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Luca’s POV

Sitting on the worn leather couch in Benedicta's living room, I stared at my phone, replaying Jenny’s words in my head. She had called earlier, her voice trembling as she insisted we meet. She claimed to have information about Lia, information that could turn everything around. My chest tightened at the thought of her name.

“I don’t know if I can trust her,” I admitted, running a hand through my hair.

Benedicta leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, her expression filled with concern. “What exactly did she say?”

“She was vague, but she mentioned Lia and said it was urgent. She sounded scared.”

Benedicta tilted her head, a thoughtful frown on her face. “Luca, you know this could be a trap. Dean has his claws in everything right now. Jenny could be working for him.”

“I know,” I said, my voice sharp with frustration. “But what if she’s telling the truth? What if she really knows where Lia is or what happened to her?”

Benedicta sat down across from me, her dark eyes steady. “You need to tread carefully. Dean is dangerous, and if he suspects you’re onto him, he won’t hesitate to come after you—or Merlin.”

At the mention of Merlin, a wave of protectiveness surged through me. “I won’t let anything happen to him. But I can’t just sit here and do nothing while Lia’s out there, probably suffering.”

Benedicta sighed. “I understand, but think about it. Lia’s been missing since that fire, and the only people who know the truth are the ones involved—Dean and Alina. If Jenny really has something to say, you need to verify it before acting on it.”

I nodded, knowing she was right. “That’s why I agreed to meet her tomorrow. In public. I’ll make sure she can’t pull anything.”

Benedicta tapped her fingers on the table. “Do you think Dean is behind all of this? Finn’s murder, framing Lia, everything?”

I leaned forward, elbows on my knees, and lowered my voice. “I don’t just think it—I’m sure of it. Dean killed Finn and made it look like Lia did it. He’s manipulative, Benedicta. He’s always been able to twist people and situations to his advantage.”

Her eyes narrowed. “But why? What does he gain from all this?”

“That’s what we need to figure out. Dean doesn’t do anything without a plan. He must be after something—power, control, revenge. Maybe all three.”

“And what about Alina? She’s just as involved.”

“She’s blinded by her hatred for Lia. Finn’s death has given her the perfect excuse to destroy Lia’s life, and she’s using it to the fullest.”

Benedicta shook her head. “It’s sick. All of it. But Luca, if we’re going to take them down, we need evidence. Not just hearsay.”

“I know,” I said, clenching my fists. “That’s why I’m meeting Jenny. If she has proof—anything that links Dean or Alina to Finn’s murder—we can use it. But we also need to find out where Lia is. She’s the key to all of this.”

Benedicta’s gaze softened. “You really care about her, don’t you?”

I looked away, my throat tightening. “Lia doesn’t deserve any of this. She’s been through hell, and now she’s being blamed for something she didn’t do. I have to help her. I have to make this right.”

For a moment, silence hung between us, broken only by the soft ticking of the clock. Then Benedicta reached out and placed a hand on my arm.

“Be careful, Luca. Lia needs you, but Merlin needs you too. Don’t let your anger cloud your judgment.”

I nodded, taking her words to heart. “I won’t. But I won’t let Dean and Alina get away with this either. If Jenny has what I think she does, we’re one step closer to exposing them.”

Benedicta gave a small smile, though her worry was still evident. “Just promise me you’ll come back in one piece.”

“I promise,” I said, though the weight of the situation made my chest feel heavy.

As I stood to leave, Benedicta called out, “Luca?”

I turned back, and she hesitated before speaking. “Do you think Lia knows? About Dean’s involvement?”

I thought about it for a moment, picturing Lia’s fiery determination even in the face of adversity. “If she doesn’t know yet, she’ll figure it out. Lia’s stronger than we give her credit for.”

Benedicta nodded, her expression unreadable.

As I walked out into the cool night air, I couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running out. Dean and Alina were dangerous, yes, but the real danger lay in underestimating them. Lia’s life—and the truth—depended on what happened next.

