PHOEBE“Wait… Ramon?” Billy frowned, glancing between me and him like we’d just announced we were getting married or something.“That’s right,” Ramon said, stepping forward with a small, polite smile. “Nice to officially meet you both.”Jasper gave a short, dry laugh. “Yeah. Officially, huh? So this is a thing now?”“It is,” I said firmly, crossing my arms tighter. “And I’m not going to hide it, so you can drop the attitude.”“Attitude?” Jasper raised an eyebrow. “We don’t have attitude. We just… didn’t expect this, that’s all.”Billy nodded slowly, but his eyes stayed on Ramon, like he was trying to figure him out. “You move pretty fast, don’t you, Ramon?”“Billy,” I warned, my voice sharp, but Ramon just chuckled, brushing it off like it was nothing.“I get it,” he said smoothly. “I know I’m not exactly your favorite person. But I care about Phoebe, and I hope you can respect that.”Jasper snorted, crossing his arms like he was gearing up for a fight. “Oh, sure. Respect. That’s easy
RAMONI leaned against Phoebe’s desk, watching them argue like they were the only ones in the room. Triplets. Identical in almost every way, same fiery temper, the same stubborn streak, same protective instinct over their little sister. It was almost entertaining at first. Almost.But now? I was bored.“Guys,” I said again, keeping my tone light and calm, but it was like I didn’t exist. They didn’t hear me. Or maybe they just chose to ignore me. Typical.“Jasper, can you just stop already?” Phoebe snapped, stepping in before things got even messier. She crossed her arms over her chest, looking annoyed.“I’m trying to protect you, Phoebe!” Jasper shot back, his voice rising. “You don’t even know who he really is!”I watched Phoebe’s jaw tighten, and I could tell she was about five seconds away from losing her cool. Jasper, as usual, wasn’t letting up. This was a regular scene with them, but it still felt like walking through a minefield every time.Billy, standing a little behind Jaspe
PHOEBEThe office buzzed softly around me, but my focus was entirely on Ramon. We’d wrapped up the whole argument with the triplets, and now it was just us, enjoying the quiet. He leaned back in the chair across from my desk, arms folded casually, his dark eyes watching me with that familiar smirk.“Can’t believe you stuck around after all that,” I teased, raising a brow.He chuckled. “You think I scare that easily?”“I don’t know,” I said, tapping my pen against my notebook. “My brothers are pretty intense.”He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Trust me, Phoebe, I’ve faced worse.”There was something in the way he said it light, but with a shadow underneath. His voice was easy, casual, but it carried a weight I couldn’t quite figure out. It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed it either. There were layers to Ramon, ones he wasn’t letting me see just yet. I tilted my head, debating whether to push him a little, maybe ask what was really going on behind that smile.But the
EUGENEI’ve seen Phoebe mad before. I’ve seen her throw tantrums over little things, like when the coffee wasn’t hot enough or when her favorite show ended on a cliffhanger. But this? This was different. This wasn’t just a flash of irritation or some harmless grumbling. This was something else entirely.I stood there, watching her storm out, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor like gunshots in the silence of the house. She didn’t say much, just muttered something under her breath as she snatched her purse from the couch and headed straight for the front door with Ramon. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even know what had set her off this time.“Phoebe, where are you going?” I finally called out, hoping to stop her. But she didn’t even look back. She just pushed open the door, stepped outside, and slammed it shut behind her. Hard. The kind of slam that makes you flinch, like it’s meant to hurt you as much as it does the doorframe.I followed her, but only as far as the win
PHOEBEI waited until Phoebe walked into my office before I spoke. She was humming, looking happy like nothing in the world could bring her down.“Phoebe, can we talk?” I said, closing the file I was working on.She frowned a little but came over. “Sure. What’s up?”I leaned back in my chair, choosing my words carefully. “Eugene came by earlier.”Her face hardened immediately. “Oh. And let me guess….she had a lot to say?”“She’s worried, Phoebe.”“Of course, she is,” Phoebe muttered, crossing her arms. “She’s always worried about something.”“She’s your aunt. She cares about you.”“She doesn’t like Ramon, does she?” Phoebe’s voice was sharp.I sighed. “She has concerns. And, honestly, so do I.”Phoebe’s eyes widened. “Wait….you too?”“Phoebe, we’ve never even heard of this guy until recently, and now you’re spending all your time with him. Don’t you think that’s a little… fast?”Her jaw tightened. “I knew it. No one actually wants me to be happy.”“Phoebe, that’s not what this is abou
