LOGINVERA’S P.O.V Daddy had invited me to dinner again, but I wasn't falling for that trap again. I wasn't going back, especially since my parents were still going off at each other. Things hadn't gotten better, and after calling Mum several times and still not getting through to her, it made me a little worried. I was almost tempted to change plans and take an Uber to the Haven mansion. But Ginger Kitten was home alone, and I had to feed her. I had to get home first. As soon as Daddy knew I had refused to go home, he took off with McLaren, leaving me stranded, praying I could find an Uber in the area. When I checked out for the day, Hunter happened to be doing the same. He was trying to sign out while squinting at the sheet, stubborn about not wearing his new reading glasses, which were pushed up into his hair. I hadn't seen them on his face yet, and despite myself, I was quite curious to see how they looked. The frames were thin, silver-rimmed, and square. I was sure they would suit h
HUNTER'S P.O.VA lecture had just ended. I remained seated, watching my colleagues file out of the lecture hall. Vera had just left, sitting several rows in front of me.I knew that was intentional. She hated sitting at the forefront. She and I knew the middle rows were best, where we could both stay hidden in the crowd, gossiping away during boring lectures. This one was boring, and it was especially boring without her by my side. I missed her company terribly. Once the hall emptied, I got up to leave, heading straight to my jeep in the student's lot. Just in time to find Vera getting into her Uber. I got into my in, trailing right behind it. I wasn't stalking; I already knew where it was heading, and I was, in fact, going the same way. Would have taken her there myself, except I swore to leave her alone.Eventually, we found ourselves gridlocked in traffic—parallel to each other, to make matters worse. With the windows rolled down, I stared at her unabashedly through the glass. Wh
VERA'S P.O.V“Did you come with any luggage?” The doorman asked politely as he received me.“No, no luggage. I'm just here for dinner.”The cold air caught up with me the moment I stepped into the Haven mansion. I haven't been here in weeks. It would have been longer if Daddy hadn't insisted I come.“Vera, darling," Mr Fernandez called out the moment he laid eyes on me. A wide smile wrinkled his face.I smiled back as he leaned in to press a light kiss against my cheek."Good to see you too. How have you been?" I asked, falling into step beside him."A little under the weather. I was down with the flu the other day, but I’m much better now," he chuckled softly."That’s really good to hear.""Dinner is already served," he continued, guiding me down the hall. "But let me take you to your mother first. She is upstairs and misses you terribly."I nodded, though the prospect didn't exactly thrill me.I nodded, not exactly thrilled to see her.“Right this way.”We walked through the length
HUNTER'S P.O.VMr Haven heaved steadily. “I did a lot of things to survive when I was younger, Hunter. You remind me of myself at that age. Both of us orphans. Both of us too hungry to quit. I lost my mother at sixteen. Never knew my father. Vera tells me you never knew yours either.” He looked to me, eyes pleading for sympathy.“She talks about you more than she realises,” he added with a quiet chuckle. “Every chance she gets.”I stayed silent. The migraine pulsed behind my eyes, a dull, insistent throb.“I made bad decisions,” he continued. “Things I still wish I could undo. They made me who I am, but that doesn’t mean I don’t regret most of them. If I could go back…” He let the thought hang, then shrugged. “I can’t. It’s done.”He let go of my shoulder, leaving the spot tensed. “I spent a lifetime hiding this ugliness from Vera, paying for silence just to protect her peace. She's smart, but she's completely blind to what I do—and I wanted it that way because I know how hard it is
HUNTER’S P.O.VAs soon as McLaren left the office, Mr Haven got to his feet, dusting himself off. “Come with me,” he beckoned.I paused, wanting to stay right where I was or leave the office entirely. But Mr. Haven waited, so I reluctantly followed him across the room to a hidden wall.Mr Haven didn’t pause or explain. He simply pressed his palm flat against a section of the dark wood panelling that looked identical to the rest. A soft mechanical click answered him, causing the panels to slide sideways. A steel doorway was revealed, set into reinforced concrete. Beyond it, a short corridor of brushed metal and matte black flooring led upward.He stepped through first. I followed.The corridor angled sharply, then opened into a small elevator vestibule. There were no buttons or panels like the last, only a biometric scanner. Mr Haven placed his thumb against it. The doors parted without a sound. We rose in silence. When they opened again, the air felt cooler and dense.We were on the
VERA'S P.O.VTo me, coming back felt like a humiliation ritual.The glass doors of the headquarters slid open and all I could stare at was my reflection, a version of me I didn’t want to look at. The version was a girl who said she was done, who submitted her resignation, who told herself she would never come back. The same girl now walked across the marble lobby with her shoulders tight and her stomach in knots, pretending this was just another morning.I couldn’t believe I came back, came back to a place I'd still see Hunter every day. But I wasn't here because Hunter made me, I was here for my course credits; at least that was what I kept telling myself. The receptionist at the front desk glanced up, did a double take, then quickly looked down again like she wasn't sure whether to greet me. "Hello, I'm here because..." My voice trailed off.Who should I say I wanted to see? McLaren didn't know I was here, and neither did my father. He hadn't said much when I resigned. He didn't
HUNTER'S P.O.VThe sound of my alarm jolted me awake; my head immediately ached. It had only been an hour since I slept, and it was the best sleep I have had in days, since the break- since VeraVera.Her final class must be over by now, that was why I set the alarm. That's why I'm still here, in
VERA'S P.O.V Hunter's hands grabbed the sides of my face. He bent to meet me, taking my lips into his. His kiss was soft. It lingered on my lips even after he pulled back. He dipped in again, consuming them once more, this time, our tongues battled for control. His was more dominant as it pushed t
VERA'S P.O.V I couldn't move an inch, let alone "get up". His presence was undeniable as his tall frame cut off what little light our nightstand had to offer. His shadow consumed me. My head was bowed and my hands still cradled my swollen neck. Hunter paused briefly, watching me till he
VERA'S P.O.V Hunter's palm struck my cheek, forcing my head to snap to the side. For a split second, there was nothing, just a ringing white noise flooding my ears—then the sting came hot. "What do you want from me?" My boyfriend questioned. "Hunter," I whispered, my voice inaudible. "I'







