A heavy silence had settled over the room like a thick fog, suffocating and unrelenting. The weight of the truth pressed down on them all, but for Carmela, it felt unbearable.Damion had been alive all this time. It was a very shocking revelation to Carmela after feeling disappointed and discouraged that he might have died and was never coming back even after his body went missing. But now, He had never died. He was well alive but not completely sane. There was now a whole lot of confusing conspiracies to her that he was alive but not sane. He’s soul wasn’t even in the body that claims to be his. And now, he was missing. Which was the worst case scenario she had expected to happen. Carmela stood frozen, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she tried to process everything at once. The realization sent her heart pounding against her ribs, her body growing tense with barely contained frustration.Lucas, who had been standing near the doorway, finally let out a long, weary sigh. “This
The cold night air wrapped around them as the group left the sterile hospital corridors behind. In the dim light of the early morning, the heavy reality of their situation pressed down on everyone like a physical weight. Carmela, Lucas, Leonard, Catherine, and a few trusted aides had gathered in a secluded conference room within the hospital—a temporary war room where plans were hatched and doubts assuaged. Their faces, lit by the glow of a single overhead lamp, wore expressions ranging from despair to grim determination.Leonard was the first to speak. “We have to move fast. Adrian—our Damion—is out there somewhere in the Blackwood forest. If his mind is unstable… if he’s truly lost, he won’t last long in that wilderness.”Catherine’s eyes, once so steady with ancient wisdom, now shimmered with a mix of sorrow and resolve. “Our ancestors believed that the forest would consume those who dared disturb the sacred legacy of the Blackwoods,” she intoned. “It is dangerous and unpredictabl
An hour later, the search party was assembled at the edge of the forest. Lucas and Leonard led a small group of trusted men, equipped with flashlights, night-vision goggles, and handheld trackers. Carmela and Catherine were reluctantly brought along; Carmela insisted on accompanying them, unable to bear the thought of being left behind while Damion was lost to the night.The forest loomed ahead, ancient and foreboding. The trees, tall and gnarled, stretched toward the starless sky. A dense fog slithered between them, and every rustle of leaves felt like a whispered warning.Lucas motioned for the group to spread out in a cautious formation. “Keep your comms open. We search the northern sector first. Remember, if we see any sign of him—any item of his clothing, any personal belonging—report immediately.” His voice was quiet, yet authoritative.Carmela walked slowly at Lucas’s side, her eyes scanning the ground for any clue, her heart pounding so loudly she could almost hear it echoing
The forest seemed to hold its breath as the search party crept toward the indicated spot. Carmela’s mind was a jumble of emotions—grief, fear, anger, and hope—intertwined into a desperate plea for her lost love.Every rustle, every shifting shadow set her nerves on edge. Finally, a figure emerged from behind a cluster of trees. Carmela’s heart nearly stopped.It was a man. Not Damion—he looked different.Lucas’s radio crackled: “Visual confirmed. Unidentified subject in sector.”Carmela squinted into the dim light. The man’s face was hidden beneath a hood, his features obscured by shadow. For a moment, she thought it was Damion, but something was off—there was an eerie stillness in his step, a vacant look in his eyes.“Damion? I mean, Adrian? Is that you?” she whispered, reaching out instinctively, but the man moved away, disappearing into the trees.Lucas’s voice came over the radio, “No visual confirmation of Damion yet. Continue the search.”Carmela sank to the ground, tears stream
Carmela’s heart raced as she followed Lucas along the narrow, muddy trail that led deeper into the forest. Every sound seemed amplified—the crunch of dry leaves underfoot, the distant call of a bird, the soft murmur of the creek ahead.As they reached the creek, Lucas signaled for everyone to stop. He knelt down, examining a small, portable device that was picking up the signal. “It’s here,” he said, voice quiet but firm. “I can feel it.”Carmela’s eyes filled with tears as she clutched the cufflink, the only tangible remnant of Damion’s presence. “Lucas, please,” she whispered. “Just… find him.”Lucas nodded, his expression serious. “We will.”Leonard joined them, his face etched with worry. “This is a critical point,” he murmured. “If Adrian’s out there, he might be close. But be cautious. The tracker is erratic, and this area is known for its treacherous terrain.”The three of them moved slowly, the forest around them eerily quiet now, as if nature itself were holding its breath. C
After another agonizing hour with no clear lead, Leonard’s radio buzzed with urgent static. “Lucas, you need to get back. There’s been an incident at the hospital.”Lucas’s expression darkened. “What kind of incident?”Leonard hesitated before replying, “They’ve reported that Damion’s body is still missing from the hospital. There’s no record of him being brought in for surgery. It’s as if he never existed.”“And we know whys that, right?” Carmela’s heart pounded in her ears. “So what does this mean anyways? That he’s truly gone…” she whispered, her voice trembling.Lucas clenched his jaw, forcing himself to focus. “Not gone. We have to assume he’s out there somewhere, even if his mind is fractured. We can’t give up now.”Catherine, who had remained quiet until now, stepped forward slowly. “My dear, listen,” she said softly, her tone full of sorrow. “Our family’s curse has been at work for centuries. The key, the power it holds—this isn’t just about wealth or authority. It’s a burden,
