Symphony of Death
Author
B. Angel
Reads
574K
Chapters
65
Chapter 1
ANASTASIA
As the darkness thinned with daybreak, the weight in my chest didn’t lift. My heart hadn’t stopped racing since the dreams faded.
I looked at my left wrist as I rubbed it slowly with my thumb. The dream was gone, but the aftereffects of it lingered under my skin.
I looked away from the window when I heard the door open behind me.
A grim look marred her face as she scrutinized me closely.
“Did you forget to turn on your lights last night?” Angie asked, her frown deepening when I shook my head. “Did you—”
“It’s work,” I sighed. “The designs for the new launch kept me up all night.”
Her expression didn’t change.
“I’m telling the truth,” I insisted.
“Your innocent face is not fooling me.” Angie stood, her lips twitching. “Breakfast is ready.”
After Angie left, I lingered a moment before dragging myself to the bathroom.
Once done and dressed for work, I stopped in front of the mirror.
A redhead with brown eyes, standing five-five with a figure I worked hard to maintain, stared back at me—replacing the unkempt, scared girl I once knew.
Everything changed—except for the dark circles that came with too little sleep.
“That’s the only constant thing,” I said breathily.
I wasn’t overly conscious of my looks, but I was always presentable.
After all, I worked for a leading fashion brand, The Allicere.
Angie, immersed in her DS-con files, barely looked up when I sat at the dining table.
She’d fought tooth and nail to work at that media house despite her rich-kid label.
Nat, our third musketeer, worked as a hotel manager at The Moonlight—and unlike Angie’s fire, she was ice-cold unless provoked.
“Nat left?” I inquired, reaching for the toast.
Angie only bobbed her head without even looking at me.
With her black hair tied in a sleek bun, she looked extremely professional and mature…which she was not—mostly.
We met in university and quickly became lifelong best friends.
She was an outspoken social butterfly.
One look at her outer appearance, and a person would categorize her as a pretentious, spoiled, rich girl, but she was the opposite of what she presented.
Nat was olive-toned, had baby blue eyes, and golden-brown hair.
Her figure was toned, and she was the same height as me.
“Laurel called yesterday,” Angie said out of the blue. “You have not been answering her calls?”
Her hazel eyes focused on me in all seriousness.
“You didn’t fight with her again, did you?”
“I don’t fight with her, Angie,” I replied. Her brow shot up at my defensive tone.
“Can we not talk about this first thing in the morning?”
“Call her. She seemed to have something important to tell,” Angie pressed.
“You haven’t gone back ever since you moved here and you stopped her from visiting.”
It’s been ten years already!
I will be turning twenty-five soon.
A lot changed, but sometimes, I felt as if nothing changed.
Survival became enough. Thriving? That was a privilege I hadn’t dared to reach for.
“She is your family,” Angie tried to reason.
In terms only.
The past was a closed book—no memories of my parents, only Laurel’s guardianship.
Sometimes, that felt like a lifetime ago.
Laurel did everything right—except for loving me.
Her care rooted out of obligation and responsibility rather than emotion.
Blood never factored into our bond—or the lack of it.
I used to live in Medford with her before moving to Seattle.
Things called for a change and I needed that change.
I don’t regret it.
I changed the subject, eyeing the iPad in her hand and her bitter expression. “What’s going on with you?”
“Wasn’t this your dream place? Got fed up in two years?”
“Don’t start with me,” Angie groaned. “You have no idea how things run there.”
“I don’t want to know.” I rested my cheek in my hand, watching her candidly.
“But it’s no excuse for fussing every morning,” I added after a pause.
“It’s the new boss.” Angie slammed the iPad shut. “DS-con was taken over last week.”
I blinked in surprise.
“We were just informed yesterday. The new boss is coming today,” Angie sighed.
“It now belongs to Blackstone Co. I don’t know whether I should be happy or sad?”
“You’re not losing your job, are you?” I asked in all seriousness.
“Can you not jinx me?” Angie raised her hand. “You know who owns Blackstone.Co, right?” she inquired.
“Seriously!” she jumped out of her chair at my lack of quick response.
“Relax,” I cringed. “Everyone knows about the phantom family. Geez! You are going to make me go deaf.”
I glared at her smugness.
“Is the new boss hot?”
Her expression said everything.
“Are you for real, Angie?” I rubbed my forehead slowly with two fingers. “Tell me about one guy you don’t find worth ogling?”
