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I'm Zhang San. Reborn today, I decided to live differently. In my past life, I was pathetic. This time, I became ruthless. From restaurant server to underworld boss, I crush my bullies and outsmart my father-in-law. I learned that when you stand firm, the world yields to you.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
"Millie wait!" I turned around when hearing someone calling my name, only to see an extremely hot guy, like way hot. Gee. No wonder those glasses were popular right now. He looked smoking hot with them, and I bet he still looked hot when he took the glasses off. And he had muscles, not as many as Leo or Atlas, more like Oliver. Wait! Why did I suddenly think of the other three transfer students? “Don’t you want to know who I am?” His hot breath sprayed on the side of my neck as he leaned forward and whispered into my ear. “Not really. One of the transfer students, I know,” I mumbled as I continued to walk forward, my cheeks slightly red. What was it with my reaction to these transfer students? Why was I so attracted to them? All four of them! ”I’m Milo. It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Millie. Millie and Milo... Sounds like a perfect match,” he continued. I got more flustered but managed to find my voice and made it stern, “Please don’t joke with me. I just ate my lunch and I don’t want to throw up.” Milo chuckled in my ear, making goosebumps rise across my skin. “Well, Mille, I know you’re lying. I can tell from the blush in your cheeks and the goosebumps on your arms-” “And the annoyance in my voice,” I added. He chuckled again. “Atlas was right. You’re feisty. It’s hot.” I opened my mouth wanting to say something when an angry voice boomed from behind. “Stay away from my girl,” James roared. I rolled my eyes. He was the one who dumped me right after taking away my most precious innocence and even the one who caused my miserable life in the past year, as he and my best friend Vanessa spread rumors about me being a boyfriend stealer right after cheating on me! “I heard you already have a girlfriend, or two,” Milo teased in disgust. “Mind your business. Millie is mine,” retorted James, and then he turned to me with a wink. “Millie, I told you I was sorry last week-” “First of all, you did not actually say sorry. You gave me some sort of apology gift, that I did not accept by the way. And then I saw you later that night with Vanessa. Not to mention that Milianda said you’re also dating her,” I interrupted him. Then something dawned on me. “Wait, are you the reason she came after me again today? I got a slap!” I narrowed my eyes at him. “What?” Milo practically shouted. “Someone slapped you?” He asked as he cupped my cheeks and forced my face to his. He scanned my features until his gaze landed on the cut on my bottom lip. His deep blue playful eyes turned sharp. His exaggerated reaction bewildered me. Like the other three transfer students, Milo seemed to pay excessive attention to me although we had just met. But why? Why did these transfer students act like we were childhood friends or something? I swatted his hand from my face and narrowed my eyes at him. “Do not touch me without my consent again," I told him sternly. Milo's playfulness settled back on his face. "One of these days you'll be begging me. And I cannot wait to give my girl what she wants." He said and my jaw dropped. ***** New year, new me. That's the motto I am trying to stick with as I stare at myself in the mirror. It's early in the morning, about 6 a.m. and I am ready for school. I'm dressed in regular jean shorts and a plain baby pink T-shirt. It brings out the tan of my skin and I love it. I haven't worn bright colors in a long time, this year will be different though. I am getting back to my normal self. My long dark blonde hair is pulled back into two french braids, something I learned how to do over the boring summer. I say boring because it's boring as h*ll when you have no friends and have to work all summer. I applied light makeup, a bit of highlighter to my cheek bones, mascara, and a little bit of lip gloss. I did a few poses in the mirror, trying to hype myself up. Let's face it, I look good. Grabbing my backpack, I booked it down the stairs. My dad and little brother are sitting at the table having breakfast. Dad is reading from the newspaper and drinking his coffee. I look just like my dad. Same dirty blonde hair and light green eyes. My annoying little brother looks like a perfect mix of our parents with his dark chestnut-colored hair and the same green eyes. "Good morning honey." Mom sings from the counter in the kitchen. "Good morning Momma." I said to her as I slid into a chair at the bar-top. Mom slid a plate of bacon and eggs to me and I smiled brightly at her. My mom is so sweet. Always taking care of us. Her dark brown hair is tied up in a messy bun on the top of her head. She's still in her pajamas since she doesn't work. Dad makes enough to support us all, being a project engineer. "You excited about your first day of school?" She asked me, her warm brown eyes shining with her smile. I gulped. Mom has no idea about what happened last year. All she knows is that James and I broke up. I had to tell her something about why I was depressed. Thankfully, she didn't press me about it. Mom just told me that she would always be there if I needed to talk. Honestly, I wish I could of. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone. However, I made it through just fine on my own. "Sure am. I have all AP classes this year and I get to work on college applications," I told her. Mom rolled her eyes at me. "Always so much work and no play, just like your father." She teased. "That's not a bad thing dear." Dad said without taking his eyes off of the paper. My mom is an advocate for 'kids should be kids'. She believes I should be sneaking out, breaking curfew, drinking, all that. Even before I became a social pariah, I wasn't into all of that. I liked hanging out with my friends, don't get me wrong, but I was also focused on school. Getting into a good college was a big deal for me. I want to be a marine biologist. My parents can afford to pay for my college, so luckily I don't have to deal with a scholarship, but I do have to worry about getting in. I'd also like to stay close to home. Despite what happened to me over last year, I still wanted to remain close to my family. "I think we should be asking if Caleb is excited." I said as I turned in my chair to look at my little brother, who rolled his eyes. "It's my second year, nothing to be excited about." He grumbled. "But this is the year that you are finally on varsity for the football team. You've been practicing all summer." I said with a pout. Caleb rolled his eyes and turned to look at me. "I am going to be the best player on the varsity team," he said with complete arrogance. I narrowed my eyes at him, but smiled. "Atta boy." I said proudly. Caleb chuckled, and shook his head. Just then there was a loud honk of a car horn outside. My little brother jumped to his feet and grabbed his bag. "That's my ride. See ya later." He said as he left the room. "Why don't you take your sister to school too?" Dad called after him. "You want to come with us, Mil?" Caleb asked. Caleb knew I was going to say no. He has actually been a safe haven for me through all of this. He's the only one who doesn't care about the bullying. I mean, Caleb gets, like, really mad, but he doesn't care about being seen with me. His friends do though, and I know that. So I always decline. Caleb never really cares about anything other than football. He is the only one in the school and this house that knows the truth. Caleb was furious, and he had gotten into a few fights last year over me. It's a good thing he was a big 14-year-old, even bigger now. My little brother was always protecting me and I appreciated it. I very much appreciated that he never let me eat lunch alone either. "No, I'm good. I enjoy walking." I said with a smile. "Thanks though." Caleb nodded. "Kay, I'll see you at lunch then?" He asked. "Yup." I said as I turned around and shoved a piece of bacon in my mouth. After I was done eating breakfast, I tried to help my mom with the dishes, but she refused. I kissed my dad on the top of his head, and hugged my mom before walking out of the door. Slipping my airpods into my ears, I flipped through my music until I found something that I liked. There is a bit of a pep in my step. Today is going to be a good day. Everyone has totally forgotten about me and about last year. Right? I should probably explain what happened to me last year. It wasn't anything massive, but it felt like it to me at the time. My whole life flipped upside down. It was life-changing for me. Vanessa had been my best friend since we were in kindergarten. We were as thick as thieves. Vanessa and I spent every day together. As we got older, our interests changed a bit. We still made time for each other every day though. Between my extra studying and Vanessa's cheerleading, we made it work. We had movie nights and ate lunch together every day, despite her new friends' clear disdain for me. Then, at the beginning of our sophomore year, Vanessa made me go to a party with her. It was my very first party and Vanessa had dressed me and done my makeup. I have to admit that I had never looked better. When we got to the party, Vanessa had ditched me almost immediately to hook up with her latest fling. I had wandered to a secluded area with а cup of water that I was pretending was alcohol. That was when I met James. James had wandered out to get away from the loud noise too. We ended up spending several hours just talking and laughing. Next thing I knew, we were dating. James picked me up every morning in his fancy car. He would walk me to class and hold my hand. It was so nice. I went to all of his football and basketball games. We went on dates, all the normal teenage dating stuff. It was very sweet honestly. I used to think that he was my prince charming. Until the beginning of last year came around. Within the first month, my whole world came crashing down. After attending a party that I did not want to go to, with James, I lost my virginity. James had taken me to a room upstairs and finally, after a year of dating, I let him have my virginity. Something I still regret. It took James only moments to break up with me. Like literally, I was still n8ked in the bed when he dressed and told me it was over. He finally got what he wanted, and no longer needed me. At least that's what he said. At the time, I cried about it a lot. I ran out of the house and all the way home. For a few weeks after that, Vanessa had comforted me. Then, one day, I had come to school and the air had completely changed. People were looking at me and whispering about me, but I had no idea what they were saying. When I had arrived at my locker, Vanessa was there waiting for me with three other cheerleaders. She had made a huge scene for the whole school. Vanessa had admitted to me that she had been sleeping with James for almost the entirety of our relationship. She told everybody how I had stolen him from her in the first place, and that he had wanted to break up with me for months, but that I made it impossible. Apparently, James had broken up with me several times, and every time I had begged him to stay. And he gave in. It was wild for me to hear, considering it was all lies. Vanessa also told me that our friendship was a complete lie. She said that she just felt bad for me, and I was a charity case for her. Then I had stolen her man, and she only stayed my friend to get revenge on me. My world had turned upside down. I was so confused about everything. Honestly, Vanessa pretending to be my friend hurt worse than my breakup. After that, the whole school turned against me. Not that I was a big deal anyway. In fact, I was only ever really noticed after this little incident. Then my life turned into a whole sh.it show. Every day someone wrote on my locker the word 'sl.ut' or 'wh.ore' or whatever else they could come up with. Girls would push me into lockers, tease me, throw trash on me. I even got into a couple of fights. I also found out that James had told everyone that we had sεx. Rumors were flying around. After that, if the girls here weren't picking on me, then the guys were making comments about me. Sleeping with that sleeze ball was the worst thing I had ever done. Next time I sleep with someone, it'll be someone I know can keep their mouth shut. By the end of the year last year, I was wearing nothing but black and hoodies. Anything to hide myself. You would think that over the course of months the bullying would die down, but it never did. The amount of people who bullied me was the only thing that changed. Most of the school had moved on from 'my' little stunt. But, the cheerleaders and the rest of the popular crew never stopped. This year will be different though. II Chapter 2: More Explanation Millie's P.O.V. ******************************************** Honestly, the whole situation was just silly. I didn't do anything in the first place. I was betrayed by my best friend and my boyfriend, the two people I thought loved me more than anyone. Aside from family, of course. Yet, this was my life. Vanessa and James had started dating, they flaunted their relationship everywhere and to everyone. Annoying I know. If I was ever caught in the cafeteria, I was bullied, had food thrown at me or at me, or my lunch stolen. Eventually, I had moved outside under a tree to be by myself. Unfortunately, that didn't stop everyone. It wasn't until Caleb started to eat with me that I would be left alone. Everyone else was too afraid to be my friend. I think that they were afraid of getting bullied along with me. How could I blame them? Caleb started to pick up on the change at school even though we were two grades apart. After one particularly bad day, he cornered me at home, and made me tell him everything. Caleb got into a lot of fights with the other guys after that. It got to a point where I had to have a talk with him before he got expelled. Thankfully, my little brother settled for spending lunch with me. I stopped telling Caleb the details of my bullying, and by the end of the year, things were good. Well, good enough I guess. Caleb was no longer getting into fights, and most days I could avoid the populars. This year will be different though. I hadn't heard a thing from anyone all summer long. Even working at the only movie theater in town, I managed to avoid them all. When one of my bullies saw me they would settle for an eye roll and a snarky comment. I could deal with those. At least they weren't cornering me anymore. So, they must have forgotten about everything then, right? My walk to school wasn't bad at all. I was feeling pretty good, actually. Even when the dull school came into view I was feeling confident. This year I will just stay focused on school. No one even cares about what happened last year. I mean, why would they? Surely they were over it now. I walked through the doors of the school with my schedule in hand. My locker is number 367, and close to all my classes but one. I kept my head down as I rushed to my locker. So far so good. Nobody has even noticed me. Just how I want it to be. I was putting my things in my locker when two girls started walking towards me. My body froze. Then one opened up the locker two down from mine. I breathed out a sigh of relief. They aren't part of the popular crowd that hates me with a burning passion, but I do remember the two of them making comments to me. Pretty sure the blonde one tripped me one time. "Did you hear?" The blonde says to her friend. "Hear what?" Her friend asked. "James and Vanessa broke up." The blonde squealed. "Like for real this time. Not like all the other bullsh.it times." Her friend rolled her eyes and picked at her nails. "Sure they did." She said sarcastically. The blonde huffed. "They really did. Like a month into summer vacation." She whined out. "Do you think it has anything to do with that ex of his?" Her friend asked, and I froze again. "Ya know, that one that used to be friends with Vanessa?" "Oh please." The blonde said with an eye roll. "You heard about how desperate that girl was for James. And he could have anyone, he would never go back to her. First, she's plain, and a total goth. Don't you remember how she started dressing at the end of the year?" The blonde visibly shuddered. Okay rude. I wasn't dressed that badly. "No, he is moving on to better things a.k.a. me." She said proudly. "Oh okay." Her friend snorted. "Like James Melrose would be interested in a nobody like you." Ouch. What a friend. The blonde slammed her locker shut, and turned to her friend. "Jealousy is a very ugly color on you Harp." She stated before stomping away. Unfortunately, because the blonde left, I was caught looking. Her friend 'Harp' and I connected eyes. My face flushed as the girl stared at me with amusement. Her brown eyes trailed down my outfit and back to my eyes. "Glad to see you aren't a goth anymore." She said with a smile. "Thanks." I mumbled as she walked away. As weird as that was, I'm taking this as a win. Only one person noticed me so far, and she wasn't even mean. This year is going to be totally normal. Just me and the library. I have a college essay to write and AP classes to keep up on. I gathered some supplies, and headed to my first class, AP English. The teacher is here sitting behind his desk. I walked to the furthest seat from the door in the first row and sat down. Class starts in ten minutes, but I didn't mind being early. It gives me time to work on what my essay will be about. Shortly after I started to write out topics to choose from, the classroom started to fill. I was hoping that, because all of my classes are AP, that none of the popular kids would be here. So I frowned when Milinda, Vanessa's BFF, walked in. We connected eyes, and she glared at me before taking her seat in the back corner, far from me. Oh no, I hope that's all I get from her. I can take dirty looks and snarky comments. What I don't want, is to be bullied so badly I go back into hiding. I don't want to hide anymore. I don't want to get beat up or trash thrown on me. I just want to be left alone. It's slightly amazing how cruel teenage girls can be. When class was over, I