Delete ME,Darling.

Chapter 1 “You’ve been here before,” Raphael said. Elara glanced at the cuffs on her wrists. “Not like this.” “No,” he agreed, eyes brushing over the metal. “Not in chains.” The door swung open. Victor stepped in like a slammed fist. “She’s not talking,” he said flatly. “I am talking,” Elara cut in. “You just don’t like what you hear.” Victor ignored her. Raphael didn’t. His jaw twitched—subtle, like a glitch in perfect code. “Noir Tower’s security system,” he said. “Even I need Level Three access.” “I had a key,” she replied. Raphael’s gaze sharpened. “What key?” “Your iris data.” Victor moved in like he was about to snap, but Raphael raised a hand—stopping him. The motion made his sleeve slide back just enough to show the numbers on his wrist. A sequence. Like a serial code… or a countdown. Elara’s eyes locked on it. “You told me that was your activation date.” He pulled the sleeve down. “It’s an expiration date.” “You saw me die?” he asked, voice low. She nodded. “Yeah.” “How?” “Take these off,” she said, nudging the cuffs. He held her gaze for a beat, then reached into his pocket and unlocked them. Victor swore under his breath. As the cuffs clattered onto the table, Elara said, “You did it yourself.” Raphael stilled. “I killed myself?” “It wasn’t suicide,” she said, rubbing her wrists. “You gave the order. But it wasn’t you who pulled the trigger. Not exactly.” The key paused mid-air. The lights overhead dimmed for a moment—just a flicker. “How many versions of me are out there?” he asked. Elara smiled. “Finally. A real question.”