Serenade in a Coffee Cup

The Reckoning Begins

The rain poured heavily, the rhythmic patter against the windows the only sound in Apinan's sleek black car as it sped through the darkened streets. His face was unreadable, but beneath the surface, a storm raged. The betrayal cut deep, and the man who once believed he held all the cards now sat seething with rage and frustration.

The car pulled up to a grand estate, its lights casting an eerie glow in the midst of the storm. Apinan wasted no time, exiting the vehicle and heading straight for his private office. The heavy oak doors slammed behind him as he entered, the quiet of the room offering no comfort. His hands trembled slightly as he poured himself a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid swirling in the glass as his mind raced.

"They think they've outsmarted me... her, that little rockstar and her pitiful girlfriend," Apinan muttered under his breath, pacing the length of his office.

His eyes darted to the large painting hanging on the wall, the one that concealed his most precious secrets a safe filled with documents that had kept him untouchable all these years. He stared at it for a long moment, then turned away with a sneer.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. Not to me. Not after everything I've built," he growled, his fingers tightening around the glass. "Bright... that fool. He should've known better than to let his obsession cloud his judgment. But now, they've played him like a pawn. They're all in this together."

He slammed the glass onto his desk, the sound echoing through the empty room.

"But I'll find out who did this... who set me up. I'll find every single one of them and make them regret the day they crossed me." His voice was low, dripping with venom. "No one gets away with this. I won't just take back what's mine I'll crush them, make them beg for mercy."

Apinan sank into his chair, the weight of his rage settling on his shoulders. His mind whirred with thoughts of revenge, each one more vicious than the last. His fingers drummed against the desk, the quiet ticking of his watch the only sound as the storm outside continued to rage.

"And when I find out who orchestrated this... there will be no mercy. I'll bury them all."

Bright's face was twisted in fury, his eyes blazing with wild desperation as the SBB agents dragged him through the front entrance. His hands were bound behind his back, but that didn't stop him from shouting, his voice echoing through the hall.

"You think this is over?!" he yelled, his voice cracking. "You think you've won? I'll end you! You hear me, Ling? You and that pathetic excuse for a girlfriend!"

Orm and Ling stood a few feet away, Ling's arm protectively wrapped around Orm's waist as they watched him being led away. The crowd had thinned, with most of the attendees still reeling from the raid, whispers and murmurs filling the air.

But Bright's words cut through it all.

"You won't get away with this!" Bright screamed, thrashing against the agents. "I'll come for both of you! You're nothing without me!"

Orm felt Ling's arm tighten around her, a reassuring gesture as she leaned in, whispering in Orm's ear, "Let him bark. His time is up."

Bright's eyes locked onto them, wild and full of hate. "You're mine, Orm! You always were!"

Ling stepped forward, just enough to make her presence felt. Her eyes burned with an intensity that made Bright falter, if only for a second. "She's not yours, Bright," Ling said calmly, her voice steady. "She never was."

Before Bright could retort, one of the agents yanked him back. "That's enough," the agent growled, shoving him into the waiting vehicle.

As the car doors slammed shut, Bright continued to shout, his threats muffled by the metal and glass. Ling let out a breath, her expression softening as she turned back to Orm. "You okay?" she asked, brushing a strand of hair from Orm's face.

Orm nodded, resting her forehead against Ling's shoulder. "I'm better now."

The cold, sterile room was suffocating in its silence. Bright sat slumped in the metal chair, his hands still cuffed in front of him. His hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot from hours of interrogation. Seventeen hours. No food. No water. The agents had been relentless, but Bright had held on—barely.

His mind raced, replaying the events of the night over and over. He had been set up. He knew it. But by who? And why? His thoughts were interrupted by the creak of the door opening.

He looked up, expecting another agent. Instead, his breath caught in his throat.

Ling walked in, her stride confident, her lips curling into a smirk. She looked every bit the predator as she approached, her eyes never leaving Bright's. He stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest, a mix of rage and disbelief flooding his veins.

"You," he breathed, his voice barely a whisper.

Ling didn't respond at first. She walked slowly, deliberately, around the table, circling him like a tiger circling its prey. Her smirk never wavered as she finally spoke.

"You didn't really think you could win, did you?" she asked, her tone mocking. "You've always been so predictable, Bright. So easy to manipulate."

Bright's hands clenched into fists. "You... you set me up!"

Ling laughed, the sound low and dangerous. "Of course, I did. And you walked right into it. Like the idiot you are."

Bright's face twisted in rage, his body straining against the cuffs as he shouted, "You can't do this to me! I'll—"

"You'll what?" Ling interrupted, her voice cold. "You'll threaten me? You'll try to hurt me? I've already taken everything from you, Bright. Orm, your money, your reputation. You have nothing."

Bright's face turned red, veins bulging in his neck as he tried to break free from the chair, but the cuffs held him in place.

Ling stood up, her eyes glinting with satisfaction. "You think you're still in control, but you're not. You're done. And all because you couldn't stop yourself from messing with my girl."

Her smirk grew wider as she leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "This is what you get for crossing me, Bright. For thinking you could take what's mine. Not only did I take Orm from you, but I took your whole life."

Bright let out an animalistic growl, thrashing in his seat, his face contorted in rage. "You bitch! I'll—"

But before he could finish, the door opened again. Orm stepped inside, her eyes immediately finding Ling's. Without a word, she crossed the room, pulling Ling into a kiss before looking at Bright with disdain.

"Let's go," Orm said softly, her eyes never leaving Bright as she took Ling's hand.

Ling gave Bright one last look, her smirk still in place. "Goodbye, Bright. Enjoy your new reality."

With that, they left, the door clicking shut behind them, leaving Bright alone with his fury.

—•

Author's Note: Hi my favorite people!! How have you been? I really hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did because honestly, this one was by far my favorite to write! I had so much fun with it, and I think you'll feel the same while reading it. Aaand story time! A friend of mine introduced me to this someone, and let's just say, I'm getting to know them... slowly but surely. You know when you meet someone, and the vibe is just there? So yeah so far I feel like we're going to end up in chaos together 😂😂. Either way, it's intriguing, and I'm all in for the fun! Oh and also before I forget, today's song recommendation is Sade - Flow. Trust me, it's a whole mood.