8x featured | A pick your own genre / version story. Choose between a sweet ChickLit love story or a mind-bending Thriller Romance.
When a grumpy billionaire fake dates a sunshine barista to understand how love works, they are forced to face the mon...
For those of you who like hunting for TS song refs in this story, this chapter is going to be an absolute treat. Enjoy <3
🦋 + 🐍
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(Oliver's Version)
Oliver woke up in the middle of the night, angry and breathless from the nightmare that kept reminding him of the day he wanted to forget most.
Letting out a sharp exhale, he got up to pour himself a glass of cold water and stared at his scary reflection on the refrigerator's reflective surface. What could he possibly have done to deserve this plight? His life was stuck in a loop of waking up from nightmares, working till he couldn't distract himself anymore and going to the same coffee shop each day in search of his escape.
And to think that none of this was his fault, yet he was the one who woke up screaming from dreaming each night. The one who was put in jail for something he didn't do though he put in every possible effort to make their relationship work. And in the end, nothing mattered since everything he worked towards had gone all wrong or been trampled on.
He hoped the cold water gushing down his throat would cool the burning rage within but the bruise of being wronged had already painted him blue. He couldn't help but crib about how unfair it was that he often found himself awake in the night, pacing like a ghost plagued by thoughts of Anne Starling while she could be celebrating her life this very moment with an unknown man — probably wrapped in his arms, laughing about how easily she got rid of Oliver Wilson. About how she dumped him when he was counting on her to show up most.
If only Oliver could know how life-changing that day was going to be — exactly opposite of the way he had originally imagined it to be.
Maybe it was him who loved in shades of wrong or maybe he didn't know how to be in love. Maybe he asked for too much or maybe this thing was a masterpiece till she tore it all up. But did who did what even matter anymore once the damage was already done? All Oliver could do now was spend each passing minute of life with his fears and his ghosts.
Following his fears all the way down, he found himself lying on the cold bed again, replaying all those painful memories. Of the way Anne was supposed to be his bride - it wasn't a love story at all, nothing more than an arrangement at first, where creating a personal relationship would only strengthen their business bonds. And it made perfect sense for the two Starlight billionaire families to tie the knot and seal this synergy, to recollect in Jonathan Starling's words. But deep down, neither Oliver nor Anne wanted to stay in a relationship that was meant to be just a deal.
Having been a lot of dark and lonely places throughout their lives, constantly trying to find love in the cracks of light, each of them wanted a love story of their own. A reason to keep their faith alive; a reason to keep believing. Something that could patch their mosaic broken hearts back into shape. The only twist of fate being that Oliver tried to find the love he lacked in her while, all along, she ended up finding it in someone else.
