Seraphina stepped into her apartment, closing the door behind her. The moment she was alone, she exhaled sharply, pressing her fingers to her temple.
She didn't have to look to know it was there. The mark.
Still, she found herself standing in front of the mirror, eyes locking onto the dark bruise on her neck—the undeniable evidence of Ezrin.
Her fingers brushed over it, and a shiver ran down her spine.
His touch still lingered.
It was nothing like Elias.
Elias's touch had been calculated, testing her boundaries, seeing what she would allow. But Ezrin…
Ezrin didn't ask. He took. He claimed. He erased.
And what disturbed her the most wasn't the bruise itself—it was the way she felt it even now.
Seraphina inhaled sharply, shaking herself out of it. Enough.
She turned away from the mirror, grabbed fresh clothes, and quickly changed into something loose and comfortable, covering the mark.
She slid into bed, but even as exhaustion weighed down her body, sleep didn't come easily.
Every time she closed her eyes, she felt the ghost of his touch, the heat of his breath against her skin.
But she forced herself to sleep.
Tomorrow, she would go to work, act normal, and move forward. Like none of it ever happened.
Next morning, she woke up feeling the what happened yesterday.
She sighed and shrugged the thoughts away.
Seraphina stepped into the Horizon Initiative, her posture composed, her movements controlled. Everything felt the same.
Except her.
She adjusted the high collar of her shirt as she walked toward her office, ensuring not a single trace of last night was visible.
It meant nothing.
That's what she told herself as she moved through the halls, ignoring the phantom sensation of his touch still lingering on her skin.
Her thoughts were sharp, calculated—focused only on work. The case was progressing, and she needed to analyze the next steps, not be distracted by memories she had no business holding onto.
As she entered her office, she exhaled softly, closing the door behind her.
Finally, a moment alone.
She moved toward her desk, reaching for her files, but as she sat down, a sharp pang of awareness hit her.
Something wasn't right.
Her instincts, trained and sharpened over years, screamed at her.
She glanced around, scanning the room, searching for what had set her on edge.
And then—her gaze landed on the single envelope placed neatly on her desk.
It hadn't been there yesterday.
Her fingers hesitated before picking it up. The envelope was unmarked, but the weight of it felt heavy.
Slowly, she opened it.
Inside, there was only one piece of paper.
And the message sent a chill down her spine.
"You were never just an investigator, Seraphina.
You were meant for more.
And I intend to prove it."
She felt the blood drain from her face.
The manipulator had made his move.
Seraphina's fingers tightened around the letter for a split second before she slipped it into her bag, masking her reaction instantly.
She didn't have time to process it. Not now.
Just as she secured the bag shut, the door to her office creaked open.
Celeste stood there, her usual composed expression unreadable. "Boss wants to see you."
Seraphina nodded, grabbing her bag and standing smoothly. "I was just heading there."
Her mind worked fast as she walked toward Elias's office, her thoughts split between the letter's meaning and Elias's intentions.
But the moment she stepped inside, she knew.
Elias's gaze flickered to her neck immediately.
And then—he smirked.
"So," he drawled, leaning back in his chair, "you're covering the mark I gave you."
Seraphina's stomach twisted. Not with nerves. With disgust.
But she didn't let it show.
Instead, she lifted her chin slightly, expression unreadable.
"Is that what you called me for?" Her voice was calm, unimpressed.
Elias's smirk widened as he took a slow step forward, his gaze still flickering toward her covered neck. "Today, there's a meeting. You'll be attending with me."
Seraphina remained still, unreadable. "A meeting?"
Elias nodded, adjusting the cuff of his shirt. "An important one. You'll be by my side."
She watched him carefully, taking in the slight tension in his posture, the way his jaw clenched slightly—as if something wasn't going according to his plan.
And then, just barely above a whisper, he murmured to himself,
"If that bastard doesn't accept, I'll kill him."
Seraphina's smirk was subtle, but there. She heard it.
She tilted her head slightly, pretending not to notice."Alright, I'll come. What's the timing?"
Elias's eyes flickered with approval at her obedience. "Within three hours." His gaze ran over her again, this time lingering. "Wear something formal."
Seraphina lifted a brow, her smirk deepening. "I know what to wear, Director."
She turned smoothly, heading toward the door before he could say anything else.
Three hours.
And in those three hours, she needed to find out exactly who they were meeting.
Because whatever deal Elias was trying to make, it was already going wrong.
Seraphina already had the file on the meeting. She had finished reading it.
It was a private business deal, but something felt off. Elias wasn't acting as if this was just a routine negotiation—he was tense, impatient.
She knew the meeting wasn't just about business.
Three hours passed quickly. Dressed sharply in a fitted black suit, her heels clicking softly against the cold floors, she walked beside Elias through the corridors of Horizon Initiative's underground levels.
They descended further, passing security clearances until they reached a dark, isolated basement.
The moment they stepped inside, Seraphina stilled.
She had seen this place before.
In the crime scene photos.
In the reports of the dead researchers.
