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10 - MUMMY'S STEW
Last Updated:
2025-01-13 17:26:18
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The Roomie Complex 11 - THE HELP
The sharp trill of my phone was a lifeline—a loud, obnoxious escape from the trap I’d willingly walked into. I glanced from Aiden—all shirtless glory and smirking confidence—to the phone screen. Damon Bass. Of course. My timing for chaotic events was impeccable.Relief coursed through me as I clicked the phone open, stepping back to put some much-needed space between us. “Cheryl Taylor,” Damon’s husky voice filled my ear, smooth and commanding as ever. “Why haven’t you sent me your address yet?”I hesitated, glancing at Aiden, who was now leaning casually against the counter, arms crossed, his curiosity unmistakable. Clearing my throat, I tried to mask the surprise from my voice. “I didn’t think I was supposed to send it immediately. The date’s tomorrow, isn’t it?”Damon huffed, a sound of pure frustration. “I need you to send it to me right now.”“Yes, fine…” I started but stopped mid-sentence. A strange sense of defiance bubbled up inside me. Why did I have to do what he said? He wa
Last Updated : 2025-01-14The Roomie Complex 12 - AUNT MOLLY
Cheryl’s POVIf I were to write an autobiography, the opening chapter would probably start with this very moment—standing in front of the mirror in my shorts that stopped mid-thigh and the prettiest top I owned, debating whether to apply a coat of lip gloss or just accept my fate as the human embodiment of “meh.” Spoiler alert: I skipped the gloss. Not because I didn’t want to look nice, but because Aiden’s deep, gravelly voice had called out my name from downstairs, and I panicked.By the time I grabbed my bag and made it out of the room, Aiden was already halfway out the door, car keys jingling in his hand like he was a game show host and those keys were the grand prize.“Where are you going with those?” I asked, pointing at the keys, my voice sharp enough to make him pause mid-step.He turned back with a confused look, holding up the keys like they explained everything. “Uh, these? The car? We’re driving.”I arched a brow. “We’re going to talk to homeless people about your mother,
Last Updated : 2025-01-15The Roomie Complex 13 - LET HIM CHASE
If I woke up one day to find out my parents weren’t actually my parents, I’d probably have a mental breakdown before breakfast. So as Aiden and I trudged along the street, his expression a mix of heartbreak and confusion, I couldn’t begin to imagine how he felt. I mean, how do you process that kind of existential whiplash? The fact that he wasn’t screaming or throwing things into the nearest trash can was impressive—or maybe worrying. Probably both.The sun was sinking lower in the sky, painting everything in hues of orange and pink, which would’ve been romantic if I weren’t walking beside a man who had just learned that his mom wasn’t who she seemed. Add to that the fact I had a date with Damon Bass in two hours—a date that was rapidly losing its appeal with each passing minute.I stole a glance at Aiden. He looked... distant. His gaze was somewhere far away, maybe lost in a memory or trying to untangle the mess the day had dumped on him. I thought about saying something—offering a p
Last Updated : 2025-01-15The Roomie Complex 14 - TRUTH OR DARE
I steadied myself as he walked into the balcony, a glass of whiskey in his hands and his steps a bit wobbled. I gazed at his eyes and they were bit unfocused so I figured he was well on his way to drunkenness.“I didn’t know you were looking for me” I said back, a tad bit timid and holding tightly to the beer can in my hand. A soft wind swept by, blowing my hair in my face and causing goosebumps on my exposed laps and arms, but apart from all that it was the soft glow on light shining on Aiden’s face, there was this distant sad look in his eyes as he kept his gaze on me, I could almost read his mind. I knew what he was thinking about, the shocking revelation that had been thrown on our faces.“Are you okay?” I said immediately after “I mean drinking is cool to forget, but you’re just going to wake up with a wicked hangover and reality slapping you in the face”He chuckled, leaning with his back on the railings while I kept my back on the wall, a few inches away from him. I didn’t thin
Last Updated : 2025-01-18The Roomie Complex 15 - Oh SHit
