Max POV When I returned to my room, I found Zoey there; after all, she had asked me to go talk to Gideon. "So, what did he say?" She immediately asked when I entered the room. I sighed, throwing myself onto my bed. "He's not going to apologize to you, Zoey. I'm sorry," I answered, turning on my vi
I laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "If you want to get out of poverty without working, you'd have to marry someone rich, and I'm not available, honey." "Why not? Am I not great in bed?" She also laughed. "You are, but I'm not a guy who dreams about marriage, you know," I replied with a shrug.
Gideon POV The morning was gray, as if the sky itself reflected the confusion taking over my heart. Upon entering the company building, the familiar environment should have brought me some comfort, but all I feel is a growing unrest. I headed to the reception desk, where Marcus, with his usual smil
Lindsay POV When I closed the door behind me, I had to lean against it and let out a long sigh with my hand on my heart. Resisting Gideon's charms and touches had been a Herculean struggle, but I knew that if I continued to yield as I had the night before, my life would turn upside down. I had to p
Laura POV I watched Lindsay leave my office with a sad look that broke my heart. The lingering scent of her perfume, a gentle blend of jasmine and vanilla, still hung in the air, reminding me of her happier days. Mourning Lindsay's situation was inevitable. Facing a divorce is already a Herculean
Lindsay Two years ago The pediatric area of London's private hospital did not seem to be a good place for sick children. The atmosphere in place was cold and a little sad, there were not many children, which was a good sign, but it was still a hospital, an almost morbid place. Adding the fact that
Quickly, I explained to Max that the boy had only taken a cold and that he would be discharged soon. "This is a great relief!" Max sighed relieved, happy that Wyatt was getting better. I smiled minimally. Having max beside me at that moment gave me a little comfort. Max was a person of strong pers
Lindsay POV I saw him. On the restaurant's balcony, with the city lights in the background, Gideon was standing beside her, hugging her. Laura. My body froze the moment I recognized them. She didn't need to speak, smile, or even notice me. It was just the simple fact of her presence being a consta
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
“She’s an idiot,” Summer said, crossing her arms as she looked at me with concern. “You okay?” “Yeah,” I lied, grabbing a cup of punch just to have something to do with my hands. “I just… I just want this to stop, you know? For people to leave me alone.” Before Summer could reply, I felt him befor
Anne POV It was the day of the freshman ball, and I stood in front of the mirror in my dorm room, the blue dress Summer had insisted I buy staring back at me. The fabric draped lightly over my body, the delicate sleeves and simple cut highlighting my shoulders and collarbone in a way I knew was bea