Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 21 - Chapitre 30

•ISOLDE• The music was loud enough to drown most conversations, but not loud enough to hide the sharp scent that reached me. Gas. I paused mid-sentence, my fingers tightening slightly around the stem of my glass. Across from me, Mara was still talking, her expression animated as she spoke about something trivial I had already stopped following. I inhaled again and almost choked on my own saliva when I realized how strong it had become. “Mara,” I interrupted. She blinked. “What?” “Do you smell that?” I asked. She frowned and lifted her glass, sniffing the rim before shaking her head. “Smell what?” I turned my head, scanning the room. People were still laughing, still moving between tables. The staff carried trays. The podium at the front stood ready for the next speech. No one else seemed to notice. “It smells like gas,” I replied. Mara’s expression shifted, but only slightly. “You’re probably overthinking it. The kitchen’s right behind that wall—” “No,” I cut in. “This

•ISOLDE• The room smelled like medicine. I stood near the door at first, holding onto the edge of my dress, unsure if I was allowed to go closer. The curtains were half drawn, and the light that came through made everything look pale. My mother lay in the bed, her eyes closed, her breathing slow and uneven. She didn’t look like herself. She looked smaller. “We can go in,” Edan murmured beside me. I didn’t move. “What if she’s sleeping?” I asked. “She’s not,” he replied. “She’ll want to see you.” I swallowed and nodded. My feet felt heavy as I walked toward the bed. Each step made my chest tighten more. I stopped when I reached her side. “Mom?” I whispered. Her eyes opened slowly. For a moment, they looked unfocused. Then they found me. “Isolde,” she murmured. "Hey baby..." Her voice was weak. It didn’t sound like the voice that used to call me for dinner or laugh when I told her stories. I climbed onto the chair beside the bed and leaned closer. “Are you feeling better?”

•KAELEN•I couldn't help but notice her beauty as she slept. She looked unreal, and when I saw her slowly opening her eyes, I turned around and pretended to be sleeping. I kept my breathing even and didn't make any sudden sounds, even when I could feel her eyes on me. She was looking at me, which caused my heart to beat faster. I turned around and almost chuckled when she tried to pretend as if she were sleeping as well. "Good morning, Miss creepy head." She chuckled when she realized that I saw her staring at me. "I wasn't staring," she tried to explain. "I was sleeping when I woke up and saw you." I couldn't resist her smile. I had never spent a night like this with a woman before, but with her... I was something else entirely. "There's no need to explain yourself for staring at the most handsome man in the city," I smirked. "And so you know, I won't tell anyone." She chuckled. "Oh, please, Mr. Handsome, don't flutter yourself. I haven't seen a more handsome man than my own c

•ISOLDE•I stood in front of my closet, staring at the row of clothes, deciding which ones to wear to check on The Meridian and see what needed to be done. I felt responsible for the place being destroyed in the fire while I was hosting my engagement party. One thing that I should've canceled when I had the chance. People were already spreading false rumors about what happened, and I couldn't even get past the first comments in those posts. But what hurt more than anything was Caleb leaving with Talia. He didn't even care to call me, and the thought that he started cheating on me during our engagement party was something I couldn't fathom. I exhaled and reached for a simple outfit and nothing flashy. I got dressed and tied my hair back. When I was done, I found Kate already waiting for me at the end of the stairs. We didn't bother ourselves to talk about the night of my engagement party. I was relieved that she got home safe and had fun. It would've been a different story if she

•ISOLDE•I stayed in the car for a moment, taking in my best friend's betrayal, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. My throat tightened up, and I felt the same pressure I felt in the bathroom on my chest.Arya was quiet and there was no one there to tell me to calm down and to remind me that I knew things would get into this.But even though I knew that she would turn against me, the pain was still there. She was my best friend and was the only person there for me during my most vulnerable moments.She wasn't supposed to betray me the way she did. I trusted her and had done so much for her because I thought she was like a sister to me. I didn't understand why she wanted to ruin my life. She had Caleb and didn't have to kill me. To top it all, she came to my house earlier today and lied to my face about the online rumors. She started the whole thing and wanted to see me break. I exhaled before turning on the engine and driving straight to the hospital. I wanted to talk to Caleb. I