Chapter 6 - An action

"Kania? Dad wants to talk. Why are you already getting ready to leave this early?"

Kania stood mute. This time, she would meet conflict with silence. If her Father had already started conspiring with Arka, her ex-husband, she knew perfectly well she would be trapped again. She wasn't that foolish. That stupidity had been shed, buried with her dark past.

"The money to pay this week's debt has been transferred to your account, Dad. I have to leave now," Kania stated coldly, rushing to abandon the place—a sanctuary that was supposed to be her source of comfort, now feeling suffocating.

Observing his daughter's demeanor, a strong fatherly instinct surged within Mr. Eleanor. He wasn't blind. He knew Kania was distancing herself because of last night's incident.

"Wait, Dad can explain everything, Kania. One day, you yourself will be very grateful to that man. The man you've hated all this time. He—Arka—is not as bad as you think."

Mr. Eleanor now appeared calmer, relieved that his former son-in-law would help guard Kania. His daughter always chose independence over protection, and that was precisely what worried him. It wasn't about the money; there were pressing matters that he and Arka had to handle together for their security. Mr. Eleanor was willing to wait patiently for the situation to recover.

Meanwhile, in another location, Kania's eyes widened in shock. Several parties she had deliberately visited that day were unanimous in their declaration: the debt had been settled. This revelation spurred Kania into action. She needed to confirm that Arka was not the culprit.

"Damn it! Does he really have a death wish? What is he truly after? Why is he doing all this? The 'Anonymous' they speak of is Arka, and I refuse to be fooled!"

The vivid memory of the road leading to Arka's private residence made Kania’s chest rumble violently. She felt tight and enraged. Kania was genuinely going to ruin the man.

Arka's private mansion was known only to the most important individuals. The route there was concealed, far removed from public view. Kania had been invited there once—to spend her wedding night with Arka. Recalling that detail now felt repulsive, making her nauseous.

"All the gates are heavily secured. I know they will stop me from entering because I am no longer the lady of the house. But... there is only one way to get in without causing trouble."

Though she swallowed harshly and felt disgust, she had no choice. It was the sole path: the pet dog's hole. It sounded insane and humiliating.

"Luckily, this hole is wide enough to support my slim body. It's fortunate he keeps large dogs."

Almost reaching the end of the tunnel, Kania sensed an anomaly. She was startled when she read the writing etched there. Previously, when she had inspected the hole with Arka for the pets' safety, there had been no inscription whatsoever.

"Did he write it? Ah, no way. He would never show such idiocy to others, except when he was with me. There’s no way he’d be reckless enough to write in this tunnel. Impossible!"

Trying to dismiss the writing, Kania crawled out. Her breath was ragged, panting from the stuffiness and darkness—she relied only on the light from her phone.

"Wow, still the same as before. The mansion looks deserted, but the security is quite tight. No wonder it's called a private residence!"

Slowly, she tried to infiltrate by any means necessary. Kania still clearly remembered every crack and several shortcuts around the perimeter. Just as she was about to successfully slip inside, Kania froze. Her ears were drawn to a conversation that was growing distinctly audible.

"Who is that? I hear something I might be able to exploit," she whispered. Kania did more than just listen; she immediately pulled out her phone to record the voices.

She couldn't risk recording a video, as one more step and she would be visible to those people. Her hiding spot was precarious, held only by sheer desperation.

"Insane! Is that Olivia? How is that possible? And Arka told that woman about this mansion? A woman he just met!"

Despite it being only an audio recording, Kania instantly recognized the owner of the familiar female voice. However, she couldn't yet identify the man's voice.

When the sounds of gasping began to filter through, Kania nearly dropped her phone. She gripped it tightly, forcing herself to remain calm.

***

"Is he with Arka? But that's not his voice. I don't know him!"

"I need to confirm this clearly. The evidence I’ve secured cannot be dismissed as a joke by Arka. He won’t easily believe something like this."

Kania persisted in her surveillance. She had even forgotten her primary purpose for coming here. Right now, for her, she would do anything to destroy her ex-husband's happiness.

"Arka, you will be ruined soon. Just wait and see. You will definitely come back to me and regret everything you've ever done."

Her suspicion was confirmed. The woman was indeed Olivia. But the man beside her—was a complete stranger. This was the first time Kania had ever seen him.

Not wanting to waste time pondering the stranger’s identity, Kania quickly snapped several pictures she could manage, before her hiding place was discovered, threatening her safety.

"Madness! Daring to cheat in the lion's own lair! Is he courting death, or is this just his character? I thought he was better than me, but he's nothing," Kania muttered, continuing to curse internally.

She moved toward a more spacious area, a room that still looked lavish and grand. Her eyes swept across every direction, searching. She still hadn't found Arka.

"Why hasn't he shown up? Is he not here today? Impossible. Don't be ridiculous. That woman is even here with her lover."

"Hey, what’s that sound again?" Kania turned back toward another room.