Zoe's P.O.V.After a Week"Shit! My cramps." I emerge from the bathroom after putting on a sanitary pad, my hand on my belly and my face contorted with pain. The pain of period cramps is one of the worst things in the world.I shuffle over to the couch and curl up in a ball, trying to find a comfortable position. The heating pad I've been using isn't helping much today, and I just want the pain to go away.As Sky enters the room, his brows furrow in worry at seeing my state. He rushes to me, asking, "Trouble, are you alright?" His eyes filled with concern are fixed on me.I let out a small groan, shaking my head. "These period cramps will kill me one day.""Hey, don't say that. You'll be fine," he reassures me, bending down and caressing my hair."How? Oh God..." I cry out, shutting my eyes."Zoe, relax. I know a way. I'll be right back." He dashes out of the room. I sit up, holding my stomach, praying for this pain to go away.A few minutes later, he returns with a cup. "Here's some
"Zoe? Zoe, are you still there?" As I hear Officer Harris's faint voice through the phone, I return to reality.Sobbing, I struggle to pick up my phone, my hands shaking. "Yes, I'm here. I'm coming to the hospital," I respond with great difficulty before ending the call.I grab my car keys and rush out.As I sit in the car, I fumble with my phone and dial Alex's number. Tears blur my vision, and my hands are shaking so badly that I almost drop the phone. I feel suffocated, as if someone is choking me by grabbing my neck."Hello." As Alex answers the call, a whimper escapes my mouth."Zoe... Are you alright? What happened?" He questions, his voice filled with concern."It's Sky. He's been in an accident." I hiccup. "I'm on my way to Jacobi Hospital." My voice shakes as I tell him. "Alex, I'm so scared for him.""Zoe, breathe. It's going to be okay. I'm coming to the hospital too. Just hang in there, okay?" He tries to reassure me, but all I can do is nod, fiddling with my pendant even
Sky's P.O.V.I slowly regain consciousness, blinking against the harsh lights above me. My body feels heavy and sore.Fuck! I feel like my head is about to explode.I notice the faces of Alex and Selena hovering above me, relief visible in their eyes. But my eyes search for the woman with the bangs. My Trouble. Where is she?"Hey, man." Alex gives me a gentle smile. "You scared the hell out of us. I'm glad you're alright."I give him a faint smile, but my eyes dart around the room, desperately looking for Zoe. I need to see her, to tell her I'm okay, to hold her hand and feel her warmth. I can't even imagine what she must have gone through when she found out about my accident. It must have been so hard for her.But where the hell is she? She should be here. I hope she's alright.Before I can ask about her, my dad enters the room, his eyes filled with concern and love. He steps closer to my bed. "Sky, thank God you're alright.""Yeah, Dad. I'm okay." I murmur, passing him a small smile
Zoe's P.O.V.As I enter Sky's penthouse, the place we've made our home over the past month and a half, fresh tears trickle down my cheeks. Every corner of the apartment is filled with memories of us.I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him here, but deep inside, I knew that happiness wasn't written in my cards. God would take Sky away from me, just as I lost my family. I was certain that destiny would play this cruel trick on me.As I step into the living room, I picture Sky chasing me because I stole the last piece of pizza. "Trouble, we had a deal to split this last piece," I recall him saying. I replied, "I don't remember any such deal." His laughter echoes in my mind—a sound I desperately long to hear again.As I walk into the dining area, I see myself sitting on his lap, giggling while he feeds me, teasing me."Sky, stop it! I can feed myself." I laughed, trying to grab the fork from him. "But you're such a messy eater," Sky teased, holding the fork just out of my reach
Zoe's P.O.V.Selena's voice echoes through the penthouse. "Zoe?"So it's Selena. Sky must have sent her to check on me. I shouldn't have left so hurriedly. Now she won't let me go. But I've made up my mind, and it won't change.Grasping the handle of my suitcase, I take a deep breath, trying to compose myself. As I wipe my tears, Selena comes toward me, her eyes filled with concern."Zoe, what the hell are you doing?" Selena asks, her gaze shifting to the packed bag beside me. "You're not seriously thinking of leaving, are you?"I avert my eyes, can't able to meet her gaze. "Selena, you already know it's for the best. Sky will be better off without me.""No, he won't," she insists, stepping closer. "Zoe, you're thinking wrong. Sky needs you. He loves you more than anything. It's not right. You can't let your fear destroy everything."I can't hold back my tears any longer. "Selena, you don't understand. Everyone I love leaves me. My parents, my brother, my grandmother... they all died.
