The memories were coming faster now, but they were like broken pieces of glass. Shards of a life I didn't remember living, but I could feel them slicing through me. Each piece I recovered only made the picture more complicated, more dangerous.
Luca had always been the center of my world. Now, it felt like he was the center of a storm that was ready to swallow me whole.
And then there was Asher. The man who haunted my past like a shadow.
I needed answers. But every time I thought I was getting closer, I realized how far I was from the truth.
I woke up in the dark.
Not the literal dark. The kind of dark that fills your mind, makes every corner feel like it's closing in on you. A darkness that doesn't go away even when you're bathed in light.
Luca was standing by the window, looking out at the night sky like he could see into the future. His figure was tense, unmoving, like he was waiting for something to happen. Waiting for a moment that had already passed.
"Did you sleep?" I asked softly.
He didn't turn. His voice was low when he spoke. "I don't need sleep."
I didn't know if that was a lie or if it was a defense mechanism. Maybe both. He had a way of saying things that always made it sound like he knew more than I did, like there was some secret locked inside him that he wasn't going to share. Yet, I still found myself drawn to him. Like he held all the answers and I was waiting for him to let me in.
But his silence was becoming suffocating. I didn't understand why he wouldn't just tell me everything.
"You said I was taken," I said, trying to pull him out of his thoughts. "But you didn't explain. Who took me?"
Luca's jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might say something. But he didn't. He just stood there, the weight of his gaze heavy on me.
"I'm not going to tell you tonight," he said, his voice low and measured. "You're not ready."
I hated those words more than anything. You're not ready.
How much longer could I pretend I wasn't drowning in confusion? How much longer could I let him control the narrative of my life?
I stood up and walked towards him, forcing myself to stand taller. I needed him to see that I wasn't just some helpless woman who would fall into whatever story he decided to tell me. I wasn't just going to sit here and wait for him to piece together my past.
"I need to know the truth," I said, more firmly this time. "I need to remember who I am."
Luca's eyes flickered—just for a moment—but it was enough for me to see it. Pain. Regret. A flicker of guilt.
He turned to face me fully, and for the first time, his eyes softened, just slightly. "You don't remember everything, Veloria. There's a reason for that."
I swallowed hard. "What reason?"
He exhaled slowly, his hand running through his dark hair in a frustrated gesture. "Because if you remember everything, you won't want to stay."
His words hit me like a cold wind, chilling me to the bone. Stay? Was he asking me to stay in this twisted reality, where every answer I received only led to more questions?
I opened my mouth to argue, but before I could, a knock at the door interrupted us. Both of us froze.
Luca's expression darkened, and in that moment, I could feel the shift in the atmosphere. This wasn't just an interruption. This was danger.
"I'll handle it," he said quickly, his voice hard. He turned to the door before I could protest, and I felt a sudden wave of unease roll over me.
I stood there, trying to piece together what had just happened. If I remember everything, I won't want to stay. What was he hiding? Why was he so insistent on keeping me in the dark?
I didn't have long to think before Luca returned to the room, his face grim.
"It's Asher," he said, his voice taut with something I couldn't quite place. "He wants to speak with you."
My heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name. Asher. The man from my flashbacks. The one who had been there in the shadows of my memories, a figure I couldn't fully place.
"Why?" I asked, barely above a whisper.
Luca's gaze flickered, as if debating whether or not to share more. "He thinks you remember more than you do."
"I don't know what's going on," I admitted, frustration bubbling inside me. "But I need answers, Luca. I can't keep doing this."
Luca didn't say anything. He just nodded once, his expression unreadable.
"You're going to meet him," he said, stepping aside. "But remember this. Whatever he says, don't trust him."
My heart was pounding now. I wasn't sure whether it was from fear or anticipation. Either way, it didn't matter. I needed to face this. I needed to face whatever truths lay ahead, no matter how dangerous they might be.
I followed Luca down the hallway, my steps echoing on the cold marble floors. The house felt different now. Every shadow, every creak of the floorboards, felt like it was watching me, waiting for something to happen. Asher was in the study, Luca told me.
When we reached the door, Luca turned to me.
"I'll be outside," he said quietly. "If you need me, just call."
I nodded, but inside, I wasn't sure whether I was relieved or terrified. Whatever Asher wanted to say, I was about to hear it. And I knew it wouldn't be easy.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Asher was sitting by the large fireplace, his back turned to me. The flames flickered, casting shadows across his sharp features. He looked… different. Harder. Older, maybe. His once-casual posture was now tense, like he was waiting for something.
When he heard the door, he turned to face me, a smile playing on his lips.
"Veloria," he said, voice smooth but with an edge I didn't like. "I see you're still as beautiful as I remember."
I didn't answer. I couldn't.
