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WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 11
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-01-25 00:01:08
Bab terkait
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 12
She hauled herself up against the cold wall, her breaths shallow as she tried to calm her racing heart. Vandaulf's words haunted in her mind, sharp and venomous, but this time, something within her refused to give in. For the first time, she stood up to him, defied him, and though that sent her shaking, it left her with an unfamiliar flicker of power.She ran her fingers over the place on her arm where he had dug his fingers into her, leaving a dull ache. He had done this before; his dominance and reminder that she had her place in his world. But tonight, somehow it felt different. It was not pain; it was a reminder that she wasn't something to be owned. She was free now.She blew slowly, jerking her feet away from the corner to lead herself towards the bedroom. The dark passage stood out, so quiet aside from the slow movement of her shuffling pace. Then came Ina's voice ringing inside of Lily's mind sharp and electrified."That's the spirit," Ina declared with that triumphal gleam Li
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-25WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 13
It was quiet, with just a hum from the car's engine, which to me, was deafening against the weight of unspoken words.Ina kept her eyes on the window, the city lights passing by to paint fleeting patterns across her face. Her reflection stared back at her—a woman who had played the part of sweet, subservient Lily for too long. But in the quiet glow of her own defiance, this was something Ina saw a whole lot better: a flicker of liberation.A faint smile pulled at her lips, one that Vandaulf caught from the side of his eye. His jaw clenched and he shifted in his seat, the leather creaking beneath him."You think this funny?" he said, his voice low and cutting.Ina didn't look at him. "Funny? No," she replied softly, calm but edged with a subtle challenge. "Liberating? Maybe.His knuckles went white as he clasped the armrest. "Liberating?" he repeated, his voice vibrating with shadows. "Don't play games, Lily. This isn't liberation. This is you playing a very dangerous game.".She turne
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-26WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 14
The question was innocent enough, but Ina felt the shift in the room. Helen and Vandaulf exchanged brief glances, curiosity flickering across their features. Ina's hands tightened on her napkin under the table, but her smile didn't waver. "Of course, Grandmother," she replied, her voice light and agreeable.The board members, too, must have felt the shift in the atmosphere; Helen was quick on her feet in refocusing them on what they were there for. Brenna stood, smiling, signaling for Ina to go before her out onto the balcony over the gardens.She straightened her spine and lifted her chin as the night air snapped crisp in the doorway as Ina moved out. Waiting for Brenna to say something, she wouldn't give her that advantage of being weak."Do you feel alright, my dear?" Brenna said softly. She leaned over the railing on the balcony with sharp features made softer by moonlight. "Living here. With them."Ina blinked at the shock, momentarily speechless. "What do you mean?Exactly what
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-27WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 15
The ride home was heavy with silence, punctuated only by the occasional hum of the car engine. Vandaulf sat beside Ina, his jaw tight and his eyes fixed out the window as though trying to find solace in the passing scenery. Ina, however, was at ease, her head lightly resting against the car seat. The dinner had been a small victory—not in the words exchanged but in the subtle power she had claimed for herself. Brenna's quiet support gave her the strength to weather the tension that seemed to hang over the evening like a storm cloud. As they pulled into the driveway of the grand estate, Vandaulf finally broke his silence, speaking low but dripping with warning:. "Whatever games you think you're playing, I'd advise you to stop. My patience isn't infinite, Lily."Ina turned to him, her face soft but her eyes unyielding and steady. "I wasn't aware I was playing any games, Vandaulf. Maybe you're just imagining things." He snorted, his sharp eyes narrowing as the car stopped. "Don't test me
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-28WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 16
He nodded, taking a sip of his drink. "Sort of. I just moved back to the city, and Alicia's been introducing me around. She mentioned you might be someone worth meeting."Ina raised a brow, intrigued. "Moved back? So, you're not new to this scene after all."Jeff shrugged, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Let's just say I've been gone long enough to feel like a stranger,Ina."There was something in his tone - an undertone of mystery that Ina couldn't quite put her finger on. She leaned in slightly, interested. "And now you're back. Why?"Jeff met her gaze, unreadable. "Maybe I missed the chaos.Jeff's lips twisted into an asymmetrical smile, one of hints of mysteries and tales still locked away in them. His glass leaned against Ina with an almost inaudible salute as he tilted it, but still never withdrew his gaze while slowly drinking its contents."Chaos suits you," he said after a moment, his tone light but his eyes probing, as if he were trying to piece her together. "But you do
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-29WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 17
