The wind pierced our skin as we left the library building, within seconds, the rain came down harder.I squinted, looking around. My dorm was right across the street, and running there only took a few seconds. But Pascha's car... I turned to him, watching him lift his face to the sky."Where is your car?" I asked, trying to speak louder over the sound of the increasingly crazy rain.Pascha turned to me, his eyes narrowed by the water droplets that had begun to fall down his face. "At the hockey pitch."I frowned, looking around. It was quite a distance. With this much rain, he would be drenched before he got there.I bit my lip, hesitating for a moment, before finally letting out a long breath. "You can go to my dorm first. At least until the rain stop."He looked at me, his expression hard to guess. I didn't know what he was thinking, but he just stayed silent, staring at me for a few seconds longer than he should have.I was starting to feel uncomfortable. "Just forget that—""Okay.
I had never felt this awful before.It had been a few days since that rainy night in my dorm, since that kiss—and I did everything to avoid Pascha desperately.Whenever I saw him on campus, I would immediately turn around, look the other way, or pretend to be busy with my phone. When he walked into the library, I would close my book quickly and leave. Even in the cafeteria, when I was with my friends, I chose to sit in a corner far away from where he and his friends usually ate.I couldn't face him.Not just because the kiss had left me confused but because something had changed inside me since that night, something I didn't dare admit.Jacob, my crush, who had felt like the safest place to be, suddenly felt... boring.I don't understand. I shouldn't feel this way. Jacob is a good man, a stable man, a reasonable man. He's not a storm like Pascha. He didn't confuse me or make me want to run away, but also... he didn't make me feel anything.I denied that.I told myself that this was ju
We didn't speak throughout the ride.Only the car engine roar and the friction of the tyres on the asphalt accompanied us. I sat silently, looking at the road ahead without seeing it. My fingers gripped my pants tightly.Pascha remained silent. His eyes focused on the road. One hand rested casually on the steering wheel while the other easily shifted gears.I tried to ignore his presence, trying to remember why I had been avoiding him for the past few days."What did Sarah do to make you like that?"I blinked. Turned my head toward him.Pascha was still staring at the road.I chuckled softly. "She messed up our group project," I said, "We had clearly divided the tasks, had a format, and she just sent us something messy. Not only that, she acted like it was no big deal. Like I was the one being overly dramatic for caring about an assignment that made up 40 percent of our final grade. Then she started talking nonsense about how I was too much of a perfectionist, how I had no life other
"Come in. You won't regret it."My toes gripping the grassy ground as I considered his invitation. The clear water reflected the sunlight beginning to lean to the west, its surface sparkling like crystal. I could see the bottom of the lake. Small grayish rocks were scattered underneath, creating a beautiful natural expanse.I bit my lip, considering Pascha's invitation. I wanted to go in, but...My eyes caught a glimpse of him. His black hair was wet, and a few drops of water ran down his tanned skin.I let out a long breath."Alright." I turned towards the car, taking a deep breath as I got into it and closed the door. I removed my pants, leaving only the short boxers I always wore as underwear, while my black T-shirt remained attached to my body.As I returned to the lakeside, Pascha looked at me.I ignored him.I stepped into the water slowly, my body immediately feeling a piercing but refreshing cold sensation. I sighed softly, letting the water surround my skin, then walked deepe
I don't know how this happened.How could I just let Pascha into my life?From that day at the lake, everything changed.Pascha was no longer just someone who frequently appeared, now he was everywhere.He would wait for me outside of class without being asked, offering me coffee that somehow always suited my taste. He would pull me to sit with him in the library under the pretext that he needed someone to "keep him company while he reads"—when, in the end, it was me who was busy with the assignment while he was just silent, watching me with that annoying grin.Sometimes, I still try to avoid him. Not because I want to, but because I don't know what is going on between us. But Pascha always found a way to drag me back to him.And I let him. I couldn't stay away from him anymore.Yet, on the other hand, I was already moving away from Jacob. I was never really with him, but we both knew that something could have been something that never really grew.So, I decided to end it before anyth
Present The morning slipped through the gap in the curtains, refracting golden light into Max's room.I opened my eyes slowly, letting consciousness return to fill my heavy mind. My body still felt tired, not from lack of sleep but from the burden of thoughts that haunted me even in my dreams.Max was still asleep beside me. His face was peaceful, his lips slightly pursed like he were dreaming. His blanket was half uncovered, and one small hand was still hugging his favourite Superman doll.I gently stroked his hair, letting my fingers brush the fine black strands. My son. The only part of my life I never regretted.But everything leading up to this point? I can't say the same.I took a deep breath and looked out the window. The beach in front of the house was still quiet, and the waves were rolling in with a calm rhythm.I shouldn't feel like this.But as I sleep next to my son on what should be a peaceful morning, Aurora's words from five years ago come back to haunt me."You have
