Bound by lies Trapped by Desire novel Chapter 109

Elena’s POVE

One bedroom was listed for an astronomical $4500-$5000 per month! And even the cramped studio apartments were going for a minimum of $1500. My eyes scanned the screen. A wave of disbelief washed over me.

That’s utterly ridiculous. It was more than half of the generous internship salary i’d been so thrilled about. At this rate, I’d be working just to keep a roof over my head, with barely enough for food, transportation, or any unexpected expenses.

And what about Mom? Even though Aunt Rose would be staying with her, I still wanted to be able to contribute financially, to ease her burdens in any way I could. This rent situation was a major blow.

I slammed my laptop shut with a decisive thud, the sudden silence in the room amplifying the frantic thoughts racing through my mind. Pushing the offending device to the side of the bed, I sighed heavily and reached for my phone.

A restless energy began to simmer beneath my skin. I knew I should probably go downstairs and properly greet Mom. The polite thing to do would be to join them, offer to help with dinner, and try to smooth over the lingering tension from our earlier conversation.

But no, Not this time. A stubborn resolve had taken root within me. I needed to stand my ground, to show Mom that I was serious about my decisions and wouldn’t be easily swayed.

I’d only just sent the reply accepting the internship, Now, I needed to demonstrate that I had a proper plan, a viable strategy for making this whole thing. work, despite the challenges.

My thumb scrolled aimlessly through Facebook, my gaze flicking over countless posts, advertisements, and updates from friends and acquaintances. Then, I paused, my eyes catching on a particular post in a local Velhaven group about shared living space available. It wasn’t in Maxcester City, but the concept sparked an idea in my mind.

Huh, Shared accommodation. Why hadn’t thought of that before? it was a common enough practice, especially for young students or professionals starting out in a now city

I sat up straighter and began actively searching for more similar posts, specifically looking for shared living spaces in the downtown Maxcester City area. After a dedicated hour of scrolling and wring, I came across three posts that seemed promising, each offering a room for rent in a two–bedroom apartment.

The next hour was a flurry of messages and brief online conversations with the three individuals who had posted the listings. The first was an immediate rejection, a polite but firm decline on my part, as the available room was being offered by a middle aged man. Living with a man, especially a complete stranger, was out of the question. It was a boundary I wasn’t willing to cross, my personal safety and comfort was more important

The other two potential roommates were women. One conversation ended abruptly when I asked a seemingly innocuous question: “How do you prefer to handle cleaning? Do you have a chore chart, or do we just clean as we go?” My message was met with silence, the other woman leaving me on “see” without a reply. Maybe she wasn’t a particularly clean person, or perhaps she found my directness off putting. Either way, it didn’t feel like a good fit

The third and final option seemed the most appropriate, at least on screen. Her name was Joane, and she was a thirty–five–year old woman who had recently gone through a divorce. Her message was straightforward, outlining the available room in her two–bedroom apartment. The rent she was asking was significantly more manageable at only $1500.

I sighed, relief washing over me, albeit tinged with a healthy dose of caution. I would have to go and check out the place first, meet Joune in p get a feel for her and the apartment before committing to anything, right? This wasn’t a decision to be taken lightly.

and

I didn’t have much time either, only about a week to finalize accommodation before I would need to relocate. Now that I’d accepted the internship offer, the reality of the fast–approaching start date was beginning to sink in. According to the email, I would have to report to work by June 9th, a little over a week away. Time was definitely of the essence!

My thoughts couldn’t help but drift back to Aunt Rose’s rather unconventional description of an ideal life partner. Although she firmly believed those qualities were exclusive to women, her words echoed in my mind, a strange sense of irony washing over me

Didn’t everything she list out – being good–looking, empathetic, good at cooking, caring for me when I was injured, and… undeniably amazing in bed

1/3

Chapter 109

didn’t all of that accurately describe Nikolai? The realization hit me with a sharp, unexpected ache in my chest. Despite everything that had happened between us, despite the lies and the contract, a part of me still..

1 bit my lips, pushing the unwelcome thoughts away, a hollow feeling settling in my chest. Nikolai was a complication I couldn’t afford to dwell on right now. My focus needed to be on Marcester City, the internship, and the tiny life growing within mo

All of a sudden, a gentle knock sounded on my bedroom door, and I sat up straight, startled out of my reverie, as Mom walked in.

“Are you feeling sick?” she asked, her gaze sweeping over me, taking in my disheveled appearance, I paused, a frown creasing my forehead. Was looking unwell? I hadn’t even realized. Shaking my head slightly, “I’m alright, Mom. Just a little tired.”

“Then what was all that about earlier?” she asked, her arms crossing over her chest, a hint of sternness returning to her voice. “Did you forget your manners just because of a little argument?” I paused, the accusation stinging slightly.

“Mom…that’s not it,” I sighed, the weariness returning. “You haven’t really been talking to me properly for the past week. On top of that

She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, her gaze unwavering, waiting for me to continue.

“You…went back on your word,” I said softly, the disappointment evident in my

“My word? What exactly did I do?” she questioned, her expression shifting to one of tegned innocence, though I could see a flicker of something else perhaps guilt? – in her eyes. I sighed again, the familiar dance of our unspoken tensions playing out once more.

“Mom…why did d you tell Aunt Rose about my personal matters?” I asked, my voice low

“Your personal matters?” she repeated, her voice barely a whisper, her eyes wide with surprise.

“My pregnancy, HomIcarified.

She frowned, her initial shock giving way to a look of confusion “Was it supposed to be a secret, Elena! From Rose?”

“Yes! A secret from everyone! I haven’t even told Fiona about this. She’s my best friend. You’re the only person who knows. I trusted you with this, Mom My voice cracked slightly on the last word. Her hands dropped to her sides, her previous defensiveness melting away as she came to sit down on the edge of my bed, her gaze softening with remorse

“Haney. Listen to me,” she said, her voice gentle, reaching out to take my hand. Her touch was warm and familiar. “I’m so sorry told her. You’re right, that wasn’t fair of me. I will talk to Rose, tell her not to mention it to anyone else, I promise. But that doesn’t excuse your behavior earlier, Elona. You were being rude, honey,” she added, her tone regaining a touch of her earlier firmness, “Aunt Rose and I have been downstairs for almost two hours now, catching up after all this time, and you didn’t even bother to comedown for dinner? That wasn’t like you.” She questioned me, her eyes searching mine. and I frowned, a wave of guilt washing over me. She was right. My own preoccupation had led to a lapse in basic politeness.

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