Masuk~ISLA~The house felt too quiet without him.It wasn’t the kind of silence that was peaceful—it was the kind that made everything feel slightly off, like something important was missing. I had tried to distract myself for most of the day, moving from one room to another, picking up my sketchbook only to stare blankly at the page, turning on the TV only to mute it minutes later.Nothing held my attention.Nothing felt right.I hated how quickly I had gotten used to him being around—how his presence had woven itself into my routine so naturally that even a few hours without him made everything feel… empty.By the time I heard the front door open, I was already halfway down the stairs.I didn’t even realize how fast I had moved until I saw him standing there.Jaxon.He looked up just as I reached the bottom step, and something in my chest loosened instantly, like I had been holding my breath all day without realizing it.“You’re back,” I said, the relief in my voice impossible to hide.H
~JAXON~The night should have felt like a victory.Everything about it had been perfect—too perfect, almost unnatural for the kind of life I lived. The waterfall, the quiet, the way the moonlight had wrapped itself around Isla like she was something sacred the world had no right to touch. Even now, as she lay asleep in my arms, her breathing soft and steady against my chest, it felt like I had stepped into a life that didn’t belong to me.Or maybe one I was never meant to have.My fingers moved slowly along her arm, tracing absent patterns against her skin as I watched her. I couldn’t stop watching her. It had become a habit lately—studying the way she moved, the way she spoke, the way her expressions shifted so freely without calculation or restraint.She was real in a way I had never allowed myself to be.And somehow, without realizing it, I had started to crave that.I exhaled quietly, my gaze lingering on her face. Even in sleep, she looked peaceful. Untouched by the chaos that su
~ISLA~After Serena left, the house felt quieter, but not in the heavy way it used to. There was still a lingering warmth in the air, like her presence had softened something, and as I stood there watching the door she had just walked through, I felt a strange mix of emotions—concern for her, hope for her… and an overwhelming awareness of the man still standing behind me.Jaxon didn’t say anything at first.I felt him before I heard him—his presence close, steady, grounding. Then his hand found mine, his fingers threading through mine like it was the most natural thing in the world now.“I want to take you somewhere,” he said.I turned to look at him, my brows pulling together slightly. “Somewhere?”“Our first date,” he added, his tone casual, but there was something deliberate in the way he said it.A smile spread across my face almost instantly. “You already asked me out?”“I told you I would,” he replied.I tilted my head, studying him with narrowed eyes. “When did you even plan th
~SERENA~I stayed outside longer than I should have.Long enough for the tears to slow, long enough for the burning in my chest to dull into something quieter but heavier. I wiped my face carefully, fixing what I could, forcing my breathing to steady even though it still hitched every now and then.You asked for space, I reminded myself. You agreed to this.So why did it feel like I had just made the biggest mistake of my life?I straightened my shoulders, inhaled deeply, and walked back inside.The moment I stepped into the department, it was like nothing had changed. The same low chatter, the same glances, the same energy that made it clear I didn’t belong there—not really.I tried to ignore it again.I really did.I sat down, picked up my sketchpad, and attempted to focus on the lines in front of me. But it didn’t take long before it started again.“So she’s back,” one of them muttered, just loud enough.“Of course she is,” another replied. “Gotta show face once in a while so it d
~SERENA~I got to work earlier than usual that morning.Earlier than necessary, earlier than anyone else in my department—and definitely earlier than him.It wasn’t because I was suddenly hardworking or eager. It was because I knew if Louis dropped me off, it was only going to stir up more rumors and I couldn’t handle that today. Not the stares. Not the whispers. Not the way every single person in that building seemed to have already decided who I was without ever speaking to me.So I left before he could even try.The building felt quieter when I walked in, almost peaceful, and for a brief moment, I allowed myself to believe I had made the right decision. I walked into the fashion department, set my things down, and tried to settle into my work before anyone else arrived.But peace never lasted long.One by one, they started coming in.And with them came the noise.At first, it was subtle—side glances, hushed tones, the kind of laughter that felt too deliberate to be harmless. I kept
~ISLA~The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, warm and unhurried, painting the room in a gentle glow that felt almost unreal compared to everything we had been through. For a moment, I just lay there, blinking slowly as I came back to awareness, and the first thing I felt was his arm around my waist.Jaxon.He was still asleep behind me, his chest pressed lightly against my back, his breathing slow and steady. There was something disarming about him like this. No tension in his jaw, no guarded expression, no distance. Just warmth. Just him holding me like I belonged there without hesitation.And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel like I was waiting for something to fall apart.I shifted slightly, careful not to wake him, but he stirred anyway. His arm tightened instinctively around me, pulling me closer as if even in sleep he didn’t want space between us.“Don’t move,” he murmured, voice rough with sleep.A smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it.
~JAXON/RONAN~ I turned towards her and my breath hitched.“Uhh no… Mr Jaxon was just giving me pointers on how to avoid such a thing from happening again. Right, Mr Jaxon?” I heard Louis say but at that moment, I couldn't speak.My eyes slid down Isla's body, loving the way the gown hugged her i
~ISLA~The mall was loud and bright with people walking all around as we walked in.A smile adorned my face as I looked around. I always loved the mall for some reason.It was like an escape whenever I was here.“What are we doing here?” Jaxon asked, turning my attention to him.“I'm getting you ne
~JAXON/RONAN~ “Boss!”I didn't open my eyes as I laid my head on the cold concrete wall behind me.“Boss!” I let out a groan as soon as I heard Louis’ voice from down the hall, echoing through the cell walls.“Boss…”“Can you fucking shut your mouth. I'm not your boss outside, remember?” I mutte
~JAXON/RONAN~“He's not my man. He rejected me, remember?” Isla crawled and Serena gasped.“Oh yeah” Then she narrowed her eyes on me. “How dare you reject my sweetheart? Do you know how many men here would kill to be in your shoes? Who here wants a one night stand with my friend?” She announced an







