Shadows of the Truth

As I had mentioned to Lucien, I needed their help to devise a plan—one that would allow me to talk to Calyx without prying eyes watching. Especially Jillian's.

It took us a week to finalize everything, carefully ensuring that no detail was overlooked. In the end, it was Kaiser who took the lead, orchestrating every move to put our plan in motion.

Under the cover of secrecy, Kaiser lured Calyx outside the city—far from the reach of civilization, to a secluded villa where Uno and I were already waiting.

This was the safest way. The only way. Because I knew that the attack two weeks ago had not been random. It had been a message. A direct hit meant for Calyx and me.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and crimson, I heard the familiar hum of Kaiser's car pulling into the driveway. My pulse quickened.

Kaiser was the first to step out, his stance casual yet alert. Then, Calyx followed.

I sucked in a quiet breath. His once neatly trimmed beard had grown out, matching the length of his slightly disheveled hair. He looked different—worn, distant. But his eyes... his eyes still held that same intensity that made it impossible to look away.

And tonight, for better or worse, I had to face him.

"You can talk to Calyx at the back of the villa. Kaiser and I will handle dinner—I'll grill some steak," Uno said. His tone was casual, but the look he gave me spoke volumes—this wouldn't be an easy conversation.

I gave a small nod and made my way to the back of the villa.

The evening breeze carried the scent of salt and the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore. A large pool stretched before me, its surface mirroring the deep orange and violet hues of the setting sun. Beyond it, the vast ocean spread endlessly, dark and infinite. The tranquility of the place should have been comforting, yet all it did was magnify the storm brewing inside me.

I crossed my arms, inhaling deeply to steady myself. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind of chaos, unanswered questions, and a growing sense of unease. But one thing had become clear—this conversation needed to happen.

Then, I heard footsteps.

I turned, and there he was.

Calyx stepped onto the patio, his face shadowed by the dimming light. His beard had grown out, and his hair was longer, slightly unkempt, as if he hadn't cared enough to maintain it. But it was his eyes that caught me off guard—filled with surprise, uncertainty, and something else I couldn't quite read.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was rough, hesitant, as if he wasn't sure whether I was real or just a ghost from the past.

I met his gaze, refusing to waver. "I asked Kaiser to bring you here."

A heavy silence settled between us, thick with unspoken words.

"I need to talk to you," I finally said, my voice quieter this time, but firm with conviction.

Calyx studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a slow exhale, he stepped closer.

"This better be important," he muttered.

I wished I could tell him it wasn't. But the truth was—this was going to change everything.

"How have you been?" I asked, feeling ridiculous for even starting with such a question.

Calyx let out a bitter laugh. "Is that really what you want to know? I signed the papers, Severa. You should be happy."

"I'm not divorcing you to be happy, Calyx. I did it so you could finally be free from whatever mess you were trapped in."

His brows furrowed, confusion flickering in his eyes, but I didn't give him a chance to speak just yet.

"You remember that I was studying, right? Well—was studying. Not anymore, since I got expelled for too many absences. But I'm not blaming you for that. It was my choice to stop showing up."

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked, his voice edged with suspicion.

"Because I want to start this conversation with honesty," I admitted. "And that means telling you that I got expelled—something that shouldn't have happened, considering it was part of the deal I made with Uncle Brian. Not that it matters now, since he's been MIA for who knows how long."

I sat down, feeling the weight of the conversation settle on my shoulders. If I wanted him to be honest with me, I had to do the same.

"I know I never told you about my brothers," I continued, my voice quieter now. "But that's because I hated them for leaving me when our parents died. I couldn't bring myself to talk about them."

I took a shaky breath before adding, "I also never explained why I got beaten up. Because the truth is, I'm ashamed of that part of me—the darkness I carry. And maybe... it's better that you don't know."

He sat down across from me, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—a storm brewing beneath the surface.

"And you want me to be honest about why I married you," he said, his voice quieter now, more controlled.

I nodded, forcing myself to hold his gaze. "Yes. And I also want to know what my father told you before he died. I know you two were close—he considered you his apprentice."

Calyx let out a slow, measured breath, leaning back against his chair. His fingers drummed lightly against his knee, a habit I recognized—he was stalling, debating how much to tell me.

"Your father..." he started, then hesitated. His jaw clenched before he spoke again, his voice laced with something heavy—regret, maybe even guilt. "He didn't just see me as an apprentice, Severa. He saw me as someone who could protect you when he no longer could."

A lump formed in my throat, but I stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Before he died, he told me something that I didn't understand back then. He said you would always be a target, that there were people who would come for you—not because of who you are, but because of what you know. He made me promise that no matter what happened, I wouldn't let you fall into the wrong hands." His voice was tight, restrained. "That's why I married you."

I stared at him, my chest tightening with emotions I couldn't quite name. Anger? Betrayal? A twisted form of gratitude?

"So, what? Our marriage was just another mission for you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes darkened, something unreadable flashing through them. "It was never just a mission, Sev." He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "But I knew that the moment I said 'I do,' I was making a choice that had nothing to do with love and everything to do with keeping you alive."

I swallowed hard, trying to process his words, but the weight of them settled heavily on my chest. This entire time, I had thought I was the one who walked away, the one who ended things. But maybe, just maybe, we were doomed from the very beginning.

