Chapter 12

The silence in Alexander's study was stifling, broken only by Lily's measured breathing as she tore her gaze from his. "Let me go," she demanded, her voice steady but laced with sharp tension.

Alexander didn't move. His grip on her arm was ironclad, his dark eyes boring into hers like twin blades, cold and unforgiving. The anger thathad colored his face moments ago dissolved, leaving an expression even more unsettling-one of complete detachment.

"I said let me go." Lily's voice was firmer this time,steel threaded through each word.

For a long, unbearable moment, he didn't react. Then, with a quiet exhale that hinted at frustration, he loosened his hold and stepped back. The air between them crackled with unspoken animosity as Lily turned abruptly.walking away without so much as a glance behind her.

Her pulse thundered in her ears as she strode through the mansion,rage simmering beneath her calm exterior. Alexander's audacity to remove her belongings-her memories-without so much as a warning felt like a violation she couldn't forgive. She would have her things back.

Lily's steps faltered as she intercepted Clara near the dining room. The housekeeper seemed startled, her usually composed demeanor tinged with guilt."Ma'am, do you need something? Shall I prepare dinner?" "No," Lily replied curtly, swallowing her anger as she fixed Clara with a hard stare. "Where did you put my belongings?"Clara hesitated, wringing her hands. "Mr. Kane ordered us to replace them with new items. Your things were... discarded,ma'am." "Discarded?" The word felt like a slap. Her stomach dropped. "Where?"

Clara hesitated. "The bins outside.But-"

Lily didn't wait for her to finish. Her blood ran cold as she turned sharply.determination tightening her spine. She ignored Clara's protests. ignored the growing chill that clung to her damp skin, and pushed through the massive front doors into the night.

The estate'sgrounds were vast, eerily silent beneath the dark sky. The soft glow of the mansion's lights offered little comfort as Lily made her way toward the bins near the staff quarters, her breath fogging in the cold air.

This is madness, she told herself. But she didn't stop. Couldn't stop.

Clara hurried after her. "Ma'am, please, let me help you! It's freezing out here!"

Lily ignored her, her hands trembing from the cold as she reached the first bin. Her fingers dug through discarded items-wrappers,broken utensils, torn packaging-each touch staining her skin. The humiliation burned like frostbite, but she kept going. Somewhere in this pile of carelessness were her scarves-her last tangible memories of her sisters.

Her fingers brushed against something soft. Lily froze. Heart pounding.she pulled it out: three scarves, worn and frayed at the edges, their faded patterns familiar and comforting. She held them to her chest, choking back a sob as the weight of the moment crashed over her. The memory of her sisters' smiles, their laughter on that final day,flickered through her mind like lightning. Those scarves were all she had left of them-symbols of a loss she had been forced to endure alone.Alexander had no right to take this from her. A chill ran down her spine. Slowly, she looked up, her instincts prickling.From the mansion's second-floor window. Alexander watched her.His silhouette was stark against the faint light of the study, unmoving,unreadable. He had seen everything.

For a moment, they stared at each other-her.broken and clutching the tattered pieces of her past; him, shrouded in shadows, observing her like a predator gauging his prey. The wind howled softly around her, and Lily's chest tightened.

Why is he watching me?

"Lily, come back inside. You're freezing!" Clara pleaded,her voice faint beneath the roar of Lily's thoughts.

Lily rose to her feet, swaying slightly as she hugged the scarves closer to her trembling body. Without a word, she turned back to the mansion,her mind a storm of emotions she couldn't contain.

Once inside, Clara reached for her, offering a blanket. "Please, ma'am, let me help you-"

"No." Lily cut her off, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll handle this myself."

She ascended the grand staircase, her movements deliberate, her expression cold. She didn't head to the master bedroom but instead to the small guest room Alexander had first assigned her. Once inside, she locked the door,shutting out the world. Lily sank onto the edge of the bed, the scarves clutched to her chest as the tears she'd been holding back finally broke free. She didn't make a sound.She couldn't. The memories came rushing in-her sisters' faces, their warmth, their love, and the hollow void their deaths had left behind.

The hours dragged on, the house silent except for the faint creaks of the old walls. Outside, the wind beat against the windows, echoing the ache in her chest.

The next morning. Sarah arrived early at the coffee shop, only to find Lily already there, seated alone in the far corner. A scarf was wrapped tightly around her shoulders, her pale skin ashen against the dark fabric.

"Lily!" Sarah hurried to her side, alarmed. "What happened? You look-"

"I'm fine," Lily murmured, though her hollow eyes said otherwise.

Sarah touched her friend's hand and flinched at how icy it was. "You're freezing! What's going on? Did... did he hurt you?"

Lily shook her head, her voice barely audible. "It's not him. It's the memories."

Sarah's gaze dropped to the scarf Lily clung to. Understanding dawned,and her expression softened with concern. "What triggered them? What happened,Lily?"

Lily opened her mouth to respond, but before a word could escape, her body swayed. The room tilted violently, and she collapsed, unconscious.

"Lily!" Sarah shouted, catching her friend just before she hit the ground.Panic seized her as she checked Lily's pulse-weak, far too weak. Sarah's eyes darted toward the window, narrowing as she noticed movement outside. There-near the shop entrance-lingered two men pretending to read newspapers.Spies. Her instincts kicked in. She approached one of the men, her voice low and sharp. "Tell Alexander Kane that Miss Evans has collapsed. She needs a doctor,now.Go!"

The spy's surprise was brief; he nodded sharply and disappeared down the street.

Minutes later, the sound of tires screeching to a halt outside the coffee shop heralded Alexander's arrival. He burst through the door, his usual air of cool control fractured by the concern etched into his features.

Without a word, he crossed to Lily, scooping her frail form into his arms as if she weighed nothing. Sarah watched, stunned by the way his expression softened as he looked at Lily-protective,almost tender.

Alexander turned toward Sarah. "Which hospital?"

Sarah blinked. "The one nearby."

He didn't wait for more, carrying Lily out of the shop as though the world itself could not stop him.

Sarah stood frozen, the image of the enigmatic Alexander Kane holding her fragile friend lingering in her mind. For the first time, she realized Lily's connection to him was far deeper-and far more dangerous-than she had ever imagined.

And somewhere, deep inside her, a single chilling thought whispered: This is just the beginning.