Riven's eyes widened slightly when he saw her — a sparrow-sized girl curled up on the dirty floor, knees pulled tight to her chest, trembling like a leaf in a storm. Her brown hair clung messily to her face, tangled and limp, while her ice-blue eyes — wide and terrified — shimmered with fresh tears. She had the face of something innocent, almost heartbreakingly cute, but marred by bruises blooming along her neck and arms like cruel fingerprints. Her lips quivered with silent sobs, her whole body stiff with fear.
He had come here furious, boiling over with rage, ready to destroy anything in his path.
What the fuck is this place?
The moment he stepped inside, the stench hit him — mold, rot, sewage. The walls were cracked, paint peeling like skin. The roof was caved in on one side, and broken furniture was piled like trash.
Humans live here?
He had stormed through the rooms, flipping what little furniture was there, kicking through trash and broken glass. No sign of Trevor. No trace. But then — this girl.
This tiny, trembling bird.
He stepped closer, kneeling beside her. His voice came out deep and rough, sharp like broken glass.
"Who are you?"
The girl flinched. Her lips trembled. Her whole body was shivering. She looked like she'd die right there from the fear alone.
"I— I live here," she whispered.
Riven's eyes narrowed.
"Where is Trevor?"
Her voice cracked. "F-Father... he left. With mother and Rei..."
With a growl, Riven kicked a metal box beside her, sending it clattering across the floor. Iris flinched so hard her heart shot to her throat.
"That fucking bastard ran."
He was livid. Fire in his blood. Fury crackling in every word.
In a flash, he grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head up.
"Where the fuck did he go?"
She cried out, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I don't know, sir! He didn't tell me anything!"
Riven snarled and gave her head a sharp shake, his fingers tangled in her hair.
"What do you mean you don't know? You're his fucking daughter!"
"I swear, I don't know!" she sobbed.
With a scoff of disgust, he shoved her backward. She hit the floor with a thud, pain shooting up her spine. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm the heat in his skull.
Two of his men entered the room behind him.
"Boss," one of them said, tense. "We checked everywhere. Trevor's gone. No one saw when or where he left."
Riven turned slowly. His voice was ice.
"You're all useless."
Before either man could respond, he pulled his gun from his belt.
One shot. Then another.
Both men dropped to the floor, blood pooling fast.
Iris screamed.
Her eyes widened in horror, locked on the gun in his hand. Her scream tore out of her throat as she pushed herself back, trying to crawl away.
Riven's head snapped toward her. Her fear didn't move him — it fueled him.
She scrambled on all fours. "Please! Please leave me! I don't know anything!"
She tried to run, but in a blink, he grabbed her by the back of her worn-out shirt and yanked her up.
"You're not going anywhere, little mouse."
His voice was low, deadly.
"You're coming with me. Someone has to pay for what your father did."
Before she could fight or beg again, he threw her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing.
Iris screamed, kicked, sobbed — her tiny fists beating against his back, but it was useless. He was stone. Cold and furious.
Her heart pounded. This was a nightmare. A storm she couldn't wake up from.
As Riven stepped out of the broken house with Iris on his shoulder, his men flanking him, the neighbors peeked through their curtains. Eyes full of fear. Whispers on every tongue.
The unlucky girl. The quiet one.
Now she was in the hands of monsters.
And no one — not a single soul — dared to stop them.