Zara's POV I opened the door and was greeted at once with the reek of smoke, cheap alcohol, and some pungent unknownness. The room was dimly lit with mismatched sofas, flashing screens, bent heads over keyboards, and billows of smoke suspended in mid-air.People in hoodies, ripped jeans, half of whom had tattoos crawling up their necks and faces, all scowling through the fog at their screens like vultures over a carcass.God, this place is vile.I straightened my shoulders, clinging to what was left of my dignity. I didn't want to be inhaling this air for more than a decade."Looking for someone, sweetheart?" a greasy-eyed man with a lip ring sneered from the corner."I need Zed."I was crisp and icy in tone.A hum ran over the tables around us. A few of them looked at one another before one of them pointed down the back. "Booth twelve."I strode across tangled wires and trash-covered soda cans, heels clicking on the filthy floor, hating every second.There, in the corner booth, sat
CREED'S POVIt was midnight.And I couldn't sleep.I'm in bed staring up at the ceiling, arms behind my head, feeling like a man set to fold all the way.I was uneasy, burning to pieces inside my own fucking skull.All I'd suppressed those last few weeks — all those feelings, thoughts I'd been sealing up tight and keeping out from the world — were clawing around my belly.I was finished.And all because of her.Yuyu Roman.That annoying, biting-tongued, infuriating child with that ridiculous laugh and infuriatingly insightful eyes.The last face I hadn't laid eyes on in weeks — and yet, inexplicably, still omnipresent everywhere.In my mind.In my goddamn nightmares.Under my skin.What's going on with you, Creed?I cursed with a heavy sigh, reaching for my phone.I scrolled mindlessly for a minute or so, until my thumb hovered over the employee directory document I'd saved on my phone — the one with all the staff contacts.For professional purposes.Only professionally.Yeah, sure.I
Yuki's POVI walked into the office today with a brand-new attitude.No more creeping around.No more rolling in terror like a whimp.I had time.Time meant that I lived a little — flirted with the guy that I liked, for goodness' sake — before I vanished off to nowhere, before the reality of what I was ruined my life.I wore a star ensemble today.Bubblegum pink suit.Pants to match.Steep white stilettos.My blonde hair was drawn back into a snatched ponytail, so tight it was virtually a club. Praise God for glue and high-tech wig science, really, or my little secret would have gone sky-high months ago.Concealed under my jacket, I had on a sharp white crop top — crisp, plain, cutting.And the tie? Oh, sweetie, it was accessorized within an inch of its life.Princess Bubblegum pin. A pink bow duo. White Hello Kitty. And a dash of sparkly nonsense.I was a CEO Barbie dream turned reality — and I loved every second of it.I strode into the office as if I owned it.My bubblegum heels ta
Zara's POV My voice was tighter than I meant it to be.Not that I cared.Zed grinned like an idiot, behind me into the office.He slumped into the desk chair, plugged in the drive and his laptop, and started typing.The screen turned blue and white as files downloaded — folders within folders of work documents, names, codes, files labeled things like 'Q1 Analytics' and 'Client Data Structure'.His fingers moved fast, the clicking of keys filling the silence.After a couple of minutes, he leaned back, running a hand through his messy dark hair.“Looks pretty normal to me,” he shrugged. “I don’t think we’re gonna find much on this drive. It’s mostly work-related, charts, performance reports, boring shit.”I spun on him so fast his smirk slipped.“That is confidential shit.”I stabbed a finger in his direction.If you lose one file, one line of code — if you steal so much as the email address of one client, Zed — I'll know. I'll bury you in lawsuits so deep your grandkids'll be born in
Creed's POVFabulous.That was the best my brain could do then.She appeared… amazing.Sweat sprinkled across her forehead, a fine sheen flashing on her skin — and that dress.My God, that dress made her a princess from some faraway, unreachable kingdom.A bright, deep red, cinched just so at the waist, flowing out in liquid silk."You're in the ladies' restroom, Mr. Malcolm," she gasped, breathless, flustered — and outrageously adorable."You can be arrested for privacy… co–…" she stuttered on the word.'Code.'The phrase was privacy code, but I was too engaged in the motion of her lips, too focused on the pounding of my heart.A smile crept across my face, my heart pounding furiously, a warmth I didn't know existed burning in my chest.Do you want my assistance or not?" I queried smugly, the words rushing ahead before my mind caught up to them.I strode further into the minute bathroom, observing a tangible terror flicker across her bright, erratic eyes."I do not want your assistan
Zara's POVHis mouth was… firm.Softness encased in something desperate, something wild.His arms went around my waist as though I was the only thing propping him up, drawing me deeper into that pinched, gulping space between us.What was this?And worse — why did I like it?My fingers sank into his dirty shoulder-length hair, which was rougher than I'd intended, but his breath caught — a weak, gagged moan slipping out of him like a secret he didn't want to share.Then he released my lips, tracing the side of my neck with slow, soft licks of his tongue.Hold on.Hold on one damn minute.What the actual fuck was I doing?"Get off me!" I growled, pushing him away as if he'd scalded my skin.I glared at him, my chest heaving and falling, heat still pricking along my skin in the wake.His eyes sparkled — pleased, smug, infuriating."How dare you?" I spat.He had the nerve to laugh."Calm down. You kissed me."I stopped.My mouth dropped open, words elbowing for space, because he was right
