BOOK III.
Chaos has taken over Ashton and Ria's reality.
Vincent has come out on top once again. Daniel is dead. Jared and Vivian are in captivity, back to the place where all of her nightmares lurk.
Their plan has failed miserably, leading them on...
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IT'S BEEN FIVE HOURS since Daniel was announced dead.
Ria has sat and watched Ashton burn a trail of fire in his path for the past four and a half of them as he paces in front of Dea's hospital room. After her brother was announced dead, she lunged at the doctor for not trying hard enough to revive him and nearly clawed off his skin midst her rage. Afraid she was going into shock, several nurses had subdued her and put her under.
She's been sleeping in that room ever since.
It's odd how no one sees what Ria can. Everyone is panicking.
Sophia has clung to Dea's side like a lost soul hovering over a shell. Ashton won't stop pacing and muttering to himself. Tap tap tap. His sneakers pad along the porcelain tiles. He's checked on Ria a dozen times to see if she's okay.
Ria is perfectly fine.
In fact, she's doing better than anyone else. Not a single emotion has dared to invade the void resting in the center of her chest. How can they not see that the solution to this mayhem is simple? A life for a life. Vincent stole something from them. He's stolen many things from them. He's officially crossed a line.
Daniel is dead so Vincent must die...and anyone else who gets in the way.
Ria knew the moment the police didn't even attempt to get involved with a blatant murder, that they'd be useless. Vincent has too many resources to trust in law enforcement. They'd probably outright ignore her if she tried to pin a crime on him.
No. She has to be smarter than him this time.
She's pondered over a plan while her friends have been residing amidst the chaos. It's simple. Camilla will be their most valuable asset. She will listen to Ria this time. No more sparing the life of her psychotic lover. Unless, of course, she doesn't mind dying either.
"R-Ria," Ashton stammers. He's suddenly crouching before her grabbing her arms as she sits outside Dea's room. "Are you okay?"
She nods for the hundredth time.
"I-I'm so sorry." He spreads sweat-slick trembling fingers across her face, caressing her cheeks and trying to get her to meet his gaze. Though witnessing the agony swimming in her husband's ocean eyes is not something she can bear. "We'll get them back, okay? We'll save them. I won't let them end up l-like Daniel." His voice cracks around his name. "I promise."
Another nod.
"Th-they didn't even try to bring him back," Ashton sobs. "We did so much to save him and they just gave up." He bows his head over her lap and digs his fingers into the flesh of her arms. "Fuck. He didn't d-deserve that. He didn't."
