Page 132 of The Diávolos: Part Two
“Then why are you still alive?”
“Philip killed my mother when I was a baby. He didn’t think it’d be an issue to keep me alive since I wouldn’t remember her. And when I became an adult, he sent me to live here,” he explains, opening his arms wide and gesturing around the space. “He thought it’d be convenient to have another son that could do his dirty work without question. So, I became his assassin—more like his little bitch.”
My brows furrow. “You’ve got to be almost seven feet tall and shaped like a tower. You could’ve easily overpowered him. Why did you let him live, knowing he’d killed your mother and left you to live a reclusive life?”
The ounce of emotion I’d seen on his face only seconds ago disappears.
“I was focused on other things.”A man of few words, I see.
I knit my brows. “Like what?”
Atlas’s gaze darts around as if suddenly nervous. His lips part, forming the beginning of an answer, but hesitation clings to each syllable. “I dedicated my time to trying to destroy the Sisterhood from within. Ignatius…”
The name floats through the air like a sudden electric shock. Though I try to maintain my composure, my face must betray the whirlwind of emotions inside me. “You knew my uncle?” I ask, cutting Atlas off mid-speech.
His eyes meet mine briefly, a flicker of vulnerability passing between us. “Yes. Mr. Vasilakis discovered me long before my existence even became a rumor. He sought me out, and together, we began digging into the Sisterhood.” I can't help but wonder why my uncle never included me in his plan. As if reading my mind, Atlas adds, “At first, he didn’t want to involve anyone because it was too risky. But since I was already living underground and had access to certain files because of my father, he asked if I’d be willing to help him.”
“And you agreed,” I say.
Atlas nods. “I created an alias and opened multiple chat rooms to expose the Sisterhood. My forum is how I was able to get the names of the motherfuckers trying to access underage girls from the school.”
My eyes widen. “You’re ‘2young4you’?”
“Yes.”
The pieces of the puzzle fall into place. “After my uncle was killed, I dug into his computer, but was only able to find a folder with some information about the girls. What happened to the rest?”
“Ignatius and I were in constant communication. When I didn’t hear back from him after twenty-four hours, I virtually wiped everything off his computer so that our hard work couldn’t get hacked. That was our agreement. But I had to leave a crumb for you to find.”
The revelation leaves me disoriented.
“We were getting too deep. I warned Ignatius that Peter Kouvalakis would eventually catch onto him, but he didn’t listen. And he got killed.”
“Why didn’t you continue your quest after he died?”
“I lost touch with the outside world without his help,” he deadpans.
“Have you really never stepped foot outside?”
“Don’t be a fucking idiot. Of course I’ve been outside. I just couldn't contact anyone in case my identity got leaked.”
I know that stress all too well. Living in the shadows is like carrying an invisible weight. Always having to watch your words, measure your actions. It can be a lonely place. A silent struggle that goes unnoticed.
“What about your father? He’s involved in the Sisterhood too. You had every reason to kill him.”
“Well, he’s dead now.”
“And were you the one to kill him?”
“Yes. Right after he showed Angelica her father’s will.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you waited so long.”
“Everything in due time, Evander. I knew the opportunity would arise. When he asked me to take Angelica, I assumed it would result in her eventual death. And I couldn’t let him hurt another innocent woman for his gain.” A weary exhale escapes his lips. “I couldn’t have killed him before, because I would’ve had to do too much damage control.”
I tilt my head. “I’m sure there were other women you could’ve saved before Angelica. Why her?”
“We have history.”
