EMILY“Food’s ready, Emily,” my mother called from the kitchen, her voice warm as always. “Come carry your plate.”I walked over to her, and as I approached, she raised an eyebrow. “So, how did you feel now that you've finally got rid of that bastard?”A smile tugged at my lips, but it quickly faded. “Oh, I am really happy,” I said, though my voice faltered. Something in me wasn’t quite satisfied.My mother studied me. “What’s wrong? You don’t seem so happy.”I shrugged, unsure of how to explain the emptiness I felt. “I don’t know, Mom. It’s just… I don’t feel completely satisfied. What I did doesn’t change the fact that I still couldn’t get Sebastian.”In my mind, I saw him again. I still thought about him. I still dreamed about him. And now, with Callie gone, it felt like the last thread of hope had slipped away.I looked at my mother, making up my mind. “Since I can’t have Sebastian, I don’t want any other woman to have him, either. The best thing to do now is to get rid of him for
SEBASTIAN My heart stopped. The room tilted as I struggled to breathe. Excuse me? The words barely escaped my lips. “What did you just say?” The officer asked also in shock. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing on Emily.“She’s dead,” Emily repeated. Tears streaked her pale cheeks, but her expression was void of remorse.I surged to my feet, my heart pounding like a war drum. “You’re lying!” My voice thundered through the room, and a sharp ache shot through my chest. “Callie isn’t dead! You’re just trying to…”“I’m not lying,” Emily cut me off, her gaze locked on mine. “I paid a group of men to handle her. I met them in a bar. I didn’t know their names, only where they hung out. They agreed for cash. I told them to meet me at Harper Valley.”My stomach twisted into knots. “Why, Emily? Why would you do this?”She wiped her tears, her hands trembling. “Because I couldn’t stand watching her with you! She didn’t deserve you.”The officer slammed his hand on the table, making us both ju
CALLIE“No,” I whispered, shaking my head as my breathing grew rapid. “No, please. Not this. What do we do?.” The words tumbled out in a frantic rush as my vision blurred with tears. My legs gave out beneath me, and I crumpled to the ground.Nora crouched beside me, her eyes full of concern. “Callie, we can’t fall apart now,” she said gently. “We need to figure out how to get off this island… quietly and as soon as possible.”What’s the point of running when the world always finds new ways to corner you?My hands trembled as I clutched at the sand. “I’m tired,” I murmured, my voice barely audible. “I’m so tired, Nora. Every time I try to trust someone, they betray me. Life just… keeps getting worse. Maybe it’s better if I just stay here. Let this place take me.”My tears fell freely now, mixing with the grains of sand beneath me. “What’s the point of surviving if it only leads to more pain?”Nora sat down closer to me. She didn’t rush to comfort me or dismiss my despair. Instead, she
Ethan sat slumped in the parlor, staring blankly at the floor, his mind consumed by thoughts of Callie. The days without her felt like a slow suffocation, and the pain of not knowing where she was, or if she was even alive, gnawed at him relentlessly. His mother, Charlotte, looked over at him from the dining table, her face filled with concern. “Ethan,” she said softly, “You haven’t touched your food. You should come eat with us. It's been days since you've had a decent meal.” He didn’t even glance up. “I’m not hungry.” Charlotte exchanged a look with her husband, then sighed. “What is it about that girl? What was it about Callie that had both you and Sebastian losing your minds? She’s just… a normal lady, Ethan.” Ethan finally turned to face her, his eyes red and exhausted. “You wouldn’t understand, Mom,” he muttered, his voice heavy with frustration. “She’s not just anyone.” Charlotte’s expression softened, but before she could respond, his father, Mr Thompson, spoke up.
