He nods, smiling.
“I’ll carry him,” my sister says, handing me my bag along with her backpack and a pair of sneakers, which I quickly slip on.
I go first, cracking the door open just enough to check for any signs of movement. Nothing. Silence. I step out, motioning for Sienna to follow.
She takes the lead down the staircase and heads directly to the living room, where she carefully slides open the large glass door leading to the gardens. A gust of cool air rushes in, the wind sweeping loose strands from my braid and making Sienna’s ponytail sway.
She moves swiftly between the tall hedges, slipping into a narrow path I had never noticed before.
“How do you know this way ?” I whisper, following closely so I don’t lose her in the darkness.
“What do you think I’ve been doing for the past two weeks ? I know this house like the back of my hand. Well, almost—I couldn’t get into the basement because ofHardman,” she grumbles, pushing deeper into the garden.
We walk for a solid ten minutes, a stark reminder of how vast the estate is. Eventually, we reach the base of a tall white wall—the boundary of the property.
Sienna frowns, glancing behind us. I follow her gaze but see nothing.
“This way,” she whispers, continuing along the wall.
I can’t help but be surprised at how effortlessly she moves, barely out of breath despite carrying my sleeping son. She’s graceful, fluid. Meanwhile, I’m sweating, panting, and tripping over my own feet, having to brace myself against the wall more than once.
A few meters ahead, she stops in front of a small door I would have completely missed in the darkness had I been alone. She feels around the wall, then opens a concealed panel, revealing a numeric keypad. She quickly enters a code, and the door unlocks with a soft click.
I stare at her in shock.
She pushes it open slowly, peering outside before stepping through and gesturing for me to follow.
We find ourselves on a dirt path at the edge of the forest.
A few meters away, a car idles, its engine running.
Sienna exhales in relief and strides toward it while I hesitate, wrapping my arms around myself as I tremble.
From the cold ? From fear ?
I don’t know.
She opens the back right door, motioning for me to get in. I hesitate, casting one last glance at the grand white manor, now shrouded in darkness—a home I might have lived in under different circumstances.
Holding Rafael tightly against my chest, I slide into the car, peeking at the driver. Their face is obscured beneath a cap, making them unrecognizable.
Sienna places our bags in the trunk before opening the other rear door to join us—then suddenly freezes.
Her grip tightens on the door handle, her gaze fixed in the distance, vacant.
“Sienna ?”
She slowly lifts her eyes, her expression one of shock, turning her head toward the driver, who remains motionless, hands gripping the wheel, shoulders stiff.
“You bastard !” she suddenly shouts, making both Rafael and me jump.
She straightens, slamming the car door shut as the driver steps out, also slamming his door—much harder.
My breath catches in my throat as he removes his cap, revealing the sharp profile of Sasha Ivanov, his ice-blue eyes almost as dark as the sky above us.
My door suddenly swings open, making me flinch.
I slowly lift my gaze, meeting the intense blue stare towering over me.
