Chapter 71: You're a problem.I didn't answer right away.My fingers gripped the windowsill tighter, the cold wood biting into my palms. The night air carried the faint scent of pine and damp earth—clean, untouched. A stark contrast to the rot crawling beneath the surface of this place.Tell him?The secret buried so deep inside me that I could barely breathe around it some nights.If Dylan knew what I was hiding... what we were hiding...He'd never let us leave.I glanced back at Mimi, her wide brown eyes reflecting the faint moonlight. She was waiting—patient in that quiet, heartbreaking way she always was. Like she'd already made peace with whatever answer I gave.But she shouldn't have to."Not yet." My voice was steady, even though my pulse hammered in my throat. "Not until I know he'll keep his end of the deal."Mimi's small face twisted, like she wanted to argue but didn't quite know how.Smart girl.I turned back to the window, eyes scanning the shadows stretched across the co
Chapter 72: You're a Problem (Part 2)I didn't lower the knife.Jared's pale green eyes gleamed through the crack in the door, sharp and assessing. The kind of gaze that made your skin itch—like he was peeling back layers you didn't even know you had, searching for cracks to dig into.The kind of man who could tear you apart without ever lifting a finger.Too bad I'd been torn apart long before I ever stepped foot in this place."You always sneak into girls' rooms at night?" I whispered, keeping my voice steady.His mouth curved behind the black mask, slow and lazy."Only the ones worth watching."I squeezed the knife tighter, the rusty handle biting into my palm. He was trying to rattle me—poke at the edges until I slipped up.He'd have to try harder."You came to flirt or deliver a message?"Jared leaned a little closer, the faint scent of smoke and cold metal clinging to him."Both."His gaze flicked behind me—just for a second—to where Mimi slept, curled up on the thin mattress. M
Chapter 73: Surprise Lam walked alongside, who was chatting as always, our footsteps quiet on the forest path as we made our way back to the clan's estate. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm orange glow over the trees. We'd finished our mission a day earlier than planned, and I couldn't wait to return to the clan and share the news. The weight of the artifact in my pack was a constant reminder of our success.As we emerged from the forest, the estate came into view. Something felt off, though. The village seemed...different. The usual bustle of activity was missing, and an eerie silence hung in the air.My eyes narrowed as I scanned the woods around us. Maybe we were being followed and didn't notice or the clan had been under attack while we were away. "What's going on?" Liam asked, his voice low and cautious.I shook my head. " Don't know." We quickened our pace, our senses on high alert. As we entered the villa, I noticed that the guards were standing at attention, thei
Chapter 74: Regaining ControlI paced the small, cold prison cell, trying to keep my mind calm, but it was hard. Every inch of me was screaming with frustration and confusion. How had things gone so wrong so quickly? Celeste—always so calculating, so manipulative—had taken control, and now we were the ones paying the price.I could feel the bitterness between Celeste and me simmering beneath the surface, like it always did. I hated her, and she hated me. It wasn’t just personal; it was power. She wanted to take over, wanted to take what was mine, and now she was using me as a pawn in her game.Mimi sat on the edge of the cot, her eyes red from crying earlier, but she was trying to hold it together. I could see the fear in her eyes, but she wasn’t saying anything, just silently pleading for something to change. I felt helpless, completely trapped by a situation I had no control over.Then, the door creaked open, and I immediately stiffened, ready for whatever Celeste or one of her lack
Chapter 75: Reckoning in BloodCeleste’s breath came in sharp, shallow gasps. Dylan’s grip on her wrist was iron, unyielding, and for the first time, I saw something resembling fear flash across her face. It was quick—so quick that if I hadn’t been watching her so closely, I might have missed it. But it was there. And that meant she knew she was cornered.I stepped forward, ignoring the way my own pulse pounded like war drums in my ears. My hands curled into fists at my sides. “Tell us who you’re working with, Celeste.”She scoffed, shaking her head with a forced smirk. “You think I’m just going to hand you a name? Just like that?”Dylan’s fingers flexed around her wrist, and she winced. “You don’t have a choice.”A beat of silence stretched between us. Then, with a quiet laugh that lacked any real amusement, Celeste lifted her chin. “You think I’m the only one who’s been playing a game here? You have no idea what’s coming.”My stomach twisted. The way she said it sent ice down my spi
Chapter 76: The Dawn of ReckoningThe passage was dimly lit, the only light coming from scattered emergency bulbs and the occasional flicker of neon from a distant bar. Here, the air was thick with dust and the bitter tang of oil, but it was our only sanctuary.In the cramped space, I could hear our attackers reorganizing outside. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked at Mimi’s determined face. “We’re almost there,” I murmured, though every second felt like an eternity. The passage led to a side alley that opened up near the docks—a perfect spot to intercept Celeste before she could vanish into the maze.Emerging from the passage, we found ourselves at a crossroads of shadows and harsh light. The docks were spread out before us like an industrial battlefield: towering cranes, rusted cargo containers, and winding pathways that formed a network of escape routes for the desperate. I signaled for silence, and for a moment, everything was eerily still. Then, the enemy burst in from the