CALLIEThe dull ache in my head woke me first, followed by the sharp bite of the ropes cutting into my wrists. I blinked through the dim light, realizing I was tied to a chair.Oh not again. At this point I was fed up. I couldn’t stop the tears that streamed down my cheeks. Can this just end already?Turning my head, I saw Nora slumped in the chair beside me. She was awake but visibly drained. Her head tilted slightly as she noticed me stir."Hey," I said weakly.“Morning, sunshine.” She managed to say with a smirk.“Morning,” I croaked. “Well, this is cozy.”Nora snorted. “Yeah, the décor’s giving ‘serial killer chic.’ Love the ambiance.”I managed a weak laugh. “We’ve hit rock bottom, haven’t we?”“Yep,” Nora said, glancing around. “And guess what? No badass headline for us. No ‘Two Queens Conquer Island.’”I burst into laughter, tears streaming down my face. “And I was really banking on that one! The world deserves our epic story.”Nora joined in, her own laughter shaky but genuine
CALLIE I blinked at her, still trying to process what just happened. "Wait a minute. Nora, are you telling me you’re an undercover agent?"Nora scratched the back of her head, her smirk now replaced with a sheepish grin. “Yeah… kind of.”My jaw dropped. “So, the whole story about your dad killing your mom, the tragedy that supposedly brought you here… that was a lie?”She sighed, guilt flashing in her eyes. “Yeah, Callie. I’m really sorry for lying to you. I needed a cover. I’ve been tracking this guy- our ‘host’- for years. He’s a ghost. No one could get close to him. I had to take some risks to get here.”I crossed my arms, trying to contain the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. This was shocking, no, mind-blowing. Never in a million years did I expect this.I was supposed to be furious with her, but the anger just wasn’t coming. Sure, she’d lied… about everything. But when I thought about it, about the danger we’d been in, I realized something: if Nora hadn’t been here, I’
SEBASTIAN I could barely contain my excitement as I drove to the police station. For the first time in weeks, my heart felt light. Callie was safe.The station came into view, and I pulled into the lot. My eyes immediately caught sight of a car I wished I hadn’t recognized. Ethan’s car.Why the hell was he here before me? No matter what, I was going to tell the truth.I tried to shake off the unsettling feeling as I parked and climbed out.As I walked inside, the noise of the station buzzed around me, but my focus narrowed to the two figures standing near the far wall. Callie. And Ethan.The smile that had been plastered on my face faded instantly.Ethan’s voice was low but clear. “I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. Callie, I was going insane not knowing if you were okay.” His words were filled with emotion, his hands gripping her shoulders as he looked into her eyes.Callie’s response was soft, her hands reaching up to touch his arms. “I missed you too, Ethan,” she said, her voice wav
CALLIE“What the hell?” I blurted, my heart racing as I stared at the screen.Ethan was at my side in an instant. “What happened?”Wordlessly, I handed him the phone. His eyes scanned the message, and his jaw clenched.‘I’m giving you a few days to leave Ethan, you harlot. He’s mine.’Ethan’s face darkened. “What the… who sent this?” he demanded, his voice laced with anger.“It’s from an unknown number,” I muttered, collapsing onto the bed. My hands trembled as I rubbed my temples. “I can’t believe this. I just got back, Ethan. I’m still trying to process everything that’s happened, and now this?”Ethan sat beside me, his expression shifting from anger to concern. “Callie, don’t let this get to you. Whoever sent that message is just trying to mess with your head.”“But why? Who could hate me this much?” I asked, my voice breaking. “I’ve already been through so much. I’m not ready to dive into another nightmare because of some delusional person who thinks they have a claim on you.”Eth
CALLIEIt wasn’t Sebastian’s voice that greeted me.“Hello? Is this Callie?” a woman’s voice came through the line.My heart skipped a beat. “Y-Yes, this is Callie. Who is this? Where’s Sebastian?”There was a brief pause, as though the woman was trying to find the right words. “My name is Nurse Erica. I’m calling from Fairview General Hospital. Sebastian was… involved in an accident. He’s in critical condition, but he’s stable for now.”The phone nearly slipped from my trembling hand. “What?” I whispered, my voice cracking. “What happened? Is he okay?”“I can’t share all the details over the phone, but it’s important you come as soon as possible,” she said. “He’s at Fairview General. Please hurry.”The line went dead before I could respond.The phone clattered to the floor, my hand too weak to hold it any longer. For a moment, the world blurred. My legs gave way, and I sank to the ground. Tears welled in my eyes, streaming down my cheeks as sobs escaped my lips.“No,” I whispered to
CALLIEThere was silence. None of us said anything for a while. My heart clenched painfully, and I found myself struggling to form a response.Finally, I swallowed hard and spoke. “So… when is the date?”Sebastian exhaled deeply, his gaze dropping to the floor. “In two days. January 2nd.”I nodded slowly. “That means you’ll have to fly out tomorrow.” “Yeah,” he said softly. “I don’t have a choice.”The words stung, even though I knew he didn’t mean them to. I straightened my shoulders, meeting his gaze. “Then I’ll go with you.”Sebastian’s head shot up, his eyes narrowing. He took a step closer, his hands gently wrapping around mine. “No, Callie,” he said softly. “You don’t have to do that.”I frowned, my chest tightening at the seriousness in his tone. “Sebastian, you don’t have to do this alone. I want to be there for you.”He shook his head, his grip on my hands tightening slightly. “Lucas will be there. He has to be, as part of the team. I’ll go with him. You… you’ve been through
CALLIEI couldn’t help but laugh as I leaned back on the couch. “What do you mean by that? You’re something else.”He grinned at my reaction, his sharp features softening. “Who knows? You might start crying again tonight. You’re just a softie.”His playful tone was such a contrast to everything that had happened that I couldn’t stop smiling. For a moment, it felt like we’d stepped out of the storm. The warmth in his gaze, the way his lips curved just enough to let me know he was teasing… it was exactly what I needed.But before I could respond, Sebastian closed the space between us. His hand gently cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear I didn’t even know was there. “I mean it, Callie,” he murmured, his voice low, sending a shiver down my spine. “I love you. More than anything. We’re going to get through this together. You hear me?”His eyes bore into mine, searching, waiting for my answer.I nodded, my throat tightening with emotion. “I love you baby,” I whispered.An
