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CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
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2025-01-17 16:46:22LARA
Lying in bed, Lara felt a strange sense of peace that she hadn’t experienced in weeks. Knowing Hades was just across the room, breathing the same air, safe and away from the chaos he usually endured, made her heart swell. She turned over, clutching the pillow tighter, her thoughts racing. For once, she didn’t have to brace herself for the sight of a new bruise or a fresh cut marring his face when he walked through the school gates. She didn’t have to spend her mornings wondering if today would be the day his world crumbled completely. Tonight, for this fleeting moment, he was here. Safe. Her lips curved into a small smile as her mind wandered to the way he’d looked at her earlier—the softest glimpse of vulnerability hidden behind his guarded expression. She knew he wasn’t used to this: care, comfort, someone worrying about him without expecting anything in return. Maybe he didn’t fully understand it yet, but she’d keep showing him, day by day, that he deserved it Lara’s phone buzzed softly on the nightstand, breaking the quiet of the room. She rolled over, squinting at the screen in the dim light. The message was from Hades. Lara said softly, her words steady, even as her heart raced. Hades’s gaze locked onto hers, and for a moment, she thought he might pull away—retreat into the walls he always seemed to carry with him. But then, something shifted in his expression. The guarded mask he wore cracked, and for the first time, she saw raw vulnerability in his eyes, a kind of need he didn’t know how to express. Before she could say anything else, he leaned in, his movements hesitant but determined. His lips met hers, and it wasn’t like the rushed or awkward kisses she’d imagined in her head—it was something else entirely. It was raw, unpolished, and filled with all the emotions he couldn’t say out loud. Lara froze for a heartbeat, caught off guard by the intensity of it, but then she melted into him, her hands instinctively rising to his chest. She could feel his heart pounding beneath her palms, matching the rapid beat of her own. The kiss wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t need to be. It spoke of everything Hades couldn’t put into words—his fear, his pain, his desperate hope for something good amidst the chaos of his life. When they finally pulled apart, his forehead rested against hers, his breath warm against her skin. “I… I don’t know how to do this,” he murmured, his voice barely audible. Lara smiled softly, her fingers brushing against his cheek. “We’ll figure it out together,” she whispered. Hades closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath. For the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to face the darkness alone. Are you awake? Her heart skipped a beat. She hesitated for a moment, then quickly typed back, Yes. The reply came almost instantly: Can I see you outside? She sat up, brushing her hair back, suddenly feeling wide awake. Slipping out of bed, she grabbed a sweater and tiptoed out of her room, careful not to wake anyone. The hallway was silent, and the faint glow of moonlight filtered through the windows as she made her way to the back door. As she stepped outside, the cool night air wrapped around her. Hades was leaning against the railing of the porch, hands shoved in his pockets, his posture tense. He looked up when he heard her, his sharp features softened by the moonlight. “You okay?” she asked quietly, her voice breaking the stillness. He nodded, but his eyes betrayed the storm inside him. “I couldn’t sleep,” he said, his voice low. “I just… I needed to talk to someone.” She stepped closer, leaning against the railing beside him. “I’m here. Whatever it is, you can tell me.” For a moment, he was silent, staring out into the darkness. Then he sighed, the weight of everything pressing down on his shoulders. “I don’t know how to do this,” he admitted. “Letting someone help me. Letting someone care. It feels... wrong.” Her chest tightened at his words, but she reached out, placing a hand gently on his arm. “It’s not wrong, Hades. You don’t have to go through everything alone. You’ve carried enough.” He glanced at her, his guarded expression faltering. “Why do you care so much? About me?” She met his gaze, her voice steady. “Because you’re worth it. Even if you don’t see it yet, I do.” For a moment, the world seemed to stand still. Then, without thinking, he reached out, his fingers brushing against hers where they rested on the railing. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Lara,” he said softly, his voice almost a whisper. Her heart swelled, and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “You don’t have to figure it out alone anymore. I’m not going anywhere.” Lara said softly, her words steady, even as her heart raced. Hades’s gaze locked onto hers, and for a moment, she thought he might pull away—retreat into the walls he always seemed to carry with him. But then, something shifted in his expression. The guarded mask he wore cracked, and for the first time, she saw raw vulnerability in his eyes, a kind of need he didn’t know how to express. Before she could say anything else, he leaned in, his movements hesitant but determined. His lips met hers, and it wasn’t like the rushed or awkward kisses she’d imagined in her head—it was something else entirely. It was raw, unpolished, and filled with all the emotions he couldn’t say out loud. Lara froze for a heartbeat, caught off guard by the intensity of it, but then she melted into him, her hands instinctively rising to his chest. She could feel his heart pounding beneath her palms, matching the rapid beat of her own. The kiss wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t need to be. It spoke of everything Hades couldn’t put into words—his fear, his pain, his desperate hope for something good amidst the chaos of his life. When they finally pulled apart, his forehead rested against hers, his breath warm against her skin. “I… I don’t know how to do this,” he murmured, his voice barely audible. Lara smiled softly, her fingers brushing against his cheek. “We’ll figure it out together,” she whispered. Hades closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath. For the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to face the darkness alone.Related chapters
Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTYTWO
HADESThe smell of breakfast greeted me as I walked into the kitchen the next morning, the sunlight streaming through the windows of Lara’s house—a house that felt impossibly warm compared to the life I was used to. Her dad stood at the stove, flipping pancakes with an ease that made me wonder if this kind of normalcy was second nature to people like him. People like Lara.Lara was already at the table, her face bright and full of life as she sipped on a cup of coffee. She smiled at me when I walked in, and something inside me settled. My mom was seated quietly next to her, looking more at peace than I’d seen in years, but the dark circles under her eyes told me just how much the past few days had taken out of her.“Morning, Hades,” Lara’s dad said, his tone casual and welcoming. “I was thinking we should all talk after breakfast.”That put me on edge. Conversations like this usually led to something bad in my experience, but I nodded, not wanting to appear ungrateful.After we’d eate
Last Updated : 2025-01-17Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
LARA By the time we got home, Dad was already standing outside the car, holding a set of keys in his hand. His expression was unreadable, but I could tell he was nervous about how this would play out. He glanced between Hades and me, then gestured toward the apartment building. "Got the keys ready for you," Dad said warmly, handing them to Hades. “It’s not much, but it’s safe and comfortable. You can start fresh here.” Hades hesitated for a moment, looking at the keys like they were something foreign. I saw the flicker of emotion in his eyes—gratitude, relief, maybe even disbelief. “Thank you, Mr. Kingsley,” he said quietly, gripping the keys tightly. Dad smiled and turned to me. "Help them settle in, sweetheart. Then we’ll give them some space." I nodded, already moving to the trunk of the car where some of the furniture and supplies Dad had insisted on buying were packed. Hades followed, his face still tense, but there was a softness in his eyes when he looked at me. We spent
Last Updated : 2025-01-20Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
HADES The door closed behind them, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the apartment was quiet. Not the suffocating silence of home, filled with tension and unspoken anger, but the kind of quiet that felt… peaceful. I turned to my mom. She was standing in the middle of the living room, her small frame looking even smaller amidst the new furniture. She ran her fingers over the edge of the couch like she couldn’t believe it was real. “Mom,” I said gently, stepping closer. She looked up at me, her eyes glassy but filled with something I hadn’t seen in years—hope. “Hades, this is… this is too much. They’ve done so much. That girl…” Her voice broke, and she shook her head. “That girl and her father—what kind of people just give so much without expecting anything in return?” I didn’t have an answer. “Good people,” I said simply. “People we’re not used to.” Her lips trembled as she sank onto the couch. “Do you think it’s okay for us to stay here? Do we deserve this?