“They are not phantom people, Ana,” Angie rolled her eyes, purposely ignoring my accusation.
“They keep a low profile.”
I only nodded while sipping my coffee and raised a questioning brow when Angie hurried over with her phone.
“Don’t look at me like I’m some creep. I was just investigating.”
I faked an innocent smile in response. “Here—”
I pushed her phone away.
“I don’t need to taint my eyes with... whatever that is.”
Angie shook her head in mock disappointment.
“Don’t embarrass yourself by turning into a puddle the second he walks in.”
“Aye, aye, mademoiselle,” Angie faked a bow. “Spoilsport.”
“Better than some brain-dead Bambi,” I retorted.
“Hey!” Angie exclaimed. “That was harsh. I’m not stupid.”
“Aren’t you getting late, Angela Roberts?” I checked my watch and Angie did too.
She started running around our living room like a madwoman.
“Wish me luck,” Angie ran for the door.
“Good luck,” I responded nonchalantly.
Angie left and I focused on finishing my coffee.
“I don’t know what I would do if my boss changed overnight.”
Just the thought made my skin crawl.
I washed our plates and was about to leave when my phone buzzed nonstop with Angie’s frantic messages.
Apparently, she was really about to lose her job—she’d forgotten her USB with a crucial presentation for the new boss.
Her screeching nearly burst my eardrums.
I grabbed the device and rushed out.
I was already late, and this detour wasn’t going to help.
Angie waved wildly when I got out of the cab.
She took the USB from me.
“You owe me twenty minutes,” Angie smiled stupidly in response. “You’re cooking dinner tonight.”
Angie looped her arm through mine.
“Your office is just two buildings away. Nat is down three blocks. Imagine if it was her.”
“She would have murdered you,” I said flatly and unhooked our arms.
“Still, you’re cooking.”
Angie saluted. “I don’t want to be stingy but my neck is not on the line with a new boss.”
“You’re a sting in yourself, Ana,” Angie retorted with zero expression.
“Hey, don’t stay out late!” she yelled after me.
She was a mother hen sometimes. I pushed through the sea of people, eyes on my watch, cursing Angie under my breath.
Hannah was going to have my head today for sure. I had to hand in the designs for the upcoming event and I was the one late to the meeting.
I hissed softly when my left wrist tingled. Just for a second, but I shook it off.
“I’m not going to leave you if Hannah murdered me.”
I stepped forward into the street, the sound of a scream slicing the air behind me.
Then—silence. A pause. A flash of black.
“Watch out!”
I fell on the hard road. My files and bag fell and the designs flew all over the place.
But the fortunate thing in all the unfortunate mess was that I wasn’t hit. The car stopped before it could have sent me flying or crushed me.
I wonder how it stopped when it was coming at that speed.
I didn’t even hear the tires screech.
Once the shock faded, I sat up and glanced at my palms—they were badly scraped.
“Damn it.” I scrambled to gather my scattered things.
“Are you okay?” someone asked.
“I’m fine.” I stuffed the papers in the files and finally looked at the audience around me.
“I’m totally fine. See!” I flexed my knees after standing up. “Nothing serious.”
I glanced at the car that almost wrote my death warrant. A black hawk
Few people drove such cars anymore. It had black plates—rare, expensive, and always a sign of danger.
The windscreen was black-tinted so I couldn’t see the driver.
Better leave than get in trouble with an egocentric rich lunatic.
I didn’t stop until I was inside the building and had reached my floor. My hands stung so badly, I hissed with every movement.
“I’ll have to disinfect these later.” I headed straight to my cabin.
“What a fantastic start to the day!” I dumped my bag on my table and rushed to the meeting room.
As expected, everyone was ready to murder me.
“Anastasia!” Hannah groaned in frustration.
“Scold later.” I gave the USB to Nia and passed the designs around.
The meeting went smoothly, and I breathed in relief by the end.
“What happened to your hands?” Hannah’s anger softened into concern.
“I’m fine,” I said quickly. “Sorry I was late. Angie forgot her USB.”
“Tell me something new.” Hannah shook her head as we exited the room.
“Audrey’s pissed,” I muttered. “You dumped this launch on me.”
“This field demands the best, Ana,” she said sternly. “Too empathetic will cost you.”
Harsh. But true.
“I’ve watched you for two years. I don’t make rash decisions,” she said.
