Velika: The story of a lover

"What do you know about Companion?" She asked, still with that low voice.

"Nothing more than what you know." He answered, "But I believe Astoria Leontes is manipulating Braddock."

He had no intention of telling her about Clarabelle Lewis. After all, he needed to be watchful. There was no guarantee that this wasn't her strategy to gain his trust then reported all to Romeo Leontes. Daniel Heinrich was never the type to willing take any risks. Plus, Velika O'Sullivan hadn't opened up about her past and was still a blank canvas to him. He couldn't entirely take her as his ally, not yet.

"Well, in that case," She tilted her head to the direction where Dean O'Sullivan was, "Someone else may know more."

This could be considered as one of the most awkward moments in Daniel Heinrich's life. Sitting between the two O'Sullivan, he didn't even need to guess the relationship between them. Velika O'Sullivan avoided eye contact with Dean O'Sullivan, and Dean O'Sullivan kept sipping wine uncomfortably.

"How did you get caught?" Daniel Heinrich broke the silence, "I'm Daniel Heinrich just in case you didn't know already."

"Dean O'Sullivan," The man answered politely, Daniel Heinrich could see from his elegant green eyes that he was a man filled with high self-esteem, arrogance, and prejudice, "I ran an insurance company and I put faith in a wrong person which was the first and the last mistake I ever made in my business career. Natural was my biggest loaner, the president, Ms. Leontes, the lady with a unique surname sent her team to seize me. They did find me and drugged me. When I woke up, I was in that lab where you, um, so-called rescued me."

"Do you know if Natural had done anything to you?" Daniel Heinrich frowned; Dean O'Sullivan's Irish accent slightly distracted him.

Velika O'Sullivan pulled Daniel Heinrich aside for words, she was worried.

'She should be concerned,' thought Daniel Heinrich. At this point in the game, he had good reasons to believe, even without any firm proofs, there were lots more catastrophic secrets hiding underneath the surface. What if Dean O'Sullivan was a bait, what if all of these were Astoria Leontes' plan, waiting for them to fall into the trap? How many of this man's words were true?

But there was one question hanging on Daniel Heinrich's mind: if Romeo Leontes was against his sister-in-law, then who was the intel that informed Astoria Leontes every move they took?

Then he almost gasped in horror, he looked into Velika O'Sullivan's dark eyes and somehow, an unknown fear of this woman filled his heart. If all his deductions were true, this woman standing in front of him was not only dangerous but also utterly lethal.

"Do you think all of these may be Astoria Leontes' game plan?" He asked, carefully observing the changes and her expressions, and not to miss any tiny details.

Velika O'Sullivan frowned, her tone was so persuasive that put Daniel Heinrich on the edge of believing her: "I don't believe so, there was no way for Astoria to figure out our steps."

"So, you don't believe Dean O'Sullivan is a bait." Daniel Heinrich lowered his voice, he stepped forward and whispered to her ears, "Obviously you two had a past."

She frowned again, and stepped back aggressively, Daniel Heinrich thought she was going to lose her temper, but she didn't.

"We are taking him to Natural tomorrow." She said, thrust her goblet rudely into his hands. She walked to her room and shut the door loudly behind her.

Daniel Heinrich curled his lips; it was a great opportunity for him to have a private conversation with Dean O'Sullivan. He wanted to know how this man controlled Velika O'Sullivan, the woman who let nobody decided her life but herself and brought the impossible tenderness out of her.

"I know you want to talk to me." Said Dean O'Sullivan when Daniel Heinrich approached, "And I'm glad we have time to chat."

Honestly, Daniel Heinrich had no idea what was on this man's mind. His Irish accent, nervous but nonchalant similes, and surprisingly similar appearance as Daniel Heinrich made Dean O'Sullivan a mystery. Now he was much more relaxed than when he was with Velika O'Sullivan and began acting more like himself.

"So, I presume you are O'Sullivan's ex-husband." Daniel Heinrich asked slowly, cautiously waiting for Dean O'Sullivan's reactions.

"No," Dean O'Sullivan laughed malevolently, "I am her husband, we are still married."