The same dim, flickering lights. The same concrete walls, cold and lifeless.
This was the place.
The air around them felt heavy, suffocating.
At the center of the room, a long steel table stood, surrounded by a few men dressed in sharp suits, their expressions unreadable.
But Seraphina wasn't looking at them.
She was looking at the walls.
At the faint traces of something that had been cleaned away too well.
At the room that had been used for something far darker than business meetings.
She forced herself to remain composed as she stepped inside.
A man stood at the far end of the room, his back turned to them.
When he finally turned, Seraphina's eyes narrowed slightly.
He wasn't the manipulator.
But he was involved.
And now, standing in the very place where those researchers had died, Seraphina knew one thing for certain.
This meeting wasn't just business.
It was about covering up something much bigger.
Seraphina sat beside Elias, her expression calm, her posture relaxed—but her mind was working fast.
The conversation started smoothly, discussing money transactions and logistics, but Seraphina knew better. The words were too vague, too careful.
They never said directly what they were paying for.
But she already understood.
This was another deal. Another researcher.
She glanced at Elias, who sat with a smug smirk, tapping his fingers against the table as if he had already won.
The man across from them—a sharp-dressed figure with cold, calculating eyes—spoke in measured tones, his voice smooth, almost rehearsed.
Seraphina memorized every detail. The way his fingers hovered over the documents without actually touching them. The way the other men in the room deferred to him.
He was important.
But what she didn't know—what she couldn't have predicted—was that this man, the deal being made in this very room, and the letter she received earlier… were all connected.
And soon, she would find out just how deep that connection ran.
As the meeting concluded, Seraphina remained seated, her expression unreadable. But she felt it.
The moment the man's gaze landed on her, something shifted.
His stare wasn't casual—it was calculating. Intrigued. Knowing.
He recognized her.
Not as Elias's consultant. As something else.
Seraphina's mind worked fast. He knows something. Maybe about the dead researchers. Maybe about the letter. Maybe about her.
She had to follow him.
The moment he stepped out, she composed herself, acting as if nothing was wrong.
But inside, she was already planning.
It was off time at Horizon Initiative. The halls were emptier, making it easier for her to slip away.
She grabbed her things quickly, keeping her pace natural, unhurried. Then, the moment she was outside, she spotted him heading toward a car.
She didn't hesitate.
A cab had just stopped at the curb, dropping someone off. She slipped inside smoothly, her voice even as she gave the driver instructions. "Follow that car. Keep a distance."
The driver nodded, and the chase began.
She was an expert at this—staying unseen, unnoticed.
But something about this felt different.
Something about him felt different.
And she had a feeling that by the end of the night, she was going to find out exactly why.
As the cars stopped at a signal, Seraphina acted fast.
She slipped out of the cab, moving swiftly into a nearby store. A mask, a cap, a kitchen knife.Three minutes. That was all she had.
She didn't hesitate. She paid in cash, pulled the mask over her face, tucked the knife into her coat, and rushed back outside—only to see the cars already moving.
Her pulse spiked. "Damn it." She cursed.
She ran back to the cab, her voice urgent but controlled. "Did you see where the car went?"
The driver nodded and pointed. "Took a left down that road."
The chase continued.
For nearly an hour, she followed. The city lights dimmed as they moved further away from the main district. The roads grew quieter, the atmosphere colder.
And then, finally—the car stopped.
Seraphina watched as the man stepped out, his posture relaxed, too confident.
He walked toward a building that looked like a research lab.
Or at least, it used to be.
Now, it looked abandoned. Forgotten.
Seraphina didn't hesitate. She paid the driver, slipping out of the cab unnoticed. Her movements were silent, controlled, expert.
She followed him inside.
The air was thick, the faint scent of chemicals still lingering from years past. Broken equipment, shattered glass, rusted metal tables. It was exactly what she had expected.
Until she saw them.
Her breath caught.
Inside, scattered across different stations, were the missing researchers.
The ones who had vanished without a trace.
They were here.
Alive.
But they weren't the same.
Their movements were stiff, robotic. Their eyes empty, lifeless. They didn't speak, didn't acknowledge anything around them.
They were working.
Like machines.
Like puppets.
Seraphina's grip tightened on the knife in her coat.
"What the hell was going on here?" She said with clenched jaw in a low voice.
Seraphina's mind was still racing, trying to process what she was seeing—the missing researchers, alive but lifeless, working like machines.
And then, she felt it.
A presence behind her.
Her instincts screamed at her. Move!
She turned swiftly, just as a fist came flying toward her.
She dodged, barely missing the hit, her body twisting away just in time. The man from the meeting.
He didn't hesitate—he was here to kill her.
Seraphina wasted no time. She reached for the knife hidden beneath her coat, but he already had his in hand.
A sharp glint. A deadly arc.
He attacked.
She jumped back, but not fast enough.
A sharp pain tore through her left arm as the blade sliced through her skin.
Burning. Stinging. But not enough to stop her.
She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay composed. Pain was nothing. Pain was just another enemy to fight.
He lunged again, but this time, she was ready.