stayed back to talk with the teacher. Mr. Douglas is a nice guy, and I asked him if he would mind reading over my essay when I finished before I turn it in. He was all smiles when he agreed. I get the feeling that most students here aren't as concerned with school as I am. After talking with Mr. Douglas I rushed to my next class, which was AP Biology. My favorite class, the one I am looking forward to the most. The teacher, Mrs. Gibbson is a really nice lady in her mid 40s. She beamed at me as I entered the class. "Good morning Millie, I was looking forward to seeing you today." She greeted me. "Good morning Mrs. Gibbson." I greeted back with my own bright smile. Mrs. Gibbson found out that I wanted to be a marine biologist last year and took me under her wing. I would come in after school, and she would teach me all sorts of things. She told me what colleges had the best programs for the profession I wanted. Mrs. Gibbson even offered to write me a letter of recommendation, and said she would put in a good word for me at the college she and her husband attended. Her husband is a zoologist too. I walked to the farthest seat from the door in the front, and opened my notebook. For the next few minutes, I doodled more notes for my essay and then the bell rang. When I looked up from my notebook, I saw that the class was full. Two seats to every desk, but mine. I was alone. Mrs. Gibbson's eyes looked at my desk. Something resembling pity flickered in her eyes before she shook it off. Even though I never told Mrs. Gibbson about what happened, I think she knew. I mean, any teacher with ears probably knew. She never asked me about it though, so I never told her. We were always preoccupied with better conversations, and that was fine by me. Although, there were times that she told me things always get better, and to keep my head up. The class went by fast, and I was disappointed when the bell rang. Mrs. Gibbson waved goodbye to me as I walked out the door. My next class is AP calculus, the class I am most nervous about. I was never bad at math, but it was not my favorite subject. This class I played it the same as my first two. Front far corner seat, notebook out ignoring everybody, and I kept my head down. The rest of the school day went the same. When the lunch bell rang, I found my little brother waiting by my locker. I ran up to him with a smile on my face. "Wait, how did you know this was my locker?" I asked when I got to him. Caleb gave me a look that told me I wasn't going to like what he was going to say. "I have the janitor coming to clean it off. The principal said he would have it gone by the time lunch is over." Caleb told me. "Move." I ordered. "Why don't you just take your stuff to lunch with us? I can carry it if you want." Caleb suggested. I stomped my foot like a child, and glared at my over-protective little brother. He towers over my small 5'3 frame, which is completely unfair. He's my little brother. Caleb crossed his arms like he was prepared to argue with me. suks for him because so am I. After seeing that I wasn't backing down, Caleb sighed heavily, and moved to the side. A small gasp left my lips as I took in the white writing across the navy blue locker. It reads 'Fat Pig'. Tears filled my eyes. It's only the first day. No one even said anything to me. Shaking my head, I blinked the tears back before they could fall. Then I opened my locker, shoved my belongings inside, and turned to my brother with a smile. "Ready for lunch?" I asked, and then started walking away before he could answer. "It's okay if you want to skip, and go to the library or something," Caleb offered. We used to do that when things got too hard. I would run away, and my little brother would come with me. But this year is different. I'm done running away, and I am done letting these people bully me into silence. "Nope, that's totally not going to happen." I said. I could see Caleb smile out of the corner of my eye. "This really is a new year, new you, huh?" He teased as he bumped me with his shoulder. That's right. New year. New me. The rest of the day went by smoothly. I'm honestly surprised. I thought for sure after seeing my locker that comments would be made. Yet, it seemed like no one even knew about it. I wonder if that has something to do with Caleb. Did he find out before anyone could see it? My AP classes were smooth as well, but it is only the first day. The only one I had to worry about so far was calculus. I'd give it some time before transferring out of it though. I can do this. All AP classes for me looks good on a college application. I would not give up easily. My second to last hour is a chosen class. Most people pick choir or band, but this school offers an extra course that allows you to help your underclassmen. You can only take it if you are a junior or senior though. I was in it last year, but no one wanted me to help them. It ended up being a silent hour for me to catch up on my studies. I was a little sad about it, but oh well. This year I was determined to be different, and it was already working out for me. I spent the whole class preparing a few freshman girls what to expect for their science class. They thanked me when the bell rang, and I told them I would be here for them anytime they needed. The last hour of school is a silent hour. At least for me. That meant I had the whole hour to do what I wanted. Most seniors have an hour like this, but none of them except a select few have it as their last hour. Probably because they would just leave, and not use it how it is meant to be used. Oh, well, not me. I went straight to the library, and opened my notebook. When the last bell rang, I stayed in the library for a while working on my essay. At about 4:30 I decided that was enough for one day. When I reached my locker there were no more words. The halls were quiet as I slipped my books into the locker, and grabbed my backpack. Sticking my airpods into my ears, I smiled. Today was definitely a good start to a new year. Nothing was going to be thrown at me that I couldn't handle. III Chapter 3: A Gift From An а-hole Millie's P.O.V. ************************************** The next two weeks went by totally smooth. Just like I planned. There was only one more incident with my locker. That time someone wrote 'Happy Birthday Fat Wh.ore', on my birthday. Which is today. It's Friday and my locker was the first thing I saw this morning. I rolled my eyes when I saw it, and pulled out a white eraser sharpie I had bought. I wrote 'Thanks A Ton!' back, and then did not report it. What was the point? Honestly, I was feeling good. Words are words. It was the actions and words from the two people I loved that hurt the most. Since I don't love them anymore, I was feeling less affected. And I have no idea who is even leaving these little love notes for me. After I grabbed my stuff, I headed to my first class, and took the same seat I had since the first day. Mr. Douglas was sitting behind his desk staring down at some papers in front of him. He has grown to be one of my favorite teachers. He's very kind and helpful. "Good morning Millie and happy birthday." Mr. Douglas told me. "Thanks." I said as I beamed at him. "Teachers pet." Mumbled a female voice. Why is she so early for class? Mr. Douglas frowned, but I gave him a reassuring smile. Thankfully, he let it go, and I took my seat. Mr. Douglas said that he had to grab something from the teachers' lounge and would be right back. That was when Milinda decided to change her normal seat, and sit next to me. "Heard it was your birthday today, wh.ore." She said. I ignored her. "Oof, should I have said fat wh.ore?" She asked with a giggle. I turned my head to her. Milinda's platinum blonde hair was pulled back into a high ponytail that hung straight down her back. Black winged eyeliner adorned her blue eyes. She's in her cheerleading uniform since there is a game tonight. "Was that you that left me that lovely message on my locker?" I asked her sweetly. Milinda seemed taken aback for a moment. After all, I have never given them sass back before. I would always cry or run away. This year I will not be so weak. They want a fight, a fight they'll get. "Lovely huh? Being called fat isn't what I would call lovely." She said. I only shrugged at her, and turned back to my notebook. "So, not sure if you heard, but James and I are dating now." Milinda told me. "Congratulations." I mumbled without looking at her. "Thanks. I just wanted to let you know, so there were no hard feelings between us." She said, sounding bored. I snorted as I continued to write. "Believe me, there are hard feelings between us, Milinda." Then I looked up to meet her blue eyes. "But it has nothing to do with James. I hope you guys are happy together, truly." Then I sat back in my chair. "Although, it does make me question what kind of friend you are." I said as I scrutinized her with my gaze. Milinda's face turned into a sneer. "What the h*ll is that supposed to mean?" She asked. I shrugged. "I doubt that Vanessa is pleased with your new boyfriend," I stated. Milinda rolled her eyes. "Because you didn't do that same thing." She, accused. I didn't, but okay. "And look what happened to me." I said, and then smiled when her face paled. Before Milinda could say anything else, Mr. Douglas was back and started class. Milinda was forced to sit in the seat she moved to for the rest of class. I had zero problem paying attention, but it was clear that the cheerleader was struggling. She had tried to pass me notes several times and every time I tossed them into the trash can that was right in front of me. I would like to say that it didn't satisfy me to make Milinda squirm, but it did. It really, really did. Though I would not keep it up. I'm not a bully like they are. I wouldn't have even said anything had Milinda left me alone. So, when the bell rang and the cheerleader tried to stop and talk to me, I ignored her and rushed to my next class. "Happy birthday Millie!" Mrs. Gibbson practically shouted when I walked through the door. I looked up at two birthday balloons, and a cute little teddy bear sitting on my usual spot. A wide grin spread across my face when I saw it. I walked over to the gifts and snuggled the teddy bear. "Thank you so much, this was very sweet of you." I told Mrs. Gibbson, and gave her a quick hug. "Do you want to pop the balloons before anyone gets here?" She asked. I gave her a strange look. "Why would I want to do that?" I asked. Mrs. Gibbson gave me a small shrug. "I know how cruel teenagers can be. I didn't want anyone teasing you." She said. I gave her a bored look. "You saw my locker this morning, I take it?" I asked her as I sat down on the stool. "I talked to the janitor about removing it and then the principal." She told me. I pulled my book out from my backpack, and set it on my desk. "And how did that go for you?" I asked her. Mrs. Gibbson huffed in annoyance. "Does he even care? When I told him about it, he didn't seem the least bit interested." She told me. I nodded. Principal Melrose is James's grandfather. Not one time did he care about the bullying. I didn't tell my parents or complain directly to him, so he brushed everything off. Caleb calls him useless and I agree. There was really no point in seeking out his help. "He's probably just used to it," I said. "That doesn't make it right Millie." Mrs. Gibbson replied. I looked up from my book to see her angry expression. "Well, one thing it did was make me stronger," I said, and then looked back at my notebook. "I couldn't care less if any of these kids make fun of me for the gifts. It makes me happy that you remembered, and I am thankful for that." I told her with a bright smile. I meant it too. What would they say that they haven't already? Besides, maybe they should just get a life. It's two balloons and a teddy bear, is it really that big of a deal? No, it's not. "It won't hurt my feelings if you want to hide them." She said quietly as the first few students came strolling in and looking in our direction. "No, thank you." I whispered back. Thankfully, Mrs. Gibbson let it go after that. A few kids did make remarks about being a teachers' pet, but I ignored them. Mrs. Gibbson managed to hold her tongue at the other students, and I was thankful. A couple of the students even offered me a polite happy birthday. See, things are already better than last year. I wasn't holding out hope that I would have friends, but at least people were being decent. By lunchtime, my locker was completely forgotten about. By me, anyway. Caleb was still fuming over it. We are sitting outside under the tree that I love, eating our gross cardboard pizza. "Will you stop sulking already?" I whined out in irritation. "It happened to me, and I'm not even as upset as you are." "It doesn't pi.ss you off in the slightest? The sh.it they said about you isn't even true. So what, you gave your virginity to a total a.sshat? And your best friend had betrayed you in the worst way? Wasn't that enough? Can't they leave you alone?" He rambled out in an angry voice. I blinked at him. "Were you purposely trying to bring it up?" I asked him with a shake of my head. "Sorry." He mumbled. "But doesn't it piss you off?" I shrugged as I bit into my greasy pizza. "I think I skipped over being mad. I spent too much time crying over everything last year. I want this year to be different. Even if they keep up their bullsh.it, I want to ignore it. I want to have a good senior year. Well, the best I can have anyway," I said. Caleb smiled at me. "I envy your ability to not care," he said while shaking his head. I smiled brightly. "So tell me, how is football going?" I asked him. "Big game tonight." "Yeah, my first game on varsity," he said with a slightly nervous tone. I patted his leg. "You'll kick a.ss out there. You're too good not to." I said reassuringly. Caleb nodded, and gave me an arrogant smile. " You're right. I am good. Hella good." He said. I laughed. "That's right." I said, amused. "There's this new guy on the team now. It's a bit annoying. I'm not sure that I'll even get to play because of him," Caleb told me. I frowned. "What makes you say that? I didn't even know there was anyone new here." I asked. Caleb shrugged. "He hasn't started yet. They just arrived a couple of days ago. He's going to be starting Monday, but... He's a senior, and apparently really good. I mean... At practice, he's dumb good." Caleb told me. I patted his shoulder. "I think you'll get the chance to play still." I told him. "I hope so." He said. "So, are you going to come out tonight?" "Do you want me to?" I asked. Caleb gave me a shy smile, and rubbed the back of his neck. "Mom and Dad are coming. I would like it if you came to see my first game, but you don't have to. I understand if you don't want to be there." He rushed out. James is the quarterback. And the cheerleaders hate me. My ex-best friend is the captain of the cheer team. I haven't been to a football game since everything happened. But, new year, new me. "Oh, I'm coming." I said confidently. No more hiding for me. ******************************************** The rest of the day wasn't as smooth as my start though. Apparently, James is in my AP history class. I don't think he was there before, but I'm not completely sure. It's not like I seek him out, or that I even look around the classrooms for him. Nobody here was new and nobody was my friend. So, when James sat down next to me, I was a bit shocked. At first, I ignored him, but I could feel his eyes on me. "Happy birthday Millie Bear." He said, and my body went rigid. "Fu.ck off James." I said without looking up from my notebook. "Awhh, is that any way to talk to someone who bought you a present?" He asked. A present? I looked up at James confused. What the h*ll does he mean a present? What's wrong with him? "It's a braclet. I got it as an apology," James said with a hopeful smile. "Oh James," I said sweetly, and his smile grew. "You can take your apology present and shove it up your @ss." I said while keeping the sweetness in my tone. James frowned. "Come on Mil, what do I have to do for you to forgive me?" He asked. I gave James an incredulous look. Forgive him? What does he have to do? The audacity. He hasn't even apologized, and I'm supposed to accept an apology? Is he serious? "Ya know what, James? I forgive you." I said, and then turned back to my notebook. I don't have the time or patience for this. It's better to just ignore him. Besides, I deserve to forgive James. So, he's forgiven. Now we can both move on. "Great! So, I'll pick you up after the game tonight?" James asked. "Mhmm." I hummed. Wait, what? "Wait, no." I said as I looked at James. "Just because I forgave you does not mean I'm going out with you." I told him, almost laughing. "Why not? We were good together, and you know you've always been my good luck charm." He said with a sweet smile. I gagged. Literally. James looked displeased. "Gross. I just ate lunch, so if you could go easy on me, so I don't have to taste it coming back up, that would be great." I said. "Don't be a beach, Millie. I'm trying to be nice." James gritted out. I looked up at him with raised eyebrows. "Ya know who would love you to be nice to them?" I asked, and he just stared at me. "Literally anybody but me. Especially Milinda. I hear you're dating her now." Then I turned back to my notebook. If James was going to say anything else, I wouldn't know because the bell rang, and the teacher came into the classroom. The class seemed to drag on and on. When the bell finally rang, I practically booked it out of there. I could hear James calling after me, but I ignored him. What a fking jerk. IV Chapter 4: Birthdays and Office Visits Millie's P.O.V. **************************************** I sighed a breath of relief when I made it to my next class. What a total fking a.ss hole. I can't believe James thinks I would ever go back to him after what he did to me. And people used to call me delusional. About halfway through my class, while I was helping a freshman boy with his algebra homework, a ding sounded over the PA. "Would Miss Amelia Holmebrooke please come to the principal's office. Thank you." Came a woman's voice. The teacher and I connected eyes, and he nodded for me to go. I gathered my belongings, and apologized to the freshman I was helping. Then I headed to the head office. Once I arrived, the secretary greeted me with a tight smile. Mrs. Oakly is a middle-aged woman who is rail thin, and I am pretty sure she has slept with a lot of the under-aged students here. Someone should open an investigation against her, seriously. Mrs. Oakly's lips are painted red, and she is wearing a tight black pencil skirt with a navy blue blouse. Her hair is pulled back into a tight bun. She looks like a s*xy librarian, not a high school secretary. "Miss Holmebrooke." She greeted me like I was scvm under her shoes. "Principal Melrose will see you now." Even though he was expecting me, I still knocked on the door. After a gruff 'come in', I stepped into the room. Mr. Melrose is sitting behind his desk with his arms folded over his large belly. He's bald on top of his head with thin white hair on the sides and back. Mr. Melrose has the same light brown eyes as James. His frown did little to ease the anxiety in my stomach. What really caught my eye was Vanessa sitting in the chair across from him, crying. Black watered down streaks ran down her pink cheeks. Her bottom lip is jutted out and trembling. When she turned her head to me, she scowled. Uhm okay... "Miss Holmebrooke, have a seat." Mr. Melrose said. Cautiously, I took the seat next to Vanessa, and set my backpack on the floor in front of me. "What's going on?" I asked as I looked between the two of them. "Miss Elms here has told me that you have been picking on her." He told me. My eyes widened. "What?" I breathed out with a laugh. "Is this funny to you, Miss Holmebrooke?" Mr. Melrose asked with narrowed eyes. "No." I rushed out. "I mean, I'm confused. I'm here because I've been bullying her?" I asked as I pointed between Vanessa and I. "Don't act like you haven't been picking on me for the last two weeks," Vanessa said, and then turned to the principal. "She even did it before the year started. All because she's still mad that James and I are together." She whined out. Wait, so James is with her and Milinda? While also trying to 'apologize' to me? How rich. "We do not tolerate bullying in this school, Miss Holmebrooke." Mr. Melrose said, making me almost snort. "We used to be best friends, Millie. I know what I did was wrong, but James and I are in love. You have to get over that, so we can make up." Vanessa said with the utmost fakeness. Yeah, James is in love with you and everyone else, apparently. Does she really not know what is going on with her own BFF? Wow. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Miss Holmebrooke?" Mr. Melrose asked. My eyebrows shot up. "That I'm completely flabbergasted." I said honestly. "I haven't done anything wrong, and I think you and I both know that sir." Honestly, I've been waiting for this moment. I'm an extremely smart girl, I knew that as soon as they stopped getting a rise out of me over the lockers that something like this would happen. "Excuse me?" Mr. Melrose spit out. "I don't mean any disrespect sir, but I do have proof, and multiple witnesses, that will say that I have been the one being bullied over the last year. I have lots of pictures of all the things they wrote on my locker." I don't, but let's lie anyway. "All of which you did nothing about. My brother has also tried to bring this to your attention on more than one occasion. Never at any point did you do anything about it, sir. You let the bullying keep happening to me. As you know, my father has lots of connections with lawyers. I'm sure that they would agree you are not doing your job appropriately." I finished with a sweet smile. Mr. Melrose's face is beat red now, letting me know he's fuming. Vanessa is stunned into silence next to me. I've never been the bad-girl type. I don't want to be now, but enough is enough. I won't be bullied by anyone, not even this adult. "Are you threatening me?" He finally asked. I shook my head. "Not at all, sir. Just letting you know what could happen." Then I sighed. "Listen, I don't want trouble Mr. Melrose. I just want to finish out my senior year in peace and pay attention to my classes. Nothing more," I said. Mr. Melrose cleared his throat, and nodded his head. "Very well. You may go, Miss Holmebrooke." He said, dismissing me. I grabbed my backpack from the floor, and got up. "You're just going to let her go?" Vanessa wailed. Oh, someone is pissed off. How sad that her little plan didn't work. Boo hoo. "You are dismissed as well, Miss Elms." Mr. Melrose said with a tight tone. "But-" Vanessa tried to say. "But nothing. Go on." He said. Mrs. Oakly didn't utter a word to me as I walked out, and I didn't spare her a glance. Sometimes it baffles me that adults can treat kids this way. I know we're teenagers, but Dam. If my mother and father really knew what was going on here they really would take action. What I said to Mr. Melrose wasn't a complete lie. No, I did not take pictures, and I highly doubt anyone but Caleb and Mrs. Gibbson would be witnesses for me. But yes, my father does know some high-end people. In fact, a few of his friends from college have just moved here, and started a firm. Dad would be more than happy to take action. I might not know the ins and outs of being a principal, but I'm pretty sure if they found out Mr. Melrose has been letting me be bullied this way, he would be in trouble. There were several times that I had to go to the nurses' office last year with bloody lips or my hair pulled out. I was always able to make an excuse, but anyone could tell I was lying. It was a miracle that Mom and Dad never pressed more about it. Mr. Melrose never did anything about that. If I were to tattle on him, he would deserve it. "Millie wait." Vanessa called. I turned around and crossed my arms. "What?" I asked. "Don't have an attitude with me," she stated. Vanessa rolled her eyes, and flipped her curly red hair over her shoulder. "I just want to talk. Like old times." She said with a fake smile. "Oh, you mean all the times when you were just taking pity on me, and pretending to be my friend? Those old times?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Come on, don't be like that. I miss you." She said, pouting. Vanessa's voice sounded genuine. If I didn't know better, I would have fallen for it. Unfortunately, we have already been down this road. She has already played this card. At one point, Vanessa pretended to be sorry for what she did. She tricked me into coming with her to a party to make it up to me. Her and her little popular squad dropped me in the middle of the woods and left me there. It took me three hours to walk home. "What is it you want, Vanessa?" I asked sternly. Vanessa's beautiful smile faded, and she rolled her eyes. "Fine." She said, finally dropping the act. "Are you and James dating again?" My eyes went wide, and I just stared at her for a moment, unable to respond. "Look, if you are, just know we were together just last night. He doesn't love you. And if this is some kind of revenge against me then-" She started, but my laughter had interrupted her. I doubled over, and held my stomach as I laughed. Oh, this is too rich. I can't stop. "It's not fu.cking funny you stupid wh.ore. You stole him from me once already, Millie, just let me have him." Her voice almost sounded pleading. It's pathetic really. So pathetic that my laughter finally died down. I stared at Vanessa as she glared at me. "I didn't steal anybody from you, Vanessa. He was my boyfriend, and was sleeping with you behind my back." I told her, and then sighed. "I'm not with James. I would never embarrass myself by going back to him." Before I could finish, Vanessa scoffed. "You should be lucky he wanted you to begin with." She told me. My eyebrows shot up once again. "Right," I said, and then rolled my eyes. "I should be totally lucky that someone convinced me they loved me, just to take my virginity and dump me." "He took your virginity?" She asked with a soft voice. I looked up to see that Vanessa was genuinely curious. "Yeah." I said like it was no big deal. "He only told the whole school." "I thought he was just lying to spread rumors." Vanessa said as she looked at the ground. "Okay," I said, and then turned back toward the library. I don't care if he lied to her or to me. James is a liar, and I want nothing to do with him. Or her. "Wait Millie!" Vanessa called out as she grabbed my wrist. I turned around to face her. "What now?" I asked angrily. "You really aren't sleeping with him?" She asked me. I shook my head. "No. I would never let him touch me again. But he did get me a present and tried to apologize to me today." I told her. Did part of me tell her that just to make her mad? Yes. Did part of me say it because my feelings are hurt that she doesn't remember it's my birthday? Yes. Did part of me want to give her a reason not to go back to that scVm? Also yes. I can't help it. Vanessa was my best friend for so long. I really thought it was her and me against the world. I'm not sure what happened on her part, if she really faked the whole friendship or not. But it was all real for me. "Your birthday… I forgot…" She whispered. I shrugged. "Well, we aren't friends, so don't feel too bad about it," I said. "Right," she replied. "Is there anything else, or can I go now without being dragged back to this conversation?" I asked, annoyed. Vanessa huffed, and rolled her eyes. "Whatever nerd. You should be happy I didn't hit you like I used to last year." She stated as she strutted passed me. I shook my head as I watched Vanessa walk away. V Chapter 5: The New Boy Millie's P.O.V. ******************************************* When I entered the library, I was expecting to greet the librarian, Ted. Ted is a very sweet man. He's probably in his mid 30s. He has dark hair and light eyes. And a sweetheart. This was often the place I ran to last year. Anytime the other kids followed me in here, Ted would make them leave. Library rules for being quiet and all. I was extremely thankful to him. Eventually, Ted became a mentor to me, much like Mrs. Gibbson. He's the reason why I have read most of the books on the AP English reading list. Back to the present, Ted is not behind the desk like he normally is. I looked around but didn't see him. Shrugging, I went and took a seat at one of the desks. The library is completely empty, thank God. I had just pulled out my books to do some homework when I heard voices coming from behind me. "This should be everything that the five of you will need," Ted said. "Are you sure that the others can't come to get their own books? This is a lot for you to carry all by yourself." Is he talking to someone? "It's really not a problem." Came a deep and polite voice. "I can make a few trips if I need to, and I have my own car. The others can pick them up from me. They are all pretty busy today." I couldn't help it. I turned in my chair to see Ted and a boy that I'd never seen before come through a row of books behind me. I gulped. Wow, he is hot. He's tall, like 6'2 probably, with golden curly hair sitting in a sxy mess on top of his head. The boy has those old-timey glasses, like the ones Jeffrey Dahmer wore that are now popular. He's lean with a bit of muscle. He's wearing a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt with some kind of anime on it. His ears are pierced, and I think I can see one of those industrial bars, but I'm not sure with his mass of curls in the way. The boy's eyes found mine, as if he could feel me staring at me. His bright hazel eyes bore into me, and I could feel heat crawl up my neck, and settle in my cheeks. The boy smiled politely at me. Ted, realizing that the boy was no longer paying him attention, followed his line of sight right to me. The librarian beamed once he saw me. "Millie my dear!" Ted greeted. "Hi Ted." I greeted back with a small smile. "You're here kind of early. You didn't finish your other class?" He asked. I looked between him and the boy. "Uhm, I was called out early." I said vaguely. Ted gave me a confused look but, thankfully, didn't push me in front of the stranger. "Well, good, maybe you can help me out," he said, and then turned to the boy. "This is Oliver, he's new here. He and a few of his friends are transferring here. They are starting Monday, but he came by to get all of their books." "Okay." I said as I looked between the two of them again. Ted chuckled. "Would you mind helping him carry these books to his car before the bell rings. I fear that the students will over run him if they see him. You know we never get newcomers here," he said. I nodded, and put my pen down. "Sure. Can you watch my stuff please?" I asked Ted. "Of course," he said, and then the office phone started to ring. "Excuse me." Oliver, stood there staring at me for a moment. Gee, no wonder those glasses are popular right now. He looks smoking hot with them. I'm sure he looks smoking hot without them too though. "Hi, I'm Oliver." He introduced himself with a bright smile. I gave him a nod. "Ted said that. So, are these all the books?" I asked as I pointed to the stack of books on the table. Oliver is already holding a pretty big stack himself. "Yeah," he replied while nodding. "You don't have to help me if you don't want to." I shook my head at him, and then looked to see Ted was now off the phone. "Ted." I called, and he looked over to me. "Why don't you let us use the cart? I know it's clean because I cleaned it off for you yesterday." I said with a smile. Ted gave me a sheepish look. "I didn't even think about that. Go ahead. I still want you to go with him though. I trust you won't let anything happen to my precious cart." He said. I shook my head as a smile spread across my face. Then I went and got the nearly empty cart out. Oliver and I stacked all the books onto it in silence, and then began wheeling it out to the student parking lot. "So, you gonna tell me your name? Ya know, since you know mine?" Oliver asked once we were outside. "Millie," I said simply. "Millie…" He repeated. "Cute name for a cute girl." My face heated. I was walking behind him, so thankfully he couldn't see my face. I wasn't being the most polite, and I knew that. It's just that I'm cautious now. Honestly, I felt a bit guilty about it. Oliver seems like such a nice guy, being friends with me would make him a target though. It was best we stayed away from each other, even if he is the hottest guy that has ever talked to me. Much hotter than James. "So, Millie, tell me, do you like it here?" Oliver asked. Oh God. "Sure," I replied. Oliver turned his head, and raised a brow at me. "You don't have to lie to me, Millie. I have to attend here whether I like it or not." He said with a chuckle. We made it to Oliver's car, which looked expensive. He opened the back door behind the driver's side, and began putting the books in. I stood there awkwardly. Should I tell him this place suks? I don't really want to get into the details of my personal experience here. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut. Once the books were in Oliver's car, he shut the door, and turned to look at me. He leaned against the car, and smiled. "So?" He asked with his eyebrow raised. How can someone look so cocky and so smart at the same time? I sighed, and rolled my eyes. "This school suks a.ss. But it's high school. Stay away from me though, and it shouldn't be too bad," I said, and then grabbed the cart to wheel it back. I could hear Oliver chuckle behind me as I started walking back to school. "Stay away from you? I don't think so, Millie." He called out, but I ignored him. My face heated up instantly at his words, and my steps moved quicker. It took me no more than three minutes to get back to the library. The moment I got back, and sat back down, the bell rang. I could hear the hallway fill with kids, and a few of them staggered in here. I tried to focus on my homework for the whole hour, but my thoughts were consumed with the blonde boy I had just met. Why would he say that? Is he really not going to leave me alone? Does he want to bully me? Is it....something else? Why do I feel nervous and excited? Ugh! Get a grip Millie! He's just a boy, and who cares if he wants to bully you? It's not like the rest of the school hasn't. And if he wants something else... Well, I'm sure he won't once he finds out that everyone hates me. So, win-win for me. Right? When the last bell rang, I waited in the library as I finished up my homework. I was just waiting for the halls to clear more before leaving. One more question on this stupid calculus homework and I was good to go. Only, I was having trouble with it. Ugh! Calculus is going to be the death of me. "Want me to tell you the answer?" A voice came from behind me. I jumped and let out a little yelp. Ted's eyes narrowed at me and I gave him an apologetic smile. Then I turned a glare onto the voice that interrupted me. Oliver was standing behind me with a wide smile that made his hazel eyes brighter. He has a few more books tucked under his arm. I continued to glare at him. "You scared the shht out of me." I whisper-yelled at him. Oliver chuckled and took the seat next to me. "What are you doing?" I asked him. "You look like you need help." He told me as he pulled my book and notebook towards him. I pulled it back. "I am doing just fine thank you." I stated. Oliver raised a brow at me. "Really?" He asked, and then snatched my notebook away. "Because questions 3, 5, 10, and 18 are wrong." He stated with slight amusement. "What?" I asked seriously, and took my notebook back to look over my work. "But I followed what the book showed me…" I mumbled and then let out a loud groan before turning another glare on Oliver. "How do you know I'm wrong?" I asked. Oliver's smile widened. "Math is what I am best at. Calculus is no biggie for me." He said, and then leaned back in his chair. "But I gotta say, it's pretty hot that you're taking an AP math class." I blushed. "Wait, why is that hot?" I asked with furrowed brows. Oliver chuckled and leaned back up in his seat. "Smart girls are sxy as hll to me." He whispered in my ear. Oh no. My face has got to be as red as a tomato by now. What the h*ll is with this guy? I haven't even been nice to him. I turned my head ready to say something snarky, but he was so close to me that the words died on my lips. Instead, I gulped. Shht, did he hear that? "Now, would you like my help or not?" He asked, and then his eyes flickered down to my lips. I gulped again. "I.. Uhm.." Wait, what did he ask me again? I need help with