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    After lunch, Aliana immediately entered her room. She locked the door from the inside, making sure no one could enter without her permission.

    She walked straight to her desk and grabbed a spare phone, one she had specifically prepared for secretmunication with Rafe. She dialed Rafe using a secure line they had previously agreed on. Soon, Rafe’s calm voice was heard on the other end.

    “Miss,” Rafe greeted briefly.

    “Rafe, what’s Bianca’s location tomorrow? Have you confirmed the meeting venue?” Aliana asked directly without any small talk.

    “Yes, I followed her this morning when she went to check the ce,” Rafe replied steadily. “She’s meeting with an important investor at the Exclusive Lounge Restaurant downtown. It’s not far from the Titan Group headquarters. But I’m a little concerned, Miss.”

    “Why?” Aliana frowned.

    Rafe let out a small sigh before continuing. “I’ve checked the distance between that restaurant and the three orphanages you’ll be visiting. The first two -New Hope and Kasih Bunda–are quite far. Even if you manage to sneak away, I doubt you’ll make it in time. It’s too risky.”

    Aliana paused, her brows furrowing as she re-evaluated her scenario seriously. She knew Rafe never spoke carelessly when it came to missions like this- he would have calcted everything down to thest detail.

    “What about the third orphanage, Pelita Hati Foundation?” Aliana asked after a moment. “How far is that from Bianca’s location?”

    Rafe was silent for a few seconds, likely checking something on his screen.

    “That one’s closer,” he said. “It’s on the eastern side of the city center, fairly strategic. But there’s still a chance Bianca will have finished her meeting by the time you move from there.”

    Aliana paused again, weighing her options. After a moment, she made a decision.

    “I’ll move from the third orphanage. I’ll leave as quickly as possible from there toplete the mission.”

    Rafe hesitated again, his voice now sounding uneasy. “Miss, your n is still dangerous. What if someone notices you’re gone? If they find out you’re not at the event, everything will fall apart. They’ll immediately be suspicious.”

    Aliana smiled faintly, touched by Rafe’s concern. She knew he was only looking out for her, but she had already considered every risk.

    “I’ve taken that into ount, Rafe,” Aliana said calmly, trying to reassure him. “I know the risk is high, but I’ll have a strong alibi. I’ve thought it through.

    Elena will help me.”

    “Elena? You’re involving her?”

    “Just a little,” Aliana replied. “I only told her I need her help. I didn’t reveal the full n. The mission remains our secret.”

    “I understand,” Rafe said, exhaling long in resignation. “Alright then, Miss. I’ll make all the preparations needed to support your operation tomorrow. I’ll monitor the target location and ensure you can move quickly and precisely.”

    “Thank you, Rafe,” Aliana said sincerely. “Tomorrow, we end this.”

    The call ended.

    Aliana sat in silence for several minutes, her gaze distant. Then she reached into a drawer and pulled out a small light-blue box, neatly stored.

    With care, Aliana opened the box. Inside was Alicia’s silver bracelet-the most precious item Aliana owned as herte sister’s keepsake.

    She had purposely not worn the bracelet, fearing her identity as Nyx might be exposed by Andrian’s security team, who might spot the same bracelet on the imposter Nyx, as Rafe had previously discovered.

    Her fingers gently traced the bracelet’s surface with a look of sorrow mixed with vengeance. Memories of Alicia surged back. Every time she looked at the bracelet, pain seared through her chest again. Her hatred for Bianca burned even more deeply, flowing with every breath she took.

    “I promise you, Alicia. I won’t let that woman live peacefully after what she did to you. I’ll make her feel pain far worse than what you went through before you died,” Aliana whispered with fierce determination.

    She closed the box again and put it away carefully. Then she stood up, walked to her wardrobe, and pulled out a ck jacket and the outfit specially prepared for tomorrow’s mission. She checked every part of her disguise kit meticulously, ensuring nothing was left behind.

    Once she was satisfied with the equipment, Aliana returned to herptop, pulled up theyout of the restaurant where Bianca’s meeting would be held, and studied it intently. She observed every corner and possible entrance and exit. She couldn’t afford even a small mistake.

    With a focused expression, she opened the file containing the profiles of Bianca’s personal bodyguards,piled by Rafe. She read through the details carefully-who they were, their routines, shifts, and any exploitable gaps in their security.

    Evening fell into night without Aliana realizing how much time had passed. Elena knocked on the door to remind her about dinner, but Aliana asked her to leave, saying she would skip the meal.

    After hours of nning, Aliana finally felt confident that she had prepared every crucial detail. She shut herptop, took a deep breath, and leaned back in her chair with her eyes closed. She knew tomorrow would be a defining day.

    Suddenly, her primary phone vibrated briefly. She opened her eyes and saw Nathan’s name on the screen. He had sent a short message saying he would pick her up at 9 a.m. the next day to go to the orphanage together.

    Aliana replied briefly with an agreement. She didn’t want to engage in any unnecessary pleasantries. Her mind was solely focused on how she would execute her mission swiftly.

    She decided to rest early. Lying down on the bed, she stared at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting once again to Alicia and the vow she had made.

    In her heart, Aliana swore that tomorrow would be thest day Bianca lived without fear.

    “I’ve made up my mind. There’s no turning back. Tomorrow… you’ll lose your peace, Bianca,” Aliana whispered resolutely before finally falling asleep.

