In an abandoned warehouse a man was tied to a chair with a blind fold on his face.
Richard walked into the warehouse and removed the man's blindfold.
It was Leo!
Leo looked at him with shocked expression.
"Don't look at me like that, I'm not the King Of Hell you are not dead yet" Richard said and removed the clothes on his mouth to prevent him from shouting.
Actually after the second court hearing the Military Governor asked him to execute him. So he switched him with a fake person with the man height and body build like him because he was sure the Military Governor won't open his blindfold to confirm if he was the real or fake and he would never expect him to do this.
"I know you wanted to die but you were hit with an anesthetic bullet so that Leo is already dead" Richard said as he stood at the window.
Leo looked at him with his mouth agape.
"You want to ask why i don't kill you, right? That is simple if i kill you, won't you get just what you want?"
"I really don't have a clue of what you are talking about" Leo said stubbornly.
"You hid the fact how Neo got killed and risked your life to prove your loyalty. You wanted Albert to do you a favor, Right?" Richard said and stood behind Leo.
Richard bent down and whispered in his ears.
"And Dawn's handkerchief with the pattern of soaring phoenixes wasn't given to Rick it was given to you. Its meaning was to get you to consider Runa's future. Runa is your daughter, right?" Richard asked him.
Leo's expression turned pale.
___
The Valley Restaurant.
Arci has been waiting in the valley restaurant since 6 pm but Richard has not arrived but she stubbornly keep waiting till 7pm she ordered for alcohol to keep herself busy.
She has gotten drunk already.
Richard walked into the restaurant and saw her, he quickly walked toward her and sat down on the empty seat.
"Someone is sitting down there" She said drunkly
"It is me Richard, you invited me"
She smiled foolishly and brought her face closer to him
"It really is you i thought you weren't coming"
"Of course I'd come. How come you have drunk so much"
"Because i am happy today, if it wasn't for you who knows when my mom and brother would have gotten revenge Thank you" She said with a foolish smile.
Richard took her hand.
"Let's go. You are drunk I'll take you home" He said.
"I'm not drunk" She said.
They stood up and walked towards the entrance.
"Do you know why i wanted to bring you here for dinner?"
Richard shook his head "Why?"
"Because this is my favorite noodles stall. Mom used to bring me and my brother here when we were young this was our secret base but now they have gone i have no one to come with" Arci said.
"Don't get upset, everything is alright you have me now I'll come with you" Richard assured her.
Arci stomped her feet on the floor like a baby, "You say that but you were late"
"I'm sorry, i got caught up it won't happen again. I am Sorry"
She hugged him and brought her face closer to him.
"Then you have to make it up to me"
"How?"
"Come with me to see the most beautiful nightscape in Los Angeles"
"Right now?"
Arci nodded.
"It is too late I'll take you home, okay?" Richard tried to coax her.
She brushed past him and walked towards his.
"Richmond, drive me to High mountain"
Richard quickly stopped her
"What do you want to go there at this time for?" He asked.
"To see the most beautiful nightscape in Los Angeles" she replied.
"It is cold in the mountain, let me take you home, okay?" Richard said.
"I'm not going home" She tried to get into the car.
"Arci, stop this. This car is mine you should do as i say"
"You are bullying me" She started crying.
"Ah wait no" He doesn't know how to console her.
"Then I'll walk there alone" She said and turned to leave.
He quickly grabbed her to stop her.
"Okay I'll take you" Richard agreed helplessly.
She smiled happily and got into his car immediately.
"Richmond start the car" He said and got into the car.
Richmond drove them to the place she requested.
She put her head on his chest and fell asleep, Richard hugged her and grinned foolishly.
'She is much cuter when she is asleep'. he said in his mind.
When they got there Arci was still asleep.
"Commander…." Richmond said.
Richard put his hand his mouth to silence him and he pointed Arci so he won't disturb her.
"Oh" he muttered.
Arci opened her eyes and looked out the window.
She opened the car door and walked out of the car.
Richard quickly followed her in case she hurt herself.
She pointed at a place. It was so beautiful you can see all Los Angeles from here just like when you stand in a balcony and can see everything that surrounding you.
"You can see all Los Angeles from here"
They both stood there and stared at their surroundings.
"Los Angeles! I'm back!" She yelled.
"Mom… Neo i am back" She said sadly
Richard saw that she is becoming emotional and tried to distract her, "Arci, All of Los Angeles is my territory i promise you as long as am here you will be safe and sound"
And it worked.
"Thank you" She said and put her hand on his neck.
"What are you thanking me for?" He chuckled.
"The only two times I've gotten drunk you were there with me"
"So this time you won't mistake me for Bremo again will you?" He asked.
"Again? When have i ever mistaken you for Bremo?" Arci asked.
"See you have forgotten. Last time when you were drugged and drunk and in a daze you had no idea what you were doing"
She smiled and cupped his face and sealed his lips with her lips giving him a short kiss.
"Was it like this?" She asked..
He stiffened and looked at, shocked.
She laughed like the bad wolf taking advantage of a lamb.
"You were like this last time too all dumbstruck" She said.
"I knew it. I knew you knew it was me you are mine now" Richard said and sealed her lips with his, kissing her gently.
Richmond has been staring at their surroundings when he stared at them and saw that they were kissing.
He cleared his throat, opened the car door he sat down on the driver's seat.
Even his boss is not single anymore.
Life is so unfair to single people.
Acri fell asleep later.
They couldn't go back home so Richmond stood outside till dawn while Richard and Arci slept in the car.
Richmond was feeling cold.
Poor Richmond.
When it was daybreak, Richard and Richmond were awake already.
Richmond used his hand as sign language to ask if they can go home now.
Richard said no that Arci is still sleeping when she wake up.
Arci was sleeping on his laps. She woke up after and was shocked when she was him seating down while she was sleeping on his laps.
"You stayed like this all night?" She asked.
"I didn't dare to sleep, what if i had fallen asleep and someone took advantage of me?" He replied her with a smile.
She glared at him and wants to get down from the car. Richard quickly hugged her.
"Think you can take advantage of me then leave?"
"Who took advantage of you?"
"Well last night we kissed infront of the whole Los Angeles, do you regret it?"
She blushed and tried to push him away.
He tightened his grip on her.
"What do you want?" She asked
"To eat noodles with you for the rest of my life and see the nights here, what do you say?"
"so now we are in that kind of relationship?" She asked.
"What kind of relationship?"
"I…. I mean… I mean.."
"You mean eating dinner together and sleeping together, like that?"
She pushed him away, "Who said i had sleep with you?"
He put her back in his arms.
"What? We have already kissed. Do you want to deny that?" He asked.
"Then come to my home and ask my dad for my hand in marriage as long as he agrees we can be together"
He fell silent because of the impression he already gave him before.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure he agrees.
____
He went to ask for hand in marriage and her father agreed even though he disapproved before.
Dawn committed suicide by hanging.
While Runa was escorted to the ship by Butler Calvin to go to Hong Kong by ship, Lincoln refused to see her for the last time.
She was about to walk towards the ship when she was pushed into the water. She doesn't know how to swim and almost drown Richard's men saved her and drove her to the warehouse her father was staying secretly.