Alyssa’s POV
The crowd around me buzzed with murmurs and laughter, but the world had gone silent in my head. I barely registered Isabella’s voice calling my name or Leon’s hand on my shoulder, trying to guide me away. None of it mattered. Not when the ghost of my past, the woman I had mourned for years, had just smiled at me and vanished into the crowd.
“Move, Alyssa,” Isabella hissed. “We’re drawing too much attention.”
“I need answers,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
“And you’ll get them. But not like this,” she insisted, tightening her grip on my arm. “If you charge in blind, you’ll get yourself killed.”
Leon leaned in, his tone sharper than I’d ever heard it. “She’s right. If she’s here, it’s for a reason. Let her make the first move.”
“Do you know how insane that sounds?” I snapped, pulling my arm free. “That was my mother. She’s not supposed to be here. She’s not even supposed to be alive!”
Leon’s gaze darkened. “Then you’d better figure out why she is. But not in the middle of this circus. Let’s go.”
Before I could argue, I felt it again-that prickling sensation of being watched. My head snapped up, and there she was, standing a few feet away. The crowd seemed to part around her as if she were untouchable, her posture calm, her expression unreadable.
My breath caught as she stepped forward, each movement measured and deliberate. She stopped just close enough for her voice to carry.
“Hello, Alyssa.”
The sound of her voice hit me like a thunderclap. It was unmistakable-warm and soft, the voice that used to sing me to sleep. My throat tightened as I tried to form words, but nothing came out.
She tilted her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. “We should talk. Privately.”
“No way,” Isabella said, stepping in front of me like a shield. “You don’t get to waltz in here and make demands.”
My mother’s gaze flicked to Isabella, her smile never wavering. “Ah, Isabella. Always so loyal. It’s good to see some things never change.”
“Don’t,” Isabella warned, her voice low and dangerous.
Leon stepped in, his tone lighter but no less tense. “Ladies, let’s not cause a scene. This is a delicate setting, after all.”
“Smart man,” my mother said, her eyes returning to me. “Alyssa, come with me. There’s much to discuss, and time is of the essence.”
“Why should I trust you?” I finally managed to say, my voice trembling despite my best efforts.
Her smile faltered for a fraction of a second before she answered. “Because I’m your mother.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. I wanted to scream, to cry, to demand answers-but all I could do was follow her as she turned and walked toward a side door. Isabella grabbed my arm, her grip firm.
“This is a trap,” she said, her eyes blazing.
“I know,” I said quietly. “But I need to hear what she has to say.”
Leon hesitated, then nodded. “Fine. But we’re staying close.”
I didn’t argue. As much as I wanted to face her alone, I wasn’t stupid enough to walk into the lion’s den without backup. Together, we followed her through the door and down a narrow hallway that led to a private room.
The moment the door closed behind us, the air changed. It felt heavier, charged with unspoken tension. My mother turned to face me, her expression softer now, almost… maternal.
“I know this is a lot to take in,” she began, her voice calm. “But I need you to listen carefully.”
“You think you can just show up after all these years and expect me to listen?” I said, my anger finally breaking free. “You died. I watched them lower your coffin into the ground!”
Her gaze didn’t waver. “And it was the hardest decision I’ve ever made. But it was necessary.”
“Necessary?” My voice rose, shaking with emotion. “You abandoned me! You left me to fend for myself while you-what? Joined the people who’ve been trying to destroy everything I care about?”
Her face tightened, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of regret. “I didn’t want to leave you. But if I hadn’t, the Circle would have killed us both. Faking my death was the only way to protect you.”
“And now you’re one of them,” Isabella said, her voice dripping with disdain. “Some protector.”
“I did what I had to do to survive,” she snapped, her calm facade cracking. “And now I’m offering Alyssa a way to survive, too.”
I crossed my arms, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. “What do you want from me?”
Her eyes softened as she stepped closer. “The Circle has Ethan. You know that by now. If you want him back, you’ll have to work with us.”
“Work with you?” I repeated, disbelief lacing my words. “You expect me to betray everything I stand for, to join the people who’ve ruined my life, just to save Ethan?”
“Yes,” she said simply. “Because if you don’t, he’ll die.”
The room fell silent, the weight of her words pressing down on me like a crushing tide. I glanced at Isabella, who shook her head slightly, her eyes warning me not to trust her. Leon, for once, remained quiet, his expression unreadable.
“What’s the deal?” I asked finally, my voice hollow.
Her gaze held mine, steady and unflinching. “You join the Circle. Prove your loyalty by delivering the artifact. Once they see you’re committed, they’ll release Ethan unharmed.”
“And if I refuse?”
Her expression darkened. “Then he dies. And you’ll have to live with that for the rest of your life.”
The air seemed to grow colder as her words sank in. I felt the weight of the decision pressing down on me, suffocating and relentless. No matter what I chose, someone would lose.
“I need time to think,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.
She nodded, stepping back toward the door. “You have twenty-four hours. After that, the choice will be made for you.”
She turned and left without another word, leaving me standing in the middle of the room, my mind racing.
I clenched my fists, my heart pounding as I turned to Isabella and Leon. “We’re out of options,” I said, my voice trembling. “If I don’t do this, Ethan’s dead. But if I do…”
I didn’t finish the thought. The stakes were too high, and the clock was already ticking.