Carmela sat on the edge of the bed, gripping her phone tightly. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the screen, her thumb hovering over the message.Come get me.She hesitated, glancing toward the bedroom door. Damion had made it clear—she wasn’t allowed to leave. But she wasn’t his prisoner. She wouldn’t be.Before she could second-guess herself, she hit send.A moment later, the screen lit up.Lucas: On my way. Stay where you are.Relief flooded her.She quickly grabbed a hoodie from the closet and slipped it over her head. If she could just sneak out before anyone noticed—A knock at the door made her freeze.“Carmela.” Damion’s deep voice sent a shiver down her spine.She turned, swallowing hard. “What?”There was a pause before he spoke again. “I’ll be out for a few hours. Stay inside.”Her fingers curled into fists. “You don’t control me, Damion.”Silence. Then, in a lower voice, he said, “Don’t do anything stupid.”Her pulse spiked. Did he know?The sound of his foo
Carmela stood frozen by the window, her breath shallow as she watched the two men below.Damion. Lucas.Both waiting. Both watching.And both expecting her to choose.Her heart pounded against her ribs as her fingers gripped the windowsill.Lucas had come for her. He had answered her text without hesitation. And yet, now that he was here, standing his ground against Damion, a sick feeling churned in her stomach.She had started this.And she had no idea how to end it.Steeling herself, she turned away from the window, inhaling deeply before walking toward the bedroom door.One step at a time.Her legs felt like lead as she descended the grand staircase, her hands balled into fists at her sides.With every step, her mind screamed at her to stop.But her feet kept moving.By the time she reached the front door, her entire body was trembling.She pushed it open.The crisp evening air hit her immediately, cooling the sweat forming on her skin.Lucas and Damion both turned their heads at t
The silence inside the mansion was suffocating.Carmela had barely stepped through the front door when she heard the heavy click of it locking behind her.She didn’t need to turn around to know Damion was standing close, his presence like a shadow pressing against her.The tension between them was thick, electric.She had chosen to stay.Yet, she could feel the storm brewing behind Damion’s gaze.Taking a slow breath, she forced herself to move forward, but before she could take another step—“Why did you text him?”His voice was calm. Too calm.Carmela turned slowly, meeting his piercing gray eyes.There was no warmth in them, only cold calculation.She swallowed hard. “What?”Damion took a step closer. “You heard me.”She clenched her fingers into fists. “I—”But before she could even come up with an excuse, he was already stepping closer, his tall frame looming over her.“You wanted to leave,” he murmured, his voice lower now. “You called Lucas because you thought I’d never let you
Carmela stood in the center of the grand bedroom, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she stared at Damion in defiance.“You’re insane if you think I’m moving back here,” she stated firmly.Damion exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose before leveling her with a glare. “You don’t have a choice.”Carmela scoffed, throwing her hands up. “Oh, I don’t have a choice? Right, because you’re the almighty Damion Blackwood, and I’m just supposed to nod my head and obey.”Damion’s jaw ticked. “This isn’t about control, Carmela. It’s about survival.”She took a step closer, meeting his cold stare. “Whose survival? Because last time I checked, I’m not the one who has enemies.”Damion clenched his fists, his patience thinning. “You think my enemies won’t use you to get to me?” His voice was low, deadly.Carmela stiffened slightly but kept her expression unreadable.“I can take care of myself,” she muttered, though even she didn’t fully believe it.Damion let out a bitter chuckle, his g
Carmela had woken up to pain. She had slept over at Lily’s apartment so that the next day, she would return back to Damion’s with her luggages. A dull, twisting ache in her lower abdomen. At first, she had dismissed it, assuming it was the lingering aftereffects of the night at the bar. But then she saw the blood.Dark red stains on the sheets.Her heart had stopped.For a moment, she just stared, her mind refusing to process what she was seeing.Then, a sharp wave of panic crashed over her.“Lily!” Her voice came out hoarse, almost desperate.Within seconds, Lily burst into the room, her hair a mess, her eyes still heavy with sleep. “What? What’s wrong?”Carmela couldn’t speak. She just lifted the blanket slightly, exposing the stained sheets.Lily’s breath hitched.Then—“Get up. Now.”Carmela barely registered Lily throwing a coat over her before they rushed out of the house. The drive to the hospital was a blur of panic and dread.She didn’t even realize she was crying until she
Lily’s apartment was small but cozy, filled with the faint scent of vanilla from a burning candle on the kitchen counter. The dim lighting cast soft shadows along the walls, making the space feel warm, safe.But Carmela felt anything but safe.Her chest ached, her body weak from exhaustion and grief. She sat curled up on the couch, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Lily sat beside her, rubbing soothing circles on her back, whispering reassurances that barely reached her ears.The weight of her loss sat heavy in her chest, pressing down like an anchor, drowning her in silent pain.Then came the knock.A hard, deliberate bang against the door.Carmela flinched, her fingers tightening around the blanket.Lily stood immediately, frowning. “Who the hell—”The knock came again, harder this time.Lily hesitated before walking to the door, unlocking it cautiously. The moment she cracked it open, the door was shoved wide, and he stepped inside.Damion.His presence filled the room instan