After lunch, I stood on the sill of the dividing wall that separated the kitchen and living room, staring at Pascha, who was putting the car keys into his pants pocket. He was wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his hair was slightly messy, typical of him.Sitting on the living room floor arranging Lego toys, Max turned his head when he heard his Dad footsteps."Are you leaving, Daddy?" he asked innocently.Pascha paused for a moment, then lowered his body to Max's level. "Yes, sweetheart. Daddy have some work to do."Max nodded with understanding. "You won't be long, right?"Pascha smiles a little, ruffling Max's hair. "I'll be home as soon as I finish work, Maxie."Max looked thoughtful for a moment, then his face lit up like he had just remembered something. "It's okay, Daddy, you don't have to worry."Pascha raised an eyebrow. "Why I don’t need to worry?""Because Uncle Ben is coming! So I won't be bored." Max casually replied.I froze in place.Pas
Max was still sitting on the sofa with an unreceptive expression, his mouth continuing to chew his hard homemade cookies with extra effort.Beside him, Clara laughed without pity, eating my cookies with a look of complete satisfaction."Wow, Bel, these cookies are perfect," she said dramatically, chewing slowly, wanting to taunt Max further. "Soft, just the right amount of sweetness, and they don't require any extra effort to bite into."Max gave her a sharp look. "My cookies are good too!"Clara suppressed a smile, then took one from Max's pile of cookies, tapping it against the table with a loud 'tock' sound.Max widened his eyes, then glared at her. "That's just because they're too dense! If I dipped them in milk, they'd be even better!"I laughed while Clara pretended to think. "Hmm... well, I'll try."She reached for Max's glass of milk, dipped the cookies into the milk for two seconds, then took a bite.Silence.Max waited expectantly.Clara blinked. Then...She rolled her eyes
I came down the stairs at seven a.m., my steps slow on the oak wood that felt too expensive—and far too quiet—for the storm inside my chest. The sound of waves drifted in from afar through a slightly cracked window, filling the air with sea salt and cool mist. Morning light slipped softly into the living room, brushing over thick rugs and cream velvet couches that looked like they belonged in an architecture magazine.The Romanov villa in Carmel… was too perfect.Too still.And for the first time since last night, I was thankful for that.No heavy footsteps on the floor.No clinking glasses.No low voice saying my name in that way that short-circuited my entire nervous system.No Pascha.I let out a quiet sigh—half relief, half disbelief. I wasn’t ready this morning. Not for his stare. Too honest. Too lit. Too full of history.I made my way to the kitchen. The interior looked like something out of another world—gray marble counters veined with white like paintings, dark wood cabinets
His embrace felt like the world I almost left behind—warm, stubborn, and heavy with the shadows of our past.But I couldn’t breathe.Not because he was holding me too tightly, but because my mind was too full. Too loud. Too much to process all at once.I pressed my hand gently against his chest. One small push. Then another, firmer.Pascha let go slowly, but his gray eyes stayed locked on me like he was afraid I’d vanish if he blinked.I took two steps back, holding in a breath that burned like embers in my chest.“I need some time alone,” I said softly.Pascha frowned but didn’t speak.“Another room. In this villa. I know this place is huge—too huge. You can sleep wherever you want. But I need space. I need… somewhere that isn’t you.”My voice nearly cracked, but I forced it to hold.He didn’t answer right away. He just looked at me, and I could see something stirring inside him. Not anger. Not guilt.But love—raw and unsure of what shape to take in a moment like this.Then he steppe
I fell silent.The only sound was the faucet still running, water hitting the metal sink like a downpour in the middle of silence.That sentence echoed in my head."You're my wife, Bee."I blinked.Once.Twice.Then the world started to spin.Not the usual kind of dizziness, not a migraine from lack of sleep or too much caffeine. This was... like my logic was twisted, crushed, and thrown off the highest cliff without warning.My heart started pounding—not from emotion, but because my brain couldn’t process something this big… this absurd… this Pascha.I took a step back.Then another.My hand reached for the cold edge of the kitchen counter, gripping it just to stay upright.“What... did you just say?” I whispered, even though I’d heard him. Too clearly.He just looked at me, eyes steady, shoulders still slightly leaning forward like a man who just dropped a bomb in the middle of a city and was waiting to see if there’d be an explosion.I laughed.It was dry. Empty. The laugh of someo
