Chapter 16 A New Person Or The Real One

• The setting sun cast long, ominous shadows across the docks, turning the familiar scene into a menacing landscape. Alexa, her face etched with a chilling blend of triumph and disdain, stood at the end of the pier, her presence a stark reminder of the power she wielded. Behind her, a phalanx of burly men, their faces hardened with a ruthless determination, formed a wall of intimidation. Belle's heart sank, her breath catching in her throat. They had been cornered.
• “Well, well, well,” Alexa drawled, her voice dripping with a venomous sweetness that sent shivers down Belle’s spine. “Look what the tide washed in.”
• Mikay, her eyes wide with terror, clung to Belle’s arm, her small body trembling. Zeph, his confusion replaced by a growing sense of fear, hid behind Belle, his hand instinctively seeking her hand for comfort.