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
Carmela walked alongside Lily, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as the cool night air pressed against her skin. The city lights flickered in the distance, but the glow felt cold, distant—just like everything else.She was hollow.The loss of her child had left an ache inside her that wouldn’t go away.“I keep thinking it was my fault,” she whispered.Lily’s steps slowed. “Carmela…”“I drank that night,” Carmela continued, her voice barely above a breath. “I should have been more careful.”Lily turned sharply, grabbing her hand. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for this.”Carmela swallowed hard, blinking against the burning in her eyes.“I just… I don’t know what to do now,” she admitted. “It feels like everything is falling apart.”Lily sighed, tightening her grip. “You’re not alone.”Carmela let out a soft, bitter laugh. “Aren’t I?” She shook her head, looking away. “Damion never wanted me. He hated me. And now…” Her throat tightened. “Now, there’s no baby tying me to him.”Lily
Lily let out a long sigh as she approached her apartment complex, rolling her shoulders to shake off the uneasy feeling that had settled over her since Carmela left. Something about Elena’s sudden appearance didn’t sit right with her.She was about to unlock the door when a shadow moved from the corner of her eye.Her pulse jumped.Then, the figure stepped into the dim light of the streetlamp.Damion.He was leaning against his sleek black car, arms crossed, eyes burning with something dangerous. His sharp suit was slightly wrinkled, his tie loosened—like he had been waiting for a while.Lily cursed internally.Before she could pretend she didn’t see him, he pushed off the car and strode toward her.“Where is she?”Lily tightened her grip on her keys, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “Excuse me?”Damion’s expression darkened. “Don’t play games with me, Lily.”Lily swallowed but stood her ground. “She left.”Damion’s eyes narrowed. “With who?”Lily hesitated, then exhaled sharply. “El
Flashback – Twelve Years AgoThe Blackwood estate was always filled with noise. But not the noise of joy. Not the noise of laughter. It was the noise of power. Of discipline. Of fear.Inside the grand study, two young boys stood before a massive oak desk.Damion, barely thirteen, stood rigidly, fists clenched at his sides. Adrian, two years older, stood beside him, his face blank.Their father, William Blackwood, paced behind the desk, his sharp gaze shifting between them.He finally stopped, exhaling in disappointment. “You two are weak.”Neither boy flinched.William slowly approached, his fingers brushing over a silver knife resting on the desk. “You will never inherit this empire if you continue acting like children.”Damion’s throat tightened. “We’re not children.”William smirked. “Then prove it.”He grabbed Adrian’s arm roughly and shoved him forward. Adrian stumbled but quickly straightened. William turned to Damion. “Take the knife.”Damion hesitated. William’s gaze darkened.
The tension in Adrian’s mansion thickened like a storm waiting to break. Carmela sat stiffly in the luxurious chair, her pulse hammering in her ears. Adrian had just finished his cryptic warning, his smirk lingering as if he had all the time in the world.But before she could form a response—Bang.The heavy double doors swung open with a force that sent a sharp gust through the room.Carmela’s breath hitched.Damion.He stood in the doorway like a shadow from hell, his stormy gray eyes burning with fury. His sharp suit clung to his broad frame, his usually composed expression shattered with barely restrained rage.His gaze cut through the room like a knife, immediately landing on Carmela.A muscle in his jaw twitched. “Stand up.”Carmela stiffened at the quiet command in his voice.Adrian let out a slow, amused chuckle, swirling the whiskey in his glass. “That was fast.”Damion ignored him, his focus solely on Carmela. “I said stand up.”Carmela swallowed, torn between obeying and ho
The car moved steadily through the dimly lit streets, the glow of streetlights casting long shadows across the dashboard. The tension inside the vehicle was suffocating, thick enough to drown in.Carmela sat stiffly in the passenger seat, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she stared out the window, watching the city blur past her. The night air outside was crisp, yet she felt stifled—like she was trapped in a space much too small, much too heavy with unspoken words.Damion hadn’t spoken a word since they left Adrian’s estate.Not a glance, not a breath of acknowledgment.He drove with one hand gripping the wheel, his knuckles white from the force of his grip. His jaw was clenched so tightly that Carmela was afraid it might snap if he kept grinding his teeth like that.And yet, despite his rigid silence, she could feel the storm inside him, brewing dangerously beneath the surface.She wanted to say something, anything, but she didn’t know where to start.Her heart was still po
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