บททั้งหมดของ Ignite me (A collection of Short Stories): บทที่ 101 - บทที่ 110

~Aragorn~Two months have passed since the night we stepped fully into the light, and I still find myself pausing in the middle of the most ordinary moments, chest tight with a wonder I never expected to feel as a man born with a crown on his horizon.In the afternoon, I walk the gravel path through the palace gardens with my jacket slung over one shoulder. The late sun warms the back of my neck, but the real warmth comes from the sight waiting for me among the roses.Daisy is kneeling in the rich soil we enriched together last spring, gloves filthy, strands of hair escaping her messy bun to dance across her flushed cheeks. The roses we planted side by side have gone gloriously wild. Heavy crimson blooms, soft blush pinks, creamy whites climbing the trellises we built on that stolen Sunday when I cancelled every meeting and simply existed as a man in love. She’s humming softly, snipping spent flowers into a basket, completely absorbed. The sight of her here, grounded and real amid all

~Liliana~“What if he’s already on the plane and I never see him again?” Hudson, my best friend, groans into the massive bouquet of tulips he holds in one hand, honking noisily at the morning traffic with the other. Gosh, I hate Mondays. Plus I am five minutes late to my job interview. But I promised Hudson I would accompany him to surprise his boyfriend at the airport who is leaving for Germany to study.“We still have thirty minutes left and the airport’s only ten minutes away,” I point out, hugging my overnight handbag. I am also surprising someone today—my boyfriend, Austin. He lives in the same estate as the man I am going to interview for. How convenient for me to spend the night with my boyfriend today. And if I am lucky, he can finally ask me to move in.“I didn’t kiss him enough last night. I heard there are so many hot guys in Germany,” Hudson whines.“That’s true. Jannik Schümann’s German,” I shrug, biting back a mischievous smile. I don’t have to look to know Hudson is gla

~Rowan~Numbers roll across my laptop screen while I half listen to Jason, his voice droning through my AirPods. Across the lounge, Rebecca sprawls on the rug with her colouring book, her legs folded, her crayons scattering like confetti. The new nanny sits beside my daughter, legs folded too, her long auburn hair falling forward as she leans in to touch my daughter’s colouring book. The damp fabric of her navy chiffon blouse stretches across the soft, full swell of her breasts, outlining the shadow of her nipples.“Mr. Cavendish,” Jason calls.I look at my laptop screen. “I’m here,” I say, my fingers moving over the laptop trackpad. “Have the offshore team push the update tonight. If they can’t meet the deadline, we replace them.”Jason says something, and my eyes lift to watch them again.Rebecca delightfully shows her work to her nanny. The nanny claps quietly, looking amazed by what she sees. She then smiles, giving my daughter a high five. A breath escapes from my lungs, and I sw

~Liliana~The bar is being attended by another bartender when Hudson leans across toward me, sleeve rolled up. “You know, if I was straight, I would wife you,” he whispers, blowing kisses at me.I hit his arm lightly. “You’ve said that a thousand times.”“And that man is staring at you,” he says, tipping his chin in a direction. I turn to look.“Not my type,” I say when I turn back to Hudson.He sighs and straightens up as I pour tequila into a shot glass. The tequila burns like fire in my mouth, and I squint my eyes as it scorches straight down my throat, then explodes warm in my chest and stomach.“Liliana, that’s the last shot you’re taking,” Hudson says after mixing drinks and handing one to a guy who has just sat beside me at the bar.“This is just my second shot, Hudson. I’m in total control.” He shakes his head. “After all, you wanted me to come.”The night before, I had been curled up on the couch in my hoodie, watching a romantic movie with Hudson, when I brought up my ex-boy

~Liliana~The ride back to my tiny apartment feels like stepping off one planet and landing on another. The fancy estate with its perfect green lawns disappears as I stare through the window, replaced by potholed streets, flickering street lamps, and buildings that look like they are one storm away from falling apart. When the black car finally stops in front of my building, I mumble a quick thanks to the driver and slip inside before I can change my mind. The stairwell hits me with that familiar mix of old takeout grease and damp, moldy carpet. My key jams in the lock like it always does, fighting me for a few seconds before it finally turns. Home sweet home.I kick my heels across the floor, yank off the dress, and stand under the shower until the water goes ice cold. My skin feels raw by the time I step out. I don’t bother drying my hair properly. I just crawl straight into my narrow bed, sheets still damp against my back, and stare up at the ugly water stain on the ceiling that ha