"Who...Who the hell is that?" Alison yelled as she heard a knock at the door. She sprawled on the floor, empty beer bottles scattered around her, clinking against one another.

When the door opened, Alison frowned. She raised her glass to her eyes and squinted, trying to scrutinize the figure entering the room. She couldn't make out much because the person was dressed entirely in black, complete with a mask and hood.

Alison cocked her head and set her glass down.

"Who the hell are you?" she drawled, slumping back drunkenly.

The figure at the door stared at her momentarily before stepping closer.

"What..." Alison started.

"Shhhh," the person silenced her, placing a finger over their lips. As Alison frowned, the intruder covered her nose with an infected white handkerchief. Alison fell unconscious almost instantly.

The stranger picked Alison up from the floor and carried her away.

**********************************************************************

The car roared down a deserted road, the hum of its tyres filling the otherwise oppressive silence. Alison stirred, her head throbbing as her eyes fluttered open. A faint metallic taste lingered on her tongue, and the scent of leather and faint sweat stung her nostrils. Sitting up, disoriented, she realized she was in a speeding car.

"Wait!" she muttered to herself. Just minutes ago, she had been in her room. How was this possible?

Her eyes widened as she glanced at the front seat. The driver wore the same all-black outfit, mask, and hood.

Terrified, Alison huddled herself into the corner of the seat, searching for an escape.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" Alison demanded, her voice brittle.

The figure glanced at her through the rearview mirror but said nothing. The car’s engine seemed to grow louder as silence stretched between them.

Alison grabbed at the car doors, only to find them locked.

"Let me out! Let me out now!" she screamed, slamming her fists against the window.

"No one can hear you," came the muffled voice of the driver. Alison froze, then turned her gaze to the front seat.

"What do you want? Money? How much?" she asked grimly, trying to steady her voice.

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The car screeched to a halt, sending a cloud of dust swirling into the moonlit air. Alison lurched forward, slamming against the back of the driver’s seat. Pain shot through her ribs. She straightened, her wide eyes scanning the scene outside. They were in the middle of a meadow, the tall grass swaying in the wind. A lone minivan was parked a few feet ahead, its dark silhouette casting eerie shadows under the pale moonlight.

"What are you going to do to me? Let me out!" Alison screamed, tugging at the door handle. It didn’t budge. The click of the driver’s door opening made her heart race.

The figure stepped out, walking with deliberate strides. Gravel crunched under their boots as they approached her side of the car. Alison shrank into the corner of the seat, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

When the door was flung open, Alison shielded her face, ready for the worst. But the figure pulled back their hood, and the mask slid off.

"What?" Alison exclaimed.

It was Alena.

"What the hell are you doing?" Alison shouted as she stumbled out of the car. "What is the meaning of this? What are you trying to do to me?"

Alena stared at Alison, struggling to find the words. She had never had a real conversation with her younger sister. Most of the time, they only exchanged distant glances before going their separate ways.

Alena hesitated but then she reminded her she had made up her mind. She wanted to make things right. She was determined to follow Kate's advice.

Rose had gone too far, ruining their family. Alicia was in a coma, and Alison was about to be arrested. Alena couldn’t let Rose accomplish her goal. She finally realized Rose aimed to take over the White family’s properties, and Alena had determined to stop her.

"You need to leave now," Alena said grimly.

Alison frowned. "Leave? Where? Why?" She scoffed. "Is this your way of getting rid of me so you can become the Berliny president? If it is, let me tell you—it's pathetic."

Alena stared at her sister, the weight of Alison’s words pressing down on her. Her throat tightened as she took in Alison's face, flushed with anger and betrayal. Trust was a fragile thing, and at this moment, Alena knew—if their roles were reversed, could she trust herself either?

For a moment, the present blurred with the past.

Alena's thoughts drifted back to a childhood memory, vivid and unyielding. She had climbed onto her mother’s lap, her tiny hands curiously resting on Betty’s swollen belly.

"Is this going to be my sister?" Alena had asked, her wide, dark eyes sparkling with wonder.

Betty’s warm smile had deepened her dimples, and she gently ruffled Alena’s hair. "Of course, Alena. This is going to be your little sister," she’d said, covering Alena’s hands with her own. "What would you like to call her?"

Alena could still feel the weight of that moment—her head gently pressed against her mother’s belly, her small voice whispering, "Alison."

Back then, the name had rolled off her tongue so effortlessly, a word full of promise and joy. But now, it felt heavy, laden with years of bitterness and hurt. The memory of her childlike smile, so pure and hopeful, twisted painfully in her chest.

Betty’s soft, musical laugh echoed faintly in Alena’s mind, a ghost of comfort she hadn’t felt in years. Tears blurred her vision as she gazed at Alison. The chasm between them felt insurmountable. After all those years of longing for a sister, they had become strangers, their bond reduced to a fragile thread.

Suddenly, as though the little girl who had once longed for her sister still lived within her, and compelled by an instinct beyond reason, she stepped forward and wrapped Alison in a tight embrace.

The scent of damp earth and grass filled the air around them. Alison’s eyes widened in shock. Her mouth hung open, and her arms stayed limp at her sides.

What?!!!

Alison blinked, her mind struggling to catch up with the moment. Alena’s grip tightened around her, and for a fleeting second, Alison allowed herself to sink into the embrace. The warmth felt disarmingly genuine, stirring something deep within her. Tears blurred her vision, and she felt as though she had finally found the flicker of a comforting fire warming her shivering heart—a sense of belonging, a shoulder to lean on, a friend to confide in.

But Alena...

The thought struck her like a jolt of ice water. Alison snapped herself out of the moment, shoving Alena away. She stumbled back, her breathing uneven, hastily wiping at her eyes to suppress the tears. Turning back to Alena, her expression twisted into a mask of disgust.

“What is this supposed to be, Alena? Another one of your tricks?” she demanded, her voice sharp and accusing.