MATURE

Life hasn’t been kind to me. One moment, I was a carefree eighteen-year-old with dreams of a bright future. The next, I was a 28 year old lady and my world went up in flames. literally. My mom died in the fire that destroyed our home, my little sister is in a coma, and my brother’s in jail for trying to keep us afloat. My dad? He left us drowning in debt and despair.

I thought I’d hit rock bottom, but then I found myself working in a place where dreams go to die, doing things I never imagined just to survive. That’s when he walked into my life, Alex Romanov. Dangerous. Mysterious. And entirely out of my league.

He’s everything I should fear, but there’s something about him that draws me in. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m more than just another broken soul. Or the way he makes me feel alive when I thought I’d forgotten how.

But Alex has secrets, dark ones that could destroy us both. And as my past collides with his world, I’m left wondering: Can I trust the man who’s slowly stealing my heart, or will his darkness swallow me whole?

This isn’t the life I wanted, but it’s the one I’ve been given.

I sat by Mia's bedside, my hands gently holding hers, hoping she could feel me there with her. Her face was so pale, her body so still, and I couldn't help but remember all the times she'd been so full of life. Mia had always been the bright spot in the family, her laughter and determination shining through even the darkest times. Now, she looked like a shadow of herself, and it broke my heart.


The steady beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room. I stared at her for a long time, silently praying that she'd open her eyes and smile at me, telling me it was all just a bad dream. But she didn't. She just lay there, hooked up to machines, her fragile body fighting a battle I couldn't help her with.


Chapter 14 - Why can't I catch a break, just once?