Amber’s look was nothing like Vito’s.
Vito always wore his smile like a mask. Sweet on the outside, sharp underneath. You could feel the danger even when he was being polite.
With Amber, there was no mask.
The hostility hit the first second we t, like my body recognized an enemy before my mind could catch up. And it was the sa now. Her gaze was straight, cold, and almost... final.
Like she already saw as a ghost.
I pointed in her direction and forced my voice to sound casual. "Lewis, look. Amber’s here too. What a coincidence."
Lewis glanced over. Amber’s face was back to its usual icy calm. But when her eyes landed on him, sothing softened just a little. A faint warmth that didn’t exist when she looked at .
For a second, I almost doubted myself.
Almost.
I pushed Lewis’s wheelchair toward her, relieved Riley had gone to handle the kittens’ transport. If Amber had anything to do with my death, I couldn’t let Riley stand close to right now. Not while my instincts were screaming.
I sent Riley a quick text.
Take a different route. Don’t co back this way yet.
"Amber," Lewis asked, polite as always. "What are you doing here?"
Amber smiled like this was random luck. "Just got off the plane. Didn’t expect to run into you."
I kept my expression light, like I was just being chatty. "Amber, I’ve been thinking about what you said before. You ntioned there’s another stone. Where is it?"
I felt Lewis’s hand tighten.
Not hard. Just... enough.
Then he asked, too quickly, "Amber, do you know about the pendant Riley wears?"
Amber’s smile didn’t change, but her eyes flicked fast. "Oh, I must’ve been mistaken," she said smoothly. "I said that offhand. Didn’t think she’d rember."
She tilted her head like a gracious hostess. "Are you two heading ho? How about a quick al before you go?"
"Maybe another ti," Lewis replied, voice calm, controlled.
We got into the car, and Amber left without a hint of suspicion. Like she hadn’t just pressed her fingers against the softest part of my fear.
I watched her step into a sleek black car. The door opened, and I caught a glimpse of a man inside. A platinum ring flashed on his finger.
My stomach sank.
Who was he?
Lewis spoke first, his tone quiet but firm. "What did she say to you before? Last ti."
So he did notice.
I told him everything. "When I was doing the dishes, Amber asked where the stone ca from. And she asked where the other one was."
I swallowed. "Lewis... are there two stones?"
He hesitated. I could hear the pause in his breathing, like he was choosing between truth and a safer lie.
"Yeah," he said finally. "There are two. Like jadeite. You can carve multiple pieces from the sa stone."
"I see," I murmured, acting like that explanation satisfied . "She must think it’s sothing special."
When I didn’t push further, Lewis’s shoulders loosened. He reached back and ruffled my hair gently, like he was soothing a nervous pup without calling it that.
"Don’t worry about it," he said. "Just keep close. Wear it for the next few days."
I leaned my head against his shoulder, playing my part. "Don’t worry. I don’t want to lose myself again. I’ll keep it on."
The lie tasted bitter.
I studied his face and forced my voice to stay light. "Lewis... don’t you find Amber a little odd?"
He glanced at . "What do you an?"
"Well," I said slowly, testing the ground, "Amber is beautiful. And honestly, she’s... striking. But you’ve known her for years and there’s never anyone beside her. No partner. No kids. Nothing. Doesn’t that feel strange to you?"
Lewis paused. Then his voice turned serious. "Elena, not everyone needs a bond or a mate just because they can. Look at . If it weren’t for you, I’d rather stay single forever."
His eyes softened. "Maybe Amber was hurt and doesn’t want to date. That doesn’t an you should judge her."
The word judge hit harder than I expected.
Because Lewis didn’t use that tone with often. Not unless sothing mattered to him.
"I’m not judging her," I said quickly. "I’m just curious."
He seed to realize how sharp he sounded. His expression eased. "Sorry, Elena."
Then he added, quieter, "Amber may seem distant, but she’s a good person. A few years ago, when I was really sick and Theo had to leave for a while... Amber was the one who took care of ."
So that was it.
