PHOEBEI groaned as my blankets were ripped away from me."Wake up, Pheebs."I cracked one eye open to see Billy standing over me, grinning like an idiot. Jasper leaned against the door, arms crossed, looking just as smug."Go away," I mumbled, reaching blindly for my blanket.Billy held it out of reach. "Not happening. We need your help."I flopped back onto my pillow. "It’s too early for this."Jasper checked his watch. "It’s almost noon."I peeked at my phone, groaning again. Fine. It wasn’t early. But still."What do you guys want?" I asked, voice thick with sleep.Billy plopped down on the bed beside me, slinging an arm around my shoulders. "We wanna do something nice for Mom. She’s been stressed.""And?"Jasper pushed off the doorframe. "We figured a family dinner might help."I blinked at them, surprised. "That’s… actually really sweet."Jasper rolled his eyes. "Don’t sound so shocked."Billy nudged me. "So, you in?"I sighed dramatically, stretching. "Guess I don’t have a choi
PHOEBEI gripped the steering wheel so tight my fingers ached.This neighborhood. This damn neighborhood.I swallowed, forcing the memories down. The last time I was here, things didn’t go well. I had no business coming back. But this wasn’t about me. This was about Ramon.I took a shaky breath and parked down the street from his house. My heart pounded in my chest as I stepped out of the car. I hated this place. The way it made me feel.But I wasn’t turning back.I managed to find his house, my feet feeling heavier with every step. My nerves were shot, and my stomach twisted uncomfortably. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but the last thing I wanted was another confrontation. Maybe I should’ve just called him instead of showing up unannounced.I hovered outside his gate, hesitating. My fingers twitched at my side, debating if I should knock or turn around and pretend this never happened.Then I saw him.Ramon.Shirtless.I froze.Sweat glistened on his skin as he worked out in his
PHOEBEI felt my face get even hotter, the warmth spreading down my neck. I looked away again, biting my lip, but it didn’t help. My heart was pounding so loud, I was sure he could hear it. My hands were shaking a little, so I clenched them into fists in my lap, trying to steady myself.“I’m sorry,” Ramon said, his voice softer now. “I just… I had to say it. I couldn’t keep it in anymore.”I swallowed hard, forcing myself to breathe. My whole body felt like it was buzzing, like I had too much energy but nowhere to put it.“I… I like you too,” I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.Silence stretched between us for a moment. I forced myself to glance up, and when I did, I saw the shock on Ramon’s face. His eyes were wide, like he hadn’t expected to hear that. Like he was trying to make sure he wasn’t imagining it.“Wait… you do?” he asked, leaning in just slightly, as if he needed to hear it again to believe it.I nodded, still too nervous to meet his gaze for long. “Yeah.
SHAWNADamien and I stepped into the house, exhaustion pressing down on us like a heavy coat. Every muscle in my body ached, and all I wanted to do was collapse onto the nearest soft surface. But before I could even think about that, the rich, mouthwatering scent of pancakes and eggs filled the air. My stomach growled loudly in protest, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten much all day.Mom stood near the dining table, a soft smile on her face as she watched us. “You’re finally home.”I sighed heavily, dropping my bag onto the couch. “Yeah… it’s been a long day.”Her gaze swept over Damien and me, concern flickering in her eyes. “I can tell. You both look drained.”Damien let out a low groan as he pulled out a chair and sank into it. “That’s because we are.” He rubbed his temples tiredly. “Barely had time to eat today.”Mom walked over, gesturing toward the neatly arranged table. “Well, the kids made breakfast for you.”Damien’s head snapped up at that. “They did?” His voice held a mixtur
PHOEBERamon grinned as we walked toward the car, his hand slipping into mine like it belonged there. I rolled my eyes but didn’t pull away. He always did this, acted like he had some secret joke I wasn’t in on. It was annoying.“What?” I shot him a look.“Nothing.” His grin widened. “Just thinking.”“Thinking about what?”He tugged me to a stop, turning so he was facing me fully. “Thinking about how you get all flustered when I tease you.”I scoffed. “I do not.”“Oh, you do.” He stepped closer, eyes dark with amusement. “Like right now. Your nose is scrunching up. You only do that when you’re trying to act tough.”I huffed. “You’re ridiculous.”“And you love it.”I rolled my eyes again, but my heart was pounding. He was too close. The air between us felt too thick. “I tolerate it.”He chuckled, low and knowing. “Mm-hmm.”I turned away, but he caught my wrist, pulling me back. “Come on, Phoebe, admit it. You like it when I mess with you.”I lifted my chin. “You’re not that charming, R
SHAWNAThe hospital smelled like antiseptic and fear. My heels clicked against the cold tile as I rushed toward the ICU, my heart pounding in my chest. The bright fluorescent lights overhead did nothing to warm the cold, sterile atmosphere. Nurses whispered in hushed tones, doctors moved quickly past me, their expressions grim, and somewhere, a machine beeped steadily, the sound pressing against my skull like a ticking clock.None of it mattered. I ran to a nurse and asked about Mr Bryan Lancaster. She told me he was in room 109, one of their VIP wards. I ran and The only thing I saw was the man lying motionless in the hospital bed."Grandpa?" My voice cracked as I stepped closer, my throat dry.He didn’t move. His skin, usually full of warmth, looked pale, too pale. His chest barely rose under the thin hospital blanket. Wires and tubes ran from his body to machines I didn’t understand, blinking and beeping like a language I couldn’t comprehend.This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.
