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Chapter 3
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Shadows of Us Chapter 4
The commotion drew Roy over, and the first thing Willow did was put away her phone when she saw him. Oblivious to her subtle gesture, Roy strode over the mess and scooped her up with one arm. He turned on the tap with the other. The scalded skin on the back of her foot went numb for a moment under the cold water, followed by a wave of excruciating pain.Willow bit her lips, her face discolored. Roy gripped her ankle with a grimace. “You’re not a child anymore, Willow. How did you manage to tip over a pot of boiling water?” In a fit of frustration and pain, Willow bit down on Roy’s shoulder. Roy gritted his teeth but held onto her. “Did you burn yourself, Willow? I hope it isn’t bad.” Sierra emerged at the kitchen door, looking anxious. “I’ll get you something for the burns.” Roy took a glance at Willow’s foot and carried her out, passing Sierra. “We’re going to the hospital.” When the car started, Sierra limped after them and insisted on coming along because she was conc
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Shadows of Us Chapter 5
Since that day, Roy did not contact Willow again, nor did he go home. Willow knew that Roy was angry. He was punishing her for her defiance. Usually, she would cave in to him within three days. However, this time, Willow glanced at the calendar and decided to give herself a break. The weather turned dreary on the last day of October. That evening, Willow got a call from Roy. He gave her an address and told her to dress up. Though the nature of the event was not spoken of, Willow knew that Roy’s best friend, Adrian Cavill was celebrating his birthday. From the day Willow got together with Roy, she had taken note of all the important dates of his friends. Willow agreed to go, and none of them brought up the last fight they had. As she had been wearing slip-ons at home to let her foot heal, her foot protested as she wedged it into stilettos to match her evening gown. At the party, Willow was surprised to see Roy’s mother. The poised woman took Roy’s arm and brushed past Willow,
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Shadows of Us Chapter 6
Ice-cold water filled Willow’s lungs as the weight of her soaked gown pulled her down in the water. She thrashed hard against the water, but her tight dress restricted her movements. She felt trapped, unable to surface out of the water or reach the bottom.As her heart pounded out of her chest, Willow felt the burn in her lungs. She tried to rip open the dress binding her feet desperately. Amid her struggle, her toes touched the bottom of the pool. With all her might, she pushed off the bottom and surfaced.People gathered around the pool, their voices a blur.While Willow gasped for air, Roy pushed through the crowd and leaped into the water without taking off his shoes. He swam toward Sierra. The water splashed on Willow’s face, blurring her vision. Roy quickly carried Sierra to safety, both looking pale with dread. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around Sierra. He held her tight as if he had almost lost her. Sierra opened her eyes, tears streaming down her face. “I was terr
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Shadows of Us Chapter 7
Outside the hospital, Roy stared at his phone in disbelief. He could not believe that Willow hung up on him. Willow never terminated his call. She would always make sure to pick up right away. As such, Roy dialed her number again. The call connected moments later, but it was quiet on the other end of the line. Roy, not one to cave in, said nothing. A tense silence lingered in the air, broken only by their breathing. Roy felt bad as it just occurred to him that Willow’s foot was bleeding when he left. He was going to get her patched up. However, Willow was stubborn, as always. Despite her kind heart, she was headstrong. No one knew her better than Roy. At the time, her uncompromising stance had rubbed him the wrong way. Hence, he said nothing and took Sierra away. “Your foot–” “It’s over between us, Roy.” They talked over each other. Roy paused for a minute before sneering. “What did you say, Willow?” Willow remained indifferent. “If there’s anything between us, to be
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Shadows of Us Chapter 8
Willow stared at the photo on her phone. With his eyes closed and shirt collar undone, Roy’s relaxed posture belied the underlying intensity and revealed the sensuality of a man accustomed to the finer things in life. In the same photo, Sierra was snuggling up to his chest, smiling smugly at the camera. A new photo, though slightly blurred, jumped out, showing the man leaning in to kiss the woman. The fluster and joy in the woman’s eyes were so real. Six months ago, Willow would be hurt and upset to tears by the photo. Now, her gaze lingered on Roy’s aroused face before she deleted the photos with a tap. Over the past few days, Sierra had been sending photos and text messages to get a rise out of her. Willow had yet to block Sierra to keep tabs on Roy. She had unfinished business to deal with, and the last thing she needed was for Roy to ruin things for her. Men had fragile egos, and when she walked out on him, Roy’s response left a lingering doubt that things were far from o
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Shadows of Us Chapter 9
