Prologue For weeks I screamed every night from the pain that was ripping me apart from the inside. Then I stopped.On the outside, I looked numb. But on the inside, pain was clawing at me and there was no medicine that could help me; each heartbeat was a throbbing ache inside my chest. I got used to it; now it was an integral part of me.It’s been six weeks since I held them. Six weeks since I smelled them. Six weeks since I heard their laugh. I felt shattered, a part of me died with them that night. Sometimes I heard their voices in my head and I’d frantically look around hoping for one more glimpse, one more laugh.All around the apartment boxes sat unpacked, although you couldn’t tell whether I was moving in or moving out. Boxes of meaningless items my sister packed in hopes to encourage me to start a new life. I haven’t looked through most of them, they were either things she bought me or gave me. I didn’t want any reminders of the past, everything I loved and possessed burned

Last Updated : 2025-11-16

She studied me for a while without words, and I didn’t care about the silence that stretched. Honestly, it was more welcome than her constant chattering.“Brandon talked to a friend who has a company here,” she started, and I couldn’t even pretend the slighted interest. “He can get you a job and it’s in finance.” I raised my eyebrow, I wasn’t expecting that at all. “Finance was your minor and you paid for your tuition exclusively working for investment companies. If you are not writing, maybe you just need a change.”My big sister, always trying to fix everything. It took me back to my high school year when she tried to explain to my math teacher I’d never be his protege because although I was the best in his class, I had no interest. To this day, I wasn’t sure how she convinced him to stop nagging me to join his math groups for national competitions.“I’m fine,” I mumbled. Really, I just wanted to be left alone.“No, you are not. Please, Eve,” she begged. “It breaks my heart to see y

Last Updated : 2025-11-16

Three days after my reunion with Elise, we stood in front of the McLaren Enterprise building in downtown Edinburgh. When I asked her how Brandon was able to get me a job without an interview, she just told me Brandon connected with Colin McLaren after he performed surgery on him and saved his life. I wasn’t surprised. Brandon was a brilliant heart surgeon.I glanced up at the large glass building and back at Elise. No matter how much I objected to her coming, she insisted that she walk me to my new boss on my first day. So here we were, Monday morning, like a mother walking her daughter to school on the first day.A woman came out of the building in an expensive, crisp dress suit, and I had the distinct feeling I should turn around and leave. I wasn’t ready to go out into the world.Elise had dragged me to the hair salon, nail salon, and decided to have a spa day. I felt worse than I did before she came. She insisted getting back into the world would help but it didn’t.I looked down

Last Updated : 2025-11-16

“Hello, I’m Colin McLaren.” I let go of Elise’s hand and took his hand in a handshake.“Hello, Eve Bailey,” my voice came out as a whimper. If he noticed, he hid it well.“Nice to meet you,” he replied. “We will work closely together and I look forward to it. Brandon provided some references from your college years and they were impressive.”“Thank you,” I mumbled. I felt like a charity case for getting a job without even interviewing for it. Made me wonder what exactly Brandon shared.Elise interjected proudly. “She was excellent at finance and made enough money to pay for her tuition. Everybody was disappointed a bit when she decided not to pursue it full time.”“Well, I’m happy to have you on my team,” Colin beamed. “Are you ready to start? I can show you around or take you straight to work. Which do you prefer?”I didn’t want to see people so I retorted quickly, “Straight to my desk, please. And a general idea of where the bathroom and kitchen are.”His laugh bellowed across the r

Last Updated : 2025-11-16

All Chapters of Devotion: Isn't What It Seems: Second Chance Romance: Chapter 1 - Chapter 4

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