Ayla's heart beat like a drum in her chest as she stepped out of the room, the doors closing behind her with a soft thud. The sound seemed to echo down the marble halls, each footfall beneath her boots heavy with the weight of her decision. Every part of her screamed to run, to escape, to claw her way out of the nightmare she had walked into. But she wasn't a frightened girl anymore. She wasn't the one who had begged for scraps at the table of a family that had never cared about her.
She was something else now.
Stronger. Faster. Deadlier.
Ayla pressed her palm against the cold stone of the wall as she moved through the compound, her mind racing. Her conversation with Luca had left a bitter taste on her tongue. He had called her dangerous. But she knew, deep down, that she wasn't the only one walking on the edge of a knife. He was playing a dangerous game too, and one wrong move from him could destroy everything.
I have to be smarter than him, she thought. I need to make my next move count.
She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the corridor. The guards had been watching her closely, but she had expected that. The Moretti family had eyes everywhere, and Ayla was no exception to their scrutiny. She couldn't afford to make any mistakes now. She was too close to the heart of their empire to screw this up.
As she turned a corner, she almost collided with a figure emerging from a side room. The man was tall, his features sharp and cold, a face she recognized immediately. It was Dante, one of Luca's closest lieutenants. He was a man of few words, but his presence alone sent a chill down her spine. His reputation preceded him. Silent, deadly, and loyal to Luca in a way that made even the most hardened criminals wary.
Dante's eyes locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. For a moment, the two of them stood there, caught in a brief standoff, like two predators sizing each other up. Then, without a word, he stepped aside, allowing her to pass.
But not without a final glance—a cold, calculating look that made Ayla's skin prickle. He was sizing her up, just like Luca had done. She wasn't sure if he was assessing her threat level or trying to figure out why she was there, but one thing was certain. He was dangerous. And she had to tread carefully.
---
The rest of the day passed in a blur of tension and uncertainty. Ayla was assigned a small, dark room at the farthest corner of the compound. It was as sterile as it was empty. There was nothing in the room except for a narrow cot and a metal chair. She was being treated like an outsider, a tool to be used and discarded when the time came.
She didn't mind. It gave her time to think. To plan.
She sat on the bed, her legs crossed beneath her, her mind consumed by the conversation she had with Luca earlier. What game is he playing? She couldn't shake the feeling that he was testing her. Pushing her to see how far she would go, how much she was willing to risk to get what she wanted. He hadn't shown any signs of fear or hesitation. It was like he had already decided what role she would play in his life.
And it was pissing her off.
You think I'm your pawn, Luca?
Ayla gritted her teeth, the anger simmering beneath the surface. She wasn't a pawn in anyone's game. She was the queen. And she was going to take back everything they had stolen from her.
She reached into the pocket of her cloak, pulling out a small, gleaming knife. It wasn't much, but it was hers—one of the few things she had managed to keep when her family had betrayed her. She ran her fingers over the cold steel, her thoughts drifting back to the days before the apocalypse, before everything had changed.
---
One Week Ago.
Her sister, Emilia, had always been the pretty one. The one with the charm, the smile, the grace that seemed to wrap around everyone like a golden ribbon. Ayla, on the other hand, had always been the shadow—the one who was overlooked, ignored, forgotten. She had never been enough in their eyes. Never been good enough to be loved.
But now? Ayla chuckled bitterly to herself. Now, they'd beg for me.
Her sister's betrayal still stung, but she had long since learned to channel that pain into something far more dangerous. That was the part of her family she couldn't forget: how easily they had turned on her when things got tough. The moment the world started to crumble, they sold her off without a second thought.
She would make them regret it. All of them.
---
A knock at the door startled her, and she quickly tucked the knife back into the folds of her cloak. Her pulse quickened, and for a brief moment, she wondered if it was a trap—if someone had finally caught on to her plans. But then the door creaked open, revealing a familiar face.
It was Marco, one of the Moretti family's lower-ranking soldiers. He was a simple man, with a kind face and an air of hesitation that Ayla had never seen in any of Luca's inner circle. He wasn't like the others—cold, calculating, ruthless. Marco had the look of someone who didn't belong in this world.
"I was told to bring you to the dining hall," Marco said quietly, his eyes flicking nervously to the side.
Ayla raised an eyebrow. "By who?"
"Luca," he replied, his voice lower than before. "He... he wants to speak with you."
Ayla stood slowly, her mind racing. Luca wants to speak with me? Was this another test? Another game to see if she would comply?
"Lead the way," she said, her voice steady and cold.
---
The dining hall was grand, but there was a chilling emptiness to it. Massive chandeliers hung overhead, casting shadows that seemed to stretch across the walls like ghosts. The long dining table was set for several people, but only one man was sitting at its head—Luca. His back was straight, his fingers laced in front of him, his gaze unwavering as she entered.
"I see you've made yourself comfortable," he said, his tone soft but with a cutting edge.
Ayla ignored the comment, walking towards the chair across from him. "What's this about?"
Luca leaned back in his chair, his eyes gleaming. "I'm curious, Ayla. I've been wondering... what exactly is it that you want? You've come here, offered me a partnership, but I can't help but wonder—what's in it for you?"
She didn't flinch. "I told you already. I want everything you've taken from me. And when I'm done, you'll owe me."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her bluntness. "You think you're in a position to make demands?"
"I'm not demanding anything," she replied, her eyes narrowing. "I'm making a bargain."
Luca chuckled darkly, leaning forward. "A bargain, huh? Well, let's see if you're worth the price, Ayla. I think you and I will make very... interesting partners."
The air between them crackled with tension, both of them holding their ground. The game had begun, and neither one was willing to back down.