"Are you?" Aria challenged. "Or are you just sorry you got caught? Sorry the plan failed? Sorry you're facing consequences?"She circled behind Emma, her voice coming from different directions in the dark room. "Let me tell you what would have happened if your trap had worked. If Alessia had come instead of me."Aria's voice dropped to something cold and descriptive. "Josh's men would have grabbed her. Drugged her, probably. Taken her somewhere isolated. And then Josh Romano—that entitled, sadistic boy—would have spent hours breaking her. Physically. Mentally. Sexually. He would have stripped away everything that makes Alessia who she is, just to satisfy his ego."Emma was crying harder now, her imagination filling in the horrific details."And you would have been responsible," Aria continued mercilessly. "Every bruise. Every violation. Every moment of terror. All of it would have been because you made a choice to betray her.""Stop," Emma whispered. "Please stop.""Why?" Aria demande

An hour later, they arrived at Duskfort University. Darius had dressed in casual civilian clothes—jeans, a simple shirt, nothing that screamed "military commander." To anyone observing, he looked like an ordinary older brother dropping off his sister.Alessia stepped out of the car near the student parking area, adjusting her backpack. Darius and Aria followed a few steps behind, maintaining a protective but not obvious distance."I'll be fine," Alessia assured them. "It's broad daylight. Campus is full of students and faculty. Josh wouldn't try anything here.""We'll see," Darius said neutrally.Alessia had only taken a few steps away from the parking area when figures began emerging from various directions—young men, clearly positioned in advance, now moving to surround her.She recognized several of them. Josh's usual entourage. The boys who hung around him at parties, who laughed at his jokes, who acted as his informal security detail.Within seconds, Alessia was surrounded by at

Josh's face cycled through emotions—shock, fear, denial, and finally settling on desperate rage. He couldn't accept what he'd just seen. Couldn't accept that someone had walked onto HIS campus and humiliated HIS people in front of everyone.A crowd had gathered now—dozens of students watching from a safe distance, phones out, recording everything. The spectacle was too good to miss—Josh Romano, the untouchable campus prince, being challenged by a stranger."You think you're tough?" Josh said, his voice rising hysterically. "You think you can embarrass me? Make me look weak in front of everyone?"He started rolling up his sleeves, his movements jerky with adrenaline and fear masked as aggression. "Fine! I'll deal with you myself! I'll show everyone that I don't need my boys to handle one random nobody!""Josh, don't!" one of his remaining friends warned. "This guy is—""SHUT UP!" Josh roared. "I'm not afraid of him! He got lucky with those three! But me? I've been training in martial a

Alessia nodded slowly, then looked over at Josh, who had finally managed to struggle to his feet.Josh stood hunched over, one hand clutching his ribs, his face twisted in a mask of pain and humiliated rage. His carefully styled hair was disheveled. His expensive clothes were scuffed and dirty. His usual arrogant confidence was completely gone, replaced by something raw and ugly.He raised a shaking hand, pointing directly at Darius with trembling fury."You—" Josh gasped, his voice hoarse. "You think—you think you can just—"He couldn't even finish the sentence, pain and rage choking his words.Around him, his subordinates were slowly picking themselves up. Tyler was on his hands and knees, still trying to breathe properly. Marcus clutched his stomach, his face pale with nausea. Brandon lay on his side, cradling ribs that were possibly cracked."Boss," Tyler wheezed. "Boss, call—call your father. Call reinforcements. This guy—he's dangerous. We need—we need backup.""Yeah," Marcus ag

"No," Alessia said firmly, stepping forward. "Absolutely not. This is a trick. A manipulation. He's planning something—""I'm not!" Josh interrupted desperately. "I swear on my family's name—I'm being completely genuine! There's no trick! No plan! Just—just a sincere desire to learn from someone who's clearly on a level I never knew existed!""You tried to have me kidnapped last night," Alessia said coldly. "You terrorized me for weeks. You sent your goons to assault me. And now you expect us to believe you've suddenly had a change of heart?""Yes!" Josh said. "Because everything changed when your brother defeated me! When he showed me what real power looks like! I've been a bully, a spoiled brat who used his father's influence to get whatever he wanted. But I can see now—that's not real strength. That's just borrowed power."He looked at Darius with desperate sincerity. "Please, Master. Give me a chance to become something more than what I am. To learn real martial arts. To transform