The moment I stepped out of the coffee shop, my phone buzzed violently in my pocket, the screen flashing with an urgent red alert from SERA. I pulled it out, my fingers tightening around the device as I read the message:
"Master.... Officer Sarah is in danger. Javier's men are en route to eliminate her. ETA: 7 minutes. They are armed."
A slow, calculating smile spread across my face.
Perfect.
This wasn't just a threat—it was an opportunity in disguise. A chance to shatter her doubts, to force her to see the truth. To make her realize who her real enemies were—and who had been protecting her all along.
I could have summoned the Shadow Guards. A single command, and they would have descended on her house like a storm, dismantling Javier's men before they even set foot inside.
But that wouldn't have the same impact.
No. This time, I'd handle it myself.
I slipped into the darkest corner of the alley, where the flickering neon signs barely penetrated the gloom.
