جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 80

Lena's POV The moment we arrived at the beach house, the salty breeze welcomed us like a warm embrace. The place was beautiful, even more breathtaking than I remembered. The house stood proudly facing the ocean, its wide glass windows reflecting the golden sunlight dancing on the waves. The sound of the sea was calming, steady, almost like a heartbeat. We were told to relax and settle in first, and soon trays of fried chicken, chips, and drinks were brought out to the backyard patio. It quickly turned into a small gathering. Nothing too formal. Just laughter, music, and the cheerful noise of people who genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. I found myself smiling more than I expected. Everyone was playing games, chatting, teasing each other. The younger cousins ran around with sparklers while the adults shared stories and jokes. Even Xander looked relaxed, something rare for him. His usual composed expression had softened, and every now and then I caught him smiling at Julian’s

Lena's POV The next morning I woke up with my eyes shining. For a few seconds I simply lay there, staring at the ceiling, replaying everything that had happened the night before. The pool. The moonlight. The warmth of his hands. The way my heart had raced. I still could not believe it. Me and Xander kissed. No. I kissed Xander. And the worst part was I did not regret it. I turned to the side and buried my face in the pillow, letting out a quiet groan. It was going to happen sooner or later. I had missed him. I had missed everything about him. His voice, his touch, the way he looked at me like I was the only person in the world. And now here I was, acting like nothing had happened. Today he was going out with Julian while I was going out with Camille. A simple plan. A simple day. If only my life was ever simple. My phone buzzed again on the bedside table. Lucian. I stared at the screen as his name flashed repeatedly. Missed calls. Messages. Notifications. My stomach tigh

Lena's POV Today was Julian’s wedding. And to be honest… I had not seen Xander since morning. I did not know why that bothered me so much, but it did. It was like something inside me kept searching for him in every corner, every hallway, every passing shadow. My eyes kept wandering without permission, hoping to catch even a glimpse of him. When I entered the dressing room earlier, I saw something resting on the vanity. My heart melted instantly. His hair straightener. The one he's company had been working on creating before we came here. I picked it up slowly, my fingers tracing the smooth surface, a soft smile spreading across my face. I could not believe he actually remembered. He must have brought it for me before leaving early. So sweet. So thoughtful. It was such a small thing, yet it felt like everything. I sat before the mirror and carefully used it to straighten my curls, watching my reflection change. My hands trembled slightly, not from nervousness, but from the

Lena’s POV We were in the flight now. The low hum of the aircraft filled the quiet space around us, a steady sound that somehow made everything feel heavier, more real. I turned my head slightly and stared at Xander beside me. His eyes were closed, his breathing calm, his face relaxed like he carried no worries at all. As usual, we were flying business class because I liked it. The seats were spacious, the lighting soft, everything comfortable. Xander had already booked everything without asking, like he always did. Thoughtful. Considerate. Effortless. And yet, sitting there, thousands of feet above the ground, my heart refused to be at peace. Because I knew where we were going. New York. Back to everything I had left behind. Lucian. The company. Tara. Kristen. Problems I had tried so hard to escape now waited patiently for my return. I watched Xander’s chest rise and fall, steady and warm beside me, and strangely, just looking at him made something inside me calm down. L

Lena’s POV The next day was Monday. The word itself felt heavy in my chest. Monday meant work. It meant returning to the company. It meant facing Lucian again like everything was normal, like nothing had changed, like I was not living a double life. Resuming work felt strange. Uncomfortable. Wrong. I could not really explain it, but the thought of walking into that building again made my stomach twist. It used to feel like a place of opportunity, of growth, of pride. Now it felt like walking into a battlefield where one wrong move could destroy everything. I did not want to go. For a moment that morning, I even considered staying home. I sat at the edge of my bed, staring at the wall, wondering if calling in sick would make things easier. But running away would only delay the inevitable. So I dressed up, fixed my hair carefully, applied light makeup, and practiced a calm expression in the mirror. Normal. I had to act normal. Neutral. Untouched. Unaffected. Even though m