Lahat ng Kabanata ng Roommates With My Best Friend's Boyfriend : Kabanata 141 - Kabanata 149

BIANCA Vanessa and I had been downstairs for the past hour and a half.We sat in silence. There was nothing to talk about… except for the fact that I'd seen neither Aunt Kim nor Mrs Callaghan in almost three months. And now…“How much longer do you think he'll be up there?” Vanessa innocently asked. Since the moment she arrived till now, the concern across her face stretched clear.“He hasn't seen his mom in months” I answered. “And the last time he did, she couldn't move a single muscle. Let's give him some time.”Understandably, Vanessa had no idea who they were when they entered Max's room. For some reason, until the brief introductions, she was on the edge. “Max is going to be fine” I assured her. “They're family. And if you're still worried about the fever, it's not the end of the world. I promise.”I'd become so used to seeing a smile on her face, even I felt put off by her nervousness.I tried to change the topic, but just before I could—“Did you happen to see him get back

MAX The dining table felt smaller than usual tonight. Now that I gave it some thought, when was the last time we were all sat here? As expected from her endless grocery list, Aunt Kim had gone all out — roasted chicken with herbs, creamy mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables glistening with olive oil, and that rich homemade gravy she only made when she wanted to remind us what “home” was supposed to feel like. The smells should have been comforting. Instead, they sat heavy in my chest, mixing with the lingering fog from last night, and just a couple hours ago. Bianca sat directly across from me, pushing food around her plate with careful precision. Vanessa was to my right, quiet but close, her knee occasionally brushing mine under the table. Aunt Kim, at the head, kept the conversation alive with that warm, motherly energy that made the house feel almost normal again. “So tell me,” Aunt Kim said, smiling as she passed the rolls, “how has the house been holding up without me? Any

TESSAThe office was quiet except for the low hum of the city far below the glass walls. I sat behind my desk, legs crossed, scrolling through the digital file on my screen.Manuel Colt.I stared at the photo… the same man who had almost destroyed me at the back seat of my limo just nights ago. The same man who had been part of that filthy, drug-fueled threesome with the masked girl at Sully’s Palace.My thighs pressed together involuntarily at the memory. The way he had taken control. The way I had come harder than I had in months. The way I had *enjoyed* it.I hated how much I had enjoyed it.Men like him always tried to leverage that kind of night. They thought one taste of power meant they could own me. They were wrong.I pressed the intercom button, voice cold and professional.“Send Manuel Colt up to my office immediately.”I leaned back in my chair, smoothing my pencil skirt. I would fire him today. Cleanly. Professionally. Before he could try to use that night against me.The

BIANCAThe small café just off campus was quieter than usual for a weekday afternoon. Sunlight filtered through the large windows, casting warm patches across the wooden table where we sat. Tiffany’s surprise birthday planning session had been my idea, but now that we were here, I felt like I was barely keeping it together.Stephanie, Nico, and a couple of the other drama kids from the Literature Convention — Lena and Marcus — were already deep in conversation. Tiffany’s closest circle, the ones who had helped make the convention a success. They were laughing about old rehearsal stories, arguing over cake flavors, and throwing out ideas for decorations like it was the most important decision of the year.I smiled when I was supposed to, nodded along, but my mind was somewhere else entirely.*My little Fox. Does Vanessa know what you did?*The stalker’s text from days ago still burned in my thoughts. Every time I blinked, I saw it again. The words. The implication. The way my body ha

BRIAN I was convinced Max would try something stupid at that hangout. That's if he wasn't doing some dumb shit already. Getting invited to The Lang’s personal home even though he wasn't working directly under either of them was already suspicious. What was that kid planning? Ugh. Hell if I knew. It probably didn't even matter. Besides, I had my own my shit to deal with. Today made it a week since Sabrina left, and three days since I last stepped foot in the family home. For obvious reasons, I couldn't go back there now. And even if I tried, I was pretty sure Max would kick up some unnecessary drama. Anyways, he'd be well within his rights. He only knew one side of the story, after all. I rounded up for the day and stashed a couple folders into my bag, eager to sign off for the night when my office door suddenly clicked open. I was half-sure it was my secretary trying to string up some small talk in an attempt to hitch a ride. Normally I wouldnt mind, but she'd been very ‘