تسجيل الدخولThe voice didn't belong to the stylist. It was deep, resonant, and carried a weight that made my heart stop. I froze, clutching the front of the velvet dress to my chest, my back still bare.
I looked in the small vanity mirror. Jake was standing at the edge of the velvet screen. He had stepped away from the crew, away from my mother, and into my private sanctuary.
I should say no. I should refuse him. I could struggle my way through it,
The hall was filled long before the ceremony began.Rows of black gowns and square caps stretched across the auditorium like a quiet sea, restless with anticipation. Parents leaned forward in their seats, cameras ready. Professors whispered among themselves. The air carried that unmistakable mixture of pride, relief, and the trembling uncertainty that comes with the end of one life chapter and the beginning of another.At the front of the hall, beneath the golden seal of the university, sat the graduating class.Among them I sat, Aubrey Yuna scribbled on my gown.I sat still, hands folded in my lap, my fingers lightly touching the small silver cross that hung around my neck. The metal had warmed against my skin over the past few years, worn smooth by quiet prayers, late night tears, and long moments when I wondered how a life that once felt so irredeemably ruined could still be standing here.It’s been four years.Four years since the
He stood awestruck, his leg pinned to the ground. I knew his mind was riling, a stockpile of many questions he needed answers to.Have you forgiven me for ruining your life? Can you forgive me for ignoring you for four score seasons? Can you forgive me for abandoning you? Can an old man like me deserve a chance at love for once in his life? How do I convince you that it wasn’t all about a dead Evelyn but was you all along?I could feel the questions thumping loudly as my chest clasped against his. I couldn’t bear it anymore. The piled up nostalgia, deep longing and desperation peeling away. Then the tears that wouldn’t keep still tore through my eyes parting the sea of heavy makeup I had on.Then a wave of electric shock tore through my spine as I felt his hands on the small of my back. He held on too tight that I had to fight for my breath but he was all the breath I needed, the oxygen I thought I could thrive on. I stepped
"Because he’s tired, Aubrey. Tired of being 'noble'. Tired of pretending that saving the world makes up for losing the only person who actually knows him."Drake finally held out the notebook. "He wrote this for you. Over the last four years. He told me to give it to you after you graduated, but... I’ve always been bad at following his rules."I took the notebook, my fingers brushing the cool leather. It smelled like him."I realised Aubrey, I wasn't in love with you, I always wanted to tell you these past four years...I just loved the idea that you always looked at me and I didn't want you looking at someone else the way you looked at me."He continued, "Or maybe I thought it was me." He laughed, "I deluded myself into thinking it should always be me." He said smiling while I smiled too looking at the notebook in my hand. "I don't mind you becoming my stepmother...I won't mind...Jake deserves to be happy. He deserves
Years passed by so fast that I'm finally graduating from school with my friends Seraphina and Gina."Help me cut my hair," I said as I settled into the salon chair. My long, dark tresses spilled over the back of the seat."All of it?" the stylist asked, her eyes widening."All of it. Short. I want to change my looks, to see a different side of myself," I replied."As you wish..."As the scissors made the first sharp snip, I closed my eyes. It had been four years since the day the world exploded. Four years since Cynthia was sentenced to life without parole, and Vance was dragged back into the shadows of a high-security cell. Four years since I watched the headlines shift from my scandal to my survival. Four years since I've tried to reach Jake but no reply. But I hear his scores, he had started a movement of helping every victim of Cynthia's. I occasionally see him on the news struggling to redeem himself, that I can't help but smile so
THE MORNING HEADLINES:* ASSET SEIZURE TURNED AMBUSH: Cynthia Thorne arrested at the signing of the Thomas Estate transfer; the "Orphanage" records revealed as a front for international trafficking.* A NATION WATCHES: Cynthia Thorne faces trial of the century; legal experts say life imprisonment is the minimum, while some territories push for the death penalty.* THE SURVIVORS SPEAK: Thousands of victims come forward to thank Jake Thomas for "finally remembering their voices" and breaking a decade of silence.* THE TRUTH ABOUT AUBREY: Public outrage peaks after DNA records prove Aubrey was never Cynthia’s child, but another stolen victim groomed for the highest bidder.> Lyc_Truth: "Seeing her in handcuffs at the exact moment she thought she was getting Jake’s billions? Pure poetic justice. Burn in hell, Cynthia."> Justice_Seeker: "I can’t stop crying for Aubrey. She wasn't just
> PoliticalWatchdog: "The money laundering logs go deep. We’re talking senators, Lycan Council members, and offshore accounts. Cynthia Thorne didn't just have a secret; she had the whole city in her pocket. How much did they know?!" > > JusticeForAubrey: "Can we talk about what that girl went through? Groomed since birth to be a pawn in this woman's game. No wonder she acted out. She wasn't just 'sleeping with her stepfather,' she was trying to survive a house of horrors." > > Refined: "Jake Thomas might be a mess, but he just ended a decade of darkness by dropping these files. He’s taking himself down to make sure she never sees the sun again. " > Disydick: Why have she not been caught yet or is she actually on a run after the havoc she caused?> ShadowsToLight: "I was at the Orphanage she handles' gala five years ago. I saw the girls being led int
"Let her go." Jake said, taking a step forward.Brendan let out a hysterical laugh. "Coming from a rich criminal like you? That’s rich, Jake. How many times have I t
"Stop it!!"The scream tore from my throat with enough force to vibrate in the hollow space of the warehouse. I managed to shove him back, my palms hitting his chest with a desp
"Wait!" I pulled my leg back, my heels catching on the uneven concrete. "What for? What do you plan to do with me, Brendan!"I yelled until my throat felt raw, but the men didn't hesitate. They moved like a single wave and I tried to run, my eyes darting toward the dark corners of the warehouse, bu
I waited around the clock for good twenty hours or more before the evening finally came and I finally left my bed, washed up and dressed to go see Ms. Illya. They were all stunned to finally see me stepping out of my room after two weeks of cutting myself away. And I didn't want to speak with any







