*ARLENE’s POV*I hadn’t been myself for weeks. Not since that night. Not since spending a night in his room, lying awake on his bed while he slept on the sofa across the room. Nothing happened—just silence and distance between us. And yet, that night lingered like a fleeting memory I couldn’t shake. After that, he disappeared, like a ghost, vanishing from my life as quickly as he had entered it.And still, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.Janine and Patricia dragged me to Marco’s brother's wedding, insisting it was the perfect opportunity to see him again. ‘I wasn’t ready—God, I wasn’t ready”. I didn’t know if I’d ever be ready. But here I was, standing on the edge of something I couldn’t name, heart pounding with anticipation and dread." Arlene! Come with me!" Janine grabbed my arm and pulled me forward, right into the heart of the gathering. My breath caught in my throat the second I saw him—MAGO. He stood there like nothing had happened, like he hadn’t just upended my entire wo
*ARLENE’S POV*He had avoided me since our last encounter, disappearing like a shadow in the night, but that didn’t stop me. Maybe it should have. Maybe my heart should have listened to reason. Instead, I chose his bar for my on-the-job training. It was reckless, bordering on foolish, but what else could I do? My heart refused to stop beating for him, no matter how much sense told me to let go. I couldn’t command my mind to stop obsessing over his every move. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop the tears from welling up whenever I thought about him.Even if the entire world screamed that he was wrong for me, that he would never love me back the way I needed, my heart—stubborn and irrational—still insisted on loving him.“Are you even listening?” The sharp voice of the bartender snapped me back to reality.“H-huh? I-I’m sorry,” I stammered, embarrassed.She gave me a look, somewhere between frustration and amusement. “If you want to survive your first night here,” she said
*MAGO’s POV*My breath caught in my throat when I saw her standing near the counter of my bar, her eyes scanning the room as if she belonged here. ARLENE. Of all places, here—my sanctuary, my downfall. What the hell was she thinking, applying to be my apprentice? She shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t have kissed her the last time we met. I should’ve known better.But how could I have known? She’s innocent—never been in a relationship, never kissed anyone before me. And now, because of my stupidity, I’ve put her in danger. Not physical danger, no—but something worse. Emotional destruction. I can’t allow her to fall for me. I ruin every woman I touch. They fall, and I drag them down with me. Every. Damn. Time.I’m a cheater. It’s not just some bad habit—it’s in my veins, a twisted inheritance from my mother. I remember my father’s desperate attempts to keep her, as if she were slipping away day by day. He thought getting her pregnant would hold her, would make her stay. But she left anyway
*ARLENE’s POV*I watched them disappear up the stairs to his office, and a wave of bitterness washed over me. What right do I have to stop them? None. He never promised me anything. But why do I feel so betrayed? It’s like a knife twisting inside me, and I hate myself for it.I let out a sigh and forced myself back to work. If he likes those types of women, then fine. I’ll show him I can be the bitchiest bitch he’s ever met. This negativity is eating me alive, and Patricia was right—crying is for the weak. I refuse to shed a single tear. Instead, I’ll play his game and beat him at it.I glanced at Dessa as she prepared her props for a flair bartending exhibition. A wicked idea sparked in my mind. I used to be the best at this—hell, I won the inter-school flairing championship. If I’m going to get close to Mago, I need to remind him just how damn good I am.I stepped up beside Dessa and started prepping my own bottles and glasses. She looked at me, her brow raised, but when she realize
*MAGO’S POV*"Do you know what pisses me off?" she slurred, her eyes narrowing as we stepped into my house. Her voice was laced with a mix of frustration and vulnerability. "I've been trying to catch your attention, but you can’t even flash me a smile. What do those other women have that I don’t?"Before I could respond, she turned, throwing her hands in the air dramatically. "I’m sexy," she said, her voice dripping with irony. "I’m pretty." She pouted, emphasizing her lips. "Don’t I have kissable lips?"I almost laughed at her drunken antics, but the situation was more serious than it seemed. I’d been with many drunk women, and I knew how these nights usually ended. But not this time. Not with her. She’s a virgin, and we’re definitely not ending up in bed tonight.She took a step forward, and her legs wobbled beneath her, making her lose her balance. I instinctively reached out and caught her before she could fall.“Sorry,” she murmured, pressing her face against my chest. “Mmm, you
*ARLENE’s POV*I wake up in a haze, the room spinning slightly as I sit up, groaning at the unfamiliar weight of a shirt—much too big for me—draped over my body. My head pounds as I try to piece together the fragmented memories of last night, but everything's a blur.‘Oh no, no, no!’ I frantically scan the bed, my heart racing, looking for any sign—any telltale mark—that could confirm my worst fear. Nothing.‘But what if it didn’t happen here?’ My mind spirals.‘The car? The living room? The kitchen?’ I pace around, trying to piece together my night.I search my body for any pain or discomfort. My legs feel steady, my body normal, but the doubt lingers.‘Who was I with? What if it was some random guy... or worse, someone old? Ugly? Oh god, what if I’m...’I stop, clutching my hair in horror. ‘Pregnant? No, it couldn’t be. Could it?’Suddenly, a name flashes in
*ARLENE’s POV*The elderly care facility loomed ahead, its weathered walls casting long shadows in the fading light. My stomach twisted into knots as I watched Mago park the car. He stepped out, casually grabbing a single grocery bag, leaving the others behind. I hesitated, torn between staying in the car or following him, but before I could decide, I found myself circling the car and stepping out.“I might take a while,” he said, his voice almost too casual. “You should come with me.”The world seemed to stop spinning for a second. ‘Come with him?’ This felt like something more than just an errand. My heart raced, the thought of meeting his father made my hands sweat. I was about to follow him eagerly when he added, “Take the other grocery bags from the trunk.”My excitement deflated as I opened the trunk, staring at the three large grocery bags. ‘Really?&rsquo
I crossed my arms, determined to hide the slight tremor in my fingers. “Go on,” I challenged, narrowing my eyes, daring him to test me. “You set your rules, and I’ll make my own boundaries.”Mago’s lips curled into that maddeningly arrogant smile, the one that made my pulse quicken even when I wished it didn’t. “You’ll move into my place,” he demanded, his voice low and authoritative, as if he’d already won.A sharp laugh escaped me, masking the nervous energy bubbling beneath my skin. He wanted control, but I wasn’t about to hand it over that easily. “That fast, huh?” I raised an eyebrow, pretending to be unfazed. “Fine, I’ll move in. But what happened to your ‘I don’t do virgins’ rule?”His eyes darkened, locking onto mine with an intensity that made the air between us sizzle. “After what you did last night,” he murmured, stepping