MATURE

Life hasn’t been kind to me. One moment, I was a carefree eighteen-year-old with dreams of a bright future. The next, I was a 28 year old lady and my world went up in flames. literally. My mom died in the fire that destroyed our home, my little sister is in a coma, and my brother’s in jail for trying to keep us afloat. My dad? He left us drowning in debt and despair.

I thought I’d hit rock bottom, but then I found myself working in a place where dreams go to die, doing things I never imagined just to survive. That’s when he walked into my life, Alex Romanov. Dangerous. Mysterious. And entirely out of my league.

He’s everything I should fear, but there’s something about him that draws me in. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m more than just another broken soul. Or the way he makes me feel alive when I thought I’d forgotten how.

But Alex has secrets, dark ones that could destroy us both. And as my past collides with his world, I’m left wondering: Can I trust the man who’s slowly stealing my heart, or will his darkness swallow me whole?

This isn’t the life I wanted, but it’s the one I’ve been given.

I stood there in the middle of my apartment, staring at my reflection in the mirror, my fingers pressed lightly against my stomach. The reality of everything slowly settled in, but as I stood there, my thoughts drifted back to something I hadn't thought about in years.


She would've been over the moon right now. I could almost picture her, her bright, warm smile, the way her eyes would light up whenever she was excited. She would've been so happy to know that I was carrying a child. A child. Her grandchild.


The thought brought a lump to my throat, and I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to push back the tears that threatened to spill. My mother had always wanted me to settle down, to find someone who would love me as I deserved. She would've been thrilled to see me pregnant, especially if it was with someone who could offer me stability, love, and a future.


Chapter 165 - 165