Alyssa’s POV
The room was too quiet. My mother’s calm presence filled every corner, a silent storm waiting to erupt. Ethan’s labored breaths from behind the bars were the only sounds grounding me, tethering me to reality. But even that felt fragile.
I turned to her, forcing my voice to steady. “Start talking. What the hell do you mean I’m the key? What are you really after?”
Her smile was faint but held a chilling certainty. “You’ve always been destined for greatness, Alyssa. Everything I’ve done, everything I’ve sacrificed, has been for this moment.”
I took a step closer, narrowing the space between us. “Cut the cryptic crap. You faked your death, abandoned me, and now you’re using me as a pawn. Explain, or I swear I’ll-”
Her laugh cut me off, sharp and cold. “You’ll what? Kill me? Oh, darling, you don’t even know what you’re capable of yet.”
Something inside me snapped. “Then why don’t you enlighten me?” I spat, my hands trembling. “Because right now, all I see is a manipulative woman who left her family for power.”
Her expression hardened, her gaze piercing. “You think this is about me?” She stepped closer, her voice rising. “This is about you, Alyssa. Your birthright. Your destiny.”
I shook my head, anger bubbling to the surface. “Stop saying that like it means something. I don’t want any part of this.”
“You don’t have a choice,” she snapped, her voice icy. “You think your father’s empire was powerful? It was nothing compared to what you’re meant to inherit. The Obsidian Circle doesn’t just control wealth-it controls nations, governments, lives. And you, my dear, are the heir to it all.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. “What?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
“You were never meant to be ordinary, Alyssa,” she continued, her tone softer now. “You were born to lead. To rule. Your father was just a placeholder until you were ready.”
My mind raced, pieces of my shattered reality trying to fit into a picture I didn’t want to see. “If that’s true, why didn’t he tell me? Why did you leave?”
Her jaw tightened. “Because he was weak. He wanted to shield you from this world, but that was never an option. I saw what he couldn’t-you’re stronger than he ever was.”
Ethan’s voice broke through the chaos. “Alyssa, don’t listen to her. She’s manipulating you.”
I turned to him, his battered face a painful reminder of why I was here. “I don’t care about any of this,” I said, my voice shaking. “I just want Ethan. Let him go, and I’ll do whatever you want.”
My mother’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face. “Still clinging to your humanity, I see. But that’s what makes you dangerous, Alyssa. That’s what makes you perfect.”
Before I could respond, a low, rhythmic beeping filled the room. My stomach dropped.
“Isabella,” I muttered, my heart racing.
The beeping grew louder, faster, and my mother’s expression shifted from smugness to alarm.
“What did you do?” she demanded, her calm facade cracking.
I smirked despite the fear clawing at my chest. “Guess you’re not the only one who can plan ahead.”
She moved toward the door, her voice sharp. “You don’t understand what you’ve done. This place-”
“Is about to go up in flames,” I finished, cutting her off. “And you’re going to let Ethan out before it does.”
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t move. “No, Alyssa. You’re not leaving. Not until you understand what’s at stake.”
The beeping turned into a wail as alarms blared throughout the building. My pulse pounded in my ears, drowning out everything else.
I grabbed her arm, my desperation boiling over. “Let him out, or none of this matters!”
She wrenched free, her voice cold. “You don’t get it, do you? If you walk out of here, you’ll be hunted for the rest of your life. The Circle doesn’t forgive betrayal.”
“Better that than whatever this is,” I shot back, my heart hammering.
She stepped back, her expression unreadable. “You think you can run from this, but you can’t. It’s in your blood, Alyssa. You were born to rule, whether you want it or not.”
Before I could respond, the walls trembled, a low rumble shaking the floor beneath us. Dust fell from the ceiling, and the lights flickered.
“Isabella,” I whispered, dread curling in my gut.
The door burst open, and there she was, her face smeared with dirt and determination. “We’ve got less than two minutes,” she barked, her gaze darting between me and my mother.
She pointed a gun at my mother without hesitation. “Let him out, or I’ll do it myself.”
My mother raised an eyebrow, her calm demeanor returning. “You think you can intimidate me?”
Isabella cocked the gun, her voice deadly. “Try me.”
“Isabella, don’t!” I shouted, stepping between them.
My mother’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Still trying to save everyone, Alyssa. It’s admirable, really.”
The ground shook again, harder this time, and a deafening roar echoed through the building.
“Enough!” I screamed, my voice raw. “Let him out, or none of us make it out of here alive!”
For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Then, with a reluctant sigh, my mother pulled a key from her pocket and tossed it to me.
“Fine,” she said, her tone icy. “But this isn’t over.”
I didn’t wait. I rushed to Ethan’s cell, fumbling with the key as the alarms blared around us.
“Alyssa,” he murmured, his voice weak but steady.
“Save it,” I said, forcing the lock open. “We’re getting out of here.”
I pulled him to his feet, his weight heavy against me, and turned to Isabella.
“Let’s go!” she shouted, her eyes blazing.
But as we reached the door, my mother stepped in front of us, her expression unreadable.
“You’ll regret this,” she said softly.
“Move,” Isabella growled, her gun trained on her.
My mother didn’t budge, but a faint smile played on her lips. “You’ll see, Alyssa. When the dust settles, you’ll understand.”
The building shook violently, and I felt the heat of the first explosion.
“Now!” Isabella shouted, shoving past her.
We ran, the walls crumbling around us, the heat and smoke choking the air.
But her words echoed in my mind, haunting me even as we sprinted toward freedom.
As we burst into the cool night air, the mansion erupting behind us in a fiery inferno, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I hadn’t escaped at all.
I had only just begun to play her game.