QUEEN 👑 OF THE UNDERWORLD

Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4: BREAKING POINT

The first thing Dante taught me was how to breathe properly, which sounded almost ridiculous considering everything I had already been through. But as I stood in the middle of a private training room hidden deep within the penthouse, I realized quickly that this wasn’t about survival in the way I understood it before. This was about control, complete and absolute. “Again,” Dante said, his voice sharp but calm as he circled me like a predator analyzing its prey. My chest rose and fell unevenly, my body still adjusting to the strain he had already put me through. “You’re thinking too much,” he added. I clenched my jaw slightly. “I’m trying not to get hit,” I shot back. His lips twitched faintly. “Then stop thinking like prey.”

Before I could respond, he moved. Fast. Too fast. His hand caught my wrist, twisting just enough to throw me off balance before his leg swept mine out from under me. I hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the air from my lungs. Pain flared instantly, sharp and unforgiving. “And that,” he said, stepping back as if nothing had happened, “is exactly why you lost.” I lay there for a second, staring at the ceiling, anger burning hotter than the pain. He wasn’t wrong. That made it worse. Slowly, I pushed myself up, ignoring the protest in my muscles. “Again,” I said, my voice steady despite everything.

Dante studied me for a moment, something almost approving flickering in his eyes. “Good,” he said. “Pain means you’re still learning.” I rolled my shoulders slightly, resetting my stance the way he had shown me earlier. This time, I focused, not on him, not on the fear of being thrown again, but on myself. My breathing. My balance. My center. He moved again, but this time I reacted differently. I shifted instead of freezing, stepping out of his reach just barely. His hand brushed past me instead of grabbing hold. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough. “Better,” he said, his tone quieter now. That single word felt heavier than any praise I had ever received.

Hours passed like that, movement, impact, correction, repetition. I lost count of how many times I hit the ground. Each fall hurt less than the last, not because the pain was weaker, but because I was learning how to take it. Learning how to rise faster. Learning how not to let it stop me. By the time Dante finally called for a break, my entire body ached, my muscles trembling with exhaustion. I leaned against the wall, wiping sweat from my face as I tried to steady my breathing. “You’re improving faster than I expected,” he said, handing me a bottle of water. I took it without hesitation, drinking deeply before responding. “Don’t sound so surprised.” He smirked faintly. “I’m not surprised,” he said. “I’m interested.”

I lowered the bottle slightly, narrowing my eyes at him. “Interested in what?” He didn’t answer immediately, his gaze lingering on me like he was trying to figure something out. “In how far you’re willing to go,” he said finally. A chill ran through me, but I didn’t look away. “As far as I need to,” I replied. His expression darkened slightly, like he had expected that answer. “Careful,” he said. “There’s always a line.” I let out a quiet breath, my grip tightening slightly around the bottle. “Not for me,” I said. “Not anymore.” That seemed to settle something between us, something unspoken but understood.

After a brief pause, Dante walked over to a table at the side of the room and picked up a small blade, holding it out toward me. “Next lesson,” he said. I stared at it for a moment before stepping forward and taking it from him. It was lighter than the gun from yesterday, but somehow felt more personal. More intimate. “A gun is distance,” he explained. “This…” His eyes met mine. “This is close.” I swallowed slightly, turning the blade in my hand. “So what am I learning?” I asked. His voice dropped slightly. “How to end someone without hesitation.”

My grip tightened around the handle as his words sank in. This wasn’t just about defense. This was about killing. The realization didn’t shock me as much as it should have. Maybe because part of me had already accepted it. Maybe because Marco had already forced me into this world. Dante stepped closer, positioning himself behind me as he adjusted my stance. “Your movements need to be precise,” he said quietly. “No wasted energy. No second guessing.” His hand guided mine, showing me the angles, the motions, the exact points that mattered most. I listened carefully, absorbing every word, every instruction. Because I knew this wasn’t optional. This was necessary.

“Now,” he said, stepping back, “show me.” I hesitated for only a second before moving forward, repeating the motions he had shown me. My movements weren’t perfect, but they weren’t weak either. There was something different in the way I moved now, something sharper, more focused. Dante watched closely, his expression unreadable. When I finished, he nodded once. “Again,” he said. And I did. Over and over until my arms ached and my grip started to weaken. But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Because every second I hesitated felt like a step backward. And I refused to go backward.

Eventually, Dante raised a hand, signaling for me to stop. I lowered the blade slowly, my breathing heavy but controlled. “You’re adapting,” he said. “That’s good.” I met his gaze, my voice quieter now. “I don’t have a choice.” Something shifted in his expression at that, something almost human. “There’s always a choice,” he said. “You just chose this one.” I held his gaze for a moment before looking away slightly. Maybe he was right. Maybe I had chosen this. But it didn’t feel like a choice. It felt like the only path left.

That evening, as I stood alone in front of the mirror again, I barely recognized myself. Not because I looked different, but because I felt different. Stronger. Sharper. More aware. The softness that once defined me was fading, replaced by something harder, something colder. And for the first time since that night, I didn’t feel powerless. I felt… dangerous. My reflection stared back at me, unflinching. Unafraid. And in that moment, I understood something I hadn’t before. This wasn’t just training. This was transformation.

Because the girl who lost everything that night was gone.

And what was rising in her place…

was something the underworld would soon learn to fear.