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CHAPTER NINE: She wore the dress for him.
Last Updated:
2025-03-27 06:49:36
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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
Last Updated : 2025-03-27TWO 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
Last Updated : 2025-04-02TWO 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,
Last Updated : 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
Last Updated : 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
Last Updated : 2024-12-31TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER FOUR: I died.
PASTNiya slammed the cash register closed and pulled off her name tag with a tired sigh. It had been a long day at the supermarket, one of three jobs she juggled to keep her life afloat. The first shift was at the local diner from six to noon, followed by the supermarket until three, and finishing with freelancing she ran between BookLore and her tiny room in her grandmother's manor.She’d been juggling this routine for nearly six months, ever since her father passed away. His unexpected death left her drowning in medical bills and loans she hadn’t even known existed. On top of that, her stern grandmother had barely given her room to breathe, piling on expectations and criticism as if grief wasn’t already enough.“One last dollar for the sweat,” Niya muttered under her breath as she signed out of her shift.She turned to leave, but paused when she noticed Pony bounding toward her. Her cheeks were flushed, rosy from the cool air, as she leaned against the sign-out counter, a grin ligh
Last Updated : 2024-12-31TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER FIVE: Reality.
PRESENT“So, that’s why you quit your job?” Her grandmother’s voice cut through the brewing silence like a chopping knife.“Yes.” Niya huffed, perplexed. Her brows pulled up, then she quickly averted her gaze, letting it drift somewhere past Ma Phil.There was a long pause. No sound came from either of them as if they were ready to pounce on the first to breathe a word. Finally, Niya spoke.“It was killing me. And it’s not like I had a choice.” Her eyes finally met her grandmother’s, and something flickered in them. Something new that Ma Phil had never seen before. And for the first time, she looked away. Ran her wrinkled fingers through the thick, matted fur of her ugly, puffed-up cat, before her voice dropped to a low murmur, “Since when do you get to make such decisions?” Niya swallowed, but before she could answer, Ma Phil slurred, interrupting her. “You’re still under my roof, Niya. I’m the one who’s been here, making sure we didn’t lose this house when your father died.”Niya
Last Updated : 2025-02-12TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER SIX: I remember them.
“Miss Kendrick! Oh, thank God. I’ve been meaning to reach out, but I wanted to give you time to—”Niya knew there was only one person who had refused to stop addressing her like that. “Claire?” she straightened. “From BookLore?”The name hadn’t crossed her mind, not even once. But the second she heard that voice—like a switch being flipped in a dark room—it spark-plugged her smudged-out memory. It was strange, really. How some things clung to her mind without effort, while everything else felt like it had been scrubbed away.“Yes! It’s me. Listen, I don’t want to keep you long,” Claire exhaled audibly, the static of her breath crackling in Niya’s ear. “I wanted to say I’m so glad you’re back on your feet.”Niya let out a dry breath, her gaze drifting to the floor. She’d barely found solid ground. “I—uh, thanks,” she muttered.“I know it’s a lot to process,” Claire continued in the most careful voice she could. “But BookLore still wants you. We all do. And Mason Chloe… she was really ex
Last Updated : 2025-02-14
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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
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER SEVEN: I’m changing.
It looked the same. Felt the same.She felt something crawl under her skin. A slow, prickling awareness, like stepping into a space just after someone had been talking about her.Maybe it was the way people glanced at her—not with excitement or surprise. But warier. Like they didn’t know whether to acknowledge her or pretend they hadn’t seen her at all.Or maybe it was her. The girl by the checkout.Petite. Brunette. Bright eyes that sparkled easily in the way she beamed at everyone she passed. The kind of smile that screamed ‘first day’, too sun-shiny, too eagerly, almost like she was trying to make a good impression.She laughed at something one of the cashiers said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she slid a barcode over the scanner. There was a smoothness in her conversation with them, a familiarity Niya had never had with her coworkers.Not that they were unfriendly. She’d just never been part of the casual back-and-forth that came naturally to people who'd worke
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER SIX: I remember them.
“Miss Kendrick! Oh, thank God. I’ve been meaning to reach out, but I wanted to give you time to—”Niya knew there was only one person who had refused to stop addressing her like that. “Claire?” she straightened. “From BookLore?”The name hadn’t crossed her mind, not even once. But the second she heard that voice—like a switch being flipped in a dark room—it spark-plugged her smudged-out memory. It was strange, really. How some things clung to her mind without effort, while everything else felt like it had been scrubbed away.“Yes! It’s me. Listen, I don’t want to keep you long,” Claire exhaled audibly, the static of her breath crackling in Niya’s ear. “I wanted to say I’m so glad you’re back on your feet.”Niya let out a dry breath, her gaze drifting to the floor. She’d barely found solid ground. “I—uh, thanks,” she muttered.“I know it’s a lot to process,” Claire continued in the most careful voice she could. “But BookLore still wants you. We all do. And Mason Chloe… she was really ex
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER FIVE: Reality.
PRESENT“So, that’s why you quit your job?” Her grandmother’s voice cut through the brewing silence like a chopping knife.“Yes.” Niya huffed, perplexed. Her brows pulled up, then she quickly averted her gaze, letting it drift somewhere past Ma Phil.There was a long pause. No sound came from either of them as if they were ready to pounce on the first to breathe a word. Finally, Niya spoke.“It was killing me. And it’s not like I had a choice.” Her eyes finally met her grandmother’s, and something flickered in them. Something new that Ma Phil had never seen before. And for the first time, she looked away. Ran her wrinkled fingers through the thick, matted fur of her ugly, puffed-up cat, before her voice dropped to a low murmur, “Since when do you get to make such decisions?” Niya swallowed, but before she could answer, Ma Phil slurred, interrupting her. “You’re still under my roof, Niya. I’m the one who’s been here, making sure we didn’t lose this house when your father died.”Niya
TWO LIVES - Shattered Illusion CHAPTER FOUR: I died.
PASTNiya slammed the cash register closed and pulled off her name tag with a tired sigh. It had been a long day at the supermarket, one of three jobs she juggled to keep her life afloat. The first shift was at the local diner from six to noon, followed by the supermarket until three, and finishing with freelancing she ran between BookLore and her tiny room in her grandmother's manor.She’d been juggling this routine for nearly six months, ever since her father passed away. His unexpected death left her drowning in medical bills and loans she hadn’t even known existed. On top of that, her stern grandmother had barely given her room to breathe, piling on expectations and criticism as if grief wasn’t already enough.“One last dollar for the sweat,” Niya muttered under her breath as she signed out of her shift.She turned to leave, but paused when she noticed Pony bounding toward her. Her cheeks were flushed, rosy from the cool air, as she leaned against the sign-out counter, a grin ligh
TWO 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
