"Do I really have to go shopping? I don’t feel like going out," Carla protested as the car rolled to a halt in front of the mall.
With a faint smile, I cupped her face, searching her eyes for an answer that wasn’t there. They were blank, unreadable.
"Are you scared?" I asked softly. I already knew the answer but I still asked. She sighed and looked away. Ever since she regained consciousness, she had been distant, avoiding conversations with whenever she could. I had made her agree to be my wife for a year, but I hadn’t ntioned the dangers that might co with it. Her reaction was understandable.
"You can stay by my side if you want. I just have to et soone briefly, then we’ll leave."
Her gaze snapped back to mine, troubled. "What if you get hurt because of ?"
I frowned, unsure what she ant, but she quickly rolled her eyes, slipping from my touch. "Call when you’re done," she said flatly, stepping out of the car.
There was sothing different about her now. She wasn’t the sa girl I had t in church the mute artist I used to visit at the orphanage. That girl was gone. Sothing in her eyes, her aura, her entire being had changed.
The sharp beep of my phone pulled from my thoughts. Zamiel. He had sent his live location. With a sigh, I tapped on it and drove off.
The place he led to was empty eerily so save for one table set with flowers, drinks, and cake. It didn’t look like a café at all.
"Did you get dumped?" I asked dryly as I slid into the seat opposite him.
"Dumped? Please." Zamiel chuckled, raising a brow. "This isn’t for , it’s for you. I’ve been engaged for six months with no wedding in sight, and you have been engaged for a few days and boom, already married."
"Maybe you’re just not man enough to take up responsibilities," I teased, narrowing my eyes.
He smirked. "If ’responsibilities’ an getting killed, I’ll pass. How’s my little bunny doing? I heard she was attacked yesterday." His tone was lazy, but his knowledge was unsettling.
"You seem to know more than enough," I said flatly.
He nodded, growing quiet for a mont before exhaling. "Carla..." He glanced around, then locked eyes with . "She’s started regaining her mories."
His words didn’t sound convincing, but I stayed silent, letting him continue.
"Rember when you went looking for her after the incident, and she didn’t recognize you? At that ti, she did have amnesia. But after you left, her late mother’s younger brother found her. He started therapy, and it worked partially. She recalled fragnts."
I narrowed my eyes. "And you never thought to tell this when you dragged into marrying her? Were you trying to save her... or kill ? If she recovered mories, why doesn’t she rember ?"
"My intentions haven’t changed," he said firmly. "And like I said, only part of her mory ca back. She even stopped by my hospital and asked to help her attend the Alpha Four dining. I agreed. But she’s planning sothing reckless; she wants to attack the old man. And I can’t allow that."
"Why?" I asked, leaning back.
"Because she’s aiming at the wrong person." His eyes darkened. "Years ago, I overheard my father and her grandfather talking about a drug. Sothing about what happens if its effects wear off. That’s when I learned she was still alive. After digging, I found this."
He slid his phone across the table. Surveillance footage from the training academy.
"Look closely," he said, zooming in. "Her grandfather asked my father for a mory-suppressing drug. And in this footage, you’ll see the old man point a gun at Carla’s mother. But watch he hesitated. He didn’t want to shoot. It was staged. If he hadn’t, the sniper in the shadows would have killed both him and Carla. To save her, he pulled the trigger."
"So it was orchestrated," I muttered. "To make Carla hate him. And let guess the real mastermind was her father?"
Zamiel nodded grimly.
"I t with the old man once under the guise of a dical checkup," he continued. "He admitted his son won’t stop until Carla is buried. He begged to give her the sa drug, to keep her mories locked away. But that won’t solve anything."
"So what’s your plan?" I pressed, already tired of his riddles.
"She’s been a weapon from the start," Zamiel said, his tone sharp. "So let’s use her wisely. The past always returns, and she’s the very past her father fears most."
"And how do you expect that to work?" I scoffed. "She doesn’t rember his face. No pictures. And if the rumors are true, he had surgery after killing his wife."
"It’s true," Zamiel admitted. "But three people knew him: Carla, the old man, and Lily. Lily’s dead. The old man can’t help. That leaves one option to remind Carla of her past with precise, undeniable information."
His eyes glead with a mix of determination and resentnt. He already had a planI could see it. And he wanted to be part of it.
"What’s my role?" I asked.
"Carla doesn’t know you’re Nathan. I promised to introduce her to one of the Alphas. I was going to send her to Alpha Four, but I don’t trust him. You’ll take her instead. She’s your wife, after all."
"And?" I prompted, noticing his hesitation.
"The old Dalton wants to et her. She won’t go willingly, but you’ll make sure she doesn’t cause havoc."
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever." Rising from my seat, I adjusted my jacket.
He leaned back, studying . "How’s your demon?"
I froze, then smirked faintly. "Scared I’ll go berserk?"
"No," he said quietly, his tone sharper than usual. "I’m scared you’ll fall in love with her. And when she’s gone... you’ll tear the world apart."
We locked eyes. He knew more than he was letting on. Could he have been behind the cut Carla had when I picked her up from the hospital?
"Are you sure Carla only asked you about the party? Nothing else?" I asked coldly.
He nodded, too easily. But I knew Zamiel better than that. He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing always calculating.
"This eting never happened," I said, turning for the door.
"Who the hell are you?" he called after with a raised brow.
I smirked, not bothering to answer.
Because in the Alpha world, heirs weren’t brothers. We were threats. And if anyone found out about this eting, the consequences would be bloody.
..
"Aunt Carla, can you please help check why he’s crying?" Cicila tugged on the hem of my dress, and I showed a little smile as I bent over to see what was wrong with her baby brother in the stroller.
"Cicila, how about you let Uncle Tom take care of you and your brother today? Your aunt isn’t feeling well," Tommy ca closer to us, handing a bottle of water, which I doubted I needed. I’ve been walking on eggshells lately, not wanting to get questioned about what happened between Lily and in the room last night, and surprisingly, everyone has been acting normal, except for Gift, of course, as if nothing happened. I killed soone on their property, and instead of calling the police or being asked my reason for such an action, they decided to take out shopping.
"I’ll take the kids with . I was asked to give you this," he brought out a card from his pocket. "If you need , call , okay?" he smiled, and I just nodded, watching him take the kids away.
Now, what to do? I am still clueless about who Lily was working for, and there’s no way I could ask her since she’s no longer in this world.
"Damn, Carla, I shouldn’t have killed her!" I exclaid, my teeth clenched in regret. As I delivered the final blow, fragnted mories surfaced, revealing a life more pitiful than I had imagined a life where even my own cousin despised and prayed for my demise.
What kind of existence had I endured?
"Carla!" A voice called out, interrupting my spiraling thoughts. I rolled my eyes in frustration. Couldn’t they see I needed a mont to myself?
"Carla!"
"What is it, for goodness’ sake?" I snapped, ready to lash out, but stopped short when I saw Editor Damian’s perplexed expression.
"Are you okay? Is soone bothering you? Why are you so on edge?" He bombarded with questions, stepping closer. Before I could answer, two burly n in black suits appeared, creating a barrier between us.
"Mrs. Dean, are you okay?" one of them asked.
"Excuse , who are you?" I replied, utterly confused.
"Your husband asked us to ensure your safety," the other man said, while Damian’s eyes bore into , demanding answers. How could I begin to explain, especially after being warned to stay away from Nix?
Reviews
All reviews (0)