THE RUIN HE CHOSE

CARGO

AURELIA

By the time I headed back to the living room, Zayn was making a call.

“My brother will be here in a few minutes, we're going together.” I nodded. I couldn't tell what exactly I did wrong but I could tell his brother doesn't exactly f**k with me. Not like I cared but I'll hate it if his attitude gets in my way.

“You can go into the kitchen and make yourself something while we wait.” He said and retuned to pressing his tablet. I wasn't exactly much of a great cook but I entered the kitchen regardless and tried to look for something I can probably cook without burning down the penthouse. At the end of the day I settled for toasts and eggs. I sat down chewing slowly while I tried to sit comfortably in the gown. It was a simple gown, but the fact that it hugged every single bit of my figure like a second skin made it uncomfortable.

The elevator door slid open as I was getting up to return the plate to the kitchen. Lorenzo stepped inside. His face was drawn cold and expressionless. If their striking resemblance wasn't convincing enough at that point I was convinced they were really brothers. They had the same expression, that slightly irritated look they had on their face when they sight another human and the fact that they never smile.

Two days with them now and they've been walking around, looking like they got something stuck up their asses.

“The container is more likely to be leaving in a while, we better get ready,” Lorenzo said immediately as he walked in. Zayn stood up.

Oh so he can leave his tablet for a few seconds.

He walked towards the center table, picked up a set of car keys and threw it at me. Lorenzo glanced at me and he had this expression on his face like he couldn't believe I was really coming along.

“Is she seriously wearing that thing to follow us?” Zayn finally regarded me. His eyes scanned my body again, once again, his f*****g eyes lingered on my chest.

I stared at him.

“Yes, you'll be the one in hiding, we'll just look like two couples running away from something.”

What exactly are we going to do?

Lorenzo shrugged and walked out, Zayn following closely behind. I stared at the car keys in my hands and spoke up.

“I'm not driving in this dress…”

“Give it to me, I would not trust you to drive me anyways,” Lorenzo suddenly said. I stared at him and tossed the key at him, hoping it'll catch him on his nose or somewhere that hurts.

“You wouldn't want to doubt her skills,” Zayn's voice came when we both didn't expect it. Lorenzo looked stunned and so did I.

Did f*****g Zayn Di Laurentiis actually vouch for me?

“I still can't believe you decided to trust someone you hired just yesterday to go on secret top tier business missions like this,” Lorenzo grumbled out. Zayn just outright ignored him.

For once I was pleased with that annoying silence of his.

Lorenzo got into the car and started it. Zayn got in beside me at the back seat.

“Your guns?” He asked.

“In my handbag,” I replied. He nodded satisfied. Lorenzo started the car and began driving.

“So I'll explain the mission to you…” he started, his fingers swiftly doing something across his tablet.

“So there's someone allegedly giving out supplies to promising customers who were actually mine to start with… and that's not the only thing, I noticed a few of my own supplies go missing. Whoever is behind it is clever but not clever enough. He assumes if he steals them in little quantities I wouldn't notice but no matter how small it is… I notice everything that happens in my empire.”

“So basically what we're doing is to find out who exactly is behind the massive supplies that steals your customers and find out the rat in your circles that gives out the details of your customers.”

“She's clever,” Lorenzo said from the driver's seat. I stared daggers at him through the review mirror and he just returned my stare with a blank look.

“You're correct… They're smuggling the drugs out while pretending to deliver seafood, the bright side is it's also an illegal smuggling of seafood so a few people who are on the run will equally be on the ship. We'll go in there pretending to be couples running away from the unknown and that's where the big thing starts. We have to carefully inspect each and every one of the containers to know which one contains the drugs exactly.”

I wondered what he wanted to use it for if he knew but I didn't bother myself with it. I pretended to run my fingers through my hair, the familiar feel of the tiny camera tied to my hair strand assuring me that I hadn't misplaced it.

“Lorenzo would be out of sight, it's his job to find the container. We'll be on the ship trying to catch the mastermind because I'm sure as hell that he's definitely going to be on that ship.”

Lorenzo finally rolled the car to a stop, the engine’s low rumble fading into the morning air. Salt air hit me first. We were at the docks. My stomach tightened as I recognized the distant lap of water against hulls and the towering silhouettes of cargo ships.

Zayn stepped out first, smoothing his tie with that calm precision he always had, like danger was just another detail to manage. He rounded the car and offered me his hand. I slipped my arm through his.

We walked forward slowly, heels of my shoes clicking against damp concrete. Behind us, Lorenzo didn’t follow. The car purred away into the shadows instead. For a second I felt a flicker of confusion, then it dawned on me; he was hiding the car.

A broad-shouldered man stepped into our path, clipboard in hand, eyes narrowed under the harsh floodlights. He looked like he’d seen every kind of trouble come through these docks. Zayn didn’t hesitate. He leaned in and spoke swift, low Spanish, the words rolling off his tongue like he belonged here. The guard’s posture changed instantly. He gave a curt nod and waved us through.

I smiled at the man, soft and grateful, hoping it would sell whatever story Zayn had just spun. His grin back was wide and stained, decaying teeth that made my skin crawl but he stepped aside. We moved past him onto the ship.

Huge red metal containers rose like rust-colored cliffs on either side, impossibly tall, creaking faintly in the breeze. Our footsteps echoed as we made our way deeper into the vessel’s belly, toward the inner chamber. Zayn’s arm stayed firm around mine, steadying me. My heart hammered against my ribs.

I was thrilled to find out what this ship had in stock for us.