Chapter 679: I Want To End Them

The house had gone quiet again after emotion settled.

Jennifer was safe with Luna probably going to Amanda or her parents house, and that should have been enough to settle something inside Dayo. Instead, he stood in the living room with Felix, Max, and Bella while the anger he had been holding since the kidnapping continued to grow in an unimaginable pace.

He had already seen Jennifer taken from him once in his mind. He had replayed the empty crib too many times. He had heard the voice on the phone telling him that his daughter was in their hands. He had seen the photograph they sent.

None of it was leaving it kept playing like an endless loop.

Luna’s words had hurt him too, more than he wanted to admit. She had looked at him as if he had failed the one promise that mattered most. She had taken Jennifer from his arms without letting him explain anything which broke him in a way that he never imagine he would be broken and he hadn’t been broken like that in both his life.

But even that had become secondary this was the lie he told himself but he knew the truth.

Michael Erickson and Silas Vane had taken his daughter.

They had planned it.

They had used people around him. They had studied his security, manipulated his employees, pulled Bella away with a lie, used Luna as part of the distraction, compromised Wayne’s phone, and waited until the right moment.

They had known exactly what they were doing.

They had crossed the line of no return.

Dayo finally sat down.

Felix remained standing a few feet away, watching him carefully. Max was near the entrance, while Bella had moved toward the window. Neither of them seemed comfortable leaving him alone.

Dayo looked at the three of them.

"I already know who did it."

Felix and everyone in that room already knew the answer, but he still waited.

"Michael and Silas."

The room stayed quiet.

Dayo’s voice remained steady when he continued.

"I’m going to end them."

Felix’s expression changed.

"What do you mean by end them Dayo?"

Dayo looked directly at him. "I’m going to kill them."

Nobody answered immediately because the room went from hot to crazy hot making everyone uncomfortable.

Max had seen Dayo angry before. Bella had seen it too. Felix had been around him long enough to know that Dayo could become ruthless when somebody crossed him. He had watched him make decisions that frightened people who underestimated him.

This was different.

There was no uncertainty in his voice. He wasn’t threatening them to make himself feel better. He wasn’t talking about exposing them, taking their companies, destroying their careers, or making them suffer financially like before.

He meant death.... like actual take a life.

Felix pulled a chair closer and sat down opposite him. "Dayo, they’re already in custody."

"I know."

"Then you don’t need to do this."

"I do."

Felix studied him for a moment. "Why?"

Dayo looked toward the stairs leading to the doorway.

"My daughter was taken because of them, my family might never be the same because of them."

His voice became quieter.

"They planned it. They knew what they were doing. They didn’t make a mistake. They didn’t lose control. They decided that taking Jennifer was the way to get to me."

Felix had no answer to that cause he knew there was nothing to say.

Dayo leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "I gave them enough chances. I dealt with Michael. I dealt with the people around him. I let things take time because I wanted everything exposed properly. I wanted them to lose everything piece by piece."

He stopped for a moment.

"I should have finished it earlier." his voice lased with regret.

Felix shook his head. "That isn’t going to bring anything back."

"I’m not trying to bring anything back."

The words came without anger.

"I’m ending it once and for all."

Bella finally turned from the window. "Dayo, if you attack them while they’re in custody, you’re putting yourself in a position you don’t need to be in."

She didn’t say that attacking was bad just that it would put him in a weird position and there was a reason for that cause if Dayo was to ask her to jump she would just ask how high that was how much she and Max respected Dayo.

"I know."

"You could lose everything."

"I know."

Max looked at Felix, then back at Dayo. "Then what are you expecting us to do?"

Dayo looked at him.

"I’m not asking any of you to do anything."

That answer made Felix even more uncomfortable.

He stood again. "Give me a minute."

Dayo didn’t stop him cause he already had an idea what he wanted to do.

Felix walked into the hallway and took out his phone. He called Wayne first.

Wayne answered after several rings.

"Felix?"

"Where are you?"

"At home. Why?"

"I need you to come to Dayo’s place."

Wayne’s tone changed immediately. "What happened?"

Felix hesitated.

"Something happened with Jennifer."

There was silence on the other end.

"What do you mean something happened?"

"She was kidnapped."

Wayne didn’t speak for several seconds.

"What?"

