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Bianca's POV

Jenny and I stepped out of the car, exhausted but feeling a small sense of accomplishment after managing to give Dean the slip earlier. It had been a long day, and all I wanted was to get inside, grab something to eat, and collapse on my bed. But as soon as we walked toward the front door, I saw him. Dean. Leaning casually against the porch railing, his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk playing on his lips.

“What’s this?” Jenny muttered under her breath, her expression immediately hardening.

I glanced at her, then back at Dean. “Trouble,” I replied quietly.

“Ladies,” Dean greeted us, his tone laced with mock politeness. “Long day?”

I rolled my eyes and walked past him toward the door, but he stepped in front of me, blocking my way. “Not so fast,” he said. “Where have you two been?”

“Out,” Jenny replied nonchalantly, folding her arms across her chest. “What’s it to you?”

Dean’s smirk deepened as his eyes narrowed. “Out where? Because last I checked, Alina gave me strict instructions to monitor everyone’s movements. So, I suggest you tell me the truth.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the audacity of this man. “You’re really out here playing watchdog for Alina? That’s pathetic, even for you, Dean.”

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond to the insult. Instead, he turned his attention to Jenny. “I’m serious. Where were you?”

Jenny rolled her eyes dramatically. “We went to the mall, Dean. Do you want a detailed list of the things we bought, too? Maybe the receipt?”

Dean wasn’t buying it, and his piercing gaze lingered on us as though he could see through the flimsy excuse. “The mall, huh?” he said slowly, his tone dripping with skepticism. “And you expect me to believe that?”

“Believe whatever you want,” I said, stepping closer to him, my voice firm. “But if you’re trying to accuse us of something, you better have proof. Otherwise, get out of our way.”

Dean’s smirk faltered for a moment, and I could see the frustration brewing behind his eyes. “You think you’re clever, don’t you?” he muttered.

Jenny scoffed. “We don’t have to think it. We know it.”

Before he could respond, I pushed past him and opened the door, motioning for Jenny to follow me. She didn’t hesitate, and together we walked into the house, leaving Dean standing on the porch, seething.

As soon as we were inside, I locked the door behind us and let out a heavy sigh. “He’s definitely suspicious,” I said, leaning against the door.

Jenny nodded, tossing her bag onto the couch. “Yeah, but let him be. He doesn’t have anything on us.”

“For now,” I added, my voice low. “We have to be careful, Jenny. He’s not going to let this go.”

Jenny sat down, crossing her legs and drumming her fingers on the armrest. “Let him try. If he pushes too hard, we’ll deal with him. He’s all bark and no bite.”

I wasn’t so sure. Dean was dangerous, and we both knew it. But we didn’t have time to dwell on that now. There was too much at stake.

“What about the plan?” I asked, lowering my voice. “Do you think Luca believed you?”

Jenny nodded. “He did. He’s on board. But we need to act fast. The longer we wait, the more time Dean and Alina have to cover their tracks.”

I chewed on my bottom lip, my mind racing. “We need to figure out our next move. We can’t just sit here and wait for something to happen.”

Jenny leaned forward, her expression serious. “I agree. But first, we need to be absolutely sure we can trust Luca. If he slips up, this whole thing could fall apart.”

I nodded. “You’re right. Let’s keep the details vague for now. Just enough to keep him on our side without giving away too much.”

“Exactly,” Jenny said, a small smile playing on her lips. “We’ve got this, Bianca. We just need to stay one step ahead of them.”

As much as I wanted to believe her, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that settled in my chest. Dean wasn’t going to give up easily, and neither was Alina. We were playing a dangerous game, and the stakes were higher than ever.

“We should get some rest,” I said finally, glancing at the clock. “Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

Jenny nodded, standing up and stretching. “Yeah. Let’s get some sleep. We’ll figure out our next move in the morning.”

I watched her head toward her room, my mind still racing with thoughts and possibilities. Dean might have been left standing outside tonight, but I knew he wasn’t done with us. And neither was Alina.

