LOGINThe crowd continued to applaud as Thea took one final bow before exiting the stage. The moment she was out of sight, Elijah grabbed my hand.“Come on,” he said, already pulling me toward the aisle. “Let’s get backstage before everyone else.”We made our way through the crowd, accepting congratulatio
AgnesEight years had passed by.The concert hall was packed to capacity, not a single empty seat in sight. My spine ached like hell from sitting on the hard wooden chair for the past two hours, and my pregnant belly made it impossible to find a comfortable position. Elijah kept rubbing his neck and
“Mom?” Thea’s voice called. “Everyone’s waiting. Are you ready?”I took one last look in the mirror, adjusted the mask slightly, and turned toward the door.“Ready,” I said, opening it to find my daughter standing there in a midnight blue dress that she had designed herself. Her own mask, shaped lik
AgnesOne year later.I stood in front of my mirror, hardly recognizing the woman staring back at me. Two years. It had been two years since I met Elijah—not counting that foggy night we conceived Thea seven years before that, a night neither of us could fully remember thanks to whatever drugs had b
Initially, I resisted. The thought of sharing my pain with a stranger when I had spent so many years being treated like a madwoman for my trauma scared the hell out of me. But Elijah was persistent, reminding me that we all carried burdens that were too heavy to bear alone.And so, twice a week, we
AgnesThe weeks following the destruction of the Lunaris Stone passed in a blur.Elemental Enterprises, of course, was immediately shut down by the authorities. Every known international law enforcement agency descended on Richard’s territory, working alongside Richard and us to document the crimes
“Of course. The flowers, the lighting, even the table settings—it’s all beautiful.” I tilted my head, studying his expression. “Why do you look so pleased with yourself? Did you have something to do with this?”Before he could answer, Thea tugged on my dress, pointing excitedly to a group of childre
“Thea, sweetheart… We’ve talked about this before. I would love nothing more than to be your biological mother. But…” I swallowed hard. “I’ve already had you tested. You’re not my biological daughter, no matter how much I want you to be.”Her face crumpled, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “But wh
AgnesI rushed toward Elijah, my heart hammering in my chest. Even in the dim light of the entryway, his black eye was startlingly obvious—a dark, angry bruise circling the socket. He was slumped against the door, looking exhausted, but he straightened when he saw me, grimacing slightly from the eff
AgnesAll eyes turned toward us.I felt my face heat under their collective gaze. Looking around at the other women in attendance, I realized with a start that my gown was by far the most elaborate in the room. The structured bodice with its window to my heart, the crystal beadwork catching every fl







