UNDER HIS RULES

Eland grinned slightly. The cigarette between his fingers was already halfway burned. Occasionally, he took a puff, but more often it served as a decoration in his hand. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to experience the nicotine sensation, he just found it too little. Unlike Sam’s cigars, which were never far from the storage dashboard. His boss was a rather acute cigar addict. There was always a supply in every corner of the storage, and if not, anything near the ruler could incur his wrath.

However, this afternoon, Eland didn’t feel like enjoying the cigars he could easily obtain. He preferred to observe the two people engaged in an interesting conversation that ended with a warm embrace. Then, a brief wave of the hand after the black SUV, driven by someone Eland knew, zoomed away.

Soon, one of them leisurely approached him. With a wide smile, as if she knew she was being waited for. Eland didn’t waste this moment. He quickly discarded the remaining cigarette, stomping it with the tip of his shoe to leave no dangerous traces, and then greeted the arrival of the girl.

“Ready?” he asked while adjusting the bucket hat worn by the shoulder-length-haired girl named Anne. Although Eland had asked her to grow her hair a bit, the reason given was quite reasonable. It bothered him when he had to struggle with screens full of data strings he didn’t understand.

“Hopefully, Mr. Alfred won’t be angry,” she replied, accompanied by a chuckle.

“No chance.” Eland chose to embrace the girl, which was never refused, only bringing them closer. “Where do you want to go this afternoon?”

“Um… I promised to cook for you, right? What’s in your apartment?”

Eland laughed. “Since when does I have food stocked up?”

Anne’s laughter infected him. “Let’s go shopping then.”

“Don’t you want to eat out? Enjoy the new Flown?”

The girl’s steps slowed down a bit. “Hugo said it’s not a hundred percent ready.”

“That’s true.” Eland opened the door for Anne. “Would you like to?”

He offered before making sure Anne was sitting comfortably and wearing her seatbelt. Several Quassano’s typical guards were wandering around as if just realizing something was happening. Eland grinned slightly. He half-ran towards the driver’s door and quickly sped away.

Anne, observing Eland’s behavior this time, could only chuckle. She glanced at the man who was focused on the steering wheel. Navigating through winding roads adorned with pine forests and steep descents. Truly a place suitable for resting without the disturbance of other vehicles passing by. Leaving behind the grand two-story building now occupied by Beatrice.

“Have you heard that Boss Sam rejected Mr. Alfred’s request?” Anne broke the silence between them. For some reason, every time Anne was picked up by Eland in his beloved car, she felt that Eland’s presence was much more thrilling.

Anne could say that because the muscles in Eland’s arms were clearly visible. His black shirt rolled up to his elbows, fully focused on the steering wheel. Occasionally, his sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, not to mention his calm yet intimidating demeanor.

“He has.” Eland opened the car’s sunroof. Sometimes it’s necessary to feel the fresh air around the pine forest, right? Anne wouldn’t object to that. “Sam wouldn’t do that,” Eland said, resting his right elbow on the door.

“I’m sure Boss Sam wouldn’t, but Beatrice feels pressured because it’s something Alfred really wants.”

“Without the Quassanos, the Twin Dragons will continue to operate as usual. Sam’s power shouldn’t be underestimated. Unless Mr. Alfred chooses to stand beside Sam and accompany him in whatever he does.” Eland reached for one of his sunglasses from his collection and handed it to Anne, just to shield her eyes from the glaring sunlight. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to Flown?”

Anne firmly shook her head. “You always remind me of that promise. Even though it’s you don’t want me to visit the apartment. Why is that? Is there a secret?”

Eland chuckled. Annoyed, he ruffled Anne’s head while adjusting her hat, letting her beautiful face scrunch up in annoyance. And her complaints, according to Eland, sounded rather spoiled.

“You should know about the security in my apartment, right? What am I hiding there?”

Although still pouting in annoyance, Eland’s words warmed her heart. It wasn’t difficult for Anne to trace anything about the whereabouts of the person who suddenly captured her heart.

