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Luca's POV

The city lights blurred past as I gripped the steering wheel, my thoughts racing as I headed toward Lex’s place. Lex was dead. Not just dead—taken out. The guy had his share of enemies, but this? This was no random hit. Someone was making a point, and I’d heard it loud and clear. They wanted Lex silenced, and now they’d have everyone he worked with looking over their shoulders.

I killed the headlights as I turned onto his street, parking a few blocks away. If whoever did this was still lurking, I didn’t want to be the next easy target. The night air was heavy, and every shadow seemed to watch as I made my way toward his apartment building, my senses on high alert. The whole place was quiet, almost too quiet.

I reached his door and noticed it was slightly ajar, the lock busted. Whoever had done this wasn’t interested in covering their tracks. I pushed the door open, my pulse hammering as I stepped inside, gun drawn. The place reeked of metal and stale air, an all-too-familiar scent. I knew what I’d find even before I saw him, lying there in the tub, eyes wide open and lifeless.

I swallowed hard, keeping my emotions locked tight. Lex may not have been the most reliable, but he didn’t deserve this. It was brutal—a calculated move meant to send fear rippling through everyone who crossed paths with him. I’d seen scenes like this before, but this time, it felt personal. And whoever did this wanted it to feel that way.

“Damn it, Lex,” I muttered under my breath. He’d warned me—said something about Jenny and Bianca having their hands in something big. I’d brushed him off, chalking it up to paranoia. Now, I wasn’t so sure.

I moved through the apartment, keeping my eyes peeled for anything that might give me a lead. Lex wasn’t the type to leave incriminating evidence lying around, but maybe, just maybe, he’d stashed something useful. I rummaged through drawers, checked under tables, and even peered behind his old bookshelf. Nothing. Whoever had done this had been thorough.

Just as I was about to give up, I caught sight of a small, red light blinking in the corner near the ceiling. A surveillance camera. Lex always was paranoid. I felt a flicker of hope—if that camera was working, it might’ve caught something. I grabbed a chair and reached up, pulling down the camera and carefully removing the memory card. Maybe this little piece of tech would give me the answers Lex never could.

Suddenly, a faint flash lit up the corner of the room. My heart leaped—I wasn’t alone. I whipped around, gun raised, but saw nothing. The flash was gone, and the room was still. But my instincts screamed at me. Someone was watching.

I moved fast, pocketing the memory card and making a beeline for the door. Whoever had taken that picture was gone, but I didn’t have time to wait around to find out if they’d be back. As I slipped out the door, I kept my eyes scanning every corner, every shadow.

By the time I got back to my car, I’d worked out three possibilities. Either someone was watching Lex’s apartment waiting for a chance to strike again, or someone had followed me here, thinking I was part of Lex’s scheme. Or—and this was the one that unsettled me the most—someone already knew I’d come looking and wanted me to feel the same fear Lex must have felt in his last moments.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, I locked the doors, took a deep breath, and popped the memory card into my phone. A shoddy recording, filled with static and brief glimpses of Lex’s last moments. But it was enough. I could make out two shadowy figures—a man and a woman, both familiar. Bianca and Jenny. They’d been here, likely moments before his death.

The pieces fell into place, and a surge of anger twisted in my gut. So, they were involved after all. They’d tried to act innocent, playing it cool at the party, but they were hiding something much darker than I’d thought.

But why kill Lex now? And who else might be pulling the strings?

The last frame of the video showed Lex, frozen in fear, his eyes darting toward the door before the screen cut to black. He’d seen his killers coming, knew they were coming for him, and they’d made sure to keep him quiet. The thought sickened me, but it also lit a fire in me. If Bianca and Jenny thought they could play this game without me knowing, they were dead wrong.

I started the engine, already forming my next move. If they wanted to play dirty, I’d go even deeper. Whatever they were up to, I’d find out. And if they were connected to this tangled web of lies and murder, they’d have a lot more to worry about than just me.

____

Lia's POV

As I walked Benedicta to her car, the cool night air settled around us, soothing yet strangely heavy. I gave her a small smile, reaching for her hands. “Send my love to Merlin, will you?” I said softly, picturing my son’s face.

