Chapter 22
Maricella Penthouse. Emily's Bedroom. 7:04 AM.
Selene sat on the bed. Legs crossed. Hair a feral mess. Face glowing with anxiety and mission-level urgency.
Phone in hand.
Typing.
No response.
Tiny Demons GC (Selene):
HELLO??
HELLOOOOOO???
DO YOU GUYS EVEN CARE THAT OUR MOTHER, OUR GODDESS, OUR MOMMY, IS TURNING 17 IN 48 HOURS???
ARIA?
BELLA??
JASMINE??
KIRA??
I SWEAR TO GOD IF Y'ALL ARE STILL SLEEPING I'M GONNA FLIP MY DESK
no replies
Makes sense. It was barely 7AM.
Next?
Text to Valentina.
Selene → Valentina:
YOUR FUTURE WIFE IS TURNING 17
WAKE UP YOU EMOTIONAL MAFIA WAFFLE
I NEED COORDINATION
WE NEED BALLOONS
I NEED A CAKE THAT LOOKS LIKE HER ABS
I SWEAR IF YOU'RE SLEEPING I'M GONNA DELETE YOUR PHONE PLAN
Still no reply.
Selene screamed into a pillow.
I walked out of the bathroom, tying my hoodie.
Hair up.
Glasses on.
Scholarship orphan: loaded and ready.
"Selene."
She looked up.
Eyes wild.
Vibrating.
"They're not replying-"
"It's early."
"I DON'T CARE."
She was now hunched over her phone, typing with the speed of a possessed stock trader.
Amazon:
"72 pink heart plushies"
"custom throne bed (rose gold, velvet)"
"12ft LED cuddle lights"
"life-sized body pillow with her face on it"
"EXACT hoodie she wore the day I kissed her"
"balloons that spell out 'EMILY IS MINE' in cursive"
"Selene," I muttered, pulling on my schoolbag. "You're panicking."
"I AM. AND IT'S JUSTIFIED."
I walked over.
Pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"I'm going to school. Try not to drain our bank account while I'm gone."
As I turned to leave-
Phone buzz.
Contractor Line:
"Morning, Ms. Maricella. Our crew's arriving in 20 minutes to begin the Cuddle Room construction, as requested. Heated floors, princess canopy, sensory-light ceiling, soundproof walls. We'll send you pics by noon."
I paused.
Selene tilted her head slowly.
"...Cuddle Room?"
Shit.
Her pupils dilated like a puppy seeing fireworks for the first time.
"You-you're building a cuddle room??"
I nodded, slowly.
"It's for after this is all done."
Selene stood.
One hand on her chest.
One on the headboard.
Wobbling like she was about to faint.
"I'm gonna cry into a glitter pillow."
"Please don't."
She walked toward me.
Tiny steps. Feral energy.
"You-build me a whole room-"
"It's for us."
"-with HEATED FLOORS??"
I adjusted my glasses.
My voice dropped.
Dry. Cold. Clipped.
"The space was available. And you never stay on one side of the bed anyway."
Selene collapsed into the chair like a Disney character after seeing God.
"I'm gonna marry you today. I don't care about laws."
I turned to leave.
"I'm going to school."
"I'm going to cry and order scented blankets."
"Do not spend more than $500."
"I already spent $739."
I sighed.
And walked out the door.
Northvale Academy. Courtyard. 8:39 AM.
Same halls.
Same whispers.
Same bullshit.
"Charity case."
"She's back again?"
"I heard she's sleeping in the band room now."
"Still smells like tax forms and broken dreams."
I walked past them all.
Glasses on.
Hair tied back.
Hoodie zipped to the collar.
My smile?
Still fake.
Still flawless.
I caught her near the lockers.
Valentina Vercetti.
Black eyeliner.
Low-effort bun.
Knee-high boots stomping like she owned the concrete.
Still in character.
Barely.
She leaned against the locker with a yawn.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't my favorite little scholarship nightmare."
"Morning to you too, Satan's daughter."
She smiled.
Not too wide.
Not too real.
Fake enough for the cameras.
I tilted my head.
Gave the smallest nod toward the janitor's closet down the hall.
She caught it.
Tapped her books like a mob boss knocking on a table.
Two minutes later-
Janitor's Closet.
