GIULIA“Mark?” She placed her hand on her chest. “Bless my heart.”“Do you know him?” I acted as if I didn't know about her, asking a question I already knew the answer to. The reaction she showed was the one I was hoping to get from her, but when I got it, I felt jealous. She nodded, sighing. “He was my childhood friend. We separated 18 years ago when I gave birth to my first child. He left for Spain, and we haven't heard from him since then.” She looked sad, like someone who lost something precious and couldn't recover it. “I believed he would call for once, throughout the years, but he didn't. When I contacted his family, I learned they packed out five years ago. That was the last I saw any of them.”Nodding, I leaned back in my chair, not knowing what to say. I wanted to ask if she dated him, but knew the question would come out as odd. All I could do was nod as I watched her. “Mark isn't an awful guy, though.” She turned to me, taking my right hand in hers. She squeezed my fin

EDITHStaring at the cold walls that had been my companions for years, the silence I had gotten used to, and the occasional screams from the inmates in the other cell were what I had done all these years. I was the only one locked in this four-cornered room. The first few years were the worst. I almost died from loneliness and silence. I couldn't count how many times I considered ending my life, but the thought of meeting the reason they threw me behind bars was enough to make me strive to live. 18 years it had been...Almost 19 years. Soon, they will let me out. And when they do… June better watch her back. After all, I was in this place because of her.I sat on the bed, looking at the markings on the wall before my gaze drifted to my nails, bloodied and ugly. Something that was once a pride to me was nothing but pain. Each night before I went to sleep, I scribbled dates on the wall. It was the only thing that kept me sane in a place like this. Otherwise, the darkness would have long

GIULIAIt turned out Mary was June's first daughter. I met her a week later when she returned for the weekend. It was funny how I ended up at her house after everything. Our reunion was emotional, with Mary hugging me like I might slip out of her fingers should she not do so. She was overjoyed to see me, that she spent the entire day conversing with me. If she thought anything about my pregnancy, she didn't show it. June was so happy to learn I was the best friend her daughter spoke of. Hearing those words made me guilty. I didn't consider her to be a best friend. It was more like a good friend. Learning she considered me to be more than a good form caused me to feel ashamed. “How are you feeling today?” Mary plopped down next to me on the couch, lifting a brow as she asked the question. “Mother said you slept through yesterday.”“Aren't you supposed to be at school?” I frowned, sitting up on the couch. Mary left for school on Monday morning, but here she was, on a Tuesday afternoo

GIULIAI had just dropped the cup and turned to leave, only to freeze when my ears picked up a familiar voice. There was no way in hell I wouldn't recognize that voice. It was the object of my fantasy. The rich baritone that always floored me whenever I heard it.Gulping, as sweat beaded my forehead, I walked towards the sitting room, as goosebumps materialized on my skin, and my heartbeat escalated. I tried to tell myself I had just imagined it. He wasn't the one in the sitting room with June. There was no freaking way in hell that could be the case. Yes. That's right. I must have imagined it. It could be because of Mary's words. “Guilia? You have a guest!” June called out to me, further petrifying me. I couldn't even move. I stood in a place, trying to regulate my heartbeat as I sought to tell myself Mark wasn't the one with June. He's in Spain. I tried to tell myself.There was no freaking way in hell. He would never leave Madrid, not for me. Yes, that's right. Talking about

MARK"Didn't you bring a bag?" June continued whispering as she led me through the hallway and into a waiting room where she made us pause. We were holding hands as I followed her lead."I did. The men didn't release them."She sighed. "I told them to let you through," she grumbled."Seems the instruction didn't cover the bags," I shrugged, quirking my brows when she started giggling. "I love the fact that the men are very security conscious.""Yeah, they are."We got to the sitting room, unanimously severing the contact of our hands and driving a knife into the conversation. I was more pressed than before, an overpowering need to pee making my toes curl."June, I wanna pee," I said lowly, cradling my crotch for emphasis. June shot me an amusing warning glare and whispered for me to behave.She must have thought I was trying to escape into the bathroom. I really wished that was the case. Any moment now my bladder would explode."GIULIA, YOU HAVE A GUEST!"Oh my God... My heartbeat inc