Xhani's POV
I'm heartbroken. Watching my boyfriend with another woman was devastating, but what hurt even more was realizing he lied to me. Zain had told me he didn't have a sexual relationship with Dana—that they were just friends. Could he really betray me like this?
I ran down the stairs, leaving everyone behind, and headed straight to my car. I climbed in and drove as fast as I could, not daring to look back at the man who had shattered my trust. I heard Ziya calling after me, but I didn't stop to listen.
The tears in my eyes blurred my vision, but I didn't care. I needed to get away. Home wasn't an option. Zain might already be there, waiting with another lie, another excuse.
I drove toward my parents' old lake house—a sanctuary tucked away in the serene beauty of Heaven Bay. My dad had gifted it to my mom when they got married. It was one of the ten exclusive properties surrounding the famous, crystal-clear lake. Only the wealthiest families owned homes there. When my parents divorced, the house was signed over to me.
I rarely used the luxuries my family left me, but tonight, I needed to escape. The lake house seemed like the perfect retreat.
As I drove north toward the mountains, my phone started ringing. It was Zain.
I ignored his call. Then came calls from David and Ziya. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I just wanted to be left alone. Turning up the music, I rolled down the windows and let the cool night air fill the car.
The drive to Heaven Bay was five hours, and the darkness surrounding the mountain roads made me uneasy. My heart raced every time I noticed the shadows cast by the moonlight.
About three hours into the drive, my phone buzzed again. This time, Zain's messages came through in rapid succession:
- *"Where are you?"*
- *"Send me your location."*
- *"Stay where you are, and I'll come get you."*
- *"Answer your goddamn phone, Xhani!"*
- *"Let me explain everything to you."*
I ignored them all. But my mind betrayed me, replaying the kiss I had witnessed. The way he carried Dana, the passion in his touch—it was clear there was more between them than he had admitted.
The phone rang again, and in a moment of anger, I answered.
"Where are you?" Zain's voice was frantic, out of breath, as if he'd been running.
"Why do you care? Go back to kissing your little slut," I spat, my voice shaking with rage.
"Let me explain—it's not what you think. Just tell me where you are, and I'll come get you," he pleaded. I could hear the rumble of his bike starting in the background.
"No! I don't want to be anywhere near you!" I yelled, tears streaming down my face.
"It's not what you think! Just tell me where the fuck you are, Xhani!" His voice was thick with frustration.
"I trusted you, Zain. How could you lie to me?" I sobbed, my voice breaking.
"Please, just listen to me," he begged.
"You told me there was nothing between you and Dana!" My tears blurred the dark road ahead, and I struggled to stay in my lane.
"Please let me explain—"
"NO, Zain!" I shouted before losing control of the car.
**Crash.**
"Xhani, are you okay? What happened?" Zain's panicked voice came through the phone.
"Xhani, are you there? Please be safe—I'm coming for you," he said before I heard the roar of his bike engine.
Then everything went dark.
---
The Next Day
I woke up in an unfamiliar bed. The sunlight streaming through the window was blinding, making it hard to open my eyes. I fluttered my lashes a few times before I could see properly.
The room was pink, with dolls neatly arranged on a side table. It looked like a young girl's room.
I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in my head made the room spin.
"Hey, slow down—you're hurt," a soft, sweet voice said as a gentle hand steadied me.
I looked up and saw Zoe. She hadn't changed a bit. Zoe was our neighbor at Heaven Bay. Our fathers had bought their lake houses at the same time, and growing up, I used to swim all day with Zoe and her twin brothers, TJ and JJ. But when their family moved to New York, I started high school in the city, and we hadn't seen each other since.
"Zoe?" I said her name, making sure I wasn't imagining her.
"I didn't think you'd recognize me," she said, her voice as sweet as ever.
"How could I not? We practically grew up together," I said, smiling weakly. I tried to sit up again, and Zoe helped me.
"How did you end up in a car crash?" she asked, sitting on the bed beside me.
"I was driving too fast. It was dark, and I lost control. That's all," I said, leaving out the part about Zain.
"You're lucky my brothers were on their way here and found your car. Otherwise, who knows what could've happened," she said, her voice full of concern.
"Thank you, Zoe," I said sincerely.
"Don't thank me. Thank TJ and JJ—they're the ones who saved you," she said with a laugh.
I glanced around the room. Nothing had changed since their family left. It still looked exactly as I remembered.
"Good morning, Beastly," a deep male voice said from the door.
I looked up and saw a handsome face—JJ. His hazel eyes were just as gorgeous as I remembered.
"Good morning, JJ," I said shyly.
The twins used to call me "Beastly" because I was always getting into trouble as a kid. I'd had the biggest crush on both of them.
JJ walked over and sat on the bed beside me. "Why were you driving alone so late at night?" he asked, brushing a soft kiss on my cheek.
"I just felt like coming here. I didn't really think about the time," I said, offering a half-truth.
"Hey, Beastly," TJ's voice came from the doorway. He leaned casually against the frame, his presence as magnetic as ever.
"Hey, TJ," I said, unable to hide my smile.
"By the way, someone kept calling you last night," Zoe said, bringing my phone to me.
My heart sank. I already knew who it was.
"Did you tell him where I am?" I asked, grabbing the phone.
"No. I was going to answer, but your phone died. Why are you so worried, Xhani?" she asked, sitting beside me.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," I said, looking down at my hands. "I just wanted to be alone."