Third Person POVThe rough fabric of the cloth scratched against Liam's face, making his skin itch in ways he couldn't reach to relieve. The material smelled of dust and motor oil, filling his nostrils with the acrid scent that made him want to sneeze. But every time he tried to shake his head to dislodge the covering, strong hands pressed down harder on his shoulders, keeping him pinned to the cold metal chair.His wrists burned where the rope bit into his skin. Whoever had tied him up knew what they were doing â the knots were tight enough to cut off circulation but positioned just right to prevent him from working them loose. He could feel his fingers starting to tingle from the restricted blood flow, but he kept pulling against the restraints anyway, hoping to find some weakness in the binding."Let me go!" Liam shouted, his voice echoing strangely in what sounded like a large, empty space. The acoustics suggested concrete walls and a high ceiling, possibly a warehouse or garage.
Deborah's POVAs soon as Olivia disappeared around the corner, her clicking heels fading into silence, I felt my brave facade begin to crumble like a house of cards in the wind. My hands trembled as I fumbled with my keys, the metal cold and slippery in my sweaty palms."Please let it be fake," I whispered to the empty hallway, my voice barely audible even to my own ears. The words felt fragile, like they might shatter if I spoke them any louder. "Please, please let it be fake."But even as I said it, those terrible what-ifs began creeping into my mind like poisonous snakes. What if the recording was real? What if Liam really had been laughing about me with his friends? What if everything we'd shared last night had been nothing but an elaborate joke at my expense?My chest felt tight, like someone was squeezing my ribs with invisible hands. I pressed my back against my door and closed my eyes, trying to push away the images that kept flashing through my mind. Liam's gentle hands on my
Deborah's POVI could feel the tears threatening to spill over, hot and unwelcome behind my eyes. The recording had shaken me more than I wanted to admit, even though something deep inside me whispered that it couldn't be real. Still, hearing those cruel words in Liam's voice had felt like a physical blow to my chest."Please," I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. "I need to be alone right now."I expected Olivia to leave with some parting shot, maybe a smug comment about how sorry she was. Instead, I felt her warm fingers wrap around mine, her touch surprisingly gentle. When I looked up, her face was arranged in an expression of genuine concern that looked so real it could have fooled anyone."Oh honey, no," she said softly, her thumb rubbing small circles on the back of my hand. "You shouldn't be alone when you're hurting like this. You need someone here with you, someone who cares."The tenderness in her voice almost broke me. For a split second, I wanted to believe tha
Deborah's POV"But what?" I repeated, my voice sharper than I intended. The question hung in the air between us like a challenge, and I could see something shift in Olivia's expression. Whatever fake friendliness she'd been wearing slipped slightly, revealing something colder underneath.Olivia's smile became more calculated, more predatory, like a cat that had cornered a mouse. "Cindy told me that she overheard Liam talking about you at the gym last night," she said, her voice dripping with false sympathy. The way she said it, slow and deliberate, made my stomach clench with dread. "And since I knew you wouldn't believe me..."She paused dramatically, pulling out her phone with theatrical flair. The device looked small in her manicured hands, but suddenly it felt like the most dangerous thing in the world. The screen lit up with a bright glow that seemed to cast harsh shadows across her face."Cindy recorded what Liam said," Olivia continued, her thumb hovering over the play button.
Deborah's POVI stood in front of my small dorm room mirror, carefully applying makeup on my face and getting ready for breakfast with Liam in the cafe. The morning light streaming through my window made everything look brighter, more beautiful, as if the whole world had been touched by the magic of what happened between us last night. My hands were steadier than they'd ever been as I swept mascara across my lashes, and I couldn't help but notice the glow in my cheeks that had nothing to do with the blush I was applying.Every few seconds, I caught myself grinning at my reflection like a complete fool, but I didn't care. Let me be foolish. Let me be giddy and happy and completely over the moon. I had every right to be after the most incredible night of my life.As I smiled brightly at my reflection in the mirror, the thoughts swirling through my mind felt too good to be true. I can't really believe that last night happened, and with the right person. Liam had been everything I'd drea
Liam's POVAs soon as I closed my room door, I walked back into my room with a bright smile on my face. The sound of the door clicking shut seemed to seal in all the happiness that was bubbling up inside me like champagne. I couldn't stop grinning like an idiot as I leaned back against the cool wood, replaying every moment of the past few hours in my mind. The scent of Deborah's perfume still lingered in the air, mixing with the smell of my shampoo and the faint traces of the antiseptic she'd used on my cut. It was a combination that would forever remind me of this perfect night.God, I was in love. Not the puppy love kind of infatuation I'd thought I felt before, but the real, earth-moving, life-changing kind of love that poets write about. The kind that makes you feel like you could conquer the world or die happy just knowing you'd experienced it once. And the most incredible part was that she loved me back. Deborah actually loved me back.I ran my hands through my damp hair, still