Lauren The first full day in Alexander’s house felt like a strange kind of limbo, like I was living in a version of reality that didn’t quite belong to me, or a memory being painted over.Abigail and I had moved in yesterday, but it wasn’t until this morning that the weight of it hit me. We were he
Alexander walked beside me, hands in his pockets, eyes on the kids. “I didn’t think she’d be this excited over… a muddy playground.”I smiled, though it didn’t reach my eyes. “She’s a kid. They get excited about the simplest things.”He nodded, then his gaze snapped to the forest’s edge. I followed
Lauren Daphne had offered to babysit Abigail and Owen, leaving us alone for the first time in what felt like forever. And suddenly everything felt more... complicated.When I woke up, I had expected a day like any other—an ordinary day with the kids, trying to adjust to our new normal. But Alexande
“So,” he said, breaking the silence. “How are you feeling about everything? The move, the kids...”I hesitated, swirling the wine in my glass, trying to find the right words. How was I supposed to feel? I didn’t know anymore. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “It’s a lot. But... it’s good, too. I mean, we
Lauren The smell of pine and fresh earth greeted me as I opened the window in my new room. Still, it was hard to think this view was mine again.The manner felt cold when we arrived—and yet, here I was, folding my favorite throw blanket over the edge of the bed and placing Abigail’s stuffed rabbit
One day, we were in the living room building a fort with all the cushions. Owen was in charge of the roof, and I was the “architect,” which meant I got to boss him around. We were laughing so hard that we didn’t hear Dad come in. His footsteps were always silent despite his size.“What are we defend
LaurenI knew Alexander was lying when he left.His gaze was the same but there was that hitch in his tone. The same one when he used to sneak off to see Sophia.Only this time, I couldn’t help but trail him.The winds that rustled through the towering pines seemed heavier than usual, carrying whisp
I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “I’m listening.”“Sure. You know, Lauren, I swear to—nope, not talking about that now. This is something I should say face to face. But since I’m not there, this will have to do.”There was a pause. I could hear him pacing on the other end of the line, the fa
Owen’s face darkened, and I could see the conflict brewing in his chest, muttering. “Redhead…”It was like a boiling pot on the verge of overflowing.“Shut up, Theo,” he spat, his voice cracking with frustration. “You’re full of it. You think I’m going to let you anywhere near Abigail again? I’ll—”
TheoThe woods crackled around me as I sprinted through, paws slipping on mud and rotting leaves, the air thick with pine and damp earth. My legs burned, muscles aching, but I couldn’t slow down. Couldn’t afford to.I knew I was being hunted. Heard the howls—Alexander’s guard wolves, technically—clo
“Crap…” I muttered under my breath. “What a pain…”The situation had just gone from bad to worse.Mark didn’t look happy to be here. His eyes darted around, still wide with confusion, his lips parted slightly as though he was trying to piece together where exactly he had ended up. But it wasn’t just
TheoThe cell door creaked open, its rusty hinges groaning like the bones of an old man.My body screamed in protest as I pushed myself to my feet, every muscle aching, every bruise a reminder of the last few days. The cold air hit my face as the guards dragged me out, their laughter ringing in my e
The room went completely still. Mom’s voice barely heard as she whispered, “Abigail…”My heart stopped. My blood ran cold. I could feel my face going pale, my breath catching in my throat. He hadn’t just said that. He couldn’t have.I pushed back from the table, fury flooding my chest. “Yeah, I’ve b
AbigailDinner was a war zone of silence.The only sounds were the clinking of cutlery against plates, the occasional scrape of a chair being pushed back. And with every passing second, the tension in the room grew, like a pressure cooker about to blow its lid.Owen and I sat at opposite ends of the
He pick up a tea pot, examining it, completely unbothered. “I could give you everything back. Everything you lost. The status, the power, the wealth. I’m sure you miss it. I can offer you everything you lost. Status. Power. The world that should’ve been yours.”I straightened before letitng out a sc
SophiaIt was one of those night, the ones where everything felt like it was still. The cabin was quiet, save for the gentle crackling of the fire. I had a mug of tea in hand, the warmth seeping into my fingers as I stared out at the barren trees.My cheeks were still cool from my tears, but I had c
I didn’t even try to hide it. Why bother? He was by the pond, chopping wood like it was a hobby, not a chore. Sunlight danced on the water, turning everything a little less ugly—or maybe I was just getting used to it. The cabin. The earthy smell. The life I was forced to engage with.For a moment, I