Sky's P.O.V."Alex, I'm feeling so helpless, lying injured here. I need to find Zoe. I don't know what state she's in or where she could be. She could get into any kind of trouble. I want to be with her," I express my concern to Alex. It's been twenty hours since Selena told me that Zoe left the penthouse after locking her in. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard this.When Selena told me that Zoe wasn't in the right state of mind and was constantly blaming herself for my condition, I wished I could be there with her to explain that she shouldn't run away like this. She shouldn't leave me because of her fear. She's thinking completely wrong.Fuck! I'm already missing her. My life becomes dull when she's not around me.I run a hand through my hair, aggravated. "Zoe's always been the light in my life. Everything feels so dull and empty without her here.""I know, man. But we'll find her. Don't worry," Alex reassures me, standing beside my bed."I just wish I could get up and search f
Sky's P.O.V.A Week LaterI enter our penthouse with a broken heart, my hand still in a plaster. It's been a week, and I still have no clue where my Trouble is or how she's doing. Her phone has been switched off since she left, and when we traced her number, the last location it showed was our penthouse.She didn't just leave me; she left everything behind to save me. Her studies, her apartment, her friends—everything she built for herself. It's like she disappeared into thin air.The doctors still weren't ready to discharge me, but I begged them. I need to find Zoe. I was going crazy lying in the hospital bed, not knowing where she was.God! Please keep her safe. Please.The penthouse feels so empty without her, and every corner reminds me of her.As I look at the sofa, I recall how she was jumping on it with excitement like a kid two weeks ago when I told her we would go on vacation after our exams.FlashbackAs she bounced on the sofa, I cautioned her, "Trouble, careful. You'll fal
Zoe's P.O.V.It's been a week of hell since I left New York and came to Ibiza. I have no clue how Sky is. Is he recovering well after the accident? Is he okay?God! I wish I didn't have to leave him like that.I don't know how I'm going to survive here, all alone, without him. Living without him is worse than anything I could have imagined. Every moment feels like an eternity. I'm haunted by the memory of his face, his voice, his touch. Every fibre of my body, my soul, is yearning for him.However, I have to live without him. I can't put Sky's life at risk because of me. With time, I'll grow accustomed to living like this. I have to accept that living alone is my fate.I wander down the streets of Ibiza, lost in thoughts and memories of Sky. A loud honk jolts me back to reality. I freeze—a car is speeding toward me. But before I can react, someone yanks me back onto the sidewalk.I turn to see a woman about my age, looking at me with concern in her amber eyes. "Hey, where were you los
Stella’s P.O.V.Dinner with Mom feels different tonight. There’s an energy about her—a spark in her eyes I haven’t seen in years.As we sit around the table, eating the pasta she made, she clears her throat. I glance up and catch the slight nervousness in her expression.“There’s something I’ve been thinking to tell you both,” she finally speak up, her eyes swaying between me and Alex.I pause, my fork midway to my mouth. “Mom, what is it?”She sets her fork down and looks at me with a smile. “About a month ago, I reconnected with someone from my past… my college sweetheart.”My fork clatters onto my plate as I sit up straighter. “Your college sweetheart?”Mom nods, her cheeks tinged with a blush. “Yes. His name is Henry. We had to separate because my parents forced me to marry your father. But now…” She pauses, her eyes shining with a mix of emotions. “Now we’ve found each other again. He’s single, I’m single, and… we’ve been spending time together. It’s been wonderful.”I glance at
Alex’s P.O.V.Three Months LaterI’ve been healing gradually from the truth I discovered about my father three months ago.I’m certain I would’ve completely lost myself if Stella hadn’t been there for me during this time. She helped me find myself again and stood strong, even though I know she herself was healing from the trauma of taking someone’s life.Her mother protected Stella by ensuring her name didn’t come up during the police investigation. She lied, claiming that she hit my father in self-defence, which ultimately led to his death.Even though he was a monster, it’s been hard for Stella to accept that she killed someone. But during this time, we’ve become each other’s strength.We’re now living in an apartment I bought near our college. All of my father’s properties were in my name, but I donated them to charity. I didn’t want to keep anything that belonged to that man. However, I kept the beach house because it’s close to my heart. That place has always given me some kind o
Alex’s P.O.V.“I love you more, Alex.”These words are like a lifeline, pulling me out of the storm I’ve been drowning in. I can hardly believe my ears. For so long, I’ve waited to hear those words from her lips.Suddenly, all my pain disappears, and the only thing I feel is immense satisfaction. Stella’s confession means so much to me. It means she is finally ready to give me her heart completely. She trusts me. She is giving love a second chance.I stop walking, frozen in the moment. All the darkness, the guilt, the fear—it’s still there, but her words make it bearable.I glance down at her in my arms. Did she really say it? Or is my mind playing tricks on me?Carefully, I lower her to the soft sand near the water, the waves lapping gently at the shore, their sound as peaceful as always.I cup her face in my hands, brushing her cheeks with my thumbs. “Say it again, Please, Stella. Say it again.” I request, fixing my eyes on her.Her eyes are filled with immense affection, and she sm
