had controlled with one hand before. Beatrice could feel her embrace growing tighter. An unintentional thin smile appeared on her face.
The initially cool air began to descend. It became colder and made Beatrice tighten her black jacket. Suddenly, she felt darkness creeping in, growing denser. Thunder rumbled, and flashes of lightning made it seem like a storm was raging fiercely. Once again, Beatrice reassured herself that she was safe. With Sam, she could overcome anything.
Sam pressed the throttle harder. They couldn't afford to be drenched in the heavy rain this afternoon. They were just a short distance away, where Sam could already see the dim light at the end of the road they were traveling. It was the cottage where he secluded himself from the dark chaos of the world. A peaceful place that only a few people knew about, except for Hugo.
In Sam's eyes, Hugo was more than just a trusted associate. At least until now, Hugo had never betrayed him. He was loyal and always supportive of whatever Sam did. Only Hugo knew about his current departure. Sam entrusted part of the Twin Dragons' work to Hugo and Eland. Jack knew what needed to be done in Flown.
However, Sam wasn't worried about leaving the Twin Dragons in the current situation. He made sure to eliminate all the underlying problems and those related to Joseph, starting from the lowest levels. The Quassano family's support for the Twin Dragons dragged everyone involved. There was only one person Sam exempted from all of this—Jimmy Lee.
But, of course, it wasn't free. Jimmy Lee's movements were closely monitored by the authorities of the Eastern District. Sam specifically requested assistance, and it took a lot of negotiation to ensure that Jimmy wouldn't cause too much trouble there.
Unfortunately, Sam's shortened journey still faced obstacles. The rain began to fall without warning, pouring heavily. It felt like being stabbed by the raindrops.
"Damn it! We're almost there!" Sam cursed, unable to bear it. His motorcycle roared against the sound of the heavy raindrops pelting the earth.
Beatrice, on the other hand, laughed. "It's okay to get a little wet. Besides, I haven't showered in the rain for a long time."
"Don't be reckless! You could get sick!"
Although the tone was high, there was also a hint of intimidation from Samuel, but Beatrice's heart warmed instead. She gave an even tighter embrace to the man... well, she couldn't describe how she felt when she was with Sam.
There was an overwhelming fear because of his influence. There was also worry about Sam's harsh actions, which might also apply to her. There was a tinge of jealousy every time Beatrice realized that Sam could easily replace her. And there was a tremendous sense of possession because she felt that Sam made her special.
As long as she asked Sam to just look at her, as long as that happened, Beatrice prayed. Hopefully, what she felt, Sam would feel it too.
"Go inside quickly, Beatrice," Sam commanded as they arrived in front of the open wooden gate.
Sam's words startled Beatrice. "Okay, Sam." She quickly dismounted. One of the guards appeared surprised by the arrival of a guest, whom he immediately greeted with joy.
"Sir? You've truly returned?"
Sam stared sharply at the house servant. "Save the chitchat for later, Hans. Take Beatrice inside immediately. The rain is starting!"
"A-alright, Sir!" Hans stuttered.
He hurriedly approached Beatrice and helped her inside. He wanted to ask many questions, but what his master said was true; the heavy rain would surely drench them both. Hans also quickly instructed another servant to prepare a meal—whether it could be categorized as lunch or afternoon, what mattered was that both of his masters needed a proper reception. He rushed to convey various things.
"Prepare my room for Beatrice. Also, prepare a change of clothes. What's wrong with you, Hans? Why are you so scatterbrained?" Sam scolded impatiently. He had already taken off his wet jacket, taking wide strides to approach Beatrice, who was confused by Hans' excessive talking. Perhaps Hans was nervous due to Sam's arrival and his own presence.
"You already know her name, right? He's the head servant in this house," Sam scanned Beatrice, who was still looking at him. "Your clothes are wet, Beatrice. You need to change immediately." He touched the wet ends of Beatrice's hair. "Hans! Do it quickly!"
"Yes, Sir!" Hans hurriedly approached Beatrice and Sam. He handed them two thick towels just to warm themselves up. "H-here, Sir. Dry your body first. I've asked Lisa to prepare a hot drink. And I've asked Tina to-"
"You talk too much, Hans," Sam interjected quickly. He snatched the towel from Hans' hand. He looked at the servant with a sarcastic expression, but when he directed his gaze at Beatrice, that dark glare gradually softened. "Dry yourself off. Change your clothes immediately."
"Yes." Beatrice didn't dare to argue. When Sam gave an order, her entire body moved quickly in full compliance.
"Show Beatrice to her room, Hans."
"Yes, Sir." Hans did the same. He politely bowed and asked Beatrice to follow him. "This way, Miss. Please come with me."
Beatrice followed Hans' lead, occasionally answering the many questions that came from Hans' lips. But she was confused when he asked, "I'm sorry, Miss, are you Mr. Sam's fiancée?"
What should she say? Why was his question so difficult for Beatrice to answer?