The wait was insufferable. Being locked in a dark room chipped away at my sanity second by second. I wanted out. I wanted to know what was happening, what that bastard Caesar was up to. The door pushed open, and light spilled into the room. I rushed toward it immediately, only to see Selene standing by the door, fresh in a new dress. "What is happening? Why am I being kept in here?! Where's Lola?!" I rambled like a crazed woman. "You're not the only one who has suffered loss, Jessie. I've lost many things... and given up happiness. You should too. From the moment you became entangled with the Romeros, you should have known you'd called upon darkness." My heart slammed against my ribs. I felt like throwing up. "Where's my mother?!" I grunted, wrapping my arms around my aching tummy. Selene straightened up and smiled. "I'll take you to her." I kept watching my back as Selene led me out. I was scared she might stab me—literally. There was no trusting anyone... especially
Guilt kept me awake, filled my chest and burned deep as Vince’s words echoed in my mind.“I’ll never forgive either of you.”What had gotten into me? This was Vince. Yes, he had done terrible things, but he wasn’t the devil. Everyone had their flaws—even Luca. Even me.And now Lola, the closest thing I had to a mother, was going to die because I couldn’t forgive Vince.How was I any different from him?I could still do the right thing. I could still help save Lola.Luca was still asleep, his arms loosely curled around my waist, breathing softly against my neck. I had managed to pull away from him without rousing him.Before sunrise, I left Italy.It was nightfall when I arrived in Seattle. I went straight to Caesar’s mansion.So many ugly memories clung to the gates of that estate, but I pushed forward. I knew I could be walking into my death. But I had to do it. I had to sacrifice myself—not for Vince—but for my mother.All I carried with me was a trembling hope that I could trade my
Luca’s aunt’s mansion looked like a hotel, some sort of luxury home for travelers. The balconies were decorated with flowers, the white stone walls warmed by the sun, and guards watched every movement.We went ahead to a garden, the largest I’d ever seen. There, we met three beautiful ladies dressed like flight attendants. They were all smiling pleasantly, like they’d been awaiting us.“Welcome, Mr. Romero, Miss Reese. Lady told us of your coming,” one of them said.“Thank you. We'll be staying for a couple of days.”“Your hospitality is our utmost priority,” another added. “This way, please.” She gestured toward the house.“Where’s your aunt?” I asked, clinging to Luca as we followed the three ladies.“Probably on one of her many trips to another continent,” he answered with a smile.I smiled too.We were given a suite. I looked around, marvelling at every architectural masterpiece.“This place is beautiful,” I told Luca in awe.“It’s safe too. That’s the most important thing.”I wat
The ride was long and quiet, except for the crunching sound of gravel scattered all over the place as we rode into a deserted area.Luca hadn’t said a word in the past twenty minutes. He looked like he was on the edge—focused, guarded, dangerous. But strangely, I didn’t feel unsafe like I should have. Luca wasn't exactly a saint; he'd tried to abduct me before. But now, sitting beside him, it felt different. Like there was something raw and conflicted clawing at him beneath the surface.When he finally pulled the car into a grassy driveway deep into the woods, I leaned forward, my eyes narrowing. Tall and thick trees surrounded us, their branches forming a natural cage overhead. At the end of the road stood a lonely, weather-worn house. It looked like it had been forgotten long ago. The windows were smudged, the paint was peeling, and weeds had claimed the porch like it was attacking it.“Luca, where is this place?” I asked quietly, like someone was listening.Luca didn’t look at me.
I had my own office now, unlike Howard's, where I had to share space with two sweet coworkers and someone who looked like Wednesday Addams' older sister. Although this one was smaller, it was private. The walls were painted a soft cream, and a large window let in the city’s golden afternoon light. A cute ceramic vase with fresh flowers sat by the desk, and the ergonomic chair felt like luxury. A sleek monitor stood ready, and even the scent of the office—citrus and mint—felt clean and optimistic. I loved it. This felt like a second chance, like breathing after drowning. I just hoped this time, the darkness would stay far away. "Hi there." A lush blonde head peeked through the door. It was Nadia—Darren's Nadia. I sat up straighter when she entered. She looked even more beautiful than yesterday, in a cream silk blouse tucked into a red leather pencil skirt. She was a walking fashion editorial. "Nadia. Hi." I smiled, genuinely. I could use a good friend, and she seemed nice enough.
"Good morning. Welcome to Lexton’s. Please state your name and form of appointment?" said a holographic AI woman, her voice smooth and polite. She had the appearance of a blonde lady, sleek and futuristic. I was already in awe, even from the high-tech gates. It felt like stepping into the future of publishing. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see robots walking around as employees. Noah certainly had an interesting circle of friends. "I'm Jessica Reese. I have an interview with Mr. Julian Lexton," I told the hologram. It paused for a moment, scanning me—at least that was what it seemed like. I’d worn an emerald-green dress that I hoped was professional enough, but then, confidence wasn’t my strongest suit. "Registered. Thank you for your time, Miss Reese. You may proceed." I smiled at the hologram. It felt a little weird, smiling at a piece of tech, but not smiling felt ruder. I’d been emailed a blueprint of the entire building. The CEO's office was on the top floor. When I got