Evelyn wandered through the bustling market, her mind occupied with thoughts of the restaurant. She moved from stall to stall, inspecting produce and meats with a practiced eye. She was lost in her thoughts when a voice broke through her concentration.
"Miss Hart?"
She turned to see a young boy standing behind her. She recognized him from the restaurant — one of the VIP customers from a few nights ago. His serious demeanor and piercing gaze seemed out of place on someone so young.
"Yes?" she replied, raising an eyebrow. "Liam, right? What are you doing here?"
Liam stepped closer, his voice low. "I need to talk to you, Miss Hart. It's about Hell's Kitchen."
Evelyn's curiosity was piqued, and she gestured for him to follow her to a quieter part of the market. They found a secluded corner where they could talk without being overheard. She crossed her arms, looking down at him. "Alright, Liam. What's so important?"
Liam took a deep breath. "I know you work at Hell's Kitchen. Must be quite a place to work, right? I mean, a lot of important people go there."
Evelyn frowned, sensing he was leading up to something. "Yes, it is. What's your point?"
Liam glanced around, making sure no one was listening. "I did some research on the place. On Victor Delacroix. Did you know he wasn't always a chef?" he asked with a meaningful look.
Evelyn felt a chill run down her spine. "What do you mean?" she asked cautiously; this could be a trap.
Liam leaned in closer. "As you probably know, I'm a noble. My father and I have been investigating your boss and I know the truth; Victor Delacroix was an assassin. Known as the Butcher."
Evelyn's eyes widened. She had known this, but hearing it from someone else made it all the more real. She decided that taking a risk was worth it. "I already know that. He killed my best friend. I've been planning my revenge ever since I found out." she replied. She knew the boy must have had an agenda and there's no way he approached her without knowing at least part of her past; based on her intuition , it was worth it to try and egg him on; he could end up being an ally.
Liam nodded, as if confirming something to himself. "I thought so. That's why I'm here." he said, confirming her suspicions.
"You need to know the full truth about Hell's Kitchen." he continued with a serious look.
Evelyn's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
Liam glanced around again, his voice lowering further. "They don't just serve gourmet food. They serve... people. Humanoid meat. Demihumans, monsters, elves, actual humans, you name it. Delacroix and the others are all in on it. They're running a slaughterhouse disguised as a restaurant."
Evelyn felt her blood run cold. She had suspected something was off, but this revelation was beyond anything she had imagined. "You're serious?!" she exclaimed.
"Yes," Liam insisted. "I've done my research. Victor isn't the only one with a dark past. Everyone there knows what's really going on, except for you. You're the only one who's been left in the dark." he concluded.
Evelyn's mind raced, piecing together the fragments of what she knew. Suddenly, it all clicked. The unexplained disappearances, the strange meats, the secrecy. She realized what had actually happened to Sasha. The Butcher had taken her and turned her into a meal. Her eyes blazed with rage.
"Why are you telling me this?" she demanded.
Liam's expression darkened. "Because I want revenge on Victor Delacroix as well. He killed my mother. She was targeted by a rival family who hired The Butcher to kill her . He slaughtered her in cold blood."
Evelyn felt a surge of anger and sympathy. "I'm sorry this happened to you, Liam," she said softly. "I know how it feels to have your family killed by a monster...so, tell me, what's your plan?" she asked.
"We need to work together," Liam said. "You're already on the inside. I can help you find proof and take him down. We can expose what Hell's Kitchen really is."
Evelyn's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. She had been planning to take down Victor alone, which was a daunting task, but with Liam's help, she might actually have a good chance. "Alright," she said finally. "I'm in. But we need to be careful. If they find out we're onto them..."
Liam nodded. "I know. We'll be careful. Meet me here tomorrow, and I'll bring what I have."
Evelyn watched as he disappeared back into the crowd, her mind reeling from the information he had given her. She resumed her shopping, but her thoughts were now consumed with plans of revenge and the danger that lay ahead.
That night, as she prepared dinner at the restaurant, Evelyn couldn't help but glance around at her colleagues. Victor, Lucien, Nyssa, and now Lyra — all of them were in on the secret, and all of them were complicit in the horrors of Hell's Kitchen. But now she knew, and with Liam's help, she would bring them down. She would have her revenge.
However, unbeknownst to Evelyn, Lucien had been following her. Ever since he and Victor discussed the need to keep an eye on her, Lucien had taken it upon himself to shadow her movements. He wasn't sure what she was up to, but he had a sinking feeling that trouble was brewing. When he saw her talking to the suspicious kid from the other night, his suspicions were confirmed. Something was definitely off.
Lucien watched from a distance as Evelyn and Liam had their intense conversation in the secluded corner of the market. He couldn't hear everything they were saying, but their body language spoke volumes. When Liam finally walked away and Evelyn resumed her shopping, Lucien stayed on her tail, keeping to the shadows.
As the evening rolled around and Evelyn returned to Hell's Kitchen to prepare dinner, Lucien's eyes never left her. He observed her closely, noticing the subtle changes in her demeanor. She seemed more focused, more cold...and he could sense the anger surging through her. She was up to something, and Lucien knew it was time to act.