Benedicta nodded, her eyes warm. “Of course, Lia. He misses you, you know. He can’t wait to see you again.”

I sighed, feeling the tug in my chest. “I miss him too. Soon, I’ll have him back in my arms, just like old times.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but the thought of Merlin, far away from me, brought a pang of longing.

Benedicta reached out, squeezing my shoulder. “Stay focused. Tomorrow is important. Get through it, and everything else will fall into place.”

As she drove off, I took a deep breath and turned back toward the house. I walked through the doors, greeted by the quiet murmurs of the remaining guests and the occasional clink of glasses. I found Finn near the entrance, looking perfectly composed, his gaze following me as I walked toward him. He smiled, an unreadable look in his eyes.

“Did Benedicta get off safely?” he asked, slipping an arm around my waist as he leaned in.

“Yes, she’s on her way home,” I replied, offering a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes.

He walked with me to the staircase, stopping briefly. “Tomorrow is a big day,” he murmured, his eyes searching mine. “Are you excited?”

I forced myself to nod, knowing that anything less would spark his curiosity. “Of course, Finn. I can’t wait,” I said, though my words felt hollow. “It’s just been such a long day, and I could really use some rest.” I offered a slight smile, hoping he wouldn’t press further.

“Good idea. Get some sleep,” he said, giving me a soft peck on my forehead before turning to leave.

As soon as his footsteps faded down the hall, I shut the door behind me and turned the lock, sealing myself into the quiet sanctuary of my room. I took a few breaths, steadying myself. The weight of the day seemed to press down harder, the silence amplifying my racing thoughts. Lex’s murder. Finn’s unreadable expression. And the party tomorrow, where everyone would have eyes on us, waiting to see what unfolds.

Without hesitating, I reached for my phone, dialing Luca’s number. It rang a few times before he picked up, his voice a low murmur. “Lia?”

“Luca,” I whispered, glancing around as if someone might be listening. “What’s the latest? Did you find anything else about Lex’s death? I can’t shake this feeling that there’s more going on than we know.”

He sighed heavily. “You’re not wrong. This goes deeper than we thought. I managed to check out Lex’s place and trust me, it wasn’t a pretty sight. Whoever did it was efficient, almost as if they’d planned it down to the last second.”

The image of Lex, cold and lifeless, sent a shiver through me. “Do you think Bianca and Jenny could’ve been involved?” I asked, my voice trembling.

“It’s looking that way, but it’s not that simple. I think someone else is pulling strings from the shadows. I spotted a camera in Lex’s apartment, but as soon as I took it, I felt like I was being watched. Like someone was documenting my every move.” His tone was dark, tinged with frustration. “I got out of there fast, but I’m almost certain whoever’s behind this is a step ahead of us.”

I bit my lip, trying to steady my nerves. The thought of being tangled in something this dangerous made my skin crawl, but I needed answers. “So what do we do next?”

“For now, play along. Act as if nothing is out of the ordinary. Whoever is behind this, they’re expecting us to make a wrong move, and we can’t give them that satisfaction. Tomorrow, during the party, keep an eye on Bianca and Jenny. Don’t confront them, just… observe. And stay close to people you trust.”

“Alright,” I murmured, though unease pooled in my stomach. “But Luca… this doesn’t feel like something I can just pretend isn’t happening.”

He paused, then spoke softly. “I know, Lia. But trust me—we’re going to figure this out. Just stay sharp, and I’ll be watching too. We’ll get through tomorrow, and then we can strategize our next steps.”

The call ended, and I found myself staring at the screen, my thoughts churning with everything he’d said. Part of me wanted to call Benedicta back, to tell her everything, but I knew I couldn’t drag her deeper into this mess. She already had enough on her shoulders.

I exhaled, feeling the weight of tomorrow settle heavily upon me. If everything went according to plan, I’d get through the engagement party, all smiles and nods, watching Bianca and Jenny for any slip-ups. But I couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling that something was about to go horribly wrong.

Curling up in bed, I lay there in the dark, eyes wide open, as the pieces of this twisted puzzle filled my mind. The people I trusted, the enemies I couldn’t yet see, and the future that felt more uncertain than ever.

Tomorrow would come soon enough, and with it, every answer I was both desperate and afraid to uncover.