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~Leo~ As we lingered in Greenville, I could sense Theodore's tension, thickening the air around us like a storm brewing on the horizon. His desperation for us to start our journey to Mountain was palpable, yet he remained steadfast, patiently waiting for us to depart. Despite our efforts to delay, Theodore remained resolute. Amelia and I found ourselves in a hushed conversation, seeking solace in the confines of our room before setting out. She voiced her concerns about Theodore's potential involvement, fearing he might act impulsively and come to regret his decisions later. "We can't let him join us. Theodore might do something he'd regret," Amelia confided in me, her voice tinged with worry. I agreed, understanding her apprehension yet feeling conflicted. "I can't say no, either. You know how Theo and Linda will get. Besides, this is their daughter in question," I reasoned, knowing the delicate balance we needed to maintain within the family dynamics. Amelia pointed out the ob
~Lilly~ The moment Noah linked me, telling me it was time, my heart began to pound in my chest. I knew it would come to this eventually, and there was a possibility my folks might be unreasonable about it. Regardless, I braced myself for the worst of it. I knew what I wanted, and I wouldn't look back. Knowing that what Lesley had with Brandon was contractual put me at ease. The fact that he did not have her mark meant he was telling the truth. I had all the evidence I needed to know I wasn't making a mistake. Regardless of the press and the people, I would choose him. Dressing up, I looked at Brandon sitting on the couch in the room. I could see he was nervous. I wouldn't blame him. Everything was against him, but he needed to understand that I wasn't, and he would always have me. I approached him and crouched down, positioning myself at eye level to ensure he could meet my gaze as we conversed. "I understand that you've been carrying this burden alone," I empathised, noticing th
~Brandon~ I was afraid. I tried to mask it, but fear had engulfed me. What if they take Lilly from me? What if the time we spent in the room was the last time we would spend together? Lord Orlov could order his daughter to follow him home. They could threaten and scare her. They could ask her to choose. I wasn't worth shit, and I came with a lot of baggage. The thought that swam in my mind did not help matters, but I held on to what Lilly told me. She said I should trust her, and that was all I had now: her words, and I planned to hold on to them with all my heart. Arriving at the Lord's house, I was surprised to see the small bungalow. It was old and beautiful, but it was well-kept. The only thing that gave the age of the building away was the design. People didn't build things like this anymore. Other than the design, it looked new and simple, but the house was impressive. I wouldn't mind sharing something like this with Lilly, that is, if she would like it. I plan to only d
~Brandon~ The tension in the room was high, and since Lord Orlov did not interrupt me, I continued to speak. "It may seem impossible to you, but Winter wasn't the only person to whom the goddess smiled. She smiled at me, too, leading me to meet Lillian. She is my second chance," I confessed, and they all gasped. Lady Linda looked at Lillian in shock, and Lillian nodded. "He is telling the truth. We are fated," She said, and Lord Theodore did not know what to say. There was a silence in the living room, and then Lord Theodore spoke. "Why didn't you reject her? If you love her and are a good person, you won't put her through what she is going through right now. People are calling her a home wrecker. How can you have that on your conscience?" he asked me, and his words stung. "Maybe I am not a good person," I responded, and he growled at me. Rejecting Lilly wasn't an option, and he needed to know it. "I won't have accepted it, father. So don't even bother asking him that," Lillian
~Lilly~ I anticipated some friction with my parents, and they lived up to my expectations. However, having Uncle Leo present diffused the tension, for which I was grateful. I couldn't help but commend my parents for coming around quicker than I had anticipated. While I knew it would take time for them to fully accept Brandon, their willingness to engage in conversation and listen to our perspective was a promising start. My heart softened towards my father despite the harsh words he had initially directed at Brandon. I understood that change wouldn't happen overnight, and it would take more than just telling them we were fated for them to embrace him wholeheartedly. Despite the initial tension, we had made some progress, and for that, I silently thanked the universe—or perhaps the goddess, as I often did—for making this first step a little easier than anticipated. After breakfast, we bid farewell to Uncle Leo and made our way back to Noah and Sebastien's house. While I yearned to
~Lilly~ Minutes later, I got dressed, knowing that Gemma and the Jewels had either already arrived or were about to arrive. Heading out of the room, I went to the living room; I met only Luis there. "Where is Anthony?" I asked him, wondering why he was playing the game alone. "Said he was heading to the orphanage to hang out with Winter and Summer," he said, laughing, and I wondered what was funny. "What's funny about that, and when did he become such good friends with Winter and Summer?" I asked, and Luis chuckled. "That is because he is going to see a seventeen-year-old girl called Chelsea. Both he and Ethan compete for her, but it seems Ethan has already beaten him to it. Poor guy doesn't know when to give up," He said, and I felt a bit bad for Anthony. He deserved to have someone by now. I just hoped he wouldn't have to wait like me. Gemma and Eleanor, too. I hope they can find their mates soon. "Gemma and Eleanor are in Ethan's room. They came in a few minutes ago, but I tol
~Anthony~ Everything had gone crazy, and we were all finding it hard to find our footing. I knew I should be on my way to Greenville, but I also knew my cousins needed my help. I knew Noah and Sebastien were tough, and their mates seemed up to the task, but I knew the heat was definitely going to be high, and if we did not help each other out, we would all get burnt. I could see the resignation in the faces of Noah and Sebastien. I could see their determination to walk away if all should fail. I couldn't let it come to that. Whatever was happening was targeted at all of us, and if we did not take care, it would ruin us all. Luis and I remained in the living room playing video games while the rest went about their business. Summer, Winter and Ethan went to the orphanage. I didn't need to guess why Ethan had gone to the orphanage. I knew it was to see Chelsea. The fact that the guy had a head start before me meant the only way I could get Chelsea was if we were fated. Added to the
~Anthony~ Aspen was elated and led me to the kitchen. I hoped she wasn't up to anything dubious. With the press trying to nail everyone, no one outside our circle could be trusted. "How old are you, again?" I asked, and she smiled. "I'll be eighteen next month," She said, beaming at me, and I nodded. "In other words, you are seventeen," I said, sounding uninterested, and she nodded. "Good to know," I said and planned to maintain my distance. I wouldn't want a scandal. We entered the kitchen, and she moved to make the tea. She brought out some muffins from the oven, and they smelled fresh and delicious. "Fresh muffins?" I said, sniffing the air. The flavours were divine. She nodded with a smile and then bit into one of them. She closed her eyes and savoured the taste. I reached for my cup of tea and took a sip. It was herbal tea. I appreciated the fact that she didn't decide to serve me caffeine. She brought me two flavours, a banana and a Blueberry muffin. "Who made them?" I a