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34: One Last Glance
Last Updated:
2025-04-11 07:49:39
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FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 35: A Shot Worth Taking.
Chapter 35 Andrea's point of view. The final whistle cut through the air like a blade, sharp, cold, and merciless. Andreas didn’t wait. He jogged off the pitch, sweat clinging to his body like a second skin. The scoreboard glared above the stadium: 1-1. A draw between his team t, the Sunshine Star, and their opponents, the Super Strikers. But to Andreas, it felt like a loss. The usual post-match rituals, handshakes, waves to the crowd, and interviews lured into static. He felt forced, his body moving but his mind elsewhere. He ignored the calls from the press for an interview and passed the cameras. Not tonight. He wasn’t in the mood. He wasn’t in the right mind for it. The locker room greeted him with silence. Cool air hit his overheated skin as he sank onto the bench, tugging his jersey over his head and letting it fall to the floor. His muscles burned beneath his skin, his breath still coming in shallow bursts from the exertion of ninety dragging minutes. He reached f
Last Updated : 2025-04-11FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 36: The Weight of What Ifs
Chapter 36 Mia had become an expert at pretending. Pretending she was fine. Pretending she'd moved on. Pretending her heart didn't ache in the quiet hours of the night when the world had hushed and all that was left was the soft hum of memory and his voice echoing in her mind. Andreas. She hadn’t spoken his name in weeks. Not aloud. Not even to Susan. Not even to herself. But it lingered just behind her lips like a secret trying to slip out. Every time she tried to suppress him, he found another way to resurface, unexpected, uninvited, but always unforgettable. Like last weekend during their match. “Mom, it’s kickoff time!” Sofia had cried excitedly, dragging a cushion from the couch to the front of the TV. “We have to support Andreas’ team!” Mia had feigned disinterest, scrolling through her phone with a half-smile. “Didn’t you want to watch that nature documentary instead?” “Nooo,” Sofia giggled. “That was yesterday. This is soccer day.” And so, Mia sat beside her d
Last Updated : 2025-04-12FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 37: Public Secrets
Chapter 37 The soft click of the door echoed through the empty house as Andreas stepped inside, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. The familiar scent of wood polish and linen greeted him, but it did little to soften the heaviness lodged in his chest. The match in Villa Verde had drained him physically, mentally, and emotionally. A 1–1 draw wasn’t the worst outcome, but the disappointment clung to him like a second skin. His mind hadn’t been on the game, not fully. Not when Mia haunted every corner of his thoughts. He barely had time to drop his bag when his phone buzzed sharply against his thigh. The screen lit up with a name that gave him pause: Mama. He considered ignoring it. He wasn’t ready for small talk, or awkward apologies. But guilt nudged him. With a sigh, he swiped the green button and brought the phone to his ear as he sank into the couch, legs sprawled out, head leaning back. “Hello,” he said, his voice rough from travel and fatigue. “Hi, baby,” came his
Last Updated : 2025-04-12FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 38: Secrets in the Spotlight
Chapter 38 The night had fallen softly over Hill County, but inside Mia Martinez's chest, everything was loud. The tires of Lucas’s sleek black SUV hadn’t even rolled out of her driveway before she exhaled, long and slow as if releasing the weight of the last two hours from her lungs. Sofia had chattered the entire way back from their dinner date, her small voice full of laughter and sunshine, entirely oblivious to the tension thickening between her parents like invisible steel wires pulled together. “Mommy, I’m going upstairs to play with my toys!” Sofia announced the moment they walked through the door, already kicking off her glittery shoes and racing for the staircase. “Alright, baby. Don't stay up too late, okay? Mummy will be with you shortly.” Mia called after her, forcing a smile she didn’t feel. Lucas remained at the threshold, his hand resting on the frame like he wanted to step in but knew better. He was wearing that hopeful expression again, the one she no longer tr
Last Updated : 2025-04-13FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 39: House Under Fire
Chapter 39 “Mia, are you home?…” The knock continued, louder, frantic, Mia nearly jumped out of her skin. She’d expected the chaos, expected the press, expected something ugly—but not this. Not this pounding, not this desperation. She recognized the voice. Her hand trembled as she crept toward the door, her heart slamming against her ribs like a trapped bird. She peered through the peephole just to be sure and relief buckled her knees. It was Susan. With a shaky breath, Mia unlocked the door and pulled it open a crack revealing an agitated Susan standing in the doorway. Susan didn’t wait. She pushed her way in with urgent concern written all over her face. “Oh my God, Mia, are you okay? I came as soon as I saw the news—” But Mia wasn’t okay. Her breath came in short, urgent gasps. Her lips trembled. She stood there, eyes wide with disbelief, hands gripping the doorframe like it was the only thing keeping her upright. Susan reached for her immediately, gathering her into
Last Updated : 2025-04-13FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 40: Shadows Behind the Flash
Chapter 40 Mia’s heart pounded in her chest like a war drum as she bolted down the stairs, her arms wrapped tightly around a drowsy Sofia. Every creak of the steps, every flicker of light felt like it might snap her already fraying nerves. At the base of the stairs stood Susan and Carlos, her head of security, flanked by a few other of her guards. Their faces were grim, alert. “We have to move. Now,” Carlos said firmly, already motioning for his team to secure the perimeter. Mia’s fingers tightened instinctively around Sofia. “Where the hell are we even going?” she muttered under her breath. Before anyone could answer, the back door creaked open. The click of multiple safeties being released filled the air. Her security team raised their weapons, their eyes hard, focused on where the sound came from. Like wolves scenting a threat. “Don’t shoot!” a familiar voice called, muffled beneath a mask. The figure raised both hands slowly in surrender as he stepped into the dim light
