The night before her meeting with Aurelio, Raven couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, the memories came crashing back in waves. But they weren't just memories—no, they were nightmares.
She could feel his presence in the darkness, a shadow she couldn't escape. In her dreams, he was always there, inescapable. Aurelio. The boy who had once meant everything to her, who had been untouchable in every way. But now, the man she had come to fear—the one she had heard whispers about, whose name was spoken with reverence and dread—was the very one she had to face.
The dreams were relentless, "cenes of his eyes filled with a coldness she had never seen before, the weight of his hands on her in ways that felt too real. She would wake up drenched in sweat, her heart pounding, the tightness in her chest almost suffocating. Every time, her body screamed with a familiar terror.
A sharp knock on her door pulled her from one of the nightmares. She blinked, the world spinning as she tried to shake off the remnants of the dream.
But it wasn't just the past she couldn't escape—it was the emotional toll of it all. Her chest still ached, her skin prickled with the memories. The way Aurelio used to smile at her with so much warmth, only for it to vanish when everything changed. He'd become someone else, someone dangerous. And yet, even now, his absence haunted her.
The night stretched on as she tossed and turned. She had always told herself she had moved on, but she had lied. What happened between them—what had torn them apart—was still fresh in her veins.
She stood in front of the mirror, running a hand through her disheveled hair. The mirror reflected a face she didn't recognize—eyes too tired, skin too pale. The reflection of someone who had buried too much to survive.
Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen: Lia.
Raven's breath caught. She hadn't spoken to Lia in months. Their last conversation had been strained, the kind of conversation you don't ever want to have with someone you once loved like a sister. But now, Lia's name made Raven's stomach turn with an unfamiliar feeling of dread.
Raven answered quickly. "Lia?"
"Raven, you're here."
"I told you I would be." Raven's voice was tight, betraying the emotions she'd buried.
Lia's voice softened. "I just need you to be careful, okay? I know why you're here, but I don't know if you realize just how dangerous it's going to be."
Raven's eyes closed as she leaned against the counter. "I've faced worse."
Lia hesitated. "You're not the same. Please, Raven… if you could see him now, you'd understand."
Raven shook her head, exhaling slowly. "I'm not here to see Aurelio for anything personal. I'm here for answers."
"Be careful," Lia repeated, her voice barely above a whisper before the call ended.
Raven stayed standing there, gripping the phone like it was the only thing holding her together. But nothing could hold back the storm of memories and fear swirling in her mind.
The next morning came with a cold bite in the air, the sunlight fighting its way through the clouds. Raven stood in front of the mirror again, but this time, she forced herself to focus. No time for weakness. No time for the girl she had been. She was here to do a job.
As she walked to the café, her thoughts were consumed with the man she was about to meet. Aurelio Santoro. The boy she had once loved. The man she now feared.
She arrived early, her nerves tightening with each step. The café was quiet, the soft hum of conversation and the clink of silverware reminding her of the life she had left behind. And there he was—Aurelio.
He was sitting in the corner, his back straight, his presence commanding the room. When he looked up, their gazes locked, and the room seemed to tilt. The years between them seemed to collapse, the time that had passed between their worlds—her world, his world—vanishing in that instant. She was no longer a stranger to him.
He stood as she approached, his movements slow, deliberate. His gaze never wavered from hers, his lips curving into a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Raven."
Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of her name on his lips. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words didn't come. Instead, she just nodded, barely able to maintain her composure.
"It's been a long time." His voice was low, rougher than she remembered. It sent a shiver down her spine.
"A long time," she echoed, trying to sound unaffected, but her hands were already trembling. She sat down across from him, unable to hide the sudden flood of memories rushing to the surface.
Aurelio studied her intently. His eyes seemed to narrow as he leaned in closer, his gaze flicking to her arms, to the way she kept her hands clenched tight in her lap.
"What happened to you?" His voice was quieter now, a hint of concern lacing his words. His eyes flicked over her like he could see through her carefully constructed façade.
Raven stiffened, her throat tightening. She knew exactly what he meant. The shadows of the past, the weight of it all, were written in every line of her face, in the way she held herself. She had been running for so long, hiding from the things she had once thought she could forget.
"I'm fine," she said, the lie slipping easily from her lips, but even she could hear the tremor in her voice.
Aurelio's gaze didn't falter. "Who did this to you?" he asked, his voice a low growl that sent a ripple of tension between them.
Raven's heart raced as the air between them thickened. She didn't want to tell him. She didn't want to admit the things she'd been through—the things that had left scars too deep to show.
But Aurelio seemed to sense her hesitation, his sharp gaze unwavering. The intensity in his eyes was unsettling, pulling her deeper into his orbit.
"I did this to myself," she finally said, her voice steadier now, even as the pain of the past bubbled to the surface.
Aurelio didn't respond right away. His jaw tightened, but he said nothing. He just studied her, like he was seeing something she had hoped to hide. Something she couldn't escape.
"You never were good at lying, Raven," he said, his tone dark and almost teasing. But the underlying threat was unmistakable.
Raven's breath caught in her throat, the weight of his words settling over her like a storm. The past had returned, and now, Aurelio was here, watching her, waiting for her to crack.