Raging Love Ch. 07

"Please, I need to know." Bruce pleaded, gripping the phone tighter. "There's no way my contract can be cancelled out of the blue like that. I am the best model that company has ever had so to just let me go like that is..."

'I am sorry, Mr. Gonzalez...' A deep but apologetic male voice spoke on the other end. '...the order came from higher places. We needed a fresh face for the company, someone younger than you. Sorry..."

"No!" He yelled on the phone. "You can't do that to me. You even had to terminate my contract with all the sister companies for good. Do you know what that means for me? That's like killing me."

'We're very sorry, Mr. Gonzalez.' The man apologized. 'The decision was already made and there are still many companies that would...'

"I don't want other companies." He snapped, failing to fight his tears. "Please, you can't do that to me. Those companies are of low class. What do you want people to say about me? Please, just tell me what's wrong, please. At least, you owe me that. I have contributed to the success of that company and you'll never find a model like me. That I can promise you."

The man on the other end sighed. 'Sorry, Mr. Gonzalez. But the decision has already been made and we can't do anything. Our new partners want a fresh face and amongst other reasons that I cannot tell you, we had to terminate your contract.'

Bruce groaned. "And who are these new partners?"

The man sighed. 'For the sake of our friendship, there is model and Fitness Company, Jingxi model and beauty management, Marasigan...'

Bruce didn't even finish hearing when he felt his heart pound violently in his chest. Everything around him disappeared... his breaths became harsh and his anger, hatred and pain took over. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

He gripped the phone angrily and with a groan, he threw it hard on the floor, breaking it to pieces.

"That bitch!" He groaned, tears of anger flooding his face. "Travis, you bitch! You'll pay for this, I swear."

Bruce gripped his hair painfully, breathing like a monster in a cave. The name Travis kept on ringing in his head. He furiously turned and looked at Andrea who was seated on the bed looking lost. She'd been hit really hard and there were a whole lot of evil plans going on at the back of her mind that she didn't even know which one to adopt. It was a lot.

"Andrea!" Bruce rushed to her. "That bitch! He's the cause of this. Do you know that he's the one that terminated my contract and destroyed my career? I swear... I will kill him. I swear."

Andrea looked at Bruce and got up, slowly walking to the window with her arms folded. She was so much in pain and she hated her brother for what he had done. He could have done something but he chose to leave her hanging like that.

"This war has just gone to another level." Andrea said bitterly, her fists clenching. "Never in my dreams did I think that I could lose my position. I never ever dreamt of losing it, not even to someone like Travis.

First it was Praveen. He was becoming a thorn in my flesh, our flesh and we thought we had gotten rid of him. Now this... this..." She furiously gripped on the curtains, pulling them to the floor. "...this lookalike has become an even bigger thorn. But no... I will not allow him to do that." She angrily turned and gripped Bruce's arms almost to the point of pain. "We need to get rid of him. We need to find a way to eliminate him for good. No more playing Mr. nice guy. This guy is very dangerous and it looks like we underestimated him."

Bruce clenched his fist, staring into Andrea's eyes. "You're right. He's stabbed us right in our hearts and now... he'll see exactly what we can do. It's time to give him a super strong Bruce-Andrea dose. We'll hit so hard that he'll stop flying high."

The two looked at each other, evil grins on their faces. It was time to start planning evil again and it was gonna be soon. That was s promise.

***

The elevator door opened and Travis came out of it. He was dressed beautifully in a red designer's shirt that was tucked in a black skinny jean with green snickers on his feet. His hair was made into a ponytail, revealing his gorgeous face. It was a really cold day and he had a black coat on. He had a small bag with him.

It had been a really busy day for Travis and his team. First they had gone out to check on the progress of their previous brand and it was still doing great. Then they had gone to the factory to check on the progress of their newest shoe line and they had spent quite some time there. Immediately after coming back, Travis had to review some documents and they were quite a number of them. As if that had not been enough, he had an important meeting with a client in his office. It was really hard work. He was just happy he hadn't encountered any of the evil friends.

It was already night and only few people were still at the company. Having a position as vice president meant that sometimes long hours of meetings and work. Shit! Anyway, he had to endure it. He just couldn't wait to go home and see his son.

