Silent Circle: The Vow of an Heir

Chapter 9: The Smoldering Revenge

A chilling silence fell over the room. Everyone was frozen in place, their eyes fixed on Darian. They felt something strange, something controlling their minds.

They couldn’t move or speak, yet they didn’t cry or show remorse. They were transfixed, hypnotized by Darian’s power.

“Karina,” Darian’s voice remained low but laced with power, “You betrayed me. You shattered the hopes I placed in you. You will face the consequences.”

“Reynand,” he continued, “You stole my fiancée. You, too, will face the consequences.” One by one, he named the members of the Adinata family, insulting them with sharp, piercing words.

He forced them to submit to his will but didn’t force them to cry or regret their actions. They remained silent, frozen, under Darian’s hypnotic control.

The room was filled with a suffocating silence, punctuated only by Darian’s steady breathing. Darian stood in the doorway, his long shadow falling across the polished wooden floor. The room was silent, save for the ticking of an antique clock in the corner.

He looked at each room occupant—Karina, lying beside Satria, their bodies covered by a thin blanket. Arum and Sekar clung to Reynand on the other side, their clothes scattered on the floor. They were all fast asleep, unaware of what had transpired.

Darian didn’t touch them; his power worked subtly, implanting suggestions that would destroy them from within. Karina would be haunted by the image of her cruelty and betrayal.

Reynand would be burdened by unbearable guilt. Arum and Satria would become suspicious and accuse each other. Sekar would be trapped in silence and despair.

He left them in the suffocating silence. As Darian departed, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The air felt heavy, filled with unseen tension.

It wasn’t physical violence but the psychological terror that would torment them for days, weeks, and even years to come.

The next day, they awoke with a strange feeling. Not physical pain but a gripping emptiness. Karina felt alienated from Reynand, haunted by the image of her guilt.

Reynand felt burdened by unbearable guilt, seeing the faces of those he had wronged. Arum and Satria accused each other, and their relationship fractured and full of suspicion. Sekar could only cry in silence, feeling trapped in an endless cycle of suffering.

Darian didn’t need to use physical violence to destroy them. He had used his power to destroy them from within, creating an inner hell that would forever haunt them.

This was a punishment crueler than death, a punishment that would torment them until the end of their days. Darian had exacted his revenge but in a far more terrifying way.

He had created a tragedy that would continue to resonate in their hearts and forever be a part of their lives. Darian calmly left them to face the consequences of their actions.

After leaving the Adinata Mansion, Darian walked through the streets of Javaris City. The metropolis pulsed with vibrant nightlife; neon lights illuminated the bustling streets.

From the chilling silence of the Adinata mansion, Darian stepped into the clamor of Javaris City. The drastic change in atmosphere reflected a change within himself.

The aroma of food from various street stalls filled the air. Darian stopped at a simple eatery called “Food Stall Mbok Darmi.” He ordered a bowl of soto and a plate of rice, enjoying the simple meal calmly. He had just finished eating when the door burst open.

Three burly thugs entered, their steps were heavy and intimidating. Their leader, a muscular man named Jaka, approached Mbok Darmi with a sharp gaze.

“Protection money!” Jaka barked, his voice echoing in the suddenly silent warung. “Don’t mess with us, Mbok!” His two henchmen stood behind him, ready to act. Mbok Darmi, a gentle older woman, looked fearful.

“I’m sorry, Mas Jaka, I don’t have enough money…” Before Mbok Darmi could finish her sentence, Darian stood. His movements were so fast, almost invisible.

With incredible precision, he landed a blow on the first thug’s pressure point in the neck. The thug fell limp and silent, his body instantly slack. Before the second thug, wielding a large machete could react, Darian was beside him.

A swift and accurate kick to the shin sent the thug crumpling in pain, the machete falling from his grasp. Jaka, still frozen in shock, only caught a glimpse of Darian before feeling a hard blow to the back of his neck.

He fell to the ground, just like his two henchmen. The three thugs lay helpless in an instant. Silence enveloped the warung; only the sound of Mbok Darmi’s gasping breath and the clatter of a dropped spoon could be heard.

Darian turned to Mbok Darmi. “You’re safe now, Mbok,” he said calmly, his voice gentle. Mbok Darmi could only nod, tears streaming down her face. Darian left the Mbok Darmi, continuing his journey through Javaris City.

Javaris City, the city that never sleeps, enveloped Darian in its bustling embrace. Thousands of neon lights illuminated the vehicle-filled streets, forming a mesmerizing labyrinth of light. The sounds of car horns, roaring motorcycles, and the hubbub of people blended into a characteristic city symphony.

The aroma of food from various food stalls, from fragrant satay to savory soto, filled the air, creating a unique and appetizing blend of scents. Darian walked along the sidewalk, observing the faces passing by.

There were the happy smiles of young couples holding hands, the weary faces of office workers hurrying home, and the serious expressions of street vendors hawking their wares. Life in this city pulsed with a fast and dynamic rhythm, a never-ending dance of life. Amidst the crowd, Darian felt an unexpected calmness.

He had left the Adinata mansion and the heavy burden it placed upon him. Yet, beneath that calmness, vigilance remained. He still felt the shadow of the past and the threats that might lurk. His new, unfamiliar power gave him confidence but also a great responsibility.

He passed by a bustling shopping mall, where cheerful music echoed from the shops lining the streets. He passed a quiet city park, where a few people sat enjoying the night air. He passed towering skyscrapers, symbols of the city’s ambition and progress.

This was part of Javaris City, a city full of contrasts, where luxury, poverty, happiness, and sadness coexisted. A loud bang shook the ground as Darian walked under a flyover that bisected the town.