I was pretty shocked when Tobias picked me. It felt like a drunken choice, though, because I had always thought Tobias and Pearl were a thing. But now it seemed like they were this toxic, on-and-off couple that did things to spite each other. I glanced at Pearl, and either she was a really good pretender, or my assumptions were wrong.I was drunk too, and this was the first time in my whole twenty-five years of living that I had been picked to play Truth or Dare—or, in this case, Drink or Dare. Aside from the minor rush pumping through my head, I couldn't help but think how great it would be to kiss Tobias in front of Aiden. Not that it would matter to him anyway. Anika was right there, throwing herself at him, and she was hot. I didn’t think I ran circles in his mind the way he did in mine.“So, Cheryl—are you going to drink or—” Tobias’s voice drifted into my head, pulling me out of my drunken thoughts. I offered him a lopsided smile.“I’ll do it. I don’t want to be a prude,” I said
Last Updated : 2025-01-20The Roomie Complex 16 - I OWN THE PLACE
The next morning, when my eyes fluttered open, I was startled to find Aiden standing over my bed with an unreadable expression on his face. His figure was silhouetted against the light streaming in from my window, making it difficult to make out the details of his features.“Aiden?” I asked, my voice groggy and confused as I sat up, trying to make sense of why he was in my room. My brain felt foggy, still swimming in the remnants of last night’s drinks, and coherent thoughts seemed far out of reach.“I couldn’t sleep all night, Tiny. You’ve been running circles in my head,” he said softly, his voice carrying a strange mix of exasperation and something else I couldn’t quite name. My brows furrowed, and I shot him a questioning look.“What?” I asked, utterly taken aback by his words.Before I could piece together what was happening, he sat down hurriedly on my bed, gripping my shoulders. His eyes bore into mine, intense and searching. “I haven’t been able to sleep a wink since that kiss
Last Updated : 2025-01-20The Roomie Complex 17 - MARTY!!
“You – you own the place?” I nearly choke on my own words when we reached the parking lot, and I had finally recovered from my shock and found my voice.Damon chuckled at my shocked response “Oh don’t act humble now, I’m not going to fire you”“It’s not that” I interjected “You’re my boss literally, and – and I can’t date my boss. I’m sure it’s against the code of ethics or something”Damon chuckled again “What code of ethics?”“I – I – “ I was suddenly at loss for words“Get into the car Cheryl” he grunted as he held out the door for me. It was a sleek BMW and I was immediately engulfed in the new leather smell of the car, shiny leather glistening under the sun but there was something immediately comforting and equally uneasy about the sleek interiors of Damon’s car. Now Damon’s presence inside the car immediately shifted the whole dynamic. I became so aware that I was in the car with a man, and not just a man – the owner of the company I worked for and I just couldn’t seem to get p
Last Updated : 2025-01-21The Roomie Complex 18 - WHO ARE YOU
“So I’d assume the whole roomie thing didn’t work out, because I’d figured when he kissed you, you guys were actually a thing”I froze on the spot, my hands freezing mid-air, my eyes flicked up to Damon’s for a mere second and his expression mirrored mine.“Oops” Marty’s annoying voice cut through the thick tension in the air “I swear, that slipped right out of my mouth” it was fake guilt and I could see right through it. In as much as I could barely stand Marty’s face, I didn’t think I could sit in front of Damon. I felt a wave of embarrassment blast my face so hard that it nearly knocked me out of my seat.“Excuse me” I pushed my chair back, picked up my bag and walked right out of there.Yea, I was never coming back to this restaurant and I also needed to find a new job. Just as I stepped out of the restaurant, I could hear Damon’s heavy footsteps echoing behind me and before I could hit the streets, his heavy pair of hands grabbed my arms and turned me around.I didn’t give him a
Last Updated : 2025-01-24
Latest chapter
The Roomie Complex 58 - THE KIDNAP
