Game Over No Second Chances novel Chapter 23

CHAPTER 023

LAUREN’S POV

+35 BONUS

I woke up just in time, blinking slowly as the ceiling came into view. There was no alarm clock here to jolt me out of sleep, and if I had slept any longer, Elena would have missed school. My hand reached out automatically to the nightstand, fumbling for my phone. When the screen lit up, it showed 5:30 a.m.

–

Quite early, some might say — but given how long it usually took me to get Elena’s things in order, it felt like the perfect time.

I carefully slipped out of bed, trying not to make a sound. Elena was still wrapped up in the blanket, and I didn’t want to wake her just yet. For a moment, I stood there, my heart clenched a little at the thought of what I’d dragged her into. But I forced the guilt back. There would be time to unpack that later — right now, she needed breakfast, her school uniform, and her lunchbox ready to go.

Quietly, I opened the door and stepped into the living room, still dim in the early morning light. My plan was simple: prepare her food and everything else she’d need for school before she even opened her eyes. At least that way, her morning could stay normal — routine, like it always had been.

But life, as usual, had other plans.

My foot landed right on top of a small plastic spoon lying on the rug. It made the faintest cracking noise – but that was enough. Tessa wasn’t a deep sleeper, not when she was on the couch instead of her bed.

Even in the low light, I saw her eyes blink open. She squinted for a second, then focused on me. Slowly, she sat up, rubbing at her neck and stretching her arms overhead until her back gave a small pop.

I let out a sigh, my shoulders slumping a little. I really hadn’t wanted to wake her. She had already given up her bed for me and Elena, the least I could have done was let her rest properly.

“Tess… I’m sorry for waking you up,” I whispered, stepping closer. “I thought I could sneak into the kitchen unnoticed.”

She let out a small, sleepy laugh and covered her mouth as she yawned. “It’s not your fault. I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately anyway. I think I should probably cut down on the excess coffee,” she added, shaking her head.

“You should try to get a bit more rest, though,” I urged her gently.

“Nah,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “You want to make something for Elena, right? I’ll help. Besides, you’re in my kitchen you won’t even know where half the utensils are. And if you start rummaging around, you’ll wake up Elena for sure.”

A small smile tugged at my lips despite how tired I felt. She was right, and I knew it. It had been so long since I’d last prepared breakfast and packed lunch for Elena myself. At the house, Rosa had taken care of most of it, sometimes letting me help out when I insisted. But since Ethan got busier and colder – I had slowly stopped stepping into the kitchen.

–

A small smile appeared on my face as I nodded, realizing it didn’t look like Tessa was ready to give up. She had always been stubborn in her own way, but it was the kind of stubbornness that wrapped itself around you like a

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CHAPTER 023

+35 BONUS

comforting blanket. So instead of pushing back, I let her win this small battle.

“Fine, maybe I do need your help,” I admitted, my voice softening.

“Maybe?” Tessa raised an eyebrow, glancing back at me with that look that silently said Don’t even try to deny it, as she walked toward the kitchen. I followed her, the cold tiles beneath my feet reminding me that I wasn’t in the comfort of my old home anymore.

She opened the drawers and cupboards with a practiced ease, pulling out a kettle and a pot, her movements quick and sure. Even though it wasn’t a large kitchen, it somehow felt warmer than the massive, polished marble kitchen back at Ethan’s house. Maybe because here, there was no weight of judgment. Just Tessa’s quiet

acceptance.

Unlike back at Ethan’s house, where Rosa would wake early to prepare a choice of meals for Elena – sometimes even decorating the plates with little hearts and stars of fruit – here, I had to make do with what was on hand. And right now, that was a pack of spaghetti and a jar of tomato sauce.

“I wasn’t expecting guests, so this is what I have for now,” Tessa said apologetically, placing the spaghetti on the counter.

“No, it’s fine. Really, this would do perfectly,” I said quickly, trying to show her how grateful I truly was. In that moment, it wasn’t about what food we had. It was about the fact that we had somewhere warm and safe to cook

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“You sure you still remember how to do this?” she teased lightly, glancing at me with a playful smirk.

I let out a breath that sounded almost like a laugh. “Have you forgotten that I had a life before I met Ethan Black?” I replied, a hint of nostalgia slipping into my tone. Back then, I had made pasta countless times, sometimes for myself, sometimes for Ethan too – when things were still good.

–

Tessa didn’t laugh this time. Instead, her expression turned more serious, and she leaned slightly against the counter, folding her arms. “Speaking of that… Elena’s still asleep, and it’s just the two of us here,” she began, her voice softer but firmer. “Tell me what happened, Lauren. Really.”

My chest tightened at her words. I looked away, my eyes catching the steam slowly rising from the pot as the water began to boil. I opened my mouth, hesitated, and then finally let the words spill out. “There’s nothing much to say, Tess. I tried…, I really tried,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “But instead of apologizing to me, he went ahead and slapped me.”

Tessa’s eyes widened, pain flashing across her face for my sake. “Something isn’t right, Lauren. He’s never hit you before. So why now?” she pressed gently, concern lacing every word.

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