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Chapter 44
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๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2022-06-29 20:19:41
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Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 45
KeiraAs soon as we were dressedโ Ethan in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, and me in shorts and one of Ethanโs shirtsโ we donโt waste time making breakfast. Based on last nightโs and this morningโs activities, I could confidently say weโre both super hungry.With the pantry fully stocked, we went a little crazy in preparing all sorts of food. While Ethan was making blueberry pancakes, I decided I wanted something more filling. I fry up some bacon and sausages, along with eggs to go with our pancakes.โDo you like your eggs scrambled?โ I ask Ethan without looking up from the pan. But when he doesnโt answer, I lift my eyes only to see him staring back at me with a goofy smile on his face.โUhโฆ do I have something on my face?โ I ask, with a nervous chuckle before bringing my attention back to the frying sausages.Still smiling, Ethan shakes his head and goes back to his concoction of pancake mix. โNothing,โ he says. โI think I just had a glimpse of the future.โAny other time I would t
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-06-30Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 46
KeiraThe world seems to crumble at my feet as I reread the words over and over, trying to make sense of them.โGood day! This is Tanya from HR.We regret to inform you that your contract with RAZE company has been terminated. Your final payment will be wired to your registered bank with us. Thank you for sharing your talents with us, and good luck in your future endeavors.โThatโs it, then? Iโm fired? They basically said, โHereโs your final pay. Donโt bother coming to work on Monday.โThey know about Ethan and me. Thatโs the only explanation. I open Alinaโs messages next and sure enough, it confirms my suspicions.ALINA SCOTT [7:47 AM]Keira, please pick up! Something terrible happened!Where are you?ALINA SCOTT [7:52 AM]Itโs not true, right?You and Ethan are just friends?ALINA SCOTT [7:55 AM]Keira, please pick up so I can tell them that theyโre wrong!ALINA SCOTT [8:00 AM]Theyโre going to fire you, Keira!You need to tell them the truth.ALINA SCOTT [8:12 AM]I saw the picture
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-06-30Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 47
KeiraIt was a good thing that I always carry facemasks in my bag. Wearing my hair down, I make sure that it covers most of my face. Even though there arenโt many people on the bus home, I still want to make sure I wouldnโt be recognized.Twitter is aflame with burning trends about me and Ethan. A โgold-digging wenchโ they call me. Some are more creative, while some call me a slut. Iโm not going to lie, it hurts to be called those demeaning words, especially because they come from the people who say they love Ethan. How do people with so much love for an artist, turn around and hold so much contempt for another?Every time I refresh the page, thereโs a new tweet about me and him. Then I see the photo that Alina must have been referring to. Sure enough, itโs a photo of me and Ethan. Heโs opening the door of his car for me. And from our clothes, this is from when he took me to walk around his old neighborhood.Who even took the photo? It looks too grainy to have been taken by a profes
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-06-30Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 48
EthanโNo! No, I didnโt!โ I yell out, frustrated and dejected from todayโs events. With my phone connected to the car, I can talk to Patrick while driving back. โThe breakup was civil! I donโt understand why Rina is lying, but donโt trust her.โI rub a hand over my mouth in frustration. It just goes to show that anything is indeed possible. What I thought would be the happiest day of my life turned out to be a nightmare. One moment I was laughing with the love of my life, tangled in the sheet, and now Iโve managed to involve her in a dating scandal.Iโm such a loser. I should have immediately gone after Keira. But instead, I wallowed in self-pity for the better half of the morning before I got my shit together and called my manager.I should have expected that the media would twist this into a scandal. And Rinaโฆ that wench. I should have known she was capable of something like this. It must have been her who leaked the photo from my neighborhood. Sheโs the only one who knew about it t
