Please, feel free to listen to this song at the end of the chapter, or at any time you want, if possible. :)

https://youtu.be/3zYKxB3kSF0?si=Hnnhwicy-DzNXQfu

————————————————————————

THIRD PERSON POV

Aquilina couldn't quantify her blessings as a breeze carried a whiff of the saltiness from the Sea of Galilee to her nostrils. She drew her shawl a little tighter around her, and she continued to enjoy the view.

The sunrise over the little hill their home was located on at Tiberias, was breathtaking to behold.

"What are you doing out here alone?" A husky voice interrupted her thoughts.

Whirling around, she smiled when her husband's face came into full view.

"Just thanking The Lord for all His blessings in my life."

He hugged her and softly ruffled her hair.

"And you did so without me? How mean," he joked.

"Well, if it makes you glad, you were a part of those blessings I was thanking Him for," she chuckled lightly.

"Alright, I hear you. What else were you thanking Him for?" He gazed at her lovingly.

"Also, for His healing mercies."

It had been days since they found out from the test results that her case of sepsis had cleared by itself. And all she had been going through, were post-recovery symptoms.

The extent of the healing had compelled them to re-check at other hospitals, but they all said the same thing. It was gone, though a little pain lingered.

But that was something that would stop with time.

"I thank Him for that too," Javier said softly. "Venga, let's pray together."

~~~

Aquilina was grateful for such moments. They had gotten into the habit of praying together and studying His Word each morning—and night as well.

As their study was ending, the topic for the day having been about the signs of the end times, Javier asked her a question.

"So, if this world will soon come to an end—as we know it soon would be—¿qué podemos hacer? (what can we do?)"

Aqui thought for a moment before carefully replying.

"We have to watch and wait. But that doesn't mean we should sit idly. We must work and prepare till Jesus comes again. Doing what by His Grace we can. So that when He comes, He will find us ready," she ended with a quiet smile.

"I believe that's true. Everything in our world tells of His coming. The wars and rumours of wars, the heightened persecution..." Javier sighed as he shut the Bible close.

"God be our Helper. None of them will be easy. But as you said, His Grace will see us through," he concluded reaching out for her hand and smiling warmly.

"Amen," Aqui responded, smiling in return.

~~~

After having their breakfast and clearing the dishes, Aqui felt the need to set out to work.

She had been given a unique position in the Mossad, in league with her army service. Her office had been set up secretly in their Tiberian home.

But that morning, she felt inclined to check in earlier. Excusing herself from Javier, she descended to her underground work area.

Her screens were flashing with a red-flagged alert (which indicated how urgent it was).

Quickly logging in, she decoded the scripted message on her tablet and drew back in shock when she realised the import of the message.

Vladimir Smirnoff aka Rukovoditel', has escaped. Russia, China, and North Korea have aligned themselves along with other nations...

A gasp escaped from Aqui's lips. From the message received, one thing was clear: a war of ages was at hand.

And greatest of all, it all meant that indeed, her King, Christ Jesus would soon be returning.

She looked at the second part of the message:

Join us at the headquarters soon, to plan the best defence possible.

She had to go. Feeling her nerves getting agitated, the words of Javier from earlier that same morning rang in her heart.

"God be our Helper. None of them will be easy. But as you said, His Grace will see us through."

Indeed, God be our Helper, she whispered to herself.

Then she knew with a calm assurance that, though the world around them might fall into chaos and everything could change, their God would never change.

With Him on their side, they were going to face whatever was going to come their way. All hope was not lost.

~~~~~~~~~

THE END (Finally!)

~~~~~~~~~

This book is dedicated to our LORD JESUS CHRIST, who has made all this possible.

And GOD bless you all for joining me on this journey, and for encouraging me.

I'm so grateful.

~~~

UPDATE:

By GOD'S Grace, this book is being made into a Series. The next one is entitled, THE ICE PRINCE.

It is currently ongoing and available here on Prose too, by HIS Mercies. Kindly let me know what you think of it.

~~~

Love,

Phela ❤️

"Congratulations!"

"I'm so happy for you."

Javier was glad for everything but, he couldn't wait to be alone with Aquilina, now officially, his wife.

He informed his dad of his decision to leave, who readily agreed. But before he could reach his bride, he was stopped by the sight of his best friend, Francesco, approaching.

And happily towing behind him, was Rosa, Audrey, and Tarquin.

