Masuk“I don’t understand,” I whispered, easing myself off Zayne’s lap. My heartbeat drummed fast against my chest.He stood up right after I did, raking both hands through his hair and let out a raw, broken laugh- one that sent chills down my spine. “I knew it. I fucking knew it!” he barked, pacing a few steps away from me. His voice cracked like a man shattering. “That psychopath was never my real father.”“Zayne,” I reached out, my voice trembling, “you need to calm down and talk to me.”But he wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were somewhere else—far gone. “Everything has always pointed to it,” he said, his voice shaking. “The way Connor treated me like I was just some stranger in the family, like I didn’t matter. I knew it in my gut.”He stopped pacing and turned toward me. “So I decided to find out for myself.” He exhaled, still catching his breath. “I took his hair from his brush…and ran a DNA test.”My heart shifted in my chest. “You did… a DNA test?”His face paled, eyes hollow. “The
“I told Benny I would wait when she said you left for the election show-up. I’ve been waiting for the past three hours.” Zayne said to me, standing there with a red bouquet in his hand and a look that showed soberness. “For you.”Benny- our butler, passed just then. She threw a small smile out way they went inside.I thought I missed Zayne. Heck, I thought about him throughout yesterday, wondering if that was the end of us because he hadn’t reached out after he left me at Carol’s five days ago. But seeing him now…The fondness was still there but there were no butterflies in my belly like I expected. And that brought the question- Did I even love Zayne at all?“Hey,” I gave a polite smile at the same time realization dawned on me. I had only accepted Zayne because I thought he had his emotions in check and knew what he wanted. I didn’t want him for him, but for the idea of him in my head.I wanted Zayne because he made me feel safe and wanted at first. I wanted him because I needed
-Five Days Later-The car door opened, and a wave of warm evening air brushed my face. I didn’t want to be here, but I had to- For My Stepfather. In his words ‘People love to vote for a man with a stable family’ and that was the reason why we were all here- with my mother.The flashes started almost immediately — the clicks, the murmurs, the “Mr. Carter!” that rang through the crowd like waves crashing over each other.My stepfather stepped out first, composed as ever in his navy suit, his politician’s smile perfectly in place. The crowd waiting outside the Los Alamos Hills Civic Center erupted into applause. Banners with “Vote John Carter for California’s Senate Seat” fluttered above the stage across the courtyard, the gold print glinting under the sunset glow.“Stay close, both of you,” John said without looking back. My mother smiled softly beside me, her arm looped through his. She looked radiant in her cream gown. The sickness that had hollowed her cheeks for months seemed mome
I stood quietly as my mother’s eyes darted between John and me, searching for an explanation. Her brows knitted in concern.“Nothing’s wrong,” John said easily, his tone too controlled to be casual. “I was giving her some fatherly advice about her chosen. Zayne.”My mother relaxed a little, though her eyes didn’t lose that suspiciousness. “Want to see me, darling?” John asked and walked up to her, placing a tender kiss on her jaw. “You look so beautiful this morning.”My mother smiled. “I didn’t find you in your room so I thought to check on you here. And I’m curious, when is Jeremy coming home? I’ve missed seeing him around, even though he barely comes home.” She chuckled.Hearing his name after the recent discussion with his father made my chest tighten. I started to walk past them. “Thank you for the advice, Dad. I will take them seriously.” I feigned a sweet smile, not minding that my mother’s eyes were on me as I left the study.It wasn’t long before she found me in the kitchen.
By the time I got home that night, my body felt heavy- like every bit of energy had drained out of me. ‘What can I actually do to escape Bianca?’ I couldn’t deceive myself. I felt threatened by her, but who do I tell? If I should let anyone else that isn’t Carol know about Bianca’s threats, Bianca would surely turn rebellious and spill things she wasn’t supposed to. That scared me. I had zero energy left inside me, and it was funny that when I thought about cuddling up with someone right now…Jeremy came to my mind.No way. But why was my thumb hovering over his name right now? I wanted to dial it so bad and know why he called yesterday. But that would only mess up the improvements I’ve made around moving on from him.I shook my head away from the idea.Instead of doing what I might regret later, I went upstairs to my mother’s room, terribly scared that I might find her unconscious on the floor again, but gratefully, she was on the bed, sleeping peacefully.I needed that peace right
Later that evening, I found myself walking beside Carol into the newly opened Stanford Theatre. The place was glowing — warm lights, velvet curtains, a long queue of students waiting for tickets.Carol insisted we come watch something light, saying it was a small reward for surviving the year’s exams.“I’m thankful we’re done with all that reading madness,” she said, bumping her shoulder into mine playfully. “Now, you don’t have to worry about school while taking care of your mum.”“You are saying it like we are done with school entirely. Our second year is just around the corner.” I said as we walked side by side.“Yeah. Glad to know you won’t be entering your second year with those nerd glasses anymore.” She joked. I eyed her.“What? I only noticed you don’t wear those big hideous glasses anymore, and…” her eyes traced my features, “Your dressing sense is starting to change too. In a good way, I mean. I love that.”I was currently dressed in a fitted white tank top and black joggers