PHOEBEI stood outside Ramon’s door, my heart thudding in my chest like I’d just run a marathon. I wasn’t even sure why I had come here. Maybe it was the way I’d stormed out of Mom’s office, my frustration boiling over until it felt like I couldn’t breathe. Or maybe it was just because I needed to be somewhere I felt… safe. And for some reason, that place was here.Before I could change my mind and turn around, the door opened.Ramon stood there, blinking at me in surprise. His dark hair was tousled as he’d just rolled out of bed, and his black T-shirt clung to his chest in a way that made it impossible not to notice how toned he was. He wasn’t trying, wasn’t even aware of how ridiculously good-looking he looked, and somehow that made it even worse, or better, depending on how you looked at it.I swallowed hard, my brain short-circuiting for a second. His dark brown eyes were fixed on me, curious and maybe a little sleepy, like he hadn’t expected anyone to show up at his door, let alo
PHOEBEI folded my arms, leaning against the wall of Ramon’s tiny apartment. The space was cramped, barely big enough for the two of us, but that wasn’t what was bothering me. It was him, his expression, his tone, the way he was looking at me like I was making some kind of terrible mistake.“I don’t get it,” I said, shaking my head. “Why are you so against me moving out?”Ramon let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked tired, like this conversation was wearing on him. “I’m not against it, Phoebe.”“Sure feels like it,” I shot back.His lips twitched, but it wasn’t a smile. More like a reflex, something bitter. He let out a small chuckle, but there wasn’t any humor in it. “I just know what it means to be without a family. And trust me, it’s not something you want.”I frowned, crossing my arms tighter. “So what? I should just stay there and let them control my life?”His gaze flickered to mine, steady, unshaken. “No,” he said. “I’m saying don’t make decisions when you
RAMONI sat there, staring at the door Phoebe had just slammed shut. The air still felt thick with her frustration, her anger. I had called out to her, but she hadn’t even hesitated. Just walked away like I was no better than the rest of them.I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face. I wasn’t trying to control her. I wasn’t trying to stop her from living her life. But she didn’t see it that way.“She’s got fire, that one.”The voice made me tense. I turned, watching as my uncle stepped out from the back room, his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes. Something that made my stomach twist.“Why wouldn’t you let her leave?” he asked, stepping closer. “You getting soft?”I scoffed, leaning back in my chair, trying to act unfazed. “It’s not like that.”He smirked, tilting his head like he didn’t believe me. “Sure it’s not.”I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. “Phoebe doesn’t deserve to get caught up in all this.”“All this,” he rep
RAMONI pushed open the front door of my uncle’s mansion and walked in, tired but relieved. The trip to the other company had gone well, and everything was finally in order. I could finally relax a bit. Maybe even take a proper nap.I found Uncle Richard in the living room, sipping his usual evening tea, with that calm, unreadable look on his face.“It’s done,” I said, dropping my bag by the side. “Handled everything at the company. Staff has been restructured, finances are back on track. They’ll send you the reports by Monday.”He nodded slightly, like he was expecting nothing less. “That’s good.”I waited for a moment, expecting him to say more. Maybe a word of appreciation. But he just went back to staring at the fireplace like I wasn’t even in the room anymore.I sighed. “Alright, I’ll head out.”I turned to leave, dragging my feet slightly. My body was tired from the long trip and the endless meetings, but my mind was even more drained. I just wanted to lie down, maybe take a hot
PHOEBEI stepped out of Richard’s mansion with tears burning in my eyes and my heart broken in pieces. The cold evening air hit my face, but it couldn’t cool the fire of pain rising in my chest. My legs felt heavy, like I was dragging my whole body through mud.Winnie walked me out.“Phoebe?” she said softly. “Oh my God… I’m sorry about what happened?”I didn’t answer. I just walked straight into her arms and let out a shaky breath. She held me tightly, gently rubbing my back.“I don’t even know why I came,” I whispered against her shoulder. “He doesn’t want to see me, Win. He said it himself. He wants nothing to do with me.”Winnie’s arms tightened around me. “No. No, that can’t be true. He… he was probably just upset. Hurt. People say things when they’re hurting.”I shook my head. “No. He meant it. You heard him over the phone too. He doesn’t care. That we’re done. That I should leave.”Winnie slowly pulled back, her hands still on my shoulders. She looked into my eyes like she was
