Romane von Amycee

Aunt Sophia was still keeping malice with me.She refused to speak to me, claiming I betrayed her over “some outsider who sings.” The funny part was, she had already made up with Uncle Mason.I tried getting Dad to help me talk to her, but he shut it down immediately.“I’m not getting involved,” he said. “You’ll drag me in to make peace, then the moment you reconcile, I’ll be the one looking like the problem. I’m staying out of it.”Mom wasn’t any better.“You should have thought about it before choosing that ticket,” she said, not even letting me explain.Even Uncle Mason, the same man I helped, refused to back me up.“I just got out of the doghouse. I’m not going back in because of you.”I scoffed. “Next time, don’t call me.”He laughed. “I’ll just make it impossible for you to say no next time.”If I went over to Aunt Sophia’s place, she wouldn’t talk to me. She’d just sulk and throw passive comments like, “It’s always your family.”It was dramatic. Completely unnecessary. But it w

After spending some time with Adrian, he decided to drop me off.He parked a little distance from the house because I didn’t want Dad or Mom spotting us in case they were already back.I told him goodnight and reached for the door, but he caught my wrist lightly. “That’s it?” he asked.I glanced back at him. “What do you mean?”He tilted his head. “You’re missing something.”I already knew what he meant. I rolled my eyes but leaned in. “You’re doing too much,” I muttered before pressing my lips to his.He didn’t let it stay simple. His hand came up, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss.A sharp tap on the glass made me jerk back. I turned and saw Aunt Sophia standing there with a small, knowing smile. “Oh my God,” I whispered under my breath.“Who’s that?” Adrian asked.“My aunt.”He straightened immediately and wound down the window.“Aunt Sophia, please… not now,” I pleaded, already embarrassed.She ignored me completely and looked straight at Adrian. “You must be Adrian.”He n

Jason and I tell each other almost everything. Maybe because it’s just the two of us.So I told him about Adrian. How it started, how it went wrong, and where we were now. When I finished, he went quiet.Then he smiled. “You never miss a chance to get into trouble.”I frowned. “Did you even listen? I didn’t know who he was at the start.”Jason shrugged. “Still doesn’t change the outcome.”I rolled my eyes. He leaned back, amused. “The relationship coach with relationship problems. Interesting.”“Jason,” I warned.He ignored me. “I’m the fake boyfriend. You’re the two-weeks girlfriend. We’re doing great.”“Jason, stop it,” I groaned.He chuckled, then his expression shifted as his gaze moved past me for a second before returning. “Why did it have to be a Valecrest?” he asked.I sighed. “I know. It’s messy. But I guess life doesn’t care how complicated things get.”He studied me. “Do you really love him?”I hesitated. “It doesn’t matter. We’re ending things anyway.”Jason didn’t push it

Jason and I worked side by side in Dad’s office.He handled a few things Dad had left for him, speaking to him briefly on the phone now and then, getting updates and instructions. Watching him, I understood why Dad trusted him enough to leave things in his hands. Jason was good.Really good.I found myself wondering how long it would take me to get to that level.Close to lunch, I nudged him. “Teach me something in negotiations.”He glanced at me, then pulled out a file. “Alright. We’ll both study this, then negotiate based on it.”We went through it separately first. When we started, I thought I was doing well—holding my ground, pushing back where it mattered.Until I wasn’t.Jason turned it around so smoothly I didn’t even see it coming. One second I thought I had him, the next, I was completely cornered. I just stared at him, stunned.He leaned back, laughing.“You crook,” I accused.“It’s business.”“How did you even do that?”“One of the perks of starting early and having a fathe

