AdaWhen Damson calls, I’m ready for him. I don’t allow my voice to shake with nervousness. I just leave it as it is. “Hello?”He’s silent and already I take this as a bad sign. My heart is beating against my chest. Slamming, really. So fast that I’m sure it’s going to burst. I’m terrified of what he’s going to say next. I can tell by the sound of his erratic breathing on the other end of the line that it can’t be good. “You lied to me.”“What?”“You betrayed me,” he adds. My heart sinks further. “You told me that you and him had nothing going on between the two of you yet he has just left your apartment. Don’t bother denying it, Ada! I saw it with both eyes!”I close my eyes and hot tears slide down my cheeks. “Damson—”“YOU LIAR!” he rages. “You whore! You’re a lying whore, Ada! You’ll never be anything more than that!”“That’s not true, Damson. You’re exaggerating and…he was here because he wanted to get back with me but I pushed him away. I told him not to come anymore.”“Liar!
MaximilianMy heart is thumping in my chest endlessly. Sweat’s trickling down my forehead in rivulets and it’s getting harder and harder for me to breathe since I parked my car right across the house where Damson lives. Yes, I’ve arrived. At first I thought that maybe it was idiotic to assume that Victoria would be here because what if she was in school? And that’s when I remembered that today is Saturday. No school. Staring at the house sends chills all over me, not because it looks terrifying in any sense, but because of how ordinary it looks. There’s a garden right in the front and people are milling around, getting their weekend exercise in. Whatever. It’s all so fucking ordinary that I ask myself if I’m even in the right place. I look up and down the street. I don’t think Rebecca has arrived yet. Then again, I was closer to her than she was. Whenever I imagined the place where Damson was keeping her, I thought about a dark place somewhere in an abandoned factory or buildi
Maximilian But something happens. A miracle. Rebecca arrives, and I see her parking right across the street from where I’m on my knees on the ground, head spinning so fast that I have the urge to vomit. Right before I pass out, I see her race after Ada’s mother and Victoria, and I only allow the darkness to take over when I see Rebecca grab a hold of her and carry her to the car. Yes.Fucking yes. I pass out right on the road, and when I wake up, I’m being nudged. Someone’s tapping at my arm repeatedly too, and when I open my eyes, blinking rapidly until my vision clears, I see that someone’s tapping me with their foot. Slowly, I look up, and see that it’s an officer who’s tapping me with his foot. His face is a blur but slowly starts to clear up. However, my attention is pulled away from him when I remember Rebecca and Victoria. Ada’s mother. Panic seizes me. How long have I been out?Rebecca’s car isn’t parked across the street like it was before I fainted. Could it mean she
Ada I’m numb. The whole car ride, I’m numb. When Rebecca’s driver came to me and told me I had to leave with him, I thought it was some kind of trick. I was so suspicious. Then, she called me and explained to me as carefully as she could that it was all over and that I didn’t have to worry about a thing. That the driver was going to take me to her and the place where Victoria was. Victoria. I couldn’t believe it and still can’t. I have this feeling like maybe I’m dreaming this whole thing up or it’s all a figment of my shattered imagination, something my mind is coming up with to cope with all the loss. Because when Damson hung up after telling me that I’d never see my daughter again, I believed him. That broke me entirely and I think there are still fragments of me on the sidewalk, where I knelt for the longest time before the porter came and helped me inside. He wanted to call the police or an ambulance but I told him I was fine and just received bad news. Like ten minutes l
Ada “I don’t understand it, Rebecca,” I say, sniffling. We’re downstairs now, seated at the marble counter on high stools. I have a glass of water in front of me and we’re both crying. Our hands are clasped. “I just don’t get it.”I spent about twenty minutes in that room, trying to get Victoria—no, Abby—to talk to me. But she kept covering her face and crying. She seemed scared. When I returned to my senses, I realized that she had every right to be terrified. She doesn’t know us. We’re all strangers to her. “We had a plan,” she admits. “Me and Max.”“You’re talking now?” Did he mention it? If so, I can’t remember for some reason. Then again, my head is so full, and so much has happened in the last twenty-four hours. “Yes,” she reveals. “It all happened very recently. I approached him because someone recommended this private investigator to me, and vowed that he was good. So, I assigned him to this case. He used to work with the military before. Some ultra shady shit. Moving on,
MaximilianSome hours later, I leave the station. But that doesn’t mean our problems have magically come to an end. Apparently, we could face some charges, and Rebecca could be charged with kidnapping, as ironic as that sounds. But the lawyer assured me that the jury could show sympathy to our case since it’s been cold for years. And I mean years. Seven, to be precise. We saw our chance. We took it. Why involve law enforcement when they’ve sat on their asses for years?I’m supposed to be heading to where they are. I’m so anxious to see everyone and actually hold Ada now that we’ve found our daughter, but we have a serious matter in our hands. Damson. He’s still on the loose and I’m pretty sure he could be watching me. So, why the hell would I drive there when there’s a chance he’ll follow? No, I refuse to do that. I won’t risk Victoria’s life again. Not ever again. And I’m not going to them until Damson is found. Enough of living in this hell. I know he’ll come for me eventua
