เข้าสู่ระบบBy the time we returned to the Dhark mansion that evening, Camilla already knew. Lucian had sent her a text along with picture attachments of the house. He claimed he hadn’t told her earlier because he feared she might be too excited to keep the secret from me. He wasn’t wrong. We had barely stepped through the front door before Camilla appeared from the hallway with a look that told me she had been waiting for us. “So,” she began. I smiled. “So?” “You bought a house.” Lucian shrugged. “I wish I could have told you earlier.” Camilla crossed her arms. “Me too, Mr. Dhark. I can’t believe you don’t trust me!” Lucian and I broke into fits of laughter. “Camilla.” “And now I’m apparently in charge of choosing which staff members are going with you and which ones are staying here.” “Sounds like fun,” I said. “I’ll help.” She pointed at Lucian. “It’s okay, Lucian already gave a list.” “That sounds like…” I looked at Lucian. “A lot.” Lucian looked offende
“I want to know where our bedroom is.” In the Dhark mansion, Lucian and I had mostly slept in different bedrooms. That would change here. Something changed in his expression. It was small—barely there. But I saw it. The smile that touched his mouth wasn’t the confident, arrogant smile he wore when he was getting his way. It was softer. Almost boyish. “Our bedroom?” he repeated. I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t make me regret saying it.” “I wouldn’t dare.” He reached for my hand. I smiled as his fingers slipped between mine, warm and familiar, and he led me toward the staircase. I followed him upstairs. The house felt different now. Maybe because I had stopped looking at it as a strange house. I was starting to imagine it as ours. The thought was terrifying, but strangely comforting. We reached the top of the stairs, and Lucian opened the first door on the right. “This is it.” I stepped inside and stopped. Although the master bedroom was enormous, it some
“We could renovate.” I said quietly. Lucian looked at me. “I mean the Dhark mansion.” I wiped another tear from my cheek. “We could change things.” He didn’t interrupt. “I know what that house means to you. Memories of your mother, your childhood...” He nodded. “All the beautiful memories you have there there.” I squeezed his hand. “I don’t want you to lose that because of me.” Lucian stared at me for a moment, then he smiled. “You’re the one who taught me that my mother’s memories aren’t trapped inside those walls,” he said. “You told me that on my birthday, remember?” He placed my hand on his chest. “You reminded me that she lives in my heart.” My eyes filled with tears again as I nodded. “She does.” “I know.” He glanced around the room. “And that’s why I don’t need the mansion to keep her.” I stayed silent. Lucian continued. “The truth is, Claire, the mansion isn’t only filled with good memories for me either.” I watched his jaw clench. That’s how I kne
I eventually realized we weren’t heading back toward the mansion. “Where are we going?” I asked as I looked out the window. Lucian kept his eyes on the road. “You’ll see.”I sighed. “I don’t like it when you’re being mysterious.”He chuckled. “I think you’ll survive.”“That depends on where you’re taking me.” He didn’t say anything to that. A few minutes later, we turned onto a road I didn’t recognize. Then another. And finally, we approached a set of enormous black gates. I sat upright, alert. I had never been here before.Were we visiting someone? Surely Lucian would have told me if that was the case. The gates opened automatically, and Lucian drove through. The property was huge, but it didn’t have the intimidating grandeur of the Dhark mansion. It was different.Newer. Cleaner. More modern. The immaculate landscaping was one of the first things that caught my attention. Tall trees lined the driveway. The perfectly maintained lawn stretched across both sides
We had barely made it three minutes down the road before I remembered something important. I immediately turned toward Lucian. “You shouldn’t be driving.” His hands remained steady on the steering wheel. “I can drive.” “You were shot.” “I know.” “And stabbed.” “I remember that too.” He retorted. “Your wounds aren’t completely healed.” He glanced at me. “Claire.” “What?” “I am not made of glass.” “Yeah, but you don’t need to act like you’re indestructible.” “I feel fine.” “You were in a hospital for weeks.” “And then I spent days recovering at home.” “Exactly.” He smiled, still focused on the road. I narrowed my eyes at him. “You think this is funny?” “A little.” I shook my head, then turned toward the window, trying not to smile. For a few moments, neither of us spoke. The events of the courthouse were still lingering in my mind. Hart’s testimony, Eva’s stare, the messages, my encounter with Eva in the bathroom… And that unsettling certa
The court session resumed with the presentation of the messages recovered from Hart’s phone. I sat beside Margot and Jonathan, my files arranged neatly in front of me. My hands were steady now—at least they looked steady. The first message appeared on the screen. Then another, then another. Dates were presented. Times, instructions and responses. I stood. “Your Honor, the prosecution would like to draw the court’s attention to the communication between the defendant and Mr. Sullivan.” The judge nodded for me to continue. I turned toward the screen. “These messages presented before this court today, establish direct communication between Ms. Sterling and Mr. Sullivan during the period in which several of the incidents discussed before this court occurred.” The defense attorney rose. “Objection. The prosecution is interpreting the messages rather than allowing the evidence to speak for itself.” I looked at the judge. “Your Honor, we are not asking the court







