The Empty Chair
The air in the Brighton Wisdom School canteen during lunch was thick with the usual teenage symphony: clattering trays, loud laughter, and the dull roar of a thousand conversations. Brighton Wisdom wasn't just any school; its massive, modern campus was known for its competitive spirit and a cafeteria that resembled a high-end food court.
At a table near the wall, Gabriella sat utterly alone. She was a striking girl, her usual sharp focus seeming to cut through the surrounding noise. She took a slow bite of her fried chicken, the crisp coating crunching loudly, before bringing her expensive smartphone to her ear.
"Hlo," she said, her voice cool, almost bored. "Why didn't you come to school today?"
On the other end, Raina was only just stirring, the sudden ring of the phone dragging her from a deep sleep.
"Who… are you?" Raina mumbled, her voice thick with sleep and annoyance.
Gabriella let out a short, cold laugh. "Did I afraid you?"
Raina recognized the voice instantly, and all sleep vanished. A surge of pure, acidic hatred replaced it.
"You," Raina hissed, clutching the phone so tightly her knuckles went white. "I am not—"
"Liar," Gabriella interrupted, her voice a low, mocking drawl. "Anyway, I'm bored. That's why I called." Gabriella cleared her throat dramatically. "Did you only just wake up now?"
Raina's anger boiled over. She could feel the blood rushing to her face, a heat that was about to erupt. She tightened her grip on the phone like she wished it was Gabriella's neck.
"Well then," Gabriella continued, oblivious to the storm she was brewing, "I think you have to go for a morning walk. Oops, sorry, an Afternoon walk."
"Don't get me mad!" Raina roared, the sound raw with fury.
Gabriella's voice turned utterly, chillingly cold. "You are already mad."
"Gabriella!" Raina shouted.
"Shhh," Gabriella said, silencing her with unnerving authority. Gabriella's eyes, the color of a stormy sea, darkened as she leaned in, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Where's your mom… now?"
"It's already enough! Don't… mess with…"
"Don't you want to save your mother?" Gabriella cut her off, a cruel anticipation in her tone.
Raina froze. "What?" she whispered, a knot of fear clenching in her stomach.
Gabriella gave a faint, satisfied smile. "I have already sent people."
"No!" Raina screamed. She was still in her silk pajamas, a shocking contrast to her family's wealth, but she scrambled out of bed and rushed to her bedroom door. The line went dead. Gabriella's smile curved on one side of her mouth, a perfect, predatory crescent.
The Descent
The Royalty Main Office stood as a monument to power—a tall, luxurious building of mirrored glass, piercing the sky with countless floors of elite commerce.
Raina tumbled out of her luxurious car. Her disheveled appearance—silk pajamas and bare feet stuffed into loafers—caused every bystander to stop and stare. Their shock was a fleeting distraction. Raina's eyes were wild, consumed by sheer terror.
"Mom!" she yelled into her phone, but there was no answer.
Raina sprinted through the opulent entrance, her throat tight with fear. She grabbed the arm of an employee, a woman in a perfectly tailored business suit. The lady looked Raina up and down with open distaste.
Raina roared, her voice cracking, "Where is she?!"
"Ma'am is in the meeting room," the lady said stiffly.
Raina didn't wait. She clawed her way to the elevator, stabbing the button for the top floor again and again.
Finally, the doors opened on the executive floor. Raina was halfway down the quiet, carpeted hallway, just steps from the large, carved mahogany door of the meeting room, when she stopped.
Bianca, her mother, was walking out. She was impeccably dressed in a sharp power suit, talking calmly with her assistant.
Raina exhaled—a shaky, shuddering sound—and a weak, tearful smile of relief touched her lips. Her mother was safe.
Vvvvvrr…
Her phone vibrated in her hand. Raina froze, the relief draining away, replaced by an icy dread. She picked up.
"Gabriella," she groaned.
Gabriella laughed, a sound that sliced through the tension. "Oh, poor girl. I have already said to you, don't believe your enemies' words."
"You will regret this, Gabriella. I won't leave you," Raina said, her voice dropping to a low, cold, deeper growl.
"Oh? Then… Let's see."Gabriella smirked
Raina suddenly laughed—a short, sharp, unexpected sound. "I'm right! You can't harm anyone! But I'm not like you. See? " Raina whispered, her voice venomous. "Your humanity is your weakness."
