The mall was glowing with neon lights and the smell of buttery popcorn, but for Gabriella, the world had gone silent. Everything felt like a movie scene as Felix leaned in, his thumb resting firmly between their lips to fake a passionate kiss.
But then, the game changed.
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The Breaking Point
Felix's thumb began to slide. Inch by inch, it slipped downward, leaving nothing but a heartbeat of space between them. Gabriella's breath hitched. She felt the heat radiating off him, a mix of danger and something else she couldn't name. Panicked, she gave him a small, firm push.
Felix stood up straight, a triumphant, lazy smile dancing on his face.
"Don't... play like that again," Gabriella whispered, her eyes wide with shock and a hint of fury.
Before she could even take a step back, a shadow blurred past her.
CRACK.
A fist collided with Felix's mouth. Gabriella gasped, her hands flying to her face. Jake had appeared out of nowhere, his face twisted in a mask of pure rage.
Felix stumbled but didn't fall. He stayed on his feet, the corner of his lip split and bleeding. Instead of looking hurt, he wiped the blood with the back of his hand and let out a dark, mocking smirk.
Jake was shaking, his eyes bloodshot. Elisabeth rushed to his side, her high heels clicking frantically on the mall tiles, but Jake didn't even see her. He lunged forward to swing another punch, but Felix was faster.
Felix caught Jake's fist effortlessly. His playful expression vanished, replaced by a face as cold as stone.
"Do you think I'm just going to stand here?" Felix's voice was a low, dangerous growl. "If you try to hit me again, you won't be standing at all."
"How dare you?" Jake roared, his chest heaving. "How dare you kiss her!"
Felix chuckled, a sound that felt like ice. "Why? Why are you so furious, Jake?" He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a husky whisper that echoed through the hall. "You aren't her boyfriend anymore. Remember?"
The silence that followed was suffocating. Jake's jaw tightened, but no words came out. He looked like a man watching his kingdom burn.
Gabriella stepped between them, her heart heavy with the weight of the revenge she had started. "Leave it. Enough," she said, her voice trembling but firm.
Elisabeth grabbed Jake's arm, trying to pull him away. "Yes, Jake, he's right! She isn't your girlfriend anymore. Let's just go!"
Gabriella couldn't stand the sight of either of them. She turned on her heel and began to walk away, her silk dress fluttering behind her. Felix, ever the shadow, followed close behind her, leaving the chaos in his wake.
Jake stood in the middle of the mall, his blood boiling as he watched Gabriella walk away with another man. Elisabeth clutched his arm tighter, but Jake snapped. He violently shook her hand off.
"Stay in your limits," he hissed, his eyes burning with a coldness that made Elisabeth flinch. "Don't forget it... you are just my fake girlfriend."
He didn't wait for her to cry. He turned and walked in the opposite direction, leaving Elisabeth standing alone under the bright mall lights.
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The cool night breeze whipped through the open-air parking lot as Gabriella hurried away, her heels clicking rhythmically against the asphalt. Her heart was a messy blur of anger and confusion.
"Gabriella!"
Felix's voice echoed through the space. She stopped in her tracks and spun around, her silk dress rippling around her knees like liquid gold under the yellow streetlamps.
"Aren't you done enough?" she snapped, her eyes stinging. "Why are you shouting my name like that? Don't embarrass me more than you already have!"
Felix froze. The playful, arrogant smirk he usually wore vanished instantly. Standing there in his casual linen shirt, with the small smudge of blood still on his lip from Jake's punch, he looked surprisingly vulnerable.
"Sorry," he said, his voice dropping to a soft, sincere whisper. "If I went too far... I'm sorry."
Gabriella felt a surge of fury, but she squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to breathe. "You weren't like this before, Felix. What happened to you? I actually thought... I thought I was wrong about you. I thought you were different."
Felix looked like he'd been struck. A shadow of a shock passed over his face before he forced a small, sad smile. "I was just checking him, Gabby. I wanted to see if he was still into you. I wanted to see if he'd break."