Door closed.
Fluorescent light flickering above.
I stood near the mop bucket.
Valentina leaned on the opposite wall like she hadn't sprinted here like her life depended on it.
She squinted at me.
"Why was my phone buzzing at seven in the goddamn morning?"
I sighed.
"Selene."
Valentina exhaled so hard she actually leaned back.
"She texted me thirty times. I thought someone died. Turns out she forgot your birthday and was having a tiny gay meltdown about not having a gift."
I leaned against the wall.
"She already ordered fifteen plushies and a Squirtle costume."
"Oh good," Valentina said. "That's actually great. Because I'm gifting you a vibrator and an emotional support Squirtle."
I blinked.
"...What?"
She smiled.
"The Squirtle is for cuddles. The vibrator is for me."
"Why... for you?"
She leaned in.
"When I'm laying on your stomach, using your chest as a heater, arms around your waist, and you're typing code into your laptop like a cold-blooded orphan queen?"
Pause.
"I'm gonna need the vibrator."
I stared.
She grinned.
"Emotional damage makes me horny. It's a flaw."
I cleared my throat.
"Did your father get a call this morning?"
She straightened instantly.
"Yeah. Heard him yelling in Italian before I left. He looked... rattled. Like nervous-excited. Like when rich people think they're about to win an Oscar but also know someone else bribed harder."
I nodded.
"That's what I thought."
She stared.
"You really set him up."
"Piece by piece," I said.
She looked down.
Then back up.
"Still giving Squirtle the cuddles though. I'll let the squirtle sleep on your boob. But not the left one. That one's mine."
I rolled my eyes.
"And the vibrator?"
She smiled sweetly.
"I'm naming it after you."
Maricella Penthouse. Emily's Room. 5:46 PM.
I shut the door behind me.
Dropped the school bag.
Unzipped the hoodie.
Everything was quiet.
Almost too quiet.
Selene was in the living room.
Laying face-down on the carpet.
Wearing a Squirtle onesie with a tiara.
Phone in hand. Legs kicking in the air.
Fully giddy.
As I walked past, she sprang up.
"OKAY LISTEN TO ME-SO I ORDERED A CAKE THAT HAS YOUR FACE ON IT BUT ALSO YOUR ABS BUT ALSO A CROWN-AND I GOT THESE BALLOONS THAT SPELL OUT-"
I didn't even look at her.
"Not now."
She blinked.
"But-but I wanted to show you the-"
"Selene," I snapped.
Cold. Sharp.
She froze.
My voice dropped.
"I'm busy."
That was all.
She wilted like a balloon left out in the sun.
I didn't stop.
Didn't explain.
Just walked to my office, locked the door, and opened the encrypted tablet.
Typed fast.
Precise.
Message Sent to: La Famiglia Italiana (Encrypted Line)
Time: 5:58 PM
?Domani. Alla villa Vercetti. Entro le 17:00.
Chiunque desideri unirsi al nuovo ordine, venga armato.
Fase finale: inizio.?
[Tomorrow. At the Vercetti estate. By 5:00 PM.
Anyone who wishes to join the new order, arrive armed.
Final phase: begins.]
It was done.
The last piece.
The final play.
I opened my burner line.
Dialed.
He answered in two rings.
"Ms. Maricella."
His tone? Dripping with victory.
He thought I was calling to bow.
Me (dry, powerful):
"I've returned."
Marco exhaled like he'd been holding his breath for days.
"And?"
"I got what I went for in Europe."
Silence.
My voice dropped lower.
"I'm coming home with the world's power in my hands."
Another pause.
Then-
Marco:
"That's what I like to hear.
We've prepared everything for your welcome.
Tomorrow evening."
I smiled.
Deadly.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Living Room. Outside the Office.
Selene sat on the couch.
Still in the onesie.
Still holding her Squirtle.
Eyes wide.
Face flushed.
Still holding the mini-crown she wanted to surprise me with.
Still waiting for me to say "thank you."
But the door stayed shut.
Maricella Penthouse. 6:32 PM.
I opened the door.
Silence.
Not the normal kind.
Not the "headphones in, chaos brewing" silence.
This was heavy. Hollow.
Wrong.
I walked past the couch.
Her phone wasn't there.
