ALINA’S POV.

rson you think Wait… what?!”

“Listen, I couldn’t care less what kind of a person.

She stared at me, wide–eyed, as her mind struggled toprehend bwhat /bI’d just uttered.

“I said I was wrong. I repeated, staring at her with sad, remorseful eyes.

“What exactly is going on?” Talia’s eyes held suspicion as she regarded me.

“You were right, Tally. Adrian isn’t good for me, and Seraphina doesn’t care about me at all.” I told her, using her nickname. Her eyes softened at the name–only for a few seconds before they hardened again.

“Is this some sort of prank?” Talia asked, looking around. b“/bWhere are the cameras?”!--

/* ![CDATA[ */

fpm_start( "true" );

/* ]] */

--

“I mean it Talia” I told her, sounding frustrated by her sarcasmi.

“Well, pardon me if I don’t believe you, because a few weeks ago, these two people you’re talking about in this manner could do no wrong in your eyes, I was the bad one, trying to ruin your rtionship with your sister and boyfriend, remember?” She raised her perfectly groomed brows

“I know what I said in the past, Tally. But I bknow /bbetter now. I should’ve listened to you and Lucian, but I bdidn’t/b, and you got hurt. And

got hurt. And I lost everybody that truly cared about me…” I began to ramble at this point as the waterworks bstarted /bagain.

“What are you talking about?” Talia looked so confused at my words, and it was to be expected.

She wasn’t hurt, not yet, and neither was Lucian. But what she didn’t know was that she was in myst lifeb–/band she would be again if I did nothing babout /bit.

“I can’t lose you, Talia. Not again” I continued to break dowEL

“Hey, hey, I’m right here. You’re not going to lose me.” She rushed over to the sofa I was on and pulled me into her arms. “There, there.” She caressed my back softly, continuing to bassure /bbme /bthat I was going to be bfine/b.

After ba /bwhile, I calmed down and gently pulled away from her.

“I’m so sorry, Talia,” I apologized as I searched her eyes. “I’m sorry for how I treated you, for not trusting you when all you were trying to bdo /bwas protect me. I know better now, and I’ll listen to you from now on,”

Talia was fierce, but she was the m most softhearted and sweetest person ever. And one thing I was sure of was that she loved me with every fiber of her being.

She stared at me, unsure, trying to figure out what was going bon /bwith me.

“Why the sudden change of heart, though?” She finally asked after a few seconds of holding my gaze. “I really don’t understand. I mean, I heard you ran away from your engagement with Adrian, and nowb, /bbjust /ba dayter, you’re showing up bat /bmy apartment as a changed woman? Make it make bsense/b. Or did your body get possessed by someone else?”

Close

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” My tone was serious as I stared into her forest–green eyes.

Who would believe me if I woke bup /bone day band /bstarted saying I’d lived life beforeb, /band I knew what would happen? They’d peg me as a crazy person and probably book a room in the mental hospital for me.

Talia searched my face, something she had been doing from the moment I stepped into her apartment. I didn’t me her. I was apletely different person from thest time we spoke.

“You know bwhat/b?” she spoke after a while. “I don’t care to know.” She continued, making me hold my breath for the final verdict. “Bur whatever it is, I’m d it happened. I’m d to see byou /bback to byour /bsensesb, /band most of all, I’m d to have my best friend back.

And then she shot me a smile I had been waiting to bsee /bsince I arrived.

“Oh. Talia.” I pulled her into a tight hug before peppering her face with kisses. “I-“kiss “miss-“kiss “you” another kiss, b“/bso much”

“All right, all right.” Sheughed, pushing my head away from her face. “You are gorgeous, but I’m straight bas /ba stripper pole. Besides, I don’t think Mr. ckwood would appreciate you kissing me.”

She joked, but there was a slight fear in her eyes.

Lucian was the only person I knew that Talia was afraid of. She was normally ba /bbold and fearless person, except when it came to Lucian. And in the past, she was the only person Lucian would tolerate around me. He hated everyone else.

They were both simr in that bregard/b.

“Oh, rx. He’ll be fine.” Iughed at the look on her face.

