MAXINEI shook my head, trying to clear the confusion. This was exactly what he wanted, wasn’t it? But what if he was telling the truth and this was how he felt? What if he did see that I was beautiful? What would that mean?I crushed the note in my hand once again, feeling angry. This was a waste of my time. There were better things to do. I didn’t want to believe him. Everything was so confusing.I stared at the flowers on the desk and repeated the words in my head until it was like I couldn't forget them. The note was still in one hand and I gripped the flowers in the other.I wished there was a window I could throw these flowers out of. But then I froze as puzzle pieces fell in my head. I put the flower back on the table and unwrapped the note again. I placed it next to the flower and stared at it.A smile graced my lips as I sat down on the chair and admired the flowers I had gotten. This wasn't mockery or loss. No, I smiled. This was my win.Because even though Ronan had given m
LIAMI scoffed. He was a damned liar."You just made things difficult for me, very difficult. But, hate? No, I wouldn’t say that.”I met his gaze, keeping none of the anger or hate I had for him away from my eyes. “You could have fooled anyone with that, but not me.”“You’re angry,” he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I understand that. But anger won’t help you, Liam. It’ll only eat you alive. From the inside out, until you're a hollowed-out shell of yourself.”I clenched my jaw and refused to look at him. “Maybe that’s what I want. Maybe it will save me from this misery.""That's a cowardly move to make, Liam." He said. I didn't reply.Ronan let out a sigh. It sounded like he almost pitied me. “You always were stubborn. But you’ll come around, Liam. You’ll see that I’m right.”“Right?” I repeated. “Right about what? Faking your death? Destroying our pack? Betraying your own family? Stealing everything that mattered to me?”I saw the cold and ruthless side of R
LIAM“Good,” Ronan replied. He flexed his arm briefly. “Now, what news do you have for me?”Varis straightened. He went back to business mode, just as he used to be when he worked with me. “The demolition of the pack hospital has been stopped, as per your orders. The construction team was already on site but I managed to stop them before they did any irreversible damage. The building’s structure is still intact and renovations can commence to bring it back to shape.”"You're bringing the hospital back?" I asked.The hospital was one of the last remnants of our father’s legacy. When I couldn't stop its destruction, I had to swallow my pride and look past it. I was working towards stopping it but everything with Maxine and then this had distracted me.But hearing that Varis and Ronan were walking on getting it back? I silently thanked them for intervening. But, I knew better than to think Ronan had done this because he felt some sort of newfound sense of compassion towards the pack.“Go
MAXINEI turned the page of my book, nearing the end. The sunlight filtered through the from the small window but I was using the warm glow from the reading lamp Ronan had got me. It was one of the things that came with the flowers.I sat by the table next to the vase of flowers. They had begun to wilt. Their petals curled as they dried. Even their colours were faded and the air smelt of decay.I had been meaning to throw them out but I hadn't had the heart to do so. They were a gift, after all. Especially when said person hadn't been to my room since. It felt weird throwing them out when he hadn't seen that I kept them in the first place.There was a knock on the door. I quickly set the book down and turned towards the door. I wasn’t expecting anyone but there was only one person who would knock on my door unannounced. When it wasn't dinner, breakfast, or lunch.Ronan. I hadn't even heard his footsteps."Come in," I called.The door opened and Ronan walked in. He had one hand behind
MAXINEIt wasn't that no one could escape Ronan. But, I don't think anyone was brave enough to try.But then again, as I watched the town go by, I realized. They didn't want to escape Ronan. What if Ronan wasn't as bad as I thought? What if it was because we were on the other side of his plan that we thought that way?What if Ronan was the best thing to happen to the pack?I shook my head. That thinking wouldn't get me far. I had to keep my head in the game and focus on escaping from him.Ronan was taking me to see the progress in the hospital. That was all. He just needed someone to accompany him. I knew better than to let my guard down. This wasn’t a gesture of goodwill. It was a reminder of who held the power.And he was going to show everyone. I was going to be by his side, acting along like he doesn't keep me locked up in his mansion.When we arrived at the hospital, I got out of the car and stared at the tall building. It seemed to loom over us. It wasn't like before. Major reno
MAXINEThe heat of the afternoon sun pressed down on my neck as Ronan and I made our way back to where the car was parked. I couldn't get my mind off of the fact that this was the first time I’d been out in public since Ronan had taken control of the pack.And he was being surprisingly civil during this outing. Aside from the stares here and there, no one was glaring daggers at him. This wasn't what I was expecting.As we neared the car and the door was opened, my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone calling my name. At first, I thought it was just my imagination. But then I heard it again. It was clearer and louder this time.“Maxine!”I turned, scanning the crowd that was passing on the sidewalk. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her. It was Ella. She was running toward me, her hand on her swollen belly.“Ella!” I shouted back. I tried to go towards her but the two guards blocked my path. "Ella!" I shouted again, pushing against the guards who were blocking me.Panic r
RONAN The next day seemed to start early. The sunlight crept through the blinds. I got out of bed and went out to take a bath. For some reason, Maxine's move yesterday plagued my mind.I hadn't expected her friend to show up, and I hadn’t expected to see Maxine’s face light up the way it had when she’d seen her. That kind of happiness was genuine. And it felt foreign to me. But as quickly as it appeared, it had vanished the moment we left.I told myself I didn't care. I shouldn't care. But here I was dressing earlier than usual, preparing to visit her. It had become a routine for me to check on her before I got swept away with my problems.I’d made it seem like it was just to make sure she didn't try to escape. Like I was trying to keep her under my watch. But, deep down, I knew better. I wanted her to smile, like she had with her friend, to me. I wanted to be the cause of it.By the time I made my way to her room, I had already decided on today’s plan. I knocked once. And then let
MAXINE A bit of the morning sun got into my room through the small window as I dressed. I hadn’t slept well. I’d tossed and turned, and I'd dreamt that something terrible had happened to Ella and I couldn't help her.I repeated yesterday’s short reunion with Ella in my mind. She seemed fine, she was okay. Nothing was going to happen to her. Then, I replayed my conversation with Ronan.I kept replaying everything in my head. What I had said and how he’d reacted. He had felt so desperate. But I didn't know for what reason. I’d never seen that side of him before. It left me feeling off balance.I ran a comb through my hair as I sat by the desk. There was a knock on the door as it unlocked. "Who is it?" I called out.“It’s me,” It was Ronan. There was a strange sound of excitement in his voice that I hadn’t heard before. I only heard it when he talked about his plans to destroy everything his brother built. What was he up to now?"Well, come in," I said. He didn't. I stood to my feet an