Gabriella's voice became colder than ice. "Who said that?"
Suddenly, Raina's voice trembled. "N… n… No…"
A sharp, cold blade was pressed firmly against the side of Raina's neck. An intruder, masked and dressed in dark clothing, had seized her from behind, tightening his grip on her arms.
Raina's eyes were huge, locked on her mother, but Bianca was preoccupied, still talking animatedly with her assistant, completely unaware.
"I don't harm any other for you," Gabriella's voice crackled on the phone, filled with intense anger. "I will harm only you."
"Three. Two…" Gabriella paused.
Raina's eyes widened, bulging with a primal terror.
"One."
A sharp, searing line of pain bloomed across Raina's neck as the knife slashed shallowly. The intruder released her and melted into a stairwell.
Raina roared—a cry of pain and shock.
Bianca stopped talking. "Raina?" she whispered, turning around.
She saw her daughter falling down to the floor, clutching her bleeding neck. She saw the fleeing shadow.
"Grab him!" Bianca shrieked at her assistant, rushing to Raina's side.
Bianca's face was chalk-white with panic. She ripped off her own designer scarf and pressed it to the wound, her hands shaking. Even through the blinding, throbbing pain, Raina's lips parted. She whispered one name, her voice thick with pure, unadulterated hatred: "Gabriella."
The Twist of Fate
Back at Brighton Wisdom, in the relatively calm of the empty canteen, Gabriella was slowly sipping an orange juice. A faint, satisfied smile played on her lips. She finished her drink and walked out.
She paused at a notice board. Her eyes narrowed as she whispered, "Youths festival."
Before she could read further, a hand tapped her shoulder. She turned, her cool expression shifting slightly into a polite smile.
"Ajax," she said, recognizing the handsome, easy-going student.
Ajax grinned. "Do you want to participate in any event? I'm in charge of collecting participants' names."
"No," Gabriella said simply.
"But I heard you're a good dancer."
Gabriella raised one eyebrow. "Who said that?"
"Your bestie."Ajax said.
"Lara?"Gabriella asked.
Ajax smirked. "No, Dona."
Gabriella rolled her eyes. "She's exposing everything."
"But she didn't expose your real motive for revenge on Raina," Ajax said casually, flipping his dark hair.
Gabriella's cool facade shattered. "What?" she whispered.
Ajax winked. "No worries. Actually, we're mutual friends in a Game world."
Gabriella blinked. "Does she know it's you?"
"No. If she knew, she wouldn't talk to me," Ajax said with a shrug.
"How did you find out it's her?"Gabriella pressed.
"It's not a big deal for me," Ajax said confidently.
Gabriella turned to leave.
"Shall I write your name down for the dance?" Ajax asked.
Gabriella rolled her eyes again. "Really? I'm not interested."
"If you really have a dance skill, why are you hiding it?"
"I have it. Do you want me to prove it?" Gabriella said, a challenge in her voice.
Ajax smirked. "Yes. On stage."
A dangerous, beautiful smile curved Gabriella's lips. "Of course."
She took a step away, then stopped. She turned back to Ajax, her eyes suddenly serious.
"Do you… know Kevin?"
Ajax stiffened, his easy confidence instantly replaced by a fleeting look of shock.
"Do you know him? He used to study here."Gabriella narrowed her eyes.
Ajax immediately tried to act normal. "I know him. He was my classmate."
Gabriella's voice was laced with disbelief. "I want to know—"
Ajax cut her off, his tone suddenly cold and distant. "Actually, we weren't friends. I only talked to him sometimes. Why are you asking about him?
"He was suicidal last year, so…"Gabriella hesitated.
"Are you doubting Silverstorm behind it?" Ajax pressed, his gaze piercing.
Gabriella was stunned for a second. "They used to bully many students, so I think they might be…"
Ajax narrowed his eyes, leaning in close. "Do you know one thing? Actually, Kevin and Raina were dating for two years."
Gabriella's eyes widened in profound
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Gabriella's revenge had always been simple: Raina needed to pay for what she had done. But the mention of Kevin's suicide, coupled with the revelation that her target, Raina, had been his secret girlfriend, threw a wrench into her whole plan. If Raina and Kevin were together, what was her real involvement in his death? Was Gabriella hunting the wrong monster?
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