THE TEMPTRESS

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•KADEN•

The engine roared as I clenched the steering wheel, determination coursing through my veins.

Racing towards the cemetery, memories of that steamy night with Stephanie played in my mind like a broken record.

I hoped against hope that this was where she'd be-the place where her parents rested.

Anxiety gnawed at me, my heart racing faster than the wheels beneath me. I'd never given up on her, on us.

Promises echoed in my mind, promises Stephanie had made about returning. But time had a way of slipping through my fingers, and I couldn't sit idly by.

The cemetery gates loomed ahead as I parked the Range Rover. Stepping out, I entered the graveyard, its daylight façade vastly different from the shadowed landscape of that unforgettable night.

The eerie silence surrounded me, but I pushed the discomfort aside, walking past countless headstones.

The mausoleums came into view, and my steps quickened with purpose. I remembered them-the ones Stephanie's parents rested in.

As I stood before the smooth stone, engraved names stared back at me. Stephanie had shared so little about them, yet the rage within me flared at the memory of what my father had done to her family.

Shoving those thoughts aside, I focused on the present. Disappointment set in; Stephanie was nowhere to be found.

No one was.

Just me and the quiet echoes of the past. Determination fueled my decision to wait, even if it took the entire day. If not today, then tomorrow, and the day after.

I'd be here, by her parents' grave, because this was my last resort. If she didn't come, I'd find her. I'd repeat the search until I finally do-until we found each other in this place of memories and lost time.

•STEPHANIE•

As I slowly entered the cemetery, the weight of memories clung to me like a persistent shadow. Removing the dark sunglasses, I hadn't anticipated returning here so soon; it had only been a year since I left for another continent.

Yet, here I was, making an unexpected pit stop to visit my parents' grave.

The memories flooded back, especially of Kaden and me having a little fun at this very cemetery.

I couldn't help but smile, recalling the truth that I never got to share with him - those mausoleums weren't my real parents'. Steven, coincidentally, revealed that their actual resting place was on the other side

I couldn't risk encountering anyone from Kaden's connections, so this pit stop became a bittersweet necessity.

I crossed the cemetery, reaching my parents' mausoleums. Crouching down, my hand gently pressed against the stone bearing their names

"Hi Dad, Hi Mom. It's me, your daughter Stephanie." I whispered.

Tears welled up; it was my first visit since the shooting, unsure of how their bodies were cared for. Relief washed over me, knowing they rested in a peaceful place, fulfilling what I had always wanted for them.

My gaze shifted to my brother's mausoleum next to theirs, and more tears fell. He had been my protector and best friend.

Placing my hand on his stone, I sobbed, releasing years of pain and heartache. Finally, I stood, dried my eyes, smiled, and said goodbye one last time.

As I walked back, halfway across the cemetery, a sound ahead made me freeze. Looking up, panic surged as I saw Kaden.

He hasn't seen me yet and was looking down at the two familiar mausoleums below on the ground.

Then, realization hits: the mausoleums belonged to the people I lied about being my dead parents.

Confused on how to escape unseen, I turned away as Kaden looked up.

Heart pounding, I prayed he hadn't recognized me, hoping he actually didn't since my hair is back to it's original blonde color now.

But knowing how sharp Kaden was, I can never be too sure about anything when it comes to him.

Swiftly, I walked out, hoping to evade his notice. But the heavy footfalls behind me shattered my hope;

Fuck, it's too late.