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“Luka, Yulia, and I will stay a night here at his lake house.”
I jab “send” just as my door gives a telltale creak.
Chapter 38
Sophia
“SOPHIA.”
The sound of my name jerks me from my thoughts, making me drop the damning burner phone onto the bed. I spin around to find Yulia peeking through the slightly ajar door. Her big blue eyes, disoriented from a deep nap, squint at me.
“Yulia,” I say, trying to regulate my heartbeat. “You scared me.” Gathering myself, I quickly tuck the phone back into my purse and force a reassuring smile on my face.
“Sorry,” she mumbles, her little fingers gripping the door. She ambles into the room, still dazed from sleep, blonde curls framing her sweet face. “I just woke up,” she says, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “And I’m hungry.”
A pang of affection softens my features. “Hungry?” I echo, rising from the bed. Her innocence in this whirlwind of danger is so at odds with what’s at stake. “Well, we can’t have that. I smelled something good wafting from downstairs. Want to go down there?”
Her face brightens immediately, any remnants of sleep chased away. “Really? What is it?”
“Come on, let’s go find out,” I encourage her, gesturing to the door. As we pass the side table, I eye my purse, its innocent exterior betraying the treachery it hides. A tight knot forms in my chest.
Stepping into the hallway, I take a moment to orient myself, then guide us down the winding staircase toward the kitchen.
“Max!” Yulia squeals in delight as the pup bounds over to us. He jumps up, his fluffy tail wagging wildly at the sight of his favorite playmate.
I force a laugh, bending down to give the puppy a quick pat, keeping up the facade of normalcy. But beneath the surface, guilt gnaws at me. Every innocent interaction, every shared smile, is a blade twisting deeper.
“I think Luka is preparing something yummy for us,” I say, reaching for Yulia’s hand. Her small fingers curl around mine, and we head toward the kitchen door. “Macaroni,” I reveal, giving her a conspiratorial wink.
Her face brightens, a smile forming. “Really? That makes my tummy…hungrish,” she declares, her hands theatrically patting her stomach. Her flawed English, misshapen by childlike innocence, is adorable.
She’s so damn cute.
I chuckle, but all this is unbearably sweet. And it hits me like a sucker punch. I’m the snake in their Eden, the traitor in their midst, all smiles and kind words, and it’s just goddamn lies.
My chest tightens as I feel Yulia’s small hand in mine. She looks up at me with absolute trust. Trust I don’t deserve.
Dammit, Aleks! What deadly plan are you plotting.
Fear curls its icy tendrils around my heart, and I grit my teeth against it. My mind spins with terrifying possibilities.
Am I putting Yulia in danger?
My betrayal pounds in my ears with each heartbeat. I’m a hypocrite, using them like pawns in Aleks’s sick game. And the worst part? I’m good at it. I’m good at fooling them, playing the part of the devoted caregiver, the woman who’s becoming a friend. But the dread chewing at my gut keeps reminding me of the bed of deception I’m laying.
And then there’s Luka. Damn him. Why did he have to be a part of this? His eyes, cold and unreadable, always give me chills. There’s a dangerous power about him, a lethal aura that spells trouble. He’s no angel, that’s for sure. No, he can be the devil.
But for Yulia, he’s just her big brother. A pillar of strength. And Yulia… God, she’s just a child. Already scarred by loss. How much more would she have to endure?
“Do you smell that?” Yulia’s voice is eager, shattering my self-loathing reverie.
I flutter my eyelashes, focusing back on the present. There’s a mouth-watering aroma wafting down the staircase, and I realize it’s Luka’s cooking.
“Mmm, this smells good,” I comment lightly, shoving my guilt down further. Yulia grins at me, and again, I’m swept up in her innocence.
“Careful there,” I warn as she bounces ahead, tugging me along with her.
Taking a breath, I plaster a smile onto my face, pushing the dread down, down, down until I can taste it at the back of my throat. I’ve made my bed, and now I have to lie in it. For Nilo. Wren. Nana. For them.
