"Leader, why do we need to vacate the hideout tonight? If we have incoming enemies then we can just eliminate them. Instead of fleeing, we can ambush them here!" Iron Lady suggested to Phantomflake during their emergency meeting.
Black Rose and others were waiting for Jane's decision. They even wondered why Jane chose to leave the hideout instead of fighting back. It was so unusual for her to do so.
"What do you think, Master?" Mystique consulted Miss Frost, their former clan leader who now served as their guild advisor.
"No need to ask for my opinion. As you all know... I will support Phantomflake's decision." The middle-aged woman smiled at Jane, trusting her judgment completely.
"Thanks, Master. You should go now. Let's meet at the old mansion." Jane knew that Nathan and his men were coming. Her comrades should leave as soon as possible.
Iron Lady and Mystique led the group as they used the back gate. Everyone was moving except for Jane.
"Sis, why are you still standing there? Aren't you coming with us?" Black Rose asked Jane confusedly. Jane stayed on the balcony of the second floor.
Jane turned to face Black Rose. "Don't worry about me, Black Rose. Nothing bad will happen to me. You should leave now."
But Black Rose shook her head vehemently. "No! I'm not leaving you. You said we would be outnumbered by the enemies. Then why are you choosing to stay here? This is a suicide, Sis. I can't let you do that!"
As always, Cherry also known as Black Rose showed her loyalty for Jane. She cared so much about her and she wanted to protect her with her own life.
'Whether in the past or the present, Cherry never leaves me. She is always there for me. I truly appreciate her. Our sisterhood... our friendship.'
Jane heaved a sigh of defeat. She held her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "Alright. I won't ask you to leave. But you have to hide. Don't make any moves no matter what. Understand?"
Black Rose bobbed her head. "Yes, Sis. Understood. I promise. I won't stand in your way."
Jane let out a soft giggle. "Go to the secret basement and monitor everything through the CCTV footage. I will let you watch me."
"Okay, Sis. But once I sense that you are in danger, I will make a move to rescue you." Black Rose said with conviction.
Jane just patted her head gently. "Don't you trust me?"
Axel stepped back. He could feel the rage radiating through Nathan's body. He could see the torment in his leader's eyes, He knew he couldn't stop Nathan. He was hellbent to hunt Phantomflake and get his revenge.
Axel was about to convince Nathan one more time when suddenly they heard an update from their subordinate.
"Sir! We found her. Phantomflake is on the second floor. Look—she's the one standing on the balcony!" one of Nathan's men urgently reported, pointing toward the towering mansion.
Nathan's gaze snapped upward, his breath catching as his eyes locked onto the figure standing at the edge of the balcony. There she was—Phantomflake, clad in a sleek black dress that seemed to meld with the shadows of the night.
Her tall, graceful form was unmistakable. Her piercing emerald gaze swept over the entrance gate, settling on where Nathan and Axel stood.
Time seemed to slow. The noise of his men faded into the background as Nathan stared at the woman who had turned his life into a living hell. The mother of his son, murdered before his eyes. The pain of loss clashed with the burning desire for vengeance. His hand instinctively reached for the gun strapped to his side.
Meanwhile, contrary to Nathan's anger and resentment, Jane gazed down at him with love and longing.
'Nathan... He's finally here,' she thought, her breath hitching as she whispered softly to herself. 'Come to me, Nathan. I want to see you up close.'
Her eyes softened as excitement filled her heart. Though Nathan was there as her enemy and as the man who was hunting her down, Jane felt so determined to win his heart. She would do everything to correct the wrongs in the past. This was her only chance to take everything back to where it belonged.
Nathan's heart pounded in his chest as he kept his gaze locked on her. Was she mocking him, standing there so calmly? Or was there something more behind her confidence? His mind raced with a thousand questions, but none of it mattered now. The woman responsible for everything stood mere feet away, and his thirst for justice—no, revenge—overpowered all else.
"Sir, what's the plan?" Axel asked, pulling Nathan out of his trance.
Nathan gritted his teeth. "We move now. Surround the building. No one lets her escape. But don't shoot her. I will deal with her myself." His voice was low yet lethal. Every word was laced with raging fury.
As Axel relayed the orders to the rest of their team, Nathan never took his eyes off her. He didn't know what Phantomflake was thinking, why she seemed almost... expectant. But it didn't matter. This would end tonight.
Up on the balcony, Jane's eyes remained fixed on Nathan, her fingers curling into the railing. 'I'm losing my patience. Can't he move faster? I want to hug him already.'Jane pouted her lips in frustration.
"I can no longer wait. Should I welcome him by myself?" With one last glance, she turned and disappeared into the shadows of the house. It was time for their fates to collide once again, for better or worse.
Meanwhile, Nathan's jaw clenched as he watched her disappear inside. "This is it," he muttered, stepping forward. "Phantomflake... You won't escape from me."