INICIAR SESIÓNSteven steered his car through the quiet, dusty streets of Nina’s old hometown, his hands gripping the steering wheel tight. He looked at the modest, faded houses passing by his window with clear disgust. He could not understand how Nina had lived in a boring, middle-of-nowhere place like this before they even met.Following Lacy’s sharp advice, he skipped the main town markets and drove straight toward the residential neighborhood where her mother had remarried.He pulled up right outside the two-story house owned by Nina’s stepfather. Steven turned off the engine, grabbed his leather jacket, and stepped out onto the gravel driveway.He smoothed down his collar, confident that his expensive clothes, wealthy status, and polished appearance would give him total control over whatever conversation was about to happen inside. He walked up the wooden porch steps and knocked firmly on the front door, waiting patiently for someone to answer.The door creaked open, revealing Nina’s stepfather
We stepped out of the eatery 2 hours later. I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder as the afternoon sun shone brightly.“Thank you so much for today. I really appreciate.” I said as Fletcher held the door open for me.“You really don't have to thank me. I am doing this because I want to.”“I do. You went out of your way to buy Zara gifts and you sat with me for 2 hours which was probably one of the best afternoons so far.”He smiled. "I enjoyed it too. Talking to you is therapy."I glanced down at the shopping bag in his hand and inside were the SpongeBob items and the Harry Potter fanfiction book series he had bought for Zara on his trip to Bareland.“My daughter is going to be so happy when she sees all this. You should have seen how excited she was the last time someone gave her a SpongeBob toy. And also the FanFiction books, she's going to love them so much. Lately, she's been obsessed with Harry Potter.”“Im glad.”“But to be honest with you Fletcher, you really didn't ha
Nina's POVI sat by Romeo’s bed in the dimly lit chamber, holding a heavy leather ledger tightly in my lap.The room was deathly quiet except for the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing under the thick blankets.Spread across the small side table were the rest of the ancient history books and territory law records that Joy had recommended for my study sessions.I tried to focus my tired eyes on the small hand-drawn maps on the parchment, but my mind was far too scattered to process the words.Gwen’s sharp words kept echoing inside my head, tormenting me with a deep, suffocating sense of dread.Was Steven really in town right now, asking questions and searching the streets for me? It did not make any sense at all. I had left his house completely so he could finally be with Lacy, just like he had always wanted.He had spent months treating me like an inconvenient burden, so why would he suddenly waste his time and energy hunting me down now?Then the harsh truth hit me, making my jaw t
Nina's POVI sat by Romeo’s bed in the dimly lit chamber, holding a heavy leather ledger tightly in my lap.The room was deathly quiet except for the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing under the thick blankets.Spread across the small side table were the rest of the ancient history books and territory law records that Joy had recommended for my study sessions.I tried to focus my tired eyes on the small hand-drawn maps on the parchment, but my mind was far too scattered to process the words.Gwen’s sharp words kept echoing inside my head, tormenting me with a deep, suffocating sense of dread.Was Steven really in town right now, asking questions and searching the streets for me? It did not make any sense at all. I had left his house completely so he could finally be with Lacy, just like he had always wanted.He had spent months treating me like an inconvenient burden, so why would he suddenly waste his time and energy hunting me down now?Then the harsh truth hit me, making my jaw t
Nina's POVThe doctor insisted that everyone leave Romeo's bedside so he could get proper rest without any disturbance.I tried to stay in the room, but the doctor gently led me out into the hallway and shut the heavy oak door. I stood outside his chamber for a moment, my hand lingering on the cold brass handle before I turned and walked back to my study table.I sat down in front of the open ledgers, trying to focus on the endless rows of pack laws and historical dates.My mind kept drifting back to Romeo's pale face and steady, shallow breathing. The room was silent except for the faint sound of pages turning under my hands as I tried to memorize the boundary treaties.Suddenly, the wooden door came open, shattering the quiet atmosphere of the room. Gwen stepped inside, dressed in a sleek velvet dress, with a triumphant smirk stretching across her face. She closed the door behind her with a loud click, leaning her back against the frame while crossing her arms tightly over her chest
Nina's POVRomeo lay trapped in a deep, sedated sleep.The doctor had insisted that Romeo take several days of strict rest after his sudden collapse in the medical wing.Heavy medicine kept him fast asleep in his private quarters, unable to wake up or intervene in anything happening around the house.With Romeo completely out of commission, Candace immediately seized the opportunity to take total control over the estate and its decisions.A guard knocked sharply on my door early in the morning, instructing me to report directly to Candace’s private parlor in the west wing.I walked into the luxurious room, keeping my posture straight and my face calm despite the tight knot of anxiety twisting in my stomach. Candace sat on a velvet armchair by the window, her posture stiff and her cold eyes fixing on me the second I stepped over the threshold. Gwen stood right behind her mother's chair, a satisfied, bitter smirk playing on her lips."Sit down, Nina," Candace commanded, her icy voice cu







