How Lilies turn Black Chapter 81 - Legal Illegality (22)

There wasn’t much time to deliberate. 

 

The bomb was set to detonate in about twenty minutes, and a decision had to be made quickly—either send the invited guests home or have them temporarily relocate elsewhere while the bomb was retrieved.

 

In the end, Theodoro chose the latter. It meant he was committing to entering the defense industry.

 

Once the decision was made, there was no more room for hesitation.

 

Theodoro immediately directed all the guests toward the outdoor swimming pool at the back of the villa.

 

While he personally held the guests’ attention there with a microphone, inside the villa, his crew members busily worked on retrieving the bomb.

 

The thick curtains draped over every window ensured the invited guests had no idea what was happening beyond them.

 

All retrieved bombs were taken directly to the lakefront in front of the villa.

 

This was on Paul’s advice; since the explosive power was unknown, throwing them into the vast lakefront was safer than near the outdoor swimming pool.

 

And so, with just over five minutes left until the bomb was set to detonate…

 

“…I think I’ll end the story here. The wind is quite chilly, and I’ve kept you all outside for too long. Finally, I have a small spectacle prepared.”

 

Theodoro added, pointing towards the villa where the curtains were being drawn open.

 

“I will escort you to the lakefront near the entrance for a moment.”

 

Following his guidance, the guests gradually turned and began moving through the mansion towards the main entrance.

 

Theodoro also entered the mansion and saw that the bomb retrieval operation had been safely completed.

 

“We moved them to the water’s edge as soon as they were found. We did several additional checks, so there probably aren’t any left inside.”

 

After hearing Paul’s report, he nodded with a weary expression.

 

“I’ll handle things here, so take care of the guests. Make sure to send out anyone who says they want to stay in the party hall because it’s cold. Even though we’ve recovered everything, we should still prepare for any potential danger.”

 

“Yes, I’ve already instructed them to prepare warm mulled wine and blankets. We can only hope there aren’t too many complaints about the cars being left outside in this weather.”

 

“What a mess to be dealing with in the middle of winter…”

 

Theodoro muttered curses and irritably jerked his chin.

 

Just as Paul was turning to leave at his dismissive gesture, Theodoro stopped him.

 

“Wait. What about Liliana?”

 

“Miss Moretti? Well… she was going around offering help earlier, but I don’t see her now.”

 

A flash of anger ignited in Theodoro’s eyes.

 

What? Going around making a nuisance of herself offering help? She simply cannot stay still for a single moment.

 

Suppressing his rising anger, he waved his hand dismissively.

 

“…I get it. Go ahead.”

 

After sending Paul away, he scanned the party hall. Just as Paul had said, Lilliana was not there.

 

They had been controlling access to the upper floor, so she must be either in the main hall or by the lake…

 

He couldn’t see her striking platinum blonde hair or the emerald green dress he had personally chosen for her among the crowd heading towards the exits.

 

Pushing through the bustling crowd, he went to the front garden, but the situation was the same. Lilliana wasn’t there either.

 

His searching gaze grew mixed with irritation and anxiety.

 

“…She’s even hurt her leg, so where on earth could she be wandering off to?”

 

And why were there so many people trying to talk to him in the middle of all this?

 

“Are we supposed to be here? There’s nothing here.”

 

“Hey, Theodoro. Isn’t it a bit much to order the old men around like that? Hahaha.”

 

Theodoro tossed out a few perfunctory words and then turned his steps back toward the mansion.

 

Was it possible Liliana had been taken by Jimmy’s crew? Even if not captured, was she in some other danger? 

 

That was more important right now.

 

His pace, already brisk as he checked his wristwatch, quickened to almost a run. There really wasn’t much time left.

 

“Have you seen Liliana?!”

 

“Ah, no? Why would she—”

 

“Move!”

 

He asked every member he encountered about her whereabouts, but no one knew…

 

Before he knew it, the guests had all left, and the villa, now empty except for a few remaining members, felt vast and hollow.

 

Just as Theodoro, turning his head rapidly, was about to step onto the staircase leading to the second floor—

 

“Ah, Mr. Theodoro! I’ve confirmed there’s no one from the second floor up to the fourth floor.”

 

His footsteps froze solid at the shout from the person descending from above.

 

If she wasn’t upstairs, then where in the world could she be?

 

‘That damn woman…’

 

The very moment he turned his body around, scanning every corner of the mansion.

 

“…!”

 

Outside the window, in the garden behind the mansion, a sparkling, pure white-gold glint.

 

Without a moment’s deep thought, Theodoro pushed off the marble floor and broke into a run. 

 

From behind him, Paul’s flustered voice flew after him.

 

“Huh?! Where are you going?”

 

“Go ahead and keep the men under control!”

