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CHAPTER ELEVEN: Out The Door And Into The Fire.
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-04-02 07:07:39
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TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER TWELVE: Marked.
"Look what you've done now, sweetheart," he said, fake-pouting, flexing his wrist like it had hurt him. That annoying word again. He said it like Alex used to—condescending, mocking, like he owned the right to address her however he pleased. His eyes stayed on her too long, raking over every part of her like she was already bought.Niya tried to steady her hand, but failed. The man’s sleeve darkened where the whiskey spilled, and she knew she was screwed.The others chuckled low and lazy, like a pack of dogs watching their alpha corner a prey.There were only three of them. Three devils sent from hell. The blonde one she was pouring a drink for led, while the almost-bald one leaned in with a pervy grin, eyes twinkling like he enjoyed watching women squirm. And the third, darker-skinned and muscular, lounged back with a cigar between his teeth.“What do you think, boys? I like her,” he continued."Not sure she can handle it, Palix,” the almost bald one shook his head, pushing his glas
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-10TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Vantablack Temple.
Palix scoffed. “You her handler now?”“No,” Rina continued smiling as she started towards him. “I’m the woman who decides whether you walk out of here with your face intact. So if you’re smart, you’ll sit your entitled ass down and remember that you’re here to do business—not act like a frat boy on spring break.”“Fuck,” Baldy clapped under his breath. Rina’s gaze darted towards him, pausing for a beat longer than necessary. For a moment, she could feel the pull in his ocean blue eyes like tide crashing at shore, sending beads of moist air against her skin. Rina didn’t understand it, but the hairs on the back of her neck rose. She shrugged it off, turning to her side.“She’s not yours. That’s your problem. None of the girls here are. And if any of you think you can treat them like dirt, try another club next time. Or better yet, grow up. Now if you're all done playing Who Can Get Sued First, I’ll be taking her.”Rina didn’t even look at him again as she looped an arm around Niya.Niy
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-11TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Red marble hell.
A Few Hours Before.She was already late, and somehow, the fucking cab kept rocking like it was trying to sabotage her winged liner on purpose.Niya dragged the small pouch open with her teeth, compact mirror in one hand, trying not to stab herself in the eye with the brush. Pony’s highlighter sat on her lap - she swore by that thing like she wasn’t already ethereal with that porcelain doll complexion. But on Niya, it didn’t ‘glow.’ It shimmered, obnoxiously.She barely wore makeup, and when she did, Alex usually wouldn’t let her do it herself. This sloppy attempt was supposed to be a peace offering for Rina, for being late. She just hoped it said ‘I care’ and not ‘I cried and wiped my face on glitter.’Niya bit her lip as the cab swerved again, this time her brush slipped, dumping too much onto one cheek. “Holy mothe—”She heaved a deep sigh. Perfect. Now she looked like a disco ball.“You're late already, calm down,” the cab driver said without looking back.“I know I’m late,” Niya
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-24TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER FIFTEEN: HE is watching.
Up high was a huge stage bled red with metal bars and white ropes that looked like the type used to hold ships to anchors. They were moving glittering bodies with red under-toned makeup, dressed in nothing - except stars covering the nipples and W-area, chained in different cages. They were the most beautiful women Niya had ever seen in her life. They danced on poles, against the bars, unbothered by its heaviness, probably bruising on their wrists. Below them. Slam! Niya just noticed the golden masked people watching. Some leaned back lazily in the velvet seats, others relaxed forward, nestled in purposely severed glass compartments.They didn't speak but the continuous buzzing coming from their compartments and the occasional switch of glittering bodies proved to Niya that she wasn't dreaming but actually witnessing humans bidding on other humans.She stopped breathing or she couldn't, her heart still galloping when a woman in a black corset bumped into her. “Here, babe. Just take
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-24TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Golden cage.
