FAITH
Austin words hit me like a brick. I stopped walking, the world around me suddenly feeling colder.
“W-What?” I stammered. “Austin, why? Why are you doing this?”
He sighed, and it wasn’t the kind of sigh that held any pain or hesitation. It was the kind of sigh you let out when crossing something off a checklist, like breaking up with me was just another errand he had to run.
“I don’t know, Faith. I just don’t feel the sparks anymore. And I feel like we’re not putting in equal efforts. I mean, you are always busy with work and studies.”
“But I am trying, Austin. I really am. I even saved up a lot of money for your birthday.”
There was a brief silence on his end, and I clung to it, hoping that maybe—just maybe—he’d reconsider. “Really?” he finally said, sounding more surprised than anything else.
“Yes!” I responded, my voice trembling. “But… but then Ezra took it all away.” I felt a lump form in my throat as I mentioned my dad, but I was willing to bear all of it, hoping he’d see that I was trying. That I was fighting for us.
But instead of understanding, there was a long, heavy pause. And then came the words that crushed me.
“See, Faith. This is what I’m talking about. It’s always this and that with you. Your problems never end. I’m tired of it. I can’t do this anymore.”
The cold finality of his tone made my legs go weak. “Austin, please,” I begged, my voice barely a whisper now. “I can fix this. We can fix this.”
But he had already checked out. He was done with me. “Bye, Faith.”
And with that, the line went dead.
I stared at my phone, the screen darkening as the call ended. It felt like the ground had just been pulled out from under me. The tears that hadn't been spilling earlier came gushing out.
Everything was gone—my money, my hope, and now the one person I thought I could count on.
I was completely shattered.
And just when I thought that life probably couldn't get any worse for me, little did I know it was just the beginning of my downfall.
My phone rang again.
I desperately checked it, hoping it was Austin—maybe he regretted it. However, I was disappointed to see it was my neighbor.
“Faith? It’s Mrs. Thompson. I have been trying you for hours, but you weren't picking up,” her voice was scared on the other end. “You need to come home right away. It’s your mom. She… she fell down the stairs.”
My heart dropped. “What? Is she okay? Where is she?”
“She is at the hospital near home. You need to hurry,” Mrs. Thompson urged before hanging up.
I didn’t waste a second. I started running. I had no idea that I had jinxed myself by thinking I had nobody to count on. At least, I still had my mother, however she was.
When I burst into the hospital, the sterile smell hit me like a slap in the face for the second time today.
“Where is Iris Adelaide?” I asked the receptionist breathlessly.
“Room 204,” she replied, glancing up briefly before returning to her paperwork.
I rushed down the corridor, my heart pounding in my ears. I pushed the door open, and the sight that met me froze me in place.
My mom lay on the hospital bed, pale and fragile, connected to a maze of machines. I rushed to her side, gripping her hand tightly.
“What happened to her?” I asked the doctor who was standing on the other side of the bed. It didn't seem like she had a simple slip down the stairs.
“I am sorry to break this to you, Ms. Adelaide, but we have found out that your mother has acute liver failure.”
My breath caught in my throat. “What do you mean? How could this happen?”
The doctor continued, “She has probably known for a while but decided against getting any treatment. And now the only way for her to survive is to get a liver transplant.”
“A liver transplant?” I echoed, fear creeping into my voice. “How much will that cost? Will the insurance cover it?”
“You have to talk at the reception for that.”
I nodded, urgency propelling myself forward as I bolted down the hallway.
I burst into the reception area, my breath coming in frantic bursts. “Please,” I gasped, leaning over the counter, “I need to know what’s going on with my mom’s treatment. How much will it cost for the liver transplant?”
The receptionist’s fingers taped over the keyboard as she pulled up the information. “It’s a complicated situation, Ms. Adelaide,” she began, and my anxiety skyrocketed as I prepared for the worst. “It's going to cost more than $350,000,” she said softly.
My heart plummeted, as if it had fallen into a dark abyss. “What?” I gasped, the room spinning around me like a whirlwind. “That’s impossible! We can’t afford that!”
The receptionist reached out, her hand brushing against mine as if to offer comfort. “I’m so sorry, but that’s the estimated cost for the procedure and associated care. The insurance might cover some of it, but you should prepare for a significant out-of-pocket expense.”
