Y/n POV
"Your name is Love?" he chuckled softly.
"Not really, but you have to call me something, right?" he smirked. "Hmm, we can change it to 'hubby' instead." He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on my nose.
"No, no! I can't call you that!" I sighed, shaking my head.
His expression changed slightly, a mischievous glint appearing in his eyes. "Can't you understand? You're nothing but a stupid thief to me," I snapped sharply.
"Really? Okay, okay... Now sleep, or we might just make a little 'stupid thief' tonight," he teased with a sly grin.
"Aww, don't say that!" I protested, crossing my arms in frustration.
He chuckled at my reaction. "Then sleep. Oh! I almost forgot..." He slid into bed beside me, hugging me from behind. His warm breath tickled my neck as he nuzzled into me.
"Mmm, you smell like heaven. It's making me even more obsessed with you," he murmured, pressing himself closer to my body.
"I-It's uncomfortable," I stammered, wiggling a little to create some space between us.
"Don't move," he whispered, placing a soft kiss on my neck, trailing wet kisses along my skin. His hand rested on my waist, but I felt it slowly creeping under my T-shirt, moving upward. My breath hitched, and without hesitation, I slapped his hand away.
"Don't you dare!" I warned, my voice firm.
He let out a deep laugh, the vibrations sending shivers down my spine. "Okay, okay, my baby wants time."
For a while, we stayed like that, wrapped in silence. At some point, I felt him shifting, but I kept my eyes closed, pretending to be in deep sleep.
"Bye, Y/N," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek.
I kept still, holding my breath.
"I know you're not really sleeping," he added, but I remained motionless. I listened as he opened the door and stepped outside, closing it quietly behind him. The moment I heard the latch click, I quickly sat up and scanned the room.
Where is he going?
I tiptoed to the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but there was no sign of him. My gaze shifted toward Lucas's room. Could it be him? My heart pounded as I slowly pushed open his door, peeking inside. There he was, lying on his bed, sleeping soundly. His clothes were messy, his hair disheveled, and he looked weak—completely different from his usual composed self. At college, he was the most handsome guy, someone who never spoke unless he wanted to bully someone. Seeing him like this was unsettling.
I quietly backed out of his room and returned to mine. Crawling into bed, I tried to sleep, but my thoughts wouldn't let me rest.
---
The next morning, I woke up, freshened up, and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. While cooking, I checked my phone.
Still no response from Kayden.
I frowned. I need to talk to him.
Just then, Emma and Max entered the kitchen. Max, being his usual playful self, picked Emma up in a bridal style.
"Aww, what a romantic couple," I teased, watching them laugh.
"Well, we are," Emma giggled, planting a soft kiss on Max's cheek. He pulled out a chair with his leg and gently placed her down.
As I flipped the pancakes, Max helped me serve.
"Emma, are you hurt or feeling sick?" I asked, noticing the way she was leaning against Max more than usual.
Emma and Max exchanged glances before blushing like red tomatoes.
"Actually, my stomach is hurting a little, but I took some medicine," she explained.
"Oh, okay," I nodded, but Max's goofy smile didn't go unnoticed. Emma slapped his shoulder, making him laugh even more.
For some reason, seeing them so happy made my heart ache. Emma had a loving family, a caring boyfriend, and a stable life. And then there was me—barely surviving, struggling just to exist.
"Y/N, we have some news," Max suddenly announced. "Emma and I are planning our engagement, and we decided to have it in five days."
"Really? That's great!" I said, genuinely happy for them.
Emma beamed. "Yeah! Everyone wants to make it happen quickly, and honestly, we do too."
Max pointed at me. "And you must be on my side, okay?"
Emma pouted. "No, she's my best friend!"
After some playful bickering, we decided I would have my own side. Later, we all went to the beach, running and playing like kids. The sound of laughter filled the air, but suddenly, I felt eyes on me. I turned my head and froze.
Lucas.
"Emma," I whispered, my body tensing.
Max noticed and followed my gaze. "Ah, he finally woke up!" he said, heading toward him. But Lucas wasn't looking at Max—his eyes were locked on me.
Emma came closer. "Are you okay?"
I clenched my fists. "You said he would be gone before I woke up."
Emma sighed. "Yeah… I'm sorry. He was really drunk last night."
I nodded, my chest tightening. "I hate him, Emma. You know that."
"I understand, Y/N," she said gently. "But he's Max's best friend… and he said he's in love with you."
I let out a bitter laugh. "In love with me? Really? If you knew what he had done to me, you wouldn't believe it. Emma, he's insane. I hate him."
Tears welled up in my eyes before I could stop them. Without another word, I turned and ran toward my room, slamming the door shut behind me. My chest heaved as silent sobs wracked my body.
Why is this happening to me? First, the orphanage kids bullied me. Then Lucas and his girlfriend tormented me. Then that thief, and of course, Mr. Annoying. My life is a mess. I don't even have a reason to keep going.
I curled into myself, hugging my knees.
"I hate this life," I whispered between sobs, feeling utterly lost.
After some time, I went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. When I looked outside, I realized it was already evening.
I walked out and saw Emma and Max packing their things.
Max: "Y/N, we have to go."
I nodded, grabbed my stuff, and went outside. The ride was silent until Emma broke it.
Emma: "Are you okay, Y/N?"
"Yeah, and I'm sorry for ruining your vacation."
Max: "Don't say that, Y/N. You're more important than a vacation."
I smiled.
Emma: "Yeah, and besides, we still have to go shopping for our engagement. You better help me, okay?"
I laughed. "Okay, okay!" I said.
---