LOGIN~~~~~~~Two Later~~~~~~ Mrs. Black sat on the bench in the garden, a glossy brochure resting on her lap. The pages were filled with pictures—different proposal designs, flowers arranged in perfect harmony, soft lights glowing under the night sky, candles forming paths, and elegant setups that spoke of love and commitment. She flipped through the pages slowly, her eyes studying each design with careful attention. Some were too flashy. Some were too simple. She wanted something that spoke from the heart. Finally, she stopped. Her finger rested on one particular page. “I think this will do,” she said calmly, pointing at the design. The decorator leaned forward slightly to look closely. “This one, Ma’am?” he asked. “Yes,” Mrs. Black replied with a small nod. “It’s warm. Not too loud. It just right.” “Very well, Ma’am,” the decorator said respectfully as he straightened up. “We will get everything done exactly as shown. You won’t be disappointed.” “I trust you,” Mrs. Black s
Arden came out of the faculty building with Kyle, his bag hanging loosely over his shoulder. The sun was already beginning to dip, painting the campus in a soft orange glow. Students passed by them in small groups, laughing and talking, but Arden looked unusually relaxed. “I will be going on the school trip,” Arden said casually. Kyle stopped walking immediately. “Wait… he agreed?” Kyle asked, his voice filled with surprise. Arden stopped too and turned to face him. “Yes, he did. Why are you so surprised?” he asked. Kyle stared at him for a moment, then shook his head slowly. “Well… I never expected that he would agree,” Kyle said honestly. Arden rolled his eyes and then, they continued walking. They reached the parking lot a few minutes later. Arden stopped in front of a sleek red Ferrari. The car gleamed under the sunlight, standing out among the other vehicles. Kyle paused immediately, his eyes widened in awe. “Wait…” He looked from the car to Arden, then back to
When Arden arrived at the mansion, he finally understood everything. It hit him slowly—the way Ryder and the family had kept him in the dark, how they had handled the chaos at the hospital and the mansion. And then, when he heard about Corner’s death and how he died, a deep pang of remorse struck him. Corner had given his life to protect Mrs. Black and Asher. Amber had done the same. Arden’s chest tightened at the thought. He had been so angry at Ryder before, but now, he realized that the anger had been misdirected. Ryder couldn’t have known everything that would happen. He had been acting to protect Arden, even if it had meant keeping him away. Ryder noticed the change in Arden’s expression. He stepped closer and spoke gently, “It’s okay, Arden. You were angry because you didn’t know. Anyone in your place would feel the same.” Arden nodded slowly. “Yeah… I guess I understand now. I just… I feel so guilty. I shouldn’t have yelled like that.” Ryder put a hand on his shoulder.
~~~~~~~~Two Days After~~~~~~~ “I need to go see Arden.” Ryder’s voice was low but firm as he tried to push himself up from the bed. Pain shot through his side immediately, sharp and unforgiving. He sucked in a breath, his fingers tightening around the sheets. Before he could move further, his mother’s hands pressed firmly against his shoulders, forcing him back down. “No, you can’t,” she said without hesitation. Ryder clenched his jaw. “Mom—” “I understand that you want to see him. I truly do. But look at your condition.” She gestured toward his bandaged chest and arm. “You’re barely stable. You haven’t even fully regained your strength.” “He woke up,” Ryder said quietly. “He woke up and I wasn’t there.” His mother’s expression softened for a moment, but she did not move her hands. “And you collapsing in front of him won’t help anyone,” she replied. “First, you treat your injuries. Then you go to him.” She straightened, smoothing the front of her jacket as if prepari
“What the hell?!” Carlos yelled. Before his words fully settled in the air, more gunshots rang through the mansion. This time, they were much closer. The sound was sharper, heavier, and more controlled than before. Ryder barely had time to react. Suddenly, a loud blast tore through the room. The explosion shook the walls and sent dust and broken tiles flying everywhere. Ryder reacted on instinct. He threw himself sideways in the safe room just as the force of the blast slammed into the room. Pieces of the ceiling crashed down, glass shattered, and the air filled with smoke and debris. Ryder covered his head with his arms and pressed his body flat against the floor. The sound rang loudly in his ears. For a few seconds, everything felt unreal. Then… silence. Slowly, Ryder lifted his head. The smoke cleared little by little, and what he saw made his breath catch. Carlos’s men were down. Some lay sprawled across the floor, unmoving, blood spreading beneath them. Others had b
Carlos laughed out loud. The sound echoed through the broken hallway, bouncing off cracked walls and shattered glass. It was not a joyful laugh. It was sharp, mocking, and cruel. The kind of laughter that came from someone who believed the battle was already won. It grated against Ryder’s ears. “You thought you were going to fool me with your plan, huh?” Carlos said, his voice calm and confident. Ryder’s grip tightened around his gun. Carlos stepped closer, his boots crunching over debris. “Your lover is in the hospital, right?” Carlos continued. “Just wait for the call. You’ll get to see your lover’s dead body soon. That is, if you even survive long enough to hear it.” He smiled. From the way Carlos said those words, Ryder knew it. Their plan had already been exposed. Everything he had prepared. Every move he had calculated. All of it had been seen through. Ryder opened his mouth to speak, to shout, to order a change of plan— But nothing came out. His mind was blank. Be







