...Lily exhaled slowly, her fingers tightening around the worn-out strap of her purse as she stared at the stack of unpaid bills on her tiny kitchen table. Rent. Utilities. Preschool fees for Aria. They all demanded money she didn’t have....
...Her apartment, a cramped one-bedroom space with peeling wallpaper, felt smaller than ever. The dim yellow bulb overhead flickered as if mocking her. She had exactly twenty dollars left in her wallet, and payday wasn’t for another week....
...The only thing keeping her going was the tiny giggle that erupted from the couch....
...“Mama, why do you look so mad at the paper?”...
...Lily turned, her exhaustion melting for just a moment as she saw her four-year-old daughter, Aria, hugging her stuffed bunny. The little girl had curly dark hair, big hazel eyes, and a smile that could light up Lily’s darkest days....
...Lily forced a smile. “Because the paper is being mean to me.”...
...Aria gasped. “Paper can talk?”...
...Lily chuckled. “No, but it still gives me a headache.”...
...Aria hummed as if considering this. “Maybe it needs a nap. Like me.”...
...Lily ruffled her daughter’s curls. “That’s a great idea. If only bills disappeared when they slept.”...
...The weight of responsibility never left her shoulders, but she wouldn’t let Aria see it. Her daughter deserved a happy childhood. Not one where she worried about money....
...Lily had been doing everything to survive—cleaning jobs, waitressing, working at a gas station—but nothing paid enough. Some nights, she lay awake staring at the ceiling, wondering if she would have to move back to her hometown....
...Back to the whispers....
...She’s cursed....
...Everyone around her dies....
...She clenched her jaw. No. She had spent years escaping that past. She wouldn’t let the world decide her fate....
...She needed a real job. Something stable. Something that would give Aria a future....
...And today, she had one last chance....
...A company had responded to her application. It was a therapist position, offering an insanely high salary. The ad had been vague—just “private employer, discretion required”—but at this point, Lily couldn’t afford to be picky....
...She glanced at the clock. If she didn’t leave now, she’d be late....
...Bending down, she cupped Aria’s face. “Be good for Mrs. Patel, okay?”...
...The old woman next door had been watching Aria for free while Lily job-hunted. She didn’t know what Lily would do without her....
...Aria beamed. “I will! But can we have pancakes when you come back?”...
...Lily kissed her forehead. “If I get this job, I’ll make a whole stack.”...
...Her daughter squealed. “Then you have to get it!”...
...Lily smiled. If only it were that easy....
...She grabbed her purse and walked out, unaware that today would change her life forever....
...---...
...The Interview That Changed Everything...
...Lily stepped into the gleaming skyscraper, her nerves twisting. This was way too fancy for a therapist’s office....
...The receptionist, a woman with sharp eyes, barely glanced at her before handing her a badge. “Mr. Anderson will see you now.”...
...Lily swallowed. Anderson. The name sounded intimidating....
...As she followed the receptionist down a long hallway, she realized something was off....
...There were no company logos. No waiting clients. Just silence....
...Her gut screamed at her to turn back, but before she could second-guess herself, the door swung open....
...Inside, behind a massive mahogany desk, sat a man with cold blue eyes and an aura that made the air feel heavier....
...Lily knew two things immediately:...
...1. This was no ordinary boss....
...2. She was in way over her head....
...Anderson leaned back in his chair, studying her. “Lily Monroe.”...
...She forced a polite nod. “Yes, sir.”...
...He glanced at her resume. “You have a degree in psychology. Years of therapy experience. And yet, you’ve been working minimum-wage jobs.”...
...Her stomach twisted. “Life… hasn’t been kind.”...
...His expression didn’t change. “Do you scare easily, Miss Monroe?”...
...Lily blinked. “Excuse me?”...
...Anderson set down the resume. “This job isn’t normal. The clients you’ll be working with… are not ordinary people. They are powerful men with dangerous lives. If you accept, there is no quitting.”...
...Her heartbeat pounded. “What kind of… company is this?”...
...Anderson smirked. “One that values discretion above all else.”...
...Everything inside her screamed run. But then she thought of Aria. The bills. The empty fridge....
...What choice did she have?...
...She lifted her chin. “I don’t scare easily.”...
...Anderson watched her for a long moment. Then, he slid a contract toward her....
...“Sign, and you’re hired.”...
...Lily picked up the pen, her hand barely shaking....
...She had no idea she had just walked into the heart of the mafia....
...---...
...The First Red Flag...
...Lily’s first day was… odd....
...She had expected an office full of employees, but the building was nearly empty. She was shown to a sleek office—floor-to-ceiling windows, expensive furniture, a security keypad on the door....
...Her first patient arrived an hour later....
...A tall man with sharp features and a gaze that could freeze fire. He wore a tailored suit, but something about him screamed danger....
...He sat down, crossed one leg over the other, and smirked....
...“So, you’re the new therapist.”...
...Lily swallowed. “And you are?”...
...“Leon.”...
...He tilted his head, as if studying prey. “Tell me, Miss Monroe… what would you diagnose someone who enjoys killing?”...
...Her breath caught....
...Something was very, very wrong here....
...But it was too late to back out now....
...---...
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