https : *⋆❝ sadiesinkhergf ! ❞
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🪷 . . . chapter nine
┈➤ 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗢𝗫,  jj maybank
❦༄

🪷 chapter nine !
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VALENTINA CAREFULLY SLIPPED INTO sarah's room, the familiar comfort of her best friend's space offering a small sense of relief. the soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminated sarah, who was sitting up against the pillows, her blonde hair tousled and eyes heavy with exhaustion. as soon as their gazes met, sarah didn't ask any questions, and she simply opened her arms wide, a silent invitation to join her.

valentina, unable to suppress the tremble in her hands, kicked off her shoes and shrugged out of her jacket, feeling a wave of exhaustion crash over her. she was wearing the sweatpants and crop top she'd put on earlier, now feeling like an entirely different version of herself- raw and drained. without a word, she crawled into bed beside sarah, instinctively curling up into her side.

sarah wrapped her arms around her tightly, pulling valentina close to her chest. the comforting warmth of her best friend's embrace was exactly what she needed. sarah's fingers gently ran through valentina's hair, a soft and steady motion that calmed her racing heart, and she pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. the warmth of sarah's lips was a small comfort, but it only made the emptiness inside her feel more pronounced.

"what happened?" the blonde asked softly, her voice filled with concern, and valentina let out a shaky sigh, not knowing where to even begin. she didn't have the energy to explain it all, and honestly, she wasn't sure she could- especially not about rafe. her eyes fluttered closed as she mumbled,

"just the usual... fight with my dad."

the words felt hollow, a weak attempt at covering up the real chaos inside her. her voice cracked, and that didn't go unnoticed by sarah, who frowned, but she didn't push. instead, she hummed softly, her fingers continuing to soothe valentina's hair. she could feel the girl's vulnerability, and she hated seeing her this way.

"where did you go?" she asked gently, referring to valentina's sudden disappearance from the party earlier. the question made her stiffen, and a small shiver ran through her.

"i had to get out. i'm so sorry for not calling," she said, guilt lacing her words. "i completely forgot."

sarah's hand moved to rest gently on her back, offering silent reassurance. "don't apologize," she murmured, her voice soft but firm. "i was just worried."

"did you have fun?" the brunette asked, tilting her head as she studied her face closely. sarah looked down at her for a moment, her lips pursing in a small frown as she shook her head.

"no... got into a fight with topper," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper as she exhaled in frustration. "i told him i was ready,"

"you did?" she asked in disbelief, trying to process what her best friend was telling her. sarah nodded, her gaze dropping to the bed as she let out a heavy sigh.

"yeah... i thought i was, but when it actually came down to it, i just couldn't do it." valentina's heart ached for her, understanding the internal struggle that sarah had likely been feeling. without thinking, she reached out, placing a comforting hand on sarah's waist, offering silent support. "i feel so stupid."

"hey," she murmured softly, her voice filled with understanding and reassurance, "it's okay. you don't have to do anything if you're not ready. there's no reason for topper to be mad about that." she rubbed her hand soothingly over her waist, trying to ease some of her discomfort.

sarah let out a quiet laugh, but it lacked its usual lightness. "he was so sweet all day, though. i feel like i let him down, you know?" she said, her voice tinged with guilt and uncertainty.

valentina's gaze softened as she looked at her best friend, brushing a strand of hair behind sarah's ear. "topper is a fucking asshole," she said firmly, her voice steady and reassuring. "you didn't let anyone down, angel. if you're not ready, you're not ready, and that's okay. the right guy will always respect that."

she felt sarah nod slowly as she wrapped her arms tighter around the girl, and with that being said, the girls drifted off to sleep, both of them carrying a different ache in their heart.

