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The air in Gabriella's room was thick with nervous tension, the only light spilling from her phone screen. She gripped the device tighter, her heart slamming against her ribs.
"What... but... Why...?" Gabriella whispered into the receiver, her eyes wide with suspicion. The voice on the other end—Ajax—was too calm, too knowing. She paused, letting the silence scream between them, before finally asking, "Who are you actually...?"
Ajax realized, a beat too late, that his calculated slip had turned into a critical error. His breath hitched; he was shocked. He bit his lip hard enough to taste copper. Then, he let out a short, cynical laugh.
"I am Ajax," he smirked, the sound synthetic through the phone. "Don't you know my name?"
"You are full of mystery," Gabriella retorted, her voice shaking with adrenaline.
"Me?" Ajax paused, letting the pause hang heavy. "Yes. I did. I also want to find the real culprit, just like you."
"What's your real motive?" she pressed, desperate for a straight answer.
Ajax's voice turned instantly cold. "You haven't told me yours yet. Why are you expecting me to tell you mine?" He curved a small, dangerous smile.
Suddenly, Gabriella switched tactics. "Whatever it is... Are you doubting someone behind it?"
"I'm not sure," Ajax admitted, "but I am certain. One of the Silverstorm members is behind this murder."
"Do you suspect anyone from there?"
Ajax laughed again, a harsh, dry sound. "Actually, I don't know. But I want to know."
Gabriella rolled her eyes, frustrated by his games. "You... I'm hanging up."
"Wait!" Ajax cut in, the urgency back in his tone. "Did you find any evidence that they left behind?"
"Not anything strange," Ajax replied. "A broken half-moon symbol bracelet was there. It was broken."
Gabriella instantly recognized the detail. "A bracelet... " she whispered.
Ajax said, "He used to wear it; I noticed sometimes."
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Gabriella jumped. Someone was at her door. "Okay, I have to go. Bye," she said hastily.
"Come earlier tomorrow," Ajax ordered, a hint of steel in his voice. "Your program is first on."
Gabriella sighed, rolling her eyes again. "Okay. Why are you repeating that like my mother? I know."
"Oh..." Ajax stopped. "Bye." He hung up, leaving Gabriella alone with her thumping heart and a chilling new piece of evidence: the broken half-moon.
Scene 2: The Visible Harm
Gabriella rushed to the door and pulled it open. Fiona, her auntie, stood in the hallway, offering a small, tired smile and a little wave of her hand.
"What?" Gabriella demanded.
"Come for dinner," Fiona said simply.
"No, maybe later..." Gabriella started to turn back into her room, desperate for a moment to process the call.
"Your father came," Fiona interjected. "After his abroad business trip."
Gabriella froze. Her eyes widened in panic. Oh no.
If Mom told him what happened five days ago... how should I explain this to him? The anxiety was a physical weight in her chest.
Fiona noticed the panic and smirked faintly. "Of course, he would ask. Because your mother's knife strike is covered in plaster. It's visible."
"What should I do?" Gabriella whimpered.
"I think we have to talk with your mother," Fiona advised. "You should tell her... don't tell your father."
"She won't..." Gabriella paused, then asked, "Wait, where is Dad?"
"He is in his room," Fiona said, nodding toward the end of the hall.
No... I think he would meet her by now! Gabriella was about to sprint down the hallway, but Fiona grabbed her arm.
"Wait," Fiona said calmly. "Your mother is bathing. And my brother is waiting in the bedroom. Don't worry. Just walk."
Gabriella, still terrified, took a shaky breath. "Are you sure?"
Fiona nodded. "No need to rush. Just walk."
They walked silently to the parents' room, the high-security house feeling suddenly less safe.
Scene 3: The Fatal Lie
In front of Gabriella's parents' closed door, the two women stopped. Gabriella nervously knocked.
"Come in," her father, Frederick, called out.
They entered. Frederick sat near the bed, still wearing his black, tailored suit, the fabric slightly creased from the long flight—a uniform of power and exhaustion. He was on a phone call. He smiled at them briefly and signaled for them to sit on the plush sofa nearby.
"I am so glad you're my partner in this new venture," Frederick said into the phone. "Why didn't you come to the abroad meeting? Oh... okay. What, is she okay now? Oh, thank God. Take care of her... Really? My daughter is studying there... Mmm..." Frederick was absorbed in his conversation.
Suddenly, the bathroom door opened. Roselette stepped out.
