로그인It felt so good, almost brand new to have a week without any new trouble. I had just walked out of the bathroom, towel tight around me. I pulled the closet door open and grabbed a silky gray robe. Perfect for my mood tonight.It was relieving to know Victoria was still alive. That's the good part, even though Alex thinks someone close by was working with Marcus, and still feeding him what's happening on the outside. I threw the robe around my shoulders. Towel bunched up at my feet. Then my eyes glanced to the mug of coffee that sat on the nightstand, Isabel had dropped it off while I was in the bathroom. The inviting smell had filled my lungs the moment I stepped out of the bathroom. I walked briskly, sat on the edge of the bed, the warm light from the nightstand lamp cascaded on my face.I grabbed the mug and sipped once. Then the square framed picture of Mia and me stared back, I picked it up with my free hand, her soft bright smile glared at me. I had seen them again two days back
Silence had fallen over the room, except for the low hum of the AC. My heart fluttered with each passing second, I lay awake while I watched her sleep in my hand like she was going to vanish again by morning. My free hand shoving strands of hair off her face. For weeks, I had waited, searched, and when I found her, the circumstances were different. I became her arrester when all I ever wanted to do was arrest her heart and make it mine. The air around us grew differently from the one I remembered that night. But not in this room, where we lay locked away from the rest of the world, from all the ugly circumstances that brought us back together, yet kept us apart.“Alex, please I’m not ready,” she had broken away from the kiss, from the tension between us, hazel eyes dazzling in the lowlight of the room, right under me.I understood her perfectly. If she needed time, I would give every one of it. If she needed a shoulder to lean on, I would make my entire body one as long as she didn’
I read through the descriptions on the bottle. It was a sparkling drink, but that was the only thing I noticed about it, because while my eyes ran all over the bottle in my hand, my mind chose another direction.Us at the station. The fear on Victoria's face. The way she scurried like it wasn't her, like she wasn't the poised queen I knew. The way she hurriedly drew the hoodie over her, hiding her scar away from the world.All of that happened because of me. Victoria wouldn't be missing if only I had listened to Marcus. He was right after all. He could have been gone by now and Victoria would still have her life. Who knew what she was up against? But what I knew was that I caused all of this. Yes, Victoria knew no battles before I stepped in. She lived like the queen that she was.There she was on the screen, a shadow of herself, like she wasn't Victoria Langford. And here was I, living my life without fear, stepping into her shoes like it was the most natural thing to do.Anyway, I
I leaned against the window as Alex stepped out of the car. He had asked me to wait while he walked into the reception hall to inquire about possible vacant rooms and make payments if any. Aunt Linda had called me earlier, I had seen her name on the screen while we tried to escape the chaos. I pulled out my phone, dialed her number. It ended almost immediately. Only then did I realize the network coverage here was unstable. I sighed, pulled the door open, and stepped out slowly, fresh breeze washed through me. I had no idea how much my pale body needed some fresh air until now, I dragged in a long breath, shoved some strands of hair away from my face, then I walked around trying to get in touch with Aunt Linda.No network coverage yet. I leaned against the car, phone screen lit up in my face. Then he walked right out of the revolving door.His eyebrows pulled together, he breathed out the moment he reached where I stood.“Uhm,” he drawled. I could already tell there was something
My mind wouldn’t stop spinning. How could Victoria be seen at the train station days after she was supposedly stabbed? Thoughts sat heavy on my mind, and I leaned my head against the window as the city blurred past behind us.Alex cleared his throat once, softly. I knew what that was, a subtle way of snapping me back to reality. I glanced at him once, a small smile sat on his face.Then his hand lifted from the wheel, hovered, then settled back down. He didn’t speak. I didn’t either. The silence felt heavy, like something we were both carrying but didn’t know how to set down.Finally, the station came into view, bright lights, people hurrying with suitcases, and the sound of trains rumbling low in the distance. Alex parked near the side entrance. We got out, the night air flushed my skin, that feeling of uneasiness slowly crept back in. I tugged at the handle of my bag.An official met us at the door, middle-aged, with graying hair, clipboard in hand. He looked at Alex first, then at
I stared hard in the mirror at my face. Not once did I ever imagine this day would come. All this time I had hoped for a miracle. I had hoped that she would walk in through the door and all of these would be gone. And somehow we would go back to how life was a few weeks ago, clear, sweet, and no distractions.But there, her pictures taunted me on the screen. I could imagine how hard this was for Mr. Richard too. Then I heard footsteps approaching the office door. I walked out of the bathroom and back into the office; voices reached me next.Alex’s voice reached me first, Mr. Richard's voice followed next. The soles of their shoes thudded against the floor. I grabbed the remote control fast, stretched it toward the television, and turned it off. He didn’t have to see it. The news wasn't for him, nor was it for us. It would only worsen the state of his mind. “We have gotten quite a few calls lately concerning the case,” Alex said as he pushed the door to the office open, Mr. Richard
I had stood by the window for too long, fingers clenched around the edge of the heavy curtain as if it would tear it down. My brows furrowed, each vein thumping hard under my skin as I stood there, watching as the black SUV rolled down the driveway, headlights sweeping across the tall building bef
“Let go of me, Marcus.” I whimpered, but his fists were so clenched on my skin that the skin there had turned red.“What the heck do you think you're doing being all cozy with her?” His eyes had gone red-rimmed. “Have you forgotten the plan? You are supposed to be her rival, her secret rival.” I w
He moved to the window by the foyer, both hands grasping so hard on the frame that his knuckles turned white. His jaw clenched hard. Mr. Richard moved, dark liquid tilting in the glass. “That bastard… That's my half-brother… He's been on the run for years now..” He grunted. Blue eyes moistened for
Monday morning had rushed in, the weekend had appeared shorter. I sat at my desk, rummaging through thoughts. Through what's coming. Through the events of the past weekend.The weekend had been eventful—a blend of sweet and worrisome memories. I leaned back on the seat, it screeched a little under