Present."Out," Daniel Lexi said without glancing up from the tablet he was scribbling on.Rina huffed, her nose scrunching. "The fuck, Dan—""As in, close the fucking door on your fucking way out," he cut her off. "I’m allergic to backup singers during serious talks."Niya stifled a cough, unsure if he was serious or just mean with flair."Daniel..." Rina warned."Rina," he exhaled loudly, visibly impatient, finally lifting his head, one brow arched high enough to throw off the symmetry of his tanned face. "If you breathe too close to the contract, it might revoke itself. Go bother the bartender or threaten a valet, something more in your damn department."She grinned. “You’re lucky I like you.” Then to Niya, “I’ll be right outside.”Daniel gestured to the chair in front of his desk without a word. Niya sat, quietly counting how many times he could fit the word ‘fuck’ into a conversation.“You’re fucking quieter than I expected,” he observed.“I figured it was safer to listen first.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-27TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER ONE: I think I love him.
The only sound accompanying the rhythmic beeping of the machines that had tethered Niya Kendrick to life for the past month was her breathing. But now, those cords were gone, and she was free to leave—at least physically. Her mind, however, was a haze of fragmented memories and a hollow ache she couldn’t understand.She slipped into the faded jeans and soft sweater Pony had brought her, before she sat back down on the edge of the bed, crouching forward as her hands brushed her thighs.“You shouldn’t leave yet,” Pony said, smacking her lips softly. Niya turned to see her best friend leaning against the med cart, though her weight barely rested on it.Pony’s long blonde hair, streaked with brown roots, was tied in its usual side braid. She wore a plain blue long-sleeved shirt as Niya tried to piece together what made her temples throb. Pony's golden-brown eyes fixed on Niya with a bluntness that was hard to ignore.“I’ve been here for thirty days, Pony. I’ve rested enough,” Niya croaked,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-31TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER TWO: You're never enough.
Her breath caught as a memory surfaced in her mind. She couldn’t understand the moment, but the faint scent of cedarwood and citrus suddenly filled her senses. It was subtle but undeniable.“Alex.” The name floated to the forefront of her mind, but fell out of her lips in a sharp breath. Another figure stepped into view. She slipped her arm through his and leaned into him, a halo of golden light over her as she tilted her head to look up at him. Niya’s heart plummeted as Alex leaned down and kissed the woman on the lips, his smile softening and widening even more.Maybelle?Niya’s legs threatened to give out beneath her as the room spun around her. Memories she couldn’t grasp flooded her mind like a sharp jab to her fragile heart. The party around her blurred, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t. The strangers and decorations fading into the background. All Niya could focus of was of the man who had once been hers being lovey dovey with her s
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-31TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER THREE: You need me too.
PASTAlex adjusted the cuff of his sleeve, his mind unwillingly drifting to the meeting ahead. He had no clear picture of Niya, only memories of a lanky girl from high school who always seemed to have a book tucked under her arm. But her grandmother, Ma Phil, had painted a different image—poised, graceful, capable. Although, he doubted her grandmother's words. She may not fit his idea of the perfect wife, but she needed money. Fast. People didn’t change that much, did they? He couldn’t help but wonder if this arrangement would be more trouble than it was worth.When the door opened, Alex’s breath hitched. Niya stepped in, her yellow off-shoulder top paired with dark blue jeans, cutting a figure that was neither timid nor polished at all. Her long pin straight, black hair was pulled back into a low loosed bun, but a few strands framed her face, softening her serious expression. Her skin gleamed like polished bronze, and her almond-shaped dark eyes held his gaze with a directness he wa
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-12-31
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TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Golden cage.
