Chapter 23

In the dim light, Cole looked almost unreal. The sharp angles of his face softened just enough to make him devastatingly handsome, but his eyes—those stormy grey eyes—were sharp, piercing, like he could see every raw piece of me I tried to keep hidden. His lips parted slightly, like he was about to say something, but he didn't.

I couldn't breathe.

"You deserved better," he finally said, his voice quiet but firm. "And if that bastard ever comes near you again, I'll kill him."

I let out a shaky laugh, though there was nothing funny about any of this. "You can't just go around killing people, Cole."

His gaze darkened. "Watch me."

A shiver ran through me, but it wasn't from fear. It was something else, something I wasn't ready to name.

I swallowed hard, tearing my eyes away from him. "I should get some sleep."

Cole studied me for a long moment before nodding. "Yeah. You should."

But neither of us moved.

And for a moment, just a fleeting one, I wondered what it would be like if I closed the distance between us.

I never got to find out.

Because before I could overthink it, Cole turned away. "Get some rest, Astrid."

And then he was gone.

---

The Next Morning

I woke up after barely sleeping at all. My body felt heavy, my mind even heavier. I needed coffee—desperately. And I wanted to make it myself.

As I stepped into the hallway, the house was alive with movement. Staff moved in every direction, carrying trays of food, floral arrangements, and cases of expensive wine. The air buzzed with hurried conversations and clinking dishes.

What the hell was going on?

"Good morning, Miss Caldwell," Alfred, our ever-composed butler, greeted me with a polite nod.

"Morning, Alfred. What's all this?"

"The preparations for your party tomorrow evening," he answered smoothly.

Oh. Right. The statement party.

I'd completely forgotten.

"I've prepared a guest list for you," Alfred continued, handing me a tablet. "You can review it, add or remove anyone as you see fit."

Thanks, Alfred." I took the tablet with a small smile, and he bowed before walking away.

I glanced at the screen. A long list of names—none of which I recognized. But I had no doubt they were rich, powerful, famous, or good friends with Mr. Caldwell. If I wanted to know more, I needed someone who actually understood these circles.

That's when I realized I hadn't seen Cole since waking up.

He was probably resting. I couldn't expect him to stay up all night and not crash in the morning.

I rubbed my temple. I needed that coffee. But as I turned toward the kitchen, a voice I really didn't want to hear interrupted me.

"I see you're throwing a party."

I didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

Tristan.

"You're suddenly everywhere, aren't you?" I muttered, already irritated.

He smirked, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Where's your guard dog? Hiding somewhere, waiting to pounce?"

I ignored him and kept walking, but he followed, his presence an annoying shadow.

"Is planning a party really the best idea?" he asked, his tone shifting from teasing to serious.

I searched the cabinets for a coffee mug. "What do you want, Tristan?"

"You said someone paid you a visit last night." His voice was quieter now. More pointed. "You could be in danger. If that person snuck past security once, what do you think will happen in a room full of strangers?"

I froze, my hand gripping the mug.

"If I were you," he continued, "I'd think carefully. A party like this could put you at serious risk."

Before I could respond, a sharp voice distracted me.

"Astrid, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Chloe.

She stormed into the kitchen, stopping dead when she saw Tristan. Her expression darkened instantly. "And what the hell do you want?"

Tristan smirked. "Good morning to you too."

Chloe wasn't amused. "Stay away from my sister."

Then, without waiting for a response, she grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the kitchen before I could even protest.

I hadn't even had my coffee yet.

"What the hell were you doing with that asshole?" she hissed once we were in the hallway.

"Chloe—"

"Don't Chloe me. Why were you with him?"

I sighed. "No reason. He just followed me into the kitchen."

Her eyes narrowed. "Next time, tell him to stay the fuck away from you."

"Alright, jeez."

She exhaled sharply, then her mood shifted as she practically shoved a stack of envelopes in my face. "Anyway, look! The invitations. They're gorgeous. This party is gonna be epic."

My stomach twisted.

"Chloe... do you still think this party is a good idea?"

She blinked, confused. "Fuck yeah I do."

"But what if it isn't safe?"

Her smile faded slightly. "Why wouldn't it be safe?"

I hesitated. I wanted to tell her about the locket. About last night. About everything.

But I swallowed them down.

"No reason," I lied. "I'm just worried."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Everything's gonna be fine, Astrid. Relax."

I forced a nod, pretending to believe her.

****

I left Chloe in the hallway, her excitement buzzing in the air, but I couldn't share it. My head was spinning. The party, Tristan's warning, the locket—everything made my chest feel heavy.

I needed a moment.

I climbed the stairs back to my room, hoping for some quiet. But as soon as I opened the door, I stopped.

Cole was sitting on the edge of my bed, his elbows resting on his knees, fingers loosely interlocked. His gray eyes lifted to mine the second I stepped inside.

"You've been busy," I said, shutting the door behind me.

"I spent the entire morning doing an intensive search on Nicholas," he said, his tone careful, measured.

My stomach clenched.

I crossed my arms, suddenly feeling cold. "And?"

He hesitated.

Something about his expression made my skin prickle. His jaw tightened like he was struggling to find the right words.

Then he exhaled, slow and heavy.

"Nicholas died last year."

I felt the floor tilt beneath me.

Cole kept going, his voice gentler now. "It was a plane crash. He was on a private jet—engine failure. There were no survivors."

My breath seized.

For a second, I couldn't move, couldn't think.

Then, the room seemed to close in on me all at once.

My legs carried me backward until I hit the edge of my vanity. I gripped it hard, trying to steady myself.

No. That wasn't possible.

I had just—

The locket. The visit.

He was dead?

Cole was watching me closely, reading every flicker of emotion that crossed my face. He was expecting a reaction.

But I had no idea what I felt.

My heart pounded as I forced my lips to move. "That's… not possible."

"I triple-checked." Cole stood, slow and cautious, like he thought I might fall. "His death was confirmed. Astrid, whoever left that locket… it wasn't him."

A shiver crawled up my spine.

Then who the hell was it?