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WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 19
Last Updated:
2025-01-31 22:00:18
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WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 20
Vandaulf stood, unmoving, his whole body rooted to the earth as though it had also been frozen there. The morning breeze rustled through the edges of his coat, and he did not feel it. All he felt was the slow, simmering burn beneath his skin. His hands curled into fists at his sides, nails digging into palms as his breath came slow and measured.He should pull her back. Tuck her away. That's what Lily was waiting for, wasn't it? That's what he had always done. Kept her on a string, reminded her of her station, made certain she knew who was in control of this thing between them.He didn't.Not because he had to.Because he didn't know what he'd do if he did.She was dangerous in the way that made him shift his opinion completely; not like that of some girl who threw herself recklessly about, unaware and constantly crossing limits. She changed. And it was even worse—because she was changing him.She wasn't afraid of him anymore.And God, it pissed him off.Because if she didn't fear him
Last Updated : 2025-02-01WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 21
As the moon hung high over the estate, the walls of Lily's bedroom bore witness to a silent war. She stood before her full-length mirror, her fingers trailing over the fabric of the scandalous red dress she had just slipped into. It clung to her curves in a way that left little to the imagination, the plunging neckline and high slit teasing rebellion with every stitch.Ina smirked at her own reflection, tilting her head, admiring the audacity of it.“Perfect,” she murmured.But before she could turn away, a voice interrupted her.“Not that one.”Ina froze.The smirk on her lips faltered as Lily’s voice echoed inside her mind—soft, firm, disapproving.“You should wear something elegant. Something proper. Not a dress that screams you’re looking for trouble.”Ina scoffed, rolling her eyes as she placed a hand on her hip. “I am looking for trouble, Lily.”“No.”The voice was stronger now.“We’re not trying to provoke him. We’re trying to win.”Ina let out a breath, gripping the vanity’s e
Last Updated : 2025-02-02WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 22
Brent's brow lifted in mild surprise, but his smile broadened. "Lily, then. A pleasure to meet you."They sat and the business nearly immediately replaced the political niceties.Vandaulf had always fancied himself the master of his universe. Of his business. Of his image. Of his life. And most importantly—of her.But tonight, something was off.Lily—no, Ina—was slipping through his fingers, her presence at the dinner a silent rebellion, an act of quiet defiance wrapped in silk and charm.And the worst part?She was thriving in it.Brent Hughes was talking, his deep voice a steady hum of conversation, but Vandaulf hardly heard him. His attention stayed fixed on her—this woman sitting beside him who looked like his wife but wasn't.She was speaking with a poise he hadn't expected, her words laced with a confidence that made Hughes lean in, intrigued. Too intrigued."Lily, you surprise me," Brent said, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "I didn't think Vandaulf's wife took any interest
Last Updated : 2025-02-02WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 23
Tension seemed to thicken the air as Ina sat at the edge of the bed, her heart pounding in sync with the ticking clock. There was an eerie glow cast through the window by moonlight and the silence could be deafening. She had waited for this moment; she had planned everything meticulously and now the moment had come.Ina glanced over at the sleeping form of Vandaulf, her husband, and a wave of resentment washed over her. He was the reason she found herself in this gilded cage, trapped in a life she never wanted. His cold, controlling gaze had broken her spirit, and she had become a mere shadow of her former self – Lily, the meek and obedient wife.But not tonight.Tonight, Ina would claim back her strength, her passion, her life. She stroked the surface of the vanity, her quivering fingers dancing with excitement, as she rubbed the dark kohl into the creases under her eyes, and painted red lips that bordered on sinful. The transformation was complete, and the woman standing before her
Last Updated : 2025-02-03WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 24
She had danced, drunk, and for a fleeting instant, forgotten.Forgotten the cage she would have to go back to. Forgotten Vandaulf's stifling control.But now, as the cold air enveloped her, reality clawed its way back into her chest.Part of her wanted to ball up her fists, stomp her heel, and cast the whole world off, diving back into the throbbing music, the anonymity, and the chaos.But instead, she walked toward the waiting car."Need a ride?"She turned, only to see Caleb standing by the curb, his hands in his pockets, his eyes unreadable.Ina smirked. "Are you always this persistent?"He took a step closer, his presence unsettling in a way that sent a thrill down her spine. "Only when something fascinates me."She laughed, shaking her head. "And what is it that fascinates you?"Caleb leaned in, his voice a murmur against the shell of her ear. "A woman pretending to be something she's not."Her breath hitched. For a second—just a second—she felt exposed.Then she masked it with a
Last Updated : 2025-02-04WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 25
