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WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 73
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-03-25 23:57:37
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WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 74
Vandaulf’s voice fell to a whisper — broken, raw, like a man caught between fury and heartbreak. “…then you’re not just betraying me. You’re destroying us.”Lily’s throat closed up, words tangled like thorns in her chest. “I’m not…”He stood back from her, gasping. His mask shattered like a thousand fragments of glass, and for the first time she glimpsed fear smoldering in the peat-black eyes — not fear of her, but horror of what he already suspected."I needed to believe," he growled. "God curse me, I had to believe in you."Lily's lip quivered. "You still can.""No." His tone was ice-cold now. "I can't."The air was thick between them.Vandaulf stroked his hair with a shaking hand. "I sent men after that woman," he admitted, his tone rough. "I was wondering why. why I could not stop thinking about you. Why I felt as though I knew her. I thought it was madness." His gaze fastened on hers. "And it was madness. It was you, was it not?"Tears overflowed Lily's eyes. "I never meant—
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-26WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 75
Leaning back in his armchair, Brigs Carlston cast a foreboding elongated shadow all over the mahogany walls of the study as the desk lamp shone brightly. He stirred the drink, amber in color, in the glass and narrowed his eyes, looking at the wall as though in consideration. Dark laughter shook his head. "Tsk, tsk… Roosevelt James' daughter is smarter than I thought she was. She has been hunting for evidence."He placed his drink on the desk with a loud click."She knows it was something more than an accident. But to know and to be able to show are two other things, little girl."With a slow, deliberate motion, Brigs stood up from the chair and walked to the opposite side of the room. His fingertips touched the cold surface of an old cabinet—a reminder of lost secrets. He bent down, pressing his thumb into a hidden panel beneath the cabinet. There was a tiny click, and a panel of the wooden floor creaked open to show a hidden vault.Brigs breathed deeply, his eyes shining with evil
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-27WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 76
They snuck in.The house was forebodingly quiet. There was merely the sound of the security system and a far-off creak of the wood floor shifting beneath their feet.Lily led the way, relying on what she knew as her guide. She'd spied upon this house, studied Brigs's routine. She knew exactly where his study would be.They reached the door.Vandaulf quickly disabled the lock, and they slid inside.Brigs's study had been as showy as it had been ominous—floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined its walls, plush leather armchairs stretched out in comfort, and a dominant desk sat at its center. But Lily's eyes were on the room's distant corner."There," she whispered.The cabinet.Vandaulf walked over, his fingers running along the edges of the hidden panel in its back.Click.The vault opened.Lily gasped as Vandaulf tampered with the lock. Each moment felt like an eternity. Finally—Beep. Beep. Beep.The vault swung open.Inside, neat stacks of papers, books, and folders were laid out in order.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-28WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 77
Brigs spun toward her, his grin growing wider. "Ah. There it is." He fell again, his gaze fixed on her like a predator's gaze on wounded prey. "That hesitation. That doubt. That fear."Lily's heart pounded against her head, but she would not give in to him."Kill me then," she gasped. "If you really believe that I am so cowardly, kill me."Brigs chuckled. "Oh, Lily. Why would I ever hurt you when so much enjoyment is had playing games with you?"Her breath caught as he leaned in close, lips on the edge of her ear. "You're in a war you'll lose."She swallowed hard, mouth dry. "I shall never surrender."Brigs stepped back, eyes crinkling at the deep grinning lines. "Oh, I'm waiting with bated breath.".He addressed his guards. "Bring them down. Make them comfortable."Lily's stomach sank.Lower floors. Dungeon under manor.An arm tugged her arm, flame searing from her shoulder. She was being dragged away once more, metal's hold on her wrists as the guards are taken off into shadows.Van
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-29WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 78
The icy metal of the van floor cut into Lily's skin as she was, wrists restrained behind her by heavy cuffs. The thunder of the engine shook the bones in her body, but not the noise that consumed her—it was the fury. The desperation, the suffocating rage coursing through her throat.Brigs Carlston had stolen everything from her.And he thought he owned her.The flickering, shaking light in the van cast eerie shadows over the guards who sat across from her, rifles across their knees. Their eyes were guarded, suspicious. They had witnessed the flame in her. They knew what she could do.But they did not know her.They did not know Ina.The darkness descended around them, heavy and suffocating, as the van traveled over rough roads.The transition was slow, nearly imperceptible. The world beyond her unraveled and reformed, the borders of Lily's perception fading. The crushing burden of terror, rage, and powerlessness transformed into something else.Something dark.Something unencumbered.H
