LIANAAs I stood inside my hotel room, I could faintly hear voices in the hallway. Curiosity got the best of me, and I cracked the door open just enough to catch a glimpse of Zaylen and Leonel talking. Their voices were low, but carried a sharp edge that spoke of unresolved pain.“Oh, right. You made it far as an author. I never got to congrat—” Zaylen started, but Leonel cut him off. “Thank you, but I don’t want to talk anymore,” he said curtly before walking away.I watched Zaylen’s shoulders slump, the weight of their strained relationship pressing down on him visibly.My heart ached for him. I knew how much he cared, how much he tried to protect his siblings. Seeing him so hurt and defeated made something inside me twist painfully.I closed the door softly and leaned against it, my mind racing.Zaylen had done so much for me, always putting my happiness and well-being first. I couldn’t stand to see that look of hurt on his face ever again. I had to do something to fix this, to
LIANA“It seems like the rogue is on a spree. We need to put an end to it as soon as possible. The elders are mad as to why we haven't found the killer yet,” Jordan continued, his voice tense.“Okay, I will come to the murder location immediately,” Zaylen responded, his voice steady but I could sense the underlying tension.Once Jordan hung up, I looked at Zaylen, noticing the worry etched on his face. His jaw was clenched, and his knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel.I felt a pang of pity for him, wishing there was something more I could do to ease his burden.“I’ll drop you at the office and leave, okay?” he said, trying to keep his tone casual.“Alright. But are you okay?” I asked softly, my concern evident.“Yeah, of course,” he replied, but I could tell he was hiding his emotions. The strain in his voice and the tightness in his shoulders gave him away.I reached over and squeezed his hand gently, trying to offer some comfort. “Hey,” I said softly, “you don’t ha
LIANAI stood there, stunned by Leonel's admission. "What? You intentionally booked the same hotel as me?"Leonel shook his head quickly, his expression earnest. "No, no, this one is a real coincidence. I meant the restaurant and café.""How did you even find out?" I asked, trying to process his words.He sighed, looking slightly sheepish. "I wanted to meet Zaylen that day at the office, but I couldn't gather the courage. On his way out of the office, I overheard him talking about his plans to someone. He mentioned to someone that he wanted to bring someone named Liana to this restaurant and then to the café."My mind reeled with this new information. "So you actually wanted to meet Zaylen, to begin with?" I asked incredulously, still trying to piece together the implications of his confession.I listened intently as Leonel continued to explain. "Yes, I did want to meet Zaylen. But then he canceled on your plan. After that, I stopped expecting it and was just casually talking to you.
LIANAAs I stood there, enveloped in the warmth of Zaylen's embrace, a whirlwind of emotions churned within me. It wasn't just the sudden realization of Zaylen's difficult past that had driven me here tonight. It was the searing anger I felt towards everyone who had made his life so unbearably tough.I thought about his father, Ryan—the abusive man who had inflicted so much pain and suffering on Zaylen. My fists clenched at the thought, my anger boiling over at the injustice of it all. How could someone be so cruel to their own flesh and blood?And then there was his mother, who died, abandoning him when he needed her the most. My heart ached for the boy Zaylen must have been, left to shoulder responsibilities far beyond his years.The thought of him enduring all that alone, without a mother's love and support, filled me with a sorrow so deep it threatened to overwhelm me.His siblings, too—how could they have taken him for granted? They had relied on his strength, his sacrifice, w
LIANANoelle crossed her arms, her expression a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. "You and Zaylen? Am I seeing this right? Really?"I nodded, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. "Yeah, really."She shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. "I can't believe I had to see that. When did this happen?"I laughed, feeling a sense of relief at her reaction. "It's a long story. But for now, let's just say it was a long time coming."Noelle rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, you better spill the details. I need to know everything.""Deal," I agreed, linking my arm with hers. "Now, how about we get inside and wait for Zaylen to come back? I can tell you whatever you want to know during this time.""Sounds like a plan," Noelle said, her initial shock giving way to excitement. "But seriously, Liana, you and Zaylen? My brother being romantic? I can't imagine that. This is going to be interesting."I chuckled, feeling a sense of contentment settle over me. "Yeah, it sure is."Once we were in he
ZAYLENI stood with Jordan and Marcel amidst the dense foliage, the air thick with humidity and the scent of earth. The crime scene lay before us, a tapestry of scattered leaves and disturbed ground, marking where the struggle had taken place.Jordan glanced around, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "The way we have been investigating, at this point, I think we deserve detective badges,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood.Marcel let out a chuckle, though it held a hint of frustration. "And the way we are failing to find any clue, we deserve failure badges, I would say."Jordan frowned slightly at Marcel's negative comment. He was trying to make the mood better here! "Hey, at least we are trying."“And it's getting us nowhere. Sometimes, I wish one of us worked in the police forces,” Marcel mumbled.“The police are thinking this is the work of a serial killer who scars their victims like an animal,” Jordan said, “They have no idea this is the work of an actual animal.”“That's beca
LIANAI lounged around in Zaylen's bedroom, absentmindedly flipping through a book I found on his nightstand. The room felt warm and comforting, a stark contrast to the cool night outside. Just as I started to lose myself in the pages, I heard the door creak open. I looked up to see Zaylen stepping inside, his expression a mix of surprise and something else I couldn't quite place."Hey," I greeted him with a smile, closing the book. "Why do you look surprised? Did you forget I said I would be waiting for you?"Zaylen chuckled lightly, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, kinda."Immediately, I could tell something was off. His usual confidence seemed shaken, and there was a tension in his shoulders that hadn't been there when he left the house.I put the book aside and got up, crossing the room to stand in front of him."Are you okay?" I asked softly, searching his face for any hints. "Did something happen?"Zaylen sighed deeply, his eyes meeting mine with a mixture of frust
LIANA I sat at my desk in the bustling office, surrounded by the familiar sounds of typing, running coffee machines, phone calls, and coworkers chattering. My best friend, Lara, sat in the cubicle next to mine, her blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun as she focused on her computer screen. We had been friends since college, and I couldn't imagine working in this office without her. Her sweet, comforting words always made everything much easier. I glanced up from my work and caught a glimpse of my diligent boyfriend, James, walking toward me. He flashed me a quick smile before disappearing into his own cubicle across the room. James and I had been dating for over seven months now, and I was grateful that he also worked in the same office. I have heard people say it's a bad idea to date your colleague, but I, on the other hand, thought it was nice to have a beloved someone to share lunch breaks and vent about work with. There were so many topics we could relate to, and we just