~Ivy's Apartment – Night~
Rain trickled down the windowpane as Ivy stepped inside, soaked, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. She tossed her black jacket onto the couch and locked the door behind her. Pixel, her cat, greeted her with a quiet meow.
She didn't respond.
Ivy moved straight to her desk, peeled off her gloves, and inserted a chip into her encrypted tablet. The screen lit up—security footage, encrypted maps, voice logs. In the corner of the screen blinked a single line of text:
*"Crimson Reign: Confirmed Leader Identity — Lucian Reign."*
Her breath caught. The air felt heavier now.
She stared at the name, fingers hovering above the keyboard. Her mind raced back to the fight, to the way he let her go. He *knew*. And yet… he didn't stop her.
A million thoughts spiraled.
Then a knock on the door brought her back to reality—it was a courier. A routine delivery. She signed silently, closed the door again, and leaned against it.
Her eyes landed on her phone. Her father's contact was open. Thumb hovering over the dial.
But she didn't press it.
*"Not yet,"* she whispered, locking the screen and tossing the phone aside.
*"You're hiding in plain sight, Lucian Reign,"* she muttered, her voice low.
*"But so am I."*
~ velmara estate~
*Lucian Begins Connecting the Dots*
Set in his penthouse office late at night, Lucian reviews the footage again, noticing small details he missed—her movements, the timing, the way the guards fell. Something about it feels… practiced. Personal.
Victor enters with new intel: a digital trace left behind, barely detectable—but Lucian's systems caught it. The signal matches one he's seen before, years ago… tied to a mysterious underground hacker known as "Knox."
Lucian doesn't react, just leans back and says:
*"She's not working alone. And she's not just a thief."*
He orders Victor to find every piece of data linked to Agent Knox—past hits, known aliases, and especially any connection to Blackwood.
Tension builds as Lucian begins to piece Ivy's identity together—but he still doesn't know her name. Only that this ghost is now in his city… and she's coming dangerously close.
Meanwhile at...
~willow cottage~
Ivy stood outside a small, warmly lit apartment building, the evening sun casting long shadows on the street. Her heart still raced from the day's chaos, but the thought of seeing Ayla brought a rare smile to her lips.
She buzzed the door, and moments later, Ayla's cheerful face appeared through the peephole. "Ivy! You're finally here!" she said, throwing the door wide open.
Stepping inside, Ivy breathed in the scent of fresh coffee and vanilla candles. The living room was cozy, with mismatched cushions and shelves filled with books and quirky trinkets. It felt like a safe haven.
Ayla grabbed Ivy's hand and pulled her to the small couch. "You look like you've been through a storm. Want to talk about it?" she asked gently.
Ivy shook her head, smiling softly. "Not tonight. Just… glad to be here."
Ayla nodded knowingly and went to the kitchen, returning with two mugs of steaming tea. They sat in comfortable silence, the outside world fading away for a while.
For Ivy, this was the rare moment where she could just be a normal girl — no secrets, no danger, just friendship. 🙍♀️🙍♀️
Meanwhile at reign dynamics.....
Lucian's office was a sanctuary of order—clean lines, sharp angles, and a man who ruled his empire. Just as he was about to dive into his next file, the door burst open.
Adrian sauntered in, grinning like he owned the place. "Hey, workaholic. Ever heard of 'take a break'? Or do you just live in this cave now?"
Lucian didn't even look up. "I'm working. Something you might want to try."
Adrian tossed a pen onto the desk with a theatrical sigh. "Oh, please. You're like a robot stuck on repeat. Even Lena says you're getting boring."
Lucian's lips twitched—half a smirk, half annoyance. "You and Lena should form a support group. I don't have time for either."
Adrian leaned casually against the desk. "C'mon, big brother. Don't be such a hard-ass. You miss her, don't lie."
Lucian's eyes flicked up. "I do not."
Adrian chuckled. "Sure you don't. Heard she called you like three times this week. She's worried you're turning into Mr. Stoneface."
Lucian shot him a look. "I'm not interested in sibling drama right now."
Adrian nudged him lightly. "Relax. I'm just here to remind you that you're not the only one running this circus. Maybe take a day off, see a movie or something."
Lucian smirked at last. "And waste a day? Not a chance. Besides, someone's got to keep this empire from falling apart while you're out causing trouble."
Adrian laughed. "Hey, I'm the fun one. You're the boring boss man."
Lucian shook his head but his eyes softened. "Just don't get me into trouble, alright?"
Adrian winked. "No promises."
Lucain shook his head as he focused back on the document as Adrian exit the office 🙃🙃🥺😅