077.“Wait a minute, are you being serious right now? You’re kidding?” Melissa asked, staring at Hazel who only had a deadpan expression on her face.Hazel maintained her stance. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” she replied flatly.Melissa was about to yell, but Amber held her hand to stop her. Melissa huffed and looked away while Amber returned her focus to Hazel. “You’re saying you don’t remember I and Melissa?” she asked, knowing fully well the lady was just getting under their skin for nothing. “Me, you and Melissa tried out for cheerleading and after Candice was suspended, and I was made the Captain, I handed over the position to you. Do you recall that now?” Amber asked.Hazel scrunched up her face in fake confusion which only made Melissa boil with rage more. “Oh,” she snapped her fingers, giving them a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I remember you two now. You know, being a captain of the cheerleading squad is great work. I’ve been so occupied that I could
078.Amber let out a soft gasp, her breath catching in her throat as Axel’s lips captured hers. The car was filled with a sudden heat, and Amber could feel her heart pounding in her chest.His hands moved to cup her face, holding her still as he deepened the kiss. Amber melted into the embrace, letting out a soft moan as Axel’s tongue danced with hers.For a moment, everything else disappeared. The car, the road, the world outside—it all faded away.Axel pulled away slowly, his eyes locked on Amber’s as he fought to catch his breath. He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe what had just happened.“I’ve been wanting to do that since the moment you walked into the parking lot,” he confessed, his voice low and husky. “I guess I just couldn’t wait any longer.”Amber smiled, reaching up to touch her lips, still tingling from the kiss. “I don’t mind at all, King,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve been wanting to do that too. Kiss me again,”Ax
079.A week later,“What the hell is this?” Amber asked between chuckles as Axel led her into the private restaurant he had booked just for the two of them. She had been busy with tests all through this week, and he had been tutoring her on Math as well, coupled with the school dance coming up that they couldn’t spend quality and personal time together. On top of that, Axel had asked her to be his girlfriend countless times, but she had been giving him a negative answer and using her busy schedule as an excuse. He wondered why she didn’t want to date him. Tyler had been suspended, and they wouldn’t be seeing him for the rest of the semester. Candice had transferred out of the school, and they wouldn’t be seeing her as well. They had their freedom.Axel had to prepare this restaurant so he would try again. He really wanted her to be his girlfriend now that she was done with everything that was taking most of her time.“Well,” Axel began, his face filled with smiles. “I thought you co
080.“I don’t want to lose my brother.”Axel reached across the table and took Amber's hand in his. “Amber, we can't control how Cole reacts. But I think if we're honest and open with him, he'll understand. We can't let the fear of what might happen keep us from being happy,” he paused, his gaze intense. “And Amber, I want to be happy with you.”Amber's heart fluttered at Axel's words. She knew he was right. Cole would eventually accept their relationship, but they couldn't let his reaction dictate their lives. “Okay,” she whispered, a smile spreading across her face.Axel leaned forward and gazed into Amber's eyes. “Amber, I'm serious about this. I really want to make you happy. I want to be there for you, to support you, and to love you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, setting it on the table.Amber's eyes widened as she saw the box. “What's that?” she asked, her voice suddenly shaky.“Open it and find out,” Axel replied, a playful grin on his face.With trem
081.“OMG, Amber!” Melissa exclaimed. “You two are officially together?” she held Amber’s hands and both girls shrieked happily, drawing the attention of all the students in the cafeteria.Amber gave them an apologetic nod and some looked away quietly while others murmured and hissed. Melissa beamed at Amber. “Took you a while to finally give him a listening ear,” she chuckled. “I’m so happy for you, Amy. I like that you finally took the bold step and dated him.”“What bold step?” Jack asked from behind and the girls turned to see him standing there, holding a tray of food in his hand.Melissa cleared her throat. “Um… you might want to take a seat first.” she gave him a nervous smile.Jack raised an eyebrow but he didn’t protest. He took a seat and smiled at them. “So, what’s making you girls so excited?” he asked.Melissa hesitated but Amber, oblivious to the fact that Jack had a thing for her was too excited to share the news. “Axel and I are officially dating!” she exclaimed and J
082.“I know you miss me, mum,” Amber chuckled, placing the last plate of food on the dining table. “Yeah, I miss you too, but you don’t have to worry too much. The semester will be over in a few weeks and I will get to come spend the holiday with you.”Loris giggled excitedly from the other end of the phone. “I can’t wait for you all to come. I’ll prepare the guest room for Axel since you said he will be coming with you guys.”Amber smiled as she headed up the stairs to Axel’s room. “How about you let me do the cleaning and the arranging when I get back?”“Nonsense,” Loris exclaimed. “You will be too tired for that. I will get everything ready, okay?”Amber bit her lower lip. She really wanted to be the one to decorate the room and get his stuff. She wanted to use that to repay him for helping her out with her room here as well.With a sigh, she finally gave in. “Okay, mum, but do not touch or add any rock star designs on the walls. I’ll do that myself.” Loris chuckled. “Oh, Amber,
