Harper entered the courtesan house, her jaw tightening as her expression turned serious. The staff lining the grand hallway offered respectful greetings, but she barely acknowledged them, only shaking her head as she walked past with silent authority. The click of her heels echoed against the marble floors, each step confident, deliberate.
She stepped into the elevator without a word, several guards trailing behind her. Some of them carried heavy black chests, sealed and secured. As the elevator began to rise, tension subtly crackled in the confined space.
She stepped out into the penthouse. Her sharp eyes scanned the room as the guards followed closely, chests still in hand.
"How many chests are being delivered today?" she asked, her tone clipped.
"Four," came the immediate reply.
"Cool."
Without wasting another second, she turned and entered the secret elevator. The scanner buzzed softly as it registered her face ID. A faint chime sounded, unlocking access. But her eyes narrowed as she noticed something off.
"Wait!" she said, turning sharply toward Freya, brows drawing together. "Why are there more guards than usual today?"
Freya flinched slightly. "Oh! Quincy added them!" she replied, her voice strained with nervousness.
Harper eyed the guards suspiciously. One of them avoided her gaze, shifting uneasily under her scrutiny. Her lips curled into a knowing smirk.
"Let them come in one by one. I'm leaving the elevator unlocked for an hour."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The elevator whooshed down after redirection. The floor rumbled faintly as they arrived underground. Two chests were dropped on the concrete with a heavy thud. Harper sat down on one, crossing her legs with quiet poise. The guards hauled the second chest toward a steel-reinforced wall.
She pressed something on her phone. With a faint click, the chests unlocked and slowly revealed their contents. A low gasp escaped from someone in the room.
"What's that?"
"Oh, nothing ma'am!" Freya cut in quickly, tension tightening her shoulders.
"Have them take the ladder up and fill up that last roll before starting a new lane."
"Alright! Take it up the ladder!"
The guards obeyed, carrying the chest with effort up the steel ladder. As they climbed, two masked guards moved closer to Harper.
She looked up slowly, calm but alert. "What?"
"We need to move the one you are sitting on, ma'am," one of the guards said.
"Oh?" She tilted her head. Her fingers absentmindedly picked at her nails. Then, with a slow smile, she shrugged off her blazer, revealing a fitted bralette and shorts beneath. Freya rushed over and took the blazer from her.
From her pocket, Harper pulled out two smooth, round steel balls. She began rolling them in her palm rhythmically. The metallic click of steel filled the silence, captivating the masked guards' attention.
They watched her, eyes fixed. For a moment, it was as if time paused—just her, the steel balls, and their hypnotized stares.
Then she snapped, "Come back!"
The sudden bark jolted them. They gasped—and in the same breath, a gun was pointed directly at her forehead. Harper's eyes widened.
"How have you been, Blue?"
She blinked. "Who are you!" She leapt to her feet, the gun following her.
The mask came off.
"Hey baby girl."
"Logan?" Her voice cracked with disbelief. "How the hell did you get in here?"
"Well, we received help from someone close to you."
"Nobody around me would ever help you."
"Well she did," another voice rang out.
Harper turned to see Gianna entering with a smug expression and an army of guards behind her.
"She helped us!" Gianna pointed at Freya. Harper's eyes darted to her.
Freya couldn't meet her gaze.
"Freya? That's ridiculous, she will never do that."
"But she did! I gave her a lot of money and she helped us."
"How dare you, Freya!" Harper stepped forward, eyes blazing.
Gianna shoved her back. "She's no longer your escort. She works for me now. Don't intimidate her."
"She betrayed me!"
"It's for her own good. She's getting more money from me. She did her job very well. She made you shift the money delivery to today so you could open the underground for us. She even bought off the guards. She really helped make things easier."
"Freya!" Harper's voice shook with fury. "You know this is the heart of Dylan, yet you allowed an intruder in here. I'm gonna kill you for this!"
"You can't do nothing!"
"Gianna!!!"
"Stop yelling like a fool! I promised to deal with you today."
"You dare? I am a courtesan!"
Gianna sneered. "The house will belong to me henceforth. I'm taking over this penthouse."
"You think you can move all this?" Harper gestured at the chests. "Do you think the Dylan fortune is some piece of cake you can walk out with using twenty guards? It was established here. You can't move anything!"
"It's not necessary to move them. I'm going to take over the courtesan house. Everything belongs to me."
"And how are you gonna do that?"
"You are a perfect bait for me, Blue. You can come in here freely—and I will hold you down here. Quincy will have no choice but to give me everything. I'm taking you with me."
"And who said you will be able to leave here?" a voice interrupted.
Everyone turned.
Quincy stood in the entry, flanked by Sage and Paige, his presence commanding silence.
"Welcome, Quincy," Gianna said sweetly. "I've been waiting for you."
She gave Logan a look, and he nodded. Guns snapped up, all pointing at Quincy and Harper.
"What the hell are you doing!!" Quincy's voice thundered.
"Can't you see? I bought off all your guards, dude."
"You are all betrayers! All of you!"
"Are you mad? Don't be mad, Blue," Logan said, grinning. "Money can buy anyone. You see, I bought off Freya—and she bought off your whole guards."
