MasukEuniaReady?” Cole’s voice breaks through my train of thought. I look up to find him standing, car keys in hand, watching me expectantly.Right. School.“Yeah,” I say, grabbing my bag. “Ready.”Linda walks us to the door, pulling me into a tight, warm hug that catches me off guard.“Have a wonderful day, sweetheart,” she says sweetly, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. I’d been so worried Linda would end up hating my guts, but it seems I was concerned for nothing. “And for you Cole—don’t work too hard.”“I’ll try,” he says dryly.The drive to campus is quiet, the morning traffic light enough that we make good time. Cole navigates the streets with practiced ease, one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually on the center console.I watch the city pass by through the window, the familiar streets looking different somehow. Like I’m seeing them through new eyes. Everything feels so unreal, this timeline’s Eunia probably hasn’t been in school for maybe a couple of weeks?But in
EuniaMorning comes a little too quickly.I wake to sunlight streaming through the windows and the mouthwatering smell of rich coffee drifting from somewhere in the mansion.With a small grunt, I turn to the other side, hiding away from the bright light. For a disorienting moment, I forget where I am. Then my eyes flutter open and I see the empty space beside me, the covers already thrown back, and everything comes rushing back to me.Cole’s side of the bed is cold.He must have been up for a while.My heart drops to my stomach as I look for a means to check the time. When I finally spot a digital alarm by the side and see 8:29 a.m in broken digits, relief washes over me.Thank God.I drag myself out of bed and into the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face before brushing my teeth and throwing on jeans and a simple sweater.When I come out of the room, I follow the scent of coffee downstairs to find Cole and Linda already seated at the dining table, a magnificent breakfast laid o
EuniaThe reminder settles over me like a heavy weight. He’s right. Obviously. Eventually, I’ll have to face my parents, Have to give them some kind of explanation. Have to deal with the aftermath of my quote on quote rebellion.“I know,” I say quietly, pulling my knees up to my chest. “I’ll confront them eventually. Just… not yet. It’s not the right time.”“When will be the right time then?”It’s a good question. It's too bad I don’t have an answer to it. In all honesty, I don’t really want to talk about my parents or think of home. The day is exhausting enough without them in it.“I don’t know.” I shrug, pushing some loose strands of hair away from my face. “When I’m ready, I guess.”I prepare myself to hear the classic, “and when will you be ready?” bit but he doesn’t say that. He just goes quiet, typing away at his keyboard. The soft clicking noises fill the room, an odd remedy to the countless knots in my head.I’m grateful that Cole can be like this sometimes. Asides from what y
EuniaThe bathroom is as luxurious as the rest of the room—all marble and monotone, with a rainfall shower that could probably fit four people.I peel off my clothes and turn on the faucet to a little extra hot like that would dissolve all my persistent thoughts. I step under the water, letting it flow over my shoulders.This is fine.Everything is fine.It’s just sleeping. People share beds all the time without it meaning anything. Hotel rooms on business trips. Sleepovers. Siblings cramming into one bed during family vacations.Except Cole isn’t my sibling or my business colleague or my childhood friend.He’s my fake husband who I might be attracted to as much as I hate to admit it and absolutely cannot act on that attraction because this is a business arrangement with a clear expiration date.I scrub shampoo through my hair more aggressively than necessary, trying to wash away the built up nerves along with the day’s grime.By the time I emerge from the bathroom, wrapped in one of
EuniaAfter dinner, bed time rolls by, and for some reason, that’s what I’m more nervous about.“Thank you for dinner, Mrs. MayRidge, it was wonderful.” I say once all the dishes are cleared.“It was nothing, darling, least I can do after creating such a scene,” she mutters with a smile, dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin. “And please call me Linda.”“Linda…” the name rolls off my tongue like the most natural thing in the world. “Thank you again.”“It’s no problem.”Cole stands then, taking my hand in his.“Mother, it’s been a long day. I’m sure you and Eunia need some much-needed rest.”“Of course, sweetheart.”Before another word can be said, Cole pulls me towards the stairs. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.“I’m sorry about my mother,” Cole mutters as he leads me to the second half of the building. “She’s particularly overprotective when it comes to me and tends to panic easily. You didn’t have to see that.”“It’s nothing,” I say, looking up to meet
Eunia“You’re actually being serious about this?” Logan asks carefully, his breath unsteady.“Does this sound like something I’d joke about?” I raise a brow, irritation evident in my voice.“This is…” He runs his good hand through his disheveled hair. “This is insane. Aren’t you going a little too far? Eunia’s reputation will be destroyed. I just want her back, I don’t want to ruin her life.”I let out a breath and pinch the bridge of my nose. Of course. It isn’t like I expected him to accept my proposal right off the bat.“I don’t see anything insane about it. This is justice, Logan, just think about it. She played with your heart. Ignored you, made you suffer then discarded you the moment something better came along.” I stand, my eyes blazing. “So tell me, what’s so wrong with her reputation taking the fall for you to be with her? Do you really think you can ever get anything you want without sacrificing something in return? Or is it that you don’t want her back badly enough?”His







