Possessing her Shadows

Rae’s POV The bass hit so hard it pounded into my ribs. Laser lights flashed over the crowd, drowning everything in neon pinks and purples, like that made this place any less depressing. My mask itched against my face, the sequins digging into my skin. I smiled anyway. That’s what they paid for—the illusion.Nobody in this room cared if my rent was due or if my little sister needed money for her school expenses. They just wanted to see a pretty girl spin around and pretend she loved every second of it.Laura leaned in close, her perfume cutting through the smoke. “Table three. They asked for you.”“Of course they did,” I muttered, but she shoved a shot of tequila in my hand before I could complain.“Drink,” she said. “You’re too in your head.”I tipped it back. It burned, but it did the job.“You good?” she asked.“Peachy,” I said with a smile that wasn’t fooling anyone.She gave me that look—the one that said she wasn’t buying it—but the music shifted and that was my cue.I held the

“Marcelo Bernardo…” I whispered his name into the dark interior of the car as if saying it softly enough would strip it of its weight. The syllables clung to my tongue, heavy, magnetic, impossible to shake off. I said it again, barely louder than breath. “Marcelo Bernardo.” The driver didn’t even twitch. My voice was swallowed by the hum of engine on full speed which made me anxious, but the name filled my chest like a stone. Ever since Elena had first said it—so casually, with that little curve of disdain on her lips—it had haunted me. That’s who you’ll belong to for one night. Just do as I say, and you’ll leave with enough money to take care of your mother and sister for months. It had sounded easy in theory. Elena simply made everything sound easy. But the way she leaned forward, gripping my chin so tight her manicured nails pressed crescents into my skin, burned the words into me like a brand: “Say little. Obey. Dance to his music.” That was her golden rule. Her number one c

The room smelled faintly of wine and dust, the kind of damp heaviness that seeps into your lungs until it feels like you’ve been breathing regret itself. The shards of broken glass still lay scattered across the floor where Marcelo had cornered me hours ago, jagged little reminders of how reckless I’d been, how far I’d fallen. I stayed curled up in the far corner of the room, knees to my chest, as if shrinking small enough could make me invisible.The bed loomed in front of me, neatly made, sheets too pristine, like some cruel joke. I refused to sit there. Beds were for guests. Beds were for people who belonged. I wasn’t here to stay. I wasn’t here to sleep. I was here because I was trapped.I stared down at my phone, hands trembling, eyes swollen from crying. My call log was a graveyard of unanswered attempts—Elena, Elena, Elena—each one mocking me with its silence. Dozens of texts sent into the void, delivered but never replied to. My chest ached with a betrayal I still couldn’t wra

Elena’s POV “Now survive. Play the role. Or drown.”The words purred off my tongue like a spell before I cut the call. I stared at the phone a moment longer, watching the call icon vanish as the line went dead. My reflection smirked back at me from the dark glass, lips curling like a satisfied predator.Did I regret it? The question almost made me laugh. Regret? No. There was nothing to regret. Not when it was either me or her. Not when survival was on the line. Regret was for people with luxuries like family, people who had someone to run to and cry when the world kicked them in the teeth. Me? I’d been running alone my entire life.And Rae Rossi? Poor, sweet Rae was nothing but a sacrificial lamb offered up to Marcelo’s altar of wrath, the big bad wolf.I leaned back on the velvet sofa, crossing my legs. The wine glass in my hand caught the soft amber light, red liquid swirling lazily. I took a slow sip, savoring the taste, savoring the moment. Freedom. Sweet bloody freedom.For the

“Elena” he murmured, the sound of his voice vibrated through my body, he came closer until the heat of his body enveloped me as he drew closer, hovering above me. His hand cupped my cheek, thumb tracing the curve of my jaw with possessive intent.“You think you can play me for a fool?”he muttered. His words cut into me, branding me guilty, as though I were the criminal before him. As though I was his enemy. As though I were actually Elena. But Marcelo didn’t know me. He didn’t know Rae. Rae’s world and Marcelo’s were never meant to collide, yet here I was, wearing the face of his enemy to atone for her sins.I was on the verge of breaking. His relentlessness made me want to protest, to shove him away—but doing so will only unleash his cruelty, putting my life at risk. A million thoughts raced through my mind and one of them was to reveal the dangerous truth to him, which was the worst thought I had. Rae’s life—my life— meant nothing to him. He would discard it without a second thoug