I woke up the next morning to a good morning text from Adrian, cheesy and over the top, very him.As I read through it, a smile slowly formed on my face. I’d agreed to the two weeks. To be his girlfriend again.In high spirits, my day started on a good note. I got out of bed and headed straight to the bathroom. By the time I was done and came back out, another message had come in.Adrian: Where’s my good morning text? I want to start my day right too.I shook my head, smiling as I typed one back.A few seconds after it delivered, another message came in.Adrian: Something’s missing.Me: What?Adrian: Check how mine ended.I scrolled up and saw it.I love you.I hovered over the screen, then typed back.Me: I love you too.His reply came in immediately—hearts, kisses, entirely too many emojis.I dropped my phone on the bed and went to my closet to get ready for work.When I stepped out, I headed to the dining area, expecting the usual, but did a double take when I saw my brother seated

I wrapped up quickly and left Dad’s office.A few minutes later, I pulled up and saw Adrian standing a few steps away, exactly where he said he would be.He smiled when he saw me. I parked, and he opened the passenger door and got in.I turned to him. “What is your problem? Why are you so determined to get me into trouble?”He didn’t answer. He just sat there, looking at me, smiling.“What’s funny?”“I’m just happy. You’re talking to me. Even if you’re yelling at me.”I rubbed my forehead. “What do you want? Be quick.”“I want to take you out on a date.”I stared at him. “Are you actually insane? I’m not going anywhere with you. There’s no way I’m risking being seen outside with you.”“You didn’t even ask where we’re going.”I gave him a look. He reached over, typed his address into the map, and leaned back. “Drive.”I let out a short laugh. “No.”He fastened his seatbelt and shut his eyes. “It’s fine. I don’t mind sleeping here, not when you’re here.”I glanced at him, then sighed an

Six months later.Sometimes I sit quietly and wonder how life managed to change so completely.For so long, everything had felt uncertain and fragile, like happiness was something that could disappear if I held it too tightly.But now…Everything felt beautiful. Perfect, if perfection even existed.Six months had passed since the wedding and our honeymoon, and somehow those months had gone by faster than I expected. Every day seemed to move with its own quiet rhythm as Cade and I continued building the life we had once struggled so hard to reach.And if there was one thing I had learned about being Cade’s wife, it was this: that man loved to spoil me.Not just in the loud, showy ways people could see.Cade covered every version of pampering – the loud, the quiet, the soft, and the deeply personal. He made sure my coffee was exactly how I liked it every morning. He never forgot the small things that mattered to me. And sometimes I caught him looking at me like he still couldn’t believe

“Wake up. You’re getting married today.”Romi’s voice woke me as she tapped my shoulder.I peeled one eye open and stared at her.“That sounds important.”“It is very important, and if I let you sleep through your own wedding, Cade is going to have my head.”I laughed.That was how my wedding morning began.The day passed in a blur after that. Shower. Skincare. Hair. Makeup. Dresses being steamed. Voices in every room. Someone was always looking for pins, perfume, earrings, or something that had apparently vanished in the middle of the chaos.Through all of it, Romi stayed glued to my side, somehow managing to help me get ready while also texting furiously on her phone every few minutes and rolling her eyes so hard I thought they might stay that way.“What’s wrong?” I asked while the makeup artist finished the final touch on my face.She looked up from her phone and groaned.“Your man is disturbing me.”I smiled immediately. “Cade?”“Who else? Of course it’s him. He wants to see you.”

Friday night started quietly, but it quickly turned into something much bigger than we had planned.At first, the plan had been simple. We would host a small gathering for the people closest to us before the wedding, let everyone relax, laugh, and enjoy themselves.But once everyone started arriving, the energy changed. The house came alive in a way that made it feel less like an event and more like a memory being made in real time.Noah was with my parents for the night, which gave the rest of us the freedom to stay out late without worrying about bedtime routines. Cade had arranged for most of the guests to stay at one of his other properties nearby, so no one had to stress about driving home or cutting the night short.A few of my old college friends flew in. Some people from my modeling days came too, the ones I had stayed cordial with over the years. Drew and Lauren arrived with their usual loud, familiar energy. Jesse and Chanel came together, which made me privately smile. Romi