something, right? Yeah, help. I need.. help... "Millie!" Called a voice that broke me from my trance. I jumped so far back I almost fell out of my chair. Thankfully, Oliver grabbed my arm to stop my fall. My breathing was coming out hard and my face was hot again. "Mr. Holmebrooke, I love your sister dearly, and I know it's her birthday, so I will let you off with a warning this time. Shhhh." Ted said to my brother who had called for me. "Sorry Ted, Millie is running late, and our parents are looking for her." Caleb said as he walked over to us. "Shht already?" I asked as I looked at the clock. "Wait, shouldn't you be getting ready?" Caleb stopped in front of the table, and looked between Oliver and I. Oliver still had his hand around my upper arm. The heat from his body feels... so nice. Caleb narrowed his eyes at Oliver. "Who the fk are you?" My little brother asked. "Caleb!" I scolded him. Oliver finally let my arm go and then reached his hand out to my brother. "Hi, I'm Oliver. I'm new here. Pretty sure my friend is on the football team too. You might know him. His name is Atals," Oliver said politely. Caleb's eyes hardened at the name 'Atlas'. Oh no, that must be the guy Caleb is worried about. Still, my little brother took Oliver's hand politely. "Caleb," he stated. "And yeah, I know him. He's good." My brother said and then turned his eyes to me. "I know it's your birthday and all, but could you hurry your @ss up. Mom and Dad are outside waiting for you. They want to take you out for food before the game," he said. I started to gather my things. "You aren't coming?" I asked. Caleb gave me a blank look. "I have a game to prepare for. And I'm sure we'll go out after. Not like you can't put away food." He teased me. I rolled my eyes. Caleb is right. I can put away a lot of food. In fact, I love food. If I didn't have such a good metabolism, I would be 500 pounds by now. "Wait, it's your birthday?" Oliver asked after I stood up. I slung my backpack over my shoulder. "Yeah," I said. Oliver graced me with a huge and s*xy smile. "Happy birthday Millie. If I had known I was going to meet such a pretty girl today, I would have brought you a present." He said. Caleb tensed, and then grabbed my wrist. "She doesn't need anything from you, but thanks anyway." Caleb said, and then started to drag me out of the library. I looked behind me as Caleb pulled me through the door. Oliver was staring at me still with a smile on his full lips. He gave me a small wave and then I disappeared. "Did you really have to do that?" I asked Caleb once we reached my locker. Huh, no new love notes. Good. "That guy was flirting with you." Caleb said like it was a defense. I sighed. "You could have let me live in a blissful bubble for a little bit though. I'm sure once he finds out the rumors he won't want anything to do with me." I whined. "Exactly why he doesn't need to flirt with you in the first place. You've been hurt enough." Caleb said. I let out another sigh as I shut my locker. "I'm supposed to be the one protecting you, little brother." I said. Caleb beamed at me and then ruffled my hair. "Then you should be taller." He said with a laugh. I swatted his hand away and smoothed down my hair. "Whatever. I'm going to find Mom and Dad." VI Chapter 6: Yelling At The Coach Millie's P.O.V. *************************************** On our way out, I spotted Oliver's car still in the parking lot. I wonder if he's staying for the game. He did say his friend was on the team, and this was the first game of the year. I shook my head, it doesn't matter anyway. The three of us went to dinner at my favorite restaurant in town. It's a bit fancy though. I didn't realize we had time to sit for this kind of dinner. "Are you guys sure we have time for this? I don't want to be late to Caleb's first game," I asked them. Mom waved me off as she scanned the menu. "Your father called ahead and told them we would need to be quick." She told me. I looked at Dad, who gave me a bright smile. "Perks of knowing every, even slightly important person," I mumbled. Dad chuckled. "Well, I told the owner that I could help bring some rich clientele to his business. You know my old friends have opened a firm in the city and are staying here in this town. This place could be a meeting ground." He told me. I shook my head. "All so that you could rush your daughter's birthday dinner." I teased. Mom, Dad, and I made small talk while we ate. Dad was right, they were quick for us. They asked me about school and I told them about Mrs. Gibbson's gifts and how Mr. Douglas offered to help me with my essay. I left out all the bad things though. It was nice. The only thing missing is my annoying little brother that I love so dearly. "So, how does it feel to be 18?" Mom asked excitedly
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Sete anos após uma noite com Brian Winston que resultou em gêmeos, Ivy trabalha inesperadamente no hotel da família dele. Enquanto o afeto cresce, eles não sabem que o filho amado de quem ambos falam é, na verdade, a criança que perderam há muito tempo.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
"Millie wait!" I turned around when hearing someone calling my name, only to see an extremely hot guy, like way hot. Gee. No wonder those glasses were popular right now. He looked smoking hot with them, and I bet he still looked hot when he took the glasses off. And he had muscles, not as many as Leo or Atlas, more like Oliver. Wait! Why did I suddenly think of the other three transfer students? “Don’t you want to know who I am?” His hot breath sprayed on the side of my neck as he leaned forward and whispered into my ear. “Not really. One of the transfer students, I know,” I mumbled as I continued to walk forward, my cheeks slightly red. What was it with my reaction to these transfer students? Why was I so attracted to them? All four of them! ”I’m Milo. It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Millie. Millie and Milo... Sounds like a perfect match,” he continued. I got more flustered but managed to find my voice and made it stern, “Please don’t joke with me. I just ate my lunch and I don’t want to throw up.” Milo chuckled in my ear, making goosebumps rise across my skin. “Well, Mille, I know you’re lying. I can tell from the blush in your cheeks and the goosebumps on your arms-” “And the annoyance in my voice,” I added. He chuckled again. “Atlas was right. You’re feisty. It’s hot.” I opened my mouth wanting to say something when an angry voice boomed from behind. “Stay away from my girl,” James roared. I rolled my eyes. He was the one who dumped me right after taking away my most precious innocence and even the one who caused my miserable life in the past year, as he and my best friend Vanessa spread rumors about me being a boyfriend stealer right after cheating on me! “I heard you already have a girlfriend, or two,” Milo teased in disgust. “Mind your business. Millie is mine,” retorted James, and then he turned to me with a wink. “Millie, I told you I was sorry last week-” “First of all, you did not actually say sorry. You gave me some sort of apology gift, that I did not accept by the way. And then I saw you later that night with Vanessa. Not to mention that Milianda said you’re also dating her,” I interrupted him. Then something dawned on me. “Wait, are you the reason she came after me again today? I got a slap!” I narrowed my eyes at him. “What?” Milo practically shouted. “Someone slapped you?” He asked as he cupped my cheeks and forced my face to his. He scanned my features until his gaze landed on the cut on my bottom lip. His deep blue playful eyes turned sharp. His exaggerated reaction bewildered me. Like the other three transfer students, Milo seemed to pay excessive attention to me although we had just met. But why? Why did these transfer students act like we were childhood friends or something? I swatted his hand from my face and narrowed my eyes at him. “Do not touch me without my consent again," I told him sternly. Milo's playfulness settled back on his face. "One of these days you'll be begging me. And I cannot wait to give my girl what she wants." He said and my jaw dropped. ***** New year, new me. That's the motto I am trying to stick with as I stare at myself in the mirror. It's early in the morning, about 6 a.m. and I am ready for school. I'm dressed in regular jean shorts and a plain baby pink T-shirt. It brings out the tan of my skin and I love it. I haven't worn bright colors in a long time, this year will be different though. I am getting back to my normal self. My long dark blonde hair is pulled back into two french braids, something I learned how to do over the boring summer. I say boring because it's boring as h*ll when you have no friends and have to work all summer. I applied light makeup, a bit of highlighter to my cheek bones, mascara, and a little bit of lip gloss. I did a few poses in the mirror, trying to hype myself up. Let's face it, I look good. Grabbing my backpack, I booked it down the stairs. My dad and little brother are sitting at the table having breakfast. Dad is reading from the newspaper and drinking his coffee. I look just like my dad. Same dirty blonde hair and light green eyes. My annoying little brother looks like a perfect mix of our parents with his dark chestnut-colored hair and the same green eyes. "Good morning honey." Mom sings from the counter in the kitchen. "Good morning Momma." I said to her as I slid into a chair at the bar-top. Mom slid a plate of bacon and eggs to me and I smiled brightly at her. My mom is so sweet. Always taking care of us. Her dark brown hair is tied up in a messy bun on the top of her head. She's still in her pajamas since she doesn't work. Dad makes enough to support us all, being a project engineer. "You excited about your first day of school?" She asked me, her warm brown eyes shining with her smile. I gulped. Mom has no idea about what happened last year. All she knows is that James and I broke up. I had to tell her something about why I was depressed. Thankfully, she didn't press me about it. Mom just told me that she would always be there if I needed to talk. Honestly, I wish I could of. I was too embarrassed to tell anyone. However, I made it through just fine on my own. "Sure am. I have all AP classes this year and I get to work on college applications," I told her. Mom rolled her eyes at me. "Always so much work and no play, just like your father." She teased. "That's not a bad thing dear." Dad said without taking his eyes off of the paper. My mom is an advocate for 'kids should be kids'. She believes I should be sneaking out, breaking curfew, drinking, all that. Even before I became a social pariah, I wasn't into all of that. I liked hanging out with my friends, don't get me wrong, but I was also focused on school. Getting into a good college was a big deal for me. I want to be a marine biologist. My parents can afford to pay for my college, so luckily I don't have to deal with a scholarship, but I do have to worry about getting in. I'd also like to stay close to home. Despite what happened to me over last year, I still wanted to remain close to my family. "I think we should be asking if Caleb is excited." I said as I turned in my chair to look at my little brother, who rolled his eyes. "It's my second year, nothing to be excited about." He grumbled. "But this is the year that you are finally on varsity for the football team. You've been practicing all summer." I said with a pout. Caleb rolled his eyes and turned to look at me. "I am going to be the best player on the varsity team," he said with complete arrogance. I narrowed my eyes at him, but smiled. "Atta boy." I said proudly. Caleb chuckled, and shook his head. Just then there was a loud honk of a car horn outside. My little brother jumped to his feet and grabbed his bag. "That's my ride. See ya later." He said as he left the room. "Why don't you take your sister to school too?" Dad called after him. "You want to come with us, Mil?" Caleb asked. Caleb knew I was going to say no. He has actually been a safe haven for me through all of this. He's the only one who doesn't care about the bullying. I mean, Caleb gets, like, really mad, but he doesn't care about being seen with me. His friends do though, and I know that. So I always decline. Caleb never really cares about anything other than football. He is the only one in the school and this house that knows the truth. Caleb was furious, and he had gotten into a few fights last year over me. It's a good thing he was a big 14-year-old, even bigger now. My little brother was always protecting me and I appreciated it. I very much appreciated that he never let me eat lunch alone either. "No, I'm good. I enjoy walking." I said with a smile. "Thanks though." Caleb nodded. "Kay, I'll see you at lunch then?" He asked. "Yup." I said as I turned around and shoved a piece of bacon in my mouth. After I was done eating breakfast, I tried to help my mom with the dishes, but she refused. I kissed my dad on the top of his head, and hugged my mom before walking out of the door. Slipping my airpods into my ears, I flipped through my music until I found something that I liked. There is a bit of a pep in my step. Today is going to be a good day. Everyone has totally forgotten about me and about last year. Right? I should probably explain what happened to me last year. It wasn't anything massive, but it felt like it to me at the time. My whole life flipped upside down. It was life-changing for me. Vanessa had been my best friend since we were in kindergarten. We were as thick as thieves. Vanessa and I spent every day together. As we got older, our interests changed a bit. We still made time for each other every day though. Between my extra studying and Vanessa's cheerleading, we made it work. We had movie nights and ate lunch together every day, despite her new friends' clear disdain for me. Then, at the beginning of our sophomore year, Vanessa made me go to a party with her. It was my very first party and Vanessa had dressed me and done my makeup. I have to admit that I had never looked better. When we got to the party, Vanessa had ditched me almost immediately to hook up with her latest fling. I had wandered to a secluded area with а cup of water that I was pretending was alcohol. That was when I met James. James had wandered out to get away from the loud noise too. We ended up spending several hours just talking and laughing. Next thing I knew, we were dating. James picked me up every morning in his fancy car. He would walk me to class and hold my hand. It was so nice. I went to all of his football and basketball games. We went on dates, all the normal teenage dating stuff. It was very sweet honestly. I used to think that he was my prince charming. Until the beginning of last year came around. Within the first month, my whole world came crashing down. After attending a party that I did not want to go to, with James, I lost my virginity. James had taken me to a room upstairs and finally, after a year of dating, I let him have my virginity. Something I still regret. It took James only moments to break up with me. Like literally, I was still n8ked in the bed when he dressed and told me it was over. He finally got what he wanted, and no longer needed me. At least that's what he said. At the time, I cried about it a lot. I ran out of the house and all the way home. For a few weeks after that, Vanessa had comforted me. Then, one day, I had come to school and the air had completely changed. People were looking at me and whispering about me, but I had no idea what they were saying. When I had arrived at my locker, Vanessa was there waiting for me with three other cheerleaders. She had made a huge scene for the whole school. Vanessa had admitted to me that she had been sleeping with James for almost the entirety of our relationship. She told everybody how I had stolen him from her in the first place, and that he had wanted to break up with me for months, but that I made it impossible. Apparently, James had broken up with me several times, and every time I had begged him to stay. And he gave in. It was wild for me to hear, considering it was all lies. Vanessa also told me that our friendship was a complete lie. She said that she just felt bad for me, and I was a charity case for her. Then I had stolen her man, and she only stayed my friend to get revenge on me. My world had turned upside down. I was so confused about everything. Honestly, Vanessa pretending to be my friend hurt worse than my breakup. After that, the whole school turned against me. Not that I was a big deal anyway. In fact, I was only ever really noticed after this little incident. Then my life turned into a whole sh.it show. Every day someone wrote on my locker the word 'sl.ut' or 'wh.ore' or whatever else they could come up with. Girls would push me into lockers, tease me, throw trash on me. I even got into a couple of fights. I also found out that James had told everyone that we had sεx. Rumors were flying around. After that, if the girls here weren't picking on me, then the guys were making comments about me. Sleeping with that sleeze ball was the worst thing I had ever done. Next time I sleep with someone, it'll be someone I know can keep their mouth shut. By the end of the year last year, I was wearing nothing but black and hoodies. Anything to hide myself. You would think that over the course of months the bullying would die down, but it never did. The amount of people who bullied me was the only thing that changed. Most of the school had moved on from 'my' little stunt. But, the cheerleaders and the rest of the popular crew never stopped. This year will be different though. II Chapter 2: More Explanation Millie's P.O.V. ******************************************** Honestly, the whole situation was just silly. I didn't do anything in the first place. I was betrayed by my best friend and my boyfriend, the two people I thought loved me more than anyone. Aside from family, of course. Yet, this was my life. Vanessa and James had started dating, they flaunted their relationship everywhere and to everyone. Annoying I know. If I was ever caught in the cafeteria, I was bullied, had food thrown at me or at me, or my lunch stolen. Eventually, I had moved outside under a tree to be by myself. Unfortunately, that didn't stop everyone. It wasn't until Caleb started to eat with me