Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 21 - Chapitre 30

Chapter 22 I sank into the sofa, arms crossed tightly over my chest, watching Dylan and Grandma chatting a few feet away. Their voices were low, a soft murmur I couldn't quite catch, though I had a pretty good idea of what they were discussing.Earlier, Dylan had actually asked Grandma if she’d be okay with us getting "married" eventually. I honestly thought she’d say no—I mean, I’m her only grandchild—but to my surprise, she practically jumped at the chance! She agreed so fast it felt like she was selling me off to the highest bidder.She just kept thanking him, going on and on about how she was worried I’d never find a husband because of my "attitude." Hello? I’m nice, aren't I? Why did she have to make it sound like I was some sort of impossible case?I scoffed quietly when Dylan glanced my way in the middle of their conversation. Grandma kept chatting away while Dylan kept stuffing his face with donuts. I couldn't help but think he

Chapter 24 “You have a new perfume, huh?” I asked Dylan, subtly leaning in to catch a scent of his shoulder as he sat beside me. He didn’t smell the same as before… it was different.He let out a soft chuckle, looking quite proud of himself. “You told me I smelled bad that one time. I have some pride, you know? I don’t stink,” he remarked.I frowned, processing his answer. It took me a few seconds to realize what he was referring to, and I couldn't help but laugh. “Of course you smelled bad then! You were wasted. I didn’t think you’d actually take it to heart,” I said, playfully hitting his shoulder.“Do I smell better now?”I nodded immediately, taking another quick sniff. “No wonder those girls were checking you out earlier. I get it now,” I blurted out without thinking.Dylan laughed. “And you? Did you do a double-take?”“Duh, you’re the one constantly looking at me.” I scoffed and rolled my eyes, making hi

Chapter 26 “So, how long exactly have you and Dylan been together?”I pursed my lips and subtly looked away. Danielle had messaged me saying she’d drop by, and I assumed she was coming for the bags. I didn't realize she was bringing backup.“Right. Is he really over it? Because you said you didn't even know each other before, right? You weren't close,” Danielle pressed.I hadn't expected the other two cousins to show up either. Damn.I let out a long breath and shrugged. “No comment,” I muttered, avoiding their gaze.I was certain Dylan had no idea they were here. If he did, he would've warned me. We’d already established that I hate spontaneous, unplanned surprises—precisely because of situations like this. I hadn't prepared a script. If I wasn't careful, I might let slip something I shouldn't.“You know, you’ve been saying 'no comment' for a while now—”“I’m older than you,” I snapped, cutting Ivers

Chapter 28 “Are we really…” I took a long, shaky breath as I stared out the window. “…going in there?”We were idling right in front of the Fontanilla estate. It was massive, and honestly, intimidating. Dylan had been trying to get me out of the car for ten minutes now, but I was practically glued to the seat. I don't know how much longer we could sit here before someone noticed, but neither of us was moving.“How many times do I have to answer you?” Dylan shot back. I sighed again, rubbing my temples. “Come on, Kaia. I’m not joking.”“Did I say you were joking?”“Let’s go. Mom and Dad are probably wondering where we are—”“How do I look?” I cut him off, turning to face him. “Is my hair okay? Do I look stressed? What about this dress—is it too much? Do I look presentable? Seriously, tell me. You should have given me a heads-up so I could’ve actually prepared. God, I went out drinking last night! If I’d known I was meet

Chapter 30 “I’ll just go ahead and check on my cousins. Do you want to come with me or…”I was about to nod and follow Dylan, but out of the corner of my eye, I caught his aunts and uncles watching me. They looked like predators waiting for the alpha to leave so they could close in on the prey. My survival instinct kicked in immediately, and I changed my mind.“Go ahead. I’ll just stay here,” I replied, giving him a small smile.Dylan’s brow furrowed, clearly surprised that I was opting to stay behind in the "lion's den," but he saw the look in my eyes and knew I wasn't budging. He sighed and shook his head.“All right. I’ll be back soon,” he remarked, leaning in to brush a casual kiss against my cheek. I nodded, maintaining my composure as I watched him walk away.The second Dylan was out of sight, I reached for my iced tea. I could feel Danielle, Maurice, and Iverson staring at me. Their eyebrows were arched so high