Imogene Scott My day starts a little stellar the following day and by afternoon, I’m already grabbing coffe. Probably because I didn’t sleep well enough because of the sleepover, now I have to rely on caffeine to stay awake during the day. I walk to the cafe across the gallery and grab a cup of coffe, then jot down the time I bought the coffe and how many grams it weighs. I figured I should keep track of my caffeine intake and also put to good use, the journal Keith gave me. It’s a win win.After jotting down, I put the journal Uber my arm and grab my coffe. As I turn back towards the gallery, I hear the unmistakable sound of a car pulling up beside me. I glance over. It’s Allison. Great.Don’t get me wrong. She’s so lovable. And I have nothing against her except for the fact that the last time I saw her, she wasn’t exactly friendly. In fact, she asked me to stay away from Keith because she didn’t trust me. And now here she is, stepping out of her sleek black car, looking
Damien Shaw What the actual fuck? Now I’m starting to rethink if Imogene and Keith working together was ever a good idea in the first place. I mean, they were basically in each other’s arms a few seconds ago. I give Imogene a long look, she counters with a smile but I can see the nervousness behind it. “I’ll wait in the car.” I say and step out before she can say anything else. I storm out of the gallery, my jaw clenched so tight it hurts. I know it was just a hug, but something about it makes me lose my mind. Imogene and Keith, arms wrapped around each other, looking way too comfortable for my liking. I replay the scene over and over. Her smile. His hands on her back, and suddenly, I'm questioning everything. I yank the car door open and slide inside, slamming it shut behind me. My hands grip the steering wheel. I shouldn’t feel threatened by Keith. Imogene’s with me, we’re rebuilding... Before I can spiral too far, I hear the passenger door open. Imogene slips in, the so
Imogene Scott God, things might spiral out of control at this point. I basically ignored that text from Damien’s father yesterday and now, he came looking for me at my place. What the hell? What if Damien walked in on us? I can barely comprehend how he’s going to react. He hates his father more than anything and he cannot in heaven or hell, find out I’ve met him twice without his knowledge.This is really messed up. What’s more messed up is the fact that I agreed to meet him again. I was desperate and he wouldn’t leave. He’s a dying man and I have a conscience. He wants to make amends before he dies and I can’t ruin that for him. I just have to do the little I can to help while also trying not to get involved in their drama.That sounds almost impossible but I can work through it.I walk into my apartment and go straight to my room. I grab a few of mine and Lily’s thing and place them in a tote bag. But my mind is still somehow occupied by everything. What if Damien finds out? H
If each reader reading this book actually votes for this book with gems, do you know how much votes that will be?Which is why I’m imploring each reader to vote for this book with at least one gem. It goes a long way. Plsss.And I promise to update 2-3 chapters more today.
Imogene ScottThe next morning, Damien gets up earlier than usual. And by the time I finished getting ready to leave, he’s already left for the office. He won’t talk to me or tell me what’s bothering him and it’s killing me. I can’t stop thinking about what’s wrong. What I could’ve done to push him away. Or is it something else?It’s also all I can think about all day. Well, besides the fact that I might be meeting Damien’s father later. But I can always avoid that. I need to focus more on the problems at hand.“You do know overthinking reduces beauty and makes you less attractive.” Keith says, interrupting my thoughts.I eye him through my lashes. “I don’t think so.”His grin fades a little when he sees I’m not in the mood. I sink deeper into my seat, pulling my phone out to distract myself when I see a message pop up from Breonna.[Breonna: Hey, I’m outside.]Finally, a welcome distraction. I grab my things, pushing all thoughts to the back of my mind. As I step outside, I spot
Damien Shaw As I pull into the driveway, I’m surprised to see Imogene’s car parked in its usual spot. She’s already home? This early? Although , she mentioned her workload reducing, I didn’t expect her to be home this early. I kill the engine and step out of the car, my footsteps crunching against the gravel. When I open the front door, the sound of Lily’s giggles fills the house. I find her sitting on the living room floor, playing with her toy car.“Hey, princess.” I say, scooping her up. She squeals with delight as I pepper her cheeks with kisses. The smell of something familiar drifts through the air—garlic, herbs, and the richness of home-cooked food. It’s been a while since I’ve come home to this. I turn toward the kitchen, and there she is. Imogene, standing by the counter, her hair loosely tied back, wearing an apron. An apron? She rarely cooks these days. “You’re just in time,” she says, as she steps toward me. I raise an eyebrow. “You cooked?”She smiles and n