Her blanket was tossed to the side.
The Squirtle plushie she never let go of was missing.
I called once.
"Selene?"
No response.
Twice.
"Selene."
Nothing.
I checked the rooms. The balcony. The cuddle room construction site.
Nothing.
I ran down the stairs.
Out the front door.
And then I saw her.
Outside. On the ground. Back against the wall.
Hoodie sleeves pulled over her hands. Plushie clutched to her chest.
Trembling.
Crying.
Silently.
Not loud. Not dramatic.
Just broken.
I stopped.
My breath hitched.
She didn't look up.
She didn't even flinch.
Then-
barely above a whisper:
"You used me."
I froze.
Selene kept staring forward.
Her voice cracked.
"You used me, Emily."
She clutched the plush tighter. It was damp.
So were her sleeves.
"I gave you everything. Every password. Every firewall.
I stayed up all night tracking threats for you.
I skipped meals to make sure you didn't.
I memorized your hoodie laundry schedule."
Tears slipped down her cheeks, quiet and endless.
"I thought you loved me."
"Selene-" I stepped closer.
She shook her head, voice rising.
"Don't. I was blind. I thought I was important.
But I was just your little hacker. Your tool."
She finally turned toward me.
Eyes red.
Lower lip trembling.
"You never loved me like I loved you."
She stood-barely.
Her knees wobbled.
She looked so small. So tired. So... real.
"I thought I meant something to you."
And she turned.
Tried to walk away.
But I grabbed her wrist.
Tight.
She gasped.
And I collapsed.
Right there.
To my knees.
"I'm sorry-"
My voice cracked.
For the first time in months.
"I'm so fucking sorry-Selene-"
I pulled her into my chest.
Held her like the earth would fall without her.
"You're not a tool-you're my heart-"
"You saved me."
She didn't move at first.
But she didn't pull away.
I kept crying.
"You found me on a park bench.
I hadn't eaten in a day.
I thought that was it.
I thought I'd die alone.
And then you... showed up."
My hands were trembling now, clutching her tiny frame.
"You gave me water.
And Wi-Fi.
And a reason."
I buried my face in her neck.
Kissed her head. Again. And again.
Held her so tight I thought I'd break both of us.
"I fell for you the moment I saw you."
Selene sobbed.
Arms wrapping around me, fists gripping my shirt.
"I didn't mean to hurt you.
I didn't mean to push you away.
I thought if I just finished the plan, I could finally rest and take care of you the way you always took care of me.
But I forgot that you needed me now. Not later."
She cried into my chest.
We both did.
On the floor.
No guards.
No empire.
No missions.
Just us.
"You're the only thing I've ever truly loved," I whispered.
"And if I ruined that, I'll carry it for the rest of my life."
She sniffled.
"I love you too, dumbass."
We stayed there.
Two broken girls.
One shared heartbeat.
No power in the world could touch us in that moment.
Maricella Penthouse. Outside. 6:51 PM.
We were still there.
On the ground.
Selene in my arms.
Her face buried in my chest, tears soaking through the fabric.
My voice was cracked raw.
But there was one thing I hadn't said yet.
One thing still caught in my throat, clawing to get out.
I pulled her back just enough to look at her-tiny, flushed, still trembling.
And I whispered:
"If you had left..."
"If you had really walked away from me..."
My lip shook.
My hands clenched the sleeves of her onesie.
"I would've hanged myself before killing Marco."
Selene's eyes widened.
The tears drained from her face.
Her mouth opened-but no sound came.
I kept going.
"Because the guilt of losing you-because of me-would've killed me faster than any bullet."
Silence.
My breath hitched.
"I would've done it in a heartbeat."
Selene snapped.
"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?!"
She shoved me back-not hard, just enough to scream at full volume without bursting.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU DON'T-YOU DON'T JUST SAY SHIT LIKE THAT!"
Her fists hit my chest, her tears still flowing, full-on meltdown.
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN TO ME?!
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF I WALKED AWAY AND THEN FOUND OUT YOU-YOU-"
She couldn't finish the sentence.
Just sobbed harder.
Louder.
"I WOULD'VE NEVER FORGIVEN MYSELF-NEVER-"
She gripped both sides of my face.
Tiny hands. Shaking.
