LIANAI couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief as Sara, Kiara, and I sat down for lunch, the events of the previous day still fresh in my mind. "You guys are crazy," I chuckled, shaking my head incredulously, "I can't believe you went and aired everything out on the office page like that. Talk about exposing Lara and clearing my name in one fell swoop." Sara grinned mischievously, her eyes dancing with amusement. "Well, desperate times call for desperate measures," she replied, her tone light with satisfaction, "and Lara had it coming." Kiara nodded in agreement, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "Yeah, she can't just go around spreading lies about you without consequences," she added, her voice tinged with satisfaction. But our laughter was short-lived, as the atmosphere suddenly shifted with Lara's sudden arrival. She stormed over to our table, her face flushed with anger as she launched into a tirade. "How could you do this, Liana?" she yelled, her voice echoin

LIANA “He bought his current apartment and car,” Zaylen stated. I buried my face in my hands as I bit my bottom lip, unable to digest the words. My entire body was boiling with anger. “Not only was he cheating on me, he was using me for money too?” “I am so sorry, Liana. You deserved so much better,” he mumbled, his tone laced with sympathy. “I thought I was going to take my time making James suffer throughout the month as he struggled to put together the money before the deadline, but now,” I put down my hands from my face as a look of determination and conviction took over my expressions, “I am going to give him a serious blow that he will be unable to recover from.” Zaylen couldn't help but smile, a look of pride on his face. “I am glad you are not breaking down over this.” “Gone are the days that I will have a breakdown because of that asshole,” I spat out. “The only thing he deserves is my wrath. At first, I was just going to make him suffer with the loan, but now, I am goin

LIANA I saw that James was fuming in anger as he left the place. My Gosh! That was so humiliating for him. Getting fired in front of everyone without a written notice? Well, he deserved that. I wasn’t feeling sorry for him at all. Zaylen turned to me and asked, “Are you okay? Did James hurt you?” I saw that his eyes were filled with concern, making my heart skip a beat. However, I assured him, “I am okay.” “Your hand…” He looked down at the bruise caused by James. “Oh, this? It doesn't hurt. It just looks a little red right now, but it will be okay soon. Don't worry.” He hummed, not looking satisfied. “Put some cream on it, though.” “Okay!” I turned to Sara, who was now sitting on a chair. “How are you feeling?” I asked her. Sara groaned. “I thought I was okay and didn't get any injuries, but now, I think I got a sprain on my ankle. It sucks, but apart from that, I am perfectly fine.” Tears of gratitude welled up in my eyes as I looked at Sara. I bent to her and pulled

LIANA My heart sank as I realized James was standing on the other side of the door. "James, go away," I said firmly, my voice trying to cover my fear, "I don't want to see you." But James's desperate pleas fell on deaf ears as he continued to knock, his voice filled with urgency. "Liana, please," he begged, "just let me in. We need to talk." He had to go! I couldn’t meet him at any cost. He was definitely drunk, otherwise why would he be here to meet me at this hour? It was definitely not safe meeting him right now. God, why didn't I warn the security guards to not let him into the building anymore? My intercom hasn't been working for a while, either, so I couldn't call the guards, because I had never been home when the repairman came to work on it. My hands shook as I reached for my phone. "If you don't leave right now, I'm calling the cops," I warned, my voice trembling with the weight of my words. But James seemed undeterred by my threat. "Please, Liana," he pleaded, his voice

ZAYLEN The full moon hung low in the night sky, casting its silver glow over the world below. Its ethereal light bathed the landscape in a soft, luminous glow. For my community, this night held a significance that few outsiders could understand. It was a night of transformation — a night when our true nature could no longer be hidden beneath the veil of humanity. It was a night when the primal instincts that lay dormant within us surged to the surface, demanding to be acknowledged and embraced. As I stood on my balcony, beneath the moon's watchful gaze, I felt a stirring deep within me, an urge that pulsed with the rhythm of the full-moon night. It was a feeling that was both exhilarating and terrifying, a reminder of the ancient bond that tied me to the natural world around me. In the stillness of the night, I could hear the distant howl of my brethren, their voices joining together in a haunting chorus that echoed through the darkness. It was a sound that sent shivers down m