All Chapters of CRAWLING TO YOU: Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

Aiden’s POV But I didn’t dare say it out loud. That would have made everything worse.“I'm not picking any side here. I just want what’s best for Gabby and I'm sure you do too,” I said instead. “And if she doesn’t want Alex, then we should let her be.”His tone climbed in anger. “That is pure nonsense. You expect me to stand aside and watch her throw her life away on some loser when Alexander is clearly the better choice?”I groaned internally. This was not the conversation I wanted to have first thing in the morning.He kept going. “I want you to find the street rat that is deceiving her. Pay him off. Set him up for life if you have to. Use whatever means necessary and get rid of that bastard. I don’t care about the method. I care about the result. She claims she’s in love with some guy. I want you to end it.”He wants me to end this beautiful thing Gabby and I have going on? Not a chance.I ran a hand through my hair and stared at the opposite wall. If only he knew that I am the st

Aiden's POV His eyes dropped to the screen, and that smug smile faltered for just a second.Interesting.I leaned back, watching him closely.“Go ahead, Mr. Whitmore,” I said, gesturing toward the phone. “Wouldn't want to keep anyone important waiting.”I let the last two words hang between us, my smile widening.He glanced at the screen again, and whatever he saw stripped a degree of polish from his expression. “Excuse me. I really need to take this.”He stood and left through a side door without waiting for me to say anything.A minute passed. Then another. When I was sure that there was no one nearby, I stood carefully.Not abruptly. Not like a man searching. Like a guest stretching his legs, mildly curious about the architecture of a house this expensive. I drifted toward the hall Mr. Whitmore had used, paused as if admiring a landscape painting, then continued when no footsteps followed.The corridor branched and I took the quieter direction.Doors stood closed along both sides

Gabby’s POVI stretched until my spine cracked in three satisfying places and shoved the last textbook away from my lap.Exams were coming whether I liked it or not, and I refused to let Aiden down. For years the logic had been simple in my head: study harder, rank higher, make them proud, and maybe…just maybe…he would stop seeing me as the little sister who needed protecting and start seeing me as someone worth wanting. It sounded pathetic when I laid it out like that. It also happened to be true.I still plan to intern at his and Julian’s company. Dad had fought me on it, of course. In his version of the future I belonged at the Walter Group headquarters, learning the family machine from the inside so I could eventually sit in the chair with my last name already carved into it. I struck a deal instead. If he wanted me to take over someday, fine…but my six-month internship would be at Northbridge Dynamics with Aiden and Julian. He agreed because I would not fold, and because some

Gabby’s POVI stayed until his breathing finally evened out and for a long time, I didn’t move. Ethan’s head remained heavy in my lap, one arm locked around the back of my shirt like his body was still arguing with the idea of being left. Every few minutes his face would tighten in sleep, brows drawing together, mouth pulling down at the corners as if whatever dream he's having refused to give him peace.“Don’t leave me, Fiona… please,” I heard him mutter.The words were too soft…almost broken. They hit harder than if he had shouted it out loud, the pleading tone crushing my heart.I stayed put and rubbed slow circles between his shoulder blades until the grip on my shirt loosened finger by finger. Only then did I carefully wipe the drying tear tracks from his cheek with the edge of my sleeve.Those bastards.They are definitely going to pay for this.When I was sure he wouldn’t jolt awake, I eased myself free, stood, and pulled the throw blanket from the back of the couch over him.

Gabby’s POVAn hour later the seminar finally released us.Chairs scraped, laptops snapped shut and the low stampede of students hungry for air and caffeine filled the corridor outside Professor Klein’s lecture room. I hooked my fingers around Yuna’s wrist before she could disappear into the current and tugged her toward a quieter stretch near the windows.“So,” I said, smiling in a way that immediately made her suspicious. “What’s your plan for the rest of the day?”Yuna groaned in exhaustion as she rolled her eyes. “If this is about clubbing or drinking, the answer is no. I am emotionally unavailable to neon lights and bad decisions today.”“That’s not why I’m asking,” I replied as my smile turned shameless. “I want you to come home with me.”She crossed her arms over her chest and took a dramatic step back, eyes narrowing in playful alarm.“What do you want from me, Gabby? I’m as straight as they come. I’m warning you, if you even think about…”I burst out laughing before she coul