AIDEN'S POVI’d texted her earlier asking if she wanted to meet for lunch. But this wasn’t going to be just lunch — I was planning a date. A real one. The kind where I’d lay it all out: the truth, my past, my feelings. I was going to tell her everything. Then I was going to tell her I loved her and I wasn't that person anymore.So I dressed like it mattered. A dark navy suit, tailored. The tie she once complimented. I bought a bouquet of red roses — ones that matched the silvery-red dress I’d sent over earlier. It had taken me a solid hour to choose that dress, something that clung just right and shimmered when she moved.The restaurant was tucked into the edge of the waterfront, the kind of place that wore its elegance like an old song — soft jazz playing in the background, golden lighting that kissed the walls, waiters in pressed shirts moving with quiet grace, and tables set with flickering candles and polished silver.I arrived early. Sat by the window with the view of the river g
The Roomie Complex 57 - DANCE WITH THE DEVIL
CHERYL'S POVI didn’t go home yet after I left Aiden at the party. I couldn't wrap her head around the bombshell Aiden had just dropped on me, and more so I couldn't believe Anika had been using it to have him wrapped around her slimy fingers.I walked straight into the storm.Anika’s place looked exactly how I imagined a villain’s lair would look—sharp angles, moody lighting, the scent of overconfidence and money woven into every inch. I didn’t knock. I walked in like I had every right to be there, because I did. Not with a plan. Not with a strategy. Just the weight of the truth and a fury too heavy to carry alone.She was sitting by the window holding a glass of red wine in her hand, dressed in casual baby tee and sweatpants, her blonde hair tied up in a messy ponytails, tendrils of her framing her face that now had a scowl the moment she saw me and then slowly it morphed to a smirk.“Cheryl,” she said without looking at me, like she’d been expecting this moment all her life. “To wh
The Roomie Complex 56 - YES YOU CAN
Cheryl's POV“She has something on me.”The words fell from his lips like stones into water, heavy and irreversible.For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. I just stared at him, feeling the ground beneath my feet shift. My heart was thundering in my chest, but my limbs were frozen, stiff with disbelief.She has something on me.That sentence echoed over and over again in my head, and with every repetition, it burned hotter—an inferno roaring in my chest, trying to claw its way out of me. My fingers loosened their grip around his wrist, not because I wanted to let go… but because I had to. Because if I held on a second longer, I might have shattered right in front of him.“What does she have on you?” My voice cracked around the edges, but I couldn’t keep the question down. It came out too fast, too desperate. “What kind of thing could she possibly have on you?”He looked away, his jaw tense. His silence twisted the knife deeper into my ribs.Then, finally, he spoke.“Something that happened
The Roomie Complex 55 - SECRETS
Aiden's POVI saw her before she saw me.She’d gone back to the party, to the flashing lights and the pulsing bass. I stayed behind, pacing like a caged animal, fury choking me with every breath I took.I’d let her walk away.Again.And that stranger—the one in the black mask—he was still there. Lingering. Like a goddamn shadow.The second I stepped back into the crowd, I saw her. Dancing.With him.Her body pressed flush against his, the white feathers of her mask catching the lights like she was some kind of fallen angel gone rogue. She moved like the music was part of her bloodstream—wild, reckless, untouchable. His hands were everywhere—her waist, her back, sliding too low. And she wasn’t just letting him.She was enjoying it. She was feeding off of it.And then she looked at me.That’s what fucking did it.She saw me standing there, eyes locked with mine.She knew I was watching.And she smirked.I felt it like a punch to the chest. That look—it was deliberate. A fire lit in her
The Roomie Complex 54 - TIME BOMB
I could still feel the weight of his touch lingering on my skin as I walked away from Aiden, but I didn’t let it stop me. Every step was harder than the last, but I pushed through, my heart pounding not just from the sudden rush of emotions, but from the fury that surged within me. Aiden wasn’t the only one who could make choices tonight.I needed to forget, and the quickest way to do that was to drown in the chaos of the party. The music called to me, a steady thrum that could wipe away anything. I didn’t even look back when I entered the mass of bodies. I needed something else to numb the ache. A distraction.I found him again.The stranger in the black mask, still standing there, leaning against the bar like he belonged to the night itself. His black shirt and trousers fit the atmosphere perfectly—dark, alluring, and just out of reach. When our gazes collided, I felt a pulse of recognition, that same magnetic pull that had led me to his side earlier. I was drunk, lost, and I hated
