I walked away from the venue, heels in hand, still wearing my gown, thinking about what I would do if my dad's enemies suddenly attacked.
"Hopefully, they're not that prepared…"
My thoughts were cut short when I noticed a black van trailing me from the opposite street. Three men stepped out at the far end of an alley. They crossed the road slowly like hungry wolves on the hunt.
"Miss, want a ride? It's dangerous out at night…" said one with a grin, cigarette in hand.
Another one had his phone out, recording me maybe? For the dark web? Or just for fun?
"Psychos," I muttered under my breath.
I quickly turned into a narrow alley. The layout was perfect. A CCTV dead zone. No cameras here.
Game on.
I heard their footsteps picking up behind me. But instead of panicking, I adjusted my position, hiked up my gown to thigh level, and pulled out my hidden mini dagger from my hairpin.
Behind a shipping container, I stopped and concealed myself in the shadows.
As the first guy approached, I kicked him straight in the knee. He screamed in pain, and before he could recover, I elbowed him in the neck down he went.
"What the—!" the second one cursed as he saw his friend fall.
I pulled out my custom taser blade from the thigh strap (a gift from Dad) and slashed it across the second man's arm. I jumped onto his back and locked his neck quickly.
He didn't go down easily. He was huge. He broke free and shoved me hard into the wall. My shoulder slammed into it, and pain exploded through my body.
My arm began to bleed the seam of my gown had torn from hitting a sharp metal edge.
But I didn't back down.
As he charged again, I stepped back and drove the heel of my stiletto into the side of his knee.
Down he went.
The third guy looked terrified. He tried to run.
Before he could escape, I grabbed the dagger and flung it directly into his thigh. He screamed and collapsed.
"Don't come back," I whispered into the air while wiping the blood from my lips.
I took a deep breath and pulled out the mini sewing kit I always carried to stitch my wounds.
I had to get home.
I flagged down a taxi and luckily, one stopped.
"Ma'am, what happened—" the driver started, but I quickly pressed a needle to his neck.
"Just drive. No questions," I said coldly. He obeyed and took me to the compound.
After paying, I rushed into the house. It was quiet.
Thank God.
Once inside my room, I dropped to the floor. A cold, bitter laugh escaped my lips.
"This can't be… I can't be this weak. What if the real enemies attacked me just now?"
Despite the pain, I forced myself to treat my wounds.
"Damn it…"
I was drenched in sweat. My body could barely handle the pain.
Once I finished tending to my injuries, I lay down from exhaustion.
"Just a quick nap… please," I whispered to myself unaware that my body was already giving in to unconsciousness.