Chapter 20
Victoria
The air outside feels different the second we step out of the restaurant.
The sound of the door shutting behind us fades out as we all linger near the sidewalk, no one immediately heading for their cars, except for my mom, Irene and their mom.
It’s one of those weird pauses where no one really knows what to say first.
I cross my arms loosely over my chest, glancing between all of them.
It’s.. strange, standing here like this.
Like we haven’t just spent months barely seeing each other. Like we didn’t go from occasional holidays and awkward visits to suddenly being tied together through a whole damn company.
“It’s been forever since I’ve seen everyone together like this,” I say, breaking the silence.
Dad chuckles beside me, already reaching for his keys. “You kids don’t make time for anything unless it’s work.”
I roll my eyes slightly. “I make time. It’s just.. people don’t really go out of their way to reach out to me like that. To hang out or whatever.”
I turn toward him then, narrowing my eyes just a bit. “And you really don’t have room to talk, Dad. Up until now, you’ve been all work, no breaks.”
“You got me there, kiddo,” Dad admits, a quiet huff of amusement in his voice. “But even when I’ve been buried in work, you could’ve reached out to Dominic or Elias.”
His tone softens just slightly, but not by much. “They care about you.”
My gaze drifts past him; landing on Dominic and Elias for a brief second.
Elias is leaning back against the brick of the building, hands in his pockets like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Like he didn’t just get handed partial ownership of a company five minutes ago.
He’s always been nonchalant. Chill to a fault.
But something about the way he’s looking at me right now feels off, and I can’t figure out why.
So I ignore it.
Dominic’s already watching me when my gaze lands on him, a sly smirk tugging at his mouth.
He shoots me a quick, playful wink.
“Pretty sure the phone works both ways,” I shoot back, my gaze landing on them instead of him.
Dominic lets out a low chuckle at that, nudging the ground with the toe of his shoe like he’s got no defense to offer.
Dad clasps his hands together. “Well, boys, your mother’s already in the car and ready to go. I should probably follow.”
He turns to me, that familiar smile settling in. “Victoria, call your old man every once in a while. I’ll have more time now.. Just don’t tell your mother that you plan on calling me more than her. She’ll throw a fit.”
I shake my head slightly with a smile as he walks off, tossing a wave behind him.
“You’ve been busy,” Elias mutters, his tone more matter-of-fact than anything else.
I nod once. “Yeah. Accounting doesn’t really give you much free time.”
“J. James?” he asks.
That catches my attention.
I glance at him more directly this time. “Yeah. How’d you know?”
“I’m actually working on the other end of it currently,” he replies simply.
Of course he is.
It makes sense that my dad has us tackling the same project at once, especially now that we’ll all be working together.
As a family.
I let out a small breath, shaking my head. “I’ve been buried in numbers all week.”
“Sounds exciting,” Dominic murmurs.
I look back at him. “You’d hate it. It’s all desk work and no physical action. I bet you get to fight disorderly people all the time. Sounds kind of fun.”
He steps a little closer, not enough to invade my space, but enough that I notice it.
“I have people who work for me that do the wrestling now, but I do miss the chaos.” he says quietly.
“Well, if you ever feel like trading places, you’re more than welcome,” I reply.
“Careful,” he says. “I might take you up on that.”
Elias cuts in, lifting his arm like he has a point to prove. “I might actually take you up on that offer. You see these fucking tan lines?”
Dominic snorts and smacks his arm, making him pull it back instantly.
“Yeah, those aren’t tan lines,” he says, shaking his head. “Those are burn lines.”
I laugh alongside him, finally feeling a burst of genuine happiness.
After we leave the restaurant, I head home and don’t waste any time. I shower, change, and crawl into bed.
Sleep hits me fast.
Probably all the overtime catching up to me.
A few hours later, my phone buzzes on the nightstand, dragging me out of it just as quickly.
I jolt awake, breath catching slightly as the sound cuts through the quiet. My hand reaches out blindly, knocking against the edge before I finally grab it.
The screen lights up the dark, way too bright.
I squint, wincing as I look down at it, my eyes still trying to catch up.
Discord Notification
My stomach does that familiar flip as I open the app.
