Amara's eyes widened in shock before she turned to Selene, her lips trembling with a smile that looked like it might break into tears.

"Who would've thought something we did just for fun would turn into such a big help later on?" she whispered, almost laughing through her emotions. "This... this could be a new start for all of us, not just me!" Her voice grew bright with excitement, her hands clenching in hope.

But before she could say more, Sora called softly, "Amara..."

"What? Why do you look like that? Don't tell me you're not going-" Amara's words rushed out nervously, but before she could finish, Selene's cold voice cut through.

"I'm not going."

Amara's smile instantly faltered. She stared at Selene in disbelief before her shoulders slumped and she sat down heavily, her mood souring. "If you're not going, then forget it. I'm not going either."

Selene closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, steadying herself. When she opened them, her gaze was firm as it met Amara's.

"Listen. You need this more than anyone. I don't. I can survive here on my own, and you know I've already set my sights on finishing my medical degree in Liora. I'm not ready to abandon that. But you-" her voice softened, though her words stayed sharp, "you need to get out of this place. Away from your uncle and his family. You deserve a clean slate, Amara. You deserve to breathe again."

Amara's face twisted with frustration. "Are you kidding me right now? This is Grandcrest University in Veyra we're talking about-the biggest, most prestigious school in the country! They're offering us a special scholarship to study in a city full of opportunities, and you're throwing it away just to stay in this godforsaken Liora?" Her voice cracked as anger and desperation clashed. "You think I can really escape my uncle forever? He's already making plans to send Melissa there. Now that they've partnered with a Blackwood subsidiary, she'll have even more backing. So what are you saying, Selene? That I should just let them ruin me?"

"Amara, calm down," Sora pleaded, stepping between them.

But Selene's tone was unwavering. "I know it sounds harsh, but listen. I'm one step away from my goal, and I can't risk going to Veyra now. There are too many big shots there. If I step into that city, sooner or later I'll be found. You know I've already gone too deep into the dark web-there's no way I'd go unnoticed there. And besides... that organization is rumored to be based in Veyra. If you go, you might be able to seek their help. But me? I'd only drag you down. That's why you need to go, Amara. Start fresh. I'll stay here, keep an eye on your uncle, and send you information when I can."

Silence stretched between them until Sora raised her hand. "I'm going with you, Amara," she said firmly.

Amara turned to her in surprise, but Sora just grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "It's not like my parents care about me anyway. I'm the black sheep in my family, remember? Going back to Korea would only make things worse. So I might as well follow my lovely Amaaaara~" she sang playfully, throwing her arms around Amara's shoulders. "Besides, Veyra has better food. I'm just going for the meals!"

Her teasing broke through the heavy tension, pulling a small laugh from Amara despite her frustration. Selene's lips even curved faintly, though her eyes still glistened with the weight of her choice.

"Selene... why are you doing this?" Amara's voice cracked, her eyes glistening. "You've been trapped in this for so long. Don't you think you deserve a fresh start too?"

Selene's lips trembled, her composure breaking as silent tears gathered in her eyes. She lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I can't, Amara. I'm afraid I'll never be able to step out of this. The moment I stepped in, I knew there was no way back. This... is the price I have to pay."

Her words hung heavy in the air, leaving Amara speechless. The pain was raw, unspoken yet shared. Slowly, almost desperately, they all reached out and wrapped their arms around each other again.

Sora sniffled, her cheeks wet, then forced a weak laugh. "We really do hold a lot of water in us today, don't you think?" she joked, wiping her tears with her sleeve.

Her playful comment broke the heaviness, pulling a small laugh from the other two. The tension eased, just a little, like a fragile thread of light cutting through the storm.

Selene turned to Mia with a faint, tired smile. "Besides... I'm in charge of this studio. I can't just abandon it, you know."

"Okay, okay." Amara nodded, finally letting out a long breath.

"That's enough tears for one day," Sora said brightly, clapping her hands together. "Let's have some fun, shall we?"

Their laughter followed, soft but genuine, a fragile promise that even in their pain, they could still hold onto each other.

After a while, the three of them sat back down, letting the earlier heaviness fade as their conversation drifted toward the future.

Selene turned her gaze toward Amara, her expression thoughtful. "You know... I had a thought while we were eating earlier. My aunt is opening a new restaurant in Veyra soon. It's not for business, really-more because of her love for cooking. I can talk to her, and you could start there as a chef. You won't have to worry about finding work."