Spotting him, Javier recalled the conversation they had several weeks before.

~~~

"So you never met her again until recently?"

"No, not until recently," Tarquin replied.

His voice was now faint and he had a faraway look in his eyes. Javier had never seen him looking that vulnerable.

Tarquin had called him over to his Villa to a meal which neither of them ended up touching.

But the meal hadn't been the main reason for his call, but rather, to open up about his dark past to Javier.

Concerning how he had been tricked into using drugs by some 'so-called' friends. And how he had 'abused' another young girl who seemed to be in the same state as he was.

And eventually, he had come to love her.

Javier could not believe it.

And, why would he open up to me of all people?

Tarquin had also mentioned the pregnancy and the 'abortion', which he didn't quite believe was so anymore.

"And you asked your Father about it?"

"Yes, after what I had overheard him saying to her, I confronted him," he sighed and buried his head in his hands.

"All he told me was that not everything is what it seems. And that I'll know the truth soon," he continued.

"And, you asked the girl too?"

Javier didn't know the identity of the girl in question. But whoever it was, she seemed to have gone through a lot. He felt... sorry for her.

"I didn't ask directly... but I phrased it differently to see her reaction."

"How did she react?"

"Well, she has always been able to mask her emotions. But, I caught on that this goes deeper. There is something about it I don't know yet."

Tarquin stood from the dining hall and walked to the large window for a moment.

"You might be wondering why I'm telling you all this," he scratched the back of his head a bit, and finally turned to face Javier.

"I just don't have anyone to talk to. Everyone else seems terrified of me," he chuckled humourlessly. "But, you're... different."

Javier stood up and walked to him.

"It's okay. And if ever you need a friend, I'll be here," he patted his right shoulder.

"And another thing I didn't tell you... the child had survived..."

"What do you mean the child survived?"

"There is not much of a chance of children surviving at that age. But my son... he was a boy..." Tarquin's eyes became glassy at that moment.

"One of my father's aides told me that Aquilina had surgically removed the child before the time was due. And he had hidden the child and given him the best treatment possible..."

"Back up... the girl's name is Aquilina?" A strange emotion washed over Javier.

"Yes..." Tarquin looked at Javier curiously, before a flicker of recognition registered on his face.

"Right, you probably know her. She was at your school tournament."

"Oh." Javier's face paled.

"Something wrong?" Tarquin asked with his eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

"No, please continue." He quickly recomposed his features and feigned nonchalance, though his heartbeat was accelerating.

"What happened to the child?" Javier swallowed and asked the next question which weighed heavily on his heart. "Is he still alive?"

Tarquin stood from his seat and turned away for a moment before glancing back at Javier. The tears finally fell.

"My son... his name was Leo, for Leonardo," he took out his gilded handkerchief and wiped the tears off his face before continuing.

"He died a few months after receiving treatment."

Javier went still.

"But do you know the strange thing? He didn't die because he was pre-term," he further explained.

"The doctors said a dangerous chemical which might have been given to his mother could have passed on to him. That doesn't make sense if the child was wilfully aborted."

~~~

"Congrats, bro," Francesco shook his hand and half embraced him. "I'm happy for you."

"Congratulations, Javier!" The girls chorused.

Javier smiled and shook their hands.

"I hope you have a wonderful marriage life," Tarquin's deep voice resounded behind Rosa and Audrey.

He drew closer with a faint smile on his face and reached out to shake Javier's hand.

But before withdrawing, he leaned in closer to whisper into his ears.

"Hold on to her, cause others are willing to snatch her from you if you do."

He pulled away with a teasing smile. But, Javier didn't let him completely withdraw and rather leaned in to whisper.

"Don't worry, I'm not letting her go, God, being my helper."

Tarquin chuckled and tapped his shoulder as they left.

"We will meet you later!"

It was time to finally find his bride.

———————-

"Are you okay?" Javier called out from behind Aqui.

They had returned to Aqui's parents' home to pack up her necessary belongings before leaving for the home Javier had purchased.

It was a surprise to Aquilina. A home located on the Tiberian hill of Galilee.

With the joy of the wedding and everything, she had forgotten that her results were to arrive that day.

She had been diagnosed with a severe case of sepsis immediately after losing her child. And Aqui knew that based on the symptoms it had worsened to the point that could lead to death.

Aqui glanced at the envelope which had probably arrived when she was away and felt her body shiver.

Javier looked over her shoulder and read the hospital name on the envelope.

"You had it checked?" She could sense the slight sorrow in his voice.

In her letter, she had also informed him of her illness and the symptoms that had been showing up.

Javier gently placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him.

"Don't worry about whatever the results might be."

"Aren't you scared you married someone who might be dying?" Her voice went out in a whisper.

"Angelito mío, I knew about the pregnancy and the child even before you told me about him."

"What?" Aqui's eyes widened in shock, her mouth agape.

He relayed the story of how he found out to her.

"And didn't you resent me all that while since you found out?"

The tears fell again. It seemed to Aqui that day was set out for her to finally release all her pent up tears. But these tears were not happy as the others had been. They were painful.

"Nunca, mi amor (never)! My love for you deepened since then."

"But how? I'm no worse than a used up Kleenex tissue. I was abused, Javier," she looked down.

He pulled her chin up despite her attempts to withdraw.

"No, you are not. I see you, and I see nothing but God's beauty. I see a restored treasure, gold refined by fire. I see broken shards turned to God's own Masterpiece. And I feel unworthy to have you."

Both crying, he embraced her and gently rubbed her back. After a moment, she pulled back and asked a question she had been longing to ask.

"Wait a moment, Javi... ¿Crees en Dios ahora? (Do you now believe in God?)," her eyes shined with child-like curiosity.

