The grand ballroom, once so alive with laughter and echoes of music, now felt like a cold, suffocating tomb. The soft illumination from the chandeliers provided no relief from the tension hanging heavy in the air.Jayla, Jasmine, and Jade stood at the edge of the room, staring at the grand doors that had slammed shut, cutting them off from the man they all thought they knew. Between them, the truth hung in the air, ugly and undeniable.One man.Three sisters.One massive betrayal.But none knew at whom to direct their anger at. Not yet.Jayla was the first to move, her chest rising and falling in sharp, erratic breaths. Never had she felt such a storm of emotions assaulted her all at once-possessiveness, jealousy, and disbelief. The fact that Axel, her Axel, could have been lying to her, could have been with both of her sisters, tore at her insides."This can't be real," Jayla whispered, more to herself than to her sisters. Her hands shook as she pulled her gaze slowly from the grand
This grand ballroom felt as if it were closing around them, suffocating in its grandeur. Jayla, Jasmine, Jade-three sisters, so close their whole life-now stood oceans apart, separated by a singular, devastating truth.Axel. Brock. Alexander.The same man.Jayla's eyes darted between her sisters, trying to keep her breathing steady as the full weight of it hit her. She wanted to scream to refute, to deny everything so obviously standing before her. How could it be that they’d all been seeing him? How could it be that her Axel had somehow become their Brock or Alexander?Her throat tightened. She needed him to be hers. He had to be. That thought was the only thing anchoring her at the moment. But now, looking at her sisters, each of their faces reflecting her very same belief and jealousy, she knew she couldn't just claim him openly.At least, not just yet.Jasmine's heart raced, her fingers fisting into the fabric of her dress until it might rip off. Alexander had been her salvation,
THE GRANDEUR OF THE BALLROOMWhat had once been the grand ballroom now felt like a cage. Jayla, Jasmine, and Jade stood in silence, their hearts still racing with the enormity of it all. Around them, the laughter, the music, the soft glow of chandeliers continued, but none seemed to break through the heavy tension that weighed upon their chests.One man, three hearts.They had always been so close, the kind of sisters who could finish each other's sentences, who shared an unbreakable bond that nothing in the world could touch-not even the ruthless world of wealth and privilege . But now? That bond had been shaken. Axel, Brock, Alexander-whatever name he went by-had inadvertently driven a wedge between them.And yet, neither one of them dared utter it.Jayla's head spun as her gaze slipped out into the crowded room; her hand trembled slightly, clutching her champagne glass tightly. It had to be a lie; she just couldn't fathom such a thing. Axel was hers, he had to be. He had kissed her
The limousine glided smoothly down the streets, the soft hum of the engine the only sound between the sisters. The City lights outside flickered through the window frames, casting streaks shadows across their faces. Yet, inside the car, a different kind of light flickered: the silent storm of emotions hidden beneath their masks.Jayla, Jasmine, and Jade sat in tense, charged silence, each sister lost in her thoughts, their emotions swirling like the dark clouds that seemed to hang over them.They had decided to keep the truth from Axel/Brock/Alexander for now and instead threatened to confront him separately. Still, the weight of it all was just too heavy to shake off.They had always been able to read each other so easily, but now, it felt like the tension was an impenetrable wall separating them apart even as they sat together.Jayla's mind raced.She watched the passing city lights but her mind was miles away, going back to the ballroom, going back to the very moment she first loc
The early morning sunlight crept into the magnificent mansion, illuminating the quiet halls. It was tranquil, on the outside. But Inside, there was a brewing storm.Each sister lay in bed, their thoughts tangled through the night, yet the revelation of the gala gnawed at their minds. Axel. Brock. Alexander.The man they had thought they knew in and out, the man they thought was theirs alone had been at the gala despite giving each of them a reason as to why he couldn't attend the family dinner.Jayla sat on the edge of her bed in her room, staring blankly out of the window. Her mind raced around in circles. Axel had told her he couldn't make it due to work, but then she saw him at the gala. And yet, it just could not have been some sort of mistake. She knew it was his voice that she heard.He must have a good reason, she muttered to herself, her timbre shaking while clutching onto her phone. He loves me. He would never lie to me, not over something like this.Her fingers danced on the
The cool evening breeze drifted through the opened penthouse window as Axel stood at the sleek, black marble counter, sipping whiskey. His mind sharp, clearing his thoughts. He was playing a dangerous game, but one in which he was always good at. Deception was his art form, and so far, none of the women in his life came close to catching him.Tonight would have been a great night, but it was different. The triplets were all on edge. He had picked it up when each of them came to him separately to talk about the gala: Jayla, Jade, Jasmine-three ladies, three different personalities, three different stories he had carefully crafted. They had come dangerously close to connecting the dots at the gala, but he had been careful.Now as his phone buzzed; he saw the first message for the night, a text from Jayla."Hey Axel, can I come by tonight? I've been thinking about you and wanna see you, we need to talk, in person."Axel stared at a message for a moment, his pulse quickening ever so sligh