PHOEBERichard didn’t react at first. He just stared at me like he was trying to read my thoughts.“I’m sorry for coming unannounced. I just… I really need your help.”I heard my own voice tremble. My eyes darted briefly to the floor before finding Richard’s again. I hated that I sounded so desperate, but I was. Completely and utterly desperate.Richard frowned, his brows pulling together. “What’s going on? Is something wrong?”I nodded slowly, my fingers wringing each other nervously in front of me. “It’s Ramon. I’ve been trying to find him all day. His apartment’s locked up. It looks like no one’s there. Curtains drawn. Door locked. Lights off. I knocked, I waited… nothing.”Richard’s expression changed subtly. Concern started creeping in.“I tried calling him. Several times. But his number’s not going through. It’s not even ringing.” I paused, struggling to keep my voice steady. “And I’ve spoken to some people who used to see him often…security at his place, a few mutual friends. N
PHOEBELater that day, I was still sitting at my desk, staring at the resignation letter in my hands like it might change if I looked at it long enough. It didn’t. The words stayed the same.I stood up and walked over to Clara’s desk. She looked up from her computer and gave me a soft smile before bowing to greet me.“Clara,” I said, holding up the letter. “Do you know where Ramon is? I need to speak with him.”She frowned and shook her head. “Oh… he left early this morning. Said he had something urgent to take care of. He didn’t say where he was going.”I felt my chest tighten. “Did he seem okay?”Clara paused, thinking. “I don’t know. He was quiet. Didn’t really talk to anyone. Just packed up his stuff and left.”“Packed up?”She nodded. “Yeah. Said he wouldn’t be coming back for a while.”That made my heart drop. What the hell was going on?I left the office immediately. I didn’t even bother to grab my bag. I just walked out, got into a cab, and told the driver to take me to Ramon’
PHOEBEI sat on my bed staring at nothing. My eyes were sore from crying, but no more tears came. I felt empty. Numb.A soft knock pulled me out of my thoughts. I blinked and looked up."Come in," I said quietly.To my surprise, it wasn’t Winnie. It was my grandmother."Grandma?" I said, standing up.She walked in slowly, her eyes scanning my face like she could read every thought running wild in my head. She didn’t say anything at first. She just came straight to me and pulled me into a hug. No words, no questions, just warmth. And in that moment, I cracked."Oh, my sweet girl," she whispered into my hair. "What’s wrong?"I hugged her tighter, and the tears came again, harder this time. I couldn’t stop them even if I tried. The sobs came from somewhere deep, somewhere I didn’t know still ached this much."I feel like I don’t know him," I sobbed, my voice shaking. "I feel like everything I believed was a lie."She didn’t say anything right away. Just rubbed my back gently, like she us
RAMONThe moment I saw her, my heart stopped.There she was, Phoebe. Standing by the garden path with the sun behind her, making her hair glow like it always used to when we’d sit on the porch together. I couldn’t move at first. I just stared.“Phoebe,” I said, finally stepping forward.She looked up, and our eyes met, but the look on her face hit me like a punch in the gut. No warmth. No relief. Just surprise… and something that felt like pain and disappointment rolled into one.She turned away instantly, like she couldn’t get away fast enough.“Wait…Phoebe, wait!” I rushed forward.She didn’t stop. She picked up her pace, but I caught up to her. I reached out and lightly grabbed her arm. “Please. Don’t go. Just let me talk.”“Let go of me, Ramon,” she said, her voice low and cold.I did. I stepped back, hands raised. “Okay. I’m sorry. I just… I wasn’t expecting to see you. I didn’t think you’d come out here.”“Well, I didn’t think I’d run into you,” she snapped. “Yet here we are.”“
BILLYI watched the door close behind Phoebe as she walked out of the room. My eyes followed her, but she didn’t even glance back. She just left.Jasper was standing beside me, arms folded, a puzzled look on his face. We both turned slowly to look at Winnie, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed. Her hands were clasped together, and she looked like she was trying not to say too much.“What’s going on?” I asked, breaking the silence first. “She just left us standing here.”“Yeah,” Jasper added. “She looked upset. And Ramon walked out earlier, looking like someone kicked his soul out. What’s happening?”Winnie looked up at us and sighed. “It’s… complicated.”Jasper raised an eyebrow. “Complicated how?”She stood up slowly, smoothing her shirt. “It’s something you should really hear from Phoebe.”“But she’s not exactly giving out answers right now, is she?” I said. “We’re her brothers. We have a right to know what’s happening with her.”“I agree,” Jasper added, nodding. “Did she r
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