Roy had one too many drinks that night. Usually, he would have a good measure of his intake and stay tipsy, or sometimes, he would pretend to be wasted just to tease Willow. However, he got hammered pretty quickly that night. Either the booze was kicking in or his friends kept filling his glass, but he felt like crap halfway through. Roy hurled his phone to Adrian. “Call Willow to pick me up.” Silence weighed heavily in the air. Roy looked up to Adrian spacing out, his phone in hand. “I’ll do it.” Another friend snatched the phone from Adrian and said with a smile, “Willow will be here in no time, but you’re giving her an excuse to come back, Roy. She’ll hold on tight to you and refuse to let go.” The remark cleared Roy’s head. It hit him that Willow had broken up with him, and it had been two weeks since they got in touch. “Remember how Willow first forced herself into Roy’s life by staging an encounter at the café?” One of his friends teased. “It was so cheesy, but hey,
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Shadows of Us Chapter 10
“Roy, are you here for me?” Sierra was thrilled to spot Roy’s sports car outside the school. The girls in the back watched enviously as Sierra slipped into the front passenger seat. Roy hid his expression behind a pair of sunglasses, his lips slightly upturned. “Just thought I’d check out your school.” Sierra’s smile faltered a little before picking back up. “Alright. Let me give you a tour.” While driving past a row of red-bricked buildings, Roy made a remark, “Are these the graduate schools?” “That’s right. Willow’s dorm is around this area too.” Sierra paused before uttering cautiously, “There have been rumors going around about Willow. I don’t know if I should tell you.” “Just tell me.” “There’s this rumor about Willow hitting hard on her advisor to get a recommendation letter to study abroad.” Sierra stole a glance at Roy. Roy’s face, tucked behind the sunglasses, was hard to read. “The advisor turned her down, and things… got physical.” Sierra stammered, her han
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Shadows of Us Chapter 11
Willow was not one to cry. She was always sweet and cheerful around Roy, rarely bringing her emotions to the table. Roy did not have patience for sobbing women either. Yet now, Willow’s tears cut through him like a knife, and his anger melted away. He looked away, unable to stand the sight of her tears, his voice softening. “Is the asshole giving you a hard time again? Why didn’t you tell me?” “We’re not together anymore, Roy,” Willow murmured. His rage flared, but he forced himself to keep it together. “I can’t spend my whole life under your protection.” “Why not? Don’t you trust me?” “Are you going to marry me?” Willow asked. Roy paused. The answer was in his silence. Willow grinned. “So, I can’t rely on you to always be there for me. I need to be able to take care of myself. I can handle this on my own.” Roy was lost for words. Willow dried her tears and turned on her heel to enter the station. Tears, though cheap, could be a powerful tool. Not wanting to u
Last Updated : 2024-12-12
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Shadows of Us Chapter 25
Willow’s wrists were bound, her shirt was in tatters, and she was fighting desperately to break free.In a fit of rage, Roy charged ahead and kicked the man who was on top of her. The man, who was no more than seventeen or eighteen, was sent sprawling.The boy whimpered and pleaded for mercy as Roy rained down blows.“Roy…” Willow trembled in fear. Roy scooped her up and wrapped his jacket around her.“It’s alright. You’re safe now…” Roy’s lips brushed against her cheek, and a sigh of relief escaped him.Willow held him tight, her voice hoarse. “Thank God you’re here.” Roy took Willow out of the dark and damp factory. As they reached the door, a silhouette darted out of the shadows from behind. Before they knew it, Roy was knocked to the ground with a sickening thud.Willow watched as blood gushed out of the back of Roy’s head, spilling across the floor. Catherine’s cheek-sunken face emerged as she stared grimacingly at the floor. “That’s what you get for hitting my son.”
Shadows of Us Chapter 24
Willow had put in a transfer to the company’s out-of-state branch office and was due to start her new position after the holidays.Before the new year, Willow visited her father’s grave. She tended to the plot, clearing away the fallen leaves. Words failed her as a feeling of emptiness settled over her. Suddenly, she sensed a presence behind her, stopping just inches away. Then, a bouquet of flowers was placed in front of the headstone. Willow remained still. Roy, clad in black, got on his knees before the headstone. “I’m sorry you had to leave the world the way you did, and I apologize for hurting your daughter.”Willow stood in silence for a long time, and Roy stayed by her on his knees just as long. Out of the cemetery, Roy asked, “Why did you apply for a transfer out? It’s a much smaller city compared to Hereshire with fewer opportunities for development.” Willow was indifferent. “If you won’t stop stalking me, I won’t just be leaving Hereshire.”“My mother paid you
Shadows of Us Chapter 23
Stumbling upon Melanie’s diary, Sierra learned that her sister once dated Roy, so she exploited the connection to get close to Roy. She put on a white dress yesterday to seduce Roy when he was drunk, assuming Roy would mistake her for Melanie. However, to her surprise, he only had eyes for Willow, whose guts she hated.She trailed behind Willow out of the dormitory, harping on. “You must be aware that you’re just my sister’s replacement. He was in love with Melanie, and now he is into me. Last night, we were getting–” “Smack!” Willow slapped Sierra across the face. Her education had been cut short, her name had been dragged through the mud, and the legal battle she had fought so hard for had been a constant struggle. Just when Willow thought she was finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel… Willow blew up at Sierra. “Don’t make me part of your sick games. Just leave me alone!” Sierra held her face, her eyes darting a short distance away. She sounded hurt. “Roy…”
Shadows of Us Chapter 22
