MARKI leaned against the doorway, arms crossed as I watched Giulia pace back and forth in the room. Her phone was pressed to her ear, and she was speaking in that quiet, focused tone she always used during the fucking classes. Dr. Sheldon again. I clenched my jaw, feeling the familiar twist of jealousy in my gut.She was doing this to spite me, I could tell. Or she probably wasn't on the phone with him. Possibly wasn't on a call at all. We were just in the middle of a conversation — or argument — when the call came, and she asked for a few minutes to answer it. Watching the small smile on her lips as she spoke to the person on the other end, gave me this intense urge to punch a hole in the motherfucker's face. When she finally hung up, I didn’t waste any time. "Who was that again?" I asked, trying to sound casual but knowing it didn’t come out that way.Giulia smiled at me. Okay, she was really rubbing it in my face. And she was calmer now after snapping at me moments ago. Not a go
GUILIAI didn't expect to meet that scene. When I went after Mark, it was to return his phone, which he had left in my room. I knew he was going over to Judy's room, which was why I ran there, not expecting the scene I met. The door was wide open, so I walked in, only to pause in my steps at the sight. Mark stood, facing Judy, who was just in a towel, one that barely covered her body. The air in the room seemed to thicken, like a heavy fog rolling in, as I stood frozen in the doorway. My heart, once beating steadily, now raced like a wild animal trying to break free. It felt like someone had punched me in the gut and knocked the wind out of me, almost sending me crashing to the floor. As I took in the scene before me, my mind struggled to process what was happening. Judy had her eyes on Mark, with her face etched with vulnerability and adoration. Mark, his expression soft, his eyes filled with a mix of surprise and… something else. Something that looks almost like pity?A wave of na
"Lia," I called her name softly, trying to move closer. The tension between us had been thick since that stranger came into our house. Imagine her touching me inappropriately when Lia was just about to step in! That conniving bitch! I had to find a way to fix this before it escalated. "Baby, please hear me out." Just as I reached for her, a sharp ringing cut through the air, jolting us both.The sound was coming from her pocket. It wasn't the phone I bought for her. I could recognize the ringtone anywhere. This was different. My eyes narrowed as she fumbled to pull it out of her pocket, the shock on her face telling me that she was not used to the shrill ring of this one. Something was wrong. Why was everything just getting weird at the same? Judy had to leave. I needed my life back on track. She didn’t speak right away. Her eyes darted between me and the ground, her expression tightening with each passing second. My chest constricted with unease. Whoever was on the other end of th
GUILIAI dialled Kenzo's number, urging the driver to go faster, but he switched his line off, almost like whoever took him did it on purpose. “Fuck!” I slammed my fist against the car door, my heart racing with every passing second. “Faster, please!” I begged the driver, my voice laced with desperation.I needed to get to Kenzo as fast as I could. I had to. He needed me more than ever to get him back safe, to rescue him from those bastards that kidnapped him. But how? I wondered. I didn't think of this when I left the house. After hearing that Kenzo was in danger, I realized I had to get to him, only that I didn't plan. I just…How could this be happening? Kenzo, my rock, my confidant, was kidnapped. The sound of his terrified voice still echoed in my mind, sending shivers down my spine. I knew I had to get there fast to avoid anything happening to him. He was relying on me to save him from those who took him, and I was going to do that, even though I can't tell how, but I will. I f
GUILIAI dialled Kenzo's number, urging the driver to go faster, but he switched his line off, almost like whoever took him did it on purpose. “Fuck!” I slammed my fist against the car door, my heart racing with every passing second. “Faster, please!” I begged the driver, my voice laced with desperation.I needed to get to Kenzo as fast as I could. I had to. He needed me more than ever to get him back safe, to rescue him from those bastards that kidnapped him. But how? I wondered. I didn't think of this when I left the house. After hearing that Kenzo was in danger, I realized I had to get to him, only that I didn't plan. I just…How could this be happening? Kenzo, my rock, my confidant, was kidnapped. The sound of his terrified voice still echoed in my mind, sending shivers down my spine. I knew I had to get there fast to avoid anything happening to him. He was relying on me to save him from those who took him, and I was going to do that, even though I can't tell how, but I will. I f
MARKAdrenaline surged through me as I bolted toward the closest car, firing off shots at the attackers still laying down fire on the house. The men had the situation mostly handled by now, but I couldn’t stick around to make sure they got everything right. Giulia needed me. I slid across the hood, gun in hand, and dove into the driver’s seat. Starting the engine, I slammed my foot on the gas, sending the car roaring forward. One of the attackers didn’t get out of the way fast enough—he crumpled against the hood as I clipped him, the impact reverberating through the car.Just as I sped through the gate, my phone buzzed with a text. I glanced down for a split second, ducking under the dashboard as bullets pinged off the car’s body. The text was short. A location. My pulse quickened. This had to be where they were holding Giulia.I leaned out of the window, squeezing off a few more rounds toward the attackers, then swerved to avoid a hail of bullets. As I peeled out onto the main road,
GUILIAMy eyelids slowly fluttered open. A wave of grogginess washed over me. Where…where was I? I tried to rise, but my head felt like it was about to split in two. The pain caused me to wince, tugging me back to the bed as I closed my eyes.“Lia!” I heard someone yell my name. My eyes snapped back open. This time, I could tell where I was because of the whitewashed wall. A hospital room.A gentle voice spoke beside me. “Welcome back.” The voice sounded oddly familiar, but I couldn't place where I had heard it. A gentle hand grasped mine, and I turned to see a stranger's face. His eyes were warm, filled with concern.He looked like my type. Yeah, the kind of person I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with. Aside from the scar that ran down half part of his face to his chiselled jaw, he looked decent. His brown hair was messy and endearing. His black eyes pierced through me, filled with an intensity that left me breathless. His face was chiselled, with an oval shape and su
MARK Giulia sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes distant and foggy as she absentmindedly twisted a strand of her hair between her fingers. I stood by the doorway with my stomach in knots. For the fifth time that morning, she asked me the same question—one that tore at me every time she repeated it. "Where are my parents? Why haven’t they come to get me?" Her voice was small, innocent, like a scared little girl. I swallowed hard and stepped closer, kneeling beside her. "Giulia," I began, trying to keep my voice steady, though the cracks were impossible to hide. "What’s their address? I’ll find them for you. I’ll bring them to you." Her face lit up with a spark of hope as if I had just handed her a lifeline. She rattled off the address without hesitation. It didn’t sound familiar, but I memorized it anyway. "Seattle," she added, her lips curving into a soft, nostalgic smile. "They live in Seattle." I stood up with a sigh. Seattle. I hadn’t expected that. We were across the worl