Jasmine stood at the bedroom door, her mind racing. She watched Jayla slip out of the house without a word. So she wasn't going to stick to the plan after all; the very one which they all agreed on.Her blood boiled with anger. Jayla was to wait. She was supposed to be the first to meet Axel or no Alexander. Yet, here Jayla wanted none of that. She had decided not to follow the rules set upon them, thought she could see him at any time she pleases.Anger surged through Jasmine's whole body as her fists clenched by her sides. She stormed into her room slamming the door shut behind her.So Jayla did what she wanted and forgot the plan," she muttered, pacing back and forth, "She thinks she can do whatever she wants?"Her heart pounded with anger, but somewhere beneath that, something else took precedence, and it stung so much deeper.Betrayal.She'd trusted Jayla, thought the two of them were in this together in finding the truth about Brock about Axel together. Now, it felt like her sis
Jade remained in the kitchen long after Jayla retreated to her room. The morning warmth cooled into a heavy chill that hung in her chest. She stared at the mug in her hands, trying to wrap her head around the tension of the argument from the morning and their bond unraveling between the sisters.Jayla believed Axel. Jasmine did not. And there she was, stuck between two people she loved more than anything in the world and a man for whom she had taken every caution against in her gut and fallen for anyway. But now… now things felt even more complicated. The appeal of Axel, the mannerisms when it was just them, drew her in. Yet, all those lies, all that secrecy-it weighed on her.The door slam upstairs shook her out of her reverie. Jayla and Jasmine were in pain, and all she could do was stand here frozen in the growing feeling that was all starting to slip through their fingers. They couldn't keep up with the doubt, the confrontation and the accusations between one another and they woul
The next evening, Jayla sat down her cross-legged on her bed, a glass of water in one hand and her phone in the other. The soft hum of the ceiling fan did little for the silence marshaling its forces against her. Her fingers hovered over Axel's contact name. They hadn't spoken since that night party, the drinks, the indistinct memory of his worried face as he hailed her a cab. Her thumb finally pressed "Call." The ringing felt eternal before Axel's voice crackled through the speaker. "Jayla?" Axel sounded surprised. "Hey… it's been a while." Jayla smiled faintly, leaning back against her headboard. "Yeah, it has. I wasn't sure you'd pick up." "Of course, I would. You kinda disappeared after… everything. How are you? You sound different." Jayla's smile faltered. "I was in the hospital, Axel. I… I was poisoned. Almost died. The line went dead. She could hear Axel's hitched breath. "Poisoned?" he repeated, his voice low, slow, measured. "Jesus, Jayla. Are you okay now? Do you--do
Jayla’s chest heaved as she stood frozen in the doorway of Room 408, the sight of Axel slumped on the bed and Jade standing beside him sending white-hot fury coursing through her veins. “Jayla,” Jade purred, her voice mocking as she leaned casually against the bedpost. “I didn’t think you’d show up. Brave of you.” Axel stirred; still groggy, his eyes tried to take better focus. "Jayla, wait.it's not what you think—" "Not what I think?" Jayla crackled her tone as her shaking fists jammed beside her. "You're in bed with her, Axel. Her! After all that we had gone through?" Jade scoffed, each of her words sharp and biting. "Oh, don't be so stunned, Jayla. Probably, if your nose were not constantly up your asshole, then maybe, just maybe you might have seen it coming. The words were gasoline to the fire running rampant inside her body. She strode closer, each step more adamant, her voice going louder. "You manipulative little-" With a quick dodge to her advance and strength that was a
Jade's Hotel Room — Midnight The room was pitch black except for the bleeding light of the city through diaphanous curtains. She sat at the end of a king bed, soft light befalling her face from the phone in her hand, one leg over the other. Lying beside her, Axel was spread across the bed, his shirt unbuttoned, his breathing deep but irregular since the drug she'd slipped into his wine still did its work of keeping him very sluggish and unaware of what was happening around him. A sly smile played upon Jade's red lips, curled as they were hand-flipping the pictures she had managed to click throughout, each frame showing something sensual, well-thought-of with calculation. Her hands were over Axel's chest, rubbing casually across his bearded cheek snaps told it all sans loud words of recognition for proximity. Her gaze shifted to the figure that lay before her, serene and soft-as-a-petal in his sleep. "Time now for the thickening of the plot." She clicked the Messaging app first to