that I would be left alone. Everyone else was too afraid to be my friend. I think that they were afraid of getting bullied along with me. How could I blame them? Caleb started to pick up on the change at school even though we were two grades apart. After one particularly bad day, he cornered me at home, and made me tell him everything. Caleb got into a lot of fights with the other guys after that. It got to a point where I had to have a talk with him before he got expelled. Thankfully, my little brother settled for spending lunch with me. I stopped telling Caleb the details of my bullying, and by the end of the year, things were good. Well, good enough I guess. Caleb was no longer getting into fights, and most days I could avoid the populars. This year will be different though. I hadn't heard a thing from anyone all summer long. Even working at the only movie theater in town, I managed to avoid them all. When one of my bullies saw me they would settle for an eye roll and a snarky comment. I could deal with those. At least they weren't cornering me anymore. So, they must have forgotten about everything then, right? My walk to school wasn't bad at all. I was feeling pretty good, actually. Even when the dull school came into view I was feeling confident. This year I will just stay focused on school. No one even cares about what happened last year. I mean, why would they? Surely they were over it now. I walked through the doors of the school with my schedule in hand. My locker is number 367, and close to all my classes but one. I kept my head down as I rushed to my locker. So far so good. Nobody has even noticed me. Just how I want it to be. I was putting my things in my locker when two girls started walking towards me. My body froze. Then one opened up the locker two down from mine. I breathed out a sigh of relief. They aren't part of the popular crowd that hates me with a burning passion, but I do remember the two of them making comments to me. Pretty sure the blonde one tripped me one time. "Did you hear?" The blonde says to her friend. "Hear what?" Her friend asked. "James and Vanessa broke up." The blonde squealed. "Like for real this time. Not like all the other bullsh.it times." Her friend rolled her eyes and picked at her nails. "Sure they did." She said sarcastically. The blonde huffed. "They really did. Like a month into summer vacation." She whined out. "Do you think it has anything to do with that ex of his?" Her friend asked, and I froze again. "Ya know, that one that used to be friends with Vanessa?" "Oh please." The blonde said with an eye roll. "You heard about how desperate that girl was for James. And he could have anyone, he would never go back to her. First, she's plain, and a total goth. Don't you remember how she started dressing at the end of the year?" The blonde visibly shuddered. Okay rude. I wasn't dressed that badly. "No, he is moving on to better things a.k.a. me." She said proudly. "Oh okay." Her friend snorted. "Like James Melrose would be interested in a nobody like you." Ouch. What a friend. The blonde slammed her locker shut, and turned to her friend. "Jealousy is a very ugly color on you Harp." She stated before stomping away. Unfortunately, because the blonde left, I was caught looking. Her friend 'Harp' and I connected eyes. My face flushed as the girl stared at me with amusement. Her brown eyes trailed down my outfit and back to my eyes. "Glad to see you aren't a goth anymore." She said with a smile. "Thanks." I mumbled as she walked away. As weird as that was, I'm taking this as a win. Only one person noticed me so far, and she wasn't even mean. This year is going to be totally normal. Just me and the library. I have a college essay to write and AP classes to keep up on. I gathered some supplies, and headed to my first class, AP English. The teacher is here sitting behind his desk. I walked to the furthest seat from the door in the first row and sat down. Class starts in ten minutes, but I didn't mind being early. It gives me time to work on what my essay will be about. Shortly after I started to write out topics to choose from, the classroom started to fill. I was hoping that, because all of my classes are AP, that none of the popular kids would be here. So I frowned when Milinda, Vanessa's BFF, walked in. We connected eyes, and she glared at me before taking her seat in the back corner, far from me. Oh no, I hope that's all I get from her. I can take dirty looks and snarky comments. What I don't want, is to be bullied so badly I go back into hiding. I don't want to hide anymore. I don't want to get beat up or trash thrown on me. I just want to be left alone. It's slightly amazing how cruel teenage girls can be. When class was over, I stayed back to talk with the teacher. Mr. Douglas is a nice guy, and I asked him if he would mind reading over my essay when I finished before I turn it in. He was all smiles when he agreed. I get the feeling that most students here aren't as concerned with school as I am. After talking with Mr. Douglas I rushed to my next class, which was AP Biology. My favorite class, the one I am looking forward to the most. The teacher, Mrs. Gibbson is a really nice lady in her mid 40s. She beamed at me as I entered the class. "Good morning Millie, I was looking forward to seeing you today." She greeted me. "Good morning Mrs. Gibbson." I greeted back with my own bright smile. Mrs. Gibbson found out that I wanted to be a marine biologist last year and took me under her wing. I would come in after school, and she would teach me all sorts of things. She told me what colleges had the best programs for the profession I wanted. Mrs. Gibbson even offered to write me a letter of recommendation, and said she would put in a good word for me at the college she and her husband attended. Her husband is a zoologist too. I walked to the farthest seat from the door in the front, and opened my notebook. For the next few minutes, I doodled more notes for my essay and then the bell rang. When I looked up from my notebook, I saw that the class was full. Two seats to every desk, but mine. I was alone. Mrs. Gibbson's eyes looked at my desk. Something resembling pity flickered in her eyes before she shook it off. Even though I never told Mrs. Gibbson about what happened, I think she knew. I mean, any teacher with ears probably knew. She never asked me about it though, so I never told her. We were always preoccupied with better conversations, and that was fine by me. Although, there were times that she told me things always get better, and to keep my head up. The class went by fast, and I was disappointed when the bell rang. Mrs. Gibbson waved goodbye to me as I walked out the door. My next class is AP calculus, the class I am most nervous about. I was never bad at math, but it was not my favorite subject. This class I played it the same as my first two. Front far corner seat, notebook out ignoring everybody, and I kept my head down. The rest of the school day went the same. When the lunch bell rang, I found my little brother waiting by my locker. I ran up to him with a smile on my face. "Wait, how did you know this was my locker?" I asked when I got to him. Caleb gave me a look that told me I wasn't going to like what he was going to say. "I have the janitor coming to clean it off. The principal said he would have it gone by the time lunch is over." Caleb told me. "Move." I ordered. "Why don't you just take your stuff to lunch with us? I can carry it if you want." Caleb suggested. I stomped my foot like a child, and glared at my over-protective little brother. He towers over my small 5'3 frame, which is completely unfair. He's my little brother. Caleb crossed his arms like he was prepared to argue with me. suks for him because so am I. After seeing that I wasn't backing down, Caleb sighed heavily, and moved to the side. A small gasp left my lips as I took in the white writing across the navy blue locker. It reads 'Fat Pig'. Tears filled my eyes. It's only the first day. No one even said anything to me. Shaking my head, I blinked the tears back before they could fall. Then I opened my locker, shoved my belongings inside, and turned to my brother with a smile. "Ready for lunch?" I asked, and then started walking away before he could answer. "It's okay if you want to skip, and go to the library or something," Caleb offered. We used to do that when things got too hard. I would run away, and my little brother would come with me. But this year is different. I'm done running away, and I am done letting these people bully me into silence. "Nope, that's totally not going to happen." I said. I could see Caleb smile out of the corner of my eye. "This really is a new year, new you, huh?" He teased as he bumped me with his shoulder. That's right. New year. New me. The rest of the day went by smoothly. I'm honestly surprised. I thought for sure after seeing my locker that comments would be made. Yet, it seemed like no one even knew about it. I wonder if that has something to do with Caleb. Did he find out before anyone could see it? My AP classes were smooth as well, but it is only the first day. The only one I had to worry about so far was calculus. I'd give it some time before transferring out of it though. I can do this. All AP classes for me looks good on a college application. I would not give up easily. My second to last hour is a chosen class. Most people pick choir or band, but this school offers an extra course that allows you to help your underclassmen. You can only take it if you are a junior or senior though. I was in it last year, but no one wanted me to help them. It ended up being a silent hour for me to catch up on my studies. I was a little sad about it, but oh well. This year I was determined to be different, and it was already working out for me. I spent the whole class preparing a few freshman girls what to expect for their science class. They thanked me when the bell rang, and I told them I would be here for them anytime they needed. The last hour of school is a silent hour. At least for me. That meant I had the whole hour to do what I wanted. Most seniors have an hour like this, but none of them except a select few have it as their last hour. Probably because they would just leave, and not use it how it is meant to be used. Oh, well, not me. I went straight to the library, and opened my notebook. When the last bell rang, I stayed in the library for a while working on my essay. At about 4:30 I decided that was enough for one day. When I reached my locker there were no more words. The halls were quiet as I slipped my books into the locker, and grabbed my backpack. Sticking my airpods into my ears, I smiled. Today was definitely a good start to a new year. Nothing was going to be thrown at me that I couldn't handle. III Chapter 3: A Gift From An а-hole Millie's P.O.V. ************************************** The next two weeks went by totally smooth. Just like I planned. There was only one more incident with my locker. That time someone wrote 'Happy Birthday Fat Wh.ore', on my birthday. Which is today. It's Friday and my locker was the first thing I saw this morning. I rolled my eyes when I saw it, and pulled out a white eraser sharpie I had bought. I wrote 'Thanks A Ton!' back, and then did not report it. What was the point? Honestly, I was feeling good. Words are words. It was the actions and words from the two people I loved that hurt the most. Since I don't love them anymore, I was feeling less affected. And I have no idea who is even leaving these little love notes for me. After I grabbed my stuff, I headed to my first class, and took the same seat I had since the first day. Mr. Douglas was sitting behind his desk staring down at some papers in front of him. He has grown to be one of my favorite teachers. He's very kind and helpful. "Good morning Millie and happy birthday." Mr. Douglas told me. "Thanks." I said as I beamed at him. "Teachers pet." Mumbled a female voice. Why is she so early for class? Mr. Douglas frowned, but I gave him a reassuring smile. Thankfully, he let it go, and I took my seat. Mr. Douglas said that he had to grab something from the teachers' lounge and would be right back. That was when Milinda decided to change her normal seat, and sit next to me. "Heard it was your birthday today, wh.ore." She said. I ignored her. "Oof, should I have said fat wh.ore?" She asked with a giggle. I turned my head to her. Milinda's platinum blonde hair was pulled back into a high ponytail that hung straight down her back. Black winged eyeliner adorned her blue eyes. She's in her cheerleading uniform since there is a game tonight. "Was that you that left me that lovely message on my locker?" I asked her sweetly. Milinda seemed taken aback for a moment. After all, I have never given them sass back before. I would always cry or run away. This year I will not be so weak. They want a fight, a fight they'll get. "Lovely huh? Being called fat isn't what I would call lovely." She said. I only shrugged at her, and turned back to my notebook. "So, not sure if you heard, but James and I are dating now." Milinda told me. "Congratulations." I mumbled without looking at her. "Thanks. I just wanted to let you know, so there were no hard feelings between us." She said, sounding bored. I snorted as I continued to write. "Believe me, there are hard feelings between us, Milinda." Then I looked up to meet her blue eyes. "But it has nothing to do with James. I hope you guys are happy together, truly." Then I sat back in my chair. "Although, it does make me question what kind of friend you are." I said as I scrutinized her with my gaze. Milinda's face turned into a sneer. "What the h*ll is that supposed to mean?" She asked. I shrugged. "I doubt that Vanessa is pleased with your new boyfriend," I stated. Milinda rolled her eyes. "Because you didn't do that same thing." She, accused. I didn't, but okay. "And look what happened to me." I said, and then smiled when her face paled. Before Milinda could say anything else, Mr. Douglas was back and started class. Milinda was forced to sit in the seat she moved to for the rest of class. I had zero problem paying attention, but it was clear that the cheerleader was struggling. She had tried to pass me notes several times and every time I tossed them into the trash can that was right in front of me. I would like to say that it didn't satisfy me to make Milinda squirm, but it did. It really, really did. Though I would not keep it up. I'm not a bully like they are. I wouldn't have even said anything had Milinda left me alone. So, when the bell rang and the cheerleader tried to stop and talk to me, I ignored her and rushed to my next class. "Happy birthday Millie!" Mrs. Gibbson practically shouted when I walked through the door. I looked up at two birthday balloons, and a cute little teddy bear sitting on my usual spot. A wide grin spread across my face when I saw it. I walked over to the gifts and snuggled the teddy bear. "Thank you so much, this was very sweet of you." I told Mrs. Gibbson, and gave her a quick hug. "Do you want to pop the balloons before anyone gets here?" She asked. I gave her a strange look. "Why would I want to do that?" I asked. Mrs. Gibbson gave me a small shrug. "I know how cruel teenagers can be. I didn't want anyone teasing you." She said. I gave her a bored look. "You saw my locker this morning, I take it?" I asked her as I sat down on the stool. "I talked to the janitor about removing it and then the principal." She told me. I pulled my book out from my backpack, and set it on my desk. "And how did that go for you?" I asked her. Mrs. Gibbson huffed in annoyance. "Does he even care? When I told him about it, he didn't seem the least bit interested." She told me. I nodded. Principal Melrose is James's grandfather. Not one time did he care about the bullying. I didn't tell my parents or complain directly to him, so he brushed everything off. Caleb calls him useless and I agree. There was really no point in seeking out his help. "He's probably just used to it," I said. "That doesn't make it right Millie." Mrs. Gibbson replied. I looked up from my book to see her angry expression. "Well, one thing it did was make me stronger," I said, and then looked back at my notebook. "I couldn't care less if any of these kids make fun of me for the gifts. It makes me happy that you remembered, and I am thankful for that." I told her with a bright smile. I meant it too. What would they say that they haven't already? Besides, maybe they should just get a life. It's two balloons and a teddy bear, is it really that big of a deal? No, it's not. "It won't hurt my feelings if you want to hide them." She said quietly as the first few students came strolling in and looking in our direction. "No, thank you." I whispered back. Thankfully, Mrs. Gibbson let it go after that. A few kids did make remarks about being a teachers' pet, but I ignored them. Mrs. Gibbson managed to hold her tongue at the other students, and I was thankful. A couple of the students even offered me a polite happy birthday. See, things are already better than last year. I wasn't holding out hope that I would have friends, but at least people were being decent. By lunchtime, my locker was completely forgotten about. By me, anyway. Caleb was still fuming over it. We are sitting outside under the tree that I love, eating our gross cardboard pizza. "Will you stop sulking already?" I whined out in irritation. "It happened to me, and I'm not even as upset as you are." "It doesn't pi.ss you off in the slightest? The sh.it they said about you isn't even true. So what, you gave your virginity to a total a.sshat? And your best friend had betrayed you in the worst way? Wasn't that enough? Can't they leave you alone?" He rambled out in an angry voice. I blinked at him. "Were you purposely trying to bring it up?" I asked him with a shake of my head. "Sorry." He mumbled. "But doesn't it piss you off?" I shrugged as I bit into my greasy pizza. "I think I skipped over being mad. I spent too much time crying over everything last year. I want this year to be different. Even if they keep up their bullsh.it, I want to ignore it. I want to have a good senior year. Well, the best I can have anyway," I said. Caleb smiled at me. "I envy your ability to not care," he said while shaking his head. I smiled brightly. "So tell me, how is football going?" I asked him. "Big game