LOGINShe powered the phone on. When the screen lit up, for a split second, nothing happened. Then, vibration. A sharp, aggressive buzzing in her palm. She flinched. It hummed relentlessly, like it had been waiting for this exact moment. Notifications began to pour in one after another. The screen filled so quickly she could barely read anything. Messages stacked on top of messages. Her hands started trembling almost immediately. Ryan’s grip tightened slightly around her free hand, steadying her, but he didn’t try to take the phone. At least not yet. Her eyes scanned the top of the screen. Liana. Dahlia. Mum. Dad. Zade. The names blurred together. Then she tapped Liana’s chat first. The messages were frantic. ~ Sylvie where are you?? Please answer your phone. You didn’t say anything before leaving. Are you safe? Sylvie I’m serious, just tell me you’re okay. ~ She scrolled upward. There were even more. Messages sent hours ago. Voice notes she hadn’t opened. Her throat tighte
The first thing Sylvie noticed when she woke up was the quiet. Her lashes fluttered open slowly. For a brief moment, she didn’t remember where she was. The ceiling above her wasn’t hers. The curtains weren’t hers. The faint scent in the air, wood, detergent, something subtly masculine wasn’t hers either. Then it all came back. Ryan, his house, the way she had fallen asleep with her cheek pressed against his chest. As she shifted slightly under the covers, she realized she had slept unexpectedly well. Her hand moved instinctively to the other side of the bed, it was empty. The sheets were cool too. She blinked at the space beside her, processing it. She realized Ryan was already up. She sat up slowly, pushing the duvet down to her waist. Morning light filtered through the curtains in pale streaks. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, her bare feet met the cool floor. She stretched slightly, shoulders rolling back, then stood as she slipped her feets into the hous
The mall lights were already glowing against the deepening evening when they pulled into the parking lot. It was one of those malls with glass front, automatic sliding doors, soft gold lighting. Ryan cut the engine and glanced at her. "You okay?" She nodded. "Yeah." He stepped out first, walking around the car to open her door. She noticed the way he automatically took most of the weight, always positioning himself between her and everything else. Inside, the mall hummed with life. It was almost six-thirty now, the early evening rush still alive but beginning to thin. Ryan slowed his steps so she could walk beside him. "Pick whatever you want," he said quietly. "Don’t worry about anything." She looked at him. "Ryan..." "I mean it." His voice was firm but soft. "Whatever it is at all that you need." She hesitated. "I can pay for some of it." He gave her a look, gentle, but unyielding. "No. You shouldn’t worry about that. Just… trust me. It’s not an issue." She swallowed and
For a few more suspended seconds, their foreheads rested against each other. Their breathing mingled in the narrow space between them. His thumb still lingered near her cheek, warm against skin.But then, the reality of the last twenty-four hours surged back into Sylvie’s mind. The abandonment, the panic, the tears shed on Liana’s shoulder, it all came rushing back, She pulled away suddenly creating a distance. Her eyes, which had moments ago softened with relief, began to shine with something else entirely. Tears. They gathered quickly, blurring her vision. "Why?" she demanded, her voice breaking before it could fully rise. "Why did you leave? How could you? You left me." Ryan froze. She stepped back further, shaking her head as if the sight of him standing there only made her more angry. "Do you have any idea what that did to me?" she asked fiercely. "Do you have any idea?""Sylvie, listen to me..." He instinctively reached for her hands, but she yanked them away from him.
By the time the bus came to a stop, it was almost noon.The sun was high now, bright and casting shadows across unfamiliar streets. Sylvie stepped off the bus slowly, her legs was a little bit stiff from sitting too long.For a moment, she just stood there. Her hairdo was already starting to fray, with a few loose strands of hair falling across her face.This city felt different from hers. Nobody here knew she was supposed to be getting married that morning. Good.She adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder and began walking. She asked three different people before she finally found the right direction to a car rental place. Her voice was steady each time she asked, though her heart hadn’t stopped pounding since she left home.The rental building wasn’t large. Just a modest storefront with wide glass windows and a faded sign overhead. She stepped inside.A man behind the counter looked up. Mid-forties with a neutral expression."Good afternoon. How can I help you?""Good afterno
After a while, there was another knock at the door. Liana froze mid-sentence while talking, her eyebrows lifting. "There’s going to be a lot of knocking today. We might as well remove the door." Dahlia stifled a laugh. The hairstylist paused in her movements, her fingers still holding a section of Sylvie’s hair in place. "Come in," Sylvie called out, her voice steady. The door opened and a worker stepped inside with her hands folded politely in front of her. "Miss Sylvie, pardon the intrusions" she began respectfully, "But Mrs. Wilfred sent for Miss Liana and Miss Dahlia. She is in the garden." Liana blinked. "The garden?" "Yes." "Do you know why? Liana asked immediately. The worker gave a small apologetic smile. "I do not really know." Silence lingered for a second too long. Then the worker bowed her head slightly and left. The door clicked shut. Liana turned slowly toward Dahlia getting nervous. "Why do you think Sylvie's mom would be calling us?" Dahl
Morning came quickly.By the time sunlight crept through the curtains, Sylvie was already awake, staring at the ceiling. The sense of relief she’d felt the night before lingered.She got ready for work in silence.Ryan was already waiting when she came downstairs, dressed and alert as usual, as if
"Zade," Cole said finally, his voice even. "There’s something you don’t know." There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. Zade Russo was not a man who liked pauses unless he controlled them. "I’m listening," Zade replied. Cole exhaled slowly, choosing his words. "Nearly three months
Monday morning came like any other. Sylvie sat at the breakfast table, stirring her tea absentmindedly. She hadn’t finished it by the time she pushed the cup aside. The house was quiet, unusually so, and for a moment she considered staying home. Then she decided against it. "I’m going to work to
The door opened only halfway.The man stayed planted behind it, one hand gripping the edge as though ready to close it at the slightest wrong move. His eyes flicked quickly, to the left, then to right, observing the men standing on his doorstep.The two men in front of his door.About five others l






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