LOGIN(Stella)I swirl the glass in my hand, waiting.The moment I feel his presence behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist in a hug, I gently pull away and turn with a small smile.He doesn’t see it coming.He doesn’t even realize my next move until my palm crashes against his cheek.His head snaps to the side.My anger explodes.“How dare you, Felix?” I hiss. “How dare you do something like this without consulting me first?”Silence. Heavy. Suffocating.But I don’t give him the chance to speak.I close the distance between us, fury boiling beneath my skin.“What were you thinking?” I demand. “If everyone finds out about Amara and Rayner now, how are we supposed to succeed with our plans? How are we ever going to separate them? Didn’t you think about that?”My breathing turns uneven.“Now, because of this stupid stunt, you’ve made everything harder.” I throw my hands up in frustration. “So what if you now own seventeen percent of their company? What good is that if you can’t take th
(Amara)“Amara, you—”She takes one swift step toward me, her eyes locked on my trembling hand.“Maya…”Her name breaks apart as it leaves my lips.Slowly, I lift the phone between us. The photo is still displayed on the screen.My eyes burn.My throat aches.“What…” My voice shakes. “What is this?”Silence. Complete silence.Maya doesn’t answer.She doesn’t even look surprised.A bitter scoff tears out of me as my hand slowly drops.“I can’t believe this.” My chest rises sharply. “I don’t understand any of this. How can you…”I snap my gaze to hers.“Maya, I trusted you.”The words sting coming out.“And you did this to me?”“If you trusted me,” she says quietly, “you wouldn’t be standing here questioning me or thinking I’d ever do something like this.”“What?”My jaw falls open.“What are you saying?”She gently takes the phone from my hand and raises it between us.“This?” She lets out a small, almost offended laugh. “You really think I’m responsible for that article just because t
(Amara)I barely make it three steps into the living room before Grace’s voice slices through the silence.“Wow. Look who finally decided to come home.”A slow clap follows.Every eye remains fixed on me.I stop walking.Grace rises from her seat, shaking her head.“The daughter who disappears all day while the rest of us deal with the consequences of her actions.”“Grace.” My mother’s warning comes immediately.But Grace only laughs.“What? I’m telling the truth.”She points directly at me.“Do you have any idea what people are saying about this family right now?”My jaw tightens.“Everywhere I go, people are talking about the Roosevelt family.”Her voice grows sharper.“About the scandal.”“The affair.”“The disgrace.”Each word lands like a slap.“And it’s all because of her.”The room falls silent.My mother’s face hardens.“Enough.”“No.” Grace shakes her head. “You shouldn’t have brought her back into this house in the first place.”The words sting more than I want them to.Beca
(Amara)I sit alone on the bench, staring out at the amusement park.Life moves on around me.Children race toward the rides, their excited screams carrying through the air. The Ferris wheel turns slowly in the distance while the roller coaster rushes past with another round of terrified laughter. Bright music blares from nearby speakers. Families queue for attractions. Friends stop to take photos beneath colorful lights and decorations.Yet somehow, all of it feels distant.Blurred.Like I’m watching the world through a sheet of glass.My fingers tighten around the edge of the bench as Felix’s voice continues to echo inside my head: You betrayed me first. So whatever you’re facing, you deserve it.My throat tightens.A tear slips down my cheek.Then another.I quickly wipe them away, but they keep coming.“Do you really think I was going to let you go that easily? Certainly not. Not after what you did to ruin my life.”I squeeze my eyes shut.His face flashes through my mind.The co
(Rayner)“Rayner!”Stefan bursts into my office.“Rayner!”I don’t look up.My attention remains on the documents spread across my desk.“What is it?”I sign another page.“If it isn’t urgent, we can discuss it later. I’m busy.”“No.”The tension in his voice makes me pause.“You need to see this.”I slowly look up.Stefan immediately places his phone on my desk.I stare at him for a second before looking down.And my breath catches.The article.The photographs.Me.Amara.My chair scrapes against the floor as I stand.“What the hell is this?”Stefan runs a hand through his hair.“We’ve tried taking it down, but whoever uploaded it used a heavily protected site. Our team hasn’t been able to reach it.”My jaw tightens.“The article is spreading fast,” he continues. “And people are bringing up her old case with Selina.”A dangerous feeling settles inside me.“What?”Stefan hesitates.Then speaks.“They’re claiming Amara became jealous after Felix moved on with Selina.”My fists clench.
(Amara)The new week has been nothing short of exciting.Ever since returning from Beverly Hills, I have been living off the memories from my time there. And even though Rayner and I only just started seeing each other, it already feels like it has been forever.Is this what it feels like to be truly loved?My mind drifts back to that night.The way he held me.The way he protected me.Even that day at the hotel site.I had gone with them after finding out it was the real reason behind his trip to Beverly Hills and the same business trip Nathan had travelled for earlier.A smile touches my lips.Just then, my phone buzzes on the table.I immediately reach for it.Rayner.My smile widens before I even open the message: Good luck on your first day today.A soft laugh escapes me.Of course he would text.We have barely gone a day without talking since we returned. Calls. Messages. Random check-ins.And despite the fact that he already wished me luck last night, here he is again.My chest
(Rayner)“She’s finally agreed. The rest is left for you to finish up now.”Eleanor’s voice filters through the phone, calm and steady.“Hmm.” The sound leaves me quietly as I lean back against my chair. “I understand, Eleanor.”The call ends shortly after, but her words remain.My hand slowly slip
(Amara)“I don’t know what to do now.”The words finally leave my mouth as I begin pacing the room restlessly. My fingers drag hard through my hair, my chest tightening with every passing second.“What if he—”I stop abruptly.My words die instantly in my throat as my eyes snap toward Kelvin.He’s
(Maya)I’m lost in my own world, my mind replaying every single moment from last night.The hospital.Amara.The Roosevelts.The way the air shifted the second she stood before them.A single thought forms: She’s… She’s a Roosevelt.Even now, the thought still doesn’t feel real. It keeps circling t
(Amara)My hand drops to my side.Ignoring Maya’s stare, I grab my car keys and rush out of the office, Nathan’s voice replaying over and over in my head.“She came back looking sad and immediately collapsed to the floor.”My chest tightens painfully.I keep moving fast, my thoughts spinning wildly







