I used to think losing my mum was the hardest thing I’d ever face.
I was wrong.

Grief I can handle. Pain I can swallow.
But living under the roof of a man who twists loyalty into control and fear? That’s a different kind of prison.
For three years, I’ve worn a mask. Smiled when I wanted to scream.
Pretended I was fine while the walls closed in.

Then Elijah appears.

He doesn’t try to fix me. He doesn’t push.
He just sees me—the real me hiding beneath the silence.
With him, I feel stronger. Braver. Maybe even worth saving.

He becomes my safe place. My escape. The light I never saw in my future.
But just as I start to believe in something more… he’s gone.
No goodbye.
No explanation.
Just his best friend standing in front of me with a look that says everything’s about to fall apart again.

Holding Onto Hope is an emotional, slow-burning romance filled with quiet strength, raw vulnerability, and a twist that changes everything.