SILVIA'S POV "Why did you bring me here?"I never thought that I would be back here after what happened last time.After I embedded a bullet in Paula’s skull.Gerald shrugs nonchalantly and says, "They sell good hot dogs and burgers here." He stepped out of the car, and I could do nothing but sit there in silence and confusion. I knew Gerald. He was rich. He was extravagant. He bought the best food or cooked at home. He would never come here."He will never forgive you for this."My heart flew out of my chest when my eyes fell on Gerald, he was staring right at me through the window. I almost missed it, but there was an emotion in his eyes that he was incredibly quick to hide. His eyebrows pulled together, and his lips formed a thin line. He was confused.I needed to get my act together. I was overreacting and becoming paranoid. I might end the day with a breakdown if I continue like this. I had to get a grip!I opened the door and smiled at Gerald warily. He was leaning against the
SILVIA'S POV A dull, incessant beeping pulled me from the depths of unconsciousness. My eyelids felt like lead, my thoughts sluggish, as though I were wading through thick fog. The air smelled sterile—antiseptic, too clean. The lights above were too bright, their glare stabbing into my eyes like tiny knives.I tried to move, but a sharp pain lanced through my side, tearing a gasp from my lips. The pain was deep, raw, as if someone had buried fire inside me. I instinctively reached down, fingers brushing against stiff, layered bandages wrapped around my abdomen. My breath hitched.Where was I?The rhythmic beeping came from a monitor to my right, its green lines pulsing in time with my heart. IV tubes snaked from my arm, leading to a bag of clear liquid hanging from a metal stand. White sheets covered me up to my waist, tucked too tightly around me. The room was small, sterile, walls a dull shade of blue, ceiling tiles pockmarked with tiny holes. It smelled of sickness, of medicine, o
SILVIA'S POV The club beneath Gerald’s apartment was still alive, pulsing with dim neon lights and the rhythmic thump of bass-heavy music. The air was thick with cigarette smoke and the cloying scent of cheap perfume. Laughter, conversation, the clinking of glasses—all of it washed over me in waves, distant and insignificant.I wove through the crowd, barely registering the faces around me. A few people glanced my way, some in recognition, others with wary curiosity. I didn’t slow down. My mind was already fixated on what lay beyond the dark staircase at the back of the club.Gerald’s apartment.I climbed the stairs two at a time, my heart beating a little too fast. The door at the top was closed, just as it always had been. I reached for the handle and turned.Unlocked.I pushed the door open, stepping inside.Then I froze.The apartment was empty.Not just messy. Not just in disarray. Empty.The couch was gone. The framed photographs that once lined the walls had disappeared. The l
SILVIA'S POV It was late by the time I left school.The halls were mostly empty, save for the occasional janitor pushing a mop or a few students finishing up last-minute assignments. I had spent the past few hours with Mason and Abel, catching up on what I had missed. They were patient, explaining everything in a way that almost made me forget how much time I had lost. Almost.As we stepped outside, Mason stretched, yawning. “Alright, that’s enough for today. My brain is fried.”“Yeah,” Abel agreed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “We’ll go over the rest tomorrow. Try not to disappear again, Silvia.”I rolled my eyes, shouldering my bag. “No promises.”Mason chuckled, but Abel only shook his head. “Seriously,” he muttered, “you’ve been acting weird lately.”I didn’t respond to that.Instead, I gave them a small wave and turned toward the parking lot.The campus was eerily quiet now, the streetlights casting long shadows across the pavement. The air was crisp, carrying the distant
SILVIA'S POV I wasted no time.My hands moved swiftly, grabbing as many blades from the torture table as I could, slipping them into my pants and boots. Each cool edge pressing against my skin reminded me of what I had to do next. Get out.Then—The door burst open.Two guards stormed in, guns raised.Bang! Bang!The room exploded with the sharp crack of gunfire. Instinct took over. I lunged, grabbing George’s still-warm corpse and hoisting it in front of me as a shield.Bullets tore through his lifeless body, the impact pushing me back, but I held firm. My arms shook under the weight of the dead man, the thick scent of blood filling my nose, but I gritted my teeth and waited for the moment.The second their magazines clicked empty—I moved.Dropping George’s body, I lunged forward, my blade flashing under the dim, flickering light.The first guard barely had time to react before I plunged my knife into his throat. A choked gurgle escaped him as he staggered, crimson pouring from the
SILVIA'S POV Weeks had passed.Weeks without Gerald.Since that night—since the moonlight had illuminated his cold, distant eyes as he nearly ran me over—I hadn’t seen or heard from him. No messages. No accidental run-ins. Nothing.It was as if he had vanished again.Only this time, I knew it was intentional.I had killed his father.I had given him what he wanted—what he should have wanted.George had been a monster. A cruel, manipulative excuse for a man. Gerald had hated him more than anything. He should have been relieved.But deep down, I knew the truth.He wasn’t happy.And he never would be.Because despite all the pain George had caused him, despite all the nights Gerald had spent drinking away his rage and dreaming of a life where his father no longer existed—it was still his father.That kind of hatred runs deep, but so does the connection. No matter how much you want to sever it, there’s always a part of you that remembers.I told myself I would leave him alone.For now.B
