Life does not always go the way we want. Sometimes, things happen that we have no control over—like this moment right now.
Speaking to someone else's mother as though she were her own daughter.
And now, being asked if she missed them.
How could she miss people she didn't even know, people she had never spoken to?
How could she miss a mother when she never had one?
But…
"Yes," she said softly. "I do."
She hesitated before continuing, the word catching at the edge of her tongue. "I miss you… Mum, I miss Dad too."
"That's my big baby," Juliana teased.
Raya forced a little laugh, though her throat was closing, her vision blurring.
Juliana's warmth was a weight she hadn't expected—gentle and terrifying all at once. She wasn't just pretending anymore. She was tasting a life she had never known. A mother. A soft voice on the phone. Someone who noticed when she was quiet.
"Thank you for checking on me," Raya said, her voice trembling slightly despite her efforts. "I'm really okay now. Truly."
"I'll stop worrying then," Juliana replied, though her tone suggested she wouldn't. "Rest, love. Take care of yourself. And call me again soon?"
"I will," Raya promised.
"I love you."
The words hung in the air. Raya's throat closed. She hesitated.
She paused again, closing her eyes for a moment.
All the while, Adrian watched, monitoring her every expression, yet staying quiet.
"I love you too," Raya whispered, barely able to say it aloud.
Juliana ended the call.
Raya slowly lowered the phone, her fingers trembling.
Adrian stepped forward and took it from her hand. He said nothing at first.
He knew her mother had been missing from her life since she was young, so it must have been hard for her to act as Juliana's daughter.
"Not bad," he finally muttered, tucking the phone into his pocket. "You sounded almost like her."
Raya didn't reply. Her eyes were misted over.
"Next time, make sure your accent doesn't slip near the end," he added. "And smile when you speak. Don't always look sad. Juliana picks up on tones."
Raya said nothing. It was better not to argue with a heartless man like him.
Adrian studied her face for a moment longer, then turned and left with Stephen without another word, leaving Raya in the silence of her borrowed life.
As the door clicked shut behind him, she stood frozen in place. Her heart was still pounding—but it wasn't just fear now. It was aching.
Because for a fleeting moment, that call had felt real.
And she wasn't sure if that terrified her more than anything else.
She sat on the edge of the bed, the word still echoing in her mind.
Mum.
A name she had never truly known.
And a lie she now had to live.
—
Adrian sat behind his desk, fingers resting lightly against his temple, eyes scanning the lines of a document he hadn't really read. The late afternoon sun slanted through the windows, gilding the polished floor of the study in quiet gold.
A soft knock broke the silence. Stephen entered without waiting for permission.
He stood by the study doorway, posture straighter than usual, face unreadable. Adrian looked up from behind the desk, pen paused mid-signature.
"What is it?" Adrian asked.
Stephen stepped forward, his voice steady but low. "We may have found a lead on Seraphina."
Adrian's eyes sharpened. "Are you sure about this?"
Stephen nodded once. "Yes, sir. Our contact confirmed it less than an hour ago. She was seen near the southern port. Same profile. Same hair. She didn't look well."
Adrian exhaled through his nose, slow and tense. He set the pen down with a quiet click, then stood.
"Are you certain?" he pressed.
"Yes," Stephen replied firmly. "Our informant confirmed it. Claims he saw someone matching her description."
"Let's go."
He didn't say another word as he strode out, Stephen falling in step behind him.
—
Raya sat curled in one of the window alcoves in the hallway, a book about etiquette open in her lap though she hadn't turned a page in minutes. The quiet of the estate pressed in around her like a weight—until footsteps clicked against the marble floor.
She looked up just as Adrian passed.
He didn't glance at her. His expression was tight, his movements sharper than usual. Stephen followed closely, saying something she couldn't catch. Whatever it was, Adrian didn't stop. He moved like a man with a singular purpose.
Raya's heart skipped.
He always looked like trouble—but this time, he looked like something more than trouble.
She watched them disappear down the hall, unease curling in her stomach.
Whatever they were heading out for… it mattered.
—
The next morning, Raya sat at the long dining table with Grigor, her fork moving absently through a slice of fruit. Adrian hadn't come home last night.
The seat at the head of the table remained empty.
She considered asking Grigor where Adrian had gone, if he was all right, if something had happened. But Grigor wasn't exactly the chatty type, and even if he was, she doubted she would get a real answer.
So she chewed in silence, pretending not to notice how strange the morning felt. Pretending she wasn't trying to guess what had pulled Adrian Blake into the night.
She noticed even Grigor hadn't touched his tea. He sat straighter than normal, arms crossed, tense—watching the doorway every few minutes.
Just as she reached for her cup, a sound cut through the silence.
The heavy front door opened just after the clock struck ten.
Footsteps.
Multiple.
She looked up as Adrian walked in with Stephen and three other men. His shirt was slightly creased, the collar undone.
His expression was unreadable, but the stiffness in his jaw betrayed him.
Stephen looked equally worn, a fresh cut near his cheekbone.
Adrian didn't say a word as he passed the dining room, but his presence shifted the air again—sharper, darker.
Raya studied his face and knew immediately.
Although no one said a word, their faces told her everything.
Whatever they went out for had been unsuccessful.
Adrian barely spared her a glance as he climbed the stairs, his steps slower this time—measured, heavy. Just as he reached the landing, he paused.
"All of you. Study. Now."
His voice was calm, but the command in it was steel.
Even Grigor rose immediately, following the others.
Adrian didn't look at Raya once. Didn't acknowledge her. Didn't speak.
Just walked up the stairs like a storm held together by control.
Raya was left alone in the dining room, her fork paused mid-air, a bite of egg forgotten on the plate.
She lowered her fork slowly and stared at her hands.
The room felt emptier the second he left.
The silence was louder than any conversation.
Raya sat back slowly, her appetite gone. She stared at her untouched tea, her thoughts louder than ever.
She… she wanted to ask about her father.
The question hovered at the back of her throat.
She needed to ask him.
But how?
Adrian's mood was so dark that she dared not. Not that she couldn't—but... Just that…
Still, the question pressed against her lips like a rising tide.