004 - I am done!!

Lyra stared at her mother, her mind racing in a million different directions. The triplets—Erix, Tyson, and Dyrion—were her stepbrothers? How had she missed this? More importantly, how had her mom kept this from her?

"Mom…" Lyra's voice was barely a whisper as she struggled to process what was happening. "You’re married to HIM?" She pointed at Mr. Salvatore, who looked completely unbothered by the whole situation.

Her mother gave her a sheepish smile, as though this was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. "Yes, honey. I wanted to tell you sooner, but—"

"But what, Mom?" Lyra snapped, her frustration getting the better of her. "You just married my principal—who happens to be the father of them—" she gestured toward the triplets, still standing there with their signature smug expressions, "—and didn’t think it was important to tell me?"

Her mother winced at her tone but didn’t back down. "Lyra, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to overwhelm you. This all happened so fast… and I knew you were dealing with your own issues at school."

"Overwhelm me?" Lyra’s voice rose a notch as her mind reeled with disbelief. "Mom, you completely blindsided me! You’ve been hiding this from me while I’ve been *living* with this nightmare at Azura Academy! Did you ever stop to think that I deserved to know who I’m living with now? That maybe I’d like some sort of warning?"

Her mother’s face softened, guilt flickering in her eyes. "I know I should have told you sooner. I just didn’t know how you’d react… and then things just spiraled so quickly. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I never meant to hurt you."

Lyra swallowed the lump forming in her throat, her anger simmering. She turned away from her mother and faced the triplets again, her eyes locking with Erix’s. His red eyes gleamed with something she couldn’t quite place, and it unsettled her.

"Is this why you made that stupid offer?" she hissed, her gaze darting between them. "Was this some kind of sick joke to you? Pretend like you’re giving me a lifeline when you knew all along I’d end up tied to you?"

Erix smirked, stepping forward. "No joke, Lyra. It’s just… convenient, don’t you think?"

"Convenient?" she echoed incredulously, her stomach twisting. "You three just happened to find me in that hall, saved me, made me sign a contract, and now I’m supposed to play along with this ridiculous arrangement? For 300 days? While living under the same roof?"

Tyson, leaning against the wall, shrugged nonchalantly. "Could be worse, little sis."

Her heart pounded furiously as the weight of the situation pressed down on her. "This isn’t some game," Lyra whispered, her voice trembling. "I won’t just go along with this like it’s nothing."

Her mother reached out, her hand resting gently on Lyra’s shoulder. "Honey, please. I know this is a lot. But I love Mr. Salvatore, and I promise this can work. Just… give it a chance."

Lyra’s breath hitched. A chance? Was that even possible?

Mr. Salvatore stepped forward, his calm demeanor never faltering. "Lyra, I understand this is overwhelming, but now that you know… we can move forward. Your mother’s health has been fragile, and all of this confusion was to keep her from unnecessary stress."

Lyra’s eyes widened, her heart sinking. "Her health? What’s wrong with her?"

He glanced at her mother, who gave a small, reassuring smile, but it didn’t ease the tightening in Lyra’s chest. "Nothing too severe, but she’s had some struggles. We wanted to avoid causing you both any added pressure."

Lyra clenched her fists, emotions battling inside her. How had everything spiraled like this? She glanced between her mother and her new stepfather, feeling suffocated by it all. "I—I need a moment," she stammered, backing away from them.

Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and hurried down the hall, her vision blurring. She found the bathroom and slipped inside, locking the door behind her. Leaning against the sink, she gripped the edges tightly, her breath coming in short, shaky gasps.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and before she could stop them, they spilled down her cheeks. She pressed her hands over her mouth to muffle the sobs, but they kept coming. Everything felt so wrong—so sudden.

"Dad…" she whispered through her tears, glancing up at the ceiling. "I don’t know what to do. I feel lost… I just wish you were here."

Her voice cracked, the ache in her chest deepening. "Please, help me. I don’t know how to handle this—any of it."

Her tears fell harder, and Lyra closed her eyes, letting the overwhelming weight of her emotions pour out. For a moment, she just let herself cry, wishing for the comfort she’d never feel again.

Lyra splashed cold water on her face, trying to calm herself down. Her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears that she barely heard the footsteps approaching. A soft knock on the bathroom door made her freeze.

