Jeanne held his gaze, uncertain of how to react. There was something in Hector’s eyes—something startlingly earnest—that made her chest tighten. She turned her face away, unable to meet it any longer.
“That’s hard to believe,” she said quietly. “Coming from someone like you.”Hector tilted his head slightly, the corners of his lips tugging upward as if amused.“And what’s so wrong about someone like me?”Jeanne’s fingers tightened around her cup.“You asked me to have an affair with you like it was the easiest thing in the world. Just because I found you bleeding and helped you, suddenly I became your... conquest. Who’s to say you won’t find another woman just as easily? From the start, I never trusted you.”Hector gave a low, almost delighted chuckle, leaning forward slightly.“Oh, really? Then tell me—who did you look for when your husband broke your heart? Who did you call when he had no time for you? And who did you kiss beneath that snow-covered treeHector sat beside her in silence, the weight of Jeanne’s words dragging a shadow across his features. For a fleeting moment, his gaze drifted toward the ocean’s horizon, his thoughts tangled somewhere deeper than the waves—almost as if the wound Jeanne described echoed something within him. But before he could fall too far into that quiet, dangerous place in his mind, the faint sound of Jeanne wiping her tears brought him back.He looked at her—her cheeks still damp, her eyes glassy and rimmed with exhaustion. Without a word, he reached for her hand. It was cold, wet with sorrow, but he held it firmly in his own, lending her a steadiness that didn’t ask for permission.“I wouldn’t blame you,” he said, his voice low, almost hoarse.Jeanne hesitated, her lips parting slightly as if to catch the words before they vanished. She searched his amber eyes, trying to uncover the truth behind them, as if afraid it might be nothing more than an easy kindness. But what she saw wasn’t pity—it was
The riverbanks reeked of rot and frost, the wind carrying remnants of decay that clung to the final breath of winter. Crimson police tape fluttered like torn warnings under dim searchlights, slicing through the gloom. Edgar pushed open the door of his vehicle with urgency, boots crunching against the gravel as he strode toward the scene, his face ashen beneath the harsh lighting. His eyes scanned the crowd of investigators, but his gaze locked instantly onto the black body bag being slowly zipped closed.Officers noticed his presence; some offered respectful nods and salutes, but Edgar didn’t see them. His world tunneled toward a single horrific possibility. A pale, bloated hand protruded from the edge of the bag before being tucked in. The fingers were stiff, skin stretched and swollen—clear signs she had been in the water for days. His steps quickened, unthinking, unstoppable.“Edgar!” A firm hand intercepted him just before he breached the perimeter. Magnus Vellion, head of the Hom
Hector felt Jeanne's arms tightening around him—not with affection, but with a desperate need to disappear. Her body leaned into his as though she wished to dissolve into his skin, to vanish from sight completely. There was no hesitation in her voice when she whispered again, more urgently this time, “Hide me, Hector. Please… just hide me.”His confusion shifted quickly into alertness. “Jeanne,” he murmured, trying to draw back to see her face, but she resisted, clutching his coat. “What’s going on? Are you alright?”“Just… don’t let go. Hide me,” she repeated, her voice barely audible, trembling with something far more than cold.He didn’t push for more answers. Instead, he swept open his heavy winter coat and wrapped it around her as if shielding her from a storm. One arm braced her protectively, the other scanned their surroundings with sharp calculation. That’s when he caught her murmured explanation.“The officer,” she said, her voice caught somewhere between fear and recognition
Jeanne froze where she sat—perched stiffly on the edge of the wooden chair—her body snapping to attention as if caught in something forbidden. The door had flown open with a sharp bang, and her name had been shouted so suddenly, so urgently, that her first instinct was to leap to her feet. But when her wide, startled eyes met Hector’s, she remained still, lips parting in stunned recognition.“Hector…?” Her voice wavered, caught between confusion and a flicker of unease.He stood just inside the doorway, breath uneven and gaze sweeping the room in a quick, frantic scan, but the tension in his shoulders eased as he saw her unharmed. The anxiety that had propelled him to barge in now ebbed into guilt—he had startled her more than whatever had made the noise in the first place.“I thought you were hurt,” Hector said, stepping forward slowly, trying to steady his tone. “Jeanne… are you all right?”She nodded, her brows drawing together as she tried to process the moment. “I’m fine. You… wh
Hector found himself alone in the supermarket that evening, shopping for kitchen essentials—a task that usually fell to Celine, as the house was never more than a temporary stopover for him. He moved with quiet purpose, heading straight to the baking aisle. He intended to make a batch of muffins Jeanne could enjoy during her quiet moments. He had noticed her fondness for sweets lately—something she admitted herself, despite claiming she hadn’t had a sweet tooth before.As he examined various brands of chocolate, he muttered under his breath, “Is this what people call cravings? It's amusing to think a woman can suddenly want something completely unfamiliar just because the baby inside her does.”With the baking items secured, Hector continued through the store, stopping at the produce section. He stood for a moment, surveying the vibrant array of fruits and vegetables while his thoughts lingered on Jeanne. “Aren’t pregnant women supposed to consume more natural nutrients?” he pondered.
