| M Y S T E R Y - S H O T S |

Sirens wailed, shattering the tranquillity of the campus. A growing crowd bore witness to a grisly tableau: three lifeless bodies sprawled on the ground, their blood forming a macabre pool. Initially, it seemed like a tragic accident, a fatal fall from the building's terrace. However, the truth is still concealed.

An ambulance soon arrived, and Lorenzo cradled Anastasia protectively. They were only a few steps away from the lifeless bodies.

Lorenzo couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to regain his lost emotions. Would he experience anger, love, sadness, brokenness, or happiness? These thoughts swirled in his mind as he sat beside Anastasia in the ambulance. Her eyes were closed, and her body had gone limp, causing an unsettling churn in his stomach that threatened to make him sick.

He had witnessed the terror in her eyes, the immense fear she carried, and the trauma she endured. It was an agonizing burden, one he knew was unbearable.

Lorenzo continued to clutch her small hand in his own. Although she wasn't short, there was a good distance between them. 5'5 ft with his tall 6'3 ft figure would look like one. Her body was well-built, with curves in all the right places that could drive any man to madness. Her once-electric blue eyes had faded before she lost consciousness, intensifying the turmoil within him.

"Will she be alright?" Lorenzo anxiously inquired of the nurse seated beside him in the ambulance.

"Have patience," she reassured him with a calm demeanour. "She's fine. She just fainted from shock." With that, she returned her attention to adjusting the medical equipment for others.

Patience. That is what he lacks.

Especially with her.

-----X-----

Ava exuded an air of confidence as she strode around her lavishly furnished office, her crimson high heels clicking against the polished marble floor. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her shoulder, contrasting elegantly with her formal white blouse and a red skirt that shimmered with glistering diamonds adorning her neck and ears. Those exquisite jewels were likely yet another gift from her beloved husband, James.

A few years back, Ava had been seated just outside this very cabin when she joined the Alpha Group as an assistant. Now, she occupied a space in the grand CEO's room. Jealous glances and envious whispers from some of her colleagues, peeking through the blinds of the office windows, but barely registered on her radar. Her gaze roamed the spacious, exquisitely designed cabin, bathed in shades of grey and white.

Previously, only four chairs had adorned this room—the seats of the four Alphas of the company. However, over the years, Ava had manoeuvred her way in, securing a fifth chair in the room, her own. However her chair was a little smaller compared to the others, but she knew it would not be like that any longer. Her fingers traced the elegant armrest of the large chair, and a faint smile played on her lips.

One chair. Immeasurable power.

Ava's phone rang, interrupting her reverie.

"Hello?" She answered with an air of authority. Her expression shifted rapidly with each passing second. Finally, she nodded once before disconnecting the call.

Ava's keen eyes scanned the room, and she noticed the locked drawer beside the imposing desk. A faint furrow creased her perfectly arched brows, but she quickly regained her composure, concealing any hint of frustration. Her manicured finger deftly retrieved a small key from her designer handbag.

With practised ease, she inserted the key into the lock and turned it with a soft click. The drawer slid open smoothly. Inside, she found several neatly organized stacks of files, each containing secrets and information vital to her ambitions.

Ava meticulously sifted through the files, her manicured nails grazing each document until she finally pulled out one.

The one she was looking for.

----X----

Hardin occupied his expansive, dimly lit room. A large window stood before him, revealing a city drenched in constant rain, its lights flickering through the darkness. The occasional thunderclap no longer made him flinch.

In days gone by, he would have curled up into a human ball on his bed and waited for the storm to pass. But not today.

His left hand bore a white plaster cast. He glanced at it briefly, triggering a rush of memories.

FLASHBACK:

Hardin found himself standing in line for the restroom when Kevin and his cronies abruptly yanked him out of it. This was nothing new; he had been bullied before, and he knew he would be bullied again. Nothing would ever change. Hardin was well aware that he wasn't as courageous as his brother or father, and that fact earned their disdain, tarnishing the Maroni name.

Even though Lorenzo and Mark offered him help, he knew he was weak and could never win against them.

"You're a Maroni, huh?" Kevin sneered.

Hardin remained silent. He always did in these situations. Bullies preferred their victims to be seen and not heard.

"Answer me, you stupid motherfucker!" Kevin yelled, causing Hardin to flinch involuntarily.

Terrified, he nodded. He didn't dare look them in the eyes.

"Now that you've become a pain in our ass, it's better to get rid of you," Kevin declared. He knew they were drunk, so Hardin dared not utter a single word. He believed that the more they bullied him, the closer he was to the end of it all.

Then, a female cry pierced the air, and Hardin turned to see Shawn dragging a frightened girl onto the rooftop. She appeared just as scared as he felt. Hardin understood that, like him, she was another victim. He turned his attention back to the bullies, unsure of what they had planned.

"Your stupid brother had the nerve to slap me!" Kevin raged. "And he threatened that we should stay the fuck away from you!"

Hardin had no idea when his brother had paid a visit, but he knew it wasn't out of concern. It was because Morris, like their father, cared too much about his reputation. Unlike Hardin, Morris had always been their father's favourite.

"And only because of you, Oliver had kicked us out of his group!"

This news was also a revelation to Hardin, but he continued to stand in silence.

"The only way to get back into his group is to prove ourselves worthy," Sam chimed in, while Shawn kept the girl captive in his grip. Hardin had no inkling of what they had in mind.

