Absolute Choice Novels & Stories

the one that decided everything. My breath steadied. because I saw it now. clearly. not all the options. not all the outcomes. Just one. not the safest. not the strongest. not the most perfect. but—him. I stepped forward. not into the space. not into the possibilities. Into that. The mark surged. Violently. because now it had something to hold. something to define. something chosen. the other versions flickered. Fading. Breaking. because now they weren’t being held. they weren’t being given meaning.

My heart was pounding, my system blaring faintly in the background, alerting me to the emotional intensity of the moment. “Adrian,” I said, my voice low, cold, and unwavering, “I choose him.” The words hung in the air, heavier than any deal, heavier than any empire. He blinked once, incredulous, and then laughed, a low, mocking sound that didn’t touch me. I didn’t flinch. I didn’t doubt. “I choose Gloss,” I repeated, louder this time, letting the full weight of my decision sink into the room. “Not money, not power, not fear. I choose him. Every single time. No argument. No negotiation. No loopholes. Him. Always him.”

“How am I supposed to choose between them?” “You’re not,” Aurora said simply. “The choice has already been made.” “No,” I said. “No, there has to be another way. There has to be something—” “There isn’t,” Aurora said, and she stood up with effort. “Sometimes there are no good options, Lily. Sometimes you just have to choose the option that kills the fewest people.” “Get out,” I said. “Lily—” “GET OUT!” I screamed it this time, and Nyx surged forward so hard my eyes flashed and my fingers started to shift into claws.

she replied. “No.” “I wouldn’t have chosen that version.” “I know.” He stepped closer. Not possessive. Not demanding. Just certain. “So choose this one,” he said softly. Her heart didn’t race wildly. It settled. Because this wasn’t chaos. This wasn’t ego. This wasn’t unfinished business. This was alignment. And for the first time— Choosing didn’t feel like risk. It felt inevitable. ---

In the end, it was Nathan's misjudgment that caused everything, but somehow, I became the one who wasn't generous enough. "Lois, I…" Nathan's eyes darkened, a bitter smile on his lips. "I've already had my assistant handle things with the platform. I'm sorry for the trouble you've been through. I didn't realize how much you've been dealing with. I didn't know—" "You knew," I interrupted softly, looking at him. My tone was indifferent. If he hadn't known how painful and suffocating public opinion could be, he wouldn't have chosen to divorce me just to help Jenny.