Present."Out," Daniel Lexi said without glancing up from the tablet he was scribbling on.Rina huffed, her nose scrunching. "The fuck, Dan—""As in, close the fucking door on your fucking way out," he cut her off. "I’m allergic to backup singers during serious talks."Niya stifled a cough, unsure if he was serious or just mean with flair."Daniel..." Rina warned."Rina," he exhaled loudly, visibly impatient, finally lifting his head, one brow arched high enough to throw off the symmetry of his tanned face. "If you breathe too close to the contract, it might revoke itself. Go bother the bartender or threaten a valet, something more in your damn department."She grinned. “You’re lucky I like you.” Then to Niya, “I’ll be right outside.”Daniel gestured to the chair in front of his desk without a word. Niya sat, quietly counting how many times he could fit the word ‘fuck’ into a conversation.“You’re fucking quieter than I expected,” he observed.“I figured it was safer to listen first.
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER FIFTEEN: HE is watching.
Up high was a huge stage bled red with metal bars and white ropes that looked like the type used to hold ships to anchors. They were moving glittering bodies with red under-toned makeup, dressed in nothing - except stars covering the nipples and W-area, chained in different cages. They were the most beautiful women Niya had ever seen in her life. They danced on poles, against the bars, unbothered by its heaviness, probably bruising on their wrists. Below them. Slam! Niya just noticed the golden masked people watching. Some leaned back lazily in the velvet seats, others relaxed forward, nestled in purposely severed glass compartments.They didn't speak but the continuous buzzing coming from their compartments and the occasional switch of glittering bodies proved to Niya that she wasn't dreaming but actually witnessing humans bidding on other humans.She stopped breathing or she couldn't, her heart still galloping when a woman in a black corset bumped into her. “Here, babe. Just take
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Red marble hell.
A Few Hours Before.She was already late, and somehow, the fucking cab kept rocking like it was trying to sabotage her winged liner on purpose.Niya dragged the small pouch open with her teeth, compact mirror in one hand, trying not to stab herself in the eye with the brush. Pony’s highlighter sat on her lap - she swore by that thing like she wasn’t already ethereal with that porcelain doll complexion. But on Niya, it didn’t ‘glow.’ It shimmered, obnoxiously.She barely wore makeup, and when she did, Alex usually wouldn’t let her do it herself. This sloppy attempt was supposed to be a peace offering for Rina, for being late. She just hoped it said ‘I care’ and not ‘I cried and wiped my face on glitter.’Niya bit her lip as the cab swerved again, this time her brush slipped, dumping too much onto one cheek. “Holy mothe—”She heaved a deep sigh. Perfect. Now she looked like a disco ball.“You're late already, calm down,” the cab driver said without looking back.“I know I’m late,” Niya
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Vantablack Temple.
Palix scoffed. “You her handler now?”“No,” Rina continued smiling as she started towards him. “I’m the woman who decides whether you walk out of here with your face intact. So if you’re smart, you’ll sit your entitled ass down and remember that you’re here to do business—not act like a frat boy on spring break.”“Fuck,” Baldy clapped under his breath. Rina’s gaze darted towards him, pausing for a beat longer than necessary. For a moment, she could feel the pull in his ocean blue eyes like tide crashing at shore, sending beads of moist air against her skin. Rina didn’t understand it, but the hairs on the back of her neck rose. She shrugged it off, turning to her side.“She’s not yours. That’s your problem. None of the girls here are. And if any of you think you can treat them like dirt, try another club next time. Or better yet, grow up. Now if you're all done playing Who Can Get Sued First, I’ll be taking her.”Rina didn’t even look at him again as she looped an arm around Niya.Niy
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER TWELVE: Marked.
"Look what you've done now, sweetheart," he said, fake-pouting, flexing his wrist like it had hurt him. That annoying word again. He said it like Alex used to—condescending, mocking, like he owned the right to address her however he pleased. His eyes stayed on her too long, raking over every part of her like she was already bought.Niya tried to steady her hand, but failed. The man’s sleeve darkened where the whiskey spilled, and she knew she was screwed.The others chuckled low and lazy, like a pack of dogs watching their alpha corner a prey.There were only three of them. Three devils sent from hell. The blonde one she was pouring a drink for led, while the almost-bald one leaned in with a pervy grin, eyes twinkling like he enjoyed watching women squirm. And the third, darker-skinned and muscular, lounged back with a cigar between his teeth.“What do you think, boys? I like her,” he continued."Not sure she can handle it, Palix,” the almost bald one shook his head, pushing his glas
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER ELEVEN: Out The Door And Into The Fire.
