Bella’s eyes burned as she felt her heart thud with pain. The image burned itself into her mory, every bruise, every cut, every tear on Mira’s face.
Her brown eyes hardened. The softness drained away, replaced by a sharp, ruthless glint. Her jaw tightened. Her hands stopped shaking.
They dared to do this to her best friend. Her friend who had made mistakes, yes. Her friend who had betrayed her, yes. But her friend who had co back, who had apologized, who had stood up to Krystal, who had promised to tell the truth. Her friend who was trying to be better.
And they had done this to her.
Bella wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Her face was stone now. Her lips pressed into a thin line. She looked at the address they had sent and morized it. Her eyes narrowed.
The address was nearby. Her eyes darkened. Were these people keeping an eye on her and Leo’s whereabouts? Had they been watching this whole ti, waiting for the right mont?
What should she do? Should she tell Leo and go together or go alone?
She made her decision quickly. There was no ti to argue, no ti to wait for backup. Mira was in there, bleeding, scared, alone. Every second Bella wasted was another second Mira suffered.
She went downstairs. The house was mostly empty, and she did not bump into anyone on the way. The hallways were silent, the rooms dark. Everyone was still upstairs, settling into their rooms, unaware of what was happening.
She walked quickly down the hallway, her flats silent on the carpet. She found the driver in the kitchen, a middle-aged man nad Jas who had been with Jason’s family for a few years. He was drinking tea, scrolling through his phone.
Jas looked up when she entered. "Ma’am? You need sothing?"
Bella’s voice was icy cold, nothing like her usual soft tone. "Start the car."
Jas blinked. "Where are we going, ma’am?"
"Just drive. I’ll tell you the directions as we go."
Jas frowned. He set down his cup and stood up. "Ma’am, let ask sir—" he was referring to Jason as sir.
Bella stepped closer. Her brown eyes locked onto his. "Sir is not here. I am. Start the car."
Jas stared at her for a mont. He had never seen her like this. Her face was pale, her eyes hard, her whole body radiating a dark aura that made him step back without thinking. There was sothing dangerous in her gaze, sothing that told him not to argue.
He nodded. "Yes, ma’am."
They walked to the garage. Jas got behind the wheel. Bella slid into the back seat.
"Drive toward the coast," she said.
Jas looked at her in the rearview mirror. "The coast, ma’am?"
"Yes."
Jas pulled out of the garage and onto the main road. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the pavent. The sky was streaked with orange and red, like fire bleeding into the horizon.
Bella pulled out her phone. Her screen went dark, then filled with white and green code lines that appeared and disappeared, flickering like lightning. Her fingers moved across the screen so fast that it was almost blurry.
"Turn left at the next light," she said.
Jas turned left.
They drove through the city streets. Soon the buildings grew sparse. The streets grew rougher. The city gave way to empty lots and overgrown fields, tall grass swaying in the evening wind.
"Where are we going, ma’am?" Jas asked again.
"Keep driving."
The sll of salt filled the air. In the distance, Bella could see the ocean, dark and endless, its surface glittering under the setting sun like scattered diamonds.
"Turn right at the old gas station."
Jas turned right. The road beca gravel, bumpy, lined with weeds and broken fences. The car bounced over potholes, and the trees on either side grew thick, blocking out the fading light.
"Ma’am, there’s nothing out here but abandoned warehouses. I’ve been driving for years, and I’ve never seen anything worth stopping for on this road."
Bella’s voice was calm. "I know."
Jas glanced at her in the rearview mirror. His face was pale, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. "Ma’am, I’m scared."
Bella t his eyes in the mirror. "Don’t worry. You don’t have to be scared. I will tell you where to stop."
They drove in silence for another minute. The road curved, and then the abandoned building appeared ahead. A large warehouse, its windows broken, its walls covered in graffiti. The roof sagged in places, and the doors were rusted, hanging off their hinges like tired eyelids. The parking lot was cracked, weeds pushing through the asphalt.
"Stop here," Bella said.
Jas stopped the car. The gravel crunched under the tires. The wind howled outside, carrying the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore.
"Ma’am, why are you—let call—"
"No."
"But ma’am—"
Bella opened the door and stepped out. The wind hit her face, cold and salty. Her hair flew across her eyes, but she did not push it away. She stood there for a mont, looking at the building’s broken windows.
"Go back ho. I will call you to pick up. I am eting soone," she said.
Jas hesitated. His hands were still gripping the wheel, his face still pale.
"Ma’am, I don’t think—"
"Go."
Jas nodded. He knew briefly about this girl’s background. He knew her husband was powerful, dangerous, connected to things normal people did not talk about. He knew that when she gave an order, it was best to follow it.
He did not deny her. He put the car in reverse and backed away, his headlights sweeping across the gravel before he turned and drove off.
Bella watched the taillights disappear around the bend.
Then she turned and walked toward the warehouse.
The wind howled around her. The gravel crunched under her flats. The sky was nearly dark now, the last traces of orange fading into deep purple and black.
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