เข้าสู่ระบบAmanda's POV I jolted awake, my heart hammering, my body stiff and tense. For a moment, the images from the dream, the rooftop, Thomas, Ryan, the confrontation hung in my mind My hands shook as I looked around the apartment. The soft glow of the lamp, the familiar clutter on my mom's coffee table, and the stack of documents Clara had given me yesterday slowly reminded me I was safe. It had been a dream. A nightmare, really, but so vivid that my stomach still churned. I had dozed off while reading the documents, exhausted after hours of trying to piece together everything Clara had handed me. My subconscious had taken the fragments of reality the evidence of Thomas’s obsession, the anxiety I had been carrying, and the fear I couldn’t quite shake and turned it into a terrifying scenario that felt real in every way. I sank back into the couch, letting out a shaky breath. My hands fidgeted with the corner of one of the papers, trying to calm myself. Even though it was only a drea
Amanda’s POV I’d been to my lawyer’s office more times in the past two weeks than in my entire life combined. Every visit left me wired, tense, and a little nauseous like stepping into a battlefield armed with words instead of weapons. But this time, I didn’t walk in alone. Adam was with me. He stayed half a step behind as we crossed the sleek lobby, his presence steady and grounding. I wasn’t sure if it was his quiet confidence or the sheer physical fact of him broad shoulders, calm stride but for the first time in days, my chest didn’t feel like it was caving in. The lawyer, Mr. Trent, was already waiting in his office, his glasses perched low on his nose as he scrolled through something on his tablet. When he saw me, he stood, offering a polite nod. “Dr. James,” he greeted, then glanced at Adam. “And…?” “Adam Cole,” Adam said smoothly, extending a hand. “Family friend.” Trent shook it but didn’t linger. His attention swung back to me. “You said you had something urgen
Adam’s POV When I said those words outside the courtroom—she’s mine it had been instinct, a heat-of-the-moment reflex to make Ryan back off. A line drawn in the sand. Nothing more. But now, watching him stride toward us with that storm brewing in his eyes, I felt something twist in my chest. Not fear not exactly. I wasn’t afraid of Ryan Steward. But I was… wary. Because men like him didn’t back down easy. He looked sharp, calculated even in his defeat, his dark suit crisp like armor that hadn’t cracked, even though I knew it had. And despite every fiber of me wanting to keep things calm for Amanda’s sake, a small part of me almost wished he’d take a swing, just so I could hit back twice as hard. Amanda stiffened beside me, Levi perched in her arms, oblivious to the tension snapping like live wires in the air. Ryan stopped a few feet away. His eyes flicked to Levi—soft for a fraction of a second—before snapping back to Amanda, hard and sharp again. Before he could open hi
Amanda’s POV The knock on my door came late in the evening, sharp and impatient. I didn’t need to look to know who it was. Only Thomas knocked like that. I had just finished putting Levi to bed, his little head resting on the pillow, his face peaceful for the first time all day. My heart still felt heavy from Ryan’s mother’s funeral. The look on Ryan’s face as they lowered the casket kept replaying in my mind. When I opened the door, Thomas stood there, dressed in a dark shirt, his face tense. "Thomas?" I said softly. "It’s late." He didn’t smile. "We need to talk." I sighed and stepped aside. "Come in." He walked in, his eyes darting around the room before landing on me. "My parents want to see you." he said. I blinked. "Now?" He nodded once. "They’ve been asking since morning. I kept putting it off because I didn’t think you’d want to go after everything that happened, but they insisted." I crossed my arms, my stomach tightening. The last time I’d seen his mot
Amanda's POV The rooftop looked perfect, candles lined the edges, shining against the walls, A table for two sat in the center, set neatly with plates and silverware, flowers arranged in the middle. Everything screamed romance, intimacy, a quiet evening. Thomas had outdone himself or maybe he had outdone himself too much.I stepped forward cautiously, my stomach tight. His excitement, the intensity in his eyes, was too much. It wasn’t the kind of calm someone had before a simple dinner. It felt… off."Amanda." Thomas said, his voice low, trembling slightly. "I’m glad you’re here."I nodded, forcing a polite smile, though my instincts screamed at me to stop, to turn, to run. His hands fidgeted at his sides, twisting a napkin, then releasing it like it burned him."You mean everything to me." he said, stepping closer, eyes locked on mine. "I can’t imagine, life without you. I’ve thought about this moment for so long, and I just…"He trailed off, and I could see it in his face, the ea
Selene's POV I walked into the place Clara told me to meet her. My legs felt weak, but I forced myself forward. Every step pulled at the wounds on my body. I hated that I was even here, but I had no choice. My family could only hide me for so long. The police were still looking for me. My face was everywhere. I could not breathe inside that house anymore. But seeing Clara again made my chest burn. She stood in the middle of the room, calm, her hands folded with her hawk like eyes peering at me "Selene."she said gently. "You came." "I shouldn’t have." I said, my voice cracked. "But you called. You knew I would show up when I had nothing left." She nodded slowly. "I asked you here because I want you to think about your future. You can’t run forever." "I’ve been running because of you." I snapped. "Because you and Thomas threw me away like trash." Her face did not change. "You made choices that put you in danger. I warned you before." I felt anger rise inside me. My hands







