“Jacob, what the hell are you doing here?” Victor’s voice cut through the room like a knife, sharp and commanding, filled with detest.Jacob froze in the doorway, drenched from the rain outside, his heart sinking at the sight of his older brother embracing Lena in her apartment. Victor’s hand was wrapped possessively around Lena’s waist, his fingers grazing the curve of her hip.“I could ask you the same thing, Victor,” Jacob replied, trying to keep his voice steady, though the knot in his stomach tightened every passing second he saw them both in that questionable position.Lena stood by the couch, her arms crossed and her expression cold, her eyes flicking over Jacob filled with disdain. “Jacob, why the hell are you even here?”“What’s going on?” Jacob demanded, stepping further into the room, ignoring the water dripping from his clothes onto the floor. “Victor, why are you here?”Victor chuckled, a cold, mocking sound that sent a chill down Jacob’s spine. He leaned in closer to Len
The rain drummed softly against the windows of Lena's apartment, its steady rhythm a backdrop to the tension that filled the room. Lena stood by the window, her arms loosely wrapped around herself, staring out into the dark, rain-soaked streets below. The image of Jacob stumbling away, his heart shattered, flickered in her mind, but it elicited no sympathy—only a cold satisfaction.“He’ll survive, won’t he?” Lena remarked offhandedly, her voice carrying an edge of indifference as she spoke. She didn’t even bother to turn around.Victor, lounging on the couch with a self-satisfied grin, let out a low chuckle. “He’s like a cockroach—annoying, but hard to kill. It’s a pity he’s too stupid to realize he’s not wanted.”Lena smirked, finally turning to face Victor. “Jacob always did have a way of clinging to things that were never his to begin with.”Victor’s smile widened, the amusement in his eyes growing. “Pathetic, isn’t it? thinking he could keep up with us. The poor idiot actually
Jacob stared at his trembling hands, the sensation still coursing through his veins like electricity. It was as if something deep within him had awakened, responding to the storm raging both outside and within.“What’s happening to me?” he whispered, eyes wide with fear and confusion.The wind howled louder, the rain now a blinding sheet. Jacob’s grip on the railing tightened as the strange sensation grew stronger, pulsing through him in waves. His heart pounded in his chest, and his breath came in short, ragged gasps.Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky, followed by a deafening crack of thunder. In that split second, Jacob felt a surge of energy unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was as if the storm itself was alive, feeding into him, filling him with a power he couldn’t comprehend.“No… this isn’t real… I’m just… I’m just imagining things,” Jacob muttered, shaking his head as if to clear it. But the sensation wouldn’t go away. If anything, it intensified, mak
Lena sat on the edge of the bed, her hands trembling as she clutched her phone. She hadn’t been able to close her eyes for more than a few minutes, haunted by the images from the previous night. Yet, beneath the surface, there was a strange exhilaration she couldn’t deny—a thrill that sent a shiver down her spine.Victor’s voice broke through her thoughts, low and casual. “Morning, Lena,” he said, strolling into the bedroom, fully dressed and annoyingly composed. He leaned against the doorframe, watching her with an unreadable expression.Lena looked up at him, her eyes slightly red from lack of sleep, but a wide, satisfied smile played on her lips. “Morning,” she muttered, her voice carrying a hint of excitement.Victor moved closer, sitting beside her on the bed. “You didn’t sleep,” he observed, brushing a strand of hair from her face.“I couldn’t,” she admitted, her lips curving into a smirk as she leaned into his touch. “Too much on my mind, I guess.”Victor chuckled, his hand tra
The Montgomery estate was bathed in a soft morning light, but nothing could thaw the coldness in Amelia Montgomery’s eyes. She sat in her opulent sitting room, her perfect posture a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside her. The clock ticked steadily, a rhythm that only amplified the chaos of recent events.The phone on the side table rang, slicing through the quiet. With practiced elegance, Amelia lifted the receiver, her voice cool and controlled.“Yes?”“Mother, it’s done,” Victor’s voice was smooth, almost too smooth. “Jacob was found dead this morning. The news is already spreading like wildfire.”Amelia’s lips twisted into a small, satisfied smile. “Finally. I was beginning to wonder if you’d lost your edge. Any complications?”“None,” Victor replied, a hint of smugness in his tone. “Jacob’s out of the picture for good. It was almost too easy.”“Of course, it was,” Amelia sneered. “Jacob was always pathetic. Too weak to survive in this world, let alone in our family. His
The cafe was buzzing with the morning rush, but Lena felt detached from the lively atmosphere. Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts as she nervously stirred her coffee, glancing at the entrance every few seconds. She had been dreading this meeting, but she knew it was inevitable. Mark had been insistent that they speak in person, and his tone on the phone had left no room for argument.When the door finally opened and Mark stepped in, Lena's heart skipped a beat. He was exactly as she remembered—tall, with an air of quiet confidence that made him stand out even in a crowd. But today, his usual warmth was absent. His eyes were cold and red as they scanned the room, landing on Lena with an almost clinical detachment. He walked over to her table without a hint of a smile.“Mark, thank you for meeting me,” Lena began, trying to keep her voice steady. She gestured to the chair opposite her, but Mark didn’t sit. Instead, he crossed his arms, his expression hardening.“I’m only h
Jacob’s eyes fluttered open, disoriented by the cold, sterile environment. The fluorescent lights above flickered, casting a harsh glow on the room. He tried to move, but his body felt foreign, heavy. As he looked around, panic set in—he was in a morgue.“What… what’s happening?” Jacob whispered, his voice hoarse and unfamiliar.He glanced down at his hands. They were different—smoother, a different shade. His pulse quickened as he noticed another body on the adjacent slab, covered by a white sheet. Dread clawed at his insides as he reached out and pulled the sheet back, revealing a face he knew all too well—his own.“This can’t be real,” Jacob muttered, stumbling backwards until he collided with the wall. His mind raced, struggling to process the impossible.A noise outside the door jolted him from his thoughts. He needed to get out, away from this nightmare. He grabbed a set of clothes from a nearby desk, dressing quickly. With one last haunted glance at his former body, he slipped
Victor's eyes narrowed as he scanned the cemetery, his irritation simmering just below the surface. The funeral had drawn a larger crowd than he’d expected—too many unfamiliar faces. It was almost offensive. Jacob was never the type to have this many people care about him, was he? The idea feeding his frustration.His gaze roamed over the gathered mourners, landing on a man standing apart from the rest. Tall, with dark hair and an unsettlingly calm demeanour, the man seemed oddly detached from the proceedings. He wasn’t grieving. He was watching—watching too closely.Victor’s eyes lingered on him, a sliver of recognition tugging at the edges of his memory, but it slipped away as quickly as it came. Who the hell was he?The stranger noticed Victor's gaze and looked away, a slight smirk playing on his lips as if he were amused by Victor’s scrutiny. The audacity irked Victor, but as he confronted the man, Amelia's cold hand slipped into his arm, guiding him away. He shot one last glance