"It doesn't matter!" Gabriella cried, her voice cracking with deep emotion. "I am done with him. I've made that clear to myself. Just... don't ever play with me like that again. My life isn't a game for your revenge."
The silence that followed was heavy. Felix looked at her, his expression turning intensely serious. The "bad boy" persona was gone, replaced by something much deeper.
"I'm sorry," he said again, and this time, he meant it. He stepped closer, the scent of the night air and his cologne swirling between them. "I messed up. Let me make it up to you?"
Gabriella looked at him, her guard still up, her eyes searching his for any sign of a lie.
"How?" she asked breathlessly.
Felix reached out, his hand hovering near hers but not quite touching. "Let's start over. Just for tonight. No revenge, no Jake, no fake engagements. Just a coffee. Somewhere quiet."
Gabriella looked at his outstretched hand, then back at the mall where her past was currently falling apart. She was at a crossroads—one path led back to the pain of Jake, and the other led toward the mysterious, dangerous charm of the man standing in front of her.
She looked into his softened eyes and felt her heart skip a beat.
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The Moonlight Café was a cozy escape from the city's chaos, filled with the sweet scent of toasted sugar and the low hum of indie music. In front of Gabriella and Felix sat two colorful bubble teas, the pearls settled at the bottom like secrets waiting to be told.
A Moment of Quiet
Gabriella took a sip, her eyes fixed on the street outside. She looks him.
"Why are you staring at me?" she asked, her voice casual but guarded.
Felix didn't answer. He just watched her. Gabriella's gaze shifted to his mouth, noticing the jagged red wound from Jake's punch. It was still oozing slightly.
"Are you... okay?" she asked, her voice hesitating between coldness and genuine worry.
"What?" Felix looked confused.
Gabriella sighed and handed him a tissue. "It's bleeding."
"Oh." He took the tissue, his fingers brushing hers for a second. He wiped the blood and gave her a lopsided, charming smile. "It's not a big deal."
Gabriella rolled her eyes, but her heart wasn't in it.
"Still pissed?" Felix asked playfully.
"No," she murmured.
Felix's expression turned serious. "How is your father's case going?"
Gabriella narrowed her eyes. How does he know? Then she remembered—the news of the money laundering scandal was everywhere. "We hired a top lawyer. My father will prove he was framed. He's innocent."
"Are you sure?" Felix asked, his voice strangely deep. "Are you sure he was falsely accused?"
Gabriella's jaw tightened. "What do you mean by that?"
Felix blinked and quickly waved his hand. "Nothing. I was just playing."
"You think this is a joke?" Gabriella stood up, her face flushed with anger.
Felix quickly grabbed her hand, his touch firm. "I'm sorry. Sit down, Gabriella. Please." She sat, her chest heaving. "Your dad should be proud," Felix whispered. "He has a daughter who is a backbone. Most people would have run away by now."
Gabriella's face softened. For the first time, she saw a flicker of real respect in Felix's eyes.
Suddenly, Felix's gaze sharpened. Far across the street, in a darkened window of the building opposite them, he saw a metallic glint. A sniper. The red dot was dancing near their table.
Felix's blood turned to ice, but his face remained a mask of calm. He had to get her out of the line of fire.
"Do you want a muffin?" he asked abruptly.
"When did I say I wanted a muffin?" Gabriella blinked, confused by his sudden tension.
"The muffins here are legendary. Go on, pick the best one from the counter. Go."
Confused, Gabriella stood up and walked toward the display case on the far side of the café. As soon as she was out of range, Felix pulled out his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart.
"Robert," Felix hissed into the phone, his voice deadly. "Are you still trying to kill me? If you don't tell your man to back off, I'll send the evidence to the police right now. You won't escape this time."
On the other end, Robert's hand trembled in fear. "I... I didn't..." He hung up and frantically called the sniper. "You idiot! He spotted you! Are you even a professional?"
The sniper, confused, looked through his scope. Felix was standing by the window, staring directly at him. Felix slowly raised his hand and waved, a terrifyingly calm smile on his face.