Amara blinked in surprise, her lips parting.

Selene leaned forward slightly, her voice firm but gentle. "Don't refuse the offer, Amara. You're starting fresh. You need to focus on your books, not on gathering intel at bars or living as 'Nocturne.' Leave that behind. Just... accept it, okay?"

Amara's throat tightened. She gave a small nod, her eyes softening with gratitude.

Before the moment could grow too heavy again, Sora suddenly squealed, "More food for me then!"

Both Selene and Amara shot her the same look-half exasperated, half amused.

"And," Sora continued, puffing her chest proudly, "I'll get more chances to pursue my music career there. Isn't that exciting?"

"Yeah," the two replied, a small smile tugging at their lips despite themselves.

Amara turned to Selene, her voice low. "I just hope... you won't regret this decision."

Selene gave her a small smile in return.

Amara rose from her seat. "I need to study more recipes, to sharpen my skills."

"Oh, ho, ho-" Sora raised her hands with a grin. "I can help you taste them! Quality control!"

"You're so silly," Selene muttered with a helpless smile.

Amara adjusted her cap and let out a sigh. "I need to go. In a few days, my uncle and his wife are preparing a 'surprise' for me at their dinner celebration. They even agreed to stay out of my business just to get me to attend. I'm afraid they must be plotting something big."

Sora scoffed, crossing her arms. "Hah, plotting big my ass. With their pea-sized brains?"

Amara's lips curved faintly, but she didn't reply. "I'll come back tomorrow. We don't have much time left, and there's still a lot to do. Okay-I'm off."

As she walked toward the door, Selene called after her, rolling her eyes. "Now you know we still need some catching up to do".

She paused for a while. "And Amara I won't regret it"

Amara paused for a moment at the doorway, her back to them. "I hope so," she murmured softly, then stepped out without looking back.

Sora was about to hop after her when Selene tugged sharply on her pigtails.

"Ow! What was that for?!" Sora yelped.

"Where do you think you're going? Come help me with this."

"Huuu..." Sora let out a frustrated whimper, her shoulders slumping as Selene smirked knowingly.

Amara stepped out of the building, the cool breeze brushing against her skin as if trying to soothe the storm inside her. Her footsteps were slow and measured, but her mind raced.

I've spent my whole life stuck in this city, she thought bitterly. Enduring, clawing my way through, just to end up with nothing. And now... now I have to start over from scratch, don't I?

A sharp, humorless laugh escaped her lips. I might as well live my life a little, then.

She stopped in front of a glass wall, her reflection staring back at her. Amber eyes rimmed with exhaustion, hair falling messily over her shoulders, her face a mixture of resilience and weariness. She stared for a moment before the corner of her lips curved into a small, almost defiant smile.

Maybe I should cut my hair. Buy a few things for myself. If I'm starting fresh, I can't keep living like this, can I?

Her chest tightened at the thought of Sora and Selene-the only people she truly had. If they ever found out I tried to take my life last night... how would they feel?

Amara clenched her fists, drawing a deep breath to steady herself.

Her mind drifted, unbidden, to the man she had pulled from the sea-the stranger whose fate she'd changed. For a moment, his pale, unconscious face flashed before her eyes. She shook her head sharply.

Well... that's no longer my business. I did my best.

With that, she raised a hand and hailed a taxi, exhaustion weighing down her every movement. She wasn't ready for anything else tonight. Right now, all she wanted was to get back to the Hayes estate and collapse into sleep.

--

Somewhere in the heart of the city, within an extremely exclusive residential estate that only the most powerful families could afford to reside in, silence pressed heavily against the walls of a vast villa.

Inside a dimly lit room, a man reclined lazily in a chair. His long legs were crossed, one arm draped over the armrest, the other covering half of his face. Despite the relaxed posture, there was nothing casual about him. His skin was frighteningly pale, the kind that only accentuated the sharp, almost inhuman perfection of his features. His lips curved faintly, though not in amusement.

"How is the investigation going?" His voice was low and hoarse, yet it carried a weight that made the air itself feel suffocating.

None of the men standing before him dared to speak. They stood stiffly, backs drenched in cold sweat, as though the wrong word would seal their fate. No one even breathed too loudly

Only one man stepped forward-his assistant, Elias.

"Young Master," Elias said, his voice steady though sweat dampened his back, "we managed to deal with those who dared ambush you. But... we still cannot identify who leaked your location."