Yuki's pov The world felt like it cracked open the moment Zara stormed in.Her heels clacked hard against the pristine marble floor, eyes blazing, chest heaving with wild rage.Heads turned. A hush fell over the entire restaurant. The soft classical music faded beneath the weight of her fury.“There you are, you homewrecker.”Her voice sliced through the air like a knife.I barely had time to blink before she was at our table.“Zara—” Creed stood, his hand rising in a pacifying gesture. “Calm down. This isn’t the place.”“Oh, it’s exactly the place,” she snapped, her voice a sharp, venomous thing. “It’s the perfect place to show this little fraud exactly who she’s messing with.”“Zara—” Creed’s voice was firmer now, but it didn’t matter.Because in one swift, vicious motion —she grabbed the entire plate of food and slammed it down all over me.The warmth of the seared duck breast, the sticky cherry reduction, the buttery smooth potatoes, and the gold-dusted garnish smashed against m
Yuki's POVThe cold water ran down my skin in thin, biting rivulets.I stayed under the spray until my fingers curled, washing over every inch of me as if I could wash away the night.Duck breast. Cherry glaze. That gilded garnish. Lavender champagne fragrance still clung to me even after the good scrubbing.God, it was embarrassing.My eyes were still on fire, but at least it was not as bad now.My dress was ruined. My pride was shattered.I stood there for a minute, just letting the water just numb me out.I wasn't even angry anymore — just… tired.When I finally emerged, wrapping myself in my enormous towel, Suzu was waiting by the door.Her little three-legged self wagging furiously, tail flapping like she didn't even know the world could be cruel.She whimpered, nuzzling at my leg, trying to lift my spirits, those black shiny eyes full of the purest kind of love.I clenched a smile. "Hey, baby."I bent down to pick her up, burying my face in her warm fur.But even she couldn't fi
Lily's POVIt had been almost a week since Yuki had departed for Japan. I was still not used to it. We had not been communicating on a regular basis, not since the craziness with the job, the farewell, and all that lay in between. But saying goodbye to him that day had marked my heart. It felt like something irreversible. Like something had ended. I could not say the words, but part of me felt abandoned.Dan had been trying his best. I liked him—I really did—and today we were going to catch up at last the way we were meant to. A genuine date, a sit-down dinner at our favorite Italian place on Twelfth and Granville. We hadn't had anything romantic in weeks. Work, life, Yuki leaving, Grandpa Roman. everything had just made things complicated.Grandpa Roman.The notion tugged at me again. I had finished my hospital shift at three. My plan had been simple: go on over to the nursing home, see Grandpa Roman, and then catch up with Dan at five. But as I stepped into the old folks' home, rain
Yuki's POVTo think that no one would prepare you for culture shock. It's not the major things that catch you. It's the little stupid, sorta terrifying details. Like public transportation. Like buses.I was standing in front of what I thought was the right bus stop, blinking at the brightly colored sign in Japanese. There were arrows. There were times. But there was also this little voice in my head going over and over, "Yuki, you're probably in the wrong place."Guess who was right? Not me. Absolutely not me.By the time I knew the buses here wouldn't stop unless you flagged them down like you were drowning, the one I was waiting for flew by with grand disdain. I was standing there like I was committing a dramatic anime opening with my white fur coat shining in the sunlight like I was out of a cosplay magazine. Wind cue. Panic cue inside.I was late to work. Not "fashionably late." Not "five minutes, still cool" late. Actual late. Like-the-office-was-already-roaring-already late.An
Yuki's PovThe scent was the first thing that hit me when I entered the building. Cool, lemon air freshener with a hint of cinnamon. The lighting was soft, not harsh, the floors clean but not sterile. If warmth had a form, it was here. My white fur coat billowed behind me as I moved, heels clicking on the tiles. I looked down at myself—black trousers, white boots, no wig, no disguise. It was strange, unreal. Almost as though I'd just stepped off a long, exhausting play. A six-month performance of someone who was never quite myself.The receptionist's chair was empty briefly before a round lady with puffy cheeks and bright blush waddled towards me like an overactive panda. Her eyes twinkled behind her spectacles, and her smile nearly reached her ears."Oh my God! My name is Sue!" she said, grasping both of my hands in hers. "You're Yuki, right? We're so happy you're here! Come, come, come, your desk is here."She didn't let go of my hand when she led me down the hallway, past some glas