"Is that true, Freya?"
"Of course I did! She paid me more than the courtesan house ever could. I don't have to stay with you."
"Because of money?"
"Sure! I'm getting one of those chests for free. Who would reject being a billionaire over some stupid loyalty? I don't have to serve someone younger than me after getting the money."
"You really think that way of me? We've been together since I started this."
"Now I'm leaving you behind. I'm following the winning team."
"And Gianna is the winner?" Harper scoffed, shaking her head.
Quincy called out, "Gianna!"
"Yes, hubby?"
"Let Blue go."
"Why should I?"
"What do you want? I'll give you whatever you want."
"Give me the courtesan house."
"You know that's impossible. Our family is nothing without the courtesan house."
"I'm part of your family, dude!"
"Gianna!"
"Kill that girl!" she shouted to the guard.
"Wait! Wait, please—I'm gonna give it to you!" Quincy yelled, panicked.
"Good!" She tossed him a file. He opened it with trembling hands.
"What's this?"
"Sign it. It's the transfer agreement. Once you transfer the courtesan house to me, I'll be in charge. Your mum will retire and I will terminate Blue from the house."
"You would not do that!"
"It belongs to me henceforth. I do whatever I want."
"Let Blue go first."
"Sign the papers!" she screamed.
His hand shook as he scribbled his name and passed the file back.
"Let her go now."
"Release her," Gianna commanded.
"Yes, ma'am." The guard retracted his gun.
But Harper's relief was short-lived—Logan grabbed her from behind.
"What do you want, Logan!" Quincy shouted.
"Do you think because Gianna let her go I'm gonna release her to you, Quincy?"
"Logan!!!"
"She ruined my whole business, and you think I'll let her go? I'm killing her right here."
"You think you can do that?"
"You think I can't?"
"You try!" Harper snapped.
He raised his gun to her face and cocked it—but his hand trembled. Sweat formed on his brow. He couldn't pull the trigger.
Why can't I shoot her? he wondered.
Harper smiled faintly. She walked slowly around him, arms folded, until she was behind him. Her fingers grazed his shoulders.
She turned him—and the gun faced Gianna.
"Shoot," she whispered.
Bang! Bang!
Gianna screamed, collapsing to her knees, clutching her leg and bleeding arm.
"Are you crazy, Logan? Why did you shoot me? You were supposed to kill Blue!"
"Oh my God!" He looked at his hands. "I wanted to kill her! Why the hell did I shoot you instead?!"
"Y'all! Kill them! Kill them all and send me to the hospital right now!!" Gianna screamed at the guards.
But none moved.
"You guys can retract your gun now," Quincy said calmly.
All the guards immediately moved aside.
Quincy approached, and Logan panicked. He pointed the gun at Harper again.
"Don't come any closer! I'm gonna kill her, I swear!"
"Really? If you were able to kill her, why haven't you done it already?"
"Kill the girl, Logan! Why are you just staring at her!!" Gianna screamed.
"Ain't you tired of shouting, Gianna?" Harper said mockingly.
"Shut up, Blue!!"
"Oh my! She's giving me a headache," Harper muttered, clutching her forehead. "You! Shoot her right arm."
Logan turned. Another shot rang out. Gianna screamed again.
"Damn you, Logan!"
"What the hell! Freya, kill her or something—I can't control myself!"
"Are you stupid? Do you think I'll kill my courtesan for you?"
"Aren't you with Gianna?"
"Why would I be with Gianna? Blue just wanted me to lure you guys here—and I did."
"You dare betray me, Freya!" Gianna howled.
"I didn't betray you. I was just working for my courtesan. Do you think it's really possible to penetrate the courtesan house and walk out with all this wealth? I haven't seen someone as stupid as you, Gianna."
"I'm gonna kill you, Freya! I'm gonna kill you, Blue!"
"I'm the one who's gonna kill you, idiot! You killed my babies—I have waited this whole time for this. I'm never taking it easy on you."
Gianna sneered. "Do you think you can have it all? You came from the slums! Your family are trash! They sold you out for some money and you think you're worthy of becoming the Dylan daughter-in-law? You think you're worthy of bearing babies for Quincy?"
"Was that why you killed them, you bitch?!"
"Yes I did! What you gon do?"
"Damn you, Gianna!!" Harper screamed. Her body shook with rage. Tears blurred her vision as she lunged forward, plunging a knife deep into Gianna's side. Sobs tore from her throat as she twisted the blade.
Quincy rushed over, wrapping his arms around her, trying to pull her back.
"It's fine, baby. You should let go now."
"She killed my kids, Quincy! She killed them!"
"I'm here with you, Harper. Let go of her."
Harper let the knife fall. Gianna crumpled to the ground—lifeless.
Harper turned into Quincy's chest, clinging tightly, trembling as she cried harder.
"Why did she have to do that…" she whispered. Then her body slackened.
"Harper! Harper!" Quincy shook her. "Damn it—she passed out!"
He scooped her into his arms and turned to Paige. "Take care of Logan."
"Yes, boss!"