"Sí, mi ángel (Yes, my angel)," she gasped and he reached out to wipe the tears from her face.

"But, how?"

Aqui grinned widely and bounced up and down, wanting to know.

"Okay, I'll tell you. But before that," Javier's face turned sombre. "I think we should open it, Aqui. No matter what it says, I know there will be a way out if we get to know it. I know God will help us."

Aqui closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. When she finally opened her eyes, she smiled faintly and nodded.

"Let's open it."

———————————————————-

What are your thoughts? Please let me know! XD

Phela ❤️

Note: There were a lot of pictures and videos I wanted to add to this chapter. But, I guess only one is allowed.

This song goes for the beginning of the chapter: https://youtu.be/xXKG-ooExGs

Other songs/videos might be added later on.

——————————————————————

THIRD PERSON POV

With eyes downcast, Aquilina sat on the balcony outside her room at her parent's house on the Mount of Olives, Israel. The Israeli sun shone in its timeless glory, filling her with its warmth.

But her heart wasn't as warm as the rest of her body was. Her thoughts drifted to all that had led her thus far.

~~~

It had been hours since Javier had taken the bullet for her. And hours since she found out that Skylar had discovered the truth about what happened that night.

She had tried so hard to keep it from him. But in the end, he found out about it. She couldn't stand seeing the guilt on his beautiful face.

Javier's family had visited earlier on. And the looks on their faces as they beheld him had worsened her pain.

They almost lost their son because of me, she had thought.

She had stood at a distance watching them. King Domingo II, Javier's Grandma, his step-mother and step-siblings, and shockingly, Lady Alba was also around.

How did that happen?

Skylar had stood next to her at the entrance. Skylar. She couldn't stand the fact that the guilt and deep regret in her brother's heart was all her fault.

If only I had been more careful.

Regrets and 'if only's' were her constant thoughts. It was then and there she made yet another decision.

She was going to leave—for good.

Seeing less of me might decrease their pain, she sadly thought.

And that brought her to another decision she knew would hurt even more than her absence.

She left a letter... for Javier.

~~~

Back To Present

She had made everything about her life bare to Javier in the letter. Not a stone was left unturned.

From the events of the night of the party, to her losing her child, and the fear of losing her own life due to the implications thereafter. She had told everything. Even the divorce papers.

Just like that. And she left herself in a vulnerable position.

He can do whatever he wants with it. Did I really think he would accept me?

Days had passed since she had left. And not once had she heard from Javier.

Sure, Aqui had heard of the WACO using the found evidence to finally capture Vladimir and his group — though some of them had gone AWOL.

She was glad about that aspect. Yet, the disappointment remained.

She didn't know what she had expected. For Javier to come after her? A small part of her had hoped for that much. Sorrow engulfed her fragile heart.

The sound of footsteps approached her from behind. Someone had entered without her noticing.

She quickly put up a brave front and turned to find her sister, Princess Petra, approaching.

Petra had returned to Israel for a visit a while before Aqui had arrived. Her children were a joy to behold.

"What is it?" Aqui asked suspiciously, noticing the playful smile on her sister's gorgeous face.

Petra didn't say a word but continued to look at her with that strange smile on her face.

She walked up to her and handed her a card. It was made of white and gold.

Aqui looked at her questioningly. Her sister only nodded that she opened it.

It looked like a wedding invite.

Is Petra getting married? No, she's already married, silly me. She chided herself.

Aqui opened it and finally gasped after glancing it over for the 15th time.

"Wha-How? When?" She stuttered helplessly and looked at her sister who only smiled at her with a knowing look.

How could it be? She glanced at it again, and willed her beating heart to slow down.

Finally, she managed to actually read it.

You're cordially invited to the wedding ceremony of Prince Javier and Princess Aquilina.

The date? That very day!

"My wedding?" She asked and her sister nodded.

Then, a tear rolled down Aqui's cheek. For the first time in a very long time.

I've been invited to my own wedding.

"Now, I wish we had eternity for you to grasp it, kid. But I'm scared your groom might be too old by then."

Petra reached out to her little sister. She was sure she had to drag her.

"Now, come on! We have selected some gowns for you to choose from. Everyone is ready."

————

As the music was heard from the grand hall, Aqui was sure she knew who was DJ-ing.

"So, Skylar knew about this too?" She asked Jadon, her second oldest brother, who had somehow convinced her dad and her eldest brother Prince Sal to let him walk her down the aisle.

They stood behind the doors waiting for their call.

"Yeah, he planned most of it with Javier."

"I see..."

She felt glad for the little 'surprise' she wanted to give Javier. She was giving the 'surprise' after recovering from the shock of the sudden turn of events.

But she wasn't fully recovered. She knew she didn't deserve it. She felt unworthy. Aqui felt she wouldn't be surprised if it was all a big joke.

A mischievous smile tugged at her lips as her close friend, Natalie — who had surprisingly also shown up — finally brought her phone which was connected to the inside camera of the hall.

"Do you have it?" She questioned Natalie who looked like she was going to burst from glee.

