Chapter 21
Bianca stepped out of the hotel café with firm strides.
She immediately entered her private car waiting at the front entrance.
Derek opened the door without a word. As the car started driving toward the Titan Group headquarters, he handed Bianca a tablet.
“Complete data on Miss Aliana,” Derek said.
Bianca opened the file in silence. On the screen appeared a brief profile, academic records, and a short summary of Aliana’s life with her foster family.
“How did you get all this so fast?” Bianca asked without turning her head.
Derek replied from the front seat, eyes still on the road.
“The college friend of Miss A
s Aliana we met earlier gave us a
lot of leads. It wasn’t difficult to find the rest.”
The
Bianca smirked.
The reason she had skipped breakfast with Andrian this morning–contrary to what she had told him–was not some urgent business. It was something much more important.
Derek had found a woman who was once Aliana’s university friend at Ravenska. It wasn’t a hard search–coincidentally, her father worked as the head of finance at one of Titan Group’s southern branch offices. Derek’s internal connections made it easy to track her down, and within hours, he had arranged a discreet meeting at Bianca’s usual private hotel café.
The information about Aliana was too valuable to delay.
That’s why Bianca didn’t join Andrian for breakfast–something she never missed while living with him. But today, she moved faster- to stay one step ahead of Aliana before the woman made any move Bianca couldn’t control.
Bianca skimmed through Aliána’s university profile: academic records, organizational activities, and social data. Her eyes narrowed.
“Average grades. No competitions. No outstanding programs. Never joined official organizations,” Bianca muttered.
“She wasn’t even remotely notable on campus.”
Derek added,
“According to her friends, Miss Aliana was known to be quiet. Lived simply. No one knew she was a billionaire’s daughter.”
Bianca fell silent for a moment, then sneered.
“So this is Aliana Zavier’s background. Who would’ve guessed… she was just an ordinary girl from a small town.”
She swiped through the screen and stared at an old photo of Aliana with her classmates.
No spotlight. No aura of distinction.
Just a young woman with neatly tied hair and a plain outfit.
Nothing about her radiated influence.
“And Rafe?” Bianca asked, still focused on the screen.
Derek opened his phone.
*Full name: Rafa Donovan. No data on biological family. Orphan. Raised by the same couple that took care of Miss Aliana while she was in Ravenska. Public records indicate they grew up together.”
“So, they lived in the same house?” Bianca asked quickly.
“Yes, Ma’am. But there’s no official record indicating they were more than childhood friends. No academic overlap, no social publicity. and they were never seen as a couple.”
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Chapter 21
Bianca leaned back, letting out a slow scoff.
“Two discarded children taken in by a modest family. Then they grew up and clung to the Zavier name,” she said coldly.
“There’s nothing special about them. I’ve overestimated my worries.”
Derek paused, then glanced halfway toward her.
“Then…. shall I begin circulating rumors about their relationship?”
Bianca was silent. Weighing the idea.
She wanted to. But she knew that without hard evidence, a rumor would be too easily dismissed by Andrian–or the Zavier family.
She needed something irrefutable.
Before Bianca could decide, a notification pinged on Derek’s phone. He checked it.
“I’ve received a new report about this morning’s breakfast, Ma’am.”
“Breakfast?” Bianca turned sharply, irritation in her voice.
“Did Aliana and Andrian have breakfast together?”
“Yes, but… it seems they argued,” Derek replied quickly.
He then forwarded CCTV footage from the dining room to Bianca’s tablet.
“You can see it for yourself.”
Bianca opened the video Derek sent.
In the footage, Aliana sat quietly for several minutes before engaging in a heated argument with Andrian.
The audio wasn’t available, but their expressions were clearly tense.
Eventually, Aliana stood up first. Andrian followed, leaving the room in anger.
He didn’t even touch his breakfast.
Bianca watched the footage carefully.
When it ended, a faint smile crept across her lips.
“They really don’t get along,” she said with satisfaction, leaning back into the seat.
A pleased smile lingered on her face.
“I was too worried. Andrian would never fall for a lowly woman like her.”
Derek remained quiet, waiting for instructions.
Bianca closed the tablet and spoke softly but firmly.
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“Don’t do anything yet. Keep monitoring Aliana. I want undeniable proof. Something even Andrian can’t refute–even if she tries to lie.”
Derek nodded.
“Understood, Ma’am.”
Bianca gazed out the car window. A thin smile returned to her face.
She had many plans in motion.
And she would never allow herself to lose control–especially when it came to Andrian.
Meanwhile, at the northern export warehouse where Julian was hiding, the old building appeared lifeless during the day–silent, grimy, and nearly abandoned.
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Chapter 21
But at night, it transformed into a covert hub of activity, filled with quiet movements hidden from public surveillance.
The structure–weathered concrete and rusted tin roof–stood on the outskirts of the industrial zone, far from patrol routes, city cameras, or public network signals.
