Chapter 37: Change of Plans

Loud knocks shattered the lingering euphoria.

Tiffany exhaled sharply, stepping down from the bed, her bare feet landing softly on the floor. She cracked the door open just enough to see who it was.

George.

Relief flickered through her, and she pulled the door wider to let him inside.

"You know I'm in the middle of the ceremony." Her voice was edged with irritation.

George didn't seem fazed. "Is he dead yet?"

Tiffany shook her head, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "Not yet. He's unconscious, but I already cut off his balls." She glanced back at the bed where Yuan lay, blood pooling between his thighs. "I was about to stab him, but then you knocked."

George grunted. "Apologies, señorita, but a message came through your phone."

Tiffany arched a brow. "Who called?"

"The Dragons."

Her stomach tightened. 'Those motherfuckers.'

She turned to fully face George, her interest piqued. "What do they want? I haven't revealed myself to them. How do they know who I am?"

George hesitated, then finally said, "It's Marie Joyce, señorita."

Tiffany's blood ran cold. "What about Marie?"

George's eyes flickered to Yuan's limp, bloodied body, his expression unreadable. Though the man on the bed had a good reputation within the Brotherhood, George had always known his loyalty belonged to her—Tiffany, the rightful heir. He had sworn to her mother long ago that he would protect the young señorita, and he was willing to follow her to the ends of the earth to do so.

"Your friend has been kidnapped."

Tiffany's stomach clenched. The composure she had fought to maintain cracked instantly.

"Fuck!" she snapped, her voice loud enough to make George flinch.

"Calm down, señorita."

"Don't tell me to calm down, George!" she hissed, pacing the room. "Those bastards will hurt Marie!"

Before she could spiral further, her phone rang. The sharp sound made both of them tense.

With a swift motion, Tiffany snatched the device, barely noticing the blood smearing onto the screen as she answered.

"S-Steffy!"

The voice on the other end was weak, trembling.

Tiffany's heart skipped a beat. "Marie Joyce! Hey, baby girl. Are you okay?"

"T-They made me call you… told me to beg you to save me…" Marie's voice cracked with fear. "But don't come here! I don't want you to come! Please, Steffy, save yourself!"

Her voice was followed by a bloodcurdling scream.

"Fuck!" Tiffany's grip on the phone tightened. Her pulse pounded violently as she heard scuffling, followed by a string of muffled curses in the background. Someone was hurting her.

Just then, a new voice slithered through the speaker.

"Hi, Steffy."

Tiffany's lips curled in pure hatred.

Charlotte.

"You—what did you do to her?" she snarled. "Charlotte, if you touch Marie, I swear to God, I'll kill you. I'll skin you alive, you filthy bitch—"

Charlotte only laughed, the sound infuriatingly smug. "Good luck with that, Steffy."

Tiffany's hand clenched into a fist.

"Meet us at the abandoned building where you got fucked by Teacher Greg at the Acquaintance Party."

Tiffany's breath stilled. "How did you know about that?"

Charlotte's voice turned teasing. "Oh, don't be shy now. I know you remember that place well. Come alone," Charlotte continued, her voice now laced with menace. "Bring anyone with you, and Marie Joyce will die."

Tiffany's nostrils flared. "Who's behind this?"

"You'll meet him soon enough. But don't waste time, little heiress. Tick-tock, tick-tock! The Dragons—especially the Headmaster—are getting impatient."

Tiffany's hand trembled as the line went dead.

"Dragons," she whispered to herself, realization settling in. "Charlotte is part of the Dragon Brotherhood."

Her mind raced. She had planned to finish Yuan's execution properly to send a message to the Alphas. His body was supposed to be delivered to the Brotherhood as her declaration of war.

But Marie…

She couldn't waste time. Tiffany's chest tightened as she imagined her friend in the hands of those men.

"They'll kill Marie if they don't get what they want," she murmured.

"So what are you going to do now?" George asked, though he already knew the answer.

Tiffany's gaze flickered to Yuan's motionless body.

'Change of plans.'

She turned to George. "I need to fly back to Southern Isla immediately. I'll take my private jet."

"I'm going with you," George said instantly, no hesitation in his tone.

Tiffany's eyes drifted to Yuan. Still alive but barely.

"No." She met George's gaze. "Take him to the Brotherhood. Tell them what I did to their favorite."

George stiffened. "This will start a revolution, señorita."

Tiffany smirked darkly. "Then let it."

George ran a hand through his graying hair, pacing before sighing deeply. "I'll call Elizabeth to take care of him," he finally said, though his voice carried hesitation. "Then I'll join you."

"George—"

"You know where my loyalty lies, señorita."

Tiffany inhaled sharply. "Fine," she relented. "In that case… call your brother."

George blinked. "Joselito?"

"Yes." She nodded, her mind already forming a new plan. "If we're going to attack the Dragons, we'll need explosives. And Joselito knows exactly where to get them."