I was packing up the remnants of my life, shoving old clothes into a box that barely held the weight of all the memories it carried. The room room have lived in was thinning compared to my sister's own. This place, my cage for decades, was finally disappearing into the past. My mattress sat low to the ground, its springs worn and creaking beneath the weight of boxes and folded clothes. But for once, I didn’t mind. For the first time, I was smiling, my heart light as I packed up the final bits of this chapter. I was leaving my cell. The excitement surged through me as I remembered the first night I spent at Amory’s house. The feeling of sinking into a mattress that didn’t feel like it was made of bricks. The room had been enormous, like something out of a dream. For the first time, I had felt the kind of comfort that seemed only possible in fantasies. My phone vibrated suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen. Amory. His name lit up, and I felt my heart skip
There was a thick, suffocating silence between us as Zayn drove, the weight of unspoken words pressing down on me. I kept glancing at the rearview mirror, my stomach twisted into knots, wondering what he might be up to. His face was unreadable, his eyes locked on the road, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was brewing underneath that calm facade. When we finally arrived at Amory’s place, Zayn parked the car and gestured for me to stay seated. Without a word, he stepped out, heading to the trunk. I watched him through the side mirror, my heart racing as I prepared for whatever might happen next. I got out of the car, taking quick steps toward the entrance of the house. There were four small steps between me and the door, but I stood frozen on the top one, my pulse thudding in my ears. Zayn hoisted my boxes and bags out of the trunk, approaching me with them in tow. "I’ll put them inside," he said sharply, his tone stiff and cold. I met his gaze with an icy look of m
I turned, heading back for the other box, but his words stopped me in my tracks. "Amory is a dangerous person," Zayn said, his voice urgent. "I’m telling you this because I care about you. He’s not who you think he is." I rolled my eyes, continuing toward him to grab the second box, but he didn’t stop. "For sure, he has some ulterior motive," Zayn pressed. "You know he tried to kill someone, right?" I froze, my hand hovering just above the handle of the box. His words were like a slap in the face, sharp and unexpected. I turned to face him, my heart pounding. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my mind, but the weight of Zayn's accusation hung in the air like a thick fog. I stared at him, my voice shaking when I finally managed to speak. "What?" "Amory is a dangerous person... he pushed his own brother off a boat. And from that incident, his brother was disabled," he said with so much sincerity in his voice. The shock gripped me like icy fingers around my throat, tightening
I'm sitting in Grandpa's room at the nursing home, the faint smell of antiseptic mingling with the warmth of the afternoon sun filtering through the window. The small table between us feels more like a world of its own, a sanctuary for our conversations. I peel the apple I brought, each slice revealing the crisp white flesh, a familiar ritual that brings a smile to his weathered face. But today, something's off. I glance up from the apple, noticing his finger pressed to his lips, a habit of his when he’s lost in thought. "Grandpa, what's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" My voice is steady, laced with concern. He looks up, surprise in his eyes, and quickly removes his hand. "It's nothing," he says, but the heaviness in his voice betrays him. "I just feel like I'm not being helpful." The words strike me like a blow. I set down the knife and lean forward, urgency bubbling in my chest. "What do you mean? Just a little ago, thanks to you..." His expression shifts, shock overtaking him
After leaving Grandpa’s place at the nursing home, I head straight to cooking class, my mind buzzing. Today we were learning how to make brownies, and even though I had only recently started the class, I could feel myself improving with each attempt. The scent of baking chocolate hit me as soon as I walked into the room, and the hum of my classmates working filled the air.“Everyone, be careful. It’s hot. Let the brownies cool at room temperature for a bit, and I’ll come around to check them,” our instructor said calmly, her voice carrying across the kitchen. She then left her counter to make the rounds.I fumbled with the plastic wrapping of the ingredients, tearing it open, my focus sharp. Across from me, I noticed the woman working beside me had already pulled her brownie from the oven, the golden-brown surface gleaming. A wave of shock and panic hit me, and I quickly grabbed an oven mitt, slipped it onto my hand, and opened the oven to retrieve my own creation.As I pulled the tra
Later that evening, I was heading to my room, my head still buzzing with the day's events. Just as I reached for the door, I heard the unmistakable sound of it being pushed open. I turned, my heart skipping a beat. It was Amory, standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable.“Amory!” I gasped. “You didn’t call. What’s going on?” My voice trembled slightly, caught off guard by his sudden appearance.He closed the door behind him, his eyes locking onto mine. “I’m hungry,” he said simply.“What?” I asked, taken aback by his bluntness.“I came to eat. Is there anything?” he said, making his way toward the kitchen.“Wait!” I rushed in front of him, pressing my hands against his chest to stop him from going any further. “Stay right here. Don’t move,” I said, hurrying ahead of him. I had to reach the kitchen before he did. The brownie—that brownie—couldn’t be the first thing he saw.I darted into the kitchen, my heart racing as I spotted the plate holding the brownie. Without thinking,
Amory’s POV**After leaving Emma's side, I couldn’t stop replaying her words in my head. The sharpness of her rejection, the way she drew a line between us, it hit me harder than I expected. The moment I walked out of her place, I drove aimlessly, feeling the weight of everything sinking in. It wasn’t long before I found myself at the hotel where I stayed whenever I didn’t feel like going home. It had become a familiar place, one I retreated to when I needed space.I headed straight for the bar, hoping a few drinks could dull the storm brewing in my mind. Sitting at the counter, I ordered something cold and strong. I stared into the glass, swirling the liquid as if it held the answers to the mess I found myself in. But the longer I sat there, the louder Emma's voice echoed in my thoughts. “This is a fake marriage, after all.” Those words gnawed at me, pulling me under, again and again.Just as I brought the glass to my lips, I heard the unmistakable click of high heels approaching fro
**Emma’s POV**Arriving at the grand hotel’s restaurant, I stepped inside, my eyes darting around as I searched for Fielding. He’d said I would recognize him the moment I saw him, but standing there in the bustling space, I felt a wave of uncertainty.“He said I would recognize him. Where is he?” I muttered to myself, scanning the room, but nothing seemed familiar. The clink of cutlery and the low hum of conversation swirled around me, making me feel slightly out of place.I decided to step outside the restaurant, drawn toward the bridge just beyond it. The hotel was built over water, and the soft flow of the river beneath the glass walkway always had a calming effect on me. But as I approached, something—or rather someone—caught my eye. From a distance, I saw Amory’s unmistakable silhouette. My heart skipped a beat, a mixture of surprise and confusion washing over me.“Amory?” I called out softly, the name escaping my lips before I could stop it.He turned, his eyes locking onto min