"Act like you're leaving," Robert barked at the sniper. "But don't actually go. If you can't hit him, shoot the girl. I want to see how he protects her. I want to give him real pain."
Felix walked over to Gabriella as she was pointing at a chocolate muffin.
"Did you order?" he asked. "That one looks tasty."
As she nodded, Felix glanced at the window. The sniper was gone from the first spot, but then he saw him—relocated to a different angle. The red dot was now centered right on Gabriella's back.
Felix's eyes widened. Without a word, he grabbed Gabriella's shoulders and swung her around, tucking her behind a thick structural pillar.
"What are you doing?" she gasped, shocked by the sudden movement.
Felix didn't answer. He looked out the window and, with a cold smirk, raised his middle finger to the hidden assassin. Far away, the sniper growled in frustration and lowered his gun.
"Felix? Why did you turn me around like that?" Gabriella asked, breathless.
Felix reached out and gently plucked a stray thread from her hair, lying smoothly. "Look, the waitress had a huge tray behind you. I didn't want her to crash into you."
Just then, a waitress passed by with a stack of orders, making his lie look like the truth. Felix exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding.
As Gabriella turned back to the muffins, Felix leaned against the pillar, his heart racing. He whispered to himself so low she couldn't hear:
"They aren't targeting me anymore... why are they targeting Gabriella?"
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Next Morning
The heavy iron gates of the prison groaned as they swung open, releasing a cold blast of air. Raina stepped out, squinting against the harsh sunlight she hadn't seen in weeks. She had been declared innocent, but the scars on her soul remained.
She looked tired but defiant, wearing a simple, oversized denim jacket over a black dress—a stark contrast to the high-fashion life she used to lead.
Standing by a sleek black SUV was her mother, Bianca. The elite business mogul looked every bit the ice queen in her charcoal grey power suit, but the moment she saw Raina, her composure broke. They collided in a desperate hug.
"You made it, Mom," Raina whispered, her voice thick with relief. "You got me out."
Bianca's smile fainted, a shadow of guilt crossing her sharp features. "It wasn't just me, Raina." She gestured toward the shadows of the stone wall.
There stood Victor, the "Great Lawyer." He was a man of legend—cold, calculating, and untouchable. He was finishing a conversation with his assistant, nodding at the young man. "You performed well," Victor said, his voice like gravel.
The junior lawyer beamed, but the moment Victor turned to face Raina, the air turned to ice.
Raina's relief vanished, replaced by a burning, suffocating rage. She marched toward him, her boots clicking aggressively on the pavement.
"Why is he here?" she demanded, looking at her mother with fury.
Victor opened his mouth to speak, but Raina's words cut through the air like a jagged knife. "Why are you here? Did you finally run out of people to betray? Or did you just miss the family you abandoned fourteen years ago?"
Victor stunned. The man known for having a heart of stone seemed to crumble. His junior lawyer watched in shock; he had never seen the "Great Victor" look so broken, so human.
"Raina, please!" Bianca begged, stepping between them. "He is the reason you're free. He worked the case. He helped you get out."
"Help?" Raina scoffed, a single, bitter tear escaping her eye. "I would rather have stayed in that cell for the rest of my life than owe a single second of my freedom to him. Everything—all of this—is because of you. Our family is broken because you left. I will never forgive you."
Victor stood like a statue, silent and hollow, as Raina turned her back on him.
"Give me the car keys," Raina said, her voice dropping to a deadly, quiet calm.
Bianca hesitated, then pulled the keys from her designer handbag. "Raina, where are you going? You just got home."
Raina didn't turn back. She didn't look at the mother who had saved her or the father who had destroyed her. She climbed into the driver's seat, her knuckles white as she gripped the steering wheel.
"I'm going to finish an unfinished task," she replied coldly.
The engine roared to life, and the tires screeched against the gravel as she sped away, leaving Bianca standing in the dust. The elite business lady watched the car disappear, a knot of pure dread forming in her stomach.
Raina wasn't going home. She was going for blood.
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To be Continued...
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