Chapter 15: confession?

Kaleth, why are you..." I began, but my words caught in my throat as his warm hands encircled my waist. His chest pressed firmly against mine, igniting a heat I hadn’t felt in years. A tingling sensation rippled down my spine as his lips—soft, warm, and achingly familiar—claimed mine. It had been so long, yet we kissed as if no time had passed, as if our last kiss was just an hour ago.

I knew I should’ve pulled back, released his grip on me. He was someone else’s fiancé. But I couldn’t. Every fiber of my being craved him, wanted him closer, needed him to touch me more, pull me tighter, and never let go.

As we parted, his breath lingered on my skin. “I never meant to hurt you,” he whispered, his voice trembling with regret. “If I had known the path I chose would lead us so far apart, I would have told you this a long time ago.”

“What do you want to tell me?” I asked, my voice quivering. My hands tightened around his arms as I looked up into those mesmerizing blue eyes. For the first time, I saw fear in them—a fear that unnerved me.

Standing on my toes, I kissed his temple gently. “You can tell me,” I whispered.

He hesitated, his gaze flickering away before meeting mine again. “I can’t tell you much,” he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper, “but I’ll tell you this: Be careful. Someone wants to kill your children and Cleo. Don’t trust anyone. Don’t tell anyone I told you this, but… the enemy is closer than you think.”

Before I could process his words, he leaned in, pressing a kiss against my temple. The tenderness of the gesture felt like a farewell.

“I have to go,” he said hurriedly. “I can’t let Emma find out I wasn’t where I was supposed to be.”

And just like that, he was gone, leaving me standing alone in the cold night air, my mind reeling.

What just happened?

Was he telling the truth, or was this some elaborate attempt to worm his way back into my heart? But no—Kaleth would never manipulate someone’s feelings. He had too much integrity for that. Didn’t he?

Or had I been wrong about him all along?

I clutched my arms around myself, trying to contain the storm of emotions swirling inside me. If what he said was true… if my daughters or Cleo were in danger…

The thought made my stomach churn.

Who would want to hurt me? Who could hate me or my family so much? My mind raced through possibilities, but none of them made sense.

By the time I reached home, my legs felt like jelly. Cleo was on the couch, flipping through a magazine, while Katherine and Catherina were fast asleep in their room.

“Celine, are you okay?” Cleo asked, looking up.

I nodded mechanically. “Yeah, just tired. Thanks for staying with them.”

“Of course. You looked upset earlier. Do you want to talk about it?”

“No,” I said quickly, perhaps too quickly. “I just need some sleep.”

Cleo gave me a concerned look but didn’t press further.

Once I was alone in my room, I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor. Kaleth’s words echoed in my mind.

“Someone wants to kill your children and Cleo.”

I buried my face in my hands, trying to think clearly. If I told Cleo, would I be putting her in more danger? Could I trust anyone at all?

The weight of the situation pressed down on me, threatening to crush me. I had to protect my family, but I didn’t even know where the threat was coming from.

Kaleth had said the enemy was closer than I thought. That could mean anyone—someone in the neighborhood, a co-worker, even someone pretending to be a friend.

The thought was suffocating.

I stayed awake long into the night, my mind racing with fear and questions. What was Kaleth involved in? How did he know about the threat? And why had he come back now, after all this time, to warn me?

By morning, I was a wreck. My reflection in the bathroom mirror was unrecognizable—dark circles under my eyes, a paleness to my skin that hinted at the turmoil within. But there was no time to wallow. I had to be strong for my daughters, for Cleo. They needed me.

As I prepared breakfast, every sound made me jump. The clink of a spoon, the creak of the floorboards—each one felt like a prelude to disaster.

Cleo noticed my unease. “Celine, are you sure you’re okay? You’ve been acting strange since last night.”

“I’m fine,” I lied, forcing a smile. “Just stressed. Work, you know.”

She didn’t look convinced, but she let it go.

By the time evening came, I was exhausted—physically, emotionally, mentally. After putting the girls to bed, I collapsed onto the couch, my mind too tired to think.

But just as I began to drift off, my phone buzzed with a text.

**Unknown Number:** *Did he tell you the truth?*

My blood ran cold.

I stared at the message, my heart pounding. Who was this? And how did they know about Kaleth?

My hands trembled as I typed a reply.

**Me:** *Who is this? What do you want?*

The response came almost immediately.

**Unknown Number:** *I want what he owes me. And if I don’t get it, you’ll pay the price.*

I felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me. What did Kaleth owe this person? Money? Power? Something else entirely?

And why was I the one being dragged into it?

I put my phone down, my hands shaking. My mind raced through every possible scenario, but none of them offered any comfort. Whoever this person was, they were serious. And they were watching.

I paced the living room, my thoughts a chaotic whirlwind. Kaleth’s warning had been clear: don’t trust anyone. But how could I protect my family on my own?

A surge of determination welled up within me. I couldn’t afford to fall apart. My daughters needed me to be strong. Cleo needed me to be vigilant. Whoever this enemy was, they wouldn’t get the better of me.

I resolved to keep my guard up, to trust no one completely, and to protect the people I loved at all costs. If Kaleth’s warning was true, then I’d do whatever it took to keep my family safe.

Even if it meant facing this darkness alone.