2025-08-15 22:30:29
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~ 161 ~
The men exchanged quick glances, murmuring under their breath. Finally, one stepped forward. “Five thousand,” he said, his tone sharp.Zach’s lips tugged into something between a smirk and a sneer. Slowly, he slipped his hand into his jacket pocket. The men tensed, but instead of a weapon, he pulled out neat bundles of cash. Without ceremony, he tossed them onto the ground at their feet. The bundles landed with a heavy slap.“That’s twenty grand,” he said flatly. “Pick it up and get lost.”The men froze, staring at the money as though it had fallen from the heavens. One crouched, flipping through the notes quickly before his face lit with certainty.“It’s real,” he muttered.The others shoved Maya aside without hesitation, their rough hands releasing her arm. She stumbled back, clutching her wrist, her wide eyes darting between them and Zach.“Much appreciated, boss,” one of the men said with a crooked grin. They snatched the bundles, retreating toward their rusted truck.Zach’s voice
~ 160 ~
Maya tightened her grip on the steering wheel, eyes darting between the mirror and the road ahead. The reflection of the figure getting up made her keep on driving with disregard.“What a fool,” she muttered with a scoff, forcing her lips into a curve that looked more like defiance than humor.The evening air pressed against the car windows, carrying the faint hum of neon lights as she drew closer to the bar. Yet something gnawed at her. A faint pair of headlights in her rearview mirror. They had been there for the last five turns, persistent, unwavering.Her brows knitted together. “Don’t tell me…”She leaned forward slightly, squinting. The bulky silhouette of a truck loomed behind her, too deliberate to be a coincidence. Her heart thudded against her ribs when the truck’s lights flashed briefly, as though mocking her suspicion. Then she saw him. The passenger’s profile, half-lit by the streetlamps they passed, his face she recognized. The same man she had knocked off moments ago, s
~ 159 ~
Darius stared at the vial, his hands curling into fists. “And if I don’t believe you?”“You have no other option,” she whispered with a shrug. “I’m the only one you can count on right now.”His lips twisted. “Your way is unlawful.”Maya burst into laughter, sharp and cutting. “Unlawful? Don’t make me laugh, Darius. Haven’t you done worse than this already?”He glared at her, still weighing her words. “And after that? What happens?”Her smile returned, sly and cold. “Then I’ll make sure you disappear. I’ll help you leave the country for good. The police won’t find you… because my men will fake your death.”Darius stood silent, eyes locked on hers. The flickering light hummed above them, casting their shadows long across the stone floor.His eyes darted between Maya’s face and the small vial in her hand. His chest rose and fell in sharp, reluctant breaths. He had fought too many battles, played too many games of deceit to not recognize the glimmer of suspicion that had clawed its way in
~ 158 ~
Dafne blinked, stunned, her lips parting but no sound escaping at first. His words clung to the air, heavy, dangerous, almost absurd.“You can’t just kill Laura,” she finally breathed, voice cracking in disbelief. “She’s flanked by guards always. You wouldn’t even get close.”Rabiu’s gaze didn’t waver. He leaned forward, the fire in his eyes steady and cold. “I’ll find a way, like I always do. And you’ll help me too.”“Rabiu…” Her whisper was fragile, almost a plea, but he cut across it.“Listen.” His tone deepened, rolling over her like thunder. “She has to die first. She’s technically Zach’s eyes and ears everywhere, and before she finds out I’m hiding here before she runs her fucking mouth, I need to kill her, Dafne.”A chill ran down her spine. He was deadly serious. His words weren’t an idle threat, they were a vow. She lowered her gaze, and though her head shook faintly as if resisting, her body betrayed her. Slowly, reluctantly, she nodded.“You’ll help me, right?” His eyes pie
~ 157 ~
The room was a cave of shadows. The single bulb above dangled loosely, flickering as though reluctant to keep breathing. Every blink of its weak light threw quick shadows across the cracked walls, then surrendered them back to the dark. The other glow came from a laptop, its pale blue screen stretched across Rabiu’s sharp features, carving his face into an alternating mask of brilliance and shadow. His fingers moved over the keyboard like a pianist playing an endless, haunting symphony. Each tap, each pause, spoke of discipline.For an outcast, Rabiu carried himself with the air of a man who still believed the world had not seen the best of him. Dominion’s Shadows had cast him out, stripped him of insignias and rank, but he wore the invisible crown of his skill. They could discard him, yes, but they could never erase what he was—the informant who once pulled truths from silence, who knew how to bend the unseen currents of power in his favor. His reputation lived, even if only in whisp
~ 156 ~
Yvonne’s shadow stretched long under the dim hallway light. Her hair was loose, brushing against the silk of her robe as she stood facing her father. Her eyes, still sharp despite the hour, narrowed in faint suspicion.“Father. What are you doing here?”Dawson’s throat bobbed. For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze flicking to the closed door behind him before meeting hers again.“I… I was just—”Her brows lifted slightly, waiting.“I heard something,” he finished, voice low.Yvonne stepped closer, her gaze trailing past him toward the ornate wooden door at the end of the hallway. “Did you go to Grandpa’s room?”His shoulders stiffened. “No,” he said quickly, his lips curling into a faint smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I just… heard a slight noise, so I came out to check.”“To check?” She tilted her head, eyes narrowing further. “I saw you leaving Grandfather’s room.”Dawson blinked, the smile faltering for half a second before reappearing. “You must’ve been mistaken. I did
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