THE CONSORTIUM HEIR'S RECKONING

CHAPTER 4

First, it was the unfamiliar ache that came at the remembrance of how he had parted ways with his wife. Then the sudden realization dawned on him. He now had the power.

The heartache was replaced by rage, as ferocious as how hurt he had been when he saw his wife and her lover together.

And right then, he swore to take revenge on his wife and her lover. He would teach each of them a lesson that will make them upright individuals for the rest of their lives.

Nora was about to say something when Nicolas' phone rang in his pocket, catching him off guard.

He was disoriented for a while before he finally reached for it in his pocket.

His brows pulled down at the caller's ID on his phone's screen.

“Natalie?" He mouthed.

Unlike Sarah, his wife's younger sister always respected him and treated him like a human. 

He wondered if she was okay. For a moment, he secretly hoped that she called on behalf of her sister. But even he knew that was very unlikely. Sarah hadn't looked like anyone who would beg.

Without hesitating any further, Nicolas answered the call, and at that moment, he heard her sobbing.

His grip on the phone hardened. “Natalie, are you okay? Why are you crying?" 

"I need help,” she slurred. “Come l, please, take me away from here." 

Nicolas frowned. “Natalie, are you drunk?” 

A sound that sounded like a half laugh and a half cry escaped her throat. “Please, help me. Save me." Her voice seemed to slur even more, her words almost indiscernible as she moved them up.

What's happening? He wondered. “Where are you now?" 

"Just come. Come, please, save me. I… need help.”

“I heard you, Natalie. I will be there. But I need to know where you are," he voiced his words slowly, “Where are you, Natalie?" 

"Where am I?” She sounded confused as she muttered. “I think I'm…”

Her drunken words were drowned by the sudden sound of laughter in the background. He could not tell if they were laughs women or men. But they didn't sound nice.

“Natalie?” He called repeatedly, but there was no response.

Nicolas glanced at his watch and his worry heightened. It was almost midnight, and it was evident that Natalie wasn't anywhere safe.

“Natalie!” He tried again, but all he could hear was the sinister laugh.

He pulled the phone from his ear and turned to Nora, whose gaze was already on his, eyes widened in alarm.

“I need your help,” Nicolas simply said.

“Just give me the order, young master. What do you need me to do?" 

He pointed at his phone. "I need you to track a location right at this moment." 

For someone like Nora who had been meticulously trained by the Belford family. Hacking and tracking was the easiest things she could do. 

“Yes, young master." Immediately, she got to work, demanding some information from Nicolas. Nicolas didn't hesitate to answer her questions.

In merely thirty seconds, Nora pinpointed Natalie's location.

“I've got it, young master." 

"Where is she?” Nicolas said, impressed and glad at how swift she had been able to get her location.

“She's at a bar nearby.”

Nicolas muttered thanks to her. “Another thing.”

“Anything, master." 

"I need you to get me there as fast as possible. Can you do that?”

Without hesitation, Nora turned on her heels. Nicolas didn't need to be told before he hurried after her.

At the garage, there were endless rows of sleek sports cars and many other kinds. They gleamed with so much exquisiteness under the lights.

Nicolas didn't have the time to admire them. “Which car will we take?" He inquired as his eyes took in all of them. They all looked fast.

Sensing the urgency of the situation, Nora pointed at a black car with intricate designs. “That one!” She said and began to walk to it. She stopped by a compartment in the wall, pressed in a passcode, opened it and grabbed the car keys.

“This is the fastest car available. In a few minutes we'll get to the location,” Nora explained as they both got in the car.

“Thank you,” Nicolas told her.

Nora's driving skills were smooth. She easily pushed the speedometer to 250 km/h. 

Even Nicolas was worried, but he couldn't complain. He needed to get to Natalie as fast as possible. He just couldn't keep calm.

In just ten minutes, Nora parked the car before a rundown bar.

“This is the bar?" Nicolas' asked as he pushed the door open and stepped down from the car.

“Yes. She's in there." 

Nicolas called Natalie's number as they both rushed to the entrance of the bar, but there was no response.

Nora was ahead of Nicolas and the moment she reached the door, she pushed it open. Nicolas burst in with fury, ready to deal with whoever had hurt Natalie. Maybe this was the time he'd harness this power that Nora had talked about without any help.

There was chaos in the bar. Everyone in there laughed and spoke in high volumes. It was evident that half of them were drunk. There were people on the tables and chairs, dancing and singing and fighting.

It was total chaos.

“Natalie!" Nicolas's eyes scanned the dimly lit room for Natalie while he called out her name.

Some girls wandered to his side, slurring and giggling, “I'm Natalie.”

"No. I'm Natalie.”

Nora pushed them aside and the girls giggled even more as they staggered to their next target.

Finally, in a dark corner, Nicolas spotted a different circle. He squinted at the group of leather jacket-clad men that formed a circle. These ones didn't look drunk. 

And in their midst, slumped on a chair, was Natalie. She appeared unconscious. And they wickedly grinned down at her, each jeering at the other's joke.

“Is that her?” Nora followed Nicolas’ gaze. 

Nicolas nodded as he stormed toward them. “What the hell are you doing!” He thundered.

The men's grin fell as they turned to him, each of their expressions shifting into glares.

The leader of the gang frowned at Nicolas then he sneered, “It’s none of your business, asshole.”

Nicolas ignored him and took a step forward and he said to the other men who still surrounded Natalie. “Step away from her.”

Their leader scoffed. “Did this asshole just ignore me?" 

Nicolas did the exact same thing again. “I believe I'm talking to humans. Step away from the girl," he gritted out.

“Stay back!" Their leader barked. “My brother is the boss of the mafia—Iron Vultures. If you mess with us, you’re dead!” 

The entire bar fell silent at that announcement, almost as if the name alone had sobbered them up.

Not only did the leader of the thugs look threatening, but everyone knew that the Iron Vultures were not people to be trifled with.