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65. The Master’s Flame

Author: theshimmery_star
last update Last Updated: 2025-08-21 00:04:11

The penthouse was quiet and unnervingly dark when Ryan stepped inside, the only light coming from a trail of flickering candles leading down the hallway. Their golden glow cast long shadows against the walls, the air thick with the scent of vanilla.

He shrugged off his jacket, frowning slightly. The evening skyline glowed faintly through the massive windows, but most of the place was shrouded in shadows.

“Elena?” he called, his voice low but carrying.

No answer.

His footsteps were quiet against the hardwood as he followed the candlelit path. It led straight toward the closed door at the far end of the hall. The one room he never brought anyone into without a reason.

The red room.

Something in his chest tightened, but it wasn’t apprehension, it was curiosity laced with heat. The door was slightly ajar. He wrapped his hand around the handle and pushed it open.

And then he stopped. The light inside was dim, lit only by more candles scattered across the space, their flames casting shado
theshimmery_star

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  • Guilty Pleasure #2   75. First 'Yes'

    The ocean’s rhythm seemed to sync with the frantic beating of Elena’s heart. Her chest rose and fell unevenly, Ryan’s words echoing through her like a wildfire she wasn’t ready to let spread. His confession hung in the salt-tinged air, a delicate, precious thing amidst the flickering candlelight. The words “you’re wrapped around every part of me” echoed in the silence.She stood frozen within the circle of his arms, her hands still pressed against his chest, feeling the solid, rapid thud of his heart beneath her palms. It was a stark contrast to the icy composure he’d worn in his office.Her lips parted, her heart betraying her with its rapid beats, but her mind screamed caution. She searched his eyes, those piercing blues that had once felt like home, but now carried the weight of too many broken promises.A bitter, broken laugh escaped her lips. She dropped her forehead against his collarbone, unable to look at him. “You say that now,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “You can’t…

  • Guilty Pleasure #2   74. Pull of What Remains

    The world was a prison of darkness and his scent. Sandalwood, cedar, and the faint, clean smell of his skin, it was an aroma that had haunted her dreams and her waking nightmares for a month. It was the scent of her own undoing. Her whole body tensed, heart hammering against her ribs as the rough cloth pressed over her eyes and the palm against her mouth held her silent. The warmth of his chest pressed against her back as he tightened his hold, keeping her still. “Ryan!” she managed to choke out between his fingers. “What the hell are you doing? Let me go!” The words were muffled against the firm, warm palm still pressed over her mouth, coming out as a furious, indistinct grumble. But he said nothing. She kicked backward, heels sinking into the sand, fighting with every ounce of strength she had. “You can’t just… Ryan! drag me off like this! Are you insane? I swear to God if you don’t let me go this seco

  • Guilty Pleasure #2   73. The Unseen Plan

    The inside of Elena’s walk-in closet looked like a cyclone had hit a fabric store. She stood in front of her closet like a soldier facing an impossible battle. Dresses, skirts, and tops were strewn over every available surface, a colorful testament to her rising frustration. Dresses of every color and cut hung in a neat row, yet none seemed right for tonight.She stood in the middle of the chaos, holding up a simple black cocktail dress before tossing it onto the growing ‘absolutely not’ pile with a groan. She grabbed a floral midi dress, held it against herself in the mirror, and made a sound of disgust. “Too frumpy.” A silk blouse and tailored trousers. “Too much like a work meeting.” “Useless,” she muttered to the empty room. “Everything is useless.”Nothing in her wardrobe seemed to fit the bizarre description Avonlea had concocted. She wanted something simple and gorgeous but not a screaming look at me. “Why does nothing ever cooperate when I need it to?” she muttered, tugging

  • Guilty Pleasure #2   72. The Last Page of Exams

    The month went by in a blur. For Elena, it felt like she was moving underwater slowly, heavy, with every thought dragging behind her. If it weren’t for Avonlea, she wasn’t sure she’d have survived the weeks. Her best friend never left her side, not once. The storm of heartbreak had subsided, leaving not a sunny clarity, but a quiet, determined stillness. The air in the room no longer felt heavy with unshed tears; it smelled of highlighter ink, and worn paper.Elena stirred awake at the smell of something warm and buttery wafting into her room. She groaned, stretching, and squinted at the sunlight streaming through her curtains. For once, Avonlea wasn’t sprawled on the mattress beside her. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, wondering until a knock on the door made her jump.“Sleeping beauty, rise and shine!” Avonlea’s voice rang out.Elena smiled faintly despite herself. She pushed the blanket off and padded toward the door. Avonlea stood there grinning, holding two steaming mugs of coffee

  • Guilty Pleasure #2   71. The Anatomy of a Broken Heart

    Avonlea froze at the doorway for a moment, her chest tightening at the sight of Elena sitting there with swollen eyes and trembling lips. She dropped her bag to the floor and rushed forward.“Elena,” she whispered, her voice breaking as she knelt beside the bed.That single word was enough. The fragile wall Elena had tried to build around herself collapsed. She broke down harder, sobbing, shaking her body as she threw her arms around her best friend, burying her face in Avonlea’s shoulder, her entire body convulsing with the force of her tears. She clung to her best friend as if she were the only anchor in a raging sea, her fingers gripping the fabric of Avonlea’s jacket like a lifeline.“Avonlea…” Her voice cracked, muffled against Avonlea’s shoulder. “It hurts… it hurts so much.”Avonlea’s heart shattered. She wrapped her arms around Elena tightly, rubbing slow circles on her back, whispering, “Shh… I’m here. I’m here, Lena. Breathe with me, okay? Just breathe. I’m here. I’ve got y

  • Guilty Pleasure #2   70. The Silence Between Us

    The door clicked shut behind her, a soft, final sound that echoed like a gunshot in the cavernous office. Ryan didn’t look up immediately, his knuckles white where they gripped the edge of his polished mahogany desk, suit jacket off, sleeves rolled to his elbows, flipping through a file as if the world outside the paper didn’t exist. For a moment, Elena just stood there, her chest rising and falling too fast, anger and heartbreak mixing inside her like a storm. The air still crackled with her accusations.“Ryan?” Her voice came out tighter than she meant.He finally looked up, his calm blue eyes colliding with hers. “Elena…”The way he said her name made her blood boil, his gaze locked on the empty space where Elena had just been vibrating with furious, wounded energy. How could he be so calm when she was burning inside?“Was I just a distraction? A convenient toy you’ve now grown bored of?”“Don’t be dramatic, Elena. I’ve been busy.”She crossed the room, stopping just short of his

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