LESLIE’S POV I should have stayed in the car. That regret comes only after I have intervened and now I catch myself wondering why exactly that happened. Was it because I couldn’t stand seeing Kian get punched in the face? Or because a boy who looks up to me as an older sister was about to get pumme
KIAN’S POV I’ve had a terrible day. First, I woke up all sore from the cheap mattress at a motel room which is the only place I could afford during my stay here in Seattle. Then I was served the most terrible meal I have ever eaten courtesy of the motel’s room service. After that, I got into an
LESLIE’S POV I waited for his call for an entire day but it never came. Every time my phone lit up or vibrated, I dropped everything I was doing to run to it only to be met with spam calls and messages. My daily routine that included going to the gym, grocery shopping and then designing was disrupt
I nervously usher him into the living room and go to the kitchen to get him water. When I return, I see his eyes wandering around the room and I wonder if he suspects anything. If he does, he doesn’t show it. He perches himself on one side of my couch and takes the cup of water from me. I don’t kn
KIAN’S POV Her warmth encircling me is everything—everything I’ve missed, everything I’ve craved and everything I thought I would never have again. With that one word, she has my knees so close to bending and has my rage at her disappearing into oblivion. I didn’t mean to be angry or to say those
LESLIE’S POV How I went three years without Kian is beyond anything I can comprehend. Before him, I felt like I was enough. I told myself often that I didn’t need anyone and if I’m being honest, it served me well. It made me focus, knowing that all I had was myself. Even with my found family co
LESLIE’S POV The blissful feeling instantly turns to horror at the sight of Cole. I know that his presence will change everything but I still hold on to the hope that the bond Kian and I have built in the last few days is strong enough to withstand this moment. I am to blame for Cole being here a
KIAN’S POVI walk past her and even though I know she is following, I don’t stop walking until I yank the front door open. Cole Tucker is still hovering around the house and he jumps, startled by the sudden movement at the door. “Hey, I was just about to leave.” He says, raising both hands in mock
CHAPTER 72 [The Golden Boy ] ~ELAINE~ (2) Trigger Warning: This chapter contains depictions of abuse that may be distressing to some readers. ONE YEAR AGO The house was silent, as it always was when Jac orchestrated his games. No stepmother barking orders, no father pacing the halls. Not even t
CHAPTER 71 [My Tormentor ] ~ELAINE~ (1) Somebody save me. The words echoed in my head as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My fingers tightened around my phone, the edges biting into my skin as if the pain could pull me out of the suffocating misery that hung over me heavily My hair, once
CHAPTER 70 [ Hearts-to-Hearts ] ~SOPHIE~ If you had asked me when I was ten years old what my greatest wish was, I would’ve said it was to live alone with my father. No stepmother finding new ways to torment me, no stepbrother hovering like a vulture—just me and my dad. I even prayed about it, e
CHAPTER 69 [ His Morals ] ~JUSTIN~ (1) I’ve never been anyone’s first choice. . No matter how hard I tried, Jac always had the spotlight. He was the golden boy, the prodigy, the one with all the medals and accolades. Meanwhile, I was the kid bringing home crayon sketches and piano recitals that
CHAPTER 68 [Welcome Home ] ~SOPHIE~ “Please tell me you two didn’t fuck in here.” Celeste’s voice cut through the quiet like a whip, sharp and full of disbelief. I glanced over my shoulder, pausing mid-fold as I stuffed another sweater into my bag. She was standing above me, her arms crossed, a
CHAPTER 67 [ Whenever, wherever ] ~TRAVIS~ Having fallen for Sophie’s schemes more than once, I guess it was normal for my brain to process every unusual thing she does as a trick to lure me in. Perhaps, that was why I imagined her smirking when in truth, she was just as stunned as I was to fi
CHAPTER 66 [ In The Flesh ] ~TRAVIS~ They were still under the harsh glare of my headlights. While Justin didn’t exactly look his best, Sophie was…worse. An ugly sweater hung loosely over her upper frame, her hair was in a messy bun and was close to tumbling all over her face as she took Justin by
CHAPTER 65 [ The Real Deal ] ~TRAVIS~ The past week has been nothing short of exhausting. I had barely stepped foot into my office before I was bombarded with calls and meetings, my inbox flooded with contracts and reports that had piled up during the engagement trip. If it wasn’t work, it was
CHAPTER 64 [ Caged, Not Sheltered ] ~SOPHIE~ There were many questions; like how on earth she was in a place that was at least an hour's drive from her family’s mansion, and why she was chugging down cheap beer when I have only ever seen her enjoy the finest wine. The longer we stood there, wo