I glanced down at her, my expression softening. "Oh, she will," I said confidently, my voice carrying a hint of mischief. "Anyaâs too curious now. She wonât be able to resist finding out more."
Nathalie shook her head, a small smile playing at her lips despite her embarrassment. "Youâre probably right," she admitted. "But what if she figures out we were... pretending?"
I grinned, my arm tightening around her waist. "Then weâll just have to make sure she doesnât," I said, my tone light and playful. "Besides, whereâs the fun in that?"
Nathalie let out a soft sigh, leaning into me as we reached the car. "Youâre going to get us into trouble," she murmured, though there was no real reproach in her voice.
I opened the car door for her, my smirk never fading. "Maybe," I admitted, "but itâll be worth it."
The car hummed softly as Lisa navigated the quiet streets, the glow of the city lights reflecting off the windows. Nathalie sat beside me, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her dress, her expression a mix of relief and lingering embarrassment. The tension between us was thick, but there was something else there tooâan unspoken understanding, a strange kind of intimacy that had formed despite everything.
Nathalie finally broke the silence, her voice soft but hesitant. "About my son...?" she asked, her eyes flickering to meet mine before quickly looking away.
I leaned back in the seat, my tone casual but firm. "Let him live in one of those houses," I said, my voice carrying a note of finality. "Youâre free to move around anywhere you want. Heâll be safe there."
Nathalieâs breath hitched, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her dress. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. The gratitude in her voice was genuine, but it was laced with something elseâconflict, guilt, the weight of everything that had happened between us.
I chuckled softly, my tone light but carrying an edge of possessiveness. "Weâre already husband and wife," I reminded her, my eyes flickering to her flushed face. "No need for thanks between us, is there?"
Nathalieâs cheeks burned even brighter, her embarrassment palpable. She knew the truthâthat I was the one who had killed her husband, the one who had twisted her sonâs life into something unrecognizable. And yet, she didnât retaliate. She didnât scream or fight or demand answers. Instead, she simply nodded, her fingers still twisting nervously in her lap.
The car rolled to a stop in front of the villa, the engine cutting off with a quiet hum. Nathalieâs breath was still uneven, her body tense as she sat there, lost in her thoughts. I reached out, my fingers brushing against hers, just for a moment.
"Youâre free, Nathalie," I said, my voice low, almost gentle. "But rememberâyouâre mine now."
She didnât look at meânot even a glance. But I caught the way her fingers trembled, just for a second, before she clenched them into fists at her sides. There was no outburst, no defiance. No sharp words or heated arguments.
She just nodded again, her chin dipping once, twice, as if every movement took effort. The silence between us wasnât empty; it was thick with everything she wasnât saying, with the weight of decisions already made and consequences we both knew were coming.
The car door shut behind us with a quiet thud, and the night air wrapped around us like a warning. It was cooler than I expected, carrying the scent of damp earth and something elseâsomething electric, like the charge before a storm.
I exhaled slowly, watching the breath fade into the darkness. One thing was certain: this wasnât the end. It was only the beginning. And Nathalie? She felt it too. I could see it in the way her shoulders tensed, in the way she hesitated for half a second before turning away.
She didnât say a word as she walked toward the side of the estate, her steps deliberate. I knew where she was goingâTylerâs situation needed handling, and Nathalie was the only one who could do it without drawing attention.
Meanwhile, I pushed open the heavy doors of the villa, the hinges groaning softly as I stepped inside.
The interior was dimly lit, the flickering glow of a fireplace casting long shadows across the marble floors.
My eyes adjusted quickly, scanning the room. Emily was perched on the edge of a sofa, her fingers tapping restlessly against her knee. Jennifer stood by the window, her silhouette sharp against the glass, her gaze fixed on something outside. But AngelaâAngela was missing.
I was about to call out when Lisa appeared at my side, her expression unreadable. She leaned in, her voice low but urgent.
"Boss Angela is overseeing everything from the fortress," Lisa said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Sheâs assigning tasks, making sure everyone knows their role. She said to tell you sheâll be back when itâs under control."
I nodded, but my stomach twisted. Angela didnât just retreat to the fortress unless the situation was spiraling out of hand. If she were there, it meant the stakes were higher than any of us had anticipated. The fortress wasnât just a command centerâit was a last resort.
Before I could process it further, Emily suddenly stepped forward, her face flushed with a mix of anger and fear. "Where is Mike?" she demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut through the tension in the room.
"What happened to him? Are you keeping us prisoners here?" Her hands were clenched at her sides, her knuckles white. I could see the panic beneath her anger, the kind that comes when someone is desperate for answers but terrified of what they might hear.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Jenniferâs reaction. She didnât look concerned. Instead, a slow, mischievous smile played on her lips, as if Emilyâs outburst was nothing more than entertainment. It was that smile that made my decision for me.
I turned to Emily, keeping my voice steady despite the chaos unfolding around us. "Mrs. Emily," I said, my tone deliberate, "we should talk alone. If you want to know about your husband, follow me." I gestured toward the hallway, my gaze locking onto hers.
There was no time for hesitation, no room for doubt. Whatever was coming, she deserved to hear it away from prying eyesâand Jenniferâs unsettling amusement.