Lia shrugged, picking up another dumpling. “I don’t know.” She stuffed it into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully before adding, “It’s not like I’m a doctor or something.”Lilly huffed. “It’s already been hours. You do realize Ray is probably shitting his pants out of worry right now, right?”Lia’s lips twitched. “Mmm.” She pointed her chopsticks at David’s unconscious form. “He should be worried about this one, not me.”Lilly groaned. “That’s not how this works, Lia! Kidnapping someone and eating dumplings in the same room like it’s a casual Tuesday is not normal.”Lia snorted. “And being experimented on by a psychopath is?”Before Lilly could retort, a groggy groan cut through the air.Lia paused mid-bite, her gaze snapping toward David. His fingers twitched, his eyelids fluttering open as he struggled to lift his head.Lia chewed slower, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.David’s vision was still blurry, his head pounding. He blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of his surroundings. T
David’s mind raced.Evelyn is alive.How?How the hell did she know that?He had planned to use that revelation when the time was right, to control the narrative. But somehow—somehow—this woman had figured it out first.His jaw clenched.What else does she know?Before he could demand answers, Lia clapped her hands together, startling him.“Enough talking,” she chirped. “Time for some action.”David’s spine stiffened as he immediately moved to press his notification button—or at least, what should have been his failsafe. His way to alert his men that he was in trouble.Except—His fingers met nothing.His pulse spiked.His eyes darted downward—The device was gone.His head snapped up, but before he could mask his shock, Lia smirked, lifting her hand—And dangled the sleek, black device in front of his face.“Ohh,” she cooed mockingly, twirling it between her fingers. “Looking for this?”David’s eyes darkened.She had pickpocketed him.When? How? He hadn’t even felt it.Lia clicked he
David exhaled sharply, his mind grasping for something—anything—to ground himself in logic.He had endured countless interrogations before. Had flipped the tables on people who thought they could outsmart him.But this—This was different.Nothing about Lia’s words made sense, yet she carried them with such conviction that a sliver of doubt wormed its way into his mind.No.He refused to entertain it.His jaw tightened as he eyed her warily. “Are you really saying the truth about Lilliana being dead?” His voice was edged with forced skepticism. “Because that sounds off. Anything that can’t be scientifically proven isn’t real, man.”Lia stared at him, unfazed.Then she shrugged.“I’m Lilliana’s split personality,” she said as if she were discussing the weather. “The emotional part of her that you took away.” She tapped her temple. “And the one inside me now is Lilly—the actual owner of this body.”She uttered it so casually.Like it was normal.Like it was a simple fact.David’s skin p
David’s breath came in shallow, uneven gulps, his mind racing to process what stood before him.She looked the same.Same body. Same voice.But everything else—everything else—was different.Then, she spoke again.“I’m Lilly,” she said.Her voice was soft. Sweet.And yet—David felt his stomach turn.There was something profoundly wrong about the way she said it, the way her lips curled into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.It wasn’t warmth.It was something else entirely.Something unsettling.Something inhuman.His jaw clenched.Lilly let out a quiet hum as she studied him, tilting her head ever so slightly.“When Lia asked you a question earlier,” she murmured, “you didn’t answer.”David stiffened.Then, to his absolute confusion—She crouched down and extended a hand.And before he could even think to resist—She helped him up.His body tensed the moment he was on his feet.He had expected her to attack him, to lash out with the same violent fury Lia had displayed earlier
Lilly’s head snapped toward the door at the sound of a knock.Tap. Tap.It was soft. Almost hesitant.She tilted her head slightly, her sharp eyes narrowing as she tried to guess who it could be.Inside her mind, Lia’s voice hummed in amusement.“I think that’s cutie pie.”Lilly smirked. Of course, she thought.David, however, had a completely different reaction.He barely had the strength to lift his head, but his mind latched onto one desperate thought—Someone is here.His breath came out in ragged, pained gasps. His body felt like it had been shattered and rebuilt a thousand times over—but suddenly, none of that mattered.Whoever it was, whoever stood beyond that door, they were his salvation.His hero.His goddamn savior.For the first time in his life, David DeLuca felt something he never thought he would—Pure, unfiltered hope.He didn’t care if it was a guard. A servant. A fucking delivery man.Whoever it was—he was going to worship them.Just get me out of here, his mind scre
Inside Lilly’s mind, Lia’s voice erupted like an explosion.“You better be kidding me! Are you seriously leaving just like that—without answers?!”Lilly, who was already feeling the beginnings of a headache, clenched her jaw.“You better stop that shit now,” she snapped internally. “Ray already said he’ll take care of it.”But Lia wasn’t having it.“Like hell I would allow that!” she spat, her anger seething.And before Lilly could react—Lia took over.Ray, who had been carrying Lilly with practiced ease, suddenly felt the shift.One second, she was in his arms, mildly annoyed but still relaxed.The next—Her entire demeanor changed.Her body stiffened, her muscles tensed in a way that made his grip on her slightly unsteady.Then she turned her head toward him, and the look in her eyes—It wasn’t Lilly’s.Ray’s arms instinctively tightened around her, his entire body on high alert.He knew this feeling.He had seen it before.Back when she was kidnapped.Back when—“Put me down, cuti
