[LIAM'S HOUSE – KITCHEN]
The morning was calm, sunlight spilling across the counter. Lyra swung her legs lightly, watching Sera stir the pan. "…You cook every day?"
Sera didn't look up. "…When I'm not busy saving people from your 'Sire'."
Lyra blinked. "…You don't like him?" Sera scoffed. "…I work for him. And that's all it is. Work. Nothing more."
Lyra cupped her face dramatically, lips in a pout. "…But you always fight with him." The spoon stilled. "…What?"
"…Yesterday. And before that." Lyra counted on her fingers, smiling. "…And the way you talk to him… it's different."
"…Different how?" Sera's voice sharpened, but her chest felt tight. Lyra leaned forward, eyes curious. "…Did you like Liam, Sera?"
The question hit like a blade. Sera almost dropped the spoon. "…WHAT?! Are you, serious right now?!" Her pulse raced. 'Why would she even think that?'
"…No! Absolutely not!" She spun, pointing at Lyra. "…Not even a little bit!"
Lyra tilted her head. "…But people who argue like that usually care about each other."
Sera froze, then muttered under her breath. "…She's dangerous…"
"…Listen carefully." She leaned closer, forcing calm. "…I do NOT like your 'Sire'."
Lyra blinked, then smiled innocently. "…Then why do you look at him like you want to punch him… but also listen to him?"
The words lodged deep. Sera's hand clenched at her waist. "…GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN."
Lyra laughed, hopping off the stool. "…You're funny, Sera." Her laughter echoed down the hall as she walked away.
Sera stood alone, heart pounding. "…I'm surrounded by crazy people… and I think I'm the only sane one."
But from the hallway, unseen eyes lingered. Liam's lips curved into a smirk. 'So that's what you think of me…'
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He hadn't meant to stop. He hadn't meant to listen. But he did. Every word. "…Did you like Liam, Sera?" Silence. His steps halted.
From the hallway, just outside the kitchen, Liam stood still. Expression unreadable, though his eyes darkened… then more.
"…People who argue like that usually care about each other, right?" A pause. Something twisted inside him. Unfamiliar. Unwanted.
"…Ridiculous." A whisper, low and cold. Yet he didn't leave. He stayed, listening until the end.
"…GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN." Lyra's soft laughter followed… light, carefree. Then he stepped in. Silence fell instantly.
Sera turned. "…Sire." Lyra looked up, smiling. "…Liam."
He didn't smile back. His steps were slow, deliberate. "…What were you talking about?" His voice calm. Too calm.
Sera froze. "…Nothing important. Just casual talk." Liam's gaze shifted to Lyra. "…Is that so?"
Lyra nodded. "…Yeah. I asked Sera if she likes you." Silence. TOTAL silence.
"…I'm done." Sera muttered to herself. "…I'm actually done." Liam stared at Lyra. Long. Too long. "…And why would you ask that?"
"…Because you two always argue." A small shrug. "…And I thought maybe you care about each other."
Sera slowly backed away. "…I'm leaving. This is not my problem anymore." And she left.
Now, just the two of them. Liam stepped closer. "…Don't say things like that again." Low. Sharp.
Lyra blinked. "…Why?" Innocent. Dangerous. "…Because…" His jaw tightened. "…It's not true. And I don't like it."
Lyra looked at him, still confused. "…Okay…" Yet inside, a question lingered. Why did it matter so much to him?
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The room was quiet. Too quiet. Lyra lay on the bed, eyes closed. But her mind wasn't at rest.
Darkness. Cold. Then, light flickers. A corridor. Long. Endless. Footsteps. Running.
"…Wait!" A voice. Familiar. A small hand reaching out. "…Brother…" A child's voice, trembling. "...Don't leave me…"
The figure ahead turned slightly. But the face was blurred. Gunshot. LOUD. The scene shattered.
Now, a rooftop. Wind howling. A man stood before her. Tall. Still. "…You hesitate when you lie." His voice deep. Familiar.
Lyra's breath hitched. "…Who are you…?" She stepped closer. But he stepped back. "…You already know."
Another flash… bright lights. Pain. Voices overlapping.
"…Subject unstable…"
"…Increase dosage…"
"…Memory suppression…"
Lyra screamed. "…STOP!" Her eyes snapped open. "…Ah!" Breathing heavy. Sweat on her skin. Her hand gripped the bedsheet. "…What… was that…?"
