Vows Of Vengeance

years

s of downtown, my heels clicking against the

, a stark contrast to the warmth

nger Isabel

ow Livi

day, and a clandestine

uise of blonde hair and brown contact lenses th

ome so real, so ingrained, that the woman I once

against my skin, a constant reminder of

of the ashes of her family's destruction, was still ther

eason I endured, the reason I woul

& Partners Law Firm, I navigated past th

on-cases, client records, and legal documents that

nt of illicit dealings that cou

ticulously scanned through files, my mind sharp and fo

rsations-I absorbed it all, piecing together fragment

archive room-a place seldom visited, where old

filtering through dust-covered windows, I delved into

unearthed a folder labele

wed pages and faded photographs, search

s business dealings and hinted at allianc

th was

tingling anticipation that puls

adrenaline-fueled chases through shadowy alleys, the cons

the truth was within reach, and the years

d the city lights began to twinkle through the wind

murmurs of patrons, information flowed fr

f wine-my usual drink, a habit I had picked u

the day, I could relax a litt

onto the stool next to

the underworld, Marco was my lin

autiful."

rco?" I asked, my v

" he said, reigning anger. "You're

hard look a

ue. "Word on the street is that Rinaldi's been making moves

skipped

e man at the center

a trail of transactions and alliances that cou

r into Marco's information, my ph

e-a text message from an unkno

o you are,

caught in

iscovered my

w? And what d

whelm me, but I forced m

o appease

f waiting, of holding my

however tempting, w

es I'd made, the battles I'd foug

fter all I'd endure

were higher

careless word, could

wasn't

e, and I was ready to play,

eted my phone, my mind racin

er around me, closing in as I s

eceit and vengeance, the st

***

eeks as I continue

ptive calm that stretched taut, l

he lull before the storm, a deceptive

through the carefully constr

e years of living in the shadows, and sud

nt itch I couldn't scratch, a puzzle

office grew more tense, each encounter a del

his office-a rare occurrence that sen

ny desk, his eyes cold and piercing. The blinds were h

he said, his voic

ng. I met his piercing g

sk. "There have been reports of unauthorized a

eart

has bee