Miracle's awakening
That evening, Liora met with Rachel and Daran, who wore displease as the accessories on their face.
"Tell us what happened?" Rachel finally asked, watching as Liora kept her head down, not daring to meet their eyes. The disappointment in their expressions was palpable. Daran, leaning back against the chair, kept his hands in his trouser pockets, one leg stretched out, the other crossed over his foot, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Liora.
Liora hesitated before looking up at Daran. There was something different about how he looked at her today, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Rachel, who enjoyed kicking people's asses in the basement without hesitation, was wearing a serious expression, her focus solely on Liora too.
"I...I slipped in the cafeteria, and my food fell on Rihana." She took a deep breath before explaining everything—how she had been sent to B1. "I-I didn't know it would turn into—"
Before she could finish, Rachel cut her off with her sharp voice. "You're not careful enough, Liora. I'm starting to wonder if coming to Valtham was a good idea for someone as naive as you."
Rachel's words hit her harder than she expected. Liora's throat tightened as she met Rachel's gaze, only to find that every word was meant sincerely. A lump formed in her stomach.
Rachel exchanged a glance with Daran before continuing, her voice quieter but no less harsh. "How do you plan to avenge your father's death if you keep getting caught up in trivial matters?"
The undeniable truth in her words cut deeper than any insult. It was worse than being called a gold digger or a whore. It was worse than anything. It made her feel small like she had been tossed in the sea of doubt, drowning in the waves of inadequacy, unable to grasp simple tasks.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause trouble," Liora murmured, her fingers clutching the fabric of her sleeves tightly as if holding on to something tangible could anchor her spinning thoughts.
Rachel didn't soften. "You're not focused enough, Liora. I'm worried about you. If you keep this up, you'll end up dying at the hands of the wrong people."
Daran shot Rachel a look for her blunt words and Liora's widened eyes showed more surprise than offence. Rachel's intensity reminded her of Silvia, of the cold words she had once thrown at her, cutting her down when she was already bleeding. Telling her to die just like her father. Liora's frown deepened. That memory stoked the fire inside her.
"I won't die before I get justice for my father," Liora said, her voice steady, her eyes burning with a mix of anger and unshakable determination. Rachel was wrong. Liora knew she was wrong. She wouldn't die—not before she avenged her father.
Daran finally spoke, his voice firm but calm. "We only want you to stay focused and safe, Liora. You could have died today. The path you have chosen leaves no room for mistakes, as you saw today—you were this close to..."
He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't have to. Both Rachel and Liora knew precisely what he meant. The reality of it settled heavily in Liora's chest. She had barely escaped. She could've been gone just like that. And they were right.
Rachel crossed her arms, exhaling through her nose, her frustration barely concealed. "Those guys—those Trio—aren't just rich, Liora. They hold a name on campus, in Valtham... and their girlfriends? Their families? They're involved in things you don't even want to know about." Rachel scoffed, shaking her head. Rihana might act sweet in front of others, but she's dangerous.....even worse than Pearl.
Rachel hesitated for a moment, considering saying more but biting it back before taking Pearl's name. Liora would eventually find out about Pearl. That was inevitable. Either Pearl would be killed by Caspian before she gets to Liora, or Pearl would make her move first, the day she learns about Caspian feelings for Liora. That was a drama worth watching. Rachel thought. A bloodbath is waiting to happen. Rachel glanced at Daran with the curiosity flickering in her sharp eyes.
How will Daran save Liora from all of this? How long before Liora realized she was standing in the middle of a battlefield without knowing which direction the bullets were coming from? And made everything enjoyable for Rachel.
"I will be careful," Liora said with determination. She pulled out her phone, showing them the screen. "I recorded Sven's conversation. He's recruiting more victims through his previous victims as payment."
Daran and Rachel both arched their brows at the revelation, exchanging glances.
"That's dope," Rachel muttered, impressed.
Daran nodded slightly before turning to Rachel. "See? I told you. You're underestimating Liora."
Liora didn't want to dwell on what had happened with Rihana anymore. That was the past. Sven was what mattered now. She steered the conversation away, focusing on the real threat, the one they had been trying to take down.
