Lucian's pov
The silence from Alina was killing me.
Three days. No calls. No messages. Not even a single fucking read receipt. Every ring that went to voicemail felt like a knife twisting deeper in my chest. I told myself she was busy, that Aiden was watching her like the parasite he was. But the longer it stretched, the louder the doubt screamed in my head.
What if she's done with me? What if she finally realized I'm not worth the risk?
I couldn't wait anymore. Tonight, I was getting answers.
The mansion loomed ahead like a dark crown against the night sky. I moved like a shadow—silent, careful, heart hammering against my ribs. I'd studied the patrols for weeks. I knew exactly when the guards rotated and which cameras had blind spots. Scaling the wall and slipping through the garden was easy. The hard part was keeping my breathing steady as I reached her window on the second floor.
It was unlocked. Good girl.
