로그인John 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.
CARLOSThe ticking of the wall clock echoed through the screen-lit room, each sound more dreadful than the last. They were cruel reminders of every second she had spent there.It had been a week, five days, and twenty-three hours with constant nightmares and the backward slide of his sanity.The walls he had spent six years building to gather the broken pieces of himself were failing fast.He no longer saw himself as the one they tore apart each day. He saw her. Kyla. Being treated the same way he once was.“Hey, man,” Michael’s voice echoed through the speaker. “He’s here.”The door hissed open as Carlos stepped into the room. Across from him sat his therapist. The old man straightened at the sight of Carlos, lips parting slightly.The room grew tense and silent.“I see you’ve gone back, without my knowledge,” Doctor Ethan said. “Now all I see in your eyes is the man from six years ago.”“That’s not why I called you,” Carlos muttered, his voice low and stripped of warmth. “You’ve kno
~Paris~Chelsea shut her novel with a deep sigh.“Mom, we should go back.” She shot a look at Helen, who was cooking.“She will answer. Relax, Chels.”“Relax?” Chelsea snapped. “It’s been over a week and Kyla hasn’t responded to my texts, which is so unusual. Three days is the maximum we ever go without talking, and now not only do I feel something is wrong, she has never been like this.”“It’s probably the clinic she’s trying to set up,” Helen said calmly. “I have a friend who went through the same process and barely had time for anyone for a month.”“Mom,” Chelsea said sharply as she stood. “We’re her only family. Aren’t you at least a little concerned?”“I am concerned. I just don’t think going back is the next option. Call Mike.”Chelsea groaned softly. “Look, I understand you’re not completely over what happened in New York, but how about we leave the past in the past and focus on finding a way to communicate with Kyla, because I’m freaking out.”Chelsea dialed Michael’s number f
KYLA Kyla paced the room, fingers clenched, palms sweating, breath shaky. It had been a week since she woke up locked inside the room she suddenly found herself in.The last thing she remembered was the violent blast, then everything went blank.She knew this was not Carlos's doing. He would never lock her up. Which left her with only one conclusion.She was in the Serpent territory. Cordelia had her. And if she did, was Carlos even alive?Kyla exhaled slowly. He better be alright or she was going to lose her mind.Meals and water were slid in through the lower door opening. Kyla always sniffed them first to check for anything strange.The first rule Vee taught her was to save her strength and stay calm. If she wanted to escape, she needed her energy. Her gentleness would also make the enemies lower their guard.Finally the door opened. A bald man stood at the entrance and signaled for her to follow. Kyla did so without question. Cordelia must have sent for her.There was no natural
The silence in the room was defeaning, shrouded with tension. “I’m not your enemy, Carlos,” Taylan finally said cautiously.“You killed John Harper. You exposed Kyla’s identity on the dark web. And here you are claiming you’re not my enemy? You want to know what I think about that? Let these cuffs loose.” Carlos raised a brow.“Carlos, I… I know I’m shit.”“You work for the Serpent.”“No.” Taylan shook his head. “It was my twin brother who was involved. When he was killed along with my parent, a French woman showed up with ‘evidence’ that John Harper did it. I was depressed, messed up, blinded by anger. All I wanted was revenge. And she wanted to give that to me. If I helped her.”Carlos gave a humorless chuckle. “Bullshit.”“She gave me the title my twin carried. The Whisperer. Since I wasn't as skilled as a hacker, she assigned me small tasks. I found John and his daughter… and I started my revenge. After exposing Kyla, I sabotaged John’s car. Cordelia covered every track of mine.”
KYLA For a heartbeat, her mind went blank. No sound. No word. Only the repeating echo of “dead” in her head. “What did you just say?” Her voice trembled. “He is gone, Kyla,” Josie said, trying to keep her voice calm. “They found him this morning in his cell.” “Cell?” Kyla frowned. "When did
CARLOS.It was morning, and the first thing that greeted Carlos was the sweet scent of meat, something buttery, and faintly spicy. With half-opened eyes, he entered the kitchen."Look who is awake. Good morning, sleepyhead." Kyla greeted in apron focused on cooking.Carlos had came to a conclusion
Carlos’s eyes fluttered open in the room, the light so bright he squinted to adjust.Panic and confusion shot through him. Taking in the surroundings, he realized he was in a hospital and wearing a hospital gown.Luckily his glasses were nearby. He put them on and pushed them up the bridge of his n
Carlos burst into the hospital like a thunderstorm, breath ragged and eyes bloodshot. The sickening hospital scent hit him, but he didn’t break the stride.He walked past the receptionist, ignoring their call, and headed straight to Kyla’s ward. Slidding the door open with force, his eyes landed







