I stepped into Valerie's apartment, the door already ajar, which sent an uneasy feeling through me. "Val?" I called out, but the silence that greeted me made my stomach drop.
Then I saw her—curled up on the couch, her shoulders shaking, face buried in her hands. My heart twisted at the sight, and I rushed over, kneeling beside her.
"Valerie," I whispered, resting a hand on her shoulder. She flinched slightly but didn't look up. I could feel her body trembling beneath my touch. "What happened? Where's Nathan?"
At the mention of Nathan, her sobs grew heavier, and I immediately regretted asking. The way her shoulders shook broke my heart, and I realized things were worse than I had imagined.
"Okay, okay, don't talk yet," I said, standing up and heading to the kitchen. I grabbed a glass of water, trying to keep my mind calm, but anxiety prickled at the edges of my thoughts. What had happened? Why wasn't Nathan here? He would never leave her like this.
Returning with the glass, I handed it to her, waiting until she took a few sips before sitting down beside her. "Take your time. I'm not going anywhere," I reassured her.
After a few deep breaths, she finally spoke, her voice cracking. "I've really messed up, Freya…"
I stayed quiet, giving her space to continue. The last thing she needed was more pressure.
"Ethan and I… we've been talking again," she said, her hands shaking as she set the glass down. "One day, he invited me to his place just to talk. I swear, I didn't plan for anything to happen, but… we had sex."
My chest tightened, and I fought to keep my face neutral. Valerie was already tearing herself apart; she didn't need to see my shock. "And Nathan? Does he know?"
Valerie nodded, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. "That's not even the worst part, Freya. They… recorded it. Ethan and Caitlyn, they set me up. They've been blackmailing me for weeks, threatening to send the video to Nathan and the media."
"Jesus, Val… I can't believe they'd do that to you," I whispered, feeling my blood boil at the thought of Ethan and Caitlyn manipulating her.
"I couldn't take it anymore," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "I told Nathan everything. He got so mad, Freya. He stormed out, and I haven't heard from him since." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, looking more broken than I'd ever seen her. "I've been calling, texting… nothing. I don't know what to do."
I squeezed her hand, my heart aching for her. "Nathan loves you, Val. He's angry, sure, but I know he wouldn't just abandon you like this."
She sniffled and nodded, though her eyes were still clouded with doubt.
I took a deep breath. "Let's get out of here. A change of scenery might help. There's that cute café down the street. We'll go, have a coffee, and clear our heads."
Valerie looked hesitant at first, but eventually, she agreed. After freshening up a bit, we headed to the café. It was one of those cozy places with soft lighting and the smell of freshly baked pastries wafting through the air. The warmth of it was comforting, like stepping into a little bubble away from the rest of the world.
We sat in the corner, sipping our drinks in silence for a few moments. I was just about to ask how she was feeling when a familiar voice interrupted.
"Freya? Is that really you?"
I turned to see Lucas, an old friend from college, standing there with that same goofy grin I remembered. His hair was a little shorter, but his energy was the same.
"Lucas!" I smiled, surprised to see him here. "Wow, it's been years."
He pulled up a chair, sliding in next to me without hesitation. "You look great. How've you been?"
"Busy," I said with a laugh. "Life's been a little crazy."
He raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Still the same Freya I remember in college—still obsessed with fashion, huh?"
I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Still thinking about me, I see." He always had a crush on me then.
"Nah, I'm over that now," he teased, but I caught the flicker of something in his eyes. He turned to Valerie, who had been watching us quietly. "Oh, sorry, this is my friend Valerie. Valerie, this is Lucas, an old friend from college."
Lucas gave Valerie a brief nod, barely acknowledging her before his focus shifted back to me. "Anyway, Freya, can I grab your number? We should catch up sometime."
I hesitated for a moment, feeling uneasy at how quickly he dismissed Valerie. Something about it didn't sit right with me, but I pushed the feeling aside. It couldn't hurt to reconnect. After exchanging numbers, Lucas stood up and left with a quick wave.
I couldn't shake the odd feeling that lingered as he walked away. The way he barely acknowledged Valerie didn't sit right with me, but I brushed it off. It's been years—maybe I was overthinking it.
Valerie looked a little uncomfortable, but the tension in her shoulders had eased a bit. The café had done its job of easing her worries, at least for now.
"You ready to head back?" I asked.
She nodded, and we made our way back to her apartment. But as soon as we walked in, we froze.
Nathan was standing in the middle of the living room, his face a mixture of exhaustion and determination. Valerie's breath hitched, and before I could say anything, she bolted across the room and threw her arms around him, sobbing into his chest.
