LOGINPHOEBEI never thought my days could be this busy and yet so… warm. Between keeping Marcus’ world running smoothly and making sure Julia survived his subtle intensity, I often felt like I was managing two lifetimes at once. But seeing her smile, laughing freely, made all the chaos worth it.Julia had grown in ways I could barely put into words. She walked differently now, head held high, shoulders relaxed, yet there was a quiet steel beneath her movements. Every step she took at the manor reminded me of the girl I had seen cowering in the shadows of that decavalcante mansion. And every time she caught me watching, she’d flash that tentative smile, and I would swear my chest could burst from relief.One afternoon, I found her in the library, books stacked haphazardly around her. She was scribbling notes with that intense focus she got when she was plotting, but it wasn’t fear this time. No, it was curiosity, eagerness even, as if she was finally tasting the sweetness of choosing her ow
TERRA I could feel it before anyone said a word. The whispers. The stares. The subtle glances that lingered too long. Something was shifting, and I knew exactly who it involved.Julia. That girl. The one who should have been invisible. The one who had no right to claim attention, respect, or influence. The one Marcus had lifted into his world as if she were a prize, not someone to be guided, trained, or corrected.I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms. My friends, those pitiful girls who once laughed at my side, had begun to distance themselves. Maybe they feared Marcus. Maybe they feared me losing. Either way, it left me isolated, standing alone against a tide I could barely understand.Mother had warned me. She always had. Livia’s voice echoed in my mind, cold and precise. “If you do not act now, Terra, she will erase you. Completely. She will replace everything you believe is yours. You will be nothing if you wait.”I closed my eyes and shook my head. No. I would no
JULIAThe morning sun poured through the tall windows of the Lucchesi estate, painting golden streaks across the polished floors. I had long since stopped being startled by the grandeur. It was no longer foreign to me. It was home. My home.I sipped tea in the sitting room, with Phoebe perched on the armrest beside me. Her notebook was open, filled with meticulous notes of today’s plans. She hummed quietly, clearly amused by the thought of me practicing etiquette yet again.“Try not to glare at your glass,” she teased, watching me adjust my posture for the fifth time. “Remember. Small movements. Calm hands. Graceful gestures.”I rolled my eyes but smiled. These were lessons I never imagined I would enjoy. Small victories. Slowly, I was shedding the years of fear that had weighed on me. Marcus had insisted that I learn these things not to impress him, but to navigate a world where appearances mattered as much as actions.“Julia,” Phoebe said with mock seriousness, “your pinky is sticki
MARCUSThe office was quiet, save for the soft hum of the city beyond the tall windows. I poured myself a glass of dark liquor, swirling it absentmindedly while reviewing the reports on my desk. Julia’s safety was my first priority, but the world did not pause for her. Every move Terra, Livia, or any lingering DeCavalcante operative made rippled outward.My intelligence network had already traced the threads. Terra had tried to orchestrate something yesterday: a whisper campaign, anonymous posts, a few minor provocations. They were sloppy. Amateur. Evidently, she still did not understand that when you push against Lucchesi territory, you push against me.I did not act immediately. I allowed her failures to accumulate. One accomplice already faced charges unrelated to her schemes, conveniently timed to serve as a message. Another had accounts and assets frozen. By morning, most of the digital mischief had vanished as if it had never existed.Terra remained untouched for now. It was not
JULIAThe sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the Lucchesi manor, warm and soft. For once, I didn’t feel the usual weight pressing down on my chest. I stretched, yawning, and glanced at Phoebe, who was humming in the kitchen as she set down breakfast. It smelled of fresh pastries and something sweet I didn’t recognize. Marcus’ suggestion, apparently. She looked up, eyes twinkling.“You’re actually up before noon,” she teased, placing a cup of coffee in front of me.“I could say the same to you,” I muttered with a small smile, feeling a flicker of happiness I hadn’t allowed myself in years.Phoebe chuckled and slid into the chair across from me. “Well, when you live here, you learn fast. Breakfast is sacred. Don’t forget, the master isn’t fond of people dawdling.”I laughed softly, feeling the warmth of normalcy. This place, this life, wasn’t perfect, but it was mine now. I wasn’t hiding anymore.Halfway through the meal, a soft knock echoed, followed by the gentle swish of t
JULIAThe Lucchesi gardens were quiet that morning, sunlight warming the cobblestones and the subtle scent of roses drifting in the air. It was a rare calm before the day’s bustle would begin, and I found myself walking alone, thoughts heavy but strangely clear.Augustus had requested a private meeting. Not in the house, not in his study, but here outside, away from witnesses. I had debated for hours whether to refuse, whether to let the past stay buried. But something deep inside whispered that closure was necessary.I arrived at the stone bench he had chosen. Augustus was already there, his posture stiff, his hands resting on his knees. He looked… different. Vulnerable. Humans. Not the untouchable figure I had feared as a child.“Julia,” he said, voice low. “Thank you for coming.”I studied him, seeing the lines etched by years of power, the tension of a man who had always carried the weight of control as if it were armor. “You wanted to see me,” I replied quietly.“Yes,” he admitte