tonight." "Yeah, my first game on varsity," he said with a slightly nervous tone. I patted his leg. "You'll kick a.ss out there. You're too good not to." I said reassuringly. Caleb nodded, and gave me an arrogant smile. " You're right. I am good. Hella good." He said. I laughed. "That's right." I said, amused. "There's this new guy on the team now. It's a bit annoying. I'm not sure that I'll even get to play because of him," Caleb told me. I frowned. "What makes you say that? I didn't even know there was anyone new here." I asked. Caleb shrugged. "He hasn't started yet. They just arrived a couple of days ago. He's going to be starting Monday, but... He's a senior, and apparently really good. I mean... At practice, he's dumb good." Caleb told me. I patted his shoulder. "I think you'll get the chance to play still." I told him. "I hope so." He said. "So, are you going to come out tonight?" "Do you want me to?" I asked. Caleb gave me a shy smile, and rubbed the back of his neck. "Mom and Dad are coming. I would like it if you came to see my first game, but you don't have to. I understand if you don't want to be there." He rushed out. James is the quarterback. And the cheerleaders hate me. My ex-best friend is the captain of the cheer team. I haven't been to a football game since everything happened. But, new year, new me. "Oh, I'm coming." I said confidently. No more hiding for me. ******************************************** The rest of the day wasn't as smooth as my start though. Apparently, James is in my AP history class. I don't think he was there before, but I'm not completely sure. It's not like I seek him out, or that I even look around the classrooms for him. Nobody here was new and nobody was my friend. So, when James sat down next to me, I was a bit shocked. At first, I ignored him, but I could feel his eyes on me. "Happy birthday Millie Bear." He said, and my body went rigid. "Fu.ck off James." I said without looking up from my notebook. "Awhh, is that any way to talk to someone who bought you a present?" He asked. A present? I looked up at James confused. What the h*ll does he mean a present? What's wrong with him? "It's a braclet. I got it as an apology," James said with a hopeful smile. "Oh James," I said sweetly, and his smile grew. "You can take your apology present and shove it up your @ss." I said while keeping the sweetness in my tone. James frowned. "Come on Mil, what do I have to do for you to forgive me?" He asked. I gave James an incredulous look. Forgive him? What does he have to do? The audacity. He hasn't even apologized, and I'm supposed to accept an apology? Is he serious? "Ya know what, James? I forgive you." I said, and then turned back to my notebook. I don't have the time or patience for this. It's better to just ignore him. Besides, I deserve to forgive James. So, he's forgiven. Now we can both move on. "Great! So, I'll pick you up after the game tonight?" James asked. "Mhmm." I hummed. Wait, what? "Wait, no." I said as I looked at James. "Just because I forgave you does not mean I'm going out with you." I told him, almost laughing. "Why not? We were good together, and you know you've always been my good luck charm." He said with a sweet smile. I gagged. Literally. James looked displeased. "Gross. I just ate lunch, so if you could go easy on me, so I don't have to taste it coming back up, that would be great." I said. "Don't be a beach, Millie. I'm trying to be nice." James gritted out. I looked up at him with raised eyebrows. "Ya know who would love you to be nice to them?" I asked, and he just stared at me. "Literally anybody but me. Especially Milinda. I hear you're dating her now." Then I turned back to my notebook. If James was going to say anything else, I wouldn't know because the bell rang, and the teacher came into the classroom. The class seemed to drag on and on. When the bell finally rang, I practically booked it out of there. I could hear James calling after me, but I ignored him. What a fking jerk. IV Chapter 4: Birthdays and Office Visits Millie's P.O.V. **************************************** I sighed a breath of relief when I made it to my next class. What a total fking a.ss hole. I can't believe James thinks I would ever go back to him after what he did to me. And people used to call me delusional. About halfway through my class, while I was helping a freshman boy with his algebra homework, a ding sounded over the PA. "Would Miss Amelia Holmebrooke please come to the principal's office. Thank you." Came a woman's voice. The teacher and I connected eyes, and he nodded for me to go. I gathered my belongings, and apologized to the freshman I was helping. Then I headed to the head office. Once I arrived, the secretary greeted me with a tight smile. Mrs. Oakly is a middle-aged woman who is rail thin, and I am pretty sure she has slept with a lot of the under-aged students here. Someone should open an investigation against her, seriously. Mrs. Oakly's lips are painted red, and she is wearing a tight black pencil skirt with a navy blue blouse. Her hair is pulled back into a tight bun. She looks like a s*xy librarian, not a high school secretary. "Miss Holmebrooke." She greeted me like I was scvm under her shoes. "Principal Melrose will see you now." Even though he was expecting me, I still knocked on the door. After a gruff 'come in', I stepped into the room. Mr. Melrose is sitting behind his desk with his arms folded over his large belly. He's bald on top of his head with thin white hair on the sides and back. Mr. Melrose has the same light brown eyes as James. His frown did little to ease the anxiety in my stomach. What really caught my eye was Vanessa sitting in the chair across from him, crying. Black watered down streaks ran down her pink cheeks. Her bottom lip is jutted out and trembling. When she turned her head to me, she scowled. Uhm okay... "Miss Holmebrooke, have a seat." Mr. Melrose said. Cautiously, I took the seat next to Vanessa, and set my backpack on the floor in front of me. "What's going on?" I asked as I looked between the two of them. "Miss Elms here has told me that you have been picking on her." He told me. My eyes widened. "What?" I breathed out with a laugh. "Is this funny to you, Miss Holmebrooke?" Mr. Melrose asked with narrowed eyes. "No." I rushed out. "I mean, I'm confused. I'm here because I've been bullying her?" I asked as I pointed between Vanessa and I. "Don't act like you haven't been picking on me for the last two weeks," Vanessa said, and then turned to the principal. "She even did it before the year started. All because she's still mad that James and I are together." She whined out. Wait, so James is with her and Milinda? While also trying to 'apologize' to me? How rich. "We do not tolerate bullying in this school, Miss Holmebrooke." Mr. Melrose said, making me almost snort. "We used to be best friends, Millie. I know what I did was wrong, but James and I are in love. You have to get over that, so we can make up." Vanessa said with the utmost fakeness. Yeah, James is in love with you and everyone else, apparently. Does she really not know what is going on with her own BFF? Wow. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Miss Holmebrooke?" Mr. Melrose asked. My eyebrows shot up. "That I'm completely flabbergasted." I said honestly. "I haven't done anything wrong, and I think you and I both know that sir." Honestly, I've been waiting for this moment. I'm an extremely smart girl, I knew that as soon as they stopped getting a rise out of me over the lockers that something like this would happen. "Excuse me?" Mr. Melrose spit out. "I don't mean any disrespect sir, but I do have proof, and multiple witnesses, that will say that I have been the one being bullied over the last year. I have lots of pictures of all the things they wrote on my locker." I don't, but let's lie anyway. "All of which you did nothing about. My brother has also tried to bring this to your attention on more than one occasion. Never at any point did you do anything about it, sir. You let the bullying keep happening to me. As you know, my father has lots of connections with lawyers. I'm sure that they would agree you are not doing your job appropriately." I finished with a sweet smile. Mr. Melrose's face is beat red now, letting me know he's fuming. Vanessa is stunned into silence next to me. I've never been the bad-girl type. I don't want to be now, but enough is enough. I won't be bullied by anyone, not even this adult. "Are you threatening me?" He finally asked. I shook my head. "Not at all, sir. Just letting you know what could happen." Then I sighed. "Listen, I don't want trouble Mr. Melrose. I just want to finish out my senior year in peace and pay attention to my classes. Nothing more," I said. Mr. Melrose cleared his throat, and nodded his head. "Very well. You may go, Miss Holmebrooke." He said, dismissing me. I grabbed my backpack from the floor, and got up. "You're just going to let her go?" Vanessa wailed. Oh, someone is pissed off. How sad that her little plan didn't work. Boo hoo. "You are dismissed as well, Miss Elms." Mr. Melrose said with a tight tone. "But-" Vanessa tried to say. "But nothing. Go on." He said. Mrs. Oakly didn't utter a word to me as I walked out, and I didn't spare her a glance. Sometimes it baffles me that adults can treat kids this way. I know we're teenagers, but Dam. If my mother and father really knew what was going on here they really would take action. What I said to Mr. Melrose wasn't a complete lie. No, I did not take pictures, and I highly doubt anyone but Caleb and Mrs. Gibbson would be witnesses for me. But yes, my father does know some high-end people. In fact, a few of his friends from college have just moved here, and started a firm. Dad would be more than happy to take action. I might not know the ins and outs of being a principal, but I'm pretty sure if they found out Mr. Melrose has been letting me be bullied this way, he would be in trouble. There were several times that I had to go to the nurses' office last year with bloody lips or my hair pulled out. I was always able to make an excuse, but anyone could tell I was lying. It was a miracle that Mom and Dad never pressed more about it. Mr. Melrose never did anything about that. If I were to tattle on him, he would deserve it. "Millie wait." Vanessa called. I turned around and crossed my arms. "What?" I asked. "Don't have an attitude with me," she stated. Vanessa rolled her eyes, and flipped her curly red hair over her shoulder. "I just want to talk. Like old times." She said with a fake smile. "Oh, you mean all the times when you were just taking pity on me, and pretending to be my friend? Those old times?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Come on, don't be like that. I miss you." She said, pouting. Vanessa's voice sounded genuine. If I didn't know better, I would have fallen for it. Unfortunately, we have already been down this road. She has already played this card. At one point, Vanessa pretended to be sorry for what she did. She tricked me into coming with her to a party to make it up to me. Her and her little popular squad dropped me in the middle of the woods and left me there. It took me three hours to walk home. "What is it you want, Vanessa?" I asked sternly. Vanessa's beautiful smile faded, and she rolled her eyes. "Fine." She said, finally dropping the act. "Are you and James dating again?" My eyes went wide, and I just stared at her for a moment, unable to respond. "Look, if you are, just know we were together just last night. He doesn't love you. And if this is some kind of revenge against me then-" She started, but my laughter had interrupted her. I doubled over, and held my stomach as I laughed. Oh, this is too rich. I can't stop. "It's not fu.cking funny you stupid wh.ore. You stole him from me once already, Millie, just let me have him." Her voice almost sounded pleading. It's pathetic really. So pathetic that my laughter finally died down. I stared at Vanessa as she glared at me. "I didn't steal anybody from you, Vanessa. He was my boyfriend, and was sleeping with you behind my back." I told her, and then sighed. "I'm not with James. I would never embarrass myself by going back to him." Before I could finish, Vanessa scoffed. "You should be lucky he wanted you to begin with." She told me. My eyebrows shot up once again. "Right," I said, and then rolled my eyes. "I should be totally lucky that someone convinced me they loved me, just to take my virginity and dump me." "He took your virginity?" She asked with a soft voice. I looked up to see that Vanessa was genuinely curious. "Yeah." I said like it was no big deal. "He only told the whole school." "I thought he was just lying to spread rumors." Vanessa said as she looked at the ground. "Okay," I said, and then turned back toward the library. I don't care if he lied to her or to me. James is a liar, and I want nothing to do with him. Or her. "Wait Millie!" Vanessa called out as she grabbed my wrist. I turned around to face her. "What now?" I asked angrily. "You really aren't sleeping with him?" She asked me. I shook my head. "No. I would never let him touch me again. But he did get me a present and tried to apologize to me today." I told her. Did part of me tell her that just to make her mad? Yes. Did part of me say it because my feelings are hurt that she doesn't remember it's my birthday? Yes. Did part of me want to give her a reason not to go back to that scVm? Also yes. I can't help it. Vanessa was my best friend for so long. I really thought it was her and me against the world. I'm not sure what happened on her part, if she really faked the whole friendship or not. But it was all real for me. "Your birthday… I forgot…" She whispered. I shrugged. "Well, we aren't friends, so don't feel too bad about it," I said. "Right," she replied. "Is there anything else, or can I go now without being dragged back to this conversation?" I asked, annoyed. Vanessa huffed, and rolled her eyes. "Whatever nerd. You should be happy I didn't hit you like I used to last year." She stated as she strutted passed me. I shook my head as I watched Vanessa walk away. V Chapter 5: The New Boy Millie's P.O.V. ******************************************* When I entered the library, I was expecting to greet the librarian, Ted. Ted is a very sweet man. He's probably in his mid 30s. He has dark hair and light eyes. And a sweetheart. This was often the place I ran to last year. Anytime the other kids followed me in here, Ted would make them leave. Library rules for being quiet and all. I was extremely thankful to him. Eventually, Ted became a mentor to me, much like Mrs. Gibbson. He's the reason why I have read most of the books on the AP English reading list. Back to the present, Ted is not behind the desk like he normally is. I looked around but didn't see him. Shrugging, I went and took a seat at one of the desks. The library is completely empty, thank God. I had just pulled out my books to do some homework when I heard voices coming from behind me. "This should be everything that the five of you will need," Ted said. "Are you sure that the others can't come to get their own books? This is a lot for you to carry all by yourself." Is he talking to someone? "It's really not a problem." Came a deep and polite voice. "I can make a few trips if I need to, and I have my own car. The others can pick them up from me. They are all pretty busy today." I couldn't help it. I turned in my chair to see Ted and a boy that I'd never seen before come through a row of books behind me. I gulped. Wow, he is hot. He's tall, like 6'2 probably, with golden curly hair sitting in a sxy mess on top of his head. The boy has those old-timey glasses, like the ones Jeffrey Dahmer wore that are now popular. He's lean with a bit of muscle. He's wearing a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt with some kind of anime on it. His ears are pierced, and I think I can see one of those industrial bars, but I'm not sure with his mass of curls in the way. The boy's eyes found mine, as if he could feel me staring at me. His bright hazel eyes bore into me, and I could feel heat crawl up my neck, and settle in my cheeks. The boy smiled politely at me. Ted, realizing that the boy was no longer paying him attention, followed his line of sight right to me. The librarian beamed once he saw me. "Millie my dear!" Ted greeted. "Hi Ted." I greeted back with a small smile. "You're here kind of early. You didn't finish your other class?" He asked. I looked between him and the boy. "Uhm, I was called out early." I said vaguely. Ted gave me a confused look but, thankfully, didn't push me in front of the stranger. "Well, good, maybe you can help me out," he said, and then turned to the boy. "This is Oliver, he's new here. He and a few of his friends are transferring here. They are starting Monday, but he came by to get all of their books." "Okay." I said as I looked between the two of them again. Ted chuckled. "Would you mind helping him carry these books to his car before the bell rings. I fear that the students will over run him if they see him. You know we never get newcomers here," he said. I nodded, and put my pen down. "Sure. Can you watch my stuff please?" I asked Ted. "Of course," he said, and then the office phone started to ring. "Excuse me." Oliver, stood there staring at me for a moment. Gee, no wonder those glasses are popular right now. He looks smoking hot with them. I'm sure he looks smoking hot without them too though. "Hi, I'm Oliver." He introduced himself with a bright smile. I gave him a nod. "Ted said that. So, are these all the books?" I asked as I pointed to the stack of books on the table. Oliver is already holding a pretty big stack himself. "Yeah," he replied while nodding. "You don't have to help me if you don't want to." I shook my head at him, and then looked to see Ted was now off the phone. "Ted." I called, and he looked over to me. "Why don't you let us use the cart? I know it's clean because I cleaned it off for you yesterday." I said with a smile. Ted gave me a sheepish look. "I didn't even think about that. Go ahead. I still want you to go with him though. I trust you won't let anything happen to my precious cart." He said. I shook my head as a smile spread across my face. Then I went and got the nearly empty cart out. Oliver and I stacked all the books onto it in silence, and then began wheeling it out to the student parking lot. "So, you gonna tell me your name? Ya know, since you know mine?" Oliver asked once we were outside. "Millie," I said simply. "Millie…" He repeated. "Cute name for a cute girl." My face heated. I was walking behind him, so thankfully he couldn't see my face. I wasn't being the most polite, and I knew that. It's just that I'm cautious now. Honestly, I felt a bit guilty about it. Oliver seems like such a nice guy, being friends with me would make him a target though. It was best we stayed away from each other, even if he is the hottest guy that has ever talked to me. Much hotter than James. "So, Millie, tell me, do you like it here?" Oliver asked. Oh God. "Sure," I replied. Oliver turned his head, and raised a brow at me. "You don't have to lie to me, Millie. I have to attend here whether I like it or not." He said with a chuckle. We made it to Oliver's car, which looked expensive. He opened the back door behind the driver's side, and began putting the books in. I stood there awkwardly. Should I tell him this place suks? I don't really want to get into the details of my personal experience here. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut. Once the books were in Oliver's car, he shut the door, and turned to look at me. He leaned against the car, and smiled. "So?" He asked with his eyebrow raised. How can someone look so cocky and so smart at the same time? I sighed, and rolled my eyes. "This school suks a.ss. But it's high school. Stay away from me though, and it shouldn't be too bad," I said, and then grabbed the cart to wheel it back. I could hear Oliver chuckle behind me as I started walking back to school. "Stay away from you? I don't think so, Millie." He called out, but I ignored him. My face heated up instantly at his words, and my steps moved quicker. It took me no more than three minutes to get back to the library. The moment I got back, and sat back down, the bell rang. I could hear the hallway fill with kids, and a few of them staggered in here. I tried to focus on my homework for the whole hour, but my thoughts were consumed with the blonde boy I had just met. Why would he say that? Is he really not going to leave me alone? Does he want to bully me? Is it....something else? Why do I feel nervous and excited? Ugh! Get a grip Millie! He's just a boy, and who cares if he wants to bully you? It's not like the rest of the school hasn't. And if he wants something else... Well, I'm sure he won't once he finds out that everyone hates me. So, win-win for me. Right? When the last bell rang, I waited in the library as I finished up my homework. I was just waiting for the halls to clear more before leaving. One more question on this stupid calculus homework and I was good to go. Only, I was having trouble with it. Ugh! Calculus is going to be the death of me. "Want me to tell you the answer?" A voice came from behind me. I jumped and let out a little yelp. Ted's eyes narrowed at me and I gave him an apologetic smile. Then I turned a glare onto the voice that interrupted me. Oliver was standing behind me with a wide smile that made his hazel eyes brighter. He has a few more books tucked under his arm. I continued to glare at him. "You scared the shht out of me." I whisper-yelled at him. Oliver chuckled and took the seat next to me. "What are you doing?" I asked him. "You look like you need help." He told me as he pulled my book and notebook towards him. I pulled it back. "I am doing just fine thank you." I stated. Oliver raised a brow at me. "Really?" He asked, and then snatched my notebook away. "Because questions 3, 5, 10, and 18 are wrong." He stated with slight amusement. "What?" I asked seriously, and took my notebook back to look over my work. "But I followed what the book showed me…" I mumbled and then let out a loud groan before turning another glare on Oliver. "How do you know I'm wrong?" I asked. Oliver's smile widened. "Math is what I am best at. Calculus is no biggie for me." He said, and then leaned back in his chair. "But I gotta say, it's pretty hot that you're taking an AP math class." I blushed. "Wait, why is that hot?" I asked with furrowed brows. Oliver chuckled and leaned back up in his seat. "Smart girls are sxy as hll to me." He whispered in my ear. Oh no. My face has got to be as red as a tomato by now. What the h*ll is with this guy? I haven't even been nice to him. I turned my head ready to say something snarky, but he was so close to me that the words died on my lips. Instead, I gulped. Shht, did he hear that? "Now, would you like my help or not?" He asked, and then his eyes flickered down to my lips. I gulped again. "I.. Uhm.." Wait, what did he ask me again? I need help with something, right? Yeah, help. I need.. help... "Millie!" Called a voice that broke me from my trance. I jumped so far back I almost fell out of my chair. Thankfully, Oliver grabbed my arm to stop my fall. My breathing was coming out hard and my face was hot again. "Mr. Holmebrooke, I love your sister dearly, and I know it's her birthday, so I will let you off with a warning this time. Shhhh." Ted said to my brother who had called for me. "Sorry Ted, Millie is running late, and our parents are looking for her." Caleb said as he walked over to us. "Shht already?" I asked as I looked at the clock. "Wait, shouldn't you be getting ready?" Caleb stopped in front of the table, and looked between Oliver and I. Oliver still had his hand around my upper arm. The heat from his body feels... so nice. Caleb narrowed his eyes at Oliver. "Who the fk are you?" My little brother asked. "Caleb!" I scolded him. Oliver finally let my arm go and then reached his hand out to my brother. "Hi, I'm Oliver. I'm new here. Pretty sure my friend is on the football team too. You might know him. His name is Atals," Oliver said politely. Caleb's eyes hardened at the name 'Atlas'. Oh no, that must be the guy Caleb is worried about. Still, my little brother took Oliver's hand politely. "Caleb," he stated. "And yeah, I know him. He's good." My brother said and then turned his eyes to me. "I know it's your birthday and all, but could you hurry your @ss up. Mom and Dad are outside waiting for you. They want to take you out for food before the game," he said. I started to gather my things. "You aren't coming?" I asked. Caleb gave me a blank look. "I have a game to prepare for. And I'm sure we'll go out after. Not like you can't put away food." He teased me. I rolled my eyes. Caleb is right. I can put away a lot of food. In fact, I love food. If I didn't have such a good metabolism, I would be 500 pounds by now. "Wait, it's your birthday?" Oliver asked after I stood up. I slung my backpack over my shoulder. "Yeah," I said. Oliver graced me with a huge and s*xy smile. "Happy birthday Millie. If I had known I was going to meet such a pretty girl today, I would have brought you a present." He said. Caleb tensed, and then grabbed my wrist. "She doesn't need anything from you, but thanks anyway." Caleb said, and then started to drag me out of the library. I looked behind me as Caleb pulled me through the door. Oliver was staring at me still with a smile on his full lips. He gave me a small wave and then I disappeared. "Did you really have to do that?" I asked Caleb once we reached my locker. Huh, no new love notes. Good. "That guy was flirting with you." Caleb said like it was a defense. I sighed. "You could have let me live in a blissful bubble for a little bit though. I'm sure once he finds out the rumors he won't want anything to do with me." I whined. "Exactly why he doesn't need to flirt with you in the first place. You've been hurt enough." Caleb said. I let out another sigh as I shut my locker. "I'm supposed to be the one protecting you, little brother." I said. Caleb beamed at me and then ruffled my hair. "Then you should be taller." He said with a laugh. I swatted his hand away and smoothed down my hair. "Whatever. I'm going to find Mom and Dad." VI Chapter 6: Yelling At The Coach Millie's P.O.V. *************************************** On our way out, I spotted Oliver's car still in the parking lot. I wonder if he's staying for the game. He did say his friend was on the team, and this was the first game of the year. I shook my head, it doesn't matter anyway. The three of us went to dinner at my favorite restaurant in town. It's a bit fancy though. I didn't realize we had time to sit for this kind of dinner. "Are you guys sure we have time for this? I don't want to be late to Caleb's first game," I asked them. Mom waved me off as she scanned the menu. "Your father called ahead and told them we would need to be quick." She told me. I looked at Dad, who gave me a bright smile. "Perks of knowing every, even slightly important person," I mumbled. Dad chuckled. "Well, I told the owner that I could help bring some rich clientele to his business. You know my old friends have opened a firm in the city and are staying here in this town. This place could be a meeting ground." He told me. I shook my head. "All so that you could rush your daughter's birthday dinner." I teased. Mom, Dad, and I made small talk while we ate. Dad was right, they were quick for us. They asked me about school and I told them about Mrs. Gibbson's gifts and how Mr. Douglas offered to help me with my essay. I left out all the bad things though. It was nice. The only thing missing is my annoying little brother that I love so dearly. "So, how does it feel to be 18?" Mom asked excitedly
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
I was dying at the banquet, coughing up black blood while the pack celebrated my step-sister Lydia's promotion. Across the room, Caleb, the Alpha and my Fated Mate, didn't look concerned. He looked annoyed. "Stop it, Elena," his voice boomed in my head. "Don't ruin this night with your attention-seeking lies." I begged him, telling him it was poison, but he just ordered me to leave his Pack House so I wouldn't dirty the floor. Heartbroken, I publicly demanded the Severing Ceremony to break our bond and left to die alone in a cheap motel. Only after I took my last breath did the truth come out. I sent Caleb the medical records proving Lydia had been poisoning my tea with wolfsbane for ten years. He went mad with grief, realizing he had protected the murderer and rejected his true mate. He tortured Lydia, but his regret couldn't bring me back. Or so he thought. In the afterlife, the Moon Goddess showed me my reflection. I wasn't a wolfless weakling. I was a White Wolf, the rarest and most powerful of all, suppressed by poison. "You can stay here in peace," the Goddess said. "Or you can go back." I looked at the life they stole from me. I looked at the power I never got to use. "I want to go back," I said. "Not for his love. But for revenge." I opened my eyes, and for the first time in my life, my wolf roared. Chapter 1 Elena POV: The chandelier above the banquet hall spun dizzily, a kaleidoscope of crystal and light that mocked the darkness spreading through my veins. *The air was choked with the smell of roasted venison, designer perfume, and the heavy, musk-laden pheromones of shifting wolves.* To anyone else, this was the celebration of the year-Lydia, the pack's darling, had just been promoted to Elite Warrior. To me, it felt like a funeral. I coughed, pressing a napkin to my lips. When I pulled it away, the white linen was stained with black flecks. It wasn't just blood. It was the rot. "You don't have much time, Elena," the Pack Doctor whispered, leaning in close under the guise of checking my pulse. His eyes were cold, "professional, and entirely bought." He was on my father's payroll, after all. "The wolfsbane has calcified in your marrow. Your Inner Wolf... I can't hear her anymore. She's likely already gone." My Inner Wolf. The spirit that was supposed to guide me, protect me, and allow me to Shift. She had been silent for years, suppressed by the 'medicine' my step-sister Lydia ensured I took for my 'condition.' I looked across the room. There he was. Caleb. He stood tall, his shoulders broad in a tailored tuxedo that couldn't hide the lethal power of the Alpha beast beneath his skin. He was laughing at something Lydia said, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back. The sight tore through me sharper than any blade. Caleb was the Alpha of the Black Moon Pack. He was the most powerful wolf in the region. And he was my Fated Mate. The Moon Goddess had paired us, soul to soul. But he didn't want a broken, wolfless Omega. He wanted a warrior like Lydia. I closed my eyes and reached out with my mind, tapping into the Mind-Link. It was the telepathic web that connected every member of the pack, a hum of voices I usually blocked out. I focused solely on him. "Caleb... please," I projected, my mental voice trembling. "I need help. It hurts. I think I'm dying." Across the room, Caleb stiffened. His laughter cut off. He turned, his eyes locking onto me. *There was a flicker of something-concern? instinct?-before it was smothered by annoyance.* "Stop it, Elena," his voice boomed in my head, cold and hard as granite. "Don't ruin this night with your attention-seeking lies." "It's not a lie," I pleaded, the pain in my chest spiking as the bond between us vibrated with his rejection. "The doctor said-" "I said silence!" The mental command slammed into me. He didn't just speak; he used the Alpha's Authority. It was a psychic weight that forced my head down, crushing my will. But the physical pain in my lungs was stronger. I couldn't hold it back. I bent over, hacking violently. A spray of dark blood hit the pristine white tablecloth, splattering onto the floor. The music stopped. The chatter died. Caleb was there in a second. Not to help, but to loom over me like a thunderhead. "Did you drink the wine?" he snarled, his voice echoing in the silent hall. "You know your weak human body can't handle alcohol. Look at this mess." "It's... poison," I wheezed, looking up at him. "Caleb, look at the blood. It's black." "It's red wine, *you drama queen*," he spat. "Oh no, Elena!" Lydia appeared at his side, her face a mask of perfect, worried innocence. She grabbed Caleb's arm. "She's doing it again, Caleb. She's jealous because I got the promotion. She always gets sick when I succeed." "Get her out of here," my mother, Sarah, growled through the Mind-Link. Her voice was a jagged knife in my brain. "Get up and leave before I drag you out by your hair. You're embarrassing the family." I looked at Caleb. My mate. The man who was supposed to cherish me above all others. He looked at the blood on the floor, then at his polished shoes, which had a single drop on the toe. Disgust. That was all I saw. "If you're going to die, Elena," Caleb said, his voice low and cruel, "do it somewhere else. Don't dirty my Pack House." Something inside me snapped. It wasn't a bone. It was the last thread of hope I had been clinging to since I was eighteen. The pain didn't stop, but the fear vanished. It was replaced by a cold, hollow numbness. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, smearing the black toxin across my pale skin. I stood up. My legs shook, but I locked my knees. "You're right, Alpha," I said aloud. My voice was raspy, but it carried. "I won't dirty your house anymore." I turned my gaze to the High Elder, who sat at the head table, watching the scene with a frown. "Elder," I said. "I want the Severing." Gasps rippled through the room. The Severing Ceremony was an ancient, agonizing ritual to forcefully break a Mate Bond. It was rarely done, and usually only when one mate had committed a grave crime. Caleb's eyes widened, then narrowed into slits. He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging into my bruise-riddled flesh. "You think you can threaten me?" he hissed. "You think this little stunt will make me care? You're bluffing." "I am not bluffing," I whispered. "I am leaving." "Then go!" Caleb roared. He shoved me away. I stumbled back, losing my footing on the slick floor. My head cracked against the marble. "Get out!" he used the Alpha Voice. "Roll!" My body obeyed before my mind could. I scrambled backward, humiliated, broken, while Lydia smirked behind his shoulder. I stood up, swaying. I didn't look at him. I looked at the exit. My Inner Wolf let out one final, mournful whimper, a sound of absolute despair, and then she went silent. This time, I knew she wasn't just sleeping. She was gone. Chapter 2 Elena POV: The pain of the Severing Ceremony was not physical. It was spiritual amputation. I sat in the center of the Elder's study, surrounded by burning sage and salt circles. The Elder chanted in the old tongue, his voice a low drone that vibrated against my ribs. Every word he spoke felt like a serrated hook digging into my chest, finding the golden thread that connected my soul to Caleb's, and pulling. "Do you, Elena of the Black Moon Pack, accept the eternal void that comes with severing the Fated Bond?" the Elder asked, his eyes sad. "I do," I said. I didn't hesitate. The bond was already a noose; I was just cutting the rope. "So be it." The Elder brought a silver ceremonial knife down, slicing the air between us. A scream tore from my throat. It felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest cavity without anesthesia. I curled into a ball on the rug, gasping, clawing at the floorboards. The connection-that constant, background hum of Caleb's presence, his emotions, his location-vanished. Silence. Absolute, terrifying silence. I lay there for a long time until the tremors stopped. When I stood up, I felt lighter. And emptier. I walked back to my room. It wasn't really a room anymore. It used to be the Luna Suite, destined for Caleb's mate. But after I failed to shift at eighteen, Lydia had gradually taken it over. Now, it was a glorified storage closet filled with Lydia's old trophies, winter coats, and boxes. My cot was shoved in the corner. I sat on the thin mattress and pulled out a small wooden box from under the bed. Inside was a photo of me at eighteen, smiling, hopeful, waiting for my wolf to come. That was before the sickness. Before the 'vitamins' Lydia gave me. My phone buzzed on the crate I used as a nightstand. "Hello?" I answered. "Ms. Elena? This is Moonlight Crypts," a professional voice said. "We're calling about your reservation. The payment for the plot was declined." I closed my eyes. Even in death, I was broke. My parents had cut off my allowance years ago. "I... I see. Just cancel it," I said softly. "I'll figure something else out." "Are you sure? The body disposal fee will still apply if-" The door to my room banged open. Caleb stood there, chest heaving. He looked wild. His tie was undone, his hair messy. He was breathing hard, inhaling deeply, his nostrils flaring. "Where is it?" he demanded. "Where is what?" I asked, not bothering to stand. "The smell! The jasmine!" He took a step forward, looking around the cramped, dusty room as if searching for an intruder. *"It just... stopped. Why can't I smell you?"