___

Dean's POV

The chill of the early morning air bit into my skin as I stood in the parking lot, leaning casually against the hood of my car. The sun had barely risen, but I was already on edge. I knew Bianca and Jenny would show up sooner or later, and I intended to make sure I knew where they were going. Alina had her suspicions about them, and I wasn’t about to let my guard down.

The sound of footsteps echoed across the lot, and I straightened up. Sure enough, Bianca and Jenny appeared, chatting quietly until they spotted me. Their expressions faltered for a split second before they quickly masked their surprise.

“Dean,” Jenny greeted flatly, her hand tightening around her bag strap. “What are you doing here so early?”

I crossed my arms, giving them both a hard look. “Just following orders. Alina wants me to keep track of everyone’s whereabouts. You know, with everything going on—Finn’s murder, Lia’s disappearance—it’s important to stay vigilant.”

Bianca snorted, clearly unimpressed. “That’s rich coming from you. Why don’t you station yourself somewhere useful instead of bothering us?”

Ignoring her jab, I stepped forward. “Where are you headed?”

Jenny raised an eyebrow, her tone turning defensive. “What’s it to you? We’re going to the mall. That’s it. Now get out of the way.”

I didn’t budge. “You’ll forgive me for not taking your word for it. Finn was killed, the killer is still out there, and now Lia’s missing. Everyone’s a suspect. Including you two.”

Bianca let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. “Oh, that’s funny. You think we’re suspects?” She took a step closer, her eyes narrowing. “You’re more of a suspect than we’ll ever be. Let’s not forget who you are, Dean. You’re Lia’s ex, an outsider in this clan, and someone with more secrets than anyone else here. Maybe it’s you we should be keeping an eye on.”

Her words hit harder than I cared to admit, and for a moment, I couldn’t hide my shock. How did they know all that?

“Careful, Bianca,” I said, my voice low. “Throwing around accusations like that can be dangerous.”

Jenny smirked, clearly enjoying the exchange. “Is that a threat, Dean? Because if it is, let me remind you—you’re not in charge here. You answer to Alina, just like everyone else.”

I clenched my jaw, my frustration mounting. They were toying with me, and it was working.

Bianca pushed past me, yanking open the car door. “We don’t have time for your paranoia. If you want to waste your day playing detective, be my guest. But leave us out of it.”

Jenny followed suit, pausing only to flash me a mocking smile. “Have fun spinning your conspiracy theories, Dean. Maybe you’ll stumble onto something useful.”

Before I could respond, they slammed the car doors shut, started the engine, and drove off, leaving me standing in the lot, fuming.

I watched their car disappear around the corner, my mind racing. They knew too much—about me, about Alina’s plans, about everything. And yet, they were acting like they had nothing to hide.

Something wasn’t adding up.

I pulled out my phone, dialing Alina’s number as I walked back to my car.

She answered on the second ring. “What is it?”

“We have a problem,” I said, sliding into the driver’s seat. “Bianca and Jenny are onto something. They know more than they’re letting on, and they’re not afraid to challenge me.”

Alina’s voice was cold and calculating. “What did they say?”

“They brought up Finn’s murder and Lia’s disappearance,” I explained. “They even implied I’m the one who should be under suspicion. They’re trying to rattle me.”

“Let them,” Alina said, her tone dismissive. “They don’t have anything concrete. Just keep an eye on them and report back if they slip up.”

“Fine,” I muttered, though her confidence did little to ease my irritation. “But if they’re digging into my past, they could become a real problem.”

“Then make sure they don’t find anything,” Alina snapped. “We can’t afford any loose ends, Dean. Not now.”

Her words lingered in my mind long after the call ended.

As I sat there, staring out at the empty parking lot, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the walls were closing in. Lia’s disappearance, Finn’s murder, Bianca and Jenny’s sudden defiance—it was all spiraling out of control.

But if they thought they could outsmart me, they were sorely mistaken.

This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.