Ina-no, Lily-blankly blinked, dazed, as if waking up from a dream.This is a dream, music of laughter, wild abandon. A dream of Caleb.She shook herself awake, tightening her mind into concentration. "Thank you," she said, pushing bills into his hand and sliding from the car.The moment her heels touched the cobblestone driveway, she removed them, holding them in her hand as she tiptoed toward the side entrance. Every step was calculated, every breath held, as she moved through the darkened corridors like a thief in her own home.If anyone saw her like this—her dress wrinkled from the night, her perfume still carrying the scent of the club's haze—Vandaulf would know.And he could never know.She slipped inside her room and locked the door behind her, exhaling sharply. Safe.But as she turned toward the vanity, she froze.The girl staring back at her from the mirror wasn’t the Lily that Vandaulf Carlston had married.This was a different woman; the dark kohl under her eyes, the faint r
Last Updated : 2025-02-04WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 26
Beyond the window, Brenna shifted her gaze across the 16 years of memories; the sun sank low in that bright sky while an extraordinary orange-red glow streaked the area. The wonderful smell of saltwater washed over from the ocean breeze that raced through the trees. For the James family, this would, in fact, be the second year of a long-awaited beach vacation-a sweet promise that Roosevelt made to his precious twin daughters, Lily and Lilian."Daddy! Faster! I want to get to the beach before sunset!" Lilian's voice chirped from the backseat, bubbling like soda in a shaken can."Patience, sweetheart," Roosevelt chuckled as he adjusted the rearview mirror. "We have the whole weekend to enjoy the sea."Linda James turned in her seat, beaming at her daughters. "And we have a picnic all planned! I packed your favorite sandwiches and even some of those chocolate chip cookies you love."Lily, the quieter of the two, clutched her sister's hand. "We should build the biggest sandcastle ever," s
Last Updated : 2025-02-05WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 27
Brenna James clicked her heels on the tile floor, but she barely heard it. All that she could hear was the deafening silence of grief.Her son.Her daughter-in-law.Her granddaughter.All gone.She had just left Lily's bedside, watching the frail, broken girl breathe through a machine. But now, she had to face the ones who would never breathe again.Her legs felt like lead as she approached the morgue door. Her hands were shaking.I can't do this.But she had to.Taking a breath that did absolutely nothing to settle her, she opened the metal door.She stumbled slightly from the cold like a slap on the face as antiseptic and death welled up, causing her to roll her stomach inside out. The room itself was dim, lit only faintly by florescent bulbs which cast ghastly shadows up the wall.And then she saw them.Three bodies, all covered in white.She drew in a ragged breath as her chest locked with pain.The mortician was silent. His face showed no emotion. "Are you ready, ma'am?"No.She
Last Updated : 2025-02-05
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WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 55
Carlston estate walls appeared to be more constricted than usual.Vandaulf sat in his study, thick curtains drawn shut to exclude the sun. His mind was a battlefield—flashbacks of last night crossed his mind like a delirium dream.The woman.The manner in which she moved. The manner in which she submitted and fought him simultaneously.The manner in which she disappeared into thin air.A faceless, nameless apparition.And Vandaulf Carlston didn't like being left behind.Vandaulf was lost in thought when there came a sudden knock on the door."Enter," he growled.The door swung open, and Gerald, his most trusted of aides, walked in. The man was always calm, unfazed—a fixer."Sir, we've begun inquiries into last night's. incident," Gerald replied tactfully.Vandaulf sat back in his chair, fingers interlocked. "And?"Gerald scowled. "Nothing so far. No names. No security footage that picks up on her. She paid in cash, didn't use her real name, and split before dawn."Vandaulf's face tigh
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 54
Vandaulf steered into consciousness through the soft glow of sunlight shining in from somewhat parted drapes and lay catatonic in cooled silk sheets. Every aching throb in his head could be attributed to the whiskey, the music, and the gluttony that had weighed down upon him and ravaged his body the night before.He stretched out beside him automatically—but the bed was chilly.Vacant.His eyes flew open, his vision coming to rest on the rumpled sheets where she had lain.She was gone.Vandaulf sat up, memories of last night surging over him like a brutal wave.The club.The masked woman.The fire.He had never felt so drawn to anyone in his life as he had felt drawn to her.It wasn't even how she'd walked, or the way she'd panted crude things against his mouth—it was something else.Something he knew.He pressed his eyes with one hand, and breathed slowly in.Her perfume still lingered on him.His gaze went over to the crumpled mask on the pillow—her mask.She was gone. Poof. No name
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 53
She felt fear.What went on last night? Hell.She rolled over on her side, panting at what she saw.Lying next to Lily was a man; the early morning soft light silhouetted his muscular form. His chest rose and fell evenly. His face was hidden behind the mask.The same mask he wore last night.Memories flashed. The manner in which his fingers had caressed her body, ignited fires she'd never felt before. The manner in which his lips had devoured hers, starving, needy. The manner in which he'd shattered her.It was my first time… with a stranger.A queasy, falling sensation wrapped itself around her stomach.She'd been stupid.And now she didn't even know the man whose name could forever break the power of her ill-fated deed.Gritting her teeth against the pounding in her heart, she reached out with trembling fingers.If only she could see his face… if only she could know—She paused, her heart pounding wildly against her ribs.Drawing a shaking breath, she slowly drew back the mask.And w
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 52
