(Bright’s POV)
“Awww!” I groaned as Cole drags me down to a dimly lit hallway.His grip on my wrist was tight enough to make me wince. I stumble to keep up from his pace. I hope he realizes that I don’t have his damn long legs. He’s walking like we’re being chased or something.After Garcia left, he didn’t even let me finish my bottle of wine, and just dragged me out like a kid. But the thing I can’t shake is the look on Cole’s face as he led me away from it all.He didn’t look nervous that Garcia was—possibly caught him with a gun—but he does look annoyed. That’s probably the main reason why he’s dragging me like a sack of potatoes right now. He should have vented his annoyance to Garcia. Not me.Why does it have to be all the time? Argh!When we’re far enough from the noise of the party, he stopped and shoved me back against the cold brick wall. I gasped for air, thinking I just lost the ability to breathe for a second. He caged me with his corded hands lik(Bright’s POV) This Hunting Game is brutal. It’s not just a friendly game where you try to run away from their tomato guns just so you don’t get eliminated from the game. This is an actual survival game. It’s about strategy, luck, and sometimes, betrayal. I’ve seen some of them that came in groups, but ended up shooting each other. I don't even know why I'm in this stupid thing, but here I am, running, dodging, and trying not to get caught by whatever insane rules they’ve set up. Let me tell you what. You’re not going to expect what I’m about to say next because— Bryan has saved me more times than I can count. I know it sounds dumb. It started with small things—pushing me out of the way of a trap, throwing me a weapon when I was cornered. But then it just became more thoughtful and protective. He fought for me. It’s unbelievable, but he stood between me and people who clearly wanted me eliminated in this game. He was actual
(Bright’s POV) I don’t know how it happened, but I somehow found myself lost and away from Cole. I was just wandering my eyes around the room curiously, suddenly, he’s gone. This place isn't really exactly friendly for newbies like me. Did I mention that this place is huge? Forgive me if I have already. It just needs to be emphasized more. Men in dark green uniforms filed into the room. They’re wearing blank expressions on their faces, it makes me wonder if they’re real humans or robots. The chatter among the participants quiets down as they begin distributing weapons—rifles. But not just any rifles. They shoot tomatoes. I don’t think they’re actual tomatoes, though. It’s more like red paint that looks like cherry tomatoes. I remember doing this once during my training years, but it wasn’t as weird as this. Like really? I was already scared when Lord Edmund came to the scene. I was expecting some sort of
(Bright’s POV) The moment the man stepped into the venue, the entire room went silent. Nobody has to say a thing for us to know that he’s someone respected and feared in the Mafia industry. Ironically, though. If you ask me, Lord Edmund has this angelic face. Not quite literally. But he’s definitely like your Uncle who likes to give cookies as gifts. He doesn’t look that intimidating. It’s just the vibe his surroundings—the guards—make him look untouchable. I wonder what made him the biggest enemy of the Vendetta mafia. He seemed friendly to me. A wave of unease spreads through the casino’s extravagant hall as they dominate the room with their presence. The lively atmosphere froze like someone just pressed pause on reality. I noticed how the clinking of the glasses hover mid-air, conversations die on parted lips, and shoulders stiffened as if the very air turned to ice. Even the women dancing on the poles sense the shift. Their movem
(Bright’s POV) The moment we sat at the table, I could already feel the tension building up on the round table. I’m not exactly good at ignoring the small details, let alone the big details like Lord Roberto narrowing his eyes at the two of us, especially at Cole’s hands that are busy searching for mine. The old man doesn’t even try to hide that he doesn’t like me. He just shows me that he doesn’t. It’s like he’s trying to get rid of me with just his stares alone. I mean, well, it’s not going to happen. It’s not that he has superpowers where laser beams come out to shoot me. But it’s effective in making me want to leave because I feel uncomfortable. Lord Roberto is frowning like he couldn't believe that Cole actually dared to bring me here in front of him. Has he gone no shame? This is supposed to be a formal event, yet, I’m here, making it worse than it already is. That’s not really how I wanted this to play. Lord Roberto
(Bright’s POV) Damn. I thought Jade was going to kill me for a moment there. She has blood all over her face like she was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack me. It turns out she was just going to tell me that Cole is looking for me. I almost piss myself back there. I wonder if they're having their lover’s quarrel in the kitchen now. I can only imagine how jealous Jade must be right now. It’s weird, though. Jade can't seem to confess her feelings to Isaac. The latter is very clueless about what she feels. And now, I’m forced to be the one understanding their complex relationship. Why can't she just tell him the truth to get this over with? If she has enough courage to scare the hell out of me, then she should have enough courage to confess what she truly feels for Isaac, too. It’s not really that complicated. Besides, she’s a pretty cool woman. Any man would want to be with her. I’m sure that Isaac wouldn’t reject her.
(Third Person’s POV) Inside the grand kitchen, Bright and Isaac are busy cooking a traditional Italian dish that they randomly decided to make to kill some time together. Their laughter filled the silent corners of the Vendetta mansion as they played with each other in the fancy kitchen. Bright was serious about learning how to cook, but Isaac would always make fun of him for being clueless to almost everything in the kitchen. He would prank him about the smallest thing, like adding more salt to his soup when he’s not looking, or hiding the ladle when he knows he needs it. This was something he didn't expect from the “always serious” right hand of Cole. He seemed like a very different person since he shared his story with him. It’s like he opened his doors that were closed for the longest time. Even back in prison, he was always frowning and not talking to anyone. He’s just starting to realize how childish Isaac really is a friend. He’s the ki