Recandra sat in silence, his eyes vacant, lost in a void too deep for words. He didn't know what his ex had planned next—after taking everything from him.
"I don't even know what I did wrong," he whispered, voice trembling. "Why'd you do this to me, Kay? You took my friends. You took my parents. And now… you've taken my only sister."
Tears slipped silently down his cheeks. His chest ached as if something had been carved out of it. He never imagined his life could break this far apart.
---
Flashback — One Year Ago
Amid the ruins of an abandoned industrial site stood a crumbling building: the hidden stronghold of Cakra. Inside, hundreds of members gathered, tension thick in the air. At the front, a tall man stood with a commanding presence—Ale, the 13th leader of Cakra.
"I've made my decision," Ale's voice echoed through the hall. "Tonight, I name the next vice-leader of Cakra."
The crowd buzzed with murmurs and speculation.
"From this night forward," Ale declared, "I bestow the honor and responsibility of Cakra's Vice Leader to Recandra Drianstara."
Gasps filled the room.
"He's the one who saved our name time and again. He's hacked into law enforcement and intelligence systems across multiple countries. He's erased our tracks—protected us. In just a single day and night."
"Step forward, Recandra."
Recandra walked steadily to the front, meeting Ale's eyes.
"Are you ready to carry this burden?" Ale asked.
"I am," Recandra replied, his voice calm, firm. "I accept the responsibility with everything I have."
Later, he met Kayla.
"Congratulations," she said warmly, shaking his hand.
"I didn't expect this. You're the better hacker," Recandra replied.
"I might be better at hacking," Kayla said with a small smile, "but you're the one with the guts. Cakra needs someone who takes action, not someone who only simulates outcomes."
Recandra looked into her eyes, and in that moment, her smile felt like the only light left in the world.
---
Three Days Later
Recandra hadn't slept in over 24 hours. His eyes were red, his hair a mess, and his fingers danced over his keyboard with unwavering focus. He sat in front of his glowing Terminator PX9 screen, running critical operations.
The door creaked open. Kayla walked in, carrying a cup of coffee.
"You're still working? Here, I made this for you."
Recandra nodded. "Thanks."
"You seem swamped. What's going on?" she asked, glancing at the wall of scrolling code.
"This mission is important—it could define Cakra's legacy."
"Can't you tell me what it is?"
"Sorry, Kay. It's classified."
"You're such a pain sometimes," she pouted, playfully pinching him.
"Ow! That hurt!" he chuckled.
"Oh come on, tough guy. Can't handle a little pinch?"
"It's only because it was you."
"You're ridiculous," Kayla said, rolling her eyes. "I'm heading out. Keep grinding, Vice Boss."
"Yeah, babe," he called after her.
Moments later, the door opened again. This time, it was Violet. She approached silently and handed him a hard disk.
"From my brother."
"Thanks."
Without another word, Violet left. Recandra plugged the device into his system.
Hard Drive Detected: External Disk
He hit Enter.
Accessing: Folder1/SCREET/ Accessing: Folder2/enx7161/
Recandra exhaled slowly. These weren't ordinary files. He launched his most trusted tool, input the encryption key—KRCA1258—and gained access.
Lines of code flooded the screen.
He copied everything, executed a master command, and watched as another terminal window opened, the files deploying in real time. Even on a PX9, the process would take nine hours—this wasn't due to speed limits, but the sheer weight of the task.
Exhausted, he activated the biometric lock on the door and lay down to rest.
---
Nine Hours Later
Recandra awoke, groggy but alert. After splashing water on his face, he returned to his screen.
Execution Process: 100% Completed.
"Faster than I expected," he muttered.
A knock at the door. He turned—Kayla stood outside, waiting.
He unlocked the door. She entered with a warm smile and a tray of food.
"Brought you something. You must be starving."
She set the plate and glass of water on the table. Recandra joined her, sitting beside her on the sofa.
"Eat up," she said.
He nodded. She watched him quietly.
"Want me to feed you?"
Recandra winked.
Kayla giggled, picking up the plate. "Alright, open wide. The plane's landing."
Bite after bite, she fed him. He chewed slowly, savoring each one.
"Who cooked this?" he asked.
"Seriously? Who else but me?" she teased, gently ruffling his hair.
"Cooked it and fed it to me. Double the love."
"You're such a flirt."
She blushed as he leaned closer. Then, without a word—
"Cup."
Kayla's breath caught as his lips met hers. Their faces so close, she could feel the rhythm of his breath brushing against her skin.