LOGIN(Lydia’s POV)I woke with a gasp, my heart slamming against my ribs like it wanted to escape my chest. The dream still clung to me, vivid and sickening. Alexander and Elara in the library, their bodies pressed together against the bookshelves. His mouth on hers, hungry and demanding. His hands sliding under her top, cupping her breasts as she arched into him with a soft moan that sounded nothing like the innocent girl I’d raised. The way he moved against her thrusting, possessive, wrong. The image burned behind my eyelids even now, in the dim light of the guest room.I sat up, breathing hard, sweat dampening the back of my neck. The sheets were tangled around my legs. The clock on the nightstand read 3:47 a.m. I reached for the empty side of the bed where Alexander should have been. Cold. Empty.He wasn’t here.The unease from earlier the message, the way I’d found them together flooded back stronger. I swung my legs out of bed, pulling on my robe with shaking hands. The house was sil
The silence in my bedroom stretched like a live wire ready to snap. Mom stood frozen in the doorway, her coat still draped over her arm, eyes darting between me head still half on Alexander’s chest and him, sitting up slowly with his arm still loosely around my shoulders. The scene looked innocent enough on the surface: a stepfather comforting his stepdaughter after a traumatic day. But the air was thick with everything it wasn’t saying.“Alexander,” Mom said again, her voice quieter this time, but edged with confusion and something sharper underneath. “I came back early because I couldn’t stop worrying about Elara. But this… you’re in her bed. Holding her like…”She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Her gaze landed on me, searching. “Sweetheart? Are you alright? Did something else happen?”I sat up slowly, pulling the blanket higher around me, my heart hammering so hard I was sure they could both hear it. “I’m okay, Mom. Alexander stayed like you asked. I had a nightmare ab
The Weight of TruthThe drive home from the hotel felt endless. I stayed curled in the passenger seat of Alexander’s car, his jacket still wrapped around my shoulders like a shield. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Tyler’s face twisted with anger, felt his weight pinning me down. Alexander’s hand never left my thigh, a steady anchor as he drove with one hand on the wheel, jaw tight with barely contained fury.When we pulled into the driveway, Mom’s car was already there. She stepped out onto the front steps the moment we arrived, her face shifting from surprise to concern when she saw me.“Elara? What happened? You look pale.”Alexander helped me out of the car, his arm around my waist. His voice was calm but serious. “We need to talk inside, Lydia. Privately.”The three of us went to the formal living room. I sat on the couch, knees pulled up, while Alexander stood beside me like a guard. Mom sat across from us, worry lines deepening on her forehead.Alexander spoke first, his tone
The Trap The text from Tyler had been sitting on my phone for two days like a live wire. One coffee. Just to talk. I can tell something’s wrong. Let me be there for you like I used to. I’d ignored the first few messages, but the guilt from our shared history and the fear that he might show up at the house unannounced finally pushed me to reply. Me: One coffee. Public place. Then we end this for good. I told Alexander I was going to the campus library to work on a project. He’d been in back-to-back meetings all morning, so he only sent a quick Be safe. Text me when you’re done. I hated lying to him, but I needed to close this chapter of my past without dragging it into the chaos of my present. The café near campus was busy, full of students and the smell of fresh espresso. Tyler was already there, looking exactly as I remembered easy smile, messy hair, the kind of boyish charm that used to make my heart flutter. We ordered drinks and sat at a corner table. At first, it was polit
Chapter 34The morning of the family dinner felt like stepping onto a stage with no script and no safety net. Sunlight streamed through the tall dining room windows as the staff made final adjustments to the table settings. Mom moved through the space like a director, adjusting a fork here, straightening a napkin there, her excitement almost contagious.Almost.Alexander stood near the sideboard in a crisp charcoal shirt, reviewing notes on his phone. When our eyes met across the room, the heat in his gaze sent a familiar spark racing through me. Last night’s stolen touches in the library still lingered on my skin like a secret tattoo.Mom caught me staring. “You look a little distracted, Elara. Nervous about meeting Alexander’s relatives?”“A bit,” I admitted, forcing a smile. “It’s a big deal.”She squeezed my shoulder. “You’ll be wonderful. We all will. This is our family now.”The words twisted something deep in my chest, but I nodded and helped her finish the final touches.The r
The Taste of RiskThe family dinner with Alexander’s distant relatives was only two days away, and the house had taken on a new kind of energy polished surfaces, fresh flowers in every room, and Mom directing the staff like a conductor preparing for opening night. I helped where I could, choosing table settings and nodding along to her excitement, but my mind kept drifting to stolen moments and the man who had become the center of my secret world.Alexander found me in the upstairs hallway after lunch, when Mom was busy on a call with the caterer. He didn’t say anything just took my hand and pulled me into one of the guest rooms that wasn’t being used, closing the door behind us with a soft click.The kiss was immediate and electric. He backed me against the wall, hands framing my face as his mouth claimed mine with a hunger that made my knees weak. I kissed him back just as fiercely, fingers gripping his shirt as if I could pull him even closer. His body pressed into mine, hard and w