083.Axel's grin widened as he quickly obeyed Amber's command, slipping her shirt over her head and tossing it to the floor. His hands explored her bare skin, tracing the curves of her body as he leaned in to press a gentle kiss against the soft skin of her neck. "You are so beautiful, Amber," he whispered against her skin, his warm breath sending a shiver down her spine.Amber moaned softly, her fingers digging into his shoulders as he reached behind her to undo the clasp of her bra, letting it fall away and exposing her breasts.Axel’s fingers caressed her breasts, his thumb circling her nipple, and she arched her back, pressing herself against him. A moan escaped her lips as he captured her nipple between his teeth, teasing her with his tongue and sending bolts of pleasure through her body."Oh God, Axel," Amber gasped, her voice breathless with need. "That feels...incredible."Axel grinned against her skin, his tongue continuing to tease and torment her nipple. "I'm just getting s
084. "Oh my goodness, what the hell?" Amber chuckled as she walked to where Melissa stood, checking out the bustling activites in the hallways. Melissa smiled on seeing how surprised she was. "I know, right?" she laughed. "It's like a prom fever." Amber shook her head, her gaze fixed on the students who were busy interacting and talking about the school dance. While other students focused on decorating the hallways, some busied themselves with asking their crushes out to the dance. "Has anybody asked you out to the dance yet?" Amber asked, smiling at Melissa. Melissa groaned and shook her head. "No way!" She laughed, shaking her head. "Not a single soul has even bothered to ask me out. Do you really think guys would be interested in me?" she asked, her thoughts drifting to what happened with Tyler. Amber shook her head at Melissa, giving her a knowing look. "You're underestimating yourself, Melissa. You're smart, beautiful, and those killer curves of yours would make any guy w
125 ~ Final Chapter ~ Epilogue Wedding Day… “Don’t cry, baby. You’re gonna ruin your makeup.” Loris said, her own tears falling. Amber nodded. “Mum, you asked me not to cry but you’re doing the exact same thing.” she sniffled, trying to hold back her tears. Loris wiped her face with the back of her palm. “It’s just that I can still remember forcing you to go to College that fateful day, and you didn’t want to because you didn’t want to stay with Cole. But you had no idea Axel was there. You two started young, and you’ve been through a lot together. I’m so proud of you for being so strong and resilient.” Amber smiled, squeezing her mother’s hand gently. “I wouldn’t have gotten through it all without Axel, Cole, my friends, and you, Mom. And now, here I am, about to marry the love of my life. It’s a dream come true.” “And I’m honored to be here,” Loris replied, her voice soft and loving. “Now, I don’t want to be responsible for making you late on your wedding day, so let’s g
124 ~ Penultimate ChapterA Day Later…Axel’s eyes fluttered open and the first set of eyes he met were those cat eyes he fell in love with. As he stared into those eyes, everything came rushing back to him and a small smile played on his lips.“Cat eyes,” he called weakly and she hugged him, but was careful not to hurt him.“Oh, Axel! I’m so happy you’re awake!” she burst into tears, a flood of relief washing over her. When she saw him get stabbed, it was almost like her world had come to a halt. She’d panicked and gotten angry that she had to inflict the same pain on Jack without even thinking twice.Axel winced slightly as Amber tightened her embrace, but he smiled. “I’m sorry I worried you,” he whispered. “But I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”Amber pulled back, her eyes bright with tears. “How are you feeling?” she asked, smoothing his hair back with a gentle hand.“Better, now theat you’re here,” Axel replied, a weak but genuine smile on his face. “Are you okay?”Amber snif
123.A.A Entertainment…That same night, Larissa had fallen asleep in the employee’s lounge while resting. Her eyes suddenly snapped open, and she checked her wristwatch to see that it was already late into the night. She tried to call Axel, but his number was not going through. She couldn’t get Maverick either.Her eyes darted to the glass of juice she had taken. Something didn’t feel right. She wasn’t one to sleep this long and in the company for that matter. She stood up and quickly rushed to Maverick’s office, but he had just woken up too.“This can’t be a coincidence. How did we fall asleep at the same time?” Larissa asked.Maverick was about to answer when they heard a sound coming from Axel’s office. They both exchanged worried looks. “Quick, call the nearby police station. I’m sure it’s either a thief or someone I’ve been suspecting for days now.”Maverick nodded and went to make a call while Larissa snuck into the office. There she was, standing with her phone placed on her e
