As Camille wiped the tears from her face, the phone buzzed again. Her heart raced as she glanced at the screen, her pulse quickening. Another cryptic message appeared, the words cold and calculating.
“Time’s running out. Make the wrong choice, and you’ll never see them again.”
Her blood ran cold, and she felt the room spin as the weight of the threat pressed down on her. She could barely comprehend what was happening. Her parents were gone, and now some twisted game was being played with their lives.
“We need to get you somewhere safe,” Noah said, his voice firm but soft. He glanced at Matthew and Leo, who both nodded in agreement. “You’ll stay with us tonight. We’ll figure everything out tomorrow, but we can’t risk you being alone.”
Camille hesitated, her thoughts swirling in chaos. She wanted to find her parents—wanted to charge into the unknown and save them—but deep down, she knew she was powerless at the moment. She nodded, knowing she had no other option.
“Okay,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “I’ll come with you.”
Matthew placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, his touch grounding her in the moment. “We’ll get through this, Camille. Together.”
Leo started the car, and they drove in silence through the dark streets. Camille stared out the window, trying to piece together how everything had unraveled so quickly. Paris felt like a distant memory, an entirely different life compared to the chaos that had taken hold of her here.
When they arrived at the brothers’ house, the mood was somber. The boys’ mother, Evelyn, was sitting in the living room, her eyes red and swollen from tears. News of Victor’s death had clearly reached her, and the weight of betrayal hung heavy in the air.
“You heard about Dad…” Matthew said softly, approaching his mother. “And Bianca.”
Evelyn nodded, her lip quivering as more tears spilled down her face. “I can’t believe it… Victor, he—” She broke down into sobs, shaking her head as she buried her face in her hands. “How could he… with her? With that woman?”
Matthew and Leo quickly moved to comfort her, each taking one of her hands as she wept. Camille felt a lump form in her throat as she watched. The pain in Evelyn’s face was palpable, a mixture of grief and betrayal that cut deeper than any wound.
Noah placed a hand on his mother’s shoulder, his face strained with emotion. “Mom, you need to rest. Let me take you to your room.”
Evelyn nodded weakly, allowing Noah to guide her to her feet. As he led her upstairs, Camille’s heart ached for them. This family had been through so much in such a short amount of time—losing their father, finding out about his mistress, and now their mother was falling apart.
When Noah returned from settling his mother, Camille was still seated on the couch, her emotions a tangled mess. She wiped away the fresh tears that had slipped down her cheeks, embarrassed at how vulnerable she felt.
Noah sat beside her, his presence both comforting and overwhelming. He turned to her, his eyes searching hers. “Camille… are you okay?”
It was a simple question, but one that carried so much weight. She shook her head, unable to keep the facade up any longer. “No… no, I’m not okay.” Her voice broke as the floodgates opened, and she began to sob.
Noah moved closer, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her into his chest. “It’s okay,” he whispered, his voice soft and soothing. “I’ve got you.”
Camille clung to him, her body trembling as she cried. The weight of everything—the fear, the confusion, the helplessness—it all crashed over her in waves. And through it all, Noah held her, his touch steady and reassuring.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally pulled back, her face wet with tears. “I don’t know how to do this,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I don’t know how to be strong.”
Noah gently wiped away the tears from her cheeks, his thumb lingering on her skin. “You don’t have to be strong all the time,” he said, his voice soft but filled with conviction. “You’ve been through so much, Camille. You don’t have to carry this alone.”
His words hit her like a punch to the gut, and for the first time in days, she felt like she could breathe. She met his gaze, and in that moment, something shifted between them. The air between them was thick with unspoken tension, a pull that she hadn’t been able to shake since the moment they met.
Noah’s hand cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin. “Camille…” he whispered, his voice hushed.
Before she could process what was happening, he leaned in and kissed her.
It was soft at first, tentative, as if he was waiting for her to pull away. But she didn’t. Instead, she melted into him, her hands clutching the fabric of his shirt as the kiss deepened. For the first time in days, the noise in her mind quieted, and all she could focus on was him—on the warmth of his lips, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against hers.
When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other. Camille’s mind was spinning, her emotions a whirlwind, but in that moment, she didn’t care. She needed this—needed him.
“Noah,” she whispered, her voice shaky.
He pressed his forehead against hers, his breath warm against her skin. “I’m here,” he murmured. “I’m not going anywhere.”
But before she could say anything else, her phone buzzed again. Camille’s heart lurched in her chest as she pulled it out, her hands trembling. Another message appeared on the screen.
“We have her. Time’s almost up. Choose wisely, Camille.”
Her blood turned to ice, and the phone slipped from her hands, clattering to the floor.
Noah’s eyes widened as he saw the message. “What is it? What’s happening?”
Camille stared at the phone, her mind reeling. The cryptic words echoed in her head, and the sinking feeling in her chest grew.
They had her mother.
And she had no idea what to do next.