--------
The Neon Underground was a pulse of chaos. The air smelled of expensive cologne and ozone, while strobe lights cut through the dark like jagged diamonds. High above the dance floor, the VIP lounge offered a view of the crowded madness below—a perfect place for predators to watch their prey.
The Encounter
Felix moved through the club with the grace of a panther, his dark blazer catching the flicker of the blue lights. He was heading back to Gabriella when a figure stepped out from behind a velvet curtain, blocking his path.
It was Raina.
She looked hauntingly beautiful, dressed in a blood-red bandage dress that looked as sharp as a blade. Her hair was slicked back, and her eyes, though glittering, were hollowed out by her time in prison.
"You," Raina said, her voice dripping with mockery. "Here? You didn't even come to visit me in prison, Felix. Not even once." Her dark, twisted smile disappeared as she stepped into his personal space.
Felix didn't flinch. He met her gaze with a smile that was colder than the ice in the drinks around them. "You know our engagement was just an act, Raina. Why are you taking it so seriously?"
Raina scoffed, her fingers tightening around her glass. "You're right.. Then tell me... why are you here tonight?"
Felix chuckled, a low, dangerous sound. "A mission."
His eyes didn't stay on Raina. They drifted, searching through the sea of dancing bodies until they finally landed on a flash of emerald silk. Gabriella. She was standing by the bar, looking innocent yet regal, unaware of the eyes on her.
Raina followed his gaze, and her face contorted with bitterness. "So... she is your mission?"
Felix looked back at Raina, his expression unreadable. "Who said that?"
"Your eyes did, Felix," Raina said coldly. "They haven't left her since you walked in."
Felix's smile remained, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I know you and Gabriella are enemies. I know what you've done to each other. It's even now, isn't it? You're out of prison. Let it go."
Raina's face darkened, her expression turning truly demonic. "Even? No. She hasn't even begun to pay. She has so much more to suffer before I'm done with her."
The playfulness vanished from Felix's face instantly. He stepped closer, his aura becoming suffocatingly heavy. "If you're planning on touching her... forget it. You can't do a single thing against her as long as I'm standing by her side."
Raina scoffed, letting out a harsh, disbelieving laugh. "What happened to you? Are you crazy about her? Is the great Felix falling for her ?"
Felix's lips curved into a final, sharp smirk. "No. But you're crossing my path, Raina. And I'm just here to tell you your limits."
He didn't wait for her response. "Excuse me," he said smoothly, brushing past her and leaving her standing in the shadows, shaking with outrage.
-----------
Shadows Under the Table
The party was a neon blur of high-voltage music and shimmering outfits, but beneath the surface of the glamour, a secret war was brewing. The VIP lounge was filled with long, draped tables covered in black velvet—the perfect hiding spot for those who didn't want to be seen.
Beneath one of the heavy tables, two figures crouched in the dark, their breaths shallow. One figure reached up and peeled off a dark masquerade mask, revealing the sharp, handsome face of Ajax. Beside him, a second mask came off. It was Dona, her eyes wide with adrenaline. She was dressed in a sleek, midnight-blue cocktail dress that was hard to move in, but she didn't care.
"Did Gabriella see us?" Dona whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Ajax exhaled a long sigh, leaning his back against the table leg. "No. We're safe for now." He looked at her, his brow furrowing. "Why did you even want to come here? If you're this afraid of her seeing you, you should have stayed home."
Dona gripped her clutch bag, her knuckles turning white. "How could I stay back? I know Raina is out of prison, and I know she's planning something sick against my best friend. I can't just sit and watch."
Ajax didn't reply. He just stared into the dark, his mind racing with his own secrets.
Dona suddenly pressed her face closer to the gap between the velvet cloth and the floor. "Wait... is that Gabriella's heels? Look, right there."
She pointed to a pair of glittering silver stilettos walking past the table. They were elegant and sharp, clicking against the floor with a rhythm of pure confidence.
"Just follow those heels," Dona urged.
Ajax smirked, a mocking glint in his eyes. "And how am I supposed to know for sure those are hers? There are a hundred girls in silver shoes out there."
Dona let out an annoyed sigh, hitting his arm lightly. "Are you really her friend? How do you not recognize her walk? Those are her favorite heels, Ajax. Seriously!"