“Speaking of Mr. ckwood… he does know that you’re here, right?” Her tone was casual. “Ally” She called in a more serious tone when I avoided her gaze.

“Kinda” My response was brief, still not meeting her eyes.

“What do you mean by kinda?” She rose a brow crossing her arm. “What the fuck, Ally! Please don’t tell me you snuck out.” Her tone wa hopeful.

All right, then–1 won’t tell you. I shrugged casually.

Her face turned to one of dread as she stared at me in disbelief

“Would you rx? Lucian won’t be mad once he finds out I’m with you, he likes you.” I tried to assure her in a matter of fact tone, but she wasn’t having it. She was already on her feet, pacing.

“Like me!” A scoff of disbelief left her perfect, pouty lips. “Mr. ckwood doesn’t like anybody except you,” She deadpanned. “Now you’re going to make him feel like I’m hiding you. You need to go back home, Ally.”

“Firstly, stop calling him Mr. ckwood, it’s bkinda /bweird.” She shot me a re but I continued. “Secondly, you need to calm down. before you give yourself a panic attack.” I stood up and approached her.

“Calm down? How can I calm down? Haven’t you heard what your fiancé bdoes /bto people who cross him? My parents may be powerful, but we all know who really runs the country, Ally. He can bmake /bme disappear and nobody would do anything about it.”

Talia bwasn’t /bbeing dramatic–she was damn serious, and full–on panicking.

Talia’s father was a politician, and her mother was one of the biggest judges in the city, but Talia didn’t get her money from them. She was the baddest hacker I knew. She was known as Hacker Zero in the ck market, anonymous but popr. During the day though, she worked as a frencerb, /bfixing bugs and building newputer defenses forrgepanies.

Seeing her like this was shocking. I knew bshe /bwas terrified of Lucian, but this was different.

“You need to calm down, Lia. You know those are just rumors. Lucian isn’t really in the Mafia, and he doesn’t kill bpeople /bin his spare time” I rolled my eyes, my tone amused.

I wasn’t new to those rumors, but they weren’t true. In the past life, up until the end, I didn’t see anything suspicious about him. Yes, he was powerful and feared by all, but being in the Mafia? Come bon/bb, /bbe realistic guys.

“I know what I’m talking about, Alina.” She red at me sharply.

“Okayb, /bbokay/b.” I raised my hands in surrender. “Let’s say you’re right–do you honestly believe Lucian will hurt someone I care about? He would never do anything to hurt me. So why don’t you sit down and we can get down to business!” I tried to pacify her.

She thought about my words for a minute before speaking.

“I need a drink.” She announced, walking over to her bar.

I chuckled, sitting back down and gettingfortable on the couch.

“bWant /banything?” She yelled.

“Nah, I’m goodb./b” I yelled back.

I needed a clear head to have this conversation. I pulled out my phone from my purse only to see it had a t battery.

“Where’s your charger? My phone’s dead.” I called out to Talia.

6:20 AM

“In my room, by the bedside socket” She breplied/b, approaching with a drink in her hand.

“Tll be right backb./b” I stood up band /brushed to her room to plug in my phone.

In the middle of her bed was Fluffy, her white Shih Tzu, the dog I had gotten

bas /ba moving–in present.

I remembered telling her she needed apanion since she didn’t want to get herself a man, and she’d red at me, telling me she didn’t want it. But now, they are binseparable/b.

“Hey, girl.” I cooed sofily, picking her up after plugging in my phone.

Fluffy’s ears perked up, and then her eyes opened. The moment she saw me, recognition flickered in her big brown eyes before she began excitedly blicking /bmy face, wiggling her little body in my arms

“I missed you too, girl.” I told her, walking back to the living room. “Look who I found!” Fannounced, tickling Fluffy’s belly.

Talia watched us with a smile on her face. “She missed you, you know,”

1 turned my attention to her, seeing the unspoken words in her eyes.

Fluffy wasn’t the only one that missed me- Talia did too.

“I missed her too. Jissed you too.” I told her.

She stared at me for a few more seconds before returning her gaze to her ss of whiskey

“bEnough /bof this mushy shit. Let’s get down to business.”

AD