"I've missed you," he continued, standing up and walking toward me with slow, deliberate steps. "It's been too long."
"What do you want from me?" I asked, my voice shaking despite myself.
Asher's smile widened, but there was something dark behind it. "I just want to make sure you remember the truth. Before it's too late."
Asher's eyes were trained on me like a predator sizing up its prey. Every movement he made seemed calculated, deliberate. I wanted to step back, to distance myself, but the heavy weight of his gaze held me in place.
"You don't remember, do you?" he asked, his voice smoother than silk, but laced with something darker. "How it was between us."
My pulse quickened, and I forced myself to breathe evenly, though every instinct in me screamed to run. There was something about Asher's presence that unsettled me—something that made me feel like I wasn't entirely safe.
"You're lying," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "I don't remember anything about you."
"Is that so?" Asher chuckled, but it wasn't a kind sound. "I used to think you were stronger than this. Than him."
"Luca?" I asked, the name leaving my lips before I could stop myself.
Asher's smile tightened. "The man who's been hiding you from the truth for so long."
I could feel my heart pounding, but I refused to show any weakness. I crossed my arms, trying to steel myself against the storm of emotions swirling within me.
"Why are you here, Asher?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice as cold as his.
He leaned closer, his gaze never leaving mine. "I came to remind you of who you were. Before all of this."
Before him. Before Luca.
"You were mine, Veloria," he whispered, almost as if sharing a secret. "We were meant to be together."
The words stung, but not in the way I expected. There was a strange feeling rising within me—something familiar, but out of reach. A memory I couldn't place.
I shook my head, fighting back the pull of his words. "No. I wasn't yours. I don't remember any of it."
"You don't need to remember," he said, a dark glint in his eyes. "You just need to feel it. You were mine, Veloria. You still are."
The air in the room felt heavy, suffocating. My mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of the memory that Asher's presence was unlocking, but it all felt wrong. The pieces didn't fit together.
"You don't know me," I said, my voice firm. "You don't know who I am now."
Asher's smile faltered for a moment, his eyes narrowing as if he were considering my words carefully. But then, just as quickly, he masked it with a calculated smile.
"I know more than you think," he said. "And I know Luca is lying to you."
I froze. "Luca isn't lying to me."
"Oh, but he is." Asher's voice dropped, each word filled with venom. "He's keeping you in the dark, Veloria. He's manipulating you. You don't belong to him. You never did."
For a moment, the words hung in the air between us like a thick fog. My thoughts were a mess, and I felt the ground beneath me begin to shift. Could Asher be right? Could Luca have been lying to me all along?
But no. I couldn't believe that. I wouldn't believe that.
I shook my head again, more forcefully this time. "I don't believe you."
Asher stepped closer, his voice low and urgent. "You will. You'll remember. I'll make sure of it."
"Stay away from me," I said, backing away. My heart was pounding in my chest now, my breath shallow, as the memory of the man in my flashbacks flashed in my mind once again.
Was this him? Was Asher the one who'd hurt me?
Asher paused, his smile fading slightly, but there was still that dangerous glint in his eyes.
"You'll come to understand soon enough," he said, almost like a promise. "When you do, don't say I didn't warn you."
And with that, he turned and walked out of the room without another word.
⸻
I stood there, my mind racing. The room felt colder than it had before, the walls closing in on me. Asher's words kept playing over and over in my head.
Luca is lying to you.
I felt the weight of them settle on my chest like a stone. Was he lying? Was I truly safer with Luca, or had I been kept in the dark for my own protection—or to hide something darker?
I couldn't think straight. I couldn't feel my hands, and my head was spinning.
⸻
Luca was waiting outside the study, his posture stiff, his eyes cautious. When he saw my expression, his jaw tightened.
"You're upset," he said. It wasn't a question. He could see it on my face.
"Luca," I began, my voice trembling slightly despite my best efforts to stay composed, "what did he mean? About you lying to me?"
He flinched as if the words cut through him. "What did he say to you?"
I felt anger surge inside me, mixing with the fear. "He said you've been hiding the truth from me. That you're lying to me."
Luca's expression hardened, his gaze turning cold. "Asher's a liar. Don't listen to anything he says."
"But why?" I asked, the question finally escaping my lips. "Why is he here? Why is he saying these things?"
Luca didn't answer right away. He took a step forward, his eyes never leaving mine. When he spoke, his voice was softer, but the tension was still thick.
"Because he wants you back. He's been trying to get to you for a long time."
"Get to me?" I repeated, still trying to process the words. "Why?"
"Because," Luca began, pausing for a moment, "he thinks you belong to him. He doesn't want you to remember what we've built together."
His words hung in the air, unanswered, like the shadow of something much darker than I could ever imagine.