The air was thick with the scent of smoke and blood.Gunfire echoed from the outside, a relentless hail of bullets piercing the night.Lia, still fully in control, stood in front of the crate where David was now trapped—bound, gagged, and utterly helpless.Her lips curled into a slow, satisfied smirk.Outside, his men were fighting to save him.And yet—He had never been further from salvation.Ray took a measured step forward, his sharp eyes never leaving her.“Lilly,” he started, voice firm but careful.Lia turned, raising a brow.“Lilly’s not here,” she said sweetly, the amusement in her tone sending a chill down Jerry’s spine.Ray exhaled, his expression tightening.“I don’t care what you call yourself right now,” he said flatly. “But we need to go. Now.”Lia tilted her head, considering.Then she smirked.“You’re worried about me, cutie pie?”Ray didn’t react, but Jerry—who was still trying to process everything—felt his brain short-circuit.Cutie pie?!The fuck is happening?Chl
Jerry’s hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white. His mind was spinning, Chloe’s words echoing in his head.“You never miss a chance to make me feel like an object.”“But guess what, Jerry? I’m not an object.”His jaw clenched.“When have I ever treated you like an object?” he asked, his voice unusually quiet—almost confused.Chloe scoffed, rolling her eyes.Jerry, however, wasn’t done.His mind raced, trying to piece together where the hell he had gone wrong. Is that why she won’t give me a chance? Does she really think I see her that way?For the first time in his life, Jerry Mancini found himself questioning his own actions.And in doing so—He completely forgot they were being followed.A loud bang erupted behind them, and the car jolted violently to the side.Chloe snapped her head around, eyes widening as she saw the dark SUV gaining on them, its headlights like glowing eyes in the night.“Jerry, focus!” she shouted.Jerry’s head whipped back toward t
Fairy tales didn’t exist. Ray had always known that. And yet, he had let himself believe. Believe that after everything, he could finally have his happy ending. That Lily would come back, that they would put all the chaos behind them and just… be. But four months had passed. Four months, and she was nowhere to be found. And in those four months, she had caused more destruction than she probably even realized. The Anderson family was gone. The Manchester family had been silenced. The power structures that once dictated everything had crumbled beneath the weight of her actions. And yet, the world had gone eerily quiet. The media barely spoke about it. There were no reports, no scandalous headlines, no outrage. It was as if the universe had conspired to erase all traces of her, making her untouchable. He couldn’t reach her. He couldn’t speak to her. He couldn’t even see her. It was hell. And the worst part? It was starting to feel like the version of hell he had
The silence stretched between them.Lilly and Jerry—two people who had seen death, caused death, lived among death—now sat here, unable to make sense of the one loss that actually hurt.Lilly swallowed the lump in her throat.“I thought I could tell you that time would heal this. That one day, you’d wake up, and the pain would be gone.”Jerry gave her a hollow stare, waiting for her to continue.“But that would be a lie.”Her voice broke slightly, but she pushed through.“The truth is… you won’t wake up one day and magically feel okay. You’ll carry this pain with you. Every damn day.”Jerry’s jaw clenched. He knew that already, he knows deep down he will never get over losing his love right before it could even blossom.Lilly reached out and placed a hand over his.“But you’ll learn to live with it,” she whispered. “Because that’s what Chloe would have wanted. She didn’t fight this hard, endure this much, just for either of us to fall apart when she’s gone.”Jerry let out a ragged bre
Ray stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest.“One… m-m-month?” His voice cracked. “That’s too much, wifey.”His grip on her hands tightened, as if afraid that if he let go, she would disappear before his eyes.Lilly’s lips trembled, but she held her ground.“At least this way, you won’t be married to a woman who is mentally unstable, Ray,” she said softly. “And worse—a woman who shares her new body with her dead twin’s split personality.”Ray’s body stiffened.“Split what?” His brows furrowed, convinced he had misheard.Lilly sighed, wiping the stray tear that escaped her eye. “I’m sure you’ve already guessed it, Ray. You’ve seen it. You’ve felt it. Lia and I… we aren’t just one person. And I need to do this—for myself, for you, and for our baby.”Her voice wavered.“I need to be able to give you the same love you’ve given me. To birth our baby in a safe place. Please, Ray… please.” She squeezed his hands, her tears falling freely now.Ray felt something twist in his chest.Lil
