Prologue

Five years ago

Athena

Awoken by the sharp sound of shattering glass and raised voices, I sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as the grim realization hit me: the war had begun again. Slowly, I swung my legs out of bed, grabbed the cordless phone, and slipped out of my room, careful to avoid making a sound as I crept towards the stairs.

I stepped cautiously, mindful of the third and fifth steps that always creaked, not wanting to alert my unstable father to my presence. I crouched on the sixth step, tears streaming down my face as I watched him assault my mother.

The last time I’d tried to intervene, I walked away with two bruised ribs and a black eye. My mother had made me promise never to get involved in their fights again.

I gripped the receiver tightly, fury building inside me as I debated what to do next. Going to the neighbors wasn’t an option—they were away for the summer, and the rest of the community kept their distance because of my father.

He wore the uniform of a police officer, pretending to uphold the law, but in reality, he was nothing more than a corrupt criminal. I knew for certain that he’d let a few criminals slip through his fingers on purpose, cozying up to the very people he was supposed to stop.

He was meant to protect us—his own family—but not a single day passed, since I was old enough to understand, where he didn’t push my mother and me around. It was his oppressive control that had driven my twin sister, Aurelia, to run away. And her escape had tragically cost her her life.

"You really think you can cheat on me and I won't find out, Hera?" my father, James, snarled, his eyes burning with rage.

I couldn’t help but snort at the irony. This was the same man who once told me he never planned to marry or have children. But he changed his mind when he realized that without an heir, his name would die with him.

So, he met my mother and married her—not out of love, but simply to have a son to carry on his name. Instead, he got two daughters—twins—me and my sister, Aurelia.

He didn’t love us. He didn’t even like my mother. It was painfully clear, though he never admitted it outright. But we knew—Aurelia and I knew—and we resented him for it.

There were moments when I resented my mother too, for staying with him despite knowing exactly the kind of man he was. She always said she loved him, but I could never understand how anyone could love a monster like James Carter.

Sure, he was handsome, and other women swooned when he flashed that charming smile, but they didn’t know what lurked beneath the surface. James Carter was a beast, through and through, no matter how much everyone else believed he was some sort of hero. I knew better.

Dad started seeing other women, and when Mom confronted him, he didn’t bother to deny it. He admitted the truth and had the audacity to blame her for his infidelity. That moment marked the beginning of all our troubles. Now, with Mom seeking revenge by doing the same, Dad was furious.

"Two can play this game, James," my mother spat. "What you can do, I can do better."

My father threw his head back and laughed, a sound that sent chills down my spine—it was the eerie calm before the storm. I knew something terrible was about to happen. My heart pounded in my chest as I quickly dialed the emergency number, pressed the receiver to my ear, and slipped quietly back to my room.

"199, what's your emergency?" a woman’s voice asked as the call connected.

"Um... Hello. My name is... Athena Carter. I... My mother is in danger. I'm scared," I whispered, my voice shaking as I clung to the phone like a lifeline.

"What's your location? Can you tell me what's happening?" the operator calmly asked.

"Um... The address is 124 Springwood Avenue. My father... My father is going to kill my mother." As I spoke, the gravity of the situation hit me, and tears burned my eyes. I fought to stay calm, focusing on breathing so I wouldn't pass out. "Please, hurry."

"Is he armed? Are you in a safe place?" The operator asked.

"Um... Well, he was... no..." My voice faltered just as a gunshot shattered the silence of the night. I froze. Somehow, the receiver didn't slip from my hand as my mind raced, wondering who'd taken the bullet.

I knew it wasn't my mother who fired the gun. She was too gentle, too forgiving - even after all the years of being my father's punching bag, she never retaliated. She forgave him, even without an apology from him. Until now.

"Hello? Are you there?" The operator asked again.

Tears streamed down my face. "Yes, he's armed." I whispered, my voice barely audible as I slid to the floor near the door. "He just... I just... gunshot."

Panic gripped me as I heard footsteps approaching the stairs. Scrambling to my feet, I darted across the room and hid under my bed, heart pounding in my chest. I knew he was coming for me, to check if I was awake.

"Please... Please hurry," I begged, my voice breaking with fear.