SEBASTIAN I opened the door, and there she was… Charlotte. Her hair was disheveled, her face pale, and her eyes bloodshot, swollen from tears. “Sebastian!” she spat my name, her voice cracking with raw emotion. Her eyes darted to Callie, who stood frozen behind me. “You… both of you… you’ve done it. You’ve killed my son!”“Charlotte, stop,” I said firmly, stepping in front of Callie to shield her. “We didn’t…”“LIARS!” she screamed, her voice cutting through the tension. She shoved past me into the room, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.Callie took a step forward, her own tears flowing freely. “We didn’t do this, Charlotte. I swear to you, we had nothing to do with Ethan’s death…”“Shut up!” Charlotte whirled on Callie, her face twisted in grief and rage. “How dare you even speak to me? You! You’re the reason my son is gone!”“Charlotte, that’s not true!” Callie’s voice cracked as she tried to defend herself.“Not true?” Charlotte sneered, her lips curling in disdain. “D
CALLIEA scream tore from my throat, echoing through the empty warehouse. My hands clutched the edges of my coat as if they could hold me together. My knees pressed against the cold concrete floor, the image in front of me searing itself into my mind."What the hell is happening?" My voice cracked, the words ripping out of me like shards of glass. "Why is Ethan here? He was supposed to be… "My thoughts fractured, and I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying to suppress the rising panic. My stomach churned as I stared at his lifeless body.Sebastian's hurried footsteps echoed behind me, and then he was there, dropping to his knees beside me.He froze beside me. His eyes widened, and for a moment, he didn’t move. It was as if the sight of Ethan’s bloodied body had rendered him incapable of action.“Oh my God,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “Ethan? No, no… this can’t be happening.”I turned to him, my voice trembling. “Sebastian… he’s dead. Ethan’s dead. What are we supposed to do?” His
CALLIEThe phone buzzed in my hand, its vibration thrumming against my palm. I glanced at Sebastian, his eyes dark and focused as he gave a slight nod. Taking a deep breath, I pressed the phone to my ear."Hello?"Silence."Hello?" I tried again, my voice louder this time. The only response was the faint sound of breathing. My heart rate spiked, my fingers gripping the phone tighter. "Who is this?"Still nothing.The silence stretched for another second before the line went dead. I stared at the screen, the unknown number taunting me.Sebastian leaned forward. "Who was it?"I shook my head, my stomach twisting. "No one said anything. They just... hung up."His jaw tightened, and he reached out to take my hand. "Let me see the number."Before I could hand him the phone, it buzzed again. This time, a message notification lit up the screen. My blood ran cold as I opened it.Unknown:Go to 152 Riverwood Lane tonight. Come alone, or someone you care about gets hurt.My breath caught in my
CALLIEI woke up to the gentle warmth of Sebastian’s lips pressing against my forehead, then my cheeks, and finally, my lips. His voice was soft but insistent.“Wake up, Callie,” he murmured. “We’ve got a flight to catch.”I groaned, stretching lazily as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. My muscles ached in the best way possible, a reminder of last night’s escapades in the bathroom. It had been… intense. Sebastian had a way of making every moment feel like an adventure, and that bath had been no exception.As I sat up, my eyes met his, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Good morning,” I said, my voice still raspy from sleep.He smiled back, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “Good morning, beautiful.”His gaze lingered, filled with a tenderness that made my heart flutter. It was moments like these that reminded me why, despite all the chaos and danger, I couldn’t imagine my life without him.“You slept like a rock,” he teased, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I was
CALLIEI was exhausted, my body aching from the stress of the day. Every part of me wanted to collapse, to just curl up and forget about everything, but I couldn't. Not now. Not with Sebastian at my side, looking as worn out as I felt. I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his eyes seemed to cloud over with the weight of the pressure pressing down on him.But it wasn’t just the stress from his father. It was the way everything was falling apart, how our lives seemed to be spiraling out of control… and I couldn’t help but feel like I was the reason for all of it. If I hadn’t made that stupid mistake at the club, if I hadn’t gotten involved with Sebastian in the first place, none of this would be happening.I closed my eyes for a moment, my fingers curling around his as we walked through the empty parking lot toward yet another hotel. The guilt squeezed at my chest, but I refused to let it break me. I couldn’t.I wasn’t going to let Sebastian go through this alone.When we reach
SEBASTIANI stared at the receptionist, my brows knitting together. "I'm sorry, what?"She fidgeted with the clipboard in her hands, avoiding my gaze. "I… I really am sorry, sir," she said, her voice wavering slightly. "But the order comes directly from the manager. He insists that you have to vacate the building immediately.""Vacate the building? Why?"She glanced down at her clipboard again, her fingers tightening around it. "I'm not at liberty to discuss the specifics," she said quietly, "but it’s urgent. The manager instructed me to offer you a full refund as compensation. Please, pack your belongings and come downstairs as soon as possible to sign out and collect it."I folded my arms across my chest, feeling my irritation spike. "That’s not exactly reassuring, you know. You can’t just kick us out without a valid explanation."The receptionist flinched slightly but held her ground. "I understand, sir, truly. But I’m afraid I can’t say more. I’ll be waiting downstairs."Without w