Adeline didn't sleep that night. The image of Donovan and Selena kissing haunted her dreams, twisted into nightmares that made her toss and turn on her silk sheets. By the time dawn crept into the estate, she was exhausted, restless, and burning with a need to see something real, something familiar.She decided to leave, slipping into her coat and walking quietly past the darkened halls. Her steps took her toward Sixth Sense again, not for distraction this time, but because Rory had mentioned earlier that she would be at the bar for a morning drink.The Sixth Sense was quieter in the daylight, the low hum of conversation a contrast to the night's chaos. Rory sat at a corner table, nursing a coffee, her eyes scanning the room. When she saw Adeline, a bright smile broke across her face."Adel!" Rory called softly.Adeline smiled faintly, but her mind was elsewhere. "Rory… I need someone sane today. And you're it."Rory nodded knowingly, sensing the storm in her friend. "Come sit," she said, patting the chair across from her.Before they could settle, a sleek black car pulled up outside, and from it stepped Selena, tall, flawless, and radiating a cold charm that made the air itself feel tense. Rory stiffened, instinctively sensing the danger in the woman."Selena," Rory said cautiously, rising.Selena's eyes flicked to Rory, amusement dancing across her features. "Ah, Rory… Donovan's old friend. I've heard so much about you," she purred, her tone laced with something darker than mere civility. "And now I get to meet the woman who tries to influence him… hmm, not so powerful, are you?"Rory's jaw tightened. "I don't try to influence anyone. I just… know what's real and what's fake. And you, Selena, are not real. You're dangerous."Selena's smile widened, sharp and almost predatory. "Dangerous? Darling, you have no idea. But I admire that spark in you. I almost… like it." Her gaze flicked briefly to Adeline, then back to Rory. "But be careful. Sparks burn fast, and you could get burned."Adeline felt a surge of anger at the audacity in Selena's tone. She stood, confronting her with a sharp edge. "Selena. Stay away from him. From me. From everything you think you can touch."Selena laughed softly, a sound that sent chills down Rory's spine. "Oh, Adeline… you're mine too, aren't you? And Donovan… well, he has a weakness for what he wants."Rory watched, unsettled, as Selena's intensity radiated like a storm cloud. She could see why Adeline had been drawn in, why she had remained in Donovan's world despite the danger. Selena was like fire—beautiful, impossible to ignore, and lethal. Rory felt her heart pound with a mix of fear and awe."You think I don't know what you're doing?" Adeline snapped, her voice shaking with both anger and desire. "I see it. You're trying to test him. You're trying to take what's mine."Selena leaned closer, the faint scent of expensive perfume mixing with the tension in the air. "Test him? Maybe. But you, my dear, are learning just how deep the shadows go. And sometimes, shadows are all we have to protect what's ours… or take what isn't."Rory's eyes widened, realizing just how volatile the situation had become. Selena wasn't just a threat—she was a storm with no warning, and anyone caught in her path would be destroyed.Adeline's hands clenched into fists. "You'll regret crossing me," she whispered, though part of her felt the pull of Selena's danger, the undeniable magnetism of a woman who thrived in darkness.Selena smiled, and it was a predator's smile. "We'll see, darling. We'll see." Then, with a graceful turn, she left the café, her presence lingering like smoke.Rory exhaled slowly. "Adel… I can see why he can't let you go. That woman… she's insane. And she's dangerous. But you… you're fierce. You belong to him, but you also need to remember your strength."Adeline nodded, feeling both reassured and haunted by the encounter. She stayed at the café a little longer, talking with Rory, letting herself calm, collecting the strength she would need to face what awaited her back at the estate.Finally, she left the café, heading home, but before entering the estate, she diverted her steps to a quieter part of town. Her heart ached with a need to see her family, to remind herself that even in this dark world she had chosen, pieces of her old life remained.She arrived at her parents' modest home, her steps hesitant. The door opened before she could knock. Her mother's eyes filled with tears at the sight of her. "Adel… thank God. We thought…"Her father's hands shook as he pulled her into a hug. "We knew… we knew he was dangerous, but… seeing you safe…"Adeline held them tightly, letting herself feel the comfort she hadn't allowed herself in months. "I'm safe… for now," she whispered, her voice low. "But I'm part of this life now. You know that."Her parents looked at her, fear and pride mingling in their eyes. "We just want you alive," her mother said softly.Adeline pulled back slightly, brushing tears from her cheeks. "I'm alive. And I have to be strong. For Donovan… and for myself."As she left her family home, the weight of the night pressed down on her. Selena was out there, a storm waiting, and the world of the mafia didn't forgive mistakes. But for a moment, walking back to the estate under the dim glow of streetlights, Adeline allowed herself a rare thought: she wasn't alone. She had Donovan, dangerous and dark as he was. And for better or worse, she was his, body and soul.The shadows of the night were long, but so was her resolve.
