Alex's eyes locked onto the man, his anger simmering just below the surface. He could feel his control slipping, his fists clenched and ready to strike. The man's hand on his thigh was like a spark to gasoline, igniting a fire that threatened to consume him. Just as he was about to unleash his fury, Daniel appeared out of nowhere, pulling Alex into a tight embrace.
"Hey, baby, I see you're getting harassed," Daniel said, his voice low and possessive.
The man, undeterred, took a step closer. "Mind your own business, kid."
Daniel's eyes flashed with a warning. "Do I tell my dad to take your other ball?"
The man's face went white, and he took a step back, bowing deeply. "I-I apologize, sir."
Daniel's grip on Alex's waist tightened. "Come with us."
They led the man to a deserted alley, the only sound the distant hum of neon signs. Daniel's expression turned cold, his eyes glinting with a fierce light. He pummeled the man, each blow precise and brutal. Alex watched, frozen, as the man crumpled to the ground.
When Daniel finally stopped, his chest heaving, he turned to Alex. "I'm so sorry, Alex. I shouldn't have called you my boyfriend. We're not...I didn't mean to put you in this situation."
Alex's voice was barely above a whisper. "It's okay, Daniel."
Daniel's eyes searched Alex's face, filled with regret. "I lost control. I shouldn't have done that."
Alex's gaze drifted back to the man, lying motionless on the ground. "You protected me."
Daniel's expression softened, his eyes filled with a warmth that made Alex's heart skip a beat. "I'll always protect you, Alex."
"That means we're friends right? Friends protect each other always"
Daniel's heart sank as Alex friend-zoned him, but he tried to hide his disappointment. "I'm glad you don't see me as a freak, Alex. That means a lot."
Alex smiled, oblivious to Daniel's true feelings. "Of course, we're friends. What's important is that we trust each other."
Daniel forced a smile, storing away his heartbreak for later. He still had no idea about Alex's true identity, but he was determined to find out when the time was right.
Meanwhile, Frudi arrived at the Hermosa Lorena hotel, her guns and bullets at the ready. She knew this was a trap, but she had to save Roland. As she approached the reception desk, she noticed the same tattoos on everyone's wrists. Her instincts screamed warning.
"Room for the night, please," Frudi said, playing it cool.
The receptionist eyed her suspiciously, making a subtle hand gesture. Frudi pretended to fix her shoelaces, whispering, "Now!"
"Blind mode on," Leo responded through his earbuds, disabling the security cameras.
Frudi swiftly kicked off her shoes, revealing her guns. With a fierce determination, she began shooting her way through the hotel, taking down anyone who dared to stand in her way. Her destination was the penthouse, where Roland was being held.
As she ascended, the sound of gunfire and shattering glass filled the air. Frudi's focus never wavered, her training and instincts guiding her through the chaos. Finally, she reached the penthouse door, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
Frudi kicked the door open, her mask concealing her identity. The room fell silent, except for the sound of Roland's labored breathing. Six men stood before her, two holding guns to Roland's head, three behind the apparent leader, and one - Quintanilla - sneering at Roland.
"A joke, Rivera?" Quintanilla spat. "Sending a little girl to save him?"
Frudi chuckled, pulling out a chair. "No wonder the 123 men I took down were so easy. You're just as gullible, Quintanilla."
Roland, battered and bloody, spoke up. "Quintanilla, if you want to stay alive, stop this now."
Frudi playfully scratched her ear. "Yeah, don't say I didn't warn you."
Quintanilla laughed, but Frudi's disrespect ignited his anger. "Enough!" he barked, sending the three men behind him to attack Frudi.
With swift precision, Frudi took down the three men. But as the other two opened fire, she dove for cover, bullets whizzing past her. From her hiding spot, she managed to take out one gunman, but the other's bullet grazed her arm.
Roland seized the opportunity, freeing himself from the ropes. With a fierce determination, he grabbed the remaining gunman, choking him until his neck twisted at an unnatural angle.
Frudi emerged from her cover, wincing in pain, but a hint of a smile on her face. "Thanks, Roland."
Roland nodded, his eyes locked on Quintanilla. "It's not over yet."
Quintanilla sprinted down the hallway, but the elevator doors refused to budge. Frudi's lockdown had trapped him. He spun around, only to face Frudi and Roland, their eyes blazing with determination.
"You're not escaping," Frudi spat, as they dragged him back to the penthouse.
Quintanilla struggled against the ropes binding him to the chair, but Frudi's gaze was unyielding. "Torture seems fitting," she said, her voice dripping with venom. "I hate getting hurt during ops, but your man put a bullet through my hand."
Frudi's pliers snapped shut around Quintanilla's finger, and he shrieked in agony. She repeated the process, each finger a testament to her unyielding resolve.
Finally, Frudi's anger spent, she raised her gun and ended Quintanilla's suffering with a single shot.
Roland watched, a mix of awe and respect on his face. "What about the bodies?" he asked.
Frudi's response was cold, calculated. "Burn the rest with the building. Send Quintanilla's body to his boss as a warning: don't mess with the Rivera mafia again."
Roland bowed, his eyes locked on Frudi's. Despite her youth, she was his future boss, and he would follow her without question.
As they drove away from the burning building, Frudi's gaze never wavered, her mind already focused on the next move, the next target. Roland knew that under her leadership, the Rivera mafia would reign supreme.
As the Hermosa Lorena hotel engulfed in flames, Roland drove through the night, Quintanilla's lifeless body in the trunk. Frudi sat beside him, her arm wrapped in a makeshift bandage, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.
