Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 94

(Angel's POV)

I noticed it more and more with each passing day. Hendrix wasn't just distant; he was absent; he'd become a shadow of the person I knew. He avoided eye contact, his sharp remarks were clipped, and the warmth that used to simmer in his voice when he spoke to me was gone. Completely.

I remembered my conversation with Hande, the way she'd assured me Hendrix didn't hate me. That maybe he loved me too much, in his own messy way, to bear seeing me with someone else. But as I watched him walk past me in the hallway like I didn't exist, the doubt ate at me. What if he did hate me now? What if I'd broken something between us that could never be fixed?

I had to talk to him. Even if he brushed me off again. Even if it made things worse.

I caught up to him in the rec room, where he was leaning against a wall, headphones in and staring at nothing in particular. "Hendrix," I called softly and stepped closer. He didn't look at me.

"I need to talk to you," I said, louder this time. His jaw tensed, but he didn't respond.

"Please, don't do this," I pleaded. "Don't shut me out."

He finally looked at me with cold eyes. "There's nothing to talk about, Angel."

"Yes, there is," I pressed. "We can't keep pretending this distance between us doesn't exist."

He yanked his headphones off and glared at me. "What do you want me to say? That I'm fine? Because I'm not."

"Then talk to me!" My voice cracked. "Please, Hendrix, I'm trying-"

trying." His words were

without another word. My chest felt heavy, and my breath began coming in uneven

tiles, but I didn't care. I felt like I was crumbling from the inside out. When my phone buzzed in my pocket,

...

(Ava's POV)

a bug under a magnifying glass. His piercing blue eyes never missed a thing. "This next task requires concentration, Ava," he said and slid a small box across the desk. "You'll switch the

learned not to question him. Instead, I nodded and slid the box into my

he added and leaned forward with that wolfish smirk of his. "Your mother's future depends on your ability

a knife. The constant reminder of her debt, of her shame, crushed me every time I thought about it. I'd do anything to save

Dilrah walked in. She gave me a long look. Her usual timid demeanor

like you haven't slept in days," she said bluntly and sat on

to brush it

countered. "Whatever it is you're doing...

words hit harder than I wanted to admit. I felt exposed, like she could see the cracks in the shield I'd built around myself. I forced a laugh, but it sounded hollow even to me. "You don't know what you're talking about." She didn't press, but the way she watched me made my skin crawl. Maybe she didn't know the details, but she could

.

(Thomas's POV)

muffled sound of her crying made my chest ache. I tapped lightly on the door.

I leaned against the door, speaking softly.

her voice breaking was a

hand on the door, wishing I could reach through it and hold her. "You don't have to do this alone, Angel. Whatever you're feeling, whatever's hurting you... let me in." There was silence on the other side, then the soft click of the lock. I