All Chapters of Only You: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

Chapter 51: Get the Show on the RoadTwenty-Six Years Ago...It had been three agonisingly long days since Norma and Hugo Edmunson had last laid eyes on little Bryce in Gemma’s chaotic living room. For the wealthy couple, the wait had felt like a lifetime. The bureaucratic wheels of the Galencia Children's Services had turned as fast as legally possible – emergency background checks had been rushed through, references scrutinised, and an incredibly thorough home assessment had been completed at their sprawling cliffside mansion. Finally, the mountain of necessary paperwork had been sorted, stamped, and approved.The sleek, black luxury saloon car pulled up smoothly outside Gemma's modest, red-brick townhouse in Galencia Heights. Before the chauffeur had even fully engaged the parking brake, Norma and Hugo threw open their doors and excitedly jumped out into the crisp winter air. Shedding their usual aristocratic dignity, they practically skipped up the paved garden path to the front d

Ben’s POVMy consciousness returned in agonizing, fragmented waves. The very first thing that hit me was the smell – an overpowering, suffocating stench of ancient damp, creeping black mould, rotting timber, and something else underneath it all that I couldn’t quite place. A sharp, metallic tang of decay.I groaned, trying to lift my hands to rub my pounding, heavy head, but my shoulders screamed in protest. I jerked completely awake, a spike of pure adrenaline flooding my system as the horrific reality set in. My arms were pulled forcefully behind my back, my wrists bound tightly together with thick, rough nylon rope. I was tied securely to a heavy wooden chair.Panic instantly clawing at my throat, I rapidly blinked the blurry fog from my eyes and frantically looked around.I appeared to be sitting in the middle of a massive, derelict old warehouse. The cavernous walls were thick with dark green moisture and peeling grey paint. The old, industrial metal window frames were entirely r

Chapter 55: What Do You Mean, Gone?Present Day Greg’s POVI blasted through the heavy glass patio doors in a blind, absolute panic, the freezing night air rushing into the warm lounge right behind me.“Ben’s gone!” I spluttered, my chest heaving as I desperately scanned the room.The entire room completely froze. Every single pair of eyes snapped toward me, the heavy, devastating story of Bryce's childhood instantly suspended in the tense air.Mari stood up so fast her knees hit the coffee table. “What do you mean, gone? Greg, what happened out there?”“I just went into the pool house for two seconds to grab us some beers from the fridge,” I explained, my heart hammering violently against my ribs. “I heard a loud crash from the far side of the garden, so I ran straight back out. Ben was nowhere to be seen, and the heavy wooden side gate leading out to the street was swinging wide open.”“He’s probably just gone for a quick walk to blow off some steam,” Cleo insisted from the kitchen

Bryce’s POVI slowly pulled Ben’s expensive, ridiculously clean car up to the curb outside his perfect little house and killed the engine. The street was quiet, lined with manicured hedges and softly glowing streetlights that bathed the affluent neighbourhood in a warm, golden hue. It was sickeningly picturesque.I didn't immediately get out. Instead, I sat in the heavy silence of the leather interior, gripping the steering wheel as I stared at the illuminated front windows of the property. I reached up, pulled down the sun visor, and stared directly into the illuminated vanity mirror.My twin brother’s face stared back at me. It was my face, of course, but it lacked the hollow, hardened edge that the care system had ruthlessly carved into mine. Ben’s eyes were bright, untroubled, and painfully naive. I needed to soften my features to match. I needed to become the golden boy.I relaxed my jaw, forced my shoulders to drop an inch, and let a casual, easy smile stretch across my lips."H

Tiana’s POVI follwed Ben outside feeling confused. I know it had been a very trying and emotional day but hearing them shouting at each other was suprising.“What happened?” I asked sypathetically.“I don’t know. I mean, I guess I do but...” Ben started. He seemed genuinely lost. He rubbed his hands over his face frustratedly.“I guess just with everything that’s happened today it was just to much. To try and be intimte...” he trailed off.“Oh” I sighed. “Mari will understand don’t worry.” I tried to reassure him.“She will cool down and everything will be fine you’ll see.”“I don’t know if I want it to be.” It was a blunt yet emotional statement that left me deeply shocked. It was the absolute last thing I expected to hear from the man that had loved my sister since we were children.“What on earth do you mean?” I demanded. I needed to get to the bottom of this.“I mean, after everything that’s happened the last few days - Mari berating me at playzone, the stalker in the garden, you