I wanted to punch something—anything—to release the pressure building inside me. This was what I wanted, wasn't it? To hear the truth. But the truth had a way of cutting deeper than I expected.

I had loved him for as long as I could remember, but he never loved me. To him, I wasn't a partner, a woman he chose—I was a responsibility, a duty passed down by my father.

But what my father didn't know was that I had joined Steven's organization. I could defend myself. I wasn't the helpless girl he thought needed protecting. I could understand why he trusted Calyx with my life, but there was still one thing I couldn't understand—one thing that burned at the edges of my sanity.

"Jillian." Her name tasted bitter in my mouth. I forced myself to look at him, searching his face for even a flicker of hesitation, of regret. "You still love her. And you slept with her while we were already married." My voice was steady, but my fingers curled into fists on my lap. "Once the divorce is finalized… are you planning to go back to her?"

Calyx didn't react at first. He just stared at me, his expression unreadable. But silence, sometimes, was louder than words.

"Okay. I understand that you can't explain it," I said, forcing my voice to remain calm even as frustration twisted inside me. "Then let me ask you this—are you being controlled by someone?"

I leaned forward, studying his face, searching for any sign of hesitation. I needed to know if everything—the marriage, the lies, the betrayals—was his choice or if there was something bigger at play. If he was just another pawn in a game I wasn't seeing yet.

Calyx let out a slow breath, his jaw tightening. For a moment, I thought he wouldn't answer. Then, finally, he met my gaze.

Calyx held my gaze for a long moment before exhaling sharply. He ran a hand through his unkempt hair, looking more exhausted than I had ever seen him.

"I wouldn't say controlled," he admitted, voice low. "But influenced? Pushed into certain decisions? Yes."

A cold weight settled in my stomach. "By whom?"

His lips pressed into a thin line. "It doesn't matter, Severa."

"Of course, it matters," I snapped. "If someone has been pulling your strings this whole time, I need to know. I need to know if our entire marriage was just another one of their moves."

Calyx flinched, barely noticeable, but I caught it. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "It wasn't all a game, Severa."

"Then prove it," I challenged. "Tell me the truth. No more half-answers. No more protecting me like I'm some fragile thing. Who are they? And why did my father trust you so much?"

He let out a bitter chuckle. "Your father trusted me because he thought I could keep you safe. He thought I could protect you from what was coming."

My heart pounded. "From what?"

Calyx shook his head. "From the same people who just killed twenty-four people in broad daylight, Severa. And if they find out we're talking right now, they won't hesitate to add us to that list."

A chill ran down my spine. Calyx knew about the attack—but so did I. And unlike him, I wasn't relying on anyone's protection. I had my own ways of handling things. Still, I kept my expression unreadable, unwilling to let him see that I was already a step ahead.

"Indulge me, Calyx," I said, my tone steady. "I need answers."

His jaw tightened. "Stop digging, Severa. You, Kaiser, and your friends will be in danger if you don't."

I shook my head, barely suppressing a bitter laugh. He really had no idea who we were—what we were capable of. But I couldn't reveal that. Not yet. While this conversation was built on honesty, there were still truths I had to keep from him.

"I can handle whatever's coming, Calyx," I said, meeting his gaze head-on. "Hell, I can even protect you. But before anything else, I need you to answer my questions."

"What?"

I hesitated for a moment, unsure where to begin. There were too many gaps, too many unanswered questions lingering between us. If he wasn't being controlled—only influenced—then…

"Were you aware of the forty CCTV cameras installed in our home?"

Calyx's brows furrowed. His expression shifted, the exhaustion in his eyes momentarily replaced by something sharper—wariness.

"What?" His voice was quieter now, but there was an edge to it.

"The cameras," I repeated, studying his reaction. "There were forty of them. Hidden in places no ordinary security system would cover. Did you know about them?"

His silence was enough of an answer.

I felt my pulse hammer against my ribs. "Who put them there, Calyx?"

He exhaled, dragging a hand down his face. "It wasn't me."

"That's not what I asked."

His jaw tightened. He looked away for a moment, staring at the darkening horizon. The silence stretched, thick with something unspoken, until finally, he muttered, "I had suspicions."

I swallowed hard. "And you never told me?"

His gaze snapped back to mine. "I was trying to protect you, Severa."

I let out a short, bitter laugh. "Protect me? By keeping me in the dark while someone watched my every move?"

"I didn't know how deep it went," he admitted, voice raw. "I didn't know how many there were or who was really behind them. But I knew enough to realize that whoever did it wasn't just watching—you were being monitored."

Monitored. The word made my stomach churn.

Calyx ran a hand through his hair again, frustrated. "That's why I kept pushing you away, Sev. That's why I—" He cut himself off, shaking his head.

"That's why you what?" I pressed.

His lips parted, but he hesitated, as if weighing whether I could handle whatever truth he was about to say. And that hesitation was all the answer I needed.

My chest tightened. "You knew something bigger was at play, but instead of telling me, you let me believe I was the one destroying everything."

"I was trying to keep you safe."

"No," I whispered, stepping closer. "You were trying to keep me controlled."

Calyx stiffened. The air between us felt razor-thin, a dangerous thread stretched to its limit.

I took a steadying breath, forcing myself to focus. "Tell me, Calyx. Those people you were influenced by… did they have something to do with my father's death?"