LOGINKaya POV
My heart pounds hard in my chest, not just sadness plastered on my face but anger as well. This family has no idea what is about to hit them, and I will hit them hard. A smile crawls up my lips, it's enough to shock her, she lifts her eyebrows at me, “Well I'm waiting. Do it now!” she yells back at me I shrug placing the paper on the side table, I quickly sign and hand her the piece of paper, “There, but don't come crawling back to me” I shake my head sadly She laughs, “A lowlife like you? A starving woman we took off the streets?” She continues walking back to the couch I roll my eyes grabbing the hilt of my bag. “Stop!!” she yells just as I turn my back I freeze just as the door opens, Tom and his swooping brown hair walk in, his blue eyes twinkling with happiness as the woman on his arm giggles at his stupid joke. His face changes as soon as they land on me, “You are still here” he narrows his eyes “Of course the bitch is still here, she's trying to leech off you honey”. Riley’s perky voice fills my ears first. “The ring!” Tom’s mother yells from behind, “You have to return the wedding ring, that was a family heirloom” She blocks my view soon, Tom and Riley standing behind with snarky smiles I look down at the ring, he had proposed to me in the park, I had always wanted a proposal like that under the rain and he made my dreams come true. And now he snatches it right under my feet. “FINE” I yell, pulling off the ring, I walk past his mother, the bags dragging behind me, “Here Tom, I hope you don’t live to regret this moment” I slam the ring on his chest. “And the family car key” Tom’s mom continues I drop the key on the table slamming the door behind their backs, they probably think I have nowhere else to go, no job, no money, and no car. My fingers slide across my phone screen as I try to reach my uncle. His face pops up on the screen, his grey beard rising with a smile. “Hello my pumpkin, how are you?” he quips and before I can answer, he turns the camera to my uncle, a golf club in his hand, and a span of green behind them. “Your uncle and I are at the private golf course, meet us there?” He lifts a brow at me. I hide the tears in my eyes, “Yes Daddy, please send a car for me” I reply immediately sliding into the elevator. “See you in a bit pumpkin” he quips before the call ends. A few minutes later, an exotic car parks right in front of me, I slide into the car and the driver takes me to the golf course My arms wrap around my body as the cool breeze gusts against my skin, I spot my father and uncle far away and I send them a wave. As I walk towards them I spot my reflection, long dark hair and bright brown eyes will best describe me, but I guess that was not enough for Tom as he has a blonde hanging from his arm now. “Hey pumpkin, we are glad you are here, How is that bum of your husband?” My uncle welcomes me first, pulling me into a hug. The tears finally fall, in the arms of the two people I trust the most, the only family I've known since I was born as both their wives died in a terrible accident just a few months after I was born. “Oh pumpkin, what's wrong?” My father pulls me into his arms as well and my body shakes with tears, shaking heavily at the question “What did that fool Tom do?” my uncle ask behind me, his voice gruff “Did he hurt you?” My dad adds roughly pulling me back to scan my face. “He betrayed me, Dad!!” I cry out, “He dumped me for another woman” “Do I have to call my men?” my uncle snaps from behind me, his voice tinted with anger I shake my head, my lips breaking out in a slight smile, "Don't worry uncle, I will deal with Tom myself” I shake my head. He nods, ” How about we drive you home, It's been a while since we had dinner together” I nod, “I have to grab some things from the football club first” “We will drive you” My dad perks up and they lead me to the car. The drive to the club is short and soon I'm alone in the locker room, my fingers clutching the last of my belongings in Tom’s locker. I hug holding the bag to my chest, “Tom whinely you will regret even betraying me” I mutter the words to myself. The car park is empty except for my uncle resting on the black SUV. I wave at him when a hand grips my wrist, almost throwing me to the floor. I stumble and catch myself turning my eyes to my assailant. “Riley” I narrow my eyes at her prim and proper form She smirks, her eyes moving to my uncle behind me, “Oh this is good, so you've been cheating on Tom this entire time?” she laughs her brows raised “And with an old man, a sugar daddy?” she laughs, her