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77 - BREATHLESS

Author: Krystal Key
last update Last Updated: 2025-05-15 05:08:46

(Cheryl’s POV)

The soft hum of my aunt’s radio floated through the house as I stepped out of my room, the delicate necklace still resting in its velvet box on my vanity. I’d returned it there after my conversation with Aiden, the cool weight of it lingering against my collarbone, a ghost of his touch that I couldn’t quite shake.

I padded down the hallway, my fingers brushing the cool banister as I descended the stairs. The early afternoon sunlight spilled through the windows, casting golden streaks across the hardwood floor. I tried to focus on that warmth, to let it seep into my skin and drive away the chill that had settled over me since I hung up the phone.

Aiden’s final, clipped words still echoed in my mind, his cold, dismissive tone cutting deeper than I cared to admit. I’d told him I needed space, that I needed to breathe without his shadow darkening every corner of my life, but the truth was... I still felt the pull.

I paused in the living room, the smell of fresh coffee and c
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  • The Roomie Complex   126 - ANOTHER CLAUSE

    CHERYL'S POVThe morning sun filtered through the white lace curtains like soft kisses from a world I no longer felt part of.The garden outside was already set up. I could see it clearly from the window of the bridal suite — rows of crisp white chairs arranged like little soldiers on green manicured grass, petals scattered along the aisle in elegant waves of blush and cream, an archway wrapped in lavender vines, lilies, and peonies standing like some divine gate to a future I wasn’t sure I wanted.I was dressed.The wedding gown was satin and lace — a fitted silhouette that hugged my body like it knew every secret I was trying to hide. The neckline dipped into a tasteful sweetheart shape, the lace sleeves off-the-shoulder and delicate. The train fanned behind me like a story written in white, cascading embroidery that shimmered softly under the natural light. Pearls traced the edges of the corset bodice, and every time I looked down at it, I felt like I was being buried under beauty.

  • The Roomie Complex   125 - BANG

    AIDEN'S POVThe room was cold.Not physically, but something about the cement walls and dim overhead light made it feel like death had already settled in the corners. It was quiet, too quiet, like even the air knew something was about to go wrong.Damon still stood just behind me, the cold barrel of his gun pressed to the side of my skull. But I didn’t flinch. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing fear in my eyes. Not when I’d worked so hard to become the man I am. Not when I’d come this far.Then Alejandro stepped forward.He still looked the smae. Same regal arrogance in the way he moved, same dark, calculating eyes. His suit was sharp, custom-made, as always. He was a man who didn’t just walk into a room — he claimed it.He moved closer until he was standing right in front of me. Then, with a slow hand, he cupped my jaw, like I was some wayward son he was proud of. His touch made my skin crawl.“What do you want from me Alejandro?” I asked.He let out a low, almost amused

  • The Roomie Complex   124 - CAUGHT

    AIDEN'S POVThe air inside my car was still.Not warm. Not cold. Just still—like the breath before a bullet.I’d parked a few meters from the old lumber mill, far enough not to alert anyone lurking inside. My fingers were clenched around the steering wheel, though I barely felt the texture. The engine had long since cooled, but my blood was still hot. Adrenaline dripped like poison in my veins, steady and cold.I should’ve gotten out by now.I should’ve moved.But my body refused to obey, not because I was afraid of Alejandro. No—I was prepared to kill him. Had played it out in my mind a thousand times. He was the last thread tethering me to a past I was desperate to sever.But what I hadn’t prepared for… was Cheryl.She’d come to my house.My house.She had stood on my porch, just a wall away from where I sat on the floor with my head in my hands. I’d heard her voice clear as day, even before she rang the bell. Even muffled by the door, I could feel her. Her presence—loud, devastatin

  • The Roomie Complex   123 - WEDDING EVE II

    Cheryl's POVThe night tasted like strawberry vodka and artificial laughter.I was perched on a throne-shaped chair—pink velvet, gold trimming, too much of everything—wearing a tiara that felt like a joke and a dress that hugged me like a lie. It was Sabrina’s idea. A small bachelorette soirée with women I barely knew, most of whom couldn’t even pronounce my name right, but I smiled anyway. I sipped champagne. I let them fawn over the engagement ring on my finger, the way they gasped when I told them the wedding was less than 24 hours away.They looked at me like I was the luckiest woman alive.I felt like a prisoner.Every part of me was pretending. Every laugh, every nod, every "thank you" dripped with effort. And it wasn’t because Sabrina hadn’t tried—surprisingly, she had. She put together a cute event, decorated in soft rose gold and silver, with cupcakes shaped like wedding dresses and a playlist of 2010s love songs. The effort was there.But I wasn’t.Not really.Somewhere betw

  • The Roomie Complex   122 - WEDDING EVE I

    CHERYL'S POVWhen my eyes fluttered open, the first thing that hit me was the scent—familiar and calming. My room. Lavender and something warm, musky—Oliver’s cologne, faint in the sheets.I was home.My body felt heavy, like I’d been under for hours. My head throbbed faintly behind my eyes, but it was dull now, not stabbing. The nausea that had gripped my stomach at the field had quieted into a sour echo. Manageable.I shifted slightly.I wasn’t alone.When I turned, Oliver was there beside me, slumped against the headboard, still dressed in the sports clothes from earlier. His arms were folded, and his mouth slightly parted in sleep. A lock of blond hair had fallen across his forehead, softening his usual hard angles. He looked… peaceful.I lay still for a moment, watching him. Breathing beside him.I didn’t know what I was waiting for.Permission, maybe.To feel something.When he stirred and blinked awake, the concern rushed into his eyes so fast it startled me. He reached out ins

  • The Roomie Complex   121 - RICH WOMAN

    SABRINA'S POVI watch Aiden carry her like she’s made of something precious. Crystal. Silk. Memory.Of course.Of course she had to pass out.Of course the moment couldn’t belong to me, or Oliver, or even the damn sports event that had taken two months to organize.No, it had to be Cheryl.The eternal damsel in distress.I could practically hear the invisible orchestra swelling around them—the hero and his wounded little songbird. I rolled my eyes and adjusted the collar of my tennis jacket, already walking away before Oliver could trip over his own feet trying to save her. If he were any more obvious, he’d write her a sonnet.I slipped my phone out of the inside pocket of my jacket. It had buzzed twice already, and I knew exactly who it was.I stepped behind the lemonade tent, the smell of sugar and lemon thick in the air. A soft breeze rustled through the trees. The crowd noise dimmed the farther I walked. I pressed answer and brought the phone to my ear.“Any news?” I asked, my voi

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