Carmela stared at the message, her fingers tightening around the phone.This isn’t over.The words sent a sharp chill down her spine. She forced herself to read the next line again.You should have been smarter, Carmela.Her breathing grew uneven, and she swallowed hard. Her heart pounded against her ribs, the weight of the threat settling deep in her chest.“What’s wrong?” Lily’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.Carmela hesitated before locking her phone and looking up. “It’s nothing.”Lily raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “Carmela.”Carmela exhaled, placing the phone down. “I just got a message.”Lily frowned. “From who?”Carmela hesitated. “Adrian.”Lily’s entire expression shifted, her jaw clenching. “That bastard—”“I don’t want to talk about it,” Carmela interrupted, rubbing her temples. “I just—I need to go to work. I need a distraction.”Lily gave her a long, searching look before sighing. “Fine. But if anything happens, you tell me.”Carmela nodded, though deep down
The Blackwood Estate wasn’t as cold and unwelcoming as Adrian had expected when he returned.It was worse.It was empty.The vast mansion, once filled with servants and advisors, now felt abandoned. The halls echoed with his footsteps as he descended the grand staircase, his hand running along the polished mahogany railing.Everything had changed in the twelve years he was gone.His father was dead.His empire had been handed to his younger brother.And Adrian was just a ghost of the past, struggling to reclaim what had once been his.But not for long.A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.His butler, an aging man who had once served their father, opened the door.Elena stood there, wrapped in a sleek red dress that clung to her curves, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. She stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, her heels clicking against the marble floor.“Well, well,” she purred, her lips curving into a smirk. “Adrian Blackwood. Alive and well.”Ad
The hospital halls were suffocating with tension. The air smelled of antiseptic and blood, the remnants of the battle they had just fought within these very walls. Nurses and doctors rushed past, their hurried whispers filling the corridor. The sterile white lights flickered slightly, casting a dim glow over the linoleum floor. Carmela stood frozen just outside the emergency room doors, her heart hammering in her chest. She hadn’t moved since they wheeled Lucas away, her fingers clenched so tightly together that her nails dug into her palms. The moment had come. The doors swung open with force, and a team of doctors and nurses emerged, their uniforms stained with traces of blood. Lucas was being wheeled out on a stretcher, his skin pale, his breathing shallow. A thick bandage covered his torso, evidence of the emergency surgery he had just undergone. “Get him to recovery now!” one of the doctors barked as they rushed him down the hallway. Carmela’s feet moved before she could th
The night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, the cold breeze whispering through the trees as Adrian—Damion’s soul trapped within his brother’s body—moved through the dense forest with calculated steps. His men flanked him on either side, their expressions grim, their senses on high alert. The moon, hanging full and heavy above them, cast eerie silver streaks through the towering branches.They had been searching for hours.Every step forward felt like he was walking deeper into the unknown, further into the tangled fate that bound him and Adrian together. The weight of the curse pressed down on him, a reminder that time was slipping away. If they failed, if they couldn’t return the key to its rightful place before it was too late—both he and Adrian would cease to exist.A final death. A complete erasure.He clenched his jaw, forcing the thought from his mind. He refused to accept that as his fate.“This place feels cursed,” one of his men, Rowan, muttered as he swept
The flashing red and blue lights of the police cars flooded the hospital corridor as Elena screamed, her voice raw with rage and desperation. Two officers held her arms tightly as she thrashed against them, her face twisted in fury.“You traitor!” she spat at Lucas, her eyes burning with betrayal as they dragged her away. “You promised to protect me! You said we were in this together!”Lucas stood still, his breathing heavy, his body leaning slightly to the side as blood soaked his shirt. He coughed, his lips parting as if to respond, but no words came.“Take her away,” Carmela ordered, her voice cold, emotionless. The officers nodded, shoving Elena forward as she continued to struggle.“I won’t forget this, Lucas!” Elena’s shriek echoed down the hallway as they forced her out of sight.Lucas exhaled heavily, the pain in his side intensifying as his knees buckled.Then, everything erupted into chaos.“He’s losing too much blood!” one of the nurses cried out as she rushed forward.“Get
The air in the hospital was thick with tension. The rhythmic beeping of the machines in Damion’s room was the only sound before the sudden, heavy footsteps of approaching officers shattered the silence.Elena stood over the unconscious Damion, her fingers tightening around the syringe she was about to inject into his IV. Her expression was cold, eyes locked onto his unmoving face.“You’re not waking up again, Damion,” she whispered.Just as she was about to press the needle into his arm—Bang!The door burst open. A flood of officers stormed inside, their weapons drawn.“FREEZE!” one of them commanded, their voices a chorus of authority.Elena’s head snapped up, her face flashing from shock to rage.Then, stepping into the room, standing tall and unwavering, was Carmela. Behind her, more officers poured in, blocking any chance of escape.Elena’s hand trembled. How? How had Carmela gotten here so quickly?Then, Carmela’s sharp voice rang out.“Arrest her.”Elena’s eyes widened.“What?!
