Chapter 63 Burn It Down
Author's Note:
Hey, lovely readers! After much thought, I wanted to create something fun to enhance your reading experience. So, I made an Instagram where I'll be sharing exclusive images, behind-the-scenes content, and even interactive games to enjoy alongside the story!
If that sounds exciting, I'd love for you to follow along: Username: heyalexiscrae If not, no worries—I just hope you continue to enjoy the series.
Love you all!
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Sabrina Rae stirred awake, her body tangled with Daniel's beneath the sheets. The morning light slipped through the curtains, casting a golden glow over the room—soft, warm, fleeting. She sighed, shifting just enough to feel his presence, a quiet reminder that this wasn't a dream.
Daniel's arm tightened around her instinctively, his breath slow and steady against her skin. Even in sleep, he held on like he was afraid to lose her again.
She had spent so long believing they were broken beyond repair. And yet, here they were.
"Morning," Daniel murmured, his voice rough with sleep. He brushed a strand of hair from her face, fingers hesitant, reverent—like he still feared she might slip away.
Sabrina met his gaze, searching. "Morning."
For a moment, silence stretched between them, thick with everything unspoken. Then Daniel exhaled, his grip tightening just slightly. "I've been thinking about everything. About how much I hurt you."
His jaw tensed, the weight of his own past pressing down on him. "I know we don't talk about it much, but I need you to know—I messed up, more than once. I let my own weaknesses get the best of me, and I hurt you in ways I can never take back. But I fought like hell to change, to prove that I wasn't that man anymore. And after that night, when my drink was poisoned, I knew there was no going back—I could never lose you again."
His voice was quiet, but the guilt laced through it was suffocating.
Sabrina swallowed hard. She had spent countless nights replaying the betrayal, the gut-wrenching pain of it. She had sworn she wouldn't forgive him. And yet, Daniel had spent years trying to prove he was no longer that man. He had fought for her—relentlessly, unapologetically. And against all odds, she had fallen for him again.
But had she really forgiven him? Or had she just convinced herself it was easier than letting go?
Trust hadn't come back all at once. It had been slow, tentative—a fragile thing rebuilt piece by piece. Late-night conversations, the way he showed up when she least expected it but needed him most, the way he had cut ties with everything that had once dragged him down. He had made himself a better man, and she had let herself believe in him again.
Two years of happiness—until Hallie shattered it all over again.
"I wanted to let it go," she admitted, voice barely above a whisper. "Not because it didn't hurt, but because I knew you weren't in control. And I knew how much you hated yourself for it."
Daniel's eyes darkened. "Sabrina..."
"But then she mentioned Chase." The softness in her tone evaporated, anger flickering to life. "That's when I knew what kind of person she really is. Hurting me was one thing. But going after Chase? She has no limits."
Daniel's expression hardened. "She thinks she can manipulate her way through everything. But Hollywood isn't kind to people like her. The rumors are already doing damage. Maybe it's time we help them along."
Sabrina smirked. "What are you thinking?"
Daniel exhaled, rubbing his chin. "Something big. Something that makes sure no one ever trusts her again."
She tilted her head, intrigued, but before she could press him further, his expression shifted. He reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together.
"There's something else," he said, voice steady. "The baby."
Sabrina's breath hitched. She had braced for this conversation, but hearing it aloud made her chest tighten.
Daniel looked away briefly, his voice measured. "Hallie's putting it up for adoption. I wanted to tell you myself before you heard it from someone else."
For a moment, relief flooded her. Not because she didn't care, but because a part of her had feared he would ask her for something she wasn't ready to give. But as quickly as the relief came, it twisted into something else—something unexpected.
She wasn't sure what it was. Not sadness, exactly. Maybe just the weight of how far they had all fallen.
She squeezed his hand. "I understand."
A slow exhale left him, and for the first time in a long time, he looked at peace. "I never wanted this mess. But I made my choices. And for two years, I did everything I could to prove to you that none of it ever meant anything. That you were the only thing I ever wanted."
Sabrina nodded, feeling the truth in his words. He had changed. It hadn't been easy, but she had seen him fight for her, fight for them. Even after everything, they had found their way back.
She leaned in, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to his lips. "Thank you for telling me."
As they started dressing, preparing for their last day in paradise, Daniel paused, watching her. "So... why did you invite Scarlett?"
Sabrina smirked, grabbing her phone. "I wanted to talk to her about her revenge on Ryder."
Daniel shook his head with a small, knowing grin. "Of course you did."
Without another word, she dialed Scarlett's room, anticipation thrumming between them.
Breakfast would be interesting.
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Scarlett stepped into the breakfast hall, scanning the tables when—bam—she collided with a broad chest. A firm grip steadied her, and her heart sank the moment she looked up.
