INICIAR SESIÓNThe late afternoon sun spilled golden light over the waterfront promenade, the ocean shimmering as seagulls called overhead. Lily skipped ahead, her hand clutching a small paper bag of warm, sugar-dusted doughnuts. Dante kept a steady watch on her, his arm loosely draped around Monica’s shoulders.
The rain had stopped by morning. Light streamed through the wide windows of Dante’s estate, spilling across the kitchen where Monica stood barefoot, hair loose, wearing one of his shirts. She was stirring Lily’s oatmeal, the steam curling into the air. She didn’t even realize she was humming—an ol
The breakfast had been a slow, simmering torture. Monica sat rigid in the high-backed chair, her fingers curled around the delicate porcelain cup as though it might shatter under the weight of her pulse. Across from her, Dante lounged like a king who’d already won the war, one hand lazily draped o
Her cottage could fit into this place twenty times over. At the end of the hall, a set of double doors swung open. The dining room stretched long and wide, sunlight spilling through tall windows. The smell of coffee and expensive leather filled the air. And there he was. Sitting at the head of
Monica’s eyes snapped open. For a second, she thought she was in one of those luxury hotel commercials — the kind she used to mute while eating instant noodles because they made her feel broke. The ceiling stretched high above her, painted with pale cream swirls and gold accents. The curtains, h
A man stepped in like he owned the place — dressed in black from boots to gloves, black tactical vest, mirrored sunglasses even though it was night. The faint squawk of radio static came from the earpiece buried in his ear. And the rifle in his hands… that spoke louder than words. Monica froze. He
CHASE COLES I walk down the stairs, holding my tie in my hand for my mother to make a knot for me. I reach the last staircase where I meet her and she immediately possesses the tie in her hands before she hangs it around my neck and make a fine knot, but not as perfect as Ariel’s knot. “You don’
ARIEL The divorce was processed quicker than I thought, but it doesn’t matter anymore because it is done. I should be grateful that everything happened as it was because I would have been a fool all my life. It is time that I pick myself up and be who I am made of. I am no longer responsible for
Monica squeezes my hand to calm me down, while my mother reprimands me. “Do not talk to you grandfather that way, Chase!” “I am not surprised by your response, Chase. You are clearly your mother’s son.” Grandpa retorts, trying to say that I lived with my mother too long, so she did not raise me we
“I’m changing the door code. Set an appointment before you come and get the rest of your shit!” She has never spoken to me in that manner before. It makes me wonder if I had succumbed to our marriage and loved her with the impression she gave me, would she have changed to become like this and make







