KAYLA POV
"Y…ou."
His lips tugged into a guilty smile, and my eyes flew open wide in disbelief
Wait… if he was here…
A gasp escaped my lips as the thought hit me like a truck. I took a step closer, needing to be sure he was real
"You're his brother!" The words burst out of me before I could stop them
An amused chuckle slipped from his lips. He bit his bottom lip and gave me a knowing nod
"But… but…" I stammered, words tangled in the chaos of my thoughts
If they were brothers… why had Romeo always been declared an only child?
There was something wrong here. Something hidden
Something no one was telling me
"And you must be my brother's new wife," he said with a crooked grin, taking a step closer
He extended his hand for a handshake
My arms hung stiffly by my sides as I stared at his outstretched hand
He isn't him
He doesn't have his presence
He doesn't have his eyes
He isn't him
I kept chanting it to myself, like a spell that would keep my sanity intact
David must've noticed the tremble in my hands. His gaze dropped to them, curiosity flickering in his eyes
Just as he began to pull his hand back, mine shot up and gripped his. Too tightly. Too sudden
I forced a smile, lips stretched uncomfortably.
Please don't notice anything
But I could tell he had
His eyes lingered on mine. Searching
"David," he said again, as if reintroducing himself, grounding me to reality
I nodded, my grip tightening unconsciously. I pushed the dark thoughts down
Locked the memories away. Not now. Not here
He studied me for another moment, something unreadable in his gaze
"As much as I'd love to catch up, I have places to be," he said, finally pulling away and turning toward the door
I watched his retreating figure disappear down the hallway… and then looked up at the stairs
Romeo hadn't come down
Had he left for work early?
Before I could dwell, my phone vibrated in my hand
I glanced down—and my eyes widened.
Shit. I was late for school
Panic surged through me. I dashed up the stairs—and then stopped midway
Wait
I didn't have classes today
A breath of relief spilled out as I chuckled softly at myself and turned to go back down
But as I reached the base of the stairs, I nearly collided with Madam Dee
"Good day, ma'am," she said shortly, giving me a polite nod and moving past
But she was heading toward Romeo's room
Not that I was jealous. I wasn't. Really
Just… curious
"Are you going to Romeo's room?" The question left my mouth before I could stop it
She froze for half a second, eyes widening, and then gave a stiff nod
"Yes, young miss. Breakfast is ready. I was going to announce it."
I nodded slowly, trying to let it go
But again, my mouth moved before my mind caught up
"I'll tell him."
Both our eyes widened—hers in surprise, mine in pure horror.
What the hell did I just say?!l
"No, ma'am, I wouldn't want to—"
"I'll call him," I blurted, cutting her off
Okay. Who the hell was talking right now?
Because it sure as hell wasn't me.
She hesitated, clearly unsure
I'd made it a mission to avoid Romeo after what happened yesterday… and yet here I was, volunteering to walk into the lion's den
"Okay, young miss," she said finally, giving me a slight bow and heading down the stairs
I caught the way she looked back at me—like I was heading into a storm I couldn't survive
I reached Romeo's door
My hand rose and knocked—three light taps
Nothing
I waited, holding my breath
Still no answer
I knocked again, louder this time
Still silence
A cold, sinking feeling began to form in my chest
Was he…?
No. Stop. Don't go there
I gripped the doorknob, twisted it slowly. The lock clicked. The door creaked open
I stepped inside carefully, quietly. The room was pitch-black
So dark I couldn't even see the outline of furniture
How does someone sleep in this much darkness?
Dark… dark… dark
The word repeated in my mind until it became unbearable
The voices began
No no no no no.
Not now. Please not now
They screamed louder. Taunting. Blaming. Accusing
Tears welled up in my eyes
Don't cry. Don't you dare cry, you asshole. Hold it together
I told myself.
But it was happening
I staggered further into the room before collapsing onto the floor
My chest heaved. My lungs refused to pull in air
I can't breathe
I knew what this was. I hadn't had a panic attack in years… not since That Day . Not since—
The memories slammed into me, ruthless and fast
Laughter. Screaming. Blood. Shadows hovering
A flash of memory. Dark. Mockery
The world spun
Every sound became louder—the water dripping from the bathroom, the ticking of a clock, laughter from children outside, the creak of stairs
Everything was so loud
I covered my ears. Rocked back and forth. Begged the noise to stop
Tried to scream. Nothing came out
I forced myself upright, wobbling on unsteady feet, vision blurring
I reached for the doorknob
My hand barely brushed it before the world tilted—and went black
••
ROMEO POV
A loud thud jolted me awake
I sat up, instinct on high alert
The room was pitch-black, but I was used to it
I scanned the shadows—and then I saw it
A figure on the floor
I stood slowly, silent and poised to attack if needed
But as I got closer… I froze
Kayla
What the hell was she doing in here?
I stepped closer—just as she whimpered
"Please…"
"Please stop."
Her voice broke on the last word
A choked sob left her lips, and something twisted in my chest
I moved quickly, lifting her off the floor. She was light in my arms, fragile
She clung to my shirt, fists tightening
I tried to lay her on the bed, but she wouldn't let go. Her grip was fierce, desperate
I sighed and slid in beside her, letting her calm with time
What the hell was I doing?
Her breathing slowed. The cries faded
But the questions didn't
What happened to her?
•••
KAYLA POV
My eyes flutteredopen.
Everything was so… bright
Too bright
I shut them again, wincing at the sting
Where… where was I?
I sat up slowly, blinking against the sunlight streaming in
The bed beneath me was soft, warm
The room around me—dark-themed, sleek, and expensive
And familiar
All the memories came crashing back
Holy. Fudge
Romeo's room!!!
I scrambled off the bed, heart pounding
I could hear the shower running in the bathroom
Thank God
I tiptoed toward the door, silently praying he wouldn't come out until I was long gone
My fingers curled around the knob
Just as I turned it—
Squeak
A door behind me opened
Ice shot through my veins
I froze
"Running away so soon… Butterfly?"