LOGINPhoebe was amused to see Flynn like this. "I did promise Dahlia a few things, but they're all small stuff. I'm not losing out on anything."Flynn didn't quite buy it. "You'd better not be lying to me.""I'm not," Phoebe said. "But you wanting to beat Connor up just now really moved me. At least you're willing to stand up for me now. You're getting more and more reliable, kiddo."Flynn glanced at her and said nothing."Ride in my car," Phoebe said."It's not on the way. I'll just take a cab." Flynn liked to act cool, but his aloofness only really worked on starry-eyed teenage girls.To Phoebe, he was just being stubborn. And what was there to be stubborn about? She smiled and said, "I've got a first-aid kit in the car. I could disinfect your hand."Only then did Flynn realize that his hand was scraped and the skin was broken. How had Phoebe noticed such a small detail right away?He looked up at her, his gaze complicated. It felt just like that moment earlier when she'd chosen t
It all happened so fast, and with such vicious force, that it was downright terrifying. With Flynn's warning thrown in on top, like he was ready to tear someone apart, bite by bite, everyone watching felt their scalp go numb.Dahlia and her friends all started looking at Flynn differently. They'd thought he'd gone quiet because he was scared, especially once Phoebe arrived. It turned out he'd just been holding everything in for one big explosion.How did Flynn even dare to talk to Connor like that? He didn't have Connor's build or presence. Where did he get the guts to point a finger in Connor's face and threaten him like that?Damn it. He'd scared all of them speechless!Phoebe reacted fast. She darted in front of Flynn, her expression hard.Connor's expression was stony. There was surprise in his eyes at Flynn's outburst, but who knew if he was actually angry or not? And if he was, would he lose control? If he came at her, Phoebe could take it. But she absolutely wouldn't allow
Because of the pressure she faced from Philip and Connor, Dahlia had long since mastered the act of acting obedient. She knew that it worked in her favor, so she was used to putting on that act. To her, there was nothing embarrassing about saying all that just now; it was simply a tactic to get what she wanted. Shame wasn't part of the equation.Besides, in her mind, she'd already humbled herself enough. Flynn—no, her "dog"—ought to be wagging his tail by now, hurrying to please his "owner". She quietly waited for what she believed should naturally happen.Her attitude now was worlds apart from the way she'd been cursing Flynn and Phoebe out earlier. Her entourage all stared at her in disbelief. Some muttered shocked curses, while others gave her a thumbs-up, impressed by her sheer adaptability.Chloe, on the other hand, was calm. Ever since she'd met Phoebe, she'd never once seen Dahlia get the upper hand against her. Dahlia thought she could finally have Phoebe under her heel for
Phoebe said, "I don't have the right to discipline you. I'm just doing my job as an older sister and protecting my younger brother. Maybe no one else sees how wronged he feels, but I can see it, so there's no way I can pretend I don't."I have to think about Flynn's feelings. How else are we supposed to solve this? Have him apologize to you just like that? Then what's the point of me being here?"Dahlia went from furious to stunned.Phoebe didn't expect her reaction. "Why are you so surprised? Don't you have anyone you want to protect?"Dahlia had always thought that talking to Phoebe wasn't worth the time and effort. This was the first time she'd ever really listened to her say so much, and she suddenly didn't know how to respond. She just… just…She suddenly snapped her head toward Connor, who stood not far away. Out of nowhere, she had the urge to tell him that he'd let a pretty good woman slip away.Phoebe thought she was done with the conversation and asked, "So, do you agre
Dahlia clenched her jaw. "How do you expect me to trust you?"Phoebe said, "I won't lie to you.""No way. I want Sun to drive me for a while!" Dahlia said. "If you don't agree, then I'm not agreeing, either!"Phoebe looked at her. "Fine."Dahlia was still lost in the shock of this huge surprise.Phoebe cocked her head. "So, do we have a deal?"Dahlia snorted. "It only counts when I actually see Sun. You could be just bragging!""Okay." Phoebe tipped her head slightly. "Talk to your brother and make things clear; this matter ends here. If you or Connor refuse to make peace, then we can bring this to Philip. After all, you're the one who picked a fight with Flynn first. If not for your accident, I wouldn't even be talking to you right now."A two-inch gash that needed stitches had to be pretty deep. That was considered a significant injury. Phoebe didn't like seeing anyone get hurt, and Dahlia had definitely paid a price this time.Still, the fact remained that Dahlia had starte
Phoebe said, "I already heard about what happened from Flynn. He told me that he was just trying to scare you. You only got hurt when you fell on your own; he never planned to actually lay a hand on you. At most, it was an accident."Dahlia looked over at Flynn from where they stood, then gave a cold laugh. "So what if that's true?"She turned back, arrogance written all over her face. "He pissed me off the moment he dared to fight back, Phoebe. And don't forget that I got hurt because of him. No matter how you spin it, that's still a fact. Both you and Flynn owe me an apology, and you'd better get on your knees when you do it. Maybe then I'll stop being angry…"Phoebe said, "If I remember right, your birthday's pretty close to Philip's. Same month, and I think it's the day after tomorrow?"Dahlia was surprised. "I would've almost forgotten if you hadn't brought it up. But thanks for the inspiration. I'll invite a ton of people and throw a huge party for my birthday. With everyone
Connor could handle that. But right now, he hated the silence. It felt suffocating, as if the air itself were pressing in, making him want to bolt. For a split second, he really wanted to call Phoebe and just hear her voice…He held back. Instinct told him she wouldn't pick up anyway. Why set himse
The first time Gideon remembered meeting Leona was when he was three years old.Leona had come to meet him while she'd had some time off from work. Gideon had been told in advance that someone called "Mom" was coming to meet him.After watching the other kids around him, he'd understood that a mom
"I'm trying hard to figure out how to be a decent parent, you know? But I've been putting in the effort, and it doesn't seem to make any difference! I don't know what else to do." Leona had only come because she was worried about Gideon. She wanted to meet the woman he liked while also getting a bet
Gideon's heart clenched the second he thought it might be Phoebe. But when he glanced down at his phone, he saw it was just a message from work—not her.These past few days with zero contact from Phoebe had already put him in a shitty mood. Running into Connor on top of that—and getting his hopes u