"Lyra," Erix’s voice came from the other side, gentle but firm.

She wiped her face quickly, not wanting to show them how broken she felt. "Go away," she muttered, her voice trembling. 

But the door creaked open anyway, and there stood the three of them—Erix, Tyson, and Dyrion. They stepped inside, their presence filling the small space, making it harder for her to breathe.

“What do you want?” she snapped, her eyes red from crying. “Come to make sure I don’t run away from your twisted little game?”

Tyson shook his head, his purple eyes softer than she’d ever seen them. "We didn’t come here to upset you, Lyra. We just wanted to check if you’re okay."

"Okay?" she scoffed, her voice rising. "Do I look like I’m okay?"

Erix leaned against the doorframe, his red eyes watching her intently. "You found out everything so suddenly. We didn’t want you to find out like this…"

"Didn’t want me to find out like this?" Lyra cut him off, her anger spilling over. She took a step forward, glaring at them. "Did you already know about this? Did you know he was my stepfather? That we’re going to be some twisted family now?"

The triplets exchanged a look, and that was all the confirmation she needed.

“You did," she whispered, her voice laced with disbelief. "You all knew."

Dyrion, always the calm one, took a step toward her. “Lyra, we weren’t trying to hide it from you. It’s just—”

“It’s just what?" she spat, her emotions overwhelming her. "Another secret? Another lie? Do you people ever stop lying to me?”

Erix straightened, his expression hardening. “It wasn’t our place to tell you about your mother’s marriage. That was something for her to share.”

Lyra’s chest tightened, her breathing becoming ragged. "Of course. Just like it wasn’t anyone’s place to tell me that I’m always being left in the dark. Do you know what it feels like? To constantly be lied to, betrayed, by the people who are supposed to care about you?"

Tyson spoke up, his voice quieter than usual. "We didn’t mean to hurt you. It wasn’t a game to us."

Lyra’s laugh was bitter, hollow. “That’s exactly what it feels like! One giant game. You have no idea what this feels like for me. First, my mom marries my principal without telling me. Then I find out my new *stepbrothers* are the same people who forced me into this ridiculous contract. How am I supposed to feel right now? You’re all liars.”

She turned away, feeling tears prick her eyes again. She was so tired of being kept in the dark, so tired of feeling like she didn’t matter. 

Dyrion stepped forward, his voice soft. “Lyra, we care about you. We wouldn’t have dragged you into any of this if we didn’t. But you have to understand—there’s a lot you don’t know. We’re trying to protect you.”

She whipped around, her voice shaking with anger. “Protect me? Is that what this is? Because it doesn’t feel like protection. It feels like manipulation! Everyone around me thinks they know what’s best for me, and I’m so sick of it. I didn’t ask for your protection. I didn’t ask for any of this!”

Erix’s eyes darkened, his usual confidence faltering. “Maybe you didn’t ask for it, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need it. You think you can handle everything on your own? These wolves at the academy, they’ll tear you apart if you’re not careful.”

“I don’t care!” Lyra yelled, her voice breaking. “I’d rather face them on my own than keep living with lies and manipulation. I don’t need you. I don’t need anyone!”

Tyson’s jaw clenched, his eyes soft but resolute. “We’re not your enemies, Lyra.”

Her heart ached with betrayal, her emotions in turmoil. “It sure feels like you are,” she whispered.

For a moment, no one spoke. The tension in the room was suffocating. Lyra’s hands were trembling as she looked at the three of them—these men who had become so entangled in her life, who she had stupidly trusted, even for a brief moment. 

“I’m done,” she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Erix frowned. “What do you mean?”

Lyra swallowed the lump in her throat, her resolve hardening. “I’m canceling the contract. Whatever arrangement we had—it’s over. I don’t care anymore.”

Dyrion’s eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable. “Lyra, don’t be rash. You agreed—”

“I don’t care!” she interrupted, her voice firm. “I don’t want anything to do with any of you.”

Tyson stepped closer, his voice low. “Lyra, you can’t just walk away from this. It’s not that simple.”

She shot him a glare. “Watch me.”

Without another word, she pushed past them, her heart racing as she stormed out of the restroom, leaving the triplets behind.