+25 BONUS
420–Lost My Character
Graham:
It felt like I was waiting for my turn now. I watched Elgin go through the kind of humiliation I had never wished upon my worst enemy, but seeing him go through it in real time made me feel like my body had shrunk.
And now that Elgin had run after his wife, it was just me, Madeline and Kaylee.
“Kaylee,” I paused because all the embarrassment felt stuck in my throat. I cleared my throat and stepped toward Kaylee, but she stepped back and raised her hand to stop me.
“Say whatever you have to say from a distance,” Kaylee replied harshly.
There was disgust in her voice.
“Okay, here is the thing. You know our daughter passed away. I was just missing her, and being with her reminded me of what it felt like to be a father. I thought maybe if I could make one more baby with her, it would fill the space Gina left,” I said. 1
I felt disgusted as I made up that lie. I watched Kaylee’s face change from crying to full of disgust, and I realized the excuse was not working.
“And you, get the fuck out of here!” Kaylee yelled at Madeline.
I tried to straighten my posture while watching Madeline walk past me. The way she moved so slowly made me feel pressure. Then my eyes landed on her naked back. I quickly grabbed the jacket from the side and rushed to put it on her shoulders.
However, the moment I did, Madeline turned around and slapped my hand away. At the same time, Kaylee grunted loudly at me.
The two were glaring at me like they wanted to attack. The jacket lay on the ground.
“Fucking tuck your thing back in your pants properly,” Kaylee screamed.
I looked down and realized I had zipped my pants wrong. I hesitated while fixing it.
“And you still have the nerve to care for her after realizing I am the one you put through so much pain,” Kaylee continued to scream as Madeline kept walking away.
“And I cannot even stand the sight of you right now,” Kaylee added.
When I lifted my head from my pants, I watched her leave. She had turned around and started to walk away, so I rushed after her.
As I tried to keep my pace while still fixing my pants, which for some reason would not close properly, my foot got stuck in something, and I fell forward, hitting the floor with a thud.
Everything went silent, and I knew Kaylee had stopped moving because I had fallen. When I raised my head, I realized why it felt like the fall had happened for a reason.
Right in front of me, less than a foot away, stood Madeline. I had fallen at her feet, my nose almost brushing
420–Lost My Character
+25 BONUS
her shoe before I pulled back and lifted my head.
Madeline looked at me as a tear rolled down her face, and I swallowed at the sight. She then turned and walked away.
“So you want women like her, huh? The woman who is in love with your friend? I cannot believe this shit. And I know you do not respect her either, because otherwise why would you let your friend touch her?” Kaylee screamed.
I got to my feet while watching Madeline step out of the mansion. One thought circled my mind, how would she get home now? She was badly shaken, and her dress was ruined.
“I’m speaking with you. Fucking answer me.” Kaylee rushed at me and snapped her fingers in front of my face to get my attention. “Do you have any excuse?” she screamed.
“I gave you the excuse. I’m missing Gina. I thought maybe making another baby with her would give me my Gina back,” I said, lowering my head.
“Aren’t you making a baby with me?” she screamed again, slapping both her hands against my chest.
“That is different. It would not be Gina. I mean, even Penny is making babies with my father. What is so special about it?” The words left my mouth in desperation because my mind was still stuck on Madeline.
Everything came back to me quickly. The reminders of Madeline and our friendship, of her leaving and then returning. I started to feel as if I had not been in my right mind over the past few months. 2
“I don’t know what to say to you. I think I will grab my stuff and move in with my father for a while,” Kaylee
said.
Finally, Kaylee managed to get my attention once she noticed I was not picking up on the signs of her desperation.
“Kaylee, please, I’m begging you for forgiveness. I will never make that mistake again. That woman,‘ paused. Even referring to her with disrespect made my chest feel hollow. It seemed like the biggest punishment.
To think we were celebrating my innocence and on the same night I was proven not innocent made me wonder if this was the moon goddess’s way of finally putting her foot down. The self–awareness was causing me a lot of pain.
I
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.

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