Moving into the new house felt strangely unreal at first. For the first few days, I wasn’t sure whether Noah or Cade was the one more excited about it.They both couldn’t seem to get enough of each other. Noah even slept in our room with us most nights. On the days I insisted he sleep in his own room, I would still wake up in the middle of the night to find him in our bed. Cade would quietly go and carry him in from his room while I was asleep.That wasn’t all. Getting Cade to go to work became the real challenge.“Cade,” I said one morning, standing by the door with my bag, “you do remember you have a company to run, right?”“I know.”“You haven’t been there in two days. Your employees might start thinking you’ve disappeared.”He shrugged lazily. “I trust them to do their jobs well without my presence. That’s why I pay them.”I gave him the I’m serious look.“Get dressed. You’re going to work today.”He sighed. “Fine.”Later that afternoon, I realized I had forgotten something at hom

The Instagram post did exactly what I expected. It exploded.My phone had barely survived the first fifteen minutes before the notifications started pouring in. Messages. Mentions. Comments. Old contacts suddenly remembering I existed.But the one message that made me laugh out loud came from Drew.Send me your number immediately.I stared at the screen for a second, already knowing what was coming. Then I sent him my number.My phone rang less than ten seconds later. The moment I picked up, Drew started yelling.“Are you kidding me right now, Mira?”I laughed.“You disappear for years,” he continued dramatically, “and the first thing I find out is that you’re engaged through Instagram?”“I’m sorry,” I said between laughs. “I’m sorry.”“You shut me out!”“I know.”“You vanished!”“I know!”“You have been a very bad girl.”“I said I’m sorry,” I repeated, still laughing.There was a long pause, then Drew sighed loudly.“Send me your address.”Before I could say anything else, he hung up

Noah and I were still buzzing with excitement by the time Cade dropped us back at my parents’ house. The entire drive home had been filled with Noah talking nonstop about the new house.By the time the car stopped in the driveway, he was practically vibrating with energy.“Go tell Grandma,” Cade said with a laugh as Noah jumped out before the engine had fully stopped.He ran toward the house, already bursting to share the news.Cade glanced at me from the driver’s seat, his expression soft.“Tomorrow,” he said.“Tomorrow,” I repeated.There was something comforting about that word now. Tomorrow meant the house and building a home together.I leaned over and kissed his cheek before stepping out of the car. The sight in the living room made me pause. Max was sitting on the couch, and beside him was Romi.Noah barely noticed them as he rushed past.“Grandma!” he shouted, already heading down the hallway.Max looked up and smiled when he saw me.“Mira.”“Max,” I said, genuinely surprised.

Ruben’s leg slammed against the door until it gave way and crashed to the floor. He stormed in, demanding my phone. I refused, clutching it tightly.He lunged for it, trying to take it by force, and I bit down hard on his hand.He swore, anger flashing across his face as he raised his hand to slap me, but I was quicker. My knee drove straight into him, and he doubled over with a sharp grunt, crouching in pain.All my focus was on him, so I didn’t see Nina coming. The vase hit my back before I could react.Pain shot through me as I fell, my palm scraping against the floor. She snatched my phone from my hand in one swift move.Before I could get up, Ruben, still swearing, landed a slap across my face so hard it rang in my ears.“You’ll learn,” he spat. “I’ll deal with you until you come back to your senses. You’ll beg for what you did. No food. No water.”Nina stepped in immediately. “Let’s lock her in the store downstairs.”She grabbed my hair, yanking me up, and together they dragged

I woke up late.It took forever before sleep finally came, and even then it was almost morning. I’d spent most of the night going over the way Mason pulled back.Glad there was no work for me today. I got dressed and headed downstairs, Lior’s voice already filling the kitchen, bright and full of life.I walked in to find him and Mason already seated, both dressed, breakfast laid out in front of them. With Lior there, we didn’t have to get into the awkward conversation about last night.“Good morning, Mama!” Lior greeted me.“Good morning,” I replied, walking over. “Did you sleep well?”“I did.”I nodded, then looked at Mason. “You’re going out?”“Yeah. Just me and him today.”“Okay.”“I’ll be careful,” he added.“I know.”He gestured to the table. “Fix yourself a plate.”Breakfast was light because of Lior. He talked, nonstop, dragging Mason into stories about planets and things he’d “discovered.” Mason played along, asking questions, keeping him going.I kept quiet, only speaking whe

