LOGINSince I can’t drink alcohol, I decided we can do some mocktails. I tried a few recipes from You-Tube and they turned out great, so I want to make some for Lilly.I grab a cart and make my way inside, already mentally listing what I need.I’m just about to get in when I glance toward the café adjacen
My phone buzzes as I step out of the car. I put it against my ear, balancing it between my shoulder and cheek and answer it while I grab my bag.“Please don’t tell me you’re late,” Adrian says, his voice warm and amused.We’d talked yesterday, and I’d told him I’d be getting my cast off today. He sa
NOAH.The house is quiet after Adrian and Gunner leave.Their laughter still echoes faintly in the walls, like an afterimage, but it fades quickly, leaving something heavy in its place.I stand there for a moment longer than necessary, glass still in my hand, staring at nothing as Adrian’s voice loo
“Don’t fucking finish that sentence,” Noah warns.“—but it’s about her,” Gunner finishes unapologetically. “And that’s a fact.”“Facts my ass.”“Look,” I say calmly. “You might not want to with your feelings, but until you do, you’ll just keep spiraling.”Noah glares at us, then exhales slowly. “All
“Are you sure you’re five?” Gunner teases.She laughs, rolling her eyes dramatically. “Of course I am.”She’s about to continue when footsteps interrupt her.“It’s time for bed, Nova.”Noah steps into the room, Nolan at his side, wearing the same serious expression he always does.“Can’t we stay a l
AdrianBoys’ night is a lie.It’s never about the games, never about the drinks, and definitely never about “just catching up.” It’s about sitting in a room with other men who know too much about you and waiting to see who cracks first.Tonight, it’s at Noah’s place.“Uncle Adrian!”Nova’s small bod
The hot chocolate arrives. She wraps her hands around the cup… or tries to, but they still shake so badly she can barely hold it steady.“Here,” I murmur, sliding closer.I cover her hands with mine just enough to hold the cup for her. Her breath hitches, and her shoulders drop a fraction.“It’s oka
The silence that follows after Brook leaves feels like a living thing. For a long moment, I just stand there, staring at the wood grain of the door as if I could still see her face on the other side. Her words linger, crawling under my skin like invisible ants, biting and burning. My chest feels too
No wonder there were maids I’d never seen before. I thought they worked in rotation, but maybe new ones were hired after the others were fired.I stand there speechless, still reeling from what I’d just learned. It just didn’t make any sense to me. Why would he fire them over gossip?I open my mouth
She laughs, and for a few minutes, the sound fills the room, But then, out of nowhere, her tone shifts.“I’m glad you’re here. I love that you are here,” she says quietly. “I miss Mommy, but when you’re around, it’s not so sad.”The words pierce something deep in me. My throat tightens, and I blink







