September 2026,
Ovzdusia, Soare-Luna Kingdom
Alyanna
I looked at Jay's hand. My hand was resting in his and his thumb was caressing my knuckles.
Back and forth. Back and forth.
Again. And again.
Our hands still fit perfectly.
I knew in my heart that this was a moment I would remember forever. The day I reunited with Jay.
His eyes still looked into mine like I was the only person he saw. Like nothing else mattered. This moment felt unreal. I had dreamed of it for so long that it was still hard to believe that this was finally happening.
Jay brought my hand up to his mouth and pressed a kiss on my knuckles. "I missed this."
"Oh my fucking God," Andrei groaned. "I'm going to barf and then throw myself out of the fucking window."
"No one asked you to be here," I said, irritated that he was ruining my moment with Jay. "Leave!"
"Go where? A
September 2026,Ovzdusia, Soare-Luna KingdomAlyanna"I refuse to believe this!" I snapped. "You cannot go around tarnishing people's names based on assumptions. And do not forget that this is my father that you're talking about."I refused to believe that Dad was involved in criminal activities. He was a good man and he couldn't have been doing business with mafia families. He had too much conscience for that. And it wasn't like he needed the money. Our family had been blessed with a life full of comfort."I know it might seem hard to believe, Alya, but these are not assumptions; they are calculated deductions," Mikhail said."Are you going to let him keep spewing this bullshit?" I asked Andrei, annoyed that he was choosing this moment to remain silent.He was more than ready to bite Jay's head off almost an hour ago. He was ready to go toe to toe with Kate until she
September 2026,Scars Bay, USAKaterinaI operated this past week on auto-pilot mode. I woke up, got ready for the day, went to work, dealt with problems all day, went home, and then slept.For the first time in my entire life, work didn't have a therapeutic effect on me. At the end of a long day, I didn't feel like I accomplished something. I didn't feel good about myself. In fact, I felt glad to be done with work for the day because it meant that the day was almost over. And I was one day closer to Alyanna coming back home.I had talked to her a few times over the phone during the last week but something felt off. Her mind was occupied elsewhere. And no, it wasn't work. That, I was sure of. Jayden and I had known immediately that she was lying when she said that work was the reason she couldn't come home with us right away. She wasn't that good of a liar and we knew
September 2026,Scars Bay, USAJayden"Thank you." I smiled. "Thank you so much!""Of course. That was the best dinner we have had in a really long time!" the elderly couple raved on with wide smiles on their faces. "Bless your hands.""Thank you so much!" I said once again. "I will send out a few tarts - on the house, of course. I'm sure you will love them as well." Their faces lit up. "Now please excuse me, I must get back to the kitchen.""Of course." They smiled and nodded."Enjoy the rest of your evening." I gave them a smile.My restaurant manager was waiting in the kitchen with a wide grin on his face. "That was the seventh table to compliment your cooking tonight.""Just doing my job," I told him as I took off my apron and toque."Looks like you miss working at the restaurant," he started and I knew what he was hinting at."What make
September 2026,Scars Bay, USAJaydenI need to clear my head.I grabbed a joint from my stash and a lighter and walked out into the balcony. It was chilly but I embraced the cold night. It matched the cold, empty feeling in my heart.I placed the joint in between my lips and lit it before I took a long drag, and looked up at the moon. It looked achingly beautiful and all alone in this starless night sky.I took in another long drag. I had a million thoughts running through my mind and yet, I couldn't grasp even one of them.I took another drag and shut my eyes, an old memory replaying in my mind's eye.***March 2021,Los Angeles, USAI squeezed some lemon over the sauteed veggies in the pan, gave it a good toss, and then turned off the stove.I heard keys jingle and a moment later, A
September 2026,Scars Bay, USAAlyanna"I have a surprise for you!" Jayden grinned."What is it?" I asked, excited."It's someone you've wanted to meet for the longest time..." He couldn't stop smiling as he stood up and walked somewhere, carrying his laptop, and by extension me, with him."Is it Usain Bolt?" I joked."Unfortunately, no, not this time." He chuckled and then set the laptop down somewhere and then backed up a bit.It looked like he was now in the living room."Come 'ere buddy." Jay patted his thigh a couple of times and a moment later, Storm came into view."Oh my God, it's Stormy! He's back!" I pressed a hand against my heart. He was all grown up now and still had all of his cuteness.Storm's head tilted to the side in confusion before he let out a low whine.Jayden looked surprised before his features softened. "I thi
