---- Chapter 4 Hope Morton POV: The drive to Jaxon's was quiet. He didn't push or pry, just turned the radio to a classic rock station and let the familiar chords of Led Zeppelin fill the space between us. | leaned my head against the cool glass of the passenger window, watching the city lights blur into streaks of neon and gold. For eight years, | had convinced myself that Kingston's distance was a form of protection. He'd told me, over and over, that he was shielding me from the prying eyes of the media, from the ruthless world he inhabited. "| need you to be ready, Hope," he'd say during our monthly dinners, the only time he carved out for me. "You're too good, too pure for this world. | have to ease you into it." | believed him. I'd clung to those words like a prayer. | was so terrified of being a burden, of being the long-lost sister who brought scandal and disruption to his perfect life, that | accepted the scraps he gave me with gratitude. | would have waited another eight years if he'd asked. But it was all a lie. He wasn't protecting me. He was hiding me. He was keeping me in a gilded cage, visiting just often enough to make sure the hinges hadn't rusted shut. He wasn't afraid of the world ---- hurting me; he was afraid of me hurting Everly's place in it. If he had just told me the truth from the beginning-that he had a new sister, that there was no room for me-| would have grieved, but | would have understood. | would have walked away. | wouldn't have wasted eight years of my life waiting for a door to open that he had bolted shut from the other side. The thought made a fresh wave of nausea roll through me. It wasn't just the betrayal that hurt. It was the calculated cruelty of it. The way he used my love for him, my desperate yearning for family, as a tool to keep me compliant and out of the way. He hadn't loved me. He had managed me. The truck rumbled to a stop in front of a small, well-kept house with a porch light casting a warm, yellow glow. This was the Spencers' home, the place Jaxon and | had landed after aging out of the system. Mrs. Gable, their foster mom who became everyone's mom, had kept our rooms exactly as we'd left them. "We're here," Jaxon said softly. Before | could move, his hand covered mine on the seat. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But you're safe here, Hope. Always." That was all it took. The dam | had so carefully constructed inside me finally broke. A strangled sob escaped my lips, and then another. The tears I'd refused to shed in the face of Kingston's cruelty now flowed freely, hot and heavy, for the simple, unconditional kindness Jaxon offered without a ---- second thought. He didn't say anything, just squeezed my hand and let me cry. Later, sitting at the familiar wooden kitchen table, a steaming plate of pot roast in front of me, the warmth of the food slowly seeped into my bones, chasing away some of the chill. Mrs. Gable bustled around, refilling my water glass, her presence a comforting, maternal buzz. My phone, which I'd reluctantly turned back on, lay face down on the table. It had been vibrating nonstop. | knew it was Kingston. | knew he was panicking, not because he missed me, but because his perfectly orchestrated evening had a missing piece, and he hated anything that was out of his control. | finally picked it up. Twenty missed calls. A dozen texts, escalating from confusion to anger to pleading. The last one made my stomach clench. Kingston: This isn't you, Hope. The girl | know wouldn't do this. Don't let that mechanic poison your mind. Your family is here. Come home. My family. He still didn't get it. My thumb hovered over the screen. | thought about all the lies, all the broken promises, all the lonely nights spent waiting. | thought about the girl who gave away a piece of herself in exchange for a fantasy of a family that never existed. With a deep breath, | typed a reply. It wasn't angry or ---- accusatory. It was just the simple, unvarnished truth Me: I'm not that girl anymore. Stop calling me. | blocked his number. Then | blocked him on every social media platform | had. | watched his face, smiling in his profile picture, disappear from my life with a series of decisive taps. Each one felt like cutting a cord, a painful but necessary severing. When it was done, a profound sense of lightness filled me. It was terrifying, but it was also freeing. For the first time in eight years, | wasn't waiting for Kingston Koch to decide my worth. "Everything okay?" Jaxon asked from the doorway, holding a toolbox. He had to fix a neighbor's leaky faucet, even at this hour. That was Jaxon. Always fixing what was broken. | looked up at him, at his honest, grease-stained hands and his kind, steady eyes, and | felt a sense of peace settle over me. "Yeah," | said, and this time, | truly meant it. "Everything is going to be okay." The ghost was gone. And in her place, someone new was starting to take shape. In "A Relationship Kept in The Dark" by CrushReel, the storyline unfolds as renowned photographer Jane finds herself drawn to the charismatic rookie model, Hector. Little does she know that Hector harbors a secret—he is actually the heir to a powerful business empire. As their romance blossoms, Hector grapples with concealing his true identity to capture Jane's heart. However, their love story takes a tumultuous turn when jealousy rears its ugly head, threatening to unravel the delicate balance they've built. This modern romance novel delves into themes of hidden identities, unexpected love, and the complexities of maintaining a relationship shrouded in secrecy. With its blend of sweet romance and suspenseful twists, "A Relationship Kept in The Dark" stands out for its exploration of hidden feelings and the consequences of revealing long-held secrets. For readers seeking a captivating tale that combines elements of romance, intrigue, and emotional depth, this ongoing story is available to read at CrushReel. Immerse yourself in the world of Jane and Hector as their journey unfolds against the backdrop of hidden truths and heartfelt revelations.