Chris’s POVI sprinted down the hallway, my heart pounding in sync with my footsteps. Reaching Phoebe's door, I pounded on it with urgency. “Phoebe! Open up!” Panic laced my voice, and I could hear her rustling around inside.“Hold on!” she called, her voice shaking. The wait felt like an eternity, but finally, the door creaked open. Phoebe stood there, her hair tousled and eyes wide with fear.“What happened?” I asked, my heart racing, but I was really glad to see her looking unharmed. “I... I was having a nightmare,” she stammered, and my worry began to ease.“Just a nightmare?” I repeated, needing to hear it again.“Yes,” she nodded vigorously, color slowly returning to her cheeks. “I thought something was coming for me!”I felt relieved, but I still held her shoulders firmly. “You’re okay now,” I reassured her, my grip softening.Just then, Emily rushed toward us, looking quite anxious. She swept Phoebe into her arms, hugging her tightly. “Oh, thank God you’re okay!” Emily exclai
Chris’s POVFor a split second, I stood frozen, trying to make sense of it. She had just been there, smiling at me, waving, the candlelight dancing in her eyes. But now… nothing.A cold chill ran down my spine as I quickly scanned the surrounding area. People were walking by, casually enjoying their evening. No one seemed alarmed, no one seemed to have noticed anything unusual.“Emily?” I called out, taking a few steps toward the table while scanning the area. I tried to stay calm, telling myself she’d maybe gone inside the café or taken a quick bathroom break. But something in the air felt wrong. Off.I hurried toward the entrance of the café, peeking inside. “Emily?” I called again, louder this time. Heads turned in my direction, but none of them were hers.I moved quickly through the café, checking each corner, each table, hoping to see her, but Emily was nowhere in sight. The soft murmur of conversations around me felt muffled as panic crept in. Where could she have gone?“Emily?
Sophia’s POVI sat at the sleek conference table, my hands folded in front of me as Morgana rattled off yet another list of revisions. Another set of changes. My team had already poured months of work into this project, offering every possible option and angle, yet nothing ever seemed to satisfy her.The words blurred together as I struggled to remain composed. I had rehearsed this in my head so many times, the polite but firm boundary I’d been meaning to set. Today was the day I would finally say it.Morgana’s voice droned on, "...and I was thinking we should rework the lighting concept again, make it warmer, no, wait—cooler—but not too cold, just a hint of warmth—"I cleared my throat softly, interrupting her for the first time. “Morgana,” I said, keeping my tone even. “I understand you want this to be perfect. But we’ve already provided you with countless options. If we keep making changes like this, we’ll never get to the implementation stage, and the restaurant won’t open in tim
Elijah’s POVI stared at the dim light of my phone, the message from the former investigators pulsing in my mind. They had contacted me out of the blue after a long time of silence, saying they had a lead on Henry and Julia. I had almost dismissed it as another wild goose chase, but something tugged at me.I have to follow up every lead, see where it gets me.When Sophia came home later that evening, I could see the fatigue on her face. She dropped her bag by the door and looked at me with curiosity. “Hey, what’s got you so tense?” she asked, walking over to where I sat at the kitchen table. “Is it about Henry and Julia?”I stared at her in surprise. “How did you know?”“Trevis mentioned it but he didn’t go into any details. What did you find out?”I explained the situation. “Somebody saw them at a café a few towns over, and heard something suspicious. I want to check it out tomorrow.”“You really think this will go anywhere? They’re criminals on the run, Elijah. What if you get in o
Chris’s POVI sat at the police station in Paris, my heart racing as I leaned forward to review once again the security footage from the cafe. It was the last place Emily had been seen, and I had to find something—anything—that could lead me to her.“Pause it there,” I instructed the officer, who had been going through the footage with me. As the video froze, I pointed at the screen. “See that guy? The one in the black hoodie? Look at his arm.”The officer squinted at the screen. “What about it?”“Check out the tattoo. It looks familiar.” I felt a chill run down my spine as I recalled a conversation I had overheard.The officer leaned closer, then nodded slowly. “I know that symbol. It’s the mark of Les Ombres Écarlates. They’re a dangerous mob group operating in the area.”My heart dropped. “Les Ombres Écarlates?” I repeated, trying to keep my voice steady. “That’s connected to Isabelle. Fuck, she’s still pulling strings, even from behind bars.”“Looks that way,” the officer replied,
Chris’s POV“What? Murder? I—I don’t even know anyone named Jonathan Rousseau! This has to be a mistake! I’m just visiting the country!” One of the officers stepped closer, his expression unmoved. “We have evidence that ties you to the crime scene. You’ll be taken in for questioning.”“Wait! This is insane! I didn’t kill anyone!” I shouted, my heart racing as I tried to process the situation. How had this happened? I was here to find Emily, to rescue her from God knows what, and now I was being accused of murder? It felt like I had fallen into a nightmare.The officers weren’t listening. One of them was already guiding me toward the police car, while the other picked up my phone from the ground.“You have the right to remain silent, and anything you say can be used against you in court,” the officer recited in a monotone voice.“Chris! What’s happening?” Phoebe’s panicked voice cut through the chaos as she rushed out of the apartment building, her eyes wide with fear. She reached the