"Yes!" She squealed.

On the phone screen, a very dashing-looking Javier stood before the Minister, with a huge screen behind them both.

The screen had the words, 'My Response'. The Conductor had already explained that it was the bride's response to the surprise wedding.

The huge doors swung open, and the bride entered.

But when Javier lifted the veil of his bride, he gasped. As did the rest of the congregation.

Aqui couldn't help but giggle at the look of surprise on his face that showed on the phone screen.

Take that!

"You're mean," Jadon said though he was silently laughing. "Are you ready now?"

He offered her his arm and she nodded. She was in fact, really nervous... and overwhelmed.

But she took the microphone and went on with her actual response.

~~~

(This is the song she sang: https://youtu.be/mVnMm4yucI0

Feel free to listen to it now if you want, please. XD )

The huge doors swung open again, and Javier's heart thumped wildly. Aqui had played a trick on him by sending a fake bride.

But he hoped to see the actual Aquilina soon.

From his standing position, he couldn't see the face of the person approaching very clearly. Her head was bowed.

But he knew, even before she lifted her head that she was the one. He had sensed something odd before with the first bride though he had gone on with it.

As the real Aqui, his angelito, lifted her head, his breath caught. He couldn't breathe. Without make-up, with no falsities, his bride approached.

She had a microphone in her hand, and sung softly, as her elder brother, Jadon led her on.

Her gown was pure white, designed with some gold. It was splendid. But it wasn't the gown that captured his heart... it was the girl.

My Beloved is most beautiful...

Among thousands, and thousands

YESHUA, YESHUA, YESHUA...

Her angelic voice floated over the entire hall. Tears sparkled in his eyes. And he felt it wasn't just a song that belonged to her, but it was his also.

His beloved, whom God had given him, was most beautiful.

When she finally got to his side, overwhelmed, he hugged her and heard a soft weeping from her. He had never heard her cry. His face was also flooded with tears.

But it didn't break his heart, rather it affirmed his resolve to guard her forever, God being his helper.

"I guess... we're skipping the vows, ei?" The Minister asked causing the entire room to erupt with laughter.

He felt Aqui shake with laughter as she pulled away. He wiped the tears off her beautiful face.

Aquilina finally glanced around and noticed the number of people in the huge auditorium. She couldn't make out everyone.

But her entire family, including Sal, was around—to her amazement.

She also noticed Francesco, Rosa, Audrey, and few others from their school. Tarquin sat beside his father, the tiniest hint of a smile on his face.

I wonder what is going through his mind. But no, now is not the time to think about that.

Face to face with Javier, they both said their vows. And deep down in their hearts, was an unspoken fact. One surer than anything else.

Despite all that occurred in the world around them, they knew one thing for sure:

They had a GOD, and that GOD had given them each other. And He was and would forever be their anchor. Even in the storms of life.

Javier thought to the last words he had willingly added to his vows.

"Creo que, esto es lo que pasa cuando Dios escribe tu historia de amor (I believe that this is what happens when GOD writes your love story.)"