    The next morning, at exactly nine o’clock, Nathan was already waiting for Aliana in the front courtyard of the Velor family pavilion. He stood casually, asionally ncing at the luxury watch on his wrist-a sign that he was starting to grow impatient as Aliana had yet to appear.

    A few minutester, the pavilion door opened. Nathan turned and frowned in confusion when he saw Aliana walking toward him, wrapped tightly in a thick coat that reached nearly to her knees.

    “Why are you wearing such a heavy coat?” Nathan asked, puzzled, his eyes narrowing with curiosity. “It’s scorching hot today, Aliana.”

    Aliana paused briefly, her face looking pale and weary-something she had carefully prepared the night before with Elena. In a soft, slightly hoarse voice, she replied, “I’m not feeling well. I’ve been shivering since this morning.”

    Nathan’s expression immediately shifted to concern. He stepped forward, reaching to touch Aliana’s forehead, but she quickly stepped back.

    “You shouldn’te today,” Nathan said seriously. “You should rest. I can handle this on my own.”

    “No!” Aliana shook her head gently but firmly. “I can manage. I promised toe. I don’t want to cause trouble just because of a little sickness.”

    Before Nathan could argue further, Aliana climbed into the prepared car. Elena, who had been standing nearby, let out a short sigh and followed her into the vehicle, sitting in the back seat with a worried and confused look. She knew Aliana wasn’t sick-she herself had helped her apply the pale makeup earlier that morning-but she still didn’t fully understand the grand scheme Aliana was executing.

    The car, driven by the Velor family’s chauffeur, slowly pulled away from the mansion. The atmosphere during the drive to the New Hope Orphanage felt tense. Nathan kept ncing at Aliana with concern, while Aliana remained quiet, tost in her own thoughts.

    Upon arriving at New Hope Orphanage, several caretakers were already waiting in front of the well-maintained old building. Nathan stepped out first, followed by Aliana and Elena, who stayed close behind.

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    They were warmly greeted by a middle-aged woman who introduced herself as Mrs. ra, the head of the orphanage. Her demeanor was kind and weing.

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    “Wee back, Mr. Nathan,” she greeted cheerfully, then turned to Aliana with a warm smile. “And you must be Miss Aliana, wife of Mr. Andrian Velor, it’s such a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

    Aliana returned the greeting politely while maintaining the pale expression she had prepared, ensuring her alibi held strong. They were then led inside to the orphanage’s main hall, where some children were ying happily while others were studying intently in a corner.

    For several minutes, Nathan discussed administrative matters with Mrs. ra regarding the orphanage’s needs and the nned allocation of funds from the Velor family. Meanwhile, Aliana stood silently, observing her surroundings without emotion-until her eyesnded on a wall lined with old photos of the orphanage’s children.

    Her gaze sharpened when one photo caught her attention. She stepped closer and studied a picture of several young girls in simple school uniforms, smiling brightly at the camera. But one girl in front stood out.

    “Is that… Bianca?” Aliana whispered without realizing it, her brows furrowed deeply, eyes fixed on the innocent smile of the young girl in the photo.

    Hearing her, Mrs. ra approached and nodded gently. “Ah, yes, Miss. That’s Bianca. She was one of the children raised here. She was a bright child from the very beginning.”

    Aliana was slightly stunned by the revtion, though she kept her expressionposed. “So Bianca came from here?”

    “That’s right,” Mrs. ra replied warmly, clearly proud. “Bianca lived here until she earned a schrship and went on to study abroad. She’s always been very ambitious, determined to change her life.”

    Nathan, having just finished speaking with another staff member, walked over upon hearing Bianca’s name mentioned. “You just found out, sis?” he asked casually. “Bianca never hid her background. Andrian knows, too.”

    Aliana gave a slow nod, still digesting the information. Unconsciously, her hand clenched tightly beneath her coat. Learning that Bianca had grown up in this orphanage triggered new thoughts. It might exin her fearless pursuit of what she wanted-including Andrian.

    But none of it changed Aliana’s resolve. No matter what Bianca’s past had been, the only thing Aliana cared about was the pain Alicia had suffered before she died. In her eyes, Bianca was still guilty, and nothing could change that.

    Not long after, the activities at the first orphanage concluded. Nathan gave a symbolic donation, which was documented with several photos. Aliana stood beside him, maintaining her pale look to support her ongoing alibi.

    After saying their goodbyes, they returned to the car and headed toward the second orphanage. During the drive, Aliana’s mind remained upied with what she had just discovered about Bianca’s origins. From the backseat, Elena watched her with concern, but dared not ask any questions.

    Aliana nced at her watch, her mind working quickly. She knew Bianca’s meeting with the investor would begin soon. Quietly, she checked a message from Rafe confirming that Bianca had arrived at the meeting ce, just as they had anticipated.

    Nathan, seated beside her, suddenly broke the silence. “You look really pale, sister-inw. I’m genuinely worried about you. If you feel unwell after this, let’s just go home. I can finish thest visit on my own.”

    Aliana shook her head firmly. “No need to worry. I’m still fine. Let’s continue as nned until we’re done.”

    Nathan let out a soft sigh, knowing there was no point arguing with her determination. He turned his gaze back out the window.

    Meanwhile, Aliana sank once more into her thoughts, her eyes staring straight ahead–cold and resolute. In just a few hours, she would finallye face- to-face with Bianca. She could hardly wait to slice Bianca’s skin with her favorite dagger.

    “Just wait, Alicia… I’m going to make that woman suffer a pain far worse than what you endured. Bianca will pay for every ounce of your suffering with every drop of her blood.”