Her neck was clearly covered in a thick, white bandage—the stark evidence of the recent attack.
Frederick turned, his attention snapped by the sound. His tired, smiling face instantly disappeared. He cut the call mid-sentence.
"I will talk to you later." He dropped the phone on the bed, his expression a mask of shock and rage. "What happened, Roselette?"
Roselette stood frozen, staring at her husband. She was equally shocked by his unexpected arrival and the need to now explain the visible injury. Her hands trembled.
Frederick rushed to her side. "What happened to you, Roselette?"
Before Roselette could speak, Fiona jumped in, managing a perfect, worried lie. "Some thieves entered our house three days ago. They attacked her."
Frederick was instantly frantic. "How? Our house has high-security systems!"
"We were also shocked," Fiona said, maintaining the narrative.
Frederick gently touched the bandage. "Is it painful?"
Roselette forced a little smile. "I'm fine now. No deeper cut."
Frederick pulled her into a fierce, protective hug. "I won't allow anything to happen to you," he vowed.
Roselette hugged him back, but a single tear dropped from her eye.
Gabriella watched, her heart melting with guilt. It's all my fault. Because of me, Mother got hurt. Sorry, Dad.
After the hug, Frederick's face hardened with resolve. "I won't leave him. Don't worry." He immediately called his assistant. "Find those thieves who entered my house three days ago."
Gabriella and Fiona exchanged a panicked look.
Roselette saw their fear. "Leave it, I am fine now," she insisted, trying to soothe Frederick.
"No, I won't," he insisted. "Did you guys file a complaint with the police?"
"Actually, we didn't," Fiona stammered. "In that situation, we didn't know what to do. It all happened in a blink of an eye."
Frederick spoke into the phone again. "File a complaint too."
Gabriella's eyes widened in horror. If police investigate, they'll know it was Raina who did this, not only that... what I did to her... and the whole thing will become public.
Roselette acted quickly, grabbing her husband's phone out of his hand. She said firmly, "No need. I don't need police complaints
Frederick whishpered..."Then. ... I will find that person myself."
Scene 4: The Vow of Vengeance
Hours later, at Brighton Wisdom, before the youth festival was due to begin, a girl's shadow stretched across the polished marble floor in the grand auditorium's entrance. She was staring at the stage, utterly alone in the vast space.
Finally, her face came into the light. It was Raina.
She wore clothes that screamed rebel, a sharp contrast to the school's usual uniform. Her flare jeans were dark, and her black, cut-out front mock-neck crop top gave her an extreme, dashing edge. With heavy boots completing the look, she seemed untouchable.
Her face was cold, set in a slight smirk. Around her neck, the familiar white bandage peeked out, a silent testament to the violence she had endured.
"RAINA!"
A voice shattered the silence. Raina turned slowly. It was Selina, wearing a bright yellow corset top and white skirt—a cheerful, vibrant contrast to Raina's darkness. Selina rushed forward and hugged her tightly.
"I saw the news! Are you alright?" Selina's voice was filled with genuine concern.
Raina offered a small, chilling smile. "I am alright." She looked around. "Where is Han?"
"He has a quiz competition today, so he went out to the city," Selina explained.
Raina nodded.
"Who dared to harm you?" Selina's eyes flashed with anger. "If I get that person, I won't leave him alive!"
Raina didn't reply, just stared at Selina until the other girl understood.
"Wait... don't say that it's Gabriella's plan..." Selina was shocked. "Is she out of her mind for revenge? I can't believe it."
Raina turned away, her face straight and devoid of warmth. "She is the perfect enemy for me," she smirked. "I finally found someone who can stand against me with the same energy."
Selina gaped. "What... you're crazy!"
"Yes," Raina simply replied.
"Do you know today Gabriella is going to perform a dance?" Selina asked, sighing. "We are in pain, and she's going to dance in happiness. Okay, I have to go. See you later." Selina rushed out, shaking her head.
Raina stood alone, her eyes now dark and intense.
"Are you sure she will be happy after she touched me?" she whispered to the empty space. "I will make her every moment panic, fear, and restless."
Raina started to walk toward the stage, her boots echoing on the boards. She reached the center and looked around, searching. Her eyeliner caught the light, shining like polished obsidian.
Her eyes drifted upwards. She saw it—a massive, ornate chandelier hanging directly above the center of the stage.
She smiled, a cold, evil curve of the lips.
"I see," she whispered to herself. "Let's see how you escape from this."
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