The Roomie Complex 53 - THREE WORDS, EIGHT LETTERS
CHERYL'S POVThe night wrapped around me like a silk veil, thick with the scent of summer air, sweat, and liquor. The masquerade carnival pulsed with energy—bodies moving in sync to the bass-heavy music, laughter and chatter blending into the electric atmosphere. Everywhere, there were flashes of color, glimmering masks, and people indulging in the thrill of anonymity. Tonight, nobody was anybody.I downed the last of my drink, my pulse buzzing as I let the alcohol seep into my bloodstream. One more. I needed another. Anything to drown the thoughts clawing at the edges of my mind—Aiden, Anika, my own stupidity. My dress fluttered as I spun into the crowd, letting myself get swept away by the music.I moved with reckless abandon, my body swaying in time with the beat, hands tangled in the humid air, the golden glow of the fairy lights painting my skin. If I let go hard enough, if I danced wild enough, maybe the weight in my chest would disappear. Maybe I could forget the hollow ache of
The Roomie Complex 52 - CARNIVAL
CHERYL'S POVI refused to cry.I refused to be the kind of girl who sat in her room, sobbing over a guy who couldn’t even bother to text her back. Well, I used to be that girl when I was married to Marty but not anymore or so I thought. But no matter how many times I swallowed hard, clenched my fists, or blinked up at the ceiling, the tears still fell. Hot. Unwanted. Furious.I wiped them away aggressively, my throat burning. Why did I still care?It had been hours since I left the beach, since I stood there alone under the fading sunlight like a complete idiot, waiting for Aiden. Waiting for nothing.And now, all I could see in my head was the exact reason why—Aiden walking out of Anika’s house.Betrayal sliced through me.The sound of my phone buzzing snapped me out of my thoughts. I almost ignored it, but then I saw the message.Pearl: Hey babe, town's masquerade party is tonight. You in?I hesitated.I wasn’t in the mood to party. Not when my heart felt like it had been ripped apa
The Roomie Complex 51 - I'LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU
Aiden’s POV – The Night He Stood Cheryl UpThe plan was simple. Meet Cheryl. Tell her the truth. Be with her.I had imagined it already—the way her face would light up when she saw the picnic I had set up. The way the ocean breeze would tangle in her hair, the way I’d sit next to her, close enough to reach out and touch her hand. Just me, her, and the waves.And then, just as I was getting ready, Anika called.I almost didn’t pick up. Almost. But something in her voice made me pause. A tremble. A sharp breath. I had known her long enough to recognize when something was wrong."Aiden, can you come over?""Anika, I can’t right now—""Please. Just for a second."It was stupid. I should have said no. I should have ignored the call and gone straight to Cheryl like I was supposed to. But a part of me thought, if I just check on her real quick, then I can leave. No harm done.I told myself I was going to be in and out.At Anika’s PlaceI barely stepped through the doorway before I told her,
The Roomie Complex 50 - STOOD UP
CHERYL'S POVCheryl wasn’t sure why she invited Pearl shopping with her. They weren’t particularly close. In fact, before all of this, Pearl had been little more than a friendly acquaintance—one of the few people in town who didn’t make her feel completely out of place. But for some reason, when she was debating who to call up, Pearl’s name had come to mind.Maybe it was because Pearl knew things. Maybe it was because Cheryl needed information.She didn’t ask about Aiden right away. That would be too obvious. Instead, she wandered the clothing racks with a lazy sort of interest, picking up a sundress here, a pair of sandals there, pretending to be lost in thought.Pearl caught on quickly.“Okay,” she said, turning to Cheryl with an amused look. “You keep sneaking glances at me like you wanna ask something but are too scared to say it. Spit it out.”Cheryl hesitated, feigning interest in a rack of crop tops before finally sighing. “It’s nothing.”Pearl scoffed. “Bullshit.”Cheryl wince
