One Night in Valeria - Chapter 8: Chapter 8
You are reading One Night in Valeria, Chapter 8: Chapter 8. Read more chapters of One Night in Valeria.
The wax cracked with a soft pop as Jessica Hale peeled open the letter.
She didn’t know what she expected.
An apology?
A confession?
Maybe some romantic fantasy of a man who couldn’t fight for her mother, but at least cared.
What she got…
Was worse.
“If you are reading this, I have broken a promise to myself to stay away from you.
I have watched you grow from a distance. And I know that isn’t enough.
But in my world, enough is never allowed. It’s either everything or nothing.
And for your mother’s sake… I chose nothing.”
D.V.
Jessica's hands trembled.
He had watched her.
All this time.
Like a ghost with a crown.
A king who ruled by silence.
Elsewhere – Velar Estate
Liam stared at the fire roaring in the stone hearth of his childhood home. His younger sister, Celeste, curled on the couch beside him, legs tucked beneath her like they always used to sit as kids.
“You’ve changed,” she said softly.
“Don’t start.”
“No, really. You used to be ice. Now you just look… burned.” He didn’t answer right away.
Then, after a long silence “She’s Klara Hale’s daughter.”
Celeste’s brows lifted. “Her?”
Liam nodded.
“And?”
“And I can’t keep this up,” he said, voice rough. “Every time I see her, I remember how much we destroyed. And I still want her anyway.”
His sister looked at him with something between sympathy and quiet warning.
“Then don’t wait too long. Secrets rot hearts, Liam. Even hearts like yours.”
Velar Global – The Next Day
The air in the design studio was off.
Too quiet.
Too tense.
Jessica arrived to find her design sketches torn from their frame and left crumpled in the trash. Her mannequin was snapped at the neck.
Someone had been here.
And left a message without words.
She knelt slowly, picking up one of the crushed sketches. Her name was scribbled across it in red marker:
Velar’s pet.
That Evening – Liam’s Office
Liam’s assistant entered with a file in hand. “Sir, you need to see this.”Inside there is a surveillance photos of the design wing. A man in a grey coat, face barely visible. Smith Delacourt.
He entered Jessica's workspace alone at 2:13 a.m. Used an override keycard.
Liam didn’t hesitate. “Blacklist him from the building. Effective immediately.”
“But no press, no warning, no apology.” His voice was thunder.
Rooftop – Later That Night....
Liam found her there.
Again.
Alone, in the cold, her arms wrapped around herself like armor.
She didn’t turn when he stepped beside her.
“Why?” she asked quietly. “Why me?”
“What do you mean?" Why did you pull me out of nothing? Why did you help me when you didn’t owe me anything? Jessica asked.
“Because I did owe you something.”
Her eyes turned to his, burning. “You said you saw me.”
“I did.”
“But not that night, right? That night wasn’t real.”
Silence. “Was it?”
He looked at her for a long, haunted moment.
His voice was soft when it finally came.
“It was the only real thing I’ve felt in years.”
She didn’t know what she expected.
An apology?
A confession?
Maybe some romantic fantasy of a man who couldn’t fight for her mother, but at least cared.
What she got…
Was worse.
“If you are reading this, I have broken a promise to myself to stay away from you.
I have watched you grow from a distance. And I know that isn’t enough.
But in my world, enough is never allowed. It’s either everything or nothing.
And for your mother’s sake… I chose nothing.”
D.V.
Jessica's hands trembled.
He had watched her.
All this time.
Like a ghost with a crown.
A king who ruled by silence.
Elsewhere – Velar Estate
Liam stared at the fire roaring in the stone hearth of his childhood home. His younger sister, Celeste, curled on the couch beside him, legs tucked beneath her like they always used to sit as kids.
“You’ve changed,” she said softly.
“Don’t start.”
“No, really. You used to be ice. Now you just look… burned.” He didn’t answer right away.
Then, after a long silence “She’s Klara Hale’s daughter.”
Celeste’s brows lifted. “Her?”
Liam nodded.
“And?”
“And I can’t keep this up,” he said, voice rough. “Every time I see her, I remember how much we destroyed. And I still want her anyway.”
His sister looked at him with something between sympathy and quiet warning.
“Then don’t wait too long. Secrets rot hearts, Liam. Even hearts like yours.”
Velar Global – The Next Day
The air in the design studio was off.
Too quiet.
Too tense.
Jessica arrived to find her design sketches torn from their frame and left crumpled in the trash. Her mannequin was snapped at the neck.
Someone had been here.
And left a message without words.
She knelt slowly, picking up one of the crushed sketches. Her name was scribbled across it in red marker:
Velar’s pet.
That Evening – Liam’s Office
Liam’s assistant entered with a file in hand. “Sir, you need to see this.”Inside there is a surveillance photos of the design wing. A man in a grey coat, face barely visible. Smith Delacourt.
He entered Jessica's workspace alone at 2:13 a.m. Used an override keycard.
Liam didn’t hesitate. “Blacklist him from the building. Effective immediately.”
“But no press, no warning, no apology.” His voice was thunder.
Rooftop – Later That Night....
Liam found her there.
Again.
Alone, in the cold, her arms wrapped around herself like armor.
She didn’t turn when he stepped beside her.
“Why?” she asked quietly. “Why me?”
“What do you mean?" Why did you pull me out of nothing? Why did you help me when you didn’t owe me anything? Jessica asked.
“Because I did owe you something.”
Her eyes turned to his, burning. “You said you saw me.”
“I did.”
“But not that night, right? That night wasn’t real.”
Silence. “Was it?”
He looked at her for a long, haunted moment.
His voice was soft when it finally came.
“It was the only real thing I’ve felt in years.”
End of One Night in Valeria Chapter 8. Continue reading Chapter 9 or return to One Night in Valeria book page.