---- Chapter 8 When I opened the door, Samuel was slumped on the couch like a wreck. The room reeked of alcohol, and the table was littered with overturned bottles. The moment he saw me, his eyes lit up. His voice was thick with disbelief as he called out to me, "Cherry, is that you?" When I didn't move, he lunged toward me and pulled me into a crushing embrace. He held me so tightly it was as if he wanted to fuse me into his bones. "Thank God, Cherry. Thank God," he kept repeating it beside my ear. "I'm sorry, Cherry. I was wrong." The once-proud Alpha now bowed before me, his back hunched low. His head rested on the curve of my shoulder. I struggled, trying to push him away, but he only held me tighter. ---- I opened my mouth to curse him out, but I froze. Awarm liquid slid down into my collar, trailing from my neck downward. "Cherry..." Samuel struggled to suppress his trembling. His voice grew quieter with every word. "I thought... I thought I really lost you." Just as I was about to say something, Mike burst in and yanked Samuel away from me. He punched him square in the face and stepped protectively in front of me. There was a faint floral and herbal scent on him, reminiscent of Cherry's. It was subtle and calming. Samuel staggered backward, eyes reddened and looking feral like a beast about to attack. "Mike, you can go," I said. He was still worried, but I gave him a small nod. Samuel's expression eased for a brief moment, but he ---- was still visibly tense as he asked me, "Who is he?" Mike looked at me in silence, leaving it up to me to introduce him. I stepped forward. "Mike was Cherry's fiance. It's okay, Mike. You can go." Mike turned his gaze to Samuel and gave him a long once-over before saying solemnly, "If Cherry knew how unhappy you are now, she'd probably regret leaving the way she did." Tears stung my eyes again almost instantly. Once Mike left, only Samuel and I were left in the room. A heavy silence seeped into every corner. I dug through the suffocating stillness to find my voice again. "I want to break our mate bond." Samuel's refusal was fast and decisive. His eyes were red as he begged me not to. But I didn't want his pleading. I wanted to cut ties with everything here. ---- I packed up Cherry's journal and went back to the home I hadn't returned to in two years. The moment I opened the door, Mom stood in the hallway. Her hair had gone completely white, and she looked older. Her clouded eyes, rimmed in red, fixed on me. But it only lasted a moment. Her guilt and sorrow were quickly swallowed back down. She slipped right back into the version of herself I knew best- unhinged and stubborn. "Oh, you didn't die? Didn't they say you tried to kill yourself?" I raised my bandaged wrist and answered calmly, " Almost." Before she could start screaming at me again, I pulled the journal from my bag. She didn't take it. "It's Cherry's journal." I set it down and gave Mom. one last long look before I turned to leave. In the latest episode of ReelTalk, titled "Queen Bee Meets Queen Bee," the infamous Daniela Couso reunites with Sarah Moliski for a buzzworthy discussion. Dive into the world of these legendary villains as they unveil the realities behind their captivating personas. Exploring themes of power, rivalry, and intrigue, this ongoing romance series delves deep into the complexities of characters like Daniela and Sarah. Witness the clash of two formidable personalities as they navigate love, ambition, and deception in a world where nothing is as it seems. What sets this narrative apart is its intricate character dynamics and the magnetic pull between its leading ladies. Experience the allure of forbidden desires and hidden agendas in a story that promises twists at every turn. Ready to uncover the secrets that bind these queens together? Available to read at CrushReel for those eager to unravel the mysteries within.