The black SUV stayed behind us.
Three cars.
Then two.
Then one.
It never came close enough to attack.
It didn’t need to.
It wanted us to know we were being followed.
Damien noticed it too.
“They’ve found us.”
Victoria looked through the rear window.
Her face went pale.
“That’s Evelyn.”
My stomach twisted.
“You’re sure?”
“I’d recognize that car anywhere.”
Damien pressed his foot against the accelerator.
The SUV followed.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Somewhere they can’t track us.”
Victoria shook her head.
“There is nowhere they can’t track you now.”
Damien looked at her through the mirror.
“Then tell me where to go.”
Victoria hesitated.
Then gave him an address.
“Your father’s old hunting lodge.”
Damien’s expression changed.
“I thought that place was abandoned.”
“It was.”
“Why would we go there?”
“Because Evelyn doesn’t know about it.”
Victoria paused.
“Or at least, she shouldn’t.”
Twenty minutes later, Damien turned onto a narrow forest road.
The SUV was gone.
I didn’t feel relieved.
That was worse.
The hunting lodge appeared between the trees.
Old.
Beautiful.
Almost forgotten.
Damien parked.
We hurried inside.
Victoria locked the door behind us.
“Are we safe?”
“For now.”
Damien checked the windows.
I stood in the middle of the room, still holding the black key.
My mother’s death felt unreal.
Everything had happened too quickly.
I looked at Victoria.
“You said my mother left me something.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
She didn’t answer.
“Victoria.”
“It isn’t something I can simply explain.”
“Try.”
She sighed.
“Your mother left you control of the Crimson Circle.”
I laughed.
It sounded broken.
“I’m twenty-four.”
“I know.”
“I don’t even know how to run a company.”
“This isn’t a company.”
“Then what is it?”
Victoria stared at me.
“A network.”
“What kind of network?”
“Politicians.
Judges.
Business owners.
Police officers.
People with influence.”
I shook my head.
“And you’re telling me my mother controlled all of them?”
“Not all.”
“Enough.”
Victoria nodded.
“Enough to frighten governments.”
Damien walked toward us.
“Why would Amara inherit it?”
“Because her mother wanted to destroy it.”
I frowned.
“How does destroying it make me the heir?”
“Because the rules of the Order are old.”
Victoria looked at the key.
“The person who carries the bloodline and possesses the key becomes the rightful leader.”
I stared at the key.
“So Evelyn wants it.”
“Yes.”
“And if I don’t give it to her?”
Victoria’s face hardened.
“She’ll kill everyone you love.”
My heart stopped.
“Mum is already dead.”
“She’ll come for your sister.”
I immediately reached for my phone.
Nadia.
I called.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
My stomach dropped.
“No.”
I called a third time.
This time, someone answered.
“Hello?”
A man’s voice.
I froze.
“Who are you?”
The man laughed.
“You really should have listened to the warnings.”
My blood turned cold.
“Where is my sister?”
“Safe.”
“Let me speak to her.”
“Of course.”
A muffled sound.
Then—
“Amara?”
Nadia.
I nearly collapsed.
“Nadia!
Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“I don’t know.”
Her voice trembled.
“Amara, I’m scared.”
“I’m coming for you.”
“No!”
She screamed.
“Don’t come!”
The line went silent.
Then the man’s voice returned.
“Bring the key.”
I gripped the phone.
“If you hurt her—”
“You’ll receive her body.”
The call ended.
I stared at the screen.
“No.”
Damien immediately stepped forward.
“What happened?”
“They have Nadia.”
His expression hardened.
“Who?”
“Evelyn.”
Victoria shook her head.
“She’s moving faster than I expected.”
I looked at her.
“Then we move faster.”
Damien caught my wrist.
“No.”
I pulled away.
“She’s my sister.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t tell me to stay here.”
“We need a plan.”
“We don’t have time for a plan.”
“We do if you want her alive.”
I stared at him.
He stepped closer.
“Amara, listen to me.”
“No.”
“I’ll get her back.”
“You don’t know where she is.”
