CHAPTER 7 SNIPER SNIPER SNIPER

Chaos erupted.

Akhil spun, shouting orders, guns raised, but another shot rang out—clean, precise, deadly.

The man next to him dropped.

A sniper.

But not just any sniper.

Her.

She hadn't sold me out.

She had just set them up instead.

I stood still, the situation sinking in. My heart was racing, but not from fear—something else was stirring inside me.

BANG!

The sharp sound of a sniper's rifle echoed through the air. Arun's head jerked back, and before I could blink, he hit the ground. Blood splattered everywhere, painting the concrete.

Akhil turned, his eyes wide in shock, trying to find where the shot came from. But before he could move, another shot rang out. This time, it hit Akhil in the chest. He gasped, stumbling back, then collapsed.

The air was filled with chaos, but I didn't even feel it. I was too focused on what had just happened.

Where did that shot come from?

I scanned the rooftops, looking for the shooter. And then I saw her.

Sera.

She was standing there, barely visible in the shadows, her rifle aimed at the chaos below.

My heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, everything else faded. The fear, the anger—none of it mattered anymore.

Our eyes met across the street. And she grinned.

It was a smile full of mystery, like she knew something I didn't. Something powerful.

I felt a rush, but at the same time, I couldn't ignore the bitterness in me. She had played me. But right now, I didn't care. The fight was far from over, and my men were already finishing off the rest of the enemies.

But all I could think about was her.

Her smile hit me like a punch. It wasn't the smile of someone who had betrayed me—it was something else.

I wanted to be angry. I wanted to shout at her for playing me. But part of me couldn't help feeling something else. It was like a fire had been lit inside me, something I didn't expect.

I forced myself to focus.

"Get them," I said, pointing to my men. "Finish this."

But even as I said the words, my eyes kept going back to her. Sera.

Sera's POV

I focused on my rifle, steadying my breath as I lined up my first shot. Isaac was the first one.

BANG!

The shot hit him clean. He didn't even get a chance to react before his body hit the ground. He was done. I watched him fall, feeling no guilt—just relief. He deserved it.

I quickly moved my position, watching the rest of the chaos unfold below. Next was Arun.

BANG!

Arun dropped just like that. Blood splattered on the ground, and I didn't feel a thing.

Then came Akhil. The one who had hurt me the most. He had beaten me when I was captured, his fists and cruel words leaving scars I would never forget.

BANG!

Akhil gasped as the bullet hit him in the chest. He fell backward, his body going limp. It was over. The pain he caused me was finally gone.

I stayed low, watching the rest of the fight unfold, but I was watching for one person

Antonio.

I knew he was looking for me. I could feel his eyes searching.

And then, our eyes met.

From across the street, I saw him. His gaze locked with mine, and for a moment, everything else faded. The gunshots, the chaos—it all disappeared. It was just him and me.

My heart raced, but it wasn't fear. It was something else. Something I couldn't ignore.

Antonio.

I wasn't just the woman he thought I was.

I didn't smile, not yet. But I knew he was looking at me differently now. I could see the flicker in his eyes. He wasn't sure what to think, but I could feel the fire between us.

He could hate me, trust me, or be confused.

I gave him one last look, a small grin on my lips, before disappearing back into the shadows. The fight wasn't over, but this moment between us was just the beginning.

I finished clearing up my tracks—that's how I liked it. My shoulder stung, but I ignored the pain. It had been a while since I used my baby like this.

I used to leave a memo among the dead, something to let people know it was my art. But this time, there was no time for that. Thakur had probably already figured out that Sera set the trap, but they still didn't know who I really was. And that was my strength.

I didn't want anyone coming after me. But this time, it would be different. They would find me.

I needed to prepare.

I went back to my home, getting myself ready when suddenly—knock, knock.

That was quick.

I grabbed my gun and moved toward the door, peeking through the peephole.

Antonio.

I unlocked the door and yanked him inside, shutting it behind him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I snapped.

Antonio's jaw was tight, his eyes burning with anger. "I got a better question—who the hell are you? You're not a teacher, and you're sure as hell not an accountant. Who the fuck are you?"

"This isn't the time for us to fight," I said, cutting him off. "What do you have?"

"What do you mean, what do I have? I just chased after you. Are my two hands enough?"

"That depends on your skill."

His glare darkened, dangerous, but I didn't have time for games. Breaking eye contact, I walked over to my armchair, flipping open the hidden compartment. My babies were there, lined up perfectly.

I grabbed one and tossed it to him.

Antonio caught it, his eyes narrowing as he inspected it.

"Uzi," he murmured.

"What?"

He shook his head, gripping it tighter.

"Use it. Tell your men to get here fast—Thakur will be here any minute. They'll knock first, then bust in. You cover the right, I'll take the left. Aim for the head—I don't want to waste bullets. If one of us gets shot, call out a colour as a code."

Antonio frowned. "And you're using an Uzi in close combat?"

"I suck at close combat with an Uzi."

"Then why the hell are you using it?"

I smirked, lifting my shirt slightly to reveal my Smith & Wesson tucked at my waist. "Got something else. Bit old but works wonders."

I felt Antonio's gaze on me, sharp, unreadable. He wasn't just looking at the gun—he was looking at me. Like I was something dangerous.

Whenever our eyes met, the air between us felt charged. Tense. Unspoken things hung heavy between us, but there was no time for that now.

Knock.