Her eyelids fluttered against the dull light flickering from the lamp opposite her. The room was still, but the noise hadn’t disappeared. It was just further away now, dissolving into the background. The sputtering sound of a washing machine, the ticking of a slightly off-kilter fan, and slight hum of the small, secondhand refrigerator. It was muffled save for the occasional drip from the bathroom faucet, pulling her halfway between sleep and wakefulness.Niya exhaled, groggy. The ache in her temples told her she hadn’t had enough sleep or maybe too much. She forced herself to move, blindly reaching for her phone out of instinct. But her fingers brush against a stiff, smooth surface. A note.Blinking against the dim light, she jammed on the lamp switch and its flickering stopped."Ouf!" Niya blew out a breath through pouty lips, squinting at the note propped against the vanity mirror. Pony’s handwriting was uneven, scrawled like she’d written it in a rush.‘Had to go see Mom. Don’t
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER TEN: Did he kiss me?
"The sudden change in Pacific Green’s stock is quite the tale." Alex leaned back in his chair, glazed at Dante pouring himself a cup of green tea, the same brand he’d been drinking since Alex was a teenager. He’d once mentioned that the Japanese monks who cultivated it swore by its calming effects, and it had became a ritual for him like everything else about Dante McFowler.Niya glanced between them, debating whether she should say something or stay silent. She settled for silence, since it wasn't like she had many options.“Market shifts happen all the time,” Alex stated. “I wouldn’t call it a tale.”Pacific Green Energies had been his father’s legacy, a powerhouse in renewable energy long before the market saw its full potential. When Alex took over, he’d expanded its influence, and with the upcoming gala in a few weeks, he planned to secure more international partnerships that could give the company access to more innovations. Still, the company was solid.EcoWave Technologies, o
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER NINE: She wore the dress for him.
It smelt deep and woodsy like the inside of an old wardrobe, but almost like the peel of an orange right after it’s been torn open.It had a citrusy bite, a little smoky, like the way the air smelled after resin had been burned but not quite turned to ash. It curled in the air around her, slipping into her narrow nostrils. It was frustratingly recognisable and that made her chest tighten.Niya’s fingers twitched as she inhaled again, slower this time, as if that would change anything. It didn’t. If anything, it made her stomach flip, because now the image of him was there."You can pick whatever you want," a raspy, velvety voice slipped through, immediately making her already-annoyed nerves bristle. Although, she couldn't explain why.She turned.Alexander stood a few feet away, one hand in his pocket, the other loosely at his side. His stance was casual, roughly 6’3, legs slightly apart, his muscular build filling out the black suit effortlessly.The wind came from nowhere, ruffling
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER EIGHT: You too good to serve now?
Niya pushed through the door too fast and nearly stumbled to a stop just outside Mr. Don’s office.She was seething. Her pulse pounded against her ribs, fingers curled into fists at her sides, and her breath uneven out. She felt a dull ache pressed against her temples, and her jaw locked tight.Cold fingers closed around Niya's wrist, suddenly yanking her back with just enough force to jolt her. A flash of heat ran through her, not just from surprise but from the immediate need to pull away.“What the hell are you doing here?” The voice slithered into her ear. Rina’s brows pulled together under widened eyes, but her grip didn’t loosen a notch. Her voice came out snippy. “Don’t go in there—” She stopped abruptly, glancing around before dragging Niya farther from the door, tucking them into the left corner.The fire on Niya’s cheeks died out. “What?” She winced, yanking her arm free. “You’re hurting me—”“You can’t just waltz in there, Niy,” Rina hissed, finally letting go. “Do you eve
