Chapter 6

Lyra's POV 

Dorian's voice came out broken “L… Lyra?” His lips shook as he stammered my name struggling to believe it was all reality and not a dream.

Seraphina’s voice broke the silent tension as she forced out a laugh. “Oh please. What kind of cheap trick is this?”. She turned to Dorian, letting out a scoff. “That's obviously not her. She can't be”.

A small and steady smile escaped my lips. “What's the matter, Sera?. You don't recognize the voice you tried to destroy?”

She pressed her lips tightly against each other, “you were dead”, she spat, her voice trembling.

“Almost”. I added immediately. “You really thought that was enough to end me?... you two actually really liked to underestimate me”.

Dorian stepped forward with his eyes locked on mine and searching them like there was a piece he was trying to find.

“It can't be…. You… “

“I'm the one, you idiot!”. I cut in with my voice steady and firm. “The wife you left bleeding in the rain. The voice you worked with her to silence”.

Dorian flinched. The word wife had hit him deep. He thought of the times the name used to be a reality, locked eyes with me for some time and then bowed his head in shame.

“You should have just stayed gone”. Seraphina hissed, stepping closer. “You don't belong here anymore. This industry moved on without you”. 

“And yet”, I said quietly, “it sings the praises of my voice more than it remembers yours”.

“And yet, you want a collab”. I added again with a smirk watching her mask of confidence starting to fall off slowly.

Dorian opened his mouth to talk but closed them again. He couldn't even look me in the eye anymore.

Then the door opened.

Seraphina stiffened. “Cassian?”. 

“You!” Dorian muttered, his jaw tightened and voice low.

“Surprise… surprise”, Cassian taunted, laughing.

“What are you doing here?” Seraphina's voice cracked. 

“Handling business”. He said simply moving closer with an aura of authority.

Dorian frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Well…. I own the Phoenix' agency and if you're asking for a collab, you'll have to follow out rules… strictly”

The shock on both their faces was both amusing and satisfying to watch.

“You can't just…” Seraphina began.

“I already did”, Cassian cut in, locking a stern gaze at her. “And from now on, every spotlight, banner and tour will hear The Phoenix first. She takes the center stage and leads the show while the rest of you can just stand at the sides. And it's non-negotiable”.

Seraphina's face twisted. “What?... You're out of your mind if you think we'll…”

He turned his face towards her with a look that made her freeze mid-word, inhaling deeply. “Either you share the stage or you lose it”. 

Seraphina's eyes turned to Dorian hoping for backup. But Dorian's eyes were still fixed on me. The silence stretched for a moment, but both parties still said nothing.

Cassian studied their expression for a second and then smiled faintly, feeling satisfied. “Good, I think we understand each other”.

He handed the documents to them to sign in their respective areas.

Just as Dorian was about to sign, he looked up to me and whispered, heavy with disbelief “you've changed”.

I turned, meeting his eyes.

“No Dorian, dear”. I said with a calm but assertive voice.

“I simply evolved into what you made me”.

Once they were done, they handed the documents back to Cassian and then, he turned to me. 

“Shall we?”.

I nodded once, “after you”.

“I'll send both soft copies and photocopies of the signed documents to you”. Cassian said as we walked out.

As we left, I could still feel Dorian's stare drilling into my back and then Seraphina's voice came, shaky but furious. “We'll destroy her again”. 

Cassian’s hand brushed against mine as we locked arms, walking down the hallway with poise and confidence. 

He leaned closer and muttered, a bit too low to hear, “let them try”.

As we drove through the night, my heart raced as I reminisced on all that just happened.

Then Cassian's voice came … low but thoughtful.

But don't you think you took off the mask too early?”

I turned slowly facing the street. “I needed him to know it was me. I need him to feel the torments and torture while we work together”.

“So what if they leak your true identity”. Cassian asked, his voice laced with concern and worry.

“They won't, they would be too ashamed to let the world know they are working under “Lyra’s” shadow.”

I added with a knowing smirk. If there was anything Seraphina was never going to let go. It was her Ego. No matter what the cost was.