The three of them huddled closer, discussing every detail and crafting a strategy to expose Sven and have him sent to an asylum. It was ambitious, but it was their best shot.
Daran and Rachel, however, had their own hidden agendas and plans, which neither had voiced out loud yet.
But were they truly prepared? Were they absolutely sure their scheme would play out as intended?
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Once Liora was in her room, she laid down and called her mother, just as she did every night. She couldn't sleep alone, so she would call her mother—just like she used to call Caspian when her mother wasn't there. Caspian would keep her company the whole night on an audio call.
She wished she could do a video call, but she couldn't bring herself to face a camera. Ever since that camping night, she had stayed away from them.
"Mama, I miss you."
"I miss you too, Liora. It's not too late to come back to Avalon. I don't mind losing the money. You know that, right, sweetie?"
Liora chuckled softly, warmth filling her chest at her mother's unconditional love. "Yes, Mama, I know. But I can't, and I'm sorry. But once I finish my studies, I will never ever stay away from you. We'll be together forever," she promised her mother with determination.
"Of course, we will always live together. And I'm sure Daran will appreciate a good mother-in-law," her mother teased Liora.
Liora nearly choked on air. She coughed, eyes widening at her mother's words. How could she forget that her mother still believed she and Daran were getting married? The thought sent a wave of guilt through her. What would happen when her mother found out the truth? The moment she did, Liora was certain she'd take the next flight to Valtham and drag her back home.
No! It wasn't the time to tell her. Not yet!
They spoke for over an hour, and eventually, Liora drifted into sleep, hoping—praying—she wouldn't get nightmares like she did every other night.
She barely slept well. Every two or three hours, she would wake up, heart pounding, drenched in sweat from the recurring nightmares of that camping night. The last time she had slept soundly was the night she watched the bike race. And now, she longed for that kind of peace again.
Amara waited until her daughter Liora had fallen asleep before she disconnected the call. Tonight, she couldn't stay on for long. She sighed, pushing open a heavy door and stepping into the darkened room where Miracle and Dane were waiting for her. Amara wasn't at home—she was here, in their hidden space, assembling names that mattered. Names that needed saving.
Miracle sat in the dim glow of a single desk lamp, fingers gliding over the keyboard like an artist painting on a canvas. A steaming mug of strong black coffee rested in one hand, untouched.
"Miracle, how's it going?" Amara's voice broke through the tense silence.
Miracle swivelled her chair to face them, her grey-blue eyes flickering with sharp awareness. "I've already listed the people they're targeting. Gambino's men have discovered that a woman is going up against them. So now, they're targeting all the women who have been victimized by them. Fortunately, thanks to the Chairman, you're still off their radar. But the others? They're not so lucky."
Amara's expression hardened after hearing the information.
"Gambino is paranoid for sure," Dane muttered, shaking his head.
Miracle handed them three thick documents, each filled with names and addresses. "These are the ones you guys need to protect. And there's more coming up."
Dane took one of the documents, his fingers tightening as he read through the list, while Miracle turned back to her screens, typing at an almost inhuman speed.
Miracle had a striking presence—slim, her tanned skin marked by noticeable beauty marks and intricate tattoos covering her arms and shoulders. Her jet-black hair was styled in an asymmetrical bob, longer on one side, falling over her collarbone. But it was her grey-blue eyes that drew people in—calculating, sharp, constantly scanning, always searching.
She was once a key player in an organized cybercrime ring. Her crew were skilled thieves and infiltrators. They stole money, erased records, and uncovered secrets that people would kill to keep hidden. They were working for rich clients.
However, one day, a shift occurred within her. She woke up with a heavy weight behind her ribs, finding herself in an awakened state. The thrill that once accompanied her with each hack was gone, replaced by guilt. Stealing money from hard-working individuals no longer gave her the satisfaction it once did. Instead, it left a bitter impression.
So she made a choice.
Rather than prey on the weak, she focused on the true predators—the wealthy elite. The ones hoarding power, the ones who thought themselves untouchable.
One fine morning, sitting in a rectangular-shaped room with tinted windows, the rays of sunlight rarely filtered through. Miracle stood and asked her team for their attention.
"I think we need to change our targets. Why don't we focus on the wealthy elite? They are the ones hiding real secrets," she proposed.
