ELLA'S POVAfter dropping Amelia off - no, more like she dropped me off, since Trent had decided to leave with his car to God knows where - I entered our small apartment and heard the sound of Mom in the kitchen. I dropped my bag, already feeling exhausted."Ella, is that you?" Mom's voice called out as she emerged from the kitchen. To my surprise, she was looking happier than I'd seen her in a long time, a bright smile on her face.I raised my brows at her. "You look happy. Any occasion?"She just beamed and closed the distance between us. "Come here, I have a surprise for you," she said, covering my eyes with her hands."A surprise?" I echoed as she guided me further into the kitchen."Close your eyes," she instructed, and I felt her hands slip away. The tantalizing aroma of my favorite foods - crisp bacon and fluffy pancakes - immediately assaulted my senses.When she gave me the okay to open my eyes, I found the counter laden with my favorite dishes, steam still rising from the fr
ELLA'S POVI hurried into the restaurant, my gaze quickly scanning the crowd until I spotted Damien sitting in a far corner booth. With a small wave, I made my way over and slid into the seat across from him."Alright, Damien, what's this all about?" I asked, getting straight to the point. "What do you have to say about Trent?" "Whoa, calm down, Ella. This is...a lot to unpack. Just sit tight and let me explain, okay?"Damien flagged down a waitress. "Can we get two waters, please?" As the waitress hurried off to fetch our drinks, I drummed my fingers impatiently on the table. "Well? I'm waiting. And I'm keeping someone else waiting too, you know."Damien's brow furrowed. "Oh? And who might that be?" his gaze sharpened. "Wait, let me guess - it's Trent, isn't it?" "No. Trent doesn't know I'm here."Damien let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Good. That's...probably for the best.""Why shouldn't he know I'm here?" I pressed. "What are you about to say, Damien?"Before he could
TRENT'S POVAs I lay in bed that night, my mind was racing. I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right - the timing of my brother Tom's accident with Lydia being admitted to the same hospital, also the fact that he was now being treated there, the same facility as Mr. Stewart's ex-wife. It all just felt too coincidental.There had to be some connection, some deeper conspiracy that I was missing. The way my father had reacted when I'd confronted him, the threat to keep me away from the hospital...it all pointed to him being involved in something sinister that I couldn't quite place.I couldn't just sit back and do nothing. I had to get to the bottom of this, to uncover whatever they were hiding. But first, there was something I needed to do - I had to come clean to Ella about what had really happened that fateful day.The mere thought of opening up about the accident sent a chill down my spine. I was terrified of Ella's reaction, dreading how I would find the right words
ELLA'S POV"Take a deep breath, she isn't gonna bite."Amelia stood before me, her eyes lowered as she played with her shirt. "I can't do this. She's definitely not going to forgive me." "Amelia, I accepted you back, and Susan definitely would too. She's not as scary as me, you know." I gave her a playful wink, hoping to ease the tension.I Guided Amelia gently and led her towards the corner where Susan sat with Liam. The two had been bonding surprisingly well, and I was relieved to see that Susan had finally gotten over her crush on him.As we approached, Susan looked up, her eyes widening. "Ella, come sit with me," she said, patting the spot next to her.I pulled Amelia, who was behind me, forward. Susan immediately frowned upon the sight of Amelia. I gently gave her a squeeze and turned to Susan . "Amelia needs to talk to you." "Guess that's my cue to say bye. See you around ladies." Liam smiled at us before darting awaySusan's gaze darted between Amelia and me. "Ella, can you
ELLA'S POV"What did you just say?" Trent's gaze bore into mine.Oh god, the words had slipped out before I could stop them. My heart hammered in my chest as I stared back at him. "I-I...I didn't mean to say that," I stammered.Trent took a step closer, his brow furrowed. "You said you...you love me." I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around my shirt. "Okay, yes. I fucking love you, Trent. And I'm hating it so much. I fucking hate the fact that I can't stop and it's just eating me up."The words spilled out in a torrent, the weight of my feelings finally unleashed. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for his rejection.Before I could react, Trent surged forward and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against his solid chest. The warmth of his body enveloped me, the familiar scent of his cologne flooding my senses. My body went slack as the tension drained from my muscles.Slowly, I lifted my arms to return the embrace, my fingers splaying across his back as I clung to h
ELLA'S POVThe hallway was filled with the roar of hundreds of voices, bodies jostling together in the sea of students. But I barely registered any of it, too consumed by the memory replaying over and over in my mind - Trent's arms wrapped tightly around me, the warmth of his solid chest pressed against my own, the electric tingle of his lips moving over mine.I lifted a trembling hand to my mouth, my fingers ghosting across my tingling lips as if I could still feel the imprint of that kiss. Heat flooded my cheeks at the recollection and the desire unfurling in my belly. How was it possible for one person to upend my entire world with just a simple touch?Trent's husky murmur echoed through my thoughts - "I've always loved you, Ella." The words unlocked something deep within me, laying bare the truth I had fought so hard to deny for far too long. I was in love with him, irrevocably and overwhelmingly in love, and now there was no going back.I was so engrossed in revisiting every heat
ELLA'S POVI was pacing back and forth like a caged tiger, my feet forming a path into the carpet as I tried to calm my racing thoughts. Today was the day Trent had picked to come over for our "first official date" - in my room, of all places. Mom said she would be heading to the shop soon and won't return until morning which will leave me alone with Trent.I tugged at the hem of my shirt, my palms growing clammy as I wondered what kind of date could possibly take place in a teenage girl's bedroom. Were we just going to...talk? Discuss our favorite books or movies? Maybe we'd cuddle up on the bed and binge-watch something on Netflix. Yeah, just totally innocent stuff, right?But then my mind started to wander, conjuring up all sorts of different thoughts, each more scandalous than the last paraded through my mind before I could stop them. Intimate hugs, wandering hands, breathless gasps...Get a grip, Ella! I mentally scolded myself as I squeezed my eyes shut. Trent respected me too
ELLA'S POVRyan's arms were still wrapped tightly around me. At first, I froze, too stunned by the unexpected hug to react. But as the moments ticked by, panic began to set in. This was all wrong - the scent of his perfume, the roughness of his palms across my back, the way his heart hammered against my own. It made my skin crawl in a way I couldn't fully understand.Slowly, I placed my hands flat against Ryan's broad shoulders and gently pushed. "Ryan, I...I'm sorry, but I can't do this," I murmured, my gaze dropping to the floor.To my relief, Ryan finally loosened his grip. He stared at me for a long moment before he finally nodded. "I understand." There was an awkward silence. I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze, instead fixing my eyes on a spot over his shoulder as I cleared my throat. "I think...I think it's best if you leave now," I managed. "Of course. Thank for that......" He trailed off.I nodded stiffly unsure of how to respond. As he turned to go, he paused at the