I lay in bed thinking about the previous night long after Victor kissed me goodbye this morning and left for the Association.Even though Victor denied it, I knew he was upset about something. My guess is the faction was sabotaging his work again.What Cassidy said about there being better ways to spy on Victor was true. However, the grating to listen into his office was the only one that was wide open when I arrived at the spy's hallway.That meant someone had been listening in to what was being said in only his office before I did.I promised Alex that I wouldn’t say anything to Victor about the passages until he and Cassidy returned from their trip, but there were things I could do to help Victor before then.After giving it a lot of thought while Victor showered and got ready for his day, I decided what I could do to help him and still keep my word to Alex.I climbed from the bed and showered before dressing in jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers, grabbing a light jacket, and hurrying
“It started when Alex gave me permission to explore the passageways,” Cassidy said. “I’ve dedicated my life to our history. These tunnels beneath the oldest building in our world were irresistible to me.”“Alex loves history too,” I reminded her. “I’m surprised he’s not here with you.”“He has a touch of claustrophobia,” Cassidy explained. “He entered the passageway near the bathroom with me once and had to leave in just a few minutes.”I didn’t know Alex was claustrophobic. But a powerful man like him would hide anything he perceived as a weakness.“So why are you here in the passages every day?” I asked, eager to hear Cassidy’s secrets.“Originally, Alex gave me permission to attempt to find the undiscovered seventh set of Ivory Columns,” Cassidy explained.“The entrance to Lycaon’s Passage,” I said.Cassidy smiled and nodded. “You always were one of my best students.”“Thanks,” I said. “Did you find what you were looking for?” I wasn’t ready to admit that I was pretty sure I found
Even though I would rather deal with Amy’s haunted manor, I knew I had no choice. I had to help Cassidy because helping her would help Victor.“Okay, I’ll try,” I told her. “But I’m not sure I can find it again. All these passages look the same to me.”“The more you’re here, the better you can find your way around,” she assured me. “Lycaon’s Passage may not be the only one without electricity. Are you positive you found tombs embedded in the floor of a room?”I pulled out my phone and showed her a photo I took of the boxes. When I enlarged portions of the floor around them, you could see the chiseled stone grave markers.“Look,” I said and showed her the photo.Cassidy snatched my phone from my hand and studied the photo. “Oh, my Goddess. Daisy, you did find The Ancient Tombs. You must send me this photo and any others of this room.”“I will as soon as I’m outside and have cell service again,” I promised.“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.” Cassidy returned my phone. “Tell me where you
“Daisy, what are you doing here?” Victor asked as he got to his feet. He came from behind his desk and kissed my cheek.“I came back to admire some of the artwork again,” I slipped my hand into the crook of his arm. “It’s exquisite. While I was here, I thought I’d stop in and say hello.”“I’m glad you did,” Victor said. “You haven’t met my new executive assistant.”He turned to the woman in the skin-tight dress. “Daisy, this is Chloe. Chloe, this is my fiancée, Daisy Wilson.”Chloe gave me a tight smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Wilson. Victor, I need two more signatures, and I’ll leave you and your fiancée alone.”I hated the way she used Victor’s first name and the way I could see her belly button and other parts of her perfect body through the light, clingy material of her dress.Honestly, doesn’t The Association have a dress code? She looked ready to hit some clubs on a Saturday night instead of working for the leader of our government.She was prettier than me in a sophistica
I couldn’t let Amy give up on opening the shelter. A facility like the one Amy wanted to open was badly needed in the city.There were only a few small shelters in Denhurst for overnight stays, and there were no other job training facilities at all.Amy’s vision for people experiencing homelessness in our community was to support them while they learned how to make better lives for themselves.I couldn’t let anything stand in her way. Not even a ghost …if that’s what it really was. I read about cases of supposed hauntings that people faked for various reasons.But the fact that the Archer family had experiences with the spirit in the past made me believe the ghost could be genuine.I knew what I had to do.I would help my friend face the ghost and determine if it was real. After we knew what we were dealing with, we would find a way to make it leave Archer Manor forever.Amy wouldn’t like what I had in mind, but there was no way around it.I pulled in front of the manor and saw my bes
Victor and Justin pushed ahead of us and hurried downstairs. But a search of the first floor turned up nothing.“If someone was in the house, they’re gone now,” I Justin.“Was it a real person or a ghost?” Amy asked.“It looked like a real person in the upstairs window to me, and a ghost wouldn’t sneak out while we were all on the second floor,” Victor replied.“Whoever it was, at least they didn’t take the chicken,” Justin joked. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”“Have you found anything missing since the ‘ghost’ showed up?” Victor asked Amy as we began to eat.Amy shrugged. “Aaron and Alfred, you know the house better than me. Have either of you noticed anything missing?”“Just some family photos from the parlor,” Aaron replied. “I thought you didn’t want photos of your mother’s killer and her family scattered around.”“And an antique vase and an expensive original painting from the library are missing,” Alfred said. “I also thought you took them.”“That’s a shame,” Aaron said. “Pat and Am
