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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

❝I THINK WE'RE WAY PAST ANY TYPE OF CODE, DON'T YOU THINK?❞

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Winnie sighed softly and looked up at the blank ceiling of Justin's bedroom, she couldn't sleep, maybe she had too much on her mind — or maybe it was the fact she wasn't comfortable in Justin's bed.

Winnie looked down at Justin's tattooed arm that was wrapped around her waist with her arm wrapped around his.

Winnie tilted her head so she could look over at Justin sleep, she hummed to herself as she looked at his facial features.

Justin's dirty blonde hair was scattered in different places, his eyelashes slightly moved along with his eyelids, and his mouth was slightly gaped open as the light snores escaped his lips.

Winnie smiled softly and took her index finger and let it softly run across his soft cheek as she rested her head back onto her pillow and watched Justin continue to sleep.

After a few more minutes of lying next to Justin in the bed, Winnie couldn't take it, she sighed softly and removed Justin's arm from her body and slipped out of his bed.

Walking around the bedroom, Winnie looked for her bra and panties and found them under the bed before slipping them on her body and putting on Justin's t-shirt.

Winnie then ran her hand down the side of her face and quietly left Justin's room and made her way downstairs and to the kitchen and got a glass out of the cabinet and poured herself a glass of water.

Winnie still couldn't believe it. She had lost her virginity just a few hours ago. It still felt so surreal to her, but she didn't regret anything, when she was with Justin it felt like most of her problems disappeared and most importantly their problems disappeared. It was crazy to think that they both started their relationship off an argument over who was buying the beach house to begin with.

Winnie snapped out of her thoughts and took another long sip of her water and licked her lips as she headed off and out of the kitchen to her bedroom.

Once she was in her bedroom, she drank a little bit more of her water and sat it down onto her nightstand and checked her digital clock to see it was 1 o'clock in the morning.

After lying in her bed for a few moments, she finally found herself getting comfortable again and being able to drift off to sleep in her own bed.

After what seemed like forever, Winnie heard a knock at her bedroom door making her shoot her eyes open and crease her eyebrows and look over to the digital clock and see it was almost 4 o'clock.

"What the hell. . ."

Winnie huffed and rolled out of bed and walked over to her bedroom door and opened it to see Justin leaning against the doorframe with his forearms on either side of the frame.

"Jay, what are you doing?"

"My bed companion got up in the middle of the night and left me, have you seen her?"

"I'm sorry. . .but it's not my fault my bed is more comfortable."

Justin rose an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Mind if I test out that theory?" Justin murmured lowly as he moved closer to Winnie and leaned his body off the doorframe and towered over Winnie.

"Not at all. . ."

Justin grinned and looked down at Winnie for one moment before bending down a bit and picking Winnie up to wrap her legs around his waist and carry her over to her bed with their lips never leaving each other's.

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"Why are you teaching me to cook, I thought you liked my cooking."

Winnie pursed her lips momentarily. "A for effort."

Justin scoffed and leaned against the kitchen counter as he watched Winnie walk around the kitchen and attend to mixing and stirring and checking what she already had cooking on the stove.

"Can you check the bacon for me?"

Justin nodded and walked over to the kitchen and picked up the rubber spatula Winnie had sat down next to the stove.

As Justin checked the bacon, Winnie stood back and watched Justin finish up cooking the bacon for her as she finished up placing the eggs and pancakes onto their plates.

After fixing the plates, Winnie hummed to herself as she walked over to Justin and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and rested her head on his back.

Justin hummed and laughed softly as he finished the eggs and turned the stove off, placing the bacon down onto their plates.

After placing the bacon down, he turned his body around. "What's all this?"

"I just wanted to hold you. . .don't mind me."

"How could I not?" Justin murmured as his lips softly touched Winnie's and then gave them a slow and soft peck on her lips.

"Mm, let's eat."

Winnie nodded and unwrapped her arms from around Justin's waist and took her plate with her over to the kitchen table and sat down with Justin.

Sitting across from each other, they both began to eat their breakfast in silence, the only audible sound being the scraping of the forks. They would even occasionally glance at each other and smile before continuing to eat.

