Samuel’s POVThe silence in the room was suffocating. The kind that wraps around your chest and squeezes.Alicia didn’t speak at first. She just stared at the locket. Then, slowly—too slowly—her fingers reached for it. She touched it like it might burn her.And then the tears started.Not quiet, gra
Samuel’s POVI stood in the middle of the lobby long after Wendy had disappeared through the glass doors, her silhouette fading into the gray light beyond.I should have moved. I should have returned to work, or followed up with the authorities about De Luca’s interrogation and case. But instead, I
Wendy’s POVI never thought I’d step foot inside Velvet Vibe again.The glass doors looked the same. The walls held the same scent of perfume and sleek ambition. But to me, everything felt foreign—like I was a ghost walking through a memory I no longer belonged to.Tyler was safe. Stable, resting un
Wendy’s POVI pressed myself against the cold concrete, my heart hammering so loudly I was sure they could hear it. My thigh throbbed where the bullet had grazed me, blood sticky against my jeans. Every breath burned, shallow and fast. I clenched my fists to stop them from shaking.Footsteps crunche
Aria’s POVI barely heard the door slam open over the pounding of my own heartbeat.Victor stormed inside, his face grim, his jacket soaked from the rain. His eyes locked onto mine instantly."You okay?" he demanded, crossing the room in two strides.I nodded shakily. "I'm fine. But—""I heard," he
Wendy’s POVGunfire cracked outside the warehouse like thunder splitting the night.The scavengers — because that’s what they were, not soldiers, not anything organized — scattered like rats.They weren’t fighting to protect each other. They weren’t holding their ground. They were scrambling, grabbi
Wendy’s POVIt wasn’t supposed to go this far.I crouched behind the low wall outside the edge of the old warehouse, heart hammering as the rain came down in cold, relentless sheets. The building was dimly lit, tucked away in a forgotten pocket of the city, but I knew what was happening inside. I’d
Samuel’s POV"Wait for me, I'll bring it to you now," I told Aria over the phone, my fingers brushing against the envelope sitting quietly on my desk. Her voice was tight. "Thank you, Samuel. Please be careful.""You too."I ended the call just as footsteps approached my study. I turned, surprised
Aria’s POVI was halfway down the corridor when my phone buzzed again.It was Jessica: Packaging floor. Terminal 4. Now.My heels clicked against the tiles as I turned sharply and practically jogged to the elevator. My chest was tight, my pulse a steady hammer in my ears.I tried calling Wendy again