Winter seems to be coming soon. It’s getting colder and colder these days. I’m presently driving to Leonard’s warehouse. From there we’ll be heading to Shannon’s hidden location. Elena managed to somehow make Shannon tell us where she’s staying. It’s a tiny hut in the most low key location. Apparently she changes her hiding spots daily and today we just happened to find one. Once we finish finding what we came for in Leonard’s workhouse we’ll go to Shannon’s location next without Leonard’s knowledge. Elena and Isabel step out of the car and I do the same. Leonard appears in front of us not so long after. There’s a huge building that looks like a warehouse with a bunch of trees surrounding it. Probably to keep it low key. “Nice to see the three of you are still alive and well.” Leonard says. “I was hoping to see a corpse but unfortunately you're alive.” Elena says. “Can we just go in please?” Isabel says. I don’t have the energy to say anything. In Fact ever since they took
“Remember the person you and Aurelia saw me talking at the coliseum?” Kane nods. It was my son dressed in a suit but they didn’t get to see his face. “It was him… he came to see me. To meet me again after all these years. He was tired of seeing his mother running from so many problems so he killed Rowan for my sake because he knew that Rowan was a menace to me but I never thought my son would take his half sister. Especially without telling me about it. I’m sure he’s working with Emaine.” I say and wipe my tears away. I skip how and why handing the child over to Emaine was a big mistake. I’ll talk about that later. “I will help you guys, I promise you. I’ll tell you the rest of the story I promise but we don’t have time right now. The fact that Aurelia is with them right now is bad enough on its own. We need to find her and I will do everything in my power to help her.” I say. “You do realize this means you have to meet my brother if you plan on partnering with us.” Isabel says
I sit in my living room, the silence weighing down on me like a heavy blanket. It has been three days since my daughter, Aurelia, went missing, and the house felt emptier than ever. Everywhere I looked, I saw reminders of her— it was nice to watch her life from a distance because Atleast then I knew she was fine and well. The clock on the wall seemed to tick louder with each passing second, each moment stretching into an unbearable eternity. Three days of us waiting for Leonard to give us more and more locations to search for. The police are still looking for her as well, there are various search parties, though they're looking for her for different reasons. Despite everyone's efforts, there’s still no sign of Aurelia. I had spent hours retracing my steps, calling out her name in each location leonard told me to go until my voice was hoarse, but all I found was the echo of my own desperation. One moment she was there, and the next, she was gone. My mind was a whirlwind of panic
“It was from there that I knew she was insane. Just as I was about to call the police my child started to cry. He was alive I don’t know how but he was. Presently I understand it’s because of the king's blood in him. I know your family’s secret. I thanked God that day. I knew something odd was going on though. I didn’t remember any of this had happened after that day. I only remembered this happened the day I faked my death. She must have been giving me something to make me forget but I can’t pinpoint what. Whatever she did as giving me she was probably given as well because she can’t just not remember anything without a cause. I noticed how after that day whenever she was with Michael it would never be around Richard. I thought it was because he was getting suspicious when in reality it was because he thought it was her baby.” “It never crossed my mind that something else could have happened. So the day my memory came back to be I concluded that she’s up to something but I was too
The breeze seeps through the window, it brushes my skin softly but it causes me to shiver because it’s cold and I just finished bathing, I quickly open the cupboard. Their different female clothes here and their all my size. I pick out a dress and wear it. It’s odd that I still have a personality even with no memory. Michael had woken me up and told me to get ready because he wants to show me around. I put on my shoes and leave my room. The house I’m in is huge, it looks like all these mansions in Indian films which brings me to wonder where I even am. “Good morning.” A random girl says and passes me. As I keep walking more and more, people greet me. There are people everywhere. Doing one or twos. “Aurelia! There you are, I was wondering where you went off to.” Michael appears out of nowhere. He’s in a suit today. Unlike yesterday where he was shirtless. “Do these people live here?” I ask. “Yes and please next time don’t just leave your room without letting me know.” Micha
I know that the decision I made with Leonard could cost me Aurelia but it’s better than Leonard going on a rampage after he’s king and killing everyone she loves out of spite but mostly just because we betrayed him and he still didn’t get the girl. It’s been a week since we last saw Shannon. Leonard's been trying to get Emaine to talk but she still doesn’t understand or remember anything but according to Shannon’s philosophy, if her own memories came back after a while then Emaines memories will come back too. I’m presently at Leonards warehouse. I haven't really spoken to Emaine myself besides the first day we found her and she was all confused. It’s a bit cold so I put my hands into my pockets whilst passing the people going up and down in his ware house. “Oh your here.” I hear Shannon say behind me. She’s here? I turn around and see her. “What are you doing here?” I ask. “Well I suspect she’ll wake up to her memories today so I want to be there when she starts talking. A
