INICIAR SESIÓNCARLOSThe 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.”
Cordelia lit a cigarette. Calm as ever, she took a drag and exhaled slowly.“I was there when it happened,” she said, eyes distant as if watching an old nightmare replay in front of her. “Father forced me to watch it from a wheelchair. I had just come out of a coma. He said it was punishment… for falling in love with a hunter and causing half of the empire to crumble.”Kyla froze, the pieces connecting in her mind like shards slicing her open.The truth hit her like a blow. She didn’t want to believe it—any of it.Her face was soaked with tears. She shook her head, eyes burning as she stared at Cordelia. The aged devil who dared to call herself her mother.“Are you saying…” Kyla’s voice cracked. “I was… a victim of the Serpent? And they are the reason I’m like this?”“As a mother, I couldn’t bear it,” Cordelia replied softly. “I cried until my chest ached. When John broke the perimeter, I told the doctors to save you immediately. And thankfully, you came back to life before he found y
"Are you sure you want to quit being a hunter, John?" Cross asked quietly. "Fred is still out there. We can’t do this without you." John clenched his fists, almost letting his fingers dig out blood. "My daughter suffered because of what I did!" His voice trembling. "I wiped her memories, but mine still linger. Do you know how it feels, Cross? To hide her away from the world? My daughter is ruined. Not only because she’s Fred’s granddaughter, but because the moment they discover she’s alive, they’ll come after her again!" Cross clenched his jaw, watching the tears trail down John's face. Seeing a man like John break was something he never thought possible. Witnessing it cracked his own heart. "I'm sorry, John… but what about Fred?" Cross pressed. "We can’t leave him out there. Not when we’re this close. He’s going to harm more people." "Someone else will take him down." John looked up, eyes hollow. "As for me… I'm done." John glanced toward the trainees. Their base was an establis
Kyla insisted on helping Helen prepare breakfast. Since it was Sunday, Helen asked Benson not to bother the househelp on break.Surprisingly, Helen was great at cooking, and it was a good distraction helping her. With Josie, her god-grand-mother gone, Carlos absent, and a break with Taylan—her fath
The silence that followed was deafening. While Chelsea looked like she was about to lose her mind, Micheal was rather calm but obviously not expecting this as well."You two know each other?" Helen asked."Umm... No... Not really." Chelsea denied, clearing her throat. "We've crossed once, but it d
It's tempting. Kyla had thought of this as well. But Carlos, just his presence is enough to heat her up, yet since the day of the therapy, she hadn't set her eyes on him. He hadn't returned his call or text.Was he that busy to even talk?"Taylan is my friend, and I don't want to ruin that," Kyla
CARLOS It's been twenty minutes since Carlos sat listening to Kyla converse with therapist about her recent exercises, a sudden eye-opener of how this meant so much to her.Now he knew why she was so adamant and curious about his touch.In the middle of their conversation, Dr. Yuri would glance hi