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when valentina stirred awake the next morning, the room was bathed in the soft, golden glow of early sunlight, filtering through the curtains. she blinked a few times, adjusting to the light, and immediately noticed the emptiness of the bed beside her. sarah was gone, but in her place, a small note was neatly folded and placed on her pillow.

yawning, she reached over, her fingers brushing against the paper as she unfolded it. her eyes skimmed over the familiar, loopy handwriting:

went shopping. back later.

valentina sighed softly, her lips curving into a faint smile. it was so like her best friend to leave a little note instead of waking her.

tossing the paper onto the nightstand, she sank back into the bed, resting her head against the cool wooden headboard. she stretched her arms above her head, the soreness of the previous night's events lingering in her muscles. for a moment, she let herself sit there in the quiet, the stillness of the morning wrapping around her like a fragile cocoon.

her mind felt like a tangled mess, unable to separate the lines between what was real and what wasn't anymore. everything felt like a blur, but the heavy feeling in her chest was undeniable. questions swirled relentlessly in her head, like an unending storm she couldn't escape.

letting out a frustrated whine, she threw the covers off her body with a huff. annoyance simmered under her skin, propelling her out of bed, though she had no clear plan for what to do next.

deciding to push the overwhelming thoughts to the back of her mind, she resolved to take the day as it came. she took extra care in choosing her outfit, opting for a chic baby pink top with a delicate lace bow, paired with a long white skirt that hung low around her hips. she added a bunch of gold bangles and necklaces, and slipped into a pair of polished baby pink heels. finishing the look with a half up- half down and her signature hoop earrings, she admired her reflection. even if her emotions were a mess, at least she looked beautiful.

she took her time applying her makeup, hoping it would help her feel more put together. maybe a walk or a quiet ride on her boat would help her clear her thoughts and ease the tension building inside.

valentina grabbed her designer bag and typed out a quick text to sarah:

heading out for some air. call me later. i love you!

satisfied, she made her way downstairs, the quiet click of her heels echoing through the cameron estate.

as she reached the hallway, she paused at the sight of ward cameron pacing back and forth, his phone pressed to his ear. his commanding presence was tempered by the calm, controlled tone of his voice. for a moment, valentina stood there, watching him, feeling a small spark of comfort. ward had always been a source of steadiness in her life, an adult she could actually rely on, considering her own father made everything feel so unsteady.

when their eyes met, ward immediately stopped, his expression softening. he muttered something into the phone before hanging up, slipping the device into his pocket with a practiced ease. his face broke into a warm smile, and he stepped toward her with open arms.

"valentina! good morning," he greeted, his tone cheery. "didn't expect to see you here."

her lips curved into a genuine smile as she approached him, her posture poised but her relief evident.

"good morning, ward," she replied, her voice light. "sarah asked me for a sleepover, but i had to finish some work down my father's hotel, so i arrived a bit late."

valentina felt a pang of guilt as she looked up at ward, knowing she was keeping so much from him. but what choice did she have? some truths were better left unsaid- for now, at least.

"i see," he smiled, laughing a bit. "your father keeps you busy, i might have to take notes for my own kids."

"oh no, don't." she laughed loudly, shaking her head. "for the love of god, i don't want to be the cause of sarah's grumpy mood when she finds out she actually has to do stuff in her life."

ward chuckled as he reached out and ruffled her perfectly styled hair, and she scrunched her nose in mock protest, smoothing it back down as a soft laugh escaped her lips. the gesture was almost paternal, something she hadn't felt in what felt like forever. 

"alright, alright. i'll wait until summer is over to spare you." he smiled, before pointing at valentina's outfit. "you leaving already?"

"yeah," she nodded, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "but i'll be back later, don't worry." 

"you better, rose is cooking a big meal tonight." ward smiled back, his hand resting briefly on her shoulder. "be safe out there, kid." 

"of course," she promised, turning on her heel and heading toward the door.