"Help is on the way. Please stay on the line if it's safe to do so," the woman advised, her voice steady amidst my terror.

I gasped as the door to my bedroom creaked open, revealing my father standing ominously in the doorway. I wanted to hang up the call, but fear gripped me too tightly to move. My blood thundered in my ears, and my heart pounded so fiercely that I was certain it would explode.

I desperately wished this was all just a nightmare, something I could jolt awake from. But deep down, I knew this was my reality—a reality I had endured for twelve long years, and tonight, it would end.

“I know you're awake, Athena,” my father drawled as he stepped into the room. “Come out, come out, wherever you are,” he sang in a chilling tone.

I squeezed my eyes shut, praying for a miracle. None came. His cold hands gripped my ankles, and I let out a blood-curdling scream as he dragged me from under the bed. My sobs grew louder when I saw the blood smeared across his face. I begged him not to kill me as he yanked me to my feet.

“You’re destined to end up just like your mother, Athena, and I can’t allow that,” he muttered, his voice low and menacing, clicking his tongue as the back of his hand brushed against my face. “The world doesn’t need someone like you. I need to put an end to it.”

“The world will be better off without you, James Carter,” I shot back, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me. “It was because of you that Aurelia ran away. It’s your fault she’s dead.”

James let out a cold, hollow laugh that made my blood run cold. “No, my dear. Aurelia died because she thought she deserved better than me. She believed she could escape, but in the end, it cost her everything.”

I drew in a sharp breath as his words settled over me like a dark cloud. I didn’t need him to spell it out to grasp the horrifying truth: the possibility that he had orchestrated his own daughter’s death in a hit-and-run now seemed glaringly evident, even without a direct confession.

The lack of further investigation into the case suddenly made perfect sense—it had been quietly swept under the rug. Though I couldn’t be absolutely certain, after everything that had unfolded tonight, I wouldn’t put it past him to have played a role in my twin sister’s death.

Whether he had done it himself or sent someone else to carry out the crime, one thing was clear—he wouldn’t have risked leaving any loose ends. Claiming he wanted his “beloved” daughter to rest in peace, he had likely manipulated the police into shutting down the case, ensuring nothing could tie him to her tragic end.

“You’re such a beautiful girl, Athy, and it’s a shame it has to end this way, but there’s no other option,” he said, his hand brushing gently against my cheek.

“And you really think people won’t suspect you of these crimes?” I asked, my voice laced with disgust. “Who will you blame it on?”

“Who else? Brock and his gang, of course,” he replied, a smile creeping across his face. “After all, they’ve tried to kill me before, and it’s all on record. I have my ways of ensuring I won’t get caught.”

“You’re a—” My words faded as the distant sound of sirens approached, trailing off into silence. I let out a sigh of relief.

James furrowed his brows in confusion as he released me and turned towards the window overlooking the street, giving me the chance to grab the pocket knife I had left on my bedside table.

I quickly hid it behind my back as he cursed under his breath and then spun around to glare at me with murderous intent.

"Did you call the police?" he spat.

"No, maybe the neighbors did," I replied in a surprisingly steady voice. "You woke the whole community when you shot mom."

"I don't believe you," he hissed through gritted teeth, reaching for his gun. At that moment, I lunged forward and stabbed him in the chest with the knife, momentarily destabilizing him enough to make my escape.

I was almost at the door when a shot rang out. I cried out, collapsing to the floor as a searing pain sliced through my thigh. He'd shot me and was preparing to take another shot when a loud voice commanded him to freeze from the doorway right in front of me.

“Drop the gun, James,” commanded his partner, Ben Darwin. “Put your hands behind your head.”

James switched on the safety, let the gun fall, and complied with Ben's instructions, but his eyes remained fixed on me as a paramedic worked to treat my injuries.

“You’re under arrest for the murder of Hera Carter,” Ben announced while cuffing James. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, an attorney will be provided for you. Do you understand?”

“I don’t need a fucking attorney,” James snarled, maintaining his glare on me as he was escorted out of the room.

I realized this wasn’t the end of my battle with James. But for now, he would face the consequences for what he had done to my mother. I would make sure of it.