"Nathan, I'm so sorry," she cried. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I didn't know what to do…"
Nathan gently pulled her back, cupping her face in his hands. "Val, listen to me. I was angry. Not at you, but at them." His voice was calm, but there was an edge of pain in it. "Ethan and Caitlyn… they hurt you. I was furious with them for putting you through this."
Valerie looked up at him, her eyes wide. "But… you left."
Nathan sighed, his hands still cradling her face. "I needed time to figure out how to handle this. I wasn't going to let them control you with that video. I've been working day and night to get it deleted, and it's gone now. It's over."
Valerie's lips trembled as fresh tears filled her eyes. "You… you did that for me?"
"Of course I did," Nathan whispered, his voice breaking. "I love you, Val. I would do anything to protect you."
Valerie collapsed into his arms, sobbing against his chest as Nathan held her tightly. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his own eyes misting over.
"I love you too," she choked out between sobs. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean—"
"Shh," Nathan whispered, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. "It's okay. We'll get through this."
And then he kissed her, gently at first, but it deepened quickly as if they were trying to mend all the broken pieces of their hearts in that one moment. The room was thick with emotion, their love palpable and raw.
I watched quietly from the doorway, a soft smile tugging at my lips. This was their moment. They needed this, and I wasn't about to intrude.
Slipping out of the apartment, I let the door close softly behind me and stepped out into the evening. My heart felt heavy but in a different way. A mixture of happiness for Valerie and Nathan, but also a gnawing emptiness inside me. I couldn't help but wish I had something like that for myself.
A sudden realization hit me—I still didn't have a place to stay. No apartment, no clothes, no real plan for what came next. I sighed, feeling the weight of everything settling back onto my shoulders.
My phone buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced down to see a message from Sylus.
Address: 14 Maple Lane.
I frowned, confused. What was Sylus up to now?
Curiosity won out, and I hailed a cab, giving the driver the address. When I arrived, I stared in shock at the beautiful villa in front of me. It was small but charming, with soft lights glowing from the windows, making it look warm and inviting.
And there, leaning against a sleek black car, was Sylus. He watched me with that intense gaze of his, and I walked over, my heart pounding.
"What's going on?" I asked, confusion lacing my voice as I looked between him and the house. "Why am I here?"
He stepped forward, pressing a key into my hand. "It's yours. I bought it for you."
I blinked, staring at the key. "What? What do you mean you bought it for me? Sylus, I can't—"
"You can," he cut me off, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I know you didn't have time to find a place because of everything that's been happening, so I did it for you. It's fully paid for the next year. You don't have to worry about a thing."
I shook my head, feeling overwhelmed. "I can't accept this."
"You can, and you will," he said firmly. Then, before I could say another word, he got into his car, leaving me standing there, speechless.
With the key still in my hand, I hesitantly unlocked the door and stepped inside. The house was simple but beautiful—just like Sylus. But when I opened the door to the second room, my breath caught in my throat.
It was a sewing room.
Every wall was lined with shelves full of fabrics, threads, and the most exquisite needles I had ever seen. My fingers trembled as I reached for one, inspecting the delicate craftsmanship. Each one had my initials engraved on the handle. There were rare materials here, things I had only read about and dreamed of owning.
I couldn't hold back a gasp as I ran my hands over the fabrics. Velvet, silk, and even some long-forgotten textiles from ancient weaving techniques. Threads in every color imaginable—so vibrant, so perfect.
"These… these are mine," I whispered, my eyes stinging with emotion.
Sylus had thought of everything.
After I'd explored the entire place, I sank onto the couch, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding. The sewing room had been the highlight, but every corner of the villa had been meticulously chosen. It wasn't just a house—it felt like a home. A place I could belong. Yet, the weight of what it represented pressed heavily on me.
Pulling out my phone, I hesitated for a moment before typing.
Me: Thank you so much. The place is… incredible. I love it.
I stared at the message for a while, the words sitting on the screen felt too small—too simple—for the overwhelming gratitude bubbling inside me, but also too easy for the storm of emotions that came with it.
A part of me wanted to scream at him, to ask him why he thought this was okay. Did he really think buying me a house would fix things? That it would erase everything between us? It wasn't that simple. And yet… another part of me wanted to sink into it. Into the comfort. Into the safety he always seemed to offer without question, without asking for anything in return.
What did that make me, though? If I accepted it all—his protection, his control—without resisting?
I chewed on my bottom lip, setting the phone down beside me. I couldn't figure out what to feel, so I just let the moment wash over me, surrendering to the mixture of gratitude and confusion. This was my space now, whether I was ready to accept it or not.