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PLAN. I DON'T CARE ABOUT MARCO. I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF IT IF YOU'RE GONE."
Her voice cracked, full sobs breaking every syllable.
"I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU.
IF YOU DIE, I DIE TOO.
SO DON'T EVER, EVER-"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"-say something like that again."
I nodded.
Tears still falling.
Quiet. Still.
"I'm sorry."
She tackled me.
Held me tighter than she ever had before.
Kissed my forehead. My cheek. My nose.
Whispered into my neck like her soul needed to convince mine:
"I've got you.
You're not alone.
You're never alone again."
And I broke.
Fully.
Ugly cried into her shoulder.
My hands tangled in her onesie.
Face pressed against her neck.
All I could whisper was:
"I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry."
But she held on.
And this time?
She didn't let go.
Maricella Penthouse. Emily's Bedroom. 7:17 PM.
We were finally inside.
The air still heavy.
The floor still holding the echo of what just happened outside.
Selene had wrapped me in two blankets, a Squirtle plush, and her entire body like she was scared I'd disappear again if she blinked.
I sat on the bed, hoodie still damp from tears.
Eyes red.
Face swollen.
Voice cracked.
But I managed to speak.
"...So what were you saying earlier?
Before I shut you out like an emotionally constipated moron?"
She sniffled once.
Then sat up proudly.
"I got you gifts."
I blinked.
"Like plural?"
"Like a whole truck, Emily."
"What's in it?"
She pulled out her phone with dramatic flair.
"Okay. So. There's the cake. It has your abs on it. But the frosting makes them shinier."
I blinked.
"...of course it does."
"Then there's the plushies. Seventy-two of them. They're all soft. They all have tiny hoodies that say 'Property of Anna Maricella.'"
"That's... actually kind of cute."
"And I got you a tiara. Because you're royalty.
And also a pink bean bag shaped like your face."
"I-what."
"Don't worry. I got a normal gift too. A gold chain with your name on it. But also another one with 'Mommy.' For me."
I was about to respond.
Phone buzzed.
Valentina (Video Call Incoming)
I answered.
She popped up immediately, chaotic as ever.
Big sunglasses. Crop top. Standing in a mall.
"Okay, I'm in the shopping center and I found this absurdly expensive leather collar and I don't know if I should wear it as fashion or if I should gift it to you with matching cuffs. Please advise-"
Then she saw my face.
She paused.
"...Emily?"
My swollen face.
My red eyes.
The very clear aftermath of emotional devastation.
She blinked slowly.
"...What happened to your face?"
I opened my mouth.
"Okay-it's not what it looks like-"
Selene snatched the phone out of my hand mid-sentence.
"SHE SAID IF I WALKED AWAY SHE WOULD'VE HANGED HERSELF BEFORE KILLING MARCO BECAUSE THE GUILT WOULD'VE DESTROYED HER."
Valentina's sunglasses flew off her face.
"SHE SAID WHAT??"
"SHE SAID SHE'D DO IT IN A HEARTBEAT. HER WORDS. EXACT QUOTE."
Valentina's voice instantly turned full chaos.
"EMILIA STONEbrOOK-LANCIA-FUCKING-RAGE-"
"I-wait-"
"YOU WERE GONNA WHAT???"
"HANG YOURSELF IF I LEFT???" Selene added.
"I AM IN A MALL AND I AM READY TO brEAK GLASS."
"I SWEAR I'M GONNA MAIL A VIbrATOR TO YOUR brAIN."
"YOU'RE GONNA GET SO MANY THERAPY COUPONS IN THE MAIL YOU'LL THINK YOU WON A RAFFLE."
"YOU'RE SLEEPING IN A HUG CAGE FOR A WEEK STRAIGHT. LOCKED. NO ESCAPE."
I covered my face.
"I get it-"
"YOU'RE ON A LOVE PROBATION!" Valentina shouted.
"AND NO LAPTOP UNTIL YOU EAT THREE MEALS A DAY FOR FIVE DAYS STRAIGHT." Selene added.
"Can I-breathe-"
"NO!"
Now I was just sitting there, arms folded, two girls screaming in stereo, one from the bed and one from a luxury mall across town.
I sighed.
"I should've just taken the collar."