Lindsay POV After the meeting with Laura, I knew I had to head straight to the Bathory mansion to confront Gideon. The weight of the decision I was about to make was immense, but it was clear in my mind: I needed to do this, for me and for Wyatt. When I arrived at the mansion, I was greeted by Ma
Lindsay POV I was finishing packing my things in that room that had been ours for so many years when Gideon walked in. The air between us was heavy with sadness, the silence of those final moments almost tangible. We were already divorced, and each movement, each packed box, was like a reminder of
Lindsay POV Nowadays Arriving home after an unhealthy day at Hextec was like a relief, a refreshment for the soul. I knew I needed some time away from Gideon, especially after yesterday, when I gave in to his charms. That was a mistake, and I couldn't let it happen again. I had to be firm becaus
Jason POV Frustration bubbled inside me like a cauldron about to overflow. Laura's words echoed in my head, over and over, like a scratched record. "Zoey needs to be kept under control." What the hell! As if I were some kind of puppeteer, pulling the strings of a girl I barely knew. I wasn't being
Annie POV Today is a special day. The kind of day that feels like it's going to change everything, you know? I was in my room, decorating every corner with sweets and snacks, preparing everything to welcome Summer. Tomorrow, we would both be moving to the Oxwell campus. First year of college, wow!
Annie POV We were called for dinner, and as we went downstairs, I found my parents in the dining room with the twins. "Sit here next to me, Summer," Daniel invited with a little smirk, patting the chair beside him. "No, sit next to me; it's better, beautiful," Stephen also invited her, making poo
Annie POV After dinner, Summer and I returned to my room. Night was falling, and a fresh sense of expectation seemed to settle in with the darkness. The lamp next to my bed gave the room a soft, almost magical glow. "Let's do a skincare session before we go to bed?" Summer suggested, already getti
Laura POV The next morning, the sun was shining brightly as Jason and I prepared the car to take Annie and Summer to the campus of Oxwell University. The air was thick with a mix of excitement and nostalgia. It was an immense pleasure for both of us to accompany our first daughter on the same path
Laura POV “I love the outfit you chose to wear today. You’re absolutely stunning, my love,” I said, praising my daughter while gently caressing her arm. This weekend had been tough for Annie. She’d had the freshman ball on Friday night, and today, Sunday, she had to accompany me to this brunch at L
Annie POV That night, we fell asleep curled up together, still reveling in each other’s bodies. It was simply impossible to describe. A mix of longing, nostalgia, and satisfaction at having him there again, feeling his body under my fingers, his kisses, his gaze, running my hand through his silky
Annie POV Peter Morton’s face was just inches from mine, staring at me. The electric blue of his eyes was so close I could see his irises dilating and contracting. “You okay, Lady Ann?” he asked. I sighed with a small smile, half in delight. “It’s been a while since anyone called me that.” Actual
Annie POV The masked boy—who I didn’t want to admit was Peter—took me to an upscale, comfortable hotel where I could spend the night safely, away from everything, and try to regain my composure and figure out what to do next. “You can stay here,” he said calmly, though his voice still carried a hi
Annie POV The masked boy led me through the dark campus, his hand firm in mine as we ran away from the ballroom. My legs trembled, the blue dress swishing with each step, and tears still streamed down my face, hot and relentless. The sound of the shouts, the judgments, still echoed in my head, bu
“No choice?” He cut me off, his tone incredulous. “Are you serious? You chose to help Madison make that video. You chose to plug it into the projector. And now Annie’s out there, broken, while you try to run from the responsibility. This doesn’t fix anything, Abby. It wasn’t supposed to end like thi
Abby POV I was there, tucked away in the shadows of the ballroom’s corner, my heart still racing as I watched the chaos I’d helped create unfold. The giant screen kept playing that horrible video, distorted and manipulated clips of Annie echoing through the room like a final verdict. People poin
Annie POV I was still on the dance floor, the warmth of the masked boy’s body against mine, my head resting on his chest as the slow music guided us. The sound of his heartbeat against my ear was almost hypnotic, and I let myself get lost in that feeling I couldn’t quite explain. He’d just said s
I swallowed hard, Caleb’s words coming back to haunt me. “Have you ever stopped to think that maybe we’ve gone too far?” He’d said that at the mall, and I’d hung up on him, but now they echoed in my head. Annie had hurt me, yes. The fight in the dorm, the way she called me fake, like I was trash she