All Chapters of His to Ruin: Breaking Chelsea : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

NIGHT SHIFT ~CHELSEA~The smell of bleach burns my nostrils as I scrub at a stubborn black mark on Crawford Elite's spotless white tile floor. Some rich kid's designer shoe scuff, probably. I press harder, the muscles in my arm aching from three hours of similar work already tonight."Come on," I mutter, watching the mark slowly fade under my attack. Small victories.At 1:13 AM, the huge school hallway stretches empty in both directions. My rubber gloves squeak against the wet tile, the sound echoing off trophy cases filled with golden evidence of Crawford Elite's greatness. National debate champions. Robotics competition winners. Soccer tournament trophies that seem to multiply every season.I sit back on my heels, blowing a strand of chestnut hair from my eyes. My ponytail started falling apart an hour ago, but I can't stop to fix it. The night cleaning crew is already short two people, which means double the work for half the praise.The mark finally disappears. I drop my scrub

MIDNIGHT COLLISION~CHELSEA~I stood frozen in the doorway of the old gym, my cleaning cart forgotten in the hallway behind me. This was not part of my routine. The old gym was only on my cleaning schedule for Mondays and Thursdays. But after that call from the hospital, I needed to think, and the steady rhythm of work was not doing it. I thought the empty gym might help clear my head.It was not empty.A guy stood in the middle of the floor, soccer ball at his feet, looking as surprised to see me as I was to see him. Tall, athletic build, with dark hair that probably cost more to cut than I made in a day. A Crawford Elite student."You're not supposed to be in here," I said, finding my voice. My master key suddenly felt heavy in my pocket.He straightened, wincing slightly before covering it with a smile. "Neither are you, from the looks of it."I stepped into the gym, letting the door close behind me. "I work here. What's your excuse?""Just getting some practice in." He nudged th

THE PROPOSITION~KADE~I could not stop thinking about her. Chelsea. The cleaning girl with fire in her eyes who wasn't afraid to stand up to me.Two days had passed since our encounter in the old gym. Two days of boring classes, fake smiles, and physical therapy sessions that weren't getting me anywhere fast enough."You need to focus, Kade," Mike said, pressing down on my leg as I tried to lift it against the resistance band.We were in the school's medical center, a state-of-the-art facility that most professional teams would envy. Another perk of being at Crawford Elite. Another reminder of how much my father had invested in a future I wasn't sure I wanted."I am focusing," I grunted, sweat beading on my forehead."No, you're not. Your mind's somewhere else." Mike eased up on the pressure. "Where are you right now?"I thought about lying, but Mike had been my physical therapist since the injury. He knew me too well."Just thinking about someone I met."Mike raised an eyebrow. "A g

SERVING THE ENEMY~CHELSEA~{Playlist Suggestions: "You Should See Me in a Crown" by Billie Eilish}I set the drinks down with practiced exactness, not spilling a drop despite the tremor in my hands. "Are you ready to order, or do you need a few minutes?"Valerie barely glanced at the menu. "What's the least greasy thing you serve here?""The salads are fresh," I said, keeping my voice professional. "The chef salad is popular.""Do you use organic produce?" she asked, examining her perfect manicure."We use whatever Rusty gets from the supplier."She pursed her lips. "I'll have a house salad, dressing on the side. No croutons, no cheese, no tomatoes.""So... lettuce?" I couldn't help myself.Her eyes narrowed. "Yes. Just lettuce. And cucumber if it's not too... common."I wrote it down, biting the inside of my cheek. "And for you?" I turned to Kade.He was watching me with that worrisome intensity. "What do you recommend?"Something about the question felt loaded. Like he wasn't just

SANCTUARY~CHELSEA~{Playlist suggestion: "Safe & Sound" by Taylor Swift feat. The Civil War}The cut on my cheek stung as I wiped away dried blood in the employee bathroom. At least it wasn't deep enough for stitches. I dabbed antiseptic on it and winced.Last night had been bad. After Samuel threw the mug, things escalated quickly. I'd managed to get Chase to his room and lock the door, but not before Samuel caught my face with his ring when I tried to block him.Mom had just stood there crying, useless as always.I had waited until they passed out drunk before helping Chase climb out his window. We'd spent the night at Zoe's place—her family never asked questions anymore when we showed up in the middle of the night.Now, three hours before my shift officially started, Crawford Elite Academy stood silent and empty around me. I'd come early needing somewhere safe, somewhere quiet to think.With a sigh, I grabbed my cleaning cart and headed out into the deserted hallways. The expensiv