It was late when Daxton came to find me, his heavy boots echoing in the silence of the mansion's grand hallway. The house felt alive in the dark, its creaks and groans making everything seem like it was watching, waiting. I had been pacing, my mind racing over everything I had learned, everything I still didn't understand. The curse was tightening its grip on my family, and Kaius—my sweet, innocent boy—was at the center of it all. But despite everything, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more going on in the Vancourt mansion than I could possibly know.
Then, Daxton showed up.
At first, I thought it was just another one of Ryker's goons lurking around, checking on me. But Daxton wasn't just any enforcer. He was Ryker's right-hand man, the one who made sure everything stayed under control, who dealt with the family's dirty work. I had never seen him show even a hint of compassion—just cold, ruthless efficiency. So, when he approached me in the shadows, I immediately braced myself for another confrontation.
Instead, he leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I can help you," he said, his tone low and measured.
I stared at him, wary. "Help me? With what, exactly?"
He glanced around, ensuring no one was nearby. His eyes were steely, but there was something flickering in them—a hint of desperation.
"I know you've been trying to break the curse," he said, his voice tight. "And I know the Vancourts won't let you do it. But I can help you destroy them. We can bring Ryker down and break the curse once and for all."
I froze. My heart hammered in my chest. Daxton wanted to help? I had spent weeks learning about the Vancourt family's dark history, trying to figure out how to destroy the curse. And now, someone on the inside—someone who knew the family's secrets—was offering me a way out?
But there was a catch. There was always a catch when it came to the Vancourts.
"What's the price?" I asked, my voice steady despite the knot tightening in my stomach.
He met my gaze, his eyes narrowing. "My freedom. Ryker's control over me… it's suffocating. I've spent years working for him, doing his dirty work, all for his own gain. I want out. If you help me break free from him, if you help me destroy this cursed family, I'll help you in return."
His offer hung in the air between us, and for a moment, I felt the weight of his words. Daxton wasn't just some hired muscle. He was trapped, just like I was. He had been serving Ryker for years, doing the things no one else would, all while watching his own soul slowly wither under the patriarch's control. The Vancourts had a way of using people, breaking them down until they were nothing more than tools to further their own twisted agenda.
But was Daxton any different? Was he just another pawn in their game, pretending to help me while working for his own benefit?
I didn't know. I couldn't know for sure.
"I don't trust you," I said quietly, my voice edged with doubt. "You're a part of this family. How can I trust someone who's been working for Ryker all this time?"
His expression darkened, but his voice remained calm. "I'm offering you a chance to end this. To take down the Vancourts and free your children from this curse. If you want to do it on your own, go ahead. But you're running out of time, Jemima."
His words cut through me like a blade. The truth was, I was running out of time. Every day, the curse tightened around us, and with each passing hour, it felt like we were sinking deeper into its grip. Kaius was changing, and Amari... I couldn't bear the thought of her being affected, too.
But could I trust Daxton? He had been Ryker's enforcer for years. Was this some kind of trap? A way to manipulate me into helping him while he stayed loyal to his master?
He saw the hesitation in my eyes, and his voice softened, almost pleading. "Look, I've seen what Ryker does to people. He uses them, chews them up, and spits them out when he's done. I'm no different. But I'm offering you a chance to stop this, to end the Vancourt legacy once and for all."
I felt a tug at my heart. Was it compassion? Guilt? Or something deeper—something that told me that Daxton was as trapped as I was?
For a moment, I let myself believe him. I allowed myself to entertain the thought that maybe, just maybe, this was the break I'd been waiting for. Daxton had knowledge, access, the kind of information that could make a real difference in our fight against the curse. He could be the ally I desperately needed.
But then I remembered Sage. How he had died, trying to break the curse from the inside. How Ryker had used him, just like Daxton. It made me wonder—was Daxton just another pawn in a game that had already been set in motion long before I'd arrived?
"I don't know," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "I'm not sure I can trust you."
Daxton's eyes darkened, but he didn't push. Instead, he stepped back, his face hardening. "You'll have to decide soon. Ryker won't wait forever. And neither will the curse."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing in the dark hallway, alone with my thoughts.
I stood there, the weight of his offer sinking in. Trust Daxton and work with him? Or go it alone, risking everything, hoping I could find a way to break the curse before it destroyed us all?
I had no answers. But I knew one thing for sure: whatever choice I made, it would change everything.