His Obsession His Redemption

Hell's chamber

Xavier’s POV

I was shocked to see Serena there.

What was she doing here? Was she looking frightened? Why was she in the middle of all this?

“Hey, Xavier.”

I turned at the sound of Camille’s voice. She was the one who had brought Serena to the ring.

“The girl you brought during the gathering… who is she?” I asked, staring at her.

Camille said nothing.

I narrowed my eyes. “Why is she here?”

Still, Camille didn't answer.

“Camille.”

“The boss ordered me to bring her,” she finally said.

My expression darkened. “Don't tell me…”

“Don't tell you what?”

“She’s the one?” I stepped closer. “The girl Lucian had plans for?”

Camille’s silence was answer enough.

“Got a problem with it?” she countered softly.

“Yes. That’s Serena.”

Camille frowned, looking at me like she didn't fully understand the weight of it. I didn't waste another second explaining it to her. I turned on my heel and stormed off toward Lucian’s quarters.

I reached Lucian’s door and knocked hard before pushing it open when allowed in. Inside, Lucian was sitted.

“Done?” Lucian asked, looking up at me.

Before I could speak, his dark eyes locked onto mine. “I know what you're here to say.”

“Do you have a problem with my decision?” Lucian asked, leaning back.

“Please, she’s not made for this kind of world,” I pressed, trying to get through to him. “She’s not stable enough for this. She can't handle them.”

Lucian turned and looked straight at me, his gaze freezing cold. “Anybody beneath my roof—or beneath me—must become accustomed to my this life. So she better get used to her new world.” He paused, his tone dropping to a dangerous whisper. “And yes, Xavier—you're not allowed to talk to her.”

“Boss, I—”

“Leave.”

I clenched my jaw, storming out of the room. A mix of burning anger and sharp pain twisted in my chest. I didn't know how she was faring, or what he was going to do to her next.

As I walked down the corridor, I saw Lucian leaving his office, heading in the opposite direction—straight toward Hell’s Chamber.

Lucian!!......

Hell’s Chamber smelled of rust and damp stone. The spy was tied securely to the chair in the center of the room, his breathing ragged.

I walked up to him slowly, pulling out several thick needles connected to high-voltage wires. Without a word, I shoved the metal deep into his flesh, securing the attachments, and switched the generator on.

A sharp surge of electricity shot through the man’s body. He threw his head back, screaming violently as his muscles violently convulsed. Before the shock even wore off, I reached down, grabbed a pair of pliers, and ripped one of his toenails straight from the bed.

“Who sent you?” I demanded over his desperate gasps. “What are you here for?”

The man only wept, shaking his head.

I didn't ask again. I delivered a heavy, crushing blow directly to his wrist. The sound of cracking bones echoed loudly off the stone walls. I did it again, and the man’s wailing tore through the room and echoed straight down the long hallway outside. His screams were horrifying.

“Speak,” I ordered coldly.

“Raphael!” the spy choked out, his voice raw and broken. “Raphael De La Cruz!”

I stopped. “Raphael De La Cruz sent you?”

“Yes! To get inside the clan… to see what you're doing, what your plan is… to sneak in and get him a file!”

“What file?”

“I don't know!” the man sobbed. “Raphael just told me the day I get close enough to the file, he’ll tell me what to do!”

I stared at him for a quiet second. Then, without hesitation, I pulled my gun and fired once straight into his head.

The room fell dead silent. I pulled out my phone and dialed.

“Xavier. Come in, gather the body, put it inside a box, and send it to Raphael.”

Serena

I had gathered every drop of courage I had left. I wanted to meet Lucian, face him, and demand answers—to make him explain why he had dragged me into this dark world and why he was keeping me prisoner.

I walked out of my room, and surprisingly, nobody stopped me. I navigated the cold stone corridors until I reached his section of the manor.

A maid stopped in her tracks when she saw me. “Miss Serena, you shouldn't be here. You need to go back.”

“Where is Lucian?”

“He isn't here,” she warned, her voice trembling slightly. “He’s in Hell’s Chamber. Whenever he’s down there, he doesn't smile. You shouldn't disturb him.”

I didn't care. I turned and walked toward the basement corridor.

As I drew closer, a blood-curdling scream echoed down the hall. I froze, my heart leaping into my throat. The wailing of a man being tortured filled the air, terrifying me to my core. I covered my mouth with both hands, crouching low against the cold wall as my body shook uncontrollably.

Then, through the heavy air, I heard a name.

“Raphael De La Cruz…”

Then a gunshot shattered the air.

Silence followed.

Over the hidden speakers in the hall, I heard Lucian’s muffled voice calling Xavier to come gather the body. I couldn't stand up. I couldn't move. All I could do was stay crouched against the stone, shivering in terror.

The heavy door of Hell’s Chamber creaked open. Lucian stepped out.

His hand was covered in fresh blood, his clothes stained, and his dark eyes were still burning with unspent anger. Strands of his damp hair hung across his forehead, revealing the dark tattoo etched into his skin.

He caught sight of me crouching against the wall.

I tried desperately to move backward, but my back slammed hard against the stone.

Lucian walked over and crouched down in front of me. The metallic scent of blood radiated off him.

“Scared?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. “Are you?”

I couldn't form a single word. I just stared at him, my breath hitching as my frame trembled uncontrollably.

A dark, cold satisfaction settled over his features. “Good. That is exactly how it should be. That is what I expect from you—fear.” He leaned in a fraction closer, his eyes piercing through mine. “Now, don't you ever come to this place.”

He looked at me one last time, stood up, and walked away down the corridor.

Tears streamed down my cheeks. The man who had just walked away didn't look human—he looked like the devil himself.

Footsteps sounded nearby, and I looked up to see Xavier approaching.

“Xavier…” I choked out.

Xavier stopped and stared at me. For a moment, his eyes softened, but then he averted his gaze, locking his face into an emotionless mask. Without saying a word to me, he passed by and entered Hell’s Chamber.

A minute later, Xavier walked back out, dragging a heavy, blood-soaked box containing the body.

I stared at it in horror, my breathing ragged and shallow. My chest ached for the poor soul inside, wondering what awful things he had endured. And then, a strange, tragic thought hit me—for the very first time, I felt a wave of gratitude that my father had died in that car accident and explosion. Because if Lucian had laid his hands on him first, my father would have ended up in this terrifying hellhole, too.

The horror, shock, and sheer fright proved too much to bear. As I struggled to push myself up from the floor, my vision blurred, my legs gave out, and everything went completely black.

The Next Morning

I slowly opened my eyes, the familiar ceiling of my bedroom coming into focus.

“You really are a stubborn one, huh?”

I turned my head weakly. Camille was sitting in a chair beside the bed, watching me.

“How did you even get there?” Camille asked, shaking her head. “You couldn't even handle the gang center, and now you wanted to go straight to Hell’s Chamber?”

I stared at her in silence, unable to find the words. Slowly, I turned away from her and lay back down, pulling the

covers over my shoulders as the horrors of the night before washed back over me.