LOGINRiley“Riley.”The sound of my name echoed behind me. I paused, my fingers loosening around my glass as I turned. When I looked up, I saw Nora walking toward me with a wide, radiant smile on her face, one hand lifted in a cheerful wave, the other firmly intertwined with Matthew’s.Matthew walked beside her, tall and rigid, his face completely blank. He didn’t smile, didn’t react to the curious glances thrown his way. Around him, guests subtly adjusted themselves, some stepping closer with polite smiles, others keeping a careful distance. No one wanted to offend someone with the Sinclair name. It didn’t matter that Matthew was adopted. To the world, Sinclair was Sinclair. And the Sinclair were dangerous.“Riley,” Nora called again as they reached me, already pulling me into a hug.I hugged her back, smiling. “Look at you,” I said. “You look beautiful. No wonder you took more than an hour getting dressed.”Nora pulled back, laughing softly, clearly pleased. “I know, right?” Then her gaz
Matthew A thought crossed my mind so suddenly that it made my chest tighten. I turned my head and looked at Nora, and before I could stop myself, the words slipped out. “Why were you invited?” She blinked, clearly caught off guard. “What?” I leaned back against the seat, my gaze half-lidded as I stared ahead, my mind piecing things together whether I wanted it to or not. “No matter how much I think about it, I still don’t understand why you and Violet’s family were invited. It doesn’t make sense.” I let out a slow breath. “I know my father. He wouldn’t go out of his way to invite you. He probably doesn’t even know you exist. So the only person who could have invited you is his wife.” I glanced at her briefly. “Do you know her by any chance?” The words sounded harsher than I intended, but they were the truth. My father never did anything without reason. He wouldn't invite people out of sentiment, or nostalgia. He invited them because they were useful, powerful, or necessary.
Matthew “Mr. Hades Sinclair, the world’s most renowned billionaire and the sole heir of the Sinclair Corporation, is set to host his wedding party tonight. The world is buzzing with excitement. Despite being known for avoiding media attention, Mr. Hades Sinclair has allowed full coverage for this event and invited influential billionaires and politicians from across the globe. Tonight’s event promises to be truly historic—” “Turn it off,” I said sharply. The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror, immediately nodding. “Yes, sir.” He reached forward and switched off the screen, plunging the car back into silence. I turned my gaze toward the window, my reflection staring back at me, dark eyes, hollow, and exhausted. My expression was blank, but my heartbeat was anything but calm. It was pounding so hard against my chest it felt like it wanted to tear its way out. I couldn’t understand what was happening, and worse, I couldn’t understand why it bothered me this much. H
Sierra My grandfather nodded slowly, as if he had reached some conclusion. “I see,” he said. “It seems you like salty food. If that’s the case, I won’t keep it away from you.” His gaze settled on my mother. She didn’t flinch or even blink. It was as if she were used to this. “Go ahead,” he continued calmly. “Eat it, then.” My mother bowed her head. “Yes, Father.” She stepped forward, picked up his tray, still full of sushi, and began to eat. She ate standing there, obedient and quiet, shoving the food into her mouth as if that was all she was worth. Like a dog allowed scraps after pleasing its owner. I glanced at my father, waiting for some kind of reaction. Anger, discomfort, or anything, but he didn’t move, or speak. He simply watched her with a bored, detached expression, like this was nothing new. I looked back at my mother, my face blank, something hollow in my chest. Here she goes again. Letting them do whatever they wanted to her. Letting herself be humiliated when sh
Sierra If you were born into a very rich Korean household, you are called a chaebol. To most people, that word sounds glamorous, powerful, and enviable. When they hear it, their eyes light up as if you’ve just won the lottery of life. They imagine private jets, endless money, influence that bends the world, and doors that open without knocking. They want the lifestyle. They want the connections. They want to be you, or at the very least, stand close enough to benefit from your shadow. Even people who secretly dislike you will smile at you, tolerate you, befriend you, simply because of the name you carry. But what they never understand is that being born into a chaebol family is not freedom. It is a cage built from gold. From the moment you are born, expectations are carved into your bones. Your life is planned before you even learn how to walk. There are rules, so many fucking rules, that you don’t even realize you’re obeying them until one day you hesitate, and the consequences
Violet I smiled and tilted my head at him. “Am I? Alright then, go on. Tell them how annoying I am. Don’t just stand there like a tree. Mom might get annoyed if she saw that.” Sebastian looked at me for a moment, as if weighing my words, before finally nodding. He moved forward on his crutches, stopping in front of the graves. His shoulders stiffened at first, then slowly relaxed as he took a breath. “Mom, Dad, Skylar,” he began, his voice quiet but steady. “How have you guys been? Do you know how much I miss you?” His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I dream about you almost every day, you know. Sometimes I still think you were really mean for leaving me this early.” He let out a shaky breath, then added, “But I don’t hate you for it. I really don’t. In fact, the next time we meet, I’ll make sure you don’t leave again. You guys are terrible with time, honestly.” I smiled softly as I watched him, but my chest tightened when I saw tears gathering in his eyes. He blinked rapidly,







