The game begins

The weight of the revelation sat heavy on Elena's chest, like chains tightening around her. The father she had mourned for years was alive, and now she was nothing more than a pawn in his dangerous game. But she wasn't the same helpless girl she once was. She wasn't going to let herself be used—not by her father, not by Noah, and not by Ethan.

She turned sharply on her heels, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "I want answers. No more half-truths. No more secrets. If my father is alive, I need to know why he faked his death. And why now?"

Noah exhaled, watching her with calculating eyes. "Because he was never really gone, Elena. He was always watching."

Her stomach twisted. "Watching me?"

Ethan nodded grimly. "From the moment you thought you lost him, he's been controlling things from the shadows. And now, he's ready to step back into the light. He knows you're… valuable."

The way he said it sent a shiver down her spine.

"What does that mean?" she demanded.

Noah and Ethan exchanged a look. It was Noah who answered.

"You're his blood. That alone makes you a key to a world you don't even understand yet. But more than that…" He hesitated before stepping closer. "You're the only thing standing between him and complete control."

Elena's breath caught. "Control of what?"

Noah's lips pressed into a thin line. "Everything."

The air felt thick with something unspoken. She could see it in their eyes—both men knew more than they were telling her.

Elena took a deep breath, pushing down the fear clawing at her chest. "Then I need to meet him."

Ethan's expression darkened instantly. "No. It's too dangerous."

Noah, surprisingly, didn't argue. He simply watched her, as if assessing whether she truly meant it.

"I need to see him," she repeated, her voice firm. "If I'm being dragged into this, I need to understand what I'm up against."

Noah tilted his head, a slow smirk tugging at his lips. "Looks like our little dove isn't so fragile after all."

Ethan shot him a glare. "This isn't a game, Noah."

"Oh, but it is," Noah murmured. "It always has been."

Elena's fists clenched. "Then it's time I start playing."

For the first time, Noah's smirk faded. His expression turned unreadable. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Ethan's jaw tightened, but he didn't protest further. He knew as well as she did—there was no stopping this now.

The next move was hers to make.

And she was ready.

----

The city stretched before Elena like an endless maze of secrets, each shadow concealing a truth she had yet to uncover. She sat in the backseat of Noah's sleek black car, her fingers tightening around the edge of her coat. The weight of her decision pressed heavily on her chest—she was about to meet the man she had mourned, the father she had once adored, and now feared.

Ethan sat beside her, tense and silent, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. He hadn't wanted her to do this. But she had left him no choice.

Noah, as usual, seemed unfazed. One hand rested on the steering wheel while the other toyed with a cigarette he hadn't even lit. His sharp gaze flickered to her through the rearview mirror. "Second thoughts, sweetheart?"

Elena met his gaze without flinching. "No. Just preparing myself."

A smirk ghosted his lips. "Good. Because once you step into that building, there's no turning back."

Ethan shot him a glare. "You're not helping."

"I'm not here to help," Noah replied lazily. "I'm here to make sure she doesn't get herself killed."

Elena ignored their bickering, focusing instead on the destination ahead. The car pulled into a private driveway, leading up to an imposing mansion surrounded by high walls and armed guards. Her heart pounded against her ribs. This was it.

As they stepped out of the car, Ethan placed a hand on her arm. "Elena—"

She shook her head. "Don't. I have to do this."

His jaw clenched, but he let her go.

Noah gave a mocking bow. "After you, princess."

With her head held high, Elena stepped forward, the massive doors swinging open as if the house itself had been expecting her.

Inside, the air was thick with the scent of expensive cigars and aged whiskey. The lighting was dim, casting long shadows on the marble floor. A figure stood at the far end of the room, his back to her as he gazed out of the towering glass windows.

"Elena."

Her breath hitched. The voice was deeper than she remembered, roughened by time and power.

The man turned slowly, revealing a face both familiar and foreign. Lines of age and experience now etched his once-youthful features, but his piercing gaze remained the same.

Her father.

"You've grown," he murmured, stepping toward her with measured grace. "Stronger than I expected."

Elena's fingers curled into fists. "Stronger than you wanted, you mean?"

A slow smile spread across his lips. "Perhaps." His gaze flickered past her to Noah and Ethan. "I see you have interesting company."

Elena lifted her chin. "I don't need them to protect me."

Her father studied her for a long moment, then let out a quiet chuckle. "You have fire in you. Just like your mother."

The mention of her mother sent a sharp pang through Elena's chest. "Don't talk about her."

His smile didn't falter. "Fair enough." He gestured to a set of chairs. "Sit. We have much to discuss."

Elena hesitated, glancing at Noah and Ethan. Ethan's expression was unreadable, but his posture was rigid, ready for anything. Noah, on the other hand, looked almost amused, as if he had seen this all before.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and lowered herself into the chair across from her father.

The game had truly begun.

And she was ready to play.

---

Elena sat rigidly in the high-backed chair, her father's calculating gaze fixed on her. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, heavy with years of absence, betrayal, and unanswered questions.

"You've built quite the reputation for yourself, Elena," her father mused, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "But I wonder—was it truly your own doing, or just the influence of the men surrounding you?"

Her fingers dug into the armrest. "I am not a puppet."

He chuckled, the sound rich with amusement. "Oh, my dear, everyone is a puppet. The only difference is who holds the strings." His gaze flickered to Noah and Ethan. "And from where I stand, your strings seem quite tangled."

Noah leaned back against the wall, his smirk sharp. "If she's a puppet, she's the kind that cuts off the hand pulling the strings."

Elena ignored him, her eyes locked on her father's. "Why did you let me believe you were dead?"

He exhaled slowly. "Because I had no choice."

"Lies," she spat. "You had a choice. You just didn't choose me."

A flicker of something—regret? Pain?—crossed his face before it vanished. "I did what was necessary to protect you."

Elena let out a bitter laugh. "Protect me? You abandoned me. And now, after all these years, you suddenly want me back?"

His expression darkened. "I never wanted to stay away. But there are forces at play that you don't understand."

"Then explain it to me."

He took a measured sip of his drink before setting the glass down with a soft clink. "You are the key to everything, Elena. The only leverage I have against the empire that seeks to destroy me."

She stilled. "Leverage?"

Noah pushed off the wall. "There it is." His voice was laced with mockery. "Took him long enough to admit it."

Ethan tensed beside her. "You're using her."

Her father didn't even blink. "I'm protecting her."

Elena's stomach twisted. "From what?"

A long silence stretched between them before he finally spoke. "There is a war coming, Elena. One that has been brewing for years. And you, my dear, are standing at the very center of it."

She swallowed hard. "I don't want to be part of your war."

His gaze softened, just for a moment. "You don't have a choice."

Noah let out a low chuckle. "See, that's where you're wrong." He turned to Elena, his expression unreadable. "You always have a choice."

Her father sighed. "Then make it, Elena. Stay with me, and I will give you the power to control your own destiny. Walk away… and you will never truly be safe again."

A chill ran down her spine.

This wasn't just about her past anymore.

This was about survival.

And she had to decide whose side she was really on.

---

See you in the next chapter...