Night had fallen, casting a haunting silence over the city. Nora, barefoot and unaware of it, walked alone under the moonlight. The cold pavement pressed against her feet, but she didn't care. Her steps led her to the ruins of the orphanage—the place that once felt like home.
She sat quietly a few steps from the scorched front door, eyes vacant, body still. The wind whispered through the hollow remains, bringing with it the ghost of memories. She could see Nana's warm smile, the laughter of children, the scent of bread from the tiny kitchen—all now lost to fire and betrayal.
Flashes filled her mind.
Nana screaming.
The flames devouring everything.
The shadow of a woman watching it all burn.
Meanwhile, in the penthouse, Zayan had been watching the CCTV footage for hours. Frustration lined his face—five hours of nothing. Just static and silence.
He was about to give up when he noticed one last video file in the system. Almost hidden. He clicked it.
The screen flickered to life.
A group of masked men appeared, pouring fuel across the orphanage. Then a woman stepped forward. She had a distinct tattoo on her arm—a coiled snake. The camera caught her partially, but as the flames roared and chaos erupted, a voice rang out:
"Destroy everything."
Zayan froze. The voice—it was familiar. He leaned in, his heart pounding.
He zoomed in on the woman's face, just as she turned to give an order. The frame caught her clearly.
Nathaira.
Wearing the same outfit she had on yesterday.
Then came the worst part. Nana trying to fight them off. Nana being struck. Nana falling.
Unbeknownst to Zayan, Asher was also watching the footage from another screen in the building. Though only eight years old, the boy's eyes were sharp and his mind sharper.
He recognized the woman.
Nathaira.
The woman who smiled sweetly one moment and burned down his home the next.
Rage filled his small body.
Without saying a word, he copied the footage, grabbed his coat, and ran to the orphanage. The night was cold, but he didn't stop.
He found her—Nora.
Sitting alone in the dark.
"Nora?" he called softly.
She looked up, startled. "Asher? Aren't you supposed to be with Shaw?"
He glanced down at her feet. "Where are your shoes?"
She looked down as if noticing for the first time. "I… I don't know, love."
"Come here," he said gently.
He walked over and leaned his head against hers. "She burned our home, Nora. She killed Nana."
Her breath caught. "What?"
He handed her the tablet, and she watched. Every second. Every blow. Every scream. Every fire. And Nathaira's face—clear as day.
Nora stood up slowly. Her eyes darkened with fury. Her silence was heavier than words.
"She's going to pay for it," Asher growled.
Nora placed her hand on his cheek and smiled—cold and deadly. "Go to the penthouse. Tell Shaw to come. And tell him… bring a gun."
She kissed the top of his head, then turned back to the shadows.
Zayan was pacing when she returned. The second he saw her, he asked, "Where did you go?"
Nora looked at him, her eyes blazing with quiet vengeance.
"Somebody's going to die soon," she whispered, a dangerous smile curling on her lips.