Elena’s eyes met his in the mirror, and for a long, charged moment, the two remained silent, each lost in their own inner turmoil. “So what do we do now?” she finally asked, her voice trembling with desperation and uncertainty. “Where do I find him?”Lucas’s response was measured, almost weary. “The hospital. Damion’s body is still in the ICU—if not fully alive, at least it’s there, and we might be able to coax some stability back into him. I have a contact who says there’s a weak but steady signal coming from the west wing.”Elena’s lips pressed into a thin line. “And if I go there… if I end him?”Lucas’s eyes darkened. “If you do that, Elena, you’ll not only lose him forever—you’ll be condemning our entire future. The curse is not something you can simply end with a bullet. It’s a twisted force that binds us all. If you take that step, there will be no coming back.”Her voice broke as she whispered, “I have to try, Lucas. I have to finish what I started.”Lucas shook his head, anger
Previously The conversation had ended in a heavy, charged silence as the storm had raged overhead, and Lucas had promised her that they would do everything possible to find Damion. But deep down, he had also cursed the day she decided that ending his life was the solution. He had known the risks, the unthinkable consequences—but he had also known that her ambition might drive her to acts of unimaginable cruelty.“Remember, Elena,” Lucas had whispered as they parted ways that night, “if you succeed in taking him out, you’re not just ending a life—you’re condemning their family to a fate worse than death. And if you fail… then the curse will claim you both.”“They’re all myths and legends and…”Elena had looked at him, her eyes dark with determination, and then had nodded, saying, “I know, Lucas. But sometimes, the only way to end a curse is to break it, even if it means sacrificing everything.”⸻Back to the PresentInside the car, the memory of that night still burned in Lucas’s eyes
The rain was coming down in a steady, relentless drizzle, blurring the neon lights of the city into streaks of color as dusk settled over the urban sprawl. In the darkness near a hospital parking lot, Elena Carter sprinted along the slick pavement, her breath ragged and heart pounding in her ears. Her eyes, wide with desperation and cold resolve, scanned the dimly lit street as she heard the distant wail of sirens drawing near. She didn’t dare slow down—not now. Every second mattered.Just as she rounded a corner, a black car screeched to a halt in front of her. The headlights illuminated her path, and without hesitation, Elena dove for the open door. The car’s door slammed shut behind her, and as the vehicle pulled away from the curb, she slumped into the back seat, trying to catch her breath.Inside the car, the familiar low rumble of the engine provided a brief, shaky comfort. Lucas, the driver and a man whose loyalty was as troubled as his secrets, glanced in the rearview mirror
Carmela’s lip trembled as she shook her head, tears falling freely. “Then why have you chose to hide away and leave me, Damion? Why do you let me see you as that man? I need you to be Damion—the man I loved, the man who was supposed to be my future. If you don’t come back to me, I’ll be left with nothing but the memory of a lie.”A deep pain flashed in his eyes, and for a moment, the two stood locked in a desperate, wordless embrace. The promise of reunion, of healing, hung between them like a fragile thread. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice raw with emotion. “I wish I could stay, but if I go and never return… then you must take care of Carmela for me. Promise me that you’ll protect yourself, that you’ll keep YOU safe, even if I’m not there.”Catherine, who had listened silently, stepped forward, her voice barely audible yet firm. “He speaks the truth, though his fate remains uncertain. The key is the only hope for our salvation—and for Damion to reclaim what was lost.”At that mo
Catherine’s eyes softened, and she pressed her hands together. “Then know this, my child: your actions will have consequences far beyond what you can imagine. If you do not succeed, if you fail to break this curse, then both you and Damion will be erased from existence. Our family’s legacy, all that we have built, will vanish like mist in the morning sun. I beg you—think of Carmela. Think of the love she has for you, and the hope she carries that one day you will come back whole.”For a long moment, silence reigned between them as the weight of her words sank deep into his heart. Adrian’s eyes shone with a mixture of determination and sorrow as he finally spoke, his voice low and resolute. “I promise you, Grandmother. I will retrieve the key, no matter the cost. And if, by some cruel twist of fate, I do not return… then please, take care of Carmela. Let her know that I fought until the end, that I loved her with all I had, and that my sacrifice was not in vain.”Catherine’s gaze soft