AT THE EDGES OF HATE

A TICKET TO HELL

DIANA

How did he know so much?

My breath seized. My tongue felt heavy, every word trapped in my throat. My eyes lingered over his shoulder, refusing to return to his face as though looking anywhere else would make his words disappear.

They didn't.

Who the hell was this man?.

Swallowing hard, I forced myself to look at him.

"You're bluffing, Mr. Castillo," I said, though my voice lacked conviction.

A quiet chuckle escaped him. For a brief moment, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched between us, thick enough to make my pulse thunder in my ears.

His fingers dropped from my face, and my feet settled back on the floor as he straightened.

"Eight hours," he said. "Make your choice."

With that, he walked past me and out of the storage room.The door clicked shut behind him. The sound echoed through the storage room, leaving an almost suffocating silence in its wake.

I stood exactly where he left me, unable to move.

My shoulder still throbbed where he grabbed me. I rubbed the spot absentmindedly, but it did nothing to erase the memory of his touch.

Or his voice.

My knees threatened to buckle beneath me as I stared at the closed door, replaying every word he'd said.

I know you're fake, Diana!.

How did he know the one secret I'd spent years making sure no one would ever uncover?

And more importantly...

How did I get entangled with him?

I took a shaky breath as my mind drifted back to where it had all begun.

**Twenty-Four Hours Earlier***

MAXINE!"

I shot upright in bed, gasping for air. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I glanced around, realizing I was in my room.

I squeezed my eyes shut, inhaling deeply as I realized it was another nightmare. My hands shook as I pressed a palm against my chest. No matter how many times I woke up, the nightmare always felt real. It had been one year since Maxine went missing and I still can't escape that day. If only I hadn't let her walk away...

The sharp ringing of my phone pulled me back to reality. Without moving from the bed, I reached for the bedside table and grabbed it. Best Bob flashed across the screen.

"Why is he calling?" I wondered, but answered the call anyway.

"Diana, where the hell are you?" Bobby's voice exploded through the speaker.

I instantly pulled the phone away from my ear.

"I'll take that as a good morning," I muttered.

"Diana, I swear, if you're still in bed—"

"I am."

"Oh, for the love of God! Get your ass down here!" he shouted dramatically.

I frowned as I swung my legs off the bed.

"What happened?"

"There's a fire at the Bellucci Hotel! Every news station is already heading there. If we get there first, we get the exclusive. So stop asking questions and move!" he shouted.

The call ended before I could reply. I stared at the screen

I jumped to my feet and rushed into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, I stepped out. I grabbed the first outfit I could find and threw it on with a pair of black heels.

My bag was already hanging behind the bedroom door. I slung it over my shoulder, grabbed my notebook, voice recorder, and phone, then rushed out of my room.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee and toasted bread drifted from the kitchen. I could hear my mom voice talking to my younger brother.

"Morning," I called, barely slowing down. Before my mom could stop me for breakfast, I hurried out of the apartment.

As I sprinted toward the elevator, my thoughts returned to work.

This wasn't just another assignment. I couldn't afford to miss any exclusive as every story brought me one step closer to my dream.

The Diamond Club. It wasn't just another journalists' association. It was every reporter's dream. Once you got in, doors opened everywhere, but the requirements are so brutal.

Either thirty thousand followers on i********: or one thousand published breaking news stories and celebrity exclusives, and I intended to get there before I turned twenty-eight, no matter what it took.

...................

DARLINGTON PRESS HOUSE

Bobby parked the news van in front of the press house, and we climbed out, each carrying our equipment.

The hotel fire had already been brought under control by the time we arrived, but we still managed to get valuable footage and eyewitness statements.

As we walked toward the entrance, Bobby flashed me a confident grin.

"Not bad," he said. "We got some solid footage."

"I know." I hugged my camera bag closer to my side, unable to hide my excitement. "If this gets published on the front page, I'm treating you to the biggest pizza in Milan."

"Just pizza?" he scoffed dramatically. "Diana Moreno, future Diamond Club reporter, and that's the best you can dream of?"

"You've got this." He bumped my shoulder lightly. "You're one of the hardest-working reporters here. If anyone deserves that Diamond Club badge, it's you."

His words warmed my heart. Bobby always believed in me, even on the days I doubted myself. You could say he wasn't just a coworker, we were so close that we could pass as best friends.

Together, we stepped into the bustling newsroom.

The place was busy as always. Reporters rushed from one department to another with files tucked under their arms.Editors barked instructions across the room.

I called it organized chaos, and somehow I loved every second of it. This was where I belonged.

I adjusted my camera bag and headed straight for the news desk, already rehearsing how I'd present my report on the Bellucci Hotel fire.

"Diana." The deep voice stopped me in my tracks.

I turned to find my managing director, Mr. Romano, walking toward me with his usual stern expression. His hands were folded behind his back, making him look even more intimidating.

"I heard you covered the Bellucci Hotel fire," he said.

"Yes, sir."

"Good," he replied with a gentle nod.

Relief washed over me. Maybe this was finally my chance.

"Hand the report over to Rosa," he said, calling her over.

"Excuse me?." The smile on my face disappeared.

"Rosa will be covering the Bellucci Hotel fire."

I blinked in disbelief."But... sir, that's my story."

"I know."

My fingers tightened around my camera. "Then why am I giving it away?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Rosa smiling. Of course she was happy. Everyone in the newsroom knew we couldn't stand each other. She had a habit of swooping in at the last minute and taking credit for other people's hard work.

I couldn't stand her.

"Because," Mr. Romano said calmly, "I have another assignment for you."

The irritation in my chest eased slightly. Maybe this assignment was even bigger.

He handed me a brown file, and I opened it. The name on the first page made my stomach sink.

ADONIS CASTILLO.

I didn't know it then...But that was the moment I signed away my freedom and stepped into Adonis Castillo's world.

There was no way back.