Iris POV:After bidding farewell to everyone, I left the cozy cafe at 4:10 in the late afternoon, feeling content and grateful.Today was a great day, indeed.Because everyone talked to me so nicely and even said "they like to work with me".Just a short ten minutes later, I found myself standing outside Hudson's house.As I entered, Alex's familiar voice broke the silence of the hall."Hey...You're early today for your classes," he noted cheerfully, his tone tinged with curiosity."Yeah...Is Liam home?" I inquired, scanning the room in search of any clue to his whereabouts."Yes, in his room. Why?" he questioned, his curiosity piqued by my quest.Expressing a nonchalant shrug, I muttered, "I haven't seen him in a while," before making my way towards Liam's bedroom."I hope you revised what we studied two days ago," he yelled, breaking the silence of the room with his stern remark.Responding confidently, I shouted back, "Yeah".Standing in front of Liam's door with a feeling of a mix
Author POV:Ace's eyes fluttered open slowly, feeling the weight of exhaustion drag at his lids.Every inch of his body throbbed with a dull, persistent ache, akin to the feeling of being ripped apart and hastily stitched back together.The dryness in his throat was unbearable, each swallow a painful reminder of his thirst.Finally forcing his eyes open, he was greeted by a stark white ceiling.Slowly, his gaze wandered, taking in the rhythmic beeping of monitors and the countless tubes snaking across his body.The realization hit him: he was in a hospital.He squeezed his eyes shut, exhaling a weary sigh as he sank back into the thin mattress.Suddenly, memories crashed over him like a tidal wave, causing his eyes to snap open and his heart racing.His friends. Allegra. Freya. Mikhail.A groan escaped his lips as he struggled to sit up, his injured shoulder protesting every movement.Determined, he swung his legs over the side of the bed.The moment his feet touched the cold floor, h
Iris POV:We both jolted at the sudden sound of a voice from outside the door."Iris!" Aiden's voice cut through the silence, causing Liam to let out a weary sigh."This boy," Liam muttered under his breath, "is such a brat. He'll bicker with you like a stray dog but can't stay away for even a moment."I couldn't help but giggle at his words. "I suppose today has been eventful enough. I'll fill you in on the rest of the story later," Liam said, rising from his seat to open the door.I sighed deeply, giving my cheeks a few quick smacks to wake myself from the flashback.The door swung open, revealing Aiden with a mischievous smirk, followed by Susan, Felix, and Hudson as they filed into the room.Susan immediately flopped onto the bed, resting her head on my lap as she cheerfully munched on a chocolate bar.The group's curious eyes darted between Liam and me, their expressions laced with suspicion."...What happened?" I asked, trying to clear the dryness from my throat as I addressed t
Iris POV:I got off the bike with a sense of urgency and swiftly reached for the cake from Leo. My movements were precise and careful."You're really dramatic," Leo said with a puzzled expression as he removed my helmet, his fingers brushing my hair away from my face."No. The way you drive the bike is disapproving," I said, my tone laced with concern. "The cake could have easily fallen off and been ruined if you hadn't been careful."I took a quick peek into the box to ensure that the cake was still intact.Thankfully, it appeared to be unharmed, its frosting and decorations still perfectly in place."Sweetie, I do bike stunts all the time," Leo replied with a playful smirk, his confidence evident. "You think I can't handle a cake that was literally placed in the gas tank of the bike?""A cake is like a fragile newborn baby," I said with exaggerated seriousness. "We have to handle it with the utmost care. You wouldn't be doing stunts if you had a newborn baby with you, would you?"Le
Ace POV:"Liam!" we both exclaimed, frustration evident in our voices.He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and flopped down on the couch, looking completely unconcerned.We both laid there, breathing heavily. I backed away from her and we sat up on the couch as she adjusted her dress, pouting.Within moments, all my friends had gathered around the couch.Felix, Aiden, and Alex had clearly been roused from their beds, evident by the fact that they were only wearing pajama pants. The others were dressed but looked just as groggy.They all looked like they might fall asleep here if I let them."Why the hell did you call us?" Susan asked, laying her head on Aiden's lap, her eyes half-closed with sleepiness."I specifically told everyone to meet me here at 9 sharp, and it's already past 11. Motherfuckers!" I snapped, gritting my teeth in frustration.I noticed Iris glancing around at everyone with concern as she sat beside me. Her cheeks were flushed with shyness while Liam alternated b
Author's POV:Beep, beep, beep, beep.Ace Salvatore's eyes snapped open to the persistent beeping of his alarm, a feeling of irritation washed over him, disrupting his peaceful slumber.Annoyed but disciplined, he rose from the warmth of his bed and reached for a towel to wrap around his lean body.He made his way towards his bedroom because he doesn't have any sexual relations in his bedroom.After completing his morning routine and donning a sleek black suit that complemented his fit physique.Then he was faced with a reliable figure stepped into his path – Ivan Smith, a man who had transitioned effortlessly from bodyguard and assistant to confidant and friend."Buongiorno capo ( Good morning Boss)" Ivan intoned, the words carrying a sense of familiarity tempered by respect.Ace acknowledged the greeting with a curt nod, his eyes momentarily betraying a flicker of warmth before settling back into an icy mask that had long become his trademark.He maintained his usual composed demeano
Ace POV:As I lay there on my bed, feeling a mix of annoyance and irritation, my friend Aiden continued to tickle the sole of my feet despite my protests."Stop it, Aiden, before I come and kick your ass," I finally managed to grumble before letting out a sigh and rolling onto my stomach.Aiden's disappointed gaze met mine as he shook his head in disbelief."Come on Ace, wake up, we are all here to see your psycho ass and you behave like that," he scolded gently.Glancing around the room, I noticed the familiar faces of my friends sitting on various things but not on sofa and couch.Aiden perched at the edge of my bed, while Felix casually leaned against the door frame and Liam lounged on my bed, engrossed in his phone as usual.Leo and Liam were squeezed together as if there was no other space in the spacious room, and Hudson sat on a nearby table, casting me a stern glare that made me feel slightly chuckle.Alexander, always the peacemaker, was trying to calm Hudson down.These are m
Ace POV:Ivan was bombarding me with questions, but honestly, she didn't seem dangerous at all.I couldn't understand why Ivan was so serious about this.Sure, I had found her in a strange situation, but she wasn't the kind of person who'd give us trouble.Yet, he was treating her like she was some kind of high-risk target.He kept his eyes on the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as he drove.The girl and I sat in the back, the silence between us thick and awkward.She kept her head down, her small frame practically curling into itself as if she wanted to disappear.Despite her small size, I hoped she might be useful to me somehow.I snapped my fingers to get her attention.She flinched at the sound, her head jerking up slightly, but her eyes remained downcast, as if she was too scared or nervous to look at me.Judging by her appearance, she couldn't have been more than 15 or 16 years old. Just a kid, really."Come ti chiami (What's your name?)", I asked, lighting a