The room felt unbearably heavy.Jerry sat still, his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.And then, without warning—A sob tore through him.“Haaaaaa~~~” he yelled out. For the first time in life he felt like someone was trying to zap life out of him.The kind that clawed out from the depths of his soul, ripping past the walls he had spent years building.Tears streamed down his face. He didn’t even bother to wipe them.This wasn’t grief.This was devastation.This was an unbelievable moment, it was only aFew days ago that he realized the extend of his live for Chloe and now she dead.Dead just like that.This was the feeling of watching the one person who made life feel like more than just blood and war—slip through his fingers.He had lost Chloe.And now, what was left of him?Nothing.Nothing but this unbearable silence, this emptiness that no amount of vengeance could ever fill.He clenched his fists.He had always thought himself untouchable, someone who laughed in the fa
The room was too quiet.The kind of silence that made the air feel heavier, pressing against their chests like an unbearable weight.Lilly sat frozen, her eyes staring into nothing.She wasn’t crying. She wasn’t speaking.She just sat there, lost in the void.Ray was right behind her, not touching, not speaking just there.Because what could he say? What could he do?There were no words for grief like this. No bandage for wounds that cut this deep.On the other side of the room, Jerry knelt beside Chloe’s bed, his hands gripping hers with a desperation that made his knuckles turn white.His lips moved, whispering something under his breath.A prayer.Jerry Manchester the man who had never feared death, who had laughed in the face of danger—was now begging.To a God he didn’t even believe in.“Please—”His voice cracked, his fingers tightening around Chloe’s.“Please, don’t take her.”Tears burned at the corners of his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.He didn’t cry. Not Jerry Man
The scent of iron was thick in the air.Lilly’s eyes, cold and unyielding, swept across the men standing by. Their hesitation irritated her.“What the hell are you all waiting for?” Her voice cracked through the tense silence, sharp as a whip.The men snapped to attention.“Get him out of there. Now.”She didn’t need to say it twice.Two men rushed forward, reaching into the trunk and dragging David Deluca’s battered body out. His weight was dead, limp, his blood smearing against their gloves.“Take him to Damon.”Her tone left no room for argument.The men moved swiftly, disappearing into the building with their barely breathing cargo.Lilly stood still, her breathing measured, her fingers clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms.She should feel satisfaction.But for some reason—She didn’t.Inside, the air was suffocating.The rhythmic beeping of the life support machine filled the room—until suddenly, the sound changed.The sharp, rapid BEEP—BEEP—BEEP sliced through the ai
Lilly inhaled sharply.Ray cursed under his breath.Jerry looked up, his expression wild, desperate. “We need to stop the bleeding!”But his hands were unsteady, his mind a mess.Lilly took over.“Move,” she ordered, her voice firm.Jerry hesitated, unwilling to let go, but Ray grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back.“Let her work.”Lilly worked fast, grabbing supplies from the medical kit. She cut away the fabric around the wound, assessing the damage. The bullet hadn’t passed through it was lodged inside.“Shit.”With gloved hands, she cleaned around the wound, applying pressure to slow the bleeding. Her movements were steady, precise years of training kicking in.Jerry could barely breathe.“Is she going to be okay?” His voice cracked.Lilly didn’t answer immediately. She grabbed a hemostatic gauze and pressed it firmly against the wound.“This will slow it down until Damon gets here,” she murmured.Ray kept his focus on Jerry, who looked like a man on the verge of breaking.“She’l
The shockwave rattled the car, and Chloe instinctively ducked.“What the fuck—?!” Jerry shouted, glancing at the rearview mirror.One of the enemy vehicles was now a burning wreck.And behind it—The Alpha Team had arrived.Meanwhile, in the Shooter’s Car…Matt watched in horror as one of their vehicles went up in flames.He gritted his teeth, his fingers digging into the seat.“Stop shooting!” he roared.His men hesitated, confused.But one look at Matt’s expression—twisted with fury and frustration—was enough to make them obey.Clark, sitting beside him, turned with a scowl.“Boss, I thought you said they wouldn’t have backup until we reached the city.”Matt’s jaw clenched. His hands balled into fists.“Well, are you fucking blind?” he snapped. “Or just too dumb to realize we’re already in the city?”Clark stiffened.“They own this place,” Matt muttered, his voice low and furious. “This is their fucking territory.”Clark exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face.“Then why the h
Jerry’s hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles turning white. His mind was spinning, Chloe’s words echoing in his head.“You never miss a chance to make me feel like an object.”“But guess what, Jerry? I’m not an object.”His jaw clenched.“When have I ever treated you like an object?” he asked, his voice unusually quiet—almost confused.Chloe scoffed, rolling her eyes.Jerry, however, wasn’t done.His mind raced, trying to piece together where the hell he had gone wrong. Is that why she won’t give me a chance? Does she really think I see her that way?For the first time in his life, Jerry Mancini found himself questioning his own actions.And in doing so—He completely forgot they were being followed.A loud bang erupted behind them, and the car jolted violently to the side.Chloe snapped her head around, eyes widening as she saw the dark SUV gaining on them, its headlights like glowing eyes in the night.“Jerry, focus!” she shouted.Jerry’s head whipped back toward t