How Lilies turn Black – Chapter 37 – The Rabble of West Peal (11)

Author: Nikss

Liliana turned her attention away from the room and faced Theodoro. She couldn’t stop her legs from trembling beneath her.

“The organization… is running so well.”

She couldn’t hold back the raw, unfiltered words. Now, she genuinely wanted this place to burn.

Not just to keep her promise to Goth.

Not just to take revenge on Antonio, who had tried to trap her here.

Not even to push Theodoro into direct opposition with Luciano.

Even if she set aside any personal gain…

‘This place has to fall.’

She knew the underworld was a cesspool of unethical crimes. But she hadn’t expected a place so utterly devoid of humanity.

“Did you know?” she asked. “That things like this were happening?”

Theodoro, however, kept staring at the room even after the commotion had died down. She couldn’t tell if he’d heard her—or if he was just avoiding the question.

Judging by his clenched fists, faintly trembling with tension, the answer was likely the latter.

So… you didn’t know.

The realization was both a relief and infuriating.

She wanted to ask, Does it make your skin crawl, now that you know?

Are you drowning in useless regret, wishing you’d dealt with Antonio sooner?

Do you want to take back all those years you spent stepping back, leaving everything to Luciano?

Liliana couldn’t suppress a bitter laugh.

“Then… did Luciano know about all of this?”

She wasn’t asking for an answer.

Luciano had to have known. Unlike Theodoro, he was deeply involved in the organization’s operations—and he was close to Antonio.

For all his talk of bloodlines and pride, he’d likely turned a blind eye.

Theodoro must have realized it, too.

Leaning against the railing, he looked like he couldn’t bear the weight of it all. He covered his face with a large hand, as if trying to block everything out.

“…Haah.”

Silent, he seemed exhausted to the point of wanting to shut his eyes and ears. Or maybe he was furious. Or grief-stricken.

With his expression hidden, she couldn’t tell.

After a long moment, Theodoro finally lowered his hand—wiping away any trace of emotion.

Only the deepened hollows under his eyes, shadowed with exhaustion, remained.

Then, abruptly, he turned to Paul, who was standing at a distance.

“Paul.”

“…Yes.”

“I thought… if I ever met my mother again after all this time… I could tell her I lived without shame.”

“…”

“Turns out, I can’t.”

“Theodoro, you—”

“Enough. Tell the men to release everyone.”

With a gaunt expression, Theodoro jerked his chin toward his men. They had already subdued most of the gang members scattered around the club.

“What? Now?”

“…”

Paul was stunned—and so was Liliana. The sudden decision left her dazed.

‘What’s he planning? Is he really siding with Goth?’

Things seemed to be going her way, yet an uneasy feeling clung to her. Her heart began pounding harder.

Just as she nervously glanced at his profile—

“And you.”

His hollow gaze pinned her in place. Liliana’s heart lurched, and she clutched her chest.

‘Me? Why…?’

She tried to step back, but the railing pressed against her spine. Nowhere to retreat.

“Come with me.”

“Wh… What?”

Theodoro didn’t explain. He just grabbed her arm and swiftly dragged her up the stairs. His strides were long and relentless.

With no choice, Liliana had to half-run to keep up.

“Why—why are you doing this?”

“‘Why?’ You started this, Liliana Moretti. You’ll finish it.”

He wasn’t wrong. But the cold detachment in his voice sent a chill down her spine.

Without another word, Theodoro hauled her to the room where Antonio was. The moment they crossed the threshold, he shoved her forward.

Everyone inside stared at the sudden intruders, eyes wide.

Sean O’Connor, who had been comforting a sobbing Enya O’Connor, suddenly shot to his feet.

But no one was more shocked than Antonio.

“You… you… Theodoro…!”

“…”

“No, right? Th-this isn’t what I think it is, right? Tell me you didn’t actually side with those lowlifes?!”

Theodoro stepped toward Antonio, who was trembling like a bloodstained leaf, his expression eerily calm.

“Did Luciano order this?! Why are you doing this to me all of a sudden, huh? Brother, say something…!”

His cries echoed alone. Under the watchful eyes of Liliana and the Goth gang members, Theodoro grabbed Antonio by the scruff of his neck and hauled him up.

“I’m not sure who you’re calling ‘lowlife.’ Seems like the word fits you better than them.”

“N-no, I… I didn’t—”

No further words were needed. Dragging the terrified Antonio behind him, Theodoro headed for the door.

“Liliana Moretti.”

He didn’t forget to call her again on his way out.

She didn’t need to ask—it was the same command as before: *Follow me.*

But this time, she had to walk after him on her own, and her feet refused to move easily.

Sean cautiously approached her as she hesitated.

“What’s going on?”

“…”

Liliana couldn’t give him a clear answer. She didn’t even know what Theodoro was thinking.

And facing Sean was unbearably awkward, so she fled the scene, leaving him behind without a reply.

If only she could have escaped Theodoro just as easily.

When she stepped outside, she found him already at the top of the stairs, tossing Antonio aside like a sack.

“Why…! Why are you doing this?! Theodoro…! Y-you’re not gonna… kill me, right?!”

“…Dunno.”

“What do you want from me?!”

“Let go.”

Theodoro’s voice was weary, but Antonio, blind with panic, clung to him, bloody snot dripping from his nose.

“Theodoro! Please…!”

“I said, let go.”

With a tired motion, Theodoro raised his foot—

Thud!

Liliana froze in place, clapping a hand over her mouth.

A merciless kick. Antonio’s body crumpled pathetically before tumbling down the steep staircase.

Every moment burned into her mind.

“Ugh! Hah…! Ack…!”

After rolling halfway down, Antonio lay sprawled on the second-floor landing, gasping and groaning in pain.

Whether something was broken or his mind had snapped, he couldn’t even stand—just collapsed there, a broken mess.

Theodoro stared down at him with cold eyes before turning away. His gaze drifted, then settled—on Liliana, still trembling, unable to move.

At the same time, the eyes of nearly a hundred men—his crew and the gang members filling the building from the first to fourth floors—locked onto them.

None of them understood what Theodoro was thinking or what he planned to do next.

All they could do was watch, bewildered, as the scene unfolded between Liliana, Theodoro, and Antonio.

“Ugh…! Don’t just stand there, you bastards! Help me!”

Antonio’s kingdom. The king was flailing. But in a kingdom reduced to ruins, the king’s words held no power.

The club was silent, as if doused in ice water.

His underlings must have wanted to step in.

But the oppressive aura radiating from the man standing at the center of the grand staircase pressed down on them like a storm cloud.

Not a single one dared to move.

Amid the frozen crowd, Liliana was the only one forced to walk forward.

Theodoro waited in silence, his eyes fixed intently on her. She wished the distance between them was longer.

Wished the path ahead stretched just a little further.

But no matter how much she slowed her trembling steps—