It’s three in the morning.
These late-night texting sessions have become my twisted ritual since I found out about Garrett’s betrayal two weeks ago.
HollowEyes3:
That last scene was pretty intense. You okay?
I sit up, pushing my tangled hair back. My bedroom is silent except for the soft hum of my laptop that sits across from my bed on my desk, still open from our hours-long roleplay session.
We’ve been building this scenario since I found out about Garrett. My character works in an office, still pissed about her boyfriend cheating on her.
The office is made up.
The people in it are made up.
But the boyfriend.. that part isn’t.
The horror we created together lives only in text.. in the shared fantasy we built word by word.
Bloodlust2:
Yes, I’m okay.
Dollface1:
The psychological elements worked well. Your character’s internal struggle gave it depth. Proud of you .
I stare at the message thread, at the elaborate narrative we’ve constructed.
What started as a way to vent my rage after finding that video of Garrett has turned into something else entirely; a place to explore the darkest corners of my mind.
The violent impulses I’d never act on in real life. . but can’t stop imagining.
HollowEyes3:
Great job, Puppet.
My lips quirk slightly.
Bloodlust2:
Isn’t it a little fucked up that we’re all enjoying this?
I type it.
Delete it.
Rewrite it.
Then send it anyway.
Dollface1:
It’s catharsis. You’re processing trauma through fiction. Perfectly healthy as long as the boundaries remain clear.
HollowEyes3:
It’s fiction, Puppet. We’re not actually doing anything illegal.
I pull my knees up to my chest.
The line between our real lives and this shared fantasy doesn’t always stay where it should. Especially not right now; alone in the dark, with everything we just wrote still lingering in my head.
Bloodlust2:
Do you guys ever worry we’re taking this too far?
Three dots appear.
Disappear.
Then come back again.
HollowEyes3:
Do you want to stop?
Do I?
These sessions have become my lifeline since the breakup. A way to take back control when Garrett left me feeling completely powerless.
Bloodlust2:
Honestly? No. It’s actually been.. helpful.
Dollface1:
Well, now that you’ve confirmed that you’re good with everything still. Same time tomorrow night? I’ve got some ideas for how your character could turn the tables.
I hesitate, my fingers hovering over the screen.
Tomorrow’s Friday.
Normal people go out.
Move on.
Live their lives.
They don’t do.. this.
Bloodlust2:
Actually, I was thinking..
I pause, my heart picking up just a little.
Bloodlust2:
Maybe we could meet up.. in person, I mean. My dad actually made a good point. I know you guys are there for me when I need it. It wouldn’t hurt to see each other more.
The silence feels eternal. I start to wonder whether they signed off or not.
HollowEyes3:
Are you sure that’s a good idea? Mixing this with real life?
Dollface1:
I’d like that. Plus, I agree with her.. I think it’s time.
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
Sure, I know who they are in real life.
They’re my stepbrothers.
But meeting them like this..
Dominic would now be Dollface in person.
Elias would be Hollow.
My dark companions in the fictional world, no longer separated by a digital-barrier.
Everything out in the open.
Bloodlust2:
How about the J. James Office Building?
HollowEyes3:
Definitely an interesting pick.. but I’ll be there.
Dollface1:
Wouldn’t miss it, Sweet Victoria.
I set my phone down and in the darkness of my bedroom, I stare up at the ceiling.
My stepbrothers and I were always close growing up. Then, about two years ago, something changed.
It wasn’t until my dad’s company Halloween party that something shifted.
From there, it started to feel like something more. Like there was something between us that went beyond what it was supposed to be. Like we were tied together in a way none of us had actually noticed before.. or maybe just never let ourselves acknowledge.
My phone buzzes again.
I lean over to look at the text immediately.
Dollface1:
By the way, we should invite Garrett. I’d like to have a conversation with him about some things.
A chill runs through me as I stare at the message.
For a second, the line between fantasy and reality wavers.
I decide against texting back.
Instead, I flip my phone on its screen and lay back down, staring at the ceiling yet again.
Maybe real life isn’t so bad after all.
A smirk pulls at my lips as I let sleep pull me under.