Chapter 4 - Lightbulb

Seraphina was reminded that aside from that man who caused her death. There are still those ungrateful people his kind grandfather took in but kept causing troubles. Thinking of it, Seraphina had the urge to recover as soon as possible to teach those people a lesson they'll never forget.

5 days have passed since the day Seraphina first had a stroll with Liam Jin. Aside from her rehabilitation, Seraphina would spend an hour or two in the healing garden accompanied by Liam Jin.

In her previous life, she had a year of peace that made her felt that she was overthinking things. Thus, she gradually lowered her guard. Little did she know that that was the calm before the storm. After a year of tranquility, her impending doom soon hunted her down. She was like a jinx that anyone she had interacted with ends up dead.

Hence, her recovery was her top priority to placed her chess pieces ahead of time. Though she had a 'cheat engine', Seraphina can't merely change the fact that that man would go to such extent to make her life a living hell. Yes, She could evade her upcoming nightmare but what would happen if she evades their first attack? Would that change their next move? Seraphina didn't want to gamble about that matter. All she knew is she needs ammo if she was going to war. She needs to get stronger. She needs power and resources.

"..Ms. Yue?" Liam frowned noticing Seraphina looked tranced.

"Ms. Yue?" He repeated. Startled. She turned her gaze to Liam with a questioning look.

"Uh?"

"I wonder what's on your mind whenever you're in trance?" Liam Jin asked. It was normal for a person who'd been in a coma to be in a daze but whenever Seraphina was deep in her thoughts, he always felt uncomfortable. She emits a different aura and seemed a different person whenever she was immense in her thoughts. Although she still acts her old-self just like in his memory. He still felt something changed. He just couldn't pinpoint what it is so he shrugged it off as he thought he was overthinking things.

For the past week, Liam and Seraphina got a little closer. So it's not a surprise for her if Liam notices something in her As she knew Liam was an observant person. To cover up her trail of evidence, Seraphina blurted out.

"I was just wondering what kind of person I was." After experiencing hell, Seraphina is much collected and didn't bother the suspicious look on Liam's eyes. Liam nodded as if he understood.

"You are an amazing person." With Liam Jin's usual gentle tone, he smiled.

"Ah?" Seraphina was confused. As much as she knows they really aren't close. They were schoolmates in high school and met once in a social gathering. But they barely exchanged a few words with each other. So how can he say, I am an amazing person? Did he just want to comfort me by saying that?

"We are actually schoolmates in high school. You were a freshman while I'm in my junior year. We weren't really close but I always admire your genuineness ." The twilight sun ray hit his face that made him look extra charming. A gentle smiled plastered on his face as if he unlocks an achievement quest.

After half a minute of appreciating the beauty standing beside her. Seraphina nodded as a sign of understanding about their connection. Out of habit, she blurted out a shameless remark.

"I see. So you had a crush on me." She smiled brightly showing her cute deep dimple. Liam was stunned to her sudden remark. He coughs lightly before he spoke.

"I —I think we should get inside." As if he was embarrassed Liam Jin swiftly got a hold of her wheelchair then wheeled her inside the facility.

Seeing Liam's ear turned red and being shy about her nonsense remarks, Seraphina suddenly heard a 'ting' of a lightbulb on her head as she had an idea.

'Ohh. That was fun.'

------

In a private room of a high-end bar and casino.

A man with a gloomy aura entered a large soundproof, dimly lit room. The people surrounding the oval poker table that placed at the center of the room didn't bother to turn their gazes to him as they were focused on their cards. The moment he closed the door, the loud music that resounding outside could not be heard as if it was an isolated place. He past through a bar inside the room then grab the bottle of whiskey before he slumped on the corner sofa couch near the oval poker table.

"Ey, ey ey! What's with the mood? You'll bring bad luck to me! Get lost!" One of the men playing poker nearest at the gloomy man bristled.

"You're bad luck itself, Riggs! Stop blaming others!" Rebutted by a woman with a short black hair on the other side of the table as she glared daggers at the man named Riggs.

"tch" Glancing at the woman, he hissed.

"Don't mind him. He probably got fired, again." Another man beside Riggs commented nonchalantly.

"Uno, you should watch your temper next time. Don't just curse your boss if you want to earn legally. You get paid not the other way around." Another man who had a little presence sitting beside the gloomy man that named Uno reminded him as if he knew what happened to him.

"Eh? Leon when did you got here?" A man with a bulging muscle as if he was the son of Hulk turned his head with his widened eyes to Leon's direction.

"I was here the whole time." Leon plainly answered.

"Ohh."

"...." a man who was silently focused on the game and never spouted a word throughout the night.

"No one would want to hire a ticking time bomb like you that could explode anytime." another man with black thin-rimmed glasses with his uptied black long hair, spoke.

"Damn it!" Uno cursed as he regretted his decision coming in this place just to here their contemptible remarks. He downed a mouthful of whiskey out of frustration and didn't bother listening to them anymore.

"Fck!" Riggs cursed. Frustrated as the cards before him unfold. He lost once again. Agitated at his bad luck, he poured his frustration at the man that didn't spout a word throughout the night but kept on winning.

"Yo Rex! What tricks are you playing at?!? You're cheating aren't you?!" Riggs stood up glaring daggers at the man named Rex. Rex glance at Riggs then continued collecting the ch_i_p_s he won ignoring the snide accusations thrown at him by Riggs.

Annoyed by his 'arrogance', Riggs swiftly threw a dagger straight at Rex right eye but Rex was as swift as him. He tilted his head avoiding his attack. If he was a millisecond late, the dagger would be dug right into his eye. The dagger hit the wall embedded behind Rex.

"What the heck Riggs?!?" The woman with a short black straight hair glared at Riggs. Riggs purposely ignored her as he looked at Rex direction.

"What? Wanna fight? Riggs sneered.

If wasn't for Boss you're already resting 6ft under a long time ago."

The man with a bulging muscle sigh as he shook his head.

Rex who never bother to say a word raised his head. Looking at the pair of murderous eyes that were ready for a kill, he spoke.

"Same." He sounded calm yet the aura surrounding him turned murderous as well. The intense atmosphere inside the room gradually became suffocating. As if any minute a battle would spark, a man with the lazy voice spoke.

"That would cost 2,500 dollars. Please pay before you leave." As he roll his eyes when he glanced at the dagger embedded at the wall.

"You can fight as long as one is dead but with boss temper, the one who'll live would face a fate worse than death." He nonchalantly said as if he wasn't bothered about the two people.

"I'm leaving." Rex stood up and left the room without another word.

"Tch." Riggs annoyingly sat back down in his chair. The delicate man with a lazy voice side glances at him. Then spoke.

"Are you broke? I can find you a decent job."

"What nonsense!" Riggs with his sour mood turned his head to look at the delicate man in disdain.

"You gambled most of the money boss left you with. We should at least live decently as boss instruction."

"Tch. That fat-ass. Leaving whenever he wants." Riggs hissed.

"Watch your mouth, Riggs." The man with bulging muscle warned displeased with what Riggs said.

"Just do what you've instructed to do for the meantime." The man with an uptied long hair spoke.

"My instincts tell me, the boss is up to something —grand!"