A TASTE OF CANDY POISON

CHAP 28🌸

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The house was quiet, just as I liked it. The sound of the rain earlier had left the air feeling fresh, but the stillness made everything seem heavier somehow.

I stepped through the front doors of the mansion, sighing as I handed off the bags of books and snacks to the maids who immediately came to help me. “Thank you,” I muttered, running a hand through my damp hair as I made my way to the living room.

Collapsing onto the couch, I leaned back and stared at the ornate ceiling. Another sigh escaped my lips. Everything about today—from the mall to the rain—had left me drained.

My thoughts wandered briefly to the girl I’d met earlier. Her confidence and energy felt so foreign, almost magnetic. But there was no point thinking about her. I hadn’t even caught her name.

A couple of minutes passed, and darkness crept through the large windows as evening fully settled in. I was lost in the silence when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I fished it out, unlocking it lazily.

It was a text from Mark.

“I’m outside your place. Come out.”

I stared at the message, my chest tightening slightly. Mark. Of course. A part of me had been waiting for him to reach out again, but I didn’t think he’d show up unannounced. I clenched my jaw, debating whether I should just ignore it.

But after a moment of hesitation, I shouted loud enough for the maids to hear, “I’m going out for the night!”

I grabbed my jacket from the back of the couch and headed toward the door. By the time I reached the front gate, the rain had finally stopped, leaving behind wet pavement that glistened under the streetlights.

The guards opened the gates as I approached, bowing slightly. I ignored them, my focus on the figure waiting just beyond the gate.

Mark stood there, his hands shoved into his pockets, his posture tense. As soon as our eyes met, he closed the distance between us in a few strides. Before I could say a word, he pulled me into a tight hug.

“Mark—” I started, trying to pull back, but he held on firmly.

“I missed you,” he whispered against my shoulder. His voice cracked, and I froze.

Something wet hit my cheek. I stiffened, realizing with a start that Mark was crying.

“Mark,” I said again, more softly this time. I placed my hands on his shoulders, trying to push him back so I could see his face. “What’s wrong? Why are you—”

“I hate this,” he interrupted, his voice trembling. “I hate how you’ve been ignoring us, Sebastian, especially me...for freaking weeks! Like we don’t even exist anymore.”

I stared at him, guilt twisting in my chest. “It’s not like that,” I said quietly, though even to me, my words sounded hollow.

Mark finally pulled back enough to look at me, his eyes red and glistening with tears. “Then what is it?” he demanded. “You just vanished. No calls, no texts, no explanations. You just cut me out of your life like I meant nothing to you.”

“You don’t understand—”

“Then help me understand!” Mark shouted, his voice breaking. His hands gripped my arms tightly, almost desperate. “Do you have any idea how that felt? How this feels?”

I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. “I needed space,” I muttered.

“Space? From me?” he asked, his tone a mix of anger and heartbreak. “Sebastian, we’ve been through everything together"