Chapter 77: The Last ReckoningDawn’s first light glimmered on the horizon, its red and gold hues cutting through the lingering darkness of the docks. The cacophony of battle had subsided to a simmering murmur as smoke curled upward from the debris. I stood amid the ruins, every breath heavy with the weight of what had transpired and what was yet to come. Celeste was cornered. We had reached the climax of our war, and in that raw, suspended moment, I knew that destiny was within my grasp.I stepped forward slowly, the gravel crunching underfoot, each step echoing like the beat of a war drum. Around me, the battered forms of our foes lay scattered, and the acrid tang of spent gunpowder filled the air. Every piece of shattered metal, every scar etched into the concrete, bore silent witness to the blood that had been shed in our struggle for freedom.Celeste remained at the far end of the open space, her back pressed against a rusted container. Her eyes, wild and unyielding, were fixed
Chapter 78: Ashes and AscensionDawn painted the sky in muted shades of gold and gray, casting a solemn glow over the ruined docks. The scent of blood and gunpowder clung to the air, mingling with the salty breeze from the sea. The battle was over, but the weight of it lingered. Bodies lay motionless across the cracked concrete, a stark reminder of the price we had paid.Celeste had surrendered. Her once fierce eyes were hollow now, devoid of the fire that had driven her. She had dropped her weapon without a word, letting it clatter against the debris-strewn ground. I had given her a choice—to live, to face the consequences of her actions, to see if redemption was even possible. Yet as she sat slumped against the cold metal of a shipping container, I wondered if she had already accepted her fate.Dylan and Liam moved with quiet efficiency, securing what was left of Celeste’s forces. The chaos had faded into an eerie silence, broken only by the murmurs of survivors and the distant cras
Chapter 91: A Fiery Farewell and Forbidden FlamesMia's POVThe moonlight shimmered on the river like scattered silver, but all I could see was the boat cradling Mimi’s body, gently swaying as if the water itself mourned. Lanterns floated above, their flickering flames casting halos over the gathered clan. The air was thick with a reverence so heavy it made breathing feel like trespassing.I stood at the edge, feet planted in grass damp with dew, fingers clenched around a bottle of aged whiskey. My pulse thudded hard in my throat. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end.I couldn’t look away from Mimi—her dark curls pulled back with the crimson ribbon I had chosen, the familiar leather jacket resting on her shoulders like armor. The black dress hugged her like she still had somewhere to go. And in her hand, a single wildflower I had tucked there myself, picked just before the ceremony began.The silence was broken by Ashton’s voice. Rough. Shaky. Full of a grief I recognized too well.
Chapter 90 – Ghost Signal 2.Mia’s POVThe tires crunched against the gravel, loud in the otherwise deafening silence that filled the car. As the estate’s main entrance loomed before us, glowing faintly under the dim porch lights, the engine gave a soft sputter before Dylan brought the car to a stop.Before it even fully parked, I shoved the door open and stepped out.Cold air slapped my face, rustling strands of hair across my cheeks, but I didn’t react. My boots hit the ground with purpose—measured, unshaken. I didn’t wait for anyone. Not Dylan. Not the others.My hands were still. My breathing was level.And my face—stone.No grief. No rage. No tears.Only silence.Behind me, Dylan opened the back door with the kind of reverence that belongs to sacred things. He moved with slow, calculated care, like each gesture carried a weight he wasn’t allowed to fumble. And then he emerged, holding Mimi in his arms.Her body.Blood had dried on her skin and soaked into her clothes. Her curls,
Chapter 89: Ghost Signal(Mia’s POV)It started with a whisper. A feeling. Like something wasn’t right.The estate was quiet—too quiet. Victor had gone radio silent again, eyes always on the window, as if expecting someone to break through it. Alison kept herself busy, but I could feel her watching me when she thought I wasn’t looking. Everyone had their routines, their coping mechanisms.Except Mimi.She hadn’t shown up for breakfast. Or lunch. I hadn’t seen her since yesterday.I asked around.“Maybe she’s training again,” one of the guards said with a shrug.But someone else—one of the newer recruits—looked nervous. “I saw her,” he said quietly. “This morning. Thought I was imagining it. She was heading toward the north wall… looked like she was in a hurry.”A hurry?No one else saw her. Everyone was equally busy.Panic started to claw at my chest.I ran back to my room and grabbed my phone, praying she'd just gone on a walk and forgotten to text back. But there was nothing. No new
