Grey_chrysa🌸の小説

CHAPTER FOUR ELOWEN VALE WINSLOW I hated funerals and solemn ceremonies. I was melancholic enough on my own. I hated being in this place. I hated the fact that people were attending a ‘commendation dinner' when someone had died, and I was one of them. I walked faster towards the bathroom and made it just in time to allow my composure to crumble. I had been holding back, been holding tight. But this was the funeral of my adoptive mother, Sherry. I had not seen or heard of her in a little over three years. Then Damon, my adoptive father contacted me to let me know she had died and he would appreciate seeing me at the funeral. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, taking deep breaths and wishing I had not come here. Now that I was here, I remembered why I had left, why I did not want to ever come back here. My life in Portland was peaceful. I had my daughter and more than enough money to take care of her. My peace had been disrupted when I randomly got an email from Damon while I

CHAPTER THREEELOWEN VALEI actively avoided Arden and Melrose for three weeks. It wasn’t difficult. They never really talked to me anyway, even though Melrose was always at our house with Arden. It made sense; she was the only child of extremely rich parents who were always busy.But I couldn’t face them. I couldn’t face anyone. I couldn’t even face myself. I didn’t want them to ask me about the party, or whether I made out with Dane, or why I left so suddenly.“Lowen, can I come in?” Arden’s voice came from behind my door, but before I could respond, she was already stepping inside.I had soft music playing to drown out the chaos in my head as I painted. I’d always been different. I never quite fit in, and that left me lonely and sad. But since the night of the party, devastation, grief, and a loss I couldn’t even name had been layered on top of that sadness. I was doing my best to ignore it.Melrose followed Arden into the room and shut the door behind her.“What are you painting?”

CHAPTER TWOELOWEN VALEI opened my mouth to speak but I had no words to say. I was deeply confused and scared. This was supposed to be Dane's room. Did he have a brother? He did not look like Dane. I did not know a lot of people, but I knew he was not someone from East Halewood High School. He was older, but not by much. He gave off an air of regalness and wealth that even my adoptive parents could not compare to– and they were rich."Oh," he murmured. His voice sent tremors through me yet again and I started to grow intoxicated by his scent, his aura. He took off his suit jacket and casually tossed it to the floor.He pulled the covers back and my heart sank. I looked at him with panic but his eyes were fixed on my feet."Martin sent you here, yes? Have you been paid?" His words were said with a curtness that almost cut me. His warm hands enclosed around my ankles and I felt myself dissolve into the bed."I–I…" I stuttered, inhaling and exhaling sharply. Paid? What was going on? My

CHAPTER ONEELOWEN VALEI stared at the mirror with wonder. I almost did not recognize the person I was seeing in my reflection. Thirty minutes of sitting as still as I could while Arden dusted colors and powders over my face had resulted in me looking better than I ever had. I looked at the waves in my hair. They were more defined than they would be on a normal day and it was thanks to Melrose and Arden's curling wand.I took a deep breath and raised my hands to my cheeks. I wanted to see if the blush would come off on my fingers, if my freckles would no longer be hidden. I caught sight of the paint under my nails. I drew my hand away from my face and turned on the faucet. I vigorously washed the paint away. “Lowen, you need to hurry,” Melrose called from outside the bathroom. “I'm coming,” I responded and dried my hands off on my dress before I realized what I was doing. I stopped myself halfway through. It was a mini brown bodycon dress and the moisture from my hands was print