Tears welled. "…Why does it feel…" A pause. "…like I lost something important…?"
Her hand pressed to her chest. Tight. "…Someone…" A whisper. "…Brother…" A faint echo. "…Rania…"
Lyra froze. "…Rania…?" Her lips trembled. "…Is that… me…?"
The name lingered. Heavy. Real. And for the first time, the name Lyra Mossberg felt like a lie. Because deep inside, Rania was trying to wake up.
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The door opened… not gently.
Lyra stood framed in the doorway, her breath uneven, her eyes no longer soft. They searched the room, sharp and restless, carrying a weight Liam had never seen before.
He looked up from his desk, startled by the shift in her presence. "…Lyra?" His voice was careful, measured. "…Is something wrong?"
Her lips parted, and the word fell out like a blade. "…Rania." The name cracked through the air like a gunshot.
Liam froze. Just for a second, but that second betrayed him. Lyra's gaze caught it, and her voice trembled as she pressed forward.
"…Who is Rania? Why did I hear that name?" She stepped closer… each movement heavy with urgency. "…Why does it feel like… it belongs to me?"
Liam rose slowly, his expression calm… too calm, the kind of calm that felt rehearsed. "…It's nothing," he said, though the lie was thin. "…Just a fragment. Your mind is unstable right now."
"…No." She shook her head, defiance breaking through her fear. "…Don't say that. It didn't feel random." Her hand pressed against her chest, as if steadying the storm inside. "…It felt real. Like someone called me that."
"…Lyra." His voice dropped, low and warning. "…You're overthinking."
Her composure cracked. "…Then why are you avoiding it?!" Her voice rose, raw emotion spilling out. "…If it means nothing, then explain it!"
Silence fell, thick and suffocating. For the first time, Liam didn't answer immediately. He couldn't. Because there was no safe answer. "…Some things," he finally said, his tone heavy, "…are better left forgotten. Trust me."
Lyra's stare cut into him, long and unyielding. "…Why should I?" The question struck deeper than any accusation, slicing through the fragile trust between them.
Outside the door, unseen, Sera stood frozen. She had heard everything… every word, every fracture. Her chest tightened as she whispered to herself, "…She's waking up…"
Inside, Lyra's voice softened, but the tremor remained. "…You saved me. You gave me a name. But what if… it's not mine?"
Liam's silence was louder than any denial. He couldn't answer. For the first time, control was slipping from his grasp.
Lyra stepped back, her eyes no longer trusting, her resolve hardening. "…I need to know the truth." She turned and walked out, leaving the air colder in her absence.
Sera moved quickly away from the door before Lyra could see her. Her expression was grave, her thoughts dark. "…This is bad… If she finds out everything… Sire won't be able to stop her anymore."
Alone in the study, Liam stood still, his calm façade shattered. His mind churned, restless. Because the name, "Rania" had returned. And this time, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't erase it.
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The silence after Lyra left didn't last long. Her words… "I need to know the truth" echoed in Liam's mind, repeating, relentless. His jaw tightened.
"…No," he whispered to himself, voice low and cold. "…You don't." His eyes darkened, a shadow of resolve settling over him.
In her room, Lyra sat on the bed, hands trembling. "…Rania…" she whispered again, clinging to the name as if it were a lifeline. The syllables felt heavy, dangerous, yet familiar. "…Why does it feel like familiar…?" Tears welled, confusion and fear twisting inside her chest.
The door clicked open. Liam stepped in, calm… too calm. "…Lyra." His voice was steady, almost soothing. She looked up, eyes red. "…Liam…" Her voice broke.
"…I'm scared… I don't understand what's happening to me… It feels like I'm losing myself… Or maybe… I already lost myself…" A tear slid down her cheek, fragile and raw.
He walked closer, slow and deliberate every step measured. "…Look at me," he said softly. She obeyed without hesitation, her gaze locking onto his. "…You're Lyra. Lyra Mossberg."
His words pressed against her panic, steadying her breath. "…Lyra…" she repeated, uncertain, searching for solidity in the sound. "Yes." He crouched in front of her, eyes fixed on hers, unwavering.
