Nova POV
"You look more beautiful."
Of course I do. The reply almost rolled off my tongue, but I bit it back, clutching my oversized robe tighter around like a shield. He didn’t get the hint. Tyler was hopeless at reading signals.
"I need to get dressed," I said instead, forcing patience into my voice. "How about you wait outside?"
"You look perfectly beautiful just the way you are."
I wanted to groan, but instead I smiled thinly and pushed him toward the door, closing it firmly behind him. Lock first, sanity second.
The shower was quick and forgettable, it’s steam and water rushing over but not washing away the heaviness. I ca out more tired than refreshed, pulling on my oldest sweater and a pair of faded jeans.
Comfort over beauty. Today, the only thing I wanted was a quiet corner, a book, and maybe coffee if the gods were kind.
When I stepped into the hallway, Tyler was gone. My call to him barely rang before the line dropped.
Typical.
I paced a little, irritation humming under my skin, until his voice carried faintly through the corridor. I followed it and found him by the pool, with his phone glued to his ear, laughing like he’d just been handed front-row tickets to paradise.
And of course, the minute he spotted , his grin split wider. "Nova’s here," he announced, then shoved the phone into my face.
Lena.
I didn’t bother hiding the annoyance tightening my jaw.
"What?" My tone was ice, every syllable sharp.
"Co on, you should appreciate my consistency and devotion to this," she teased, looking far too smug.
"Yeah, Lena, I do. You’re beautiful inside and out."
My eye roll nearly detached from my skull as I handed the phone back to Tyler, who looked positively glowing listening to her voice. He never smiled at like that.
And just like that, I was the third wheel in my own life. My best friend was FaceTiming a man that wasn’t her boyfriend, and I, stupid , had nearly convinced myself Tyler might actually like .
When he hung up, he turned to , still riding that Lena-high.
"She said we should lounge around the pool."
I patted his shoulder hard enough to sting, my smile all teeth.
"You’d enjoy that. I’ll be upstairs."
He sputtered after , but I was already walking away. Let him choke on his own words.
I climbed back into my solitude with a book in hand, it’s the sa book Tyler had given , ironically and tried to lose myself in the pages.
But even as I read, frustration curled in my chest. I couldn’t believe I’d almost given Grant the chance to ruin this morning, only to end up with Tyler, who clearly wanted my best friend more than he wanted .
The knock on my door startled .
"Yes?"
Please not Tyler. I didn’t have the energy to slam a door in his face.
"Miss Nova," ca a woman’s voice. One of the house staff, I guessed.
I opened the door cautiously, only to be greeted by five hangers stacked with swimwear, each one skimpier than the last.
"Ms. Lena insists you pick one for this afternoon’s pool lounge."
I closed my eyes briefly. Of course she did. My best friend, ruining my peace even from miles away.
I took the clothes without argunt, dumped them on my bed, and collapsed beside them. But less than thirty minutes later, there I was downstairs by the pool, headphones slung around my neck, three books stacked beside .
The swimsuit I chose was the only one with enough fabric to look remotely human, and even then I’d paired it with a kimono to keep myself from feeling completely exposed.
Tyler was already there, phone tilted toward his face, laughing with Lena again. Always Lena.
I wrapped my kimono tighter, sank into the chair, and tried to bury myself in my book. At least books had never betrayed
Grant has always been too close or too distant, like he’s playing so ga I’ll never understand. And Tyler—Motherrrr, I thought maybe he wasn’t that bad after yesterday.
Maybe he could distract from the ss Grant has made in my head. But no. The truth is clear now. Tyler wants Lena, and Lena... well, Lena is always at the center of everyone’s attention.
Maybe I was never ant to be loved. Not by foster parents, not by my godmother, not by anyone. It’s just and my books, and maybe that’s all there’ll ever be.
The thought scraped at , raw and unkind, and I shoved my headphones on, letting sad music fill my ears while I hid in the comfort of words on a page.
The world slipped away in a still blur until it didn’t.
I felt it before I saw it: a shift in the air, a shadow falling over . When I turned, Tyler was already there. He plucked my headphones off like I was a child and tossed them aside.
"Tyler—"
I didn’t even finish before his other hand was on , squeezing my breast through the thin kimono.
For a second, my mind stalled, frozen. Then panic surged, my hands shoving against his chest, but he was heavier, stronger, intentional. He forced back against the lounge chair, his weight pressing down, his breath sour against my face.
No. No, this can’t—
"Tyler, stop—"
His palm clamped over my mouth, cutting off my words, cutting off my breath. My nose was half-blocked too, panic making my chest convulse as I tried to drag in air.
Tears stung, vision blurring as I thrashed, but his grip on my wrists was like iron. His other hand fumbled at the ribbons of my swimsuit, tugging, undoing.
I shook my head violently, tried to scream into his hand. Nothing. My lungs burned.
Then the worst thing happened, his finger shoved inside , rough and unwanted, violating.
I bit down on his hand as hard as I could, tasting the tang of skin, but he only swore and slapped across the face. Pain blood hot, more tears spilling, my ears ringing.
This wasn’t like Grant. This wasn’t a pleasure. This was sha and fear and fire in my veins.
I wanted to disappear. I wanted soone, anyone to help .
My body sagged under his weight, nearly defeated, when suddenly, he was gone. The pressure vanished and his weight lifted.
I gasped, choking on air, thrashing harder in blind panic, thinking he was stripping off his belt for the final humiliation.
But then another hand, stronger, was gripping , but not hurting.
"Nova."
I forced my eyes open, heart hamring, and through the blur of tears and terror, it wasn’t Tyler I saw.
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