Creed's POVI stormed into the office.No. That wasn't it either.I walked in.Calm. Too level. The kind of level that came after a tsunami had destroyed a whole city. Nothing left to agitate. Nothing left to feel. Just ash and silence.The door slammed shut. The sound echoed like a gunshot inside my head. I didn't blink.I walked past the reception. My staff barely looked at me anymore. Some ran. Some whispered. Some stared with suspicious, questioning eyes. It didn't matter.I opened the door to my private office and entered the air-conditioned mausoleum of my kingdom. Neat. Quiet. Smelling of leather, citrus, and my last application of cologne. A fragrance I hadn't deemed worthy of wearing in four years.I dropped my briefcase. It landed on the floor with a thud that was louder than it should have been.I sat down. Carefully.There was no rush.There was no anything.My fingers wandered to the keyboard out of habit. Not intent. I stared at the screen for too long without registerin
Zara's POVZed was over at my place again.He made himself way too comfortable, sprawling on the couch in my room like he owned the place.Tonight, he brought over some weird Mexican something.I didn't even catch the name. He said it twice. Maybe three times. But it just sounded like sounds to me.He kept trying to feed it to me, holding a forkful in front of my mouth like I was some stubborn kid with medicine to swallow.I shook my head so hard."I don't want anything to do with that," I grumbled, folding my arms across my chest.Zed glared at me, still chewing.I could tell he didn't get it.Not the food.None of it."I don't know why you're upset," he said, setting the container down on the coffee table."You got what you wanted. The imposter was exposed. You should be dancing. Celebrating."Celebrating?Celebrating?I let out a panted laugh, a laugh that did not sound anything like a laugh."This wasn't what I wanted," I whispered.Zed blinked, confused."You wanted the truth—""
Creed's PovIt was past midnight.The bottle that I held was almost empty, but I did not mind. I was not drinking to be joyful. I was not even drinking to forget. I was drinking because it was the only way I could make the silence that greeted me endurable.I reclined slumped on the couch in my living room, the sole item of furniture that was more like a cell than home. There were shadows everywhere. The clock chimed out so loudly it sounded like a hammer in my head.And still.Still, I couldn't stop thinking about Yuyu.Fucking Yuki.With that goddamn smirk and those fuckin' sparklin' bright eyes and the way he looked at me like I was something, anything when he had no idea who the fuck I even was.I hated him.I missed him.I hadn't the fuck idea what I was feelin' anymore.Was I gay now? Did I swing this way? Did I just FUCKIN' happen to be feelin' desperately for someone, anyone, to look at me like I weren't a damned monster?Jesus Christ, no.I tipped the bottle to my lips again,
Yuki's pov The flying part wasn't scary.I wasn't terrified of airplanes.I wasn't terrified of turbulent flight or height or any of that.I was terrified of beginning again.Terrified of seeing myself.For three weeks — almost four — I had done nothing but rot. Fault myself. Cry. Break things. Apologize to specters.That was enough.I couldn't keep going on like that.Mom wouldn't have wanted me to go on like that.Grandpa wouldn't either, even if he didn't always recall me.I stared out the plane window, clouds streaking across the horizon like wet paint, my chest aching.Memories ripped at me — Creed's voice, his smile, then the shock in his eyes.Grandpa's laugh, the way he used to call me his "boy."Lily's hugs.Small shattered pieces of my life slipping further and further away from me as the plane flew east.I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood.No more tears.No more pity parties.I can do this.This is my new start.Mom would be proud.I hugged myself hard, wrapped the th
Lily's POVThe ride to the airport was too short.I continued to sneak glances at Yuki beside me, soaking him in—his dark, messy hair, the nervous drum of his fingers against his jeans, the nervous bounce of his knee.As if if I stared long enough, I could burn the picture of him into my head and never forget.He caught me staring and smiled weakly. "What?""Nothing," I said quickly, attempting to smile. "Just. don't chicken out."He grinned, but it wasn't natural. "Too late to run now, huh?""Way too late," I taunted softly.The problem was, I wished he would run.I wanted to bang the car doors closed, drive us somewhere a thousand miles from here, and wish he wouldn't be going.But I couldn't.He had to go.He needed this new start.Even if it killed me.We pulled up to Departures. Yuki opened his backpack, fiddling with the straps like they were the most fascinating thing on earth.I pulled up and turned off the engine.We sat there, neither of us moving, for a moment.Then Yuki le
Yuki's POV"You're leaving today."Lily's voice was gentle, but it hit me like a punch.I crouched at the foot of the bed, staring at the carpet. My fingers tapped on the frayed cuff of my jacket, pulling at loose threads as if I could somehow roll back time and stay here in this cramped safe room, stuck forever.I didn't look at her. I didn't move."Yuki," she said once more, coming to kneel beside me. Her hand lay lightly on my knee. "Then I think it's time you saw your grandfather."I shook my head."No, it's not," I grunted. "I'm not ready."She let out a tired, aching sigh, the kind you do when you don't want to cry. "You've been here for a month. You're better now. You're stronger, plus do you really plan on going halfway across the world and not seeing him before you go.""Stronger?" I laughed roughly. "I'm still a mess.""You're recovering," she amended. "And you have to — you'd just have to visit him before you go."Her words sliced through me more deeply than I cared to ackn