LOGINWhen we step into the theater, it’s dim but not crowded, that perfect in-between where it feels like the world has stepped aside just for us. Adrian gestures toward the center.“I picked the best seats,” he says quietly. “Middle row, dead center. You get the perfect view with no neck strain.”“Look
He smiles, eyes on the road. “You’ll see.”I narrow my eyes. “I don’t really like surprises.”“That’s unfortunate,” he chuckles. “Because I like giving them.”“I don’t have that kind of patience,” I warn.He laughs, the sound warm and easy. “I’ve noticed and I find that so cute.”I look down, using
Adrian arrives exactly on time.I know this because I’ve checked the clock three times already, pacing from the living room to the hallway and back again like I’m waiting for an exam result instead of a date. When his car finally pulls up outside, headlights briefly washing over the front of my hous
A soft chuckle escapes me. “Well… technically, we’ve only been on one date, but we talk every day, and he told me he wants to build something more with me.”The sadness and despair on her face vanish, replaced by a huge smile that lights her up.“Please tell me you’re not lying, just so I can finall
The picture shows my back, with Noah’s hand resting on my lower spine. It was probably taken while I was admiring the necklace, but what I don’t remember is his hand being there at all.Was I so absorbed that I didn’t even notice where he’d placed it?“So,” Mom says sharply, her eyes burning with an
“I don’t think I heard you right,” Mom says, staring at me like I should be booking a psychiatry appointment. “There must be a mistake.”I get her. I really do. Noah is the last person anyone would ever imagine I’d have a child with, yet here we are and the proof is the very obvious baby bump stretc
Everything inside me freezes. For a moment, it’s like the world just stops. My lungs forget how to work. The room fades. Fuck. I shouldn’t be affected. That news shouldn’t be hitting me like a damn truck, but it does. It’s like someone’s taken a blade to my chest and twisted it, shredding whatever’
The thought alone makes my stomach twist.The articles about us, disappeared the same day they were published. Every single one. There hasn’t been anything about that incident since that day. Lilly told me the company had taken a hit, but not a fatal one. Their spotless, long-standing reputation smo
“So,” Mark begins, flipping open a notepad, “let’s talk about the incident. We understand you were nearly crushed by a piece of equipment at Bio-Renew?”“Yes,” I answer, my voice steadier than I expect. “But one of my colleagues pushed me out of the way just in time.”Mark makes a note, then glances
By the time I pull into the driveway, my mind is still no clearer than it was when I left Sierra’s place. I’ve been running in circles all day, trying to understand what the hell came over me. To understand why I drove there, why I needed to see her with my own eyes. None of it adds up. Every excuse







