Noah’s POVI never expected it to blow up like this. I closed the door quietly, My footsteps thudding in the silence as I paced my room, replaying the moment over and over in my head. All I’d meant to do was joke around, maybe be a little flirty, but she completely freaked out when I walked into her room without asking.Looking back, I guess I shouldn’t have been so careless. It’s just… I don’t care who comes in and out of my space, unless someone’s over, of course, then the door’s locked. But Henry? He’s a different story. He’s got this thing about control, and nobody enters his room without permission, not even the cleaning lady.And then there’s what I said, ‘this is our house.’ What the hell was I thinking? That was a real dick move, especially since she’s still getting used to being here. She’s probably way more uncomfortable about all of this than Henry and I are, and I just had to go and make it worse for her. I ran my hands over my face and glanced at the wall separating our b
Kathrine’s povSometimes I wondered what it might feel like to live a normal life, one where you didn’t wake up every day holding your breath, waiting for the next man to walk in and rearrange everything. A life where you weren’t constantly calculating the expiration date on someone else’s promises. But normal was a luxury I’d never been afforded, and by now, I had stopped hoping for it altogether. Mr. Robert wasn’t the first of my mother’s boyfriends to try and edge me out of the house. It was a cycle I had grown used to, each man arriving with promises of devotion to her while tossing me sidelong glances that screamed, ‘When are you leaving?’ Some were subtle, covering their discomfort with strained smiles; others made their intentions crystal clear. But they all wanted the same thing, to have my mother to themselves, without the inconvenience of her teenage daughter lurking in the background.I couldn’t entirely fault them for it. It must be awkward trying to build a relationship w
Kathrine's POV"You’re going to be late for work," I gently pushed my mother away from me. She’d been clinging to me, her arms wrapped around my waist like she didn’t know how to let go."We’re good, Mom. Everything’s fine." I turned her around, guiding her like a child, a role reversal I was getting used to. "I’ll see you this evening, okay?"Her breath hitched as she sniffled, but she nodded. "Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Kathrine. I don’t know what I’d do without you."I forced a smile, but it felt hollow. Watching her hurry out of the bathroom, I waited until I heard the soft shuffle of her steps heading down the stairs before I returned to my room. The door clicked shut behind me as I leaned my back against it. My heartbeat was pounding in my ears, a dull throb that I could feel at my temples. It felt like too much, like everything was crumbling, but I couldn’t get a handle on any of it.When it came to me and Mom, it was always a toss-up between who was the adult and who was the child. I
Noah’s pov I gripped the steering wheel so tightly and there was silence in the car. But my mind wouldn’t stop racing. Questions swirled in my head. Why on earth would she run out into the blazing heat like that? It was reckless, dangerous, and knowing Kathrine , it probably had something to do with the argument we’d had over breakfast. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. She sat rigid in the passenger seat, staring out the window, her hands trembling as they clutched her knees. Her jaw was tight, like she was bracing herself. Maybe for a scolding, maybe for her own mistake. But all I could focus on was the way her skin looked too red from the sun, her breaths still shallow and uneven. Something didn’t feel right. Her silence wasn’t just stubbornness. It felt like a warning, like she was silently asking for help but didn’t know how to say it. As I pulled into the garage, I glanced at her. She didn’t move. She just sat there, staring out of the window, her hands folded
Kathrine’s povI didn’t know how to describe the way I felt as Noah walked out of my room. My heart felt heavy, my mind running in circles. I sat back down on the edge of my bed, my eyes landing on the bright yellow and purple bouquet he had brought me. It looked so cheerful, a sharp contrast to how I felt inside.Part of me felt so thankful he had been there to help. If Noah hadn’t driven by when he did, I didn’t even want to think about what might have happened. Collapsing on the street in some unfamiliar neighborhood would have led to something far worse. The idea of lying there, helpless, until the wrong person came along sent a shiver down my spine. Or worse, no one could’ve found me at all. I might’ve had a seizure or passed away alone. The thought of being treated like just another nameless person in the morgue, labeled “unknown,” filled me with dread.I exhaled shakily, and kept thinking about everything. I owed Noah more than I could express.I pushed myself off the bed, stil
Kathrine’s POVI went to my room and put my laptop away. I wasn’t running away from Henry, I was simply putting my computer back in the drawer. That’s what I told myself, anyway. Henry wasn’t getting under my skin. I also had no desire to see my mother or her boyfriend. If Henry was already home, my mother and her boyfriend couldn’t be far behind. I decided to raid the kitchen and eat an early meal before they got back.I walked through the house and headed for the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge. I was hungry enough to eat an entire cow, but, of course, it seemed like the Robert were fresh out of beef.I opened the freezer. It was clear that a grocery run was going to be necessary. I dug around through bags of frozen vegetables and a very berry smoothie mix. “What is wrong with you people?” I grumbled as I shoved a package of plant-based meatballs back into the freezer. “Where’s the meat?” I slammed the freezer door shut a little too hard, and then nearly jumped out of my skin
Noah's POVI’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting a text from Henry. ‘Kathrine’s making dinner. Don’t screw it up.’That’s all he wrote. Nothing else. Typical Henry, straight to the point, no room for questions. I stared at the screen for a second longer, wondering what exactly that meant. Did he think I’d do something to upset her? Did he think I’d hit on her? Did he think… oh, forget it.About twenty minutes later, there was a light knock on my door. I pulled it open to find Kathrine standing there, looking a little sheepish but also determined. Her sunburn had darkened since earlier, and the redness on her nose and cheeks was hard to ignore. It looked uncomfortable, though she seemed to be holding up fine otherwise.For a moment, I just waited, giving her the chance to speak. Her big brown eyes flitted to mine briefly before she took a deep breath. It seemed like an effort for her to approach me like this, to be polite, even.“I picked up some steaks,” she began, her voice soft but clear.