Last Updated : 2025-04-14FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 41: Too Late for Truths
Chapter 41 The sea had smelled different that night. Saltier, sharper as though the breeze that swept through the terrace carried not just brine but a warning. Andreas leaned over the iron railing of the hotel’s top-floor suite in Greece, his phone slack in his hand, the message thread with Mia still open and unanswered. She hadn’t responded. Not to the photos he’d sent of the view or the dinner table he’d set for two. Not even the last message: "Wish you were here." Left on read. The blinking cursor mocked him like silence in a crowded room. Behind him, the suite was golden-lit and quiet, the kind of luxury meant for laughter and sex and the kind of intimacy he’d only ever wanted with her. But now the room felt hollow like a stage abandoned mid-play. He sighed and rubbed his jaw, dragging in a breath that didn’t fill his lungs. Maybe she wasn’t coming. Maybe she’d changed her mind. Then a knock came. It was sharp, urgent, almost impatient. His heart stuttered. For a second,
Last Updated : 2025-04-14FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 42: Everything Changes
Chapter 42 Andrea's point of view. The fury in my chest was hot, coiled, and clawing to be unleashed. I could still hear Mia’s voice in my head, thick with betrayal, her words cutting deeper than any blade. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come. Maybe am a fool.” The weight of her heartbreak sat heavily on my shoulders, and I knew one thing with certainty. I wasn’t going to let it end like this. Not until I had answers. Not until I knew got to the root of this. Only one person knew about my trip to Greece. Tania. And I suspected deep within my soul that she was behind this. I needed to know how deep Tania’s poison ran. I didn’t remember getting into the car. Didn’t register Martin’s concerned expression as he held the door open for me. My voice was cold steel when I ordered him to drive. There was only one place she could be. The streets blurred past in streaks of night and neon, my pulse drumming like war in my ears. When the car finally rolled to a stop outside the old b
Last Updated : 2025-04-15
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FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 62: Where it Hurts.
Chapter 62The door slammed shut behind her like a final verdict.Tania’s heels clicked with frantic rhythm on the battered laminate floor as she stormed into the apartment, a raging storm of anger bubbling in her very being. She barely registered her environment as arms tightened around Brian, who was starting to squirm, and with a huff of frustration, she dropped him onto the lumpy old couch.He fussed immediately, whimpering, kicking, and rubbing his eyes with tiny balled fists, but she was already pacing, clawed hands dragging through her sweat-damp blonde hair. Her skin prickled. Her teeth ground together. Her ears buzzed with the echo of Andreas’s voice, still rattling around her skull like shrapnel.“Full custody,” she spat, venom thick on her tongue. “He said he wants full custody. He's crazy if he thinks, even for one second that I'll agree to give up my child without a fight!”Brian’s cries grew louder as he heard Tania's a
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 61: Where Loyalty Lies
Chapter 61The words settled like a rock in Mia's chest."I'm fighting to get full custody of my son, Brian" Andreas whispered into the quiet of her room, his breath still warm against her collarbone.Mia stiffened in his arms, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes. The air between them crackled but not with the heat from moments before, but with the weight of something heavier, denser. Her lips parted, but the question came out as barely more than a breath."What?"Andreas’s hands slid to her waist, grounding her, steadying her as though he could sense the shift happening inside her. He didn’t repeat himself. He didn’t have to.The room felt suddenly colder, shadows stretching longer against the walls, and the humming silence that followed was almost unbearable.Mia stepped back, folding her arms over her chest as if she could shield herself from the storm that was gathering within. "You want to take him away f
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 60: Last Strand
Chapter 60The late afternoon sun bled golden streaks across the sky, casting long shadows over the city park. Laughter rang in the air with children squealing in delight, parents chatting, and the occasional bark of a dog as it chased after a ball. To any outsider, it looked like a perfect family outing. But for Tania, every cheerful note in the air grated against her nerves. As her eyes landed on Andreas, she noticed the tension emanating from his body and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. She watched from the bench as Andreas stood by the side of the play area, his hands in the pockets of his charcoal hoodie, eyes fixed on the small boy laughing inside the ball pit. Brian’s curls bounced as he flailed through the rainbow-colored plastic, his face lit up in wonder and glee. Occasionally, he’d look up, searching for his mother or Andreas. Whenever his gaze landed on Andreas, he’d wave shyly. And Andreas, sweetly and patiently, would
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 59: Lyrics of Us
Chapter 59 Mia's night had shifted. It was no longer a hollow echo of Andreas's silence, but now something alive, something burning. The moment she ran into his arms, her body responded before her mind could catch up. His warmth swallowed her, strong arms lifting her as her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. Her breath caught in her throat as he kissed the side of her neck, his hands firm beneath her thighs. "Shh... quiet," she whispered against his ear, her voice low and teasing. "Sofia's asleep." "Then I guess we better keep our voices down," he murmured, his grin pressed against her skin. He carried her inside like she weighed nothing, and Mia giggled softly, burying her face in his shoulder. The door clicked shut behind them, sealing their world off from everything outside. He set her down in the living room, but Mia didn’t let go of his hand. She held it tightly, eyes sparkling with intention.