The man lowered his hand slightly, revealing eyes as sharp as obsidian. He spoke again, his tone flat. "And the woman? Have you found her?"

At the mention of the woman, Elias's composure faltered for the first time. Cold sweat trickled down his temple. "Sir, we... only recovered a wallet she left behind. But it appears to belong to a man. There was nothing inside except for a small amount of cash and-" he paused, bowing deeper, "-a hidden card. We are still investigating the seal on it."

The man's expression twisted into a faint, icy smile that sent chills down everyone's spine.

"Incompetent."

Just that single word had the temperature in the room dropping several degrees. The guards held their breath, hearts pounding. No one dared to move.

Suddenly, the man's body lurched forward as a violent fit of coughs wracked him. The pale shade of his face deepened, his thin lips stained faintly red.

"Young Master, you only just woke from a coma-you mustn't strain yourself!" The doctor at the side rushed forward, his tone urgent, worry evident in his eyes.

"Get out," the man ordered, his voice colder than winter ice.

Everyone in the room scrambled away in panic, heads bowed low, until only Elias and the doctor remained, hesitant.

The man slowly raised his head, his gaze sharp and merciless, like a blade. The pale light illuminated his features-strikingly handsome yet terrifying, like a demon king who had just clawed his way out of hell. His black hair fell across his forehead, shadowing his expression as his lips curved into a dangerous smirk.

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

The doctor and Elias bowed hastily, retreating with trembling steps until the room fell into silence again.

The young man leaned back once more, eyes half-lidded. His brows knitted together as he stared into the void, his thoughts drifting.

Who was that woman...?

Her face was nothing but a blur in his memory-hazy, slipping away each time he tried to recall it. Yet, the faint warmth of her touch still lingered against his skin. It gnawed at him, that one memory he couldn't grasp.

A woman who appeared out of nowhere, dragged him back from the gates of death... and disappeared without a trace.

His jaw clenched. No matter who she is... I will find her.

--

That night, Amara returned home exhausted. Without saying a word to anyone, she slipped into her small room-the only space she could truly call her own.

Collapsing onto the bed, she stared at the ceiling, her heart a tangled mess of emotions. Should she feel grateful that she was still standing after everything, or bitter that life had stripped her of everything she once had? She didn't know.

But one thing was certain-she would no longer cower in the shadows of her past. Whatever trials awaited, she would face them head-on.

Her eyelids grew heavy, yet her mind refused to settle, thoughts chasing her deep into the night. Somewhere between hope and sorrow, she drifted into sleep-unaware that fate had already set something far greater in motion for her.

Early the next morning, Amara returned to the studio. She didn't bother greeting her uncle or his family, who were gathered around the breakfast table pretending she didn't exist. She'd learned to return the favor - silence was easier than pretense.

The soft morning sun spilled through the studio's glass windows as she stepped inside. The familiar scene was oddly comforting. Sora and Selene were already there, sitting side by side in front of a laptop, their expressions unusually serious.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" Amara asked casually, tossing her bag onto the couch and bouncing onto it with a carefree grin.

Selene didn't smile. "Come take a look at this," she said, her tone low but firm.

Curious, Amara stood and walked over. Her eyes fixed on the screen - and within seconds, her playful expression vanished.

She stared in silence, as she turned to look at them. Selene gave a small nod. "We might need your help with this, Amara," she said seriously.

__

The atmosphere inside the studio had shifted - from serious to deceptively light.

Empty snack wrappers lay scattered across the table as the three women lounged around, munching without a care in the world.

"So, what's our next move?" Sora asked between bites, cheeks puffed as she chewed noisily.

Selene leaned back on the couch, her expression unreadable. "According to the information I managed to gather, the mayor is hosting a private gala at his residence tomorrow night," she began calmly, her voice cutting through the sound of crunching chips. "He'll be welcoming a big shot - someone important enough to have the entire security detail on edge."

Amara raised a brow. "A big shot, huh? And what's so special about this event?"

Selene's eyes flickered toward her laptop screen. "It's rumored there'll be an exchange that night - something classified. A prototype... a high-tech microdrive capable of wiping or rewriting digital records in seconds."

The room fell silent for a moment. Even Sora stopped chewing.

"Our mission," Selene continued, "is to obtain that microdrive and deliver it to the contact waiting near Raven's Bridge before sunrise."

"Sounds simple enough." Sora finally spoke again, swallowing. "Except for the part where we have zero intel. You're saying they didn't even leave you a trace?"

