MasukSecrets have a way of slipping out when you least expect them—especially in parking lots and quiet car rides. One truth has been exposed, but not all truths are ready to come out just yet. And when men start saying “I have my ways,” things rarely stay clean. Let’s just say… the calm after this chapter won’t last long.
KATHERINE'S POVI woke up to the steady sound of breathing beside me.For a second, I didn’t move. I just lay there, eyes closed, listening, letting the warmth of Alex’s body sink into me before reality had the chance to interfere. His arm was draped loosely around my waist, not possessive, not tight, just there. Familiar in a way that still surprised me.When I shifted, he stirred immediately.“You’re awake,” he murmured, voice thick with sleep.“Mm,” I replied, rolling onto my back and staring at the ceiling. Morning light filtered in through the curtains, soft and deceptive. Mornings always did that, made things feel simpler than they were.Downstairs, I heard Beth’s voice. Calm. Firm. Franklin’s voice followed, whining, dragging his feet. The usual.Alex sighed quietly. “Franklin and his usual tantrums. I'm guessing Beth just took him to school.”I turned my head to look at him. “Already?” and then I peeked at the time on my phone. Yeah, It was about time. No wonder she was scol
ALEXANDER'S POV I didn't say anything and just watched as he made his way towards me, a sigh of relief coursing through my body.“Alex… didn't know that you were into a solo dining,” he spoke dryly as he walked towards me.He stood in front of me, stared at the restaurant, then back at me.I could tell from the look on his face that he had a lot of questions and that those questions definitely had something to do with him finding me here.“Yeah, I uh… I had a business meeting,” I said, clearing my throat loudly.“What brings you…” I started but a voice interrupted me.“Alex! Alex, please wait!”I turned to see Clara walking towards us and I steeled instantly.“Really?! Business meeting, Alex??”I sighed softly and turned to face Henry but not before I caught the slight smile on Clara's face.That bitch!She came out on purpose!“It is.. actually.”Henry looked at me like I was crazy and to be honest, I couldn't blame him. Meeting with Someone Katherine hated privately was definitely
ALEXANDER’S POVWhen the car slowed down towards the building in front of me, I felt a thick bile moving up my throat and I closed my eyes.The restaurant was classy, an expensive one but also one famous for its privacy which was exactly why I chose it.As the building came into view clearly, my hands balled into a fist and I sighed, forcing a smile on my face.“Just treat this as nothing but a business deal,” I murmured to myself as my driver parked the car.“Huh? You said something?” He asked and I waved my hand dismissively,“No, I didn't.”I got out of the car and took one long look at the restaurant again before walking towards it.As expected, Clara was already sitting in the center of the room, her back to the door but the mere sight of her brought another churn of disgust to my stomach.Katherine was home, sick and worried about her case while I was out here doing nothing but having a date with someone who not only tried to kill her but was capable of doing even worse things t
HAZEL’S POVHazel stared at her phone like it had personally offended her.The screen was blank, dark, reflecting her own annoyed expression back at her. She’d picked it up, put it down, picked it up again at least six times in the last ten minutes, pacing the length of her living room like a trapped animal.This was stupid.She was not the kind of woman who got restless over a second date.She was decisive. Logical. Controlled.And yet here she was, barefoot on cold tiles, hair tied up carelessly, biting the inside of her cheek while arguing with herself.Don’t text him.She stopped pacing.You already agreed to three dates.She resumed pacing.That doesn’t mean you have to be the one reaching out.The inner battle continued and she felt conflicted. She groaned, scrubbing a hand over her face.But the truth, annoying, inconvenient truth was that her chest felt too tight, her head too loud. Everything that had happened at Katherine’s place replayed on a vicious loop in her mind.Alex
KATHERINE’S POVThe quiet that followed felt strange.Not comforting. Not peaceful.Just… heavy.Alex’s arm remained around me as we sat on the couch, his presence solid and warm, like an anchor I didn’t know how to let go of. I leaned into him, my head resting against his shoulder, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing. It was one of the few things that felt real at that moment.Everything else felt uncertain.David’s words replayed in my head, over and over again, each time sounding slightly different. Sometimes sincere. Sometimes rehearsed. Sometimes dangerous.I shifted slightly, and Alex’s grip tightened just enough to let me know he felt it.“You okay?” he asked softly.I hesitated before answering. “I don’t know.”He didn’t press me, and I appreciated that more than he probably realized.The house was quiet, way too quiet. Franklin was asleep upstairs, Beth had retreated to her room, and the world outside felt distant, like it was happening to someone else.I straight
ALEXANDER'S POV The silence David left behind was heavier than his presence had been. It pressed against my chest, thick and suffocating, lingering long after the sound of his engine disappeared down the road. Even the wind seemed hesitant to move, as though it was afraid to stir whatever fragile balance was barely holding together in that moment. Katherine stood beside me, wrapped in my coat, her shoulders tense, her gaze fixed on the empty stretch of road where David Hass had vanished. She looked smaller than she should have, too thin, too pale, too quiet and it ignited something ugly and violent inside me. The fact that it was so obvious and the way Charles made it seem like it was my fault for everything that has been happening to her made it even worse for me. I clenched my jaw. Charles shifted beside her, breaking the silence first. Of course he would. He somehow has managed to find creative ways to push me to my limit but I can't allow myself to flare up at him. Especi