Stella’s P.O.V.“Please don’t regret for a second for killing that monster, Stella. You’ve freed your mother from the unbearable pain. You have no clue how relieved I am. Thank you.” My mom expresses her gratitude when I lie her down on the bed at night in one room of Alex’s beach house.After my mother was discharged, nobody wanted to return to the place where we used to live with that monster. My mom has so many painful memories tied to that house, and I killed the monster there. Alex didn’t want any of us to be anywhere near a place haunted by his memories. So he made the decision to bring us here instead.I tuck the blanket around Mom. I’m glad I gave her peace, but what about the weight I carry now? The monster is gone, but the trauma of killing someone is unbearable. And I can’t share it with anybody. Alex and Mom, both are dealing with their pain. How can I burden them with mine when they’re already struggling to heal?“Mom, you don’t need to thank me,” I respond, sitting on th
Alex’s P.O.V.The next morning, I’m still seated in the waiting room of the hospital. Stella and I spent the entire night here, though sleep was a stranger. The load of everything that’s happened is suffocating me. I’m still trying to digest that my father was a monster who caused suffering to Stella’s mother. It’s like a nightmare to me.“I can completely understand what you’re going through, Alex.” Sky breaks the silence. He sits beside me. Stella is with Zoe and Selena inside her mother’s room.I know he can feel my pain because, a few months ago, he also discovered the evil deeds of his father. Since then, he’s been working tirelessly day and night to become stronger than him so that he can put his father behind bars.I glance at him with sorrowful eyes. “How did you do it, Sky? I mean, how did you even begin to understand the fact that your own father was… like this? I don’t know how to move forward from here. You know I feel like I’m stuck, drowning in shame.”Sky leans forward,
Alex’s P.O.V.I feel so lost. Completely lost.When the doctor informed us about the condition of Stella’s mother, I felt like killing my father. How could he torture someone to this extent? Why couldn’t I ever see his true face?Before Stella’s mother, did he torture other women? Did he also hurt my mother?My chest tightens with immense pain as I sit outside Stella’s mother’s hospital room, lost in thought. How can I face Olivia, knowing that I carry the blood of the man who hurt her? How am I supposed to promise her I’ll keep Stella safe when my father inflicted so much pain on her? Will she ever be able to trust me?I stare at the floor, fists clenched, and try to steady my breathing. Thoughts revolve endlessly around my mind: Did I somehow miss the signs? Have I been blind to my father’s true nature all my life?The truth is, I don’t know who he is anymore. I don’t know who I am anymore. And worse, I don’t know how I’ll prove to Olivia that I’m not like my father—that I would rat
Stella’s P.O.V.I sit with Alex in the waiting room as the doctor treats our parents. Alex has been completely silent since I told him the truth about his father. That truth has shaken him deeply.On one hand, my heart aches for him, and on the other, for my mother, who has been suffering for who knows how long. Why did God make her endure the same pain she had in the past? Why didn’t she tell me?Alex’s hands are clenched tightly in his lap, and his jaw is tense, as though he’s fighting an internal battle. I can’t blame him. He would have never imagined his father would be a monster.This entire ordeal has taken so much out of both of us. But for Alex, I know it’s different. His world has been turned upside down in a way I can’t even begin to imagine.I glance at him, his face pale and his eyes distant, as if he’s locked away somewhere I can’t reach. The person sitting next to me looks so lost, like a stranger who endured a painful truth he never expected to face. This is a side of A
Alex’s P.O.V.As I sit in my car, waiting for Stella to return, my watch suddenly begins beeping.Damn it!Something is wrong with Stella.Without a second thought, I jump out of the car and rush inside, my mind spinning with worry. I keep praying in my mind that she’s alright.I head straight to her room, but she’s not there. I check everywhere—the bathroom, the balcony—but she’s nowhere in sight. The constant beeping from my watch only makes my heartbeat race with anxiety.What happened to her? She looked so happy when she walked into the house. How could things go wrong in just a few minutes?“Stella…” Desperately, I call her name as I step out of her room, but there’s no response.When I reach the door of her mother’s room, I stop, noticing Stella’s bag lying on the floor just outside.I wonder what her bag is doing here.Then I push the door open and step inside. My eyes widen in shock as I take in the scene. Stella is sitting, hugging her mother tightly, and both of them are cry
Stella’s P.O.V. "Can we have the same sandwich we had last time, please?" I ask as he opens my door and I step out. “No.” He denies it, shutting the door close. I look at him in shock. “Why?” He lets out a laugh, tapping my nose. "I was just kidding, Stella. Of course, we can have that sandwich. Today, whatever you want, we'll do. It's your day, my love." “Who could’ve thought that the Mr Grumpy would get so sweet one day.” I pull his cheeks, causing him to chuckle. “Now I’m yours Mr NMG.” He leans in and pecks on my cheek, making me grin. Then we head inside and eat sandwiches from the stall. My birthday is already going so amazingly. First, I woke up to my room decorated with so many gifts—it felt like a dream. And now, these delicious sandwiches! Wow! As we finish our sandwiches, Alex takes my hand and guides me towards the ice rink. When we enter, I notice something unusual—the entire rink is completely empty. My face falls as I glance around, thinking that the rink m