FAITHI blinked at Blaze, caught off guard by the mix of humor and sincerity in his tone.He continued, his voice gentle but firm. “Therefore, you don’t have to stay put and listen to everything my mom says. She can be a bit… overbearing sometimes. But, while I have to bear with her because I am her son, you have no such obligation. You are free to live as you want for these nine months.”I tilted my head, studying him for a moment before speaking. “Why are you so nice to me?” I asked, my voice softer than I intended. “I ghosted you for a month after we… you know, after I…” I trailed off, the memory of that night still an awkward weight between us.Blaze shrugged, a fain
FAITHKristin’s sharp poke to my side jolted me out of my daze. “Hey,” she said grumpily, her voice low but laced with irritation. “What’s with the deer-in-headlights look? You know those people or something?”I blinked rapidly, trying to regain my composure. “No,” I lied, my voice shaky. “I just… zoned out.”Kristin’s eyes narrowed as she studied me, clearly unconvinced. “Yeah, sure,” she muttered before grabbing my wrist. “Come on. Let’s go before you turn into a statue right here in the middle of the store.”She didn’t wait for my response, tugging me away from the display window and deeper into the boutique. My feet moved automatically, but my mind stayed firmly rooted outside, where Reagan and Austin stood.Seeing them together after a month felt like a punch to the gut. I’d convinced myself I was over it—or at least on my way to being over it—but clearly, I’d been lying to myself.The sight of Reagan laughing with Austin, her hand casually brushing his arm, brought back a flood
FAITHThe question hit me like a bolt, and I instinctively looked away. “What? No, of course not,” I said quickly, hoping my voice sounded more convincing than it felt.Blaze stepped closer, his gaze unwavering as he reached out and cupped my face with one hand. The warmth of his touch startled me, and my breath caught as his thumb brushed the corner of my eye.“No,” he said softly but firmly, his eyes narrowing. “Your eyes are swollen. You definitely cried.”My throat tightened, and I tried to pull back, but his hand remained steady. His gaze hardened, calm but laced with anger. “Who made you cry?”I shook my head, opening my mouth to
FAITHBefore I could even register what was happening, Blaze’s arm shot out, steadying me against the seat. His grip was firm, protective, and his other hand tightened on the steering wheel as he muttered a string of curses under his breath.“Are you okay?” he asked sharply, his voice cutting through the ringing in my ears.I nodded quickly, though my heart was pounding so loudly it drowned out my words.Blaze didn’t wait for a response. He rolled down the window, leaning halfway out as he glared at the car in front of us.“Hey! Watch where the hell you are going!” he barked, his voice sharp enough to make me wince.
FAITHI was sprawled across the bed, surrounded by a fortress of thick books, my frustration mounting with every page. Jessica’s voice echoed in my head—“I want you to finish reading them all!”—and I groaned, burying my face in my hands.The door knocked softly, snapping me out of my misery. “Come in,” I mumbled, flipping a page halfheartedly.Blaze stepped in, looking effortlessly put together in a crisp white shirt and tailored pants. He raised an eyebrow when he saw me buried under the books. “Are you ready for your appointment?”I looked up, confused and annoyed. “What appointment?”Blaze crossed his arms, glancing at the books piled around me. “Uh, your doctor’s appointment?” he said slowly, as if I’d forgotten something obvious. “The one I told you about this morning?”I groaned dramatically, rolling onto my back and flailing my arms. “Ugh. Fine. I will go. I just need to throw a tantrum first.”Blaze chuckled, his laugh warm and amused. “Alright,” he said with a grin. “Have you