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valentina grinned to herself, a moment of joy bubbling up as she successfully climbed aboard her yacht without her father noticing. she always felt at peace on the open water, free from the suffocating presence of expectations and tension that filled her home. the gentle hum of l$d by a$ap rocky played softly from her box, and she quietly sang along, the lyrics rolling off her tongue in time with the soft lapping of the water against the hull.

every now and then, she waved politely as one of her father's acquaintances passed by on their own boats, her demeanor casual and friendly. her mind felt quiet, her thoughts as calm as the water around her. but, as always, the peace didn't last.

in the distance, two figures caught her attention. there was something oddly familiar about them, but she couldn't immediately place who they were. curiosity got the better of her, and she adjusted her course, moving her yacht closer, but as she neared, her heart skipped a beat in recognition. her eyes widened in disbelief as she realized who they were.

she watched no one other than pope pull off his shirt and dive into the water, while jj waited for him. her gaze followed him as he swam toward another boat, the sleek, unmistakable vessel belonging to topper. her brows furrowed as she tried to piece together what was happening. pope resurfaced, holding something in his hands, which he quickly handed to jj, and seconds later, topper's boat began to sink, slowly vanishing beneath the surface.

her jaw dropped in shock, her mind racing as the scene unfolded. she couldn't tear her eyes away until she noticed the two boys suddenly shift their attention towards her. they squinted, clearly spotting her, and panic gripped her chest as jj and pope called out her name, their tones anxious and urgent. 

"fuck!" she yelped, ducking instinctively. her head collided with the edge of the yacht, sending a sharp pain shooting through her skull. groaning loudly, she cradled her pounding head and crawled toward the helm, staying low to keep out of sight. her heart thudded in her chest as their voices grew louder, calling her name with increasing desperation, but she ignored them. her hands fumbled with the controls as she turned the yacht in the opposite direction, determined to get as far away from them as possible. they had just committed a crime, and she wanted absolutely no part in it.

valentina's brows furrowed as the music playing from her speaker abruptly stopped, replaced by the sharp, insistent sound of her ringtone. letting out an exasperated groan, she lazily extended her hand, fumbling around until her fingers finally grasped her phone. her eyes scanned the caller id, and upon seeing pope's name, she couldn't suppress the dramatic roll of her eyes. with a resigned sigh, she clicked to answer and brought the phone to her ear. 

"valentina!" pope's voice came through the receiver, frantic and full of urgency. "what you just saw wasn't what it looked like-" 

a smirk tugged at the corners of her lips as she listened to his panicked explanation. deciding to toy with him, she leaned back against the helm, her voice dripping with feigned seriousness. 

"pope," she interrupted, although there teasing lilt in her tone, "i know what i saw. and you're insane if you think i'm not going to tell topper." 

the silence that followed was punctuated by the sound of pope exhaling heavily on the other end, a noise that almost made her burst into laughter. but she kept her composure, a soft giggle escaping her instead. 

"val, i'm begging you-" pope's plea was cut short as she jumped in, her teasing escalating. 

"beg some more," she quipped, her voice light and playful. there was a brief pause on the other end of the line, a silence that was soon filled by a deeper, more playful voice, replacing pope.

"i'll beg for you whenever you want, baby," jj's drawl came through smoothly, and valentina couldn't hold back her grin. 

"hi to you too, jj," she replied dryly, though the amusement in her tone was undeniable.

"val, come on," his voice persisted. "you really think snitching on us is the move? you're too smart for that." 

"hm, you're right, jj. but what do i get out of keeping my mouth shut? this is premium blackmail material." she hummed thoughtfully, enjoying how easy it was to make them squirm.

"blackmail?" pope's voice returned, exasperated. "val, we're trying to do something important here. it's not what it looked like-" 

"not what it looked like?" she interrupted with mock disbelief. "because it looked like you two just fucking sank topper's boat for funsies. care to explain how that's 'important'?" 

