C5 You Followed Me!?

He was rotten to the core, and I had nothing to worry about. A man like him could easily forget today's events with a new target in his sights.

I rolled up the newspaper, tossed it into the trash can beside my seat, and managed to regain my composure.

It took me a while to locate my mother's grave in the cemetery. The space before the tombstone was desolate—perhaps no one had visited her in six years. A wave of sadness washed over me, and my eyes moistened.

I laid the flowers down before the tombstone, sat on the ground, and looked at her photo through tear-filled eyes. "You see how foolish you were? If you had been stronger, investigated those three scoundrels thoroughly, our family wouldn't be in this mess."

"I'm truly your daughter, even more foolish than you. I didn't manage to kill them, yet I've paid with six years of my life."

"But rest assured, I won't make that mistake again. I refuse to let them get away with it. Just wait, I'll reclaim everything we've lost, and I'll make sure they pay back every bit of harm they've done to us, a hundredfold. Once I've settled the score with them, I'll come back and make it up to you properly."

"Don't worry, I won't act recklessly. I'll do whatever it takes to become stronger, to gather irrefutable evidence that those three are not true Joneses. The higher they rise now, the harder they'll fall. Mom, from heaven, you must watch over me and ensure my success..."

Leaving the cemetery, I picked up some bread and milk and headed to an internet cafe to immerse myself in all the knowledge related to real estate.

Reentering society, I had spent my last and most precious resource. Moving forward, I'll strive to enhance my professional skills and earn the results I desire.

Despite the ignoble start, I hold onto Rowena's words: performance is important, but reputation is paramount.

Having only completed my freshman year of college, the recency effect suggests that the most ingrained memories I have are of the prison's endless rules and the inmates' shadowy codes of conduct.

Stepping into the professional world, I've quickly realized there's an overwhelming amount to learn.

The ring of my phone finally pulled my gaze from the computer screen, and I noticed the sky outside the internet cafe had turned pitch black.

"Aveline, I can't make it back for a bit. I'm at Phantom right now, come over and I'll give you the keys to the apartment," Dahlia said before sending me the club's address.

I hurried to Phantom and upon reaching its grand entrance, I spotted a sleek black car gliding toward me. Its silver winged emblem with a 'B' exuded understated opulence.

A man in a stark black business coat emerged, standing tall and imposing like a tower. His sharp profile alone sent a shiver through me, compelling me to quickly duck behind a robust jade pillar.

I couldn't understand my sudden timidity. He was the one lurking, yet I was the one skulking like a shadow.

My relief at hiding was short-lived when a woman with a sinuous silhouette stepped out next. Wearing only a smoky gray dress that left her arms bare in the chilly autumn air, she didn't bother with a coat. As she turned my way, my body tensed. It was Layla.

I cursed under my breath. Since when had Loxford become so claustrophobically small?

Wesley and Layla walked side by side into Phantom. I leaned against the pillar, idly unwrapping a fresh pack of cigarettes. I lit one and smoked, waiting for them to disappear inside.

I wasn't ready to face my adversaries yet. Without any cards up my sleeve, confronting them would be suicidal.

Once my cigarette was spent, I flicked the butt into a bin and made my way inside.

"Excuse me, miss, could you please present your membership card?" The greeter, not recognizing me, blocked my path with a polite smile.

I sighed, stepping back to call Dahlia, but before I could dial, a sharp pain shot through my wrist.

I was yanked with a powerful force behind the large jade pillar where I had been crouching just moments before. The man's muscular arms pinned me firmly in place, his dark eyes gleaming like stars with an icy glint. "Are you following me?"