Selena’s POV Ugh. My phone was buzzing like crazy. I almost ignored it, but then I saw it was Zayn. I put it to my ear, and… OMG. The sounds coming through were disgusting. Heavy breathing, moans… yeah, you get the picture. He was hooking up with someone else. And to make matters worse, he wasn’t supposed to be calling. It was obviously a butt-dial — the ultimate humiliation. Seriously, could this get any worse? My stomach did this sick flip, and I felt my face burning up. Like, full-on tomato red. I wanted to throw up, scream, and disappear all at the same time. “Zayn I yelled, my voice scratching, unable to put up with whatever it was I was listening to.” There was silence. And then his voice, all lame and distant, finally realizing his slip-up. "Didn't mean for you to hear that," he mumbled. Like that was supposed to make it okay. “It’s not what you think” he added further. That lying jerk. This was the height of it all. "You didn’t mean for what?" I choked out, tears stin
Selena’s POVWhat have I done? How did I get myself into this mess? Ah yes, I know. Zayn. This was all his fault. “I hope he trips and breaks both his useless legs” I whispered silently. The harsh lights from the bathroom turned the dark streaks under my eyes from my smudged mascara into dark bruises. I stared in the mirror, my hair a tangled mess, like I had just come out of a wrestling competition. I scrambled out of the bathroom and out of the small restaurant. “Thank you so much” I muttered to the kind middle-aged woman who had been so kind to let me use her bathroom to freshen up. “You’re welcome dear” she responded warmly. I had to get back home as soon as possible so I could prepare for work. Remembering that I had switched off my phone last night, I switched it on immediately. Just then my phone buzzed with a text from my best girl Hailey. “Girl! Where are YOU? I’ve been calling nonstop. You missed my amazing breakfast croissant and pancakes. And guess what babes? Branson
Justin’s POV Selena. Goddamn, she was a firecracker. One minute she was vulnerable, pouring out her heart about her loser ex, the next minute she was rocking my world. A chuckle rumbled in my chest as I stared awake. She wasn’t in my bed anymore, she was long gone. The little note she left behind made me feel some type of way. Why did she leave without saying goodbye? I could still smell the scent of her perfume in the air. My phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was Jaden. My best friend and partner in crime. “Dude check the news,” the text read. “You’re trending” I rolled my eyes. Of course, I was. My life was borderline dramatic and the media was always at the center of it all. Wondering what this particular news was about, I pulled up the news app on my phone and scrolled through the headlines.“Billionaire Playboy’s Latest Conquest!” a blog wrote. “Who is the Mystery Woman for the Season? Another asked. There was a photo of Selena and I entering the hotel togeth
Selena’s POV “Ground rules?” I asked, my eyebrows raised and my arms crossed. This whole situation felt surreal. How did I get myself into this? Everything felt like a dream. As if asking me to play pretend girlfriend wasn’t enough, he also has rules. “Yeah, ground rules,” he repeated, his blue eyes watching me. “We need to be on the same page if this is going to work. Justin’s eyes were a huge distraction for me. Sometimes they appeared blue, other times green.“And what exactly are these ‘ground rules’?” I asked, furrowing my brows and trying to push the unholy thoughts I had of Justin behind me. “Rule number one,” he began, his voice low and smooth. “No falling in love.” I rolled my eyes and snorted. “Please, Mr. Branson. The only thing I’m falling for is a glass of whiskey after this conversation.” I muttered. But did I have to say that though? He chuckled, a deep velvety sound that made my heart skip a beat. “We’ll see about that,” he murmured, his eyes glinting with amuseme
Selena’s POVIt was the wee hours of the morning. My head was pounding as if someone was using it as a drum. The police station was the worst – those bright, buzzing lights bouncing off the gross floor. I’d just finished giving my statements; the whole freaky ordeal still felt surreal. The hands over my mouth, the car ride in total darkness, the creepy voice of whoever grabbed me.Then, bam, everything went black, and some lady was whispering threats I couldn’t even remember clearly. By the time the cops showed up, they were gone. Poof. Like ghosts.The cops asked me a million questions – what the car looked like, what the guys looked like, anything and everything. But it was all a mess in my head, like a scrambled puzzle. I couldn’t even tell them why this had happened. Why me?As I sat there trying to piece together the fragments of the night's event, Justin showed up. And he was… different. Like, serious. No cocky smirk, just straight-up worry.“Selena”, he said, his eyes locking on
Justin’s POVThe guest room was super quiet, the only sound was the soft rhythm of Selena's breathing. I stood in the doorway, watching her sleep. She looked so… different. Not like the girl who’d argued with me a few days ago. More like… a kid. The slight bruises on her face were a total punch in the gut. I swore I’d find out who did this. Mostly because they dared to mess with me through her.I’d spent most of the night on the phone, pulling all the strings I could. I needed to know who was behind this. When I’d asked her to fake date me, I’d told her it was all for the media, to keep up appearances. But that was a half-truth. The real reason? Way more complicated. It was the way she looked at me – a mix of fear and defiance.And yeah, maybe the way her touch had sent a weird jolt through me. A connection I didn’t want to admit. Probably just the stress making me feel… soft. Yeah, that was it.I walked over to her bed, super quiet. I sat on the edge, trying not to wake her. I reach