~~~~~

THE END — All Glory to THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY!

~~~~~~~

Well, not quite the end, muchachos. Hopefully, by GOD'S GRACE, there would be another chapter... or two. XD

Another video of how I pictured their wedding though a little old fashioned (from the movie about Esther). But without the makeups and jewelleries:

https://youtu.be/YtZjq-CSRhU

Much Love. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

"Where are you headed?"

Aquilina's steps came to a complete halt at the sight before her.

Dressed ever simply, yet emanating his sense of uniqueness was Javier. The person she had so longed to see was standing before her.

Is it a dream? She blinked vehemently.

"Javier? Skylar?" She turned to her brother who stood next to Javier. "What are you both doing here?"

She was beyond befuddled, and they could see it.

Javier approached her, with a look of gladness only he could express, etched on his face. He engulfed her in a warm embrace.

"Gracias Dios mío."

Aqui thought he mumbled something but was not sure if she had heard correctly.

But, they were startled out of their happy reunion when they heard voices... and footsteps outside the door.

"She went this way!" A voice thundered.

"Catch her at all costs." Aqui identified Claire's angry voice.

"Come, we must flee," Aqui whispered in a desperate tone.

And together, they begun to flee. Yet, it wasn't long before Aqui heard the footsteps from afore chasing after them in the passageway.

She sped away, hand in hand with Javier and Skylar in tow. Hope sprung within her terrified heart when the exit came into view.

"Vámonos, Aqui!(Let's go!) Let's enter the car," Javier was panting severely.

She was shocked to see a familiar face awaiting them all beside the car.

"Lu Xia—?"

"We will explain everything later. Come on in," Lu Xia cut her off diving into the driver's seat himself.

Entering the safety of the car, Aqui turned around to look at their pursuers. But, not in time to try to do anything about the gun going off.

And worse, not in time to stop the person who blocked her from the bullet's trajectory.

——————————

"He's going to be okay, calm down," Skylar's quiet voice reassured Aquilina.

Aqui had gone into a state of shock after witnessing Javier jumping before her to take the shot that Vladimir's men fired.

She couldn't open her mouth to say a word. For the first time in several months, tears threatened to spill. But they did not.

"Here, drink some of this," she finally looked up to see Skylar handing her a cup of warm tea—her favourite. He smiled reassuringly.

Aqui knew he was only trying to help her. Grateful, she accepted the warm cup.

Skylar sighed as he sat beside her in the hospital lounge as they waited for Javier to come out of surgery.

"Don't worry, he will be fine. I know it."

Despite the shock over the situation, Aqui felt amazed by how much her brother had matured over the past months.

"Thank you," she whispered softly. "Have you taken anything as well?"

"No, but I'm okay," Skylar scratched the back of his neck and glanced worriedly at the door. "Lu Xia left to inform his family. He said he will be right back."

She realised that despite his words of encouragement, her brother was also anxious.

I must try to talk to him about something else. To take his mind off it all. And mine too... if possible.

Aqui cleared her throat and brought up the topic that had been on her mind since he had visited her some time afore.

"So, Aquila," she playfully mentioned his rarely used first name causing him to crack a smile.

"What's up? I know something has happened to you."

Glancing at his face, she noticed the light dim in his eyes as new emotions took over. Sorrow and... guilt?

When he finally looked at her face, Aqui's face turned grey. She had a feeling she knew all too well what he was going to talk about.

"No..." she whispered, eyes widening in horror.

How did he find out?

————————————————————-

Ding. Ding. Ding.

Can anyone guess what Sky found out?

Much Love! ❤️

THIRD PERSON POV

"You had promised to make it," Vladimir said to the man whom he had met days prior to invite to the meeting.

But he hadn't shown up.

"Why, did you grow cold feet?" He continued tapping his fingers on his desk as he tried to gauge the reaction of the man before him.

"I gave it further thought," the handsome-looking Chinese replied, leaning forward in his chair.

"I can't move forward with it. I'm sorry."

Sighing, Vladimir rose from his seat, pulling out a cigarette as he did. He moved to the large window in his villa's office—where he rarely entertained strangers.

He lit it and took a slow drag before finally turning to stare at the man still seated.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Vladimir took another drag, trying to calm himself. But his cold blue eyes were afire with rage.

The man in the chair took in a deep breath before rising to his feet. And when he did, he knew he was sure of his decision.

With chin lifted, and a resolute gaze, he reaffirmed his decision.

"I'm certain, Vladimir. I want nothing to do with it ever again."

With a steady gate, Vladimir moved towards him, never diverting his gaze from his face.

"Well, if you're certain you want to give up on the throne and the power now, I won't stop you." He moved even closer to whisper in his ears.

"But if you try to get in my way, I will make you regret the day you were born... Prince Lu Xia." He spat the last words out.

————————-

Aqui knew it had to be done that night. She had a good cover but didn't know how long it was going to last.

And besides, the evidence she had earlier seen in the documents was more than enough and could suffice.

So, Alina's words were music to her ears, as she relayed Vladimir's summons to her.

"The Rukovoditel' said, he wants you to pick up the documents you submitted earlier from his office. He needs them delivered in the foyer. He's meeting someone there."

Aqui didn't hesitate at all, and quickly grabbed her phone, along with her ID, and headed to the task.

————————

Prince Lu Xia was at ease about his decision as he returned to his car.

True, he had almost joined forces with Vladimir. But that was over. He could not let his jealousy take over. He would not.

Glancing at the time on his phone screen, the picture on it assured him he had made the right choice.