Chapter 23: That Painful?FAITHAs we pulled up to the doctor’s office, Hillary’s car stopped behind ours. She stepped out, her expression impassive as she adjusted her coat and walked toward us. Blaze’s grip on my hand tightened slightly as we headed inside.When we reached the reception desk, Blaze turned to Hillary, his tone clipped. “Wait here. We will handle this on our own.”Hillary raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a faint, sarcastic smile. “Whatever you say, Blaze,” she replied coolly, stepping back.Without another glance in her direction, Blaze led me into the clinic, his hand still steady on mine. The interior was warm and welcoming, nothing like the sterile environment I’d expected. We were greeted by a nurse who guided us to Dr. Clarissa’s cabin.Dr. Clarissa stood as we entered, her kind smile immediately putting me at ease. She was in her early 40s, with neatly styled hair and an air of calm professionalism.“Faith,” she said warmly, extending a hand. “It’s lov
FAITHSleep evaded me that night. No matter how many times I rolled over or adjusted the pillows, my mind wouldn’t quiet. Hillary’s words kept replaying, her cold voice and the unsettling weight of what she’d said: “Don’t get too attached to the child in your womb. It’s not yours, after all.”I tossed the blanket off with a frustrated sigh and decided to head to the kitchen for some warm milk.Maybe that would help. As I padded down the hallway, the faint glow of light spilling out from under Blaze’s study door caught my eye.Curiosity got the better of me, and I peeked inside. There he was, seated at his desk, his shirt sleeves rol
FAITHA week later, I woke up early, buzzing with energy I hadn’t felt in a long time. The sunlight streamed through the windows, and for once, I didn’t mind. I jumped out of bed, threw on a simple outfit, and hurried downstairs.Michael, my assigned bodyguard, was waiting outside the mansion, leaning casually against the black SUV. His brown hair was slightly tousled, and as usual, he had that boyish charm that made him seem less intimidating than he probably wanted to be.“Good morning,” he greeted me as I approached.“Morning!” I said brightly, sliding into the passenger seat. “Let’s go to the best hair salon nearby.”Michael raised an eyebrow, climbing into the driver’s seat. “The best hair salon nearby?” he repeated, starting the car. “Don’t you have your classes in a couple of hours? Why are you going to a hair salon now?”I waved him off, leaning back in my seat. “It’s just… I woke up this morning, looked at my hair in the mirror, and thought ‘ew, I need a new haircut.’ New seme
FAITHBlaze’s expression flickered for a moment, something unreadable passing through his eyes, but then he quickly schooled his face back into his usual stoic mask. "I’m just concerned for you, okay?"I rolled my eyes, ready to snap back, but he spoke before I could."And if you don’t want to see it as me being a boyfriend," he said, his voice lowering slightly, "then think of it as a fussy father who doesn’t want his children to get hurt."I groaned, throwing my hands up. "You’re impossible."Blaze smirked slightly, opening the car door for me. "Yeah, yeah. Get in."Muttering under my breath, I climbed into the car, and he followed, shutting the door behind him.The ride to the university was filled with our usual back-and-forth, me huffing about how overprotective he was, him insisting that I needed to take better care of myself.When we finally pulled up outside the entrance, I grabbed my bag, reaching for the door handle.But before I stepped out, Blaze spoke, his voice softer th
FAITHThe dining room was quiet that morning. Too quiet.I sat at the long table, trying to eat my breakfast as quickly as I could before heading off to my last midterm exam, but the silence around me was unsettling. The only sound was the soft clinking of silverware against porcelain and Blaze’s voice fussing over me.“Faith, eat more,” he said, nudging my plate slightly toward me. “You barely slept last night. You need energy.”I sighed, taking another bite just to appease him. “I’m eating.”“Not enough,” he muttered, shaking his head before pushing a glass of water toward me. “And drink this. You need to stay hydrated.”I rolled my eyes but grabbed the glass anyway, taking a small sip. He wasn’t going to let me leave until I at least pretended to listen to him.Blaze continued, relentless. “Are you sure you’re ready for your exam? Did you review everything? And you’ll text me when you’re done, right?”“Yes, Blaze,” I sighed, giving him an amused look. “I’m not a child, you know.”
