EPISODES

RACHEL

If I’m being honest with myself, I’d admit the source of all the messed-up emotions I’m feeling right now has everything to do with my dad popping out of nowhere after disappearing for two whole years.

Two years without even a shadow of him.

I was mad. No. Furious sounds more accurate.

And then Mum somehow managed to remind me just how thin the rope I’ve been holding onto really is.

Unfortunately… I eventually snapped.

And now? Now I’m mad at her. At Dad. At Thane. At practically everyone.

My brain kept screaming that I shouldn’t have walked out on her, but… I stopped in my tracks when I reached Simon’s study.

Was that Thane’s voice?

It was sharp and I could instantly sense something was brewing behind that door. I felt it.

I shouldn’t bother and it wasn’t my business. But my feet didn’t move. Instead, I leaned closer.

That’s when I heard it — his tone rising, bitter, like he was forcing the words past a storm of emotions in his chest.

“I don’t care what you compare me to, Pops,” Thane said, his voice tight. “But don’t ever involve her.”

There was a small pause. 

Then colder— “You don’t even fucking deserve to call her name.”

Another silence fell in between, for half a second. Before I heard a loud bang.

Definitely not from something falling or a chair scraping.

It was a punch heavy enough to make Thane grunt through his teeth.

My heart slammed hard against my ribs.

Did… God. Did Simon just hit his son?

My brain tried to replay the sound, tried to make sense of it, but I still couldn’t. He didn’t seem like the kind of father who…

The door flung open in my face before I could think.

Thane stepped out. His eyes landed on me, widening for a fraction of a second.

“Rachel—”

He stopped himself.

Whatever he was about to say died in his throat. Instead, he grabbed my wrist.

“C'mere.”

His voice was still rough from arguing. He didn’t give me time to speak or time to even breathe. He just dragged me down the hall. And I was too stunned to fight him.

So I let him. Quietly.

The second we reached the pool, he stopped abruptly and faced me fully, one hand sliding to his waist.

“Why did you drag me out here?” I demanded.

Thane could be very mysterious sometimes, but the look he gave me didn’t show anger. It was something else… almost like fear.

Finally, he scoffed. “Did you hear everything back there?”

I blinked. “No… Well, I mean—just a little.”

His jaw flexed. “Tell me.”

But his tone dropped lower when he talked.

I was about to answer when I spotted the bruise on his lip.

God. Simon really did hit him.

“Are you asking if I knew about that?” I asked quietly.

My voice softened without actually wanting it to, my eyes still locked on the swelling at the corner of his lip.

He tore his gaze away as if dismissing the question.

“Listen,” he changed position, his voice rougher than usual. “I know you have a habit of butting into other people’s business, but don’t do that to me.” His throat worked as he swallowed. Then he stared at me again. “For your safety.”

He didn’t say anything else. He just turned and started walking away.

I didn’t even get to process his words and he's leaving?

“Where the hell are you even going, Thane?” I shouted but God knows it sounded more like I was worried about him.

He didn’t look back. 

Dammit! That guy is so arrogant like shit.

“Not your business.” 

He shouted just as he reached the end corner. Then he paused and glanced at me over his shoulder. “Better wear something warm tonight.”

I scoffed. Honestly, I don’t get him. And I doubt I ever will.

I exhaled sharply and headed straight to my room. I flung the door open and that’s when…

“Whoo! Shit!” I yelped.

Then I saw clearly that it was Mum.

“Mum? Why the hell were you standing in my room like that?”

She kept a straight face. I knew this was about me walking out on her earlier.

“We didn’t get to finish our little discussion before you shouted and walked out on me.”

I rolled my eyes and dropped onto the bed. “Yeah. I’m sorry that happened,” I admitted. “I was wrong.”

She still wasn’t smiling. On a normal day, she would have.

“I said I’m sorry, Mum. But you know you caused it and—”

“Do not talk about your father, okay?” she cut in.

Wow.

I scoffed. So now we’re not allowed to talk about Dad?

“You’re not the only one dealing with a lot, Rachel. Whether you realize it or not, I am too. But that’s just it. I’d rather focus on the happiness I’m feeling now than on the hurt behind me. And the least I expected was for my daughter to understand that and stop making me feel miserable about it. Is that so hard?”

My chest tightened into knots. It hurt so bad I could barely breathe by the time I stood and walked toward the door.

“I’ll tell you everything…” she said the second my hand touched the handle. “If you behave well and I’m fully convinced you’re ready to hear it, I will. But you need to start acting maturely.”

“Haven’t I?” I shot back without thinking.

“No, you haven’t, young lady. You’ve done a lot of things a mature person wouldn’t do, especially not listening to me.”

Maybe she’s right. And right now, I don’t want another argument.

“Alright. I’ll do that.”

“And stop trying to snoop like you did tonight. I saw Thane dragging you outside.”

I scoffed. “Do you know he also hit son? Are you comfortable being with a man like that just because he’s rich?”

Her face twisted instantly. “Hit?” she repeated, like the idea was ridiculous. “Simon would never hit his son, Rachel, even when Thane pushes him to his limit.”

“I saw it, Mum!”

“No, you didn’t!” she shot back. “You don’t know Thane, and that’s why I’m asking you not to get involved in whatever is going on with him right now.”

I can’t believe this. She talks about family and coming together, and now she’s telling me to stay out of it like we’re strangers.

“I don’t get it,” I said, my voice cracking slightly. “Why?”

“Simon wouldn’t tell me before, but I know now.”

Mum’s voice hardened a little now, and that scared me.

“Thane gets these episodes.” She folded her arms and turned slightly. “...Sometimes it gets really bad. I don’t know why, but it means you need to give him space. Getting so clingy is completely out of line.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”