VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Face to the Flame (Part Three)
VOLUME I
ACT I
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Face to the Flame
(Part Three)
It was Kieran’s mother who reached out first.
Unexpected.
Unprompted.
And completely off-script from the silence she had kept since everything exploded.
Her message was simple.
Dinner. My house. Sunday. No press. No drama. Just fam...
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Chapters
1. Chapter one : The moment I first saw him (part one)
2. Chapter One: The Moment I First Saw Him (Part 2)
3. Chapter One: The Moment I First Saw Him ( Part 3)
4. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWO The New Girl in His House (Part One)
5. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWO The New Girl in His House (Part Two)
6. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER THREE One Step Closer (Part One)
7. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER THREE One Step Closer (Part Two)
8. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER THREE One Step Closer (Part Three)
9. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FOUR The Secret Between Us (Part One)
10. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FOUR The Secret Between Us (Part Two)
11. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FIVE Cracks in the Glass (Part One)
12. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FIVE Cracks in the Glass (Part Two)
13. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FIVE House of Cards (Part Three)
14. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER Six House of Cards (Part One)
15. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER Six House of Cards (Part Two)
16. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER SEVEN Ashes and Embers (Part One)
17. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER SEVEN Ashes and Embers (Part Two)
18. CHAPTER SEVEN: Ashes and Embers Part 3 I didn’t expect to hear from his brother that morning. But just after 10 a.m., my phone buzzed with a simple message: > "Hey. You home?" I stared at it for a full minute, thumb hovering over the keyboard. Then finally: > "Yeah. Come over if you want." He showed up twenty minutes later, holding a paper bag and two large iced coffees. He didn’t smile. Didn’t hug me like usual. Just handed me one of the drinks and walked in like he’d been rehearsing something all morning. We sat across from each other on the living room floor—neither of us saying a word at first. He tapped the condensation off his cup. I picked at a loose thread on the rug. Finally, he broke the silence. “So. You lied.” My stomach tightened. “Yes.” “You used me.” “I—” I paused. “At first? Yeah. I did. But that changed.” He looked at me, his eyes darker than I’d ever seen them. “Do you know what it’s like realizing one of your closest friendships was built on... a strategy?” “I didn’t know it would turn into something real. I didn’t plan that.” “But you planned everything else.” His voice was low, but steady. “From the first time you spoke to me to the first time you came to our house. That wasn’t friendship. That was scouting.” I blinked back the sting behind my eyes. “I was fourteen. I didn’t know how else to get close to him. You were the bridge.” “You were a kid, sure. But you knew exactly what you were doing.” He leaned back, letting out a bitter laugh. “God. And here I was thinking I introduced you two.” “I’m sorry.” “That’s not enough.” I nodded. “I know.” We sat in that angry, wounded silence for a moment. Then he sighed. “You know what hurts most? I actually defended you when K told me everything. I said, ‘There’s no way she planned all that. Not her.’” “I didn’t expect to be forgiven right away. I just hoped I wouldn’t lose everyone.” He looked away. “You didn’t lose me. But you sure as hell made it harder to know where we stand.” I swallowed. “I miss how we used to talk.” “Yeah,” he said. “Me too. But I have to re-learn who you are. Or decide if I want to.” --- K came back late that evening. He looked tired, but less haunted. Like some storm inside him had weakened into something he could walk through instead of being swallowed by. We didn’t speak at first. He dropped his keys into the bowl by the door, took off his shoes, and headed for the kitchen. I followed slowly, unsure if I was welcome in his space. But then he reached up into the cabinet and pulled down two wine glasses. He didn’t say anything. Just poured the wine, set a glass in front of me, and sat. After a moment, he finally asked, “Did you talk to my brother?” I nodded. “This morning.” “And?” “He’s hurt. But he listened.” K swirled his wine slowly. “I remember how excited he was when he introduced us. He thought he was being clever. Said he had a ‘friend I’d totally click with.’” “I didn’t mean to take that away from him. Or from you.” He looked at me, tired but open. “I think you did mean to. But you also didn’t understand how deeply it would cut when the truth came out.” “You’re right.” He took a sip, then leaned back. “Do you remember the second time we hung out—just the two of us?” I nodded instantly. “Of course.” “You asked me what I’d name my future dog. I said Thor, and you laughed like it was the most ridiculous thing you’d ever heard.” I smiled faintly. “It was.” “Yeah, well,” he said, “I found out last night you already knew I’d say that.” I blinked. “You did?” He nodded. “My brother remembered showing you a video once—an old clip where I talked about wanting a dog named Thor when I was sixteen.” A lump formed in my throat. “I thought that moment was spontaneous,” he continued. “Thought it was some cute serendipity between us. But now, I see it for what it was. A perfectly timed cue in your play.” I shook my head slowly. “It wasn’t a play. It was real for me. All of it. Even the moments I had a head start on—I still fell in love with you for who you were in person, not on screen.” He looked away. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference.” --- After dinner, we ended up on the couch. The distance between us smaller now, but still there. Like a thread pulled too tight but not yet snapped. “I had a dream last night,” he said quietly. I turned to him. “You and I were on a boat. In the middle of the ocean. No land in sight. Calm waters. But I realized we only had one oar. And every time I tried to row, you grabbed it and steered in the opposite direction.” “What did you do?” “I let go.” His voice dropped. “And the boat started to spin in circles.” I looked at him, heart aching. “Do you think that’s us?” He shrugged. “I think it was us. But I don’t want it to be.” “I don’t either.” He finally turned to me, his eyes searching. “I’m still mad. Still confused. But I’m also still in love with you. Which makes this whole thing harder than I thought it’d be.” Tears burned at the edges of my eyes. “I’ll wait. As long as it takes. I’ll wait for your anger to fade, for your trust to return, for you to believe in us again.” “You shouldn’t have to wait alone.” He took my hand—really took it this time. Not out of obligation or habit, but choice. His thumb brushed over my knuckles like a whisper. “This doesn’t fix everything,” he said. “I know.” “But it’s a start.” We sat like that for a long time—hands intertwined, bodies still, the air between us finally softening. --- That night, for the first time since the truth came out, he followed me into the bedroom. He didn’t say anything. Just pulled off his hoodie, climbed into bed, and lay down beside me. He didn’t touch me. Didn’t hold me. But he didn’t leave. And for now, that was more than enough.
19. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER EIGHT The Things We Don't Say (Part One)
20. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER EIGHT The Things We Don't Say (Part Two)
21. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER EIGHT The Things We Don't Say (Part Three)
22. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER NINE Collateral Truths (Part One)
23. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER NINE Collateral Truths (Part Two)
24. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER NINE Collateral Truths (Part Three)
25. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TEN Shattered Reflections (Part One)
26. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TEN Shattered Reflections (Part One)
27. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TEN Shattered Reflections (Part Three)
28. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER ELEVEN Echoes of Us (Part One)
29. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER ELEVEN Echoes of Us (Part Two)
30. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER ELEVEN Echoes of Us (Part Three)
31. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWELVE Remnants of a Lie (Part One)
32. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWELVE Remnants of a Lie (Part Two)
33. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWELVE Remnants of a Lie (Part Three)
34. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Shape of Us (Part One)
35. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Shape of Us (Part Two)
36. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Shape of Us (Part Three)
37. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FOURTEEN Echoes We Bury (Part One)
38. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FOURTEEN Echoes We Bury (Part Two)
39. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FOURTEEN Echoes We Bury (Part Three)
40. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FIFTEEN Open Wound (Part One)
41. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FIFTEEN Open Wound (Part Two)
42. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER FIFTEEN Open Wound (Part Three)
43. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER SIXTEEN Between What’s Said and Meant (Part One)
44. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER SIXTEEN Between What’s Said and Meant (Part Two)
45. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER SIXTEEN Between What’s Said and Meant (Part Three)
46. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Firelines We Draw (Part One)
47. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Firelines We Draw (Part Two)
48. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Firelines We Draw (Part Three)
49. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Face to the Flame (Part One)
50. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Face to the Flame (Part Two)
51. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Face to the Flame (Part Three)
52. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER NINETEEN Every Lie We Let Live (Part One)
53. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER NINETEEN Every Lie We Let Live (Part Two)
54. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER NINETEEN Every Lie We Let Live (Part Three)
55. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY This Time, We Begin (Part One)
56. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY This Time, We Begin (Part TWO)
57. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY This Time, We Begin (Part Three)
58. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE His Disappearance (Part One)
59. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE His Disappearance Part Two
60. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE His Disappearance Part Three
61. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE The Guilt Between Us Part Four
62. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE The Guilt Between Us (Part Five)
63. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 21 The Space Between Lies and Love Part Six
64. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE The Space Between Lies and Love (Part Seven)
65. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: The Space Between Lies and Love Part Eight
66. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-ONET The Space Between Lies and Love Part Nine
67. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE The Space Between Lies and Love Part Ten
68. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO The Silence Between Breaths (Part One)
69. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO The Silence Between Breaths (Part Two)
70. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Whispers Underneath (Part Three)
71. ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY - TWO he Price of Secrets (Part Four)
72. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 22 An Oath of Silence (Part Five)
73. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 22 Ghosted (Part Six)
74. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 22 The Longest Night (Part Seven)
75. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 22 The Longest Night (Part Eight)
76. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 22 The Longest Night (Part Nine)
77. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 22 The Longest Night (Part Ten)
78. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 23 The Phone is Missing (Part One)
79. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 23 The Phone is Missing (Part Two)
80. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 23 The Phone is Missing (Part Three)
81. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 23 The Phone is Missing (Part Four)
82. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 23 The Phone is Missing (Part Five)
83. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 23 The Phone is Missing (Part Six)
84. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 23 The Phone is Missing (Part Seven)
85. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 23 The Phone is Missing (Part Eight)
86. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 23 The Phone is Missing (Part Nine)
87. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 23 The Phone is Missing (Part Ten)
88. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 24 – Truth is Not Enough (Part One)
89. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 24 – Truth is Not Enough (Part Two)
90. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 24 – Truth is Not Enough (Part Three )
91. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 24 – Truth is Not Enough (Part Four)
92. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 24 – Truth is Not Enough (Part Five)
93. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR TRUTH IS NOT ENOUGH (Part Six)
94. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR TRUTH IS NOT ENOUGH (Part Seven)
95. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 24 TRUTH IS NOT ENOUGH (Part Eight)
96. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR TRUTH IS NOT ENOUGH Part Nine
97. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR TRUTH IS NOT ENOUGH (Part Ten)
98. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER 25 The Bitmojie Bomb Drops (Part One) Static on the Line
99. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Bitmojie Bomb Drops (Part Two) The Woman in the Voicemail
100. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER - TWENTY-FIVE The Bitmojie Bomb Drops (Part Three) Ava Doesn’t Flinch
101. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Bitmojie Bomb Drops (Part Four) The Friend Who Knew None of It
102. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Bitmojie Bomb Drops (Part Five) The Quiet Before the Quake
103. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Bitmojie Bomb Drops (Part Six) The Mirror and the Match
104. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Bitmojie Bomb Drops (Part Seven) The Lie of Fate, the Truth of Us
105. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Bitmojie Bomb Drops (Part Eight) The Window and the Knife
106. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Bitmojie Bomb Drops (Part Nine) She Wasn’t Special, She Was a Test
107. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Bitmojie Bomb Drops Part Ten: The Ugly Truth We Never Asked For
108. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX HIS SON (Part One) The Quiet After the Bomb
109. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX HIS SON Part Two Alina
110. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX HIS SON (Part Three)
111. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX HIS SON (Part Four)
112. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX HIS SON (Part Five)
113. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX HIS SON (Part Six)
114. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX HIS SON (Part Seven)
115. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX HIS SON (Part Eight)
116. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX HIS SON (Part Nine)
117. VOLUME I ACT I CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX HIS SON (Part Ten)
118. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY - SEVEN New Soil (Part One) Replanting
119. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: New Soil (Part Two) The Thursday Pattern
120. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN NEW SOIL (Part Three) Patterns in the Fog
121. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN NEW SOIL (Part Four) The Slow Undoing of Distance
122. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN NEW SOIL (Part Five) New Terms
123. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN NEW SOIL (Part Six) The Shape of Want
124. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN NEW SOIL (Part Seven) Unburied
125. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN NEW SOIL (Part Eight) Residuals
126. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN NEW SOIL (Part Nine) The Itch Returns
127. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN NEW SOIL (Part Ten) The Spiral is a Circle
128. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT COLLAPSE (Part One) The Ghost Who Stayed Longest
129. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT COLLAPSE (Part Two) Both Sides of the Flame
130. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT COLLAPSE (Part Three) Something in the Mirror
131. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT COLLAPSE (Part Four) Flammable Things
132. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT COLLAPSE (Part Five) Unquiet Ghosts
133. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT COLLAPSE (Part Six) Things With Names
134. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT COLLAPSE (Part Eight) When Curiosity Leaves Bruises
135. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT COLLAPSE (Part Nine) The Recycle Bin
136. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT COLLAPSE (Part Ten) Rex
137. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE WALMART (Part One)
138. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE WALMART (Part Two)
139. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE WALMART (Part Three)
140. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE WALMART (Part Four)
141. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE WALMART (Part Five)
142. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE WALMART (Part Six) The Split Notepad
143. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE WALMART (Part Seven) Footsteps in the Dark
144. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE WALMART (Part Eight) The Weight of Watching
145. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE WALMART (Part Nine) Hunter, Prey.
146. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE WALMART (Part Ten) Rex.
147. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY (Part One)
148. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY (Part Two)
149. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY (Part Three)
150. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY (Part Four)
151. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY (Part Five)
152. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY (Part Six)
153. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY (Part Seven)
154. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY (Part Eight)
155. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY (Part Nine)
156. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY (Part Ten)
157. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (Part One)
158. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (Part Two)
159. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (Part Three)
160. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (Part Four)
161. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (Part Five)
162. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (Part Six)
163. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (Part Seven)
164. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (Part Eight)
165. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (Part Nine)
166. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (Part Ten)
167. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO (Part One) The Proposal.
168. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO LEONARD’S DATE PROPOSAL (Part Two)
169. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO THE DATE PROPOSAL (Part Three)
170. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO THE DATE PROPOSAL (Part Four)
171. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO LEONARD’S DATE PROPOSAL (Part Five)
172. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO LEONARD’S DATE PROPOSAL (Part Six)
173. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO LEONARD’S DATE PROPOSAL (Part Seven)
174. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO LEONARD’S DATE PROPOSAL (Part Eight)
175. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: Leonard’s Date Proposal (Part Nine)
176. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: Leonard’s Date Proposal (Part Ten)
177. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE – THE HIDDEN TRIANGLE (Part One)
178. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE – THE HIDDEN TRIANGLE (Part Two)
179. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE – THE HIDDEN TRIANGLE (Part Three)
180. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE · THE HIDDEN TRIANGLE (Part Four)
181. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE – THE HIDDEN TRIANGLE (Part Five)
182. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE – THE HIDDEN TRIANGLE (Part Six)
183. VOLUME II ACT II CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE – THE HIDDEN TRIANGLE (Part Seven)
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