Chapter 5 – Confession in Blood

The tension in the hallway was suffocating.

Tony was pinned against the wall, Dre’s massive hand wrapped around his collar like a vice. His feet barely touched the ground as he choked on shallow, panicked breaths.

Vanessa had taken a few steps back, arms crossed, but there was a flicker of amusement in her dark eyes. She wasn’t going to help him. Not when she had already thrown him under the bus.

Sera remained still. Watching. Waiting.

Dre’s grip tightened. His voice was low, steady. Dangerous. “What did you do to her?”

Tony’s mouth opened, then closed. His eyes darted to Sera, wide with something between guilt and desperation. “Sera… please…”

Sera didn’t move.

Dre pulled him forward slightly before slamming him back against the wall. The sound echoed through the empty mall corridors.

“Talk.”

Tony gasped, his hands weakly gripping Dre’s wrist. “I— I didn’t—”

Footsteps.

Slow, measured.

A new presence entered the hallway.

The gang leader.

Malik Devereaux.

He moved with lazy confidence, hands tucked into the pockets of his black slacks, his gold ring glinting under the dim mall lighting. His sharp eyes flickered over the scene before settling on Dre.

A small smirk tugged at his lips. “Tch. What’s this?”

Dre didn’t take his eyes off Tony. “We got history here.”

Malik raised an eyebrow, glancing between Tony and Sera. Then, his smirk deepened. “Oh, I see. This one got a past with your little mute girl, huh?”

Sera stiffened.

Malik let out a low chuckle. “Damn, Dre. You really got a type.”

Dre didn’t react. He just stared at Tony, waiting.

Malik sighed dramatically, rubbing his jaw. “Well, let’s hear it then. I love a good confession.”

Tony’s breath hitched.

Malik’s gaze darkened. “Talk, boy.”

Tony swallowed hard, his body trembling.

For a second, he looked at Sera.

And then—finally—he spoke.

“I gave her away.”

The hallway went deathly silent.

Sera’s stomach twisted, but she didn’t flinch. She already knew the truth.

Tony continued, his voice cracking. “I didn’t— I didn’t have a choice.”

Dre’s jaw clenched. “Bullshit.”

Tony gasped as Dre’s grip on his collar tightened, cutting off his air for a moment before loosening just enough for him to talk.

“They were gonna kill me!” Tony sputtered. His voice was frantic now, desperate. “I owed them money—so much money, man! They said they’d let me go if I gave them someone else. Someone they could sell.”

Sera’s fingers curled into the fabric of her hoodie.

Tony sucked in a shaky breath, his eyes darting wildly. “I didn’t want to do it. I swear! But I— I knew they wouldn’t kill her. Not right away. They wanted—”

He stopped himself, his face paling.

Dre’s voice was dangerously low. “They wanted what?”

Tony looked at Sera again, but she didn’t return his gaze.

She already knew.

She had lived it.

Dre’s patience snapped.

He swung.

His fist connected with Tony’s gut so hard the air rushed from his lungs in a strangled wheeze. Tony crumpled, but Dre caught him by the collar, holding him up like a ragdoll.

Malik let out a low whistle. “Damn.”

Tony coughed violently, gasping for breath. “I-I didn’t— I didn’t think they’d keep her that long—”

Dre punched him again. This time, across the face.

Tony’s head snapped to the side, blood spattering against the wall.

Sera didn’t move.

Dre released Tony, letting him collapse to the floor in a pathetic heap. He groaned, holding his ribs, blood dripping from his busted lip.

Malik chuckled, shaking his head. “Well, that was fun.”

He turned to Sera, his sharp gaze assessing her like she was something to be studied.

“Tell me, girl—what do you want us to do with him?”

Sera’s heart pounded in her chest.

Malik was testing her.

She felt Dre’s gaze on her, waiting for her reaction.

Slowly, she pulled out her notepad, flipping to a clean page.

With calm, deliberate strokes, she wrote:

“Nothing.”

Malik arched an eyebrow. “Nothing?”

Dre frowned. “Sera—”

She flipped to a new page.

“He’s already pathetic.”

Malik let out a bark of laughter. “Oh, I like her.”

Tony let out a weak whimper, but no one paid attention to him anymore.

Dre exhaled through his nose before muttering, “Tch. Lucky bastard.”

Malik smirked, then waved a hand. “Alright, boys. Get lover boy outta my sight before Dre finishes the job.”

The gang members obeyed, dragging Tony’s limp body down the hall.

Vanessa, still leaning against the wall, hummed in amusement. “See? Told you he was guilty.”

Sera met her gaze for the first time that night.

Vanessa smirked. “He deserved it.”

Then, flipping her hair over her shoulder, she turned and strutted away like nothing had happened.

Dre let out a slow breath, his hands still clenched into fists.

Malik rolled his shoulders, then gave Dre a lazy nod. “You should get your girl back to bed.”

Sera stiffened slightly at the words.

Dre didn’t argue.

Without another word, he turned and gestured for Sera to follow.

She did.

Not because she was forced.

Not because she was afraid.

But because, for the first time in years, she wasn’t alone in her silence.

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