The night air clung thick to Lydia's skin, the scent of salt and rust heavy as she blinked awake. A dim bulb swung lazily above, throwing fractured light across the abandoned pier house. The last thing she remembered was Jaden pulling her away from the gunfire—then darkness. Now, she was alone.
Her head throbbed.
"Jaden?" she called, her voice trembling into the emptiness. No answer. Only the low groan of the sea beneath the wooden floorboards.
Then she heard it—muffled voices, distant but sharp. She pushed herself up, following the sound down a narrow hall lined with cracked glass and seaweed stains. Each step was slow, cautious. The voices grew clearer.
"…You were never supposed to bring her here," a woman hissed.
Lydia froze. That voice—icy, commanding.
Cassandra.
Her heartbeat quickened as she reached the corner of the corridor. She peeked through the crack of a half-open door. Inside, Jaden stood with his back to her, tense, shoulders squared like a man trying to stand against a storm. Cassandra stood opposite him in a long black coat, her hair tied back, her expression unreadable.
"You don't understand," Jaden said quietly. His tone was controlled, but Lydia could hear the strain underneath. "She wasn't supposed to get involved. You dragged her into this."
Cassandra scoffed. "Dragged her? You're the one who brought her into a world she can't survive. You think love changes who you are, Jaden? You're still my son."
Lydia's breath hitched. Son?
Her fingers gripped the wall to steady herself. The word sliced through her chest like a blade.
Cassandra continued, stepping closer. "You can't escape what you were born into. Everything you have—your company, your fortune, your name—it all comes from me. From this life. You were built for it."
Jaden's jaw tightened. "That life destroyed everything I cared about."
"Then why are you here?" Cassandra's voice lowered, dangerous and calm. "Why didn't you let her go when you had the chance?"
Lydia's pulse raced. Her mind spun in disbelief. Cassandra wasn't just some enemy—they were bound by blood. Jaden's cold eyes, his secrets, his distance—it all made sense now. He wasn't just protecting her from danger… he was protecting her from himself.
Jaden took a shaky breath. "Because I can't lose her. You've taken enough from me already."
Cassandra's lips curved into a faint, cruel smile. "Love makes you weak, Jaden. You think she'll forgive you when she learns the truth? That you've been lying to her from the start?"
Lydia stepped back, heart pounding. The floor creaked beneath her weight.
Jaden turned sharply. "Lydia?"
She froze.
His eyes found hers through the doorway—shock, fear, and pain all clashing at once. Cassandra's smirk deepened as she turned to face her fully.
"Well," Cassandra purred, "looks like the secret's out."
Lydia swallowed hard, her throat dry. "You lied to me," she whispered. "All this time—you lied."
Jaden took a step forward. "Lydia, please—"
"Don't," she snapped, tears brimming. "Don't call my name like you still have that right."
Cassandra folded her arms, watching them like a queen witnessing a drama unfold. "See? This is what truth does, Jaden. It breaks everything you try to build."
Jaden glared at his mother. "You don't get to manipulate this anymore."
"Manipulate?" Cassandra laughed softly. "I gave you everything. I even kept her alive when others wanted her gone."
Lydia's stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"
Cassandra tilted her head, feigning pity. "Did he never tell you, dear? The night of the accident… the car that almost hit you wasn't random. It was meant to be a warning. A message to Jaden. He begged me to call it off. That's how much you mattered."
Lydia's breath trembled. "You did that?"
Jaden's voice broke. "Lydia, I tried to protect you—"
"By lying? By keeping me in the dark while your mother plays god?" She shook her head, backing away. "I trusted you."
"Lydia, please," he said, stepping closer, his voice raw. "Everything I did was to keep you safe. I didn't know she'd—"
The sudden crack of gunfire sliced through the air.
Glass shattered. Lydia screamed as Jaden grabbed her, pulling her to the ground behind a crate. Cassandra's guards had burst through the far doors, weapons raised.
"Take her!" Cassandra shouted, fury breaking her calm mask.
Jaden pulled Lydia toward the back exit. Bullets ripped through the walls, splintering wood and spraying salt-damp dust into the air. The pier house shook with chaos.
"This way!" Jaden yelled, dragging her toward a side stairwell that led down to the docks. Another gunshot rang out—Jaden winced as his shoulder brushed against a sharp edge, blood staining his sleeve.
They stumbled out into the cold night. Rain poured down in sheets, waves crashing against the wooden posts below. Lydia could barely breathe.
"Why are they still after us?" she cried.
"Because you're the only thing that can hurt me," Jaden said, gripping her hand tighter. "And she knows that."
They reached the end of the pier. A small boat bobbed violently against the water, half-loosened from its rope. Behind them, the sound of footsteps grew louder.
"Go, Lydia! Get in!"
"I'm not leaving you!"
"Now!" he shouted, shoving her toward the boat.
A thunderous explosion tore through the air as the warehouse behind them erupted into flames. Lydia screamed his name as the blast threw her into the water. The last thing she saw before darkness swallowed her was Jaden standing at the edge of the dock, fire and smoke framing his silhouette—his cold eyes finally breaking with fear.