Amongst Shadows and Stardust: The Chronicles of Joliyah Miller.

Chapter 5 | Sweet Revelations.

Vanessa stood before Salim in his spacious condo loft, her presence commanding the room. Salim's jaw tightened as their eyes met, a maelstrom of emotions raging within him. Rage, betrayal, and a deep, aching hurt that he had buried for the last five years since she had abandoned him and the Savage8 - the elite crime syndicate they had built together from the ground up.

"What the hell are you doing here, Vanessa?" Salim spat, the words dripping with venom. The sound of her name on his lips was laced with years of pent-up resentment. "Five years, and not a single word. You just left us - left me - to pick up the pieces when we were fighting for our lives."

Vanessa flinched visibly at his tone, but she held his gaze, her expression a mix of remorse and determination. "I know, Salim. I'm sorry," she said, her voice soft yet guarded. "But you have to understand, what I was searching for was more important than anything else. It's about our family's legacy - the Infinity Stone."

Salim's eyes widened at the mention of the Infinity Stone, a relic he and Vanessa had heard countless stories about since their childhood. Their parents had regaled them with tales of this powerful, mystical artifact that had been entrusted to their family for generations, passed down from one generation to the next. The legends spoke of the Infinity Stone's incredible power - the ability to see into the future, to protect against the darkness that threatened to consume the world.

As children, Vanessa had been captivated by these stories, her imagination captured by the idea of their family being the guardians of such an extraordinary treasure. She had believed wholeheartedly in the Infinity Stone's existence, convinced that it was their duty to locate and safeguard it. Salim, on the other hand, had always been the more pragmatic of the two, dismissing the stories as nothing more than fairy tales meant to entertain and excite young minds.

"The Infinity Stone?" Salim scoffed, his fingers curling into tight fists at his sides. "You're still clinging to that childhood nonsense?" He shook his head in utter disbelief. "I thought you'd have grown out of that by now."

Vanessa's eyes narrowed, a flash of irritation crossing her delicate features. "It's not a fairy tale, Salim. It's real, and I'm going to prove it." She stepped closer, her voice taking on an edge of desperation. "You have to believe me. This stone, it has the power to see into the future, to protect us from the darkness that's coming. I have to find it, for our family's sake."

Salim held up a hand, silencing her. "Save it, Vanessa. I'm not buying into your delusions." He turned away, unable to look at her any longer, his jaw set in a hard line. "You abandoned us, your family, your crew, for some mythical stone that doesn't even exist. How can I ever trust you again?"

Vanessa's expression hardened, her lips pressed into a thin, unyielding line. "You just can't remember, can you?" she murmured, a trace of sadness in her voice. "But it's alright. In time, you will." She chuckled then, the sound hollow and devoid of any real humor.

Salim whirled around, his brow furrowed in utter confusion. "What the hell are you talking about, Vanessa? Remember what?"

But Vanessa simply shook her head, a mischievous smirk playing on her full, crimson lips. "All in due time, baby brother. We're just waiting." She glanced over at Salim's right-hand man, Draven, who had been silently observing the exchange, his expression guarded. "I'll be seeing you all around," Vanessa purred, her voice dripping with a seductive undertone.

Draven remained silent, but Salim could see the concern etched in his features. As Vanessa turned to leave, Salim called out, "Vanessa, wait!" But she was already gone, the door slamming shut behind her with a resounding thud that echoed through the loft.