I couldn’t keep lying to myself anymore.The bet had started as a stupid, drunken challenge by the pool. A way to fight boredom. A way to prove I could still get whatever I wanted. But now, weeks later, it felt like a chain around my neck, tighter every time Emily smiled at me, every time she trusted me with another piece of herself.I had to end it.That night, Marcus and Tyler came over uninvited, as usual. They let themselves in like they owned the place, carrying takeout bags and loud energy that clashed with the heavy silence of the mansion.“King’s castle!” Marcus announced, dropping onto the sectional. “We brought burgers. Figured you might be starving after all that ‘studying’ with your scholarship project.”Tyler grinned, already raiding the fridge for drinks. “How’s the bet going, man? You’ve been weirdly quiet. She fallen yet? We’re getting close to the deadline.”I stood by the window, staring out at the city lights, my back to them. My hands were clenched at my sides. The
Last Updated : 2026-06-12 Read more