The next day was chaotic. I woke up late because I spent most of the night drafting my final proposal. I rushed to the university, not even bothering to look nice. I just threw on jeans and a crop top, grabbed my bag, and bolted out the door. The sky was covered with thick grey clouds, growling in the distance. Rain was predicted, and I hoped it would come to break the oppressive heat and humidity.I arrived late to class, but since it was the last session before finals, the professor didn't mind. After class, I rushed to submit my proposal, determined to access this research next semester. With the proposal finally submitted, I felt a huge burden lift from my shoulders.On my way to the next class, I bumped into Alex. “I was looking for you everywhere yesterday. You left without taking your notes back,” he said.I bit my tongue, “Yes, I’m so sorry. Yesterday was hectic,” I explained, sparing him the details.“Thank you so much, Harper. These notes were a lifesaver,” he said, handing
I blinked and frowned, gazing deep into his eyes, searching for sincerity, and I found it. Yet, my trust issues persisted, a voice in my head screaming that he was faking it. My emotions churned so strongly within me that I disregarded our position. I was pressed against the wall, feeling its coolness through the light fabric of my shirt. Atlas stood mere inches away, his hand still caging mine above my head, towering over me. I caught a whiff of the soap he used, its freshness mingling with the tension between us. His breath brushed against my face, his furrowed brows and intense stare locked onto mine.“Please, Harper,” he whispered again.I gulped, feeling the lump in my throat as tears continued to streak down my face. I ceased my resistance, my voice shaky but resolute. "I heard everything, Atlas. I can't stay here. You need to understand," I told him softly. His grip on my hands loosened, allowing me to break free, yet neither of us moved apart. We remained close, his breath sti
When Jess and I arrived at the club, Alex was already waiting for us. He had recommended this exclusive venue, which I had heard about before from Atlas. I had asked him to bring me here in the past, but he always said I was too young. Now, finally, I was old enough to be here. The club had a strict over-twenty-one policy, and tonight, I met that requirement."This club is so exclusive. How did you manage to get us in, Alex?" Jess asked, clearly impressed.Alex shrugged casually. "My elder brother is a member, so am I," he replied nonchalantly. I was excited to finally get in. Being able to finally experience this place that had been off-limits before added to the specialness of the evening.I decided to forget about all the mayhem taking place in my life and just have fun with my friends. Well, I wouldn’t call Alex a friend exactly, but he’s getting there. He seems like a nice guy—not too shy nor over the top. I genuinely enjoy his company.Once inside, we were guided to the VIP loun
I was furious with Atlas for disappearing after what had happened between us. Once I calmed myself down, I stepped out of the dark corridor. I could see Alex and Jess on the dance floor, but my eyes were searching for the honey-brown-eyed devil who had ignited a fire in me and then vanished as if he had never been there. My frustration grew as I scanned the crowd for his familiar face but found nothing. He didn’t have the right to make me feel this way and then just disappear.I glanced up at the balcony of the exclusive lounge area. I knew he must have gone back there, but when I tried to get up, I was denied access since Alex wasn’t with me. I groaned in frustration and gave up. The rest of the night, I sulked and kept looking for Atlas, but he never reappeared.As expected, by the end of the night, Jess and Alex were completely wasted. It took some time to guide them to the car and help them get in. Not knowing where Alex lived or where his car was parked, I decided to bring him ba
“Come on, Harper, this guy is really cute and he asked about you too,” Jess insisted, putting her book down and placing a bookmark between the pages.I rolled my eyes as I laced up my shoes, preparing for work. Yesterday, my first day – hadn't gone as planned. Atlas's unexpected presence had unsettled me, especially when Dr. Lawson saw us standing too close for comfort. Though he didn’t question me about it all day, his displeasure was evident. I knew he didn’t buy my “Atlas is family” excuse. I wouldn't have if I were in his shoes. I was worried it would affect my position, but fortunately, it didn’t. After meeting Dr. Hill, Atlas was gone, taking the unwanted stress and tension with him. Dr. Lawson and I dove into the details of my work, and the morning’s incident was forgotten. Today was the second day, and I was eager to get to the real work. Yet, Jess was keen on setting me up on a blind date, dampening my mood.“Jess, I told you, I don’t want to date anyone right now,” I said, ex
Maybe if I had insisted on going home, I would have ended up in an accident, sparing me from being stuck here with both my professor/boss and my guardian/crush. The tension in the air was palpable, and it was all because of Atlas. Dr. Lawson had nothing to do with it, but Atlas's presence was driving me crazy, even when he was doing nothing at all. The rain was raging outside, pounding against the windows with no sign of stopping anytime soon.We were in the administrative unit of the detention center where almost all the employees had left. On the first floor, it was just me, Dr. Lawson, and Atlas, while a couple of employees waited out the storm on the ground floor. The sound of the rain created a heavy, oppressive atmosphere inside.As I glanced at Dr. Lawson, I noticed the slight furrow of his brow, a clear indication of his discomfort. Atlas, on the other hand, was standing stiffly, his eyes flicking between me and Dr. Lawson. The tension in the room was so thick it was almost ta
