KIAN’S POV“We’re going home.” I announce as soon as I step out of my tent the next morning. Grandfather is awake already, sitting outside his own tent and by the looks of it, he has been awake for quite a while. Leslie’s and Beverly’s tent are still zipped shut and the outlines of their sleeping f
“Kian—”“Did you forget how you dangled my position as the company’s CEO in front of me? You weren’t even subtle about how I had no choice but to marry her or I lose everything I worked hard for.” My chest tightens painfully, memories pushing into my head before I can stop them. PASTTHREE YEARS A
KIAN'S POVPASTTHREE YEARS AGO–THREE DAYS AFTER THE PARTYI stand beside my car that’s parked in front of Beverly’s apartment, fingers playing with my car keys as I wait with bated breath for her to come out. This will be the first time I’ll be seeing her since that night and if I could escape it,
“That night…the night at the party when you said you suddenly couldn’t find me anywhere and went home…I cheated on you.” Her fork drops to the table, hitting her plate and making a loud ear piercing sound. Beverly grows quiet for several seconds and I feel myself shrinking with each second of silen
KIAN’S POVPASTTHREE YEARS AGO–THE SAME NIGHT OF THE DATE WITH BEVERLY“Have you talked to her?” My gaze lifts from the files I was looking through in my study and meets that of my grandfather who is standing by the open door of the study room. I’ve been so engrossed in work that I didn’t even he
Why the hell am I thinking about this now? My thoughts have randomly wandered off to that night even when it’s not intentional. I also hate to admit that sometimes when I look at Leslie, I see the pleasure-mad part of her that has been in my bed. But I have been good and shoving down those thoughts
KIAN’S POVPRESENTI let the memories end there, unable to keep going and afraid to reach the most painful part of it all. Grandfather is still standing there in front of me and his eyes hold so much sadness that I almost believe he regrets doing that to me. I realise now that despite everything, I
“It broke me even more than having to let Beverly go three years ago. I saw her ghost everywhere, grandpa. It drove me insane.” I feel vulnerable expressing myself this way to grandfather but I can’t help it.“Did you tell her? Did you tell her how you felt?How you felt when you heard she was dead?”
LESLIE’S POV I join Kian’s mother outside the room, closing the door behind me. She is still stewing in anger, face red with rage that’s waiting to be unleashed. Usually, I would do anything to pacify her so I wouldn't be at the receiving end of that unbridled rage. Now? Irritation is all I feel at
LESLIE’S POV (One Week Later) “If the police show up again, spray them in the face with the fire extinguisher or something.” Cole’s irritated voice filters through my phone’s speaker and it makes me crack a smile for the first time in a week. “Pretty sure I would get arrested for that.” “Not
LESLIE’S POV My reflexes work faster than they ever have. Fast enough to help me roll away, and bump into Beverly in the process. Mike relentlessly stalks towards me and that’s when I get a good look at his affected leg. I time his movement and before he can take another angry swing of his weapon
LESLIE’S POV Seconds after Beverly crumples to the ground, my breath is still caught in my throat. I’m still trembling as I watch her sprawled on the floor, body jerking uncontrollably. I’m amazed at my strength to still remain standing despite the traumatising scene in front of me. To still grip t
LESLIE’S POV Our hearts are already in our mouths before we see what jumped at us—a ginormous rat, every bit as scared as us. It runs at full speed and scurries into the nearby bush. “All clear.” She mutters and we both step into the shed using her phone’s flashlight. It’s a full shed; a bunch of
LESLIE’S POV We’re barely two minutes away from the abandoned school gate when the engine starts to sputter, the entire truck shaking with the intensity. “No…no…no…no, not now!” Beverly lets out a panicked groan. I am preoccupied with looking behind us to make sure we’re not being followed but at
LESLIE’S POV Kian doesn’t know it—the name of Mike’s sister. I can tell from the way his entire face has gone even paler than it was before. Earlier, it had been pale from the pain of the injuries from the accident that I still don’t know the extent of. Now, he has turned ashen from something m
LESLIE’S POV The sound of my name reaches me from somewhere distant. The sound is repeated just like the throbbing ache in my head. When I finally manage to pry open my eyes, the feeling of deja vu washes over me. My hands and legs are bound tightly just like three years ago in that warehouse.
BEVERLY’S POV The familiar beeping sound that comes from my phone causes me to jerk upright. My eyes train on the screen, following the movement of a blinking red dot on the map. He’s on the move. I slam a couple of bills on the coffee table before hurrying out of the cafe where I had been havi