SILVIA'S POV The music faded into a distant hum, drowned out by the pounding of my heartbeat in my ears. I stared at Gerald as we danced, his hands firm on my waist, his grip colder than ice. The warmth that once lived in his eyes was gone, replaced by something hollow, something dark.“You’re a good liar,” he murmured against my ear, his voice laced with quiet venom.His words sent a shiver down my spine, but I didn’t break eye contact. I knew this Gerald was different—the man standing in front of me wasn’t the same person who once held me close, whispering sweet promises in the dead of night.“What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Gerald chuckled, the sound bitter and empty. “Look at you, Silvia,” he said, spinning me slowly. “Dressed up like the perfect student, pretending to be just another normal girl at her high school prom. But we both know what you really are.”I swallowed hard. “Gerald, please,” I said, gripping his arm. “I don’t want that li
GERALD'S POVFive years. It had been five years since the night I watched Silvia being dragged away, a mere shadow of the woman I had once known. The weight of the years hung heavy on me, though I had spent that time making something of myself, something unimaginable in high school. I had gotten my degrees, my MBA, my accounting credentials, and had taken control of my father’s empire, tripling the company’s worth in a fraction of the time it took most people to find their footing. Now, I was one of the wealthiest young men alive.I just know that wherever Paula was right now, she was smiling. Not only had I taken down the bitch who had killed her, but I also achieved her dream.I graduated high school, got my degrees and made a name for myself.Yet despite all that, despite all the success, the emptiness gnawed at me. It was a quiet, insidious thing that lingered in the background of every achievement, every financial transaction. The emptiness grew louder every time I looked at
SILVIA'S POV Gerald Owens’ company was even more magnificent than I had imagined.As I stepped into the grand lobby, my eyes trailed over the high ceilings, the polished marble floors, and the towering glass windows that allowed golden morning light to flood the space. Everything about the place screamed power and wealth. The people who worked here walked with confidence, their expensive suits and skirts tailored to perfection.For a moment, I felt out of place.Then I straightened my shoulders and kept walking.I approached the front desk, where a young woman with sleek blonde hair and sharp green eyes was typing away at her computer. She didn’t even look up when I stopped in front of her.“I’d like to see Gerald Owens,” I said, keeping my voice firm but polite.The clack-clack of her manicured nails paused for only a second before resuming.“Mr. Owens is busy.”I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes.I leaned forward slightly. “Tell him Silvia Carter is here.”That got her atte
SILVIA'S POV A week had passed since Gerald had let me go.I had returned to my duties at the coffee shop, blending into the mundane routine of a life that didn’t belong to me. The old manager, ever so kind and oblivious, had asked why I hadn’t shown up that day. I had lied, telling her I had been sick, and she had believed me without hesitation.No suspicion. No questions. Just a gentle smile and a warm pat on my back.She had no idea that her newest employee had once been one of the deadliest assassins alive.I carried on as if I were just another woman trying to make ends meet, but the truth was, I was fading.Each day, my body betrayed me a little more.The weight continued to fall off me at an alarming rate. My reflection in the cafe’s kitchen window revealed hollowed-out cheeks, lifeless eyes, and skin so pale it looked almost translucent. I had lost so much strength that I sometimes struggled to carry heavy trays.It was only a matter of time.The alley behind the shop was qui
GERALD'S POVI paced the length of my study, my fists clenching and unclenching at my sides. My head throbbed, not just from the whiskey I had downed hours ago, but from the truth I had just learned.Silvia was dying.It should have been music to my ears. A victory worth celebrating.So why did my chest feel like it was caving in?I gritted my teeth and ran a hand through my hair, yanking at the strands in frustration.She had to be lying.It was a trick. A game. A way to mess with my head, just like she always did.But people don’t cough up blood like that for no reason.A scream tore from my throat before I could stop it. I drove my fist into the wall—once, twice, three times—until my knuckles split and blood smeared against the cracked surface. The pain barely registered, drowned beneath the chaotic storm brewing inside me.I had waited years for this. Imagined it. Dreamt of it.And yet…It didn’t feel the way I thought it would.My breaths came out in ragged gasps, my vision swimm
