LOGIN“Was she a lot of trouble?” John asked, his tone calm as he stared through the hospital’s transparent glass, Carlos seated beside him.“Can’t you tell?”John chuckled. “ I’m still wondering how you two managed to get along.”Carlos’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He shifted his gaze to John. He had lost weight, his skin pale, with a few visible bruises.“I missed you, old man,” he said with utmost sincerity. “And I’m sorry I wasn’t there to save you.”“Are you crazy?” John said softly. “You’ve done more than enough for me, Carlos. None of this would have been possible without you. You protected my daughter, saved me, and saved her. I will forever be grateful, my friend.”Carlos nodded. His jaw clenched as he returned his gaze to the view before him.“Seems you’re doing better without your glasses. That’s good to see.”Carlos bit the inside of his cheek. He had noticed that too. He could keep his nerve imbalance in check without his glasses as long as Kyla was close.“Guess I’m sick of them,” h
“The mission was successful,” Micheal said as he sat beside Carlos. “John will be here by morning.”Carlos didn’t shift his attention from Kyla, who lay unconscious on the bed. He was quiet, muscles tense as he stared.“Is she okay?” Micheal asked in a whisper. Carlos’s fists clenched together. He recalled the moment he had embraced her back at the Serpent territory. When he pulled back to look at her, she was disoriented.Fear. Relief. Confusion.It was as if his presence was too overwhelming.She whimpered, suddenly struggling to breathe, then passed out in his arms.Carlos had never been this terrified or worried before. Did they really mess with her memories of him?Would she see him differently?Just the thought made him swallow.Kyla lay peacefully on the bed, her eyelids resting against her cheekbones. The monitor beeped steadily at her side, and her chest rose and fell gently.“Cordelia. Any sign of her?” Carlos muttered, his voice hoarse.“None yet. We’re still tracking.”“T
Roaring engines echoed through the desert, dust gushing at the harsh wind like an explosion had just occured.John and the others inside the van bounced as the military van galloped. The chair squeaked, and a gunshot blast through the air as Alex and Raymond shot at the cars chasing them.For the past half an hour they have been chased by the serpent relentlessly. John struggled to steady himself; his legs hurting. Occasionally, her let out a groan forcing himself to stay put. His leg was still bleeding, hurting so much, he couldn't breath properly, yet he turned to Raymond and said.“Give me a gun.”“No man, try holding hard onto something and focus on staying alive. We'll handle this.”John groaned. “You can’t get them off if you keep shooting like that."Raymond galnced at his leg, hesitant. "Get me a gun," John grinded out.“John…”“Listen to the van engine,” John cut him off. “Soon we’ll run out of fuel, and not only will you fail your promise to Carlos, but we’ll all die here,
“Hey, Ky.”“W… what are you doing here?”“There’s not enough time to explain at the moment. Your memories have been messed with. Thanks to what I gave you, you won’t lose them permanently. But it’s going to take a while before they fully return.”Kyla squeezed her eyes shut, still disoriented.Then the lights flickered. Taylan glanced up, his expression turning weary.“Now?” he whispered to himself.“What is going on?”Taylan looked back at her and removed the pipe connected to her. “We gotta go.”He helped her up and started toward the door, only to pause at the sight of a large man standing in the doorway.Kyla who couldn't handle the dizzy, fainted in his arms.“Shit,” Taylan cursed.Kyla woke to the sound of groaning and bone-crushing blows. She opened her eyes and saw Taylan on the floor, bloody, as one of the Serpent man struck him repeatedly.That was when everything hit her. Even though it was blurry, she realized what was happening. The hunter, the Serpent, Cordelia being the
John paused for a long time. A shadow fell over his face as he stared at the woman before the barricades.“I see she is really your weakness.” Cordelia stepped closer, until her face was inches from the barricades. “One I would love to use against you.”“You know this very person is your flesh and blood.”“One you stole from me?” She scoffed. “I have no connection with her. I never got to hold her in my arm, watch her grow or know her smile or laughter. In fact, her very existence drives me insane.”John remained calm. Exhaling, he sighed. “You need to stop. Stop this madness, Liah, before it’s too late.”“Too late? You think anyone can stop me?” Cordelia eyes blazed with anger. “Your father was once unstoppable," John's voice was soft despite the storm in Cordelia's eyes. "I understand your pain, Liah. You should take that out on me, not someone else. You want me. You have me.”“That is not the reason why I keep you here,” Cordelia whispered. “I want you to break. I want you to feel
SERPENT TERRITORY“This is insane and magnificent,” the doctor mumbled to himself.Hearing this, Cordelia yanked his hair back and slammed his head onto the table, pinning him there as she watched him cry out in pain.“Magnificent? You have got to be shitting me. You told me her body would listen once her memories changed. So tell me, why the fuck does she still flinch at other men’s touch?”“I’m sorry, Madam. I… I’ll fix this. I just need more time. A week, and all will be done.”“Twenty-four hours.”“Madam, with all due respect… th-that is not possible. It could lead to severe complications. The subject could go into shock or develop a severe mental disorder.”Cordelia scoffed. She swiftly pulled out her gun and shot him twice in the head. Everyone flinched at the sound except the Serpent members. Blood stained her dress. Dropping the gun, she turned to the second doctor.“Twenty-four hours. That’s the number of hours you have to choose whether you live or not.”The doctor trembled.
CARLOSCarlos froze. That word. That damn word.They rolled off her tongue with a bite of sin. Soft, so damn sweet with an edge so sharp enough to cut through the walls of his restraint he’d build between them.Daddy. Fuck.For a split of second. She almost succeeded. The bridge almost collapse t
Kyla blinked, face almost red. She'd caught a fleeting sight of his V line and abs, and now they won't stop playing in her head. "I... I didn't know you... were home," she stuttered. "Of course I am." He stood, grabbing his black shirt and putting it on. "Come out; we need to talk." "What. No.
“One moment,” he signed off the last file. “And… Done."He dropped his pen and met her gaze with a smile, which Kyla tried to mirror but ended up looking awkward.“It’s good to see you again, Miss Harper. I hope this.. isn’t overwhelming,” he sounded concern.“Maybe,” she swallowed. “Are... you go
Kyla blinked several times, hoping to God all of this was an illusion. How could Taylan of all people be her boss?So, his father’s company, which he talked about taking over, was here?This was so messed up.Freaking messed up.Taylan, clad in a well-tailored professional suit, had a sweet smile o