Imogene Scott[Me: Damien agreed to go to the baseball match. Our plan is still go-go]I text Breonna as I step into the gallery. Now that we’ve done the easy part of the plan, which is getting Damien out of the house, we only need to worry about the other part.I’m pretty sure nobody is as excited as me about this party. I can already imagine the look of surprise on his face when he steps through the door and sees the surprise we pulled for him. As I walk deeper into the gallery, I see Emmett standing by the entrance to my office. “Good morning, Imogene.” he says. "Someone’s waiting for you in your office,"I stop mid-step and my heart skips. I know exactly who’s inside, but the knot in my stomach still tightens. I asked for this, didn’t I? It’s for Damien, I remind myself as I take a deep breath and nod at Emmett. "Thanks," He gives me a brief smile but doesn’t say more. I can tell he’s as uncertain about this as I am, though for different reasons. He doesn’t know the full s
Damien Shaw The next three days are perfect. Less work for Imogene, more time spent with her, just the way I’ve always wanted it to be. In three consecutive days, I’ve come home to find her in the kitchen, cooking. It’s like she’s determined to make up for lost time, and with every moment I spend with her, I fall even more in love.My birthday is in two days. I’m not too psyched about the baseball match with the very mysterious Emmett—I don’t even know how that’s going to go—but the family dinner? That’s what I’m really looking forward to. It’s the thought of being together, just the three of us, that makes me feel like things are finally right.Tonight, after dinner, Imogene puts Lily to sleep while I read her a bedtime story. Lily’s tiny hand grips mine as she listens to me fumble through the pages. Her eyelids get heavier with each word, and by the time I finish, she’s already drifting off. Imogene tucks her well under the blanket and smiles at me from across the room.We
Damien Shaw “What else do you need me to grab? Your handbag?” I ask, watching her in the mirror as she pulls her hair up into one of those quick, messy buns that somehow still looks perfect on her.We’ve been in this house for a few days now. No noise. No schedules. Just the two of us. It’s been good but I figured she might want to stretch her wings a little. When I found out there was a small art center just half an hour from here, I booked us a private session. No people. No distractions. Just space and light and canvas.“I can grab my bag,” she says, walking to the bed where it’s tossed beside the sundress she picked earlier. It’s light yellow that ends just mid-thigh. Her bare legs steal my attention for a second longer than I mean them to.But I’m faster. I reach for the bag before she can.“You’re not allowed to carry anything,” I say, grabbing it and slinging it over my shoulder. It’s half the size of her and somehow still weighs a damn ton.She frowns at me like I’ve ju
Imogene Scott The sun is starting to go down when I wake up. The blanket is still tucked around me, and I stretch, feeling the tightness in my muscles from the nap Damien insisted I take after lunch. My body is still warm. I glance over to the clock, surprised by how much time has passed.As I sit up, Damien appears in the doorway, a small smile playing on his lips. His eyes are bright, and there’s a glint of mischief in them. He’s holding something behind his back, though I can’t tell what.“Feeling better?” he asks, his voice low, smooth. I nod slowly, still trying to shake off the drowsiness.“You wouldn’t let me sleep through the afternoon, would you?” I tease, stretching again as my arms reach above my head, my back arching. He chuckles softly, shaking his head.“I had a plan for you,” he says, stepping into the room. His smile widens. “So, I prepared a little something special for you while you were asleep.”I raise an eyebrow. “Oh really?” “Yes, really,” he says, an
Damien Shaw It’s surprising how bright the morning sun is after the heavy rain last night. I shift under the sheets and my hand reaches out instinctively, searching for Imogene, but the space beside me is empty.I sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The house is quiet. I swing my legs over the side of the bed, the cool floor sending a slight shiver up my spine.As I step into the hallway, the aroma of fresh apples wafts through the air. I follow the scent to the dining area and find Imogene seated at the table, meticulously slicing apples into thin wedges.“Why are you doing this so early in the morning?” I ask, approaching her.She looks up, a soft smile playing on her lips. “I just crave apples.”I chuckle, “You should’ve woken me up to cut them for you.”“It’s fine,” she replies, focusing back on her task.Suddenly, her phone beeps. She sets down the knife and picks up the device, answering the incoming video call. Kia's face appears on the screen, and beside her is
Damien Shaw We go back inside after the rain. I lead Imogene to the bathroom where I prepare her a hot bath. Steam curls up from the tub as I swirl my hand through the water, checking the temperature. Not too hot. Just warm enough to soothe her bones. She stands there quietly beside me. Her lashes are still damp from the rain, and I help her out of the oversized hoodie with gentle hands. My fingers graze her shoulders, and I swear, even soaked to the skin, she glows. There’s a peace in her eyes I haven’t seen in weeks.She steps into the bath with a small sigh, like her whole body is unraveling, and I wait for a second—just watching her exhale. Then I step out, give her space. She needs this.While she soaks, I clear the chaos we left behind. Plates. Crumpled napkins. Half a pint of chocolate ice cream melting on the coffee table. The rain’s still coming down in sheets outside, thick drops racing down the windowpanes.I grab a towel, ruffle it through my hair, then toss it o