The cold air hit my skin like a slap of reality.I stared at my reflection in the villa’s bathroom mirror—cream marble walls too smooth to be real, warm lighting that made my swollen eyes look softer, and a wide sink with a bottle of liquid soap that probably cost more than my shoes.But my face... was still the same.Tired eyes. Cracked lips. Unsteady breath.I wiped my cheek with a white towel—clean, lavender-scented—then looked at myself again.“This is the end,” I said quietly.My own voice sounded unfamiliar. But steady.“It has to end. Tonight.”I ran my fingers through my hair, pulling the front pieces back and tying them at the back of my head with a small band I found in my bag. The rest of my short hair fell around my neck—light, out of the way. Practical. Sharp. Just like my intention for tonight.I looked down at my wrinkled sweater—sage green, a color I used to love, now feeling like a burden. My jeans itched too, dusty from the car ride and too much heat from earlier ang
“I hate you.”That was the first thing I said after the car crossed the gate and turned onto the main road. My voice cracked. My breathing was still uneven. One hand clutched the seatbelt, the other trembled in my lap.“You think this is funny? Bringing her into your house? Around Max?!”Pascha stayed silent. His left hand rested calmly on the wheel, the right on the gearshift. His eyes were locked on the road like there wasn’t a storm sitting right next to him.“You really don’t realize what a bastard you are, do you?”Still no response.“You’re insane. You’re.....you’re the most selfish person I’ve ever met! You showed up at my house bleeding, crawled into my bed. MY BED, and the next day you brought her to your house?!”Still nothing. The car kept rolling forward, eating up pavement in a steady rhythm.“And you let Max laugh with her? Sit next to her? What.....what’s next, he calls her ‘Mommy’? Is that it? That your plan? To replace me? Hand her the title?”No answer.I turned to h
The car hadn’t even come to a full stop in the carport when I opened the door."Bell—"I heard Kyara’s voice from behind me, but I didn’t look back. My steps were fast. Hot. Loud.Every heel strike against the stone path between my house and Pascha’s mansion felt like a tiny hammer, fueling my anger higher and higher. I knew he was there. I knew Max was there. And I knew that snake of a woman was there too, sitting pretty in the living room, playing a role so well even the devil would applaud her performance.Aurora was close behind me, her steps quick but cautious. I could feel her breath. Short and startled. But nothing could stop me now.The mansion door opened. Clara stood in the doorway, her expression confused and wary when she saw me. But I didn’t stop.“Where’s Max?” I asked flatly.“In the back room… playing with synthetic sand and Mischa,” Clara whispered.I didn’t say anything else. No need. I walked inside.And there she was.Her.Mikaela.Sitting on Pascha’s way-too-soft,
I tapped the green button on my phone and held it to my ear.Three rings.Four.No answer.I frowned, pulled the phone away, and stared at the name on the screen: Ben (my favorite idiot twin). I called again.Ringing.Still no answer. No message.He usually lets me know if there’s a change of plans. Even when he's stuck in a board meeting in L.A., he still manages to send me a photo of a whiteboard covered in scribbles with a caption like, “Does anyone understand this? 'Cause I don't.”But now?Silence.I sighed, slipped the phone into my bag, and pushed the office door open with my shoulder. My actual office—not Romanov International. I’d had enough of Russians playing dress-up as CEOs.This office lobby was nothing fancy. Modern, but human. No marble, no echoing high heels that felt like judgment. Just the smell of fresh coffee, soft lighting, and polite smiles from Ellie the receptionist who talked way too much about her cats.“Good morning, Ms. Belva,” Ellie greeted.I gave a quic
The digital clock beside the bed read 4:12 AM.I opened my eyes slowly, and for a moment, the world felt still.Moonlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting soft lines across the wooden floor and the white bedsheet I was lying on. The sheet Belva said she’d just washed yesterday.I turned my head slightly, feeling the dull throb in my left shoulder.And I just... smiled a little.Still fresh in my memory: her panicked voice, her trembling hands, her frustrated muttering while cleaning up my blood last night. Belva in her panic-anger mode was honestly one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.I reached for my phone on the nightstand. The screen lit up, too bright at first. I opened the messaging app and typed quickly to Jacob.Pascha: Clean my wound again later.Barely two seconds and it showed a blue check.Then I switched to another contact and hit call without hesitation.Ronan.The dial tone rang.Once. Twice.“I swear on my wife and my dog, if this isn’t an emergen
The pain came in lazy pulses.Not the kind that made you scream or tear up a pillow, but more like a harsh whisper gnawing at the edges of your consciousness.I sat on a black leather chair in the back room of the mansion, my shirt torn, blood dripping onto the kind of expensive floor that would probably make my company accountant faint if he knew how much the carpet cost.Jacob was kneeling beside me, face tight, gloved hands steady, eyes filled with his usual annoyance. Christian stood in the corner, holding a basin of water and a clean towel, looking like he’d just seen a zombie walk into the living room.“Holy shit…” Christian muttered in panic, eyes wide. “Boss, we have to go to a hospital! This is serious! This is insane! This is—”I lazily raised an eyebrow. “If you can’t shut up, Christian, I’ll have Jacob stitch your mouth closed before he does my shoulder.”Christian froze. Literally.Jacob snorted, lifting a shiny pair of tweezers into the air, inspecting them under the des