Seraphina ducked low, spun behind him, and drove her knife into his leg.
A sharp groan ripped from his throat as he stumbled, his grip on his own blade loosening.
This was her chance.
She turned and ran.
But before she could take more than a few steps, a strong hand grabbed her ankle.
She crashed to the floor.
Her head slammed against the cold ground.
A sharp pain exploded in her skull, and almost instantly, she felt warm blood dripping down her forehead.
Dizzy. Disoriented. But she couldn't stop.
The man moved to pin her down, but Seraphina kicked out with full force, her boot landing a brutal hit to his ribs.
He grunted, momentarily losing his grip.
She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the pulsing pain in her head, and ran.
She didn't know where to go—just that she had to get out.
The abandoned lab was a maze of dark corridors and locked doors. Her breath was ragged, her pulse pounding.
Footsteps.
He was following.
She turned a corner sharply, her vision still blurred from the head wound.
Her body was running on pure instinct now.
But the question remained—
Where the hell was she supposed to go?
Seraphina finally found the exit of the abandoned lab, but the moment she stepped outside, her stomach dropped.
The roads were unfamiliar.
No city lights. No sign of civilization. Nothing.
The lab was hidden deep in a forest, far from any place she recognized.
But she didn't have time to think.
Because behind her—footsteps.
And this time, not just one.
Multiple.
They were coming for her.
Her body moved before her mind could catch up. She ran.
Branches whipped against her arms and face, the cold air burning in her lungs as she pushed forward.
Her hair was messy, her shirt stained red with blood. The wound on her arm throbbed, her head pounded from the fall, but she kept running.
Minutes passed.
Then an hour.
Then two.
She didn't know where she was going. She just knew she had to get away.
But her energy was dropping. Fast.
And then—it happened.
Her foot caught on a branch.
She fell.
Pain shot through her ankle, twisting it at an unnatural angle. The sharp sting ripped a whimper from her throat.
Her arm burned.
Her head pulsed.
Everything hurt.
She clenched her jaw, trying to muffle the pain, but then—she heard them.
Footsteps.
She cursed under her breath, dragging herself behind a tree, pressing her back against the rough bark.
The footsteps grew closer.
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
Then—silence.
She held her breath, forcing herself to stay completely still.
Seconds stretched.
Then finally—they left.
The moment she was alone, she exhaled shakily, her body trembling from exhaustion.
Her vision was blurring.
Her limbs were heavy.
She checked her watch. 8 PM.
She needed to get up. She needed to move.
But her body wasn't listening.
And for the first time that night, a terrifying thought crept into her mind.
What if she didn't make it out?
Ezrin sat in his office, his fingers tapping against the desk in a slow, controlled rhythm. But his patience was gone.
His mind was storming, every thought leading back to her.
Where the hell was Seraphina?
The car had been sent to pick her up, as always. She was supposed to come back. She didn't.
His jaw clenched, fury simmering beneath his otherwise composed exterior.
Then, the door creaked open.
Kieran walked in, his expression serious.
"The car did arrive at her apartment, but she never came out."
Ezrin's fingers stopped tapping. His eyes lifted slowly. "What?"
Kieran's tone remained even, but even he knew this wasn't normal.
"The driver asked the receptionist. She said Seraphina never returned after she left in the morning."
Ezrin exhaled sharply through his nose. That was impossible.
She wouldn't just disappear.
She wouldn't just ignore protocol.
Unless something was wrong.
Kieran continued, his voice measured. "I also sent a man into Horizon Initiative to investigate. According to what we found, she left the building perfectly on time after off-hours."
Ezrin's jaw ticked.
She left. But she never came back.
His fingers curled into a fist on the desk.
His voice was low. Dangerous.
"Find her. Now."
Kieran's expression remained serious as he crossed his arms. "I've already called her multiple times. She's not answering."
Ezrin's fury sharpened.
She wasn't answering. She hadn't come back. No traces. No updates.
That wasn't Seraphina.
Something was wrong.
His voice dropped, cold and absolute. "Track her phone's location."
Kieran gave a single nod, already moving toward the door.
"You have 30 minutes." Ezrin's tone left no room for negotiation.
Kieran didn't argue. He disappeared from the office immediately.
Ezrin leaned back in his chair, his grip on the armrest tightening.
Thirty minutes.
If they didn't find her by then—he was going after her himself.
Ezrin grabbed his coat, his movements sharp, controlled—but inside, he was burning.
Kieran stepped forward. "I'll send a team—"
"No." Ezrin's voice was final, absolute. "I go alone."
Kieran's brows furrowed. "Ezrin, think rationally. Anything could've happened to hersss. We don't know what we're walking into."
Ezrin's jaw clenched. "That's exactly why I'm not waiting for a team to slow me down."
Kieran exhaled, already knowing there was no stopping him.No one could.
Especially when it was about her.
Ezrin grabbed his keys, already heading for the exit. He didn't need backup.
He needed to find her.
And whoever had dared to put her in this situation—
wasn't going to live to regret it.