LOGIN“Let’s talk about my fight with Dina,” I said, trying to drag them back to reality since both of them seemed perfectly content living in their own little world of banter.Belle immediately sat up straighter, like someone had flipped a switch inside her. Her attention snapped to me immediately.Josh looked at me too, a smirk still lingering on his lips. “To be honest, that fight was savage. Dina didn’t see that coming.”A small smile slipped onto my face before I could stop it. Despite everything… despite the possible consequences hanging over my head… there was a tiny part of me that felt satisfied.“Now’s not the time,” Belle cut in, her tone firm, rolling her eyes at him.That only made the moment feel lighter somehow, and for a second, the tension eased.Just a little.“I think you’re going to get expelled though,” Josh added, his voice dropping, the teasing gone now as reality settled back in.“Well, I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Belle fired back immediately, like th
*ELORA*Josh, Belle, and I sat at a table, waiting for our orders to arrive. As usual, Josh and Belle were busy teasing each other, while I just sat there, quietly replaying how unbelievably eventful my day had been.Josh had dropped me off earlier and waited at the porch until I walked into the house, like he was scared that if he drove off too soon, I’d run straight back to the hospital.I found that funny.Because really… what happened to the possibility of running back after he left?I didn’t, though.I slipped off my shoes at the doorstep, changed into my indoor slippers, and went straight to my room.The plan was simple: shower, rest, put a call across to my best friend, Maya, then meet up for dinner.I got into the shower and let the hot water run over me, easing the tension that had built up from everything that happened today.By the time I stepped out, I had a towel wrapped around my head and another loosely around my body.Without thinking, I flopped onto my bed.The weight
*AUTHOR’S POV* Julian drove up to the front entrance, stepped out, and tossed the keys to the security guard to park the car in the garage. Almost immediately, members of the staff hurried toward him—one reaching for the restaurant bag, another for his school bag—but he waved them off. “I’ve got it,” he muttered. He hated that. Hated the way they hovered around him like he couldn’t do the simplest things for himself. It made him feel… useless. Like he needed assistance to exist. It was just a school bag, a laptop, and a takeaway bag. He could handle that. He walked through the front doors, moving unhurriedly down the wide hallway before stepping into the sitting room. Without stopping, he turned left and headed straight for the kitchen. “Good afternoon, sir.” “Is there anything you need, sir?” “Please, would you like a special lunch or dinner perhaps?” “Can I help you with your bags, sir?” The kitchen staff crowded around him, their voices overlapping in a chorus of politen
I heaved a sigh of relief as I slumped to the ground.She survived. Mom survived.She’s alive. Weak, but alive.This has never happened before. First, she was unconscious for days—and now… now I felt it in my soul while I was in school, like she was about to leave me for good.I felt the weight of the doctor's voice when he said ‘we could have lost her’ and deep down within me, I knew that was true.Thank God she’s still here.I don’t know what I would have done if I lost her. I don’t know how I would survive. I’d still have Dad… but Dad could never make up for Mom. No one could.Speaking of Dad, I pulled my phone out of my blazer pocket and dialed his number, still slumped on the ground, my body heavy with exhaustion and relief.“Hey baby, I was just about to call you. I was hoping you’d be back home so you could go to the hos—”“Mum just came out of surgery,” I cut him off.“What?” His voice sharpened instantly. I could hear the panic in it. “Oh my God—I’m coming over right now. Is
I lay weakly in Josh’s arms, trying to catch my breath while he struggled to steady it for me. Belle stood in front of us, fear and confusion written all over her face.“Look at me… look at me,” Josh said softly, almost like he was afraid I’d disappear if he didn’t hold me together.My eyes slowly found his.“Where is it you want to go?”I struggled to speak. My body was still shaking, my voice strained. I tried to form words, but only broken, breathless sounds came out.Somewhere in the middle of it all, I realized I was crying. I couldn't tell when the tears started.Maybe when Belle refused to let me go until we talked…Maybe when I thought I saw that woman smile at me…Or maybe when my chest started tightening and everything went out of control.“The… hospital…”It finally came out—hoarse, barely a whisper. If the room wasn’t completely silent, no one would have heard me.Without hesitation, Josh lifted me into his arms and strode out of the room.Belle tried to gather our things,
“You do realize you’re in deep shit right now, yeah?” Belle said, strolling around the massive office table like she owned the place before dropping into the owner’s chair with careless elegance.She spun slightly in it, one leg crossed over the other.“I have to go,” I said, voice shaky as I looked from Josh to Belle.Neither of them seemed to understand.No—Belle didn’t care to understand.“I really need to leave, Belle. It’s important,” I said, desperation slipping into my voice.“This is like the two hundred and seventh time you’ve said that in five minutes. Girl, you just finished crying. Get a grip of yourself.” Belle rolled her eyes and continued flipping through a magazine she’d picked up from her brother’s desk, clearly waiting for me to give in and sit.“At this point, you’re becoming background noise.”“I have somewhere—”“—you need to be?” Belle cut in, lifting one brow. “Then go already.” she gestured to the door.I walked to the door, fingers trembling as I grabbed the ha







