Lilith’s PovI hadn’t laughed this much in forever.Nolan wasn’t even the type of person to laugh out loud, but the jokes he made? So dry, so serious—but somehow they always made me laugh like a crazy person. And all he ever did in return was chuckle, just a low chuckle that somehow made my heart feel warm.I felt so... safe around him.I didn’t know why. I shouldn’t.I mean, this is Nolan. Killian’s brother. A man with a fiancée.And yet here I was, standing in his shirt, cooking with him in his kitchen, and feeling like... this was okay?No, it’s not okay.I have no business feeling anything.I’ve been broken enough. I don’t need anything else that will crush me again. Not now. Not ever. That’s what Killian did to me. That’s what I swore I’d never go through again.So maybe, just maybe, I’ll stay here for like three or four days.Just to breathe. Just to exist.And when I go back, I’ll avoid Nolan. Completely.That’s how the feelings will die.That’s how I’ll stay safe.Maybe I’ll s
Nolan’s PovThe moment her palm touched mine, I paused.It was soft. Warm. Delicate. And for a second, everything slowed.Was this a green light? Was she… opening up to me?Maybe she’s starting to feel something. Maybe I don’t even need to tell her anything about my brother anymore. Not like Killian was a monster, but to her? He was the worst.She held onto my hand, and we walked out together.We got into the car and the drive to the store was silent but not awkward. Just… calm. Like we were settling into something familiar. Something real.When we got there, I gave her a quick nod, and she followed me in. We picked up everything we needed—juice, wine, a few basics, and of course, everything for pancakes.By the time we got back, I said, “I’ll just place everything in the kitchen.”She nodded. “Yeah, I’ll just go pack my hair real quick. I forgot something earlier… I need a change of clothes. Something comfy. You know… to cook in.”I raised a brow. “That won’t be a problem. Go to the
Lilith’s Pov I stood there, frozen. My ears heard the words, but my mind refused to accept them.Disowned?My father—my own blood—just said he has disowned me.“You… you can’t do that to me, Dad,” I said, my voice cracking, barely more than a whisper. “I need you right now. You’re the only family I have. I don’t have anyone else to turn to.”He stepped closer, his face hard and unforgiving. “You only care about yourself, Lilith. That’s all it’s ever been. Now my wife is dead. Because of you.”“No!” I gasped. Tears fell freely now. “She shouldn’t have done that. If she knew the truth, she wouldn’t have killed herself. Not for nothing—”“For nothing?” he thundered. “Did you just call your sister’s death nothing?”“You don’t know the truth!” I shouted, the pain bubbling out of my chest. “None of you do! You all keep blaming me, and if the truth ever comes out—none of you will point fingers again!”My father began to clap slowly. Clap. Clap. Clap.“Oh, now you’re trying to rewrite the st
Lilith’s PovThe old me would have reacted. She would’ve lashed out. Maybe screamed, maybe cried, maybe thrown something across the room just to feel something other than this awful stillness. But now? Now there was only silence.I stood there, staring at him—this man I once thought I could hate more than anyone else. He looked so sure of himself, like his words didn’t just punch through my chest.I took a slow step forward, and then another. I stopped inches from him, my voice low, almost whispering. “Is that what you want, Killian? To keep me close?”He didn’t answer. Not a flinch. Not a blink. Just that cold, unreadable stare.“Fine,” I said simply.And then I turned and walked away—back to my room, back to where I could break without him watching.I didn’t want him to see how vulnerable I was. How every word he threw at me tonight cut deeper than the last. How I wanted to scream. How I wanted to shout and tear this whole place down just to feel like I mattered again.But I kept wa
Killian’s PovAfter I finished taking my bath, I didn’t go downstairs right away. I sat at my desk instead. Maybe working would help me clear my head. Maybe I could bury myself in files and forget what just happened between me and Lilith.I opened my laptop. Checked my emails. Looked through some documents. But my mind wasn’t fully there. I kept pausing, thinking, going back. I worked for like an hour or so before I finally stood up and decided to go downstairs for breakfast.As I walked toward the stairs, my eyes shifted in the direction of her room. I wondered if she had already left for her father's place. She said she wanted to go. Maybe she was serious.But when I got downstairs, there she was.Lilith.Sitting there, eating breakfast.And Nolan was sitting too, not close to her, but in the same space.I paused for a second.Nolan and I nodded at each other. Just a silent greeting.But my eyes were on Lilith. She didn’t even look my way.Her face looked calmer. Her eyes were clear
Lilith’s PovI kept waiting.Pacing around the hallway, checking the time every five minutes. Opening Killian’s bedroom door, hoping he'd be lying there… but no. It was empty and cold Like he never planned to come home.I called him. Again. And again.No answer.I texted.Nothing.Not a single reply.Was it the kiss? Was I that disgusting to him? That one moment of weakness, of confusion—did it push him that far away? I didn’t mean for it to happen… I didn’t even plan it.Was I that unlovable?Tears threatened to build in my eyes, but I blinked them back. I didn’t want to cry again. Not tonight. I crawled into bed, burying my face into the pillow, trying to breathe.He’ll be back tomorrow, I told myself.He has to.****Morning came.But he didn’t.The first thing I did was check my phone. Still no messages from him. Just one from Emily:“I'll be back with Maya this morning.”I sighed. At least that was something.I decided today was going to be different. I deserved peace, even for j