Ajax chuckled darkly, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Maybe I pay attention to other things, Dona."
"Ugh, don't just stand there," Dona hissed. She watched as the silver heels moved toward the other side of the club, disappearing into the crowd. "Okay, she's gone. Stand up now."
Ajax and Dona climbed out from under the table, smoothing their clothes. Ajax adjusted his jacket, looking at the spot where Gabriella had vanished.
"You shouldn't worry so much about her," Ajax said, his voice turning uncharacteristically serious. "Gabriella is a shark. She can handle Raina alone. Honestly, I think we are the ones bringing her trouble by being here."
Dona sighed, her expression softening with deep emotion. "Maybe. But true friends stay together, especially when things get ugly. That's what love and loyalty are about, Ajax."
Ajax looked at her for a long moment, then nodded. "Fine. If you're so determined to find out what Raina is planning, let's stop following the heels and start following the snake."
He grabbed Dona's hand and dragged her toward the VIP stairs, where Raina had disappeared moments ago.
---------
The Hunter's Eye
The Neon Underground was a symphony of heavy bass and shimmering lights. Deep violet and electric blue strobes danced across the polished floor, making everything feel like a beautiful, dangerous hallucination.
The Collision of Glances
Gabriella leaned against a marble pillar, her emerald silk dress catching the light with every breath she took. She took a slow sip of her drink, her eyes scanning the crowd with a coolness that hid the fire of revenge in her heart.
Suddenly, the air felt thinner. A door at the far end of the VIP hall opened, and Raina stepped out. She looked sharp and lethal in her blood-red dress. Their eyes locked across the crowded club—a silent explosion of hatred and unfinished business.
Before the tension could snap, Selina and Han stepped into the frame, blocking Gabriella's view. Raina's face transformed instantly, a fake, sweet smile appearing on her lips.
"I thought you wouldn't come," Raina said smoothly.
"How could I?" Han replied, though his eyes were glued to his phone. "You're a friend."
Selina beamed, clutching Raina's arm. "I'm so glad you're finally back where you belong."
Raina's eyes flickered toward Selina, a subtle, dark signal passing between them. Han was busy texting, unaware of the trap closing in. Selina leaned in and playfully dragged him toward a private room. She turned back just once, winking at Raina.
As they disappeared, Raina's gaze returned to Gabriella. Her eyes darkened with an outrage so deep it felt like the temperature in the club dropped ten degrees.
Watching all of this from another corner was Jake. He stood in the shadows, his drink forgotten. He stared at Gabriella, his heart aching with a mixture of regret and lingering love. She looked so powerful, yet so far away.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed. A video call from his father, Robert.
"Where are you?" Robert's voice was high-pitched, panicked.
"Night club," Jake answered coolly. "Why are you asking all of a sudden?"
"Nothing... just checking," Robert lied, his voice trembling.
Through the camera lens, Robert wasn't looking at his son. He was looking at the background behind Jake. In the pitch-black corner of the VIP balcony, a figure was perched like a gargoyle. A man was holding a silenced handgun, the barrel pointed directly at the back of Jake's head.
The shooter slowly waved his free hand at the camera, a silent "hello" to the man on the other side of the screen. Robert swallowed hard, sweat pouring down his forehead.
"Dad? You okay?" Jake asked, noticing his father's pale face.
Without a word, Robert slammed the phone down, ending the call.
Robert's hands shook as he dialed the shooter's direct line. The figure in the dark picked up. It was Felix.
Felix slowly removed his black glasses, his eyes gleaming with a terrifying, cold light.
"Leave my son... please," Robert's voice broke. The powerful CEO of the Emilda Group was now pleading like a beggar.
Felix chuckled, but the sound was hollow. His smile disappeared, replaced by a raw, jagged outrage. He bit his lip, his gaze fixed on the back of Jake's head.
"This is exactly how I felt when you arranged a sniper before," Felix hissed, his voice a deadly velvet.
He moved the gun slightly, the metal glinting in the strobe lights. "One shot, Robert. That's all it takes to end the only heir to the Emilda Group. One pull of the trigger and your legacy is gone."
"No! Please!" Robert screamed into the phone.
Felix smirked, a dark, victorious curve of his lips. "If you ever mess with me—or her—again, I won't show you mercy. Consider this a warning."
-----------
To be Continued......
-----------