I couldn’t shake off the memories of what happened between Atlas and me in the washroom. It has gotten to the point where I can’t visit public or office washrooms without recalling the incident. What happened between us was wrong and so embarrassing. I was truly ashamed of myself.It has been a week since I last saw Atlas, and I'm glad for the distance. But even in his absence, the memories occupied my mind, causing my work to suffer. Dr. Lawson noticed and called me out, saying, “Miss Miller, if you’d rather be somewhere else than be here, maybe you should just leave.” I apologized and tried to focus on taking notes during therapy sessions with different juvenile convicts. I was so mad at Atlas. I couldn’t concentrate on anything at work, and this incredible opportunity was slipping through my fingers because of him.The week was finally over, and the weekend was on the horizon. Jess had started her internship, so she was busy during the week as well. It was Friday night, and I was b
Eva's words echoed in my mind, each one striking me like a blow. I still couldn’t wrap my head around what I had just learned. All this time, I thought Atlas was cheating on Eva with me, but I was utterly wrong. He ended their relationship the night I left.Why hadn’t Atlas told me? Why hadn’t he come back to me? My heart skipped a beat, a flicker of hope sparking within me. Had he ended things with Eva for me? Did he want me as much as I wanted him? But then, my heart sank into my stomach, a cold dread washing over me. If that were true, why hadn’t he reached out? Was I just a pawn in his game? What was I to him? What was he doing with me?I felt a storm of emotions raging inside me—confusion, hurt, hope, and despair all mingling into a nauseating swirl. I didn’t tell anyone about meeting Eva, not even Jess. She was too consumed with guilt for setting me up with a guy like Dylan to notice how distracted I was when I got home.The revelation that Atlas was no longer with Eva kept gnaw
The rest of the week flew by in a blur—work, spending time with Jess, and the constant flood of calls and messages from Atlas. I didn’t pick up a single one. His texts, all variations of the same theme, piled up on my phone, each one a hollow echo of regret. If Atlas had proven anything over the past few days, it was that he was sorry. But that word, sorry, had lost all meaning to me.I used to be the girl who’d drop everything for him, who’d bend to his will with a single word. But not anymore. I was too hurt, too broken, to let his apologies soften me. Even if he meant them—truly meant them—I didn’t want them. They couldn’t fix what he’d shattered.Saturday arrived faster than I was ready for, leaving me standing in front of my cupboard, staring at the meager selection of clothes. I blew my cheeks out in frustration before turning to Jess, who was casually perched on my bed, lost in her book. “I really need to get the rest of my stuff back from Atlas,” I muttered.Jess looked up, he
“Are you going to tell me what happened? Is this about Amanda? Did she say something to you?” Jess's voice trembled slightly as she stood outside the bathroom door where I had locked myself. I had tried to pull myself together before coming home, but the effort had been futile. The moment I stepped into the apartment, Jess took one look at me and knew something was wrong. When she asked what happened, the dam broke. Tears streamed down my face, and when she wrapped her arms around me, I collapsed into sobs. She didn’t press me for answers, just held me, her silent presence a comfort.After what felt like hours of ugly crying, I finally excused myself and retreated to the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face, trying to erase the evidence of my breakdown. As I wiped my face with a towel, I noticed streaks of makeup staining the fabric. It was a small thing, but it felt like a mark of my defeat. I tried not to catch my reflection in the mirror, but when I did, the sight of myself o
He didn’t need to guide me. I knew exactly what to do. While he remained standing, steady and composed, I could feel my legs trembling with the overwhelming pull of desire. The weight of it was too much, and I made my way to the bed, the cool sheets beneath me a stark contrast to the heat building inside.I waited, expecting him to join me, to close the distance between us, but he didn’t move. He stood there for a few long, torturous seconds, his eyes narrowing as he watched me. I could see the thoughts swirling in his mind, hidden behind a carefully controlled expression. He was a master at masking his emotions, but there was one thing he couldn’t hide—lust. It blazed in his eyes, a raw, primal hunger that made my heart race.I was certain he would climb into bed with me, that he would let go of the restraint I could see him struggling to maintain. But instead, he surprised me. He dragged the armchair from the corner of the room, pulling it closer to the bed. He sat down, his gaze ne