Last Updated : 2025-01-20Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
LARAI was walking down the hallway, a slight bounce in my step. The past few weeks had been nothing short of amazing. Hades and I were finally in a good place, and I felt like nothing could ruin my mood. That is, until Hector decided to step in my way.He leaned against the lockers, blocking my path, with that smug grin plastered across his face. “Well, if it isn’t the school’s charity worker,” he sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. “Tell me, Lara, what’s it like slumming it with Hades? Are you trying to save him or something? Because, newsflash, you can’t.”I stopped in my tracks, narrowing my eyes at him. “Excuse me?” I said, my voice sharp. “What I do and who I care about is none of your business, Hector.”“Oh, but it is,” he said, crossing his arms. “You’re dragging our school’s reputation through the mud by parading around with someone like him. It’s pathetic, really. You’re way out of his league.”My fists clenched at my sides, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of
Last Updated : 2025-01-20Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
HADESI had just finished texting Lara, her last message making me feel lighter than I had in days.Lara: “Of course. Meet at the courtyard?”Me: “Yeah. Can’t wait.”Lara: “Me either :)”Sliding my phone into my pocket, I headed to class, feeling like maybe things were finally falling into place. Life wasn’t perfect, but having her around made the weight I carried easier to bear. Between Lara, Marcus, and knowing my mom was finally in a safe place, I felt like I could handle anything.Until I heard the voice behind me.“Excuse me.”I turned to see two cops approaching, their expressions serious but calm. My stomach dropped.“Hades Giovanni?” the taller one asked.My entire body went rigid. “Yeah, that’s me.”“We need you to come with us.”My mind immediately raced through every possible scenario. My dad. It had to be him. Either he’d done something, or he’d found a way to drag me into one of his messes again.I swallowed hard, trying not to let the unease show on my face. “Why?”The s
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I felt so relieved when Mr. Zane told those policemen off. The tension in the air seemed to dissolve in an instant, like a heavy weight lifted from my chest. My heart slowed, and I dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, Hades would be okay. But that relief was short-lived when Mr. Zane turned to Hades and said those words."Follow me to my office."My stomach sank. I could feel my pulse quicken, the weight of the situation crashing down on me again. Why did Mr. Zane want him in his office? Was it something more than just a talk? My gaze flicked from Hades to the policemen, then back to Mr. Zane, whose face remained unreadable.Hades, for his part, didn’t resist. His expression was neutral, but there was something about the way he walked toward the principal’s office that made my insides twist. It was like he had already accepted whatever came next, like he knew this was another thing he had to deal with. But I couldn’t shake the fear that something bad was going to happen.I stood froz
Last Updated : 2025-01-21Unconditional Love CHAPTER 28
HADESI followed Mr. Zane into his office, the door closing behind me with a quiet thud. The room felt suffocating, the smell of old books and faint traces of coffee filling the air. Mr. Zane gestured for me to take a seat, his expression unreadable.“Take a seat, Mr. Giovanni,” he said, his tone calm but with an underlying sharpness that made me feel like I was being scrutinized under a microscope.I sat down, the chair creaking beneath me, and tried to keep my cool. I had no idea what this was about. The tension in the room was thick, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.Mr. Zane leaned forward, folding his hands together on the desk. He studied me for a moment, as if measuring his words carefully. “You’ve been walking around with bruises on your face, Mr. Giovanni. I assume you’re aware of that.”I stiffened. Of course, I knew about the bruises. I didn’t exactly have the luxury of avoiding them, not with the life I was living. But I wasn’t about to explain that
Last Updated : 2025-01-21Unconditional Love CHAPTER ONE
LARA “Girl, it’s finally senior year! Are you excited?” I ask my best friend Gianna over the phone as I pull my hair into a loose ponytail. “Excited? Girl, I’m more hyped than the first time I saw your dad take off his shirt,” Gianna squeals, her laugh ringing through the line. “Ugh, Gigi, we were fourteen! How was that even exciting for you? Gross! He’s like a second dad to you. Just… no.” “Lala, babe, let’s not rewrite history. It was a moment, okay? Besides, seventeen-year-old Gianna has evolved. I’m officially done with crushes on unavailable men and, more importantly, trash boys like Carlos.” Carlos—her ex. They dated for over a year until he dumped her, claiming she wasn’t “putting out.” The nerve. “Carlos is a pig,” I say firmly. “Good riddance.” “Exactly. This year, I’m focusing on hot, emotionally mature guys. Mark my words.” “I support you completely. Now, I’d better head downstairs before my dad starts yelling. Love you, and I’ll see you at school.” “Love
