Semua Bab A Whole New World: Bab 101 - Bab 105

ESSENCE I turned back to Asher. His bottom lip was still trembling. “I know that wasn’t nice,” I said softly. “But he’s sorry. Please forgive him.” Asher gave a long sigh and looked away before whispering, “I forgive you.” I breathed out. “Danny, help him up.” Danny hesitated but then stretched out his hand. Asher stared at it for a moment before grabbing it. Danny pulled him up, a little clumsily, but the effort was there. “Now hug,” I said. They gave each other the kind of hug only boys give—awkward, stiff, but still meaningful. I stood beside them. “Listen,” I said, “this is your home. Both of you. And I know it’s going to take time to adjust, but I need you to learn how to love each other. You’re brothers now. That’s a forever thing. You don’t get to quit on forever.” Danny nodded. “I understand, Mum.” I pulled them both into a hug, ruffled their hair, and gave myself a mental note to bribe them later with ice cream and video games. As I left the room, I did

LUCIAN When I pulled into the driveway and stepped out of the car, I thought I’d be greeted with a warm smile, maybe even a kiss. But the look on Essence’s face stopped me in my tracks. Her arms were folded tightly across her chest. Her jaw was clenched. Her eyes — those eyes that usually melted me — were filled with worry and something else… disappointment? She didn’t waste time. “I need to talk to you, Lucian. It's about the boys.” As she told me what happened between Asher and Danny, I didn’t say much. I just listened. She’d taken me to the garden, her voice calm but her eyes simmering. She replayed the entire incident in slow, bitter detail—the slap, the lies, the manipulation—and I could see how much it weighed on her. I told her not to be too hard on Asher. Not because I was excusing what he did—God knows I wasn’t—but because I wanted to understand where the boy was coming from. Alex’s influence hadn’t just touched him. It had sunk into him like ink into white cloth. Y

ALEX I nearly laughed at the caller. His offer was tempting, sure. But people who made offers like this always came with strings—and eventually, nooses. “I’m not interested,” I said coldly. “You will be,” the voice replied calmly. “But no pressure. I’ll send my number. Keep it if you change your mind.” The line went dead. A second later, a message came in with the contact. I hovered over it, thumb ready to delete. But I didn’t yet. I memorized it instead. Then deleted the text. When I stepped back into the living room, Remi was watching something silly on TV. She looked up at me with that starry-eyed look and asked, “Should we go out for dinner?” “I was about to ask you the same thing,” I replied. But then she winced and clutched her stomach. “Ah—my stomach... it hurts.” I tilted my head. “Really? Maybe it’s gas. Or cramps.” I walked toward my bedroom “Let me check for something mild. A painkiller, maybe.” She nodded, breathing harder. I stepped into the room