All Chapters of My Secret Boyfriend : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO Monday morning should’ve felt normal.But it didn’t.The world felt louder — like every whisper was about me. About us.Cole and I had spent the weekend wrapped up in each other, tucked away in that pocket of silence that made everything else disappear. But reality doesn’t stay quiet for long.The minute I stepped into school, I could feel it.Eyes. Everywhere.It wasn’t just the usual looks I’d get when Cole was near me. This time it was heavier, stickier, like gossip had claws.I spotted Ariana by the lockers — of course she was the center of it. She leaned against the wall, lip gloss shining, phone in hand like it was a microphone.“—I saw them,” she said to her friend, loud on purpose. “Together. Late Friday night. At the edge of town. How romantic.”I froze mid-step.Her friend gasped like she’d just heard the juiciest thing in the world. “Are you serious?”“Please,” Ariana scoffed. “Cole doesn’t even look at people like that. He doesn’t do love. So if he

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOURSunday nights used to feel quiet. Like the world was taking a breath before the chaos of Monday.But not anymore. Now Sunday nights felt like the calm right before a storm I couldn’t quite seecoming.I lay flat on my bed, staring at the ceiling like it had answers I couldn’t find. My room was quietexcept for the low hum of the ceiling fan and my heartbeat. Too loud. Too fast.My phone lit up beside me.Cole.Cole: You still up?Me: Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?Cole: Because it’s 1 a.m., smartass.Me: Can’t sleep.Cole: Same.I stared at the screen, fingers hovering.He typed again before I could.Cole: Want me to come over?My chest tightened. It wasn’t even about him being here — it was about him asking.Me: You’re insane.Cole: Insanely charming, yeah I know.Me: No, just insane.Cole: I’m already outside.I sat up so fast the mattress groaned.“Idiot,” I muttered under my breath, pulling a hoodie over my T-shirt.When I cracked my window open, the cool night air h

If I said things calmed down after that note, I’d be lying through my teeth.They didn’t calm down.They just changed shape.People stopped whispering when I walked by — now they stared. Like I was a headline theycouldn’t stop reading.The weirdest part? I didn’t even flinch anymore.Okay, maybe a little.But mostly, I just learned to breathe through it.Cole, though?He was a walking storm.He didn’t yell or throw punches. He didn’t have to. His silence did the heavy lifting.And when Cole’s quiet, that’s when people should start praying.By Friday, the whole school was on edge.Even teachers gave us that look — like they could sense something building. Something that wasgoing to snap.We were halfway out of the school gates when Cole said, “I need to see Ariana.”I froze. “What?”“She started this mess,” he said, shoving his hands in his hoodie pocket. “She can end it.”I snorted. “She won’t. She doesn’t do mercy, Cole. She thrives on chaos.”His jaw flexed. “Then I’ll give her a

The rain came before the morning did.Soft, rhythmic, like the sky was trying to hush the world. It should’ve been peaceful — the kindof morning that made you want to stay under the sheets, pretend nothing outside existed. But peacewasn’t something I could afford anymore.Cole’s arm was around my waist, heavy and protective, like even in his sleep he was daring theuniverse to come close. His breath brushed my neck, slow and even, and for a minute, I just stayedthere — still, watching the faint light slip through the curtains and fall across his face.He looked different when he slept. Softer. Like the walls he built just… didn’t exist for a while.And damn, it was dangerous — how much I liked that version of him.He stirred, his nose brushing my shoulder. “You’re staring,” he muttered, voice still rough withsleep.I smiled. “You’re imagining things.”“Uh-huh.” His lips curved. “You always do that when you think I’m asleep.”“Do what?”“Look at me like I’m gonna disappear.”My che

CHAPTER FORTYThe car ride home was the longest silence I’ve ever sat in.No music. No talking. Just rain starting up again and the sound of the wipers dragging across the windshield.Cole drove like a ghost — eyes fixed on the road, jaw locked. His knuckles were white around the steering wheel.I didn’t even know if he saw the traffic lights or just felt them.I wanted to say something — anything — but the words kept dying before they reached my mouth. What do you even say after watching someone’s father slice him open with words?When he finally pulled up in front of my house, he didn’t move. The engine hummed.“You want to come inside?” I asked quietly.He shook his head. “Not yet.”I hesitated, then reached over and turned the ignition off. The car went quiet, except for the rain.“Then we can just sit,” I said.He leaned back in the seat, eyes closed, breathing hard. For a second, he looked less like the invincible Cole everyone knew and more like a kid trying not to break.“I sh