Imogene Scott I slept through the night for the first time in weeks. No jolting awake. No sweat-slicked skin. No dreams of drowning in shadows. Just silence. Stillness. Peace.My eyes open slowly, blinking into the quiet morning light spilling through the gauzy white curtains. The ocean breeze flows in from the slightly open window. My head doesn’t feel like it’s been split in two.I pull the blanket down and sit up, cradling my growing belly with both hands. The twins will be here in a few weeks. Two heartbeats fluttering beneath my skin. Two tiny souls I haven't even met, but already love with an intensity that’s terrifying and beautiful all at once.My fingers press gently into the bump. “You two are going to be okay,” I whisper. “We’re all going to be okay.”A soft smile pulls at my lips. It’s real this time. Not the kind I force at dinner tables or mirror reflections. No, this one is real.“What are you smiling about?”Damien’s voice startles me. I look up as he steps into
Damien Shaw The sun spills through the curtains as my eyes flutter open. I groan, registering the soreness in my bones. I rub at my face, letting my hand fall onto the bed beside me…It’s empty.My heart kicks up, a sudden thrum against my ribs.Imogene is not here.The sheets are still warm, faintly scented with her shampoo and her pillow’s half-squashed. She couldn’t have gone far. But still… my throat tightens as I sit up fast, pushing the blanket off. My bare feet hit the cool wood floor and I stand, eyes scanning the quiet bedroom.I don’t call out. Not yet. My gut twists like it always does when she disappears from my line of sight. I step into the hallway, and I’m immediately hit with a warm, sweet and smoky smell.Pancakes?I follow the scent into the kitchen, tension loosening slightly with each step. And then I see her.She’s standing by the stove, her back to me, swaying ever so slightly to some melody in her head. She’s barefoot, in nothing but my oversized black T-shir
Imogene Scott“Mummy, how long are you going to be gone?” Lily’s small voice floats toward me.I pause, my hand hovering over the zipper of my suitcase. The last dress is folded neatly inside and I press it down before turning to face her. She’s standing by the edge of the bed.“Mummy will be back in a few days,” I say gently, kneeling in front of her and smoothing her curls with my palm. She looks at me like she’s studying me, trying to see if I’m telling the truth or just saying what I think she wants to hear.“Will Mummy be better by then?” she asks.My breath catches.Better.I nod, brushing my thumb across her cheek.“Yes, baby. Mummy will be fine.”Lily thinks about that for a second, then smiles. “Yes, then Mummy can go. Anty Kia will take good care of me.”A soft knock sounds on the door just as I press a kiss to Lily’s forehead. Sheila steps in. “Is there anything else you want to take to the water park, Lily?” she says.Before Lily can answer, Kia walks in right behind
Imogene Scott When I open my eyes, it’s dark outside.The ceiling fan spins slowly above me. My body feels warm as I place my palm on my forehead and try to register what time it is on the wall clock across the room. But my vision’s a little blurry and I can’t make out the numbers, so I sit up instead, blinking away the sleep.I swing my legs off the bed and the cold wooden floor kisses my bare feet. I tug Damien’s hoodie tighter around me before padding to the door. I didn’t mean to sleep that long. I was just going to close my eyes for a few minutes.The hallway is dim. I make my way down slowly, hand on the banister. My joints still feel a little stiff from laying in one position for too long.When I reach the last step, I spot him.Damien’s seated at the dining table, one elbow propped up, his head resting in his palm. His hair’s tousled like he’s run his hand through it a hundred times tonight.“Hey there,” I say, softly.His head snaps up.“You’re awake?” His voice is low.
Damien Shaw I help Imogene off the examination table slowly, my hands gripping her waist. She's light and it unsettles me more than I let on. She sits up and swings her legs over the edge, her fingers resting on my forearm to steady herself."I'm okay," she says softly.She’s not. But I nod anyway. We walk out of the room together and back into the office, where Dr. Rogers is typing something into her computer. The click of the keys fills the silence.She looks up and smiles, though there's a trace of something behind her eyes. Concern, maybe. Caution."Everything looks good so far," she says. "But we’re entering the home stretch now. Just a few more weeks. You both need to be careful, especially you, Imogene."Imogene nods politely. “We will.”I thank her and reach for the door handle, ready to leave. I’m already thinking about the drive home, when Dr Rogers calls out to me. “Damien, could I speak to you for a second?”I stop and glance at Imogene.“I’ll wait in the car,” she