That was why he didn’t question her. Why he protected her even with words.
I didn’t have proof. Only a feeling that wouldn’t leave my bones. If I kept pushing, it would only push Lewis away from . And if I lost my place beside him, I’d be stepping into danger alone.
I nodded slowly. "I see. So to you... Amber is like family?"
"You know how it is with the Doltons," he said. "They’ve treated like family."
Then, like he couldn’t help himself, he added, urgent, "But Elena, I see Tiffany as a younger sister. There’s never been anything more between us."
His need to explain was obvious.
And the truth was... I wasn’t worried about Tiffany.
If Amber really was my enemy, I just needed to wait.
Because her strange kindness toward Lewis ant sothing important.
It ant that, for now, the safest place for was right beside him.
When we got ho, everything was quiet. Clean. Still. Like the house didn’t know what it was holding.
Night settled thick and heavy.
Lewis stayed in his study, working. I woke up thirsty and noticed the light under his door was still on. I padded down the hallway, careful, and stopped when I heard voices.
Theo.
I stayed in the shadow, my breath held tight in my chest.
The ashtray in front of Lewis was full of cigarette butts. I had never seen that many near him before. His face looked cold, unfamiliar, like he had taken off the softness he saved only for .
"Theo," Lewis said, voice low, "here’s the asset distribution. Have the lawyer co tomorrow. The will is already written."
My stomach dropped.
Theo sounded tense. "Sir... if madam finds out about this deception, it will break her heart."
"Heartbreak won’t last forever," Lewis replied calmly. Too calmly. "I just want her to stay alive."
He exhaled slowly, smoke thick in the air. "Maybe she’ll be down for a year or two. But she’ll move on. The world is big. She should see more of it."
His voice went even quieter, like it hurt him to say it. "Maybe she’ll et soone else who loves her. And they’ll be happy together."
My throat closed.
Theo asked, almost pleading, "Sir... is there really no other way?"
Lewis lit another cigarette. The fla caught, and for a second, it reflected in his eyes like sothing burning.
"I’d want to spend the rest of my life with her too," he said, voice rough. Then he cut himself off. "Forget I said that."
He shifted, business again. "Have you taken care of things with the Whites?"
"Yes," Theo answered.
"Good. Move fast," Lewis said. "We don’t want this dragging on longer than necessary."
Then his next words froze my blood.
"Make sure the accident looks real," he said, distant and emotionless. "Don’t let Elena find out anything."
"Got it," Theo replied.
I stumbled back quietly, my heart slamming against my ribs. My palms were damp. My legs felt weak, but I forced myself to move like nothing happened.
So Lewis wasn’t waiting for fate.
He was hunting it.
He knew my death would look like an accident. We had suspected the Blackwells, but we didn’t have proof. And we didn’t know when it would happen.
Lewis wasn’t the type to sit around and hope for luck. He wanted every threat crushed before it could reach .
He had already prepared a will.
He had already arranged everything.
And he was still acting soft with ... like he could keep calm with kisses and warmth while he carried all the ugliness alone.
After a while, I heard him move. He slipped out of the study and into the bathroom, probably to wash off the tobacco sll. I didn’t realize his habit was that bad. But when he was with , I never noticed the scent.
Because he never let see this side of him.
A few minutes later, he ca into the room quietly. He lifted the covers gently and slid into bed like he belonged there like the world wasn’t cracking.
He pulled into his arms, careful and strong.
Maybe he thought I was asleep.
His voice was soft against my hair, soothing, steady like a vow spoken in the dark.
"Elena," he whispered, "I won’t let anything happen to you."
His hand tightened slightly, like he was holding on to the last piece of sanity he had.
"I’ll keep you safe," he murmured. "Even if I have to go through hell for it."
And in his arms, with his warmth wrapped around , my instincts didn’t relax.
They sharpened.
Because I finally understood sothing I didn’t want to accept.
Lewis wasn’t just protecting .
He was preparing to sacrifice himself and he was willing to burn the whole world down first.
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