Henry’s POV"Where do you find the fire for your stories?" I asked, feeling curious. I had never read a romance novel before, but I had seen the covers, bold, suggestive, and practically pulsing with unspoken desires. Paperbacks stacked in market stalls, their glossy designs promising passion, longing, and reckless abandon. But Kathrine? She looked too young, too untouched by the kind of fevered emotions her pages surely held. How did she conjure such raw intimacy with nothing but ink and imagination? Could someone truly write about desire without ever feeling it? The thought of her having that kind of experience made my brain short-circuit. I wasn’t ready to consider it.The moment I brought up her books, her entire demeanor shifted. It was like a wall had slammed down between us, closing off any chance of continuing the conversation. Her face went blank, her expression not fine to look at. Without a word, she stood up abruptly, gathering her dishes with mechanical efficiency. She di
Kathrine’s POVI felt so dizzy I might have collapsed if I hadn’t been sandwiched between Henry and Noah, their strong bodies holding me up. The kitten, tired of being squished, had climbed onto my shoulder, her tiny claws pricking my skin.Was this real? Had I slipped into some alternate reality? Maybe the almond milk my mom gave me had sent me into a coma, and this was all just a dream. Because who in the world gives their girlfriend a house for her nineteenth birthday?But it wasn’t the price tag or the extravagance of the gift that hit me the hardest. It was the understanding.Henry and Noah knew. They knew that for the past three and a half years, my life had been nothing but temporary, unstable, unreliable, and downright terrifying. When I lost my dad, I lost my home, my safety, my security. I’d followed my mom from one boyfriend’s place to another, always feeling like an unwanted third wheel, always at the mercy of strangers. I thought I’d built up a tough shell, that I was str
Kathrine’s POVI wasn’t expecting any more gifts from the Robert brothers. They’d already spoiled me with flowers, a fancy stainless steel water bottle, an incredible dinner on the gazebo, and those stunning rings. I couldn’t stop twisting the rings on my finger, just to remind myself this was real. This wasn’t some scene from one of my romance novels—this was my life.But when they drove me out to the waterfall, I almost melted. It was such a sweet, romantic gesture, taking me back to where it all kind of began. Okay, technically, it started at the Professor’s house, but our first real date was here, at the swimming hole under the man-made waterfall. That was the moment I started to believe I could actually be with both of them.When we arrived, there was a blanket laid out on the grass, scattered with rose petals. A vase of fresh flowers sat beside a white box tied with a big red bow. They sat facing me, their eyes full of anticipation, like they were waiting for something huge. It
Henry’s povI woke up before the sun even started to rise, the sky still dark over the mountains. Kathrine was curled up next to me, our legs tangled together with Noah’s. My brother was on the other side of her, holding her close while she faced me. At some point during the night, we’d kicked off the blankets, but the three of us together kept the bed warm and cozy.When Noah and I planned her late birthday dinner, we never imagined it would end the way it did, with the most incredible, unforgettable night of my life. Maybe even our lives. I reached for her hand in the dark, my fingers brushing over the ring she now wore. She’d accepted it. She’d accepted us.Kathrine stirred, stretching with a soft groan. “Oh my God,” she mumbled, her voice still heavy with sleep. She threw a leg over mine and sighed. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus. No, make that two buses.”I smiled, brushing her hair back from her face. Even in the dim light, I could see how beautiful she looked. “I’m sorry,
Kathrine’s POVI should have done this a long time ago. Sliding behind the wheel of my new car, I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter than necessary, just to remind myself that it was real, this was real. The scent of pine-tree air freshener mixed with the sharp, chemical tang of whatever they used to polish the interior at the dealership. It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it smelled like freedom. Like a fresh start.No more asking for permission. No more borrowing keys. No more waiting for some taxi driver to show up at his own pace. This was my car, and I could go anywhere I wanted, whenever I wanted.It should have been a good feeling, liberating, even but there was a dull ache gnawing at the back of my mind.My mother wasn’t speaking to me.Late last night, I’d heard her voice sharp and angry, drifting from the other end of the house. I couldn’t make out every word, but I didn’t have to. I knew exactly what the argument was about.She must have gone to Weah, her voice rising
