The Next 365 Days Novels & Stories

I set the phone down and close my eyes. Three months. Ninety days. I can do this. I have to.

Silence stretched between us. Lucan finally moved, he set his glass down as he stared at me. “What a strong argument you have Mrs Williams, but as you said we didn't go all the way.” he said leaning slightly towards me. He was directly opposite me, yet it seemed like there was no space between us. “ I have actually made adjustments on my end of the deal. Instead of a night, I want 100 days with you.”

I mumbled decreasing the gap between us. I have no idea how am I going to survive these three days without him and one thing is sure it won't be Facile, for either of us.

Three days. To the rest of Oakhaven, three days was just a blink of an eye—a few sunrises, a few sunsets, and the mundane rhythm of a city that never stopped breathing. But for Zara, these three days had felt like three agonizing centuries. Since the disastrous night at the restaurant, the world had turned gray. The vibrant colors of her ambition had been washed away by the rain that had soaked her to the bone that night.

Then tomorrow. I could do three more seconds.

No words needed. Three more days. Plenty of rooms left to ruin.

As tempting as it sounds, I'm still not sure I should even be considering it right now. "But what about all these people? I'll be leaving them behind," I tell him. He shakes his head, pacing the room a little bit. "Think of it like this. It won't be forever, and I'll baby sit them while you're gone," he exclaims, with a humorous smile. I roll my eyes. Like he'd be capable to looking after this community of criminals. "Look, we need to concentrate on what's happening in the next three days," Adrian says, clapping his hands together. I jump. Three days? I hardly know what I'm having for dinner, let alone what is happening in three days.

He clutched Evelyn's arm, refusing to let her leave. Evelyn looked at him with clear disgust, trying to shake him off but failing. "Matthias, how many times do I have to say it before you understand? We're over." His voice was hoarse as he asked, "What about our future? Didn't we say we'd always be together?" "Future?" Evelyn let out an icy laugh. "What can you even give me now? Look at yourself. You might not even have a future." Matthias still held on tightly. "Evelyn… What about our child? Are you really okay with letting them be born without a father?"

He released her and walked away, his laughter a dark, low sound that echoed in the glass room. Valentina watched him go, her hand trembling as she touched her stomach. "364 days left," she whispered to the empty room. "364 days to burn it all down.”

Would he have been able to? Day thirty of thirty. Zero to go.