Walking back to the living room, I felt a heavy weight inside me. I was nervous and ashamed. Every glance in my direction made me feel like they knew what I had done and what I was doing. As I stepped out, Aunt Rosa's concerned voice met me.“Oh sweetie, I hope you’re okay. You were gone for a while and you look flushed,” she said.Her words heightened my anxiety. I hadn’t even thought to check myself in the mirror before reentering. Pressing my lips together, I decided to lie.“Uh, yes. I’m fine. The food just didn’t agree with me,” I said softly.She gave me a sympathetic smile, her hand gently stroking my arm. Over her shoulder, I saw Atlas reenter the living room from outside. He must have taken the back door earlier and now returned through the main entrance, maintaining the illusion that he had been outside all this time. His calculated move made me feel slightly less nervous. He offered me a quick glance as he passed us and walked over to Philippe.My stomach knotted at the sig
For the next five minutes, I remained frozen. I couldn't bring myself to speak or excuse myself. When I glanced at Atlas, his calm gaze met my panicked eyes. I gulped, feeling both anxious and thrilled. This was something I'd never done before—something so controversial. Fear and intrigue mingled within me. I wanted to know what would happen if I excused myself to the washroom, so I finally gathered the courage.Clearing my throat, I gained everyone's attention. Offering a small smile to Aunt Rosa, I stated, "Please excuse me. I’ll be back in a minute. You all carry on." As I stood, the chair scraped against the floor, making me wince. I straightened my dress and, with a quick glance at Atlas, aimed for the washroom. Unsure of which washroom to go to, I decided to head to my old room.Each step felt like a journey as I made my way down the hall, my heart pounding in anticipation. What would Atlas do next? The thrill of the unknown sent shivers down my spine, making my steps both hesit
When Philippe learned that I already knew Dr. Lawson, he echoed my thoughts with a chuckle, "What a small world." Dr. Seth was then introduced to Amanda and Aunt Rosa as Philippe's nephew and my professor/boss. The moment felt awkward, perhaps because I now realized Dr. Lawson was connected to a distant family member who might uncover aspects of my life I preferred to keep private.Amanda's reaction added to my unease. She arched an eyebrow upon learning that Dr. Lawson was my professor, a glint of mischief in her eyes before she smirked softly. It sent a chill down my spine. While I hadn't done anything that could tarnish my reputation—at least, nothing Amanda knew about—I couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension. Being around Amanda always made me wary, and this situation was no exception.But I wasn’t the only one feeling awkward. Dr. Lawson seemed equally uncomfortable. After his initial greeting, he avoided making eye contact with me. Instead, he engaged in a polite conversatio
It was a weird and dangerous game we were playing. I still didn’t know how Atlas truly felt about me. Did he like me? Did he love me the way I loved him? Or was it all just physical for him? All I knew was that whatever he felt for me had been simmering for a while. I wanted to ask him, but I didn’t want to ruin what we had. I knew I was on the path to getting hurt again, but I loved his attention. It was exactly what I always craved, and now that I had it, I didn’t want it to end. I wasn’t going to tell Jess either because I knew she would never approve of my choices, and rightfully so. I was being incredibly dumb and naïve. I wasn’t thinking with my brain. I was letting my heart lead me to my doom.“How horrible is it to ask you to come back home?” Atlas asked softly. I was sitting on the couch in his office with my feet up while he leaned against the very desk he had bent me over, his arms folded across his chest. Our little session had ended a few minutes ago, but my ass was still
Eva's words echoed in my mind, each one striking me like a blow. I still couldn’t wrap my head around what I had just learned. All this time, I thought Atlas was cheating on Eva with me, but I was utterly wrong. He ended their relationship the night I left.Why hadn’t Atlas told me? Why hadn’t he come back to me? My heart skipped a beat, a flicker of hope sparking within me. Had he ended things with Eva for me? Did he want me as much as I wanted him? But then, my heart sank into my stomach, a cold dread washing over me. If that were true, why hadn’t he reached out? Was I just a pawn in his game? What was I to him? What was he doing with me?I felt a storm of emotions raging inside me—confusion, hurt, hope, and despair all mingling into a nauseating swirl. I didn’t tell anyone about meeting Eva, not even Jess. She was too consumed with guilt for setting me up with a guy like Dylan to notice how distracted I was when I got home.The revelation that Atlas was no longer with Eva kept gnaw
I couldn’t shake off the memories of what happened between Atlas and me in the washroom. It has gotten to the point where I can’t visit public or office washrooms without recalling the incident. What happened between us was wrong and so embarrassing. I was truly ashamed of myself.It has been a week since I last saw Atlas, and I'm glad for the distance. But even in his absence, the memories occupied my mind, causing my work to suffer. Dr. Lawson noticed and called me out, saying, “Miss Miller, if you’d rather be somewhere else than be here, maybe you should just leave.” I apologized and tried to focus on taking notes during therapy sessions with different juvenile convicts. I was so mad at Atlas. I couldn’t concentrate on anything at work, and this incredible opportunity was slipping through my fingers because of him.The week was finally over, and the weekend was on the horizon. Jess had started her internship, so she was busy during the week as well. It was Friday night, and I was b