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-06-30Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 49
EthanWell, this is a fucking mess. When I arrived at Patrickโs office, the other members are waiting too. With Patrick still in his meeting with the president, weโre stuck here until further notice.โWell, itโs nice of you to show up,โ Aiden greets me as I take a seat, sandwiched between him and Alexander on the colorful couch. Luke and Liam are on the twin bean bags on the floor playing on their phones.โIโm sorry, I got held upโฆโ but I let it hang because when I turn to face Aiden, he doesnโt seem upset like I thought heโd be. In fact, Luke and Liam look indifferent as well. Itโs only Alexander who seems to have a furrow on his brow.Standing up, I address the room. โIโm sorry I got you all in this mess.โ I got their attention with that, but I know they deserve more than a half-assed apology. โIโm gonna work with Patrick to clear this up quickly.โLiam stands up then claps a hand on my shoulder and offers me a small smile. I return his smile with a grateful one. Among the men her
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-06-30Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 50
KeiraAs promised, Naomi comes with me to Myth the next day. Feeling pretty much the same as I did yesterday, I had to bury myself in a shit-ton of makeup to hide the puffiness and dark circles.โMaybe if you hadnโt stayed up late watching The Notebook, then youโd have had enough time to sleep.โ Yeah, Naomi had scolded me for it earlier too.Speaking of Naomi, I owe her a lot. From promising to cover my rent for this month and for canceling a meeting to come with me today, she has been the best friend anyone could ever ask for.So, as we walk up the steps of the club at nine in the morning, I make a promise to myself that if I manage to convince Jax to let me work extra hours here, I would give something back to Naomi for being such a good friend.But to ask Jax for a favor, I need to be able to see Jax first. The man is illustrious and heโs almost always never accepts a walk-in meeting. But my good friend Chris promised heโd ask on my behalf.โHey boo, how are you holding up?โ Chris
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-06-30Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 51
KeiraI think I made a mistake. Whatever possessed me to think I could face the club owner sober?Jax is intimidating when Iโm drunk, and heโs downright terrifying now that Iโm sober. He stares at me like Iโm prey and heโs a predator waiting for me to make a move before he devours me alive.โSo?โ he asks. Shit. He spoke first. Jax spreads his hands out in a welcoming manner. โI have a few minutes, go ahead. Plead your case.โโOkay,โ I huff out and take a deep breath. โFirst of all, Iโm really sorry about what happened. I didnโt mean for any of this to happen. And believe me, it wasnโt my intentionโฆ Iโd understand if youโd want to fire me if I brought any bad rep to your clubโโOne of Jaxโs eyebrows quirks up in question. โYouโre asking me to fire you?โโNo!โ I blurt out, eyes wide in panic. โNo, Iโm sorry. No, quite the opposite. Iโm here to beg you for a job.โPhew. Itโs out. I managed to get it out. Great job, Keira.Observing Jax, nothing changed with his demeanor. The same playful
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-06-30Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 52
EthanThe concert goes on as planned.Alexander huddles us together before the concert starts, like how he does at the beginning of every major event.โEverything that happened tonight, letโs forget about it and give all of our energy back to the fans who came here to see us. We owe all of our success to them and despite everything, theyโre still here to support us. Letโs give them the show of their lives.โWe all cheer after Alexโs speech and it was moving.As we wait in the wings as the opening VCR starts, Alex pulls me aside and crushes me with a tight hug.โIโm proud of you,โ he says into my ear and I canโt help the sigh of relief that leaves my lips. โIโm proud of you, Ethan.โHe lets me go and Iโm too ashamed to face him.โGod, Iโm sorry, Alexโfor everythingโโโYouโVe apologized enough,โ he says with a smile and he claps a hand on my shoulder. โWhatever happens, we got you. Weโre a team, remember? Iโm sorry if I made you feel like you couldnโt rely on me. But you always have my
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2022-06-30
์ต์ ์ฑํฐ
Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 56
