Chapter 15: She will die, and I will take her place.

Rowan

I woke up because something about Zella was off. Her breathing was uneven, and sweat covered her skin. I turned my head and looked at her lying beside me.

She was supposed to be part of a plan arranged by Silas and Zaria, something that should have made everything easier for me. Instead, it made me want to put a bullet in both of them and watch them bleed until there was nothing left in them.

If she would not hate me for killing her twin, I would have done it already.

She let out a small cry in her sleep, and before I thought about it, I pulled her closer.

“Do not be afraid. I am here,” I said quietly.

She relaxed in my arms after that, her breathing becoming even. I kept my eyes on her face, studying every small detail like I could find answers there.

Her eyes, her smile, the way she looked at me without fear. I did not like how much it affected me.

For a moment, I imagined something I never allowed myself to think about. A quiet life. No enemies. No blood. No constant need to watch my back. Just her. The thought did not feel wrong, and that was what bothered me.

What are you hiding? Are you part of their game, or are you just caught in it? I leaned down and pressed my lips to her forehead. A few minutes later, I fell asleep again, still holding her.

Zella

When I woke up, he was gone. The empty space beside me pulled my attention for a moment. I reached out without thinking, then stopped myself. This was not supposed to feel real. But something had changed.

I used to wake up from nightmares almost every night. Faces I did not want to remember and memories that refused to leave me alone. But this time, I had slept through the night without waking up once.

That confused me more than anything. Then I heard Dante crying outside my door.

“Emalia, let him in,” I called.

The door opened, and Dante ran straight to me. He climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms around me tightly.

“Mama, I do not want to study all the time,” he said.

I pulled back slightly and looked at him. “Why?”

He showed me his arm. There was a mark on it. My hands trembled, and I had to hold them. Seeing him hurt like that made me feel angry and helpless at the same time.

“Who did this?” I asked.

“Arabella,” he said between soft sobs. “She said I am stupid. She said I have to study more because I am stupid.”

That should not have happened.

A child like him should be playing, laughing, living without fear.

“Emalia, I want to take a bath. Let him stay here,” I said.

I needed a moment before I faced her. After I got dressed and finished eating, I held Dante’s hand and led him out of the room. Instead of going downstairs, I took him up to the third floor.

That was where the girls stayed. I would speak to Rowan. Whether he liked it or not, I was not going to stand by and watch them destroy themselves.

I walked with Dante, Emalia, and the guards behind me. I stopped in front of Arabella’s room and pushed the door open without knocking. But the smell that hit me first was alcohol.

My eyes moved to the bed where Arabella lay, still half asleep. Sixteen years old, and already living like this. That alone was enough to make me angry. I walked closer and shook her shoulder.

“Wake up,” I said.

“Get out,” she snapped without opening her eyes.

I stepped back and walked out of the room.

“Bring me a bucket of water,” I told one of the guards.

I did not plan to care this much, but I could not ignore it anymore. The guard returned, and I went back inside. Without hesitation, I threw the water straight at her face. She jumped up with a shout.

“What are you doing?” she yelled.

“Teaching you something,” I said.

She glared at me. “You never cared before. I could do anything to him, and you would not react. What do you want now?”

Her words made me rethink.

“You hurt my son,” I replied.

“So what? I have always done that, and you never complained. You should thank me for teaching him.”

Anger rose inside me.

“He has a tutor. He does not need you,” I said.

She laughed like none of this mattered.

“You would not even get angry if I kicked him,” she said.

Her words shocked me.

What kind of mother was Zaria?

“From now on, you do not touch him again,” I said.

She laughed again. “You disappeared with your lover for months and now you come back acting like this? What did my father promise you? His love?”

“That is none of your business,” I said.

She looked at me with disgust.

“My father does not understand love. He made my mother leave. And you are no better. You slept with my uncle. Do you think I do not know what you do at night?”

Her words burned, but I forced myself to stay focused. I am not her, and I refuse to live like her.

“Go take a shower,” I told her.

“No. You clean my room first,” she snapped.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her up. She tried to resist, but I tightened my grip.

“Enough,” I said. “From today, you listen to me.”

She winced. “Fine, just let go.”

“You need discipline too,” I said. “Not just Dante.”

“You are not my mother,” she yelled.

“You are right,” I said. “I am not. But I am the one who will be watching you now.”

She finally went into the bathroom.

I stayed in the room, looking around. Clothes everywhere, empty bottles, a life already going in the wrong direction.

When she came out, I noticed the tattoo on her shoulder. I pulled her closer.

“If you add another one, I will make sure you regret it,” I said.

“I am the daughter of a mafia man. I have to be like him,” she replied.

“No,” I said. “You do not.”

She looked at me, anger mixed with something I could not ignore.

“He does not care about us,” she said. “He never talks to us. He only gives us money.”

“Then why hurt your brother?” I asked.

She sat down beside me.

“Clara said he needs to be strong. He will replace Father one day.”

I felt anger rise again.

“That is not your responsibility,” I said. “He needs care, not pain.”

She gave a bitter laugh. “And who takes care of us? No one.”

I looked at her.

“If you listen to me, I will take care of you,” I said.

She shook her head. “I do not believe you.”

“I mean it,” I said. “I will not lie to you.”

She stared at me for a moment, confusion clear in her eyes, then turned and walked out. I let out a slow breath. This was going to be difficult.

Author’s pov

From the upper floor, two women watched everything. Grace stood beside Clara, her expression disdainful.

“That woman needs to disappear,” Clara said.

Grace glanced at her. “If Rowan finds out, he will kill you.”

Clara laughed. “He will not. He cares about me too much.”

Grace shook her head. “You do not understand him.”

Clara leaned forward slightly. “I will use the people who are already looking for his weakness. She will die, and I will take her place.”

Grace gave a faint smile. “Then after that, we remove the children too.”

Clara nodded.

“What about Abel?” she asked.

“He is only using her,” Grace replied.

Clara smirked. “Then we trap her with another man. Just like before. If that fails, we use his enemies to take her.”

Grace remained silent for a moment, then nodded slowly.

Zella

I sat in the garden, watching Dante run around. I could breathe better here. Flowers surrounded me, and for a moment, my thoughts slowed down. I took a sip of my tea and remembered the paper Abel slipped into my hand.

I opened it quietly and read. He wanted to meet. I closed my eyes for a second. This could turn into a problem. If I refused, he might suspect something. If I agreed, everything around me would collapse.

I folded the paper and held it tightly. He was Grace’s son. And from everything I had heard, Zaria had been involved with him in ways I did not even want to think about. That made the situation worse than I wanted.

“I have to be careful,” I said under my breath.

If I stopped acting like Zaria, everything around me would collapse.

“Emalia, why has Micah not returned yet?” I asked.

“He is still abroad, Madam,” she replied.

I nodded slowly.

I had seen his picture before. He looked like Rowan, but colder.

People said he could kill without hesitation and walk away like nothing mattered.

“Why have you not tried to get close to him?” I asked Emalia with a small smile. “You are beautiful.”

She shook her head. “I am only a servant.”

I looked back at Dante. Everything here was more complicated than I thought. And I was already too deep in this to turn back now.