The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a fiery glow across the sky, igniting the towering buildings of the city into silhouettes. The once-clear skies were now painted in shades of orange and gold, a breathtaking sight, as the city seemed to pause and hold its breath.
But at the edge of the border, there was no beauty. Only the harsh contrast of burning flesh and bloodshed.
Sitting calmly in a chair, his back straight, Lennox—dressed in a sharp, dark suit—tapped his left leg gently on the muddy ground, the rhythm of his tapping almost eerily steady in the silence of the night. A subtle, twisted smile lingered on his lips as he watched the body in front of him burn into nothing but ashes. There was no sorrow, no regret in his expression, just an air of completion, a cold satisfaction.
"Revenge completed," he muttered under his breath, his voice calm, like a man who had achieved the inevitable. With a long, deliberate sigh, he put his feet to the ground, stood up, and glanced out the window; the city skyline was now bathed in the cool shadows of night.
He ran his hand through his dark hair, a furrow between his brows. "What to do now?" he muttered again, as though speaking to the void. His eyes flicked to the side just as a dagger came at him from his right. Without hesitation, he dodged, his body moving with fluid precision as he stepped to the left. He raised his leg, attempting an uppercut, but DRIFTED his target.
He blinked, now fully aware of the presence before him. The woman in front of him had a cold fire in her eyes—River.
With a casual smile, he wiped away the flicker of tension in his features, his lips curling into something sinister.
"Oh wow, Miss River, what brings you to my territory?"
River's eyes narrowed, her stance unyielding as she gripped her dagger tighter.
"Cut the bullshit, Lennox," she snapped. "If I don't skin you alive, I'll change my cousin's name."
Lennox's gaze flickered, the briefest hint of confusion in his eyes before it quickly morphed into amusement.
"River, I'm aware I burnt your father, but—" His words were cut short by another flash of silver. A dagger aimed right for his face. He jerked backward, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike.
The fight began.
Blow after blow. Each one pushing the other further into their limits. They moved with brutal grace, the sharp clang of steel on steel ringing in the air. River was relentless, her every motion calculated and precise, but Lennox was quicker, his movements sharp and mocking, as though he had nothing to fear.
Lennox smirked, dodging another strike from River, his dark eyes glinting with something unreadable. His suit was already torn, the fabric stained with his own blood, but there was no sign of slowing. River's breath came in shallow bursts, her body already starting to feel the strain of the battle. A small cut bloomed across her forearm, another across her cheek. She coughed up blood, her mind blurring as exhaustion threatened to take over.
"You fucker," she thought bitterly, gripping her dagger tighter.
Her vision was swimming, the world spinning. The adrenaline coursing through her veins felt like a drug, but her strength was waning. She couldn't stop now. Not when so much was on the line.
Across from her, Lennox stood tall, blood dripping from small gashes on his arms and face, his dark suit now tattered and soaked. Despite the pain, there was no fear in his gaze, only cold calculation.
"Miss River," he said with a voice as smooth as silk, his smile still stretched thin across his face. "Let's end this here. Your father's ashes have already been placed in an urn. He's gone. There's nothing more you can do."
Suddenly, the air shifted. From behind Lennox, over thirty men emerged, forming a ring around the two fighters. Their eyes were cold and empty as they waited for the signal.
"Miss River, I don't think you want war," Lennox said, his voice laced with an edge of finality.
River narrowed her eyes, her dagger still trained on him.
"If you didn't want war, why would you kill the head of my territory?" Her mind raced. "This is not stable," she thought, her thoughts sharp. "We will definitely lose more men in this fight."
Her grip tightened around her gun as she raised it slightly.
"Mr. Lennox, I expect proper compensation for this incident," she said, her voice clipped.
Lennox's expression faltered for only a second before he nodded curtly.
"Of course, Miss River," he said. "We will make it right."
River's men stood nearby, watching the tense exchange. She turned to leave, her body stiff with anger and exhaustion. As she passed Lennox, she whispered in his ear, just low enough for only him to hear,
"Don't be the monster you hate. I'm going to enjoy skinning you alive."
A cold and dark smile stretched across her lips as she walked out the door. Her men followed her, the door closing behind them with a finality that echoed in the silence.
Lennox stood motionless for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he watched her leave.
"So, that's the famous Miss River," he said, turning to his men. "Find out more about her."
His gaze turned back to the window, the sky now completely dark.
"Increase security. I don't believe she'll let this go."
A smirk curled at the corners of his lips.
"It will be fun. I have something to do," he thought, a glint of amusement in his eyes.