That night, before going to bed, Jeanne gently wound the music box Hector had given her earlier. The soft, lullaby tones filled the quiet room, soothing her nerves and sparing her from having to pace while singing to her unborn child as she usually did. It was comforting, in a way she hadn’t expected, as though the melody itself had wrapped its arms around her.She lay back, running her fingers over the curve of her stomach, feeling how it had begun to lose its flatness. The sensation made her heart flutter. “Maybe you’re small like your mother,” she whispered with a weak laugh. “I’ve been too thin, too stressed… I’m sorry, little one. I promise I won’t let myself be this sad anymore.”Turning onto her side, she hugged the still-playing music box to her chest. “Should I find out if you’re a boy or a girl?” she mused aloud, her voice tender and playful. “I won’t mind either way, so will you let me see? I’ll ask Hector to come with me!”The joy in her voice hung for a moment before falt
Hector moved swiftly through the shadows, two pistols firmly in hand, each motion calculated as he closed the door behind him to ensure Jeanne was safe.Instead of aiming for the police directly, he fired into the air and around the perimeter, creating a barrier to stall their movement. He wasn’t aiming to kill—he was buying time.As a seasoned fighter, Hector knew when to engage and when to avoid, and the presence of so many officers was no reason to rush into a reckless firefight. But when a few of them came too close, trying to subdue him, Hector fought back with lethal precision.His strikes were fast, calculated, and unrelenting. He knew how to turn the environment to his advantage, using everything—from walls to discarded weapons—as tools to avoid bullets and deliver quick, powerful blows. Hector was a master of his craft, and it showed as he incapacitated his opponents, knocking them down in one swift motion each time. He was cold, calculating, and ruthlessly efficient.After d
Jeanne stepped into her home for the first time in what felt like forever. The house, with its modern minimalist design and muted grey walls, seemed to reflect the heavy stillness in her heart.Her eyes were still swollen, red, and exhausted—she hadn’t slept once during the journey back. Edgar knew her mind was still on Hector. The deal he had forced upon her had been cruel, perhaps unbearably so—but why should he care? Or at least, that’s what he told himself.He tried to speak with her, but Jeanne remained silent, her focus distant, never truly returning to him. Calling her name felt like the only way to bridge the growing void.“Do you want to go straight to bed?”Edgar guided her to their bedroom. Jeanne sat on the edge of the bed while he knelt before her, his gaze filled with quiet concern.He took her hands in his, searching for warmth that had long since slipped away. It should have meant something, but now it felt hollow. Jeanne might have once convinced herself she missed hi
Jeanne stepped into her home for the first time in what felt like forever. The house, with its modern minimalist design and muted grey walls, seemed to reflect the heavy stillness in her heart.Her eyes were still swollen, red, and exhausted—she hadn’t slept once during the journey back. Edgar knew her mind was still on Hector. The deal he had forced upon her had been cruel, perhaps unbearably so—but why should he care? Or at least, that’s what he told himself.He tried to speak with her, but Jeanne remained silent, her focus distant, never truly returning to him. Calling her name felt like the only way to bridge the growing void.“Do you want to go straight to bed?”Edgar guided her to their bedroom. Jeanne sat on the edge of the bed while he knelt before her, his gaze filled with quiet concern.He took her hands in his, searching for warmth that had long since slipped away. It should have meant something, but now it felt hollow. Jeanne might have once convinced herself she missed hi
Hector moved swiftly through the shadows, two pistols firmly in hand, each motion calculated as he closed the door behind him to ensure Jeanne was safe.Instead of aiming for the police directly, he fired into the air and around the perimeter, creating a barrier to stall their movement. He wasn’t aiming to kill—he was buying time.As a seasoned fighter, Hector knew when to engage and when to avoid, and the presence of so many officers was no reason to rush into a reckless firefight. But when a few of them came too close, trying to subdue him, Hector fought back with lethal precision.His strikes were fast, calculated, and unrelenting. He knew how to turn the environment to his advantage, using everything—from walls to discarded weapons—as tools to avoid bullets and deliver quick, powerful blows. Hector was a master of his craft, and it showed as he incapacitated his opponents, knocking them down in one swift motion each time. He was cold, calculating, and ruthlessly efficient.After d
That night, before going to bed, Jeanne gently wound the music box Hector had given her earlier. The soft, lullaby tones filled the quiet room, soothing her nerves and sparing her from having to pace while singing to her unborn child as she usually did. It was comforting, in a way she hadn’t expected, as though the melody itself had wrapped its arms around her.She lay back, running her fingers over the curve of her stomach, feeling how it had begun to lose its flatness. The sensation made her heart flutter. “Maybe you’re small like your mother,” she whispered with a weak laugh. “I’ve been too thin, too stressed… I’m sorry, little one. I promise I won’t let myself be this sad anymore.”Turning onto her side, she hugged the still-playing music box to her chest. “Should I find out if you’re a boy or a girl?” she mused aloud, her voice tender and playful. “I won’t mind either way, so will you let me see? I’ll ask Hector to come with me!”The joy in her voice hung for a moment before falt
Hector found himself alone in the supermarket that evening, shopping for kitchen essentials—a task that usually fell to Celine, as the house was never more than a temporary stopover for him. He moved with quiet purpose, heading straight to the baking aisle. He intended to make a batch of muffins Jeanne could enjoy during her quiet moments. He had noticed her fondness for sweets lately—something she admitted herself, despite claiming she hadn’t had a sweet tooth before.As he examined various brands of chocolate, he muttered under his breath, “Is this what people call cravings? It's amusing to think a woman can suddenly want something completely unfamiliar just because the baby inside her does.”With the baking items secured, Hector continued through the store, stopping at the produce section. He stood for a moment, surveying the vibrant array of fruits and vegetables while his thoughts lingered on Jeanne. “Aren’t pregnant women supposed to consume more natural nutrients?” he pondered.