The security system in the Southern region was beyond her comprehension. She just needed to input a special code to access everything related to the surveillance cameras in every corner of the city. It was even easy for Anne to disable the system in one of the government buildings.

Amid her busy schedule of overseeing every detail of the city, Sam intentionally didn’t lower his guard because he didn’t want a terrifying incident to happen again. The security system at the headquarters was also upgraded, which Anne believed was sophisticated enough to thwart any intrusion attempts.

Sometimes, in the midst of her busyness, she deliberately monitored Eland’s activities in her apartment. Blaming herself for being too curious, even though she was sure that Eland’s words were not just empty promises. Including when the man himself was in the apartment. No, Anne didn’t think about another woman accompanying Eland. She just wanted to gaze at him a little longer, even without realizing it.

Sometimes Eland was with Hugo, but Jack visited more often. Anne knew that Eland’s relationship with Jack was much closer than with Hugo. That was because Hugo was often with Sam, taking care of many things. The apartment was often left unoccupied. Eland still hadn’t let go of his responsibilities at the Border. He also said that Mr. Yamada liked having Eland there.

“There’s nothing, actually,” Anne replied softly. Feeling the gentle breeze that refreshed her, she took off her hat, letting the wind tousle her hair, which she didn’t want to change the style of yet. “Two days ago, I learned to cook with Beatrice.”

Eland chuckled. “Showing off, huh?”

“Talking to you can be annoying sometimes.” Anne pouted again. “Alright, fine. I’ll go wherever you wants to go.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Okay.” Eland pressed the accelerator slightly. “A wise decision.”

With Eland, Anne was never forced to do anything beyond her capabilities. She truly became herself, free and unfiltered. Perhaps because everyone at the headquarters knew about the relationship between them, Anne felt much more valued. The respect of Sam’s other subordinates towards Eland was high. Eland’s position in the Twin Dragons couldn’t be underestimated either.

Although sometimes Anne worried about the safety of the man who casually said, “Actually, it’s you who Eland should worry about. You should practice your archery more, An. I’m rarely at the headquarters. It’s to protect yourself in case something bad happens.”

Leaving the pine forest area, the car, which was supposed to take the left lane, was steered in a different direction by Eland, making Anne wonder, “Where are we going?”

“I think… we need to visit someone before going to Flown.”

Anne furrowed her brow. Eland’s unexpected visits often caught her off guard. Once she was asked to accompany Eland to meet someone. Anne thought that person might be one of Eland’s family members, even though she realized he was truly alone among his small group. From the beginning of their acquaintance, Eland only had a few members. Unfortunately… that was just Anne’s speculation.

They met Bella. Yes, Anabella Jovanka. The woman who used to be close to Anne. The one who held power at the headquarters simply because she was always by Sam’s side, even though the ruler could easily get rid of Bella. Forgetting one fact that Sam was a man who had the freedom to choose. Including making Beatrice the only woman by his side.

If Anne reviewed her past, she wished she could curse the part where she got involved with Bella. It immediately drew Sam’s attention because it was connected to Beatrice. Luckily, Anne quickly realized her mistake. That’s why she willingly sought redemption and directly apologized to Sam. Not hoping for mercy, Anne would accept any punishment. But it was more about her loyalty to Sam that mattered most.

The woman’s condition was far different from the last time they met. The sharp gaze and disdain towards Anne were no longer there. They were replaced by melancholy and an indescribable regret. And one more thing: fear.

“What do you want here?” Bella whispered, looking around. Her eyes darted wildly. Guests she never expected to see had arrived. Eland, the bastard who ruined her grand plans. Damn it! Bella herself, even though she wanted to retaliate against all her pain, no longer had the ability.

Gerald left her exactly one day after being warmly welcomed in Savannah. Unfortunately, what she thought was good turned out to be a complete upheaval in her life. Even just having a meal, Bella had to work extra. The ruler of Savannah watched her every move closely. The only place she could rely on for her livelihood was here.

Menwai Discotheque. Owned by Mrs. Bella, the true ruler of Savannah.