We were in the middle of a storm, and the only way out was to fight. But no matter what, I wasn’t going to let them win. Not this time.

___

Alina's POV

The sound of my heels echoed in the hallway as I made my way to Dean’s room. The meeting with the elders had been frustrating, to say the least. Lia had denied every accusation, and despite my carefully constructed lies, they were hesitant to deliver a final verdict. They wanted more evidence. Evidence I didn’t have.

I reached Dean’s door and knocked once before pushing it open. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the floor. He looked up when I entered, his expression unreadable.

“We need to talk,” I said, closing the door behind me.

“About the meeting?” he asked, his tone neutral.

I nodded, walking over to the chair across from him and sitting down. “It didn’t go as planned. Lia denied everything, of course, and the elders decided to adjourn the session. They want more time to ‘investigate.’” I rolled my eyes. “As if they’ll find anything.”

Dean leaned back, his arms crossed over his chest. “So, what now?”

“Now,” I said, leaning forward, “we have to make sure Lia doesn’t have the chance to twist the narrative. She needs to confess, Dean. If she doesn’t, the elders might start asking the wrong questions. Questions that could lead back to us.”

He nodded but didn’t say anything.

“What about Bianca and Jenny?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “Did you find out anything?”

Dean sighed, shaking his head. “No. I followed them for most of the day, but they managed to lose me. I don’t know where they went or what they were doing, but it’s clear they’re hiding something.”

I frowned. “They’re up to no good. I can feel it. We need to keep a closer eye on them, Dean. If they’re working against us, we can’t let them get away with it.”

“I’ll handle it,” he said, his voice firm. “Don’t worry. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”

I studied him for a moment, searching for any signs of doubt or hesitation. Dean was usually so composed, so confident, but tonight he seemed... off.

“Good,” I said, deciding to let it go for now. “Because we don’t have time for mistakes. The elders are already skeptical, and the last thing we need is for Bianca and Jenny to start stirring up trouble.”

Dean nodded but remained silent.

“There’s something else,” I said after a moment. “When I went to the cellar to get Lia for the meeting, she said something that caught my attention.”

Dean looked at me, his expression carefully neutral. “What did she say?”

“She said that the real murderer might still be out there,” I replied, watching him closely. “That whoever killed Finn could be waiting to strike again. She even suggested that I could be next if I’m not careful.”

For the briefest moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something in Dean’s eyes—fear, maybe, or guilt—but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“Did she?” he said, his tone casual.

“Yes,” I said, leaning forward. “And I noticed you looked... shocked just now. Is there something you’re not telling me, Dean?”

He shook his head quickly, almost too quickly. “No. There’s nothing. I’m just surprised Lia would say something like that. She’s clearly trying to mess with your head, Alina. Don’t let her get to you.”

I narrowed my eyes, studying him carefully. Dean was a good liar, but I had spent enough time around him to know when something was off.

“She also said that the truth will come out eventually,” I added, watching his reaction closely.

Dean’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

“Dean,” I said, my voice low. “If there’s something I need to know, now is the time to tell me.”

“There’s nothing,” he said firmly, standing up and walking over to the window. “Lia’s just trying to save herself. She’ll say anything to get under your skin.”

I didn’t believe him, but I decided not to press the issue. Not yet, anyway. There were more important things to deal with right now.

“Fine,” I said, standing up and smoothing down my dress. “But we need to act fast. Lia has to confess at the next meeting, no matter what it takes. If she doesn’t, everything we’ve worked for could fall apart.”

Dean turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “She’ll confess,” he said quietly.

“She better,” I said, walking toward the door. “Because if she doesn’t, she won’t be the only one facing consequences.”

With that, I left the room, my mind racing. Something wasn’t right with Dean, and I was going
to find out what it was. But first, I had to deal with Lia.

If she thought she could outsmart me, she was in for a rude awakening.