As the day wore on, the search party dispersed once more into the depths of the forest, determined to follow every lead. Carmela, though heartbroken, refused to stay behind. With trembling determination, she joined one of the smaller teams, her eyes scanning every inch of the undergrowth for any sign of Damion. Every distant sound, every flicker of movement, sent her heart racing.Hours passed in grueling silence. The forest, ancient and indifferent, seemed to watch them with hidden eyes. The sun sank lower, painting the sky with bruised shades of purple and gold, while the cool night air crept in. The tension was thick, as if the very trees were whispering secrets of cursed destinies and lost souls.Then, just as darkness began to cloak the woods, Leonard’s voice came crackling over the radio. “Lucas, we have a positive signal near the northern ridge. It’s faint, but it’s there. We’re moving in.”Lucas’s tone was resolute. “Team Delta, converge on the ridge immediately. Carmela, sta
The hospital smelled of antiseptic and lingering fear. It had been hours since they’d found Damion—his body, at least—wandering aimlessly in the forest, his clothes tattered, his face hollow. His eyes had been vacant, unseeing, like a man whose mind had been completely shattered. It had taken three of Adrian’s men to restrain him, to drag him out of the depths of the wilderness before he could disappear forever. Now, he lay in a hospital bed, bound by restraints, machines beeping softly beside him, his unconscious form barely clinging to reality.The sterile hum of fluorescent lights and the rhythmic beep of heart monitors filled the hospital ward as Damion lay on a bed that, though pristine white, now seemed unbearably cold. His body—though it looked human to the untrained eye—moved with the mechanical precision of someone not fully in control of his own being. For hours, the doctors had worked tirelessly to stabilize him after his frantic escape from the cursed forest, but his con
Isabelle’s POV I stared at the message on my phone, the cold words burning into my mind. “You’re running out of time. Leave, or face the consequences.” Walter. I didn’t need proof. His fingerprints were all over this. The sudden sabotage of my contracts, the threatening text—it was his way of reminding me that I was nothing to him. That I was a problem he needed to erase. But the part that rattled me most wasn’t the threat itself. It was the fact that Walter knew I wouldn’t leave. Not this time. I set my phone down, inhaling deeply, fighting to steady my pulse. I wouldn’t be bullied. I wouldn’t let this man, or anyone else, push me out of my life. I had built everything from scratch. My business. My reputation. My home. But as I sat there, staring into the dimly lit living room, the ache in my chest was undeniable. Because I hadn’t just built this life for myself. I had built it for Nathan. The sound of his soft footsteps broke my spiral. “Mommy?” His sleep
Isabelle’s POV The morning came with a sense of foreboding I couldn’t shake. I’d barely slept, my thoughts consumed by Walter Ryder’s warning and the weight of his veiled threat. It wasn’t just his words that unsettled me—it was the way he delivered them. Calm. Cold. Unrelenting. Nathan’s laughter floated from the living room as I sipped my coffee, his innocent joy a stark contrast to the storm brewing in my mind. I glanced at my phone, the unread messages from Brian a reminder that my life wasn’t just a mess—it was a tangled web, and I was caught in the center of it. Stephanie’s call came just as I was about to head to the office. Her voice was rushed, almost panicked. “Miss Everett, we have a situation.” I gripped the phone tighter. “What is it?” “Three of our major clients have pulled out of their contracts this morning,” she said, her voice trembling. “No explanation. Just… gone.” The room tilted slightly, but I forced myself to stay calm. “All at once?” “Yes,” s
Isabelle’s POV Walter Ryder was a man whose presence lingered long after he left a room. Even now, as I sat in my office staring blankly at the door he had walked through, I could feel his cold, calculating gaze bearing down on me. His warning replayed in my mind, his words like shards of ice cutting through my resolve. “Take your son and disappear before Damion gets too close.” It wasn’t a suggestion—it was a threat. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Walter Ryder had always been a puppet master, pulling strings from the shadows, and I wasn’t naïve enough to think his visit was just a courtesy call. He wanted me gone. He always had. But this time, I wasn’t running. Later that afternoon, I sat in my living room with Nathan, his laughter filling the space as he played with his toy cars. Watching him, I felt a pang of guilt. His innocence was a stark contrast to the storm brewing around us, and I hated that he was caught in the middle of it. “Mommy,” he
