FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN STAR のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 31 - チャプター 40

Chapter 32 Andreas's point of view. The last thing I expected after such an intoxicating night was for it to crack open with tension a few minutes later. Martin barged into the suite dragging a girl by the arm. “Boss, we found the intruder,” he announced, voice like gravel as he shoved her forward. “Hey, easy!” she snapped, stumbling slightly as she tried to free herself from his steel grip. I stood from the edge of the couch where I’d been nursing a glass of whiskey. “It's okay, Martin. Let her go.” Martin hesitated, his eyes narrowing like a watchdog unsure of his leash, but he obeyed, releasing her arm with a grunt. The girl shook herself loose, rubbing her wrist as she glared up at him. “Such a brute,” she muttered beneath her breath, not quite under her breath. I couldn’t help but admire her nerve. She was young, no more than twenty, with wide, defiant eyes and a camera strap digging into her collarbone. Her fingers still twitched near the lens like a nervous tic.

Chapter 34 Mia's point of view. The ride to the airport was as lifeless as the ache behind my ribcage. I sat curled near the window in the backseat of the car as Martin drove. I watched the city lights smear across the glass like tears trailing a cheek. I didn’t say a word. Martin didn’t either. He never did—until now. The silence between us wasn’t companionable. I stared at the reflection of my face in the tinted window, the hollow version of a woman who’d tasted something too sweet to keep. And was now choking on the aftertaste. When the car rolled to a smooth halt in front of the airport, Martin stepped out and pulled my suitcase from the trunk. I followed, quiet and robotic, like a sleepwalker. My heels clicked against the concrete, sharp and distant. I turned back for a final glance at the city I’d so briefly belonged to. The city that had given me Andreas. A fantasy, nothing more. One I was now choosing to forget. I drew in a long breath, bracing myself for reality.

Chapter 36 Mia had become an expert at pretending. Pretending she was fine. Pretending she'd moved on. Pretending her heart didn't ache in the quiet hours of the night when the world had hushed and all that was left was the soft hum of memory and his voice echoing in her mind. Andreas. She hadn’t spoken his name in weeks. Not aloud. Not even to Susan. Not even to herself. But it lingered just behind her lips like a secret trying to slip out. Every time she tried to suppress him, he found another way to resurface, unexpected, uninvited, but always unforgettable. Like last weekend during their match. “Mom, it’s kickoff time!” Sofia had cried excitedly, dragging a cushion from the couch to the front of the TV. “We have to support Andreas’ team!” Mia had feigned disinterest, scrolling through her phone with a half-smile. “Didn’t you want to watch that nature documentary instead?” “Nooo,” Sofia giggled. “That was yesterday. This is soccer day.” And so, Mia sat beside her d

Chapter 38 The night had fallen softly over Hill County, but inside Mia Martinez's chest, everything was loud. The tires of Lucas’s sleek black SUV hadn’t even rolled out of her driveway before she exhaled, long and slow as if releasing the weight of the last two hours from her lungs. Sofia had chattered the entire way back from their dinner date, her small voice full of laughter and sunshine, entirely oblivious to the tension thickening between her parents like invisible steel wires pulled together. “Mommy, I’m going upstairs to play with my toys!” Sofia announced the moment they walked through the door, already kicking off her glittery shoes and racing for the staircase. “Alright, baby. Don't stay up too late, okay? Mummy will be with you shortly.” Mia called after her, forcing a smile she didn’t feel. Lucas remained at the threshold, his hand resting on the frame like he wanted to step in but knew better. He was wearing that hopeful expression again, the one she no longer tr

Chapter 40 Mia’s heart pounded in her chest like a war drum as she bolted down the stairs, her arms wrapped tightly around a drowsy Sofia. Every creak of the steps, every flicker of light felt like it might snap her already fraying nerves. At the base of the stairs stood Susan and Carlos, her head of security, flanked by a few other of her guards. Their faces were grim, alert. “We have to move. Now,” Carlos said firmly, already motioning for his team to secure the perimeter. Mia’s fingers tightened instinctively around Sofia. “Where the hell are we even going?” she muttered under her breath. Before anyone could answer, the back door creaked open. The click of multiple safeties being released filled the air. Her security team raised their weapons, their eyes hard, focused on where the sound came from. Like wolves scenting a threat. “Don’t shoot!” a familiar voice called, muffled beneath a mask. The figure raised both hands slowly in surrender as he stepped into the dim light