* The scent. The unique olfactory signature of a mate. Now that the bond was severed, to him, I would smell like nothing more than a regular wolf. Or in my case, a sickly human. "I told you, Caleb," I said, my voice flat. "I severed the bond." He froze. He stared at me, processing the words. *His expression wasn't just anger anymore; there was a flicker of genuine confusion, like a man who stepped off a curb and found no ground beneath him.* Then, his eyes fell on the phone in my hand. He must have heard the tail end of the conversation. "Who were you talking to?" he barked. "A funeral home," I answered honestly. His face twisted in rage. *He snatched the phone from my hand and hurled it against the wall.* It shattered. "Stop it!" he yelled. The walls shook. "Stop trying to manipulate me with this suicide garbage! You think buying a grave plot will make me pity you? It makes me hate you more!" He grabbed my shoulders and hauled me up. "You are cursing this Pack with your obsession with death. You are the Alpha's Mate, and you live in a closet, planning your own funeral like a martyr." "I am not your mate," I said, meeting his furious golden eyes. "Not anymore." "You will always be what I say you are!" He used the Alpha Voice again. "Kneel!" My knees hit the floor hard. The command bypassed my brain and controlled my muscles directly. I looked up at him from the ground. He looked powerful, beautiful, and utterly monstrous. "Do you remember, Caleb?" I asked softly. "When we were eighteen. You swore to the Moon Goddess you would protect me." He sneered, looking down his nose at me. "The Moon Goddess makes mistakes. She paired a lion with a mouse. You aren't fit to be Luna. You aren't even fit to be a wolf." His words should have hurt. But the part of me that could be hurt by him was dead. "You're right," I said. "I'm not Luna." He scoffed and turned around, storming out of the room. He slammed the door so hard dust rained down from the ceiling. I stayed on the floor for a moment. Then, I crawled over to my broken phone. The screen was cracked, but it still worked. I opened my email draft. It was a scheduled message, set to send in forty-eight hours. Attached were my medical records, the logs of the 'medicine' Lydia gave me, and a recording I had made of my parents discussing how ashamed they were of me. I added one line to the body of the email: *Congratulations, Caleb. You're free.* Chapter 3 Elena POV: I woke up to the sound of birds chirping, a cruel contrast to the fact that I had roughly two days left to live. The poison was moving faster now. I could feel my kidneys shutting down, a dull, throbbing ache in my lower back. I had barely sat up when my father, John, burst into the room. "Get up!" he roared. I flinched. "Father?" "Don't call me that. You embarrassed us last night. Leaving the banquet? Making a scene with the Elder?" He paced the small room, kicking a box of Lydia's old shoes. "Lydia has been crying all morning because she feels responsible for your 'moods.'" "She's crying?" I asked dryly. "That must be terrible for her." "Watch your tone," he warned. "You are going to go downstairs, and you are going to apologize to your sister. And then you are going to help her prepare the floral arrangements for the ceremony tonight." I didn't have the energy to fight. I pulled on a loose sweater to hide the bruises on my arms and followed him downstairs. The living room was filled with flowers. White lilies, roses, and... Moon Flowers. Lydia sat on the sofa, dabbing at dry eyes with a silk handkerchief. When she saw me, she brightened. "Elena! Oh, I'm so glad you're here." She stood up and grabbed a bundle of the Moon Flowers. They were beautiful, glowing with a faint pearlescent light, but their pollen was potent. "I need you to weave these into a crown for me." I stared at the flowers. "Lydia, you told the whole pack you were deadly allergic to Moon Flowers three years ago. You said I tried to poison you with them." That lie had cost me three lashes from the pack enforcer. Lydia's smile didn't waver. She leaned in close, her voice a whisper only I could hear. "I know. But Caleb isn't here right now to fact-check, is he? And you're going to hold them." "No," I said, stepping back. "What is going on here?" Caleb's voice boomed from the entryway. He had just come in from a morning run, shirtless, glistening with sweat. "Caleb!" Lydia gasped. "I was just trying to bond with Elena. I asked her to help me with the flowers, but she refuses. She says she hopes I choke on them." "I didn't say that," I said calmly. "She's lying!" Lydia shrieked. Then, she did something insane. She grabbed my hand and forcibly shoved the bouquet of Moon Flowers into it. In the struggle, she deftly brushed her own neck. I saw a flash of powder on her fingertips-itching powder mixed with a mild irritant. "Ah!" Lydia screamed, dropping to the floor. She clawed at her throat. Instantly, red welts began to rise on her skin. "My throat! She rubbed the pollen on me! Caleb, help!" My parents rushed in from the kitchen. "What did you do, you monster?" my mother screamed. Caleb didn't ask questions. He didn't look for logic. He saw his 'true' choice of mate on the floor, gasping for air, and me standing there holding the flowers. He moved faster than human eyes could follow. *He didn't punch me, but he shoved me aside with the careless force of an Alpha clearing debris.* *I hit the wall hard.* The impact knocked the wind out of me. I slid down to the floor, gasping, my vision blurring. My ribs-already brittle from the poison-*groaned under the pressure.* "You dare?" Caleb roared, his eyes flashing the bright amber of his wolf. "You dare hurt her in my presence?" He scooped Lydia up in his arms. She buried her face in his chest, sobbing loudly, but over his muscular arm, her eyes met mine. She winked. It was a look of pure malice. A victory lap. "Get her out of my sight," Caleb growled to my father, nodding at me. "Before I kill her myself." I lay on the floor, unable to breathe, watching the man I loved cradle the woman who was murdering me. "Don't worry," I whispered, though none of them heard me. "I'll be out of your sight soon enough." Chapter 4 Caleb POV: The rage was a living thing inside me. It clawed at my chest, demanding blood. Seeing Lydia on the floor, gasping, her skin red and angry, triggered every protective instinct my Alpha blood possessed. But beneath the rage, there was something else. A nagging, hollow ache. When I had shoved Elena, when I felt her frail body hit the wall, a jolt of agonizing static had shot through my nerves. It felt wrong. Physically wrong. Like hitting myself. *I looked at my hand, flexing the fingers. Why did she feel so... breakable?* I looked down at Lydia, who was now breathing easier after my mother applied a cooling salve. "Is she gone?" Lydia whimpered. "Not yet," I said. I stood up and turned to where Elena was trying to push herself up from the floor. She looked like a ghost. Her skin was translucent, her eyes sunken. She held her side, and I could hear the wet rattle in her breath. Why didn't she heal? Even an Omega should heal a bruised rib in an hour. She had been 'sick' for years, but today... she looked like a corpse walking. "Caleb," she wheezed. "Silence," I commanded. *But my voice lacked its usual thunder. It was tired.* I couldn't have her here. Her presence was poison to the pack. She attacked Lydia. She disrupted the banquet. She was mentally unstable. *Seeing her like this... it made me feel like a failure. And I hated feeling like a failure.* I had to do what an Alpha must do. *Cut the rotting limb to save the tree.* "Elena," I said, my voice echoing with the full weight of the Pack Law. "I, Caleb, Alpha of the Black Moon Pack, hereby banish you." The room went silent. Banishment for a lone, weak wolf was a death sentence. Rogues were hunted. They had no territory, no protection. Elena didn't cry. She didn't beg. She just nodded slowly, as if she had expected this. "You are no longer Pack," I continued, the ancient magic of the words severing the final mystical ties that bound her to the land. "Leave now. If you are found within our borders by sundown, you will be treated as a hostile intruder." "Understood," she said. She walked past me. She didn't look at me. She didn't look at her parents, who stood by the stairs with their arms crossed, looking relieved. She walked out the front door. A sudden, irrational panic seized me. *Stop her,* my wolf growled in the back of my mind. *Mate. Mate leaving.* *She is not our mate,* I argued back, *clinching my fists.* *She severed the bond. She is a threat to Lydia.* I followed her to the porch. I needed to see her leave. I needed to be sure. Elena walked down the long driveway. She reached the stone pillars that marked the boundary of the pack lands. She stopped. She turned around. For a second, I thought she would apologize. Instead, she looked up at the sky. "I swear by the Moon," she said, her voice carrying on the wind. "I will never look back. And for the sin of driving away your true Luna, may you find what you are looking for, and realize it is ash." She stepped over the line. *Snap.* I felt it physically. It wasn't the bond-that was already gone. It was the Pack Link. Her light in the mental web winked out completely. My knees buckled. I grabbed the porch railing to steady myself. My chest felt like it had been scooped out with a spoon. "Caleb?" Lydia called from inside. "My throat hurts again." I gritted my teeth, pushing down the overwhelming sense of loss. "I'm coming, Lydia." I turned my back on the forest. But my hand, gripping the railing, squeezed until the wood splintered. Chapter 5 Elena POV: The motel was a rat trap on the edge of the human town, ten miles from the pack border. The neon sign buzzed with an annoying *fzzzt-pop* sound. It was the kind of place Rogues went to die. Fitting. I lay on the lumpy mattress, staring at the water-stained ceiling. It was night now. The wolfsbane was no longer just hurting; it was dissolving me. My bones felt like they were made of molten glass. I reached under the bed and pulled out a bowl of soup I had bought earlier. I couldn't keep it down, but the warmth on my hands helped. The door creaked. I froze. I hadn't locked it? No, I had. The lock had been picked. Lydia stepped into the room. She wasn't wearing her 'victim' face now. She was dressed in black leather, looking every bit the warrior she claimed to be. She closed the door softly behind her. "You're hard to track without a scent," she said, wrinkling her nose at the smell of mold. "But I figured you wouldn't get far." "Here to finish the job?" I whispered. I tried to sit up, but my arms gave out. *I carefully slid my hand under the pillow, tapping the screen of my phone.* Lydia laughed. It was a cold, ugly sound. "Oh, Elena. The job is already done. You're practically decomposing." She walked over to the bedside table and picked up my bottle of water. She unscrewed the cap and poured a small vial of clear liquid into it. "Concentrated silver nitrate," she explained casually. "Just to speed things up. I can't have you lingering as a Rogue. What if you found a cure? What if you came back?" "Why?" I asked, *forcing my voice to sound weaker than it was. I needed her to gloat.* "I gave you everything. You have the Alpha. You have the rank." "Because as long as you breathe, his wolf knows," she hissed, her face twisting into a snarl. "Even with the bond severed, he looks for you. I see it in his eyes. He hesitates." She grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked my head back. I gasped, tears leaking from my eyes. "You were always so clever, Lydia," I wheezed. "Even the tea... nobody ever suspected the tea." "Exactly," she smirked, leaning in close. "Wolfsbane in your morning brew for ten years. Ten years! And you just kept surviving. You stubborn bitch." "You... you admit it," I choked out. "Who am I admitting it to? A corpse?" She shoved my head back onto the pillow. "Nobody cares, Elena. Mom and Dad know I'm ambitious. They prefer a winner. And Caleb? Caleb is so blinded by my performance he'd thank me for putting you out of your misery." She kicked me in the ribs-the same ones Caleb had cracked earlier. I screamed, curling into a ball. "Die quietly," she said. "I have a wedding to plan." She turned and walked out, leaving the door slightly ajar. I lay there, blood bubbling on my lips. The pain was blinding, encompassing my entire world. But I smiled. With a trembling hand, I reached under the pillow. I pulled out my phone. The screen was glowing. The voice recorder app was running. *Stop Recording.* *Save File.* I didn't have the strength to stand. I didn't have the strength to fight. But I had enough strength for one last click. I opened the email draft I had prepared. I attached the new audio file. *Recipients: Alpha Caleb, Beta John, The High Elder, Pack Council.* I pressed *Send*. The little 'sending' bar moved across the screen. It felt agonizingly slow. *Sent.* I dropped the phone. It clattered to the floor. The darkness was closing in now. Real darkness. Not just the night. "Checkmate, Lydia," I whispered. Then, the pain finally stopped. &1&
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
💔 They Are the Two Smartest Minds in the Precinct, Solving the Town's Most Gruesome Homicide with Clinical Precision—Yet Neither One Recognizes the Victim's Smile as Their Own Flesh and Blood. 🔦 #goodshortapp #DramaAlert #ViralDrama #MustWatch #FYP #StoryTime 💋💋Download GoodShort for free and enjoy the whole series~👇
เจ็ดปีหลังจากคืนเดียวที่ให้กำเนิดลูกแฝดของไบรอัน วินสตัน ไอวี่ได้ทำงานในโรงแรมของตระกูลเขาโดยไม่คาดคิด ทั้งสองใกล้ชิดกันขึ้นโดยไม่รู้ว่าเด็กที่พูดถึงคือ ลูกที่หายไปของพวกเขาเอง
Seven years ago, Princess Sera was drugged and had a one-night stand with a vagrant, Caelan. She lost her memory but gained a dragon-mark on her palm. Now, to save her kingdom, she holds a trial—Caelan wins by “incredible luck.” As the Frostmarch prince threatens war, Caelan secretly protects her, while their daughter Aurora reveals hidden dragon powers. But when an invitation to the Drakefire Conclave arrives, one question lingers: who is Caelan really—and what is he hiding?
Seven years ago, Princess Sera was drugged and had a one-night stand with a vagrant, Caelan. She lost her memory but gained a dragon-mark on her palm. Now, to save her kingdom, she holds a trial—Caelan wins by “incredible luck.” As the Frostmarch prince threatens war, Caelan secretly protects her, while their daughter Aurora reveals hidden dragon powers. But when an invitation to the Drakefire Conclave arrives, one question lingers: who is Caelan really—and what is he hiding?
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
I'm Zhang San. Reborn today, I decided to live differently. In my past life, I was pathetic. This time, I became ruthless. From restaurant server to underworld boss, I crush my bullies and outsmart my father-in-law. I learned that when you stand firm, the world yields to you.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
I'm Zhang San. Reborn today, I decided to live differently. In my past life, I was pathetic. This time, I became ruthless. From restaurant server to underworld boss, I crush my bullies and outsmart my father-in-law. I learned that when you stand firm, the world yields to you.
I'm Zhang San. Reborn today, I decided to live differently. In my past life, I was pathetic. This time, I became ruthless. From restaurant server to underworld boss, I crush my bullies and outsmart my father-in-law. I learned that when you stand firm, the world yields to you.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
I'm Zhang San. Reborn today, I decided to live differently. In my past life, I was pathetic. This time, I became ruthless. From restaurant server to underworld boss, I crush my bullies and outsmart my father-in-law. I learned that when you stand firm, the world yields to you.
Logan Bale, an immortal who has walked the earth for a thousand years, fulfills a dying promise to his disciple—to protect his family for three years. To honor that vow, he marries his disciple's granddaughter, only to be met with her family's scorn and cruelty. Yet undeterred, he endures their contempt with quiet resolve, holding fast to one promise of his own: to walk away the moment those three years come to an end.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years ago, Princess Sera was drugged and had a one-night stand with a vagrant, Caelan. She lost her memory but gained a dragon-mark on her palm. Now, to save her kingdom, she holds a trial—Caelan wins by “incredible luck.” As the Frostmarch prince threatens war, Caelan secretly protects her, while their daughter Aurora reveals hidden dragon powers. But when an invitation to the Drakefire Conclave arrives, one question lingers: who is Caelan really—and what is he hiding?
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.
I'm Zhang San. Reborn today, I decided to live differently. In my past life, I was pathetic. This time, I became ruthless. From restaurant server to underworld boss, I crush my bullies and outsmart my father-in-law. I learned that when you stand firm, the world yields to you.
I'm Zhang San. Reborn today, I decided to live differently. In my past life, I was pathetic. This time, I became ruthless. From restaurant server to underworld boss, I crush my bullies and outsmart my father-in-law. I learned that when you stand firm, the world yields to you.
Seven years after a single night led to the birth of Brian Winston's boy-girl twins, Ivy unexpectedly begins working at his family's grand hotel. There, their affection deepens, but they do not know that the beloved son they both speak of is their long-lost child.