MasukHOLLY'S POV.Three days. It had been three days since that horrible, life-altering night, and yet, I was still crashing. My body betrayed me in the worst way possible, it ached, it craved, it needed. Every inch of me was alive with desire, a maddening, relentless ache that refused to subside. I hated it.I hated him.I hated this.But no matter how hard I tried to push it aside, the phantom touch of Zeke lingered on my skin, as if he had branded me. My mind didn’t remember every detail of that night, but my body, oh, my body did. My pussy remembered each stroke, each thrust, and it screamed for more. The frustration was unbearable. The heat between my legs was a constant reminder of what I needed, what I hated to admit I wanted. It felt like I was stranded on a deserted Earth with no man but Zeke. And as much as my mind painted him as the last person I would ever surrender to again but my body told a different, traitorous story. As dawn turned into dusk, and the night crept
HOLLY'S POV.I shifted slightly, trying to sit up without making a sound. The blanket slipped down my body, and the cool air brushed against my bare skin. I grabbed the edge of the covers, pulling them tight around me, my mind racing. Memories of last night were still hazy, like trying to see through a fogged-up window. How much had I had to drink? Enough to end up here, apparently. But with whom?I glanced back at the man, my cheeks burning as I let my eyes linger on his sleeping form for just a second too long. He looked peaceful. My stomach fluttered, and I immediately scolded myself. Focus, Holly. This is not the time to admire his face or his body.I turned my attention back to the room, searching for clues. My clothes were scattered across the floor in a trail that led to the bed. My blouse was near the door, my skirt crumpled in a heap by the chair, and one of my heels was tipped over near the window. I cringed at the sight, my face heating up even more. This looked like the
HOLLY'S POV.Maryland, a town I’ve spent my entire life running from. Yet, no matter how far or how fast I flee, it’s the one place I always seem to return to when life falls apart. And at the heart of it all? My grandmother, Marjorie, the one constant in my ever-chaotic world.It’s funny, really. The very streets of this town once suffocated me with their overfamiliarity and weighed me down with memories I wanted to forget. Memories I once despised. But now, they’re just... echoes. Faint whispers of a past I can’t quite shake, no matter how hard I try.The taxi rolled to a stop, its brakes screeching against the quiet hum of the sleepy Maryland afternoon. Through the dusty window, I spotted her, Marjorie, my grandmother, slightly hunched as she bent over her herbs. The sight of her brought a warmth I didn’t know I still carried and a smile crept onto my faceI stepped out of the cab, my heels crunching against the gravel driveway. Five years. Five long years since I last set foot i
REMY’S POV.I looked away, swallowing the urge to say her name. Isla. God, it was almost on the tip of my tongue, threatening to spill out. But no, I’d wait. For her. I’d always wait for her. Leaning back, I drained the rest of my glass in one long, burning swallow. “My love life isn’t your business,” I said finally, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. “But marriage suits you. Crazy, huh? I remember you begging.” Jinhai frowned instantly, the effect was immediate and satisfying. That was exactly the reaction I wanted. I’d never admit it, but a smiling, blushing Jinhai disgusted me. He was far more tolerable when he was annoyed. A while later, I watched him drunkenly stumble out of the bar, muttering something while taking his wife’s call. The room fell silent. An hour passed. I sat there, alone, nursing the weight of her absence. Eventually, I stood, the liquor making my limbs feel heavier than usual. Heading toward my bedroom, I let out a long breath, already
REMY’S POV.“What are you trying to do?” I asked, my voice calm but edged with curiosity, as I watched Jinhai down another glass of liquor. The bar in my mansion was dimly lit, the amber glow of the overhead lights catching the crystal in his glass as he tilted it back. The faint scent of aged whiskey lingered in the air, mixing with the subtle tang of wood polish from the bar counter. It was just the two of us now, the faint hum of the city outside muffled by the thick walls of my home. Isla, Lirong, and Ava were long gone for the night, leaving me alone with her older brother. Jinhai set the glass down with a heavy thud, already reaching for the decanter to pour himself another round. His movements were precise, methodical, but there was something restless in the way his fingers gripped the glass. “You know,” he said, breaking the silence, “I still don’t get it. Why would you have a bar and a winery in your mansion when you don’t even drink?” His words were casual, but there
REMY’S POV.The auditorium was buzzing with proud families, eager graduates, and the hum of constant applause. But my focus was singular. Isla. She moved across the stage with an effortless grace, her head held high, that signature confidence radiating from her. Her black gown swayed slightly as she walked, and when the dean handed her the diploma, she gave a quick nod of thanks before turning to the crowd. She searched for her people, her gaze scanning the audience, and then her eyes found us. A small, genuine smile broke across her lips, and it felt like the sun rising. I clapped steadily, keeping my pride contained, but inside, I was brimming. Jinhai and Lirong, seated beside me, were far less reserved. Jinhai stood up halfway, clapping loudly. “That’s my sister!” he called out, earning a few amused glances from the crowd. Lirong rolled her eyes but smiled fondly, clapping along. Ava, on Isla’s other side of the cheering section, was impossible to ignore. Her whistle pierce