I understood her point—but the pressure was unnerving.
Chris approached us. “They’re here,” he announced.
I glanced at Hannah, but she just ushered me toward the auditorium and told Chris to gather everyone.
I was mildly perplexed when we entered the hall.
“Sit,” Hannah said before moving toward the stage.
Her one clap made everyone silent.
“Our company was taken over last week,” Hannah said. She didn’t beat around the bush. “The Allicere is now part of Blackstone.Co.”
You have got to be kidding me
The doors opened and every head turned.
“Meet the new owner of The Allicere.”
A sharp pain shot through my left wrist. This hasn’t happened in years. I looked back just as three men descended toward Hannah.
Their strides were arrogant, their postures dripping with conceit. I felt a dangerous aura.
The pain in my wrist flared violently, a sharp pulse that hadn’t visited me in years. Beneath the skin, something stirred—fluttering like a wing—and I froze.
“Ana?” Nia touched my shoulder. “Is everything okay with you?”
I thought I’d buried everything when I left Medford. But some things don’t stay dead.
“Excuse me.” I ran out of there.
I cradled my wrist to my chest until I reached the restroom. I locked the door after making sure no one was inside and rushed toward the washbasins.
I ripped the sleeve up to reveal my wrist—and nearly collapsed.
The symbol—it pulsed with fire under my skin, like molten ink etching itself all over again.
After all these years—why now?
I turned on the faucet and put my wrist under cold water. The sting flared beneath my skin like fire.
Cold water didn’t soothe the burning symbol, only my rising panic.
“Not again.”
I will only worsen things for myself.
I stayed in the restroom until the symbol faded. Luckily, no one came, giving me time to compose myself.
I rushed to Hannah’s office, knocked once, and entered without waiting.
“Hannah, do you have a—”
She wasn’t alone.
“Yes, Anastasia?” Her smile was forced.
“Can I take the day off?” Her brows furrowed at my abrupt request.
I looked at the three men seated across from her. Our bosses.
“Anastasia Grace?”
The deep, haunting voice chilled me.
I hid my left wrist behind my back as the sting pulsed again.
“I didn’t see you.”
Yet, you know my name and face.
“Something urgent came,” I said, trying not to flinch as the man who spoke rose and approached.
“Urgent?” he echoed, amused and dark. “What could be more insistent than meeting your new boss?”
“Work.”
“Anastasia!” Hannah shot me a warning glare. “I’m sorry, Cain. She is—”
“Untamed!” he said calmly. “I don’t tolerate insubordination and arrogance.”
Cain Black.
The eldest son—and ruler—of the Black Empire.
I studied him slowly, despite myself. No wonder the scorn and arrogance.
Cain Black didn’t just have money and power—he had looks that made it unfair to call him human.
So, he’s the one no one ever spots in public.
The phantom lord. No wonder he fuels endless gossip.
He wore a charcoal gray suit tailored to his tall, muscular frame—easily six-two, with broad shoulders and lethal grace.
His face was unnervingly perfect: turquoise eyes, perfectly styled black hair, sharp cheekbones, full lips, and an aristocratic nose.
His complexion was perfectly balanced.
“Ana!” Hannah’s voice interrupted my mental check-out session. “Meet Cain Black and his brothers, Aeron Black and Xic Black.” She motioned toward them. “Cain will look after The Allicere.”
This is bad news.
“She seems fiercely displeased,” Xic mused. Blame the subtitles on my face. “Interesting.”
Him looking at me was uncomfortable as hell.
“Ana is—”
“I will decide, Hannah,” Cain cut her off flatly. “You may leave, Ms. Grace.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. “Arrogant ass,” I muttered, stomping toward the elevator.
I stepped onto the ground floor and rushed out. “I need to tell Angie and Nat.” I rubbed my left wrist softly.
I need to call Laurel.
Three sleek cars pulled into the driveway. I didn’t have to guess who they belonged to. Cain walked past me right on cue.
Xic and Aeron got into their rides, while Cain’s chauffeur opened the door to the same car that had nearly run me over.
I kept my face blank when he glanced back. I felt the piercing gaze behind those shades.
Cain Black would mow someone down and sleep just fine.
My heart pounded with something between fear and dread. The pulse under my skin throbbed again as he got inside his car.
I frowned at my bandaged wrist when their cars drove away. “Definitely nothing good.”