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-30WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 79
The night drew its breath in anticipation.Vandaulf loomed over her, a dark silhouette against the silver glow pouring through the leaves. His features remained unguessed, his stance noncommittal neither friendly nor unfriendly. Far behind them, Brigs' men screamed distant, their boots pounding the earth like war drums.Ina's grip on the stolen gun was a vise. Her body hurt, her lungs seared, but she would not fall now. Not now that she had come so far.She recoiled.Vandaulf copied her."You hesitate," he said. His voice was not loud, but it sliced the night like a blade.Ina's heart pounded in her chest. "I don't hesitate.""Then why not shoot?"Her hands trembled on the icy metal of the gun.She could.She should.Vandaulf was Brigs' son. His blood. His heir. He had stood on the other side for so long it was as though to hold a knife in the blade to have any trust in him now.And yet—He had come alone. Without a gun. Without guards.Either desperate or idiotic.Or perhaps both."I
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 80
Vandaulf's face grew harder. "I never was your boy."Brigs chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, but you were. You just didn't realize it."There was tense silence between them.Then Brigs made a melodramatic sigh. "You let her go."Vandaulf's expression did not change."You let her live," Brigs continued, venomous, his voice softening."Even when you knew what that did for you."Vandaulf's jaw muscle and the eye near it throbbed with anger, but he remained silent.Brigs took another step forward, the voice plummeting deeper into blackness, heaviness."You betrayed me."Those words hung suspended within Vandaulf's breast, a splash of ice water.Brigs never forgave traitors.And Vandaulf had just done the unforgivable.Brigs looked at him intently, his eyes smoldering with something unreadable. "I should have known this. Well, I did know you had weakness in you."Vandaulf could hardly bear his father's gaze. "If weakness is compassion, then I'd be a better man to be weak than to be you."Bri
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 81
The house towered over her like a predator slouching, ready to jump down on its prey.Lily—no.Ina.She pulled on the gloved fingers covering her hands, her heart beat steady despite the battle warring within her.This was not madness.This was revenge.Brenna had cautioned her. Had reminded her to bide patiently.But patience never saved anyone.The doors creaked open, and there stood Brigs Carlston at the top of the marble staircase.The devil himself.His face was un readable, but a curve of humor pulled the corners of his mouth up."Well," Brigs gasped. "You certainly do have your father's foolishness."Ina edged closer, the gun hidden under her jacket keeping her steady."I have something else of his too," she said flatly.Brigs' brow furrowed. "And what would that be?"She smiled. "A reason to kill you."Brigs emitted a low chuckle. "My, my. Such temerity."Ina didn't blink."I take it you're here for my son," he went on.Ina clenched her fists into fists. "Where is he?"Brigs h
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-01
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WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 102
The post-engagement days were a fantasy woven out of strands of golden sunlight and gentle laughter. The Carlston Estate, foreboding and dark, was now radiant. It pulsed with purpose—florists dashing along hallways with arms loaded with ivory roses, tailors darting to and from with packages of silk draped over their arms, and cooks darting back and forth with taste-test plates that sent fragrant odors wafting through the air. There was laughter once more. There was music. There was hope.And in the midst of it all—Lily and Vandaulf.“You’re breathing too loud,” Lily muttered without looking up from her sketchpad, a pencil tucked behind her ear, the other in her hand, tapping against the paper.“I’m literally just existing,” Vandaulf replied from the couch, watching her from over a stack of fabric swatches. “You’re the one judging ribbon samples like they hold state secrets.”"Yes, they do keep state secrets," she told him sternly, holding two very similar champagne-colored swatches in
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 101
Morning sunlight streamed through the Carlston house windows, bathing the stone floors in a warm golden glow once filled with power, secrets, and tears. But now, the quiet was serene. The war was over. Brigs Carlston had died. The ghosts were serene. And life—sweet, still life—started to take back its space again.At the heart of the estate garden in which sorrow previously grew like weeds, now blossoming roses graced that space.Vandaulf was among them.His eyes also looked for her simultaneously. Lily sat beneath the ancient tree where she had fled from the world. Her dark black hair fell down the sides of her shoulders like ink, and a half-opened journal lay across her lap. She wasn't writing anymore—just sitting with it. Remembering, maybe. Letting go.He swallowed hard. His heart pounded harder, the moment in his chest balancing like gravity."She deserves better," he whispered.“I’d say she deserves everything,” a familiar voice teased gently behind him. Vandaulf whirled, surpr
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 100