Once Justin and Winnie finished, Justin took Winnie's plate and walked over to the sink and dropped the dishes into it and turned back around to see Winnie walking over to climb up onto the kitchen island.

"Winnie?"

"Hm?"

"We should talk. . .you know, about last night."

Winnie creased her eyebrows. "Did you not like it?"

"No, Winnie, god no. . .you were pretty damn better than Iris, that's for sure."

"Hm. . .," Winnie hummed as she felt a grin coming onto her lips and she wrapped her arms around Justin's shoulders. "Good to know."

"But. . ."

"But?"

"What does it make us?"

Winnie paused momentarily. "I don't understand."

"I'm saying. . .I want you to be my girlfriend, Winnie."

Winnie looked into Justin's eyes and watched his expression seeing how relaxed he was — but he also had a bit of anxiety pooling his eyes.

"Hm. . .nope."

"What?"

Winnie unwrapped her arms from Justin and let out a breath as she slid off the kitchen island and walked toward the entrance of the kitchen to leave, but before she left, she turned around to look at Justin.

"If you really want me to be your girlfriend, put some thought into it, Bieber."

Justin scoffed and shook his head as he watched Winnie leave out of the kitchen — but not before looking back at him one last time with the grin still on her lips.

"Winnie Stone. . .I will make you mine."

˚˚˚

Jade woke up to the smell of syrup and bacon, the sudden aroma made her stomach rumble as she shifted in the sheets and lifted her body up from the mattress.

Squinting her eyes, she groaned as she looked around the room seeing that it wasn't familiar and noticing that she was fully naked.

Oh no, Jade thought.

Jade pursed her lips and slipped out from bed and picked up bathing suit bottom and slipped them up her legs quickly just as the door to the room opened making her jump.

"Good morning."

Jade turned around. "Peter."

Peter smiled at Jade and looked down at his hands and see he was holding a plate full of her favorite breakfast food, she then looked up at Peter seeing his eyebrows creased.

"Headed somewhere?"

"Um—"

"Like home to leave me hanging with this delicious breakfast I cooked?"

Why is he so cute? Jade thought.

"Peter. . .listen, whatever happened last night cannot happen again."

"What—"

"Just to be clear. . .," Jade asked as she paused and cleared her throat and found her bathing suit top and slipped it on. "What did happen last night?"

"Besides the obvious? You and I got drunk. . .and one thing led to another—"

"Peter. . .enough, okay? I-I'm going home."

Peter creased his eyebrows. "Why?"

"What do you mean why? I broke the number one girl code about dating guys."

Peter chuckled and sat down Jade's breakfast onto his dresser and walked over to her as she searched for her kimono, he took her by the hands and pulled her close making her gasp softly.

"Is this about Winnie?"

Jade paused. "I. . .yes. . .partially."

"What's the other part?"

"The fact that I actually might be feeling something for you, Peter. . ." Jade whispered softly as she creased her eyebrows and slowly pulled her hands out of Peter's and went to look for her kimono again.

"Jade. . .I don't think Winnie would care."

"How do you know?"

Peter let out a small laugh. "Well for one because she's with Justin?"

"God, Peter. . ."

"And, because she's your best friend and she would understand."

Jade stopped searching for a minute and sighed softly as she looked back up to Peter seeing him looking down at her momentarily and then letting his eyes move down to her plump lips.

"And besides. . .I think we're way past any type of code, don't you think?"

Jade didn't speak, she just simply watched Peter press his chest to hers and wrap his arm around her waist and let his lips to connect with hers as the sparks started to fly in Jade's body.

Before she knew it, Peter had picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist and carried her back over to his bed and gently placed her on top.

As their kiss deepened, Jade thought of something making her pull away and look into Peter's eyes with her hands on his chest.

"What's wrong?"

"I better not be a rebound for Winnie."

Peter chuckled and licked his lips. "Rebounds are for suckers."

Jade smiled softly and let Peter bring his soft lips back onto hers as their kiss deepened and she found herself tangling her fingers in his curls.

