Chapter 402 - Unexpected II

One minute had passed and only the silent cold breeze whispered in their ears. Zoey and Angelo stared at each other, neither of them willing to break their eye contact. 

"Why should I trust you?" Colder than the night breeze, Zoey queried. 

"You will once you kill Iñigo." Without batting an eye, he replied with the same tone that was full of hatred. 

"I'm afraid I'd be dead by that time." Zoey chuckled faintly, a touch of mockery could be discerned in her voice. "Are you guys stupid thinking I'd fall for such a lame trap?" 

While she chuckled, Angelo continued looking at her without a change in his countenance. "I hate Niko or the Silva Family..." After a beat, Angelo opened his mouth as he admitted his hatred towards the man and his family. 

"Iñigo sent me to infiltrate the Silva Family, get the trust of the family head: Niko. I did... before you appeared in the picture, Niko I got Niko's trust." Angelo, although by the sound of his voice it appeared like he was struggling to speak, but he didn't stop or stutter. 

"From the beginning until the day before I met you, I've been giving information to them. Niko and Iñigo trusted me... but you don't." He paused, Zoey smirked upon hearing his last remarks. "I thought that with a person having eyes everywhere, I couldn't be careless. So, I purposely didn't report to him until I gained your trust." 

"But while doing so, you've lost Niko and that damn spawn of hell's trust." Zoey filled in the lines with confidence. She knew that would happen. Why? She made sure of that. 

It was easy to make Nikolai doubt Angelo. Zoey knew the man with the back of her hand and that he trusted her words blindly. Although planting doubts in Nikolai's mind wasn't a plot, instead a warning for a friend, however it all worked to her advantage in the end. 

Meanwhile, Zoey purposely made Angelo raise his guard and be vigilant in his actions. Since the time they met, Zoey made sure Angelo would think that she had her eyes on him. 

With that, Angelo would easily fall for the illusion that Zoey had her eyes on him. If he was stupid enough, Angelo would have reported everything to Iñigo. However, if Angelo gained Nikolai and Ivan's respect, that only means he was a smart and reliable man. 

Therefore, Angelo would surely restrain himself from having contact with Iñigo and try to gain Zoey's trust. Angelo might have thought that if he explained it to Iñigo, the latter would understand. 

But no, he wouldn't. Zoey knew that very well. That's why, she knew the time that Angelo took the route of holding information back from Iñigo, he would lose the latter's trust. 

Just like how everything played out in her mind, it happened the exact same way. That's why Zoey was confident she wouldn't need to exact her revenge from him. His retribution would be delivered by either I��igo or Nikolai. Angelo only needed to choose whose hands he should die from. 

"I did... your plan played out perfectly." A tang of bitterness surrounded his words. His eyes glinted as he looked at the culprit of his situation. "I would've applauded if I was not the one who was moving by your strings."

"So what's your point? Shouldn't you hate me more than you hate Iñigo or Nikolai?" Zoey inquired, tilting her head to the side, leaving herself open for any incoming attacks if there was any. 

"I didn't say I don't." Without a second hesitation, Angelo rebutted. "But... Iñigo had crossed the line." Upon dropping that remark, a menacing glint flashed across his eyes. 

"Even if you don't trust me, I'll kill him once and for all. My hate towards the Silva Family — those pair of brothers..." His words suddenly trailed off when Zoey threw a bun which he caught due to his fast reflexes. 

"Stop saying nonsense." In a matter-of-fact tone, Zoey shook her head.

"Let's make a deal." When he sensed her lack of interest regarding the matter, his tone grew desperate as he proposed. 

Zoey arched her brows, peering at him from head to toe as she listened to his proposal. "I'll give you as much information as you want, assist you, and even take a bullet for you while you exact your revenge against him." Angelo paused, his hand balled into a fist until it trembled along with his shoulders. 

"As much as I hate to admit it, I think you're the only one who can come close to him. It's silly that I don't even think Niko can kill the man, but you... I think you have the chance." Through his gritted teeth, Angelo admitted with great difficulty. 

Indeed, who would have thought that a woman could stand against Iñigo who had hundreds or more men under him. In Angelo's perspective, based on his unbiased experience working under both men, he must admit that Iñigo was way better than Nikolai in every aspect. 

But Zoey and her cunningness... even if she's working alone, Angelo was in awe. Just like what she did to him, she could make people who were her target move into the direction she pleased without them knowing. 

"I can do anything you want me to! Even if not today, I know you need information and preparation! I can —"

"No." She refused before he could finish his desperate recruitment. 

"What..."

"Don't misunderstand me." Zoey stared at him dead in the eye, her expression solemn. "I do want his head, but I don't plan to die with him. Me and you... our purposes are different." 

"But we have the same goal!" Exasperated, Angelo argued. "Isn't that what's important? The faster we move, the bigger the chances we have to take him down! I know Iñigo's resources and —" Once again, his aggressive argument was cut off by her short and cold answer. 

"No." Zoey shook her head, sighing heavily as she scratched her temple. "It is true that having the same goals are important. However, unlike you who is willing to die with him, I don't." Zoey explained, a sigh once again slipped past her lips. 

'I've died once; lost the people I loved so dearly... I don't want to experience the same hell again.' She uttered internally, staring at Angelo who was like her in her previous life. 

His eyes screamed utter hatred, and was seeking for death. But for some reason, he wanted to live until he could attain his one main goal. He was exactly like her; she's been in the same shoes. So, she could understand him more than he thought. 

"You remind me of someone I used to know," Zoey said, throwing a bottle of water she hadn't drunk yet to him. "You seem like you haven't had any proper meal. Hope my midnight snack will help a little." With that being said, Zoey walked to the right, towards the entrance of Z Image Group.

Angelo, who was standing rooted on the ground with the bun and bottle of water, watched her halt in her tracks. "Let's talk when your head is clear and realize your stupidity. Sadly, I can't share a room with you, but the rooftop is a good place to unwind. Just don't jump from there." After saying her piece, Zoey winked before she resumed in her steps and headed inside. 

Angelo remained in his position for as long as he could remember. Slowly, he gazed down towards the slightly warm bun and bottle of water. He then looked back at the building and started taking strides inside. 

-End of Flashback-