After Victor left for work, I looked through the photos and videos I had taken the previous night.Victor was right about the amateurish appearance of the ghost in the hallway. Instead of floating freely in the middle of the hall, it looked projected onto the wall.The groans were probably a recording. As I played the video over, I noticed the sounds seemed to be on a loop. It was five different eerie groans that played over and over.I decided to discreetly examine the areas of the Manor where the supposed ghostly events happened.Saying nothing to anyone and avoiding the others, I visited each spot where paranormal activity occurred.Starting in the room where Amy saw the melting ghost in the closet. I looked for evidence of trickery and recorded my findings with my phone.By the time I examined the far end of the second floor and the room on the third floor where we all heard the noises, I had my answer.I took more photos of the ceiling and pocketed an object I found on the floor
I left Archer Manor after everything was ready and before Aaron and Alfred returned. I was confident our ghost didn’t know about the cameras and silent alarms now in place at the Manor.After running more errands, I was eager to get back and wait for the ghost’s return. Amy’s ghost problem would soon be over.I strolled into the Manor a few moments after Amy and Heather. We were trying to hide our excitement from Aaron and Alfred. But it was difficult for us to act normally as it came closer to the time when we would unmask the ghost.Even Justin and Victor had sly smiles on their handsome faces when they arrived. Andrew got there shortly after them to dine with us.“This roast is superb,” Andrew told Alfred, who was waiting on the table this evening instead of eating with us.“Thank you, sir,” Alfred responded. He stood stiffly near the sideboard while he listened to our conversation. I thought we were putting in a good act.“I hope we get more sleep tonight,” Amy said. “Seeing that
I woke to the enticing scent of dark roast coffee. I stretched and realized I had slept more than I thought I would that previous night. The smell of coffee grew stronger, and I felt steam on my nose.Opening my eyes, I saw Amy standing over me, waving a mug under my nose. “Wakey wakey,” she crooned. “It’s your wedding day. Victor expects to see you at the chapel in two hours.”I reached for the mug and took a sip. The coffee was laced with dark chocolate almond milk and a touch of steamed heavy cream.“Mmm, thanks, Amy. It’s just the way I like it,” I said. “This is such a treat.” I stretched again and took another sip.“Enjoy it, but don’t dawdle in bed,” Amy put her makeup bag on the nightstand. “You need to get in the shower and wash your hair. Anna will be here to help us soon.”After waiting for this day to come for so long, I was both ecstatic and a little nervous that something would go wrong.“Is it really going to happen?” I asked my best friend. “Am I really going to be his
Kayla kept her word. The estate that we named Juniper Acres because of the dozens of Juniper trees on the grounds became ours a few days after my talk with her.I liked the small trees. They had a pleasant, fresh, and woodsy scent, and the blue/ green berries were pretty and had many uses.Besides making arrangements for our wedding, Victor and I spent the last three weeks getting our mansion ready for us to move in. It was a labor of love, knowing it was all ours.We painted some of the rooms in different colors that we preferred. I especially liked the shade of yellow that we painted our breakfast room.Like Alex’s mansion, our breakfast room had many windows facing east for plenty of natural sunlight. We would enjoy our mornings together, enjoying our first cup of coffee in the room.The living room now had comfy, overstuffed furniture in light blue and walnut. The carpets and drapes were neutral colors that set off the polished wooden floors.It was an inviting room. I looked forw
Victor called the realtor while I stood beside him with my fingers crossed. There had to be a way to fix the snag, whatever it was. The estate was perfect for us. We couldn’t lose it.I heard the realtor’s voice when she answered his call. “Victor, I’m sorry for giving you bad news.”“What’s the problem?” Victor asked. His voice was calm, but I saw the tension on his face.“The current owners of the Juniper Lane estate are two granddaughters of previous deceased owners. One of the young women refuses to sell to Miss Wilson.”Puzzled, Victor and I looked at each other.“Why?” Victor asked.“She claims Miss Wilson did something to cause her problems in the past,” the realtor responded. “I can’t change her mind. She refuses to sign the papers to finalize the sale.“Does she know the size of the offer we made?” Victor asked as I searched my memory for the identity of the granddaughter.But I couldn’t think of who I had angered that much. I shrugged at Victor and did a palms up.“Who is sh