Last Updated : 2025-01-15
Latest chapter
Unconditional Love CHAPTER 28
HADESI followed Mr. Zane into his office, the door closing behind me with a quiet thud. The room felt suffocating, the smell of old books and faint traces of coffee filling the air. Mr. Zane gestured for me to take a seat, his expression unreadable.“Take a seat, Mr. Giovanni,” he said, his tone calm but with an underlying sharpness that made me feel like I was being scrutinized under a microscope.I sat down, the chair creaking beneath me, and tried to keep my cool. I had no idea what this was about. The tension in the room was thick, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.Mr. Zane leaned forward, folding his hands together on the desk. He studied me for a moment, as if measuring his words carefully. “You’ve been walking around with bruises on your face, Mr. Giovanni. I assume you’re aware of that.”I stiffened. Of course, I knew about the bruises. I didn’t exactly have the luxury of avoiding them, not with the life I was living. But I wasn’t about to explain that
Unconditional Love CHAPTER 27
I felt so relieved when Mr. Zane told those policemen off. The tension in the air seemed to dissolve in an instant, like a heavy weight lifted from my chest. My heart slowed, and I dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, Hades would be okay. But that relief was short-lived when Mr. Zane turned to Hades and said those words."Follow me to my office."My stomach sank. I could feel my pulse quicken, the weight of the situation crashing down on me again. Why did Mr. Zane want him in his office? Was it something more than just a talk? My gaze flicked from Hades to the policemen, then back to Mr. Zane, whose face remained unreadable.Hades, for his part, didn’t resist. His expression was neutral, but there was something about the way he walked toward the principal’s office that made my insides twist. It was like he had already accepted whatever came next, like he knew this was another thing he had to deal with. But I couldn’t shake the fear that something bad was going to happen.I stood froz
Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
HADESI had just finished texting Lara, her last message making me feel lighter than I had in days.Lara: “Of course. Meet at the courtyard?”Me: “Yeah. Can’t wait.”Lara: “Me either :)”Sliding my phone into my pocket, I headed to class, feeling like maybe things were finally falling into place. Life wasn’t perfect, but having her around made the weight I carried easier to bear. Between Lara, Marcus, and knowing my mom was finally in a safe place, I felt like I could handle anything.Until I heard the voice behind me.“Excuse me.”I turned to see two cops approaching, their expressions serious but calm. My stomach dropped.“Hades Giovanni?” the taller one asked.My entire body went rigid. “Yeah, that’s me.”“We need you to come with us.”My mind immediately raced through every possible scenario. My dad. It had to be him. Either he’d done something, or he’d found a way to drag me into one of his messes again.I swallowed hard, trying not to let the unease show on my face. “Why?”The s
Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
LARAI was walking down the hallway, a slight bounce in my step. The past few weeks had been nothing short of amazing. Hades and I were finally in a good place, and I felt like nothing could ruin my mood. That is, until Hector decided to step in my way.He leaned against the lockers, blocking my path, with that smug grin plastered across his face. “Well, if it isn’t the school’s charity worker,” he sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. “Tell me, Lara, what’s it like slumming it with Hades? Are you trying to save him or something? Because, newsflash, you can’t.”I stopped in my tracks, narrowing my eyes at him. “Excuse me?” I said, my voice sharp. “What I do and who I care about is none of your business, Hector.”“Oh, but it is,” he said, crossing his arms. “You’re dragging our school’s reputation through the mud by parading around with someone like him. It’s pathetic, really. You’re way out of his league.”My fists clenched at my sides, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of
Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
HADES The door closed behind them, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the apartment was quiet. Not the suffocating silence of home, filled with tension and unspoken anger, but the kind of quiet that felt… peaceful. I turned to my mom. She was standing in the middle of the living room, her small frame looking even smaller amidst the new furniture. She ran her fingers over the edge of the couch like she couldn’t believe it was real. “Mom,” I said gently, stepping closer. She looked up at me, her eyes glassy but filled with something I hadn’t seen in years—hope. “Hades, this is… this is too much. They’ve done so much. That girl…” Her voice broke, and she shook her head. “That girl and her father—what kind of people just give so much without expecting anything in return?” I didn’t have an answer. “Good people,” I said simply. “People we’re not used to.” Her lips trembled as she sank onto the couch. “Do you think it’s okay for us to stay here? Do we deserve this?
Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
LARA By the time we got home, Dad was already standing outside the car, holding a set of keys in his hand. His expression was unreadable, but I could tell he was nervous about how this would play out. He glanced between Hades and me, then gestured toward the apartment building. "Got the keys ready for you," Dad said warmly, handing them to Hades. “It’s not much, but it’s safe and comfortable. You can start fresh here.” Hades hesitated for a moment, looking at the keys like they were something foreign. I saw the flicker of emotion in his eyes—gratitude, relief, maybe even disbelief. “Thank you, Mr. Kingsley,” he said quietly, gripping the keys tightly. Dad smiled and turned to me. "Help them settle in, sweetheart. Then we’ll give them some space." I nodded, already moving to the trunk of the car where some of the furniture and supplies Dad had insisted on buying were packed. Hades followed, his face still tense, but there was a softness in his eyes when he looked at me. We spent
Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTYTWO
HADESThe smell of breakfast greeted me as I walked into the kitchen the next morning, the sunlight streaming through the windows of Lara’s house—a house that felt impossibly warm compared to the life I was used to. Her dad stood at the stove, flipping pancakes with an ease that made me wonder if this kind of normalcy was second nature to people like him. People like Lara.Lara was already at the table, her face bright and full of life as she sipped on a cup of coffee. She smiled at me when I walked in, and something inside me settled. My mom was seated quietly next to her, looking more at peace than I’d seen in years, but the dark circles under her eyes told me just how much the past few days had taken out of her.“Morning, Hades,” Lara’s dad said, his tone casual and welcoming. “I was thinking we should all talk after breakfast.”That put me on edge. Conversations like this usually led to something bad in my experience, but I nodded, not wanting to appear ungrateful.After we’d eate
Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
LARALying in bed, Lara felt a strange sense of peace that she hadn’t experienced in weeks. Knowing Hades was just across the room, breathing the same air, safe and away from the chaos he usually endured, made her heart swell. She turned over, clutching the pillow tighter, her thoughts racing.For once, she didn’t have to brace herself for the sight of a new bruise or a fresh cut marring his face when he walked through the school gates. She didn’t have to spend her mornings wondering if today would be the day his world crumbled completely. Tonight, for this fleeting moment, he was here. Safe.Her lips curved into a small smile as her mind wandered to the way he’d looked at her earlier—the softest glimpse of vulnerability hidden behind his guarded expression. She knew he wasn’t used to this: care, comfort, someone worrying about him without expecting anything in return. Maybe he didn’t fully understand it yet, but she’d keep showing him, day by day, that he deserved itLara’s phone buz
Unconditional Love CHAPTER TWENTY
HADESAs we walked into Lara’s house, I could feel her eyes constantly flicking between me and my mom, like she was trying to figure out what we needed, how she could help. I didn’t miss the way her brows furrowed, her concern evident in the way she studied me. She had been through a lot today, and yet she still managed to care about me, about my mom. It wasn’t lost on me. She could have left us alone, could have just let me handle it like I always did, but she didn’t. That look in her eyes reminded me so much of how I felt about my mom—always worried, always wanting to fix things, to make them better.And I hated that feeling. I hated seeing my mom like this, beaten down by life, by the mess I called home. But Lara didn’t seem to care. She just kept pushing, kept making sure we were okay, and that messed with me in ways I couldn’t explain.Her dad was... different. He was calm, welcoming even. He didn’t look at us with pity or judgment, just offered help, let us stay without hesitati
