All That's Left

Chapter 29 | Vania

Present
2023
Seventeen years old

The bakery was quiet that morning, with Brielle out for the day. The warm scent of fresh bread and pastries filled the air as I restocked the front shelves, arranging everything neatly for the customers that would soon start to trickle in. It was one of those moments where the routine felt grounding, almost therapeutic. I glanced at the clock. Dorian would be getting ready for school by now. I smiled to myself at the thought of him, the last couple of days still fresh in my mind.

Things were better. A lot better. The weight that had sat between us for so long seemed lighter now, like we were finally on the same page. We had so much to work through, but we were taking it slow-just like we had promised.

I reached up to grab a loaf of bread from the top shelf when I heard the bell above the door chime. Someone had walked in. I turned, expecting to see a regular customer, maybe one of the older folks who always came in for their morning coffee and croissant.

But when I saw who it was, my heart stopped and I felt the blood in my veins turn to ice.

Lucas.

He was standing there, his eyes fixed on me with that same cold, unsettling stare I remembered all too well. The one that haunted me in my nightmares.

This wasn't possible. He was supposed to be in prison. He should've been locked away for what he did to my father and the others.

Suddenly, it occured to me. The night Dorian dropped me off after our date, I had felt someone watching me, just like Lucas did two years ago.

He's been back since then, watching me.

I forze, the loaf of bread slipping from my hands and hitting the floor with a soft thud.

"Well, well," Lucas said, his voice low and dripping with malice. "You look surprised to see me, Vania."

I took a step back, my heart pounding in my chest. "You can't be here," I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. "You're supposed to be in prison."

Lucas smiled, stepping closer to the counter. "Yeah, about that. I guess the justice system isn't as airtight as you thought. It's easy to get bail if you have the right connections, no matter what you did." He paused, his eyes scanning me. "I thought you would've left Dorian by now. Left him and this town after what happened last time. Haven't you learned your lesson, Vania?"

The mention of Dorian setn a fresh wave of fear through me. My stomach twisted, but I kept my expression as calm as I could. "Leave Dorian out of this, Lucas."

He laughed, a cruel sound that echoed throughout the bakery. "Oh, but I can't do that, can I? He's the one who caused all this. Your father, your family-everything that happened is on him, all because he just couldn't leave you alone. He couldn't understand that you were mine." His eyes narrowed. "And now I can finally make him pay for it."

"No," I said, my voice stronger than I felt. "This has nothing to do with him. It's me you want, right? You've always wanted me."

Lucas' eyes gleamed with something dark and twisted. "You catch on quick."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand taller. I knew what he was capable of. I knew that if he went after Dorian or anyone else I loved, there would be no stopping him. The only way to protect them was to do the unthinkable.

"If it's me you want," I said, my voice trembling just enough to sound convincing, "then take me. I'll go with you. Right now. We can leave right now, and no one has to know. We can go somewhere where it's just us-where no one can bother us."

Where he wouldn't be able to hurt anyone else.

He tilted his head, curious. "Really? You're just going to walk out of here with me? No struggle, no fight?"

"No one has to know," I said quickly. "No one has to get hurt. Just leave other people out of it. We can go, and I won't look back. You can have me, Lucas. Just...leave them alone."

I could see the satisfaction in his eyes as he stepped closer, closing the distance between us. I took a shaky breath, trying to keep my fear in check. I wasn't stupid-I knew what walking out of here with Lucas meant. If I put up a fight, I might not make it out of the situation unscathed, or even alive. But if I could protect Dorian, if I could keep him and everyone else safe, it was worth it.

"That's more like it," Lucas said, his voice low. "It's about time you realized we were always supposed to be together."

My hands shook as I untied my apron and left it on top of the display case with trembling fingers. I could feel his eyes on me the entire time, like a predator watching its prey. My mind raced, thinking through every possible outcome, but I knew deep down that once I walked out of that door, there would be no turning back.

I turned to face him, swallowing my fear. "Let's go," I said quietly. The sooner we got out of here, the better. Dorian was bound to show up any minute, like he did every morning, and we needed to be long gone by then.

Lucas smiled, that same sick smile that sent chills down my spine. He opened the door. gesturing for me to walk through. My heart pounded, but I forced myself to move, to take one step after another, even though every instinct screamed at me to run in the opposite direction.

As I stepped outside into the cool morning air, I glanced around, praying no one else would come by. The last thing I needed was for someone to get involved and get hurt again because of me. Lucas was right behind, his prescened a dark shadow that loomed over me.

We walked down the street and got into a car I didn't know how lucas was able to have. I was heading straight into danger, but I would see this through. For Dorian. For the Lowe's. For my Dad and the others that died with him. For everyone I cared about. I wouldn't let Lucas hurt them.

And I wouldn't let him win.

Not again. Never again.