The estate loomed dark and silent, with only the first hints of dawn brushing against the horizon. The heavy iron gates looked bigger in early morning stillness, almost menacing. Ina glanced round hastily, checking that no guards or staff were to be seen; she knew the routine of the house inside and out. Everyone would be asleep-or so she hoped.She walked fast; the sound of heels clicking soft on stone announced her approach, then she paused. A pressure was on her chest. That wasn't quite right. The house belonged not to her but to another: she was slipping into a lover's bed as one not desired.Ina shook off the thoughts and slid toward the servants' entrance. It had become her secret gateway, a lifeline to moments of freedom that were fleeting but necessary. Tonight had been exhilarating, and she wasn't ready to let the weight of the estate smother that feeling just yet.She opened the door with a faint creak. Her breath caught, but she moved inside, the heels now muffled against t
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-29WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 18
The golden hues of morning bled through the tall windows of the grand estate, casting long shadows across the breakfast table. The air smelled of freshly brewed coffee, buttered toast, and something heavier—unspoken tension.Ina was gone. At least, for now.She was Lily again.She sat at the far end of the long dining table, back straight, fingers daintily curved around a fine china teacup. Opposite her, Vandaulf watched, his sharp eyes not once tearing away from her face. The silence between them wasn't comfortable-it was measured and calculated.Helena sat at the head of the table, her fingers curled around a teacup, as if oblivious to the storm swirling just below. The silverware clinked against the plates with soft murmurs as servants worked in silence, refilling glasses and adding a few more dishes.Lily had no appetite.She knew what was coming on.Vandaulf finally spoke, his voice low with an authority he was not accustomed to losing. "You will act like a decent woman from now
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-30WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 19
Vandaulf exhaled slowly, his fingers tightening around the empty glass in his hand. His grandmother's words clung to him, unwelcome and intrusive. You will lose her.He scoffed under his breath. Lose her? As if Lily had anywhere to go. As if she could simply walk away from him, from this life. He had chosen her. She belonged to him.And yet…Something about Helena's tone unsettled him. She was rarely wrong.He stood up from his chair and walked to the large window. The morning sun was bathing the grounds in soft golden light, but Vandaulf's gaze was elsewhere - fixed on the path leading to the gates.If she tried to leave at all, would I even see it coming?It angered him. No. Lily was impulsive, but she was not stupid. He had provided her with life, status, protection. There was nothing in it for her to turn on him.A small part of his mind whispered doubt, insidious and hard. He wanted to remind her of her position.Lily had hardly walked into the garden when she became aware of him
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-31
Bab terbaru
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 95
The courthouse loomed like a monolith, its towering shadow sweeping over the cluster of reporters spilling onto its steps. Flashbulbs popped. Microphones pushed their way forward like swords. Voices clashed in argument."Is it true Brigs Carlston planned the James family crash?""Ms. James! Will you testify?""Do you think justice will now be served?Lily was at the rear of the tinted windows of the bulletproof vehicle, her heart pounding. The burden of a thousand unsaid things pressed in her chest like concrete. She hadn't dressed in black, not today—today she'd dressed in white. Not because she forgave. But because she had to be heard."Don't say anything to anyone," Brenna cautioned, gripping her hand tightly. "Let them prattle on. What happens in here is all that matters."Vandaulf, seated opposite them, was a storm bottled on fragile threads. Jaw set, fists curled in his lap. "I wish him to look into your eyes when the truth comes out."The car stopped. The door opened.Lily step
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 94
The hospital room was silent—too silent for the tempest that seethed within the man who lay motionless beneath white blankets. The machines beeped continuously. But Brigs Carlston's breathing was no longer continuous.His eyes flew open.The world dissolved and throbbed, sound coming back in waves. He attempted to rise, winced as agony constricted his chest. A nurse screamed."He's awake! Call Dr. Yashir!"Brigs blinked, struggling to recall why his throat was as dry as sand, why his muscles felt pulled through the fire. Then… the memories filtered in.The girl.The car.The fire.The screams.Lily.His jaw clenched. The last shred of the James family. A thread he'd thought long severed.She lived.A rasp tore his throat as he ripped the oxygen mask away. "Where… is she?" he croaked.The nurse took a step back, eyes wide. "Sir, please—don't move too much—""LILY JAMES." His voice cracked into a harsh cough. "Is she alive?""I—I don't know—please, sir, lie back, the doctor—"He shoved
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 93
But faith is an ephemeral quality. It is a candle lit in a storm of untrammelled air, waiting to be extinguished the moment there is darkness within.She slept better that night than she had in months. No darkness quiet. No sudden heat flash, no clatter of high heels thrumming in her bones. Only quiet. Terrible, holy quiet. And when she awoke, the sun was already bright in the windows, warm and gentle. Her body was leaden, but not with fear—simply with being human.Vandaulf rolled over beside her, his eyes snapping open. His voice was gravel and fire. "Morning."Lily blinked at him, letting the quiet fall before she breathed, "Still me."He wrapped his hand tight around hers, interlacing their fingers. "I know."They sat in silence for a while. Breathing. Holding. Waiting to see if the shadows stirred.They didn't.After breakfast—a peaceful, fluffy session with Helena phoning in to drop over tea and today's hottest cuttings from the paper (none of which Lily actually read)—it was tim
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 92
