Duyen jolted awake in a panic so raw it was like she'd just run from something terrible. Sweat plastered her forehead and soaked the pillow beneath her. The first thing she did when she woke was shout—out loud—
"ARGGGGGGG!"
Her hand flew to her throat, feeling the echo of the sound vibrate there. She exhaled, relieved, though her heart was still hammering. It had only been a dream. A damned nightmare.
She forced herself upright and scanned her room. Everything was exactly as she'd left it. Without thinking she touched her shoulder—no cuts, nothing—but the pain in the dream had been so vivid she couldn't help wincing.
Why did she keep dreaming such bizarre things? she wondered. Time in the dream felt warped, like she'd been trapped in that nightmare for years...
Maybe she was losing her mind, she thought, pushing damp bangs off her face.
The door swung open. Shana stood there, clearly worried, stunned to find Duyen awake. The moment Duyen saw her, something welled up inside—something full and held back, finally ready to burst. She broke down.
"Shana..."
Tears streamed before she could stop them; her face flushed as she scrunched up and sobbed like a child. Shana's eyes shimmered, and she rushed in, folding Duyen into a tight embrace, which made Duyen cry even harder.
"Don't worry, I'm here... I'm right here with you,"
Shana murmured, letting Duyen press her face to the hollow of her neck and holding her as if she feared Duyen might be taken again. Duyen's sobs pressed against Shana's chest, small, needy sounds—like she belonged there. Her words were muffled and jagged.
"Shana... I'm so scared... it hurts... I don't want it anymore... why did they do that to me... it hurts..."
Hearing those broken lines, Shana couldn't hold back either—tears streaked down her impossibly beautiful face.
"Oh, poor Duyen... my poor Duyen."
Shana hugged her through the cries as if to shield her. It was heartbreaking: Duyen had always tried to look strong on the outside, but inside she carried so much damage. Shana felt, with a stab of something like guilt or awe, that this was the first time Duyen had shown her a glimpse of the raw sorrow buried deep in her.
"You don't feel comfortable, do you?" Shana whispered in her ear.
Duyen only hiccupped and fell quiet, curling into Shana's arms, refusing to meet her eyes or look at anything. She folded in on herself like she wanted to hide from the world. Shana watched, heart twisting.
Had Duyen had a terrible nightmare? Shana's curiosity was there, but beneath it a dull unease settled—was this a bad sign?
She couldn't explain why she felt so unsettled. Like Duyen is losing herself day by day.
Mr. Tuan burst into the room in a panic and found Duyen curled up under a warm blanket in Shana's arms.
The whole room filled with a gentle, sweet scent Shana had somehow made as she hummed a lullaby, rocking Duyen toward sleep. Shana looked at Tuan with one luminous blue eye while her voice flowed, soft and melodic, like a kind of spell.
She shook her head. Tuan seemed to understand something and, awkwardly, nodded. Then he quietly stepped out and closed the door.
A few hours later, Duyen opened her eyes groggily. She looked up to see Shana's tender gaze fixed on her.
"You awake, babe?"
Shana's nearness made Duyen blush. She sat up and realized Shana was naked—she'd apparently been lying with her bare chest against the beauty's skin. Mortified, Duyen turned away.
"Uh—yeah, I guess so."
Shana looked down at her plump, round, and rosy chest—and smiled softly. Her hand gently reached up to stroke Duyen's head and smooth her messy hair. She asked kindly, the smile on her face still intact.
"You feeling better?"
Duyen pressed a palm to her chest and breathed, noticing her heartbeat finally slowing to something normal. The erotic dream from earlier had somehow eased the sting of the nightmare.
Still, she was embarrassed—and suspicious. Had Shana somehow conjured that...wet dream? She had no proof. Clearing her throat, she smiled.
"Yeah, I'm a lot better. Thanks, Shana."
The words surprised Shana into a brighter smile. She leaned in and kissed the underside of Duyen's chin, catching her off guard.
Duyen blinked, cheeks hot. Shana gave her a mischievous grin that made the room feel impossibly small. With Shana naked and close, Duyen felt herself losing control.
They stared at each other—Shana's eyes flicking to Duyen's lips then up to her eyes—and then they collided in a deep, wet kiss.
Shana's hands cupped Duyen's head; her legs curled around Duyen's body, drawing her closer as she ground against Duyen's thigh with a frantic insistence.
Damn, Duyen thought, this is insane.
She felt both engulfed and crushed by Shana's intensity. Before she realized it, her hand had slipped to the smooth, pale back of Shana, exploring. Shana didn't hold back either—her tongue ravaged Duyen's mouth as she arched her chest to press perfectly against Duyen's body.
They writhed together on the bed until Duyen pulled back, suddenly taking the lead to stop them. Shana looked at her with a sulky, blissed-out expression, clearly pouting that they'd stopped. Both of them wore that dazed, foolish look that comes after losing themselves in desire.
