Chapter 32: The First Test

Sabrina barely had time to catch her breath before the real nightmare began.

The following evening, a black envelope was delivered to Knight Industries. There's no sender. No marks. Nathaniel's name is scrawled in red ink.

He opened it without hesitation, eyes narrowing as he read the single slip of paper inside.

"Prove your loyalty. Meet me at midnight. Bring her."

Sabrina's stomach twisted.

Nathaniel's fingers tightened around the paper, his jaw clenching. "He's wasting no time."

Sabrina swallowed hard. "What do you think he wants?"

Nathaniel exhaled sharply, looking at her with an intensity that made her breath hitch. "A demonstration."

She didn't like the sound of that.

Midnight

They arrived at an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The air was thick with the scent of rust and gasoline. Nathaniel kept a protective touch on her lower back as they stepped inside.

Victor was waiting.

He stood near a single chair, a man tied to it—bloodied, bruised, barely conscious.

Sabrina froze.

Nathaniel's face darkened. "What is this?"

Victor smirked. "Your first test, Sabrina." He motioned toward the broken man in the chair. "This man betrayed us. He leaked information to our rivals. He sold us out."

Sabrina's hands curled into fists.

Victor stepped closer, offering her a knife. "Loyalty demands action. Finish him."

Her breath caught. The room spun.

Nathaniel's entire body tensed. "No."

Victor arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Nathaniel's voice was sharp, dangerous. "She's not doing this."

Victor turned back to Sabrina. "Are you going to let him speak for you, dear?"

Sabrina's hands shook as she stared at the blade.

She had known the test would be brutal, but this? Cold-blooded murder?

Victor sighed. "If you can't handle this, then maybe you don't belong here after all." His gaze shifted to Nathaniel. "And if she's not worthy, I'll have no choice but to remove both of you."

Nathaniel was ready to fight, his muscles coiled, but Sabrina knew the truth—Victor had already won. There was no walking away from this.

Her mind raced.

Then, an idea struck her.

She stepped forward, locking eyes with Victor. "You said he betrayed you?"

Victor smirked. "That's right."

"Then why is he still alive?"

Victor tilted his head, intrigued.

Sabrina pressed on. "If he leaked information, wouldn't it be more useful to find out how much he gave away? Who he was working with? Who else he's been talking to?" She met Victor's gaze boldly.

"Killing him now is a waste."

Nathaniel's fingers brushed against hers—silent approval.

Victor stared at her for a long moment before breaking into a slow, amused chuckle. "Clever girl.

He turned to his men. "Take him to the holding room. I want every last bit of information before we dispose of him."

The tension in the room shifted.

Victor turned back to Sabrina, stepping dangerously close. "You passed."

She forced herself to breathe evenly.

Victor's lips curled. "But next time, you won't get to talk your way out."

He left without another word, his men dragging the prisoner away.

As soon as they were alone, Sabrina exhaled shakily.

Nathaniel turned to her, his hands gripping her arms. "Sabrina—"

"I had to," she whispered. "I had no other choice."

His jaw clenched, eyes burning with something deep and raw. "I won't let him push you any further."

She looked up at him, exhaustion weighing on her. "We both know he will."

Nathaniel cupped her face, his touch surprisingly gentle. "Then we find a way out."

Her heart pounded. "Together?"

His lips brushed against hers, soft but filled with unspoken promises. "Always."

But deep down, they both knew—Victor wasn't finished with them yet. And the worst was still to come.