 

Liliana Moretti. While not the most perceptive, she was far from foolish, and by this time, she should have long since been at the lakeside. She would have wanted to see with her own eyes how the plan she had devised was unfolding.

 

There could only be one reason why she was still lingering in the backyard.

 

Something had gone wrong.

 

Theodoro threw open the glass door leading to the backyard and shouted like a thunderclap.

 

“Liliana! If you’re hurt, you should be resting—”

 

“Theodoro, sir…!”

 

His yell was swallowed by Liliana’s desperate voice. She was crouching by the mini-bar on the left side of the swimming pool, wearing a horrified expression he had never seen before.

 

“I-I was just checking… just in case…”

 

The moment he heard her choked voice, Theodoro knew intuitively. 

 

There was a bomb on the bar table there too.

 

‘Ah… damn it.’

 

It was a mistake. 

 

Neither he nor Paul had considered there might be one outside by the swimming pool.

 

They hadn’t had time to search there separately, since they had been keeping people detained inside. 

 

But more than that, it wasn’t even an area they had initially considered for inspection, as the cold weather meant no one had been using the pool area.

 

So, they had carelessly overlooked it…

 

Theodoro checked his wristwatch again, and his face hardened into a stern mask.

 

When he jerked his head up, Liliana was already running towards him, carrying a couple of the bombs. 

 

Oblivious to the fact that there were fewer than thirty seconds left.

 

“Put those down and come here, now!”

 

“What? But then these…”

 

Theodoro gritted his molars and started running toward her.

 

“Just throw it, into the pool!”

 

“But you just said it’s dangerous here…!”

 

A torrent of vulgarities rose to the back of his throat, but there was no time to spit them out. He pushed off the ground with such force that it cratered beneath his feet. 

 

With each long stride, he closed the distance to her rapidly. 

 

Just as he got close enough for her hair to brush his fingertips…

 

Thwack!

 

Theodoro snatched the bomb from Liliana and hurled it toward the swimming pool. 

 

Without a moment’s hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her and launched them both onto the grass.

 

“Agh!”

 

The two tumbled violently across the hard, bare ground.

 

It was then that the massive explosion erupted.

 

KABOOM!

 

A huge column of water erupted from the center of the pool. 

 

The pillar shot skyward with immense force, only to collapse moments later, crashing down in a deluge.

 

It was like a downpour from a clear sky.

 

Drenched by the falling water, Theodoro tightened his embrace around the figure in his arms. He held her fragile body tightly, as if she might shatter if he squeezed too hard.

 

The sudden rainstorm ended in the blink of an eye, and silence instantly fell over the surroundings. 

 

The only sound was someone’s ragged, heavy breathing.

 

“Hah… Hah…”

 

Theodoro slowly lifted his head.

 

The moment he had thrown them, he had cradled the back of her head, pulling her firmly against his chest. 

 

Even now, she remained nestled there, her eyes squeezed tightly shut.

 

He loosened his grip and gently pulled their bodies apart.

 

“…Liliana.”

 

At the sound of his low voice breaking the silence, her eyelids fluttered open.

 

Even in the deep darkness of the late night, her infinitely clear emerald eyes completely filled Theodoro’s vision.

 

“…!”

 

Ah, a sudden, aching tightness gripped somewhere deep in her chest.

 

At the moment he came running towards her, it seemed there were so many things she had wanted to say. 

 

That everything turns to chaos whenever he’s around. 

 

That is not a single day that passes without trouble. She thought she had meant to say those things, but her mind went blank, and Theodoro found himself unable to speak.

 

And Liliana, too, couldn’t utter a single word through her trembling lips.

 

Drip, drip…

 

Cold droplets were falling onto her face.

 

When he wasn’t wearing his fedora, his short hair was always impeccably slicked back, not a single strand out of place. 

 

But now, disheveled locks fell across his forehead, a bead of water clinging to each strand.

 

Why did you run to me until you were a mess, embrace me, and offer your entire back to the pouring rain in my place?

 

Liliana silently closed her eyes. The darkness swallowed her wavering pupils.

 

Ah…

 

Once, you pressed the muzzle of a gun to my forehead. 

 

That cold sensation is the same, yet these droplets—unable to pierce even a few millimeters of skin—are endlessly harmless and fragile.

 

The two were so immersed in each other’s presence, they couldn’t possibly pay attention to anything else…

 

In the damp garden behind the mansion, a man was on his knees, breathing harshly and unevenly.

 

After running frantically for a long time and arriving at the front of the estate, he saw the huge crowd and the massive explosion by the lake. 

 

But no matter where he looked, the two people he was searching for weren’t there.

 

Finally spotting them, the man swept a hand through his hair in utter futility.

 

“Haha… damn. I ran here like I was going to die, and these bastards are here playing at love.”