Page 44 of Darkest Deception

“I found that staying within the walls of my house is safer.” She confesses.

I stand up, sharp pain twisting at my heart. Why does she sound so defeated?

“I fell in love once upon a time, Ambrose.” Her words are just a whisper.

I suck in a sharp breath. I know exactly what is coming.

“He was my bodyguard, and I truly believed it would be something magical. I believed our differences didn’t matter.” She sniffles, a sad smile pulling at her lips. “I made mistakes, too. I was ready to go against everyone and everything for him, and I did. I went against my parents. I stood in front of them, and I have threatened them with such things that I truly hate myself for doing so. Only to find out my love came favourable to him. I was easy prey.”

A lone tear slips down her cheek, and she turns to me, teary-eyed. “We all make mistakes. We all do things we regret. Mine may not be the same as yours, but each decision we make changes us, changes who we are.”

“Take me, for example. I’m twenty years old, and I’m not the same person I was a year ago. I am still going through life, still getting used to things. You, though? You are old enough to take the reins, to take action, and to forgive yourself before you try to amend things with other people.”

“Is that… is that why you don’t want anyone from the elite circle? So they don’t judge you for what you did in the past?” She bites her lip, another tear rolling down her face, and a small pang hits me. She feels like Aurora to me, like a sister I should protect, and I can’t help but reach across and wipe away the tear.

“Why are you giving me advice? Shouldn’t I be the one doing that?”

She laughs and shakes her head, looping her arm through mine, and starts to walk towards the room of the event. “You need peace? You need to take your mind off things? Come with me.”

I find myself on my back, my feet dipped into the water while I look up at the sky with Talia, pointing out the shapes of the clouds, trying to guess what they are.

“I think I see a crow there.” I point to the cloud above us, the sound of the yacht engine a low hum under us.

A smile blooms on my face at the crow, remembering Blaze and the smart little crow he is. My thoughts drift to Helia instead, and I find myself thinking back to the bitter memory of him threatening my life again, in the office, with so many people right outside.

He had no remorse.

And neither did I.

I should have thought about what I was going to say before it came out of my mouth.

“Oh my God! I see it! The tail right there and the beak.”

Should I apologise to Helia?

I’m trying to better myself, aren’t I?

“Who is that over there? I haven’t seen him, like, ever.” Talia is hugging my arm, watching someone with narrowed eyes while we stand in the glass house of Aurora’s fashion show of the winter collection.

Now that Dad is gone, I am the only one invited. My mother is not even aware of this event. She instead has gone to a dinner party with the ladies from her little friend group.

It’s completely dark except for the green lights that are swiftly flashing all around. The show hasn’t started, and everyone is mingling. The crowd is large, and I notice it is only people within the elite social circle.

Pride blooms in my heart for my little sister.

I feel happy to be invited here.

I’m wearing a baby blue, off-the-shoulder dress that falls to the floor, the fabric glittering each time the green lights flash over it. Talia is wearing a similar silver off shoulder dress.

“Who?” I ask.

“That guy. He’s wearing a black suit and standing with Remo Cainn.”

I follow her finger, and once I find Remo talking with Hayes Lonan, Talia’s dad, my eyes shift to the man next to him. My heart stops.

“No. No, no, no.” I shake my head, my eyes widening. I blink to see if it really is him. “How can it be? How?”

“You know him? Who is it?”

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