MasukI can't reply directly to comments, but I appreciate everyone who has chosen to leave one. And to everyone who is reading this story, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you have questions about anything, leave them in the comments and I'll do my best to address anything in these notes. I do hope you all are enjoying how the story is playing out. <3
Erin's POV“Mrs. Connolley,” the receptionist at the front desk greeted me with a warm smile. The woman has worked there since Rowan was a toddler, and I knew this was her final year. Rowan had approached her with a severance package, suggesting it was time to retire.She was thrilled because the money meant she could return to Canada and spend time with her children, but what she didn’t know was that Rowan was replacing her with a more “aesthetically pleasing” model for the face of Connolley Enterprises.“Sharon,” I returned her smile. “How are you?”“You know me,” her ruby lips pulled into a toothy smile. “Working and preparing. Did Rowan tell you that I’ll be retiring at the end of the year?” Tears brimmed her eyes. “I cannot tell you how lovely it will be to go home. It’s been too long.”I wanted to crush Rowan’s image, but in doing so, I’d be crushing this lovely woman, and that’s not worth it to me.“I’m happy for you. If there is anything more you need in your contract, don’t h
Erin's POV“Erin?” Ophelia’s high-pitched voice dragged my attention from a painting on the wall of Grinders, the high-end café Ophelia wanted to meet at.I spun around, locking eyes with Ophelia’s warm brown ones. I thought I would feel hurt or betrayal, but the only thing I can feel is relief.Just like with Rowan, time away from Ophelia has shown me how blind I’d been for so long. In high school, I ignored her shitty behavior and lackluster personality because she was the only person who reached out their hand when I was drowning.But sometimes kindness is just a smile with a hidden knife.“Long time no see,” I forced a smile.“Yeahhhh,” she looked me up and down with pinched brows, “What is this?” Ophelia’s finger moved up and down.“My outfit?”“Uhhh… duh,” she chirped. “It’s so… how do I put this,” her nose scrunched further, “Not you. And makes you look like you’ve gained ten pounds.”Ophelia of course was dressed in a leather, ivory wrap coat with thigh high boots looking like
Erin's POVI stood, staring at the calendar in my makeshift office at Finn’s, the big red circle on today’s date a glaring reminder that my plan was in motion.Finn gently knocks on the doorframe, “Everything is all set.”I took a deep breath, glancing at him over my shoulder.He smiled, showing off those dimples I wished were always on display, and waved a manilla envelope towards me, “You look like a woman scorned by the way,” he stepped into my office. “Very sexy look.”I chose a skintight red body suit, but paired it with a high waisted, flowy black skirt to hide the ever-changing baby bump.“You like it?” I smirked, grabbing his outstretched hand. Finn twirled me around in a circle, a squeal leaving my lips as he dipped me backwards, pressing his lips against mine with a grin.“You’d make a paper bag look good, love,” he winked, pulling me upright, but not letting go. “But this,” he stepped away just enough to give me a once over, “This is the kind of outfit you drag your ex-husb
Erin's POVMy nose twitched from the smell of charred flesh and moss.It was a scent I’d never forget.As Az and I walked through the trees on our way to Finn, my surroundings felt so familiar, but I couldn’t peg where from. There was a fog clouding whatever memory my brain was trying to connect to this place.It wasn’t until I was standing before that burning pile of bones that I understood why my surroundings felt so familiar.Enzo arches a brow, “Like,” he points down towards the ground, “Right here? Or vaguely this forest?”“These bones,” I walked around to the opposite side of the pile, making sure I hadn’t gone insane. The flames slowly consuming Mila’s corpse cast an orange glow over all three of their faces. “I used to come out here when I was little.”“What the hell were you doing in the middle of this forest, alone?” Azure met me as I rounded the pile, stepping over a partially burned log.“Me and Willow spent a lot of time at our grandparents house,” I spun around, struggli
Finn's POVI glanced back at the closed door before turning my attention to Mila.My hatred for her hadn’t faltered… not even a little.Her long blonde hair fanned around her face, soaking up the blood that had finally stopped seeping from the wound on her neck.‘I’m sorry,’ Nero muttered as I caught myself staring at the crimson stains on my hands. Blood caked the space beneath my nails and nailbeds, but I felt numb to it all.‘You know she was one of the few pieces on the board that needed eliminating,’ I squatted down, admiring Nero’s handiwork. ‘I’m not mad, I just wouldn’t have done it like this.’ I wanted Mila dead, but I would have acted rationally, where Nero acted impulsively. She would have disappeared without a trace. So seamlessly, that even Azure wouldn’t have been able to trace it.“Oh Mila,” I shook my head, pushing a few strands of hair from her forehead. “You couldn’t just stay away from him,” seeing her like this… It was sick, but the only emotion I felt right now w
Erin's POV“What’s on your mind?” Azure was lying behind me, running his fingers down my side slowly. The sensation sent a calming warmth through my body, something I desperately needed after everything that happened.Rowan began blowing up my phone about an hour ago to the point that I had to power it down. At first, his messages were just asking me where I was or leaving messages wondering when I’d be back. But they quickly spiraled into the man he was earlier in the evening.His meds must have worn off because the last message he left was scathing. Hearing his angry voice, berating me for leaving him to fend for himself... A shudder rolled through my body at the thought of what might happen when he wakes up in the morning and realizes I'm still gone.“Just worried about Finn is all,” Azure muttered absentmindedly. I knew his thoughts had been elsewhere all night, but I’d been so wrapped up in what was happening with Rowan, that I couldn’t bring myself to ask.“Why would you be worr







