Chapter Four-3
993 Words
One hour later.
The woman stepped out of a blue luxury sedan at a small estate on the outskirts of Dark Night City.
Within the grounds lay a large open space filled with diverse plants. The clearing held common flowers and herbs, medicinal plants, and unique species brought from the Moonlight Glade.
At the far end of the clearing stood a two-story cottage. Its windows were dark, but a warm yellow glow seeped through the door crack.
The woman approached the door. Before she could knock, it swung open from the inside.
A small head peered out. It belonged to a boy of about four, with common dark brown hair, but eyes that held something unusual.
“Mommy,” the boy said happily, “you're back late.”
“Something came up,” the woman replied as she stepped inside, removing her coat and hanging it on a rack. “Why aren't you asleep yet?”
“Waiting for you,” the boy replied, closing the door behind him as he followed his mother into the living room. “How’d the auction go?”
“Very smoothly,” the woman said, settling onto the sofa and massaging her temples. “Two hundred and fifty million.”
The boy blinked. “Wow. Does that mean he's almost bankrupt?”
“Not yet,” The woman stroked the boy's head affectionately. “The Fantor family has accumulated wealth over a thousand years. It won't be drained that easily.”
“What's the next step?” The boy climbed onto the sofa and sat beside her. “Keep selling him medicine?”
“Yes.” The woman picked up a bottle of milk from the table, inserted a straw, and handed it to her son. “Next time, raise the price by thirty percent.”
“Will he buy it?”
“He will.” The woman said with absolute certainty. “He doesn’t have a choice.”
The boy took the milk and sipped it slowly. After a few seconds, he looked up and asked, “Mom, do you hate him?”
The woman's hand paused.
She didn't answer immediately, instead turning her gaze out the window.
Hate him?
Of course she did. She hated him so intensely that every drop of blood in her body screamed for vengeance. Even in the dead of night, she could still feel the icy cold of fangs piercing her neck and the despair of her blood being drained.
But hatred often meant she still cared about him. If she didn't care anymore, could the hatred still exist?
“Maybe,” she murmured softly.
“Leo, just wait a little longer. Once Mom finishes handling things here, we'll go back to Moonlight Grove, okay?”
“Mm-hmm!” Leo nodded, not quite understanding.
He finished his milk, tossed the empty carton into the trash, then yawned.
“Go to sleep,” the woman said, ruffling his hair. “You have kindergarten tomorrow.”
“Mm.” Leo slid off the sofa and walked toward the staircase, then turned back. “Mom, the teacher at kindergarten asked me about my dad today.”
The woman's heart clenched sharply.
“What did you say?”
“I told them he died,” Leo replied, his tone as calm as if discussing the weather. “Got killed by a wolf.”
The woman paused, then smiled.
She walked over to her son, crouched down, and met his eyes.
“Leo,” she said. “You don't need to lie. Next time someone asks, just say.... you don't know him.”
“Why?”
“Because it is the truth.” She kissed the boy's forehead and continued, “He was never part of your world, not from the day you were born. He never did, and he never will.”
Leo looked into her eyes for a long time. Then he nodded and turned to climb the stairs.
“Goodnight, Mom.”
“Goodnight.”
The woman listened to the door close upstairs and stood in the living room for a moment longer. Then she walked to the window, pulled back a corner of the curtain, and looked out onto the street beyond the estate.
A black sedan was parked there, having followed her since she left the auction house.
She let the curtain fall, took her phone from her bag, and dialed a number.
After three rings, it was answered. A gentle male voice came through: “Catherine?”
“Sebastian, do me a favor.”
“Go ahead.”
“I'm in Darknight City. Someone's watching me. Probably Ryan's people.”
There was a two-second silence on the other end.
“Should I come over?”
“Not yet.” The woman paused before continuing, “I need a rumor spread. Say that Catherine, the herbalist from Moonlight Grove, is opening an herbal medicine shop in Darknight City.”
“....You want to go public?”
“Yes.” The woman walked to the mirror, studying the face reflected there—familiar yet strange. “Five years in the shadows is long enough. It's time they knew.... I'm back.”
Another pause hung heavy on the line.
“Understood,” Sebastian said. “The word will spread tonight. Stay safe.”
“Understood.”
The woman hung up, casually tossing the phone onto the sofa before walking to the liquor cabinet. She poured herself a small glass of whiskey.
The amber liquid swayed in the glass like molten gold.
She raised the glass, making a faint toast to the air.
“To a reunion, Ryan Fantor.”
Then she drank it in one gulp.
The liquor was fierce, burning her throat before settling in her stomach like swallowing a mouthful of fire.
Just like five years ago, when she lay by the canal, feeling that final chill.
But this time was different.
This time, the fire was in her hands.
- Writer