SHAWNAI stared at my phone, my hands shaking so bad I almost dropped it. The call had ended, but the voice still echoed in my head. Admit what you did. Resign. Walk away, or your grandfather won’t make it. My chest tightened, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Who was doing this? And why?“Shawna?”I looked up and saw Damien standing in the doorway, his brows furrowed, concern etched all over his face. He took one look at me and rushed over.“What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”I opened my mouth, but nothing came out at first. Then, somehow, I forced the words out. “I just got a call. Someone’s threatening me.”“What?” His eyes widened. “Threatening you how?”“They… they said if I don’t step down as CEO, admit to fraud, they’ll… they’ll kill my grandfather,” I whispered, my voice breaking.Damien’s jaw clenched. “What the hell? This people won’t stop, right? Who would do something like that?”“I don’t know!” I ran my hands through my hair, tugging slightly at the root
PHOEBEIt felt like my heart dropped to the floor the minute I stepped inside the house. The warm, fluttery feelings that had been buzzing through me all afternoon after hanging out with Ramon disappeared in an instant. One look at my mom’s face and I knew something was wrong.“Phoebe,” Grandma said gently from the living room, her voice tight. She gave me a small nod, her expression serious. I barely had time to say hi before the tension hit me like a wave.“What happened?” I asked, dropping my bag by the door.Mom didn’t even look at me. She was sitting on the couch, staring at nothing, like she’d checked out of reality. Her eyes were red like she’d been crying for hours.“Phoebe…” Grandma walked over slowly, her steps heavy, and put her hand on my arm. The look on her face made my stomach twist into knots. There was something in her eyes, something serious, something that made me feel like I needed to sit down even though I was still standing.“It’s your great-grandfather… and your
PHOEBEThat morning, I woke up to the quiet hum of birds outside the window. For once, I didn’t have to rush to work or pretend everything was fine. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying not to think too much.The soft floral curtains swayed gently with the breeze, and for a moment, everything felt peaceful. But that peace didn’t reach inside me. I felt like I was just floating, present in body, but far from okay. My eyes were heavy from lack of sleep, and my chest ached from holding in tears all night. Still, I stayed there, wrapped in Winnie’s guest blanket, letting the silence stretch as long as it could.Winnie had helped sneak me into her house late last night, and I was grateful."Are you going to tell your parents you’re here?" she asked softly that morning as she came into the room with a cup of warm tea.I sat up slowly, blinking away the crust from my eyes. "There’s no need. They’ll just ask questions I’m not ready to answer."She nodded and handed me the cup. The mug
RAMONI stood there for a long time, watching Phoebe walk away. Her words echoed in my head like a sharp slap: “I never want to see you again.” I wanted to chase after her, to make her listen, to explain everything. But I couldn’t. Not when I didn’t even have the answers she needed.Not when everything in my life was already broken beyond repair.Maybe she was right to leave. Maybe this was the best thing for her. That’s what I kept telling myself as I dragged myself back to my uncle’s house. It was late, and the street was too quiet, like even the night wanted nothing to do with me.When I stepped inside, Uncle Richard looked up from the couch. He was lounging like a king in his robe, glass of whiskey in hand, the flickering TV light painting shadows across his aging face. He looked too calm for someone who had just helped me destroy the only thing that ever made sense in my life.“Well, look who’s back,” he said, a slow smile curling at the corners of his lips. “I take it she finall
PHOEBEMy whole body was sore. My dress was torn, my wrists burned from the ropes, and my eyes stung from crying. I was huddled in a corner of that cold, dark room, shivering as the last of the men ran out like rats. One second, they were setting up cameras, saying the most disgusting things, and the next, they were gone. Just like that.It made no sense. None of it did. Why would they leave me? What scared them off?I was too weak to stand, too confused to think straight. My head was pounding, and I could still feel whatever they had drugged me with swirling through my system. My heart was racing so fast I could barely catch my breath. My legs were pulled to my chest, arms wrapped tightly around them, as if I could make myself disappear if I just curled up small enough.And then I heard footsteps.Fast. Heavy. Coming closer.My eyes shot to the door.I froze.My heart shot to my throat.Were they back?Did they forget something?Were they going to finish what they started?I couldn’t
RAMONI stood in that hotel lobby staring at the manager as if he'd just announced a death. Maybe he had. Because knowing Phoebe had been taken right from under my nose felt exactly like that, like something had died inside me."She was in your care!" I shouted. "She was supposed to wait for me here!""Mr. Ramon," the manager said nervously, "we thought it was authorized…""By whom? My uncle?" I spat. "You took her because my uncle said so? Did she look like she wanted to leave? Did you even ask her that?"No answer. Just that sick, silent guilt on their faces.I didn't waste another second. I turned on my heel, stormed out of the hotel, jumped into my car, and sped straight to Richard's estate. My hands gripped the wheel so hard they ached. My mind was a storm, rage, fear, regret. I kept seeing her face in my head, her smile, the way she had trusted me. And now...She was gone.When I got to the mansion, the guards at the gate crossed their arms."Sir, Mr. Richard said not to let you
