Prologue

The dimly lit warehouse reeked of blood and fear. Shadows stretched along the cold concrete floor, flickering under the weak glow of a single overhead light. A group of men knelt, trembling, their hands tied behind their backs. Their muffled pleas echoed in the silence, but no one dared to move. No one dared to breathe.

A pair of heels clicked against the floor, slow and deliberate.

A girl stepped forward—dressed in all black, a mask covering the lower half of her face. Despite her delicate frame, the aura she carried was suffocating. Dangerous. Her presence alone sent chills down the spines of the men before her.

She stopped just inches away from their leader, tilting her head as if amused. "You made a mistake," she said, her voice calm but laced with venom. "You thought I was weak."

The man’s eyes widened in horror. He had underestimated her—just like everyone else.

A cold, metallic click echoed in the room.

The Silent Ace never missed her mark.

Bang.

As the lifeless body slumped to the ground, she turned on her heel, Celestiana removed her mask, her expression unreadable as she handed the gun to the man standing behind her. Without sparing another glance at the bodies on the floor, she turned and walked toward the exit, her heels clicking against the concrete in perfect rhythm.

Her second-in-command, Adrian Cross, followed closely behind. "That was risky," he murmured, his sharp gaze scanning her face for any trace of hesitation. There was none. There never was.

"They made a move against us," Celestiana replied simply, her voice devoid of emotion. "I warned them. They didn’t listen."

Adrian smirked, shaking his head. "You’re terrifying, you know that?"

She stopped at the door, finally turning to face him. The cold, calculating mafia queen was gone in an instant. Instead, she flashed him an innocent, almost shy smile—the same one she used in school. "Terrifying? Me? I’m just a weak little girl, Adrian," she said in a soft, playful tone.

He rolled his eyes. "Right. A weak little girl who just took out the leader of the Blood Serpents without blinking."

Celestiana chuckled but didn’t respond. Instead, she stepped out of the warehouse, breathing in the crisp night air. The city lights glowed in the distance, unaware of the silent war raging in its shadows.

Tomorrow, she would return to school. She would wear her glasses, stutter when called on, and pretend to struggle with lifting her books. No one would suspect a thing. No one ever did.

But deep down, she knew the game wouldn’t last forever.

Because in the world of crime, secrets always have a way of unraveling. And when that day comes…

The Silent Ace will no longer be silent.

The black car waiting outside purred to life as Celestiana slipped into the backseat, her expression neutral. The moment she was inside, she pulled out her phone, scrolling through the notifications like any other normal teenager.

A message popped up.

[Mom]: Don’t forget to be home by 10. School comes first, sweetie.

Celestiana smirked. If only she knew.

She typed a quick reply.

[Me]: Of course, Mom. Love you!

The irony almost made her laugh. Her mother still saw her as the quiet, obedient daughter. Her teachers saw her as the weak, intelligent student. Her classmates barely noticed her at all.

And yet, here she was—ruling the underworld with an iron fist.

Adrian sat in the passenger seat, speaking in a low voice to the driver. “Take us back to the estate.”

Celestiana rested her head against the window, staring at her reflection. For a second, she let herself relax. But before she could close her eyes, Adrian’s voice broke the silence.

“There’s been movement in the east sector,” he said, his tone more serious. “Word is, the Blood Serpents had allies. They’re looking for revenge.”

Celestiana sighed, rubbing her temple. "Of course they are."

Adrian hesitated before adding, “They sent someone into Ravenshire Academy.”

That made her pause. Slowly, she turned her head to face him, her calm mask slipping just slightly.

“They’re looking for the Silent Ace.”

The air inside the car grew heavy. The game she had been playing for years—balancing her double life—was beginning to crumble. Someone was coming. Someone who might not be fooled by her innocent act.

For the first time in a long time, Celestiana felt something stir inside her.

Excitement.

A slow, dangerous smile curled on her lips.

“Well then,” she murmured, eyes gleaming in the darkness. “Let the hunt begin.”

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: ✿ 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 ✿ :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧

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