I felt like the walls were closing in on me. My mind raced, grasping for any solution, any possibility. “Is there any way to lower the cost? Can’t we negotiate with the hospital? Can we take a loan?”
“I understand how difficult this is,” she said gently, but her eyes told me she had heard this story far too often. “Unfortunately, transplant costs are pretty standard. The only thing I can suggest is to look into financial assistance programs.”
“Financial assistance? What does that involve?”
The receptionist sighed, her expression sympathetic yet resigned. “It’s a lengthy process. You’d need to fill out forms, provide proof of income, and possibly go through an interview. But every little bit helps.”
I clenched my fists, trying to hold back the wave of despair threatening to swallow me whole. If only I had noticed my mom’s suffering from the beginning… I could have applied for this. But now, there was no time like that.
“Thank you,” I managed to say, though my voice felt hollow. I turned away, feeling lost, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach.
My mom was all I had left. She had always done her best to provide for me, working long hours and sacrificing so much. She was even trying to get a divorce from Dad to escape his grasp.
But no matter how hard she tried, Ezra was a leech with shady connections, and I hated that I was even considering him now, but I was desperate.
With my hands shaking, I pulled out my phone. The thought of calling him sent a chill down my spine, but I didn’t have a choice. My mom needed me to be strong, and I was running out of options.
“Hello?” Ezra’s voice was indifferent as always.
“Dad…” I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the tremor that betrayed me. “I need your help. It’s about Mom.”
There was a pause on the other end before he asked, “What about her?”
“She’s in the hospital. She fell down the stairs, and now they discovered that she has acute liver failure. She needs a transplant, but it’s over $350,000, and I don’t know what to do!”
I was expecting to hear something, anything hopeful for a change, but his laughter rang out. “Are you crazy? Where on earth are we supposed to get $350,000? You’d have to sell yourself for that.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I couldn’t believe he was laughing at my mom’s life, at my desperation.
But then a thought crept in, a flicker of something dark—something that I had scoffed at a few hours ago. What if I could sell myself? My body?
As he hung up on me, I didn’t have time to dwell on the morality of my thoughts; I needed to act fast. Without thinking, I turned on my heel and dashed back to the private clinic.
My mind was a whirlwind as I headed straight for the trash bin in the corridor where I had discarded the card Jared had given me.
Kneeling down, I frantically sifted through the contents. “Please be here, please be here,” I muttered to myself, feeling the cold sweat trickle down my back.
Just as my fingers grazed the edge of the card, a voice called out, pulling me from my frantic search.
“Looking for something like this?”
I looked over my shoulder to see a handsome man standing behind me with a replica of the black card that I was searching for. He had a bandage on his head, which made me realize this had to be Jared’s boss whose car I had come in front of.
“Uh… yeah,” I said and stood up, trying to regain some composure. I had to look strong, not too desperate. “I was looking for this. I actually needed to talk to you.”
He raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “And what exactly do you want to talk about? The accident?”
“No.” My heart was pounding, yet I kept my eyes on his green ones steady. “I want to take you up on that offer you sent me through Jared.”
“Are we talking about the same offer?” His lips curled into a smirk, clearly intrigued.
“Yes.” I took a deep breath and looked him directly into the eyes. “I will sleep with you.” I held up my hand, showing him the number of fingers as I added, “Four times.”
