Chapter 26

Chapter 26 – A Scheme in the Shadows

Ariana stared at Daniel, her breath coming in shallow gasps. It felt impossible to see him standing there, smirking in satisfaction, as if he had just won a game she didn’t even know she was playing.

Richard stood beside her, his shoulders tense, ready to strike at any moment. But Daniel remained relaxed—too relaxed for someone who had just revealed such a sinister plan.

"Don't look at me like that, Ariana," Daniel said in a low, almost sweet voice. But Ariana knew better. His words were laced with poison. "I'm just making sure you don’t make another mistake."

Ariana clenched her fists. "A mistake? My only mistake was ever loving you, Daniel!"

His smirk widened. "Exactly. And now, I’m here to remind you not to make an even bigger one."

Richard took a step forward. "You have no right to control her. You’re nothing to her anymore, Daniel."

Daniel scoffed. "Oh, Richard, always playing the hero. But I have bad news for you—this world doesn’t need heroes. It needs people who know how to play in the shadows."

Ariana’s heart pounded. There was something in Daniel’s tone that sent a chill down her spine, a sense that something much bigger was happening, something she couldn’t yet see.

"What do you want?" she finally asked, her voice unsteady.

Daniel held her gaze before whispering, "You’ll find out soon enough, darling."

Then, with a swift motion, he pulled out his phone and pressed something on the screen. Within seconds, Ariana’s phone buzzed. She quickly pulled it from her pocket, her fingers trembling as she read the message.

You can’t run from me, Ariana.

Ariana’s breath caught in her throat. When she looked up, Daniel was already turning away, leaving her in a suffocating silence.

Richard immediately grabbed her hand. "We need to get out of here. Now."

Ariana nodded quickly, but as they turned, two large men blocked the exit.

"Sorry, but you're not going anywhere."

Richard tensed, pulling Ariana behind him as he stared down the men. "If you're looking for a fight, let’s do this."

One of the men smirked. "You think this is a fight? No, this is just a warning."

Without another word, the man swung his fist toward Richard. But Richard was faster. He ducked, dodging the punch, and retaliated with a hard blow to the man’s stomach.

Ariana stepped back, eyes wide as she watched Richard take on both men at once. They outnumbered him, but Richard had the advantage in speed and skill.

Before she could react, a hand suddenly grabbed her arm.

"We need to talk, Ariana."

Ariana turned sharply—and her eyes widened in shock.

"Samantha?"

The woman looked at her with a serious expression, pulling her away from the fight.

"What are you doing here?" Ariana demanded.

Samantha’s grip tightened. "I know something you need to hear. About Daniel."

Suspicion flickered in Ariana’s eyes, but the urgency in Samantha’s tone kept her from pulling away.

"Talk fast," she said, her gaze darting back to Richard, who was still fighting.

Samantha took a deep breath. "Daniel isn't working alone. Someone is helping him—someone very close to you."

Ariana’s stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"

Samantha locked eyes with her before whispering, "There’s a traitor among us."

Ariana felt her body go rigid. "Who?"

Samantha opened her mouth, but before she could answer, a loud explosion sounded behind them.

Richard had managed to knock one of the men to the floor, but the other pulled something from his pocket—not a gun, but something smaller and far more dangerous.

"Sleeping gas," Samantha whispered urgently. "They’re planning to knock you out and take you."

Ariana’s pulse spiked. "Richard! Watch out!"

But it was too late. The man threw a small canister onto the ground, and within seconds, white smoke spread across the room.

Ariana started coughing, her eyes burning. Her vision blurred.

"No…" she gasped, trying to stay conscious.

Richard struggled to reach her, but he was already staggering.

Ariana tried to hold her breath, but her head grew heavier. The world tilted beneath her feet.

Before everything went dark, she heard one last chilling whisper.

"Welcome to the new game, Ariana."

Then, nothing.