"She’s back now. She’s safe."

Wayne sat upright. "Wait. What? When did this happen?"

"Few days ago. Dayo didn’t tell anyone."

Wayne’s voice became sharper. "And you are telling me now?"

"I wasn’t the one who decided to keep it quiet."

Wayne rubbed his face. "Is Dayo okay?"

Felix looked toward the living room.

"No."

"What happened?"

Felix lowered his voice. "He knows who did it."

Wayne understood immediately as that was the only people he knew had a beef with Dayo. "Michael?"

"Michael and Silas."

Another silence followed.

"Felix, what is Dayo planning?" Wayne asked already imagining Dayo’s anger as he knew that the line that they crossed was a no going back as Dayo doesn’t play with his family.

Felix closed his eyes for a moment before answering.

"He wants to kill them."

Wayne stopped speaking.

Felix heard him move away from the phone, as if he needed a moment to process what he had just heard.

"Are you serious?"

"I wouldn’t call you if I wasn’t."

Wayne was quiet again.

"Give me thirty minute. I’m coming."

Felix nodded "Alright I would call the others."

He then called Valerie.

She answered quickly, already preparing for the day.

"Felix, what’s wrong?"

"Come to Dayo’s house."

"Why?"

"Jennifer was kidnapped."

Valerie went silent.

"She’s safe, now" Felix added quickly. "But Dayo is not taking it well."

"Where is Luna?"

"She is safe probably at Amada’s."

"Then why didn’t anyone tell us?"

"Because Dayo didn’t want anyone else involved."

Valerie swallowed hard. "What happened?"

Felix looked back into the room.

"He wants to kill Michael and Silas."

Valerie didn’t respond.

"Felix, you’re not joking." Even for her this was another level of anger from Dayo.

"No."

"How serious is he?"

"As serious as your imagination can go."

She didn’t ask anything else. "I’ll be there."

Ulrich was the last person Felix called.

The usual hot blooded Ulrich listened without interrupting as Felix explained the situation. By the end of the call, even Ulrich had lost his usual composure.

"I’ll come."

"Alright I would be counting on you."

Felix returned to the living room.

Dayo was still sitting in the same place.

Max had moved to the other side of the room, while Bella remained close to the stairs.

Dayo looked at Felix when he entered.

"Who did you call?"

"Wayne, Valerie, and Ulrich." Felix didn’t even try to hide it.

Dayo didn’t seem surprised.

"I told you I’m not asking anyone to help."

"I know."

Felix sat again. "They need to know what’s happening after all they are practically family."

Dayo said nothing.

Around forty minutes later, the front door opened.

Wayne came in first.

Valerie followed him, and Ulrich entered behind her.

Wayne looked ready to speak before he had even crossed the room.

"Dayo, what the hell happened? Felix told me Jennifer was kidnapped and you didn’t tell any of us. How long were you planning to keep that from everybody?"

Valerie was already looking around the house.

"Where is Luna?"

"Probably at Amanda’s." Dayo answered.

Wayne took another step toward him. "And Jennifer?"

"With her."

"She’s safe?"

"Yes."

The answer eased something in all three of them.

Wayne stopped in front of the sofa. "Then why did Felix tell me you’re planning to kill two people?"

Dayo looked at him.

Wayne had known him longer than most of the people in that room. He had seen Dayo angry at executives, producers, artists, journalists, and people who had tried to sabotage JD Records. He had also seen him stay calm when other people would have lost control.

The expression on Dayo’s face now made Wayne stop pushing.

Something was seriously wrong as he had an expression that said nothing and that was serious.

Dayo told them everything.

He explained how Jennifer had been taken, how the kidnappers had been connected to Michael and Silas, how the rescue had happened, and what he believed their purpose had been.

Nobody interrupted him.

When he finished, Wayne looked down at the floor for a moment.

"You should have told us."

"I didn’t want more people involved."

Valerie’s voice was quiet. "I understand that. But we are family and as much as I don’t like it, but I understand it was for her safety."

Ulrich looked at Dayo. "What exactly are you planning?"

"I’m going to reach Michael and Silas."

"They’re in custody."

"I know."

"And you intend to kill them there?"

"Yes." Dayo replied without any hindrance or hesitation at all the answer came so quickly that Ulrich had nothing to say for a moment.