The moment Kane exists I look at Isabel. “Alone.” I say. Isabel raises her hands in defense and starts walking towards the door. Elena doesn’t respond to me but just stands and looks at me. I wait till Isabel leaves before I start to speak. “I know that you’re probably fighting all your senses to leave right now but I really appreciate you staying right now.” I say and smile slightly. “Just get to the point before I change my mind.” She says and crosses her arms. “I wanted to apologize for everything. I know that if the tables were switched right now I would not immediately forgive you either but I promise from now I will not keep anything from you.” “A little too late for that.” She responds and stops leaning on the wall. She starts walking towards me. “I was there for you during everything Shannon. I was there for you when you were running from Leonard. I was there for you when you needed a look out. I was there for you when you had issues with John, not Emaine, me!” She sc
I wake up to the sound of someone humming. It’s Michael. “What are you doing?” I ask whilst brushing my eyes with my hands to remove the dried tears stuck in the corners. “Oh you're finally up.” He adjusts his sitting position from the chair he is on. Why the hell is he sitting beside my bed? “Today we have a very important meeting to attend to.” He says joyfully. “We?” I question. “Yup, you're coming with me. In Fact you are the reason why we’re going for this meeting.” He says. “What do you mean?” He sighs. “I guess I’m going to have to At Least remind you of something from your past before we can start doing anything here.” He says. I blink. “Okay so listen.” He turns his attention to be completely and his face becomes so serious he almost looks like someone else. “When I and Emaine kidnapped you-“ “Whose Emaine again?” I interrupted him. “Focus!!” He yells. I nod and smile. “We both had different agendas. I won’t tell you hers cause it’s not important but I wi
My eyes have been shut this whole time that when I open them I realize none of this makes sense but I don’t even care. I get off him and kiss him so hard I’m sure I left a bruise somewhere. I finally allow us to breathe. “I’m so sorry baby.” I whisper whilst hugging him. “Shh..” he says and rubs my back. I step away and he wipes my tears. “I know you have many questions.” He says whilst holding my waist. I nod with snot probably coming out of my nose. “Ask.” He says. He’s trying to distract me. “How are you here.. the letter! Your silence on the phone? London?” I speak without thinking . “Michale called yesterday. He told me he didn’t want to tell me about your wedding but I told him we already met and you told me about it. He then told me it’s happening today but I still didn’t want to bother. I had concluded that I’d kill myslef the day you get married. So I was prepared until he told me the kind of danger you might be in and I immediately got on the plane. The only
“I’m so sorry Leo.” I say but he ignores me and I can see his heart shattering. I know how much he loved his sister even though he loved to pretend otherwise. I then look at Luca who seems to be staring at Isabel like he’s in a trance. He’s not even crying. There’s not even tears. He’s just staring at her. I sit flat on the floor between the two dead bodies whilst the war outside is still happening so it’s not like I can go anywhere. Elena suddenly calls my name but I’m too shocked to look at her. She shows up in front of me and hands me the same envelope that mom gave her. I take it from her and open it. I look down first because I want to see who it’s from, this is not the time. I see the name Kane there and I immediately start to get the most painful headache ever. I close my eyes and I could swear I’m in a trance where all I’m seeing are memories. They're all coming back. Rune was my stepbrother. Leonard killed him. I loved Kane alot and I also loved Rune a lot. Emaine
I sigh when I realize Michael and I have walked past half of the aisle and look up. I finally have eye contact with Leonard and the way he looks at me makes me want to drop my gaze back down. He looks amazing in his black suit. His hair is slicked back as well and he’s carved his beard. He’s staring at me like I’m the best thing he’s ever seen and that makes me smile. We finally reach the small stairs and Michael untangles his hand from mine. I see him glare at Leonard before he lets me go and I walk up the stairs. I stand right in front of Leonard. He's on the right side whilst I’m on the left. The priest is in the middle. My girls are behind me and vice versa with Leonard’s men. I so badly want to ask Shannon where Emaine is but I don’t think it’s appropriate. I hear some whispers whilst I’m up here but I can’t hear what their saying. Everyone sits down and I finally hear someone say that it’s not right for my mom to be here but the king's mother isn't. I snort and Leonard rai
