Fade Into You

Chapter 11

Faye's POV

I skipped dinner—not because I wasn't hungry but because the thought of food made me nauseous. I was lying on my stomach across my bed, one arm stretched above my head and the other stiffly by my side. 

The tears slid down my face freely, and I did not attempt to wipe them away.

My phone buzzed non-stop on the nightstand beside me, vibrating so loudly that it echoed through the room. I already knew who it was—Kaycee.

The only person who actually cares about me right now.

I'd never felt this much shame and heartbreak all at once. It was suffocating. Each breath I took through my nose felt harder and harder, like my lungs were giving up. 

I rolled over onto my back and stared blankly at the ceiling. Tiny stars were printed across it—something I was obsessed with as a little girl.

Even though I tried pushing the memories away, they came rushing back with brutal clarity.

The way he held my hand, the butterflies that erupted in my stomach. The way he'd pull me close and hold me at his side like I belonged there. And the way he kissed me like it meant something.

God. It all felt so real to me. But now that I knew it was all just a game to him... it made my chest ache in ways I didn't even know were possible. I wanted to rip those memories from my mind—rip him out of my life entirely.

He kept pushing, trying to get me to show my true self. But I held back, thinking he liked me because I was kind. Because I was different.

I pulled myself up, hugging my knees to my chest. More tears came—hot and fresh—but this time I wiped them away, furious.

I wasn't going to sit here and cry over some guy who played with my heart like it was some kind of toy. No way. And I sure as hell wasn't going to let him know how much he got to me. 

That'd just feed his massive ego and give him the satisfaction of knowing he cracked the so-called "princess."

No. I'm not letting that happen.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts, followed by my mother's voice.

"Faye? Are you in there, honey? What's going on? Why'd you come home so early? Are you sick?"

"No... Mom. Just a sec!" I called back, scrambling off the bed and rushing into my bathroom.

One look in the mirror made me wince. My hair was a mess, and my eyes and nose were red and swollen. I looked like someone who had been crying for hours.

Which I had.

I turned on the faucet and let cold water fill my cupped hands, splashing it over my face again and again. I patted myself dry with a clean towel, but the damage was done. 

The redness around my eyes had faded slightly, but the puffiness was still there. My cheeks were still stained with a faint blush of emotion.

I stepped out of the bathroom just as my bedroom door opened and Mom walked in. She looked effortlessly elegant, even though she had just returned from her Paris trip a few days early.

They were supposed to be gone for two weeks. I still wasn't sure why they cut the trip short—guess I'd have to ask her about that later.

She scanned my face the moment she saw me. I quietly walked to the bed and sat down, trying to seem calm.

"Were you crying?" she asked gently.

I shook my head quickly. 

"No, I'm just not feeling well. I've been sneezing a lot, made my eyes all watery."

Okay... not my best lie, but it was the fastest thing I could think of.

She frowned slightly, walking toward me. That's when I noticed the colored files tucked under her arm. She sat beside me, and I turned to look at her.

"What's that?" I asked, nodding toward the files.

She slid them onto her lap. 

"These are everything you'll need over the next few days. Intel on each target, their locations, status updates—everything."

I blinked. "What am I supposed to do with these?"

She chuckled lightly. 

"Sweetie, they're for your missions. Remember? I told you I'd consider letting you try things on your own. Well... here you go."

She handed me the two folders. I stared down at them, my heart pounding. The moment I'd been waiting and training for—finally here. I looked back up and smiled at her.

"Thanks, Mom. When do I start?"

She shrugged. 

"Whenever you're ready. But don't take too long. Your father and I are done listening to pathetic excuses from those fools. We don't have the time to deal with every pest personally, which is why we're trusting you with these. You know what to do, Faye."

She gave me a pointed look, and I nodded without hesitation.

"Approach with caution, deal with ease, strike unexpectedly, and execute with no second thoughts." We said it together, in perfect unison.

That motto had been passed down in our family for generations—our way of getting things done, our way of staying powerful.

Now, with these missions in my hands, I finally had a reason to drop the "good girl" act. Being good wouldn't get the job done. If I was going to prove myself, I had to become like them.

Ruthless. Fearless. And above all—unapologetically powerful.

Looks like it's finally time to let bad Faye out of her cage.