Wayne finally spoke.

"Dayo, listen to yourself."

"I am."

"You’ve spent years building everything you have. JD Records, your companies, your music, your family, everything. You can’t throw all of that away because these two people crossed a line."

Dayo’s eyes remained on him.

"They signed their death the moment they crossed the line when they touched Jennifer."

Wayne’s voice softened. "I know."

That was the problem.

Nobody in the room could tell him that he had no reason to be angry.

They all knew what had happened and what has been happening as they have sabotaged him countless times but he stayed calm so his reaction was very well valid.

Valerie sat across from him. "Jennifer is home. That’s what matters right now. She’s alive. She’s with Luna."

Dayo looked toward the stairs again.

"I know."

"Then don’t make another decision while you’re this angry."

"I’m not making this decision because I’m angry."

Valerie looked at him carefully.

"I’ve already made it and it’s a necessary decision one."

The room became quiet again.

Ulrich leaned against the wall. "There are other ways to deal with them."

"I tried those ways."

"You can expose them."

"They are already exposed."

"You can let the courts handle them."

Dayo’s answer was immediate like he already expected it.

"I don’t trust that."

Ulrich looked down.

Wayne moved closer and lowered his voice. "Dayo, I’ve known you for a long time. I’ve seen you angry. I’ve seen you do things that I wouldn’t have done. But I’ve never seen you like this."

Dayo didn’t respond.

Wayne continued, "You mean this."

"Yes."

That was all Wayne needed to hear.

He stepped back.

Valerie looked at Felix, hoping he had something else to say. Felix did, but he already knew how the conversation would end.

"Dayo, if you go after them, you need to understand that there is might be no clean way back from it."

"I understand."

"You could be arrested."

"I understand."

"You could lose your family."

Dayo looked at him.

"Jennifer almost died Felix, we would be having a different conversation if the slightest mistake had happen."

Felix stopped.

Dayo’s voice stayed controlled.

"I already know what losing my family feels like."

Nobody tried to answer that.

The next few minutes were spent trying anyway.

Wayne argued with him. Valerie tried to get him to think about Luna and Jennifer. Ulrich reminded him that Michael and Silas were already trapped and that Dayo had time to let the legal process continue. Felix warned him that an attack while they were in custody could expose people around him.

Dayo listened to every word.

He didn’t insult anyone.

He didn’t raise his voice.

He didn’t tell them they were wrong.

He simply refused to change his decision.

Eventually Wayne sat down, exhausted from trying.

Valerie looked toward the stairs again.

"At least Jennifer is home."

Dayo gave a small nod.

"That’s the only reason I’m still sitting here."

The words settled heavily over the room.

Bella and Max had remained quiet throughout the conversation. They had already understood and accepted what Wayne, Valerie, and Ulrich were only beginning to accept.

Dayo was not looking for permission.

He had already decided and by the looks things there was no going back.

Valerie eventually stood and walked into the hallway. She looked back once before taking out her phone.

Wayne saw her.

"What are you doing?"

Valerie didn’t answer immediately.

She looked at the screen, then at the stairs.

"If nobody here can get through to him, maybe Luna can."

Wayne didn’t stop her.

Valerie found Luna’s number and pressed call.

The phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Luna finally answered.

"Hello?"

Valerie remained silent for a second.

"Luna."

There was no warmth in Luna’s voice. "What is it?"

"I know you don’t want to hear anything about Dayo right now."

Luna didn’t respond.

Valerie looked through the doorway toward the living room.

Dayo was still there.

She lowered her voice.

"But you need to hear this."

The call remained connected.

Luna said nothing.

Valerie waited.

Then she began to speak.

"Jennifer is safe, but Dayo is planning to kill Michael and Silas."

The line stayed silent.

Valerie looked at the phone.

"Luna?"

Nothing.

She tried again.

"Luna, I know you don’t want to hear anything about him, but you need to listen to me."

Still nothing came through.

Valerie stood there with the phone against her ear, waiting for a response that did not come.

And Luna said nothing.

A/N: Hey guys, please bear with me! The device I use to write broke recently, so it’s a real struggle for me to type out updates right now. On top of that, my network connection has been awful. Updates might be less frequent for a bit, but I really appreciate your patience and support!