FAITHI stared into his green eyes, my expression dead serious. I don't know what I was expecting, but it surely wasn't a chuckle from him. He literally laughed, and I swear to God, it was the most attractive sound I had to have ever heard.Even in this situation, when my world had turned upside down, my heart reacted to the sound of his deep laugh.“What?” he asked once he stopped laughing, amusement dancing in his eyes.“What what?” I shot back, reverting back to my seriousness. He tilted his head, confusion etched on his amused features. “I don’t get it. What are you saying?”“Wait,” I paused, doubt flickering within me. “Are you not Jared’s boss?”“Yes, I am. But I am not sure I know what you are talking about.”“Jared said you would pay me $100,000 for sleeping with you,” I clarified. “So for personal reasons, I’m willing to sleep with you four times for $100,000 each time. No negotiations.”His expression shifted from confusion to surprise as the implications of my words sank i
FAITH“Still doubting me?” Blaze asked, a teasing smile dancing on his lips.My eyes widened in shock. I couldn’t believe it. I was about to make a deal with someone so powerful. The sudden realization hit me hard, and I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. I grabbed the wine glass and gulped down the entire content, desperate to calm my nerves. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with performance anxiety. A little glad at the same time as well.If a man like that filed a lawsuit against me, I would have been doomed for life. What luck of mine to have bumped in front of his car of all the people in the world!“Can I please have more?” I requested, my voice slightly unsteady and panicked.Blaze smirked, clearly entertained by my reaction. He moved to pour me another glass but paused. He twitched his lips, as if thinking about something else. “It might not be a good idea to get you too drunk.”He stepped closer, his hand finding its way to my waist. The warmth of his touch sent a jolt t
FAITHI quickly scrambled to gather my clothes, my heart racing as I tried to process what had just happened. The reality of the situation settled heavily on my shoulders, and panic gripped me. I fumbled with the fabric, my hands trembling. “I had no fucking idea you were trying to get me pregnant! Isn’t this against the fucking law?!” My voice was a mix of outrage and fear, and I could feel my face flushing with a rush of emotions.Blaze’s expression shifted. “Surrogacy is well within the law. I thought you knew.” His voice was sharper than I expected, but I could see the frustration etched on his features.“How would I know if nobody told me?!” I shot back, finally pulling my shirt over my head, feeling the fabric stick to my clammy skin. My mind raced with the implications of what he had just said. I felt completely blindsided.The weight of Blaze’s words hung in the air, and the realization crashed down on me like a tidal wave. I couldn’t believe this was happening. “Oh my Go
FAITHThe day of my mom’s funeral arrived, yet it felt more like I was watching someone else’s life unfold. I stood in black, the weight of loss pressing down on me, but all I could feel was a hollow numbness. People approached me with sympathetic looks, murmuring words that barely registered, as if I were surrounded by a wall of fog.One after another, family friends and neighbors I barely knew came to pay their respects. I shook hands, nodded, accepted gentle pats on the shoulder, but my mind was elsewhere. It was lost in the life my mother and I had shared, in the small but precious moments, now gone forever.I turned, noticing a familiar face coming through the doors. Mia. She walked toward me, her face full of worry and sympathy, and gently pulled me into a hug. “I am so sorry, Faith,” she whispered, her voice breaking slightly. She pulled back, studying my face. “Have you… have you been able to cry?”I looked away, swallowing hard. The truth was, I hadn’t shed a tear ever si
FAITHI felt Reagan’s push, sudden and forceful, sending me tumbling forward. The cold, hard ground stung against my hands, and a sharp jolt of humiliation flared in my chest. My instincts screamed to fight back, but I swallowed them down, taking a slow breath as I pushed myself up.“Who do you think you are?” Reagan’s voice cut through the air, dripping with disdain. “How dare you ignore me, Faith? How arrogant can you be?”I took a deep breath, brushing off the dirt, meeting her gaze with all the strength I could summon. “I am not arrogant,” I said, keeping my tone steady, but I could feel the anger rising within me. “You are the one who is insecure, Reagan. You had to go after a taken man and win him over just to feel better about yourself. That’s not confidence; it’s pathetic insecurity.”Her face twisted in shock, and her mouth opened in a silent gasp. She shot a pleading look at Austin, who was just standing there, silent. “Are you seriously going to let her talk to me like tha
FAITHI could feel my heart sink as I stared at the "On Sale" placard swinging in the wind. The words seemed to blur in front of my eyes, the finality of it all hitting me in waves.I had barely even processed the dread creeping up my spine when I heard the front door creak open.I ran towards the house, my breath sharp, my mind racing. The world around me felt suspended, like I was caught in a storm and the only thing I could do was hold on and wait for it to pass.But the storm had already arrived.When I walked in, I froze in the doorway, my heart skipping a beat when I saw an unfamiliar figure inside.
