Hi, dear readers. I hope you're still enjoying the story! I know the plot of this chapter might bring sadness, but don't worry—everything will work out for the best!
Serena’s POVI stare blankly out the window, watching the world move on without me. The sky is a dull gray, the kind of color that perfectly matches the emptiness inside me. Life outside is continuing, people are going about their days, but here I am, stuck in this void, unable to feel anything but
Bill's POVDarkness surrounds me, but there’s something else too. Voices. Distant at first, like echoes from the bottom of a well, but they’re there, getting louder, clearer. I can’t move, can’t speak, but I hear them.“His vitals are stable, but we won’t know more until he wakes up.”A woman’s voic
Serena's POVTaylor's mansion is even more impressive in person than I imagined. The towering gates glide open smoothly, revealing a sprawling estate that looks straight out of a movie. The driveway is lined with meticulously trimmed hedges, and the massive front doors are framed by grand pillars.
Bill's POVI’m propped up on the edge of the hospital bed, the nurse’s hand steady on my arm as she helps me to my feet. My legs feel like jelly, and every muscle protests with sharp twinges of pain. I grip the walker like it’s a lifeline, trying to ignore the tremors in my limbs.“Slow and steady,
Serena's POVThe second I step inside, I know this place means business.The air is thick with the scent of metal and polish, almost like walking into a workshop in the middle of a city. Along the walls are these huge photos of incredible jewelry — pieces that look like they're worth millions of dol
Serena's POVThe second Madame Amélie finishes speaking, I’m on my feet, heading straight for my workbench. My mind is already racing with ideas, and I feel that familiar fire in my veins. A phoenix. The image hits me like a lightning bolt. Rising from the ashes, bold and defiant. That’s exactly h
Bill's POVI’m finally out of that damn hospital, but I’m far from feeling like myself. Every step is a reminder that I’m not at a hundred percent yet. My legs are still weak, and the stitches in my side pull with every movement, though the gunshot wound is at least healed. I grit my teeth and pus
Bill's POVEverything around me seems to freeze the moment the words leave Stevie’s mouth. Collin didn’t make it….I feel like the ground has been ripped out from under me. My heart pounds in my chest, each beat louder and more painful than the last. I stand there, numb, as the world seems to tilt,
Bill’s POVThe second day of the trial feels heavier than the first. I sit at the stand, every eye in the courtroom on me. Kevin sits across the room, leaning back in his chair, his face as blank as ever. But I’ve known him long enough to spot the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers tap rh
Serena’s POVEvan Carter steps up to the stand, his posture rigid but his face set with a kind of quiet determination. He’s nervous — I can see it in the way his hands grip the edges of the chair, his knuckles white — but he doesn’t hesitate when the prosecutor starts her questioning.“Mr. Carter,”
Serena’s POVThe courtroom feels like it’s holding its breath. Kevin sits across the room, calm and collected, as if he isn’t facing the weight of his crimes being read aloud. Arson. Money laundering. Drug trafficking. Arms dealing. Conspiracy. Each charge is like a hammer falling, but Kevin doesn’t
Bill’s POVThe flashing red and blue lights from the police cars paint everything in sharp. Kevin’s hunched figure disappears into the back of a cruiser, his hands cuffed tightly behind his back. But even as he’s being taken away, he still manages to twist the knife with his parting words.“This isn
Serena’s POVKevin strides toward me, his expression dark and twisted. I don’t move. I plant my feet, keeping my stance steady, just like Bill taught me. My heart races, but my mind is sharp, clear. I’m not afraid — not anymore.He lunges, fast and aggressive, the blade in his hand aiming straight f
Serena’s POVKevin raises the knife, and my breath catches. For a split second, time seems to slow, the glint of the blade catching the faint light like a silent threat. Before I can react, Bill charges in from the side, slamming into Kevin with the full force of his body. They hit the ground hard,
Serena’s POVKevin steps toward me. His twisted grin grows wider with each deliberate step. He thinks he has this in the bag. He thinks I’m scared, that I’ll back down the second he closes the gap. He doesn’t realize he’s underestimating me.My feet stay planted firmly on the ground, my hands steady
Bill’s POVKevin and his men approach slowly, scanning every corner. They’re trying to catch even the smallest hint of movement. They’re wary but not afraid, at least not yet. Kevin’s confidence radiates off him like a bad cologne, seeping into the minds of the men with him. Serena is crouched besi
Serena’s POVBill, Matt, James, and I go over every detail of the plan again and again. I sit at the table, watching as they discuss the best routes in and out of the location, debating whether we’ll have enough cover.It’s late, and all of us are tired. But I shake it off. There’s no time for being