A mastermind of destruction.

A man who will ruin my family.

Unlike what I thought, Kyle didn’t marry me to help make Igor the boss—he did it to destroy the entire brotherhood.

The bitter taste of betrayal explodes in my mouth, and I bite my lower lip until I taste metal.

While he’s still speaking on the phone, I step back and try to be as quiet as possible.

He told me once that I shouldn’t trust him, that when I trusted him, I would be dead. Did I listen to that? Did my foolish heart listen to that? It didn’t. Instead, I fell deeper into his web of secrets and lies. He dragged me with him into a darkness so black, it’s impossible to see the light anymore.

I don’t close the door because the click might alert him to my presence.

If he knows I heard everything, he’ll change his plan, and I won’t be able to thwart it.

As I stand in front of the room I’d started to call ‘ours’, tears sting my eyes. I wipe them away with angry hands.

It’s all over now.

He thought that he could hurt my family and me, but it would’ve been better if he’d just disappeared. It would have been so much better if I hadn’t seen his face.

But he went ahead and committed the most unforgivable sin of all.

Fuck my heart. I will crush it and Kyle before anyone is able to harm my family.

A rustling sound comes from behind me before a male voice speaks in a noticeable accent. “Looks like you heard something you shouldn’t have.”

And with that, he grabs my throat from behind and twists my neck.

My vision gradually goes black as I fall to the ground with a thud. Large hands grab my feet and drag me away.

My eyes slowly close and a tear slides down my cheek as a frightening type of void grips me in its clutches. While I blackout, Kyle’s words keep playing at the back of my head.

Rai is nothing. I’ll just leave her behind.