Phoebe’s POV“Save my sister!” I screamed, my voice raw. “Please! Please save my sister!” Suddenly, I jerked awake, my chest heaving, soaked in sweat. I blinked against the soft morning light filtering through the curtains, the harshness of my nightmare slowly giving way to reality. My heart was still racing, and I could feel the fear sticking to me, refusing to let go.Everything rushed back to me all at once. The call from Lance last night, the fragments of hope he’d offered. Lance—my old friend turned journalist—had mentioned that he knew someone, an ex-member of Les Ombres Écarlates. His contact had ideas on where Emily might be. He had given me the names of three possible places, and today, that old connection was supposed to lead us through those dark corners of Paris.I wiped my eyes, pulling myself together, and jumped out of bed. My legs felt shaky as I rushed to the bathroom, turning on the shower. I needed to move fast. As the hot water poured over me, I went over Lance’
Phoebe’s POVThe guy’s eyes darted between us, his breathing ragged. “Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about, alright? We’re just moving some merchandise. No girls here, I swear.”Chris shoved him harder against the wall. “Merchandise? You better be telling the truth, or I swear—”Before Chris could finish, we heard it—sirens, faint at first but growing louder by the second. The police.“Damn it,” Rémy hissed under his breath. “We need to go.”I froze, panic flooding my veins. “What? No, we can’t leave. What if Emily’s still—”“She’s not here,” Rémy cut me off, his voice cold and certain. “They tipped off the cops. This place is a dead end.”Chris looked like he was about to argue, but the flashing lights outside told us we didn’t have time. The police would be swarming the place any second.With one last shove, Chris let the guy go, his frustration evident. “If I find out you lied…” He didn’t need to finish the threat.We bolted, slipping out through a side door just as the fir
Sophia’s POVA hush of golden light slipped through the curtains, draping the room in warmth and calm. It felt like the kind of morning that only came after surviving the storm.Weeks had passed since the chaos faded, and for once, the quiet didn’t feel temporary—it felt earned. I stirred slowly, eyes drifting open to find Elijah beside me, his hand resting lightly over mine. I studied him in the silence, taking in the softened edges of a man who’d carried us through fire and finally found peace.I leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. His eyes fluttered open, and when they focused on me, he smiled sleepily."Morning," he murmured."Morning," I whispered back, letting my fingers trace the line of his jaw. "Can you believe we actually get to wake up like this? No chaos, no danger—just us."He pulled me closer and kissed my forehead. "I could get used to this."Just as I was about to say something, the door burst open."Mommy! Daddy!" Reese called out, followed quickly by Roxy an
Elijah’s POVWe weaved through the cracked streets, deeper into a part of the city that felt like time had forgotten it. Boarded-up windows, rusted signage, buildings collapsing in on themselves. This was the kind of place where ghosts lingered, and today, we were chasing one of them."We’re close," Joe muttered from the front seat, his eyes scanning the GPS on his phone. "This is the last possible location that fits Hugo's hideouts."Antoine sat beside me in the back, silent but focused. His jaw was tight, hands clenched. I still didn’t know if I fully trusted him, but I couldn’t deny this: he was here, risking his neck like the rest of us. And right now, I’d take any edge we could get.I have to find Grandpa George. For Sophia.When we pulled up to the burned-out remains of what once looked like a chapel, a chill shot down my spine. The stone structure still stood, half-charred, the wooden beams above blackened and skeletal. Nature had tried to reclaim it—vines curling around scorch
Elijah’s POV“Sophia…”Her name was the only thing in my mind as I stormed through the decaying hallway, boots slamming against rotting wood, gun drawn. My pulse thundered in my ears. The floor creaked beneath every step, but I didn’t slow down. I couldn’t.Joe and his men fanned out behind me, covering corners, checking every room.We were running out of time.Then—A scream.My heart nearly stopped. It was her.I charged forward, slamming my shoulder into the door at the end of the hall. It burst open—and I saw red.Morgana was on the ground, gasping for air as Hugo’s hand squeezed her throat, and across the room, Sophia was trying to drag herself toward them, her face pale and streaked with tears.“NO!” I shouted, and without hesitation, I raised my gun.Hugo turned just as I fired.The bullet tore through his shoulder. He howled, stumbling back and releasing Morgana, who crumpled to the floor, coughing violently.I crossed the room in three strides and tackled Hugo before he could
