Chapter 223

Words : 801 Updated : Jun 20th, 2025

| exhaled deeply, like I'd been holding that breath for days. Then | turned back to my research, steeling myself to Return to the books. | was just starting to get into the right headspace when the door creaked open behind Me. My entire body tensed as Piper stepped inside, her expression distracted, almost hesitant. Of all the times... The memory of our last encounter slammed like a train. My instincts screamed to bolt- just get up. . And leave—but my legs didn't move. Why now? She hadn't taken more than a few steps before her head snapped to the right-straight toward me. Our eyes Locked. For a heartbeat, she froze, stunned. Then she took a step back, like she might bolt too. But she didn't. Instead, she squared her shoulders and disappeared among the bookshelves. | let out a breath | didn't realize I'd been holding, my body sagging with relief. | considered leaving—again— but Something kept rooted. | couldn't keep running. Not from her. Not from this. So, | stayed. | reached for another book, trying to focus, but I felt her return before | even saw her. She sat at a few tables away, With her stack of books. | tried to concentrate, but her presence was like static in my mind— disruptive and Impossible to ignore. Her scent carried memories that | didn't want to face. Memories of a time when we were Inseparable. Before everything fell apart. Before the goddess decided to ruin everything. Bitterness threatened to rise, but | forced it down. The past was what it was. No amount of resentment could Change it. Still, the minutes crawled by. | kept losing my place in the text, my thoughts drifting to her. We didn't speak, but | Could feel her watching me, her eyes flickering towards me several o often like she wanted to say something, but Didn't. | was just about to give up and walk out when | heard the sound of a chair scraping. | glanced up. Piper was standing right in front of me. | raised my head slowly until our eyes met. She looked... different. Still beautiful with that runway model frame, long black hair, forest green eyes, and full pink lips-but the light in Her hair had dimmed. She looked tired. Fragile. She'd lost weight. Her usual effortless glow had been replaced by Something dimmer, like a candle on the verge of burning out. Once, she turned heads everywhere we went. But | never envied her. The only person | ever wanted to impress He was her brother. Our friendship had been everything. She was born into privilege-Alpha's daughter, Alpha's sister, second only to Her mother is in power. But she never acted like she was above anyone. She loved fiercely. Protected like a sister still remembers when she beat up a boy who shoved her into a pond because | wouldn't give him my Lollipop. We were ten. That was the Piper | knew. The Piper | loved. And yet, somehow, that girl turned her back on with barely a blink. | studied her as she stood there, saying nothing, just..... waiting. Finally, she spoke. "I'm sorry." Her voice was low, broken. Her shoulders sagged like the weight of it had finally crushed her. "I was wrong, Sadie. So wrong. You have no idea how guilty I felt when we thought you knew him—your heart. I should've trusted you." But I didn't. I realized too late what I'd done. The pain of betrayal hung heavy in the air between us, a chasm I feared might never close. "You think saying sorry can fix this?" I replied, my voice trembling with hurt. "You shattered my trust." She took a step closer, desperation in her eyes. "Please, let me explain. I never meant for any of this to happen. I just—" "Just what?" I interrupted, feeling the anger bubble up. "You just let me believe the worst about the one person I cared about? You don’t get to make excuses now." Something flickered in me. Familiar. Dangerous. A longing I'd tried to bury years ago. Could a decade of friendship be undone by one betrayal? "I know I hurt you," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "You have every right to hate me..." I felt the weight of her words pressing down on me, the memories of our laughter and shared dreams clashing with the pain of her betrayal. "But I don't want to hate you," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know if I can forgive you, but... I don’t want to lose you completely." Her gaze softened, hope mingling with despair. "Then let me try to make it right. Just give me a chance." Her voice broke again. The words got caught in her throat.

Chapter 223

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