I stood there, utterly dumbfounded, my mouth agape as I tried to process the words that had just been thrown at me.
Ace and Alex, the two people who had become such integral parts of my life, had just dropped a bombshell.
"No," they had said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. But how could it be? This was my decision, my heart, my life. And yet, here they were, casually denying me that agency.
"What do you mean, no?" I retorted, my hands finding their way to my hips in a mixture of disbelief and frustration. Their gazes locked with each other's before settling on me, a steely resolve in their eyes. "No," Alex repeated, his voice firm, unwavering. "You belong to one of us. You need to choose, Lily."
A humorless laugh bubbled up within me, a bitter expression of