Sophia’s POVThe first thing I felt was cold.A biting chill that wrapped around my arms and legs like a second set of restraints. Then came the pressure—tight, scratchy ropes cutting into my wrists. My head pounded like a drum, fog thick behind my eyes. Everything smelled like mildew and dust.My eyes struggled to make sense of the shadows.The room was dim, lit only by a weak bulb overhead that flickered like it couldn’t decide if it wanted to stay on. I was on a metal chair, hands tied behind my back, ankles secured to the legs. The air tasted stale and old, like the walls had been sealed off from the world for decades.Panic bloomed in my chest.My brother Chris. What had become of him?I jerked forward, straining against the ropes. “Chris!” I called, my voice hoarse and raw. “Where is he?!”I noticed some movement in the darkness. A shadow stirred in the corner of the room. I froze as a figure stepped out into the light. Tall. Gray-streaked beard. Sunken eyes like old coals. A d
Sophia’s POV“This is insane,” Elijah muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. “We’re relying on Antoine to lead us to Hugo. Does no one else see how crazy that is?”Joe, who had been checking messages on his phone, barely looked up. “We don’t have another choice.”I watched Elijah pace the room, his frustration clear. He wasn’t wrong, but I knew that if there was even the smallest chance of finding Grandpa George, we had to take it.Joe sighed and turned to Antoine. “You sure you can make him bite?”Antoine shrugged. “I know Hugo. He’s a cockroach—he won’t go down without a fight. But if he thinks his last hiding spot is compromised, he’ll make a move. That’s when we strike.”Elijah muttered something under his breath, but I didn’t catch it. Joe’s phone buzzed. As he studied the screen, he said, “We got something. Two possible locations.”Elijah straightened. “Then let’s move.”They all hurried out, and I had the sudden, overwhelming urge to call Elijah back—to make sure he’d pick up
Sophia’s POVMy mother sat on the couch, clutching Grandma Evelyn’s hands, trying to calm her down. My father stood near the window, staring out into the darkness, his face pale and unreadable.Chris and Connor were huddled over a laptop at the dining table, analyzing security footage.Joe was already there, speaking into his phone, barking orders to his contacts.But no one had any answers yet.And Grandpa George was still missing.I turned to my grandmother, kneeling in front of her. “Grandma—did you see anything? Anyone suspicious? A car, a stranger?”Her red-rimmed eyes filled with fresh tears as she shook her head. “No… nothing. I don’t know how this happened.” Her voice broke. “George was just in his study… and then he was gone.”Elijah placed a hand on my shoulder, grounding me, but I could feel the rage simmering beneath his calm exterior. He wasn’t just worried—he was furiousJust then, Chris snapped his fingers at the screen. “We’ve got something.”Connor turned the laptop t
Sophia’s POVWe had been trying to track down both Antoine and Hugo, but they had vanished like ghosts.No leads. No sightings. Nothing.Lucas had called me earlier, still searching, still digging. Even Elijah and his contacts have been working doubly hard. But so far, they’d come up empty too. It was frustrating—knowing the danger was out there, lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike.But tonight…Tonight, we weren’t going to think about it.Tonight, we were here to celebrate.After all, Lila and Adrian’s joint concert was finally happening. This was their moment, their dream unfolding before them.And for the first time in what felt like forever, we were all together, enjoying something good.Kayla was everywhere at once, her headset on, clipboard in hand, barking last-minute instructions into her earpiece. She was stressed, frantic… but glowing. Even though there could have been other people to take care of all this from her company, she wanted to be in charge, to personal
Emily’s POV“Walk away, Hugo,” Antoine said sharply, stepping in front of us as if to shield us from the strange man.The name triggered a memory.Chris had mentioned it just yesterday—Hugo Tournier. Suddenly, I remembered. It’s the name Sophia and Elijah had been trying to track down. The man who had supposedly changed Sophia’s life forever.And now he’s here. Why?!My hands instinctively balled up as my heart slammed against my ribs. Could this really be the same man?Hugo’s expression darkened with satisfaction as he took another step, exuding an air of quiet arrogance.“Well, well,” he drawled, his voice smooth but laced with something sinister. “You’re not as fun outside of prison, Antoine.”Phoebe’s grip on my wrist tightened. “Emily, let’s go,” she muttered under her breath.I wanted to. Every instinct screamed at me to turn and leave. But I couldn’t—not yet.Hugo came forward, his eyes staring straight at me. He gave a low chuckle, mocking. “It’s interesting to meet Sabrina Ba
Emily’s POVI refused to flinch. Even as Antoine stood in front of me, blocking my way, I forced my body to stay still, to stay firm.I squared my shoulders, my fingers curling into fists at my sides. “Move.”Antoine didn’t budge. His gaze shifted between me and Phoebe, like he wasn’t sure if I’d actually listen or turn and run.“I’m not here to fight,” he said, his voice calm. “I just want to talk.”Phoebe’s grip on my arm tightened, and her anger was immediate, sharp.“Oh, hell no,” she snapped. “What are you even doing here? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?”I inhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm. I wasn’t going to let him see me feeling nervous or affected by him. Antoine exhaled, his face unreadable. “I just wanted to talk.”Phoebe laughed coldly. “Talk? You took Jared, Antoine. Without permission. Do you have any idea what you put us through?”“I know,” he admitted. “I made a mistake.”Phoebe scoffed. “A mistake?”I stepped forward, my gaze hardening. “Please, Antoine.