It was a collage of the pictures of those dear to him. His real and step-father, his mum, sister, twin brother... and Javier. The brother he had grown to love despite their differences.

Sure, the throne wasn't and would not ever be his. And neither would the last person in the collage—Aquilina.

He did feel hurt, and not a little. But he was glad he had done the right thing. He would let go.

As he was about to put the phone away and start driving, an incoming phone call appeared on his screen.

"Hello?"

—————————

Aquilina felt more nervous than she had ever been in her entire life.

Having delivered the documents to Vladimir, she quickly slipped away before anyone could see or find her.

Alina had mentioned a secret passageway that led from the villa where guards were not stationed. It was a hidden door in the garden.

But getting there unnoticed was going to be uneasy.

Dear God, here I am again. Getting into trouble like the little troublemaker that I am. Please, help this child yet again.

Walking swiftly yet cautiously, she tried to avoid the security cameras with care.

Finally reaching the rosebush which hid the door, she took in a deep breath, looked to her left and right, and advanced.

The metallic doors were locked with a code—which she had known of, thankfully.

It used the latest technology which could be broken into with the aid of her phone and a little bit of coding.

Biting her lip nervously, Aqui was glad when the door unlocked.

She knew her phone could be detected on Vladimir's security radar, but not immediately.

She had a few minutes to flee before she was spotted.

The document from Vladimir's office and phone in hand, she quickly dashed through the door ready to flee.

But she came to a complete stop at what awaited her.

"Where are you headed?" A voice called out from within the tunnel.

—————————

Thanks so much and God bless you.

Love,

Phela ❤️

Hi, fam! Another update by GOD'S Grace. Kindly let me know what you think.

This song reverberated within during the writing of the latter part of the chapter:

https://youtu.be/xyHLBKAr4Hc

————————————————

THIRD PERSON POV

Javier felt restless as he continued to work on national affairs. It had been days since he surrendered his life to Christ.

And he had felt such a wave of great peace and joy. But, a certain uneasiness had begun to take over.

A feeling of something being left undone—something he had to do. But, he couldn't tell what.

Leaving the files he had been holding on his desk, he grabbed his phone and walked out of the heavily guarded building.

He was new to the faith. And Javier acknowledged he needed to talk to someone who knew better than he did about it.

And only one person came to mind.

—————————

Aqui couldn't believe she had gone from having no access to the enemy to becoming one of his trusted confidants and employees.

And it had all been in less than a week. But, she wasn't completely happy.

How is Javier doing? Had been her constant thought. She prayed for him at every least chance she got.

"The Rukovoditel' asked you to get him the files for the next meeting," Claire, his secretary ordered. It was clear she didn't still approve of Aqui.

"And don't delay. He needs them urgently." And with that, she turned around and walked away, her shoes clicking on the glass floors.

After retrieving the files, Aqui hurried to Vladimir's office to deliver them. It was empty.

As she approached his desk, she found something interesting on it. Aqui knew it was the evidence she had been looking for.

As she tried reaching out for it, she heard footsteps and quickly dropped the documents she had been holding originally on the desk.

"Are those the documents I needed?" Vladimir questioned.

Aqui nodded and answered, "They are all ready."

"Alright, I will see you later."

That's my cue to leave, I guess.

Walking out, her only prayer was for a chance to get a hold of the document she had just seen.

God, help me.

—————————

Javier was glad for the conversation he had just had with Skylar. They had also prayed for a while afterward. He found himself loving the time spent with the Saviour.

But despite his joy, the uneasiness hadn't left him.

On arriving at the home he had shared with Aquilina—which he had returned to—he felt the need to read his Bible. Or rather, Aqui's Bible.

Flipping through the pages as he sat on the couch, he prayed silently within him.

Dear Lord, please speak to me.

He soon found himself looking at the Words of Christ in Matthew 6:12;

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

This time also, those words hit him. Sure, he had had similar experiences since the day he gave his life to the Saviour.

But, the intensity was like the very first day he had believed. He could almost hear Him speaking.

You need to forgive.

"How, Lord?" He whispered feebly. He knew whom The Lord wanted him to forgive but he wasn't sure he was ready to. Or that he could.

"You know you ask the impossible of me." His voice was barely above a whisper.

I am the Doer of the Impossible. Just cast your burdens upon Me. I am ever ready to carry them for you, My son.

"I don't know how Lord." He slowly slid to the floor, Bible still in hand.

"But... I am willing to give it all over to You, Lord Jesus. Please take all this pain and the shattered pieces of my life. Have Your way with it."

He could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I don't care if they become more shattered. As long as they are in Your hands, I know I am safe. And by Your Grace, I am letting it all go."

He felt joy flood his soul. Not one of knowing all was fixed. But the joy of knowing his Saviour was in control.

He had forgiven his mother. And his heart felt lighter of that burden.

But strangely enough, in the wake of that joy was another urgency pressing on his soul.

A feeling weighed heavily on his heart.

He had to find Aqui. Immediately.

She was in danger. He could feel it. And once again, he knew who could be of aid. The woman he had thought he would never have to deal with again.

His mother.

Hi, fam! Kindly feel free to listen to this song at any point in time:

https://youtu.be/UPAKbQeuF8E

Love

———————————————-

THIRD PERSON POV

"So, Yvette, how did you recognise the fact that there was a hidden bomb on one of my guests?"

Aquilina had expected the question when she had been called to have a meal with him. Looking into the eyes of Vladimir, she took in a breath and replied calmly.

