Victoria woke Oliver and told him about the message.
He didn't react the way she expected.
No anger. No urgency.
Just calm.
"Leave," he said quietly. "And don't worry about it."
That was all.
No explanation. No concern.
And somehow… that made it worse.
Victoria studied him for a moment longer, curiosity growing in silence—then she turned and left.
Victoria's Return
By the time Victoria reached home, exhaustion had settled deep into her bones.
The night had drained her completely.
Her eyes burned. Her steps felt heavier with each movement.
She stopped at the porch, inhaled slowly, then knocked.
"Who's there?" a voice called.
"It's me."
The door opened instantly.
"Victoria!" relief flooded his face. "How was yesterday? Looks like things went well."
Others rushed in behind him.
"Victoria's back!"
They surrounded her, voices overlapping, curiosity everywhere.
Victoria raised a hand weakly.
"Nothing really," she said, her voice low. "I'm exhausted. I couldn't sleep. We'll talk later."
She stepped inside.
They followed, whispering, exchanging glances.
Soon, they settled into the living room, confusion lingering.
"Does that mean there's no job today?" someone muttered.
"Relax, Piper," Silas said, stretching lazily. "Don't jump to conclusions. We could always take a job ourselves."
Piper raised an eyebrow.
"Jobs like this require focus. Precision. Do you really think you can handle that?"
Silas scoffed. "It can't be that hard."
Piper turned sharply. "Zack. Tell him."
"Zack!"
He blinked. "Yeah?"
"What were you saying?" Piper frowned. "Zack… what are you thinking about?"
A pause.
"Nothing," he said quietly. "Just wondering… who gave Victoria that jacket."
Silas burst out laughing.
"So that's it? That's what's bothering you?"
"Do you think she has a boyfriend?" he added, grinning.
"No," Piper said immediately. "There's no way. You know that. Besides, Victoria said it herself—if she ever—"
"Fall in love?" Silas collapsed into laughter. "You actually believe that?"
He wiped his eyes. "You're hilarious."
Piper glared.
"Rule number one: Victoria Laurence will never be anyone's girlfriend."
They both turned to Zack.
Silas sat up slowly. "See? Zack gets it."
Zack shook his head slightly.
"You're both wrong."
Silence.
"She doesn't want to be a girlfriend," he said calmly. "That doesn't mean she can't love someone."
Silas stared at him.
"…So I'm alone on this one?"
"Completely," Piper replied.
A beat.
"So what now?" she asked.
"We wait," Zack said. "Until she wakes."
He stood.
"Piper, you coming?"
"Yeah."
They walked out.
Silas remained.
"…And what about me?"
"Stay here," Zack said without turning back. "And keep your mouth shut."
The door closed.
Silence.
Silas stood there for a moment… then sighed.
He shuffled inside.
"Pawpaw… paw paw… tweet tweet… caw… ROAR… BANG… wooo—"
He paused.
Nothing.
He frowned.
"…Deep sleeper."
Meanwhile… Oliver
Oliver sat alone.
Still.
Quiet.
Memories began to surface.
"Oliver," Shilah's voice echoed softly, "you shouldn't leave the hook empty. Add bait… and the fish will come."
He remembered adjusting it—awkwardly.
"You're quite gifted," he had said, half in admiration.
She smirked.
Sebastian laughed. "If not for you, he wouldn't even know how to fish."
Shilah shot him a look.
"Sebastian, help people. Don't mock them."
There was warmth in her voice.
Sebastian only smiled. "You're quite the gudgeon yourself."
Oliver tried.
He really did.
But nothing came.
Eventually, he walked away—far down the island, tossing pebbles into the sea.
Each splash echoed his frustration.
From afar, Shilah watched him.
Quietly.
Softly.
"Look! I caught one!" Sebastian shouted.
"Wow… that's great," she replied gently.
But her eyes… were elsewhere.
"Oliver…"
He turned.
Without a word, he placed his coat on the ground.
"Sit."
She did.
He smirked faintly. "Let me guess… you came to lecture me."