Ada “Hi, Theo.”“That text you sent me,” he begins, “is it true? You found her?”“Yes,” I reply, biting my lip. “She’s here with us. But Damson is still on the loose. Max can’t even meet us where we are because he’s afraid Damson will follow him and come torment us here. It’s a never ending nightmare with him. I just wish he’d die.”“Jesus,” he exhales. “She’s been found? I can’t believe this. How was it? Your reunion?”I rest my forehead against the window in the living room. Rebecca is upstairs so I’m all alone down here. The sight of the dark forest all around us is reassuring to me, because the one thing I can think about is how Damson will never be able to reach us here, not on his own. This is the one place where I know we’re safe. “She doesn’t know us,” I say to Theo. “She won’t even look at me and I’ve tried to tell her I’m her mother. I guess this is expected.”“What did she think Damson was? Her father?”“Yes. And there’s more.”“Fuck. What?”“Patricia,” I say, refusing
AdaI've spent years preparing for this moment, but standing in the grand foyer of the family who destroyed mine, I wonder if I'm truly ready to play the role of the dutiful maid."This way, Miss Johnson," the housekeeper, Mrs. Danes, says to me as we continue through the house. Well, it's more of a palace, but whatever."Your work will be done on this lower part of the house," she informs me as she looks over her shoulder at me through her thin, round glasses. "You'll need a valid reason if you're found upstairs. You're expected to follow your schedule strictly, as any deviation will lead to you being asked to leave. Do you understand?""Yes, Mrs. Danes," I reply shyly, but even that is an act. I'm going to have to find a way to make it upstairs because I'll have to look into the face of Reynold Loxley, the man who killed my father and brother many years ago, ruining my life forever.She continues showing me around, telling me to do this and that, and explaining how they want things
Ada “Hi, Theo.”“That text you sent me,” he begins, “is it true? You found her?”“Yes,” I reply, biting my lip. “She’s here with us. But Damson is still on the loose. Max can’t even meet us where we are because he’s afraid Damson will follow him and come torment us here. It’s a never ending nightmare with him. I just wish he’d die.”“Jesus,” he exhales. “She’s been found? I can’t believe this. How was it? Your reunion?”I rest my forehead against the window in the living room. Rebecca is upstairs so I’m all alone down here. The sight of the dark forest all around us is reassuring to me, because the one thing I can think about is how Damson will never be able to reach us here, not on his own. This is the one place where I know we’re safe. “She doesn’t know us,” I say to Theo. “She won’t even look at me and I’ve tried to tell her I’m her mother. I guess this is expected.”“What did she think Damson was? Her father?”“Yes. And there’s more.”“Fuck. What?”“Patricia,” I say, refusing
MaximilianSome hours later, I leave the station. But that doesn’t mean our problems have magically come to an end. Apparently, we could face some charges, and Rebecca could be charged with kidnapping, as ironic as that sounds. But the lawyer assured me that the jury could show sympathy to our case since it’s been cold for years. And I mean years. Seven, to be precise. We saw our chance. We took it. Why involve law enforcement when they’ve sat on their asses for years?I’m supposed to be heading to where they are. I’m so anxious to see everyone and actually hold Ada now that we’ve found our daughter, but we have a serious matter in our hands. Damson. He’s still on the loose and I’m pretty sure he could be watching me. So, why the hell would I drive there when there’s a chance he’ll follow? No, I refuse to do that. I won’t risk Victoria’s life again. Not ever again. And I’m not going to them until Damson is found. Enough of living in this hell. I know he’ll come for me eventua
Ada “I don’t understand it, Rebecca,” I say, sniffling. We’re downstairs now, seated at the marble counter on high stools. I have a glass of water in front of me and we’re both crying. Our hands are clasped. “I just don’t get it.”I spent about twenty minutes in that room, trying to get Victoria—no, Abby—to talk to me. But she kept covering her face and crying. She seemed scared. When I returned to my senses, I realized that she had every right to be terrified. She doesn’t know us. We’re all strangers to her. “We had a plan,” she admits. “Me and Max.”“You’re talking now?” Did he mention it? If so, I can’t remember for some reason. Then again, my head is so full, and so much has happened in the last twenty-four hours. “Yes,” she reveals. “It all happened very recently. I approached him because someone recommended this private investigator to me, and vowed that he was good. So, I assigned him to this case. He used to work with the military before. Some ultra shady shit. Moving on,
