A Shadow in the Dark

The Docks – Midnight

The water was eerily still.

Belle stood near an abandoned warehouse, hands deep in the pockets of her coat, waiting.

Serena was late.

She checked the burner phone again—no new messages.

Doubt crept into her mind.

What if Serena had betrayed her?

What if she had run straight to Giovanni?

Or worse—what if Dante had found out?

A gust of wind sent shivers down Belle's spine.

Then—footsteps.

She tensed, reaching for the knife hidden in her sleeve.

"It's me."

Serena's voice was barely a whisper as she emerged from the shadows.

Belle's grip on the knife loosened.

"You're late."

Serena exhaled. "I had to make sure I wasn't followed."

Belle's eyes narrowed. But were you?

She scanned their surroundings, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.

Something felt...off.

"Did you tell anyone about our meeting?"

Serena shook her head. "No. But I think Giovanni's watching me more closely now."

Belle clenched her jaw.

If Giovanni was watching Serena, that meant they were both running out of time.

"Then we need to move fast."

Serena hesitated.

"What exactly do you want from me, Belle?"

Belle met her gaze.

"I want an end to this war. And I need someone close to Giovanni to make that happen."

Serena swallowed hard.

"You want me to betray my own brother."

"I want you to survive." Belle's voice was steady.

"You think Giovanni will protect you forever? The second you become a liability, you're dead. You know that, don't you?"

Serena's face paled.

She did know.

Belle took a step closer.

"Help me, Serena. And I promise you, when this is over, you'll still be alive."

Silence stretched between them.

Then—Serena nodded.

"What do I need to do?"

---

The Watcher in the Shadows

Unbeknownst to them, someone was watching.

Hidden in the darkness, Dante's man crouched behind a stack of crates, his phone raised as he recorded the entire exchange.

He didn't need to listen to every word to know the truth.

Belle hadn't killed Serena.

She had betrayed Dante.

The man smirked, slipping his phone into his pocket.

"Boss is gonna love this."

He turned to leave—

And walked straight into a blade.

A soft gurgle escaped his lips as Belle's knife sank deep into his throat.

Blood gushed over her hands as she held him, eyes cold.

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice?" she whispered.

The man's body twitched, then went still.

Belle exhaled, shoving him to the ground.

Serena's breath hitched.

"You—You just—"

"We were being followed." Belle wiped the blood off her knife.

She turned to Serena.

"Change of plans. Now we have to disappear before Dante realizes he's missing a man."

Serena swallowed hard but nodded.

Belle took one last look at the lifeless body before stepping into the night.

She had just crossed another line.

And this time, there was no coming back.