Bas POV"Morning," Aubrey said as she walked into the kitchen. She smiled at me, pretending like nothing had happened the previous night. That was a habit I had noticed about her, a way of brushing past the difficult moments as if they had never occurred."I made breakfast," she said, placing a plate of pancakes on the table. Tom was already seated, devouring his food."Can we talk?" I asked."After breakfast," she replied, sitting down to eat. I joined them, the quiet clink of our cutlery against the plates the only sound filling the room.Despite the silence, it was as if Tom could sense the tension between us. As soon as he finished eating, he excused himself, leaving us alone."Thank you," I said once I was done, getting up to clear the dishes."Let me," Aubrey said, standing to take the plates to the sink."I'm leaving," I said.She paused, turning to look at me, confusion clouding her eyes. "Leaving where?""I'm moving back to my house," I clarified."Oh, the pack house," she sa
Becca's POV"Hey buddy," I said softly, staring at Ravi's grave. The stone was cold and unyielding, but it held so much of my heart."It's me again," I continued, my voice wavering. I felt a lump in my throat, and my words seemed to get stuck. I turned to look at Bas, who stood a few feet away, giving me the space I needed to say my final goodbye to Ravi. His presence was comforting, a silent support. He gave me a small nod, his eyes conveying the encouragement I needed.You can do this.I turned back to Ravi's grave, a bittersweet smile forming on my face as I wiped away the tears that had slipped down my cheeks."We did it, Ravi," I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. "Joe's finally gone." I clutched the flowers tightly in my hands, the stems bending under my grip."And I'm so happy that you finally got your vengeance, but..." My voice cracked, the raw emotions bubbling up to the surface. "I feel guilty, Ravi. It's like there's this unbearable pain stuck in my chest." I paus
Becca's POV"Mum?" I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper."What are you doi..." My words trailed off as my mother pushed past me, ignoring my attempt to stop her.SLAP.The loud sound of my mother's palm colliding with Bas’s cheek echoed through the apartment. My eyes widened in shock, and I took a step forward, ready to confront her, but my words caught in my throat."How dare you!" she yelled, glaring at him with fury. "You promised you’d never come back."What?!"Haven't you done enough?" she screamed, her voice filled with anger and pain.Bas remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor as my mother continued to berate him. Her hand raised again, poised to strike, but I was quicker. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her mid-air."That's enough," I said, my voice stern as I looked her in the eye. Her wide eyes met mine, filled with shock and disbelief."Bas, can you give us a minute?" I asked, still holding my mother's wrist."Becca..." he began, concern evident in his voice."J
Bas POVDays had passed since Becca's confrontation with her mom, and she hadn't spoken about it since. I had tried to bring it up, but she always pushed it away, insisting she was fine. But I knew Becca—she wasn't fine."I'm off to Lola's place. Her bachelorette party's coming up," Becca said, slipping into her dress. I walked up to her and helped with her zipper, my fingers lingering on the small of her back."Have fun," I said, pressing a gentle kiss to her back. "And tell Lola I said hi."She turned to face me, a smile on her lips. It was the same smile she always gave me, warm and reassuring, but her eyes told a different story. They held a sadness, a heaviness that she couldn't hide."I love you," she said softly, capturing my lips in a quick peck."I love you too," I replied, my voice filled with as much warmth as I could muster.I watched her as she left, the door closing softly behind her. The room felt emptier without her presence, and I sighed, running a hand through my ha
Bas POVI glanced at the gun held tightly in George's hands and then back to his glaring eyes. He was pissed—so pissed I could see a vein pop up on his forehead."I know you blame me for everything that has happened to your daughter, and that's okay. You can blame me," I began, my voice steady despite the tension in the air."Hate me all you want, but please don't let go of Becca."I could see their expressions softening as I spoke, the hard edges of their anger beginning to melt away."She acts like she's okay, but I can see it in her eyes—she's scared," I said, my gaze falling on Laura. "She needs her parents.""It didn't seem that way the other day," Laura spoke, her voice trembling. "We tried our best to always be there for her, but despite everything, we still failed her. We couldn't even protect her, and it haunts us. But how...how could she still be with you?" Her voice cracked with emotion, tears welling up in her eyes.I took a careful step forward, but George was quick, pull
Becca's POV"Becca," my mum began, taking a tentative step closer. Her voice was soft, laden with the weight of all the unsaid apologies and regrets.Ever since my last confrontation with her, I'd tried my best to project happiness, to pretend I was okay. But the ache of not having my parents by my side was ever-present, a constant, gnawing void. I clenched my hands, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. I couldn't break down, not in front of them. I needed to show that I was fine, strong, and no longer their little baby girl."Becca," Mum called again, now standing directly in front of me. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry.""I... I just couldn't bear the thought of losing you," she said, her voice breaking. "I was so focused on that fear, I forgot about your happiness."I swallowed hard, the tears hovering so close to the surface that I feared if I blinked, they'd come pouring out."We should have been there for you," my father said, his voice thi
Becca's POV "Hi, Becca. It's nice to see you again," Naomi said, her voice soft but steady.I blinked, trying to process the sight of her standing there. It felt like a dream, a surreal moment I hadn't dared to hope for."Naomi," I whispered, my voice barely audible as the flood of emotions caught in my throat.Naomi smiled, that familiar, comforting smile I had missed so much."Wh...where have you been?" I asked, my voice trembling with a mix of relief and confusion."I'll explain everything to you, I promise," Naomi said gently. "But today's about Lola. Let's focus on her and make this a celebration to remember."Lola beamed, wrapping her arms around both of us, pulling us into a tight, joyous embrace. "Yeah, Becks, Naomi is right. Come on, let's get drunk like there's no tomorrow!"I tried my best to stay focused, to laugh and smile with everyone else, but no matter how hard I tried, my eyes kept drifting to Naomi. It had been four years since she left, and now, out of the blue, s
They say the day a mother gives birth is like unlocking a treasure chest of infinite wonders. Each precious moment sparkles with the uniqueness of a new life, making it a day as extraordinary as the universe itself. My mother always told me that I was her greatest gift."Look at her, George," my mother murmured, her voice a melody of affection. "Our little Rebecca, a gift from the heavens.""She's perfect," my father declared, his eyes locking onto me. In that moment, everything felt just right. After a decade of hoping and waiting, the sound of a baby's cry filled the room, but not just any baby their baby, their precious child. Things were finally taking a turn in their favor.But joy is often fleeting, as we were about to discover.His footsteps reverberated through the hallway, each resonating thud announcing his impending arrival. The echoes weren't just in the hallway but in the hearts of those within."Such a beautiful baby," he remarked with a smirk, his voice a chilling melo