Ruthless Empire: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance (Royal Elite Book 6)

By the time Sebastian and I arrive at my old house, my chest is so heavy I can barely breathe properly.

A hand squeezes my shoulder. Sebastian. I told him the entire story on the way.

After I pulled an all-nighter reading the book, I found the message Silver left me this morning.

Okay! I’ll meet you there!

Mum deleted the message she sent her from my phone, but I know where she’ll take her.

To where it all started. The fucking pool.

I told Sebastian how I stumbled upon Mum’s special edition version of her new book — the one she said she won’t release — and I had to read it because I’m a fan of her work.

I told him about the pictures and everything in between. I told him how she wrote her life into Gav’s personality, and how she’s used her alter ego to be a part of every story she’s written.

The Killer and the Father.

Serial CEO.

The Doll Maker. Cynthia. She wrote an entire book about her and made her a serial killer.

I should’ve seen the signs. I should’ve found the stash of unused pills she eventually flushed down the toilet. I should’ve stopped to question the manic way she wrote on her plotting board.

I should’ve gone with her on those jogs instead of believing it was her ‘me’ time.

I should’ve noticed more.

But then again, I couldn’t have. Mum lived her double life so perfectly, it’s crazy.

Yes, it is. Crazy. My mum is a criminally insane person, and the weight of that realisation hits me like a brick wall.

But that’s not the reason for the heaviness in my chest.

It’s the fact that she lured Silver here. That she’s been watching her for years.

She noticed her the first time I did in that fucking park. She followed me, to make sure I hadn’t seen her kill William, and then she found her doll.

Her crying doll who’s even more beautiful than her previous plastic doll.

I led her to Silver.

I’m the one who made her stop seeing Silver as Cynthia and Sebastian’s daughter, but her long-lost doll.

It was me.

“You have to be careful,” Sebastian says. His face is hard, but he keeps a cool head. “From what we’ve learnt thus far, she’s unpredictable.”

I nod as we hurry to the pool area. He’s carrying his gun in case anything happens. He called Frederic during the drive, and his head of PR said he’ll meet us here.

“Doll?” Mum calls in a serene voice. “Come out. Stop hiding.”

I stop near the pool. A body floats in the water. Red water.

Blood water.

Her golden strands float around her while she remains unmoving.

Like that day.

Just like that day.

Run, Cole.

My father’s scratchy, drowning voice plays in my head like a distorted record.

“Oh, Cole, darling.” Mum smiles, her eyes kind. She’s always looked so kind and approachable. She’s never had a malicious look or action. At least, not on the surface. “Silver is playing hide-and-seek.”

“Silver!” Sebastian runs towards the pool, but I beat him to it and jump in.

It takes everything in me to ignore the blood changing the colour of the water as I grab her by the arm and wrench her to the edge.

Her face has paled. Her chest doesn’t move up and down.

She’s not breathing. Fuck.

“Silver!” My hand shakes as I pull my palm away and see the blood oozing from the back of her head, turning her blonde hair red.

I lay her on the tiles and press down on her chest.

Come on, Silver. Come on, you can’t leave me!

Please don’t fucking leave me.

“M-my doll?” Helen runs towards us. “Why isn’t she smiling?”

Sebastian blocks her way, pointing his gun at her head. “Stay the hell away from my daughter.”

“Sebastian, can’t you see? She needs me. My doll needs her master.”

“Not a move, Helen,” he growls.

“Or what?” She tilts her head to the side. “You’ll kill me? We both know you can’t do that. Let me see my doll.”

I continue pressing on Silver’s chest. Her lips are turning purple. With every second passing, she’s dying.

Every single second, she’s slipping through my fingers.

A shriek comes from Mum, but I don’t look at her. I don’t pay her attention. Then I hear her wresting with Sebastian for the gun, but all I care about is Silver.

Come on. Come on.

“Leave her alone.” Mum stands above me, holding the gun. “Let her go. You’re killing her, Cole.”

“You killed her! You did!”

“No.” She shakes her head frantically, stepping back. “I didn’t. It’s not me. It’s not —”

Her words are cut off as she trips. Her head bumps against the railing of the pool with a sickening thud, and then she falls down…

Down.

Down.

Her blood turns the water crimson.

She doesn’t float.

Neither Sebastian nor I move to help her.

I’m still compressing Silver’s chest, my own chest feeling as if it’s clearing out of oxygen.

She doesn’t open her eyes.

She doesn’t respond.

That day, the doll dies.