My mom died when I was thirteen. It wasn’t supposed to happen that way. One moment she was here—laughing, telling me to tie my shoelaces, humming in the kitchen as she made blueberry pie. And the next? She was gone. It was sudden. Cruel. The most painful thing I had ever experienced. But even in death, she left me something priceless. Her wedding dress. I still remember how she ran her fingers over the delicate lace, her eyes soft and full of love as she placed it in my hands.

I’d had a crush on Daniel for years, so when he asked me to dinner, I couldn’t say no. I was over the moon. But when I got to the restaurant, he never showed. Instead, a waiter handed me a note from him, asking me to meet him in the bathroom. What I found there changed everything. I never thought someone like Daniel would notice me. He was the head of our department—handsome, charming, and effortlessly confident. For three years, I admired him from a distance. The way he commanded

When Matt offered to pay our entire rent, it felt like a fairy tale come true. “Let me take care of you,” he said with a warm smile, his hand resting over mine. It felt safe, comforting—like I was stepping into a life where I was cherished, protected. But I didn’t realize those words would turn into invisible chains, tightening around me little by little until I could barely breathe. There’s something about being taken care of that feels so intoxicating. It makes you feel special. Wanted. But sometimes, hidden