She shook her head.
"No."
A pause.
"I came… to see the stars with you."
Silence.
Not empty—full.
They looked at each other.
Then he looked away first.
She leaned back, smiling softly at the sky.
"The stars are beautiful tonight… don't you think?"
He didn't answer.
He was looking at her.
Really looking.
The starlight on her skin.
The quiet peace in her face.
Something in him shifted.
Slowly… carefully… he took her hand.
She turned.
Their world shrank.
Just the two of them.
His voice dropped.
"Some say beauty is chance… others say it's shaped by time…"
His thumb brushed against her hand.
"But tonight…"
He met her eyes fully.
"…you've shown me something beyond that."
A breath.
"If the world were fair… you would be named the mother of beauty itself."
The stars burned above them.
But neither looked away from the other.
Back to the Present
Tears rolled down Oliver's face.
"Shilah…"
His voice broke.
"I'm sorry."
His hands trembled.
"Being an ULF… it's a curse."
Silence swallowed him.
Then—
Exhaustion.
Sleep.
The music hit before the door even opened.
Heavy bass.
Sharp lights.
Bodies moving like a single organism under flashes of neon and shadow.
Piper stepped inside first, her eyes adjusting quickly as the noise wrapped around her.
She glanced back.
"Zack… what the hell are we doing here?" she asked, raising her voice over the music. "I thought we were going on a job."
Zack didn't answer immediately.
He scanned the room first—entrances, exits, faces, patterns.
Then he smirked.
"We are."
Piper frowned, crossing her arms slightly as she took in the chaos around her.
"A job… in a place like this?"
"Exactly," Zack said, leaning closer so she could hear him. "Victoria doesn't work in obvious places. Everything has to look clean… controlled…"
He paused, eyes narrowing slightly.
"…hidden in plain sight."
Piper tilted her head, watching him.
Then she smirked.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Always."
He stepped past her.
"Besides," he added over his shoulder, "do you know the difference between you and her?"
Piper raised an eyebrow, following him.
"What?"
Zack didn't stop walking.
"You get attention."
A beat.
"She gets results."
Piper scoffed—but a small smile slipped through anyway.
Before she could reply, a hand grabbed her waist from behind.
The pull was smooth, confident—practiced.
She turned.
A stranger.
Grinning.
"You looked like you needed a partner."
Piper didn't resist.
Not immediately.
The music carried her, her body moving effortlessly with his rhythm, blending into the crowd like she had always belonged there.
But her eyes—
Her eyes were still searching.
Zack was already gone.
Behind the Door
The moment Zack slipped through the side door, the noise died.
Completely.
It was like stepping into another world.
Quiet.
Still.
Controlled.
He closed the door behind him.
No music.
No laughter.
Just the soft shuffle of cards.
A single table sat in the center of the room.
Dim light hung above it.
Five men.
All seated.
All watching.
Cards in hand.
Poker.
Zack walked forward slowly, his footsteps deliberate.
A chair scraped lightly across the floor as he pulled it out.
Sat down.
No greeting.
No hesitation.
Just presence.
Back to Piper
Piper spun once under the stranger's arm, then slipped free with ease.
"Thanks," she said casually, already stepping away.
"Leaving so soon?" he called after her.
She didn't answer.
Her eyes were fixed on the door Zack had disappeared through.
She moved toward it.
Pushed it open.
Inside
The silence hit her instantly.
She stepped in.
The door clicked shut behind her.
Her gaze moved across the room—
The table.
The players.
Zack.
Already seated.
Already part of the game.
She walked forward slowly, heels tapping softly against the floor.
No one stopped her.
No one needed to.
She reached Zack's side.
Folded her arms.
"What's the stake?" she asked calmly.
No one answered immediately.
Then—
From the far end of the table, a man leaned forward.
His face half-hidden in shadow.
His voice low.
Controlled.
"Five thousand dollars."
A pause.
The cards shifted.
Eyes lifted.
The game had already begun—
whether they realized it or not.