Episode 3: A SHADOW THAT LINGERS

--Cassian’s POV -

Evelina Devereaux wasn’t what I expected.

I had spent years planning my revenge, every step calculated, every piece falling into place. She was meant to be a pawn, an unsuspecting thread woven into a much darker web.

And yet—

She had looked me in the eye and told me to stay away.

Amusing.

She didn’t realize that she had already walked into the storm.

I leaned against the sleek black car parked just out of sight, watching as she stood frozen in the parking lot, her body still stiff from the encounter. I could practically hear the war raging in her mind, the frantic calculations, the unanswered questions.

She was trying to make sense of it all.

She wouldn’t. Not yet.

Patience.

I reached into my coat pocket, fingers brushing against the cool metal of my lighter before pulling it out. The flick of the flame cast an orange glow in the darkness as I lit the cigarette between my lips.

I had spent years perfecting control. Every move I made was deliberate, every decision guided by logic, not emotion.

And yet…

Something about the fire in Evelina’s eyes had made my blood run hotter than I liked.

A problem.

I exhaled, watching the smoke curl into the night air.

This wasn’t about her.

This was about vengeance. About making those responsible for my family’s suffering pay.

And Evelina?

She was just another piece of the puzzle.

She just didn’t know it yet.

--Evelina’s POV--

I barely remembered the drive home.

My hands trembled against the steering wheel as I pulled into my apartment’s parking lot. The entire way back, my mind replayed every second of my encounter with Cassian Moretti.

His voice. His touch. The way he had looked at me like he already owned me.

I hated how my body still hummed with adrenaline, how his presence lingered on my skin like a ghost.

You’re part of something you don’t even realize.

What the hell did that mean?

I grabbed my bag, practically sprinting up the stairs to my apartment. As soon as I was inside, I locked the door behind me, twisting the deadbolt into place. My breathing was uneven, my pulse still erratic.

Calm down, Eve. He let you go.

But that was the problem, wasn’t it?

Men like Cassian Moretti didn’t let people go.

Not unless they had a reason.

I paced the small space of my living room, trying to shake the feeling that I was still being watched. Every shadow felt darker, every sound louder.

I wasn’t safe.

Not anymore.

My fingers itched to call someone—the police, my best friend, anyone—but what would I even say? That the heir to one of the most feared crime families had cornered me in a parking lot and let me go?

They would laugh.

Or worse, they would believe me.

And that would put me in even more danger.

I pressed a hand to my temple, inhaling deeply. Think logically. Cassian Moretti was dangerous, but he hadn’t hurt me. If he wanted me dead, I would be dead.

Which meant this was something else.

A warning?

A game?

I didn’t know.

But I did know one thing.

I wasn’t going to sit around waiting for him to make his next move.

If Cassian Moretti thought he could just decide that I was part of whatever this was, he had another thing coming.

I was going to find out why he was after me.

And then I was going to end it.

Before it could consume me whole.

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