It's been three weeks since I saw Clarissa last and it felt like my life was over. From blogs and magazines and the TV, her wedding to that bastard was drawing nearer. My days were a blur, filled with nothing but endless pain and heartache. I couldn't stand the thought of her being with someone else, of her loving anyone else.I avoided people at all costs including my family. I locked myself in my room, refusing to come out. I didn't want to talk to anyone, didn't want to see anyone. The only person I was in contact with was my sister Jaela and Cade. Jaela would come to my room every day, trying to talk to me and convince me to come out but I would just shut her out.The one time when my dad tried to talk to me I had an emotional outburst. I screamed at him to leave me alone, to leave me in my misery. I didn't want anyone to try and fix me, I just wanted to be left alone.I spent most of my time in an abandoned building. It was a crumbling old factory on the outskirts of town. The w

Preparations for my engagement with Ivan began in earnest. The closer the day came the more dreary my heart sank. Everyone, especially my mum, was ecstatic as they began to plan for the engagement ceremony. The house was filled with the sound of chatter and laughter as my mother and her friends discussed the theme, the guest list, and the menu. They were all so excited to celebrate this milestone in my life, but all I could think about was Jalen.My mum had even hired a team of professional decorators to make sure that everything was perfect. The dining table was set with fine china and crystal glasses, and the kitchen was filled with the delicious aroma of food being prepared for the big day. But as I walked through the house, all I could feel was a heavy weight on my chest and a sense of dread in my stomach. I tried to push thoughts of Jalen out of my head but they kept creeping back in. I found myself staring at the clock, counting down the hours until the ceremony, and wonderin

JalenI walked down the dark streets, my hand still bleeding from the altercation with Dante. I could feel the sting of the cuts, but I didn't care. All I could think about was how satisfying it felt to finally stand up to him and his constant taunts.As I approached Cade's house, I could see the warm light coming from the windows. I knocked on the door and Cade answered, his eyes widening as he saw the state of my hand."What the hell happened to you?" he exclaimed, clutching my arm and pulling me inside.I shrugged nonchalantly. "Just had a little run-in with Dante. He won't be bothering me anymore."Cade shook his head, leading me upstairs to his room. "That fool needs to learn how to control himself."As we entered his room, I couldn't help but chuckle at the state of it. Clothes were scattered everywhere and empty pizza boxes littered the floor. Cade's room was always a mess, but I didn't mind. It was familiar and comfortable.We sat down on his bed and Cade handed me a controlle

The celebrations had begun in earnest in the house and people showed up dressed gorgeously for the engagement ceremony. It was eight pm and I had less than two hours to make my decision whether to run away with Jalen or marry Ivan despite knowing that not only were we not mates, but he had another female in his life. On the other hand, wasn't I a hypocrite because I was condemning him for the same offense I was committing? The female was probably his mate and Ivan wanted us to get married for his selfish reasons. I didn't know what to do and I was so restless.As I walked through the grand halls of my family's mansion, I felt suffocated by the luxury and magnificence of it all. Tapestries adorned the walls, the gleaming marble shone and the chandeliers sparkled like diamonds. I watched from upstairs as guests arrived at my house with their faces etched with arrogant expressions as they made their way through the front door. All of them were beautifully dressed in designer clothes

My mother was getting better, thankfully. I could see the color returning to her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes as she slowly regained her strength. Even though we hadn't forgiven her for the evil she committed against us, and that she was the reason I was cursed, she was still our mother and we couldn't watch her die or self-destruct.I spent most of my days by her side, reading to her and keeping her company. I stopped going to the uncompleted building and instead spent more time with my family, even though there was still a negative peace between us.As the evening approached, I waited anxiously for Clarissa to call me back. I was certain that she had seen those messages and feared that she would go ahead and marry Ivan despite knowing that he was going to be unfaithful to her. If that were the case, I swore that I would stay away from her, even if it meant me dying. Because if she could value wealth and association more than her happiness, then I didn't deserve to be with som