Sunlight filtered across her face as she stirred from a deep, dreamless sleep. When she hurried to get up, a sharp pain flared beneath her shoulder blade. "Fuck," she hissed, noticing her hand already wrapped in a white linen bandage. Memories from the night before started to resurface at the back of her mind.
Despite the pain, Tiffany felt a strange sense of relief. She had made it. She was part of the brotherhood now.
"Morning, my girl," came a voice from across the room. Startled, she turned to see her father, comfortably seated on the red couch by her bed.
"P-Papa," she stammered, standing quickly to kiss both his cheeks. "I didn't see you there."
"Your assistant, Elizabeth, helped with the bandage and nightgown," her father explained, his voice thick with the familiar accent she had grown up with.
Having him in her room always felt unnerving. Their relationship had always been complicated, and she felt the weight of it as his gaze lingered on her.
Sighing, she returned to her bed and waited for him to speak, her eyes wandering to the handmade curtains and the wide window that looked out over the city.
"Congrats again, hija," he said, breaking the silence.
Tiffany forced a smile. "I passed out last night… after giving that speech—I bet you're disappointed in me. Sorry," she mumbled, glancing at the floor.
"It's fine," he said calmly. "Getting the seal is hard enough. Does it still hurt? The burn usually lasts three days."
Absentmindedly, she touched the fresh mark, still throbbing. "Saying it doesn't would be a lie."
"Take something for the pain," he suggested.
A quiet moment passed as her father sipped his tea. Tiffany rose from the bed and stood in front of the mirror, turning to study the burn on her skin. "I like it, though," she admitted, glancing back at him. "It makes me feel like I carry part of you with me."
Her father stiffened, though he quickly recovered from it. Tiffany had grown used to how her father reacted to moments like this, where her affection for him and his world slipped through. Sometimes she enjoyed watching him squirm. Even so, she had always admired his strength, and deep down, she wanted to match it.
When his tea was finished, he got up and walked toward her. "I know how much you look up to me," he said, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "I'm proud of you, my girl."
Tiffany smiled as she studied his weathered face, noticing a grayer color in his hair than before. It reminded her of when she was little, back when things felt simpler.
"You're the spitting image of your mother," he said, his voice gentler now.
"She wouldn't approve of this," Tiffany chuckled.
"She's not here to weigh in anymore," he replied, walking over to the table to grab a manila envelope. "You've made your choice, and now, you're an Alpha assassin. So, this is for your mission."
Tiffany eagerly opened the envelope, pulling out a photograph of a man in his thirties. "He's good-looking," she remarked with a smirk. "Am I supposed to marry him?"
Her father laughed. "Maybe if you'd chosen to marry one of the Alpha sons, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
"Papa, you know I want to marry for love."
"You're a hopeless romantic, my girl," her father said, shaking his head. "Love can still blossom even if it wasn't present in the beginning…"
"Oh, spare me with that bullshit talk, Papa," she said. "Anyway, who is this man, really?"
The Don's tone turned serious. "He's a threat to our business, to the brotherhood. He's an assassin, skilled at hiding, but we've finally tracked the son-of-a-bitch. Took us years but it doesn't matter. It's your job now to handle him, as the Council has ordered."
Tiffany's pulse quickened with excitement. "And when I'm done, what should I do with him?" she asked, her voice steady and confident.
"Bring his body to the Council, serve his head on a platter, and you'll take my place in the brotherhood."
Tiffany grinned. "Consider it done."
"Failure is not an option, girl," he said gravely. "You've got too much to prove, and everything to gain."
"I won't fail, Papa. You know I never failed at anything."
"Everything you need to know is in that envelope," he said as he moved toward the door. "Read it, then get packed."
His sudden urgency caught her off guard. "Wait, you mean now? Why the rush?"
"Yes," he answered without hesitation. "You leave tonight for Southern Isla, in the Visayas. But first, breakfast is ready. Eat, then prepare yourself," he said before finally leaving the room.
As the door clicked shut, Tiffany stared at the picture again. She sighed. "Poor man," she whispered. "The Alphas have already decided your fate... and mine."
Her eyes drifted to the window, thoughts of her mother creeping back. Her mom wouldn't have wanted this life for her, but her father was right—she wasn't here anymore.
Tiffany knew she just had to do whatever it took to survive.