Travis got out of the building and he heard his phone ringing. It was his driver.

"Hey!"

"Sir, are you done already?' The driver asked in a deep manly voice.

"Yes! Where are you?"

'Just give me ten minutes, sir!' The driver said softly. 'I will be there.'

"Okay!" Travis smiled. "I am already outside. Just hurry it up."

Travis sighed and then started walking towards the car park. It didn't take him long to reach there. He started walking slowly, took out his phone and started texting his aunt that he was gonna be a bit late.

But Travis didn't even text her before he bumped into someone. He quickly moved his face up and found himself staring into the face of an ugly looking man with a neckerchief and a bandanna wrapped around his head. He had overgrown beards and he looked muscular too.

"Sorry," He apologized, giving a slight smile. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

He moved the other side and tried to pass but got surprised when the huge man blocked him, still staring into his face. Travis looked at the man, a frown appearing on his face. He tried to pass on the other side but got blocked again. Shit!

"What the hell is your problem?" Travis said hoarsely. "I thought I told you it was an accident. Leave my path before I call security."

The man laughed manically. "You've got a loud mouth for such a beautiful boy."

"Excuse me!" Travis raised an eyebrow. "Please, leave my path. I don't have time for such conversations. I will call security."

The man laughed, opening his arms widely. "Do it! I am not afraid of security."

"Look, Mr..."

But Travis didn't even finish his sentence. He was surprisingly grabbed from behind and then a cloth placed on his mouth and nose while someone had a powerful grip on his neck area. He tried to scream but all that came out were muffled cries and when he tried to breathe, something really strong entered his nose and he got dizzy for a second.

Travis felt his heart begin racing as a shiver ran down his spine. He knew that he was definitely in trouble and had to do something quick. With a groan, Travis flexed his hand and thrust his elbow behind, hitting the man right in the abdomen so hard.

The man behind yelped, letting him go instantly. Travis furiously turned, clenched his fist and gave the man a huge blow, sending him flying to the hard floor with a thud.

"Ow!" The man cried in a deep manly voice.

Before Travis even had a chance to see the man's face, his arms were gripped and pinned behind. He raised his foot and stamped on whoever had him gripped behind. The man gave a painful groan, jumping like he'd just stepped on a nail.

But something was wrong. Travis was getting dizzy and his vision was not that perfect. It was like he was drank or something and he knew he was in trouble. His heart was racing so much and he got really thirsty. He tried to get away but a man gripped his arm and pulled him back.

"Careful, the little fucker is strong." A man said but Travis couldn't see him clearly. It seemed there were several of them, maybe three of four.

He quickly turned and punched the man who was holding him on the face but just strong enough so that he could let him go. Travis tried to run but he was getting dizzier by the second and he found himself heading for the floor. But to his shock, he fell right on someone's arm.

Travis held on tighter to the arm, trying to get away but the man held him tighter, trying to help him up. "Are you okay?"

When Travis heard that voice, he simply froze. He rose his head up just to look into Antonio's face, their eyes locking on each other. But Antonio seemed mad. Travis quickly moved and went behind Antonio's back, shielding himself from the thugs.

Antonio had no idea why he got so angry when he looked at the four thugs that looked like they had just seen a ghost. He was so mad that his jaws shook and his fists clenched immediately. His eyes instantly became red and veins popped up in his head. His breaths were heavy and he looked like a warrior from medieval times. Even gladiators would have been jealous had they seen him that time.

"Who are you?" One of the men gasped. "This does not concern you. This is between him and us. Go away and you won't get hurt."

Antonio groaned. "Didn't you recognize me? I am your doom and you're gonna wish you hadn't touched him."

Although Travis was feeling dizzy and funny, he could hear Antonio's words.

"Beat him up!" The boss ordered.

The other three thugs charged at Antonio with their weapons but Antonio was too powerful for them. He made sure that whenever he touched one of them, he beat him so hard that his nose was bleeding and his face was badly bruised.

He punched, he kicked and he made sure that they were all hurt. The boss couldn't even dare to touch him. He just took his people and they all ran away. Antonio wanted to run away but he couldn't leave Travis alone.

He rushed to Travis who was seated on the floor with his hand on his head. "Hey!" Antonio leaned down, cupping Travis' cheeks. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you or anything?"

