Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 68858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“Tradition?” I echoed, trying to steady my racing heart.
“Yes, tradition,” he said softly, his thumb tracing small circles against my spine. “In my family, we give this to the woman who is to be our queen, our partner. The Queen of Diamonds is a symbol—a promise if you will.”
“A promise of what?” I asked, struggling to maintain some semblance of control under the weight of his gaze.
He smiled, but there was something almost sinister behind it. "That's for you to find out," he murmured, his voice low and intimate as he cupped my jaw and brought his lips to mine. The kiss was possessive, a reminder of the control he held over me, and for a moment, I couldn’t think of anything else but the feel of his mouth against mine.
When he finally pulled away, leaving me breathless and disoriented, he spoke again. "I've left something for you on my desk. I'm sure it will help you feel closer to your sister," he said, his tone casual as if he were mentioning something as mundane as a grocery list. Then, dropping his hand from my face, he took a step back, letting me go.
"I have to go now," he continued, his eyes never leaving mine. "When you're done, have your friends come in and join you for breakfast. I'll be back by lunch."
And with that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there, reeling from the whirlwind of emotions and the weight of the necklace now hanging around my neck.
My gaze drifted to his desk, curiosity, and dread battling for dominance as I wondered what he could have possibly left for me that would bring me closer to my sister.
Whatever it was, I knew it wasn’t going to bring any comfort. I fingered the necklace Mateo had just placed around my neck, the weight of it heavy, both physically and emotionally. The cold metal pressed against my skin, a constant reminder of the chains that were tightening around me. His control, his presence—it was all-consuming, and I could feel it with every step I took toward the desk.
I tried to block out the scattered remnants of Eva’s life that lay strewn across the polished wood. Lipstick, lotion, blood-stained cash—each item was a piece of her that I had lost long before she went missing. My focus was on the bag itself, the last tangible connection to my sister, not on the grim evidence of what she had been involved in.
As I lifted the bag, a wave of her favorite perfume enveloped me. It was so strong, so achingly familiar, that for a moment, I could almost pretend she was there with me. I could hear her voice, her laughter—see her eyes sparkling with mischief as she shared some secret. The scent was like a cruel reminder of what I had lost, of the sister I once knew, now reduced to this—an empty bag and a thousand unanswered questions.
I clenched my eyes shut, willing myself not to break down, not to give in to the overwhelming grief and anger that threatened to consume me. But when I opened them again, reality slammed into me with a force that took my breath away.
That’s when I noticed it—a thin tablet lying face down on the desk, partially hidden beneath the other items.
It hadn’t been visible before, or maybe I just hadn’t seen it in my haste to reclaim some piece of Eva. But now, there it was, impossible to ignore, stark against the wood.
My hand trembled as I reached for it, my mind racing with possibilities, each one more terrifying than the last. What was on it? What had Mateo left for me? My heart pounded in my chest, the uncertainty gnawing at my resolve.
I didn’t want to look. I didn’t want to know. But I had no choice. Whatever was on that tablet, it was part of this twisted game Mateo was playing. And I was the unwilling participant, trapped in a web of secrets and lies.
With a deep breath, I picked it up, my fingers brushing over the smooth surface, dreading what I might find, but knowing I had to see. I had to know. Because even if it shattered me, even if it tore apart the last threads of hope I was clinging to, it was better than being left in the dark.
There was a passcode on the tablet, a small barrier between me and whatever truth Mateo wanted to reveal. My mind raced as I considered the possibilities. Since he had left it for me about Eva, I decided to try something personal, something that might link us together even in this twisted game—our birth year. I typed it in with trembling fingers, half-expecting it to be wrong, but the screen unlocked with a soft click.