The morning sun crept through the curtains, casting a soft golden light over my room. I stretched, slowly, deliberately, and my eyes fell on a cream-colored envelope on my bed. Sharp edges, clean lines, commanding attention as if daring me to open it.
I smirked. I knew. Dante had been here.
Slowly, I reached for it, my fingers brushing the surface. A contract. One year. A single sheet that held a storm within its ink. I didn't open it yet. I liked the weight of it against my palm, the reminder that someone—even Dante—was trying to control me.
I tucked it into a slim leather folder, slipping it into my bag. Today, it would ride with me. Silent, present, and a reminder that I was always three steps ahead.
The day began with work above ground, the world seeing Seraphine Kane—the actress, the model, the untouchable star.
First, a film set. Lights, cameras, scripts, lines. I moved through it like a ghost, flawless, controlled, rehearsed. No one knew the fire under my skin, the way my mind was calculating, noting, remembering every word, every movement, every opportunity.
Then, a runway. High heels clicking on polished floors, the audience's whispers brushing against my confidence. Cameras flashed, capturing my every angle. Perfect. Untouchable. And yet, the real work waited below, where cameras never followed, and no one dared enter.
Lunch was a quiet sandwich in my car, parked under the shade of an oak tree. I opened my other phone—Mask Girl's—and scanned the encrypted messages. Orders, updates, intelligence. A small smile tugged at my lips. To the world, I was Seraphine Kane, untouchable starlet. Below ground, I was Mask Girl, queen of a realm few could even imagine.
By evening , I had driven to the underground. A place hidden beneath the city, protected by steel doors, biometric locks, and tunnels that twisted like veins. Here, I was in control. Liam waited, restrained but not defeated. His eyes flicked to the leather folder at my side, where the contract rested.
Good evening," I said, my voice smooth, controlled. "I hope you've been comfortable."
His golden-brown eyes flicked up, amused. "Comfortable isn't the word I'd use," he replied, chin lifted. "But I suppose I've seen worse."
You carry it everywhere," he said, voice tinged with suspicion. "Does it weigh on you?"
"Control weighs more than paper," I said lightly, as if it were nothing. "And yes… it's mine to carry. No one else's concern."
I circled him slowly, heels clicking against the concrete, watching his reactions, letting my presence dominate the room. "You've been… busy," I said lightly. "Killing one of my men, impersonating another. That wasn't reckless."
"Reckless?" he repeated, tilting his head, eyes calculating. "I did what I had to do. You've been… difficult to find."
I stopped in front of him, leaning slightly, letting the shadows fall over my face. "Difficult? I'm a woman who runs three companies underground, Liam. I don't just sit and wait for people to come to me. Everything I do is calculated. Every step. Every move."
He raised an eyebrow. "I noticed. That's why I'm impressed. You're… smarter than I expected. More than the girl on the covers, more than the actress smiling for cameras. There's… depth. Danger. And I like it."
A small smirk curled on my lips. "You like it? You've been watching me this whole time?"
"Not watching," he said carefully. "Observing. Studying. You didn't think your absences, your disappearances, went unnoticed?"
I crossed my arms, leaning back slightly. "And what have you learned, Liam? That I'm a dangerous woman? That I have influence and control you can't even comprehend?"
"Exactly," he said, tilting his head. "You're… someone else. I've been suspecting for months, ever since that last date."
I blinked, surprised he remembered. "And what did that tell you?"
He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. "That the girl smiling at me wasn't the girl I knew. You cover what you are. I noticed… the tattoo. The viper snake on your neck. You tried to hide it with makeup at the time."
I let the corner of my mouth twitch into a small, unreadable smirk. "Impressive memory."
He smiled faintly, almost respectful. "I follow patterns. I notice when things don't fit. And you… you've been avoiding me, disappearing into places no one else can go. That's why I came here. To understand."
"Understand what?" I asked, walking to a console and running my hand across the controls. "That you're a fool for underestimating me?"
"Not a fool," he said calmly. "But aware. Aware that Dante—" he hesitated slightly, "—the man you're supposed to meet… he's interested in you, and not just as an ally. He wants control. Influence. And power over you."
I tilted my head, amused. "And do you think I care?"
"I think you don't," he said slowly. "But… the more I observe, the more I realize you're untouchable in ways he won't understand. Yet, he'll try. That's why he'll make you the contract… the trial."
I leaned back, resting my hands on the console, letting the glow from the screens illuminate my face. "He thinks I need him. That I need influence or protection. That I can be bought, controlled, or intimidated. He doesn't know me, Liam. And he won't."
"Good," he said, faint amusement in his voice. "I wouldn't want it any other way. But don't underestimate him. He's… dangerous. More than you realize."
I gave him a small smirk, almost playful. "And yet, here I am. Standing. Asking questions. Learning what I need. While you sit tied up, thinking you're in control."
He laughed softly, a sound that carried just enough arrogance to annoy me. "I know better than to underestimate you. But…" His tone dropped, serious. "You need to know—Dante isn't like anyone else. He's patient, observant, and deadly. If you think he's just after power, you're only seeing part of him."
I straightened, smirk widening, amused more than threatened. "Power? Influence? Threats? I've survived worse. I've controlled worse. I know what I can handle."
He studied me silently, then nodded once. "Just… be careful. Watch your back. He's already noticed you're… different from the girl he knew."
I turned to leave, leaning slightly over my desk, voice teasing. "I always watch my back, Liam. And for what it's worth… Dante has no idea what's coming."
I left him restrained, unanswered, as the underground base hummed around me. The city above slept, unaware of the storm brewing below—and of the queen who ruled it all from shadows and fire.