Noah’s PovEven though Kathrine was trying to hide it, I could see she was upset. When I got to the dojo, she was already there. She had taken off her jacket, put on boxing gloves, and was hitting the heavy bag hard. She wasn’t just practicing, she was putting all her strength into every punch and kick. I could almost feel the force of her hits. Her face was red, her breath was sharp with each strike, and sweat was running down her neck.It was impressive and attractive, but also a little scary.I wouldn’t want to be that bag, but that wasn’t what worried me. It was the way she was fighting, so intense, so focused, so fierce. It was like she was fighting for her life. Or maybe she was punishing herself.After what Henry told me about her meeting with her mom, I thought it might be a mix of both. I wasn’t sure if I should stop her or let her keep going. Since we were in the dojo and she was higher-ranked than me, I felt unsure of what to do.Luckily, Clement noticed something was wrong
Kathrine’s Pov“Time to face the executioner,” I muttered under my breath as I opened the door and headed downstairs to confront my mother. My purse was slung over one shoulder, and I could hear the keys to my new car jingling inside, almost as if they were taunting me. I kept my face calm and composed, but inside, my stomach was churning with nerves. I had no idea how my mother was going to react, and I really didn’t want Henry to witness it if she completely lost it.I found her pacing back and forth between the living room and the kitchen. She had kicked off her heels by the back door and I mean kicked. One of them had flown halfway across the room. Her hair, which had been neatly tied up, was now loose and floating around her flushed face. Her pupils were tiny pinpoints, and she was shaking with anger. She was furious, and it showed in every movement.I took a deep breath, trying to detach myself from her emotional state. It wasn’t easy. Her stress and anxiety felt like invisible
Kathrine's povBuying my own car might have been a little impulsive, but I didn’t regret it. Well, not entirely. The process wasn’t exactly smooth, though. I had to visit three different dealerships before I found a salesman who actually took me seriously. The first one looked me straight in the eye and told me to come back with my parents. Can you believe that? The second one laughed in my face when I said I wasn’t interested in financing and planned to pay in cash. It was frustrating, to say the least. But at the third dealership, I finally found a guy who treated me like an adult. We talked about the pros and cons of different cars within my budget, and after some back-and-forth, I settled on a modest, older Toyota with low mileage. It wasn’t flashy, but it was reliable and affordable.I paid for the car in full and drove it off the lot, feeling a mix of pride and guilt. This was my first car, and it should’ve been a happy moment, but instead, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in
Henry’s POV“How much longer?” I barked into the phone, my patience hanging by a thread.“We’ll wrap up by Tuesday,” said Guy Wilson, the contractor I hired to handle the asbestos cleanup at the old factory. “After that, you’ve got to wait at least 48 hours for the air to clear. Honestly, with a job this big, I’d give it a full week before we run the final tests to make sure it’s safe.”I rubbed my eyes, frustration gnawing at me. A week shouldn’t feel like a lifetime, but with the chaos at home, it felt like an eternity.I always knew Kathrine’s mom wouldn’t be on board with us, but I didn’t expect her to go full attack mode. The way she tore into Kathrine was disgusting, shaming her, calling her awful names. It made me sick.That morning at breakfast, Clara dropped the bomb. “You’re grounded,” she announced, her tone dripping with superiority. “And you’re not touching your car. Got it?”Kathrine didn’t even blink. She just raised an eyebrow, squeezed a lemon into her water bottle li
Kathrine's POVThis wasn’t going to blow over. I could feel it in my bones, like the ache of a storm before it hits. The tension in the house was thick enough to cut with a knife, and I knew it was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down. Unless I walked away from whatever this thing was between the Robert brothers and me, my mom and Weah would keep pushing. And I’d be the one caught in the crossfire.I was the odd one out here. The outsider. The girl who didn’t belong in the Robert’ world. And honestly, I could see why my mom was so uncomfortable. Weah, her professor boyfriend, was all about appearances. He was the kind of guy who ironed his socks and probably had a spreadsheet for his grocery list. I could practically see him breaking things off with her if I caused too much of a scene. The thought made my stomach twist.Even if I ignored my mom and Weah, this thing with the twins was a risk. A huge one. Relationships were messy enough, but with two brothers? It w