˚˚˚

Iris puffed out a breath and looked down at her watch and saw that it was almost 4 o'clock making her shake her leg under the wooden table of the booth a little more.

She gripped her cup of coffee a bit more as she looked out for Winnie to come into the coffee shop.

As if on queue, the door to the coffee shop opened and the bell dangling from above rang as she stepped inside and looked around and spotted Iris at the table near the window.

Suddenly, Iris saw Justin and her heart began to thud a bit faster as she watched from her spot as Winnie spoke a few words to Justin and she saw him nod and follow her over to where she sat.

Winnie slid into the booth first. "Iris."

"Winnie."

"What's going on? Your text said it was an emergency?"

Iris let out a shaky breath. "I. . .I wanted to tell you I'm sorry again. . .and goodbye."

"Goodbye?"

"I. . .found an anonymous sperm donor and they said I have a higher chance of getting pregnant this time if I go through their recommended therapy."

Winnie creased her eyebrows. "You. . .you were trying to get pregnant?"

"Yes."

"So why did you come to me that day?"

Iris huffed. "I didn't know how to handle it. . .I thought I was pregnant, I was having mood swings, nausea, cravings. . ."

"But when you found out you weren't pregnant you went to the clinic. . ."

Iris nodded and cleared her throat as she took a small sip of her coffee and heard Winnie let out a breath and look over at Justin. "Did you know?"

"I. . .I knew she wanted a baby, but I told her I couldn't. . .at least not with her, Winnie."

"We both know we weren't meant to be parents together."

Winnie sharply inhaled a breath. "Well. . .congrats, Iris."

"Winnie again, about your birthday cake—"

"No, don't keep apologizing, it wasn't your fault—"

"I'm pretty damn sure it was intentional." Justin spoke through gritted teeth as he looked over at Iris with a clenched jaw making her look down at the table.

Winnie creased her eyebrows and scoffed as she wrapped an arm around Justin's arm and made him look her in the eyes.

"Hey. . .you said you wouldn't do this."

Justin slowly unclenched his jaw. "I'm sorry. . ."

Winnie nodded and touched Justin's face momentarily and let her hand drop to the table as Justin took it and interlaced their fingers as Iris watched.

"And this whole time you denied your feelings for Winnie. . .a part of me always knew. . .and a part of me wanted to make it work with you, Justin."

"Iris—"

"No, let me finish, when I made that contract I wasn't in the right frame of mind and I let my emotions cloud my judgement as I always do. . .but hopefully one day I can find someone who will accept my flaws. I just hope maybe one day you can find it in you to forgive me, Justin."

"One day. . .but not today."

Iris let out a small laugh. "Figures. . .I deserve it, well, I have a flight in about 5 hours. . ."

Iris cleared her throat and slid out of the booth to stand up and straighten her clothes as Justin and Winnie did the same and stood in front of Iris as they did in the booth.

"Iris. . .take care."

Winnie let out a small breath and let her arms wrap around Iris making her freeze up and scrunch her face up momentarily, but relax her face and hug Winnie back slowly and hesitantly.

Once they pulled away, Iris gave a closed mouth smile to Justin as he stuck his hand out for her to shake making her laugh softly and shake his hand.

After separating, Winnie and Justin watched Iris walk past them and head to the door of the coffee shop and look back before leaving out.

"You two really are made for each other."

And with that, Iris stepped out into the streets and made her way to her car parked in the parking lot across the street as Winnie and Justin stood in the middle of the coffeeshop.

Winnie then sighed and plopped down into the booth again as Justin went to sit where Iris sat just a minute ago and interlaced his fingers on top of the table.

"Seems like everything's going the way we want to, huh?"

"Yes, I finally get some peace and your book is almost finished. . .and it's only July 5th."

Winnie sharply inhaled a breath. "Wonder what I'll do with all this free time."

"I have a few ideas if you're interested."

"Then I guess you'll need to go back to the drawing board."

Justin chuckled softly and reached over the table and pulled Winnie's hands into his and interlaced them in the middle of the table.

