PHOEBEThe shoe flew faster than I expected. I was aiming for Billy, but the timing was just bad, really bad. The door opened right as I let go, and instead of hitting one of my annoying brothers, it smacked right into my assistant’s face.“Oh my God!” I gasped, rushing toward her. “Maya! I didn’t…I wasn’t…oh my God, I’m so sorry!”She just stood there, frozen, one hand on her cheek, eyes wide like she was still trying to figure out what just happened. Her mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.“That… really hurt,” she finally said, her voice small.“I know, I know,” I said quickly, flustered. “I’m such a mess right now. I swear I didn’t mean to hit you. It was meant for that idiot over there!” I pointed at Billy, who had now crouched behind the chair like he was in the middle of a war zone.“I was just walking in,” Maya muttered, still stunned. “I didn’t even say anything yet…”“I know!” I said again, practically tripping over my words. “And now your cheek is red, and I’m the
RAMONI slammed the door behind me and let out a heavy sigh. The silence in the house was louder than ever. My shoes echoed on the floor as I walked into the living room. Everything felt tight in my chest. My throat burned, and I kept replaying her face in my mind…Phoebe was hurt, angry, her eyes watery like she was holding everything back.“Idiot,” I muttered to myself. “You really messed that one up.”I pulled off my jacket and tossed it on the couch. “You told her to walk away. Like some fool. Like she meant nothing.”I paced the room, dragging both hands down my face. “She told you to leave and you actually listened? What the hell, man? Who does that? Who actually walks out on someone they…” I stopped short, heart pounding. “Someone they…”I didn’t finish the sentence. Couldn’t. Saying it out loud would make everything worse. Realer.I clenched my fists, frustrated. “You just hurt the only woman who gave a damn about you. Congratulations.”Then, out of nowhere, I heard a creak beh
RAMONI leaned against the wall, arms still crossed as I watched Billy and Jasper circle my living room like they were on some episode of a home makeover show gone wrong. Their snide comments still echoed in my ears, but what hurt more wasn’t the jokes, it was the reason they were here. Phoebe.I exhaled slowly and finally said, “I didn’t mean to hurt her.”Billy paused, turning back to face me. “Yeah? Could’ve fooled us.”Jasper added, “She cried, man. You know how hard it is to make Phoebe cry? That girl could watch a sad movie and still hold it together.”“I didn’t try to hurt her,” I said, louder this time. My chest tightened. “Things got messed up. I made mistakes, yeah. But I never meant for it to end like this.”Billy folded his arms. “So, what? It just happened? You just ‘accidentally’ broke her heart?”Before I could even defend myself, that familiar, smug voice chimed in from behind me.“Alright, that’s enough.”I flinched.My uncle stepped forward, arms folded across his ch
RAMONHis face was tight with anger, every muscle in his jaw flexing like he was holding himself back from exploding.“You’ve disappointed me, Ramon,” he said, voice cold and sharp. “You’ve truly disappointed me.”I stayed silent, standing stiff, hands clenched at my sides.He shook his head slowly, eyes filled with disgust. “I should’ve known. I should’ve known you weren’t ready for this. That you weren’t cut out for anything that required real strength or discipline.”I swallowed hard but didn’t speak. I knew better. I’d learned over the years that interrupting him when he got like this only made it worse.“You’re not worthy,” he spat. “I never should’ve put my trust in you. You were supposed to finish this. You were supposed to be the one who handled it all without catching feelings like a weak little boy.”He stepped closer, jabbing a finger in my chest. “But no. You let a girl unravel everything. One spoiled, privileged girl and suddenly your loyalty goes out the window? Are you
RAMONI stared at the screen for a long time after the call ended. Phoebe’s dad? Golf? What was that even about? The man barely looked at me when I was dating his daughter. Why now?I paced the room, trying to make sense of it. Was it a trap? A test? Did he know something?I grabbed my phone, heart thumping. My fingers hovered over Phoebe’s contact."Don’t do it," I whispered to myself. "She doesn’t want to talk to you."Still, my thumb hit the call button.It rang.And rang.I was about to hang up when her voice came through, sharp and cold.“What do you want, Ramon?”I hesitated. “I…I know you don’t want to hear from me, and I get that. I just... I thought you should know something.”“What?”“Your dad. He called me. He invited me to golf with him tomorrow evening.”There was silence on the other end.“You’re kidding,” she said finally.“I’m not. I don’t even know what to make of it.”“That’s... weird,” she admitted. “But you should go.”I blinked. “Really?”“Yes. He’s not the type t
PHOEBEI walked through the front door, trying to act normal. But I couldn’t hide the smile tugging at my lips, or the way my body felt light, like I was floating. I hadn’t felt this… happy in a long time.Billy and Jasper were on the couch playing video games, but the second they saw me, they both paused the game and turned their heads slowly.“Well, well, well,” Billy said, grinning. “Look who’s glowing.”Jasper leaned forward and squinted at me. “You’re smiling way too much for someone who just got back from grocery shopping.”I rolled my eyes. “Mind your business.”Billy stood and crossed his arms like he was interrogating me. “We didn’t mind our business. That’s exactly why you’re blushing like that.”“I’m not blushing,” I said quickly, covering my cheeks even though I totally was. I could feel the heat rising, and that only made it worse.Jasper laughed and nudged Billy. “You totally are. And we know why.”I narrowed my eyes at both of them. “What are you two talking about?”Bil
RAMONI couldn’t stop thinking about her.Phoebe.Her smile, her voice, the way her fingers touched mine so gently, like she was scared I’d disappear. The way she looked at me last night, I wasn’t just some guy with a messed-up plan and a fake relationship. No, she looked at me like I mattered. Like I was someone worth trusting.I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to focus on anything else. But her face kept flashing in my mind. Her laugh. The way her lips felt on mine. The way she pulled me close like she didn’t want to let go.God, I didn’t want to let go either.“I’m glad we made up,” I whispered to no one. “I really am.”My phone was on my chest, and I kept picking it up every two seconds just to look at her texts from last night. She’d sent a smiley face and a “get home safe,” and for some reason, that meant the world to me. It wasn’t much, but it felt real. Everything about last night felt real.But still… my uncle’s warning kept gnawing at the back of my mind
PHOEBE“What brought about that question, sweetheart?” Mom asked gently, settling beside me on the bed. Her hand moved softly through my hair, brushing it behind my ear like she used to when I was little. Her voice was warm and patient, like she was trying to invite me in without pushing.Granny, who’d been sitting quietly in her favorite armchair by the window, shifted forward. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, and her eyes, though soft, were sharp with curiosity. “Yeah, Phoebe. You walked in here looking like you had something heavy on your chest. Talk to us.”I felt my throat tighten. I hated feeling vulnerable, but I also knew that if I couldn’t talk to them, I didn’t have anyone else to understand.“I don’t know,” I said, my voice low as I looked down at my hands. “I’ve just… been thinking a lot lately. About relationships, and… you know, stuff like that.”Mom smiled gently, her hand pausing in my hair. “Relationships?”I nodded slowly, not meeting their eyes.Granny raise
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