ログインVICTORIAFour years laterThe air feels different today — softer, lighter, almost unreal.The sun pours gently over the gardens of Valemont estate, painting the marble white and the grass gold.Children run barefoot across the lawn, their laughter spilling through the breeze like music.I am standin
******************************************************************************************CHASEThe music floats across the beach, slow and warm, the kind that makes the night feel softer than it is.Fairy lights sway in the ocean breeze, and laughter ripples through the guests as I stand near the
VICTORIAThe sand is warm under my heels as we walk down the narrow path leading to the beach, the faint hum of waves mixing with distant laughter.My hand rests lightly on my belly, the other laced tightly with Chase’s because I still can’t believe this is real — that he’s this happy, that we are.
I pretend not to notice, but something cracks quietly inside me.On the jet, she wasn’t exaggerating about sleeping. The moment she sits down, she curls up, adjusts the blanket, and shuts her eyes without a word. I sit across from her and just… stare as the engines hum softly, clouds drift past the
CHASE“That’s it. Close that laptop; we’ll be late,” I say, standing from the couch at House of Valemont, telling her for the tenth time, pretending she didn’t hear me.Victoria doesn’t even flinch. Her eyes stay fixed on the screen, the faint light tracing her sharp cheekbones as she scrolls. “One
The entire ride to House of Valemont, I can’t calm down. I keep rehearsing my steps, my greetings, my smile. My mind runs wild with what-ifs—what if nothing’s the same, what if I walk in and everyone stares? What if I can’t do this? but I try to remain strong until we get there.Once we finally arr
The car slows as we turn down a narrow street in Tribeca, dark except for a single row of lanterns glowing above a discreet awning. There’s no name on the building, no flashing sign, nothing to suggest it even exists.Alex pulls up to the curb. He doesn’t need instructions; he’s done this before.Vi
VICTORIAThis isn’t just any club. It’s dark, velvety, and mysterious, the kind of place where secrets don’t just linger—they thrive.Shadows cling to the walls, broken only by the low amber glow of lanterns scattered like stars, as the air hums with wealth, and quiet power.The hostesses move like
CHASEThe hostess leans in, palm brushing the hundred-dollar bill into her apron. Her voice is hushed, almost swallowed by the jazz and low chatter.“I didn’t catch much,” she admits, glancing nervously at Vivienne and the man in the gray suit. “But I heard the name Chase—clear as day. The woman sai
CHASE"Did she mumble that she likes me?" The question rattles around my skull like a ricochet.My eyes flick back to her door, and for a beat, I almost turn the handle and step back inside to wake her up, demand an answer, catch her off guard so she can’t lie. But I stop myself, exhaling through my