October 2026, Scars Bay, USA Dimitri Darkness. Nothingness. A boundless void. I was stuck here for what felt like the billionth time. But I couldn't figure a way out for the life of me. 'Murderer,' a high-pitched voice whispered. 'Murderer.' Oh no. Please no. 'Heartless murderer.' I covered my ears. I didn't want to hear it. 'I deserved better than you.' I heard a familiar voice shriek. The voice was loud. Too fucking loud. There was no source in sight but I didn't need to see her to know who she was. I could recognize that voice anywhere. 'Cold, heartless murderer,' the high-pitched voice kept murmuring in the background. 'I was supposed to be the Queen,' she sneered. 'I was supposed to rule the world.' I ran. I nee
October 2026, Scars Bay, USA Katerina I laughed. "How are you doing?" I shouldn't be laughing. I really shouldn't. Not after he was there for me in a way no one had been in a long time. Maybe he was right. I did judge him too quickly. Not only did he comfort me when I was upset, but he also went out of his way to improve my mood. He suggested we go for a ride. When I asked him to take his pick, he asked for Thunder, Alya's stallion. Apparently, he had heard a lot about the horse from Alya and knew that only she and the stablemaster could control him. Alya had told him that he wouldn't be able to do it. Dimitri was determined to prove her wrong. And watching him trying to make it happen was hilarious. He had been trying to get close to a saddled Thunder for the past fifteen minutes without getting his head kicked off. I even went and changed into my riding gear but as e
October 2026,Scars Bay, USAKaterinaI traced a finger along the edge of the glass, looking at the rich, decadent amber-colored liquid that could be the answer to all my problems.I knew I was teetering on a dangerous line. One step over and I'd be done for.The tips of my fingers twitched. I had a fire in me. And I wanted that fire to consume me. I wanted it to burn me so that I could forget the hurt today brought me.There was a certain kind of relief in giving in to destruction.I lifted the glass with a trembling hand and watched the whiskey swoosh around. Lifting it to my lips, I closed my eyes and let go of all my thoughts and worries.But before the alcohol even touched my lips, the glass was ripped out of my hands."What are you doing here?"I looked at the owner of the voice. "Leave me alone."He placed my glass away and took a sea
November 2026,Scars Bay, USADimitriAfter Andrei dropped off Alyanna at Jayden's, Katerina asked him to drop her off at her apartment complex.So naturally, I got off with her too.I thought she would get annoyed by that or tell me that she needed space but she didn't even react to my presence. That stung more than I thought it would. Anything would have been better than being ignored. Her silence was deafening.We rode up the elevator and she marched straight towards her apartment. I stood there, watching her punch in the code to her apartment, unsure if she wanted me to follow her or let her be for a while.She entered and then slammed the door shut after her.My heart stopped. I really thought she would keep the door open and gesture for me to come in after her or ask me to join her. It was something we did with the bathroom door when we wanted to take a sh
November 2026,Scars Bay, USAAlyannaKaterina had been painfully silent while we waited by the car for Dimitri to come out.Of course, she was. Dimitri had made a show of displaying his supernatural speed and strength in there. Katerina was in shock.I didn't know what to say to make it better so I remained silent.After what felt like forever, Dimitri walked out with...Caleb? They were followed by over a dozen men - some fine, some injured but all holding on to guns.What the hell happened in there? What was Caleb doing here? Did that man end up calling him after all? Was it truly a misunderstanding?Kate stiffened when she spotted them but made no indication of what she was thinking otherwise. Dimitri grew visibly disappointed when he saw her lack of reaction.Caleb, unaware that I was alive, looked at me in bewilder
November 2026,Outskirts of Scars Bay, USADimitri"If only you had listened to me and stayed at the safe house, this wouldn't have happened. But you couldn't follow a simple safety protocol because you care more about beingniceand letting Katerina do whatever thefuck she wants," Andrei growled. “Might as well lick the dirt off the bottom of her fucking shoes while you let her walk all over you.”My grip on the steering wheel tightened and I pressed my lips together to stop myself from saying anything.He was right. This was my fault after all.I agreed to let Katerina and Alya leave the safe house. I went with them to the manor. It was my job to protect them. I never should have left them alone. It was stupidity on my part to think that they would stay there because they had no motive to go. But they did have a moti