Selena’s POVThe kiss. Ugh. It was like a brand on my lips, burning through the fog of sleep. I woke up with a jolt, my heart pounding like crazy. It was still dark, just the city lights peeking through the curtains. I checked my phone, it was just 6 a.m. Way too early, but my brain was on overdrive, replaying the kiss, and the feel of Justin’s lips on mine. The kiss was a huge, massive, epic mistake. It was like I’d torn down all the walls I’d built around my heart, leaving myself vulnerable and exposed. I knew getting mixed up with Justin was a bad idea. He was… dangerous. One minute he’s all charming, the next he’s ice-cold and distant. And me? I was falling for him. Seriously. Despite everything, the warnings, my common sense, I was tumbling headfirst into the abyss.He’d left after the kiss like it was nothing. No explanation, no goodbye, or even an apology for stirring me up. I wasn’t surprised though, but it still stung. Like a slap in the face, a harsh reminder of his true
Selena’s POVTires screeched, metal crunched and glass shattered. My dad’s car smashed against a tree, the impact sending shards of glass everywhere. I jolted awake, my heart pounding in my chest, cold sweat sticking to my skin. Same nightmare, the one that never leaves me alone. The accident. The one that took My dad. Even after all this time, the pain still felt like an open wound. Mom's decision to get remarried just a few months later still felt like a punch in the gut. Like she didn’t even care. The memory of her beaming smiles on her wedding day, standing beside a man who wasn’t my dad still made my stomach twist with anger and hurt.I sat up, gasping for air, my heart still racing from the nightmare. I looked around my tiny bedroom, the familiar walls and scanty furniture a welcome relief. Just a dream, Selena, I told myself. A messed-up, replaying dream that has refused to leave me alone.My legs felt shaky as I swung them over the side of the bed, planting my feet firmly on
Selena's POVThe image of Justin, shirtless, Bella’s lipstick stains on his chest, burned behind my eyelids. He’d stormed into my apartment, a raging fire of accusations, only to be entangled with Bella moments later. Was his anger just a performance? A way to justify crawling back to her so easily? A bitter taste rose in my throat. Every time I let myself get close to him, my heart ended up shattered on the cold, hard floor. I had to stop this cycle.I ran each footfall in a desperate attempt to outpace the suffocating weight in my chest. As soon as I stumbled into the car, I choked out, "Drive. Now." But the need to escape wasn't just physical.Minutes into the ride, the city lights blurring into streaks of meaningless color, a wave of nausea washed over me. "Please stop the car," I mumbled, my voice barely a whisper. I was trying so hard to stop the tears from falling.Michael’s gaze flickered in the rearview mirror, his brow furrowed with concern. "Stop the car," I practically
Justin's POVI scrubbed at my eyes with the heel of my hand. Was I hallucinating? But the image was seared into my mind: Zayn had handed over a damn gift basket to be delivered to Selena and she had accepted. She wouldn’t even accept a penny from me. How long had this been going on? Had their connection never truly severed after that mess a while back? He’d practically vanished after locking eyes with me, like a guilty rat scurrying into the shadows. Every shade of red imaginable seemed to explode behind my eyelids. My instinct screamed to chase him, to ask why the heck he was delivering gifts to her. Instead, I fumbled for my phone, Jaden’s number a desperate lifeline. He was the only one who could possibly talk me down from doing something I’d regret.“Hey man,” Jaden’s voice, calm and steady, answered on the first ring.“You would not believe what I just saw,” I growled, my nostrils flaring with each ragged breath.“What happened, Justin?” Jaden asked, a note of wary curiosity
Selena’s POV"You're invited to my housewarming." I read the note aloud, the words dripping with a forced cheerfulness that sent a shiver down my spine."Who the heck sends a mystery basket with a housewarming invitation?" I asked, closing the door with a sharp click and turning to Hailey, the basket feeling heavy and ominous in my hands.She practically teleported from the dining table, her footsteps quick and sharp against the tile floor as she yanked the basket from my hands. "How did they even know your favorite cookies and chocolates?" she mumbled, her fingers digging through the basket's contents, the rustling of cellophane and the faint, overly sweet scent of vanilla filling the air."The other day it was flowers, today it's goodies. I had no idea someone had even moved into this neighborhood," I hissed, eyeing the basket with suspicion. The brightly colored candies and perfectly arranged cookies felt like a taunt, a silent, unsettling message."I guess our secret admirers ar