“I’m sorry,” I said and knelt down to pick up the pieces of broken glass.“That’s alright, Miss Wilson,” Benson said. “Thomas will take care of the mess.” He motioned to a footman. “Let me get you another glass of tea.”“Are you okay, Daisy?” Cassidy asked. “We shouldn’t have shocked you with the news in front of guests.”I shook my head and tried to smile. “No, I’m fine. I was just surprised. Congratulations. I’m happy for both of you.” But was I? I had been an only child since Alex found me.Even though I knew Alex would continue to love me, my only experience with having a sibling wasn’t a positive one. Andrea enjoyed making my life miserable.So, I wasn’t sure how I felt about having a half-sister or brother. However, I was sure Alex and Cassidy wouldn’t treat me like the Smiths, and I’m optimistic the baby wouldn’t be like Andrea.But what would change in my life?“Are you sure, sweetheart?” Alex asked. He looked concerned, and even though I had been shocked, I didn’t want to spo
Victor’s POVDaisy was terrified. I could tell she was afraid her stutter would return. If she was scared enough, it could happen. She needed my love and support.I stepped forward to kiss her cheek and whispered in her ear, “No matter what, I love you. But you can do this. I’m right here with you. Pick one person in the crowd and talk to them.”Daisy gave me a weak smile, and I saw her take a deep, trembling breath. She looked out at the crowd of strange faces, and I knew the instant she saw someone she recognized.It was Amy, standing with Justin, William, and Penny among the sea of reporters. They must have heard about the press conference and come to support us. They were true friends.I sensed Daisy was relaxing, and she began to speak.“When I was seventeen, I worked in a restaurant owned by my best friend’s father. While waiting on customers and bussing tables, I dreamed of going to college and getting my law degree.“I wanted to use that degree to help the werewolf classes who
Victor and I freshened up while trying to think about what we wanted to say. Then we went back downstairs and watched the reporters and news anchors arrive outside the mansion.“There are so many,” I said. “I’ve never seen this many reporters at once before.”“They are coming from other cities to be here,” Shane said. “Your and Victor’s vision for the future is big news. There are rumors that Victor is going to quit the leadership, and you’re moving away from Denhurst.”Findlay snorted. “I heard that rumor, along with several crazier ones. I think the people need to be reassured of your good intentions for everyone.”“I can understand that,” Victor said. “How about you, Daisy?”All I could do was nod. I understood, but I was growing nervous about going out there in front of such a large crowd of reporters and photographers. There were so many. It was like a sea of people forming over the vast front lawn.My hands began to tremble when the estate staff began moving the temporary stage
I cried all the way back to the mansion. Amy remained silent, patting my arm occasionally and handing me tissues when I needed them.She pulled into the driveway and to the front entrance before she spoke.“It looks like Alex has company,” she said. “Who’s limos are they?”I punched the seat. “That one is Lana’s, and the one pulling in next to us is Lily James’s. The nerve of that pushy woman. She followed us!”“But look, Daisy,” Amy pointed toward the front doors. “Victor is here.”I wiped my eyes and saw Victor coming toward me. He opened the car door and took me into his arms.“Don’t cry, sweetheart,” he crooned. “Gisele called and told me what happened. So I had Findlay call everyone here for a quick meeting to set them all straight.”I stopped crying and nodded even though I wasn’t sure it would help.“This nonsense will stop now,” Victor took my hand and helped me from the car.We waited for Amy to put the baby in the stroller before going inside.I looked around the foyer, unab
Victor’s mouth opened, but no words came out at first. Then he shook off his surprise.“Are you serious?” he asked.“Yes, I’ve been thinking about it for weeks,” I replied.Why did Victor look so shocked? During the few times we had spoken about kids, he said he wanted a family.Tears stung my eyes, and I turned away from him. “Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up.”Victor gently turned me around. “I know you’ve been upset since Amy had the baby, but I didn’t know it was because you want one too.”“When I first held Brendre, I felt such a rush of love that it was all I could think about for days,” I explained. “I never thought much of babies before. I think it's because my adoptive parents rejected me when they had their own baby.”“That makes sense.” Victor took my hand and started walking down the beach again. “Anyone would feel that way.”“Holding Amy’s baby made me realize I very much want to be a mother,” I said. “And I don’t want to wait a long time to start our family.”“What a
Daisy’s POVI couldn't believe Victor was leaving. Couldn’t he stay with me at the beach house for just one day?An emptiness in the pit of my stomach started when he turned to leave. It grew after he went out the door. Through our bond, I felt his painful, churning emotions and wondered if he was finished with me.I couldn’t lose him! I’d return to Denhurst this minute and marry him in any ceremony his mother wanted. The only thing that really mattered about my wedding was Victor must be the groom.I had to stop him from leaving. I needed to know what was on his mind and in his heart.Running out the door after him, I saw him climb into his car and start the engine.“No!” I cried as I jumped in front of the Lamborghini. “Don’t leave me, Victor. I love you!”The Lamborghini’s engine stopped, and Victor leaped out of the driver’s seat. He hurried to my side.“Why won’t you stay with me?” I asked.“I thought you wanted to be here alone,” Victor replied. His body was trembling with emoti