GraceHer face drains of color. She opens her mouth to protest, but no words come out. The air seems to freeze around us as her eyes flicker to the door. Oh. She is waiting for someone. “ This is absurd! ” She whispers, her voice cracking with desperation.“ How is this absurd? ” I ask, my eyes go
GraceMona’s face pales, her hands trembling as she stands frozen. She knows what’s coming.Daniel’s voice grows colder. “ She doesn’t just hurt men like me. She traps them. She uses them. She tells them what to do, and when they refuse, she accuses them of things they never did. She ruins their rep
GraceThe moment I see Tristin staring at me, I freeze. Everything else blurs out—the noise, the cameras, the people. It’s just him, looking at me like I am some stranger, and I can’t stand it. His eyes are cold, detached, like he has already decided I am not worth it.I feel something break inside
GraceI stumble a little, catching myself just in time. When I turn to look at him, he is wiping his hand on his pants like he has touched something disgusting.That hits harder than it should. My chest tightens, and for a second, I forget how to breathe.Does he find me so disgusting?I smile. It’s
Grace“ We are here. ” Luca announces, breaking me out of the trance.I sigh, looking around. We are in front of an abandoned warehouse. And the eeriness of the secluded area makes my heart beat faster than it should. Without a word, I open the door and step out. The cold stings my skin, but I bare
GraceWhat the hell have I become?I don't want to feel this. I don't want to feel any of it. But I can't stop the wave of guilt crashing over me, drowning me in its intensity.“ He is telling the truth, Mrs. Roberto. ” Luca says. My fingers tremble as the words sink in. What are you doing Grace?
TristinI sit behind the glass wall of my office, watching the city lights twinkling in the dark. The people out there…are so busy with their world. They all have something to do, all moving every moment of even the quiet night.But I feel frozen in time. I want to move, but I can’t bring myself to
GraceAfter I packed up and held my son for a straight hour, I left home. I reached the airport, and then, it occurred to me…I was leaving my son alone again. That thought had stopped me in my tracks for a long time. Even when my name was announced, I didn’t leave. I stayed standing in the middle
EthanI don’t like seeing her like this. Like a fragile doll that might break any moment, or a ghost that might disappear and slip from my hold before I can even hold her. For a moment, I want to tell her that she just has to ask me to stop, and I will. I will not let my men fight Tristin, who is r
GraceSmoke.Thick, black, unforgiving smoke coils through the air outside the window, as if the sky itself has caught fire. My palms press against the cold glass, eyes wide, heart hammering violently inside my chest.Something exploded. The cars in the distance are on fire. But that’s not the only
GraceI pick up the phone and press it against my ear. For some moments, silence sounds from the other side.I remain still, my muscles still, and my breath lodged in my throat. I can recognize him even if he doesn’t say anything to me, and just continues to breathe into the speaker.“ Tristin. ” I
GraceEthan’s Grandmother has always been a symbol of terror in the family. Despite her old age, the silver hair, the sunken eyes, she exudes a kind of aura that makes one squirm. She was the spitting image of her own son, who had died years ago—Ethan’s father. The man who had the reputation of a d
Grace“ You killed my sister. ” I state as a matter of fact, and feel a chill down my spine at the lack of any emotions towards the truth.“ You wanted her gone. ” He blinks, his face becoming a mask of calmness again.I swallow the bitter taste in my mouth and shake my head. “ that doesn’t change t
GraceMy phone keeps ringing. The familiar names on the screen just send a pang in my chest.Mom.Ania. Luca. Mary.Everyone has called. But Tristin has not. He must know everything by now and he won’t call me. He will never accept what I have done to deal with the mess Ethan was creating.Sighi
GraceI groan, the pain in my arm registering before a strong headache. I try to move, but it’s like all my energy has drained, leaving me weak and helpless.Slowly, I take in a shuddering breath and look around. The room is too familiar. It makes me want to throw up, just so I can get the strong di
GraceI knew talking to him would be like talking to a wall. He will not be moved, and won’t understand what I am trying to say. He will just want me to do what he wants.“ My son has a father. He doesn’t need another. ” I murmur, then lean back on the couch. “ Then we have nothing to talk about. ”
GraceWhen you want to truly defeat someone who knows you better than you know yourself…You need to do something you would never usually do.And that’s what I am doing. I walk through the corridor of the VIP club, slowly approaching the private room I booked. Unlike my expectations, I don’t feel a