"I was trained in the military. And a part of that training had to do with learning to identify such items."

It was the truth. She had received such training since childhood. And she was glad Suzy had included it in Yvette's file as well.

"I see," he replied slowly, studying her.

"Now Yvette, what do you say about joining my team?"

——————

Javier hadn't known which page to turn to when he opened the Book. He knew there were many books in it, but he had no idea where to start.

What of the beginning? He thought to himself.

Suddenly, that sounded like a wonderful idea. He quickly found it, Genesis 1:1;

He read it slowly under his breath, trying to grasp the meaning of the words. But as he went further, certain verses caught his attention.

"2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."

There was something about that which seemed to resonate with his own life as well.

He felt as if the description wasn't about the earth... but his life.

He felt void and empty.

But the second part of the verse piqued his interest. "And the Spirit of God moved..."

He suddenly felt an insatiable thirst for God. For His Holy Spirit to touch his own life as well.

Javier didn't know how it happened. All he knew was that he needed Him. And His Light.

He soon found his knees on the floor and heard a voice cry out. It was his own voice, sure.

But the cry went out from deeper than his throat.

The cry went out from his heart, sending tears flooding his face.

"God, I need you. I know I don't deserve You, nor do I know how to even ask. But please, God..."

He switched to his mother tongue.

"JESÚS, Te necesito.(JESUS, I need you.)"

He wasn't sure how long he had been on his knees, nor had he even heard of Skylar's arrival.

Skylar had reached out to gently touch his shoulder. He hadn't said a word to him. But Javier felt he understood what was going on.

After a while, he slowly rose to his feet. But he could feel he didn't rise as the same person who had gone down on his knees.

He had risen up a different person. He felt lighter and happier. Strangely enough, his headache which usually took a long time to dissipate, had vanished.

"You okay now?" Skylar asked him.

Javier turned to face him, a smile etched on his face.

"Never felt better."

Sure, he didn't know where Aqui was and wished he did. Yes, his mother had once abandoned him.

He also had a nation to help rule. But now, he felt he wasn't alone in all of it.

God was with him. And He was going to see him through.

THIRD PERSON POV

A knock at the door caused Aquilina to return to the present. She quickly grabbed her frames which were on the nightstand and attempted to readjust her hair.

"Come in, please!" She called out, remembering to use her French accent.

The door opened slowly, and a young lady, clearly in her twenties entered. She was beautiful, but what drew Aqui the most was her smile.

"I finally get to see the Rukovoditel' guest!" She gushed, her Russian accent evident.

"You're very pretty."

She reached out to draw the curtains.

"One always needs sunshine in the morning."

She glanced at Aqui and smiled brightly again.

"You are Miss Yvette, right?"

"That's the name—"

Barely letting her finish her sentence, she rushed forward to her and grabbed her hands.

"Let's hurry! The Rukovoditel' has ordered that you join him for breakfast," she dragged Aqui into a chair in front of a dresser and began to brush her hair skilfully.

"He rarely has guests over to this place, mind you. This place is private, not even his closest contacts know of it."

"Really?" Aqui asked, her eyebrows raised in wonder.

In actuality, she had heard of the secluded villa from Lady Al before embarking on her journey. But, she didn't want to blow her cover or act like she knew too much.

"You must be really close for him to have brought you here, right Miss?"

"Oh, no!" She responded quickly. "We barely know each other."

Aqui noticed the shock on the young lady's face as she glanced at the mirror.

"You don't?"

"No, we don't."

Aqui didn't know how to explain that their first meeting had had something to do with a bomb.

She remembered how Vladimir had investigated and found her claim to be true. He had cancelled the wrestling match and asked everyone to evacuate.

And just when Aqui was about to leave with everyone else, he called her to join him as he left in his private jet.

"Wow, then I'm sure you're here for something special, Miss. For I've never heard of anything like it before."

"Please, just call me A—Yvette."

The young lady whose name Aqui was yet to find out gasped.

"I dare not! Or the Rukovoditel' will have my head for certain. Please, no!"

"Okay, fine," Aqui resigned in frustration. "Can you at least tell me your name then?"

"Sure, Miss. My name is Alina," the lady smiled cheerfully at Aqui.

"A beautiful name," she smiled back.

"Thank you. Now we must hurry up. The Rukovoditel' is waiting."

——————————————

Javier Miguel García had never felt so low in his life. He could feel his heart aching with the weight of his depression.

His headaches had started again. Sure, it was mostly a psychological pain—but it hurt more than ever before. He couldn't remember ever feeling that amount of pain.

Skylar hadn't returned yet. Gulping down a whole bottle of water to help with the pain, — which hadn't really worked—he felt the need to distract himself.

I barely brought anything along when I left.

His phone was of no interest to him. But as he stowed it away into his pocket, his hand touched something else.

Something he had forgotten he had taken along the day before—Aqui's pocket Bible.

It was cute as it lay in his palms.

I may not know if I can trust her. But can I trust her GOD?

————————

Hi, lovelies! Did anyone else notice GOD'S Hand in the fact that the assassins didn't find anyone in Aqui's home, as per the previous chapters?

Drop your thoughts on this!

And... what do you think of Alina?

Love,

Phela ❤️

Hi, everyone! (waves shyly)

Kindly let me know your thoughts.

And also, I want to change Aqui's middle name to a female version of Skylar's -- Skylah. And, Skylar(the male) has a first name that matches too.

Can anyone guess what it is?

Love,

Phela.

——————————————————-

THIRD PERSON POV

Javier stood in Skylar's driveway as he saw his newly-found friend's car departing.

