Lindsay POV I was crying so much that I could barely breathe properly. My quick steps echoed through the mansion, that immense, cold place that for seven years I tried to call home. Everything there seemed oppressive: the ostentatious chandeliers, the immaculate furniture, the walls covered with a
A thread of tears ran down my face; I hated feeling so weak. “I don't need your money, Gideon,” I mumbled. “I don't need anything from you; I'm just going to take my son and leave here." He was silent for a few seconds. Then, the coldness in his eyes gave way to something darker, something more thr
Gideon POV I was sitting in the mansion's living room, head bowed, my thoughts devouring me like a storm. Lindsay had left, leaving behind an echo of our fight, a void that seemed to swallow the soul of the house. It was all my fault; I knew it with every fiber of my being. My thoughts spun uncontr
Lindsay POV The sun had barely begun to rise when I heard the knock at my hotel room door. I wasn't expecting anyone, especially not him. My heart jumped, a mix of fear and anger spreading through my veins. I knew it was Gideon even before opening the door. There he stood, with an expression that
Lindsay POV I was nervous as I made my way to the fancy London restaurant where I had arranged to meet Laura. The last time I saw her, I had yelled at her, letting out all the frustration and pain I felt due to Gideon's obsession with her. Now, as I walked through the streets of London, I knew I n
Lindsay POV After the meeting with Laura, I knew I had to head straight to the Bathory mansion to confront Gideon. The weight of the decision I was about to make was immense, but it was clear in my mind: I needed to do this, for me and for Wyatt. When I arrived at the mansion, I was greeted by Ma
Lindsay POV I was finishing packing my things in that room that had been ours for so many years when Gideon walked in. The air between us was heavy with sadness, the silence of those final moments almost tangible. We were already divorced, and each movement, each packed box, was like a reminder of
Lindsay POV Nowadays Arriving home after an unhealthy day at Hextec was like a relief, a refreshment for the soul. I knew I needed some time away from Gideon, especially after yesterday, when I gave in to his charms. That was a mistake, and I couldn't let it happen again. I had to be firm becaus
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