On the dimly lit second floor, Julian Crane sat at the edge of a steel table, staring out through a dusty window. His left arm was still wrapped in bandages–the result of his last encounter with Aliana… or more precisely, with Nyx.
Julian’s face looked uneasy–not from pain, but from pressure.
In the corner of the room stood a man, barely moving. Slim–built, dressed in all black, his face half–covered by a mask. Only his eyes were visible–sharp, calculating.
“Kestrel,” Julian said, his voice low. “Are you sure this place is safe?”
The masked man turned slightly, barely nodding.
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“This warehouse isn’t on the city’s system. It’s leased under a shell company in Belize. External monitoring has been disabled. You just need to keep your mouth minimal.”
Julian stood and walked to the window, glancing at a row of rusted containers, then spoke again.
“She almost killed me last night.”
“Because you got careless,” Kestrel replied bluntly.
Julian gave a humorless chuckle.
“You have no idea who she is. She’s not just another assassin. She-
“Nyx.” Kestrel cut in.
“I know. And that’s why I’m here.”
Julian turned sharply.
“You believe the myth?”
Kestrel stepped closer.
=
=
==
“Nyx isn’t a myth. She’s real. But more importantly… she’s started operating outside her usual parameters. She used to appear only for high–level contracts–clean hits, no traces, no political motives. But now, she’s showing up in high–risk zones, without security protocols. That makes her unpredictable. And uncontrollable.”
Julian nodded slowly.
“Then we need to act fast,”
He paced a few steps, then stopped at the table, his face hardening.
“But something’s bothering me…”
Kestrel turned toward him without speaking.
Julian stared straight ahead.
“She came after me too aggressively. Just because of Alicia Zavier. Is it possible… she had a personal connection to that woman?”
Kestrel remained silent.
Julian muttered, half to himself.
“Could they be distant relatives? Or was Nyx hired by the Zavier family? But how would they even know I had dealings with Alicia?”
Kestrel didn’t answer. He only stared at Julian through the shadows of his mask and finally said flatly:
“Whatever her connection to Alicia is, she’s crossed operational lines. That alone is reason enough to proceed with caution. If the chance to eliminate her presents itself–we take it”
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Julian narrowed his eyes, dissatisfied.
“You speak as if you know who she really is.”
Kestrel turned back to his tablet.
“What matters now is that she knows too much about you.”
Julian wanted to press further, but Kestrel’s cold expression stopped him. He knew the man left no room for idle discussion.
Kestrel turned the tablet toward Julian. A digital map appeared, showing movement markers–one of them blinking red.
“Someone’s already tracked your location. They’re monitoring from within a 300–meter radius. You need cover. Now.”
Julian tensed.
“Could it be Nyx? Could she be coming tonight?”
“Nyx doesn’t wait once she’s picked a target. You’re no exception,” Kestrel said, eyes locked on Julian.
Julian began pacing anxiously.
“We need to get out of here.”
“Too late.” Kestrel didn’t flinch.
E
“We may already be trapped. But… if we keep our composure, we can turn the situation around. We can flip the game–if we play it right.”
Julian went quiet, weighing the risks. He knew Kestrel didn’t speak lightly.
The man never involved himself in minor operations. And whenever Kestrel appeared, it meant someone else was watching too- possibly more dangerous than even Aliana’s supporters.
“Did you bring a team?” Julian asked.
Kestrel nodded.
“Four operatives. One long–range shooter, one signal operator, two infiltrators. Their positions are secure. But…”
“But what?”
“If Nyx comes alone, we can manage. But if she brings backup, the situation could escalate.”
Julian took a deep breath, then said in a low voice:
“I won’t lose to Nyx. We capture her alive. I want to see her face… when she realizes who ordered Alicia Zavier’s death.”
Kestrel didn’t respond. His lips curled slightly in satisfaction–pleased to see Julian ready to fight back.
In a black car speeding down the highway, Aliana was behind the wheel, monitoring the digital map. She was connected to Rafe through an earpiece.
“Main warehouse ahead. Julian’s signal is on the second floor. But there’s interference–another signal appeared several times and vanished. Could be a masking expert.
Aliana accelerated, approaching the warehouse where Julian was hiding.
She wore reinforced arm guards. Her eyes were focused.
“I’ll stop at the next corner. Loop around, stay within a two–block radius. Don’t approach the warehouse.”
“Wait, Miss… what if it’s a trap?” Rafe asked.
Aliana responded immediately.
“Then let me be the one caught in it.”
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Chapter 21
Her car slowed, then stopped in the shadow of an abandoned building.
Aliana stepped out, adjusted her face mask, and slipped into the side path that led to the northern export warehouse.
Her steps were silent. Her breath was steady.
And her mind focused solely on two names:
Julian Crane and Kestrel–whose true identity remained unknown.
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