When they arrived at the Rivera mansion, the staff rushed to attend to their wounds. Frudi was taken to her room, where a doctor waited to treat her injured arm. Roland was led to a separate room, where he received care for his bruises and cuts.
Later that night, Frudi entered the mansion's study, her arm in a cast. Her father, the Rivera mafia boss, looked up from his desk, concern etched on his face.
"Frudi, I heard what happened. You did well," he said, his voice filled with pride.
Frudi nodded, taking a seat. "Quintanilla's boss needs to know we won't be underestimated."
Her father smiled, a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes. "The message will be clear. You're ready to take on more responsibilities, Frudi. You're ready to lead."
Frudi's gaze locked onto her father's, a fierce determination burning within her. "I'm ready."
Meanwhile, Roland stood outside Frudi's room, looking up at the window. He knew his loyalty belonged to the Rivera family, and to Frudi, the young woman who would one day lead them all. He bowed his head, a silent promise to protect and serve her, no matter the cost.
Frudi smiled wearily as she approached her room, only to find Roland waiting outside her door. "Hey, big bro," she said, using the affectionate nickname she'd given him.
Roland's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled back. "Di, I just wanted to thank you again for saving me from Quintanilla's trap. You're a true leader."
Frudi waved her hand dismissively. "It was nothing, really. I'm just tired, so if you have anything else to say, make it quick."
Roland chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Try taking out your braids, Di. Try being like other girls for once. When you become the head of the Rivera mafia, you won't have the chance."
Frudi nodded, her eyes already drooping. "Goodnight, Roland."
__
Dylan stood at the podium, surveying the sea of freshmen faces before him. He cleared his throat, beginning his speech. But as he spoke, he stumbled over his words, his usual eloquence deserting him.
"Uh, welcome...to...uh, school," he stammered, his face growing hot with embarrassment.
The students exchanged confused glances as this wasn't their first day of school, they were going through a hazing. And Elias, standing off to the side, raised an eyebrow.
Dylan tried to recover, but his words only grew more tangled. "So, uh, classes...and...stuff...will be...uh, starting soon."
A murmur of laughter rippled through the crowd, and Dylan's face burned with frustration. What was wrong with him? He was always confident and articulate, but today...
Elias stepped forward, a sympathetic smile on his face. "Hey, Dylan, why don't you take a break? We've got this."
Dylan nodded gratefully, relieved to escape the podium. As he made his way to the back, his eyes scanned the room, searching for Frudi's familiar face. But she was nowhere to be found, and his heart sank. Where was she? And why was her absence affecting him so deeply?
Meanwhile, Frudi lay in bed, her arm still throbbing from the bullet wound. She had skipped school, unable to face the day. Roland's words from the night before echoed in her mind - "Try being like other girls for once." But how could she, when her life was already mapped out, her destiny intertwined with the Rivera mafia? She was a Rivera!
As she drifted off to sleep, Frudi couldn't shake the feeling that her two worlds were colliding, and she was caught in the middle.
Frudi woke up from her nap, feeling refreshed and a bit restless. She decided to explore the vast mansion, exchanging greetings with the staff, who addressed her as "Lady of the House" - a title her father, Cisco, had insisted upon.
As she wandered, Frudi found herself at her father's study, only to discover he was absent. A staff member informed her that he had left for a business meeting. Bored and seeking distraction, Frudi remembered Roland's advice: "Try being like other girls for once."
On a whim, Frudi headed to the garage and selected a car - a stunning Rolls Royce La Rose Noire Droptail. She drove to the mall, indulging in a shopping spree, buying whatever caught her eye. Next, she visited a salon, transforming her look by removing her braids, getting her nails done, and trying a new hairdo - a sleek grey color that matched her piercing eyes.
Frudi's makeover was completed with a black, skin-tight halterneck gown and black thigh-high Lita boots. She felt like a different person, liberated from her usual constraints.
Finally, she decided to visit Alex at the university, curious about his day and eager to show off her new look. As she arrived on campus, Frudi's heart skipped a beat. What would Alex think of her transformation? He would definitely be shocked. Alex was her best friend after all.
Frudi's Rolls Royce La Rose Noire Drophead glided into the Art faculty's parking lot, drawing admiring glances from students and faculty alike. She stepped out of the car, her grey hair and black gown turning heads. The bandage on her hand was a stark contrast to her otherwise polished appearance.
As she asked about the freshmen hazing, people couldn't help but stare. "Uh, it's...um...in the East Hall," someone stammered, eyes fixed on Frudi's stunning outfit.
Frudi made her way to the hall, her presence causing a stir. Students bumped into trees, unable to tear their gaze away from her. She approached the hall, where the hazing activity was in full swing. Alex and Daniel were laughing and participating, completely carefree.
Frudi hesitated, not wanting to interrupt their fun. She turned to leave, but her heel caught on a loose paving stone. As she stumbled, she collided with a tall, dark-haired boy.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Frudi exclaimed, regaining her balance.
But when she looked up and saw Dylan's face, she froze. Her apology died on her lips, and her eyes locked onto his, a mix of emotions swirling inside her.
Dylan's eyes widened in surprise, and he took a step back, his hands rising to steady her. "Frudi, I...wow, you look..."
Frudi's gaze remained fixed on Dylan, her mind racing. What was he doing here? And why did he look so...different? Why was he looking so good in her eyes?
The air around them seemed to thicken, the sounds of the hazing activity fading into the background. Frudi's heart pounded in her chest, her thoughts tangled in a web of confusion and curiosity.