Amara crossed her legs, grabbing another snack. "Yeah, Selene, what's going on? You always have details, blueprints, routes, security layouts... something."

Selene's gaze darkened. "That's exactly the problem. The post went up on the dark web under a high-tier bounty tag, but every attempt to trace the source hit a dead end. It's almost like whoever posted it doesn't want anyone finding out who's behind it."

"That's not normal," Sora said, her tone losing its usual playfulness. "If even you can't dig anything up, this isn't just risky, it's suicidal. People don't back out of high-paying jobs unless there's a damn good reason."

Selene nodded slowly, her fingers drumming against the table. "It's been on the board for days now, but one by one, teams are withdrawing. Some vanished completely. No trace. No message. Just-gone."

The three of them exchanged looks, unease filling the air.

"The object?" Sora asked hesitantly.

"No," Amara said quietly, shaking her head. "It's not the object. It's the person. The big shot they're all afraid of."

Selene's eyes met hers, her gaze calm, calculating, and yet faintly troubled. "Exactly," she said softly. "And whoever he is... he's the reason this mission feels like walking straight into a trap."

"Sora", Selene called, "I need you to pull every security feed and activity log for the mayor's residence - everything from the past week, and anything within a one-hour radius of the place. Find us patterns".

"On it," Sora said, already sliding over to her customized laptop. She hooked into the software at the side and her fingers flew over the keys, the screen filling with grids of timestamps, camera IDs and movement trails.

Amara and Selene kept talking while Sora worked, voices low and serious.

"So how do we even get into the gala?" Amara asked.

Selene glanced up, eyes narrowed with a plan forming. "The gala's a masked event. Everyone will be in disguise - which makes things both harder and easier. Harder because of the crowd, easier because masks give us anonymity." She tapped the laptop as if it punctuated her point. "We need to know who we're facing before we move."

"First," she added, turning to Amara, "we go shopping. You need to look the part."

Amara blinked. "Me?"

Selene's mouth tilted. "Yes. You're going in. I can get us through - with the studio's connections and my aunt's influence. But we need to steal an identity for you. A believable one. Someone who can get past guest lists and security without a second glance."

Sora didn't look up, eyes flicking across feeds. "I've found three blind spots in the south perimeter cameras. If we time it right, we can sneak in through the service entrance." She smirked. "Also-there's a delivery route that's rarely checked. Good for a discrete exit."

Amara swallowed, feeling the pulse of adrenaline push at her ribs. "So we dress like guests, slip in through a service entrance, grab the microdrive, and disappear?"

Selene nodded once, calmly. "Exactly. We get the object and we move it to Raven's Bridge before dawn."

"Sora," Selene said, her tone sharp and focused, "other than the mayor's residence, can you track any big shots who've entered the country within the past week?"

Sora tilted her head, still tapping away at the keyboard. "Hmm... there are a bunch of them swooping in. Guess it's a major event after all." She began reading off names from the screen - a list of prominent families and business figures. "The Lin family, the Harts, the Veyrans... and-" she paused, eyes narrowing, "Blackwood Enterprise."

"Wait." Selene straightened in her seat. "Hold on right there."

Sora froze mid-scroll. "What, the Blackwoods?"

Selene's voice dropped, serious and sharp. "I have a feeling the person we're looking for might be tied to them."

Amara frowned, confusion flickering across her face. "The Blackwood Enterprise? What do they have to do with this?"

Selene leaned back, eyes darkening in thought. "That's what I want to find out."

Amara's voice trembled slightly. "My uncle... he's planning to sign a contract with one of their subsidiaries. Maybe that's why they're here."

Selene arched a brow, her tone laced with disdain. "You really think the Blackwood family would send someone personally to deal with your uncle's small-time business?"

Sora glanced up from the screen, curiosity lighting her expression. "Hold on, who exactly are the Blackwood family? You're talking like they're royalty."

Selene gave a humorless laugh. "Royalty? They might as well be. The Blackwoods run one of the most powerful conglomerates across Veyra and beyond - tech, arms, pharmaceuticals, even politics. They've got influence everywhere. If someone from their bloodline's involved..." she trailed off, her voice lowering, "...then this mission just became a lot more dangerous."

The air in the studio thickened, tension buzzing like static. Sora's fingers hovered uncertainly over the keyboard. "You're saying the big shot the mayor's welcoming could be a Blackwood?"

Selene's gaze was sharp, and calculating. "I'm saying-if it's them, we're walking straight into a lion's den."