Ryder.
Scarlett exhaled sharply, stepping back as if his presence physically repelled her. "Right."
He gestured toward the empty seat across from him. "Want to join me?"
"No." The answer was immediate, flat, merciless. "I'm meeting Sabrina."
Ryder nodded, trying to play it cool, but she saw the flicker of something in his eyes—disappointment, maybe even regret. She didn't care. He deserved it.
Still, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Scarlett... about last night."
She arched a brow, waiting.
"I meant what I said," he continued, voice lower now. "That I was an ass. That I ruined us. But you also said you weren't sure you could ever really hate me. That maybe, one day, we'd be able to be in the same room without all this bitterness." His gaze searched hers. "Did you mean that? Or was that just the whiskey talking?"
For a moment, Scarlett didn't answer. She just stared at him, letting him squirm under the weight of her silence. Then, slowly, a smirk curled on her lips, and she let out a soft, amused laugh.
"Oh, Ryder." She reached out, gently tapping his cheek like he was a clueless little boy. "I do forgive you."
Hope sparked in his eyes.
"But," she continued, her tone like honey laced with venom, "you are never going to cross my mind again."
The hope in his gaze flickered. Died.
Scarlett's smile widened, relishing the way the words cut. "You don't get to live in my head rent-free anymore. No guilt, no what-ifs, no lingering attachment. You're just... noise. And I've finally turned the volume off."
Ryder swallowed hard, nodding slowly. He had known this moment was coming, but damn—it still hit like a freight train.
He let out a quiet chuckle, though there was no humor in it. "You always did know how to make an exit."
Scarlett winked. "It's a talent."
She turned on her heel, sauntering toward Sabrina without another glance back.
Ryder sat there for a moment, staring at his untouched breakfast, realizing for the first time that he wasn't just losing Scarlett's love—he was losing Scarlett.
And there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.
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Scarlett and Sabrina sat across from each other at breakfast, the scent of fresh pastries and rich coffee filling the air. The conversation had started light—discussing last night's party, a few harmless rumors—before Scarlett finally leaned back in her chair, eyes sharp with curiosity.
"Alright, spill," she said, stirring her coffee lazily. "What's the grand scheme?"
Sabrina's lips curled into a smirk. "Daniel and I planned Hallie's downfall together."
Scarlett's brows shot up. "Wait—you're telling me the whole thing? The baby, the scandal, the absolute mess?"
"Every bit of it," Sabrina confirmed, taking a slow sip of her cappuccino.
Scarlett let out a low whistle. "Damn. That's... a lot." She tilted her head, considering. "Childish? Maybe. But deserved? Absolutely."
Sabrina's smirk widened. "Exactly."
Scarlett drummed her fingers against the table, intrigued. "So what's next? I doubt Hallie's just going to crawl into a hole and disappear."
"That's where I need your help." Sabrina leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "I know you still want to expose Ryder, and honestly? I'm over being subtle. I want Hallie done. I need something drastic."
Scarlett's expression darkened slightly. "You finally ready to burn it all down?"
Sabrina exhaled, her eyes flickering with something deeper, determination laced with old wounds. "Hallie didn't just wreck my relationship. She tried to destroy me. She planted rumors, fed the tabloids half-truths, made me question my own sanity. And for what? So, she could cling to some power she never really had?" She shook her head. "She has to go. Permanently."
Scarlett's smirk turned wicked. "Well, if we're doing this, we do it right." She leaned in, voice dripping with amusement. "How do you feel about a good, old-fashioned Hollywood implosion? I've got a few tricks up my sleeve—some 'unreleased' footage, a few whispers to the right people. You know how this town works. A scandal isn't a scandal until it's everywhere."
Sabrina's eyes gleamed. "Tell me more."
Scarlett tapped her chin thoughtfully. "We start with Ryder—because let's be honest, the idiot practically self-sabotages. I still have dirt on him, but what if we push it further? A staged breakdown, a 'leaked' voice memo of him trashing his co-stars, maybe even a well-placed incident at an event?"
Sabrina chuckled, nodding. "Ryder's downfall writes itself. But Hallie? She's slippery."
Scarlett smirked. "Which is why we use the one thing she values more than herself—her reputation. What if we make her the villain of the entire industry? Play the long game, let her lose favor with the very people she's clawed to impress?"
Sabrina grinned. "I like where this is going."
Scarlett took a slow sip of her coffee, eyes glinting with mischief. "Oh, she won't just be canceled. She'll be erased."
Sabrina clinked her cup against Scarlett's, the morning sun casting a golden glow over them. It was the beginning of the end for Hallie and Ryder—two people who had played with fire for too long.
And now?
They were about to burn.