"…There is no 'Rania.' That name is not yours. Rania is someone you should ignore. She tried to harm you before. I don't bring up her name because it might hurt your heart again. I hate Rania anyway. She stole something from me."
Lyra's brows furrowed, confusion deepening. "…But… it felt real… like someone called me before…" Her voice shook, fragile but insistent.
"…No." His tone hardened, firmer now. "…It's just your mind reacting. You were in danger before. Your memory broke. That's all. You're safe now. With me. You don't need to remember anything else."
Her tears spilled freely, rolling down her cheeks. "…I…" Her hands clenched his sleeve, desperate. "…I'm sorry…" Her voice shattered into sobs. "I'm sorry, Liam… I'm scared you'll leave me too… like the others…"
That line hit him harder than expected. 'Others?' The word echoed in his mind, sharp and unsettling. He whispered it under his breath, but didn't press further. Control mattered more than answers right now.
He placed his hand gently on her head, steady, reassuring. "…I won't leave you. As long as you stay like this."
Her breathing slowed, tension easing under his touch. The name Rania… slipped further away, fading into the shadows of her mind. "…Lyra…" she whispered again, clinging to it. "…I'm Lyra…"
The memory faded. Again. But this time, it didn't vanish completely. Deep inside, something remained… silent, waiting. A fragment that refused to die. A truth that would return. Stronger.
Lyra's brows furrowed, her voice trembling as she pressed further. "…You said Rania stole something from you. What did she take?"
Liam's calm cracked. He didn't answer immediately. The silence stretched, heavy, until Lyra's chest tightened with dread. "…Tell me," she whispered, almost pleading. "…Please…"
He exhaled slowly, gaze lowering, as if dragging the words out of a place he didn't want to revisit. His hand reached for hers, holding it gently at first… but as the memories he conjured grew darker, his grip tightened unconsciously.
"…She stole my father's attention," he said at last, voice low and deliberate. "…Since we were children… he only saw her. Not me."
Lyra winced, her fingers shifting under his grip. "…Liam… you're hurting me…" she whispered, pain flickering across her face.
Realization struck him. His grip loosened instantly, and he pulled his hand back, guilt flashing in his eyes. "…I'm sorry, Lyra," he murmured, softer now. "…I brought my emotions into this. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Her heart ached at the confession, not only from the pressure of his hand but from the weight of his words. "…Attention…?" she repeated softly, her voice breaking. "…She hurt you that deeply?"
Liam's eyes lifted, shadowed. "…She made me invisible. She took everything I should have had… his trust, his love. And when I couldn't bear it anymore… I ran away." His words were slow, each one cutting into her like glass. "…She never even noticed. She never even knew I was gone."
Lyra's tears spilled faster, sorrow twisting inside her chest. "…Then… she doesn't even know you?"
"…No." His voice was firm, almost bitter. "…She never knew me. And that's why I hate her. Because she stole what was mine… without even realizing it."
Her heart throbbed painfully at his words. The ache was unbearable, because even as he spoke, she could feel the shadow of Rania lingering, a ghost between them.
"…Then why…" she whispered, voice shaking, "…does it still feel like me?" Liam's silence was his only answer. And in that silence, Lyra's heart broke a little more.
Finally, Liam's voice softened, almost coaxing. "…Don't think too much, okay? Maybe Rania once told you this. That's all."
Lyra blinked, her tears slowing. The reassurance, even if fragile, wrapped around her like warmth. "…Okay," she whispered, her voice trembling but lighter now. "…Thank you, Liam, for telling me. I feel… relieved."
Her relief overflowed, sudden and overwhelming. Before he could react, she leaned forward and hugged him tightly, arms wrapping around his shoulders.
Liam froze. His body stiffened, caught between the comfort of her embrace and the storm inside him. 'Why… why does this feel so wrong?' His mind churned. 'She trusts me. She believes me. And yet… I'm lying to her.'
Her heartbeat pressed against him, steady, fragile, real. His hands hovered uncertainly, not returning the hug, not pushing her away. Mixed feelings tangled in his chest… guilt, longing, fear.
Lyra's voice was muffled against him. "…I'm happy now."
The words pierced him deeper than any accusation. He stood frozen, her warmth seeping into him, while his own heart twisted under the weight of the lie, he had just told.
TBC