"I... I am fine. I need to go home." Travis said in a weak voice.

Everything was spinning and Travis had no idea what was going on.

"You don't look so good. Let me take you..."

"No!" Travis managed a word. He tried to get up but found that it was impossible. "...leave... me alone, Antonio. I... just wanna go home."

"But..."

"Leave!" Travis was just too weak to even move.

He tried to get up but his entire strength left him and he collapsed right in Antonio's arms. Antonio wrapped his arms around him, bringing him closer.

"Travis!" He muttered, shaking him slightly. "Hey!"

But the boy had passed out. Antonio was so confused and angry that he didn't even know what to do. He knew that he had to take the boy to the hospital but he just sat with his arms wrapped around him. He didn't know why he felt the need to do that.

***

"Eduardo!" Antonio screamed like a mad man. "Eduardo, can you please come out here."

Eduardo was in the room, trying to get changed since he had just arrived home but when he heard his brother's voice, he got really scared and stopped whatever he was doing. He wondered what kinda drama his brother had brought home that day.

"It's Antonio!" Celine said softly, looking at her husband. "It seems he's mad about something. Let's go see what's wrong if not that Bruce!"

Both husband and wife agreed and they started going out of their room. They rushed downstairs to the living room just as the rest of the family members joined. Eduardo and Celine glanced at each other in shock before they looked at Antonio.

Antonio was carrying a really handsome man in his arms and not just any man but Travis Marasigan. Both Celine and Eduardo were really shocked. He was really sweaty and seemed like he was in a hurry and a bit angry.

"What are you doing, Antonio?" Emma snapped, rushing towards where he was. "How dare you bring that boy to this house after everything he's done! Have you suddenly lost your mind?"

Antonio carefully laid Travis on the big couch, standing up straight and staring at his aunt. "I am sorry but I had no choice. I had to bring him back home and..."

"Excuse me!" Emma chuckled bitterly, glancing in disgust at the sleeping boy. "What business do we have with him, huh? Just look at him, he's trying..."

"He was attacked!" Antonio glanced at his brother, rubbing the sweat off his forehead. "I think they wanted to kidnap him. He collapsed right after I saved him. Eduardo, check out what's wrong with him. I think they drugged him."

Eduardo looked at his brother and then at the beautiful boy on the couch. He took a sigh before he rushed to him and sat beside him, checking his eyes first. They were a bit red and his forehead had many sweat droplets and his body was hot.

"I need some cold water and a cloth!" He announced, looking at everyone. "Aunt, can you..."

"Excuse me!" Emma snapped, shaking her head. "You expect me to help that whore sleeping over there. I don't care if he dies but I will only help him over my dead body."

"I will do it!" Celine was already rushing to the kitchen.

Eduardo checked him out and found out that his heart was really racing and he was burning up. He needed to give him an injection in order to help him. He rushed to the room, came with an injection and administered it to the sleeping boy.

Celine came with some really cold water and a cloth. She put it on Travis' forehead to help bring down the temperature. The boy stirred when she placed the cold cloth on the forehead.

"Is he going to be alright?" She asked worriedly.

Eduardo nodded. "Yeah, he'll be awake any time soon. He passed out due to the chemical that he inhaled." He said, looking at his worried brother. "You were right. I think they wanted to kidnap him. It's a good thing you reached there in time."

Antonio glanced at the face of the beautiful man on the couch and he felt his heart jump. "Actually, he had put up quite a good fight before I arrived. I think if they hadn't covered his mouth with that cloth, he'd have handled himself just fine."

Which made Antonio wonder too. The Praveen he remembered was really weak and would have been easily kidnapped. As he was rushing to help, he could see the boy fighting the thugs. But he didn't go into deeper thoughts as he got disturbed.

"Who would want to do this to him?" Emma asked softly, getting also a little worried and she had no idea why.

Emma laughed, rolling her eyes. "The idiot probably has many enemies which wouldn't even be a surprise because he's such a pain. I am not surprised someone would want him kidnapped."

Everyone remained quiet and just watched, some in anger and some in worry.

Meanwhile, on the staircase...