Damion’s POV I stormed out of Isabelle’s house, her last words echoing in my mind. “He’s not yours. That’s all you need to know.” But I didn’t believe her. I couldn’t. The way she avoided my gaze, the tremor in her voice—it all screamed of something she was hiding. And I wasn’t about to let this go. My car sat idling on the curb, but I didn’t get in. Instead, I leaned against the hood, the cool night air doing little to calm the fire burning inside me. Nathan’s face lingered in my thoughts. The resemblance, the timing—it all fit. If Isabelle was lying, I’d find out. My phone buzzed in my pocket, breaking my train of thought. When I pulled it out, the name on the screen sent a chill down my spine. Walter Ryder. My father. I hesitated before answering, my grip on the phone tightening. “What do you want?” His voice was as cold and commanding as ever. “Damion. We need to talk.” “I don’t have time for this,” I snapped. “Whatever it is, I’m not interested.” “Oh, but yo
Damion’s POV The sound of Kaia’s heels clicking away echoed in my head long after she was gone. Her words, her accusations, and the sharp tension between her and Isabelle still clung to me like smoke after a fire. Isabelle’s glare before she walked back into her office cut deeper than I’d expected. She’d blamed me, of course, and maybe she was right. But it wasn’t that simple. It never had been. I stood outside the building, staring at the glass doors she’d disappeared through. My heart ached, a feeling I’d thought I’d long buried. Isabelle Everett was under my skin in a way no one else ever could be. But then there was Nathan. Kaia’s pointed remarks about Isabelle’s son wouldn’t leave my mind. Every instinct in me screamed that there was more to this story than Isabelle was letting on. And if I wanted answers, I’d have to find them myself. I pulled out my phone and dialed Kaia. Kaia’s POV I was still seething by the time I reached my car, slamming the door shut with
Isabelle’s POV Stephanie’s words hung in the air like a bomb waiting to detonate. Kaia was outside. Causing a scene. Of course, she was. My hands tightened into fists, and I turned to glance at Damion. He looked as surprised as I felt, his brows furrowing, but there was something else in his expression—annoyance, perhaps? Or dread? “I’ll handle it,” I said coldly, moving toward the door. “I’m coming with you,” Damion said, stepping forward. I spun to face him, my glare sharp. “You’ve done enough already. Stay here.” “No,” he said firmly. “Kaia is my problem.” I opened my mouth to argue but stopped. A part of me wanted to see him face the chaos he’d brought into my life. Maybe he needed to deal with her to understand the kind of destruction he left in his wake. “Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “Let’s go.” As we stepped out of the office building, I immediately spotted Kaia near the entrance, her voice carrying over the murmurs of passersby. She was dressed impecc
Isabelle’s POV The morning sun spilled through the curtains, filling my bedroom with warmth. It should have been comforting, but instead, it felt like a spotlight, exposing the chaos of my thoughts. After the storm Damion had stirred last night, I couldn’t shake the unease clinging to me. His words, his presence—they lingered like smoke in the air, impossible to ignore. I sat at the breakfast table with Nathan, his cheerful humming a stark contrast to the turmoil in my chest. He munched on a piece of toast, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me. “Mommy,” he said between bites, “can we go to the park today?” I forced a smile, brushing his curls back affectionately. “We’ll see, sweetheart. Mommy has some work to do first, okay?” He nodded, happily returning to his breakfast. Watching him, I felt a pang of guilt. I’d dragged him back to this city, thinking I could keep my past buried, but it was all unraveling. And now Damion was here, threatening to uncover secrets that c
Isabelle’s POV The air still felt heavy even after Damion finally left. His words, his touch, his kiss—it all lingered like a storm cloud over my thoughts. My lips still tingled, not just from his kiss but from the anger and disbelief that followed. What had just happened? How had I let it get this far? I paced back and forth in my living room, my hands trembling slightly as I tried to shake off the emotions swirling inside me. Damion Ryder was like a hurricane—unpredictable, destructive, and relentless. And just like before, I felt myself being pulled into his chaos. But I wouldn’t let it happen again. Nathan’s soft voice called from upstairs, breaking through my spiraling thoughts. “Mommy?” I froze, taking a deep breath to steady myself. “I’m here, sweetheart!” “Is it safe to come down now?” he asked, his tone innocent but tinged with curiosity. My heart clenched. He must have heard the commotion. “Yes, it’s safe. Everything’s fine.” I listened to the soft patter o
Isabelle’s POV The cool night air pressed against my skin as I marched toward Damion. My heart pounded in my chest, the fury bubbling inside me like a volcano ready to erupt. He stood near the gate, swaying slightly, the bottle in his hand hanging limply by his side. His disheveled appearance and glassy eyes screamed of recklessness, and the sight of him brought a mix of anger and… something else I couldn’t name. “What the hell are you doing here, Damion?” I demanded, my voice low and sharp. The murmurs from the small crowd of onlookers only fueled my frustration. “Are you trying to make a scene?” His head turned slowly, his eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, I thought he didn’t recognize me, but then a lazy, almost relieved smile spread across his face. “Isabelle,” he slurred, his voice thick with alcohol. “Finally.” I gritted my teeth, stepping closer. “Damion, you’re drunk. Go home.” “Home?” he echoed, stumbling forward. “I don’t have a home anymore. Not without you.