CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"What the hell is going on?" Emoni Barrino entered the living room after hearing her mother yell. She turned her head and spotted Sonny Kiriakis standing in front of the TV. "What the hell is he doing here?"

Mustering up whatever courage he had left, Liam Robertson turned to his sister-in-law.

"Emoni, take Devon and Tamela downstairs. I will handle this." Liam instructed.

Emoni's eyes shifted between Liam and his mother, feeling helpless.

"What are you waiting for? Go!" He gently slapped Emoni's arm.

Emoni quickly took the birthday boy and placed him on the stroller.

Sonny's eyes shifted towards the two-year-old, sleeping soundly with a small body pillow in his arms.

"Come on Mom!" Emoni pulled her gently. "Let's go down for a walk!"

Tamela turned away and the two quickly pushed the stroller out of the apartment.

Liam's hands were trembling. He had no idea what was going on. What he did know was that when it comes to facing Sonny Kiriakis, he knew he can't back down.

"What do you mean by this?" Liam questioned softly but sternly.

"Everything is written on that agreement. I want Devon Robertson." Sonny proceeded to the dining table and cut a slice of leftover cake.

"Why do you want my son?" Liam was on the verge of losing his cool. "What use is he of to you?"

"This cake is delicious!" Sonny chewed while talking, ignoring the question. "I love the icing! Did you bake this?"

"You can't take Devon away from me!" Liam snapped. "Devon can't live without me! He my son! I'm his father!"

"You're also Arianna's father. Yet, you abandoned her for this city life of yours." Sonny pointed out. "Abandoning children seems to be something you're good at!"

"How dare you!" Liam growled.

"If you want to stay here in New York, go ahead! No one's stopping you!" Sonny shook his head innocently. "But Devon, he's Arianna's little brother. Arianna deserves to have her family as whole and complete as possible!"

"You're sick you know that?" Liam glared. "The person you have beef with is me, why are you bringing a poor innocent toddler into this?"

Sonny placed the empty plate on back on the table, took a tissue and wiped his mouth before tossing it aside.

"Arianna is my daughter. As her father, I want her to be surrounded by love from her family." Sonny explained. "That includes Devon. Imagine how thrilled Ari would be when she realized she's a big sister!"

"Why are you doing this?" Liam questioned.

Sonny took a few steps towards Liam until their faces were a few inches apart.

"Why can't I?" Sonny replied with a question of his own. He pulled his head and smiled devilishly at Liam.

"Hey Li! Are Emoni and Mom done with the dishes?" Zeke Barrino asked as he closed the front door. When he turned around, he saw Sonny and Liam staring at him.

Sonny proceeded walked towards Zeke.

"Right now, your life depends on that man right there." Sonny pointed at Liam with his thumb. "If he sign the papers I just handed to him, 30 grand will be wired into Woodhaven Baptist Church's bank account. If he doesn't, don't be surprised if the cops enter the church office and arrest you." After finishing his piece, Sonny Kiriakis swaggered out of the apartment.

Zeke proceeded towards Liam. "What's wrong Li? What does his want? Does he want you to return to Salem?"

A dejected Liam stared blankly into space, not answering Zeke's question.

Zeke took the file Liam's was holding and skimmed through the details of the contract.

"What the hell is this shit?" Zeke questioned in shock.

Sonny Kiriakis entered his suite and proceeded to the living room. He fell back on the couch in complete triumph.

"God is on my side!" Sonny thought to himself. He was so close to throwing in the towel. At one point, he honestly thought he would give up but everything worked out for good. "It's time for an afternoon nap." However, the moment he closed his eyes, he heard his cellphone ring.

"Gosh I haven't slept well in days!" Sonny groaned. He took the cellphone from the coffee table.

"Hello?" Sonny answered irritatedly.

"Sonny Kiriakis! What the hell is going on?!" Gabi Hernandez shouted.

Sonny, startled by Gabi's anger, pulled the phone away from him for a second.

"Why are there construction workers in our home taking everything away?" Gabi went on. "This is not the first thing I expected to come hgome to after two long weeks in Shanghai!"

"They aren't construction workers Gabi, they're movers!" Sonny corrected. "We're moving!"

"You should've discussed this with me earlier!" Gabi chided.

"We've been trapped in that apartment for years! I wanted to surprise you and Arianna with a little upgrade!" Sonny shrugged his shoulders innocently.

"Well, I do not like this surprise at all! Where are we moving to? The Kiriakis Mansion? Because there's no way I'm gonna live there with Victor!" Gabi objected.

"We will be moving to a two-storey home on Sycamore Street! I made sure we live opposite JJ so that you can spend more time with him and aid him in his recovery." Sonny placated.

"That's not the point! The point was you should have told me beforehand! Arianna's pretty freaked out too!" Gabi continued chiding.

Liam felt the temperature of the living room declining by the second. His hands were trembling once again.