RAMONI was dead tired by the time we finished the meeting at the company. My shirt clung to my back, and my head was pounding from all the numbers and back-to-back discussions. All I wanted was to check my phone and unwind, maybe see if Phoebe had texted.I reached into my pocket. Empty.My heart skipped.I checked the table, the chair, and even under the folder I’d used. Nothing.“Where the hell is my phone?” I muttered.My uncle, sitting across from me, raised an eyebrow. “Lose something?”“My phone. I had it before we came here.”He shrugged. “Maybe you dropped it at the house.”I didn’t like how quick he was to answer.Still, I forced a calm nod and stood up. “I’ll go check.”The ride back to his place felt like it took forever. My mind was racing. Phoebe. Had she called? Texted? What if something was wrong? My gut wouldn’t calm down.When I got to the house, I tore through every room I had been in earlier. The living room. The guest room. Even the damn kitchen. Nothing.My uncle
PHOEBEThe hotel was breathtaking, with marble floors, chandeliers sparkling like stars, a scent of roses, and money hanging in the air. My heels clicked softly as I followed the receptionist, who wore a perfectly polite smile. My coat was still wrapped tightly around me, hiding the dress Winnie helped me pick out. My heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves.“He’ll be with you shortly,” the receptionist said sweetly, opening a suite door for me. “Please, get comfortable. There are refreshments inside. Make yourself at home.”I gave a shy nod. “Thank you.”The door shut behind me.The suite was luxurious, with soft couches, a large table with drinks and fruit, and dim romantic lighting. I let out a small breath. “Wow…”I walked slowly to the table, brushing my fingers along the glass rim of a wine glass. Red wine. A chill ran up my spine, and I shook it off. Maybe he asked them to pour it before he arrived. Maybe this was his way of setting the mood.I pulled out my phone.
PHOEBEI slammed the front door a little harder than I meant to when I got home.Winnie looked up from the couch, raising an eyebrow. "Whoa. Somebody’s in a mood. What's wrong, sunshine?"I dropped my bag by the door and flopped onto the armchair with a loud sigh. "It’s Ramon," I said, pouting like a child.Winnie immediately perked up. "Ramon? Spill. What happened?!"I buried my face in my hands for a second before looking up at her. "We kissed. Like... really kissed. It was amazing. He kissed me like he needed me to breathe or something."Winnie squealed, hugging a throw pillow. "Oh my God! Finally!""Yeah, it was incredible," I mumbled, my cheeks heating up. "But right after that, he got a call. Emergency at home. He had to leave. Just like that."Winnie’s face softened. "Oh, babe...""I know he had no choice," I said quickly, fiddling with a loose thread on the armrest. "But... it sucks. I’m losing my mind over him, Winnie. I’m slowly going crazy. I want him so bad it hurts."Winn
PHOEBERamon’s eyes burned into me like I was the only thing he could see. I felt my cheeks heat up under his stare, and I shifted awkwardly on my feet.“Phoebe,” he said, his voice low and rough, “I want all of you…every part of you. I’m not afraid of being with you. I’m just... trying to restrain myself.”My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out at first. Then I swallowed hard and said, "I want all of you, too, Ramon. I’m not scared."Something snapped between us.Ramon closed the space in a single, hungry heartbeat, grabbing me again and crashing his mouth onto mine. This kiss wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet. It was rough, fierce, almost desperate, like he had been starving, and I was the only thing that could satisfy him.His lips crushed against mine, demanding and urgent. I could feel the heat pouring off his body as he kissed me like he needed me more than air. His hand slid up, fingers threading into the hair at the nape of my neck, then wrapping
RAMONI tossed and turned all night. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t sleep. My mind kept racing, full of everything Uncle Richard had said... and Phoebe. Always Phoebe.I was falling for her. Hard. It scared the hell out of me, but it also felt so right. I didn’t just like her, I needed her. Every smile, every look, every word she said stuck in my head like glue.When morning came, I dragged myself out of bed, showered, and dressed like a man on a mission. I didn’t even think twice. I was going to see her. I had to.No more running. No more hiding.When I got to the worksite, she was there already, sorting through some papers, looking so focused and beautiful that it made my heart twist. She looked up and blinked like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing."Ramon?" she said, her voice small but full of surprise. "I thought... I thought you weren’t going to be available anymore."I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling awkward and stupid all at once. "Yeah, about that. I’m