The silence of the house enveloped Axel as he stepped inside, the sweet scent of lavender and vanilla comforting perfume so frail in nature wafting through it. Soft light spilled from the living room, casting warmth against the chill of the emotional vacuum that had filled him.As his eyes acclimatized to the brightness, he saw her there: Audrey.She had been curled on the couch, her body sheathed in one of his immense sweaters from her miniature body, and flowed right down her back, where long red hair gave a cascade when the fuming teacup heated her hands.Then she'd raised her gaze, and now her eyes just met Axel."Ach Axel." She sighed soft,.And before another word could escape his lips, Audrey was pressed against him, her face buried in his chest, her fingers digging into his shirt as though he'd disappear if she loosened her grasp."I thought you weren't coming back," she choked.Axel’s throat tightened as the guilt pressed against his chest like a weight he couldn’t lift off,
Outside the Café, moments after the Ultimatum, Axel staggered to his car, the night chilly and nibbling on skin that felt nothing. His head was spinning on a roll-out of control with that threat of Sarah inside his head.The image on her phone imprinted into the brain - damning evidence against him.He was holding on to the roof of his car, his head hung low, sharp, labored gasps of breath.She's mine now.It was his ringing phone that managed to wrench him back from that spiral of thoughts. His fingers moved over his pocket for his phone, as did his eyes, locking their focus on the screen.Audrey: "Baby, I miss you. You're back from your trip, aren't you? Cause I feel like I am freaking out. I need you."Audrey. His wife. The woman he'd promised to protect, to love.Axel sank his teeth hard as the knuckles whitened with the grip of his phone. He couldn't let her take down everything. Whichever way, a choice seemed to enslave him; every step to choke the breath out of his neck.He jam
The next evening, Jayla sat down her cross-legged on her bed, a glass of water in one hand and her phone in the other. The soft hum of the ceiling fan did little for the silence marshaling its forces against her. Her fingers hovered over Axel's contact name. They hadn't spoken since that night party, the drinks, the indistinct memory of his worried face as he hailed her a cab.Her thumb finally pressed "Call." The ringing felt eternal before Axel's voice crackled through the speaker."Jayla?" Axel sounded surprised. "Hey… it's been a while."Jayla smiled faintly, leaning back against her headboard. "Yeah, it has. I wasn't sure you'd pick up.""Of course, I would. You kinda disappeared after… everything. How are you? You sound different."Jayla's smile faltered. "I was in the hospital, Axel. I… I was poisoned. Almost died.The line went dead. She could hear Axel's hitched breath."Poisoned?" he repeated, his voice low, slow, measured. "Jesus, Jayla. Are you okay now? Do you--do you kno
Standing just beyond the threshold into Jayla's room, Jasmine felt her breath catch. This was to be the triumphant scene of a recovered Jayla, surrounded by concerned parents and Jade; instead, the weight in her chest grew heavier. She couldn't get past that glimpse of suspicion in her sister's eyes, nor the haunting question: Did she know?Jayla leaned back against her pillows, pale but alert. Her voice was still hoarse, but something in the quiet strength of her tone unnerved Jasmine. "It feels so strange… like someone wanted me gone."Mrs. Johnson hushed her daughter, stroking her hair tenderly. "Don't say such things, darling. It was an accident. Probably something you ate. You're fine now, and that's all that matters."Jayla's lips curled faintly into a smirk, a ghost of her usual confidence. Her sharp gaze shifted briefly toward the doorway to Jasmine and lingered there. "Accidents don't feel this deliberate, Mother."Jasmine's stomach churned violently. She dug her fingers into
Golden sun streams came through the window into the Johnson mansion to bathe the great dining room with its warmth. Three days since the accident had happened, and it is within the atmosphere brought along by such a situation in life. All was well but the surface of each heart seated on hot coals -and burned so much more under Jasmine's skin than any person could imagine.She sat at her vanity, brushing her hair in slow, deliberating strokes while her mind replayed events of the past week: screeching tires, the near miss with the car, and now Jade getting into an accident. The doubt in her mind as to Jayla's involvement in it all was first just a murmur, one she dismissed for paranoia. But now? Now it was a scream she could no longer ignore.The hand closed on the hairbrush in a grip that was almost crushing as the signs turned stark: Jayla had tried to kill her with the "accident" on the street and, failing that, had gone after Jade, tampering with her brakes. In Jasmine's blood, the
Jayla sat cross-legged on the plush velvet couch in the living room of the Johnson mansion, a smirk twisting her lips. The dim light from the antique chandelier above outlined features that were almost sinister. She swirled the wine in her hand absently, as if it was the glass that was the perfect metaphor of the chaos she had unraveled.She leaned back and blew a harsh breath, the thought running like sugar on fire in her head. It was almost too good. Jade lay in the hospital after that near-fatal car accident. She hadn't died-unfortunately-but was shaken enough to keep her off-balance."Not dead yet," Jayla muttered to herself, a hard smile tugging on her lips-" but shaken. That's good enough for now."She was pleased with that image of her sister being helpless, lying in that hospital bed-so meek and weak. The whole neighborhood had thought of Jade for all those years as the "peacemaker"-way too sweet and far too good. But Jayla knew better. Jade does have ambition, and with each p