Some betrayals come with blood,others come with silence.
*****
The sneeze hit Xavier straight in the face. He blinked, lips parted in surprise. Without a word, he pulled a small pack of wipes from his jacket pocket, peeled one out, and slowly wiped his face starting from his cheek down to his chin then folded it and tossed it in the trash bin nearby.
Champagne didn't glance at him. Her hands worked through the dough on the table, folding, pressing, and flipping with practiced ease.
"You know you don't have to be mean, Catty," Xavier muttered, wiping the bridge of his nose.
She untied the apron from her waist and tossed it over the chair. Her slippers tapped against the tiled floor as she walked to the cabinet. She opened it, grabbed a silver knife, and walked back to the dough, slicing it into rough, equal pieces.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice came low and distant, like the question had been waiting on her tongue for too long.
She didn't wait for an answer. She kept chopping, her fingers moving fast like she was trying to shut him out with every slice.
"I met your best friend," he said quietly. "She was here two days ago. She looked fine."
Her hand froze mid-air. The knife hovered above the dough. Slowly, she looked up and met his eyes. Cold. Flat. Unmoving.
"I don't have a best friend," she said, each word sharp like the blade in her hand.
Xavier stepped closer, his voice gentle. "When will you forgive her? I told you it wasn't her fault. She had an agreement with Enrico"
Champagne's eyes flared. The knife clattered onto the counter as she turned to him, face red, breath fast.
"She's a lying bastard!" she shouted, her voice breaking. "Don't say her name! I mourned her! For three damn years, I thought she was dead! I cried myself to sleep every single night. And now she just shows up like nothing happened?"
Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked fast, refusing to let them fall. Her chest rose and fell with short, angry breaths, and she wiped her face roughly with the back of her flour-dusted hand.
Xavier walked up to her without a word. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. She didn't move. Didn't push him away either.
"I hope you forgive her one day, Catty," he whispered and kissed her forehead gently. Then he let go, turned, and walked out of the kitchen.
She followed him with her eyes.
Through the clear glass of her restaurant, she watched him step onto his matte black power bike. The machine looked like something out of a movie sleek, muscular, with a low-slung seat and a roaring engine that came alive with a growl. The moment he revved it, the tires kissed the pavement and he zoomed off, disappearing down the street.
*******
"You're not going to do that. I can beg on your behalf. You can't go back to him," Hermes said, his voice low and shaky.
Blonde didn't reply. Her eyes held his for a long second before she looked away. "I need to do this, Hermes."
He stepped closer, his voice rising. "Why you? He could've picked anyone else why did it have to be you?"
"Because I'm the only one who can pull this off. Enrico doesn't trust me, I know that. But I'll earn it. I'll do whatever it takes. Just follow La Notte's instructions."
His shoulders slumped. "What about us?" His hands trembled as they cupped her cheeks. "Don't I deserve a chance? I love you, Blonde. I need you to know that."
She gently took his hands off her face and laid them on his lap. "Hermes… I'm sorry. I can't love anyone right now. My mind has to be clear. I must finish this mission without mistakes, you know your boss doesn't tolerate errors."
Hermes dropped his hands and walked over to the chair beside her. He sank into it, staring at her in silence.
They held each other's gaze hers soft, his pained until a knock broke through the tension. Blonde turned her face away just as the door opened.
La Notte strode in, scanning both of them before a crooked smile spread across his face. "Enrico wants to buy you from whoever owns you. I doubt you remember your worth after four years, Blonde."
She frowned, eyes narrowing. "What do you mean by that?"
"It means plans are shifting. He made the first move. Now I have to sell you to him. And that means this mission just got extended three months."
"You betraying bastard!" Blonde sprang to her feet, heading toward him, but Hermes jumped up and held her back, arms wrapped tight around her waist.
"This right here is why Enrico despises you," Blonde said, his breath hot against her neck. "You never stick to the plan."
Blonde tore herself from his grip, dropped to her knees, and crawled to La Notte. Her fingers gripped his polished shoes.
La Notte looked down at her, shaking his head. His lip curled in amusement. "A few minutes ago you were yelling. Now look at you on the floor. That's why I'll never trust you." His voice was calm, but his eyes darkened with scorn.
Blonde kept her face lowered. "Does my wish still stand?"
He smirked. "Of course. You signed it. So did I. Just do your job, and I'll keep my end of the deal."
La Notte turned to face Hermes, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Get the things needed for the mission ready. We're putting up the price in two days. Blonde, you will make a great asset."
Hermes looked at Blonde one more time, his eyes soft and unsure, then gave a quick bow to his boss and walked out without a word.
Blonde stepped forward, her boots clicking sharply against the tiled floor. She stopped right in front of La Notte and met his eyes.
"Make sure you don't break the deal," she said, her voice low but firm. "I hate people who don't keep their word."
La Notte let out a small laugh, the sound dry and mocking as it danced in the air like a hiss. His eyes gleamed with wicked amusement.
"I know Hermes is falling for you," he whispered. "Should the predator be falling in love with the prey? You wouldn't want me to tell him what you did, would you?"
Blonde's lips parted in shock. Her breath hitched. Her hands trembled slightly at her sides, and she quickly curled them into fists.
"No... you can't," she whispered. "I'm trying my best to keep the distance."
La Notte leaned closer, his voice barely above a breath. "He is off-limits. And you forget, I have too many of your secrets, Blonde Hay. The Dons out there would skin you alive for half of what you've done. If you mess this up... I'll make sure they find you."
Blonde didn't speak. Her jaw tightened, and she stared back, eyes hard but unreadable.
"Boys!" La Notte suddenly yelled.
The door slammed open. Three hefty men marched in. They wore all black, armed with guns slung over their shoulders. One carried a black duffel bag that sagged heavy with unknown contents.
Blonde backed up instinctively. "What are you doing?" she barked.
"This is the beginning of your mission, Blonde," La Notte said, his voice flat. "If we must make this look real, we must start now."
Before she could react, one of the men lunged forward and plunged a knife into her stomach. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as hot pain exploded in her gut. She gritted her teeth and swung her fist into his forehead. He staggered back, but the other two men rushed her. Their hands clamped around her arms like steel traps.
She thrashed and kicked, heart hammering, eyes wide with panic.
"Let me go!" she screamed.
But it was too late. One of them jabbed a syringe into her neck. The cold burn of the liquid spread fast,her limbs turned to water.Her thoughts slowed like someone was dragging them underwater.Midazolam, she thought, just before the dizziness hit. Her muscles slackened. The floor tilted beneath her.
Her breath slowed. Her eyes fluttered. She saw La Notte's blurry figure watching, still smirking.
"Take her away," he said.