Chapter 7 – When the Mark Whispers
Danny couldn't sleep.
Every time he closed his eyes, he felt it—that thing beneath his left eye.
At first, it was just a faint black mark, shaped like a small, mocking grin. But by morning, it had deepened, the edges curling upward as if it were alive.
Worse still, it began to whisper.
Not in his ears… but inside his head.
Soft, seductive… dangerous.
"Smile wider, Danny… Smile until it hurts…"
He stood in front of the mirror again, his hands trembling, eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep.
His reflection looked worse than ever—skin pale, lips cracked and bloodied from the forced smile that refused to fade.
But what terrified him most was the mark.
It was bigger now, stretching toward his temple like a second mouth trying to open.
And then, right before his eyes, the mark moved.
It curled upward into a wider grin, perfectly mimicking the tortured smile on his lips.
His phone buzzed.
📧 FROM: Fate Exchange"Agent Wong, please prepare for emotional volatility. Phase One of Adaptation Process: Initiated."
📄 Side Effects:
Emotional Instability: Active
Suppressed Aggression: Leaking
Soul Mark Growth: Irreversible
"Irreversible…?"
Danny stumbled back from the mirror, his mind spiraling into chaos.
His vision blurred. His heartbeat slammed against his skull like a war drum.
Suddenly, loud banging came from his apartment door.
"Wong! Open up! I know you're in there!"
It was his old debt collector, Marcus Chao—the same man who'd hounded him for months when he was broke, humiliating him in public, threatening to beat him half to death if he didn't pay up.
Danny's fists clenched.
The mark under his eye burned hot, and in his head, the voice grew louder.
"Why are you still afraid, Danny? You're powerful now. Show him who you really are…"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Last warning, you piece of garbage! I'll break this door down!"
Danny's head snapped toward the door, his eyes glassy, his permanent grin twitching unnaturally.
He didn't even remember walking toward it.
One moment, he was trembling in fear—
The next, his hand was already on the doorknob.
His lips moved on their own.
"Come in, Marcus… I've been waiting for you…"
The door swung open.
Marcus stepped inside, his towering frame filling the doorway.
But the moment his eyes met Danny's smile—
He froze.
"Wh-what the hell's wrong with your face…?" Marcus stammered, stepping back.
The mark under Danny's eye pulsed, and a second voice—low and guttural—echoed through the small apartment.
"Smile for him, Danny… then break him."
Danny felt his body move before his mind caught up.
His hands grabbed Marcus by the throat with unnatural strength, lifting the larger man off his feet.
Marcus's face turned purple, legs kicking helplessly in the air.
Danny's smile widened to the point of tearing, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth.
In his head, the voice laughed madly.
"Now… feel what power tastes like."
With a final burst of consciousness, Danny's eyes snapped back to clarity.
He dropped Marcus, who collapsed to the floor, gasping and clawing at his bruised neck.
Danny stumbled back, horrified at what he had just done.
His hands… were shaking, but not from fear—
From the high. The thrill. The terrifying rush of control.
His phone vibrated again.
📧 FROM: Fate Exchange"Congratulations, Agent Wong. You've completed your first Phase One dominance event. Your emotional inhibitors will weaken with each subsequent event. Enjoy the power… and remember, every smile has a price."
And with that, the mark under his eye stretched into a full, grinning slit—
And this time… it whispered his name aloud. Out loud. In the room.
"Danny…"
🎬 [End of Chapter 7]