122.Amber stumbled backwards, feeling like a knife had been pierced through her chest. In that moment, the words of Friedrich Nietzsche which says “Betrayal hurts more when it comes from someone we trust. And the pain is reminder that our trust was misplaced and our love was blind.”She couldn’t believe the one person she had trusted with her life during her time of pain was the same person that caused her the pain to begin with?Ironically, it was like a twisted game of chess where she had been nothing more than a pawn, manipulated by a mastermind who had disguised himself as a friend and confidant. It was a cruel irony that only added to the bitter sting of betrayal.Amber swallowed hard, the ache in her heart intensifying. “How could you?” she asked, her voice shaky. “I trusted you. Melissa trusted you. Cole, my parents, we all did.”Jack didn’t have an ounce of remorse on his face. “I did what I had to do to get you, Amber,” he replied. “When I confessed my feelings in college an
121.Amber exchanged worried glances with Cole and the rest. “It can’t be, right?” she whispered, her chest tightening. “Jack can’t be Don. It’s not possible. He would never hurt anyone.”“Amber is right. Are you sure you checked the address correctly? Maybe there was a glitch or something?” Melissa asked. She might be mad at Jack for everything he had done, but she knew him too well. He would never hurt anyone. He wouldn’t stoop this low.Cole looked uncertain, but he was sure this can’t be a mix-up. He was a computer expert, and there was no effing way he would have gotten the wrong address. “As much as this might sound shocking, it might actually be true. Think about it, Jack is the only rival Axel has now. He used to date Amber before Axel returned. And according to what I’ve heard him say, he’s loved Amber since College.”Axel nodded. “Cole is right.”Amber shook her head. “No, this can’t be right,” she began pacing, her heart pounding in her chest. “I know Jack might be temperam
120.Axel felt like a thunderclap had just sounded in his head the minute he saw the message. Cole leaned close to Axel so he could take a look.“Whoa!” Cole exclaimed. “He caught the bait. But what the heck is Amber doing outside?”Axel sighed. “I can’t break up with Amber, Cole. She would be devastated,” he massaged his temple as he thought of a plan. “Devastated,” he repeated. “That’s it!” Cole arched an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” he gasped. “Don’t tell me you’re going to really break up with her? Axel, Amber might faint, and I will beat you up! It’s not a threat, it’s a promise.” Cole warned.“Relax and hear me out,” Axel said and Cole took a deep breath to calm himself down. “I am going to break up with her, but it’s not going to be a real breakup. We have to find a way to let in on the plan.”Cole seemed to get it and nodded. “Don’t worry. I know how to do that,” he said and Axel raised an eyebrow.“How? We can’t inform her through calls or texts. Our phones might be connecte
119.“Uh… I was…”Larissa folded her arms, her expression stern. “What are you doing in Axel’s office and why are his files scattered on the desk?” she asked, her eyes running over the mess Candice had made.Candice knew she needed to find a way out of this mess. “Uh… it’s not something serious. I just,”“You just what?” Larissa asked, her voice getting hard. Last time she checked, employees weren’t allowed in Axel’s office, especially when he wasn’t in. Coupled with that, Axel didn’t even like Candice to begin with, so there was no way he would ask her to get anything from his office for him, not when she and Maverick were around.“I was looking for the file I submitted to Mr. Axel,” she began, her heart beating frantically in her chest. “I mean, my resume and stuff. I don’t know where I kept the original anymore, and I need to check something urgently, that’s why I came here to find it.”Larissa scoffed. If Candice thought she was going to believe any of those lies, the lady was cle
118. The reporter’s voice echoed through the television in a serious, breaking news tone, “This just in: The only son of the world-renowned billionaire, Kevin King, has taken to social media to announce that his wedding to renowned journalist Amber Smith is soon, with the date being kept a secret.” The news spread like wildfire. Within minutes, the entire nation was buzzing with excitement, speculating about the date and location of the wedding. But underneath the glamour and excitement, a darker force lurked in the shadows. As the days passed, Amber and Axel played their part, lavishing each other with affection in the public eye. Every post, every picture, every tweet seemed to fuel the media frenzy and the anger of the dangerous underdog. Meanwhile, Cole and Axel worked tirelessly to track the mysterious Don. But despite their best efforts, they kept coming up short. The spyware was immune to every hack they tried, and the location remained hidden. It was as if Don were a ghost,
117.After the dinner, Amber, Larissa and Melissa stayed back to help Loris clean. Kevin talked over wine with Mr. Smith while Axel felt like his world had been tilted. Cole walked to him and held his hand, leading him upstairs to his room.Maverick, who had also noticed the distressful look on Axel's face had to follow them as well. They got to Cole's room and he locked the door then turned to face Axel.“Spill it. What happened back at the dinner? Your phone beeped, you checked it and all of a sudden, your mood changed. You haven't been yourself since then,” he said and Axel let out a sigh. “You might not married to Amber yet, but you and I have been friends long enough to be called family, and I won't appreciate it if you decide to hide this from me.”“I don't intend to hide this from you, Cole,” Axel said, his tone low. “I'm just worried. I might not be as scared as I was years ago, but I'm worried. Don is back.”“What!” Maverick and Cole exclaimed at the same time.“How is that p