Jeanne froze where she sat—perched stiffly on the edge of the wooden chair—her body snapping to attention as if caught in something forbidden. The door had flown open with a sharp bang, and her name had been shouted so suddenly, so urgently, that her first instinct was to leap to her feet. But when her wide, startled eyes met Hector’s, she remained still, lips parting in stunned recognition.“Hector…?” Her voice wavered, caught between confusion and a flicker of unease.He stood just inside the doorway, breath uneven and gaze sweeping the room in a quick, frantic scan, but the tension in his shoulders eased as he saw her unharmed. The anxiety that had propelled him to barge in now ebbed into guilt—he had startled her more than whatever had made the noise in the first place.“I thought you were hurt,” Hector said, stepping forward slowly, trying to steady his tone. “Jeanne… are you all right?”She nodded, her brows drawing together as she tried to process the moment. “I’m fine. You… wh
Hector felt Jeanne's arms tightening around him—not with affection, but with a desperate need to disappear. Her body leaned into his as though she wished to dissolve into his skin, to vanish from sight completely. There was no hesitation in her voice when she whispered again, more urgently this time, “Hide me, Hector. Please… just hide me.”His confusion shifted quickly into alertness. “Jeanne,” he murmured, trying to draw back to see her face, but she resisted, clutching his coat. “What’s going on? Are you alright?”“Just… don’t let go. Hide me,” she repeated, her voice barely audible, trembling with something far more than cold.He didn’t push for more answers. Instead, he swept open his heavy winter coat and wrapped it around her as if shielding her from a storm. One arm braced her protectively, the other scanned their surroundings with sharp calculation. That’s when he caught her murmured explanation.“The officer,” she said, her voice caught somewhere between fear and recognition
The riverbanks reeked of rot and frost, the wind carrying remnants of decay that clung to the final breath of winter. Crimson police tape fluttered like torn warnings under dim searchlights, slicing through the gloom. Edgar pushed open the door of his vehicle with urgency, boots crunching against the gravel as he strode toward the scene, his face ashen beneath the harsh lighting. His eyes scanned the crowd of investigators, but his gaze locked instantly onto the black body bag being slowly zipped closed.Officers noticed his presence; some offered respectful nods and salutes, but Edgar didn’t see them. His world tunneled toward a single horrific possibility. A pale, bloated hand protruded from the edge of the bag before being tucked in. The fingers were stiff, skin stretched and swollen—clear signs she had been in the water for days. His steps quickened, unthinking, unstoppable.“Edgar!” A firm hand intercepted him just before he breached the perimeter. Magnus Vellion, head of the Hom
Hector sat beside her in silence, the weight of Jeanne’s words dragging a shadow across his features. For a fleeting moment, his gaze drifted toward the ocean’s horizon, his thoughts tangled somewhere deeper than the waves—almost as if the wound Jeanne described echoed something within him. But before he could fall too far into that quiet, dangerous place in his mind, the faint sound of Jeanne wiping her tears brought him back.He looked at her—her cheeks still damp, her eyes glassy and rimmed with exhaustion. Without a word, he reached for her hand. It was cold, wet with sorrow, but he held it firmly in his own, lending her a steadiness that didn’t ask for permission.“I wouldn’t blame you,” he said, his voice low, almost hoarse.Jeanne hesitated, her lips parting slightly as if to catch the words before they vanished. She searched his amber eyes, trying to uncover the truth behind them, as if afraid it might be nothing more than an easy kindness. But what she saw wasn’t pity—it was
Jeanne held his gaze, uncertain of how to react. There was something in Hector’s eyes—something startlingly earnest—that made her chest tighten. She turned her face away, unable to meet it any longer.“That’s hard to believe,” she said quietly. “Coming from someone like you.”Hector tilted his head slightly, the corners of his lips tugging upward as if amused.“And what’s so wrong about someone like me?”Jeanne’s fingers tightened around her cup.“You asked me to have an affair with you like it was the easiest thing in the world. Just because I found you bleeding and helped you, suddenly I became your... conquest. Who’s to say you won’t find another woman just as easily? From the start, I never trusted you.”Hector gave a low, almost delighted chuckle, leaning forward slightly.“Oh, really? Then tell me—who did you look for when your husband broke your heart? Who did you call when he had no time for you? And who did you kiss beneath that snow-covered tree