The air between Luca and me was thick with tension, a thousand unspoken questions hanging in the silence. Asher's words echoed in my mind, louder than ever. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that I was standing on the edge of something much bigger than I understood.
"You don't belong to Asher," Luca said again, his voice quieter now. He reached out as if to take my hand, but I pulled back instinctively. His eyes darkened, but he didn't try to force the touch. He simply looked at me, a mixture of frustration and something else, something I couldn't name, in his gaze.
"You don't have to pull away," he said softly, his voice softer than it had been in days. "I won't hurt you."
"I'm not worried about that," I muttered under my breath, but my words hung in the air, unspoken. I'm worried about what you're hiding.
I shook my head, my mind racing. I needed to think, to process everything I'd learned in the last few hours. Everything that had come rushing back to me with Asher's presence.
"What do you want from me, Luca?" I asked, my voice catching in my throat.
Luca's eyes darkened, and he took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. "I want you to trust me," he said simply, as if that was the answer to all of my questions.
Trust him. But how could I? How could I trust someone who refused to give me the truth, someone who kept pulling me deeper into a web of secrets?
"You want me to trust you after all this?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. "You want me to believe that you're not hiding anything from me?"
Luca closed the distance between us, but still, there was that unspoken barrier between us. "I'm not hiding anything from you, Veloria. But I can't force you to remember everything all at once. Some things you're better off forgetting."
His words were like a dagger, sharp and unexpected. Forgetting. He wanted me to forget? Forget the truth, forget the past?
I wanted to scream, to demand more, but I couldn't find the words. I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. I felt like I was fighting a war within myself, torn between the man I wanted to trust and the man who seemed intent on keeping me in the dark.
"I'm not forgetting anything, Luca," I said firmly, even though I wasn't sure of my own strength anymore. "I need to know the truth."
Luca's expression softened for a moment, but only a moment. He reached for me again, his touch gentle but insistent. "The truth is dangerous, Veloria. You don't understand."
"Then make me understand," I shot back, my voice sharp with frustration. "Don't keep me in the dark. Don't protect me from the truth. I deserve to know what's going on."
His hand dropped, and for the first time, Luca seemed to hesitate. His eyes flickered with uncertainty. I didn't know if it was because he was struggling to find the right words or if he was simply trying to protect me in his own twisted way.
"You deserve the truth," he said after a long silence. "But it's not something I can give you just yet."
I opened my mouth to protest, but Luca held up a hand, cutting me off. "You're not ready, Veloria. Not for what's coming."
"What's coming?" I asked, my voice trembling with both fear and anticipation.
Luca didn't answer. Instead, he turned away, his back to me as he walked toward the window once again, staring out into the night. I wanted to follow him, to demand answers, but something inside me told me that if I kept pushing, I would lose him completely.
I stood there in the silence, the weight of everything pressing down on me. I couldn't keep living like this. I couldn't keep waiting for Luca to open up to me, to give me the answers I desperately needed. But I also knew that the more I pushed, the more I risked losing myself—and the more I risked losing him.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Luca spoke again, his voice low and almost mournful.
"I'll tell you the truth soon," he said, not turning around. "But not tonight."
I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to hold onto my composure. "You promised me, Luca. You promised me the truth."
"I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I will keep that promise. But you need to trust me for a little longer."
A bitter laugh escaped my lips, and I couldn't stop it. "Trust you? How can I trust you when I don't even know what's real anymore?"
Luca finally turned to face me, his expression hardening. "I'm not your enemy, Veloria. I'm trying to protect you. From Asher. From everything."
But I didn't feel protected. I felt suffocated, trapped in a web of lies and half-truths. And I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand it.
"Luca, I—" I stopped myself, my throat tightening. I didn't know what I wanted to say. I'm not sure I can keep trusting you. Those words hovered on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't bring myself to say them.
"I know," he said quietly, as if he'd read my thoughts. "I know it's hard. But I need you to hold on. For just a little while longer."
The silence that followed was deafening, and I couldn't find the words to break it. My heart was torn in two—one part still longing for the man who had saved me, and the other part wanting to break free from the chains of uncertainty.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Luca stepped toward me again, closing the distance between us. His hand hovered near mine, but he didn't reach for me. He waited. As if giving me a choice.
"Please," he said softly. "Just trust me. Just for a little while longer."
I met his gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. Part of me wanted to walk away, to run from all the pain, from all the confusion. But another part of me—an overwhelming part—wanted to stay, to believe that the man in front of me wasn't lying, that he wasn't trying to break me.
I took a breath, my voice barely above a whisper. "Okay. I'll trust you. For now."
Luca's face softened, but the shadows in his eyes didn't fade. He nodded, as if relieved, but I knew better than to think this was over. The truth was still out there—somewhere in the darkness—and I wasn't sure if I was ready to face it.