“I’ll find out.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“I can.”
His eyes held mine.
“Because I’m not letting anyone else die.”
Something in his voice made me stop.
He looked exhausted.
Afraid.
But determined.
I whispered,
“You already lost your father.”
“Yes.”
“And your mother.”
His jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
“You can’t lose me too.”
His eyes softened.
“No.”
He reached for my face.
“I can’t.”
For a moment, everything disappeared.
Then Victoria cleared her throat.
“I’m sorry to interrupt.”
We turned.
She was holding an old box.
“This belonged to your mother.”
She handed it to me.
My hands trembled.
I opened it.
Inside was a necklace.
Silver.
With a small black stone hanging from it.
I recognized it.
My mother used to wear it every day.
I picked it up.
The moment it touched my skin, the black stone glowed.
Damien stepped back.
“What the hell?”
Victoria whispered,
“It recognizes you.”
The stone grew warmer.
Then—
A voice came from inside it.
My mother’s voice.
“Amara.”
I froze.
“No.”
The necklace spoke again.
“If you’re hearing this, I’m already dead.”
Tears filled my eyes.
“Mum…”
Damien stood beside me.
The recording continued.
“There is something I never told you.”
A pause.
“Your father wasn’t the first person I loved.”
I frowned.
What?
“Before Jonathan, there was someone else.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
She knew.
“His name was Adrian.”
My heart stopped.
The recording continued.
“Adrian was Evelyn’s son.”
Silence.
I looked at Victoria.
“What?”
She wouldn’t meet my eyes.
My mother’s voice continued.
“And Adrian is your biological father.”
The necklace slipped from my fingers.
I stared at the floor.
No.
That wasn’t possible.
Jonathan Bell was my father.
He raised me.
Loved me.
Protected me.
“He was my father,” I whispered.
Victoria nodded.
“He was.”
“Then why would Mum say—”
“Because blood isn’t the same as love.”
I looked at her.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“You knew my whole life was a lie?”
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
I stepped away from her.
I couldn’t breathe.
My entire identity was unraveling.
Jonathan wasn’t my biological father.
My biological father was Evelyn’s son.
The same woman who had murdered my mother.
The same woman who now had my sister.
And then Damien’s phone rang.
He answered.
A man’s voice spoke.
Damien’s face turned white.
He looked at me.
“It’s Evelyn.”
My heart stopped.
He put the call on speaker.
A woman’s voice filled the room.
Calm.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
“Hello, Amara.”
I couldn’t speak.
“You’ve learned so much tonight.”
Damien stepped forward.
“Where is Nadia?”
“Safe.”
“Let her go.”
“Bring me the key.”
“No.”
Evelyn laughed softly.
“You sound like your father.”
I froze.
“My father?”
“Adrian.”
The room went silent.
“You knew him?”
“I knew him better than anyone.”
“What happened to him?”
A pause.
Then Evelyn said:
“I killed him.”
My blood ran cold.
“Why?”
“Because he chose your mother over me.”
I couldn’t breathe.
Evelyn continued.
“And now history has repeated itself.”
“What do you mean?”
“You have chosen Damien.”
I looked at him.
He looked at me.
Evelyn laughed.
“You don’t even know who Damien really is.”
Damien’s face hardened.
“Enough.”
“No, Damien.”
Her voice became colder.
“Tell her.”
He didn’t answer.
My heart began pounding.
“Tell me what?”
Silence.
I looked at Damien.
“What is she talking about?”
He closed his eyes.
“Amara…”
Evelyn spoke again.
“Ask him why his father kept your mother’s bloodline secret.”
“Damien?”
He finally looked at me.
And the fear in his eyes told me everything.
There was another secret.
One he had never told me.
One that could destroy whatever trust remained between us.
Evelyn’s final words echoed through the phone:
“Ask Damien who he was ordered to kill five years ago.”
The call ended.
I stared at him.
“Damien?”
He said nothing.
“Who were you ordered to kill?”
His eyes met mine.
And for the first time…
I was afraid of the man I had started to love.