The penthouse lights flickered low as storm clouds gathered outside the city skyline. Selia stood near the floor-to-ceiling window, a glass of red wine in her hand, the color matching the lipstick she wore—bold, dangerous. Her gaze burned into the distant city lights as though she could already see her enemies falling one by one.
Behind her, Varek lounged on a leather armchair, tossing a small switchblade in his hand lazily. His long coat still carried the scent of gunpowder and smoke from earlier dealings, and the scar beneath his eye twitched whenever his mind spiraled into revenge.
"They think they've won," Selia said coldly. "Rayzen's still breathing. Alea's still walking around like a pathetic saint. And Levan…" Her voice dripped venom. "Levan wears a badge like he's some holy knight."
Varek chuckled darkly, spinning the blade between his fingers. "He forgot who he used to be. That kind of filth doesn't get to be a hero."
Selia turned to him, her eyes glinting. "Then let's remind him."
Varek arched an eyebrow. "What's your plan, little sister?"
She walked toward him slowly, every step precise, her mind ticking like a trap being set. "Levan's too clean now. Too careful. But everyone's got something to lose. And if he won't play dirty, we'll make him look dirty."
Varek smirked. "Frame him?"
"No. We bury him."
Selia placed her wine glass down and unfurled a file onto the coffee table—photos, documents, and surveillance stills. One of them showed Levan in uniform, talking to a witness in front of a crime scene. Another showed Alea, smiling softly in front of her campus gates.
Selia's fingers stopped at Alea's photo.
"She's the key," she said. "We ruin her… and Levan will fall apart."
"You've tried before," Varek reminded her, stretching lazily. "That girl's got more lives than a cockroach."
Selia's eyes darkened. "Because I was too soft."
She leaned in, her voice a whisper of poison. "This time… I'll destroy her slowly. I want her terrified. I want her broken. I want her name to rot in the mouth of every gossip and every man who sees her."
Varek finally looked up, the edge of interest sharpening in his gaze. "You're not talking bullets anymore."
"I'm talking scandal," Selia hissed. "We'll spread rumors, set her up, fake evidence. Drugs. Theft. Maybe even prostitution. Whatever it takes to stain her."
"And Levan?" he asked.
Selia smiled cruelly. "Once she's ruined, we leak the 'evidence' that he covered it up. An anonymous tip here… a forged report there… and boom—internal affairs will rip his badge off with pleasure."
Varek leaned back, impressed. "You've been thinking about this for a while."
"I never stopped."
Later That Night – In the Underground
A dimly lit club pulsed beneath the streets—dark red lights, smoke-heavy air, and music that sounded like a heartbeat in a war zone. Selia entered with confident steps, ignoring the leers and nods from men in shadowy corners. She moved like she owned the place—because in many ways, she did.
In the VIP booth, three girls waited—Nina, Sasha, and a new face: a woman named Viya, known for her dirty connections and ability to make lies look like truth.
"Ladies," Selia greeted as she slid into the booth. "It's time to play again."
Sasha giggled. "I was wondering when you'd get bored of playing nice."
Nina leaned forward. "What's the target?"
"Alea," Selia said simply. "And I want her reputation in ashes."
She passed around copies of fake text messages, edited videos, and doctored photos showing Alea in compromising situations—none of it real, but all of it deadly in the hands of people who knew how to spin a narrative.
"We leak this slowly," Selia instructed. "Online first. Then anonymously to her campus dean. I want whispers turning into storms."
Viya tapped her long nails against the table. "And the media?"
"I've got two hungry journalists who'd sell their mothers for clicks. I'll feed them the juiciest parts once the rumors grow enough roots."
Sasha grinned. "She'll be hated in a week."
"Good," Selia said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Because after that, we move to phase two."
"What's phase two?" Nina asked.
Selia's voice dropped to a whisper. "We fake a drug possession scene. Have her arrested. Leak a story that Levan tampered with the evidence to free her."
"Boom," Viya smirked. "Two birds. One scandal."
Selia lifted her glass of whiskey in a silent toast. "Let's ruin them both."
Meanwhile — Somewhere Else in the City
Levan sat at his desk, staring at a photo of his late mother. His fingers traced the edge of the frame slowly. The weight of his past never truly left him, but tonight it felt heavier than usual.
Something felt wrong. Like a storm was coming.
A knock on his office door snapped him back. One of his fellow officers peeked in.
"Sir, there's been a strange spike in online chatter. Mostly anonymous forums. Some of it's… about your sister."
Levan's face hardened. "What kind of chatter?"
The officer hesitated. "Drugs. Theft. Some accusations. Might be nothing, but it's gaining traction."
Levan stood up slowly, his heart sinking.
Selia.
He knew her tactics. Knew that kind of venom anywhere.
He grabbed his jacket. "I'll handle it. Personally."
Selia's war had begun. But she'd forgotten one thing—Alea might look like an angel.But angels don't always stay in the light when the devil comes knocking.