KeiraThe whole arena explodes into gasps and whispers. Normally, youโd be able to ignore whispers, but when twenty thousand people start to collectively gossip about you in your presence, then it starts to become bothersome.My eyes meet Ethanโs asking for help, but he offers me a determined look and a reassuring smile.โYouโve seen her in the news and tabloids, and Iโd like to ask everyone to please leave her alone,โ Ethan speaks with a sternness in his voice, that Iโve only heard him use on me a few times. โShe didnโt ask for thisโto be in the spotlight. It was my fault that this happened. So, any hate toward her should be directed at me instead.โThe crowd starts to shout comforting words at him, then.โItโs not your fault!โโWeโre sorry!โEthan smiles at his fans and Iโm glad that he has those who genuinely support him. โThank you all for your support. I promise not to let you down again in the future. From this moment forth, I promise to always be honest with youโฆ no more surpri
Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 55
KeiraWhen the four members of RAZE came to me with VIP tickets to their concert, I knew they were up to no good.โIโll take this as collateral,โ Alexander tells me as he unclasps the necklace and keeps it in his pocket. I cried about my necklace that night. I missed it the moment Alexander took it from me. It felt like it has always been a part of me, and when they took it, it felt like a part of me was missing.I sat on it, slept on it, and pondered on it for a long time before I decided that I had nothing left to lose except the man that I love.So without finishing my shift at the club, I shoot Jax a message, apologizing for disappearing all of a sudden.JAX [8:42 PM]Hurry up or you wonโt make it.Dumbass.Did Jax know about this? It wasnโt impossible given how Alexander, Ethan, and apparently Luke too were friends with him. I shoot Jax a quick thank you before running up to my uber.โSir, Iโm in a hurry. Please drive fast.โ This wasnโt the first time that I had asked an uber dri
Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 54
EthanโItโs the final day! Letโs give it our best!โ Alexander leads the group to cheer again and we scream together to hype each other up.The previous concert days have gone smoothly and Iโm confident that I can give a perfect performance today as well and I have Keira to thank for that.Iโve received positive responses from the fans telling me how they love my new look. And how they wished they could have seen me in this concept earlier.It makes me smile, but I canโt tell them that this isnโt a concept. This is my real personality, plain and simple.The concert goes well and without a hitch. It wasnโt until Liam pulls me aside during Aidenโs solo song that I notice that the boys are antsy.โHey, are you okay?โ I ask curiously. โYouโve been jumpy since the concert started. Are you nervous about something?โLiamโs nervous look transforms into a confused one real quick. โNervous? Iโm not nervous. Maybe youโre nervousโโโOkay, Liam, I got this.โ Alexander cuts him off and the look of r
Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 53
EthanMaking sure Iโm still safe in my hiding spot, I reread Keiraโs message over and over. This is real, right? Did she message me? This isnโt just some mirage that Iโd imagined because Iโm so deprived of Keira in my life, right?Just as Iโm wondering about the possibility of Keira sending me a message, another one comes in.KEIRA PATEL [10:16 PM]Itโs annoying and Naomiโs starting to hate me.Stop.I didnโt dream it.Holy shit, sheโs talking to me. Iโm overjoyed. Thereโs a part of me that entertained the idea of Keira moving on and leaving me. I was hopeful but I must admit I was starting to think sheโd never be able to forgive me for what happened. This doesnโt mean she has forgiven me, but talking to me is at least a step forward. I feared that she was lost to me forever, but I guess thereโs still hope.Quickly, I type out my reply.ETHAN REED [10:16 PM]You replied!Wait.YOU CAN SEE ME?If she could see me then maybe Keira really is at home. I peer outside the window but I canโ
Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 52
EthanThe concert goes on as planned.Alexander huddles us together before the concert starts, like how he does at the beginning of every major event.โEverything that happened tonight, letโs forget about it and give all of our energy back to the fans who came here to see us. We owe all of our success to them and despite everything, theyโre still here to support us. Letโs give them the show of their lives.โWe all cheer after Alexโs speech and it was moving.As we wait in the wings as the opening VCR starts, Alex pulls me aside and crushes me with a tight hug.โIโm proud of you,โ he says into my ear and I canโt help the sigh of relief that leaves my lips. โIโm proud of you, Ethan.โHe lets me go and Iโm too ashamed to face him.โGod, Iโm sorry, Alexโfor everythingโโโYouโVe apologized enough,โ he says with a smile and he claps a hand on my shoulder. โWhatever happens, we got you. Weโre a team, remember? Iโm sorry if I made you feel like you couldnโt rely on me. But you always have my
Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 51
KeiraI think I made a mistake. Whatever possessed me to think I could face the club owner sober?Jax is intimidating when Iโm drunk, and heโs downright terrifying now that Iโm sober. He stares at me like Iโm prey and heโs a predator waiting for me to make a move before he devours me alive.โSo?โ he asks. Shit. He spoke first. Jax spreads his hands out in a welcoming manner. โI have a few minutes, go ahead. Plead your case.โโOkay,โ I huff out and take a deep breath. โFirst of all, Iโm really sorry about what happened. I didnโt mean for any of this to happen. And believe me, it wasnโt my intentionโฆ Iโd understand if youโd want to fire me if I brought any bad rep to your clubโโOne of Jaxโs eyebrows quirks up in question. โYouโre asking me to fire you?โโNo!โ I blurt out, eyes wide in panic. โNo, Iโm sorry. No, quite the opposite. Iโm here to beg you for a job.โPhew. Itโs out. I managed to get it out. Great job, Keira.Observing Jax, nothing changed with his demeanor. The same playful
Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 50
KeiraAs promised, Naomi comes with me to Myth the next day. Feeling pretty much the same as I did yesterday, I had to bury myself in a shit-ton of makeup to hide the puffiness and dark circles.โMaybe if you hadnโt stayed up late watching The Notebook, then youโd have had enough time to sleep.โ Yeah, Naomi had scolded me for it earlier too.Speaking of Naomi, I owe her a lot. From promising to cover my rent for this month and for canceling a meeting to come with me today, she has been the best friend anyone could ever ask for.So, as we walk up the steps of the club at nine in the morning, I make a promise to myself that if I manage to convince Jax to let me work extra hours here, I would give something back to Naomi for being such a good friend.But to ask Jax for a favor, I need to be able to see Jax first. The man is illustrious and heโs almost always never accepts a walk-in meeting. But my good friend Chris promised heโd ask on my behalf.โHey boo, how are you holding up?โ Chris
Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 49
EthanWell, this is a fucking mess. When I arrived at Patrickโs office, the other members are waiting too. With Patrick still in his meeting with the president, weโre stuck here until further notice.โWell, itโs nice of you to show up,โ Aiden greets me as I take a seat, sandwiched between him and Alexander on the colorful couch. Luke and Liam are on the twin bean bags on the floor playing on their phones.โIโm sorry, I got held upโฆโ but I let it hang because when I turn to face Aiden, he doesnโt seem upset like I thought heโd be. In fact, Luke and Liam look indifferent as well. Itโs only Alexander who seems to have a furrow on his brow.Standing up, I address the room. โIโm sorry I got you all in this mess.โ I got their attention with that, but I know they deserve more than a half-assed apology. โIโm gonna work with Patrick to clear this up quickly.โLiam stands up then claps a hand on my shoulder and offers me a small smile. I return his smile with a grateful one. Among the men her
Destroy Me: RAZEย ย ย Chapter 48
EthanโNo! No, I didnโt!โ I yell out, frustrated and dejected from todayโs events. With my phone connected to the car, I can talk to Patrick while driving back. โThe breakup was civil! I donโt understand why Rina is lying, but donโt trust her.โI rub a hand over my mouth in frustration. It just goes to show that anything is indeed possible. What I thought would be the happiest day of my life turned out to be a nightmare. One moment I was laughing with the love of my life, tangled in the sheet, and now Iโve managed to involve her in a dating scandal.Iโm such a loser. I should have immediately gone after Keira. But instead, I wallowed in self-pity for the better half of the morning before I got my shit together and called my manager.I should have expected that the media would twist this into a scandal. And Rinaโฆ that wench. I should have known she was capable of something like this. It must have been her who leaked the photo from my neighborhood. Sheโs the only one who knew about it t
