Novels by Joycepen

CHAPTER 081POV FREYATHE GUILT WE CREATE The party was bigger than I thought.Gold and white ribbons hung from the ceiling, the chandeliers glowed brighter than usual, and every table was covered in fresh roses. Grandma sat at the far end, laughing with a nurse beside her, and my heart softened just seeing how happy she looked.Bibi’s hand slipped out of mine the moment we walked in. She spun in a slow circle, her pink dress brushing her knees, eyes darting everywhere like she was lost in a dream.“Mom, it’s so shiny here,” she whispered.“I know, baby. Grandma deserves it,” I smiled, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.We greeted a few relatives, and I tried to settle into the rhythm of things, but the atmosphere was loud, overwhelming, almost too grand for what it should’ve been. It felt like people came here to show off, not to celebrate.And maybe that’s why I didn’t notice when Bibi disappeared.I turned, and she was gone.My heart jumped to my throat. I scanned the ta

CHAPTER 080POV FREYAI left home earlier than the planned time and I kept convincing myself that I wasn't nervous, that a dead man couldn't possibly just show up.But I was scared, the fact that it might be true scared me.I sat at the corner of the cafe, my hands wrapped too tightly around my bag. The smell of coffee and cinnamon made my stomach twist. Every time the door opened, my heart jumped, then sank again.I told myself it wouldn’t be him. It couldn’t be. People don’t just come back from the dead.I glanced at my phone again.Blueridge Cafe. 5 PM. I’ll explain everything.Whoever sent that had to be a scammer. Maybe someone who knew my past, someone cruel enough to use his name.But then the door opened again.And there he was.A dead man.He stood by the entrance, scanning the room, his hand fisting once, punching his palm just like he always did when he was nervous. The gesture made my throat tighten painfully.My purse slipped from my hand and hit the floor. The sound made

Chapter 079POV FREYAGRANDMA'S treatment home was quieter than I remembered. The kind of quiet that comes with old piano music echoing faintly down the hallway and the gentle hum of nurses talking in low voices. The scent of chamomile tea and disinfectant mixed strangely in the air.She was by the window again, her silver hair pinned up neatly, her floral blanket tucked around her knees. She was staring outside, humming something I almost recognized, an old lullaby she used to sing to me when I was small.“Grandma,” I said softly.She turned slowly, her eyes lighting up when she saw me. “Freya, darling.” Her voice trembled but still held that familiar warmth that always made me feel seven years old again. “You came.”I smiled and kissed her forehead. “Of course I did. You think I’d forget you?”She chuckled faintly. “Oh, people forget a lot of things at my age.”"Well I'm not your age." She smiled.I pulled up a chair beside her and sat down. “How are you feeling today?”“Oh, the nur

Chapter 078POV FREYA When I got home, the house was quieter than usual. The kind of quiet that doesn’t comfort, it presses down, sits heavy on your skin.Bibi was sitting cross legged on her bed, coloring something I couldn’t quite make out until I leaned closer. It was a drawing of three people holding hands. One of them was smaller, with orange hair like hers. The two taller ones looked like me and Kaiden.That night had been quieter than usual. The rain had started sometime after dinner, light at first, then steady, tapping against the windows like it was trying to remind us of something we’d forgotten.She then curled beside me in bed, her hair still damp from her bath, smelling faintly of vanilla shampoo. She was tracing shapes on my arm with her finger, little hearts, circles, stars. It was our usual bedtime game.“Mommy?” she said after a while, her voice small, almost hesitant.“Yes, baby?”She kept tracing. “Can I ask you something?”“Of course you can.”She stopped, looke

CHAPTER 077POV (FREYA)By the next morning, I hadn’t slept. Not really. I just laid there, staring at the ceiling, replaying that voice over and over until I started doubting what I’d heard at all.Alan’s voice.It couldn’t be.I showered twice. Drank coffee I didn’t taste. Drove through three red lights before realizing I was even driving. By the time I parked in front of Dr. 's’s clinic, my hands were trembling so badly I had to sit still for a moment just to catch my breath. She looked surprised when I walked in, her eyes flicking from the folder in her hand to my face.“Freya?” she said, pushing her glasses up. “You didn’t book an appointment.” "Is Bibi okay?" She asked again and I sighed."You should've set an appointment then I would have cancelled the -" “I know,” I said quietly. “im sorry I just… needed to talk.”Something in my tone must have told her enough because she gestured toward her office immediately. “Come in. Sit.”The room was the same as always. The warm light

CHAPTER 075POV FREYAALAN!It was Dinner time but Dinner felt too quiet.The kind of quiet that wasn’t peaceful but strange like everyone was waiting for someone else to make the first wrong move.The clink of cutlery filled the space between conversations. Damien sat at the head of the table, Kaiden to his right, me to his left, and Alexa directly across from me, her eyes moving between her husband and me like a pendulum.The girls were at a smaller table beside us, their laughter light, untouched by the grown up mess in the air.Damien smiled, pouring wine into my glass again though I’d barely touched the first one. “Freya, try the cabernet. It’s from the year we...” he caught himself, glanced at Kaiden, then smiled faintly. “from a while back.”“I’m fine,” I said quietly, pushing my glass away.“Oh come on, just a sip,” he insisted, voice smooth and coaxing. “It’s rude to refuse the host.”Kaiden’s jaw tightened. “She said no, Damien.”Damien gave a small, mocking chuckle. “acting