voice vibrating in my ears. I ignore her, spinning around to leave but she grabs me by my hair. I grip her wrist and throw her off me, shocking her. Her eyes narrow, “How dare you come here and try to assault me Kaya!!” she cries out, her lips shaky. “You come here to my father's club and especially with your sugar daddy…Have some shame Kaya” she rolls her eyes crossing her arms over the other. She takes a threatening step towards me. “Stay off my turf, Kaya…Tom now belongs to me, we will get married and we will live happily ever after” Her voice turns cold, every sound bleeding with boldness I roll my eyes, “If he did what he did to me Riley, imagine what he will do to you” I snap turning around, my ponytail whips her face. I hear her huff right before u slip into the car “Are you okay?” my uncle lifts a brow at me “I will be fine Uncle” I send him a soft smile signifying we should leave. “You know, your uncle just upgraded his lab, you should check it out, I know you loved working in his lab so much pumpkin,” My dad says next to me “Yes Kaya, do you still specialize in robotics? Being with that boy so long has not dulled your brain right?” my uncle laughs from the front seat I shake my head, “I will visit the lab tonight uncle, just get me a key card and I will be there” He nods and soon my home fills my vision, it's bigger than anything Tom will ever see or experience in his life. “I’m glad I left him behind, he would have been a complete gold digger” I shake my head as the maid greets me at the door. “Welcome back Miss Kaya” They bow slightly, taking my bags. “I’m glad you see sense now Kaya, have a shower, wear some nice clothes and we can have dinner” my father ushers me up the stairs. The night is unforgettable, just like it used to be, my father, uncle, and I. We have dinner and we discuss what will happen going forward. “I think you should run the club,” My uncle says next to me as we slide into the elevator of his new lab The building is highly futuristic, and high tech, everything seems like we are in 3045 “Now yet uncle, there are other jobs I want to explore first before taking the mantle from my father” I lift a brow at him The doors part open and we are immersed in a semi-dark room, blue and purple strobing lights, and glass rooms that scream high tech. “Woah uncle this is impressive” I walk further into the room and right at the end is a line of robots on the wall. They look interestingly realistic, “These could fool anyone, What type of skins are they” I turn to him, my eyes fading back to the wall of robots I count 5 in total, my mouth still open in shock “They were quite expensive Kaya, but we have not been able to get them to work the way we want them to” he sends me a side look “That's where you come in” he bumps me slightly with his shoulder, his other hand revealing a lab coat. “I want to welcome you to Williams Tech as the head engineer and scientist for the robotics theme, if it pleases you” he lifts a brow at me, waiting for an answer I turn to the robots and just like that something clicks. My revenge. A smirk graces my lips, I know how to destroy Tom. I will have to build the perfect quarterback star.Flynn POV The drive home from practice feels heavier than usual, in fact the last few hours have been quite unstable, anything could happen next. I keep replaying the moment Kaya walked right past me this morning without looking at me. She always tries to pretend she is not affected, but today she did not even try to hide it. She kept her eyes away from mine like she was avoiding a wound she did not want to touch. And somehow I felt it deep inside me, not in my circuits. In something else, it feels like a real ache. Her car was gone by the time practice ended. Completely burned out, melted into a black shell in the parking lot. Everyone kept whispering about it. Tom and Riley acted like they were strolling through the aftermath of a bonfire they built themselves. They stood behind us looking pleased with themselves, and Kaya nearly lunged at Riley before I pulled her back. The engine hums as I pull into my building garage. I grip the steering wheel, trying to understand why the
