Chapter 12 -HUNTER'S POV- 38 The city hums beneath me , a dull , never - ending sound . Lights stretch across the skyline , flickering like tiny , distant ghosts . Everything looks the same as it always does - cold , unreachable . And yet , my mind won't quiet . Three years . Three years , and the memory is still just out of reach . Like a dream I wake up from too soon . Like a song I almost remember but never fully do . I press my fingers against my temples , exhaling slowly . I've tried . God knows I've tried . I've torn that night apart in my head , searching for something real , something solid . But all I ever get are fragments . Soft fingers . Warm breath . A laugh that feels like home . But her face ? Always a blur . And now - now there's him . Caesar . A kid with blue eyes that look too much like mine . A kid who stares at me like he knows me . Like he's waiting for me to recognize him too . I tell myself it's nothing . A coincidence . But my gut is screaming at me , and my gut has never been wrong . I don't even think before grabbing my phone . My fingers move on their own , scrolling through my contacts until I land on the name I need . I press call . One ring . Two . Then a groggy voice . " Boss ? " " I need you to look into someone . Celine Brown . Everything - where she's been , who she's been with . " My voice is sharp , impatient . " Go back three years ." A pause . Then , " I'll start in the morning . " " No , " I snap . " Start now . " Another silence . Then a quiet , " Understood ." I hang up . I don't move . I don't breathe . Because if my gut is right - if Caesar is- I don't let myself finish that thought . I turn back to the window instead , staring at the city , letting the hum of it drown out the storm inside me . -CELINE'S POV- 1/3 9:08 pm GGGG . Chapter 12 38 I let out a long sigh as I finally pushed open the door to my tiny apartment , the exhaustion of the day weighing down on me like a boulder . The moment I stepped inside , the familiar scent of home filled my nostrils - lavender detergent , a hint of baby powder , and the lingering aroma of the dinner I had barely had time to eat . I set my bag down by the couch and exhaled , rubbing my temples . Today had been a disaster . I couldn't believe I still had a job after everything Caesar had pulled . I sank onto the bed , the events of the morning replaying in my mind . Caesar refusing to get up . His stubborn little arms crossed , his defiant scowl making my stomach drop . The way Hunter had looked at him - at me . God , what must he think of me now ? Did he regret hiring me ? Was he mad ? I closed my eyes , pressing my palms against them . I couldn't afford to lose this job . Not when it was the only thing keeping a roof over our heads . Hunter had been patient today , but what about next time ? What if Caesar pushed too far ? What if Hunter decided he had had enough ? The thought made my chest tighten . I couldn't risk it . I had to be more careful . I had to make sure Caesar stayed far from him - no more accidents , no more confrontations . away I pulled myself up , dragging my feet toward the bathroom . A hot shower . That was what I needed . Something to wash away the tension knotting in my muscles . Turning the faucet , I stepped under the warm stream , letting it soothe my aching body . My thoughts drifted again , no matter how hard I tried to push them away . Hunter . That look in his eyes today ... It hadn't just been annoyance . It had been something else . Something I couldn't quite place . Shaking my head , I let out a bitter chuckle . It didn't matter . Hunter was my boss . That was all he would ever be . And after today , I was going to do everything in my power to keep it that way . By the time I stepped out , wrapping a towel around myself , the exhaustion had truly settled in . I barely made it to bed before my body gave in , sleep dragging me under before I could worry about tomorrow . 2/3 9.08 pm BB BB Chapter 13 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!