Zane’s gaze shifted to the floor, as if contemplating whether to answer her question. Finally, he shrugged, a hint of frustration in his voice.

  "It’s not really something I want to explain."

  Cassia raised an eyebrow, sensing there was more to his story than he was letting on. But she didn’t push further. She could tell there was a lot about Zane that he wasn’t willing to share.

  He had his own reasons for helping, just as she had her own reasons for needing help.

  For a moment, they simply stood in silence.

  Then, Cassia remembered the small package that Benjamin had given her before she left. She took it from her bag, careful not to reveal it to anyone else in the compartment. Her fingers fumbled slightly as she pulled out the contents: a crumpled letter and a bank card.

  With a mixture of hesitation and anticipation, Cassia slowly unfurled the yellowed letter. The first line sent a cold shiver down her spine.

  "Miss, when you open this letter, it means you’re safe."

  "At this point, even if I die, I will be able to rest in peace, knowing I’ve done everything I could for you."

  Cassia’s eyes narrowed, her heart pounding harder with each word she read.

  "For all these years, I’ve wanted nothing more than to avenge my elder brother and sister-in-law. But I never had the courage—if I died, who would take care of you?"

  "That man knows this, and he’s used it to his advantage. I’ve become nothing but a tool in his hand, willing to be used however he sees fit."

  Cassia’s breath hitched in her throat. She felt like the ground was slipping out from beneath her as she read further. She blinked rapidly, her vision blurring.

  "I know this is hard to believe, but it’s the truth."

  "Orion is not your savior, Miss. He’s the man who murdered your real father and mother..."

  The letter fell from her trembling hands, and her pulse thundered in her ears. She couldn’t breathe.

  Her mind spun, overwhelmed by the weight of the revelation.

  Her parent… murdered by Orion?

  The words blurred before her eyes, her thoughts incoherent as she struggled to process the gravity of what she had just read. Everything she had known, everything she had believed about her life and her family, had just shattered in an instant.

  "Cassia, I'm glad to see you grow up. For all these years, I've been trying to find a way to get you out safely, and finally, I’ve found it."

  "I’ve been preparing for this moment for a long time, and I’m about 30% sure I’ll kill him."

  "Think of it as a reward for my efforts. Don’t come back. If I fail, just wait until you're old enough and then avenge me."

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Benjamin wrote it himself.

  Zane stood by Cassia’s side, watching the girl who had always kept her composure. Right now, her shoulders were trembling, and her emotions were barely held together.

  "Look, I knocked them out, but we don't have much time. Sorry, I can’t risk my life for this."

  "Give me an answer before I change my mind!" Zane’s voice was low, almost casual, but his gaze never left her.

  Cassia turned to him slowly. Her face was cold, like it had been covered in a layer of frost. The eyes that had once been filled with sorrow and helplessness were now burning with an unmistakable murderous intent.

  That cold, dangerous aura made Zane’s scalp prickle.

  He didn’t know what she had read or why her demeanor had shifted so violently.

  "Thank you, Zane. But I won’t lie to you. I’m going back to kill someone. You won’t stop me, will you?"

  Zane was ready to offer help, but even now, Cassia couldn’t quite figure out where he stood.

  At that moment, a fire erupted in Cassia’s chest. She didn’t want to waste any more time.

  If she followed Benjamin’s plan, then by the time she got back, more than three hours would have passed. It would be pointless. So, she decided to stick to his instructions.

  But what Benjamin never expected was for someone to disrupt his plan. And that’s how Cassia ended up reading the letter earlier than he intended.

  Now, she wasn’t going to follow his advice.

  Orion… Cassia finally understood why this man had always kept his distance and treated her with polite indifference.

  Without real affection, he’d never feel any shame. She was just another pawn, a bargaining chip, to be traded whenever it suited him.

  In an instant, all the gratitude she’d held for over a decade—her willingness to sacrifice her own happiness for his success—crumbled away, replaced by an overwhelming sense of hatred.

  "Kill…who?" Zane asked, taking a half step back, his voice tinged with fear.

  He knew Cassia was an awakener, and the few people who accompanied him on this escort mission knew it too. But none of them really cared; after all, they made their living by walking on the edge of a knife. Zane himself was also awakened, so he assumed he could handle keeping an eye on her.

  But now, standing next to her, Zane felt something he hadn’t expected. Cassia was no longer just a girl—she was a force, a violent lioness about to explode. Her power was far beyond his.

  If Cassia decided to run, there was no way they could stop her.

  "Orion."

  Zane’s eyes widened, a flicker of recognition crossing his face. He could tell that the letter she had read was the trigger for everything.

  At first, he was stunned. Then, a strange mix of surprise and excitement washed over him.

  After being betrayed by Orion and sent to the death ring, Zane had noticed something different. Since that day, fewer people in the gang had dared to mess with him. Instead, they began to show respect.

  He’d been confused for days. He wasn’t the typical gang member. He wasn’t exactly kind to others, but at least he was polite. And yet, that politeness had never earned him any respect. Even though his strength surpassed that of most, people still saw him as someone who could be manipulated.

  But after he killed someone, everything changed.

  In Dune, he’d killed Griffin’s son—the leader of the Crimson Vipers. With nowhere else to go, Zane had ended up staying with the Ironfang Syndicate.

  Since he was going to stick around, why not make things more comfortable for himself?

  After narrowly escaping death, Zane became a different person. Cold. Ruthless to anyone who dared cross him. What surprised him was that, slowly but surely, fewer people in the gang looked down on him. His status grew.

  Everyone assumed he had become Orion’s most loyal dog. But Zane’s real goal hadn’t changed. He still wanted to kill Orion.

  Even though Zane had awakened, his ability wasn’t in combat—it was ‘Strange Face’. He was far from being at Orion’s level—level one, a physically enhanced awakener.

  But Cassia’s words had sparked a glimmer of possibility in his mind.

  That glimmer faded quickly.

  Orion, just days ago, had started targeting second-level awakeners. With the level they were at, even if they attacked by surprise, there was no guarantee they could kill someone like Orion.

  "Besides you, do we have any other help?"

  Seeing Cassia’s determination, Zane wanted to see how feasible this was.

  “There’s an elder of mine... but forget it, it doesn’t matter if I tell you, Benjamin.”

  Cassia hesitated, not wanting to share too much, especially since she and Zane weren’t close. But Zane wasn’t an idiot, and he had already guessed.