The silence on the other side of the phone had tensed every muscle in Dawn's body. Her limbs shook, not because she was afraid, but because she was furious on how Azura played at her. She clenched her jaw to drink the silence that ensued in order to engulf the rage that was slowly building inside her. The kind of silence between them was like a volcano that was about to erupt on either side. She could feel the vibrations in her chest. The elevator's door came to the parking floor and stopped. The three of them walked out.

"What did you say?" Azura's voice cracked.

​​

Dawn cleared her throat and replied in a calm voice, "I couldn't do what you asked me to. It was impossible."

Everything that Azura had ever dreamt of came like sea waves crashing down upon the shores. He gulped. He had planned on marrying Dawn, he had planned on their kids and he even thought of getting out of this place so that he could live with her peacefully. He had loved her the moment he saw her photograph on his phone for the first time – the photo that was sent to him by Jason. If she didn't get the information, then Jason would come after her or him. He had to take her away somewhere and hide her. His panic rose in his throat along with the anger that was forming in his mind. He said in a hoarse voice, "Doesn't matter Dawn. Come out of the building now. We will go to my place. You don't have to do anything. From tomorrow you don't need to go to The Silver House. It was just a failed project. I will give something else to work upon." He was scared that the pure bloods would kill her.

'No Azura', she thought. He hid things from her. There was certainly something that he was covering. He told her lies. She would never go to him. What could she say to avoid him? She didn't want him to become aware of what she witnessed. She replied in a flat tone, "No Azura, thanks for all your help. However, now I won't be taking your assistance anymore. The fact that there are purebloods out there to kill me, I have to protect Cole and myself. I am going to disappear from the grid for a few days. Don't come after me."

"No!" Azura shouted. "You can't do that Dawn. What about me?" He felt as if the last air wisped out of his lungs. How did this become so unmanageable suddenly? He had worked upon every little detail carefully. "No Dawn, you can't leave me hanging like this. Come back. I am waiting for you in the car in front of the building. We are going to forget about this episode forever. I won't even mention it to you. Just— just come back," he pleaded. She was the only girl he had fallen in love and he didn't know why. She couldn't betray him. He cursed himself for pushing her into this project. "If you want, you don't have to do any project now. I will protect you." He couldn't understand what happened in such a small time that she wanted to run away from him.

"I am sorry Azura," Dawn replied in a cold voice. There was no looking back for now. A bad chapter had begun in her life and she had to put an end to it. She wondered if there were more loose ends. "One thing at a time," she murmured, disconnected the call and tossed the phone in her purse.

Sensing her sadness, Daryn circled his hand around her shoulder and guided her to his car. When they reached the parking space, Dawn stopped in her tracks. Her mouth fell when she saw where he had walked her. Her eyes bulged and she pointed at his car. "Is that your car?" Hers used to stand right next to his.

Daryn poked his tongue in his cheek. "Yes!" he replied and opened the passenger seat for her after Cole hopped in the back seat of his Mercedes SUV. It was the same car in which he had given her the lift that night on the highway.

Dawn looked at him with utter surprise. This car had been standing there everyday next to hers and she didn't know it was his. She scratched her chin as she sat in the passenger seat. He strapped her seatbelt and closed the door. In a second he was on the wheel. He started the ignition and whizzed the car out of the parking. He was taking his girl to his place and that too in the same car he had lost her with. His skin tingled with excitement. Ecstatic at his achievement, he didn't notice the car that was standing in front of his building, waiting for Dawn.

"The house is nearby," he said, dying to hold her hand that was resting on the center of the car. What would it be to fuck her there on the passenger seat? He looked at her with fondness.

As for her, his scent filled the car. It was so overwhelming that she curled her toes.

"Please look in the front and drive the car," came Cole's angry voice from the back.

Daryn immediately came out of the trance. "I— I will," he said without thinking.

Dawn frowned. "Cole, stop it!"

Cole sat down with his arms crossed across his chest with indignation. He looked around the car. Suddenly a memory flashed across his mind – of a badly wounded man and a girl in the car. He shuddered. What was that? He pushed the thought out of his mind and looked outside. It was getting dark.

They reached the building called The Silver Arcade in five minutes. It had very high security. There were a dozen men on the outside who were dressed in black with modern gadgets. The gates were made from black and gold painted solid steel. As soon as the guards saw the car, the automatic gates rolled in. Daryn pulled the car into a space next to black Maybech and a line of several high-end cars.

It was an impressive place. "This is quite a fancy building," Dawn said. This man was loaded to own such a place, let alone have an apartment or a penthouse.

"Thanks," he smiled.

Being born in a very rich and influential house, she knew who could afford those cars. "I believe all those who own an apartment here are filthy rich," she remarked pointing at the cars.

"Those are mine."

Dawn raised her eyebrows. "All of them?"

"Not all," he replied. "Only until the end of this line.

Cole tilted his head to check the end of the line. He gulped not knowing where the line ended since it formed a semi-circle. He threw his satchel on his shoulders and pursed his lips, ready to go. "I am ready to leave."

"I hope I don't get caught," Dawn said as she rubbed her arm hoping to be as discreet as possible.

"No, you won't," said Daryn and put his hand on the small of her back much to Cole's displeasure. He frowned all the way to the elevator.