Games Unfold - Chapter 3

Soren’s POV

The apartment was silent now. Hazel and Raisel were asleep in the guest room after finishing off a tub of ice cream and hours of painful sobbing. Raisel’s cries had been raw and relentless, each one cutting through me like a knife. It was unbearable to hear her pain—her heartbreak—and knowing I couldn’t fix it entirely only made it worse. Hazel, thankfully, stayed by her side, offering the comfort of a sister.

I stood by the window, glass in hand, staring at the city skyline. The lights of New York stretched endlessly before me, a stark contrast to the darkness stirring within. The sight offered no solace tonight. My thoughts were consumed by the image of Raisel—her tear-streaked face, her trembling voice, the shattered trust in her eyes. She looked utterly broken.

She didn’t deserve this. Not Raisel. Never her.

She was a kind soul, too good for the likes of Alaric. She had been my rock in college—the one who stood by me when no one else dared. Back then, I was the freak, the nerd, the one everyone laughed at. But Raisel? She saw through all of it. She didn’t care about my braces, my glasses, or my awkwardness. When the bullies tried to crush me, she was the one who stood up for me, the one who gave me the courage to keep going.

And now? The thought of her being humiliated—being made a scapegoat in Alaric’s twisted game—boiled my blood. That bastard didn’t deserve even a moment of her love.

“Soren,” Hazel’s sharp voice broke through my thoughts. I turned to find her standing in the doorway, arms crossed, her expression unreadable but tinged with suspicion.

“Why are you here, Soren?” she asked, her tone laced with skepticism.

“Not happy to see me, Hazel?” I countered, my lips twitching into a faint smirk.

She scowled. “Cut the crap. Why are you really here? Don’t tell me it’s just for work.”

I swirled the drink in my glass, taking a slow sip. “What else would it be?”

“Don’t bullshit me,” Hazel snapped. “You’ve been gone for years, and now, out of nowhere, you’re here, showing up at a charity event you’d never attend in a million years. You never cared about these social circles before. So, I’ll ask again—why are you here?”

I raised an eyebrow, letting her words hang in the air before responding. “Are you keeping tabs on me, Hazel? Sounds like you might be in love with me.”

Hazel cringed visibly, her disgust evident. “Don’t flatter yourself. I don’t trust you, Soren, and I never have. You’ve always had your eye on Raisel. You act like her best friend, but deep down, you’re just waiting for an opening to swoop in. You’re no different from Alaric. He won her heart, only to destroy it. And now you’re circling like a vulture.”

Her words stung, but I didn’t flinch. “You’re wrong,” I said coolly. “I’m nothing like Alaric. I would never hurt Raisel.”

“Then why are you playing this boyfriend charade?” she demanded.

“Because it’s the only way to protect her,” I said firmly, my voice cutting through her skepticism like a blade.

Hazel frowned but didn’t interrupt.

“Alaric isn’t done with her,” I continued. “He’ll keep attacking, keep spreading lies, and the media will eat it up. You’ve seen how fast the narrative’s turned against her. If I stand by her side, he’ll think twice before escalating.”

“So, what? You’re saying she needs you to save her?” Hazel shot back, her anger flaring again. “That without your little hero act, she’s helpless?”

I met her gaze head-on. “Raisel isn’t helpless. She’s one of the strongest people I know. But her weakness—” I hesitated, my voice softening. “Her weakness is Alaric. She still loves him, even after everything he’s done. That’s what he’s exploiting.”

Hazel sighed, some of her anger fading. “You’re right about one thing. Alaric knows how to use her feelings against her. He always has.”

Before I could respond, a quiet voice broke the tension.

“I am weak against Alaric’s love.”

Hazel and I both turned to see Raisel standing in the doorway, her eyes brimming with tears. Her voice trembled, but there was an underlying strength in her words. “But I have you both now. You’re my family.”

Hazel immediately pulled her into a hug, whispering words of comfort. I stayed back, giving her a small nod of reassurance. I’ve never been much of a hugger, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t with her every step of the way.

After Hazel left for work, Raisel stayed behind, wearing one of my t-shirts. She looked vulnerable, her bare feet brushing against the hardwood floors as she walked over to me. Yet even in her fragility, there was something about her that struck me—a quiet resilience, a beauty that shone even through her pain.

“Soren,” she said softly, her voice snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Yes?”

“Are you sure this… boyfriend-girlfriend act is a good idea? It feels… wrong,” she admitted, her hands fidgeting nervously.

I stepped closer, my expression serious. “Raisel, I’m doing this for you. I need you to trust me.”

She hesitated, but then nodded. “I do trust you. Just… don’t break that trust, Soren.”

“I won’t,” I promised, though the weight of my unspoken intentions hung heavily between us.

She picked up the contract we’d drafted earlier—a simple agreement for a year-long fake relationship, just enough time to tear Alaric’s life apart. She signed it without hesitation, handing it back to me.

As she walked away, her words echoed in my mind: I trust you.

She had no idea.

I watched her retreating figure, my hand tightening around the contract. For years, I’d been trapped in her friend zone, quietly yearning for more. But now? This was my chance. I would protect her from Alaric, yes—but that wasn’t all.

This time, I wasn’t going to let her slip through my fingers.