"I can't believe it! He wants to take Devon away?!" Zeke questioned in appalment.

Liam closed his eyes and fell further back into the couch.

"Li, you're right! We don't need the money! We can raise the money on our own. We are already up to 25 grand!" Zeke announced.

"It's no use! Can't you see he's threatening us?!" Liam snapped. "If we don't take the money, you would be going to prison!"

"What's with all this arguing?" The two heard a voice coming from the entrance.

Liam and Zeke turned their heads and saw Ernest Barrino standing at the doorway. They gasped in unison.

"Ezekiel, what have you done?" Ernest interrogated. "Why would you be going to prison?"

The two turned to look at each other for a second before turning their heads back to Ernest.

"Answer me." Ernest accented each word slowly.

Philip Kiriakis, Chloe Lane and some of his producers were busy looking through audition tapes.

"I really like the tone of her voice." Said one the producers.

"I agree," Chloe reiterated, "her voice is so rich and dark. She would make a splendid alto with those lows notes of hers."

"She has a lovely tone, but I'm worried whether she would be able to belt high Cs and high Ds." Another producer expressed. "We are trying to create a soul and R&B girlgroup here you know this genre requires a great amount of vocal ability. I worry whether she would be up to the task."

Philip Kiriakis massaged the bridge of his nose. "I didn't know starting an R&B girlgroup will be this challenging."

Ernest Barrino smacked Zeke in the head.

"You thief! You are a useless good-for-nothing!" Ernest screamed, smacking Zeke's head repeatedly.

Liam Robertson quickly pulled Ernest back, trying to hold him back.

A guilt-ridden Zeke kept silent. His hair was messed up thanks to Ernest.

"Let me go Li! Let me go!" Ernest struggled in Liam's arms.

"Zeke is very apologetic about it! We are trying to return the money!" Liam raised his voice, competing with Ernest's volume.

"Let me go now!" Ernest ordered.

"Only if you stop hitting Zeke!" Liam made the condition.

Within seconds, Ernest stopped struggling and Liam let him go.

Ernest glared at Liam for a second before turning his face to Zeke.

"You're a useless piece of garbage!" Ernest reprimanded. "How dare you steal from the church?!"

"Calm down Ernest." Liam tried to placate. "Zeke did it because he needed to pay for Remonda's medical bills. You know Trumpcare is bogus!"

"Does that still give him the right to steal from the church?" Ernest railed. "That 30 grand was meant to help renovate the homeless shelter in the Bronx!"

"Ernest, please try to understand…" Liam tried to continue.

"Remonda is my granddaughter too!" Ernest cut him off. "You think I haven't been worrying about how to pay the medical bills? I love all my grandchildren deeply!" He turned back to Zeke, "And because of you, Jackson Kiriakis now wants to take my other grandchild away! Liam is still defending you despite the shitstorm you put him into!"

"Ernest, Zeke has told me many times that he's sorr…" Liam tried explaining once more.

"Don't defend him Li!" Ernest interrupted again. "I can't calm down! Not when my son is a thief and my grandson is on the verge of being abducted!"

Liam sighed. The relationship between Zeke and Ernest had always been a rocky one. He had played a mediator one to many times in this situation. Although he agreed that what Zeke did was idiotic, he could not help but feel that this was also partly his fault.

"This is my fault." Liam muttered.

"What did you say?" Ernest asked.

"If I didn't return to New York, Jackson Kiriakis wouldn't have done this to y'all." Liam exhaled through his nose.

"Don't say that!" Ernest's facial expressions soften. "You have did nothing but protect this family & thec church be it financially or emotionally. You are a victim in this situation!"

"Zeke may spend his life behind bars. If Jackson Kiriakis didn't come, none of this would have happened." Liam regretted.

"Hey Sonny! I just came home from the New York HQ." Justin Kiriakis entered the suite and saw an acquaintance with his son.

"Leon!" Justin greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey Justin! I'm here finalizing some final documents for your boy right here!" Justin's former colleague explained.

"Sonny, what are you up to? You only told me you're going to get adoption papers." Justin inquired.

"Relax, your son is not a heartless person like you think he is!" Leon assured. "Didn't I tell you he will be in safe hands? I promise you that Sonny won't go overboard."

"Leon, you think I don't know how you work as a lawyer?" Justin snorted.

"Sure, my methods may be a little underhanded, but I can assure you that your boy here is not doing anything… unethical." Leon guaranteed.

Liam Robertson placed a bouquet of flowers on the tombstone.

TAMEKA FEY BARRINO

Loving Daughter & Wife

5/21/1994 – 10/17/2019

"Tammy," Liam sighed. "What am I supposed to do? I'm about to lose our boy. I can't let him grow up around a family of mobsters. Furthermore, he wouldn't have any strong black role models to look up to!"

