The issue seemed serious; thankfully, Jason didn't live in Chicago, and his father and his friends seemed much more problematic than him. I couldn't explain why it seemed so difficult for men to stay faithful to their wives. "It seems like we're just going to sum up our lives with our unfaithful h
Jason We were all gathered at the dinner table while we talked and shared the Christmas tree. I liked that Laura was always by my side, still a little shy about joining the family again and talking openly. I liked having her close to me because I felt more in control and more stable. Furthermore, I
Jason I was standing on the balcony of the mansion next to the garden while smoking a cigarette to try and clear my mind, I wasn't much of a smoker, but I was so upset that this was the best option I had right now. Having met my father in such a spontaneous way affected me in a way I didn't expect.
Laura Jason was right when he said that there would be nothing interesting in New York for me and my daughter on New Year's Eve. I mean, I didn't want to spend another New Year's Eve alone watching fireworks and hustle and bustle everywhere while I was at the window of my house with my daughter in
For example, I was taking a long time trying to decide which of my daughter's shoes would go best with the look she was going to wear today, and I was getting stressed out because Annie wouldn't stop crying, but Jason saw that, and was still on his damn cell phone. Maybe I shouldn't blame him; aft
Laura "I promise to be a better man for you and Annie. I promise to give more and more to you two because you are everything to me. I know that this may take a while and that sometimes my arrogance and my prepotency will want to overcome the love I have for you two, but I promise to fight with claw
Laura So in the days that followed, eventually Jason and I started to become closer and closer to each other. It was gratifying to see the way he was trying hard to please me, he made me coffee, opened the car door for me, and was always kind to me. Much to my pleasure, he also started to help me t
Laura The days that followed after the holidays were very relaxing and comfortable for me. We were still in Chicago, with Jason encouraging me to stay a little longer and enjoy that feeling of the beginning of the year with him, which was wonderful. Forgiving him and taking him back was like havi
Annie POV Peter Morton’s face was just inches from mine, staring at me. The electric blue of his eyes was so close I could see his irises dilating and contracting. “You okay, Lady Ann?” he asked. I sighed with a small smile, half in delight. “It’s been a while since anyone called me that.” Actual
Annie POV The masked boy—who I didn’t want to admit was Peter—took me to an upscale, comfortable hotel where I could spend the night safely, away from everything, and try to regain my composure and figure out what to do next. “You can stay here,” he said calmly, though his voice still carried a hi
Annie POV The masked boy led me through the dark campus, his hand firm in mine as we ran away from the ballroom. My legs trembled, the blue dress swishing with each step, and tears still streamed down my face, hot and relentless. The sound of the shouts, the judgments, still echoed in my head, bu
“No choice?” He cut me off, his tone incredulous. “Are you serious? You chose to help Madison make that video. You chose to plug it into the projector. And now Annie’s out there, broken, while you try to run from the responsibility. This doesn’t fix anything, Abby. It wasn’t supposed to end like thi
Abby POV I was there, tucked away in the shadows of the ballroom’s corner, my heart still racing as I watched the chaos I’d helped create unfold. The giant screen kept playing that horrible video, distorted and manipulated clips of Annie echoing through the room like a final verdict. People poin
Annie POV I was still on the dance floor, the warmth of the masked boy’s body against mine, my head resting on his chest as the slow music guided us. The sound of his heartbeat against my ear was almost hypnotic, and I let myself get lost in that feeling I couldn’t quite explain. He’d just said s
I swallowed hard, Caleb’s words coming back to haunt me. “Have you ever stopped to think that maybe we’ve gone too far?” He’d said that at the mall, and I’d hung up on him, but now they echoed in my head. Annie had hurt me, yes. The fight in the dorm, the way she called me fake, like I was trash she
Abby POV I was leaning against the wall of the ballroom, the cup of punch in my hand already warm and forgotten, as I watched Annie dance with that masked boy. The soft lights of the ball cast shadows over them, and even from so far away, you could feel something in the air—a chemistry almost tangi
Anne POV I was there, trying to at least pretend I was enjoying the party with Summer, letting the loud music and spinning lights distract me from the weight pressing on my chest. Summer danced beside me, throwing her arms up with that endless energy of hers, and I tried to keep up, forcing a smile