Forgotten

Chapter 18

Chapter Title: The Birthday Bargain

Another couple of months had passed. I'd been spending as much time as I could with Jacin. His apartment had become my safe haven. Even when he was at work, I would come here and wait for him. We had become homebodies. We didn't go out as much as we used to. We preferred cuddles in front of the TV or afternoon naps on the bed. One of my favorite things to do was cook with him. I liked that it was something we could do together.

Adrian and I had become friends since I was always next door, and she had fallen in love with my food. She and Liara hit it off too. Adrian was studying to be a lawyer, but in the meantime, she worked three campus jobs to pay her tuition, she also worked as a stripper on weekends.

Her name was always met with confusion, she was supposed to be Adrianna, but her father got distracted while registering her birth and only filled in "Adrian." Her mother, who adored her goofy, scattered husband, decided to leave it that way. Adrian swore she'd change it one day, but after her dad died, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

As for my birthday, we had a blast. We decided to celebrate early since my dad had plans for my actual birthday and none of my friends were allowed to attend. We were talking about it at school, and everyone was bummed until Mika offered her family cabin by the lake for the weekend.

So we arranged everything. Mika, Zielle, Liara, Adrian, Jacin, and I went down to the cabin. Friday was a chill day since we arrived late. We grabbed dinner on the way and, once there, started a fire and all cuddled around it.

Saturday was incredibly fun. We spent most of the day on the lake. Mika's family had a boat and jet skis. I wasn’t brave enough for the jet skis, so I mostly rode the donut tube that was dragged behind the boat—after much convincing It was far worse sitting in that Donut not knowing what was lurking beneath me.

Liara had made me watch lake-based horror movies the whole week leading up to the trip: Lake Placid, Shark Night, The Meg. I was honestly terrified at first to even go near the water.

That night, we planned to grill burgers and hang by the fire—but it didn’t go like that. Zielle had invited a bunch of people over for my birthday.

It turned into a huge party. I was worried about people drinking near the water or accidentally setting fire to the woods. But Mika didn’t care. She wasn’t a fan of the place. It was too cold for her taste. She's basically the image that pops up when you Google "spoiled." In the end, I stopped worrying and started enjoying myself.

A few hours in, Jacin led me away, saying he had a surprise. He didn’t know about the party either. He brought me to a spot near the lake where he had set up a picnic blanket and battery-operated fairy lights.

In the middle of it all sat a birthday cake he’d made using one of my video recipes. It was so sweet—and then it turned hot when I licked icing off his lips. We ended up having passionate, wild outdoor s*x under the stars. It was the perfect end to my birthday.

"Your friends are unbelievable! I can’t imagine you as one of them. That party was insane. The amount of booze should’ve been illegal. How did they even get it all? They probably robbed a brewery—or one of them bought one," Adrian ranted. It was her first real clash with my friend group. Jacin was prepared for it—he'd been to the beach party. Adrian hadn’t stopped judging Mika and Zielle, but I knew deep down she liked them too. She just didn’t get the whole rich-kid world.

Her family was okay financially. She told me things got tough after her dad died. They used his life insurance to pay off the house, but bills still piled up. Stories like hers made me realize I should be more grateful. But gratitude didn’t always come easy.

Today was the day before my actual birthday, and I was hiding out in Jacin’s apartment. Our house was being transformed for the party. It all felt like too much. This wasn’t going to be a fun, festive party—it was going to be one of those socialite events. Stiff, awkward, filled with my father’s business associates and their snobbish children.

"Earth to Al!" Adrian snapped her fingers. I looked up.

"Sorry, I got lost in thought."

"Daydreaming about hot-as-hell Jacin again?"

I smirked. "No, actually. Dreading the soul-sucking nightmare of my birthday party."

"It can't be that bad. Jacin will be there. Daddy said no friends—not no boyfriends."

I sighed. "It was implied. My dad doesn’t even know about Jacin. He has my life mapped out, and Jacin doesn’t fit into his plan. He wants me to marry some rich boy from his network. He’d never accept Jacin."

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "But he married a gold-digger? How is that not hypocritical? At least Jacin actually loves you—and works for a living."

