Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Nyla’s POV

“Mom, when will I be seeing you again?” Alex asked with a tiny pout that left my heart in a pickle, the only good thing that night had left me with. His voice was soft and hopeful and far too trusting for the kind of life I had dragged him into simply by just being his mother.

I knelt down to his height; his curly hair was neatly tied into a little bun. Sometimes people did mistake him for a girl, and a small part of me loved it.

The only mistake I would gladly make again and again would be him. My light in a world that had brought nothing but shadows, gunpowder, and blood.

“You’ll see me soon, sweetheart,” I whispered slowly with a small smile, brushing my thumb across his cheek. The lie stings my tongue, but what else could I give him? He was far too young to understand why Mummy couldn’t stay.

The countryside air smelled peaceful and softer, and I felt the courage to leave him here.

“Miss Silver?” a hesitant voice called from behind me. I turned to see her, the nanny I’d chosen after weeks of searching. She couldn’t have been older than thirty, with warm brown eyes and hair tucked under a knitted cap. Her hands twisted nervously in front of her, but there was kindness in her gaze when she looked at Alex, and that gave me even more relief to leave him with her.

“This is Clara,” I told him gently. “She’s going to take care of you for a little while.”

His face turned sour, clearly showing how unimpressed he was with the idea of someone else replacing me, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he shifted closer towards me, holding onto the hem of my dress like his life depended on me.

I pried his tiny fingers free, the hardest thing I’d ever done, and kissed his forehead. “Be good for Clara. And remember, no matter where I am, I’m thinking about you, okay?”

“And one more thing, remember……"

“Never open the door to strangers. And don’t tell anyone your name.” He recited it like a soldier repeating orders, and I smiled.

His little voice trembled. “You promise to come back, right?”

I forced a smile, one that felt the hardest, and slowly whispered. “I promise.”

As Clara took his hand and led him toward the cottage, Alex looked back one last time. I memorized his face at that moment: the soft cheeks, the wide eyes, the innocence. Because when I stepped back into my world, there was no guarantee I’d survive long enough to see it again, and the thought left me heartbroken.

The Valenti family…

The family that destroyed my family like their lives didn’t matter—that night something in me died, something warm in my heart died, now left with a cold and dark feeling. I was no longer the cheerful and dramatic girl I was four years ago.

I nodded at my driver, and he already knew where I was going: the Valenti family’s mansion.

*Four years ago*

I woke up with a banging headache, with my clothes scattered all over the ground of the room. I panicked at the sight of my naked body, glancing over at the man I had just shared my night with; he lay peacefully like he had no care in the world.

I glanced over at the mini clock on the bedstand, and the time was reading 6am. I hurriedly wore my dress; the thought of the night before came crushing me all over again, and I gasped for breath.

What if they caught up with me somehow? I panicked, my hands trembling as I struggled to wear the clean T-shirt and shorts the guy had given me last night.

I looked over my shoulder and took in a long, deep breath. I was about to run away with no choice. I don't even know his name or anything about him, but I couldn't stay either. I step out of the room in haste, my legs carrying me as fast as they can when a black van screeches to a stop directly in front of me the moment I step out of the hotel.

Fuck!

I caught my breath, unable to see who the driver was since it wasn’t fully dawn yet. In the blink of an eye, three armed men spilled out of the tinted van, their footsteps pounding against the pavement. Before I could react or turn back, rough hands grabbed me aggressively, yanking my arms painfully.

A strip of cloth pressed against my eyes, plunging me into darkness as panic clawed up my throat.

After a long silent drive that seems like forever, the vehicle finally screeches to a halt.

I couldn't even shout; I just followed them quietly, thinking of what would finally become of my life. Would they sell me out or, at worst, kill me since that's the only favor they might be willing to render? The thought of it gave my stomach a tight twist.

After what seemed like a long walk to God knows where, they finally pulled the blindfold off my face, and I was met with a bright light that made me blink hard.

“Is this the girl?” a calm voice asked, and I turned towards the direction of his voice.

“She looks just like her mother,” another voice chirped in, a woman's voice this time.

“Where am I?” I whispered in a muffled voice.

“Your new home,” the lady answered, giving me a small smile, and for some reason, I felt relief wash over me.

*Back to present*

“We have arrived, Ms. Silver,” my driver called out to me, breaking me out of my thoughts, and I hummed at him.

I stood face-to-face with Valenti's family mansion, a part of me unsure of what the future holds and a part of me fully prepared for whatever it might bring.

I wasn’t Nyla Romano anymore. That girl had died four years ago, buried along with the innocence I once wore like a second skin. In her place stood Silver Caruso, the heiress to a feared tycoon whose name could silence a room. My past had been stripped away, piece by piece, until all that remained was a woman forged from fire and pain.