Valeria thought she had it all - a successful career, a beautiful home, and the perfect husband. But, as they say, looks can be deceiving. She soon discovers that her charming spouse is not all he seems, leading the couple down a rabbit hole of memo...
The door burst open with a resounding bang, causing a collective gasp to escape from everyone in the room. A figure stood in the doorway, shrouded in darkness, and the room fell silent as all eyes turned towards it.
Slowly, the figure stepped forward, her long black cloak billowing behind her. With every step, the light caught a glint of silver—it was the heels she wore, each one adorned with intricately detailed vipers, coiled around the stilettos.
Gasps filled the room as she made her way to the center, leaving a trail of whispers in her wake. As she reached the center of the room, she paused, and with a graceful sweep of her hand, she removed her long, flowing cloak.
Underneath, she revealed a form-fitting red dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. The neckline plunged dangerously low, revealing just a hint of the tattoo that snaked its way down her collarbone. Her hair cascaded in loose waves down her back, framing her piercing gaze.
Even though she was wearing a mask, her beauty was evident in every step she took. Silence enveloped the room as every gaze fixated on her, her aura demanding attention akin to royalty. The mask may have concealed part of her face, but the allure of mystery only added to her enchanting aura.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! I trust you have all been well this day," she began, her voice smooth and captivating. "You might be curious as to the reason behind my summoning you all here today. Well, I have a proposition that I believe will benefit us all greatly."
Her words lingered in the air, a palpable tension settling among the crowd, anticipation thick like a fog. With a flick of her wrist, she revealed a dazzling ruby necklace, its gemstones shimmering like captured stardust in the dimly lit room.
"I will go on a break from my mafia duties for a short period of time, and during this time, I will make this necklace disappear to test your loyalty and cunningness. I will hide it in a place that will challenge even the most skilled of you to find it. The person who will be able to retrieve it will take over my position as the leader of our group. This challenge will test your skills, cunningness, and loyalty. Are you up for it?"
The crowd erupted into a buzz of excitement, eager to prove themselves worthy.
Her red lips stretched into a sinister smirk.
"But the catch is that your teams must consist of five members each. Choose wisely, for only the strongest and most resourceful team will prevail in this challenge, and before I forget , only one team will win the leadership and the rest.." She paused as she drew her thumb across her throat as she whispered, "will be murdered in cold blood."
The room fell silent as her words lingered ominously in the air, casting a heavy pall over everyone present.
"One last thing 'There are no rules or limits to this game' " She smirked as she spun the necklace in her hand , the gemstones sparkling in the dim light of the room.
"May the odds be ever in your favor, as they say in the Hunger Games," she added with a chilling smile before turning and walking out of the room, leaving the teams to contemplate their fate.
~Valeria's pov~
I walked into the secret room, my heart pounding with excitement and fear. The walls were lined with weapons and maps, and in the center of the room stood my two loyal men, James and Killian. As I removed my cloak and handed it to James, he gave me a stern nod of approval. I could trust them both with my life.
I slowly unclasped my mask and handed it to Killian, his expression unreadable in the dim light of the room.
As I took a seat on the ornate chair at the head of the table, crossing my legs and resting my chin on my hand, I surveyed my men with a steely gaze. With a flick of my wrist, I signaled for them to begin their reports.
"Valeria, I have reservations about your decision. Simply transferring your position to the team that finds the necklace first could be perilous. What if the wrong person seizes it?" Killian said, his voice full of concern.
I raised an eyebrow at his boldness, but a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips.
"Killian , do you expect so little of me? The Viper?" I replied coolly. "I have a plan in place; trust in me."
"And what may be the plan, Valeria?" James asked , skepticism evident in his tone. I leaned back in my chair, meeting their gazes with a steely determination in my eyes.
"The plan is simple," I began as I got up from my chair and headed over to the fireplace as I dangled the necklace in my hand. "We destroy it," I declared, tossing it into the flames without a second thought. The fire quickly engulfed the object, reducing it to ashes.
"However, considering your earlier announcement about the fate of the teams, how do you intend to ensure that outcome?" Killian asked , his voice laced with concern. I turned to face him, a wicked smile playing on my lips.
"Simple," I replied. " We kill them all or... they kill themselves," I whispered as my red lips stretched into a devilish smirk. The flames danced in my eyes as I reveled in the chaos I had created.
"If I can't leave the mafia without dying , then I'll make sure there's no one left to kill me," I declared coldly.
Killian and James looked at each other in admiration, clearly impressed by my ruthless determination.
"Well, I guess that's one way to deal with it," James chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. Killian just grinned, his eyes shining with a mixture of admiration and amusement.
I just sighed and looked at the fire that was crossing my arms , feeling the heat on my skin.
"James, any more information on Alton?" I asked, trying to redirect the conversation before it delved further into dangerous territory.
James shrugged. "He's a ghost, really. No one knows much about him except that he currently lives in London and works as a math's teacher. Everyone in that school loves him , but no one really knows his past. It's like he's a completely new person."
I leaned my head on the wall as I sighed louder.
"Any info on the person that caused the car crash?" I inquired, my mind still reeling from the incident.
James shook his head, "Not much. All we know is that they were driving recklessly and caused a multiple car pile-up."
I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes for a moment, contemplating whether it was a good idea for me to go to London myself to meet Alton.
"Valeria, you should go to him." Killian 's voice interrupted my thoughts, causing me to open my eyes in surprise.
I got off the wall and turned to face him, a mix of emotions swirling inside me.
"Do you really think it's a good idea?" I asked, feeling torn between wanting to make Alton remember me and wanting to protect him from me. Killian placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, his eyes filled with understanding.
"Yes, I do. You need closure. If you have a chance to be with him, then why don't you take it? Because if that ever happened to me and James, I wouldn't hesitate for a second."
His words hit me like a ton of bricks, the weight of them sinking in deep. James smiled sadly, knowing the pain that still lingered in my heart.
"You deserve to find peace, even if it means facing your past," he added softly. I took a deep breath, trying to push aside my fears and doubts.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before opening them, a smirk playing on my lips.
"Boys, pack your bags because we're going to London!"
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