“Did owning a company make you so damn competitive?” she teases, nudging me.“Who knew you were so good at dodgeball?” I retort, grinning. “Gosh, you would have been a nightmare to your classmates in high school.” She laughs, and it’s the kind of laugh that feels like it’s reaching right into my he
LESLIE’S POVWe stroll along the nearly empty street, our fingers entwined, and I can’t help but notice how natural this feels, walking with him in the quiet night air. My cheeks ache from smiling so much; I feel like a teenager again. “You’re keeping me guessing tonight, you know.”Kian looks over
“It was…a process,” I begin slowly, feeling his hand warm in mine. “The first year was the hardest. After I left I had to figure out who I was without you, without our history, without my father and every crafted part of my past.” Whenever I think of my father, my heart aches. I want to ask Kian ho
LESLIE’S POVTonight feels like a delicate balancing act of past and present. Kian’s beside me, his hand brushing against mine as we walk toward Madam Annie’s front door. The warmth of the dim porch lights casts over us as we stand in front of it without knocking immediately. We’ve talked about thi
He skips them most of the time because of Mallory and I know by the look in his eyes that he is here because Kian came. He doesn’t miss out on anything he considers fun. “I’m genuinely surprised you’re here.” Kian says and Cole snickers.“Don’t look at me like that, I’m family too.” He then sniffs
KIAN’S POVThe dishes clink softly, echoing through the small, cozy kitchen as I lean against the wall, watching Leslie. She’s laughing with Madam Annie and Mallory as they wash up, the three of them sharing inside jokes I’ll likely never understand. Each giggle and exchange between them is intimat
KIAN’S POVThroughout the drive back to her place, I find myself looking forward to the final thing she wants to show me. The night we just had is an indication that whatever Leslie wants to show me will be just as amazing as dinner with her family. We arrive at home and she leads the way, turning
LESLIE’S POV The look on Kian’s face as he reads through my résumé is priceless. His eyes dart between the lines, lingering on each detail as if he’s trying to grasp the reality of what I’m offering him. The disbelief, the shock—it's all there, etched across his face. He keeps looking from me to t
AUTHOR’S NOTE. Phew!😮💨🥹 Where to begin, where to begin. It has been one hell of a journey with this book. Started a little over six months ago and it still shocks me that I actually came this far with it. Of all the books I have written, this is the only one whose ending didn’t feel underwh
EPILOGUE NO.2LESLIE’S POV(Six years later)Avery is missing. Again.And so is my credit card for which I just got a notification of a debited payment; Fifty dollars to be exact. Little rascal must have snatched it from my purse while I wasn’t looking. The nanny that called me about her disappeara
EPILOGUE NO.1LESLIE’S POV(A few months later)“YOU SLEPT WITH WHO?!!!” I’m as big as a whale but I still manage to shoot up to my feet with a speed that can only be likened to that of lightning. My drawing board clatters to the ground in the process. I'm heavily pregnant but I still design to whi
“Of course, it’s just a joke.” I say, and even laugh a little to lighten up the mood and salvage the situation.“A joke?”I swear, she pales even further. She looks…hurt? Ughh, fuck this, I’m done. I sit up straighter, damning my fears to hell. “That wasn’t a joke. Far from it. I don’t want it to b
KIAN’S POVI’m nervous as hell.It’s fifteen minutes past the agreed time for the crew to come around for my ‘grand’ proposal but the delay is not in any way their fault. It’s mine. Each time their heads pop out the door of the small room behind Leslie to ask if it’s time, I subtly shake my head. I
KIAN’S POV “How long are you going to hold on to that?” Cole’s voice startles me. The ring box I was playing with in my hands almost slips out of my hold but I catch it before it can fall to the ground. I glare in Cole’s way as I tuck the box safely back into the last drawer beside my office desk.
LESLIE’S POV (Another week later) I’m starting to think the news weatherman is a fraud. Three years ago and now, his forecast about a perfect sunny day is entirely wrong. The sky harbours thick clouds that hide the sun no matter how desperate she wants to take a peek. It’s no different from tha
LESLIE’S POV (One week later) > ***************************************************** Read and delete. It’s the third time this week and I’m starting to get sick of seeing the words “corpse”, “body” and “Funeral”. I’ve been subconsciously blaming the innocent little thing growing ins
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