Riele barely remembered the drive back, her mind racing as she replayed her mother's urgent tone. The closer she got to the mansion, the more her stomach twisted with dread. It was clear something serious had come up—something her mother didn't trust to anyone else. By the time she parked, the tension was suffocating.
As she stepped into the mansion, she was greeted by Marcus, who motioned her toward her mother's study. She braced herself, steadying her breaths before pushing open the door.
Her mother sat behind her desk, a sharp, calculating look in her eyes as she leafed through a file. Without looking up, she gestured for Riele to sit.
"Something came up at the gala," her mother began, her voice cold and controlled. "Jace's father has been making moves. He's growing more powerful and becoming less predictable."
Riele's heart skipped a beat. She remembered Jace's father from the gala, his hawk-like gaze scanning the room with a mixture of arrogance and wariness. She knew his reputation was anything but pleasant, yet hearing about him in this context was jarring. She tried to keep her expression neutral, waiting for her mother to continue.
"Our intelligence suggests he's been consolidating his power, gathering allies I hadn't anticipated," her mother continued, her gaze piercing. "That means the stakes are higher. And it also means that Jace may know more than we thought."
Riele felt a chill creep up her spine. Her mother was implying that she needed to get even closer to Jace—find out every detail, every vulnerability. The line between their shared moments and her mission blurred even further.
Her mother's voice snapped her back to reality. "You need to focus, Riele. Jace's family is a threat, and he is your way in. Don't let emotions cloud your judgment."
Riele forced herself to nod. "Understood."
But as she left her mother's study, she couldn't shake the feeling of doubt that clung to her. She knew her mother's world was ruthless, built on loyalty, fear, and control. It was a world where bonds were commodities and loyalty was conditional. But with Jace… things felt different, real, even though every moment they spent together risked blowing her cover.
---
The next day at school, Riele found herself feeling unusually tense, her senses heightened. She wasn't sure if it was her mother's words that weighed on her or the ever-present threat of Jace's father. Either way, she knew she had to be cautious.
As she entered the courtyard, she saw Jace waiting by the entrance, his expression unreadable. He looked up as she approached, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
"Hey, Felix," he greeted her. "Did everything go okay with your family?"
She forced a nod, hoping he didn't notice the hesitation in her response. "Yeah, it was just… one of those nights."
He raised an eyebrow, as if sensing her unease, but didn't press. Instead, he fell into step beside her as they headed to class.
Throughout the day, Riele couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She glanced over her shoulder more than once, only to find nothing out of the ordinary. But her instincts told her something was off. And when she saw Marcus waiting for her outside the school gates after classes ended, her suspicion was confirmed.
He didn't say anything, merely gesturing for her to get into the car. The silence between them was tense as they drove back to the mansion, her mind racing with questions.
Finally, she broke the silence. "Is this about Jace's family?"
Marcus gave her a brief, unreadable glance before nodding. "Your mother has reasons to believe that Jace's father has eyes on you, Riele. We need to ensure you're not drawing too much attention."
Her heart sank. The possibility of being watched, of every interaction being under scrutiny, made her role even more dangerous. She'd been so focused on balancing her feelings with her mission that she hadn't fully considered how close she might be to slipping up.
When they arrived back at the mansion, Marcus led her to the study, where her mother waited with a cool, assessing gaze.
"Jace's father has been inquiring about you," her mother said without preamble. "We knew he might notice, but it's happening sooner than expected. He's starting to question why Jace is so interested in a new friend with… let's say, unusual connections."
Riele's stomach twisted. The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself, to risk blowing her cover and putting herself—and Jace—in danger.
Her mother's gaze hardened. "You need to be more cautious. I don't care how close you think you are to Jace, or what emotions you think you're feeling. This is a mission, Riele, and you are an asset. Don't forget that."
The words cut deep, a harsh reminder of the world she was in. She was just a piece in her mother's grand scheme, a tool meant to manipulate and deceive. But despite the bitterness that rose within her, she nodded, keeping her face impassive.
"Understood," she replied, forcing her voice to remain steady.
Her mother nodded in satisfaction, her gaze softening just a fraction. "Good. Stay focused. We're close, and I don't want anything to jeopardize this."
As she left the study, Riele's mind was a storm of conflicting thoughts. She knew the risks, knew that every interaction with Jace was another thread in a web she couldn't untangle. But the truth was, she didn't want to.
---
That evening, Riele returned to her room, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on her. She glanced at her phone, half-expecting a message from Jace. And, as if on cue, it buzzed, his name flashing across the screen.
Jace: "Hey, I know it's late, but you wanna talk?"
Riele hesitated, her thumb hovering over the reply button. She knew her mother would disapprove, that Marcus would likely have a few choice words if he found out. But she couldn't help herself. She needed to talk to him, to hear his voice.
Riele: "Yeah. Just… rough day. You?"
Moments later, her phone rang. She took a deep breath, steadying herself before answering.
"Hey," he said, his voice soft and warm, a balm against the storm raging in her mind.
"Hey," she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper.
They talked for hours, their voices low and steady, sharing pieces of themselves that were too fragile to expose to the world. For a moment, everything felt normal, like they were just two teenagers finding solace in each other's company. But beneath the surface, Riele knew that every word, every laugh, was another step into dangerous territory.
Finally, there was a lull in the conversation, a comfortable silence that stretched between them.
"Felix," Jace murmured, his voice barely a whisper. "Sometimes, I feel like there's more to you than you're letting on."
Her heart pounded, a cold sweat breaking out along her spine. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know… just a feeling," he said, sounding almost embarrassed. "It's like… sometimes I think you're hiding something, but then I remind myself that it's none of my business."
Riele swallowed, forcing herself to stay calm. "You overthink things, Jace."
He chuckled softly. "Maybe. But just… I hope one day you'll trust me enough to tell me the truth."
Her chest tightened, the weight of his words almost too much to bear. She knew she couldn't give him that trust, that letting him in would only lead to pain and betrayal. But a part of her wished things were different, that she could let him see the real her, the girl beneath the mask.
As they said their goodbyes, Riele felt a strange sense of calm wash over her. For once, she allowed herself to feel the weight of her emotions, to acknowledge the bond she'd formed with Jace. But she also knew that the world she lived in wouldn't allow for such luxuries.
In the end, all she could do was hold on to these stolen moments, even as the chains of loyalty threatened to pull her under.