Chapter 25
Chapter 25
D
Aliana sat in front of the tablet screen, her fingers moving swiftly across the glass surface, unlocking one hidden panel after another. The connection had successfully linked to her private server–the system she and Alexei once built to store all secret operations related to the Corvo family. This system wasn’t accessed casually. Only she and one other person knew its pathways. And now, she was using it to investigate Kestrel.
Aliana typed the name in five spelling variations. No results. But she didn’t stop. She knew this system wouldn’t yield results based on a first name alone. She needed to trace it through residual digital footprints–coordinates, contract types, modus operandi, weapon preferences.
She applied filters. Entered keywords: “short blades,” “silent tactics,” “thermal diversion,” and “manual signal masking.” The combination was specific enough. The system began scanning hundreds of archived operation logs.
Minutes later, a series of data appeared. Some were encrypted, others corrupted. But one name repeatedly surfaced as a signature on older contracts–Sable–13. This name showed up in blackfile documents from five years ago, tied to an unfinished covert project. The operation began in Bulgaria, moved to Morocco, and was last recorded in Southeast Asia about two years ago.
Aliana enlarged the latest log. It read:
Indirect Execution Contract
–
Target: Alexei Corvo. Status: Failed. Operator: Unknown: Suspected: Sable–13.
W
Aliana tensed. She knew that log. She had nearly died during that night of execution. She and Alexei had been in the same place—a safehouse on the edge of the Corvo family forest estate outside Budapest. At midnight, the power went out. Water was shut off from the outside. Total signal blackout.
An intruder had entered without a sound. He used dual steel blades and sound–diversion techniques. Aliana had tried to fight back. But at that time, she was too slow. The man stabbed Alexei in the shoulder, then tried to disable Aliana using the same diagonal strike to the neck and shoulder–just like Kestrel.
She had only survived because Alexei had pulled a flash grenade from his coat pocket and detonated it at close range. The attacker fled, but the wound on Aliana’s neck remained. A scar she had hidden for y
Yea
“Their fighting style… is identical.”
R
Aliana’s head throbbed. If Kestrel was Sable–13, he wasn’t just another hired kill Alexei’s betrayal.
He was a ghost from the past–one possibly behind
Aliana steadied her breathing. She needed to verify all this with Gabriel Corvo, her adoptive father and head of the Corvo family, now officially retired but still the key advisor behind the Eastern European syndicate.
But Aliana couldn’t return home recklessly. Andrian wasn’t entirely off–guard yet. If she suddenly disappeared, he would grow suspicious. And after what happened at the warehouse last night, Andrian was surely beginning to anticipate Nyx’s movements.
Aliana closed the Kestrel panel temporarily, then opened a separate file–a folder containing data on Andrian Velor,
She had actually started tracing her husband’s background since their wedding. But the results had seemed ordinary–stellar academic record, inherited wealth from Titan Group, and a spotless business résumé.
But tonight, one question echoed in Aliana’s mind: Where did Andrian learn to fight like that?
She reopened the footage from earlier at the warehouse. She replayed it frame by frame; his reflexes as he blocked her kick, the way he disarmed her, even the footwork as he dodged the blade. None of it was amateur.
Aliana typed new queries:
Andrian Velor military training
Andrian Velor private tactical training
Andrian Velor personal defense program
One result appeared under a document protected by an NDA.
“Integrated Training Program – ARC Unit/Velor International Branch – 2017”
Altana accessed the document through an encryption bypass. What she found was astonishing. Apparently, Andrian had been secretly
1/4
3:47 PM P
Chapter 25
0
sent to a private military training program in Norway for eight months. Under an alias, he had undergone tactical, covert, and personal defense training.
That log had never been made public. Only a few people knew—among them, the former security advisor to the Velor family, now retired and living in Switzerland.
Aliana read quickly. One of the reasons cited for the training was “a sharp increase in threats against the Velor heir following the 2016 regional merger.” But no attackers were named. No official records listed.
“I never knew this,” Aliana muttered. She closed the file, tension in her face.
If Andrian had trained himself that rigorously, then Aliana needed to be more cautious. He wasn’t just intelligent–he had survival skills on a level nearly equivalent to field operatives.
Now Aliana realized something crucial–Andrian and Kestrel might have known each other. It was entirely possible that they were part of the same network in the past. That would explain why both of them appeared at the same location, and why Andrian didn’t immediately kill Julian. There were still many things left unanswered.
Aliana shut the screen. She rose from her seat and walked to the pavilion window, staring up at the dark sky.
Her next step was clear: meet Gabriel Corvo and uncover who Kestrel really was. But before that, she had to confirm one thing- Andrian must truly believe that Nyx and Aliana are not the same person..
=
E
For the next few days, Aliana would have to play her role to perfection. She needed to act normal. No signs of suspicion. She had to appear like a devoted wife–calm, gentle, and completely clueless. There could be no bruises, no strange movements, no faltering expressions.
Behind her serene smile and navy–blue gown, Aliana was already mapping out multiple strategies. And when the time was right, she would move–return to the Corvo estate to unravel the tangled secrets that still haunted her past.
The Velor Family Main Mansion…
From the outside, the house appeared quiet, but on the second floor, Andria Private office still glowed brightly. The digital clock on
the wall showed 1:27 a.m., but Andrian remained awake.
RO
A
He sat in the leather chair of his personal reading room, eyes fixed on the glowing monitor in front of him. On screen was a young man with a serious face, dressed in dark tactical clothing.
His name: Elric Vale.
Elric was the son of Bram Vale–former head of security for the Velor family, now retired and living in Switzerland. Since his teenage years, Elric had undergone tactical training and had secretly served as Andrian’s personal operative, carrying out covert missions on his
behalf.
