Every Mafia's Favorite Girl novel Chapter 132

Chapter 132: "This Isn’t Working At All"

THWACK!

The punch landed flush against Aren’s cheek.

She had already begun turning to evade it, but she was a fraction too slow.

The impact snapped her head sharply to the side, sending her staggering through the water before she crashed shoulder-first into a concrete pillar with a heavy thud.

Blinking against the sting blooming across her face, she looked toward the approaching silhouette.

"Lady Sofia?"

A furious shout answered her.

"You’re damn right it’s me!"

Sofia had been dropped not far from the flooded chamber. By now, water-filled sections like this were practically familiar territory to her.

She had come here deliberately, convinced that one of the three coins had to be hidden somewhere inside.

Then she had spotted the key dangling from the ceiling.

Moments later, another silhouette had emerged through the crimson gloom.

The dim light revealed almost nothing, but the outline of a petite frame and a short bob haircut was all Sofia needed.

’Finally.’

’Ariana Lombardi... there you are.’

Only in absolute darkness did Sofia truly understand the shape of the hatred she had been carrying.

Over the past few days, watching Ariana Lombardi move through the Marchetti compound had poisoned her from the inside out. To see that woman laughing with Jordan — to watch the Marchetti soldiers gaze at her with quiet admiration — it made Sofia’s blood boil with murderous intent.

Every single time, only the thin thread of logic had held her back from acting on it.

Here, where faces could barely be seen and etiquette no longer existed, nothing restrained her. There were no appearances to maintain, no consequences worth fearing.

She knew only one thing.

’I don’t want Ariana Lombardi walking out of this maze alive.’

With a roar, Sofia charged again.

Aren had barely regained her balance when another fist tore through the darkness toward the opposite side of her face.

Whoosh!

This time, Aren ducked in time.

Her knees sank deeper into the icy water as she folded low, and Sofia’s punch sliced harmlessly through the air, skimming past the pillar behind her.

’Ah...’

’She’s aiming at a forty-five-degree angle toward the softer tissue of my cheek.’

’She actually took my advice.’

The realization brought the faintest smile to Aren’s lips. Remaining low, she rotated her hips and drove a compact uppercut toward the vulnerable point beneath Sofia’s chin.

THUD!

The strike landed cleanly.

Sofia’s head snapped backward, yet instead of retreating, she bared her teeth.

"You bitch!"

With a furious scream, Sofia charged again, water exploding around her legs as another relentless barrage of punches came flying.

Aren slipped aside just in time for the first blow to graze her shoulder.

The second clipped her ribs hard enough to sting, while she intercepted the third with her forearm before stepping inside Sofia’s reach.

Passing close enough that only Sofia could hear, Aren lowered her voice.

"Lady Sofia... I completely understand why you want to attack me, and I welcome it. But if you don’t keep your voice down, the other contestants will know exactly where we are and converge on us."

The calm warning only multiplied Sofia’s fury.

"Do I look like I give a fucking damn who’s coming?!" she screamed. "If I don’t kill you in this goddamn maze, then I’m not a Marchetti!"

She lunged again, hooking toward Aren’s neck before following with another punch.

Aren leaned back just enough for the fist to pass inches from her nose.

"Lady Sofia, please," she pleaded. "Just listen for one second. I’m truly sorry for my past mistakes, but could we please settle this after we leave this place?"

"You think saying sorry fixes anything?!" Sofia screamed, another hook slicing through the darkness. "Do you even have the slightest idea what you’ve done to me? To my life?!"

"I’m very sorry," Aren said again as she slipped beneath the punch. "I’m willing to make amends personally, but the timing isn’t right."

"Shut the fuck up!"

The flooded chamber became their battlefield.

Furious splashes erupted through the water while Sofia’s enraged shouts ricocheted between the concrete pillars, echoing endlessly through the underground reservoir.

As Sofia continued shouting, concern slowly settled inside Aren.

’This isn’t working at all.’

’Every attempt I make to apologize only makes her angrier.’

’If she keeps shouting like this, more contestants will arrive. Then I’ll have to fight them too, which will delay me even longer.’

’But knocking her unconscious immediately... that doesn’t seem fair to her.’

’Conclusion: I should let Lady Sofia vent her pain onto this body while encouraging her to lower her voice.’

Decision made, Aren abandoned her defensive strategy altogether.

When Sofia’s next kick whipped toward her thigh, she deliberately turned into it instead of stepping away.

THUD!

Sofia’s eyes widened the instant she felt the strange impact.

THWACK!

THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!

’No... this isn’t working.’

’What am I supposed to do now?’

’I’ve already tried everything.’

’I can’t keep Jordan waiting.’

’He’s in real danger.’

’Right now, protecting him has to come first.’

’I’ll have to neutralize Lady Sofia quickly and find a better way to make amends later.’

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