Back From Prison, Built For Revenge - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

After leaving the Stone Villa, Chloe returned to her apartment. Night had fallen over Dawnridge, and the city's neon glow washed over her face through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting her in cool, shifting light.
She stood by the window, arms crossed, staring out at the vibrant cityscape. The towering skyscrapers and endless streams of headlights felt so alive, yet completely separate from her. She sighed softly, a cold smirk touching her lips.
Demi came in and set a cup of hot tea on the table. "Chloe, you're still up? It's late."
Chloe glanced at her but didn't answer the question. Instead, she asked quietly, "Demi, do you ever wonder what the point of all this is?"
Demi paused, then chose her words carefully. "Maybe you're overthinking things. Sometimes it's better not to get too tangled up in it all."
"Tangled?" Chloe repeated the word softly, then shook her head. "Maybe."
Just then, her phone buzzed. Chloe looked down to see a text from Yael.
[Fireworks show downtown at eight tonight. I've got a spot for us. Let's go.]
The message was direct, but it made Chloe's brow furrow. Yael's forwardness set her on edge. She knew this wasn't just an invitation; it was a calculated test.
"Should I tell him no?" Demi asked in a low voice, leaning in to read the text.
Chloe was silent for a moment before setting the phone down. "No. I'll go."
"But... " Demi started to protest, but Chloe raised a hand to stop her.
"Some things you just have to face," she said, her voice calm, though her eyes betrayed a deep weariness.
At seven-thirty, Chloe stood before the mirror in a deep blue cocktail dress. Her reflection showed a woman with sharp features and a cool, aloof air, but her dark eyes looked empty.
"That dress is perfect on you," Demi complimented from the side, her tone laced with worry. "But that Yael... he's nothing but trouble."
"I know." A small smile played on Chloe's lips. "But the more dangerous the person, the more carefully you have to play, right?"
With that, she grabbed her purse and walked out.
By the time the car reached the city center, the streets were gridlocked. "Miss, I can't get any closer," the driver said apologetically. "You'll have to walk from here."
Chloe checked the time. Ten minutes to go. She nodded, getting out of the car. "Let's go, Demi. We'll walk."
They made their way down the crowded street. Vendors called out, their stalls overflowing with cheesy Valentine's Day trinkets. Demi spotted a booth with elegant masks, bought two, and handed one to Chloe. "These are nice. Want to try one on?"
Chloe put the mask on without a word. But after just a few more steps, the crowd thickened, and she lost sight of Demi.
"Demi?" She stopped, looking around, but was met with a sea of unfamiliar faces and a wall of noise.
The surging crowd pushed her, and she stumbled, her hand instinctively reaching out to steady herself. She fell right into a familiar yet strangely foreign embrace.
"Whoa, careful there," a low, warm voice said beside her ear. Chloe's head snapped up-
Carlos.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored dark gray suit, his handsome features looking like they were carved from marble. His deep-set eyes were focused intently on her, and his hand was steadying her by her waist.
"You... " Chloe froze, unsure what to say.
Carlos smirked, helping her stand straight before letting go. "What are you doing running around here all by yourself?"
"I... " Chloe started to explain, but a sharp, mocking female voice cut in from behind them.
"Well, well, if it isn't the former Stone princess. Trying to sink your claws into my brother again?"
They both turned to see Quella sauntering toward them on stiletto heels. A slinky red dress hugged her every curve, and her pretty, sultry face was plastered with a smug, challenging grin.
"Quella!" Carlos snapped, frowning. "Don't talk nonsense."
Quella just shrugged. "I'm just telling it like it is, big brother. This 'Stone princess' isn't exactly an innocent little flower."
A flash of anger went through Chloe, but she kept her expression neutral. "Ms. Lambert, if you have nothing better to do, I suggest you find a hobby instead of wasting your time on me."
Quella let out a cold laugh. "Something better? You mean like social climbing? Is that what you consider a meaningful pursuit?"
"That's enough!" Carlos cut her off sharply, then turned to Chloe. "I'm sorry. She doesn't have a filter. Don't mind her."
"I don't," Chloe said flatly, turning to walk away.
But the brief touch had sent a ripple across the surface of her long-frozen heart.
Fireworks exploded in the night sky, bathing the entire city in a dreamlike glow.
But in a shadowed corner, away from the crowds, a man stood alone. His gaze was fixed grimly on the distant scene, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles were white.
It's Yael.
He had been waiting for a long time, but the woman he was looking for never appeared. And when he finally spotted Chloe in the crowd, she was with another man—the one man he despised most.
The light from the fireworks illuminated his face, and with it, the raw frustration and rage boiling in his eyes.
At the end of another street, a black sedan slipped quietly into a dark alley. A man in a hat got out of the car. He looked down, checked something in his hand, and quickly vanished into the darkness.