Chapter 87: Fractured LinesThe Betrayal(Mimi’s POV)Days passed in a haze after we returned to the estate.The bruises faded, but the weight didn’t. Victor was quiet—dangerously quiet—and Mia hadn’t left his side, except for the occasional walks to clear her head. Alison stayed alert, tense, as though expecting something to go wrong again. Me? I threw myself into training, cleaning, anything that could distract me from the feeling that we had failed.Then I got the message.MIA: “Need to talk. Alone. Same spot as before—urgent.”I didn’t hesitate.We hadn’t spoken since that night. Not properly. I figured she needed space, but the sudden text felt like a shift—like maybe she was ready. And I was desperate to fix the cracks between us. I didn’t even stop to wonder why she wanted to meet alone, or why she sounded so... unlike herself.I slipped out past midnight, using the gaps in the estate’s new patrol routes. The wind bit at my skin, and the forest whispered warnings I chose to ign
Chapter 87: Fractured Lines### Part I – My Descent (Mia’s POV)I remember the cold bite of the night air as we slipped out from behind the high walls of Dylan’s clan estate. I, Mimi, and Alison had long shared a rebellious streak, but tonight—tonight it felt different. There was an intensity in our hearts, a mix of defiance and dread. We’d disobeyed orders once more, driven by the desperate hope of finding Victor before something irreparable happened to him. I clutched my side, not from pain but because my pulse roared in my ears as we crept through the labyrinth of back alleys.The moon was a thin crescent in the sky, and its pallid light barely touched the ground. “We shouldn’t be this far out,” Alison whispered, her eyes darting around in the darkness as though expecting danger at every turn. I couldn’t help but agree. But every step was driven by the memory of Victor’s last call—a single, cryptic text that hinted something was very, very wrong.Following a series of hastily scraw
Chapter 86: Disappeared I tapped my fingers against the edge of the table, my gaze flicking toward the door for what had to be the tenth time that morning. The estate was unusually quiet—not that it was ever particularly loud—but something felt... off. It had been nagging at me all day, a persistent itch at the back of my mind.Mimi sat across from me, idly spinning a ring around her finger. She hadn’t said much, which was unusual. Normally, she had something to complain about, something to gossip about, or some ridiculous scheme to rope me into. Today, though, she was just as distracted as I was.I finally voiced what had been bothering me. “Hey… have you seen Victor lately?”Mimi stopped playing with her ring and frowned. “Now that you mention it… no. Not in a while.”A small crease formed between my brows. “Yeah. Me neither. I thought maybe I was just missing him, but it’s been—what? A week?”“At least.” Mimi sat up straighter, her gaze sharpening. “Victor doesn’t just disappear.
Chapter 85: The Truth Beneath the SurfaceMimi finally spoke, her voice quiet. “I had no idea.” She met my gaze, something like guilt flickering in her usually confident eyes. “About your father, I mean. My father’s group… they destroyed a lot of lives. But I never knew yours was one of them.”I studied her for a moment, then shrugged. “It’s not like you had anything to do with it, you were just a toddlar like I was.”She didn’t look convinced, but she nodded anyway.Dylan tilted his head slightly. “So? Now that you know, what are you going to do with it?”I thought about that. About Ray, about my mom, about how knowing the truth didn’t change much—but at the same time, it changed everything.Then, I smirked.“Nothing,” I said easily. “Just thought you two should know.”Dylan let out a quiet chuckle. “Typical.”I stretched, letting the weight of the conversation settle. And then, because I couldn’t resist, I added, “Though, there is one thing.”Mimi raised a brow. “What?”I grinned, m
Chapter 84: The Truth Beneath the SurfaceI checked my phone for the third time, pressing the call button and holding it close to my ear. The silence in my room was absolute, the soft hum of the city beyond my window the only background noise. No static, no strange interruptions.No one was listening.I took a deep breath and dialed.The call barely rang twice before my mother picked up."Mia?"Her voice was the same as always—warm, steady, familiar. It made me think of childhood memories filled with home-cooked meals and gentle lullabies. But there was also something else now, an underlying concern."Yeah, Mom. It's me," I said, settling onto my bed, pressing my back against the headboard."Is everything alright?"I hesitated. How was I even supposed to start this conversation? But I needed answers, and she was the only one who could give them to me."Yeah, I just… I wanted to ask you something."A pause. "What is it?"I swallowed, glancing at my locked bedroom door as if expecting s
Chapter 83: The Dawn Before the StormThe morning arrived quietly, as if it were the soft prelude to an overture that had yet to unfold. In the dim light of early day, I found myself awake in a solitude that felt almost sacred —a pause before the crescendo of events that would later alter the course of my night. Every minute of that morning carried a sense of both anticipation and introspection, a tender space where memories of yesterday blended with the elusive promise of what was to come.I lay in bed, cocooned in the faded linens that had borne witness to many restless nights, and listened to the gentle hum of the city beginning to stir. Outside, the first hints of daylight crept over the horizon, casting long, gentle shadows across the worn wooden floorboards. The quiet was profound, filled with the unspoken possibilities that only early morning can hold. It was a time when the world seemed to be holding its breath, awaiting a signal to burst into life.As I slowly sat up, the