LOGINAtlas's POV Just thinking about it made me choke back a sob.I finally reached the crates, barely and pressed my back against one, trying to shrink down as much as possible and become invisible. My chest rose and fell in shaky breaths as I strained to hear what the guys were saying, holding onto the hope that maybe... just maybe they hadn’t realized I was awake yet.But that hope shattered when Carlisle’s voice pierced through—"...he should be out for at least another hour."I squeezed my eyes shut.A whimper escaped before I could stop it.And the footsteps turned.The murmur of voices drifted toward me long before my eyes could fully adjust. At first, it was distant, like a conversation happening underwater, but as the fog in my head started to clear, the words became sharper, each one more horrifying than the last.I forced myself to stay still on the grimy mattress, even though every instinct screamed at me to get up and run. My limbs felt heavy and weak, almost alien, the after
Atlas’s POVThe first thing I noticed was how heavy my body felt. It was as if every muscle was weighed down with sandbags, making me feel sluggish, and my eyelids were glued shut, no matter how hard I tried to open them. A dull, nauseating headache throbbed behind my eyes, and for a moment, I just lay there, taking shallow breaths and trying to understand why everything felt so off.When I finally managed to pry my eyes open, I was met with a dim ceiling, marked with rust stains and old oil smudges. The air was thick with the scents of gasoline, metal, and a faint chemical sourness. Blinking slowly, the world tilted a bit, and I realized I was on a thin mattress on the floor, the scratchy fabric brushing against my cheek.A sickening twist of fear knotted in my stomach.This was definitely not my blue themed bedroom. This wasn’t anywhere familiar.Where the hell was I?I tried to push myself up, but my limbs felt weak and disconnected, as if they weren’t mine. My hands trembled as I
Third Person POV Rex kept talking despite Rowan’s demand, her voice growing tighter as she struggled to hold herself together. "They wanted to make him look like some boy-crazed gay slut pretending to be an innocent goody two shoes," she whispered. "That’s why the video was going to be made. To ruin his new reputation forever. To make everyone think he was secretly asking for it."Rowan stood motionless at first, just staring at Rex, as if the ground had just dropped away beneath him. But then something inside him snapped, a deep, raw feeling, something fierce—and he changed instantly, and it was terrifying.His body stiffened, shoulders rising as though they were constricting around an overwhelming rush of emotion. His jaw clenched so tightly that it twitched, struggling to contain the force within him. He took a slow breath, his chest rising, but it never settled. It trembled inside him, making him feel like a coiled predator trying not to burst.His expression, usually filled with
Rowan stood in the quiet bathroom, not saying anything for what felt like an eternity. The muffled beat of party music still drifted in from outside, while Rex’s words settled uncomfortably in his mind like icy water. He had braced himself for some nonsense, petty games, or an embarrassing prank.But "ruination"? That was a whole different ball game.His pulse raced as he took a slow breath, running a weary hand through his hair. "Fine," he finally said, his voice heavy with something darker than just anger. "They won’t take you down with them. I’ll make sure of it...money, connections, whatever it takes. But you need to tell me everything you know. All of it."Rex managed a small smile, almost relieved, like hearing him promise that was the toughest part. She moved to the countertop, setting her drink down with a soft clink and turning back to face him."You know Ainsley," she started, her arms wrapping around her waist as if she needed to hold herself together. "She struts around li
Rowan followed Rex into the empty bathroom, even though every instinct told him they were wasting valuable time. As soon as the door clicked shut behind them, the party’s noise faded to a dull thrum, leaving just the soft hint of the vanity lights and the lingering scent of mango air freshener in the tiled room.This place was one of those unnecessarily fancy bathrooms Carlisle’s house boasted, polished marble countertops, a big round mirror framed with soft golden bulbs, and neatly stacked hand towels that looked like they were from a hotel and not the home of a guy who thought pouring beer into goldfish bowls was fun.Rex perched on the counter like she owned the place, swinging her leg while taking a small sip from her red Solo cup. Rowan wasn’t sure if she was trying to impress him with her pose or charm him with her smile, but he wasn’t in the mood for any of that."Alright," he said, crossing his arms. "You mentioned you know where Atlas is. Let’s hear it."Rex tilted her head,
Rowan’s chest tightened painfully; the music felt suddenly too loud, the air too thick."Please don’t let anything stupid have happened," he muttered under his breath, pushing through the crowd with renewed urgency. "Please don’t let them mess with him again."He didn’t care about looking calm or cool anymore, he would tear this whole damn house apart if he had to.But one thing was clear—Something was off.And Rowan felt it again like a warning tingling under his skin, he wasn’t leaving without her.He dropped onto the edge of a couch tucked away in the corner of the massive living room, the bass vibrating through his ribs as he fired off yet another message to Atlas. His thumb lingered over the screen for just a moment before he hit send.Rowan: Where are you? Did you go home? Text me back, now.He stared at the screen, waiting...hoping, for those typing bubbles to appear. Nothing came.His chest tightened. A cold pressure built beneath his sternum, growing heavier with every secon
After driving around town for a bit, trying to catch up and just kill some time after school, we finally pulled up to the mansion. Tori let out a whistle that bounced off the gates."Wow, Atlas," she leaned in, excited to get a better view. "Do they have, like... a hundred servants, or does this pl
Frank and I strolled down the quiet hallway during free period, our footsteps echoing softly against the tiled floor. I still couldn’t believe it—I was actually paired up with him. Of all people, the universe decided to throw me together with Frank Carrington. He was animatedly sharing stories abou
Roderick looked up from his coffee, his expression a mix of softness and fatigue. "Would you like the chauffeur to take you to school today, Atlas? It might be easier than hanging around here."That would definitely draw way too much attention! No way!I quickly shook my head and set my fork down.
Millie’s voice rang through the hallway like a siren. "Wait—what?! You’re just now telling me you’re working with Frank Carrington? Frank freaking Carrington?"I almost dropped the books I was holding. "Can you not yell that out for the whole school to hear?" I whispered, glancing around as a coupl