The music pulsed around them, a hypnotic rhythm that dissolved reality and excess.Ina felt the heat of his fingers even through the depth of silk and blackness between them.Vandaulf was a storm—uncompromising, devouring, lethal.She knew she had to leave.Knew she walked a thin edge.But the alcohol that streamed through her bloodstream pushed stay.The thrill of the unknown flamed hotter than reason.And when Vandaulf's fingers caressed the length of her spine, when his lips were inches from her ear, she didn't step back.She leaned in closer."You're playing with fire," the depths of his voice were weighted with warning and promise.Ina's smile was languid and teasing. "Perhaps I like the burn."Vandaulf's grip just a little tighter on Lily-Ina's waist. His other hand fell to her wrist, his thumb tracing slow, swooning circles across her pulse.He was testing her.She was testing him.And both of them were unwilling to back down.His mouth inches from hers. Ina could feel the warm
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 51
Vandaulf stepped before the mirror, smoothing out the cuff of his suit in effortless familiarity. His image was the very model of control—icy, measured, lethal.Lily watched him from the bed, sitting on her haunches, fingers following the stitches on her dress with gentle fingertips."You look eager," she thought, her voice silky, removed.His eyes flashed to hers in the mirror. "It's business."A Halloween masquerade party thrown by one of the city's most powerful real estate moguls. Networking, power moves, and deal-making masquerading as fun.More significantly, it meant he would be away for hours.This was her opportunity.Lily hid her smile in a wine glass."Well," she stated and stood up, the silk of her robe whispering against her skin. "Don't have too much fun without me Vandaulf."Vandaulf's eyes narrowed into hers, hard and cold."I won't."She stepped closer, inches from his face. Teasing him."Good," she whispered, reaching out to touch his tie, her fingers tracing just ab
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 50
The air between them charged with electricity, but neither blinked. Neither folded."Neither grovels, darling," Ina had sneered, her voice silk and steel.And now, observing Vandaulf's face harden—his jaw muscles locked, his fists clenched—she recognized she'd gained this fight.But victory was fleeting.Vandaulf didn't lose.He didn't surrender.He struck back.Without another word, he turned on his heel and left the room, the click of his shoes against the marble floor echoing like a warning.Ina let out a slow, measured breath, her pulse still racing from the confrontation.But deep down, Lily’s voice whispered—soft, worried.This is dangerous, Ina. You’re pushing too far.Ina smirked at her reflection in the mirror. "Not far enough."The next day, she woke up to a cage.Not a physical one—not chains, not locked doors—but something worse.A silent, invisible prison built by a man who would not be ignored.She sensed it the instant she emerged from her bedroom.The abrupt tightening
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 49
The quiet was oppressive. Nigh on unbearable.The face staring back at her wasn't Lily anymore.It was Ina.Her stronger, bolder, deadlier version.She let her breath out slowly, leaning on the cold marble sink with her elbows. Her eyes. Ina's eyes, smoldered with revolt."What in tarnation was that?" Ina growled, staring at herself in anger.Lily's gentle voice, tinged with doubt, ran through her mind. "I don't know Ina.""Liar," Ina growled. "You felt it. You let him in."Lily winced within. "No. That wasn't."It was real," Ina interjected. "You enjoyed it."Lily's hands shook. "That's not true.""Oh, sweetheart," Ina sighed. "Your heart still pounds. Your skin still stings where he touched you. Don't lie to me."Lily swallowed hard. She wanted to lie, to push the sensation down as she always did.But Ina was correct.Vandaulf had touched her beneath her skin.And that was not safe.Ina leaned forward, her eyes on their reflected faces, her voice a low whisper. "You let him win."Li
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 48
The huge doors slam shut with a deafening crash, imprisoning Lily in the lion's den.Silence.Heavy. Choking.She barely had time to catch her breath before—"Where the hell were you?"His voice was deep, coarse—like gravel on steel.Lily gradually turned. Vandaulf hadn't stepped from the bottom of the stairs, yet his presence controlled the entire bloody room. Suit jacket open, rolled-up sleeves, as though pacing back and forth—awaiting.Her.Lily flicked a harsh brow, innocent. "Out."Darkening face, fists on his thighs. Mismatched reaction.He closed a cautious step, another, until all distance had disappeared. Something heavy erupted in the air."Out," he spat again, poison seeping through his words. "For seven hours, Lily?"She shrugged. "Didn't realize I was working."His jaw clenched. "You can't just bail."She nodded. "Amusing fact, since that is precisely what I did as well."His grip shattered.In seconds, he slapped his palm on her wrist—this time with more pressure.Lily d
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 47
The sun came up over the Carlston estate, but its rays did nothing to melt the frost in the air.Lily woke up as Lily.Ina had burned out during the middle of the night, leaving only fatigue behind.A loud knock on her door startled her into sitting upright."Ma'am," the maid's voice was soft but insistent. "Madam Helena and Mr. Vandaulf are waiting in the dining hall. It's time for breakfast."Lily breathed slowly, grounding herself. Play the part.As she stepped out of her room, she was not Ina, no longer incensed. She was the demure, reserved Lily—dominated, elegant, submissive.She walked down the sweeping staircase, her silk robe flowing behind her. But as she approached the dining hall, her breathing caught.Vandaulf waited there.For her.His wide shoulders rested lazily against the doorframe, arms folded, but his face was far from calm.His eyes found her at once, raking, searching.Lily maintained her even pace."Good morning," she said, voice light, neutral.Vandaulf's mouth