"I... I'm hungry," Duyen said.
"Huh?"
Shana responded blankly, lips still peppering little kisses along Duyen's neck. Duyen shifted back a little and Shana seemed to catch the cue. She lifted her head and chuckled.
"Fine fine, you're still too weak for that, huh? I won't force you."
Duyen gave a weak laugh—they'd been here before.
After a moment they dressed and headed downstairs to the pho shop. Mr. Tuan brightened when he saw his daughter awake.
"Duyen? You okay? I'll make you a hot bowl of egg porridge. Tell me what you want and I'll whip it up."
"No, I'm fine, Dad."
She waved shyly and reflexively touched her neck—where Shana had left hickeys.
Tuan noticed and made a knowing little sound, smiling secretly at Shana.
"Ah—youth," he chuckled.
Duyen flushed bright red and hurriedly pulled her shirt collar up to hide the marks.
Something else left her feeling oddly dry. She reached into the fridge for a bottle of water, but instead her eye fell on a tall cappuccino—milky, sitting there where she hadn't put it. She blinked at her dad.
"Dad, did you get this cappuccino for me?" she asked.
Mr. Tuan, reheating the porridge, looked up puzzled. "Cappuccino? What cappuccino?"
Duyen glanced at Shana, who was towel-drying her damp auburn hair. Shana furrowed her brow too. Her reaction made Duyen even more confused.
"Huh?" Shana echoed, then immediately noticed the cup in the fridge. Tuan turned and froze at the sight.
"It—when did that get in there?" he asked, pointing.
The three of them stood there, bewildered. Inside Duyen, a thought flickered but she had no evidence to back it up—no proof of anything.
Shana's face hardened; her hand tightened and she said in a low voice.
"This place isn't safe anymore..."
---
"Ah—ah—Mina... you're amazing... ah—ah..."
Moaned by a man above a young woman in a luxury presidential suite, the curtains drawn tight as if to hide what was happening inside. A handsome, naked man lay over a slim, pale woman in a black lace slip as he called her name over and over, needy and obsessed.
"Mina... I'm—I'm close—"
Valko grunted, slick with sweat, leaning down to whisper her name. But the woman's face was blank, distant. That made Valko even smile wider. But then—
"Valko, ah—ah—I'm—" she started.
In a flash, it was as if the spell broke. He realized she wasn't Mina. All his excitement evaporated. He shot upright, leaving the woman startled and confused. She tugged her lace back up and reached for his shoulder.
"Valko? What's wrong?" she asked, but he shoved her hand away.
"How many times have I told you? DO NOT MAKE ANY SOUND, EVER!" he snapped.
She flinched, terrified by his sudden fury, but even as he scolded her she still looked at him with a softness that made him angrier. She put a hand back on his shoulder, trying to soothe him.
"Valko, I'm sorry... I got carried away. I heard you call and I answered, but it wasn't on purpose—"
He stood and stalked toward the bathroom. The woman panicked and clung to him, pleading.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's all my fault! I'll be quiet next time when we—when we're together. I'll be Mina for you. Please—please just stay with me..."
"What are you babbling about?" he snapped, scowling.
"You think you can be Mina just like that? Don't you have any shame?"
Her face crumpled with shame. She could dress like Mina, put on the same makeup, change her hair—but she knew she'd never be Mina. Her voice broke.
"I know... I know I'll never be her... But can't you at least be fair? Mina isn't the same woman you loved anymore! Why cling to a loveless marriage—"
Smack. Valko slapped her hard. She reeled, clutching her cheek. He pointed at her, furious.
"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT! Remember—MINA is my WIFE! I won't let you speak like that! And... and..." He muttered under his breath, as if chanting it to himself
"We'll never divorce... never divorce... they told me so... she's always mine..."
The woman sobbed, collapsing into her hands. Valko picked up his phone and dialed someone while lazily tamping a cigar.
"Hey, it's me. Any news on Kai?" The reply wasn't encouraging; Valko's brow creased. He sat back in the armchair, the cigar smoke curling up.
"Damn it, where the hell did those bastards go? Their disappearance's causing trouble. You've got to help me cover this. Tell people Kai was at a private yacht party in Singapore—keep them from asking too many questions."
He suddenly stopped for a moment as if thinking about something.
"And... about Mina. She's probably scheming something. The Amuro lot are useless; I think Mina's got something on them. I'm trusting you—keep tabs on her quietly. Don't let anyone know. I don't want her to get suspicious, you hear me?"
He hung up and sat still, unsettled despite his caution.
What was Mina planning? The thought gnawed at him like a poison. A voice echoed in his head—a voice he couldn't shake.
"I will kill you..."
Mina's voice reverberated through Valko's mind. Valko yanked at his hair in a frenzy, grabbed his clothes and headed straight for the bathroom.