Bella and Caden

Bella was trying to catch her breath. Her heart was pounding, and her hands were still trembling from the adrenaline. She never would have imagined the evening would take such a turn. As she made her way to the restaurant entrance, her colleague, Marc, spotted her immediately.

"Hey, Bella, still hanging around outside? We needed you... Wait, what… Oh my God, what happened to you?!"

He stopped dead in his tracks, noticing her bruised face and disheveled clothes. His expression shifted from surprise to concern as he rushed toward her.

"Bella, talk to me! What happened?"

Bella looked away, her voice trembling slightly.

"Two men... They attacked me."

Marc frowned, confused.

"Two men? But... no one heard anything! How is that possible with so many people in the restaurant?"

"The noise from the kitchen, the customers... It must have drowned out the commotion," she replied in a hoarse voice.

Marc examined her bruised face and let out a deep sigh.

"Come on, I'll help you inside."

He put an arm around her shoulders and helped her walk to the entrance. As soon as they stepped through the door, conversations ceased, and all eyes turned to them. Bella's state left everyone in shock.

"Bella! What happened to you?!" a waitress exclaimed, rushing over.

"My God, you're bleeding!" another shouted.

Questions flew at her, but Bella avoided them all. Her voice was cold, almost detached.

"I'm fine. It's nothing."

The manager stepped in, visibly concerned.

"Bella, you're not fit to work. Go home. Take tomorrow off too."

"But sir, I can—"

"No arguments, Bella. I'll ask Marc and Julie to take you home."

Bella opened her mouth to protest but met her boss's stern gaze. Resigned, she allowed her colleagues to escort her home.

Once back at her apartment, Bella thanked her coworkers before closing the door. Alone, she collapsed onto her couch, unable to hold back the tears she had been suppressing.

She murmured, broken:

"It's over… I can't stay here anymore."

She knew her lies wouldn't hold forever. Her colleagues didn't know the truth: it wasn't two men who had attacked her, but a woman. A woman determined to uncover the truth about her mark.

Bella ran a trembling hand over her forearm, where the cursed symbol was etched.

"I'm a danger to them… If I stay, I'll put them all in harm's way."

Her sobs grew louder. After a while, she got up, her gaze empty, and headed to the bathroom.

The hot water ran over her skin, but her thoughts kept spiraling. Her eyes fixed on her forearm, where the mark of the Libra faintly glowed. She thought back to her attacker's cold words.

"Tell me your sign!"

Bella gritted her teeth and murmured, almost to herself:

"Libra, huh? What a curse…"

Meanwhile, Caden sat on his bed, his gaze lost in thought. His fingers absentmindedly brushed against his own mark, the mark of a Lion, which almost seemed to burn under his skin. He grabbed his phone, worried about Bella's silence.

He called her several times, but there was no answer. After a while, he left a voicemail.

"Hey Bella. I hope you're okay. I've tried calling, but you're not answering. I guess you're already asleep… I just wanted to say that no matter what happens, you're not alone. I'm here, and I'll always be here for you. If you're not feeling up to the performance tomorrow, it's okay. But if it's your last time, give it your all. You're the best. Talk to you tomorrow."

In the morning, Bella woke up, still haunted by the previous night. She looked at herself in the mirror and noticed that her injuries were starting to heal, thanks to her powers.

"At least that's one good thing," she murmured with a sigh.

She got ready quickly and left her apartment. While waiting for the bus, she checked her phone and saw Caden's missed calls and voicemail. As she listened to it, a smile spread across her face.

"He's really too sweet…" she whispered, smiling.

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out to her.

"Bella!"

She looked up and saw Caden across the street. Without thinking, she ran to him and threw herself into his arms.

"Whoa, easy!" he laughed, almost losing his balance from her enthusiasm.

Bella hugged him tightly, tears in her eyes.

"Thank you… for your message. It meant so much to me."

Caden held her close for a moment before letting her go gently, a sincere smile on his face.

"I'm just glad to see you smiling. Are you feeling better?"

Bella nodded, beaming.

"Yes, I am. Thanks."

Caden took her hand, his smile warm.

"Good. Come on, we'll miss the bus."

They got on the bus together, talking and laughing. But in the shadows, another threat loomed.

At school, as they stepped off the bus, Morgane, a student with a sinister smile, watched them from the entrance.

"We'll see if you're ready for rehearsal, Bella…"​