"Hey, Jay. . .have you heard from Jade today?"

"Nope, you?"

"No, she probably got drunk last night and she's resting." Winnie murmured softly as she bit her bottom lip softly as Justin played with their connected fingers.

"Maybe."

"Should I call?"

"Winnie, she's a grown woman, she'll call when—"

The sudden sound of vibrating made Winnie reach into her back pocket and pull her phone out and see it wasn't her making Justin crease his eyebrows and pull his out to see it was a hospital.

"Justin Bieber, who is this?"

Winnie rose an eyebrow as she watched Justin look out the window as he answered the phone nonchalantly — that is until his face turned serious and he leaned back in his seat.

"Justin?"

"Y-Yes, I'm on my way."

Justin licked his lips and shook his head as he swallowed and rose up from the booth seat making Winnie quickly get up as well with creased eyebrows.

"Justin? Talk to me."

"My dad. . .h-he collapsed."

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Justin bursted through the doors of the hospital entrance with Winnie holding his hand as they jogged over to the front desk, once she sees them, she slowly pushes her glasses further down he bridge of her nose.

"May I help you two?"

"Jeremy Bieber, my father, he was just emitted."

The nurse nodded slowly and pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose as she goes into the computer system to find his name.

"He's in ICU, you could wait."

Justin balled up his fist. "Please, I-I can't wait."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Bieber, you'll have to wait like everyone else is that's waiting for someone."

Justin slammed the front desk making Winnie gasp and jump as she felt Justin's hand slip away from hers as she watched his run his hands down his face with his back turned to her.

Winnie creased her eyebrows and slowly walked over to Justin and made him turn around to face her and see his face was somewhat pale.

"Justin, what is the matter with you?"

"Nothing. . .nothing. . ."

Winnie went to open her mouth to speak but she stopped when she heard the sound of the ICU door opening and a doctor come out.

Walking over to Justin, he let out a breath. "Mr. Bieber."

"Is my dad okay?"

"Not so good. . .he was given a wrong diagnostic."

Justin creased his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Dr. Wilkes gave his cancer the wrong diagnostic. . .he thought his cancer wasn't as bad, but it's worse and it's out of our control now."

"S-So what are you saying?"

"He. . .he's not going to make it by the end of the night, Mr. Bieber."

"So you're telling me my dad is going to die because his stupid ass doctor messed up on his end and now he's getting the consequences of it?!"

Winnie touched Justin's arm. "Jay. . ."

"No, I wanna know how the fuck you all walk around and call yourselves doctors when you can't even save everyone! You took a damn oath!"

"I understand you're upset. . .but there is nothing we can do at this point, Mr. Bieber. . .if you'd like to see him he's in room 8."

Justin clenched his jaw and walked around the doctor fast — leaving Winnie making her crease her eyebrows and scoff as she watched Justin speed off without her.

Staying back, she went to sit back down in the chair as Justin sped walked down the hallway of ICU and walked up to his father's hospital room.

As Justin walks inside, the nurse was fixing his IV making him clear his throat and have her look over to him confused.

"Leave me alone with him, please."

The nurse took a moment, but she finally nodded and headed out the room, shutting the door behind her as Justin slowly walked over to his father.

"Dad."

"Justin. . ."

"I'm sorry. . .I'm so sorry."

Jeremy let out a small cough. "Sorry for what?"

"Failing you. . .as a son."

"You. . .never failed me. . .I just wanted you to know when to be a man and hane yourself, Justin. . .and you've proved that to me in the past few weeks."

Justin creased his ee and pulled up a chair to sit down in front of his bed. "What are you talking about?"

"Justin there's things I've done in my past that cannot be forgiven or forgotten. . .but you have a chance to make sure you don't end up like me, son."

"But—"

"I never wanted you to take the company. . .I just wanted you to prove to me that you can actually have a say in your future. . .unlike your old man, I was forced to take over the company after college."

Justin let out a shaky breath. "Yes, I know."

"Now. . .seeing you here. . .watching me take my last breaths. . .it's all so clear to me why."

"What?"

"Winnie. . .she changed you, son."