ログインChapter 32 The next morning came too soon, like the universe was conspiring against any chance of peace. I woke up with a heavy heart that felt like it was anchored to the throbbing pain in my ankle. The crutches leaning against the wall were a glaring reminder of how fragile everything had become my body, my secrets, my entire world. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, but it did nothing to lift the fog in my mind. Mia had already left for school; I could hear the faint echo of that same cheerful tune she always hummed, the one that grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. It was too perky, too fake, especially after everything that had happened.Mom poked her head into my room, her eyes soft with worry. “Lily, honey, stay home and rest today. Don’t push yourself. That ankle needs time.” Her voice was gentle, the kind of tone she used when she actually cared, but it was brief, like she had a dozen other things pulling at her attention.“No, Mom, I’m going to school. I can
woke up to the sound of Mia humming happily in the room. God knows what she was planning. She was always full of evil. Seeing her happy with a reason made me more suspicious scared a little now. Her voice was light and cheerful as she moved around the room, picking out her uniform. It sent a chill down my spine. Mia’s happiness usually meant someone else was suffering. And that someone was almost always me.“Are you going to school today?” she asked, her tone too sweet, like honey laced with poison.“I don’t know yet. But I think I can manage.”“Don’t manage, sis. Stay at home and rest.”Oh, I got it. So she could be close with Lucian. I knew she could never be happy if something bad wasn’t happening to me.A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Mom came in to check on me. “How’s the ankle, Lily?”“It still hurts,” I said quietly.She sighed. “Stay home today if you need to. But don’t use this as an excuse to avoid your sister. You two need to get along.”Mia smiled swe
Chapter 30 I couldn’t care less about Max’s mocking clap. It didn’t have anything to do with me. I couldn’t keep allowing that rat to disturb my peace. Even with my broken leg, I would show him what I got if he crossed his lane again. The sound of his applause faded behind me as I kept hobbling forward on my crutches. The metal dug into my underarms with every painful step, but I endured it. The rain had started falling lightly at first, then heavier, soaking through my uniform. Oh why now? I couldn’t even run with this thing. So I just stood there for a moment, the rain pouring on me, not minding if I caught a cold later. The cold droplets mixed with the tears on my cheeks, but I kept moving.I felt someone blocking the rain with an umbrella. Someone was behind me. Okay, Lucian, I thought you went home? But to my surprise, it was Max.“Max?” I almost fell, but he caught me. His hand was on my waist. I felt the sharp pain in my leg as I almost fell before he caught me. “What the hel
Chapter 29Lily’s POVThe pain in my ankle was sharp and throbbing as the nurse helped me off the field. I clutched the crutches tightly, trying not to cry in front of everyone. The entire class was watching. Some with pity. Others with amusement. Mia’s satisfied smile from the sidelines burned into my memory.Of course it was her. The way she had positioned herself near my lane. The perfectly timed trip. She had planned this. Just like she planned everything else.I was on crutches for at least two weeks, the nurse said. No running. No sports. No easy way to escape the hallways where everyone stared at me. I hobbled to my next class, the pain in my ankle nothing compared to the ache in my chest.Lucian had walked away with Mia. I had seen her grab his arm, leaning into him as they left the field together. The image replayed in my mind all afternoon. Her slim body pressed against his. Her laughter. The way she looked at me with triumph in her eyes.By the time I got home, I was exhaus
Chapter 28I went home with a heavy heart. Lucian had insisted on walking me part of the way, his hand gently holding mine until we reached the corner of my street. He kissed my forehead softly before letting me go. “Be safe,” he whispered. “Text me when you’re home.”But instead of leaving, he followed me.“Lily, let me walk you home.”I looked into his eyes and found myself unable to refuse.“Okay.”I was terrified that Mom and Mia would find out I had been with Lucian, but despite my fears, I let him come with me anyway.When I stepped through the front door, Mom was waiting in the living room. Her face was tight with anger. Before I could even open my mouth to explain, her hand flew across my face.The slap was sharp and stinging. I stumbled back, my cheek burning.“Mom” I started, tears already forming.Lucian, who had followed me to the door out of concern, stepped forward. “Ma’am, please let me explain. It wasn’t what you think”“Get out!” Mom shouted, pointing at the door. “You
When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the soft, unfamiliar bed beneath me. My head throbbed with a dull, persistent ache, like someone had hit me with a hammer and left the pain behind as a souvenir. The room was dimly lit, the curtains drawn, and the faint scent of Lucian’s cologne lingered in the air. I blinked slowly, trying to make sense of where I was.Lucian’s bed.I sat up too quickly, wincing as the headache intensified. My clothes were dry now someone had changed me into one of his oversized shirts. The realization made my cheeks burn. I looked around the room: simple, masculine, with a few trophies on the shelf and a photo of him with his family on the nightstand. It felt intimate. Too intimate.Lucian was sitting in a chair beside the bed, his elbows on his knees, watching me with worried eyes. His hair was still slightly damp from the rain, and there was a small cut on his lip from the earlier fight with Max.“You’re awake,” he said softly, relief flooding his voi







