Marie felt safe with Nicolae. Not only did he offer to pay twice the bounty offered in Darknet to anyone who could find Marie's enemy, but the man also made her feel safe and protected.

For the first time in her life, Marie felt very calm and peaceful. She was no longer afraid of anyone. She had found her knight in shining armor who would help her face the enemy together. Marie and Summer no longer had to fend for themselves.

KNOCK

KNOCK

When they were just about to leave, after Marie said good-bye to her 'family members', suddenly there were some knocks on the door. Nicolae looked at Marie and asked if she was expecting a guest.

"Did you contact Sanna to come here?" Nicolae asked. "Or do you have another friend?"

Before she could reply, a man's voice came from behind the door.

"Marielle ... are you inside? I tried calling you from earlier, but your cellphone is off. Are you OK? Please open the door."

"Who is that, Marie?" Nicolae asked in amazement. He didn't know Marie had a male friend who knew where she lived and now instead came to Marie's apartment uninvited.

"Oh ... that's Larkin," Marie said. "He's a friend. He helped me a lot in finding Summer this week. I owe him a favor."

"Larkin? Who is he?" Nicolae asked again. Automatically, he felt annoyed knowing there was another man close to Marie and could casually come to the girl's apartment.

Marie answered in a low voice as if she didn't want anyone else to know who Larkin really was. "Ssshh ... he's one of the leaders of the underworld in France. I told you about it, right? I said I had a friend who helps me and will protect Summer and me, but I don't know if he would be willing to protect you too."

Ahh ... Nicolae still remembered that moment when Marie said those words. He realized that he got a little jealous that the girl had asked Larkin for protection. If Nicolae hadn't come and they would be reunited like this, who knows how far Marie would be indebted to Larkin?

For Nicolae, it couldn't be tolerated. In this world, he would be the only one to protect Marie and Summer, his wife and daughter. He wouldn't let other men do it.

"I will protect you," Nicolae said softly but firmly.

Marie smiled at Nicolae's words and squeezed his hand, before hurrying to open the door for Larkin.

"Hi, Larkin, how are you?" Marie opened the door and invited a man into her apartment.

"Marielle ... I'm very worried about you. Your cellphone is inactive and I can't contact you for hours. What happened?" A man rushed inside and held Marie's shoulder with a worried expression. He did not see Nicolae standing behind Marie.

Nicolae watched the man and tried to make a judgment. Larkin was probably the same age as Marie. However, if Marie looked younger than her actual age, this man looked more m.a.t.u.r.e. He dressed in an expensive-looking shirt and suit. His slick black hair completed his neat look, and it made his handsome face looked overbearing.

Was Larkin really in control of the underworld in France? Nicolae frowned. This man looked more like a businessman than a criminal.

"I'm fine. I've found Summer," Marie said, lowering Larkin's hand from her shoulder. She then turned to Nicolae. "Larkin, meet Nicolae Sorin ... He is Summer's father."

Larkin looked startled and he quickly threw a suspicious glance at Nicolae. "Summer's father, you said? Didn't you tell me.. that guy is dead?"

His tone was clearly unhappy. Nicolae immediately had a hunch that Larkin had special feelings for Marie and did not like his presence.

I won't let you steal my woman, Nicolae thought irritably.

"I'm still alive. Marie ... uhm—Marielle and I had a misunderstanding. Now we've resolved everything and decided to get back together. I will take my wife and child with me and protect them," Nicolae answered calmly. He did not act like Larkin, who showed his dislike openly.

"Wife ... and child? Mariell, is what he said true? You are not married, aren't you?" Larkin asked Marie, this time in protest. "How can you run back to him after he left you to take care of and raise Summer alone??"

"Larkin ... whoever you are, I hope you will not interfere in my family's affairs," Nicolae said, positioning himself between Larkin and Marie so that Larkin could not touch his woman again. "What happened between Marielle and me, is none of your business."

"You ..." Larkin glared at Nicolae. He seemed very offended because Nicolae was acting like he was protecting Marie from HIM. "Where do you want to take Marielle?"

"I don't have to tell you." Nicolae then took Marie's hand and took her to leave the apartment. "Let's go home, Baby."

He took Koi's strap and led the little dog to walk out of the apartment with them.

"Larkin ... thank you for your help all this time. I have to go now." Marie patted Larkin's shoulder. The man was still rooted in his spot and didn't realize Marie walked pass him to go after Nicolae.

Larkin was moved from his shock a few seconds later and tried to chase Marie, but the girl and Nicolae had come down in the elevator to the apartment lobby.

"Dammit!" Larkin was furious. He immediately took out his cellphone and called his men, who were still standing guard in front of the building. "Marielle left with a man. Take photos and follow them. Don't attract attention."

With a creased expression, he walked into the elevator and went down to the lobby. When the elevator door opened on the ground floor, Nicolae had just finished closing the driver's door and immediately drove his car out of the apartment building's courtyard.

Larkin sauntered out of the building and stared at the speeding car with narrowed eyes. This was unexpected at all. He had known Marie for several years, but she always kept her distance from him and treated him as a friend. Larkin wanted their relationship to be more than just friends, and he had done everything for the girl's sake ...

But now, Marielle left him just because that guy came back.

God damn it...

I will not let you take Marielle from me, Larkin grumbled to himself.