When we got to Mason’s house, the same woman who had opened the door the first day I came was in the kitchen, setting down a cup of coffee. Mason thanked her, and she disappeared right after.He picked up the cup and handed it to me, the heat seeping through my fingers. “Drink it. Then go take a hot shower. It’ll help.”He glanced around the kitchen, said nothing else, then walked away.I let out a quiet breath as he left, watching the set of his shoulders until he turned the corner. Something in my chest pulled tight. He hadn’t really looked at me since we got in, and the distance felt intentional.I cradled the cup and took a careful sip. Heat spread through my hands, then my throat. My mind went back to the drive, the way his hands gripped the wheel tight, his jaw set the whole time.He was upset.I just didn’t know if it was about me.I finished the rest, set the cup down, and headed upstairs.The shower helped, just like he said it would. The heat took the edge off the cold still

I stepped outside and froze. All four of my tires were flat.I didn’t need anyone to tell me who did it. Ruben wasn’t the type to hide his cruelty. When he wanted to hurt you, he did it openly, looking you in the eye while doing it. This was Lily. The kind of petty damage she’d leave for you to discover on your own.I let out a slow breath, the frustration sitting low in my chest. If this had happened while Lior was still sick, I would have lost it. I knew what it had taken for me to get this car.I got it for emergencies, because depending on Ruben wasn’t an option. Now that Lior was okay, I pushed it aside and took the bus to work, leaving it for later.A few coworkers greeted me as I walked in, and I returned their greetings with a small nod. Jane wasn’t in today, but she had already told me about the new supervisor replacing Mr. Mac.I knocked lightly on her door and waited. “Come in,” she called.I stepped inside.She smiled at me, and I didn’t move right away, not used to it, be

Lily’s voice, reporting me to her mother with lies about how I had “physically assaulted her,” was the last thing I heard before I shut my door.I unpacked, changed, and went straight to bed, lying on my back and staring at the ceiling, hoping for a bit of quiet. It didn’t last. The sounds started not long after, low moans and rough grunts carrying through the walls, and I turned my head, already knowing what it was.Ruben’s room wasn’t even close to mine, which meant they were doing it somewhere I could hear on purpose, and all it earned from me was a small laugh, because if they thought that was going to get a reaction out of me, they were wasting their time.Nina’s voice got louder, drawn out and exaggerated, and I couldn’t even tell if she was enjoying herself, in pain, or just performing.Either way, it didn’t matter. Lior was okay now, and I could finally focus on getting out, saving up for a divorce lawyer and ending this.My phone dinged, Mason’s name popped up on the screen.

Over the next few days, Lior was finally cleared to go.Mason drove us to his house. I sat in the passenger seat, stealing quiet glances at Lior in the back. He looked smaller somehow, still a little weak, but there was light in his eyes again. I focused on that.Mason’s house came into view, and even before we stepped inside, I knew nothing about Lior’s life was going to remain the same.The moment we walked into his room, Lior froze. His eyes widened slowly, taking everything in like he didn’t trust it was real.He turned to Mason. “Dad… is this really my room?”Mason nodded. “Yeah. It’s yours.”“I get to sleep here?”There was something in his voice that made my chest tighten.“Yes,” Mason said calmly. “Do you like it?”Lior nodded quickly. “I do. It’s… it’s amazing.”He climbed onto the bed like he was afraid it might disappear if he didn’t touch it.I stood there watching him, the excitement all over his face, and I couldn’t even blame him, because back at Ruben’s house we shared