The Woman Behind The Smile

Alexa stared silently at the message glowing against the darkness of her room.

UNKNOWN: Vesper.

UNKNOWN: We found him.

UNKNOWN: Get to the location. Now.

For a long moment, she said nothing as if she forgot who she actually was.

She simply lay there, staring at the ceiling while the sound of distant rain echoed softly outside her window.

Then slowly, Alexa pushed the blanket aside and stepped off the bed.

The wooden floor creaked quietly beneath her feet as she walked toward the wardrobe standing near the corner of the room.

At first glance, it looked ordinary.

Just another piece of furniture inside a small rented apartment.

But Alexa’s hand moved toward the inner side of the wardrobe wall, fingers brushing against a hidden metal switch concealed carefully behind hanging clothes.

Click.

A soft mechanical sound echoed through the silence.

The back section of the wardrobe slowly shifted open, revealing a hidden compartment behind it.

Inside, everything was perfectly organized.

Dark clothing.

Black gloves.

Combat boots.

A long coat hanging neatly beneath dim concealed lights.

An entirely different life hidden behind a wooden door.

Alexa’s expression remained calm as she stepped closer.

One by one, she changed into the outfit prepared inside the compartment—a fitted black suit designed for movement, layered beneath a protective inner vest. Over it, she wore a long dark coat that concealed her figure beneath shadows.

Nothing flashy.

Nothing dramatic.

Only practical.

She sat down quietly and pulled on a pair of black boots before tightening the laces carefully.

Then her eyes shifted toward the final object resting inside the compartment.

A knife.

Slim.

Sharp.

Silver beneath the low light.

Alexa picked it up without hesitation and secured it beneath her coat for protection.

Her movements were smooth.

Almost effortless.

As though the girl who smiled warmly at strangers during the day had vanished completely.

Buzz.

Another notification lit up her phone.

UNKNOWN: You’re late, Vesper.

Alexa grabbed her keys from the table and headed toward the door.

The moment she stepped outside, the cold wind wrapped around her silently.

Tonight, Alexa Moreau no longer existed.

The city streets were nearly empty as Alexa moved silently through the darkness, her black coat flowing behind her with every step. Rainwater still clung to the roads, reflecting the dim lights above like shattered glass.

Hidden beneath the mask and cap, her expression remained unreadable.

No hesitation.

No emotion.

Only focus.

The location sent by the unknown number wasn’t far from the northern district—a place avoided by ordinary people after midnight.

Alexa stopped briefly near an abandoned alley before a shadow suddenly stepped out from the darkness beside her.

“Vesper.”

A familiar voice.

Kim.

Unlike Alexa, Kim wore a grey tactical jacket with his hood pulled low over his face. His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings carefully before stepping closer.

“He’s already here,” Kim said quietly. “We need to move before security tightens further.”

Alexa gave a small nod.

Neither of them wasted another second.

Instead of using the main roads, they moved through narrow back routes hidden between old buildings and empty alleys where security cameras barely reached.

Every movement was careful.

Silent.

Planned.

The deeper they went into the district, the heavier the atmosphere became.

Finally, they stopped near a large underground building guarded heavily from the outside.

Luxury cars lined the entrance.

Men dressed in black suits stood near every corner, their eyes constantly watching for suspicious movement.

Kim crouched slightly near the edge of the wall.

“That’s the meeting room,” he whispered.

Alexa slowly lifted her gaze toward the tall glass windows above.

Inside, the room glowed beneath expensive chandeliers.

Dozens of powerful men filled the space, yet none of them dared to speak too loudly.

At the very center of the room stood a large purple diamond displayed beneath bright white lights.

Rare.

Expensive.

Untouchable.

But strangely…

The diamond wasn’t the thing holding everyone’s attention.

It was the man sitting directly in front of it.

Ryan Velmore.

Dressed entirely in black, he sat calmly against the leather chair with one leg crossed over the other, a glass of whiskey resting loosely in his hand.

The silver Rolex watch around his wrist reflected sharply beneath the chandelier light.

Silent.

Composed.

Dangerous.

No one in the room looked him directly in the eyes for long.

Not because they were ordered to.

Because fear came naturally around him.

In front of Ryan, a man knelt helplessly on the floor, his folded hands trembling badly.

“P-Please… Mr. Velmore… please forgive me just this once…”

His desperate voice shook through the room.

But Ryan remained completely still.

The whiskey glass turned slowly between his fingers as though the begging meant absolutely nothing to him.

FOLLOW FOR MORE🥹🫶🏼

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***