The apartment was dark when they arrived back. The city skyline was swept by a late autumn storm outside the window, its soft rumble the echo of the storm within Lily's heart. She stood at the center of the living room, arms at her sides going limp, gaping into the stillness as though it might speak.Vandaulf hovered behind her. He didn’t speak. Not yet. He just watched her with that same relentless steadiness that had begun to unravel her in ways she hadn’t expected.Lily let out a slow breath. “The therapist said I’m making progress,” she murmured, her voice barely a thread. “That talking about Ina… naming what she was… was a step toward reclaiming myself.”"More than a name," Vandaulf said softly. "Survival."Lily spun around, her gaze tattered, lashes wet. "That's what frightens me."He edged closer carefully. "Because losing her feels like losing the only version of you that was able to survive what occurred?"She nodded. "Every time I talk as plain Lily. there's this echoing rin
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 91
There was a sweet scent of lavender and stale leather. Walking inside was to enter into a world of memory that the tenant had actively sought to forget. Lily folded into the end of a straight chair, her clenched tightly into her lap fingers. The rigidity with which she was clutching her fingers caused her knuckles to become pale. The corner hummed a gentle tick of a sound. A metronome. A tick that tolled within her as a challenge. A challenge to speak. To break the silence.She sat in her office across from Lily, as calm as a summer day. She wasn't old, but looked old, no. She did, however, have eyes that had witnessed it all. They were fixed on Lily with no suspicion, no disdain, but only impatience. As if to wait for her to draw breath before unspooling what she had stored inside.Dr. Valez leaned forward, just slightly. "Do you mind keeping your mouth shut for a bit longer," she said, talking slowly, "or do you need to tell me what you're thinking?"Lily's mouth opened. No noises
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 90
Lily sit up. He looks at her quizzically, but She smile into his eyes, before leaning down to kiss him deeply, sucking gently, sucking his passion and desire into her body, becoming keenly aware of all that he is and all that he wants, and sensing strongly his need for her. They kiss, pushing their tongues against each other, touching each other's soft lips, then pull away a centimeter and let tension between them mount, their warm breath on the other's lips, teasing, bringing us in, until.They kiss again, more passionately, but still slowly, taking it out, enjoying it. Sometimes they are madly passionate and their lovemaking is energetic and ardent. But tonight, She want to slow down, to feel everything strongly. "Hmmm..." She stroke his flat belly, her fingers tickled by the hair around his belly button. He is pulling her to him, kissing her hard and long, and slow, and his hand is sliding down toward her butt. He uses it to pull her toward him, pull her into him, breathing her in
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 89
The sunlight seeped gradually through the half-closed drapes, creating delicate patterns of light on the hotel suite floor. It was quiet—stunned, complete quiet.Lily sat up from the bed, her breath stuck in a catch.No voice in her head.No mocking insults. No laughter taunt. No Ina.Somewhere close by, Lily's knuckles went white with the sheet-clutching. She lay out flat, waiting for that same curl, shiver of chill, take-over—but nothing stirred.Nothing but her. Lily James. Alone in her own head."Arm." Vandaulf's voice was low in the kitchenette. "You're awake?"She nodded, forgetting he could not see her. "Yeah. I… I think I'm okay."Vandaulf bowed his head against the doorframe, crooked smile twisting across his lips, hair still disheveled. "Coffee? Tea? Or… quiet?"Lily's eyes widened in shock. "Quiet?"He smiled. "I thought it would be something of a luxury for the time."Her lips shook. "Really… yes. Quiet would fit perfectly."Vandaulf vanished once more, and the scent of fr
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 88
The rain beating on the hospital window had the cadence of a slowly building bomb, slow and steady and coiled, ready to explode. The lights in the room were only partially on, the weak light of the lamplight sitting beside the bed. Lily was huddled at the edge of the bed, panting at the border, with her wet hands bunched around the thin blanket. She could again sense the presence. Ina.Not in some remote corner of her mind, not like a ghost—no. Ina was near. On her back. Whispers on her nerve endings."You can't erase what you needed to live."The voice curled around her ear, too close. Too close."Lily, Lily—you can't erase me. You are me."No, Lily breathed, staring into the mirror in the next room. Her face met her, but it was wrong. Her eyes—Ina's eyes, no—smiled and not one muscle in her mouth moved."I made you strong," Ina asserted, her voice unyielding. "I protected you when they abandoned you. When they died. When he wedded you and told you it was duty. I was the one who stol
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 87
The therapist's office was a sanctuary of gentle light, calming grays, and muffled throbs—faux quiet that wrapped itself around broken pieces. Lily sat stiffly on the couch, too plush, too lenient, to sit on. Across from her, Dr. Mariel Kaine jotted something into her notebook before looking up."Lily," she answered softly, "how have you been since that experience in the warehouse?"Lily curled her fingers over the cuff of her sleeve, voice trembling. "I had her in check. I thought… it was over."Dr. Kaine did not respond at once. She let the silence linger between them—tense, awkward. Then, "When did you last feel her?"Lily looked away. Her own face was captured in the lip of a mirrored sculpture on the shelf. She couldn't look at it. "Last night," she whispered.Flashback: The Night BeforeThe bathroom light flickered above her as Lily stared at her reflection, breasts straining. Her fingers clenched the cold porcelain sink, knuckles white. Something had triggered it—maybe the manne
