Nobela ni Melisa Gustafsson

A few days had passed since her trip to Geldon City, and finally—finally—the day had come. Zara had the day off, and they had made plans to spend it together. All of it.Lee and Jared had looked at her sideways when she'd informed the team she’d be off-grid and unreachable. She’d seen the way their gazes tightened, how their questions about who she was always texting or calling came one after the other. Suspicious. Subtle, but not subtle enough. Lucas and Jared weren’t obnoxious about itbut it was clear neither of them thought it was wise for her to get tangled with Zara. Lee, though, was becoming a real problem—always snooping, always hovering.That shit really got on her nerves. She was grown. Their opinions were moot.It Didn’t matter that she’d said she’d stay away from Zara. If she didn’t stick to that? Still none of their business.Hell, even she couldn’t explain the hold Zara had on her.Bri checked her mirrors, took a sharp left, nearing Zara’s place. She pulled out her phone

Lee grinned and raised his glass of champagne. “To a night out with royalty,” he toasted.“Kings and queens,” Jared added, already a little loose as he clinked flutes with him.Bri and Lucas turned away from the toast, both peering out the private jet window. “There,” Lucas said, tapping the glass, “that’s where the stadium’s going.”Bri nodded without really seeing it. Her eyes flicked across the skyline, then down at her phone. A small, unreadable smile ghosted her lips.Lee dropped into the leather seat beside them. “You two know you’re missing the party, right? The bubbly is flowing and Jared’s on his third champagne flirt.”Lucas chuckled but kept looking out. “I’m scouting future landmarks. Bri’s teaching me to think like an empire builder.”Bri didn’t respond. She was already texting someone with rapid thumbs and a strangely tender focus. Not businesslike. Not detached. Intimate.Lee watched her a beat too long, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses fading behind the quiet

Just before closing, the lights in the club dimmed into that final, flickering state—half-lit strobes washing over sticky floors, half-finished drinks, and tired bodies. The music was still playing, but it had lost the rhythm of seduction, dragging now like an exhausted heartbeat. Zara stepped into the staff hallway, the scent of old perfume, sweat, and something sour lingering on the walls like a bruise.Her phone buzzed in her back pocket.Bri.She answered without hesitation, swinging her backpack over one shoulder as the last of the dancers passed her by in glitter-smeared silence.“Hey,” she murmured, breath fogging faintly in the cool air. “I thought you’d be in a flight or something.”There was the rustle of a coat, the muted noise of a distant airport behind Bri’s voice.“I just landed in Geldon City,” Bri said, her tone low but clear. “Figured you’d be getting off work by now. If you keep me on the line... I’ll handle that stalker for you.”Zara blinked, caught off guard. The

Zara woke up from her nap feeling refreshed, her phone buzzing beside her. She checked the screen—Tia had sent a message. She sighed, rolling over onto her stomach, and tapped it open.This is Bri’s number. I’m sure she’s not your stalker, but please be careful. Text me when you get off work tonight—Trev’s our designated driver, and he can totally pick you up!Zara smirked and quickly replied, her thumbs tapping out a message full of hearts. She stared at Bri’s number for a moment before her fingers hesitated over the keys. A deep breath, and she typed:If you’re following me, please stop. My boyfriend will fuck you up.She hit send and tossed the phone aside with a quiet exhale, feeling a sense of satisfaction. But it wasn’t long before she jumped in the shower, the hot water rushing over her skin, trying to wash away the tension of the day. She needed to feel clean, before and after work it helpt compatenlize her job and her life as a nurse student.When she stepped out, steam still

Chapter 8Zara sat on the worn-out leather couch in the dimly lit dressing room, the flickering overhead lights casting long shadows across her face as she counted the crumpled bills she’d earned from tonight’s performance. A frown tugged at her lips. It had been another slow night—no surprise, given it was Thursday. Only the top girls got to perform on Fridays and Saturdays, and Zara, still new to the scene, didn’t have the same pull. No loyal regulars waiting for her shows. She wasn’t one of the girls that brought in the crowd.She absently smoothed out the bills, their edges rough against her fingertips. The stage, once a place of adrenaline, now felt like a trap. The pressure in the air was suffocating—thick with expectation. It was like trying to breathe underwater. She’d almost rather be doing the menial work—waitressing or cleaning up—those shifts might not be lucrative, but at least there was no spotlight, no constant scrutiny.Private dances were rare for her too. The regular

Bri walked into the conference room, the faint hum of murmured conversations falling silent as soon as she entered. She barely noticed the tension in the air; it was the usual corporate choreography, a mix of egos, proposals, and power plays. But today, she could feel something else, something lurking beneath the surface.Her eyes flicked over the senior execs—Chen Long, with his ever-present smugness, sat hunched over his iPad, barely acknowledging her arrival. Lee, next to Lucas, was already flushed, shoulders tense, as he tried to stay composed. Lucas, on the other hand, had that familiar look of someone trying to keep it together while the world spun around them.The meeting was already in full swing. Chen Long’s voice cut through the air, flat and matter-of-fact.“The southeast lands are cheap, but it’s not a desirable location,” Chen Long was saying, glancing up at the executives, his tone almost rehearsed. “I don’t think we should approve of investing and building here.”He was