1

Gigi

My mom’s shrieking voice jolts me out of my frozen state. I can still feel a chill running down my spine, my eyes forgot to blink. The lifeless body of my stepfather staring back at me, I fear I may collapse anytime. The cause of his death is a mystery to me, and the sudden appearance of a masked man approaching me like a storm adds to the clouds of confusion. “Rush honey -” My mom urges me, more desperately than before, as we run down the dark corridor that opens at the back gate of the villa we live in.

A hidden passage only the residents are aware of.

My heart pounds in my chest as a man wearing a black balaclava blocks our path, his presence intimidating. My breath catches, and my mom instinctively shields me, begging the man to spare us. "Please don't harm us. You can take whatever you want," she pleads.

He gestures by bringing his hand near his face, touching his salmon pink lips with his index finger, indicating silence. No words escape his lips, but his actions tend to warn us to remain quiet. Closing his fist with only his thumb extended, he then motions the thumb towards his neck, suggesting the threat to slit our throats if we continue to make noise.

"Okay, we'll stay silent. Please," I plead, my voice barely audible. A slight grin appears on his lips, sending chills down my spine. The man, dressed entirely in black with a balaclava covering most of his face, leaving only his eyes and lips visible, exudes a threatening presence. His aura feels sinister, his height is almost twice mine, causing me to struggle for breath as a sense of danger envelops me.

He takes a step towards me, closing in as he grabs my arm and turns me to face my tearful mom. Pressed against his chest, I sense the solidness of his physique, a shred of evidence of his intense workouts. "Please, I'm begging you. Take me... spare her," she pleads with the man, whose vicious chuckle reverberates in the air. His hand glides down to my stomach, his fingers brushing within the fabric and I feel my breath hitch, while the other rests on my shoulder, the sharp knife tightly clutched in his grip, sending a chill down my spine.

I am overwhelmed with fear, feeling terrified and desperate for this nightmare to come to an end. The chilling touch of cold metal against the back of my neck sends shivers down my spine. At this moment, I am utterly vulnerable, not only to the threat of losing my life but also to the tragic possibility of having my throat slit in front of my mother. The thought of her enduring that trauma if she survived is unbearable.

"Tell me how do you like a blood-sucking insect slithering down your skin, Genevieve?" The man's deep, commanding voice sends shivers down my spine, instilling a sense of dread within me as I imagine whatever he says to me. My heart sinks, and a feeling of helplessness washes over me as I realize that we are utterly alone in this terrible situation. With no one to turn to for our help, my mother is on her knees, desperately pleading for my life to the merciless man who shows no signs of mercy.

“Kill me!” I say as the last tear rolls down my cheeks and I close my eyes, taking a deep breath as I prepare myself for my execution. “No!” my mother pleads, her screams are painful and I have no guts to look at her. I am prepared for everything that can happen right now. Before a moment passes by, the sound of gunshots surrounds us, the guy pushes me as I fall onto my knees and my mom comes to hold me, we crouch on the ground together.

I raise my gaze to find the masked man fleeing the room, leaving us in shock. Our eyes collide for a moment, leaving me to comprehend the silent vow he makes with his captivating brown eyes that he might return.

Moments later, police officers arrive and rush towards us. My mother, still in tears, embraces me tightly as if her life hangs in the balance. The officers offer reassurance that we are now safe within the confines of the mansion. "We deeply regret the loss of Mr. Henry Knight. Please accompany us," the officer conveys, reminding my mother and me to walk alongside them, our expressions reflecting despair and fear.

Upon entering the living room, we are met by a man seated on a luxurious sofa, his gaze locking onto us. Surrounding him is a group of police officers. Rising to his feet, he strides towards us, his piercing blue eyes first settling on me, then shifting to my mother. A wave of dread washes over me as I recall the masked man with the same intense hunter eyes, the only difference remains the color of his eyes which heightens my unease.

"I'm Alex Knight," he introduces himself calmly yet remorsefully, addressing my mother and reaching out his hand. Overcome with emotion, my mom whispers, “Alex!” As tears stream down her face and she moves towards him for a hug. She sobs in the embrace of the tall, young, and handsome man, while my heart races in my chest, feeling a mix of anxiety and a flutter of anticipation in the pit of my stomach.

Moments ago, I was surrounded by despair, my life hanging in the balance at the hands of a masked man. Now, butterflies flutter in my stomach as I find myself captivated by the handsome stranger before me. His gaze shifts to meet mine, a faint smile gracing his kind lips. "Come here, sister," he beckons to me, leaving me utterly astonished by the unexpected turn of events.

The realization hits me like a ton of bricks—could this man be my stepbrother? The shock of being referred to as his sister reverberates through me, as I recall having no brother. As he withdraws from embracing my mother, he shares his sorrow, expressing his frustration over the sudden loss of his father. "I'm devastated that my father left us in this way. It's hard to pinpoint his killer as he had numerous enemies," he mourns softly.

I flutter my eyelashes, mesmerized by the richness of his voice. A wave of forbidden thoughts crosses my mind—could it be wrong to feel a stir of attraction towards my stepbrother?