ANASTASIA:
I stared out the window as David drove me home, a storm of emotions raging inside me. I was mad, embarrassed, and angry, but deep down, I knew there was nothing I could do about it.
David glanced at me, his eyes filled with empathy. When he found me near the forest I had broken down in his arms, and he held me, cradling me like I was something fragile until we were in his car. But his words echoed in my mind.
"You shouldn't have come here, A. The doctor said you need rest."
The doctor. The one who's been trying to convince everyone that I'm crazy, that I'm not normal, that I need help.
Bastard.
"I'm not mad, Dave," I replied, wiping the dried tears from my face with the back of my hand.
"I know, A." He said softly. "I didn't mean it like that."
I scoffed. I knew exactly what he meant. He thinks I am mad—that's why he is always so careful around me, always hovering a little too close.
As the road passed by in a blur, my mind drifted back to when the Devil had me in his grip. There was something hauntingly familiar about him, something in those eyes that I felt I'd seen before, but I couldn't place it. He was smart—too smart. Even his voice was just a whisper, carefully masked so I could never truly know who he was.
"Now, would you mind telling me what you were doing out there when you've been told to stay away from that place, A?" David's voice cut through my thoughts.
"I just wanted some fresh air," I replied, glancing at him. He was still as handsome as ever, but there was something different about him now. Six months ago, when David was handed the Devil's case, we discovered not only Preston's terror but also a dark connection to Aurora Romano.
And the prime suspect for the Devil? His long-lost brother—Benny. MIA. Presumed dead.
But I knew better. Benny, the Devil, was out there, in the shadows, and he wasn't done yet, especially with me.
"Why the hell does it have to be this exact place for your fresh air, A?" David's frustration was palpable. I had been drawn to this place for the past three months, convinced that the Devil was still out there, alive and lurking.
He wanted me here. He knew I would come, driven by my need to find him, to prove that I'm right. He's been playing with my emotions, twisting my mind. Of all people, he knows I wouldn't believe he's dead. He knew I'd walk straight into his trap, just waiting to be devoured.
It's his game, his twisted plot, and I'm just a pawn.
But I'm not mad. And I will prove it.
"Your father won't be pleased when he hears about this," David muttered.
"And since when do you care so much about his opinion?" I snapped, my voice dripping with bitterness.
"Since he was elected as the new mayor, my position has become..." He hesitated, gripping the wheel tighter as we took a sharp right. "A bit tricky."
"So now you're going to forget the promise we made when we were kids? To fight for justice? Are you going to let yourself be swayed by power and money, just like the rest of them?" My voice cracked with emotion.
"Well... no... God, no, not like that," he replied, his tone softening. "But all I'm saying is that you need to be careful, A. I know you want to uncover the truth about your mom, and I understand how much what happened months ago has affected you. But trust me, I'll do everything in my power to help you find the answers, just like I promised. But you need to accept that Benny—the Devil—is dead."
"You're wrong. Everyone's wrong. He's playing with our minds, Dave. He's alive... and his game isn't over."
"And how do you prove that?"
"Well, I... Today..."
He sighed heavily. "You need to let it go, A. The forensic department confirmed that the other body was the Devil's. He couldn't have survived that fire. It's been proven, and you need to stop seeing him in every shadow. Your mother's death has nothing to do with Romano."
I looked at him, searching his face. This was the friend I'd always trusted, the one I believed would help me uncover the truth about my mother.
"It's just that, with everything Larksville has been through, the town needs time to recover. Once your father, Mayor Brown, settles in, I'm sure this place will become a better town to live in. And I promise after I am promoted to the Superintendent-in-Chief, I will reopen Emma Winston Brown's case once again."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This wasn't the same man who had once vowed to seek justice with me. It seemed that my father's influence had reached further than I realized, even changing David. All he talks about is power and position nowadays.
