Angela POVThe door clicked shut behind James, and the room felt even emptier and colder. His threats echoed in my mind like a taunting whisper, refusing to die down. "I’ll spill everything… every dirty little secret." The words replayed in my head, hitting like a sledgehammer. It wasn’t the first time he’d dangled my secrets over my head. But something about today felt different, darker. I paced the floor, trying to ignore the pit forming in my stomach. But my thoughts kept circling back to that one piece of truth I’d buried long ago. The truth I never wanted Lyra to know. My hand drifted to my abdomen, and I froze. An image from years ago flashed before me, sitting alone in a sterile room, the walls a sickening shade of white. The chill of the cold metal table beneath me as I lay there, my heart pounding in my chest. I’d done it to protect myself, to protect my future. But now, all that sacrifice felt useless. James, of all people, was ready to use it against me.A wave of anger w
Lyra POVI took a deep breath and knocked on the door to Alice's house. Every step I’d taken here was fueled by confusion and disbelief. Alice, James’s sister, had called me out of nowhere with a message that “urgency” didn’t even begin to describe.The door swung open almost immediately, and Alice stood there, looking like a cat who’d just caught the canary.“Come in, Lyra,” she said, motioning me inside with that ever-present smirk.I followed her, my stomach churning as we stepped into the dimly lit living room. I took a seat on the couch, nerves stretching thin. The room felt cold and ominous, as though every piece of furniture had been placed deliberately to unsettle me.“Thank you for coming on such short notice,” Alice began, her voice smooth as silk. “I thought it was best you heard this from me directly.”“Hear what?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at her. I wasn’t in the mood for games, not after everything I’d been through with Angela, Kurtis, and now, James.Alice didn’t answe
Lyra's POVI left Angela in that stairwell, my heart twisting with anger, hurt, and betrayal. I wanted to scream, to run, to make sense of everything, but the only place that felt safe right now was with Kurtis. I needed him. I needed to feel his arms around me, his steady strength, his unwavering love. Without thinking, I found myself outside his house, breathless, pounding on his door.The door opened, and there he was. Those familiar dark eyes softened the moment he saw me, but they were quickly replaced with concern. “Baby girl? What’s going on?” His voice was a low murmur, soothing and steady, exactly what I needed but couldn’t admit.I didn’t answer him. Words felt too heavy, too painful. Instead, I grabbed his collar, pulling him close. I crushed my mouth to him, pouring everything I couldn’t say into that kiss. The hurt, the betrayal, the frustration, I wanted to lose myself in him, to feel nothing but this moment.Kurtis’s arms wrapped around me instinctively, pulling me aga
Lyra's POVI wouldn’t hold myself anymore. I ran out to the house, my heart pounding, feet barely touching the ground as I raced toward the church. It was late, so late that the moon was high and cold, casting pale light across the empty streets. But I didn’t care. I just needed to get to the only place that felt like I could fall apart without the eyes of everyone watching, without the crushing weight of their expectations on my shoulders.As soon as I stepped through the grand doors, a deep, breathless calm swept over me. The world outside was loud, relentless, suffocating. But here, in this dim, quiet sanctuary, I could finally breathe, or at least try to. The flickering candles painted gentle, golden light across the stone walls, the quiet only broken by the sound of my footsteps echoing against the tiles.My knees hit the cold, hard ground beneath the altar, my hands clasping tightly together, fingers digging into each other until my knuckles went white. My breaths were shaky, ra
Kurtis POVI was in the middle of a meeting when my phone buzzed. I glanced down and saw Lyra’s name. My heart skipped, like it always did when she called. It was impossible not to smile, but something in me noticed the tone in her message: “We need to talk.”It was just four words, but they left a strange, hollow feeling in my chest. I wrapped up the meeting quickly, calling her back the moment I stepped out. “Lyra,” I said, my voice soft but full of anticipation. “What’s up, babe?”There was a pause, one that went on too long, filling me with dread. “Kurtis,” she said, her voice soft, almost fragile. “I need to see you. Can we meet?”My heart pounded. “Of course. You okay?”“Yes, I… I’ll explain everything in person. Just meet me at the cafe.” —I got there before her, grabbing a table in the corner. My mind was a mess of possibilities, none of them good. The waitress brought over a coffee, but my hands were shaking too much to lift it. It felt like an eternity before I saw her w
Two weeks had passed since I had told Kurtis to stay away from me, and the ache in my heart only grew heavier with each passing day. I thought about him constantly, replaying our last moments together, where everything felt so right until reality shattered it all. The weight of my decision to marry someone else was suffocating, a constant reminder of what I was leaving behind.It was a Friday night, and I found myself at a dinner party with Ella and a group of friends. Laughter filled the air, and music pulsed through the room, but it did little to lift my spirits. I sipped on my drink, trying to immerse myself in the festivities, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Kurtis. I wondered how he was handling everything, if he was still angry with me, or if he missed me too.“Lyra, come on! Let’s dance!” Ella tugged at my arm, her eyes sparkling with excitement.“Okay, okay!” I smiled, trying to match her enthusiasm as we made our way to the dance floor. As I swayed to the music, I caugh
Lyra's POV The morning light seemed cruel, casting everything in sharp clarity, making the reality of last night pierce even deeper. Kurtis’s words echoed in my mind, his gaze, the way he almost kissed me, only to pull back as if something unspoken was holding him back. My heart twisted, and I forced myself to sip my coffee, even as my stomach churned with regret and frustration.Ella stormed into the room, not bothering to knock, her eyes narrowed as she looked me over.“Are you even going to tell me what happened last night?” she demanded, arms crossed tightly over her chest. “I can’t take this silent brooding anymore, Lyra. Either spill or I’m dragging it out of you!”I bit my lip, fighting the heat rising in my cheeks. “Ella, please... it’s complicated.”“Complicated?!” she huffed, rolling her eyes. “What’s complicated is you pretending you don’t want him when you’re practically dying for him. Just say it, Lyra, what happened?”I shook my head, but the words were already pouring
Kurtis’s POVThe phone buzzed, lighting up with her name. My heart took off like it had been waiting, hoping, for this exact moment. Lyra was calling me. The anticipation practically jolted me from the couch, and my hands shook slightly as I answered, trying to sound calm.“Kurtis,” she breathed, and that one word held a weight that only she could give. “Yes?” I kept my voice steady, but inside, my heart was pounding. “What’s going on, Lyra?”“I... I need to see you,” she said, the hesitation laced with something more. “Tonight. At the Lucerne Hotel restaurant.”I could barely contain my excitement, feeling like every second leading to tonight was both agonizing and electrifying. I didn’t know why she wanted to see me, but the way she sounded gave me hope. Something had changed, something big.I spent the next hour trying to decide what to wear, not that it mattered to her – at least, that’s what I kept telling myself. I settled on a dark, tailored suit, the one I knew she liked, and