"A family of mobsters? Is that what you really think of my family?" Liam heard a voice speaking to him.

He turned his head and saw Sonny Kiriakis coming forward.

"It's strange that you talk about the Kiriakises as mobsters." Sonny grabbed him by the waist and pressed the bodies closed. He leaned in and whispered, "You want to talk about a child being raised by mobsters when you married one."

Liam shoved him away.

"Jackson Kiriakis! Behave yourself!" Liam snapped. "You're disgusting you know that?! Do you have any idea where this place is?"

"Let me guess," Sonny turned to read the engravement on the tombstone. "Tameka Fey Barrino." He read out.

"She's Devon's mother!" Liam was getting more heated up. "She's my wife and the love of my life! Unlike you, she actually loves me. Unlike you, she stood by me through the thick and thin. She stood by a man with no past."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Sonny smirked. "Are you trying to make me jealous?"

Liam was at a loss for words. He didn't know Jackson Kiriakis would have such a thick skull.

"Make you jealous?" Liam scoffed. "You're over your head! How many times do I need to tell you, Will Horton is dead. The man who would pull all the stops to keep his marriage with you afloat is long gone!"

Those words sting Sonny like an injection. However, he quickly told himself to brush it off.

"Have you reached a decision?" Sonny asked.

"About you trying to take my son away from me?" Liam scowled.

"Why are you making it sound like I'm heartless? I'm trying to give your son a better life!" Sonny said innocently.

"By trying to take Devon away from his biological father?" Liam shook his head in distress. "And what makes you think I will take your money? I still have time to raise money."

"You have less than 24 hours before I call the cops!" Sonny sneered. "But sure, I would love to see you try! I have already messaged you my hotel suite. I'm looking forward to see you." He turned around and took his leave.

Liam exhaled slowly.

"I need to raise the remaining money by today!" Liam told himself.

Liam entered the Barrino townhouse to pick up his son where he heard Zeke Barrino groaning!

"Ow, gentler!" Zeke winced.

Liam went to the living room and saw Emoni Barrino gently dapping Zeke's forehead. He noticed his brother-in-law having bruises all over, with a significantly huge bruise around his left eye.

"Gosh Zeke! What the hell happened?" Liam rushed towards him.

"It's nothing Li," Zeke tried alleviating his fears. "Chip and I got into an argument and it just went out of hand."

"What are you talking about?!" Emoni interrupted. "He had men beat you up and he told you his boss ordered you to return the money by tomorrow!"

"I don't get it! I thought you and him were cool?" Liam couldn't understand.

"Chip is just like…" Before Zeke could go on, Emoni placed her finger on his lips.

"Chip told Zeke he was forced to return the money because his boss told him to. He sells drugs for Titan Industries." Emoni revealed.

"What?!" Liam was blindsided once again.

"Yes, and he told Zeke that you either take money from Jackson Kiriakis or he goes to jail!" Emoni reported on Zeke's behalf.

Liam felt the room getting smaller, he started to have difficulty breathing. He was about to lose his daughter.

"Mr Kiriakis, Liam Robertson should be on his way over from Zeke's place." Chip informed.

In less than a second, they heard the doorbell ringing incessantly.

"Faster than I thought!" Sonny grinned.

One of Sonny's minions opened the door.

Sonny Kiriakis saw Liam charging into the living room.

Liam saw Sonny & his father sitting on the couch.

Justin's eyes widened. Even though he knew Will's alive, this was the first time in over five years he'd seen the man.

Sonny took the cup of coffee from the table and took a sip.

"Hi, Justin!" Liam greeted.

"Hello, Will!" Justin greeted.

"I would like a moment alone with your son." Liam stated.

"Is that really necessary?" Sonny placed the cup back on the coffee table. "There are no secrets between me and my father."

"Must you really take Devon away from me?" Liam asked.

"If it means for Arianna to reunite with her brother, then yes." Sonny answered as diplomatically as possible.

Liam closed his eyes, contemplating about the decision he had to make.

"I've been thinking a lot about what you said." Sonny gave a phony remorseful look. "And I thought to myself, how can I separate a father from his son? What kind of monster am I?"

"Wow! You're only realizing that now?" Liam remarked sarcastically.

"So I decided to do something for you. Chip, get the papers!" Sonny ordered.

The minion passed the papers to Liam Robertson.

"What is this?" Liam skimmed through the details and saw the words highlighted in bold.

TENANCY AGREEMENT

"What the hell is this?" Liam was getting more annoyed.

"This is an tenancy agreement. You will be moving in with me!" Sonny announced.

It was when it hit Liam. He realized that this whole thing was a ploy and he walked right into it.

Devon was only leverage. Sonny wanted him back in Salem.

A/N: Well that's it for now! Sorry for not updating this! I'm trying my best to update it as much as possible & I will complete this fanfic! :D

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Thanks for reading! :D