"You can stay here for a few days if you prefer. To sort things out. I can drive over and get you anything you'll be needing."

He remembered Skylar's promise as he waved him goodbye. Sighing, he returned to the condo feeling weary.

Javier's feet felt heavy as he dragged them across the ornately tiled floor and threw himself onto the couch.

He felt depressed, angry, and vulnerable all at the same time. It was even worse than when his mother had left him.

Because then, he knew he could blame someone. Point and direct his anger at that person—his mother.

But now, he didn't know what was going on, or who to blame for that matter.

"I can't tell you why she had to leave, but know that she did it out of love," his mother had reassured him more than once.

It was hard to believe that, especially after having seen those divorce papers. And harder still, because he didn't trust the person assuring him.

How can I trust the woman who abandoned me?

Reaching for his hair in the empty living room, he pulled at it in frustration and groaned loudly.

He was falling apart...

————

Aquilina couldn't believe that she was in the mansion of one of the most feared Mafia bosses when she woke up the next day.

Lying on the comfy mattress, she glanced around her at the elaborate Russian decor.

I must be dreaming, she pinched her cheeks and flinched at the sting.

And the events of the previous night felt even more surreal. But she knew that it all actually happened.

"Rukovoditel', I have something to tell you." She had mustered up the courage to finally speak up when she had been called to serve.

That clearly took the man by surprise. Even in the darkened room, she could see that he hadn't been expecting it.

But he soon masked his surprise with a smirk.

"You want to speak with me?" He looked amused.

"Young lady, you should know your place," an irritated Claire scolded, eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Please, I won't take up much of your time," she adjusted the frames and glanced at Vladimir. "And, it's quite important."

Claire sighed and turned to him.

"I'm sorry about this, Rukovoditel'. I'll escort her out and deal with her myself."

Grabbing Aqui's elbow with force, she began to drag her away.

Frustrated, Aqui allowed herself to be pulled away.

Maybe, this wasn't meant to b—

"Wait. Let her come closer. Everyone else should leave for a moment."

Turning around slowly, Aqui found herself gasping along with the others in the room.

She had been hoping for it but hadn't expected to actually be given a chance.

"Rukovoditel'?" Claire questioned, eyes widened.

"Are you going to question me?" His eyes narrowed.

"No, Rukovoditel'," she quickly bowed her head and left with the other dignitaries.

Aqui soon found herself alone with him.

"Now," Vladimir swivelled in his seat. "What did you want to tell me?"

THIRD PERSON POV

Javier barely had any appetite as he stared at the meal Skylar had set before him.

But he felt he had to eat at least, a bit of it. For Skylar had prepared it himself. A thing Javier found strange, for that didn't fit the 'Pop Star' personality he had heard of.

As he reached to take a bite, Skylar's voice caused him to halt.

Looking up, he found the younger boy's head bowed as he prayed.

Strange. I guess it runs in the family.

"Have you always... believed?" Javier asked when the prayer ended and he reached out for the spoon yet again.

"I never heard anything about you having any such beliefs."

Skylar didn't look offended, but he calmly took a bite of the meal before answering.

"I wasn't... committed. I never took my faith seriously," he folded his hands on the table and looked into the distance.

He remained quiet for a few moments before continuing.

"It took finding out about an incident that occurred a couple of months back for me to finally return to my faith."

He finally glanced at Javier. And that was when the latter noticed the unshed tears that glistened in his eyes.

"It was when I found out the consequences of my actions... that I realised how much I needed a Saviour."

————-

Back At The H-Estate

"Check the various CCTV footages to ensure that we... were not seen," Rufus commanded, his voice sounding diminishing a tad bit at the end as he stowed his weapon away.

He sounded weary but agitated. They had failed their mission because somehow, none of their targets had shown up.

"Rufus, how are we going to tell the Rukovoditel'?" One of his underlings questioned.

Casting a vicious glance his way, Rufus reached out to grab his collar aggressively.

"Well, if you are so concerned, you might have the honour of doing it yourself." He spat in his face angrily.

-------------

Aquilina felt torn as she went out to call Claire, Vladimir's Secretary.

Do I keep silent and hope he and his entourage blow up—ending it all?

She took a deep breath and relayed the summon to Claire before quickly returning to her workstation. But her mind was still reeling.

Well, I doubt I will get a chance to speak to the Rukovoditel' about it anyway. I might as well hurry up and find a way to escape it all.

Finding her work unit, Aqui tried to busy herself whilst forming an escape plan in her mind. But the uneasiness continued to grow in her heart.

There are innocent people in the building, too. LORD, what do I do?

Aqui bit her nails nervously. It was a habit she rarely resulted to—except in dire situations. She breathed a silent prayer and glanced around her. She had to do the right thing.  She would have to help—even if it meant saving the Rukovoditel' himself.

And pray that Divine Justice would catch up with him in time. She felt her resolve solidifying.

As Aqui pondered over how she was going to inform them, she was called in—again.

"The Rukovoditel' must really be fond of naive looking girls like you," the head matron said. "He rarely calls one person twice."

Aqui knew it wasn't a result of any naïveté she possessed. God was leading her through it all.

————————

Another chapter, lovely fam! Thanks so much for your love, support, and comments.

They really encourage me. I'm eternally grateful. I can't even express it fully. DIOS te bendiga.

P.S. Are you okay with how things are unfolding? Things seem tense now, but please continue to stick around.

Interesting fact: I always copy and paste the 'Rukovoditel' XD

Hasta Luego!

Phelita ❤️❤️❤️