"first of all," jj cut in, his voice tinged with annoyance, "it's topper. the guy deserved it- long story. second of all, you can't just throw words like blackmail around, sweetheart. that's dangerous territory." 

valentina scoffed, leaning back as the yacht swayed gently beneath her. "dangerous? rich coming from you. now, tell me why i shouldn't text topper and tell him exactly who he should blame when he wakes up to find his boat at the bottom of the marsh." 

"because we'll make it worth your while," jj offered smoothly, his tone switching to one of pure charm. 

"oh?" she asked, arching a brow even though they couldn't see her. "and how exactly are you planning to do that?" 

"you name it," he replied without hesitation. "a night with me in my bed? you've got my undivided attention- full concierge service, vee. i'll treat you so well." 

"wow, full concierge service. are you selling yourself to me, jj?" she laughed loudly, shaking her head, although the words did make her feel something she wasn't supposed to.

"i sold myself to you a long time ago."

pope groaned in the background. "valentina, please. just- can we talk about this in person? we'll explain everything, i promise." 

she paused, letting their desperation hang in the air. "you boys owe me. big fucking time." 

"done," jj said quickly. "you're the boss, val."

"i know i am," she replied, before the three ended the call. 

placing the phone down, her smirk softening into a thoughtful expression. she leaned against the railing of her yacht for a moment longer, her mind still spinning with the sight of the boys and the sinking boat. she knew pope and jj well enough to understand that whatever their reasons were, they probably felt justified. topper wasn't exactly a saint, and if anyone could sympathize with holding a grudge against him, it was her. still, she didn't want to get involved. the less she knew, the better- it wasn't her mess to clean up, and she didn't want to get dragged into any more chaos than she was already dealing with.

letting out a sigh, she pushed herself to her feet, brushing off her white skirt and adjusting her silk top as she began steering her yacht back toward the dock.

by the time she returned to her house, the sun was low on the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the manicured lawn. valentina slipped inside, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she glanced around. the house was eerily quiet, and it became clear her father still hadn't returned.

she kicked off her shoes by the front door and padded barefoot through the grand foyer, her white bag trailing loosely in her hand. the familiar scent of vanilla from the candles their maid had lit greeted her, soothing her nerves.

heading upstairs, valentina allowed herself to breathe deeply as she entered her room. she flopped onto the plush bed, sinking into the layers of crisp linens and pillows, and she grabbed her phone from her bag, scrolling through social media mindlessly, but even that couldn't distract her from the nagging questions in the back of her mind.

her thoughts flickered to the gun hidden inside her bag, along with the stolen documents. she felt a pang of unease but pushed it down, determined not to ruin the rare peace she was experiencing.

about an hour later, her phone buzzed with a text from sarah, letting her know dinner was being made and that she needed to come over. a smile spread across valentina's face as she grabbed her bag and headed out, humming along to the music playing in her car. for a moment, everything felt light, like she could almost pretend life was normal.

but that feeling shattered the moment she pulled into sarah's driveway.

just as she was about to step out of the car, a sharp knock on her window startled her. she turned to see her father standing there, his expression cold and unrelenting. her stomach dropped. hesitantly, she opened the door, and before she could say a word, he grabbed her by the arm and yanked her out.

"do you think i wouldn't notice your little stunt last night? leaving the house in the middle of the night?" he hissed, shoving her against the car door with enough force to make her wince. "i don't know what you're trying to prove, but if you ever pull something like that again, i swear to god-"

"it never bothered you before. scared your secret might come out?" valentina cut him off, her voice low and sharp despite the fear creeping into her chest. she glared up at him, trying to pull out of his grip, but his hold only tightened.

her father's eyes darkened, and his hand shot up, grabbing her face harshly, and his thumb pressed into her cheek, making her wince. "if you even think about making a scene tonight," he whispered, his tone deadly calm, "i'll make sure you never see daylight again."

valentina's heart pounded, but she refused to let him see her fear. "i wasn't planning on it," she spat, her voice trembling slightly. "i'm just here for sarah."

his jaw twitched, and for a moment, she thought he might lash out further, but then his expression shifted in an instant. his grip on her face released, and his posture softened as his gaze darted over her shoulder.