FAITHIt had been a month since I left that town behind. A month since I set fire to everything I knew—every tie, every memory.Now, I was in Iowa. The place where no one knew me, where the ghosts of my past didn’t haunt the streets. It was quiet. Too quiet. But it was better than the alternative.I was working at a small diner. The kind of place you didn’t remember unless you needed to. It wasn’t anything special—just a bunch of grease, some old men chatting about nothing important, and a few tired faces behind the counter.A monotonous rhythm I’d quickly grown accustomed to.Wake up, clock in, work through the day, c
FAITHThis had to be a joke.The air in the room felt too thick, too heavy. My chest was tightening, my heart hammering like it was trying to break free of its cage.Pregnant.I kept replaying the doctor’s words in my head, trying to make sense of them, but it was like a puzzle with a thousand pieces scattered across the floor. Nothing fits together. I had no idea how this had happened.I tried to think. I tried to run through every moment, every possible slip-up. My mind kept racing back to that time, the chaotic mess that was my life when my mom died. The funeral, the confusion, the numbness. And in the middle of all of that, I had stopped thinking about anything else.I didn’t take birth control pills the first few days after having sex with Blaze.The realization hit me like a slap to the face, and I cursed myself under my breath. How could I have been so careless? How could I have let this happen? I felt sick, not just from the shock of the news, but from the weight of my own
BLAZEOne moment, I was watching Faith fade before my eyes, blood pooling beneath her, and the next, I was being forced out of the operating room, my hands still stained with her blood. The cold, sterile hallway was too bright, too silent, and yet it felt like the walls were closing in on me.My shoulder throbbed with every frantic breath I took, but I barely noticed. The only thing I could hear was the sound of my own pulse roaring in my ears, the memory of Faith’s weakened voice haunting me."Blaze, I—I can’t—"My hands curled into fists as I swallowed back the suffocating terror clawing at my throat.And then I heard hurried footsteps.“Blaze!” My mother’s voice rang out before I even saw her. She rushed toward me, her expensive heels clicking sharply against the floor, her face filled with a rare look of concern. My grandfather followed close behind, his ever-imposing presence looming as he took me in. “Are the babies alright?”I nodded stiffly, my voice hoarse. “Yeah. They’re… th
BLAZEFaith was smiling as she walked toward me, her soft white dress flowing gently with the breeze, her hands cradling the small curve of her belly. The golden glow of the fairy lights strung up in the trees cast a warm halo around her, making her look almost ethereal. God, she was beautiful.I leaned against the tree, arms crossed over my chest, the corners of my lips lifting at her fond exasperation. Of course, I wouldn’t be able to stay away from her baby shower, even if I wasn’t supposed to be here. She shook her head, her eyes glimmering with amusement as she approached. “Blaze, you are so silly,” she murmured, her voice holding a teasing lilt. “You just couldn’t sit still, could you?”I opened my mouth to respond, but then—I saw it.A shadow in the distance, shifting just slightly behind the decorated hedges. The glint of metal, barely catching the light. My stomach dropped.A gun.And it was pointed directly at Faith.Everything inside me went cold.Move. Now.Instinct kick
FAITHI stood there, watching Blaze’s pouting face, his eyes narrowing in exaggerated disappointment. His lips, usually so firm, curled into a playful frown, and I couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle at the sight. He was always so dramatic when things didn’t go his way, like a child who didn’t get their favorite toy."You really aren’t going to include me in any part of today’s occasion, are you?" Blaze said, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe of my bedroom. His voice was mockingly hurt, but there was a glint of humor in his eyes that softened the playful accusation.I smiled at him, shaking my head. "No, that's not the intention, Blaze. But, you know, it's just... a day where I kind of wish my mom was here."The words slipped out before I could stop them, and as soon as I said them, I felt a sudden lump in my throat. The weight of missing my mom, the one person who would’ve been here, who should’ve been here, hit me harder than I’d expected.Bla
BLAZEI was pouting.Not just pouting—full-on sulking.Elbows propped on my desk, fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wood, I let out an exasperated sigh and leaned back against my chair, glaring at the laptop screen like it had personally offended me.The numbers on the project proposal meant nothing to me right now. The reports waiting for my review? Useless. The dozens of unread emails? Ignored.Because all I could think about was her.Faith.And the baby shower.And the absurd, utterly ridiculous fact that I wasn’t allowed to be there.It was my children. My girlfriend. And yet, I was supposed to just sit back and let everyone else celebrate without me? Where was the fairness in that?!I scowled and ran a hand through my hair in frustration, just as the door to my office swung open.Jared walked in, as casual as ever, holding a file under one arm and a cup of coffee in the other. His sharp eyes flicked toward me, immediately narrowing in suspicion. He knew me too wel
