India sat at the cafe table, her fingers drumming lightly against the smooth, wooden surface as she glanced down at her wristwatch. Ten minutes had passed since she'd arrived, and there was still no sign of Malakai. Tucking an errant strand of her dark hair behind her ear, India scanned the bustling cafe, her gaze settling on the entrance as Malakai's familiar car finally pulled up. Malakai alighted from the vehicle, slowly making his way across the crowded patio. India felt a small smile tug at the corners of her lips as he approached, and when they met, she welcomed him with a warm embrace. "I'm so glad you could make it," Malakai said, his voice soft, as they pulled apart. India's face was alight with a bright smile, her hazel eyes twinkling. "Of course. I wouldn't miss this for the world." She laughed. "Haha, well, thank you for coming in such a short notice," Malakai said again as he gestured to the empty chair across from her, "Please, have a seat my la

India gripped the steering wheel tightly as she navigated the winding road. Her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of what had happened at home, how she just ended things with Malakai and Alexander, and the anticipation of seeing him was building with each passing mile. Maybe this time around, he'd be able to talk or say something. Suddenly, a familiar beeping from her phone disrupted the hum of the engine. India's brow furrowed as she glanced down, her eyes landing on the message notification that had just popped up. It was from the unknown number again. Her heart skipped a beat, as she clicked on the message and she read the ominous words: "You did a great job with Nimah. While I am very not satisfied with what you did, I am willing to reward you. Are you ready to know who killed your grandfather?" India's fingers trembled as she stared at the screen, her breath catching in her throat. She knew she should ignore the message, continue on to the hospital. But the curiosity that h

India's heart sank, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of this new revelation. The thought made her stomach churn with a mixture of betrayal and fury. She glanced out the window, noting that the day was waning, the sky slowly shifting to a deeper shade of blue. Turning back to Alexander, she reached out and grasped his hand, her gaze soft and reassuring. "I'm going to stay with you tonight," she said, her voice firm. "I want to be here, to make sure you're safe. He knows you're alive now, he might wanna try something stupid." Alexander smiled, his eyes brightening with relief. "Thank you, India. I'm glad you're here." The next morning, India rose early. She had slept fitfully, her dreams plagued by visions of her cousin in peril and Malakai's betrayal. As she dressed, she glanced back at Alexander, who was still soundly asleep. "I'll be back soon," she whispered, pausing to press a kiss to his forehead before slipping out of the room.

As Nicholas and Ryan got back to the mansion, Nicholas turned to Ryan, his expression grim. "Ryan, make research on every possible place Malakai could be at the moment and the kinds of appointments he have. You need to be quick with it," he said, his voice laced with urgency. Ryan nodded, already moving towards the study. "I'll get started on it right away," he assured, his footsteps echoing down the hall. An hour later, Ryan returned, a triumphant gleam in his eye. "I think I've found something," he announced, handing Nicholas a sheet of paper. "What is it?" Nicholas asked, his gaze scanning the document. "The last call Malakai made was to a man named Alvonso, he also made a call last night to the same man," Ryan explained. "They agreed to meet at a place called 'Dark Centre.' I don't know where that is, do you?" Nicholas felt a chill run down his spine. "Dark Centre," he murmured, his expression darkening. "Yes. I know it well. Malakai has used it as a