Page 44 of Betrayed By Sin

I drift toward my favorite spot, the chaise lounge Sin placed beside the bookshelf he filled just for me, copies of every edition I found at Alice in Brewland.

One space is empty.

I already know what’s missing.

I turn toward his desk and smile when I see it: the worn copy ofRomeo and Juliet.

It’s open.

A quote is highlighted in yellow:

“I defy you, stars.”

My throat tightens. It’s for me. For us. A quiet promise that no matter how fate tries to separate us, we’ll always find our way back.

My gaze moves away from the book to something else.

A single blueprint, unrolled halfway across his desk, like someone had been studying it.

The paper is thick, construction-grade, architectural.

And the structure… my breath stutters.

It’s the Rusco estate.

My family’s home.

Every hallway, every room, every emergency exit, mapped in meticulous detail.

Red ink.

Handwritten notations slanted and familiar.

Sin’s handwriting.

He’s marked certain doors. Arrows snake through the west wing.

Paths. Weak points.

All laid bare.

But no context. No title. No heading. No explanation.

Just the blueprint.

Just his handwriting.

A cold ripple moves down my spine.

Why would he have this?

I don’t touch it. I can’t.

But I take a picture.

Then I step back slowly, the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.

In the living room, Sin is still asleep. Blanket drawn up to his shoulders, face soft with peace.