Capítulo 7: •FIVE•
Victoria shifted her gaze from Jennifer to Audrey, a flicker of hope in her eyes as she broke her eye contact with her second-in-command.
"Tell me you all are joking," she pleaded, her voice tinged with a glimmer of anticipation."I'm sorry, dear leader, but yes, that is the best solution we have. We've exhausted every possibility, tried everything, and nothing seems to be working," Hannah declared, her voice filled with a tinge of regret.
A wave of disappointment washed over Victoria, causing her to sink back into her plush black leather chair. She let out a heavy sigh and kneaded her forehead with her knuckles, trying to alleviate the stress building within her.
"What if we try giving her the cover while she is out?" Victoria proposed, desperately grasping at any alternative.
Jennifer shook her head, her expression serious as she pointed to the screen virtually projected behind her. "We can't be sure about their identities. We can't simply provide constant cover for Audrey. In a school full of high schoolers, we would raise suspicions."
Victoria leaned back, her head resting on the palm of her hand, her eyes shut tightly as if she were searching her mind for a better solution.
Despite her exceptional intelligence, Victoria couldn't seem to find a way to protect Audrey without attracting unwanted attention. She cursed her limitations, frustrated that she couldn't come up with a foolproof plan.
"Jenni," she finally spoke, opening her eyes and straightening her posture. "Meeting dismissed for now. Let's reconvene when I call for you three."
The three girls nodded at each other, understanding the weight of their leader's responsibility. They gathered the files they had brought, now deemed unnecessary for the time being.
It had become customary for them to be dismissed by their formidable leader, knowing she would exhaust every possibility and explore alternative plans.
As the trio left the room, they closed the door gently behind them, silently wishing that Victoria would find a better solution than disguising themselves as high schoolers.
Victoria, however, remained seated, her mind racing with calculations and possibilities. With a pen in her hand and a notebook opened on the onyx table, she meticulously considered each option. Her eyes darted around the room out of habit, ensuring she was truly alone before diving into her thoughts.
The room was enveloped in a serene ambience, the air heavy with the rhythmic sound of rain outside. Soft yellow ochre hues cast a tranquil effect over the space. Yet, Victoria's mind was far from calm. It buzzed with a whirlwind of possibilities, calculations, and suspicions.
She possessed the ability to process them all simultaneously and with precision, a gift that set her apart from others, except for one.
The two plan makers had proposed one of the most absurd ideas: disguising themselves as high schoolers. Victoria, however, vehemently resisted the thought of returning to a phase of her life that she had dreaded and fought to overcome.
High school.
A surge of conflicting emotions flooded her mind. One part scolded her for allowing personal struggles to influence the team's mission, while another part refused to cooperate, reminding her of the memories associated with that period.
It had been the worst time of her life. The absolute worst.
Victoria's brain continued to search for alternatives. What if they installed cameras? But no headmaster would willingly allow random individuals to monitor their school. Perhaps they could bribe him, but monitoring every student's behaviour with cameras would prove challenging. Things would undoubtedly be missed.
She concluded that the idea was foolish.
The next idea seemed marginally better. What if they monitored Audrey closely whenever she was exposed to the world? However, that would undoubtedly attract attention, with three bodyguards constantly by her side. Venom, their nefarious adversaries, would swiftly connect the dots and eliminate the threat.
Victoria scratched that idea off the list.
Perhaps they could hire someone else? Again, the risk factor was too high. With a heavy sigh, Victoria acknowledged her depleted energy reserves. Her last mission had drained her physically and mentally. If she had the chance, she could easily eliminate their enemies with her extraordinary abilities.
However, the aftermath would be messy, and Arion, their rival organization, would gain a lead, something she desperately wanted to avoid.
She wasn't charged; her brain was numb from hunger and sleep deprivation. At this moment, the plan proposed by the two girls seemed to be the most foolproof option. Audrey had a circle of friends, and if the three of them could blend in as her friends, they could keep a vigilant eye and detect any potential threats.
With a resigned sigh, Victoria admitted defeat. "Fine, okay. Let's go with the team's plan."Who cared if she had traumatic memories associated with high school?
Who cared if it might affect her duties? Her teammate was targeted, and she had sworn to eliminate those nefarious bastards who dared to threaten Dark Wind.
She closed the notebook at the same time she shut down the calculations of alternatives in her sagacity.
Who cared if she was reluctant to go back there because it reminded her of her mother, and the beaten-up version of herself she tried to hide?
Who cared if she was trying to hide the Victoria that came to school trying to obscure the bruises every day?
Who cared if it reminded her of the time when she was just her mother's trophy, and when she was expected to just study and bring fame to the Hwang family?
Who cared if it reminded her of the time was neglected, abused and hated by her mother? No one cared. And that is why she wanted to hide her past.
With a calculated push, Victoria slid the chair back and pivoted towards the door. The touch of the cold doorknob against her skin sent a subtle shiver through her body. As she exited the room, the lights and door automatically surrendered to darkness behind her.
Stationed behind the door, she found herself nestled amidst the grandeur of the Olympian hallways, a domain that mirrored her icy demeanour.
"What sins did I commit in a past life to endure such retribution?" she murmured, her hand instinctively reaching to cradle her throbbing temples.
"Victoria," a voice reverberated through the silence.
That voice.
The same voice that had offered solace and familiarity for nearly twelve years."Seunghoon," she breathed, her gaze lifting to meet his.
That voice she was dreading to hear to ease herself. "God doesn't hate me." She muttered.
In that instant, her stoic countenance betrayed a glimmer of astonishment as she beheld the figure before her. Seunghoon, with his unruly curls of brown hair clad entirely in shades of grey, held eyes that burned like smouldering embers in the shadows.
He was Kim Seunghoon, Victoria's most trusted confidant and dearest friend.
A rare warmth spread through Victoria's being, her guarded stance softening, and she released the tight grip on her tangled locks. His name escaped her lips once more before she enveloped him in an embrace, inhaling the familiar scent of his presence.
Seunghoon's eyes widened, genuine surprise etched across his face. Victoria, known for her unyielding composure, rarely initiated such displays of affection. It had always been Seunghoon who offered solace and comfort.
"I've been under immense stress..." she confessed, her voice carrying a trace of vulnerability, akin to a child seeking respite. She closed her eyes, letting herself loose in his embrace.
Seunghoon was Victoria's sanctuary, her oasis in the desolation. And at that moment, she realized just how much she needed him. He had travelled across the vast expanse from America, solely to surprise her with his presence.
Neither of the two realized that there was someone watching them from the corner, behind Victoria's most prized vase.
Watching her brother finally meet his best friend after two years, brought solace to Jennifer as well. Yet, she couldn't deny that she was bitter about him not meeting him first.
Jennifer smiled, watching her leader melt into the embrace of her loved one. A luxury Via never allowed herself.
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Status de energia semanal
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