"hello, sarah!" he greeted cheerfully, his voice suddenly warm and inviting. valentina quickly touched her cheek, making sure her makeup hadn't smudged, before glancing behind her. sarah was standing in the doorway, her brows furrowed in confusion as she looked between the two of them. she gave louis an awkward wave, clearly picking up on the tension.

"uh, hi," she said, forcing a polite smile.

valentina didn't waste another second as she brushed past her father without looking back, throwing an arm around sarah's shoulder as she walked toward the house. "let's go," she muttered softly, her tone making it clear she didn't want to talk about it.

sarah hesitated, glancing back at louis, who was still standing there with a forced smile plastered on his face, before following the girl inside.

"what the hell was that all about?" sarah whispered as they stepped into the house, her tone cautious but laced with curiosity.

valentina shrugged casually, though her stomach churned with guilt. she hated lying to sarah- it wasn't something she did often, if ever- but she knew she had to.

"something about the hotel," she said with an offhand wave. "he was pissed at one of the workers."

sarah's brows knit together, clearly unconvinced. "val, that didn't look-"

"hey, wheeze!" valentina cut her off, her voice a little too chipper as she spotted sarah's younger sister bounding toward them. the interruption worked, but only for the moment. she caught sarah sighing under her breath, clearly annoyed but choosing not to press further.

"val!" wheezie exclaimed, practically tackling her into a hug. valentina stumbled slightly, surprised by the girl's enthusiasm. usually, it was the other way around, valentina being the one to smother wheezie with affection. she returned the hug warmly, smoothing down the younger girl's hair.

"you look so pretty!" wheezie beamed up at her, practically glowing, and valentina grinned, leaning down to plant a kiss on her head.

"thank you, angel. so do you. is that a new dress?" she asked, admiring the soft pastel outfit wheezie was wearing.

"yeah! sarah bought it for me." she nodded eagerly.

sarah smiled softly at her sister but gave valentina a pointed look as if to say, this conversation isn't over. valentina returned the look with a quick, playful grin, determined to dodge the interrogation a little longer.

"let's go see what's for dinner," she said, wrapping an arm around wheezie and steering her toward the dining room. sarah trailed behind them, her arms crossed as she watched her best friend with a mix of suspicion and concern.

sarah knew valentina like the back of her hand- hell, she probably knew valentina better than she knew herself. every little quirk, every subtle mood shift, every half-hearted smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, sarah could read them all like an open book. valentina wasn't just her best friend; she was her other half, the person who filled the spaces sarah didn't even know were empty. 

so, seeing her brush things off, dodging questions with forced smiles and quick changes of subject, stung more than sarah wanted to admit. it wasn't just frustration; it was a sharp ache. she never wants the girl to feel like she has to hide things from her.

she walked a few steps behind as valentina and wheezie moved toward the dining room, laughing about something wheezie had said. but her mind was miles away, replaying the interaction she'd seen outside. louis' hand on valentina's face, the tension crackling between them, the look of defiance and fear in valentina's eyes- it wasn't something sarah could just ignore.

sarah's eyes lingered on louis as he trailed after her father, both men disappearing down the hallway toward the office. she couldn't help but feel a knot tighten in her stomach. something wasn't right, and she hated the feeling of being kept in the dark, especially when it came to valentina.

shaking off the unease for now, sarah forced herself to focus on the moment. she could confront valentina later, when there weren't so many eyes and ears around. with a final glance toward the office door, she pushed the thoughts aside and joined the girls, her smile a little forced but her heart resolute. whatever was going on, she would figure it out. valentina needed her, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

🪷 . . . MAISSA !
hi angelssssss

i love sarah and val so much im sorry i can't stop writing detailed cute moments, i need y'all to know exactly what they're feeling and how much they love each other

love youuuuu