15 days left
• Rome, Italy •
"Where's she now?"
"Bre and J's apartment."
"How long's she staying?" Théo played with his lighter and stood still while he waited for his best friend to answer the question.
If he recalled correctly, Tomek just arrived back in Paris two days ago after weeks of working in New York. He had also found out five minutes ago from Tomek that his ever-busy ex-girlfriend was in Paris, too.
According to Tomek, Veronica was in the city for her cousin's wedding preparations and to take care of some work commitments as well. The band must have finished recording their fifth record already.
"Till the weekend. She's taking a few days off. Not feeling well." Tomek yawned on the other line.
"Why not?" Théo pulled a face. At times, he hated that Veronica was such a workaholic, like him. Also on
• Lyons Stadium, Paris • Veronica looked up from her phone after she read another text message from their manager. They had to check on the guys now.Veronica pocketed her phone as her eyes squinted at the glare of the late-afternoon sun. She grabbed her sunglasses that hung from the collar of her plain shirt, which she matched with a pair of dark jeans after she breezed through the last interview. An hour later, she left the hotel with the band's tour manager and drove to the concert's venue.She was stuck at the hotel all day. She needed to get a whiff of the familiar Paris air and the nice sights. The guys, to the contrary, had left her and their manager back at the hotel this morning to head on to the venue and get on with the prepping. Veronica kept up her slack gait in the direction of the wide-spanning platform.The stage was currently being tacked together by a flock of men dressed in jeans and T-shirts. Most of them were scuttling on what looked like a huge mare's nest.At t
13 days left• Piazza di Valtieri, Roma •Théo slouched beside a lamppost as he pressed on the metal grinders of his lighter. He lit his second cancer stick for the hour, dismissing the guilt-inducing thought that his ex would be disappointed that he still hadn't quit smoking.He would someday, but the stress and the increasing pressure were getting on his nerve again. The good thing was: this would be his last job under the agency."Last one. Then you're good to go. You and Via can stay in America, and live your life as you please," was Gillaume's rather convincing speech last week. It convinced him, alright.After this last assignment, he wouldn't owe the agency anymore, and he would get the freedom and the security he wanted for him and his family. Freedom to start afresh, do so
× chapter dedicated to: @Snowmonn :) Check out her book: Lucifer's Angel ×13 days left • Rome, Italy •"How's Star?""Same old. Just feeling more trapped here." Théo checked the time on his phone. Wherever Gillaume was, it must be a little before midnight. "They want to put her in rehab. Soon," he informed."But does she want that?""Course not.""When? Both on the same page?""Mostly Mommy. Dad's out of town again." Théo sighed to himself as he sat by the tub. The shower was running again, just to make sure the noise would muffle his voice.Anastasia was already asleep in bed but she would wake up in the middle of the night sometimes with cold sweats, tremors and a little vomiting.Withdrawal symptoms, if he guessed it right. It was bothersome sometimes but at least she was trying to cut back on her bad habits."Any news on R?" Gillaume mumbled with a sigh."We had dinner with his best friend, that Tomassini heir.""Lorenzio?""Positive.""Think R was let out because he didn't do i
• Columbia, NY •A grimace stayed on Kyle's face as he read through a list of the quirkiest pancake recipes known to man. He peeked at the time on his phone. His bandmates must be gussying up by now. Seated by the corner windows, Kyle read through an online article as he sat alone at the square table.More foodie articles got him remembering the chocolate-covered mac 'n cheese he'd tried on his 30th birthday. It was a specialty of a famous bistro in their hometown. His random reminiscing was cut off when he sat back and glanced around.Rows of wall lights lit the high-ceilinged dining room. Wide-cut drapes furnished the rectangular space. There weren't even ten people around him, and the bossa nova tracks weren't playing loudly. The caffeine hadn't kicked in yet. He was allowed to step out of the hospital room, as lo
11 days left • Philadelphia, PA •"Tell him or I will.""Don't.""Today.""Whatever. Just—" Veronica let out a groan and shut her eyes, anxious and feeling indecisive as ever. The short vacation she'd planned wasn't shaping up to be an enjoyable one. "Don't tell him; I'll talk to him," she muttered, getting more annoyed.A dead serious expression now on his face, Mick got to his feet. "Tuh-day," he repeated with widened eyelids and a raised finger, as though warning her. He started backtracking to the door. His fingers stayed enclosed around the glossy doorknob while he glowered at her and murmured, "I'm not kidding."Veronica reclined in the armchair, sighed, and raked her fingers through her ponytailed hair. The throbbing in the back of her head was starting to worsen. "Just...tell Mom I'll be down in a minute," she croaked, giving him the stink eye.A while after exchanging grimaces with her, Mick yanked the door open, making way for Floofie, who had been perching in the doorway fo
10 days left• Piazza di Valtieri, Roma •The study.It was the only important room in the mansion he couldn't sneak into no matter how many times he tried for the past week. The room was always locked. First floor. Almost always empty.It was also Hugo's office and the door was always closed, especially since Hugo had been out of town and absent in the estate for days now.Out of desperation, Théo hatched a new plan. He had less than two weeks left, so time for Plan B. He couldn't exactly climb into one of the windows come nighttime.The estate's security staff were on shifts all day, all night. Too risky. If he got caught by one of the security detail, he might get shot dead. On the spot. So he had to be smart about this one.The property had CCTV cameras installed in every corner and floor as we
• Piazza di Valtieri, Roma •Making sure the listening device he just installed under Hugo's desk was working and a hundred percent functioning took him another five minutes or so. Théo double-checked if the device had successfully linked to his phone.He accessed the audio feed after entering a two-factor authentication code sent by the agency's server. Cloaked by a VPN of course. Or a few. Never hurt to be extra sure.To avoid detection, he then deleted the messages with the authentication codes sent to his phone and accessed the secure app that let him browse through and listen to the audio feeds. It was disguised as a puzzle game on his apps list. The agency's tech guys had been pretty imaginative lately.Opting to move along his task list with caution, he had only installed two listening devices in the mansion: one in the living room and one in Hugo's office slash study room.
• Philadelphia, PA •"Enchanté. Enfin.""C'est si bon de te voir, Madame." After exchanging cheek-to-cheek greetings, Veronica pulled away to let the older woman inside the house. She opened the door wider. Although kind of shell-shocked, she had to be polite and welcoming.Théo didn't even know her mother's address here in Philadelphia but it seemed his mother had her means. Veronica tried not to look blown out of the water. Biggest surprise of her week so far."Call me Claudia." Théo's mother smiled at her again and thanked her for taking her coat. Her accent sounded posh. Not a tinge of French. Very English, as she expected.How exactly did Claudia Reynaud know this address? Google Maps? Unlikely. Her mother's clinic address could easily be searched on the internet, but not this residential address."How