3 hours later.
Underground Parking
The air here was colder and quieter.
Rows of expensive cars lined the dimly lit space, their polished surfaces reflecting the faint overhead lights.
I moved carefully between them, keeping my footsteps light.
Then—
I suddenly heard low voices.
I froze instinctively and slipped behind a nearby vehicle, just in time as a group of men walked in. They were all dressed in black. Cautious and alert, they kept checking their surroundings.
I spotted a flash of beige in the center. Dressed in a beige suit that looked simple at first glance, yet carried an effortless authority.
The others adjusted themselves around him automatically, their movements instinctively deferential.
I couldn't see his face clearly but I didn't need to. With all this security around him, this had to be him:
Killian Volkov.
My pulse quickened as soon as they disappeared in the elevator. I immediately marked the floor and got inside the elevator next to it.
Five minutes later, I stood outside his office.
My heart hadn't slowed down yet.
Muffled voices came from inside.
"…everything should be under my control now."
I halted in my tracks.
"…don't worry about those orphanages," the voice continued, calm and almost bored, "They were just minor charity projects to begin with. Nothing significant."
My breath caught.
What…?
"What can they possibly do?" he went on, a faint hint of amusement in his tone.
My fingers curled tightly at my sides.
"Transfer the remaining funds to my private account," he said. "Make sure there are no traces left behind."
The world seemed to go silent around me.
"Also," he added after a brief pause, "this matter must not reach the Chairman. Handle it carefully."
Something inside me snapped into place.
So this was the truth.
The missing donations weren't mismanagement or delay.
And I had come asking for help from the same man who was responsible for it.
Footsteps echoed from the corridor.
Someone was coming.
My body reacted instantly, stepping back, trying to create distance without making a sound.
My elbow brushed against something behind me.
A vase wobbled.
Time slowed.
No—
'CRASH.'
The sound shattered the silence.
Inside the office, the voice stopped completely and footsteps followed. Each step heavier than the last.
My heartbeat roared in my ears.
I didn't wait for the door to open.
The moment the handle shifted, my body moved on instinct. I turned and walked… no, I forced myself to walk down the corridor, each step steady despite the chaos raging inside me.
But the moment I reached the stairwell and pushed the door open, the restraint snapped.
I ran.
Down the stairs, past empty floors, through the dimly lit parking area, until the cold night air hit my face like a slap.
Only then did I stop.
My chest rose and fell sharply as I pulled off my helmet with trembling hands. My mind replayed the voice I had just heard, calm, indifferent, utterly untouched by the lives it was destroying.
Killian Volkov.
The name felt heavier now.
I let out a bitter laugh under my breath.
What had I even expected?
That I would walk into his office, confront him, and he would suddenly grow a conscience? That he would listen?
No.
A beast like that didn't care. He wasn't unaware of the suffering but rather, he was the one causing it.
Talking to him would change nothing.
If anything, it would only put the orphanage in more danger.
I tightened my grip on the handlebars as a new thought formed in my mind.
If the grandson was corrupt… then there was only one person I could reach out to.
The Chairman.
The one who had started the donations in the first place. He was the only person who could stop this.
I put my helmet back on and started the bike.
…
The roads felt quieter now.
The city that had seemed so grand and welcoming earlier now felt distant, almost hollow, as I rode through it. My thoughts refused to settle, circling endlessly around the same anger, the same helplessness.
There has to be a way.
The wind grew colder as the evening deepened, biting against my skin, but I barely felt it.
Suddenly, my eyes shifted from the streets.
Something moved in front of my bike.
A blur of black darted across the road.
My eyes widened as my hands reacted instantly, pulling the brakes hard. The bike skidded slightly before coming to a halt just inches away from the tiny figure.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
For a second, everything went silent.
Then I exhaled shakily and looked down.
A small black kitten stood frozen in the middle of the road, its wide eyes reflecting the dim streetlight.
"…Hey," I whispered, my voice softer than I intended as I got off the bike.
I took a cautious step forward, afraid that even the slightest movement would scare it away.
"It's okay…"
The kitten didn't move.
It just stood there, fragile, completely out of place in the busy street.
Right a this moment, blinding headlights shone.
I turned instinctively as a car sped toward us.
"Stop—!"
The words tore out of my throat, but it was already too late.
The car didn't swerve and the impact was quick.
A small, dark body was thrown into the air before landing a few feet away.
The car only slowed momentarily before speeding away as if nothing had happened.
For a moment, I couldn't move. My body felt cold.
Then suddenly, I was running.
"No… no, no…"
I dropped to my knees beside the kitten, my hands trembling as I carefully picked it up. It was so light. Too light.
Its body was limp in my hands.
"Hey… stay with me…" My voice shook as I fumbled for my phone, "I'll call someone… there has to be a vet nearby…"
My fingers slipped as I tried to unlock the screen.
"Come on… come on…"
But before the call could even go through—
The tiny body in my hands stilled completely. The faint warmth faded.
And the world around me went silent again.
I froze.
"…No," The word came out as a whisper.
I stared at the kitten, hoping for the tiniest movement.
But there was nothing. It's body had gone still and my skin turned colder.
Slowly, my grip tightened. And then loosened again.
…
I don't remember how long I walked or how far I moved from the spot where I parked my bike.
The city lights faded behind me at some point, replaced by quieter streets and softer shadows.
I only stopped when I found a small patch of land near an old peach blossom tree.
The branches swayed gently in the night breeze, pale petals falling like quiet snow.
For a moment, I just stood there.
Then I knelt down and placed the tiny kitten on the fallen petals.
Using my hands, I began to dig. The soil was cold and slightly damp, clinging to my fingers, but I didn't stop. I kept going until the hole was deep enough.
Carefully, I placed the kitten inside.
For a second, my hands lingered.
Then I reached up, gathering a few fallen peach blossoms, and placed them over its small body before covering it with soil. Petal by petal until nothing remained.
The wind rustled through the tree again, and more blossoms fell, settling softly over the fresh mound.
I sat back slowly, my hands resting on my lap.
They were dirty and colder now but I didn't care.
A hollow ache spread through my chest, heavy and suffocating.
"I'm… just like you," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
The words felt strange, yet painfully true.
"We're both weak," My gaze remained fixed on the small patch of earth, "And when you're weak…"
My throat tightened.
"…people don't even hesitate before trampling over you."
The image of the speeding car flashed in my mind. The indifference and cruelty cruelty, the complete lack of consequence.
Wasn't it just like Killian's? And those officers in the Lake Town?
A shaky breath left me as my shoulders trembled.
I didn't realize when the tears started falling.
Or when my body finally gave in to the exhaustion that had been building since yesterday.
All I knew was that the world slowly grew distant. The cold didn't feel as sharp anymore. The weight in my chest dulled.
And before I could even process it—
My eyes closed.
…
The moment Mia's eyes closed, a faint glow that began to form around her. It was soft and purple.
It wrapped around her body like a quiet embrace, pulsing gently in the darkness beneath the peach blossom tree.
A small purple thread tangled around her reaching inside the kitten's burial spot like a vine.