From the author:

Please don't unlock this chapter until you see the title changed and the author's note is gone. I am still very busy with real-life work. I am trying to replace the content once I have finished all my work. Thank you for your understanding.

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<<<<This is filler chapter>>>

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Marie was actually still worried, but seeing the look in Nicolae's calm and earnest eyes, the girl's heart began to calm down.

It was really a relief, she didn't have to always think about how she should hide and face her problems alone.

It was true that Nicolae's presence beside her gave Marie peace and security.

She finally nodded and took a deep breath. "Alright. I believe in you."

"Good. You wait here. I've ordered clothes and various stuff for you and Summer. I want to meet someone first before he leaves for Bordeaux," Nicolae said.

While waiting for daybreak in America, and he could talk to Alaric, Nicolae decided to meet with Mischa. Since Mischa could easily contact people from the underworld in France, maybe the man could advise Nicolae how he should deal with Larkin.

"Who do you want to meet?" Marie became anxious again. If Nicolae didn't want to talk to that person in front of her, it might be because Nicolae didn't want Marie to hear scary things. Therefore she tried to convince Nicolae to involve her. "You can talk to him in front of me. I don't mind."

Nicolae shook his head. "It's not like that. I don't feel comfortable asking him to come here because I've bothered him twice. I'd better go and see him myself. If you come with me, who will watch over Summer then? I don't want to take the risk."

Marie finally nodded in understanding. "Okay."

"Thank you," Nicolae squeezed her hand gently and took his cellphone to call Mischa.

"Hi," said Mischa, on the other end of the phone in a hoarse voice.

The man sounded unwell, which made Nicolae feel worried. Isn't Mischa an alchemist? Why did he fall ill? Was he really heartbroken so badly that his body condition was affected?

This thought made Nicolae feel sorry for the man. He felt uncomfortable bothering Mischa at his present condition.

"Are you all right? I don't want to bother you," Nicolae said.

"It's okay. Sir Alaric has asked me to go to Bordeaux to watch Altair and Vega. I think I really need a new atmosphere," Mischa answered.

"Oh ... when are you leaving?" Nicolae asked.

"I will leave after lunch," Mischa said. "Can I help you? Do you want me to go to the penthouse?"

"I don't want to bother you. I'll go to you. Where do you stay?" Nicolae asked hurriedly.

"Suite 3010," Mischa answered.

"Fine. I'll be there soon," Nicolae said. He said goodbye to Marie and Summer then immediately left the penthouse to meet Mischa. He wanted to know the details about Larkin and how he could deal with him.

Mischa invited Nicolae in and offered him tea. Nicolae refused because he didn't want to eat nor drink anything. He then briefly told Mischa what had happened.

The handsome man frowned and narrowed his eyes when he heard Nicolae's explanation. He opened his tablet and observed the post Nicolae referred to.

"Larkin?" He asked Nicolae to be sure. Nicolae nodded. Mischa then picked up his phone to call someone. His face looked calm when he asked for information from his contact. "Steph, I need information about a person named Larkin. He heads a mafia group in Paris. I've never heard his name before. Is the guy new?"

He listened to Steph's explanation from the telephone with an unchanging expression. Five minutes later, he hung up and spoke to Nicolae.

"He's new here," Mischa said later. "His father is the head of an underground organization that works a lot with politicians. He died five years ago, and Larkin succeeded him. Previously Larkin lived in America."

"Do you know where their base is?" Nicolae asked. "I can't let him bother my wife and child without getting punished."

Mischa smiled at that. "You don't need to worry about that. I still have a little influence on the European underworld. I can visit him briefly before I go to Bordeaux."

Nicolae looked stunned at Mischa's words. He did not want to bother the man at all, especially in his present condition, which was not okay. However, now Mischa offered that himself.

"I really don't want to bother you," Nicolae said, trying to refuse Mischa's help. But the man just shrugged.

"I need to find something to cheer myself up," Mischa said in a serious tone. "I guess, well... actually I just need an excuse to beat up people. This week is pretty hard for me."

"Uhm ... wait a minute," Nicolae didn't want to let Mischa take care of the problem while he went to Italy. At least he wanted to be there and teach Larkin a lesson. "I don't want to bother you too much by going to him. I will make that person come here. Then we can both kick his a.s.s. What do you think?"

Mischa smiled at that. "That's fine too."

Nicolae discussed his plans a little and then excused himself to go back to the penthouse to lure Larkin to the Nobel Hotel.

"Honey, do you have Larkin's contact?" Nicolae asked Marie when he arrived at the penthouse. "I want you to contact him and ask him to come here."

"What for?" Marie asked with a worried expression. She did not understand why Nicolae was telling her to contact Larkin. Wasn't Larkin openly looking for trouble by exposing their identities? Why did Nicolae now want to deal with him? "He is a mobster, Nic. He is very powerful here in France. He will definitely bring his men with him. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Let him bring his men. I will talk to him so that this problem is immediately resolved. I do not want you to think that you have to run away every time there is a problem. This is a problem that we have to face openly and solve it together," Nicolae said firmly.

"You're not mafia, and you don't have that type of connection ..." Marie said again. "These people can't be bought with money. I know your family is rich ... but you won't be able to buy them. In fact, if they find out who you really are ... they can capture you and ask your family for a ransom."

"Honey, you forgot that my brother is Alaric Rhionen, and one of his most formidable killers happens to be in Paris right now. Mischa is still very influential in the underworld, and he needs an excuse to beat up people," Nicolae said with a smile. "And I'm not so bad myself either. I fought two assassins from Rhionen Assassins and won."

Marie was shocked to hear Nicolae's words. She looked at the man with furrowed brows.

Nicolae can fight? He didn't look like a fighter at all. His body was tall, but his movements were relaxed. His carefree attitude made Marie never expect that Nicolae could fight and even be tough enough to face two assassins from Rhionen Assassins.

"But I'm very worried," said the girl.

"You don't have to come, just stay here and watch us from afar. Let me and Mischa take care of them." Nicolae looked at Marie and repeated his request. "Now, please contact Larkin and tell him to come to see you at the top of the Nobel Hotel building. Later from there, I'll take care of the rest."

Marie finally nodded and did Nicolae's request. She typed something on her cellphone and sent a message to Larkin.

[Help me. Meet me Nobel Hotel, at the top of the building. Come ASAP]

"Very nice." Nicolae patted Marie's shoulder and then reached out his hand and asked for the cellphone. "I'll buy you a new one later. We have to get rid of this cellphone and all the contacts in it."

Marie just stared at Nicolae, who looked so confident and she reassured herself that everything would be fine. When she saw how Nicolae seem so calm, Marie's heart also became calm.

Larkin tried to call Marie several times, but Nicolae did not pick up his calls. Half an hour later, a text came from the man saying that he had arrived in the lobby.

"I'll go first. You can watch us from the camera on the top of the building, okay," Nicolae said while saying goodbye to Marie. The girl nodded and immediately opened her laptop.

She hacked the hotel security system and immediately gained access to all hotel cameras that could provide her views to all areas in the building. She had quickly seen Larkin's figure walking across the lobby to the elevator. The man was walking arrogantly like he owned the building, followed by five men.

"Nic ... be careful," the girl whispered.