After Mia's father stepped down as mayor, my father jumped at the opportunity, hungry for power. I knew he had always been driven by ambition, but I never expected him to settle down in Larksville, let alone become mayor.
Of course, David had been promoted after he declared the Devil dead and took credit for saving me. Since then, he has become an ardent supporter of my father.
Now, my father was in London, handing over the reins of the London office to Ava, so he could be here more often. But I couldn't shake the feeling that everything had changed—and not for the better.
"Your father is very worried, A. He called me nine times before you finally sent the signal. Even the guards couldn't track your location. What the hell have you been up to lately?"
Just a bit of brainstorming.
"Well... they were asleep early this morning, so I thought I'd go for a walk. I didn't realize I'd get lost."
"And how do you explain that weird T-shirt you're wearing? How could you walk out of the house like that?" He eyed me like I was some reckless, attention-seeking brat. But how could I explain that wasn't the case? I didn't come here nearly naked. And that I've been...
A deep crimson blush crept across my face as I recalled the ache between my thighs—the undeniable proof of how he made me cum with just his tongue and fingers. It's absolutely unhinged, psychotic even, what he did to me. But for some twisted reason, I can't deny that he was right. I enjoyed the thrill. The chase, the run, the game—it all turned me on, and I think I'm really losing it. How sick am I to romanticize such a brutal assault? A criminal?
What he did was wrong. It was an assault, wasn't it?
Then why did I get so wet? Why did it feel so good with his tongue on me?
Ugh... I think I'm truly going crazy. But I can't tell Dave any of this. He wouldn't believe me anyway.
"I, uh..."
Just then, my phone rang, shattering the awkward silence. Thank god. But the moment was short-lived when I saw the name on the screen. It was my father. I winced before answering.
"Dad!"
"Where the hell have you been, Ana? Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? Do you really want to end up like you did that night, when we found you nearly dead? Is that what you want?"
"No... I..."
"There's no excuse, Ana." He cut me off. "You have no idea how dangerous the outside world can be. And now that I'm the mayor and the president of Alpha Group, the threats hanging over our family... And I will not allow you to become another laughingstock in the media. Do you get me?"
"That doesn't mean you can lock me up at home!"
"You're still allowed to go to college, meet your friends—what more do you want?"
"Freedom!" I yelled, frustration boiling over. My father had been relentless in keeping me locked up at home since that night. At first, I thought it was just overprotectiveness, but now I knew he was hiding something from me.
But the question was—what?
"I don't want to hear any more excuses, Ana. I'll be home in a month, and you'd better behave if you ever want to go out again!" He disconnected the call, leaving me simmering with anger and confusion. "Dr. Helia is waiting for you at home."
My eyes sting, but I refuse to let the tears fall. I bite down on my lower lip, fighting the wave of helplessness and isolation washing over me. I feel so utterly alone.
"Don't cry, A. Your father is just worried about you," David tries to comfort me, but it only makes me feel worse.
The rest of the ride is silent. I know it's pointless to argue about my father with David; he'd never understand. And deep down, I know I'm doomed. My father won't stop until he has me locked away, hidden from the world. And for what? I still don't know.
I can't even bring myself to tell David that I saw the Devil today—that he's very much alive—because I know he'd just label me as crazy again. So, this time, I'll seek justice on my own. I will find the truth.
David pulls up to my mansion, and before I can gather my thoughts, my bodyguards are already there, escorting me out of the car. Robert stands at the entrance with my nanny, Rika, and other staff members who look relieved to see me alive. Behind them looms Dr. Helia.
Erik, the tall man on my right, my father's right hand and one of my bodyguards, nods once to David before leading me inside—back to my prison.
There she was, standing with that irritating smile plastered on her face, always grinning like some creepy doll.
"Welcome home, princess," Helia says, her voice sickeningly sweet as she gestures toward the grand entrance. But all I feel is a sinking dread. Something deep inside me, crawling under my skin, whispers that today, I'm truly doomed.