The name didn't leave Seraphina's mind.
Dante Russo.
It lingered.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
By the time she got back to her room in the Vale estate, the file was still in her hands.
Unopened.
Untouched.
But not forgotten.
Her room hadn't changed.
Soft cream walls.
Minimalist decor.
A quiet elegance that reflected who she used to be.
Gentle.
Calm.
Untouched by darkness.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the file.
That version of her was gone.
Seraphina walked slowly toward her bed and dropped the file onto it before heading to the balcony.
The night stretched endlessly before her.
City lights blinking like distant stars.
Alive.
Unforgiving.
She rested her hands on the railing, staring out.
Thinking.
Planning.
"You always think better at night."
The voice came from behind her.
Deep.
Familiar.
Safe.
Seraphina didn't turn immediately.
"I learned from the best," she replied softly.
Footsteps approached.
Then stopped beside her.
Victor Vale stood next to his daughter, his presence as commanding as ever, yet quieter now.
Less like a businessman.
More like a father.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
"She would've been proud of you."
The words were quiet.
Careful.
Seraphina's expression shifted—just slightly.
A crack.
Small.
But there.
"My mother?" she asked.
Victor nodded once.
"You have her strength," he said. "Even if you never got the chance to know her."
A faint breeze passed between them.
Seraphina looked away, her gaze dropping to the garden below.
"I don't even remember her face," she murmured.
"You were too young."
"She died bringing me into the world," Seraphina said, her voice calm—but heavier now.
Not broken.
Just… real.
Victor's jaw tightened slightly.
"Yes."
Silence followed.
Then—
"She loved you," he added.
That made Seraphina smile faintly.
Sad.
But steady.
"I hope so."
The moment passed.
Just like that.
Because Seraphina Vale didn't live in the past.
Not anymore.
She turned back into the room, walking toward the bed.
Her eyes fell on the file again.
Dante Russo.
This time, she picked it up.
And opened it.
The first page was simple.
A photograph.
Seraphina's breath stilled for half a second.
Tall.
Dark.
Sharp features carved like stone.
Eyes that didn't just look—
They saw.
Cold.
Calculating.
Dangerous.
This wasn't a man you trusted.
This was a man you feared.
"Thirty-two," Victor said from behind her. "Built his empire from nothing."
Seraphina flipped to the next page.
Illegal dealings.
Underground networks.
Political connections.
Money that didn't sleep.
Power that didn't ask.
It took.
"He's not someone you approach lightly," Victor continued.
Seraphina's lips curved slightly.
"I'm not someone who moves lightly."
That earned a quiet huff of amusement from him.
She kept reading.
Line after line.
Crime after crime.
Influence after influence.
Then something caught her eye.
Her fingers paused.
Her gaze sharpened.
"He knew about me?"
Victor didn't sound surprised.
"He keeps tabs on powerful families," he said. "Especially ones like ours."
Seraphina's eyes scanned the page again.
Mentions of her name.
Her marriage.
Her role in Adrian's company.
Even…
Her public appearances.
A slow realization crept in.
"He's been watching."
Victor didn't deny it.
"Yes."
Instead of fear…
Seraphina felt something else.
Curiosity.
Interest.
A spark of something dangerous.
She closed the file gently.
Then looked up at her father.
"What kind of man is he… really?"
Victor met her gaze.
"The kind of man who destroys anything that stands in his way."
A pause.
Then—
"And enjoys it."
Seraphina smiled.
Not softly.
Not kindly.
But like someone who had just found the perfect weapon.
"Good," she said.
Victor's brows drew slightly.
"You're thinking of involving him."
It wasn't a question.
Seraphina walked past him slowly.
Elegant.
Calculated.
"Yes."
"That's risky."
"So is doing nothing."
She stopped near the door, turning back slightly.
Her eyes were no longer the same as before.
They were colder now.
Sharper.
Focused.
"I don't want a clean revenge," she said quietly.
"I want something they'll never recover from."
Victor studied her.
Long.
Hard.
Then nodded once.
"If you go down this path," he said, "there's no turning back."
Seraphina didn't hesitate.
"I already crossed that line the moment I saw them together."
Silence.
Then—
Victor stepped aside.
Letting her pass.
"Do what you must," he said.
Seraphina walked out of the room.
The file still in her hand.
Her mind already made up.
Dante Russo wasn't just dangerous.
He was chaos.
He was destruction.
He was everything she should avoid.
And yet…
He was exactly what she needed.
Because to destroy monsters…
You don't become stronger.
You become worse.
And Seraphina Vale?
She was ready to become something far more terrifying.