One week later I’ve been thinking about Kane and I’s conversation all day and my heart feels like it's exploding every time. I don’t know whether it’s the memories of my past that have been coming back lately but they are affecting the way I feel about this entire situation. Leonard decided to rush our wedding because he felt like something bad would happen in between. Apparently the rebels are angry at me for betraying them. they’ve started to riot again. I didn’t betray them but it sure as hell looks like I am now that I’m getting married to one of the revolution's enemies. They must be feeling the same way Michael feels. I would definitely try to find who is commanding them now that me, Michael and Luca are no longer there just so that I could talk to them and try to find a reasonable understanding or come to an agreement between one another to stop the violence and just let the wicked leaders lead. The people will handle it during the elections when they are choosing their own l
I lean back in the seat, tracing the edge of the invitation card in my lap. It’s still strange, seeing my name next to Leonard’s in elegant, golden script. I went to see them today, to invite Michael, Elena, Shannon, and the others to the wedding. A part of me hoped they’d all be there, that maybe they’d want to share this with me. But every single one of them declined. Their rejections feel like tiny, sharp pinpricks, pressing deeper the more I think about it. As we slow at a red light, I glance out the window, watching people hurry across the street, faces blending into each other. Then I freeze. In the car beside me, a familiar face leans against the window, lost in thought—Kane. My heart skips. Without thinking, I lean forward and tap the driver’s shoulder. “Please, pull over. Right here.” He raises his eyebrows at me through the rearview mirror but nods, steering us to the curb. I roll down my window, sticking my hand out to catch Kane’s attention. “Kane!” I call softly, hop
Everyone keeps congratulating me but for some reason I don’t even feel like this is real. Leonard told me he doesn’t want to waste much time on our wedding and I agreed so we’re getting married in a week. I decided to go to kanes place to tell Michael and the others. For some reason I can’t get Kane out of my mind….ever since he helped me that day by getting me away from that weird ass man in the library stuck with me and I haven't been able to thank him. I didn’t even thank him for trying to get to me the time that Leonard had kidnapped me. Leonard invited his hateful relatives for our engagement. Apparently the tradition is that they have to all come and dine with me, I refused to do so.. they came regardless but I wasn’t there to see them. Leonard had understood that I needed to leave so he let me go to kanes place which is where I’m heading now. He insisted that I take some of his guards so I did. I don’t know how Shannon, Michael, Elena, Luca and even Kane will take this news…
Hearing that Aurelia was in love with Leonard was one thing but seeing it in her eyes did something to me. The moment we got home I didn’t speak to anyone no matter how much they tried to get me to speak. There’s no use for me to stay in Rome if the reason I’m here is clearly gone… I don’t want to give up but as long as she doesn’t have her memory back I have to leave. I decided to write her a letter, I hope that when she gets to read this her memory will be back. I’m presently packing. I'm going back to London. I don’t plan on getting talked out of this so I’m planning on going when everyone’s asleep besides Shannon, I'm going to give her the letter personally because I know she’ll deliver my message. I step out of my room silently and knock on her door a few times. She opens it whilst brushing her eyes with her hands. She looks like she hasn’t been sleeping… but she does look very tired. “Kane?” she asks, voice hushed. "What are you doing here? And...with a suitcase?" I st
I sit in my room, the dim light casting shadows on the walls. My heart still races from the commotion downstairs. I expected my mother, Shannon, to leave with the rest of them, but she didn’t. She’s here. I hear her soft footsteps approaching before there’s a light knock on the door. “Aurelia, may I come in?” she asks, her voice gentle but firm, like always. “Yeah,” I whisper, unsure of what to expect. My fingers fidget in my lap as she steps in and closes the door behind her. She sits beside me on the bed, the mattress dipping slightly under her weight. There’s a brief silence as she studies me, her eyes soft but observant, the way a mother’s should be. I look away, my throat tight, already feeling the emotions bubbling up. I know what this is about. “I didn’t leave with the others because I needed to talk to you,” Shannon says, her voice soft but serious. She reaches out, taking my hand. Her touch is warm, familiar, and it instantly begins to break down the walls I’ve tried to
I sit on the edge of the couch, my eyes scanning the room. Kane leans against the wall, arms crossed, his face unreadable. Shannon and Luca sit across from each other, both looking deep in thought. Elena is quiet, but I can feel her eyes on me, waiting. Emaine sits off to the side, her posture stiff, clearly uncomfortable. I clear my throat, trying to break the silence. "The revolution has been regrouping. We don’t know who their new leader is, but I have reason to believe they’re planning to take action soon." Kane uncrosses his arms, his lips curling into a grim smirk. “Let them. If their first plan is to kill Leonard, I’d be more than happy to let them.” Before I can respond, Shannon jumps in. "That’s not a good idea, Kane. Especially if Aurelia isn’t leading them anymore. They see her as a traitor. If they try to kill Leonard, they’ll go after her too." Her words hang in the air, and I can feel the tension rising. Luca’s phone suddenly rings, cutting through the weight of the