LOGINMy fingers hovered over the silver wristband like it might burn me. The blood was still wet and fresh. The smell hit the back of my throat and I swallowed hard, trying not to freak out.Stay calm, Eloise. You’re not some delicate rich girl who screams at the sight of blood. Pull yourself together.But this wasn’t just blood, this was Valentina’s. The same girl who’d been holding hands with Eric just minutes ago, laughing under the string lights like the world wasn’t a toxic cesspool.I straightened up fast, heart slamming against my ribs. The garden suddenly felt too dark, too quiet. The distant thump of music from the prom hall felt mocking now, like the party was still celebrating while something terrible had just happened. I needed to get back inside. Tell someone. The principal, anybody.My mind was already spinning through every detail I’d noticed that night. Valentina’s red dress. The way Eric’s hand had rested possessively on her lower back as they slipped out the side door. Th
✦ ❦ ✦ Helen Pov ✦ ❦ ✦Breakfast was so much more weird than usual. Kelvin was already at the table when I came down, eating cereal like it was the most interesting thing in the world. He didn't look up when I walked in. Didn't acknowledge me at all. Just kept his eyes on his bowl like I was invisible.I grabbed a plate and sat across from him like I always did, trying to act normal even though my stomach was doing backflips. We'd almost gotten caught three days ago of course I understand that he was just being careful."Hey," I said, keeping my voice neutral. "Can I ride with you to school? I don't really feel like taking the bus today."He took a spoonful of cereal. Chewed and swallowed. Finally looked at me, and there was absolutely nothing in his expression except just... blank."Nah, I'm good," he said, standing up and taking his bowl to the sink.That was it. No explanation. No maybe next time. Just a flat rejection and him rinsing his bowl like I hadn't even asked.I watched hi
I stood in the corner of the living room, invisible, watching them on the couch. Morena sat with her legs tucked under her, fidgeting with her phone. Champion had his laptop open, the blue light washing over his face.“We should wait longer before we do this,” Morena said. Her voice was quieter than usual. “Maybe two weeks? Or a month?”Champion didn’t even look up. “Why would we wait?”“It just feels… fast. What if people start suspecting something or start asking questions?”“Let them ask.” He typed something, then closed the laptop with a soft click. “She’s been in a coma for three days. People expect this kind of thing.”Something small and desperate in me hoped she would keep pushing. Even a fragment of conscience would have been enough.“A month would look better,” she said. “We could say we wanted to give her every chance.”Champion was quiet for a few seconds. Then he nodded once.“A month then. I mean, that gives us time to figure out what’s in that safe.”A month.Four weeks
Monday morning, I wake up and for like three seconds, everything feels normal. Then I remember that the entire school has seen me having sex, and my stomach drops all over again.My mom's made breakfast—her way of pretending everything's fine. My dad's already left for work because apparently dealing with his daughter's trauma is better handled by just not being around. Classic.I check my phone and there are like two hundred notifications. Most of them are from group chats. Some are supportive. Some are asking for details. Some are just people being weird and gross about it.I ignore all of them and text Kai: **you alive?****Kai:** barely. my mom made me promise to see the school counselor. apparently my "reckless behavior" has consequences**Lila:** she said reckless behavior?**Kai:** she didn't say it but she definitely meant it. im heading in early. you?**Lila:** normal time. see you thereI throw on clothes like they don't matter, because they don't. Everyone's already seen me
❈❈Mila Pov❈❈"One more shot," I said, pointing at the bartender like I was making a life-changing decision."You've had like five shots," Ronan said, laughing."And I'm feeling great," I said. "So clearly I need more."Ronan was watching me like I was entertainment. Which, to be fair, drunk me probably was. I wasn't the type to get sloppy drunk — I was the type to get confident drunk. To think I was the hottest, smartest, funniest person in the room."Okay but like," I said, turning to face him on my barstool. "You gotta admit I was right about the Thai place last week.""You were right," he conceded. "But that doesn't mean you need to drink yourself into oblivion to celebrate.""I'm not trying to celebrate," I said. "I'm trying to forget that I just spent three months crying over people who moved on in like two seconds."He didn't say anything. He just ordered me water and made me drink it.But then like an hour later, I was back to shots. And then we were dancing. And then I was gri
❈❈Riley Pov❈❈I was just about to throw up. My stomach was doing flips and I'd already changed my outfit three times because nothing felt right. The book was out. Like, actually out in the world. People were reading my words. My trauma. My love story. Everything."You're spiraling," Jayson said from the doorway of our bedroom.We'd moved into the Brooklyn apartment two weeks ago. It was perfect. High ceilings. Big windows. A kitchen where we could both cook without getting in each other's way. It was ours."I'm not spiraling," I said, even though I was absolutely spiraling. "I'm just... What if people hate it? What if they think I'm exploiting the video for sales? What if—""Riley," Jayson cut me off. He came over and grabbed my face with both hands. "Stop. You wrote a beautiful book. People are gonna love it. And if they don't, that's their loss.""But what if—""No," he said firmly. "No more what-ifs. You're going to go to that event tonight, you're gonna sign books, you're gonna be
The Grand Kingsland Hotel ballroom glittered like a den of wolves wearing diamonds. Crystal chandeliers cast golden light over hundreds of the city’s elite — businessmen, politicians, socialites — all circling each other with fake smiles and real knives. Selena stayed close to Matthew’s side, pai
Selena had been in the mansion for two days when Victoria showed up. She was in the library, going through design books—mostly to keep her mind occupied—when Margaret came in with an apologetic expression. "Miss Victoria is here to see Mr. Kingland," Margaret said carefully. Selena looked up from
Selena's mother was in the private room at Royal Crest Hospital, looking stronger than she had in weeks. The upgrade had already happened. The surgery was already scheduled for tomorrow. Selena sat beside her mother's bed, smoothing down the expensive blanket, not quite ready to explain where the
The smell of disinfectant and despair clung to everything in the hospital corridor. Selena Jesus sat on the cold plastic chair, elbows digging into her thighs, staring at the faded white floor tiles like they held answers. “The cancer has spread to her liver,” Dr. Patel said gently. “Without surg