Roy stopped seeking Willow out as the year drew to a close. He used to think that Willow left him out in a fit of rage as a result of his six-month neglect and that a good apology would make things right again. However, after that day on the rooftop, Roy understood the depth of the rift between them. No one had the power to bring back the dead, and he could never fill the void left by her father’s death.Willow had shown such remarkable restraint that day that Roy could not bring himself to say another word, or else the hatred in Willow’s eyes would kill him. The idea of Willow resenting him was too much to bear, so Roy avoided her. With Willow out of his life, Roy carried on with life as usual, living in privilege and success. Still, deep down, he could not shake an ever-growing void. One windy night, Roy had to be taken home after a night of heavy drinking. In a dreamlike state, he saw Willow standing by the window. She wore her usual silk slip, the hem ending just above her k
Shadows of Us Chapter 21
Silence hung heavy in the room for at least seven to eight minutes before Roy went to take a puff in the corridor. He did not feel like himself. The anger and frustration did not make sense to him. Why was he getting worked up over something so petty? Before he could wrap his head around the whole thing, a loud crash sounded, followed by a sickening sound of shattering glass in Willow’s room. Roy opened the door to find Willow standing amid a broken pile of glass shards, a chair still clutched in her hands. “I’m hurt. Take me to the emergency room.” Without breaking eye contact with Roy, Willow extended her arm to show a deep gash. Roy was livid. He had never seen Willow so defiant. “Fine. I’ll take you!” Roy gritted his teeth. The rain began to pour as they drove away, growing more intense with each passing moment. Neither of them spoke, their silence weighing down with unspoken words. Willow applied pressure to her arm with a piece of paper while Roy gripped the steer
Shadows of Us Chapter 20
Six months ago, Roy and Willow had the biggest fight. Roy was not one to avoid confrontation, but he conveniently forgot about the argument, blocking out the details from his mind. As he pieced together the fragments, he could see the distinct divide between him and Willow. Two months into Sierra’s time in Hereshire, she proposed a trip to a little church on the mountaintop to pray for her sister in heaven. While Roy was not particularly religious, he could not refuse a request tied to Melanie. When Roy picked Sierra up from school, he found Willow with her friends laughing infectiously, and her eyes were sparkling with joy. As she leaned forward, her long hair cascaded around her, wild and free. Roy had seen that side of her before when he was under her in bed. It was a far cry from the sweet and docile woman he knew during the day.He had often been fascinated by that side of her, believing it was a secret shared only between them. Yet now, Willow gave off the same energy fo
Shadows of Us Chapter 19
Willow answered the door on Roy’s second knock. From the window, she had seen his car parked outside, so she knew he had not given up. She shared the apartment with roommates, and the last thing she wanted was to be a nuisance to them. “Let’s take it to the rooftop.” Willow kept things brief and closed the door behind her. Roy caught a glimpse of a worn-out sofa and an old heater inside. He had not expected Willow to live in such a rundown place. In fact, he had always pictured her in a life of privilege, a sheltered existence of a college student far removed from the harsh realities of life.Willow had gotten her act together by now. However, Roy picked up on the distance growing between them. The pair quietly ascended the stairs to the rooftop. “Her name is Catherine Appleby. We were neighbors. Her husband caught a ride from my dad to the city and died in a car accident.” Willow opened the door to the rooftop and got down to it without taking a pause. “I paid her eight
Shadows of Us Chapter 18
Roy rushed over to Willow stumbling to the ground, her palms marred with bloody scrapes. The woman kicked the cake afar and pointed at Willow menacingly. “You think you can get out of this with just a hundred thousand dollars? Think again! You have to atone for your father’s sins, and that means taking care of me until I die and setting Ian up for life! You’re not getting out of this.”“What are you yelling about?” Roy pushed the woman away before she could grab Willow’s hair again, then pulled Willow up from the ground and shielded her behind him. The woman had no qualms about taking her anger out on Willow. However, she backed down, intimidated by Roy’s towering figure and furious glare. She murmured, “Do you think you’re hot stuff to snag a man? Why don’t you get him to pay off your debts? While you’re still young, you should get with more guys.” “What the hell are you on about?” Enraged, Roy motioned to hit her. However, the woman cowered and covered her head in fright,
Shadows of Us Chapter 17
Cameron could not quite figure out where Roy stood with Willow. When Roy came to him about accepting the contract from Willow, he assumed that Roy was interested in her. With the best intentions, Cameron tried to set up a private meeting between Willow and Roy, but that only angered Roy. If Roy did not have any ideas about Willow, it did not make sense that he would always show up in Cameron’s office when she was around. Roy would hide in the office, not meeting or saying anything to Willow, and smoke away. Cameron was not on the Chesters’ level. He had always wanted to get in with Roy, so that was an opportunity he could not pass up, and he went out of his way to look after Willow. Roy, on the other hand, could not make sense of his feelings either. He did not understand why he kept going back to hide behind the door, listening to Willow and Cameron chat about the most meaningless things. Willow was paid to care about him, and he was deceived for three years. Yet, he had don
