Remi’s python stays always in his dungeon as according to him he never plans to have any wild animals inside his home because they need their sense of freedom. While he adores his snake that still sends fear through me, he doesn’t feel it’s right to keep her at home. He still visits the python frequently and searches for good land to buy so we can build our own mansion on it. I offered, despite my fear, to a create a sort of space for the snake in there since he considers it family. He laughed and shook his head, assuring me that the python already has a perfect space to live in. Besides having the python was always about saving the animal from bad people and since he couldn’t send it to the wild, he kept it. It was never about his deep desire to own it.

I’m still dumbstruck he owns a whole ass python but after I found out what kind of “pet” Octavius has I nearly fainted and was glad my husband has a snake. Too bad for Isla though since she has to live with that creature every single day.

A sigh escapes me, and the loud honking of a car in the distance snaps me out of my thoughts, bringing me back to the conversation at hand.

Remi has offered to visit my father, but I’ve always pushed it back, because I wanted to be 100 percent sure he is my choice. I’ve never introduced anyone to my dad, and it’s a big deal to me.

Not to mention I don’t want to lie to him.

But it seems I can’t push away the inevitable any longer.

We’ll come to France by the end of the week. Don’t even think about traveling.

Thank you. I love you, honey.

I love you too, Dad.

“Would you like to order some food?” a server, Bethany, asks and shoots a glance at the empty chair in front of me.

“No, thank you. I’m waiting for someone.”

She nods, although I don’t miss the pity on her face before she dances off to someone else.

I sigh in resignation, glancing at my watch.

It’s noon, which means Amalia is thirty minutes late—or rather has ignored my invitation once again for our brunch.

After Santiago’s words at the party, I decided to be the bigger person and reach out to my twin despite the hurt.

She postponed her wedding for some unknown reason, so it left me some room for contact, but she never has shown up after any of the five times I sent her messages, asking her to meet me at this place.

The aching pain in my chest appears again, and I shake my head, hating how disappointment always hits me in a new way every single time I come here.

I can’t be angry at my twin; her pain is her own, but at the same time, I hate how she doesn’t even give us a single chance to heal. We found each other against all odds, so shouldn’t we be united? I even know about her brotherhood and what she does, so it’s not like she has to hide her true nature from me.

I’m still determined, though.

Taking out the cash from my purse, I put it on the table and get up. I walk to the exit, tightening the coat around me to warm myself from the coldness always present at my twin’s rejection.

I’m about to call the driver to pull up the car, when someone approaches me from behind. I freeze when something hard digs into my back. “Not a word,” a male voice hisses in my ear while I hectically look around at all the people passing us by. My phone drops on the ground and crashes. “Walk to the car and stay silent, or I’m gonna shoot you dead.”

Panic slowly swirls inside my stomach, and I gasp when he pushes me in the direction of a long limo. I’m afraid to make a sound, because I don’t want anyone to get hurt.

He opens the door, and I get inside, my eyes widening when I see an old man sitting in front of me, wearing an expensive suit with a diamond watch.

He sips his whiskey as he sweeps his gaze over my form, a calculative stare flashing in his brown eyes.

Familiar brown eyes. Although they’ve never looked at me with such hatred as these.

A gasp slips past my lips, realization washing over me at who kidnapped me just now.

And because of this, a strong fear builds inside me. I’m afraid to breathe and clasp my hands together while the other man settles next to me, placing the gun right to my ear.

A grimace stretches the old man’s mouth. The wrinkles on his face deepen when he says, “My grandson chose you.” He clacks his tongue. “What bad taste he has. But then, what else could I have expected from a bastard?” He spits out the last part. “The bane of my existence.”

He takes a large sip while I’m still trying to process it all before lunging into panic mode and thinking about how to get myself out of this situation.

“Little fucker who thinks he can destroy my empire.” He grins, and this alone lets me know he has no soul to speak of, a demon who came from underground to poison anyone who even thinks to go against him. “He should have guarded his one weak spot.” His laughter fills the car, sending me in a deeper spiral of fear and anger, because my fists are itching to punch the fucker in the face for all he has done to my husband. “Instead, he gave me a weapon.”