"What is that boy doing there?" Andrea gasped, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I thought we told those idiots to do a clean job!" Bruce muttered, clenching his fists. "Looks like they failed. I swear, I am gonna deal with them."

Andrea was just as shocked as Bruce was. They had a really perfect plan but it had backfired. The thugs they had hired were known as the best and they would have kidnapped Travis whether he was with his bodyguard or not. But they had failed. What was so fucking difficult about kidnapping a weak boy, she thought as she felt her blood boil. Kidnap him, beat him to a pulp and tell him to get out of the city. It would have been a perfect win and they'd have gotten whatever they wanted.

Andrea took Bruce's hand and they rushed to her room, locking the door behind them. As soon as they reached, Andrea was already calling the thug boss' line. She was mad as hell.

'Hello, madam...'

"Don't you madam me!" Andrea snapped, yelling on the phone. "For a person that was highly recommended, you're such a disappointment. I told you to kidnap him, take him to an abandoned building and beat him up, scare him to the point where he would flee this city and never come back. But the idiot is in my house and..."

'Look, ma'am...' The man said harshly in a deep voice. '...I don't care about our deal right now. Do you think it's funny? My men and I are in so much pain and we're bruising. I don't even know how long it will take for my men to complete healed because they have fractures.'

Andrea chuckled bitterly. "And that's supposed to be my problem?" She yelled. "I paid you a huge sum of money and all..."

'It's not my problem too, madam!' The man said rudely before he hissed, surprising Andrea. 'You told us the boy was gonna be an easy target but you didn't tell us the little fucker is a martial artist. Even drugged, he was able to fight. We would have had him but that brother of yours ruined everything. And don't yell at me, I don't work for you.'

Andrea's mouth gaped and she looked at the phone slightly. "Did you just..."

But Bruce took the phone away from her and he was mad as fuck.

"Look here, you son of a bitch!" He roared. "Because of you, our enemy is in the house right now. We gave you a simple job and you failed to do a single thing. What the fuck do they call you 'the equalizer' for? You're a total idiot."

'Hey, don't insult me.' The man snapped on the other end. Even through the phone, Bruce could still feel how mad he was. 'If you're not an idiot then why didn't you handle him? We were almost caught by those stupid guards, we're hurt and you've got the nerves to yell at us. Remember, you needed our service and we're very dangerous men. So don't fuck with us!' He screamed, making Bruce's heart to race. 'Don't ever call this line again or else...'

He didn't finish the sentence. He just the call, leaving Bruce dumfound.

"What the fuck!" He threw the phone on the bed. "He cut the call and threatened that we shouldn't ever call his line again or he'll rat us out!"

Andrea was so angry that she knocked a glass jar off her night table, breaking it into pieces. "Damn, Antonio! Why the fuck did you have to interfere?"

Both of them knew that that plan had been ruined and they needed to come up with something really evil and perfect. It wasn't over.

***

Travis moaned softly as he opened his eyes slowly, moving his hand to rub on his head. He had a terrible headache and everything at first was spinning and he couldn't see anything at all. But then things started getting clear and he looked around, trying to see where he was. First, he could see that he wasn't in his house and secondly, he didn't know where he was. But...

"Are you feeling okay?" He heard a sweet voice.

That was when Travis realized that there were people there. When he moved his eyes to look at who had spoken, his heart gave a sharp pound in his chest when he just looked at Celine's beautiful face with a smile on her face. A shiver when down her spine.

No! No! No! Travis didn't want what he was thinking to be true but he slowly moved his eyes and just landed on Antonio who was standing close to the chair with a stern look on his face, staring right at him. His heart began racing even more and he felt like an idiot all of a sudden. Everyone else was there except for Andrea and Bruce.

He quickly rose, putting his legs on the floor but was welcomed by a really sharp headache. He groaned in pain, trying to massage.

"Hey, careful..." Eduardo said softly, resting his hand on the man's shoulder. "...I think you're not fully well."

"I am fine!" He said, raising his head to stare at Antonio. "How did I get here?"

"Antonio brought you here." Celine said with a smile. "You were attacked by some thugs and he brought you back here."

Travis looked at Antonio and he felt like anger had just taken the best of him. "Why did you bring me here?" He rose, sounding ungrateful as well.