BLAZEI strode through the hallways of the estate, my mind still burning with the conversation I had just left behind. The tension in my body hadn't eased, and every step I took only fueled the frustration simmering in my chest.But right now, none of that mattered.I needed to see Faith.I stopped in front of her room, my fingers curling into a fist as I knocked against the wooden door. “Faith?” My voice was firm but not demanding.Silence.I frowned, waiting a few more seconds before knocking again, this time a little louder. “Faith, are you awake?”
BLAZEThe drive home was long, and my mind never settled. My fingers tapped against my thigh, my thoughts shifting between the past hour and what lay ahead.Faith.I needed to see her. To check on her. To remind myself that she was okay, that she was safe.But as soon as I stepped inside the house, a servant approached me, bowing his head slightly before speaking. “Sir, your grandfather has requested to see you.”I exhaled slowly, my jaw tightening.Of course.I wanted to go to Faith first. I wanted to see her face, to hear her voice, to know that she was doin
BLAZEI stopped in my tracks, my jaw tightening. Slowly, I turned to look at Jared, my frown deepening.“Of course, it was him,” I said, my voice clipped, cold. “Who else would it be?”Jared raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly. “Well… you have a long list of enemies, so you never know. It could be anyone.”I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. He wasn’t wrong. Over the years, I had built up a solid list of people who would love nothing more than to see me suffer. Competitors in business, people I
BLAZEThe hallway was dark, the dim glow of the overhead lights barely casting enough illumination to cut through the shadows.My footsteps echoed against the cold, tiled floor, steady and unhurried. The air was thick, heavy, humming with tension, each step pulling me deeper into the darkness.I didn’t rush.I wanted to savor this moment.Jared was already waiting for me at the end of the corridor, his expression blank, his stance rigid. His hands were clasped behind his back, his jaw set, but I knew him well enough to catch the slight stiffness in his shoulders—the barely perceptible sign that he was on edge.Good.He should
FAITHJessica’s heels clicked sharply against the hospital floor as she marched toward me, her arms crossed, her face set in a deep scowl. Her usual pristine elegance was overshadowed by anger, her piercing gaze burning into me.I barely had time to process her words before she continued, her tone sharp, cutting.“You put yourself in danger—worse, you put the baby in danger! What kind of reckless, thoughtless behavior is that?” she snapped, her eyes blazing.I blinked, still dizzy, my mind struggling to keep up. “I… I didn’t—”“And for what?” she cut me off. “To go to some unknown restaurant? Without security? Without even
FAITHI woke up to the steady beeping of a monitor and the feeling of something cool pressed against my face. My body felt heavy, my limbs weak, my head pounding as though a thousand hammers were striking against it.I blinked against the harsh fluorescent light, my vision blurry, my throat raw and burning.Where was I?I tried to move, but something was strapped to my face—an oxygen mask. Panic stirred in my chest as I took a shallow, raspy breath, the memory of thick smoke and unbearable heat flashing in my mind.The fire.I inhaled too fast, coughing violently, my ribs aching with each sharp motion. A sharp pain shot through my chest, making me wince.A soft, familiar voice broke through the haze.“Take it easy, Miss. You’re in the hospital.”I turned my head slightly to see a doctor standing beside my bed, his expression calm but serious. He was flipping through a chart, his glasses slightly askew.Hospital.I was alive.I tried to speak, but my throat was too dry, too raw.The do
BLAZEThis was a setup. A fucking trap.For her.My chair scraped against the marble floors as I shot up, my heartbeat slamming against my ribs.Jared, who was still standing nearby, frowned. “Blaze? What’s wrong?”I didn’t answer. I was already moving.Jared cursed under his breath and followed. “Damn it, what’s going on?”I stormed out of the office, my mind spinning, panic clawing up my throat. “Faith—she’s in danger. Someone tricked her into going to La Vigna.”Jared’s face paled. &l