I shrugged. "It’s about inheritance. My father thinks marrying me off to the ‘right’ person will grow his empire. Since I’m not a son, the next best thing is marrying me off like a business deal. If I have a son one day, the cycle continues."

Adrian wrinkled her nose. "That’s sick. He knows he’s your father, not your pimp, right?"

I laughed bitterly. "Honestly, I’m not sure he does. I think if my mom were still alive, things would be different. She and my dad fell in love hard and fast. I like to believe she’d want me to have that too."

"Your mom should haunt your dad and scare some damn sense into him," Adrian muttered. I laughed and stood up to start dinner before Jacin got home. I couldn’t shake the weight in my chest. My father had built his empire from nothing. You’d think he’d appreciate someone like Jacin. But no. To him, it’s not about the work—it’s about the connections. The legacy. The perfect story.

---

The party was set to start in an hour, and I was already irritated. Lyssa had been fluttering around me like a proud pageant mom. She couldn’t decide how I should look—done up, but not too done up. Elegant, but still youthful. She finally settled on leaving my hair loose but swept back from my face.

She picked a white strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline. The bodice was tight, covered in hand-stitched pearls. The skirt was layers of soft tulle. I looked like a bride. I felt like I was wearing a sign that said "FOR SALE."

I stayed in my room until my father came to get me. The party was exactly what I feared: stuffy, slow piano music, aphrodisiac finger foods, and clusters of old men with their entitled sons.

An hour in, I realized something horrible: I was the only girl my age here. The entire guest list was composed of eligible sons and their scheming parents.

"Do all your friends only have sons, or did you strategically invite only single men?" I snapped at my father.

He smirked like it was out of his hands. "Most of them were blessed with sons. I invited those with daughters, too—the ones with brothers."

I rolled my eyes. Even one other girl here would've split the spotlight. But no. I was the bait in this luxury matchmaking scheme.

As the night dragged on, I endured sleazy smiles, fake compliments, and lingering touches on my arm or lower back. The men were at least twenty-five and looked at me like I was a prized possession they were bidding on.

By the second hour, I’d had enough. I stormed upstairs, grabbed my purse, and climbed out the window using the tree like I had when I was a kid. The gate guard was too distracted to notice me leaving.

I walked several blocks until I found a cab and gave the driver Jacin’s address. When I got there, I realized I’d forgotten my key in the rush. I banged on the door, trying not to cry—but the second Jacin opened it, the tears came.

Ugly sobbing. Shaking. He pulled me into his arms, I clung to him like I was drowning. Adrian quietly opened the door behind me, but I didn’t care. I just wanted him.

Eventually, he led me to the couch. I calmed down enough to sip tea and tell them what had happened. Jacin rubbed my back the whole time. I knew I was overreacting in a way—none of the men had touched me inappropriately—but I felt cheap and degraded.

Jacin’s fist clenched. My phone rang. It was my father.

"Where are you, sweetheart?" he asked sweetly, but his tone carried tightly coiled rage.

"I left. I got tired of you trying to be my pimp."

He fumbled to excuse himself from the party before speaking again. "You know that’s not what this is. I’m just introducing you to future suitors. Are you at Liara’s? I’ll send a car."

"No. I’m at a new friend’s house—Adrianna’s. I’ll see you tomorrow." I ended the call.

Jacin stared at me, livid. "He wants you to go back? After all that?"

"I’m okay now. I’m here with you," I whispered, wrapping my arms around him.

"Don’t defend him," he said quietly. I nodded.

"I’m going to take a shower and wash this night off of me." I grabbed a pair of underwear and one of his favorite shirts—the one that always smells like him. I scrubbed my skin until I felt clean.

Then I crawled into bed beside him. He held me tight, like I might vanish. And that’s how I fell asleep.

---

I dreamed of a perfect world. Jacin and I moved into the apartment. I used my savings to study business and marketing, so I could support him while he studied too. We were happy. My father gave us his blessing.

But then the dream cracked, like glass shattering.

Darkness. My father's laughter. An army of men lining up to meet me, their teeth long and sharp, their eyes glowing. They surged forward like wolves toward their prey. Me.

Then I heard Jacin’s voice calling my name.

I bolted upright into his arms, heart racing, breath heaving. And in his arms, I was safe again.