Riley POV The door to my office clicks shut behind us, and within seconds Tom has me backed against it. His mouth crashes against mine, hot and demanding. I smile against his lips, breathless, the thrill of earlier still pulsing through me like electricity. “God, that was incredible,” I whisper, tugging him closer by his collar. Tom kisses down my jaw, his breath rough with adrenaline. “You should have seen your face when the flames went up. You looked like you were watching art.” He laughs, low and amused. Because it was art. Kaya had stood there screaming like a little child who lost her toy. Flynn tried to hold her. She shoved him off. The entire thing was perfect. Every detail. Every reaction. And now, the priceless expression she wore when he tried to drive her home and she rejected him in front of everyone. That alone was worth getting ash under my nails. “I am still replaying it,” I say, pulling Tom back up to kiss me again. “The look in her eyes. And Flynn’s. It was almo
Kaya’s POV The moment Flynn and I step outside, a sharp burst of heat hits my face. For a second I don’t understand what I’m looking at, because my brain refuses to accept it. Then the flames roar higher, licking up the side of the dented blue hood, and my chest caves in. My car is on fire.The only thing I kept from Noah after he left. It was his car and he had given it to me to pick him up before we were going to run away, before he left me, but still it had sentimental value and I refused to give the car up and now? “No. No no no,” I gasp, stumbling forward. The crackling of flames drowns out everything else. A few teammates hover nearby, muttering, but no one dares get close. People film it instead of helping. Of course they would only film. “Help! Somebody get help!” My voice breaks as I shout, but no one moves. It’s already too late anyway. The fire is too strong. Flynn reaches for me. “Kaya, stop. It isn’t safe.” I shake him off, watching helplessly as the flames swallow
Flynn’s POV The water hits the back of my neck in steady, pounding waves, this is just another part of the morning routine I’ve done since I was activated. But my eyes close and immediately, the world shifts. I find myself on a rooftop with edges of a city skyline that doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen in this lifetime. The sun sets low so that it stains everything in warm gold. And then I hear laughter, Kaya’s, she sounds younger and softer. Then I hear a voice next, my own, but not my own. “Kaya, promise you won’t leave without me.” Her hair blows in the wind, long and dark, flying around her shoulders. She pushes it back as she laughs again and says something, something I can’t make out. But she’s smiling at me. At Noah. At the person I shouldn’t be remembering. “No…” My hand shoots out, slamming against the shower wall. The tile is cold despite the steam. My breath comes unevenly, if I can even call it breath. “Why do I see her like this?” The memory dissolves lik
Kaya Pov My lips are still tingling. It’s ridiculous… impossible… but Flynn’s kiss feels like it just cracked something open inside me, something I thought I had welded shut after Tom’s betrayal. For a few seconds, I actually let myself melt into him. I lean closer, my fingers clutching the lapel of his suit, my body hums like someone just turned a current on inside me. His mouth is warm and certain against mine, and I hate how good it feels, how natural it feels, like I am not kissing a robot I built, but someone I have known before. Someone I had loved before. The thought slams through me like a shockwave, and I jolt away from him so fast I nearly trip over the edge of the couch. “No—no, I can’t…” My voice is breathless and cracked. “I shouldn’t feel things for you.” Flynn freezes, “Kaya…” I shake my head, panic building. “This was…this was a mistake Flynn. I need to go.” He stands too, and when he steps toward me, something hopeful sparks in his eyes. “So you do feel som
Flynn’s POV Tom’s hand is still clamped on Kaya’s arm when I reach them. His face is too close to hers, his voice low as he tries to intimidate Kaya. Kaya’s eyes flick up toward me, wide and unsettled, and that’s all it takes. My body reacts before my mind does. I move in, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her gently but firmly into my side. Her body fits against mine like it belongs there, and she gasps softly before leaning into the warmth of my hold. Tom jerks back. “Mind your business, Fetcher.” I give him a calm, almost bored look. “She is my business.” His jaw twitches. “You’re new here. Don’t get ahead of yourself.” I don’t take the bait. Instead, I look down at Kaya. She’s trying to mask her shaken state, but I can see the tension in her shoulders and the faint tremble in her fingers. “Are you alright?” I ask softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. My thumb grazes her cheek, and she melts a fraction, just enough for me to catch it. “He didn’t hurt







