RAINE’S POVTalon and I were almost at the door to the entrance of my building when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. My heart raced. Was he planning to leave me here? The thought alone made my stomach churn. I didn’t want to be alone, especially not right now. Chloe was at the club, working. She’d been so busy with MIRAE’s launch the past week, but dived right back to work as soon as we set up. Chloe was phenomenal, juggling everything effortlessly. I glanced up at him, trying to read his face, but he wasn’t giving much away. I was already panicking and at that moment, I knew I’d beg him to stay if it came to it. I didn’t care if it sounded pathetic. I just needed someone with me. Someone I trusted. My mouth opened, ready to speak, but before I could, Talon beat me to it. “You shouldn’t go in.” He said. “Why?” I asked."I'm your therapist… Well, I was. Anyways, the point is, I know locking yourself inside isn’t the healthiest way to deal with a terrible situation." “I’m not pl
CYRIL’S POVI waited until I saw Raine shut the Uber door before I moved. She hadn’t even looked me in the eyes, fuck! The way she looked made my chest ache. Like she was blaming herself. Like this whole thing was her fault.It wasn’t. It was mine.I let myself get too fucking carried away. So wrapped up in wanting her, needing her, I forgot about Zayne. Forgot we weren’t alone.I exhaled sharply, raking a hand down my face as I stepped into the villa. The silence hit harder than I expected. I climbed the stairs, each step heavier than the last.When I got to his door, I paused. My palm hovered for a second before I knocked. “Zayne,” I called quietly. I got no reply, and all I could hear was the sound of my heavy breathing. “It’s me,” I said seconds later. “I just want to talk. Open the door.” There was no response. I was about to turn my back and leave him to cool off, but then I heard the lock click. The door creaked open. Zayne stood there, looking as stiff as hell. The fire i
RAINE’S POV“How did it go?” Cyril asked as soon as I stepped into the kitchen. He leaned against the counter, and his eyes searched mine like he already knew something had gone wrong. I swallowed hard. My lips parted, but I didn’t know what to say. Should I tell him that his son had called him a groomer? Or should I admit that I had insulted Zayne after he had done the same? No. I couldn’t. So, I went with the second option: I kept my mouth shut.“Raine…” Cyril called again, firmer this time, like he wasn’t going to let me dodge his question.I flinched slightly and forced a small nod, pretending to focus on the floor tiles. “It was… revealing,” I mumbled. “Revealing?” he repeated, eyebrows lifting like he knew I was downplaying it. I couldn’t meet his eyes. “He’s just hurt. I think Zayne needs some time alone.” “And…I just want to go home and get some rest.” I added softly. Cyril’s green eyes met mine. I hated how they made me feel so safe and so exposed at the same time. He d
RAINE’S POV“We need to fix this,” I said, my feet rooted to the spot. Cyril offered me a skeptical look, and I didn’t wait for him to speak. I rushed upstairs, and the sounds of footsteps behind me made it clear that Cyril was following.By the time we got to his bedroom door, Zayne had already slammed it shut. I heard the lock click, a clear indication that he was really mad.I felt terrible.“Zayne, please,” I called out, knocking softly. “I’m sorry!”“Zayne!” Cyril’s voice followed mine. “Please open the door!”We kept knocking again and again, but there was no answer. Just silence on the other side.We both stopped knocking at the same time. When I turned to look at Cyril, he was watching me… and his face said it all. He looked just as defeated as I felt.“I’m so stupid,” I muttered, lowering my voice. “I should’ve asked if anyone was home. I don’t know why I just assumed Zayne was still at the estate.Cyril let out a breath, then stepped closer and rested his hand lightly on my
RAINE’S POVWe got into the car and the minute he took off his glasses, I noticed the bags under his eyes. There were faint shadows under his green eyes, and even his hair was more tussled than usual. “Got you something,” he said, popping open a box from the center console. I gasped. “Is that the raspberry velvet cake from Milani’s?”He laughed. “You’re so predictable.”“I love it.” I said, grabbing the box and practically hugging it.He chuckled softly, but the sound faded quickly, replaced by silence as he started the car and pulled out of the campus. I was too busy munching on the soft, rich cake to say much, but I kept stealing glances at him. His grip on the steering wheel was tight, and he blinked a lot. I could tell he hadn’t slept much. “You okay?” I asked after swallowing a mouthful.“Yeah. Just…long night.”When he asked if I wanted to stop at a restaurant for lunch, I shook my head. “Let’s go home instead. You look like you need to be in bed.”He didn’t argue.He drove
RAINE’S POVIt’s been two days since my birthday party, and I still don’t feel like myself. I forced myself out of bed that morning, only because I had a class, but the second I saw that stupid card sitting on my dresser, my stomach churned. The handwriting, the words, everything about it gave me the creeps. I should’ve thrown it away, but I had kept it instead.I got dressed despite my gloomy mood, pulling a beige sweater over the plain top I wore. I wasn’t in the mood for extra dressing. I swiped on some eyeliner and lipstick afterward. Usually, I would spend time contouring my face, but today wasn’t that day.Chloe was halfway through a bowl of cereal while scrolling on her phone when I walked into the kitchen. She looked up at me. “Everyone is obsessed with Zayne, by the way,” she said with a grin. “They keep asking if he’s on TikTok or Insta. I checked, and all his socials are private. Smart kid.” “I’m glad those crazy blogs don’t have anything to feast on.” She added, smilin