*So… you still haven’t tracked her down?” Andrian’s voice was flat, but heavy with pressure.
Elric bowed slightly. “I apologize, sir. I’ve swept the area around the warehouse and checked local hospitals and nearby lodgings, but there’s no trace of Nyx. It appears she’s hiding somewhere far from reach.”
“But the wound was serious,” Andrian said sharply. “She should’ve gone somewhere to treat it.”
Elric lowered his gaze again, speaking with no intention of defending himself.
“Nyx is more skilled than we thought. She’s also a master at vanishing. It’s difficult to anticipate her next move. But I’ll keep trying.”
Andrian fell silent. His eyes stared blankly toward the window and the dark sky beyond it. He knew Nyx was indeed an expert–that much was undeniable.
Elric straightened in his seat. “Sir… are you certain she’s connected to your mother?”
Andrian turned sharply, his gaze instantly cold.
“My mother was not someone who gave up easily”
His voice was firm–like a curse aimed at an old memory that refused to fade.
Andrian thought of his mother’s death–Margaret Hale. Though she had been physically fragile, Andrian knew she wasn’t the kind of woman who would give up. She would never have chosen suicide. It was impossible.
2/4
Chapter 25
Elric said nothing, waiting patiently.
Andrian moved toward the steel cabinet in the corner of the room. He unlocked it using biometric authentication and pulled out an old folder—a personal investigation file he had compiled over the years. Inside were forensics reports, photographs of the hotel room where Margaret had been found, and one confidential internal report—a document never handed over to the police, suppressed by the extended family.
“The official report stated an overdose of sleeping pills. But there was no pill bottle. No fingerprints except hers. No active cameras. Even… her phone signal disappeared three hours before her death. That’s too clean for a simple suicide.”
Andrian placed the forensic photo on the table.
Elric watched him closely. “And you suspect… Nyx was the one who killed Mrs. Margaret?”
Andrian nodded slowly. “There was a witness who saw Nyx at the hotel where my mother was staying. The method matches exactly- silent execution, no traces, system shutdown. Just like what Nyx did at the warehouse.”
Andrian sat back down. His fingers tapped lightly on the desk, as if assembling a puzzle piece by piece.
“I think Nyx knows something. Maybe she didn’t do it. But she definitely knows who did. And I won’t stop until I find out who that person is.”
person
Elric exhaled quietly. “I’ll continue the investigation. I’ll also study the attack pattern you mentioned. But if Nyx is connected to an old organization operating under the radar, we’ll need a new intel network. I can activate my father’s old contacts in Germany and Budapest.”
Andrian nodded in agreement. “Do it. But stay clear of the main team. No one must know I’m personally looking for Nyx–not even
Bianca.”
“Yes, sir,” Elric responded quickly.
Before ending the call, Andrian looked at the screen, his voice dropping lower.
“If Nyx was involved in my mother’s death, or if she knows anything about it… I want her captured alive. I need to hear it from her myself. And if she is the one–then I’ll be the one to finish her.”
Elric nodded before the screen went dark.
Andrian leaned back.
On the table, an old photograph remained open–a young Margaret smiling in their garden, looking peaceful and happy.
But when Andrian looked at his reflection in the window, all he saw was himself. Alone.
Trapped between family legacy, buried secrets, and the shadow of Nyx–the masked woman who might be the only key to the truth he’s been chasing all his life.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the mansion, in Bianca’s bedroom, a desk lamp still illuminated the room, It was almost 2:00 a.m., she hadn’t gone to bed.
Bianca sat at her vanity, staring seriously at her phone screen. On the video call, Derek’s face appeared.
“You said you found something on Aliana?” Bianca asked impatiently.
but
Derek nodded. “Yes, Miss. A four–star hotel’s security camera in the western district captured Miss Aliana leaving late last night–with a man we believe to be Rafe Donovan.”
Bianca narrowed her eyes. “Did they spend the night there?”
“There’s no proof they booked a room under their real names, but Miss Aliana looked weak when she left. Rate even had to support her into the car. His clothing also seemned rumpled, and he was partially covering his face.”
Bianca leaned back, her eyes glowing with satisfaction. “Excellent, Derek. Very well done.”
“I’ve secured a copy of the footage. Would you like to see it?”
3/4
3:47 PM
Chapter 25
“Of course,” Bianca answered sharply.
+15
A few seconds later, the video loaded onto Bianca’s tablet. In the footage, Aliana was clearly seen leaving the hotel with Rafe. She looked exhausted, leaning on Rafe for support.
Bianca sneered. “Pathetic woman. Now it’s clear–you’re not worthy of Andrian.”
She rewatched the video, eyes sharp with purpose. In her mind, this was the final blow. A leak like this would destroy Aliana’s reputation instantly. If the media got hold of it, she was certain Andrian would divorce her on the spot.
“What do you want me to do next, Miss?” Derek asked.
Bianca didn’t answer right away. She pretended to think, then smiled maliciously.
“Leak it to the media. No names needed. Just upload the footage with a juicy headline: ‘Wife of Titan Group heir seen leaving hotel with a mysterious man…‘ Let the public draw their own conclusions.”
Derek gave a slight nod. “Understood. I’ll handle everything tonight.”
Bianca turned to him, her gaze ice–cold. “Make sure nothing traces back to us. I want Aliana destroyed, but I won’t let it stain our names.”
“Understood, Miss
The video call ended.
Bianca smiled again, watching her own reflection in the mirror.
pull the rug
from under your
feet.”
when the world would
“You may be good at hiding secrets, Aliana,” she whispered, “but I’ll be the first to
Her satisfied grin grew wider, making the cold night feel far warmer to her. Bianca couldn’t wait for morning- start talking about Aliana.
4/4