"The way to do that is with your help, Hardin," Kevin said.

Hardin slowly looked up at Kevin, who loomed over him in every way. Kevin's bloodshot eyes sent shivers down his spine.

"So, tell me, won't you help us, hmm?"

Not sure how to respond, Hardin glanced around at the menacing faces surrounding him. In response, they erupted into laughter, finding his fear highly amusing.

"In return, we would help you to become a man, Hardin."

None of these words were making any sense to Hardin at that time. He looked at the girl and silently looked back at them. His brows frowned in confusion.

Shawn pushed the girl in front and she landed on the floor. A small yelp left her lips. Seeing that, Kevin, Sam and Shawn burst into laughter.

Kevin stared Hardin down and said, "All you have to do is man up and fuck this girl. Show that you're a true Marroni, and I promise we'll never touch you again."

Hardin's eyes widened in shock and terror, mirroring the girl's horrified expression.

"You see, Bella here is a very beautiful girl, a perfect match for you," Shawn added, laughing at their expense. "We might even make sure you two end up as the poster couple of the year!"

Hardin remained silent, his hands and legs frozen, his heart pounding in his chest like a drum threatening to collapse at any moment.

"Do it, you fucker!" Kevin yelled, pointing a gun at Hardin. He had no idea when Kevin got a gun on this campus. Was it always with him? Hardin's mind went blank. He looked down at Bella, who cried in fear. Both of them knew they had no power against these three. All they could do was wait, hoping that someone would find them and save them or, in the worst-case scenario, accept their fate.

"Do it, or I'll shoot, goddamn it!" Kevin yelled again, his anger evident in his eyes. Hardin's legs moved mechanically, taking one step at a time, inching closer to Bella. Meanwhile, Shawn took out his phone, opened the camera, and began filming their torment.

"N-No, please!" Bella pleaded, knowing that their pleas would likely go unheard. Hardin knelt before her, his trembling hands moving toward Bella. He was painfully aware that Kevin's gun was just inches from his head, ready to fire at the slightest sign of defiance.

"Shut up!" Kevin roared at Bella. "Thank us that we didn't decide to hand you both over to Mr. X. We could have left no hope to live after that," he confessed in his drunk state. "So, just do the damn thing and let us record and show how much of an asshole this fucker is. That's how I'll show Oliver that Kevin is no less than him when it comes to power." He sighed in anger. His eyes were bloodshot red with anger as he pushed the gun's barrel against Hardin's head, saying, "Do it!"

Closing his eyes for one last time, Hardin prayed for a miracle.

A sudden thud interrupted Hardin's desperate prayers. He looked around to see a cloaked figure, face obscured by a hood, standing before them. Without hesitation, the cloaked figure delivered a powerful kick to Kevin's gut, sending him sprawling in agony. Shawn and Sam shot angry glares at the mysterious intruder before launching themselves at him, but within a few swift and fluid movements, the intruder had incapacitated them.

It was easier dealing with them when they were drunk, and the cloaked figure had seized the opportunity.

"Who the fuck are you?" Kevin shouted between groans of pain. "Do you know who I am? I can ruin you, you bitch!"

However, the cloaked figure remained unfazed, a towering presence that seemed impervious to their threats. Sam attempted to throw a punch, but the figure effortlessly dodged and, seizing his arm, slammed it into the nearby wall, causing blood to flow from Sam's injured hand. He cried out in agony.

Seizing their chance, Shawn tried to rush at the intruder, but it was futile. They were drunk and their balance was off. The mysterious figure delivered a powerful elbow to Shawn's spine, causing a sickening crack as bones snapped.

Fear briefly flickered in Kevin's eyes. "W-who are you?" he stammered, this time his voice quivering in fear. As the cloaked figure slowly advanced toward him with predatory grace, Kevin's fear intensified. Suddenly remembering the gun, which lay nearby, he grabbed it and aimed it at the intruder.

But before he could pull the trigger, the cloaked figure lunged at him, effortlessly wresting the gun from his grasp and hurling him off the terrace. Kevin's eyes widened in shock and terror as he plummeted to the ground below. Within seconds, the cloaked figure allowed Shawn and Sam to join their doomed comrade.

That was it. Kevin, Sam, and Shawn met their deaths. Hardin had been a witness to it all. The mysterious saviour had just taken three lives, and Hardin couldn't help but fear him. His face remained hidden in the shadows, and nobody knew who he was. If he could kill them, he could kill Hardin too.

As the cloaked figure approached him, Hardin's legs gave way, and he ended up on the ground. The figure crouched down, facing him, and took hold of Hardin's right hand. For the first time, he spoke, his voice as chilling as his actions, "Every time your head bows down to a bully and your hand touches a girl, remember my words: Either you break their bones, or I break yours."

A sharp, bone-cracking sound followed, and Hardin cried out in pain. The mysterious figure then departed, leaving Bella and Hardin alone on the terrace. Nobody dared to uncover the identity of this enigmatic saviour or speculate where he might be headed next.

Who was he?

The door cracked open breaking Hardin's thought, and one of the Marroni's maids stepped inside. Hardin turned around to meet her gaze.

"Young master," she informed, "someone has come to visit you."

-----X-----

A/N: When the criminal begins to believe he holds more power than God, that's when the Devil descends.

Thank you for reading this book. I hope you have enjoyed it. See ya next week.