Justin’s POVThe darkness of my bedroom felt heavy, like a suffocating blanket. I lay there, eyes wide, the day's events replaying in my mind like a broken record, the same scene looping over and over. Helping Selena with the eviction… should have been a relief, a weight lifted. Instead, it stirred a restless energy within me, a burning need to make her life better, to smooth out the rough edges,… without getting too close. Too close meant danger, a constant, gnawing fear, but not forever. I'd deal with the looming issue, and then I'd ask her out. My feelings for her were a force, a driving need, and I was determined to make her life better, to give her the peace she deserved.Then, the idea struck me, a sharp, clear solution. An interior design competition. Prestigious, high-profile. A platform to showcase her undeniable talent, and a substantial financial reward – a prize she would win, I knew it. Selena was a rockstar in the event planning world, a force of nature when she set
Selena's POV"Why is Zayn texting me?" Hailey asked, her brows furrowed, her voice laced with a mix of confusion and annoyance.I was a bit shocked. I hadn't realized Zayn had Hailey's number, and after our last encounter a while back, I hadn't expected to hear from him again."What does the text say?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.Hailey held up her phone, the screen glowing with the message. "Something about us being 'neighbors soon.' What the heck does that even mean?" she muttered, her voice laced with a hint of disgust.“Let me see.” I snatched the phone from her, my eyes scanning the cryptic message. "Eww, that’s creepy?" I squinted at the screen, the words blurring slightly. "I don't have time for any Zayn drama, Hails. Justin already warned him to stay away from me. I'm going to bed.""What about me then?" Hailey mock-yelled behind me, her voice laced with a playful panic. "Is he going to come after me?" She squealed, trying to stifle a laugh. "I'm blocking his ass right no
Selena's POV"You don't have to move anymore," Justin said, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through the air, his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that made my skin prickle. "This apartment... it's no longer up for eviction."My brain got stuck, like an engine trying to start on a cold morning. First, what was this man doing in my apartment, looking impossibly handsome and smelling faintly of that expensive cologne that always did weird things to my pulse? And with Hailey, no less! I shot her a look that screamed, ‘You better have a damn good explanation for this,’ my eyes narrowed with suspicion."What do you mean, 'not up for eviction' anymore?" I finally managed to ask, my voice a shaky mix of confusion and disbelief. After we'd received the notice; there hadn't been any follow-up, no counter-notice, nothing to suggest a sudden reversal.Justin shifted slightly, the leather of his expensive jacket creaking softly. An unsettling smile touched his lips, a smile
Justin's POV"Alright, gentlemen, let's cut to the chase," I snapped, my voice sharp and decisive, cutting through the static of the conference call. "We're not here to dance around figures. We're here to close this deal." The air in my study was thick with the tension of high stakes and negotiations. "I'm prepared to offer a premium, a significant one, but I need assurances. I need to know we can streamline the integration process, no delays." The stakeholders on the other end of the line shuffled papers, their voices a low hum of agreement. "Good. Then let's finalize the terms. My lawyers will send over the paperwork by EOD."The call ended with a collective sigh of relief, the tension dissipating like smoke. I was determined to acquire this tech company. It was a matter of principle, really. After I lost out on buying out Patel’s father's company because I had to be sure Selena was safe, I wasn't about to let another opportunity slip through my fingers. Especially not one Pat
Selena’s POV"Selena," Hailey practically shouted, her voice strained with a mix of disbelief and anger. "Want to take a wild guess what lovely 'gift' they plastered on our door?"I blinked slowly, my eyes still adjusting to the morning light. "Maybe... a flyer for a cat pageant?" I teased, trying for a light tone, but Hailey's face was a shade of crimson I'd only seen when she was about to explode."We've been served," she mumbled, her voice low and dangerous. "An eviction notice. We have a few days to get out.""Huh?" I choked out, my brain struggling to process the words. "But... how? We're not even late on rent."Hailey ran a hand through her hair. The movement is a bit frantic. "I really have to get to work," she mumbled, her eyes darting towards the clock."We'll talk about this later." And for the second time that morning, she was gone, slamming the door behind her with a force that rattled the walls.I walked to the door, my bare feet padding softly against the cold tile, and
Selena's POVHailey’s eyes widened, and she let out a sharp, almost panicked breath before yanking the phone away, her movements swift. “Nosy much,” she mumbled whilst trying to force an unconvincing smile.“Hails,” I whispered, trying to process what was going on, my eyes twitching slightly. “Is there something I should know that you’re not telling me?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.Hailey shifted her weight from one foot to another but still remained silent. “Hailey Claire Thompson,” I called out her full government name, my voice a bit louder this time. “Who texted you and what are you supposed to tell me that you haven’t?”“How are you sure you’re the one being referred to in the message?” she asked, her eyes scanning the entire room but my face."Don't play dumb," I said, my voice hardening. "You snatched the phone away like it was a live grenade. And you're acting weird. Really weird."She sighed a long, drawn-out sound that did nothing to ease the tension. "It's… it's a bit