The morning light poured gently through the living-room windows.
Angie sat at the table, happily eating her favorite breakfast, while little Sally, perched comfortably on Bella's lap, kicked her short legs in rhythm, like a playful kitten waiting to be fed.
Bella smiled as she alternated between feeding Sally spoonfuls of oatmeal and listening to Angie's chatter. She didn't speak about where she had been for the past few weeks, nor about the dangerous missions or the dark battles she had fought. Instead, she let Angie fill the room with laughter and stories.
Angie was in a cheerful mood, her words tumbling out like a rushing stream. She told Bella about a "brilliant" robber who had tried breaking into the neighborhood two days ago—only to be turned into "Swiss cheese" by the building's automatic security drones. Then she talked about a young doctor at the hospital who had been trying to flirt with her by bringing her overpriced coffee, only for Angie to turn him down with her trademark sass.
Bella laughed softly. She'd missed this—the simplicity of home, the warmth of friends. But beneath her calm smile, she was quietly studying Angie.
Despite the playful tone, Bella knew Angie wasn't as air-headed as she liked to pretend. People often mistook her for scatterbrained, but Angie was sharp—too sharp. After all, she hadn't earned a doctorate in medicine by being oblivious.
And deep down, Bella suspected that her best friend had already noticed that something about her didn't quite add up.
Over the years, Bella had tried to keep her double life hidden—the long absences, the strange injuries, the sleepless nights after missions. But no disguise was perfect, especially not around someone who had known her for nearly a decade.
As the two women finished breakfast, Bella sighed softly. Maybe… it was time to stop pretending.
---
When Angie finally put down her fork, Bella looked at her and said gently,
"You've been patient, Angie. More patient than I deserved."
Angie blinked, her expression caught halfway between confusion and curiosity.
"What are you talking about?"
Bella smiled knowingly. "You've been pretending not to notice. But you already know something's off, don't you?"
Angie froze, spoon halfway to her mouth. "...What's with that look? Don't give me that mysterious 'spy movie' face."
Bella chuckled. "You caught me. You always do, Detective Ann Holmes Kat."
Angie's jaw dropped. "Oh, come on! You're actually admitting it?! You mean I was right?!"
Bella laughed at her friend's dramatic reaction. "You were right about a lot more than you realize."
The next second, Angie shot out of her chair, excitement blazing in her eyes. She leaned across the table, inches from Bella's face. "You're—don't tell me—you're really—"
Bella nodded slowly.
"The Goddess of Judgment."
---
For a heartbeat, the room went silent.
Then Angie shrieked, clapping both hands over her mouth like a kid who'd just seen her favorite celebrity in person.
"No freaking way! You're the Goddess of Judgment?! Oh my God, oh my God, I worship her! You—You're my favorite superhero! The cloak, the silver sword, the lightning—everything! And it's YOU?!"
Bella couldn't help but laugh as Angie jumped up and hugged her tight, nearly knocking over the table in the process.
"Ah! Angie, careful—hot coffee!"
"I don't care! This is insane! The coolest superhero in the world is my best friend! You've been hiding this from me for years?!"
Angie's voice grew louder with every sentence, her excitement echoing through the entire house.
Even little Sally, sitting beside them, started giggling. Cosmo, the golden retriever, wagged his tail happily, while Nina—the tiny blue cat—fluffed up in alarm at Angie's screaming, her fur standing on end like a little puffball.
Bella set down the plate and tried to calm her friend. "I wasn't hiding it to hurt you, Angie. I just didn't want you involved in that world."
"That world?" Angie repeated, eyes sparkling. "The world where you fight gods and monsters? That world?"
Bella sighed, shaking her head. "Exactly. It's dangerous, Angie. You wouldn't survive five minutes out there."
Angie grinned mischievously. "Don't underestimate me. Remember who figured you out first?"
---
Truth be told, Angie had pieced the puzzle together a long time ago.
It started with small things: Bella's sudden disappearances, her vague excuses about "academic exchanges," and her habit of returning home with suspicious bruises.
At first, Angie had brushed it off—after all, Bella really was a genius scientist. But then came the day she ran into Bella's old university mentor. During casual conversation, the professor mentioned that Bella hadn't attended any of the academic exchanges she claimed to be at.
That was the moment the entire web of lies began to unravel.
"I knew it!" Angie said proudly, poking Bella in the shoulder. "You disappeared for months, saying you were in Tokyo or Berlin for research, but your professor swore you never left New York. So what was I supposed to think? Obviously, you were off saving the world!"
Bella chuckled, rubbing her temple. "You really are impossible."
"I prefer brilliant detective, thank you very much. Ann Holmes Kat, Ph.D., at your service!"
---
Angie leaned forward eagerly, eyes wide. "So tell me everything. You really fought that big green monster back at the university that time, didn't you? The one who smashed half the science building? That was you, right?"
Bella smiled faintly. "Yeah. That was me."
"I knew it!" Angie squealed. "And on Basai Island—when you said you were going to the bathroom for ten minutes—don't tell me you actually flew to New York to fight aliens?"
Bella raised an eyebrow. "You remember that?"
"Of course I do! I watched the footage a hundred times. That's my favorite battle clip. You looked so cool standing in the firelight with that sword. It's literally my computer wallpaper!"
At this point, Angie's excitement reached a level of pure chaos. She jumped around the room, recounting every time she'd unknowingly crossed paths with Bella's double life. Her enthusiastic shouting made even the unflappable Bella shake her head and laugh.
---
Eventually, Angie collapsed back into her chair, panting but glowing with happiness. Then she froze. Her gaze shifted to little Sally, who was calmly munching her toast beside them.
Angie narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Wait a minute… did you know too?"
Sally blinked, then nodded. "Yes!"
Angie clutched her head dramatically. "So I'm the last one to know? Bella, how could you! I thought we had something special!"
Bella tried to hide her smile as she poured coffee. "I told you—it was safer that way."
Sally tilted her head, thinking. Then, with a sweet smile, she dug into her pocket and pulled out a tiny lollipop, offering it to Angie like a peace offering.
"Don't be sad, Sister Angie. Nina still doesn't know."
Angie's mouth fell open. She stared at the candy, speechless. "You… you realize Nina's a cat, right?"
"Still counts," Sally said proudly.
That did it. Bella burst out laughing so hard she nearly spilled her coffee.
Angie sighed dramatically and accepted the lollipop. "Fine, I forgive you—barely. But only because you're cute."
Sally giggled, wiggling in Bella's arms. Cosmo barked happily, and even Nina meowed indignantly, as if demanding inclusion in the conversation.
---
When the laughter finally settled, Angie folded her arms with mock seriousness.
"Alright, Goddess of Judgment," she said in her best detective tone, "start from the beginning. When did this all happen? How did you become a superhero? And do you really carry that giant glowing sword around all the time?"
Bella looked at her best friend's eager expression and couldn't help smiling. For years, she had fought demons, hunted monsters, and carried the weight of judgment across the world. Yet sitting here, surrounded by warmth, she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time—peace.
"Alright," Bella said softly. "I'll tell you everything. But you have to promise not to freak out."
Angie leaned forward, eyes sparkling. "No promises."
Bella rolled her eyes with affection and began, "It started a few years ago, on a night much darker than this one…"
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