SILVIA'S POV The streets were quieter at night, the occasional flickering of streetlights casting eerie shadows on the pavement. I moved like a ghost, my steps silent, my presence undetectable. I had been doing this for years—blending into the darkness, becoming one with it.Tracking Josiah and Chloe had been laughably easy. Some people never learned.Even after five years, Josiah was still predictable—still reckless, still believing he was untouchable. He and Chloe walked hand in hand, their laughter cutting through the silence of the night as they strolled down the empty sidewalk. Their bodies leaned into each other, lost in their little world.Disgust curled in my stomach.The sight of them together was almost amusing in a twisted way. The same people. The same scenario.It was like déjà vu.I stayed in the shadows, following their movements, watching as Chloe tugged Josiah toward a dark alleyway. The urgency in her steps, the way she pulled him against her—it was obvious what the
GERALD'S POVThe realization hit me like a brick wall.Both Don Casillas and Silvia had infiltrated my security on the same day.It was unacceptable.I refused to be caught off guard again.The next morning, I took immediate action. I fired half of my security team—anyone incompetent enough to let two of my worst enemies stroll into my property undetected didn’t deserve to work for me. In their place, I hired professionals. Ex-military, former intelligence agents, men who understood the weight of their responsibilities.More security cameras were installed at every possible entry point of my mansion and office. My guards now operated on shifts, ensuring there was never a moment of vulnerability. I added motion detectors, reinforced doors, and even had a few hidden weapons installed in key areas.I also got more guard dogs.Rex was a companion, not a protector. He had been trained for loyalty, not aggression. But the new dogs? They were bred for security—large, powerful, trained to sni
GERALD'S POVThe afternoon sun hung high in the sky, casting golden light over the expansive garden of my estate. The scent of freshly cut grass mixed with the lingering fragrance of the roses lining the stone pathway. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the ancient oak trees standing tall like sentinels, their branches swaying in a lazy rhythm.I rolled the ball in my hand, feeling the rough texture against my palm before tossing it across the yard. "Go get it, Rex," I called out, watching as my dog, a massive black German Shepherd, bolted after it with powerful strides. His muscular frame cut through the grass, a blur of black and tan against the green.For a brief moment, I allowed myself to relax. This was one of the few times in the day I could clear my mind. The company, the board meetings, the endless responsibilities—they all faded into the background when I was out here with Rex.But then, the minutes passed, and Rex didn’t return.A knot formed in my stomach. He never took
GERALD'S POVFive years. It had been five years since the night I watched Silvia being dragged away, a mere shadow of the woman I had once known. The weight of the years hung heavy on me, though I had spent that time making something of myself, something unimaginable in high school. I had gotten my degrees, my MBA, my accounting credentials, and had taken control of my father’s empire, tripling the company’s worth in a fraction of the time it took most people to find their footing. Now, I was one of the wealthiest young men alive.I just know that wherever Paula was right now, she was smiling. Not only had I taken down the bitch who had killed her, but I also achieved her dream.I graduated high school, got my degrees and made a name for myself.Yet despite all that, despite all the success, the emptiness gnawed at me. It was a quiet, insidious thing that lingered in the background of every achievement, every financial transaction. The emptiness grew louder every time I looked at
SILVIA'S POV The music faded into a distant hum, drowned out by the pounding of my heartbeat in my ears. I stared at Gerald as we danced, his hands firm on my waist, his grip colder than ice. The warmth that once lived in his eyes was gone, replaced by something hollow, something dark.“You’re a good liar,” he murmured against my ear, his voice laced with quiet venom.His words sent a shiver down my spine, but I didn’t break eye contact. I knew this Gerald was different—the man standing in front of me wasn’t the same person who once held me close, whispering sweet promises in the dead of night.“What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Gerald chuckled, the sound bitter and empty. “Look at you, Silvia,” he said, spinning me slowly. “Dressed up like the perfect student, pretending to be just another normal girl at her high school prom. But we both know what you really are.”I swallowed hard. “Gerald, please,” I said, gripping his arm. “I don’t want that li
SILVIA'S POV Weeks had passed.Weeks without Gerald.Since that night—since the moonlight had illuminated his cold, distant eyes as he nearly ran me over—I hadn’t seen or heard from him. No messages. No accidental run-ins. Nothing.It was as if he had vanished again.Only this time, I knew it was intentional.I had killed his father.I had given him what he wanted—what he should have wanted.George had been a monster. A cruel, manipulative excuse for a man. Gerald had hated him more than anything. He should have been relieved.But deep down, I knew the truth.He wasn’t happy.And he never would be.Because despite all the pain George had caused him, despite all the nights Gerald had spent drinking away his rage and dreaming of a life where his father no longer existed—it was still his father.That kind of hatred runs deep, but so does the connection. No matter how much you want to sever it, there’s always a part of you that remembers.I told myself I would leave him alone.For now.B