Ruth, the leader, known as Ruthless for a reason, had stood up slowly, towering over her, casting a shadow that swallowed her whole.
"Are you out of your mind, Miracle?" he thundered. "Most of our clients are rich people. You want to bite the hand that feeds us?"
Miracle stood her ground, though a part of her was trembling inside. "It's not right to keep stealing from those who can't afford it, Ruth. We need to make a change."
Ruth's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing to slits. His voice dropped to a low, "If you touch any rich clients or even think of leaving the group, we'll expose you to everyone. Don't think we won't do it, Miracle."
The rest of the team sat at their computers, and their faces were expressionless. The clacking of keyboards continued.
Unable to change the minds of his teammates, Miracle decided one night she had had enough. She gathered as much cash as she could and planned to run away from her team.
But her escape did not go as planned. Her former teammates found out and chased her, alerting small gangs they had stolen money from and even the police. Miracle became a wanted woman. In the chaos, the cash she had was stolen from her.
"Karma," she thought bitterly.
With nothing but a gold chain around her neck, Miracle sold it for some money and fled from Russia, eventually hiding in Italy.
Three months had passed, and her situation had become dire without a job. She did not speak Italian, and no one was ready to hire her.
She was out of money and hadn't eaten anything for four days. She roamed the streets one cold night, hoping to find some discarded food on the streetsides.
Her vision blurred, and the world turned black. She collapsed on the sidewalk.
When she began to regain consciousness, she felt an unfamiliar warmth and comfort surrounded by the soft scent of vanilla and linen. For a moment, she thought she might be dreaming.
The harsh cold and hunger of the past four months had been unforgiving, and this sudden warmth felt almost unreal.
She slowly opened her eyes and found herself in a cosy room wrapped in soft blankets. She blinked, trying to clear her head and make sense of her surroundings.
And a kind face came into view. A man sat beside her, watching her with quiet concern. Dane.
"Hey, you're awake," he said, his voice gentle, steady. "I found you passed out. You looked like you needed help."
The tears filled Miracle's eyes as she tried to speak, but her voice was barely a whisper. "Thank you... I thought I was going to die out there."
Dane shook his head. "You are fine now. I have prepared some warm soup for you."
Over the next few days, Miracle slowly recovered her strength. Dane arranged a job for her and a place to stay through his contacts. She worked at DHL, delivering packages door to door.
She tried to save as much money as she could. She spent very little and bought food from the supermarket, which had discounts. She would buy second-hand clothing from a thrift shop.
Finally, her savings paid off. The day came when she bought the computer and gadgets she needed to destroy her former hacker team.
When Dane joined Amara for her vengeance, she was introduced to Miracle, who helped them expose Gambino's web crime business. She played a key role in destroying Gambino's web crime business.
Amara placed the lunch and dinner boxes on the table with a gentle thud. "Eat it all and send me a video of you finishing every bite."
Miracle frowned, looking at Dane, a hint of playful annoyance in her eyes.
"Don't look at me like that. You know how sensitive she is these days." Dane whispered to Miracle. "She's even making me eat double the amount since Liora left for L.A.", Dane said while giving a smile to Amara.
Dane's heart ached at the thought of Liora so far away. He missed being able to drop her off at school and pick her up. He was even planning to drop her and pick her up from college. He did not care what other students or Liora would say. He wanted to ensure her safety. In Dane's eyes, she would always remain a 10-year-old child.
Miracle could see the longing in his eyes and felt a little empathy for him. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy towards Liora.
Unlike Liora, Miracle had never experienced the warmth of a loving family. Throughout her upbringing, until the age of 16, she endured the relentless physical and emotional abuse inflicted by her parents and two brothers whenever they were frustrated.
On one harrowing occasion, she found herself getting strangled by her own father. To protect herself, she did something unthinkable and ran away from home. She found Ruth on the street recruiting his future teammates among desperate youngsters.
Shaking her thoughts away, she changed the topic. "Watch your weight, Dane," she teased, trying to lighten the mood. "It won't be easy to fight the Gambino family if you're not as fit as their men and children."
The next day, each female on Marco and Gabriela's list received a seemingly innocuous postcard in the mail.