November 2026,Outskirts of Scars Bay, USAKaterina"Stella?"Stella's eyes widened when she saw me. She glared at one of her men. "What the hell isKaterina Van Ackerdoing here?" she hissed. "I asked you to only get-" she exhaled sharply. "Incompetent shits," she spat and turned towards us again."Stella?Youdid this?" I asked, still in absolute disbelief.Why the hell would she do this?Stella -Jayden's girlfriend Stella,had been the one who had us kidnapped. She had been the one who paid Caleb to do it for her.Even the thought of his name fuelled the fiery hot mass of anger in my chest. I couldn't believe he would do this to me but the evidence was undeniable.Earlier, I could chalk this up as a mistake but now I knew that it was anything but. Caleb betrayed me. For
November 2026,Scars Bay, USAKaterinaI walked into my bedroom only to find it empty.Shit.Where the hell is she?I ran into the bathroom. Open and clear.I rushed to the closet. Empty.Where the hell is Alya?I knew she wouldn't be inside the manor. Someone would immediately spot and recognize her. She wasn't dumb enough to do that. Which means she left. She was definitely dumb enough to do it with the right motivation.If she left, there was only one route she'd use to leave. So, I ran.Why the hell would she leave? Did something happen? Was she upset?Of course, she was. With the night she'd had and after I broke my promise of cheering her up, I wouldn't blame her if she wanted to leave. But if she wanted to be left alone, she could have just locked the be
November 2026,Scars Bay, USAAlyannaIt was still a couple of hours before sunrise so none of the house staff were out and about. Quickly and quietly, I navigated my way out of Kate's bedroom and to woods from around the gardens.I knew my way around the property very well, courtesy of Kate. Sometimes, she managed to drag me to parties with her that we had no business going to. To hide from Kon and her dad, she figured out a way to sneak out of her bedroom and pass through the grounds withoutbeing noticed or getting caught on camera. She also managed to create a way over the mostly impenetrable property walls. Kate was an unstoppable force when she put her mind to something.The route I was taking was the same. I, too, would pass through unnoticed if things had remained the same in the last five years. And I hoped I did. Because, I couldnot afford t
November 2026,Scars Bay, USAAlyannaKate opened the door to her bedroom and we walked in."BOO!"I jumped in shock and my hands flew to my chest.The lights turned on and I came face to face with a grinning William. "Gotcha, Squirt.""Helliam!" I admonished, but I couldn't stop my lips from lifting up in a smile.This wasn't the first time this had happened. When we were kids and Kate and I had sleepovers, Will would sometimes crash them - much to our annoyance - and we'd spend the entire night talking and hanging out or doing sometime crazy. When we grew up a little, Kate and I would catch Will sneaking into the house in the middle of the night, drunk, and looking back on it, probably high on drugs. We'd take care of him and put him to bed or if he wasn't in the mood to sleep, we'd stay with him and give him company. When we beca
November 2026,Scars Bay, USAAlyannaCold water hit my face and cascaded down my body.'He didn't have the luxury of hope of a future together like you did.'Tears welled up in my eyes. Heartache formed a ball in my throat, choking me up.How could I have not thought of it? How could I have been so callous? How could I have been so self-centered in my misery that I failed to see how it would have affected the one person I cared about the most?I had hurt Jay more than I could have even imagined. I had hurt the one person I love with all my heart. The one person I never wanted to hurt. The one person I stayed away from by telling my broken and bruised heart that while he might be hurt, he was at least safe. Alive. But it seemed like he hadn't done much of living. Just like me. He had been hanging on to the past. Just like me. But unlike
November 2026, Scars Bay, USA Katerina Alya was sitting on the floor of her bedroom, her back against the bed and a drink in her hand. With her other hand, she played with a ring hanging off the necklace she was wearing. She looked up and her teary, red-rimmed eyes met mine. Oh no. I walked over to her, wanting to take a seat beside her but my dress wouldn't allow that. So with a bit of difficulty, I took it off. Only in a pair of panties and a bra, I lowered myself beside her. She looked over at me, her gaze lingering on my face, neck, and then chest before she looked away entirely. What was that about? "You should wear some clothes. It's winter," she whispered. "It's warm in here. I'm fine; you don't need to worry about me." I took the glass from her hand and placed it aside. "I was d