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 58: Midnight Bloom
Chapter 58The moonlight draped the streets in silver shadows as Mia pulled into her driveway, the quiet hum of the engine the only sound breaking the stillness of the night. She turned off the ignition and glanced at the passenger seat where Sofia, bundled in her favorite pink hoodie, dozed with her head tilted against the window. A soft smile curled on Mia’s lips. The day had been long, filled with laughter, running feet, spilled juice, and the warmth of old friendship. But it had also left a familiar ache in her chest. One she couldn't shake.Inside the house, she carried Sofia upstairs, her daughter’s weight warm and limp in her arms. She laid her gently on the bed, pulling the soccer field-patterned blanket up to her chin and brushing a curl from her forehead. The little girl murmured in her sleep, turning slightly, and Mia kissed her on the temple. “Goodnight, my love,” she whispered.The night air hung heavy with the scent of jas
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 57: A Taste of Something Missing
Chapter 57The late afternoon sun bled gold through the gauzy curtains of Susan’s living room, casting soft patterns on the cream carpet beneath Mia’s feet. She stood by the large window, cradling her own silence as she watched the world outside it. Susan’s home. The smell of fresh coffee drifted from the open kitchen, blending with the faint scent of lavender from a nearby diffuser.Her eyes wandered to the lush, perfectly mowed lawn that stretched like a soft green painting outside the glass. On it, laughter danced freely. Shawn, Susan’s husband, barefoot and grinning, was tossing a worn-out soccer ball between Sofia and Nick, both children squealing with joy as they ran after it, arms flailing, giggles unrestrained. The kind of joy that belonged to a life untainted.“Susan!” Shawn called, turning slightly as the ball skidded past him. “Make that two cups, will you?”“I already am, you clown!” came Susan’s voice from the kitchen,
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 56: Not Welcome Here
Chapter 56 Mia woke to the shrill ring of her phone before the sun had even risen, pale light filtering through her bedroom curtains. Her heart thudded in her chest when she saw Andreas’s name on the screen. “I… wanted to let you know,” his voice was gentle but strained, “Brian’s stable. He’s out of the ICU. They’re moving him to a regular pediatric ward this morning.” Mia exhaled, relief and guilt twinning in her throat. “Thank God,” she whispered. She'd been concerned since he told her last night about the child's condition. She was going to go to him, but it was already late in the night. “Do you want me to come?” she asked. Silence lengthened on the other end. Then he said, “Yes. Please…” “Okay…” Mia replied. “Sofia’s coming too,” she added before they ended the call. A few minutes later, Mia roused Sofia with sleepy kisses. “Come on, Sofia. W
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 55: Fatherhood's Edge
Chapter 55 The fluorescent lights of Health Wise General Hospital stretched in an endless grid overhead, humming like a swarm of bees trapped behind a glass ceiling. Andreas burst through the revolving doors, his pulse thrumming so loudly he feared the echoes might give him away. Every polished tile underfoot gleamed with sterility and antiseptic scents that clashed with the knot of dread tightening in his gut. He scanned the reception desk. A weary nurse looked up, blinking at the late hour. He spoke first, “I'm here for a Brian Costa..” He said guessing the child's last name to be the same as Tania's. “Brian Costa?” The nurse asked as she browsed through the computer in front of her, taking longer than usual. Andreas then, cut straight to the point, voice rough with urgency. “Where is he?” The nurse pointed down a corridor lined with pediatric wards. “Room 312…” Her eyes, sympat
FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR 54: Between Two Worlds
Chapter 54 The air was cool, heavy with the earthy scent of night blooming jasmine that curled around the edges of Mia’s elegant home like a whispered lullaby. Crickets played their song somewhere in the distance as Andreas stood by the side of the house, surrounded by glass and stillness, peering through the transparent walls into a home that he now felt comfortable in. Inside, warm amber light spilled over the polished wooden floors, catching the reflection of Sofia’s toys scattered near the couch and the empty wine glasses from dinner. The echo of laughter still danced in his ears, soft, innocent, and untainted. For the first time in what felt like forever, his chest wasn’t tight with anxiety or guilt. His pulse had slowed. His breath moved easy. This was what peace tasted like. He was still smiling when he heard the soft pad of bare feet approaching. Mia stepped out onto the stone pathway, her silhouette glow
