Se connecterThe wedding was being held at the Bellmont Estate, the same luxurious private estate where we'd spent the first day of wedding preparations, except that the place looked almost unrecognizable now. White roses covered the enormous entrance, crystal decorations sparkled beneath the morning sunlight, and elegant arrangements of flowers lined the walkway leading to the grand outdoor ceremony space overlooking the private lake.Everything was beautiful, expensive, and completely chaotic.People were running in every direction, wedding planners were shouting into their phones, photographers hurried between designated positions.Apparently, having enough money to buy an entire country didn't stop people from panicking over flowers."Rebel, please pay attention."I blinked and turned toward the woman standing in front of me, a wedding coordinator who had been explaining my responsibilities for the third time."I'm sorry."She gave me a tight smile before checking the schedule on her tablet.
I had never imagined that I would end up in bed with Chris Kane, much less spend the night wrapped in his arms, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat as though it were the most comforting sound in the world.Yet, here I was, curled against his chest beneath the warm blankets, with his arm wrapped securely around my waist and his fingers tracing lazy patterns against my back. The room was quiet, the lights were off. I felt warm, safe, and ridiculously content.Chris pressed a kiss against my forehead, and I tilted my head to look at him, immediately regretting it when I caught the smug smile spreading across his face."What?" I asked suspiciously."Nothing.""Chris.""What, princess? Can't I look at my beautiful girlfriend?"My heart stumbled at the word girlfriend, although I tried not to let it show."Who said I'm your girlfriend?"His eyebrows shot up, and he placed a hand over his chest as though I had just stabbed him."Wow. Just wow. After everything we've been through
Chris turns, his eyes drag over me slowly, from my bare feet up to my throat. "You going to stand against that door all night?" he says. His voice is low, the kind of low that makes my stomach drop. "I've been thinking about what I'd do with you all day."Tell me," I hear myself say. My back is flat to the door and my heart beats like a drum I'm sure he can hear.He takes one step. Then another. "First I'd get my mouth on that spot under your jaw. The one you keep tilting your head to show me, like you don't know you're doing it." Another step. "Then I'd take my time with the rest of you. Slow. Until you're shaking and you're begging me to stop being so goddamn gentle.""Chris—""Am I wrong?" He's close enough now that I can feel the heat of him, the door hard behind me and him hard in front, and I have never wanted to be caught between two things so badly. "Say it. Tell me what you want.""You," I whisper. "I want you. I've never—" The words tangle. "I haven't actually had sex befo
The long-sleeved dress was beautiful, and I felt comfortable looking at myself in the mirror.The ivory gown hugged my waist perfectly, with delicate lace covering my arms and a flowing skirt that reached my ankles. It wasn't the most extravagant dress in the boutique, but I loved it, especially because it covered my scars without making me feel as though I was hiding beneath layers of fabric.Unfortunately, Susan and Claire didn't share my enthusiasm."The sleeves are rather heavy," Susan remarked, examining me through the mirror. "And I think the neckline could be more flattering."Claire circled me slowly, pretending to study the dress. "I agree. It's pretty, but it looks a little too conservative. Something with sheer sleeves would be more elegant."I smiled politely. "Those are interesting opinions."Claire raised an eyebrow, probably expecting me to argue."I simply think you could choose something better," she added sweetly."Perhaps, but I like this one."Susan sighed. "Rebel
If I had known that waking up meant facing Claire's smug face again, I would have happily stayed in bed until the wedding was over.Unfortunately, Susan Kane did not believe in allowing people to enjoy their misery in peace.By the time I walked into the dining room the following morning, Claire was already seated beside her, looking as fresh and beautiful as if she had spent the previous night sleeping on a cloud instead of deliberately ruining mine. Her blonde hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, and she wore a cream-coloured dress that made her look like the sort of woman who had never raised her voice, broken a nail, or done anything as disgraceful as punching someone in the face.I hated her.I hated her because she knew exactly what she had done to me, yet she had somehow managed to turn herself into the victim while everyone else looked at me as though I were the worst person to have ever entered the Kane mansion."Good morning," Susan said without looking up from her
I didn't wait for anyone to say anything else.The moment Chris loosened his arms around me, I stepped away."I'm going to my room."Nobody stopped me.I didn't look at Sean.I didn't look at Claire.I didn't look at Susan or Dad either.I simply turned and walked away.I kept my head up until I reached the staircase, forcing myself not to run because I refused to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing how badly they had gotten to me.The moment I reached the hallway upstairs, I hurried.I pushed my bedroom door open, stepped inside and locked it behind me.Then I broke.I pressed my back against the door and covered my mouth as a sob escaped.I hated myself for crying.I hated Claire for making me cry.I hated Susan and David for blaming me without even asking what happened.But most of all, I hated Sean.I hated the way he had looked at Claire.I hated the way he had protected her.I hated the way she had clung to him while he stood there like she was the only person in the room wort
Dad wasn’t alone. A woman sat opposite him, smiling warmly. She had long gray hair and bold green eyes, she sat confidently with her legs crossed. I felt immediately intimidated by her calm but bold presence. “Rebel,” my dad said, getting up to give me a hug. “Meet Susan, she's going to be your st
The door suddenly barged open. All fours of us watched as a guy with band aids decorating his gorgeous face stepped in. He paused when he saw me,“What's going on here?” He asked in a deep voice, turning his gaze to the three guys. “Dwayne?. You're alive?” Brown curl began to laugh, “I thought Ch
A sharp voice cut through the entire courtyard before his fist could hit me, “Chris! Stopppp!”I let out the breath I was holding as the crowd parted for a girl marching forward. One look at her and you'd know she's all about purple, purple bag pack, purple boots, purple braids, matching purple Mas
“Where is everyone?” I muttered to myself, adjusting my back bag as I walked into my new school. The halls were completely empty, not a student in sight. I suddenly heard a roar so loud and wild, like a stadium just exploded. I flinched, my heart jumping into my throat. The sound came from deeper