James & Monroe Holdings, Boardroom – Friday MorningThe lift moved slowly as if delayed by frost to reach its forty-eight floor. Lily was quite alone. She wore a black turtleneck blouse, a buttoned, cream-colored placket displayed with black trousers.A blazer fit close to her, arms rolled back in a casual fashion to expose the monogrammed cufflinks belonging to her father.Her hair was pulled back in a neat, every inch of her person assembled.Her fingers were shaking.Not out of fear.Out of anticipation.The instant the elevator doors slid open with a gentle chime, the hallway fell silent, as if the building itself acknowledged who now filled its corridors. Assistants looked up from their desks. Phones ceased ringing. Men in suits halted their conversations.The heir had come home.Vandaulf moved beside her in silence, one step behind. He was not here to make speeches on her behalf.He was present to see her reclaim all that had been taken.They approached the dark mahogany doors of
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 99
The gates of the James estate slowly swung open, leading to the curved, winding driveway lined with cypress trees that reached as high as the sky. The morning sun filtered through their leaves, casting golden spangles on the pavement. It was the same. And nothing was the same.Lily stepped out of the dark car, the gravel beneath her boots grinding. Her heart pounded in her chest, loaded with memory and significance. Vandaulf stood behind her in silence, letting her take it all in. It was sixteen years ago.The house stood like a sleeping giant—regal, proud, un touched since the world shattered. Ivy crawled up its stone front, and several of the windows were shrouded in mist, but it was still beautiful. Still hers.Brenna moved out of her way, the wind whipping clumps of her silver hair. "Your father designed every aspect of this house. Every beam, every tile, every windowpane. he wanted it to last for generations."Lily felt a wave of emotions. Tears filled her eyes as she tried to s
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"I'm not here to intrude," Helen whispered. "To tell you something I should have told you ages ago."The room was quiet."I'm sorry. For all the things Brigs did. For what he hurt me. For not saying anything."Lily rose, her voice shaking. "Why now?"Lily's eyes flicked rapidly. "You saved me. That night. If you hadn't. shot him."Helen dropped her eyes. "That was the last thing I was able to do right."Silence descended once more, but not cold."I don't seek forgiveness," Helen continued. "I just needed you to hear it."She was going to leave, but remained."And Lily? He was afraid of you, you know. Even at the end. That's why he wanted to kill you. Because you reminded him that he could never be good."Then she departed, the door closing quietly.Lily breathed out. The room somehow was clearer."She's shattered," Brenna stated."We're all that," Lily whispered. "But some of us are trying to put the pieces together."Vandaulf embraced her once more and sat down beside her."No more m
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 97
The sun had stretched long shadows on the steps of the courthouse in the morning, gold-glazing the sandstone walls in a light too gentle for the day to come. A wave of reporters waited below, microphones poised like weapons, their voices a rising hum of anticipation. Cameras flashed simultaneously, as if thousands of eyes eager to devour the moment.Behind the courtroom doors, Lily remained trapped, back stiff but palms sweaty. Varnished wood and paper's aroma still lingered behind the halls of justice behind her, but outside—it was pandemonium.She turned the microphone attached to her blouse, hands shaking."Ready?" Vandaulf's voice whispered by her side, steady like an anchor, blazing like the sun she hardly remembered loving.She swallowed hard. "As ready as I'll ever be grandma.""Don't let them shake you Lily," Brenna said over her shoulder, her voice weighed down by years of pain and resilience. "Tell your truth. That's all that matters."The massive doors creaked as they opene
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 96
"You've said nothing since the verdict."He blinked, his jaw clenched. "Because I spent years wondering whether justice was possible at all.""And now?" she asked.He glanced at her—actually looked—and something relaxed in his face."Now I know it is. Because you made it possible."Her heart wrenched. She ached to stumble into his arms and stay still forever, but the pressure of it all hung out there still like a hurricane just past the window."I need air," she blurted suddenly.They moved out into a blaze of flashbulbs and camera equipment."Lily! Miss James—one word, please!""Did the Carlstons intimidate you?""Was Brigs the only one in it?"Vandaulf stepped in front of her, interposing himself. "No comment.They pushed their way through, security flanking them until they reached the car parked by the curb.As soon as the doors closed, quiet came over them once again.Brenna placed her hand on Lily's knee. "You don't have to talk now. Just breathe."But Lily couldn't breathe—not y
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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."Do not tell anyone anything," Brenna warned, clutching her hand in a tight grip. "Let them prattle. What goes on here is all that counts."Vandaulf, sitting across from them, was a tempest contained in thin threads. Jaw clenched, fists clenched in his lap. "I want him to look into your eyes when the truth emerges."The car stopped. The door opened.Li
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
