Five Years Ago . . . PROLOGUE ✿♡ JAZZLENE ♡✿"Jazzlene! Jazzlene, wait!"I sprinted through the familiar paths, tears blurring my vision. Somehow, I managed to avoid stumbling, guided by instinct down these well-trodden routes."Jazzlene!"Still, I refused to halt. My feet pounded the ground relentlessly. I couldn't bear to face him, to confront the pain that seared through me. Was this the reason I hadn't been invited to Jenna's birthday party?Jenna, my best friend—or rather, she used to be. Starting today, I couldn't even bring myself to look at her. We're both fifteen, friends for five years, along with Sheena and Abigail. They weren't just friends; they were family. Especially Jenna. She had been like an older sister to me. So today, on her sixteenth birthday, I wondered why she hadn't extended an invitation to me.Last week, my friends Abigail, Sheena, and I discussed Jenna's upcoming birthday. She had mentioned that she wouldn't be having a party since her parents were still i
Six years later . . . Present time. JAZZLENE'S POV I sat silently at the bus stop shelter, clutching my phone, debating whether I should call my brother, Zane, to come get me. Tears streamed down my face, and my body shivered from the cold because I was drenched. Not from rain—there wasn't any. It’s just that I was wearing a two-piece swimsuit, soaked, with only a T-shirt over it because my friends and I had a get-together. Camille, Violet, Leigh, and I had this tradition of bonding after exams to unwind from the stress. We checked into a lesser-known hotel and resort, preferring places less frequented by people because Camille, being a famous actress, couldn't be exposed to the public. [FLASHBACK] The four of us were dressed and already in the swimming pool when I noticed someone nearby. The pool was surrounded by tall plants, about waist-high, but through a gap, I saw Dominic. my boyfriend, and here's the worst part: he was flirting with someone I never imagined he’d go for. G
✧ADAM MEADOWS✧ADAM Meadows. My intuition was right. He was the one picking me up. Now I wasn’t sure if I should go with him or muster the courage to return to the hotel. Because he wasn't an 'I'll-do-my-buddy-a-favor-and-pick-his-sister-up type of guy. He was a look-at-me-wrong-or-say-anything-to-me-I-don't-like-and-I'll-kill-you-with-my-hands kinda guy, and he's doing it looking so calm and gorgeous you wouldn't notice your world crashing down.I looked down briefly at my dirty feet since I was barefoot when I came here. I swiped my tongue over my dry lips as the passenger seat window rolled down."Get in." His voice wasn't loud, nor was it angry. It was just loud enough for me to hear. "Or do you want me to open the door for you?" His tone was so cold that I felt my body freeze.Reluctantly, I stood up and walked toward him. I didn’t care if I dirtied his car. He was rich enough to have it cleaned anyway.Once inside, I glanced at him briefly before looking away because I couldn't h
✧ADAM MEADOWS✧"So? Is she your type?" Henry asked as I stared at his mobile screen.It was a picture of a woman. The third one, actually. I didn't like the first two. I didn't even look at them for more than two seconds. But this third picture held my gaze for a bit longer, not because I liked her, but because I recognized her. She was the sister of Jazzlene's former friend. Jenna's sister. The ones who had betrayed Jazzlene when she was just fifteen.The reason they were showing me pictures of women was that they wanted me to have a girlfriend. I don't do girlfriends. But that doesn't mean my sex life is dry. I still hook up when I need to release some steam. But I'm selective, and if a woman doesn't pass my taste, I won't touch her.Like these pictures Henry was showing me. None of them passed my standards. Especially this sister of Jazzlene's ex-friend. Despite her revealing dress, she looked like the type who expected sweet nothings and lovemaking in bed.I didn't do sweet nothin
✧ADAM MEADOWS✧WE were all gathered around the dining table. Zane's parents sat next to each other, with me beside Zane, followed by David and then Gerald. Henry had left a while ago, despite his desire to stay, because his wife had called him home."Your sister's internship is coming up, Zane," Attorney Hart mentioned. We hadn't started eating yet because Jazz wasn’t here. We were waiting for her; her mom had insisted she change clothes due to the cat fur all over her. Earlier, she had vented her frustrations while playing with her Persian cat."Internship? Where at?" Zane inquired."La Vienna Hotel."Zane frowned. "La Vienna? That's quite a distance from here."He was right. It’s a three-hour journey from Aloha City, but I understood why Jazz had chosen to do her internship there. Currently, it's one of the most prestigious hotels in the country. For now."Yeah. That’s why your dad and I are concerned about her. You know your sister. She's so trusting, it's easy for her to be taken a
✿♡ JAZZLENE ♡✿I strolled alongside Camille, Leigh, and Violet towards the main gate after our final class had wrapped up.The days of Camille being swarmed by students seeking photos had settled into a more familiar routine. Now, university life for her was a bit more relaxed, though friendly waves and greetings still followed her as we walked. True to her nature, she responded warmly to everyone, even those she hadn't met before.Among us, Violet stood out as the most outspoken. Her very name hinted at her sharpness. Leigh, in contrast, kept to herself but was known for her numerous flings across different departments.And then there was me—the cursed one. Always left behind, always deceived. I can't fathom why. Finding an answer is a challenge.I sighed, prompting Violet to intervene. "You're scowling again, Jazz. Come on! Quit dwelling on Dominic! You should be celebrating how swiftly karma caught up with him! That jerk!"Her words struck a chord within me. Indeed, she was right.
✧ ADAM MEADOWS ✧I advanced, narrowing my aim at the man clutching Jazzlene's arm. Fear trembled through him, sweat beading on his brow. "I'm counting to three. One . . . two—"He let go of Jazzlene, and I acted swiftly, drawing her behind me, shielding her with my body while keeping him in my sights. This man, unyielding even after losing his job. What more did he want? Did he seek death now? I could accommodate that."A-Adam . . ." I felt Jazzlene grip the edge of my coat. "Please . . . put it down."Ignoring her plea, I responded firmly, "No. Because unless he leaves in three seconds, I'm going to end him and bury him eight feet deep—" Before I could finish, he bolted away, earning a slight smirk from me. Seems he feared death after all. But I wasn't finished with him. He needed a lesson in the days ahead, in case he decided to come after Jazzlene again.I turned to her and motioned towards the car. "Get inside. Quickly."Without waiting for her reply, I made my way to the driver's
✿♡ JAZZLENE ♡✿I walked into Zane's room and found him already dressed in his pilot uniform, with his suitcase and duffel bag at the foot of the bed. He was engrossed in typing on his phone, so he didn't immediately acknowledge me when I entered.Taking a seat on the edge of his bed, I dropped my body down, hands resting on my knees. "Always take care of yourself out there. Don't do anything reckless, okay?" I said, prompting him to finally turn and look at me.He furrowed his brow. "You're the one who needs to watch out here, especially since you'll be left alone.""I'll be with Mom and Dad," I assured him.He huffed. "They're leaving too. As far as I know, next week. Mom has a case she needs to handle. She has to visit her client and they'll stay at the client's vacation house during the hearing to be nearby and avoid frequent travel.""Huh?" I raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't Mom mention anything to me?" Sitting up in bed, I looked at my brother in surprise. "Does that mean I'll be a