Semua Bab Shattered Vows: Bab 41 - Bab 50

“So what do we do then?” I ask, heat rising in my chest. “Do we tell the guys? Or handle it ourselves?”Jenna lets out a sharp breath and sits up straighter. “You know me. I believe in handling shit face to face. We’re strong, we’re capable, and we’ve been through a lot of shit. But this... this mess... It’s got too many moving pieces. Too many lies layered over each other.”Dawn frowns. “So what, we call Cristian and the rest?”Jenna nods once, jaw set. “We keep doing our part. We stay sharp. But Christian, Alessandro, and Xavier need to know. We cannot afford to move blindly while they’re in the dark. Something about these feels off. Like there’s more waiting to unravel.”“I have been thinking,” I say, propping myself up against the pillows.“Let’s host dinner for the guys. Let’s cook, eat, sit them down and lay everything out.”Jenna raises a brow. “Like a debrief... but with pasta?”I nod. “Exactly. I’ll call Cristian and Xavier. They can invite Alessandro. We’ll keep it casual. N

Alessandro leans forward, arms resting on his thighs, voice low but deliberate, the weight of his words settling over all of us. “I intercepted some conversations. Amelia and Bethany. Messages, voice notes, a few calls too.”My head lifts without meaning to. Dawn’s does the same. He continues, “Amelia kept going on about how the four of you always had your own circle. That Fiona, Jenna, and Dawn were the ones running everything. Lala had a seat at the table more than she ever did. Said you were the loudest in every group chat. I am always deciding where to go, what to wear, and who made the guest list. She called it exhausting. According to what was said, Fiona was self-absorbed. Controlling.”Jenna lets out a dry, incredulous scoff that sounds more like a firestarter than a laugh. She leans back in her chair, arms folded, face twisted in disgust. “That’s a fucking lie. Fiona is a lot of things, but controlling? She just knows her own mind. That has always been the case. And we inclu

NINE DAYS LATER“Are we certain no one will find out we did this?” I ask Dawn, lowering my voice. “We cannot afford to get arrested. Jenna and I could lose our sports license.”“Chill, sis,” Jenna says, flicking her straw at me with a grin. “We’ll be discreet.”I glance between them, not entirely convinced. “There are cameras everywhere. How are we getting past those?”Dawn tilts her head, a hand pressed dramatically to her chest. “Sometimes I feel insulted at how little you rate my skills. Honestly.”“That will not work on me,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “You needed Alessandro’s help to uncover half the stuff we found, so yes, I trust you. But still... be for real.”She looks at me then with that half-pout, half-smirk that always comes right before she types at light speed. “Fair point,” she says, all clipped dignity. “But I do not forgive you for what you just said.”She stretches her fingers as if she is preparing for battle. “I’ll hack the system. I’ll upload the footage. I’ll make

I don’t know why I feel relief in confessing to her. Maybe it’s the weight of keeping the story straight for too long. Or maybe it is because, for a moment, I get to pretend I am still someone she might pity. Someone she might forgive.I told her enough. Just enough to sound remorseful. I wanted her to believe that those girls had trapped, groomed, and used me. And in a way, maybe I was. But I also played along. I knew what I was doing. Every time I chose Brianna, every time I lied to Fiona’s face, I made that decision with my eyes open.Still... I left a few things out. I told her I loved her. That part was true. But what I did not say was that I also saw her as a safety net. Fiona had access. Influence. She had the respect of circles I could not touch alone. Being with her backed my career, legitimized me, made people believe I was more than I actually was. That is the part I will carry with me. That is the part she never needs to hear.Seeing her again made me feel it. What I lost.

“Bravooo, hijueee!” Fiona shouts, clapping as the camera zooms in on Edward’s face.Jenna is blowing a whistle with her mouth, practically bouncing on the couch.We are all at my seven-bedroom residence on Bay Road. Everything around us is spotless but still feels lived in—comfortable without being cold. I like that about this place. It has space to breathe. Space to hold the people I care about.Earlier this morning, I could have sworn I saw Alessandro coming out of Dawn’s room. I was heading down to the gym and caught movement at the end of the hallway. He walked out quietly, shirt in hand, hair a mess. But with those two, it’s always impossible to tell. One minute they act normal, the next Dawn is unleashing something close to dragon fire because he asked her to pass the salt.I had extended the invitation for Jenna and Dawn to sleep over, and I’m glad they accepted. This is my new definition of family. The one I chose. The one that feels right. If only those two women and those tw