“Terrible influences?” Paul raises an eyebrow, grinning. “Kid, who do you think let you stay up late watching horror movies with popcorn when your old man here thought it was ‘inappropriate’? Who do you think taught you how to sneak out without getting caught?”“Which, by the way, you were terrible at,” I add with a chuckle. “You didn’t make it past the back gate without tripping on that pile of gardening tools.”“Oh, God,” Mike laughs, his eyes lighting up with the kind of boyish amusement I haven’t seen in years. “Yeah, that was all Paul’s doing. Every time I got grounded, I’d look out the window, and there he was, standing in the driveway, pretending he was innocent.”Paul puts a hand to his heart, feigning offense. “Excuse me, innocent is exactly what I was.”“Innocent?” I scoff. “If innocent means corrupting my son with your schemes, then sure. Innocent as a wolf in a henhouse.”Mike’s grin softens, and for a brief, blissful moment, everything feels easy, uncomplicated. We’re jus
Mike leans back, his arms crossed, but I notice the way his fingers tap against his bicep, a nervous tic. “I know what you’re thinking,” he says. “But it’s not that simple.”“Oh, isn’t it?” I shoot back. “She’s dragged you through hell and back, alienated you from your family, turned your life into her personal battleground—and you’re going to tell me it’s complicated?”He flinches, just slightly, but I can see it. He swallows, and the defiance in his gaze wavers, just for a second. “I thought I could handle her. I thought… I don’t know what I thought. Maybe that I could change her, or that she’d change on her own. But she’s—she’s smarter than I gave her credit for.”“Smarter?” I raise an eyebrow, biting back a laugh that’s anything but amused. “Mike, she’s a demon unleashed.”“She wasn’t always like this,” he says, almost pleading, like he’s trying to convince himself as much as me. “At first, she was… different. Charming. She made me feel like I was the center of her world.”“Yeah,
Desiree's POVToday is my boyfriend's twenty-fifth birthday, and I’ve planned a surprise party for him. “Hush, he's almost here,” I tell everyone.I’ve decorated the living room with sparkling fairy lights and bright blue, red, and purple balloons—Mike’s favorite colors. It looks amazing. A big banner that says "Happy 25th Birthday, Mike!" hangs over the fireplace, but it’s a bit crooked because I couldn't reach the middle without wobbling on a chair. The smell of his favorite foods—spicy buffalo wings, loaded nachos, and lots of pizza—fills the air. My heart is beating fast with excitement. “Is he almost here?” someone asks, yawning.“We’re starving,” another guest says.I roll my eyes. “Oh, be quiet. You’ll ruin the surprise.”The truth is, I’m hungry too. And worried. We’ve been waiting here longer than I expected, awkwardly holding a bottle of champagne, a can of foam spray, a bag of confetti, and a fake trumpet. My stomach growls. I glance longingly at the snack table but resis
The room erupts into chaos as they tussle, pulling and shoving each other. Mabel shrieks, trying to fend Jessica off, but Jessica is relentless, her face twisted with fury. The guests are stunned, some trying to intervene while others just watch, wide-eyed.That's right, Jessica. Attack the bitch.During the chaos, I manage to wrench myself free from William's grip. Fueled by rage, I push past the bewildered guests and make a beeline for Mabel.She’s still fighting with Jessica, their screams and claws flying. I dive into the fray, grabbing Mabel's arm with a vice-like grip.“You think you can just waltz in and ruin everything?” I shout.Mabel’s eyes widen in fear as she struggles to break free, but I hold on tight, determined to make her understand the magnitude of her betrayal.“You’re a coward,” I spit, my grip tightening. “You can’t even face me like a decent human being.”Mabel's eyes dart around, looking for help. “Let me go, Desiree!” she screeches, her voice cracking with desp
Mike’s number is no longer reachable.It’s been a week since he shattered my heart. A week since he left me for my cousin. I haven’t been sleeping or eating well, and my mind is consumed with thoughts of him. Each time I call his line, it goes straight to voicemail.“Hi, this is Mike. Leave a message,” his recorded voice says, a cruel reminder of what I’ve lost.I’ve tried reaching him at his office too. “Is Mike available?” I ask every time.“Sorry, he’s in a meeting,” his secretary, Edwina, always replies, her voice annoyingly polite.“When will he be out?” I persist.“Not sure, he has a busy schedule.”One day, I call again. “Edwina, please, it’s important. Can you let him know I’m trying to reach him?”“I’m sorry, Desiree,” she says, sounding slightly more sympathetic this time. “He’s just not available right now.”Frustrated, I push harder. “Edwina, we used to be friends. Can’t you just tell him I need to talk to him?”There’s a brief pause on the other end. “I’m sorry, but there
I push past her and run into the crowd, my pulse racing. The farther I go, the clearer the voices become. The crowd is shouting, "Say yes! Say yes!"And there he is, on his knees in the middle of the dance floor, holding out a ring to Mabel. My heart sinks.“No. No. No,” I whisper, my voice lost in the deafening music. I scream, “That’s mine!” but the words are swallowed by the roar of the crowd.Jessica grabs my arm, trying to hold me back.I watch in horror as Mabel dances around after accepting Mike’s proposal. She twirls, her face glowing with joy, then throws herself into Mike’s arms. They hug and kiss, oblivious to the world around them.My vision blurs with tears as I stand frozen, unable to look away. Each kiss feels like a dagger to my heart. The crowd’s cheers feel like a cruel mockery of my shattered world.When I look around, I see familiar faces—William, people from Mike’s job, people from his gym. All smiling, cameras flashing. The same people who celebrated with me at M
I have a new favorite hobby. Every night, before I go to bed, I g****e Caspian Hart, the CEO of CypherEdge Dynamics, Mike’s father. And God help me, the man is breathtaking. There isn't much information or many pictures published of him on the internet, but the few I've seen have left me addicted. His piercing blue eyes and chiseled jawline make it impossible not to be drawn to him. One night, as I’m absorbed in my ritual, Jessica catches me off guard. "Who's this man you keep googling?" she asks. I slam my laptop shut, feeling my cheeks flush. "Nobody important," I mumble. "Seriously? Nobody important?" Jessica’s eyebrows shoot up in disbelief. "That’s what you tell me after nine years of friendship?" I pause, trying to decide if I should tell her. Jessica is a baddie, a well-known one at that, but she can be puritanical. She'd once ripped me a new one for smashing the windshield of my ex's car after I found out he was cheating. "Giving him a taste of your wrath is one thing,"
“Hi, Uncle Bruno,” I say. His loud voice booms out of the receiver, “If it isn’t my favorite niece. Hello, Dee Dee. To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?” Uncle Bruno is one of the coolest people I know. He's a famous TV and event host who plans and leads big events all over the world. This year, he's the host of the Luminary Gala. Uncle Bruno is related to my dad's new wife (the super religious one). He's her brother, so that makes him my step-uncle. He's also one of the few friends I have. “I need to get an invitation to this year’s Luminary Gala. Can you get me on the guest list?” I say. There’s silence on the other end of the line. “Hello? Are you there?” I say. “Yeah, I’m here. That was... unexpected. It’s a very exclusive event, Dee.” “I can be your plus one,” I offer quickly. “I already have a plus one.” “Your plus two, then.” He pauses, and I can almost hear the gears turning in his head. “Hmmm.” “Is that a yes or a no?” I ask, anxiety creeping into m