FAITHAs I lay back on my bed, still on the call with Mia and Reagan, a gentle knock came from my door."Come in," I called out and sat up, expecting one of the housemaids.Instead, it was Blaze.He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him, his sharp, assessing eyes landing on me before softening just slightly. Without a word, he walked over, slipping his arms around my waist from behind. His chin rested against my shoulder as he buried his face in my neck, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine.I tried to focus on the call, clearing my throat. "Listen, you guys can't come," I said, my voice firm. "They won’t allow it."Blaze hummed, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss against my neck. "What are you talking about?" he murmured against my skin.I bit my lip, trying to ignore the way his lips were brushing dangerously close to a sensitive spot. "My friends… they want to come over to plan my baby shower.""So invite them," he said casually.I scoffed. "Are you kidding? Your mom,
FAITHFour months had passed, and yet, it still felt surreal—the life growing inside me, the late-night whispers, the stolen moments behind closed doors. But here we were, sitting at the long dining table, surrounded by family, acting like nothing had changed.The clinking of utensils and the occasional rustle of newspapers were the only sounds filling the silence. Breakfasts at the Weston estate were always like this—structured, quiet, disciplined. No unnecessary chatter. Everyone ate with precision, absorbed in their own thoughts.I sipped my juice, eyes darting toward Blaze, who sat across from me, seemingly unbothered, but I knew better. His fingers tapped rhythmically against his coffee cup, a habit I had come to recognize whenever he was deep in thought.Then, Grandfather cleared his throat. A simple gesture, yet it was enough to command everyone’s attention.“I’ve heard something about you two,” he started, his deep voice measured. He placed his utensils down with a quiet clink
FAITHThe city at night was different. The same streets I walked every day, the same buildings, the same sky—but they all looked softer now, bathed in golden lamplight and the occasional neon glow. I never realized how beautiful our city was, never took the time to simply breathe it in. Life had always been a rush, a never-ending list of tasks. But tonight? Tonight, I was finally just here.Blaze walked beside me, his hands tucked into the pocket of his hoodie, his expression thoughtful as he took in our surroundings. "Strange," he murmured."What is?" I asked, glancing up at him."I’ve only ever seen these streets from my car window. Never like this." He exhaled, almost amused. "It felt like a different world. A distant one."I smiled. "Isn’t it weird? We’ve lived here our whole lives, yet we’re seeing it properly for the first time. It’s funny how different we are... and yet, still the same."Blaze hummed in agreement before sighing dramatically. "Even so, I stand by the fact that s
FAITHThe sun was setting as we pulled up to the DIY Jewelry Making shop. I could already feel the excitement bubbling up inside me. I’d always wanted to try my hand at making jewelry, and now that I was finally here, I was practically bouncing in my seat. Blaze, on the other hand, looked calm as ever, but I could see the slight curiosity in his eyes.“So,” I said, turning to him with a grin, “we’re really doing this. Jewelry making. How do you feel about getting creative with some shiny things?”He glanced at me, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I’m just here to keep you company, Faith. But I have to admit, I’m curious to see how this goes.”I beamed at him, feeling giddy. "I’m so excited! I’ve always wanted to do this. Imagine, I could make us matching necklaces, or better yet, something with a personal touch. It’ll be fun, I promise."We got out of the car and made our way inside. The moment we entered the store, I was greeted by the sweet scent of lavender and van
FAITHThe lunch was nothing short of delightful—surprisingly so, considering I had dragged Blaze out of his busy schedule for an impromptu date. But there we were, sitting across from each other at a cozy little bistro, the dim lighting setting the perfect mood for some easy conversation.Blaze leaned back in his chair, watching me with an amused glint in his eyes. “You know, you look incredibly beautiful when you’re eating.”I raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at my lips. “Is that so?” I teased. “Do you always compliment people while they’re stuffing their faces?”He shrugged, the corner of his mouth lifting in that way that made me melt. “Only when I’m looking at someone as stunning as you.”I felt a warm flush creep up my neck, but I wasn’t about to let him have the upper hand. “Well, I guess I’m just lucky, huh? Getting compliments while eating? That must be some kind of record.”Blaze’s grin widened, and I swear I saw a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Oh, trust me, you’ve