Elora_Elysia

Lillian "Lily" Everett has spent years searching for answers about her family's past, desperate to understand the secrets that shattered her life. But when her investigation leads her to a hidden truth—one that was meant to stay buried—she becomes the target of dangerous forces determined to silence her. Forced to flee, she finds an unlikely ally in Noah Carter, a former mercenary with a dark past and a reputation for never getting involved. Reluctantly, they strike a fragile alliance, but as their journey unfolds, so does an undeniable tension neither of them can ignore.

The deeper Lily digs, the more horrifying the truth becomes. Her brother, Elias Everett—the one she thought was dead—has been alive all along, hidden in the shadows, entangled in a dangerous rebellion against the monarchy. But Elias is no longer the same boy she once adored. He is a man hardened by betrayal, secrets, and choices he refuses to explain. Torn between love and anger, Lily struggles to bridge the growing chasm between them, but time is running out.

As enemies close in and the web of deception tightens, Lily and Noah must navigate a world where loyalty is fleeting, betrayal is inevitable, and love is the most dangerous game of all. In a battle for justice, truth, and survival, Lily is faced with the ultimate choice: Expose the truth and risk losing her brother forever, or sacrifice everything to save the only family she has left.

But in a world built on lies, even the purest love may not be enough to survive.

The Letters He Never Sent

Lily traced the name written on the paper, her fingers barely grazing the ink as if touching it would summon the truth. Jonathan Mercer. The name felt heavy, unfamiliar yet charged with something dangerous.

Elias leaned closer, his voice low. "Do you recognize it?"

Lily shook her head. "No. But if Dad was looking into him, he must be important."

Noah sighed, rubbing his temples. "We need more than just a name. We don't know who he is, where he is, or why he's connected to all of this."

Elias's jaw tightened. "We start digging."

He pulled out his phone and started searching, his fingers moving fast. Lily watched the glow of the screen reflect in his eyes, his expression unreadable.

A moment later, he cursed under his breath. "Nothing."

Noah frowned. "What do you mean nothing?"

Elias turned the phone toward them. "There's barely anything on him. No social media, no business records—just a few scattered mentions in old financial reports and legal documents. It's like he doesn't exist."

Lily swallowed. "Or someone made sure he didn't."

The thought sent a chill down her spine. Whoever Jonathan Mercer was, he wasn't meant to be found.

Elias kept scrolling. "Wait—there's one hit. A news article from years ago."

Lily leaned over to read. The article was brief, almost dismissive.

"Jonathan Mercer, former CEO of Mercer Industries, resigned from his position in 2015 citing personal reasons. The company was later dissolved under undisclosed circumstances."

Noah scoffed. "That's it? A billionaire vanishes, and nobody asks questions?"

Elias narrowed his eyes. "It's worse than that. Mercer Industries wasn't just any company. It was a government contractor—classified projects, military research. The kind of work that gets buried when things go wrong."

Lily's pulse quickened. "You think our dad found something he wasn't supposed to?"

Elias nodded slowly. "And whatever it was, it got him killed."

The air in the bar felt suffocating. They needed to move, to regroup somewhere safe. Elias paid for their drinks, and they slipped into the night, sticking to the shadows.

As they walked, Lily turned to Elias. "Vincent didn't want to talk about Mercer. Do you think he was scared?"

Elias nodded. "Absolutely. He was practically begging us to drop this."

Noah scoffed. "Which means we're definitely not dropping it."

Lily managed a small smile. Noah's stubbornness was oddly reassuring.

They reached their safe house—an abandoned apartment Elias had secured weeks ago. It wasn't much, but it was hidden. As they locked the door behind them, Lily felt exhaustion creeping in. But sleep was impossible.

She sat on the floor, staring at the name again. Jonathan Mercer.

Somewhere out there, he held the answers they needed.

And Lily was going to find him—even if it meant uncovering secrets that were never meant to see the light.

Chapter 28