Ada I’m numb. The whole car ride, I’m numb. When Rebecca’s driver came to me and told me I had to leave with him, I thought it was some kind of trick. I was so suspicious. Then, she called me and explained to me as carefully as she could that it was all over and that I didn’t have to worry about a thing. That the driver was going to take me to her and the place where Victoria was. Victoria. I couldn’t believe it and still can’t. I have this feeling like maybe I’m dreaming this whole thing up or it’s all a figment of my shattered imagination, something my mind is coming up with to cope with all the loss. Because when Damson hung up after telling me that I’d never see my daughter again, I believed him. That broke me entirely and I think there are still fragments of me on the sidewalk, where I knelt for the longest time before the porter came and helped me inside. He wanted to call the police or an ambulance but I told him I was fine and just received bad news. Like ten minutes l
Maximilian But something happens. A miracle. Rebecca arrives, and I see her parking right across the street from where I’m on my knees on the ground, head spinning so fast that I have the urge to vomit. Right before I pass out, I see her race after Ada’s mother and Victoria, and I only allow the darkness to take over when I see Rebecca grab a hold of her and carry her to the car. Yes.Fucking yes. I pass out right on the road, and when I wake up, I’m being nudged. Someone’s tapping at my arm repeatedly too, and when I open my eyes, blinking rapidly until my vision clears, I see that someone’s tapping me with their foot. Slowly, I look up, and see that it’s an officer who’s tapping me with his foot. His face is a blur but slowly starts to clear up. However, my attention is pulled away from him when I remember Rebecca and Victoria. Ada’s mother. Panic seizes me. How long have I been out?Rebecca’s car isn’t parked across the street like it was before I fainted. Could it mean she
MaximilianMy heart is thumping in my chest endlessly. Sweat’s trickling down my forehead in rivulets and it’s getting harder and harder for me to breathe since I parked my car right across the house where Damson lives. Yes, I’ve arrived. At first I thought that maybe it was idiotic to assume that Victoria would be here because what if she was in school? And that’s when I remembered that today is Saturday. No school. Staring at the house sends chills all over me, not because it looks terrifying in any sense, but because of how ordinary it looks. There’s a garden right in the front and people are milling around, getting their weekend exercise in. Whatever. It’s all so fucking ordinary that I ask myself if I’m even in the right place. I look up and down the street. I don’t think Rebecca has arrived yet. Then again, I was closer to her than she was. Whenever I imagined the place where Damson was keeping her, I thought about a dark place somewhere in an abandoned factory or buildi
AdaWhen Damson calls, I’m ready for him. I don’t allow my voice to shake with nervousness. I just leave it as it is. “Hello?”He’s silent and already I take this as a bad sign. My heart is beating against my chest. Slamming, really. So fast that I’m sure it’s going to burst. I’m terrified of what he’s going to say next. I can tell by the sound of his erratic breathing on the other end of the line that it can’t be good. “You lied to me.”“What?”“You betrayed me,” he adds. My heart sinks further. “You told me that you and him had nothing going on between the two of you yet he has just left your apartment. Don’t bother denying it, Ada! I saw it with both eyes!”I close my eyes and hot tears slide down my cheeks. “Damson—”“YOU LIAR!” he rages. “You whore! You’re a lying whore, Ada! You’ll never be anything more than that!”“That’s not true, Damson. You’re exaggerating and…he was here because he wanted to get back with me but I pushed him away. I told him not to come anymore.”“Liar!
Maximilian “I do love you,” she whispers in my ear before pressing a kiss on my earlobe. “I do.”“Then what are we waiting for?” I ask fiercely, my arms tightening around her. “Why don’t we take our lives? Why wait?”“I’m not…I’m scared,” she answers. I put her back on the ground and she keeps her hands on me. I register how her hands are shaking lightly and feel the urge to grab them between mine to make them stop. So, I do. Ada licks her lips and says, “Damson is counting on the fact that you and I aren’t together anymore, remember? It’s like I told you over the phone. He wants me to hear that I regret our relationship. That I just want…I don’t know what he wants from me, Max. Dammit, he’s my twin and yet, I don’t know if he still remembers that or if he even believes it. I don’t know if he wants a relationship with me like he did before.”I shudder at her doubts. Dammit, I’ve been thinking so much about myself that I completely disregarded how she’d be tormented by that man’s re
Maximilian Except, I’m not so sure if Damson was actually lying and that’s the part that bothers me most. Because I don’t know if the detective Rebecca hired actually went after him to find out where he lived. He was with us some hours ago, though, so maybe not? I’m still not sure. It seems unlikely because how would he know where Damson was? Either way, I’ll have to ask Rebecca and make sure it wasn’t him, and I feel shitty about the whole thing. Because the same thing happened the last time and it was what tore us apart. I’m actually glad I didn’t tell her about the new progress we’ve been making or she’d leap to conclusions and whatever we’re working on here wouldn’t work anymore. It’s not only that—I’m scared, too. What if this investigator ends up making things worse for us? I have a million questions at this point and no answers to them. I try not to feel angry as I think about the whole thing because I was pretty hopeful when I saw Damson’s face on the screen of the comp