Louis sat at his desk, the dull glow of the single lamp barely illuminating the mess of papers scattered before him. Financial reports, gang operations, and troubling news about the Sovereign’s encroaching power all screamed for his attention. But his mind was elsewhere, replaying the haunting image of her-the masked figure with scars.
The memory gnawed at him relentlessly. Could it have been Daisy? Or was it a cruel trick of his guilt-ridden mind? He hated himself for even entertaining the thought.
He poured himself another glass of whiskey, the burn doing little to numb the ache inside him. Across the room, Natalie entered without knocking, her expression a mix of irritation and triumph.
“You’re spiraling,” she said bluntly, placing a folder on his desk. “We can’t afford for you to lose control now.”
Louis glared at her. “I don’t need a lecture, Natalie.”
Her lips curved into a sly smile as she sat on the edge of the desk, twirling a lock of her hair. “Good, because I’m not here to lecture. I’m here to remind you of the deal. We’ve made too much progress for you to throw it all away over some… ghost.”
He stiffened but didn’t reply. Natalie leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Focus, Louis. We’re too deep now. You want power? Then take it. But leave the past where it belongs.”
Her words hit like a slap, but Louis couldn’t deny their truth. He had burned bridges, betrayed trust, and climbed higher than he ever thought possible-but at what cost?
—
Across the city, Liam sat alone in his study, the soft glow of the fireplace doing little to warm the cold dread in his heart. The rumors of Daisy being alive had consumed him, and now, for the first time, he had a lead.
His fingers traced the edge of a photograph he’d uncovered during his investigation. It was blurry, taken from a distance, but the figure in the image was unmistakable.
“Daisy…” he whispered, his voice trembling.
He wanted to believe, but doubt and fear warred within him. What if it wasn’t her? Or worse, what if it was, and she wasn’t the Daisy he remembered?
Dandelion’s voice broke through his thoughts as she entered the room. “You’re thinking about her again.”
Liam nodded, unable to meet her eyes. “I can’t stop, Dandelion. If there’s even a chance…”
Dandelion placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Then we’ll find her. Together.”
But Liam’s thoughts turned dark as he recalled his encounter with Ezekiel. The man’s obsession with Daisy had been palpable, and Liam didn’t trust him.
“I won’t let anyone else hurt her,” Liam said firmly. “Not again.”
—
Meanwhile, Daisy stood silently in the Sovereign’s grand chamber, her heart a fortress of ice. She’d spent weeks carefully observing Louis and Natalie’s growing influence, her emotions locked away behind an impenetrable wall.
The Sovereign’s voice broke the silence. “You’re distracted again.”
Daisy didn’t flinch, keeping her gaze fixed ahead. “I’m focused.”
He chuckled darkly. “Are you? Because from where I stand, you’re teetering on the edge.”
Her silence only seemed to amuse him. “Your next mission,” he continued, tossing a file onto the table before her. “Louis and Natalie are hosting an engagement celebration. I want you to observe, gather intelligence, and, if the opportunity arises… remind them of who holds the power here.”
Daisy picked up the file, her eyes scanning its contents. She didn’t react to the Sovereign’s veiled threat, but her grip on the folder tightened.
As she left the room, her thoughts drifted to the man who had been quietly defying the Sovereign’s control. Ezekiel’s determination was both infuriating and… unsettling.
—
Ezekiel stood in his private quarters, poring over blueprints and reports he’d obtained through his network of spies. Every piece of information he uncovered brought him closer to Daisy, but it was never enough.
He slammed a fist onto the table, frustration boiling over. “There has to be a way,” he muttered.
The memory of her haunted him-the pain in her eyes, the scars that marred her skin. She was broken, but not beyond repair. He would see to that.
Reaching for his phone, he hesitated before dialing Liam’s number. The younger Croft’s refusal to work with him had been a blow, but Ezekiel wouldn’t give up.
When the call went unanswered, Ezekiel’s resolve only hardened. He didn’t need Liam’s help. He would free Daisy on his own if he had to.
—
From her hidden vantage point, Daisy watched Ezekiel’s every move. She knew he was planning something, and though she couldn’t bring herself to intervene, she couldn’t ignore the flicker of… something in her chest.
He’s trying so hard, she thought, her fingers brushing the scars on her arm.
For the briefest moment, she allowed herself to imagine a different life-a life where she wasn’t bound by the Sovereign’s chains. But the memory of Louis and Natalie’s betrayal quickly snuffed out the thought.
Her mask slipped back into place, and with a final glance at Ezekiel’s determined face, she disappeared into the shadows.
—
Soon, a messenger arrives at the Sovereign’ office with a new report.
“Sir,” a voice said, bowing low. “There’s been a breach in our intelligence network. Someone is digging too deep.”
The Sovereign’s smile was cold. “Let them dig,” he said. “Sooner or later, they’ll unearth something they wish they hadn’t.”